Rob Wolf 1947-2010

CERN Multimedia

TE Department

2010-01-01

We deeply regret to announce the death of Mr Rob WOLF on 20.06.2010. Mr Rob Wolf, born on 07.06.1947, worked in the TE Department and had been employed at CERN since 15.09.1973. The Director-General has sent his family a message of condolence on behalf of the CERN staff. Social Affairs Human Resources Department Rob Wolf passed away on Sunday 20 June after a long illness. Born in June 1947 in The Netherlands, he joined CERN as a fellow in September 1972 after obtaining his doctoral qualification from the University of Leiden (NL) on the degradation of superconducting materials in ionizing radiation. He was a member of the CERN personnel since 1st March 1975. Rob immediately assumed full responsibility for the measurement and qualification of the superconducting materials for the low-beta magnet project of the ISR, and was then tasked with the manufacture of the corrector windings of these magnets. Throughout his working life he remained a reference in these areas. Later, Rob took on the responsibi...

Is science in danger of sanctifying the wolf?

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David

2012-01-01

Historically the wolf (Canis lupus) was hated and extirpated from most of the contiguous United States. The federal Endangered Species Act fostered wolf protection and reintroduction which improved the species' image. Wolf populations reached biological recovery in the Northern Rocky Mountains and upper Midwest, and the animal has been delisted from the Endangered Species List in those areas. Numerous studies in National Parks suggest that wolves, through trophic cascades, have caused ecosystems to change in ways many people consider positive. Several studies have been conducted in Yellowstone National Park where wolf interactions with their prey, primarily elk (Cervus elaphus), are thought to have caused reduction of numbers or changes in movements and behavior. Some workers consider the latter changes to have led to a behaviorally-mediated trophic cascade. Either the elk reduction or the behavioral changes are hypothesized to have fostered growth in browse, primarily willows (Salix spp.) and aspen (Populus spp.), and that growth has resulted in increased beavers (Castor Canadensis), songbirds, and hydrologic changes. The wolf's image thus has gained an iconic cachet. However, later research challenges several earlier studies' findings such that earlier conclusions are now controversial; especially those related to causes of browse regrowth. In any case, any such cascading effects of wolves found in National Parks would have little relevance to most of the wolf range because of overriding anthropogenic influences there on wolves, prey, vegetation, and other parts of the food web. The wolf is neither a saint nor a sinner except to those who want to make it so.

No N = 4 strings on Wolf spaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gates, S.J. Jr.; Ketov, S.V.

1995-02-01

We generalize the standard N=2 supersymmetric Kazama-Suzuki coset construction to the N=4 case by requiring the non-linear (Goddard-Schwimmer) N=4 quasi-superconformal algebra to be realized on cosets. The constraints that we find allow very simple geometrical interpretation and have the Wolf spaces as their natural solutions. Our results obtained by using components-level superconformal field theory methods are fully consistent with standard results about N=4 supersymmetric two-dimensional nonlinear sigma-models and N=4 WZNW models on Wolf spaces. We construct the actions for the latter and express the quaternionic structure, appearing in the N=4 coset solution, in terms of the symplectic structure associated with the underlying Freudenthal triple system. Next, we gauge the N=4 QSCA and build a quantum BRST charge for the N=4 string propagating on a Wolf space. Surprisingly, the BRST charge nilpotency conditions rule out the non-trivial Wolf spaces as consistent string backgrounds. (orig.)

Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Extract Studio

she had the distinctive facial features of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome that included hyperteleorism, ... The PDA noted at birth had closed by 3 months and there was no other cardiac .... followed by pulmonary stenosis, ventricular septal defects,.

A 2D view of Wolf-Rayet Galaxies

OpenAIRE

Srivastava, S.; Kehrig, C.; Kantharia, N. G.; Pérez-Montero, E.; Vílchez, J. M.; Iglesias-Páramo, J.; Janardhan, P.

2015-01-01

The main objective of this work is to investigate the evolution of massive stars, and the interplay between them and the ionized gas for a sample of local metal-poor Wolf-Rayet galaxies. Optical integral field spectrocopy was used in combination with multi-wavelength radio data. Combining optical and radio data, we locate Wolf-Rayet stars and supernova remnants across the Wolf-Rayet galaxies to study the spatial correlation between them. This study will shed light on the massive star fo...

Camera Traps on Wildlife Crossing Structures as a Tool in Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) Management - Five-Years Monitoring of Wolf Abundance Trends in Croatia.

Science.gov (United States)

Šver, Lidija; Bielen, Ana; Križan, Josip; Gužvica, Goran

2016-01-01

The conservation of gray wolf (Canis lupus) and its coexistence with humans presents a challenge and requires continuous monitoring and management efforts. One of the non-invasive methods that produces high-quality wolf monitoring datasets is camera trapping. We present a novel monitoring approach where camera traps are positioned on wildlife crossing structures that channel the animals, thereby increasing trapping success and increasing the cost-efficiency of the method. In this way we have followed abundance trends of five wolf packs whose home ranges are intersected by a motorway which spans throughout the wolf distribution range in Croatia. During the five-year monitoring of six green bridges we have recorded 28 250 camera-events, 132 with wolves. Four viaducts were monitored for two years, recording 4914 camera-events, 185 with wolves. We have detected a negative abundance trend of the monitored Croatian wolf packs since 2011, especially severe in the northern part of the study area. Further, we have pinpointed the legal cull as probable major negative influence on the wolf pack abundance trends (linear regression, r2 > 0.75, P Croatia until there is more data proving population stability. In conclusion, quantitative methods, such as the one presented here, should be used as much as possible when assessing wolf abundance trends.

Gamma-ray bursts from tidally spun-up Wolf-Rayet stars?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Detmers, R.G.; Langer, N.; Podsiadlowski, Ph.; Izzard, R.G.

2008-01-01

Context. The collapsar model requires rapidly rotating Wolf-Rayet stars as progenitors of long gamma-ray bursts. However, Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars rapidly lose angular momentum due to their intense stellar winds. Aims. We investigate whether the tidal interaction of a Wolf-Rayet star with a compact

Hot mantles, moderate photospheres for Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Underhill, A.B.

1982-01-01

The amount of continuous energy from Wolf-Rayet stars and the shape of the continuous spectrum from the ultraviolet to the near infrared correspond to effective temperatures in the range 25000 to 30000 K. The value of log g is of the order of 4.0 +- 0.5. Thus the photospheres of Wolf-Rayet stars correspond to those of moderately hot stars. The line spectra of Wolf-Rayet stars, however, indicate that electron temperatures greater than 30000 K occur in the outer atmospheres or mantles of these stars. Here outflow is important. (Auth.)

Optical spectrophotometry of Wolf-Rayet galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Vacca, William D.; Conti, Peter S.

1992-01-01

We have obtained long-slit optical spectra of 10 Wolf-Rayet galaxies and four other starburst galaxies. Using the nebular emission lines we have determined the electron temperatures, electron densities, extinctions, oxygen abundances, mass of ionized hydrogen, and numbers of ionizing photons due to hot stars in these galaxies. The various forbidden line ratios clearly indicate a stellar origin for the emission-line spectrum. From the flux of the broad He II 4686 A emission feature we have estimated the number of Wolf-Rayet stars present. We have accounted for the contribution of these stars to the total ionizing flux and have calculated the ratio of the number of these stars to the number of O stars. Wolf-Rayet galaxies are among the youngest examples of the starburst phenomenon, which we observed at a propitious moment.

Wolf Creek Generating Station containment model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, D.H.; Neises, G.J.; Howard, M.L.

1995-01-01

This paper presents a CONTEMPT-LT/28 containment model that has been developed by Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation (WCNOC) to predict containment pressure and temperature behavior during the postulated events at Wolf Creek Generating Station (WCGS). The model has been validated using data provided in the WCGS Updated Safety Analysis Report (USAR). CONTEMPT-LT/28 model has been used extensively at WCGS to support plant operations, and recently, to support its 4.5% thermal power uprate project

Observations of southern Wolf-Rayet stars. I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemela, V.S.

1976-01-01

The Wolf-Rayet star HD 90657 is found to be a spectroscopic binary with a WN5+O6 spectrum and a period of 6.456 days. Preliminary orbital elements show an elliptic orbit and a mass ratio Msub(WR)/Msub(O) approximately 0.5. Evidence is presented for the Wolf-Rayet atmosphere being accelerated outwards and not being spherically symmetric. (Auth.)

26Al yields from rotating Wolf--Rayet star models

OpenAIRE

Vuissoz, C.; Meynet, G.; Knoedlseder, J.; Cervino, M.; Schaerer, D.; Palacios, A.; Mowlavi, N.

2003-01-01

We present new $^{26}$Al stellar yields from rotating Wolf--Rayet stellar models which, at solar metallicity, well reproduce the observed properties of the Wolf-Rayet populations. These new yields are enhanced with respect to non--rotating models, even with respect to non--rotating models computed with enhanced mass loss rates. We briefly discuss some implications of the use of these new yields for estimating the global contribution of Wolf-Rayet stars to the quantity of $^{26}$Al now present...

Severe anemia caused by babesiosis in a maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus).

Science.gov (United States)

Phair, Kristen A; Carpenter, James W; Smee, Nicole; Myers, Carl B; Pohlman, Lisa M

2012-03-01

An 8-yr-old, captive, spayed, female maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) developed progressive lethargy and weakness over a 24-hr period. Clinical signs included vomiting, recumbency, horizontal nystagmus, possible blindness, pale icteric mucus membranes, and port-wine colored urine. A complete blood cell count revealed severe anemia (packed cell volume [PCV], 6%) and intraerythrocytic piroplasms consistent with a Babesia species. Polymerase chain reaction testing later confirmed babesiosis. The wolf was treated with imidocarb dipropionate, antibiotics, and fluid therapy. A whole-blood transfusion from a sibling maned wolf also was performed. Despite aggressive treatment, the wolf failed to improve and was euthanized. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first documented case of babesiosis in a captive maned wolf in North America. Surveillance of infectious diseases in captive and wild maned wolf populations should be expanded to include screening for Babesia species. Tick control also should be implemented to prevent and decrease transmission of the disease to this endangered species.

Wolf Attack Probability: A Theoretical Security Measure in Biometric Authentication Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Une, Masashi; Otsuka, Akira; Imai, Hideki

This paper will propose a wolf attack probability (WAP) as a new measure for evaluating security of biometric authentication systems. The wolf attack is an attempt to impersonate a victim by feeding “wolves” into the system to be attacked. The “wolf” means an input value which can be falsely accepted as a match with multiple templates. WAP is defined as a maximum success probability of the wolf attack with one wolf sample. In this paper, we give a rigorous definition of the new security measure which gives strength estimation of an individual biometric authentication system against impersonation attacks. We show that if one reestimates using our WAP measure, a typical fingerprint algorithm turns out to be much weaker than theoretically estimated by Ratha et al. Moreover, we apply the wolf attack to a finger-vein-pattern based algorithm. Surprisingly, we show that there exists an extremely strong wolf which falsely matches all templates for any threshold value.

WR 143: A Wolf-Rayet Binary

OpenAIRE

Varricatt, Watson P.; Ashok, Nagarhalli M.

2005-01-01

Near infrared spectroscopy and photometry of the Wolf-Rayet Star WR 143 (HD 195177) were obtained in the $JHK$ photometric bands. High resolution spectra observed in the J and H bands exhibit narrow 1.083-micron He I line and the H I Pa Beta and the Brackett series lines in emission superposed on the broad emission line spectrum of the Wolf-Rayet star, giving strong indications of the presence of a companion. From the narrow emission lines observed, the companion is identified to be an early-...

Analysis of amplitude-phase disturbances of Wolf's numbers rhythmic structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vojchishin, K.S.

1978-01-01

Statistical analysis of Wolf's number rhythmic structure has been carried out. Wolf's number time series is considered as a stochastic signal with irregular disturbances of rhythmic structure appearing because of random variability of single cycle parameters. A method and an algorythm for transforming the signal, to reduce all quasi-eleven-year cycles of mean-monthly Wolf's numbers to a signal mean duration, to find out and to eliminate rhythmic phase disturbances, are proposed. An estimate of the accuracy of the procedure is given. The results of calculations (on the mean duration range of cycles) of estimates of their mathematical expectation, dispersion and correlation function depending on time and its shift are given. The conclusion that Wolf's number time series may be treated as a sequence of stochastic cycles with randomly varying amplitude, duration and phase is grounded. A possibility for reducing the forecast of smoothed mean-monthly Wolf's numbers for one or more cycles ahead to the forecast of only three abovementioned parameters is pointed out

WOLF REXUS EXPERIMENT - European Planetary Science Congress

Science.gov (United States)

Buzdugan, A.

2017-09-01

WOLF experiment is developing a reaction wheel-based control system, effectively functioning as active nutation damper. One reaction wheel is used to reduce the undesirable lateral rates of spinning cylindrically symmetric free falling units, ejected from a sounding rocket. Once validated in REXUS flight, the concept and the design developed during WOLF experiment can be used for other application which require a flat spin of the free falling units.

Long GRBs from Binary Stars: Runaway, Wolf-Rayet Progenitors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cantiello, M.; Yoon, S.C.; Langer, N.; Livio, M.

2007-01-01

The collapsar model for long gamma-ray bursts requires a rapidly rotating Wolf-Rayet star as progenitor. We test the idea of producing rapidly rotating Wolf-Rayet stars in massive close binaries through mass accretion and consecutive quasi-chemically homogeneous evolution - the latter had previously

Affinity for music in Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome: two case reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Arakawa, Chikako; Fujita, Yukihiko; Fuchigami, Tatsuo; Kawamura, Yuki; Ishii, Wakako; Endo, Ayumi; Kohira, Ryutaro; Takahashi, Shori

2014-10-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome is a congenital malformation syndrome resulting from deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4. Individuals with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome may have a "Greek warrior helmet" appearance, growth retardation, developmental delay, muscular hypotonia, epilepsy, and difficulty with language including verbal communication. An affinity for music has not previously been reported in these patients. We describe two patients with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome who both have a strong affinity for music. One patient is a 20-year-old woman who likes to listen to music all day and can hum many tunes. The other patient is a 9-year-old girl who is calmed by music and received music therapy, with subsequent improvement in her communication skills (eye contact, joint attention, and vocalizations to request music). Individuals with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome may have a strong affinity for music and may benefit from music therapy. Additional studies are needed to investigate the interest in music in individuals with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long GRBs from binary stars: runaway, Wolf-Rayet progenitors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cantiello, M.; Yoon, S.C.; Langer, N.; Livio, M.

2007-01-01

The collapsar model for long gamma-ray bursts requires a rapidly rotating Wolf-Rayet star as progenitor. We test the idea of producing rapidly rotating Wolf-Rayet stars in massive close binaries through mass accretion and consecutive quasi-chemically homogeneous evolution — the latter had previously

O stars and Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conti, P.S.; Underhill, A.B.; Jordan, S.; Thomas, R.

1988-01-01

Basic information is given about O and Wolf-Rayet stars indicating how these stars are defined and what their chief observable properties are. Part 2 of the volume discussed four related themes pertaining to the hottest and most luminous stars. Presented are: an observational overview of the spectroscopic classification and extrinsic properties of O and Wolf-Rayet stars; the intrinsic parameters of luminosity, effective temperature, mass, and composition of the stars, and a discussion of their viability; stellar wind properties; and the related issues concerning the efforts of stellar radiation and wind on the immediate interstellar environment are presented

O stars and Wolf-Rayet stars

Science.gov (United States)

Conti, Peter S.; Underhill, Anne B.; Jordan, Stuart (Editor); Thomas, Richard (Editor)

1988-01-01

Basic information is given about O and Wolf-Rayet stars indicating how these stars are defined and what their chief observable properties are. Part 2 of the volume discussed four related themes pertaining to the hottest and most luminous stars. Presented are: an observational overview of the spectroscopic classification and extrinsic properties of O and Wolf-Rayet stars; the intrinsic parameters of luminosity, effective temperature, mass, and composition of the stars, and a discussion of their viability; stellar wind properties; and the related issues concerning the efforts of stellar radiation and wind on the immediate interstellar environment are presented.

Wolf Search Algorithm for Solving Optimal Reactive Power Dispatch Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kanagasabai Lenin

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a new bio-inspired heuristic optimization algorithm called the Wolf Search Algorithm (WSA for solving the multi-objective reactive power dispatch problem. Wolf Search algorithm is a new bio – inspired heuristic algorithm which based on wolf preying behaviour. The way wolves search for food and survive by avoiding their enemies has been imitated to formulate the algorithm for solving the reactive power dispatches. And the speciality  of wolf is  possessing  both individual local searching ability and autonomous flocking movement and this special property has been utilized to formulate the search algorithm .The proposed (WSA algorithm has been tested on standard IEEE 30 bus test system and simulation results shows clearly about the good performance of the proposed algorithm .

Using radioecological data to determine prey selection by the Alaska wolf

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holleman, D.F.; Luick, J.R.

1978-01-01

Recently the predation of the Alaska wolf (Canis lupus pambasileus) upon various species of big game has been the subject of considerable controversy between game management specialists and environmentalists. The basis of this controversy centers primarily on the selectivity and extent of prey utilization by the wolf. This report suggests how radioecological data can be used to assess both qualitative and quantitative aspects of wolf predation. Primary prey species of the wolf have distinctly different fallout radiocesium body burdens; e.g., reindeer/caribou have high radiocesium body burdens, whereas moose and small game have low radiocesium body burdens. Consequently, the resulting radiocesium body burden of the wolf depends upon the type and quantity of prey species consumed. Laboratory measurements for this study show a wide variation of radiocesium concentrations of skeletal muscle of wolves within Alaska. Values ranged from 263 to 17,300 pCi 137 Cs/kg of wet muscle. These data relate to known degrees of reindeer/caribou predation by the wolves. A radiocesium kinetic model was constructed from data obtained with wolves and other arctic carnivores and was used to estimate reindeer/caribou intake by wolves. Estimates ranged from 40 to 1650 g of reindeer/caribou muscle per day per wolf. Although the application has limitations, it could yield useful information for evaluating the food habits of wolves, especially in areas of the state where it is important to know the extent of reindeer/caribou utilization by the wolf

Wolf (Canis lupus) generation time and proportion of current breeding females by age

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David; Barber-Meyer, Shannon M.; Erb, John

2016-01-01

Information is sparse about aspects of female wolf (Canis lupus) breeding in the wild, including age of first reproduction, mean age of primiparity, generation time, and proportion of each age that breeds in any given year. We studied these subjects in 86 wolves (113 captures) in the Superior National Forest (SNF), Minnesota (MN), during 1972–2013 where wolves were legally protected for most of the period, and in 159 harvested wolves from throughout MN wolf range during 2012–2014. Breeding status of SNF wolves were assessed via nipple measurements, and wolves from throughout MN wolf range, by placental scars. In the SNF, proportions of currently breeding females (those breeding in the year sampled) ranged from 19% at age 2 to 80% at age 5, and from throughout wolf range, from 33% at age 2 to 100% at age 7. Excluding pups and yearlings, only 33% to 36% of SNF females and 58% of females from throughout MN wolf range bred in any given year. Generation time for SNF wolves was 4.3 years and for MN wolf range, 4.7 years. These findings will be useful in modeling wolf population dynamics and in wolf genetic and dog-domestication studies.

The challenge of wolf recovery: an ongoing dilemma for state managers

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David

2013-01-01

“Dave, would you do another legal declaration on the wolf for us?” The weary voice on the phone belonged to Mike Jimenez, Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Management and Science Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). He was calling from Wyoming to ask me to prepare a document to address a legal challenge to the FWS’s August 2012 delisting of the wolf (Canis lupus) in Wyoming, a highly controversial move. Mike’s tone reflected the reality that — as so many wildlife biologists know and live each day — wildlife management is mainly people management. This contention could not be truer for managing any wildlife species than for managing the wolf. Dubbed “the beast of waste and desolation” by Teddy Roosevelt (The Wilderness Hunter 1893/1900), wolves had been universally hated as prolific predators of valuable livestock and game. Around the turn of the 20th century, members of the U.S. Biological Survey and various state agents, ranchers, cowboys, and other frontiersmen poisoned and persecuted wolves, extirpating them from most of the contiguous United States (Young and Goldman 1944). By 1967, Minnesota and nearby Isle Royale National Park in Michigan held the only remaining wolves in the Lower 48 states, prompting the FWS to place the wolf on the Endangered Species List (established by the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966). The wolf then became the list’s poster species, and the timing was ideal: Silent Spring (Carson 1962) had just seeded and fertilized the environmental movement, which blossomed on Earth Day (April 22, 1970) into the environmental revolution. “Save the wolf!” became one of the movement’s rallying cries. And save the wolf we did.

Are luminous and metal-rich Wolf Rayet stars inflated?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Petrovic, J.; Pols, O.; Langer, N.

2006-01-01

Aims. We investigate the influence of metallicity and stellar wind mass loss on the radius of Wolf-Rayet stars. Methods. We have calculated chemically homogeneous models of Wolf-Rayet stars of 10 to 200 M for two metallicities (Z = 0.02 and Z = 0.001), without mass loss, using OPAL opacities. We

Wolf's syndrome in a neonatal period: new find neuroradiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gracia Chapulle, A.; Alvarez Villa, A.; Diaz Diaz, E.; Lopez Suarez, Y.

1992-01-01

We report a new born patient with Wolf's syndrome. We contribute with the most frequently clinical, genetics and radiological findings including a radiological discovery linked a malformation of the central nervous system, consistent in a genesia of the corpus callosum , not described so far in the reviewed literature about the Wolf syndrome. (author)

Extinguishing a learned response in a free-ranging gray wolf (Canis lupus)

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David

2017-01-01

A free-ranging Gray Wolf (Canis lupus), habituated to human presence (the author) on Ellesmere Island, Canada, learned to anticipate experimental feeding by a human, became impatient, persistent, and bold and exhibited stalking behaviour toward the food source. Only after the author offered the wolf about 90 clumps of dry soil over a period of 45 minutes in three bouts, did the wolf give up this behaviour. To my knowledge, this is the first example of extinguishing a learned response in a free-ranging wolf and provides new insight into the learning behaviour of such animals.

Are luminous and metal-rich Wolf-Rayet stars inflated?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Petrovic, J.; Pols, O.; Langer, N.

2006-01-01

Aims.We investigate the influence of metallicity and stellar wind mass loss on the radius of Wolf-Rayet stars.
Methods: .We have calculated chemically homogeneous models of Wolf-Rayet stars of 10 to 200 M_o for two metallicities (Z=0.02 and Z=0.001), without mass loss, using OPAL

Studies of wolf x coyote hybridization via artificial insemination

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David; Asa, Cheryl S.; Callahan, Margaret; Christensen, Bruce W.; Smith, Fran; Young, Julie K.

2017-01-01

Following the production of western gray wolf (Canis lupus) x western coyote (Canis latrans) hybrids via artificial insemination (AI), the present article documents that the hybrids survived in captivity for at least 4 years and successfully bred with each other. It further reports that backcrossing one of the hybrids to a male gray wolf by AI also resulted in the birth of live pups that have survived for at least 10 months. All male hybrids (F1 and F2) produced sperm by about 10 months of age, and sperm quality of the F1 males fell within the fertile range for domestic dogs, but sperm motility and morphology, in particular, were low in F2 males at 10 months but improved in samples taken at 22 months of age. These studies are relevant to a long-standing controversy about the identity of the red wolf (Canis rufus), the existence of a proposed new species (Canis lycaon) of gray wolf, and to the role of hybridization in mammalian evolution.

The sixth catalogue of galactic Wolf-Rayet stars, their past and present

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hucht, K.A. van der; Conti, P.S.; Lundstroem, I.; Stenholm, B.

1981-01-01

This paper presents the Sixth Catalogue of galactic Wolf-Rayet stars (Pop I), a short history on the five earlier WR catalogues, improved spectral classification, finding charts, a discussion on related objects, and a review of the current statur of Wolf-Rayet star research. The appendix presents a bibliography on most of the Wolf-Rayet literature published since 1867. (orig.)

Ecology and conservation of the maned wolf: introduction

OpenAIRE

Consorte-McCrea, A.; Santos, Eliana Ferraz

2013-01-01

Wolves are considered controversial figures worldwide: mythical creatures as well as troublemakers, their conservation can polarize extreme views and it often is riddled with conflicts. In recent years much effort has focussed on the discussion of how to conserve large carnivores, such as wolves, while addressing public concerns. The maned wolf, however, has mostly eluded the discussion stage. With its solitary habits and unusual fruit-eating diet, the endangered maned wolf roams the grasslan...

Predicting red wolf release success in the southeastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

van Manen, Frank T.; Crawford, Barron A.; Clark, Joseph D.

2000-01-01

Although the red wolf (Canis rufus) was once found throughout the southeastern United States, indiscriminate killing and habitat destruction reduced its range to a small section of coastal Texas and Louisiana. Wolves trapped from 1973 to 1980 were taken to establish a captive breeding program that was used to repatriate 2 mainland and 3 island red wolf populations. We collected data from 320 red wolf releases in these areas and classified each as a success or failure based on survival and reproductive criteria, and whether recaptures were necessary to resolve conflicts with humans. We evaluated the relations between release success and conditions at the release sites, characteristics of released wolves, and release procedures. Although <44% of the variation in release success was explained, model performance based on jackknife tests indicated a 72-80% correct prediction rate for the 4 operational models we developed. The models indicated that success was associated with human influences on the landscape and the level of wolf habituation to humans prior to release. We applied the models to 31 prospective areas for wolf repatriation and calculated an index of release success for each area. Decision-makers can use these models to objectively rank prospective release areas and compare strengths and weaknesses of each.

The theory of radiation driven stellar winds and the Wolf-Rayet phenomenon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbott, D.C.

1982-01-01

The author considers the question of whether the mass loss observed from Wolf-Rayet stars can be explained by a version of wind theory which is scaled to the conditions found in the envelopes of Wolf-Rayet stars. He discusses the following topics: - The calculated radiation pressure in OB stars, and its dependence on temperature, density, and chemical composition. - A comparison between predicted and observed mass loss rates and terminal velocities for OB stars. - The applicability of the standard radiation driven wind models to Wolf-Rayet stars. - Speculations on how Wolf-Rayet stars achieve their enormous mass loss rates within the context of the radiation pressure mechanism. (Auth.)

Path Tortuosity and the Permeability of Roads and Trails to Wolf Movement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesse Whittington

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Few studies have examined the effects of human development on fine-scale movement behavior, yet understanding animal movement through increasingly human-dominated landscapes is essential for the persistence of many wild populations, especially wary species. In mountainous areas, roads and trails may be particularly deserving of study because they are concentrated in the valley bottoms where they can impede animal movement both across and between valleys. In this study, we tracked wolf (Canis lupus movement in the snow for two winters in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada to examine how wolves navigate through or around human-use features. We quantified the effects of human development and topography on the tortuosity of wolf paths and then tested the permeability of roads, trails, and a railway line to wolf movement by comparing the frequency with which actual wolf paths and a null model of random paths crossed these features. Wolf path tortuosity increased near high-use trails, within areas of high-trail and road density, near predation sites, and in rugged terrain. Wolves crossed all roads, trails, and the railway line 9.7% less often than expected, but avoided crossing high-use roads more than low-use trails. Surprisingly, trails affected movement behavior of wolves equally, if not more, than roads. These results suggest that although roads and trails in this study were not absolute barriers to wolf movement, they altered wolf movements across their territories.

Wolf--Rayet stars of M33

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corso, G.J. Jr.

1975-01-01

A comprehensive study of the 54 known Wolf--Rayet stars of M33 is undertaken with the intention of improving our knowledge of the Wolf--Rayet phenomenon, identifying significant features of their distribution in an Sc galaxy, and discerning possible trends in the variation of chemical composition of the interstellar medium from place to place within that galaxy. Thirty-seven of these stars were classified for the first time into carbon and nitrogen sequences on the basis of photographic photometry of image tube plates obtained with the Kitt Peak 84-inch telescope and an ITT magnetically focused image tube equipped with a set of narrow-band interference filters designed to isolate the broad emission features between 4640 A and 4686 A due to N III, C III-IV, and He II. The subclasses WC6-9, missing in the Large Magellanic Cloud, were found in M33, although there is a tendency for the known stars of both sequences to belong to the high-excitation subclasses. The distribution of these stars was compared with the distributions of luminous blue stars, dust, and H II regions. Star counts on the image tube plates indicated that one out of every 75 stars in M33 brighter than M/sub B/ = --4.5 is a Wolf--Rayet star

Fort Peck-Wolf Point transmission line project, Montana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

The primary objective of the project is to replace the existing 36-mile Fort Peck-Wolf Point transmission line which has reached the end of its useful service life. Presently, the overall condition of this existing section of the 47-year-old line is poor. Frequent repairs have been required because of the absence of overhead ground wires. The continued maintenance of the line will become more expensive and customer interruptions will persist because of the damage due to lightning. The expense of replacing shell rotted poles, and the concern for the safety of the maintenance personnel because of hazards caused by severe shell rot are also of primary importance. The operational and maintenance problems coupled with power system simulation studies, demonstrate the need for improvements to the Wolf Point area to serve area loads. Western's Wolf Point Substation is an important point of interconnection for the power output from the Fort Peck Dam to area loads as far away as Williston, North Dakota. The proposed transmission line replacement would assure that there will continue to be reliable transmission capacity available to serve area electrical loads, as well as provide a reliable second high-voltage transmission path from the Fort Peck generation to back-up a loss of the Fort Peck-Wolf Point 115-kV Line No. 1

Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) dyad monthly association rates by demographic group.

Science.gov (United States)

Barber-Meyer, Shannon M.; Mech, L. David

2015-01-01

Preliminary data from GPS-collared wolves (Canis lupus) in the Superior National Forest of northeastern Minnesota indicated wolves had low association rates with packmates during summer. However, aerial-telemetry locations of very high frequency (VHF)-radioed wolves in this same area showed high associations among packmates during winter. We analyzed aerial-telemetry-location data from VHF-collared wolves in several packs (n=18 dyads) in this same area from 1994-2012 by month, and found lowest association rates occurred during June. While other studies have found low association among wolf packmates during summer, information on differences in association patterns depending on the wolf associates’ demographics is sparse. During May-July, association rates were greatest for breeding pairs, followed by sibling dyads, and lowest for parent– offspring dyads. Our findings improve our understanding of how individual wolf relationships affect monthly association rates. We highlight some important remaining questions regarding wolf packmate associations.

HD 193793, a radio-emitting Wolf-Rayet binary star

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Florkowski, D.R.; Gottesman, S.T.

1977-01-01

The Wolf-Rayet binary HD 193793 has been observed as a weak, unresolved radio source. The observed flux densities do not agree with the predictions of the constant-mass-flow model of Wright and Barlow and Panagia and Felli. A variable-mass-flow model is suggested and an observational test is proposed. A comparison with γ 2 Vel is made, and the parameters affecting radio emission from Wolf-Rayet stars are briefly discussed. (author)

Wolf restoration to the Adirondacks: the advantages and disadvantages of public participation in the decision

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David; Sharpe, V.A.; Norton, B.; Donnelley, S.

2000-01-01

The first time I ever saw a wolf in New York State's Adirondack Mountains was in 1956. It was a brush wolf, or coyote (Canis latrans), not a real wolf, but to an eager young wildlife student this distinction meant little. The presence of this large deer-killing canid let my fresh imagination view the Adirondacks as a real northern wilderness. Since then I have spent the last 40 years studying the real wolf: the gray wolf (Canis lupus). Although inhabiting nearby Quebec and Ontario, the gray wolf still has not made its way back to the Adirondacks as it has to Wisconsin, Michigan, and Montana. Those three states had the critical advantages of a nearby reservoir population of wolves and wilderness corridors through which dispersers from the reservoirs could immigrate. The Adirondacks, on the other hand, are geographically more similar to the greater Yellowstone area in that they are separated from any wolf reservoir by long distances and intensively human-developed areas aversive to wolves from the reservoir populations. If wolves are to return to the Adirondacks, they almost certainly will have to be reintroduced, as they were to Yellowstone National Park. Wolf reintroduction, as distinct from natural recovery, is an especially contentious issue, for it entails dramatic, deliberate action that must be open to public scrutiny, thorough discussion and review, and highly polarized debate. This is as it should be because once a wolf population is reintroduced to an area, it must be managed forever. There is no turning back. The wolf was once eradicated not just from the Adirondacks but from almost all of the 48 contiguous states. That feat was accomplished by a primarily pioneering society that applied itself endlessly to the task, armed with poison. We can never return to those days, so once the wolf is reintroduced successfully, it will almost certainly be here to stay.

Anesthetic considerations for a pediatric patient with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome: a case report

OpenAIRE

Tsukamoto, Masanori; Yamanaka, Hitoshi; Yokoyama, Takeshi

2017-01-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome is a rare hereditary disease that results from a 4p chromosome deletion. Patients with this syndrome are characterized by craniofacial dysgenesis, seizures, growth delay, intellectual disability, and congenital heart disease. Although several cases have been reported, very little information is available on anesthetic management for patients with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. We encountered a case requiring anesthetic management for a 2-year-old girl with Wolf-Hirschhorn ...

Long-distance dispersal connects Dinaric-Balkan and Alpine grey wolf (Canis lupus) populations

OpenAIRE

Ražen, Nina; Kljun, Franc; Kos, Ivan; Krofel, Miha; Luštrik, Roman; Majić Skrbinšek, Aleksandra; Potočnik, Hubert

2017-01-01

In the last two centuries, persecution and deforestation caused grey wolf Canis lupus populations in Europe to decline. Recently, their numbers started to recover although most populations still remain isolated from one another. This study presents the first documented evidence of the successful reconnection of the Dinaric-Balkan and the Alpine wolf populations via long distance dispersal and subsequent reproduction. A young male wolf radiocollared in the Dinaric Mountains in July...

The WO Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barlow, M.J.

1982-01-01

Sanduleak (1971) has listed five stars, not apparently associated with planetary nebulae, which show very strong O VI 3811.34 A emission. He pointed out that two of them are in the Magellanic Clouds and have absolute magnitudes comparable to those of classical (Population I) Wolf-Rayet stars. O VI emission is known to occur in some classical Wolf-Rayet stars, but not with the extreme strength shown by the Sanduleak stars. The authors have obtained absolute optical spectrophotometry (3100 - 7400 A) of all five of these stars, using the UCL Image Photon Counting System and RGO Spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. Their relative flux distributions are shown. Inspection shows that Sand 1 is very lightly reddened, Sand 2 and 3 have intermediate reddening, and Sand 4 and 5 are heavily reddened. IUE ultraviolet spectrophotometry has been obtained of the first three stars; Sand 4 and 5 are too heavily reddened for IUE spectra to be feasible. (Auth.)

Genetics Home Reference: Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

... ajmg.c.30187. Citation on PubMed Bergemann AD, Cole F, Hirschhorn K. The etiology of Wolf-Hirschhorn ... medicine? What is newborn screening? New Pages Lyme disease Fibromyalgia White-Sutton syndrome All New & Updated Pages ...

Social-Natural Landscape Reorganised: Swedish Forest-edge Farmers and Wolf Recovery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sjolander-Lindqvist Annelie

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The politics and the underlying reasons behind the recovery of the Scandinavian wolf population are increasingly contested. According to official policy, wolves should be guaranteed a place in the Swedish natural world. However, the conflict over whether Sweden should host a wolf population sets views on biodiversity and sustainable development against the perspective that local traditions and livelihoods are threatened by the return of wolves. These diverging environmental visions can be seen as competing interests and understandings of nature and wildlife. The desire of the state and nature conservation organisations to implement measures to provide conditions fostering wolf survival are counterbalanced by local action groups and community residents struggling to maintain conditions for conserving summer pastures, opportunities for hunting with sporting dogs, and other recreational activities such as mushroom- and berry-picking. Not only are these activities considered to have high natural and cultural value, the European Union (EU has stated that small-scale farming is important for maintaining the landscape and safeguarding the survival of values associated with ′agri-environmental′ habitats. The conflict between the interest groups is essentially about the access to and use of environmental resources. Squeezed between policies safeguarding wolf populations, preventing cruelty to animals and implementing activities required by the EU agricultural programme, farmers in areas with resident wolf populations have come to take part in processes that may reinforce rural identity.

Uurimist toimetavad Wolfe ja Goodwin / Katrin Mõttus

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Mõttus, Katrin

2003-01-01

Sari filme - Rex Stout'i detektiivromaanide ekraniseeringud, kus peategelaseks eradetektiiv Nero Wolfe (Maury Chaykin) koos oma noore abilise Archie Goodwiniga (Timothy Hutton) : Ameerika Ühendriigid 2001-2002

Can occupancy-abundance models be used to monitor wolf abundance?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Cecilia Latham

Full Text Available Estimating the abundance of wild carnivores is of foremost importance for conservation and management. However, given their elusive habits, direct observations of these animals are difficult to obtain, so abundance is more commonly estimated from sign surveys or radio-marked individuals. These methods can be costly and difficult, particularly in large areas with heavy forest cover. As an alternative, recent research has suggested that wolf abundance can be estimated from occupancy-abundance curves derived from "virtual" surveys of simulated wolf track networks. Although potentially more cost-effective, the utility of this approach hinges on its robustness to violations of its assumptions. We assessed the sensitivity of the occupancy-abundance approach to four assumptions: variation in wolf movement rates, changes in pack cohesion, presence of lone wolves, and size of survey units. Our simulations showed that occupancy rates and wolf pack abundances were biased high if track surveys were conducted when wolves made long compared to short movements, wolf packs were moving as multiple hunting units as opposed to a cohesive pack, and lone wolves were moving throughout the surveyed landscape. We also found that larger survey units (400 and 576 km2 were more robust to changes in these factors than smaller survey units (36 and 144 km2. However, occupancy rates derived from large survey units rapidly reached an asymptote at 100% occupancy, suggesting that these large units are inappropriate for areas with moderate to high wolf densities (>15 wolves/1,000 km2. Virtually-derived occupancy-abundance relationships can be a useful method for monitoring wolves and other elusive wildlife if applied within certain constraints, in particular biological knowledge of the surveyed species needs to be incorporated into the design of the occupancy surveys. Further, we suggest that the applicability of this method could be extended by directly incorporating some of its

Wolf, Canis lupus, visits to white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, summer ranges: Optimal foraging?

Science.gov (United States)

Demma, D.J.; Mech, L.D.

2009-01-01

We tested whether Wolf (Canis lupus) visits to individual female White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) summer ranges during 2003 and 2004 in northeastern Minnesota were in accord with optimal-foraging theory. Using GPS collars with 10- to 30-minute location attempts on four Wolves and five female deer, plus eleven VHF-collared female deer in the Wolves' territory, provided new insights into the frequency of Wolf visits to summer ranges of female deer. Wolves made a mean 0.055 visits/day to summer ranges of deer three years and older, significantly more than their 0.032 mean visits/day to ranges of two-year-old deer, which generally produce fewer fawns, and most Wolf visits to ranges of older deer were much longer than those to ranges of younger deer. Because fawns comprise the major part of the Wolf's summer diet, this Wolf behavior accords with optimal-foraging theory.

Growth rates and variances of unexploited wolf populations in dynamic equilibria

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David; Fieberg, John

2015-01-01

Several states have begun harvesting gray wolves (Canis lupus), and these states and various European countries are closely monitoring their wolf populations. To provide appropriate perspective for determining unusual or extreme fluctuations in their managed wolf populations, we analyzed natural, long-term, wolf-population-density trajectories totaling 130 years of data from 3 areas: Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior, Michigan, USA; the east-central Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota, USA; and Denali National Park, Alaska, USA. Ratios between minimum and maximum annual sizes for 2 mainland populations (n = 28 and 46 yr) varied from 2.5–2.8, whereas for Isle Royale (n = 56 yr), the ratio was 6.3. The interquartile range (25th percentile, 75th percentile) for annual growth rates, Nt+1/Nt, was (0.88, 1.14), (0.92, 1.11), and (0.86, 1.12) for Denali, Superior National Forest, and Isle Royale respectively. We fit a density-independent model and a Ricker model to each time series, and in both cases we considered the potential for observation error. Mean growth rates from the density-independent model were close to 0 for all 3 populations, with 95% credible intervals including 0. We view the estimated model parameters, including those describing annual variability or process variance, as providing useful summaries of the trajectories of these populations. The estimates of these natural wolf population parameters can serve as benchmarks for comparison with those of recovering wolf populations. Because our study populations were all from circumscribed areas, fluctuations in them represent fluctuations in densities (i.e., changes in numbers are not confounded by changes in occupied area as would be the case with populations expanding their range, as are wolf populations in many states).

In vivo evaluation of the hypoglycemic effect of wolf-apple flour ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The prevalence of diabetes has increased at alarming rates worldwide, and has become a serious health problem in modern society, highlighting the need for adjuvants to assist in its treatment. The starch from wolf-apple is a product extracted from the pulp of the unripe wolf-apple (Solanum lycocarpum A. St.-Hil), which ...

Conditions for caribou persistence in the wolf-elk-caribou systems of the Canadian Rockies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Hebblewhite

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Woodland caribou populations are considered threatened in Alberta and have declined in the Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks of Banff and Jasper despite protection from factors causing caribou populations to decline outside of parks. Recent research emphasizes the importance of the numeric response of wolves to moose in moose-caribou-wolf systems to caribou persistence. Moose are rare in the Canadian Rockies, where the dominant ungulate prey for wolves is elk. Few studies have explored wolf-elk dynamics and none have examined implications for caribou. We used data collected in Banff to estimate the numeric response of wolves to elk from 1985 to 2005. Because no caribou kill-rate data exist for the Rockies, we explore the consequences of a range of hypothetical kill-rates based on kill-rates of alternate prey collected from 1985 to 2000 in Banff. We then multiplied the numeric response of wolves by the estimated caribou kill-rates to estimate the wolf predation response on caribou as a function of elk density. Caribou predation rates were inversely density dependent because wolf numbers depend on prey species besides caribou in multiple prey species systems. We then combined this simple wolf-elk-caribou model with observed demographic and population estimates for Banff and Jasper caribou from 2003-2004 and solved for the critical kill-rate thresholds above which caribou populations would decline. Using these critical kill-rate thresholds, Jasper caribou are likely to persist when wolf densities are below 2.1 - 4.3 wolves/1000km2 and/or when elk densities are below 0.015- 0.033 elk/km2. Thresholds for Banff caribou persistence are much lower because of inverse density dependence. Future research is needed on some of the necessary assumptions underlying our modeling including multi-prey wolf numeric responses, wolf kill-rates of caribou, caribou mortality by other predators, and spatial aspects of wolf-elk-caribou dynamics.

Peculiarities in the distribution of galactic Wolf-Rayet stars: constraints on evolutionary scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez, A.; Lortet, M.-C.; Pitault, A.

1981-01-01

The re-examination of the spatial distribution of 158 Wolf-Rayet stars in the Galaxy may help to define different breeds of Wolf-Rayet stars and put constraints on possible evolutionary scenarios. (Auth.)

The Woman as Wolf (AT 409: Some Interpretations of a Very Estonian Folk Tale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Merili Metsvahi

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The article analyses tale type The Woman as Wolf, which is one of the most popular folk tales in the Estonian Folklore Archives and is represented there both in the form of a fairy tale and in the form of a legend. The vast majority of the versions of The Woman as Wolf were written down in the first part of the 20th century within Estonia and where recorded from Estonians. The article introduces the content of the tale, the origin of the first records from the early 19th century, and the dissemination area of the tale, which remains outside Western Europe: apart from the Estonian versions there are Sami, Karelian, Vepsian, Livonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian versions. While in almost all the Estonian versions the main protagonist is transformed into a wolf, in most of the versions written down in other areas and ethnic groups, another animal or bird replaces the wolf. The author is of the opinion that the Finnic area is central to the distribution of the folk tale The Woman as Wolf. The animal the woman is transformed into in the plot would not have been a wolf in earlier times. The article provides an explanation why the wolf is predominant in Estonian written sources. For that purpose the ways in which the wolf and werewolf were perceived in earlier Estonian folk belief are introduced. At the end of the article interpretation of the folk tale is provided. The author states that the plot and some of the motifs found in this folk tale reflect the difficulties women had in submitting to the norms and values of patriarchal order within their society.

Intensive photometry of southern Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balona, L.A.; Egan, J.; Marang, F.

1989-01-01

Results are presented of an intensive photometric campaign on 17 of the brightest southern Wolf-Rayet stars. We report the detection of multi-periodicity in two stars: HD 50896 and HD 96548. It is likely that these periodicities are not coherent but are manifestations of the quasi-periodic variations seen in a few WR stars. A good example of these variations is given by HD 86161. A new eclipsing binary, HD 92740 has been discovered; other stars show periodic variations which can be explained by phase-dependent scattering of the secondary light as it traverses the Wolf-Rayet wind. An important conclusion of this study is that not a single example was found of short-period variations which can be attributed to pulsation. (author)

The Wolf 630 moving group of stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, A.R.E.; Hearnshaw, J.B.; Canterbury Univ., Christchurch

1983-01-01

An analysis is made of the probability of collective membership of the stars assigned by Eggen to the Wolf 630 moving group. This probability is estimated from the scatter of points in the colour-absolute magnitude diagram when compared to the intrinsic scatter observed for M67. Particular attention is paid to the random errors for all the observed and deduced stellar parameters. Results show that either the observational errors must be about 2.4 times larger than given in the proper motion and radial velocity source catalogues, or the intrinsic scatter in the colour-magnitude diagram for the Wolf 630 group must be much larger than for M67, or many of the stars considered cannot be members. (author)

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Natura 2000 Network for Wolf Conservation: A Case-Study in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Votsi, Nefta-Eleftheria P.; Zomeni, Maria S.; Pantis, J. D.

2016-02-01

The wolf ( Canis lupus) is used as a case study to rate Natura 2000 sites in Greece based on preferred wolf habitat characteristics and test whether the network is suitable for their conservation. Road density, agricultural area, site area, connectivity, food availability (i.e., presence of natural prey), and elevation in 237 sites are combined in a logistic regression model. The occurrence of the wolf's natural prey was the most prevalent factor determining wolf presence, followed by agricultural cover. Considering the current status of these features at N2K site level, most sites currently hosting wolves (85.7 %) have good or excellent prospects for the long-term presence of the wolf. On the contrary, 11 sites which now have wolves are predicted to be ineffective in keeping them in the future due to the absence of wild ungulates and their high agricultural coverage. Four sites with no wolf presence currently have excellent prospects to host wolves in the future. Roadless sites are a priority for protection and retaining their current condition is strongly suggested. The proposed approach aims to detect gaps in protection for the wolf and identify priority sites in need of mitigation actions. It can also assist the assessment of conservation policies in Greece and elsewhere toward accomplishing set goals in protected areas. By focusing on wolf protection, we hope to increase agencies' attention to deal with conservation effectiveness, especially in cases like Greece, where a number of sites are insufficiently known and protected and management measures are not properly implemented.

The Difficulty of Saying "I": Translation and Censorship of Christa Wolf's Der geteilte Himmel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katharina von Ankum

1993-06-01

Full Text Available The end of the GDR in 1990 triggered a vivid literary debate in Germany which focused on the interrelationship of politics, literature, and criticism. In this context, the work of Christa Wolf was attacked as primary example of self-censorship and collaboration. In my article, I argue that Wolf became the target of literary criticism largely because of her attempt to express female subjectivity in her texts. In my contrastive analysis of Der geteilte Himmel (1963 and its English translation (1965, I read Wolf's text as an initial attempt at a "socialist modernism." The continued value of this and subsequent works by Wolf lies in the accuracy and complexity with which she probes human behavior under adverse historical circumstances. Even a text like Der geteilte Himmel , which on a surface level reads merely like a political vote for socialism in the GDR as well as the writer's support for the division of Germany, eludes the binary opposition of East/West, them/us that critics have used to categorize Wolf's work. The hybrid nature of the text serves as example of Wolf's sincerity as a writer, evidence of her personal integrity, as well as her relentless commitment to a social alternative.

A Teacher is Forever: The Legacy of Harry Kirke Wolfe (1858-1918).

Science.gov (United States)

Benjamin, Ludy T. Jr.

1987-01-01

This article traces the career of Harry Kirke Wolfe, Nebraska educator and one of the earliest U.S. psychologists to earn a doctorate in psychology from Wilhelm Wundt at Leipzig. Emphasis is placed on Wolfe's blending of psychology and pedagogy, and his qualities as a teacher. (Author/JDH)

SS433: the second Wolf-Rayet X-ray binary ?

OpenAIRE

Fuchs, Yael; Koch-Miramond, Lydie; Abraham, Peter

2002-01-01

We present mid-infrared spectrophotometric observations of SS433 with ISOPHOT. The HeI+HeII lines in both spectra of SS433 and of the Wolf-Rayet star WR147, a wind-colliding WN8+BO5 binary system, closely match. The 2.5-12 micron continuum radiation is due to an expanding wind free-free emission in an intermediate case between optically thick and optically thin regimes. The inferred mass loss rate evaluation gives ~10^{-4} Msun/yr. Our results are consistent with a Wolf-Rayet-like companion t...

Osteometrical and CT examination of the Japanese wolf [Canis hodophilax] skull

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endo, H.; Obara, I.; Yoshida, T.; Kurohmaru, M.; Hayshi, Y.; Suzuki, N.

1997-01-01

The skulls of Japanese wolf (Canis hodophilax) were osteometrically examined and compared with those of Akita-Inu. The skull total length was not statistically different between two species. However, significant differences were demonstrated between two species in some ratios concerning the frontal bone. CT examination was carried out in the Japanese wolf skull. The data indicated that the frontal sinus is not be largely developed and compressed in the dorso-ventral direction in parasagittal area. The narrow frontal sinus fitted to external shape of the frontal bone. The cribriform plate had a well-developed complicated structure in a caudal part of the ethmoid bone. These data will be useful to examine the respiratory function and the olfactory sense in the Japanese wolf

Yellowstone wolf (Canis lupus) denisty predicted by elk (Cervus elaphus) biomass

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David; Barber-Meyer, Shannon

2015-01-01

The Northern Range (NR) of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) hosts a higher prey biomass density in the form of elk (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) than any other system of gray wolves (Canis lupus L., 1758) and prey reported. Therefore, it is important to determine whether that wolf–prey system fits a long-standing model relating wolf density to prey biomass. Using data from 2005 to 2012 after elk population fluctuations dampened 10 years subsequent to wolf reintroduction, we found that NR prey biomass predicted wolf density. This finding and the trajectory of the regression extend the validity of the model to prey densities 19% higher than previous data and suggest that the model would apply to wolf–prey systems of even higher prey biomass.

Assessment of attachment behaviour to human caregivers in wolf pups (Canis lupus lupus).

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Nathaniel J; Lord, Kathryn; Arnold, Anne-Marie K; Wynne, Clive D L; Udell, Monique A R

2015-01-01

Previous research suggested that 16-week old dog pups, but not wolf pups, show attachment behaviour to a human caregiver. Attachment to a caregiver in dog pups has been demonstrated by differential responding to a caregiver compared to a stranger in the Ainsworth Strange Situation Test. We show here that 3-7 week old wolf pups also show attachment-like behaviour to a human caregiver as measured by preferential proximity seeking, preferential contact, and preferential greeting to a human caregiver over a human stranger in a modified and counterbalanced version of the Ainsworth Strange Situation Test. In addition, our results show that preferential responding to a caregiver over a stranger is only apparent following brief isolation. In initial episodes, wolf pups show no differentiation between the caregiver and the stranger; however, following a 2-min separation, the pups show proximity seeking, more contact, and more greeting to the caregiver than the stranger. These results suggest intensive human socialization of a wolf can lead to attachment--like responding to a human caregiver during the first two months of a wolf pup's life. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Music Activities for "Little Wolf's Song"

Science.gov (United States)

Cardany, Audrey Berger

2015-01-01

Drawn from Britta Techentrup's children's book "Little Wolf's Song", the author shares music activities appropriate for preschool and children in primary grades. Children will enjoy Technentrup's tender family story, while exploring vocal and instrumental timbres, as well as reading, writing, and creating with melodic contour.

Anesthetic considerations for a pediatric patient with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukamoto, Masanori; Yamanaka, Hitoshi; Yokoyama, Takeshi

2017-09-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome is a rare hereditary disease that results from a 4p chromosome deletion. Patients with this syndrome are characterized by craniofacial dysgenesis, seizures, growth delay, intellectual disability, and congenital heart disease. Although several cases have been reported, very little information is available on anesthetic management for patients with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. We encountered a case requiring anesthetic management for a 2-year-old girl with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. The selection of an appropriately sized tracheal tube and maintaining intraoperatively stable hemodynamics might be critical problems for anesthetic management. In patients with short stature, the tracheal tube size may differ from what may be predicted based on age. The appropriate size ( internal diameter ) of tracheal tubes for children has been investigated. Congenital heart disease is frequently associated with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Depending on the degree and type of heart disease, careful monitoring of hemodynamics is important.

Using Spatial, Economic, and Ecological Opinion Data to Inform Gray Wolf Conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, Meredith S; Nickerson, Norma P; Metcalf, Elizabeth Covelli

2016-09-01

Public opinion can be an influential factor in wildlife management decisions. Evaluating public opinions can help legitimize, or delegitimize, management and facilitate long-term conservation goals. This is especially true for the controversial issues surrounding the management of predators. We surveyed Montana, USA, residents during summer of 2013 to measure public opinion regarding economic and ecological impacts of the gray wolf ( Canis lupus ), and current management of this species. Although opinions were polarized in some areas, a greater percentage of Montanans think that wolves negatively affect the economy, but impact tourism (which contributes to the economy) positively. These differences may reflect the belief that rancher economic losses from wolf predation of cattle is greater than overall tourism gains related to wolves (e.g., wolf-watching), in addition to the perception of wolves negatively affecting big game (e.g., elk [ Cervus canadensis ]). Results also show that a slightly greater percentage of Montanans feel that wolves positively rather than negatively affect the ecosystem. Regarding specific practices, more Montanans than not have a positive opinion of maintaining wolves on the landscape and also support hunting of wolves. More Montanans hold negative rather than positive opinions, however, regarding wolf trapping. This result was most evident in western Montana as assessed by a spatial distribution of opinions by county and has implications for current wolf management and nontarget species. Results of ordinal regression analyses revealed that big game hunters, males, and those who held negative opinions of the effect of wolves on the Montana ecosystem and economy were significantly more likely to support both hunting and trapping practices. Living in western Montana predicted positive opinions of hunting, but alternatively, negative opinions of trapping. These results provide an understanding of public opinion of wolf management by county as

Using Spatial, Economic, and Ecological Opinion Data to Inform Gray Wolf Conservation

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, Meredith S.; Nickerson, Norma P.; Metcalf, Elizabeth Covelli

2018-01-01

Public opinion can be an influential factor in wildlife management decisions. Evaluating public opinions can help legitimize, or delegitimize, management and facilitate long-term conservation goals. This is especially true for the controversial issues surrounding the management of predators. We surveyed Montana, USA, residents during summer of 2013 to measure public opinion regarding economic and ecological impacts of the gray wolf (Canis lupus), and current management of this species. Although opinions were polarized in some areas, a greater percentage of Montanans think that wolves negatively affect the economy, but impact tourism (which contributes to the economy) positively. These differences may reflect the belief that rancher economic losses from wolf predation of cattle is greater than overall tourism gains related to wolves (e.g., wolf-watching), in addition to the perception of wolves negatively affecting big game (e.g., elk [Cervus canadensis]). Results also show that a slightly greater percentage of Montanans feel that wolves positively rather than negatively affect the ecosystem. Regarding specific practices, more Montanans than not have a positive opinion of maintaining wolves on the landscape and also support hunting of wolves. More Montanans hold negative rather than positive opinions, however, regarding wolf trapping. This result was most evident in western Montana as assessed by a spatial distribution of opinions by county and has implications for current wolf management and nontarget species. Results of ordinal regression analyses revealed that big game hunters, males, and those who held negative opinions of the effect of wolves on the Montana ecosystem and economy were significantly more likely to support both hunting and trapping practices. Living in western Montana predicted positive opinions of hunting, but alternatively, negative opinions of trapping. These results provide an understanding of public opinion of wolf management by county as

The Work-Related Flow Inventory: Construction and Initial Validation of the WOLF

Science.gov (United States)

Bakker, Arnold B.

2008-01-01

The WOrk-reLated Flow inventory (WOLF) measures flow at work, defined as a short-term peak experience characterized by absorption, work enjoyment, and intrinsic work motivation. Results of Study 1 among 7 samples of employees (total N=1346) from different occupational groups offer support for the factorial validity and reliability of the WOLF.…

Never Cry Wolf

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sinding, Mikkel Holger Strander

of mostly wolves and dogs, to explore and document the origin and genomic history of indigenous Greenland dogs and wolves. During data exploration, several findings were made, including many novel results in surprising parts of the data, overall making 6 structured datasets of focus. 1) When focusing...... in any sled dogs. 6) When focusing on Greenland wolves we find that the original exterminated wolves and the wolves that have re-colonised, are the same distinct Polar wolf population endemic to Axel Heibergs Land, Ellesmere Island and Greenland. The Polar wolves have very little gene flow with other...

Competition between apex predators? Brown bears decrease wolf kill rate on two continents.

Science.gov (United States)

Tallian, Aimee; Ordiz, Andrés; Metz, Matthew C; Milleret, Cyril; Wikenros, Camilla; Smith, Douglas W; Stahler, Daniel R; Kindberg, Jonas; MacNulty, Daniel R; Wabakken, Petter; Swenson, Jon E; Sand, Håkan

2017-02-08

Trophic interactions are a fundamental topic in ecology, but we know little about how competition between apex predators affects predation, the mechanism driving top-down forcing in ecosystems. We used long-term datasets from Scandinavia (Europe) and Yellowstone National Park (North America) to evaluate how grey wolf ( Canis lupus ) kill rate was affected by a sympatric apex predator, the brown bear ( Ursus arctos ). We used kill interval (i.e. the number of days between consecutive ungulate kills) as a proxy of kill rate. Although brown bears can monopolize wolf kills, we found no support in either study system for the common assumption that they cause wolves to kill more often. On the contrary, our results showed the opposite effect. In Scandinavia, wolf packs sympatric with brown bears killed less often than allopatric packs during both spring (after bear den emergence) and summer. Similarly, the presence of bears at wolf-killed ungulates was associated with wolves killing less often during summer in Yellowstone. The consistency in results between the two systems suggests that brown bear presence actually reduces wolf kill rate. Our results suggest that the influence of predation on lower trophic levels may depend on the composition of predator communities. © 2017 The Authors.

Fear or food - abundance of red fox in relation to occurrence of lynx and wolf.

Science.gov (United States)

Wikenros, Camilla; Aronsson, Malin; Liberg, Olof; Jarnemo, Anders; Hansson, Jessica; Wallgren, Märtha; Sand, Håkan; Bergström, Roger

2017-08-22

Apex predators may affect mesopredators through intraguild predation and/or supply of carrion from their prey, causing a trade-off between avoidance and attractiveness. We used wildlife triangle snow-tracking data to investigate the abundance of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in relation to lynx (Lynx lynx) and wolf (Canis lupus) occurrence as well as land composition and vole (Microtus spp.) density. Data from the Swedish wolf-monitoring system and VHF/GPS-collared wolves were used to study the effect of wolf pack size and time since wolf territory establishment on fox abundance. Bottom-up processes were more influential than top-down effects as the proportion of arable land was the key indicator of fox abundance at the landscape level. At this spatial scale, there was no effect of wolf abundance on fox abundance, whereas lynx abundance had a positive effect. In contrast, at the wolf territory level there was a negative effect of wolves on fox abundance when including detailed information of pack size and time since territory establishment, whereas there was no effect of lynx abundance. This study shows that different apex predator species may affect mesopredator abundance in different ways and that the results may be dependent on the spatiotemporal scale and resolution of the data.

Alternative model for the atmospheres of Wolf-Rayet and O stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Underhill, A.B.

1983-01-01

It is noted that postulating dense spherically symmetric outflow in order to account for the observed radio fluxes from Wolf-Rayet stars requires that much more momentum must be deposited in the wind of a Wolf-Rayet star than is available from the radiation field of the star, and it is shown that the deduced massive winds become opaque in visible wavelengths at stellar radii where the velocity of outflow is several hundred km s - 1 . To attain such a state of motion in the wind requires the action of a strong, unknown source of outward directed momentum in optically thick layers of the star. This is an unreasonable demand. An alternative model for the mantle of a Wolf-Rayet star (the part of the atmosphere in which nonradiative energy and momentum are deposited) is proposed and shown to be feasible

Audit of Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit 1 technical specifications. Final technical evaluation report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stromberg, H.M.

1985-07-01

This document was prepared for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to assist them in determining whether the Wolf Creek Generating Station Unit 1 Technical Specifications (T/S), which govern plant systems configurations and operations, are in conformance with the assumptions of the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) as amended, the requirements of the Safety Evaluation Report (SER) as supplemented, and the Comments and Responses to the Wolf Creek Technical Specification Draft Inspection Report. A comparative audit of the FSAR as amended, the SER as supplemented, and the Draft Inspection Report was performed with the Wolf Creek T/S. Several discrepancies were identified and subsequently resolved through discussions with the cognizant NRC reviewer, NRC staff reviewers and/or utility representatives. The Wolf Creek Generating Station Unit 1 T/S, to the extent reviewed, are in conformance with the FSAR, SER, and Draft Inspection Report

Problems with the claim of ecotype and taxon status of the wolf in the Great Lakes region

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, Matthew A.; Mech, L. David

2009-01-01

Koblmuller et al. (2009) analysed molecular genetic data of the wolf in the Great Lakes (GL) region of the USA and concluded that the animal was a unique ecotype of grey wolf and that genetic data supported the population as a discrete wolf taxon. However, some of the literature that the researchers used to support their position actually did not, and additional confusion arises from indefinite use of terminology. Herein, we discuss the problems with designation of a wolf population as a taxon or ecotype without proper definition and assessment of criteria.

Extraosseous osteosarcoma in a maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus).

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, Heather L; Deem, Sharon L; Citino, Scott B

2005-09-01

A 6-yr-old maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) was diagnosed with an extraosseous osteosarcoma on the lateral aspect of the right thigh. Antemortem radiography revealed a calcified mass with no skeletal involvement. The mass was excised, but visible regrowth of the tumor was evident within 5 wk. Histologic examination and immunohistochemistry, including staining for p53 tumor suppression gene protein, were performed on the excised mass. The maned wolf was euthanized 13 wk after the initial diagnosis. The neoplasm was located in a site commonly used for the delivery of intramuscular injections, including vaccinations. Although no definitive association can be made, it is worth noting this relationship, as vaccine-site neoplasias have been observed in other species, most notably the domestic cat (Felis domesticus).

Ecosystem scale declines in elk recruitment and population growth with wolf colonization: a before-after-control-impact approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Christianson, David; Creel, Scott

2014-01-01

The reintroduction of wolves (Canis lupus) to Yellowstone provided the unusual opportunity for a quasi-experimental test of the effects of wolf predation on their primary prey (elk--Cervus elaphus) in a system where top-down, bottom-up, and abiotic forces on prey population dynamics were closely and consistently monitored before and after reintroduction. Here, we examined data from 33 years for 12 elk population segments spread across southwestern Montana and northwestern Wyoming in a large scale before-after-control-impact analysis of the effects of wolves on elk recruitment and population dynamics. Recruitment, as measured by the midwinter juvenile∶female ratio, was a strong determinant of elk dynamics, and declined by 35% in elk herds colonized by wolves as annual population growth shifted from increasing to decreasing. Negative effects of population density and winter severity on recruitment, long recognized as important for elk dynamics, were detected in uncolonized elk herds and in wolf-colonized elk herds prior to wolf colonization, but not after wolf colonization. Growing season precipitation and harvest had no detectable effect on recruitment in either wolf treatment or colonization period, although harvest rates of juveniles∶females declined by 37% in wolf-colonized herds. Even if it is assumed that mortality due to predation is completely additive, liberal estimates of wolf predation rates on juvenile elk could explain no more than 52% of the total decline in juvenile∶female ratios in wolf-colonized herds, after accounting for the effects of other limiting factors. Collectively, these long-term, large-scale patterns align well with prior studies that have reported substantial decrease in elk numbers immediately after wolf recolonization, relatively weak additive effects of direct wolf predation on elk survival, and decreased reproduction and recruitment with exposure to predation risk from wolves.

Ecosystem scale declines in elk recruitment and population growth with wolf colonization: a before-after-control-impact approach.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Christianson

Full Text Available The reintroduction of wolves (Canis lupus to Yellowstone provided the unusual opportunity for a quasi-experimental test of the effects of wolf predation on their primary prey (elk--Cervus elaphus in a system where top-down, bottom-up, and abiotic forces on prey population dynamics were closely and consistently monitored before and after reintroduction. Here, we examined data from 33 years for 12 elk population segments spread across southwestern Montana and northwestern Wyoming in a large scale before-after-control-impact analysis of the effects of wolves on elk recruitment and population dynamics. Recruitment, as measured by the midwinter juvenile∶female ratio, was a strong determinant of elk dynamics, and declined by 35% in elk herds colonized by wolves as annual population growth shifted from increasing to decreasing. Negative effects of population density and winter severity on recruitment, long recognized as important for elk dynamics, were detected in uncolonized elk herds and in wolf-colonized elk herds prior to wolf colonization, but not after wolf colonization. Growing season precipitation and harvest had no detectable effect on recruitment in either wolf treatment or colonization period, although harvest rates of juveniles∶females declined by 37% in wolf-colonized herds. Even if it is assumed that mortality due to predation is completely additive, liberal estimates of wolf predation rates on juvenile elk could explain no more than 52% of the total decline in juvenile∶female ratios in wolf-colonized herds, after accounting for the effects of other limiting factors. Collectively, these long-term, large-scale patterns align well with prior studies that have reported substantial decrease in elk numbers immediately after wolf recolonization, relatively weak additive effects of direct wolf predation on elk survival, and decreased reproduction and recruitment with exposure to predation risk from wolves.

Wolf population genetics in Europe: a systematic review, meta-analysis and suggestions for conservation and management.

Science.gov (United States)

Hindrikson, Maris; Remm, Jaanus; Pilot, Malgorzata; Godinho, Raquel; Stronen, Astrid Vik; Baltrūnaité, Laima; Czarnomska, Sylwia D; Leonard, Jennifer A; Randi, Ettore; Nowak, Carsten; Åkesson, Mikael; López-Bao, José Vicente; Álvares, Francisco; Llaneza, Luis; Echegaray, Jorge; Vilà, Carles; Ozolins, Janis; Rungis, Dainis; Aspi, Jouni; Paule, Ladislav; Skrbinšek, Tomaž; Saarma, Urmas

2017-08-01

The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is an iconic large carnivore that has increasingly been recognized as an apex predator with intrinsic value and a keystone species. However, wolves have also long represented a primary source of human-carnivore conflict, which has led to long-term persecution of wolves, resulting in a significant decrease in their numbers, genetic diversity and gene flow between populations. For more effective protection and management of wolf populations in Europe, robust scientific evidence is crucial. This review serves as an analytical summary of the main findings from wolf population genetic studies in Europe, covering major studies from the 'pre-genomic era' and the first insights of the 'genomics era'. We analyse, summarize and discuss findings derived from analyses of three compartments of the mammalian genome with different inheritance modes: maternal (mitochondrial DNA), paternal (Y chromosome) and biparental [autosomal microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)]. To describe large-scale trends and patterns of genetic variation in European wolf populations, we conducted a meta-analysis based on the results of previous microsatellite studies and also included new data, covering all 19 European countries for which wolf genetic information is available: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Belarus, Russia, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Spain and Portugal. We compared different indices of genetic diversity in wolf populations and found a significant spatial trend in heterozygosity across Europe from south-west (lowest genetic diversity) to north-east (highest). The range of spatial autocorrelation calculated on the basis of three characteristics of genetic diversity was 650-850 km, suggesting that the genetic diversity of a given wolf population can be influenced by populations up to 850 km away. As an important outcome of this synthesis, we

The strong 3.3 micron emission line in Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, P.M.

1982-01-01

A number of Wolf-Rayet stars have been found to show in their spectra a strong emission feature at 3.28 μm, the wavelength of the 'unidentified' feature observed in some nebular spectra. From comparison of the strength of this line from stars of different spectral type and excitation, it is identified with the CIV (11-10) transition group and shown not to be connected with the circumstellar dust associated with some Wolf-Rayet stars. (author)

CMB anisotropies at all orders: the non-linear Sachs-Wolfe formula

OpenAIRE

Roldan, Omar

2017-01-01

We obtain the non-linear generalization of the Sachs-Wolfe + integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) formula describing the CMB temperature anisotropies. Our formula is valid at all orders in perturbation theory, is also valid in all gauges and includes scalar, vector and tensor modes. A direct consequence of our results is that the maps of the logarithmic temperature anisotropies are much cleaner than the usual CMB maps, because they automatically remove many secondary anisotropies. This can for instan...

Assessment of prey vulnerability through analysis of wolf movements and kill sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergman, Eric J; Garrott, Robert A; Creel, Scott; Borkowski, John J; Jaffe, Rosemary; Watson, E G R

2006-02-01

Within predator-prey systems behavior can heavily influence spatial dynamics, and accordingly, the theoretical study of how spatial dynamics relate to stability within these systems has a rich history. However, our understanding of these behaviors in large mammalian systems is poorly developed. To address the relationship between predator selection patterns, prey density, and prey vulnerability, we quantified selection patterns for two fine-scale behaviors of a recovering wolf (Canis lupus) population in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. Wolf spatial data were collected between November and May from 1998-1999 until 2001-2002. Over four winters, 244 aerial locations, 522 ground-based telemetry locations, 1287 km of movement data from snow tracking, and the locations of 279 wolf kill sites were recorded. There was evidence that elk (Cervus elaphus) and bison (Bison bison) densities had a weak effect on the sites where wolves traveled and made kills. Wolf movements showed a strong selection for geothermal areas, meadows, and areas near various types of habitat edges. Proximity to edge and habitat class also had a strong influence on the locations where elk were most vulnerable to predation. There was little evidence that wolf kill sites differed from the places where wolves traveled, indicating that elk vulnerability influenced where wolves selected to travel. Our results indicate that elk are more vulnerable to wolves under certain conditions and that wolves are capable of selecting for these conditions. As such, vulnerability plays a central role in predator-prey behavioral games and can potentially impact the systems to which they relate.

Impact of wolf (Canis lupus on animal husbandry in an Apennine province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Russo

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Predation has always been an important problem in extensive sheep farms, causing serious economic losses to the farmers. In the Province of Lucca, the presence of reproductive wolf packs has already been confirmed in natural reserves, but occasional signs of presence of the predator have been reported also in neighbouring areas. The present research has been carried out in this Province (between the Orecchiella Natural Reserve and the medium Serchio Valley, in order to obtain more complete information on the location of the wolf (with transects, wolfhowling and snow-tracking, and to verify the real impact and risk factors of predation on livestock (by means of on-farm surveys carried out in 42 semi-extensive farms in this area. The presence of wolf was confirmed in the study area with a minimum of four adult individuals and at least one pup: this pack lives around the peaks of the Apennines in the municipalities covered by this investigation. A growing conflict between the wolf and the sheep and goat farms was observed: since 2007 there have been 25 attacks and three farms can be considered subject to chronic predation. The major risk factors are high altitude, large flock size and lack of fences and of guardian dogs. An accurate knowledge of wolf presence and the identification of the farms mostly at risk can be useful for future planning of interventions aimed at prevention and support of farmers, in order to mitigate the conflict caused by predation.

Higher spin currents in orthogonal Wolf space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Changhyun; Paeng, Jinsub

2015-01-01

For the N=4 superconformal coset theory by ((SO(N+4))/(SO(N)×SU(2)))×U(1) (that contains an orthogonal Wolf space) with N = 4, the N=2 WZW affine current algebra is obtained. The 16 generators (or 11 generators) of the large N=4 linear (or nonlinear) superconformal algebra are described by these WZW affine currents explicitly. Along the line of large N=4 holography, the extra 16 currents with spins (2,(5/2),(5/2),3), ((5/2),3,3,(7/2)), ((5/2),3,3,(7/2)), and (3,(7/2),(7/2),4) are obtained in terms of the WZW affine currents. The lowest spin of this N=4 multiplet is two rather than one, which is for a unitary Wolf space. The operator product expansions between the above 11 currents and these extra 16 higher spin currents are found explicitly. (paper)

Science, economics, and rhetoric: environmental advocacy and the wolf reintroduction debate, 1987-1999

Science.gov (United States)

Dayle C. Hardy-Short; C. Brant Short

2000-01-01

This paper examines the arguments employed in the debate over reintroduction of wolves into Idaho, Montana, and the Yellowstone National Park Ecosystem; and in Arizona and New Mexico. The study reviews common rhetorical themes used by advocates and opponents of wolf reintroduction and identifies a significant rhetorical shift in the debate. Advocates opposed to wolf...

76 FR 61781 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Gray Wolf in Wyoming From the...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-05

... gray wolf reintroductions in central Idaho and in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). The Yellowstone... Wolves to Yellowstone National Park and Central Idaho (EIS) reviewed wolf recovery in the NRM region and... Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Gray Wolf in Wyoming...

Patterns of wolf pack movements prior to kills as read from tracks in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ont., Canada

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frijlink, Jan Hilco

1977-01-01

From data, gathered by the author and his students, during a wolf study in Algonquin Provincial Park, Canada, six kills of white-tailed deer by wolf packs are described. Case histories are reconstructed by means of interpreting tracks. In one case a wolf was also killed, this animal turned out to

A chaos wolf optimization algorithm with self-adaptive variable step-size

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yong; Jiang, Wanlu; Kong, Xiangdong; Quan, Lingxiao; Zhang, Yongshun

2017-10-01

To explore the problem of parameter optimization for complex nonlinear function, a chaos wolf optimization algorithm (CWOA) with self-adaptive variable step-size was proposed. The algorithm was based on the swarm intelligence of wolf pack, which fully simulated the predation behavior and prey distribution way of wolves. It possessed three intelligent behaviors such as migration, summons and siege. And the competition rule as "winner-take-all" and the update mechanism as "survival of the fittest" were also the characteristics of the algorithm. Moreover, it combined the strategies of self-adaptive variable step-size search and chaos optimization. The CWOA was utilized in parameter optimization of twelve typical and complex nonlinear functions. And the obtained results were compared with many existing algorithms, including the classical genetic algorithm, the particle swarm optimization algorithm and the leader wolf pack search algorithm. The investigation results indicate that CWOA possess preferable optimization ability. There are advantages in optimization accuracy and convergence rate. Furthermore, it demonstrates high robustness and global searching ability.

Severe maxillary osteomyelitis in a Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)

Science.gov (United States)

Barber-Meyer, Shannon

2012-01-01

Dental injuries to or abnormalities in functionally important teeth and associated bones in predators may significantly reduce the ability to kill and consume prey (Lazar et al. 2009). This impairment is likely exacerbated in coursing predators, such as Gray Wolves, that bite and hold onto fleeing and kicking prey with their teeth. Damage to carnassials (upper fourth premolar, P4, and lower first molar, M1) and associated bones in Gray Wolves may especially inhibit the consumption of prey because these teeth slice meat and crush bone. Here I report maxillary osteomyelitis involving the carnassials in a wild Gray Wolf from northeastern Minnesota of such severity that I hypothesize it ultimately caused the Gray Wolf to starve to death.

The Baldwin-effect in Wolf-Rayet stars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gent, Jeroen Ivar van

2000-01-01

This thesis investigates the Baldwin-effect in Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars. The Baldwin-effect is a correlation with negative slope between the equivalent width of spectral emission lines and the monochromatic luminosity of the underlying continuum at the line wavelength. This effect has been known to

The radii of the Wolf-Rayet stars and the extent of their chromosphere-corona formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sahade, J [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Zorec, J [College de France, Paris, France

1981-03-01

The radii of 14 Wolf-Rayet stars are computed on the basis of previously reported absolute fluxes in the region from 4150 to 8000 A for 10 WN stars and from 3650 to 8000 A for four WC stars. For comparison, the radii of 11 Of stars are also calculated. The Wolf-Rayet radii are found to range from about 10 to 35 solar radii, values that do not appear to provide supporting evidence for the hypothesis that Of stars evolve into late WN stars. Available UV observations of Gamma-2 Vel are used to investigate the extent of the chromosphere-corona structure in Wolf-Rayet stars. It is suggested that the second electron-temperature maximum in a recently proposed model for the extended envelopes of Wolf-Rayet stars should be further than about 300 solar radii from the center of a star.

Wolf population dynamics in the U.S. Northern Rocky Mountains are affected by recruitment and human-caused mortality

Science.gov (United States)

Gude, J.A.; Mitchell, M.S.; Russell, R.E.; Sime, C.A.; Bangs, E.E.; Mech, L.D.; Ream, R.R.

2012-01-01

Reliable analyses can help wildlife managers make good decisions, which are particularly critical for controversial decisions such as wolf (Canis lupus) harvest. Creel and Rotella (2010) recently predicted substantial population declines in Montana wolf populations due to harvest, in contrast to predictions made by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP). We replicated their analyses considering only those years in which field monitoring was consistent, and we considered the effect of annual variation in recruitment on wolf population growth. Rather than assuming constant rates, we used model selection methods to evaluate and incorporate models of factors driving recruitment and human-caused mortality rates in wolf populations in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Using data from 27 area-years of intensive wolf monitoring, we show that variation in both recruitment and human-caused mortality affect annual wolf population growth rates and that human-caused mortality rates have increased with the sizes of wolf populations. We document that recruitment rates have decreased over time, and we speculate that rates have decreased with increasing population sizes and/or that the ability of current field resources to document recruitment rates has recently become less successful as the number of wolves in the region has increased. Estimates of positive wolf population growth in Montana from our top models are consistent with field observations and estimates previously made by MFWP for 2008-2010, whereas the predictions for declining wolf populations of Creel and Rotella (2010) are not. Familiarity with limitations of raw data, obtained first-hand or through consultation with scientists who collected the data, helps generate more reliable inferences and conclusions in analyses of publicly available datasets. Additionally, development of efficient monitoring methods for wolves is a pressing need, so that analyses such as ours will be possible in future years when fewer resources

Wolf-Rayet stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sahade, J

1981-12-01

Aspects of the problems of the Wolf-Rayet stars related to their chemical composition, their evolutionary status, and their apparent dichotomy in two spectral sequences are discussed. Dogmas concerning WR stars are critically discussed, including the belief that WR stars lack hydrogen, that they are helium stars evolved from massive close binaries, and the existence of a second WR stage in which the star is a short-period single-lined binary. The relationship of WR stars with planetary nebulae is addressed, as is the membership of these stars in clusters and associations. The division of WR stars into WN and WC sequences is considered, questioning the reasonability of accounting for WR line formation in terms of abundance differences.

Wolf-Rayet phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conti, P.S.

1982-01-01

The author reviews in broad terms the concept of Wolf-Rayet (W-R) phenomena, outlines what we currently know about the properties of stars showing such phenomena and indicates the directions in which future work is leading. He begins by listing the characteristics of W-R spectra and then considers the following specific problems: the absolute visual magnitudes; the heterogeneity of WN spectra; the existence of transition type spectra and compositions; the mass loss rates; the existence of very luminous and possibly very massive W-R stars. He discusses briefly our current understanding of the theoretical aspects of stellar evolution and stellar winds and the various scenarios that have been proposed to understand W-R stars. (Auth.)

The 2015 Wolf volcano (Galápagos) eruption studied using Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 data

KAUST Repository

Xu, Wenbin; Jonsson, Sigurjon; Ruch, Joel; Aoki, Yosuke

2016-01-01

An energetic eruption started on 25 May 2015 from a circumferential fissure at the summit of Wolf volcano on Isabela Island, western Galápagos. Further eruptive activity within the Wolf caldera followed in mid-June 2015. As no geodetic observations of earlier eruptions at Wolf exist, this eruption provides an opportunity to study the volcano's magmatic plumbing system for the first time. Here we use interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data from both the Sentinel-1A and ALOS-2 satellites to map and analyze the surface deformation at four time periods during the activity. These data allow us to identify the two eruption phases and reveal strong coeruptive subsidence within the Wolf caldera that is superimposed on a larger volcano-wide subsidence signal. Modeling of the surface displacements shows that two shallow magma reservoirs located under Wolf at ~1 km and ~5 km below sea level explain the subsidence and that these reservoirs appear to be hydraulically connected. We also suggest that the transition from the circumferential to the intracaldera eruption may have involved ring fault activity.

The 2015 Wolf volcano (Galápagos) eruption studied using Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 data

KAUST Repository

Xu, Wenbin

2016-09-28

An energetic eruption started on 25 May 2015 from a circumferential fissure at the summit of Wolf volcano on Isabela Island, western Galápagos. Further eruptive activity within the Wolf caldera followed in mid-June 2015. As no geodetic observations of earlier eruptions at Wolf exist, this eruption provides an opportunity to study the volcano\\'s magmatic plumbing system for the first time. Here we use interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data from both the Sentinel-1A and ALOS-2 satellites to map and analyze the surface deformation at four time periods during the activity. These data allow us to identify the two eruption phases and reveal strong coeruptive subsidence within the Wolf caldera that is superimposed on a larger volcano-wide subsidence signal. Modeling of the surface displacements shows that two shallow magma reservoirs located under Wolf at ~1 km and ~5 km below sea level explain the subsidence and that these reservoirs appear to be hydraulically connected. We also suggest that the transition from the circumferential to the intracaldera eruption may have involved ring fault activity.

Near infrared spectra of Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bappu, M.K.V.; Ganesh, K.S.; Scaria, K.K.

1977-01-01

The near-infrared spectra of three Wolf-Rayet stars of the carbon sequence and five of the nitrogen sequence have been studied. Wavelength identifications and intensity scans are presented to show the emission line characteristics of these objects in the 6800 A to 8200 A domain of the spectrum. (author)

MASTICATORY MUSCLE MYOSITIS IN A GRAY WOLF (CANIS LUPUS).

Science.gov (United States)

Kent, Marc; Glass, Eric N; Castro, Fernando A; Miller, Andrew D; de Lahunta, Alexander

2017-03-01

A 10-yr-old male, neutered gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) was presented for atrophy of the temporalis and masseter muscles. Clinical signs and magnetic resonance imaging were consistent with a myopathy. Positive serology for antibody titers directed against Type 2M myofibers, and the observation of a mixed mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrate along with eosinophils and neutrophils within the temporalis muscle, were diagnostic for masticatory muscle myositis. Importantly, protozoal myositis was excluded based on other clinicopathologic data. The case highlights the potential for immune-mediated polymyositis in canids other than the domesticated dog ( Canis lupus familaris). Additionally, awareness of a diet in which raw meat is used should prompt a thorough investigation for an underlying infectious myositis in the gray wolf.

A dust shell around the early-type Wolf-Ryate star WR 19

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, P.M.; Hucht, K.A. van der; Bouchet, P.

1990-01-01

Infrared photometry of the WC4-type Wolf-Rayet star WR 19 (LS 3) in 1988-90 shows evidence for an expanding dust shell in its wind, similar to those observed from late-type WR stars like WR 48a (WC8), WR 140 (WC7+04) and WR 137 (WC7+). This demonstrates that dust formation by Wolf-Rayet stars is not restricted to later WC subtypes and is more common than hitherto supposed. (author)

75 FR 24741 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) Conservation...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-05

...] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) Conservation Assessment... Mexico Ecological Services Field Office, 2105 Osuna NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113; by telephone at 505-761... guided by the 1982 Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1982) (recovery plan...

An historical overview and update of wolf-moose interactions in northeastern Minnesota

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David; Fieberg, John; Barber-Meyer, Shannon

2018-01-01

Wolf (Canis lupus) and moose (Alces americanus) populations in northeastern Minnesota, USA, have fluctuated for decades and, based on helicopter counts, moose numbers declined to a new low from 2006 to about 2012. Other steep declines were found in 1991 and 1998 during periods when moose counts were done with ®xed-wing aircraft; these declines also appeared to be real. Winter wolf numbers, monitored in part of the moose range, had been increasing since about 2002 to the highest population in decades in 2009. However, from 2009 to 2016, wolves decreased precipitously, and the moose-population decline leveled off from 2012 to 2017. Calf:population ratios from 1985 to 1997 and from 2005 to 2016 were inversely related to wolf numbers in the wolf-study area the previous winter both as wolves increased and decreased in abundance. Similarly, log annual growth rates of moose numbers were negatively correlated with counts of wolves in the prior year. Other factors such as nutrition and parasites, and possibly climate change, likely have been involved in the recent moose decline. However, wolves, as in other areas, appear to have contributed to the decline in the northeastern Minnesota moose population at least in part through predation on calves, supporting earlier reports. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

William L. Wolfe, 1989 President of SPIE, encourages scientists from Eastern Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Schmit, Joanna

2012-10-01

In 1990 Professor Wolfe after his SPIE presidency trekked the world, even making it as far as post-communist Poland, to see (in the visible and maybe in infrared - who knows) the work of optical scientists hidden behind the iron curtain. I am not sure if he was ready for how different that world was at this time, but for sure he was very inquisitive and eager to learn about the nuances of Poland right after the fall of communism. He met, visited with and encouraged young and old scientists from Poland, Russia, Hungary and Lithuania to add their expertise to the scientific conversations happening in the West. His mission in Poland was to invite us all, and he was ready to help us achieve our dreams. I was one of those he encouraged. This talk is my personal reflection of Professor Wolfe as an encouraging and sometimes brave SPIE pioneer - a stranger in a strange land - and as an energetic, caring SPIE president, Optical Sciences professor and human being. Disclaimer: Professor Bill Wolfe's contributions to the field of radiometry are well known and very well recognized. This conference is a tribute to him. However, my paper is not on radiometry; rather, I wish to illustrate the adventurous, caring and positive Bill Wolfe that helped me find my way to the American desert Southwest.

A chaos wolf optimization algorithm with self-adaptive variable step-size

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Zhu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available To explore the problem of parameter optimization for complex nonlinear function, a chaos wolf optimization algorithm (CWOA with self-adaptive variable step-size was proposed. The algorithm was based on the swarm intelligence of wolf pack, which fully simulated the predation behavior and prey distribution way of wolves. It possessed three intelligent behaviors such as migration, summons and siege. And the competition rule as “winner-take-all” and the update mechanism as “survival of the fittest” were also the characteristics of the algorithm. Moreover, it combined the strategies of self-adaptive variable step-size search and chaos optimization. The CWOA was utilized in parameter optimization of twelve typical and complex nonlinear functions. And the obtained results were compared with many existing algorithms, including the classical genetic algorithm, the particle swarm optimization algorithm and the leader wolf pack search algorithm. The investigation results indicate that CWOA possess preferable optimization ability. There are advantages in optimization accuracy and convergence rate. Furthermore, it demonstrates high robustness and global searching ability.

Relationship between snow depth and gray wolf predation on white-tailed deer

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, M.E.; Mech, L.D.

1986-01-01

Survival of 203 yearling and adult white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was monitored for 23,441 deer days from January through April 1975-85 in northeastern Minnesota. Gray wolf (Canis lupus) predation was the primary mortality cause, and from year to year during this period, the mean predation rate ranged from 0.00 to 0.29. The sum of weekly snow depths/month explained 51% of the variation in annual wolf predation rate, with the highest predation during the deepest snow.

The spectrum of HM Sagittae: a planetary nebula excited by a Wolf--Rayet star

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, L.W.; Feibelman, W.A.; Hobbs, R.W.; Mccracken, C.W.

1977-10-01

Image tube spectrograms of HM Sagittae were obtained. More than 70 emission lines, including several broad emission features, were identified. An analysis of the spectra indicates that HM Sagittae is a planetary nebula excited by a Wolf-Rayet star. The most conspicuous Wolf-Rayet feature is that attributed to a blend of C III at 4650 A and He II at 4686 A

Parasite species of the endangered Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus and a sympatric widespread carnivore

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Figueiredo

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Parasites have a profound impact on wildlife population dynamics. However, until some years ago, studies on the occurrence and prevalence of wildlife parasites were neglected comparatively with the studies on humans and domestic animals. In this study, we determined the parasite prevalence of two sympatric wild canids: the endangered Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus and the widespread red fox (Vulpes vulpes, in central Portugal. From November 2014 to July 2015, fresh fecal samples from both species were collected monthly in several transects distributed throughout the study area. All samples were submitted to several coprological techniques. In total, 6 helminth parasites (Crenosoma vulpis, Angiostrongylus vasorum, Toxocara canis, Trichuris vulpis, Ancylostomatidae, Toxascaris leonina, and a protozoa (Balantidium coli were identified based on size and morphology. The red fox was infected by seven different parasites while the Iberian wolf was infected by four. All parasites present in wolf were also present in the red fox. C. vulpis had the higher prevalence in red fox, while Ancylostomatidae were the most prevalent parasites in wolf. To our knowledge, this is the first study in this isolated subpopulation of the Iberian wolf. Our results show that both carnivores carry parasites that are of concern as they are pathogenic to humans and other wild and domestic animals. We suggest that surveillance programs must also include monitoring protocols of wildlife; particularly endangered species.

Predicting wolf (Canis lupus)-cattle (Bos Taurus) encounters and consequential effects on cattle resource selection patterns

Science.gov (United States)

The gray wolf population in Idaho has grown dramatically from the original 35 reintroduced individuals in 1995-1996 to 94 documented packs and a minimum population of 835 individuals in 2009. Wolf depredation on livestock has also increased dramatically with this population growth. Substantial spa...

The origins of the enigmatic Falkland Islands wolf.

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, Jeremy J; Soubrier, Julien; Prevosti, Francisco J; Prates, Luciano; Trejo, Valentina; Mena, Francisco; Cooper, Alan

2013-01-01

The origins of the extinct Falkland Islands wolf (FIW), Dusicyon australis, have remained a mystery since it was first recorded by Europeans in the seventeenth century. It is the only terrestrial mammal on the Falkland Islands (also known as the Malvinas Islands), which lie ~460 km from Argentina, leading to suggestions of either human-mediated transport or overwater dispersal. Previous studies used ancient DNA from museum specimens to suggest that the FIW diverged from its closest living relative, the South American maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) around 7 Ma, and colonized the islands ~330 ka by unknown means. Here we retrieve ancient DNA from subfossils of an extinct mainland relative, Dusicyon avus, and reveal the FIW lineage became isolated only 16 ka (8-31 ka), during the last glacial phase. Submarine terraces, formed on the Argentine coastal shelf by low sea-stands during this period, suggest that the FIW colonized via a narrow, shallow marine strait, potentially while it was frozen over.

Preventing Lone Wolf Terrorism: some CT Approaches Addressed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edwin Bakker

2011-12-01

Full Text Available After a brief discussion of the epistemological and phenomenological difficulties associated with the concept of lone wolf terrorism, a number of possible counter-terrorist approaches are discussed. Lone operator terrorist acts should be considered ‘black swan’ occurrences that are almost impossible to categorize or systematize, let alone forecast. Thus, not the profile of the perpetrator, but the modus operandi offer clues for a better response to this particular threat. Furthermore, almost all lone operators do display a degree of commitment to, and identification with, extremist movements – providing leads for preventing new rounds of radicalization within this potential group of sympathizers or followers. With the apparent increase of Islamist lone wolf terrorism and fears for right-wing extremists wanting to follow the example of the Norwegian mass murderer A.B. Breivik, new questions need to be posed, addressing the role of virtual communities with which lone operators identify themselves. 

Death of a wild wolf from canine parvovirus enteritis

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L.D.; Kurtz, H.J.; Goyal, S.

1997-01-01

A 9-mo-old female wolf (Canis lupus) in the Superior National Forest of Minnesota (USA) died from a canine parvovirus (CPV) infection. This is the first direct evidence that this infection effects free-ranging wild wolves.

Spotted black snake (Pseudechis guttatus) envenomation in a maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus).

Science.gov (United States)

Portas, Timothy J; Montali, Richard J

2007-09-01

Envenomation by a spotted black snake (Pseudechis guttatus), following multiple bites on the buccal mucosa of a captive maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), caused the animal's collapse, hemolysis, rhabdomyolysis, local tissue necrosis, hepatic and renal failure, and subsequent death. The wolf died despite intensive supportive care including antivenom administration, fluid support, and a blood transfusion. Gross necropsy findings included myocardial and intestinal hemorrhage, pulmonary congestion, hepatomegaly, and splenomegaly. Microscopic examination of formalin-fixed tissues demonstrated pulmonary and abdominal visceral hemorrhage, acute nephrosis with casts, multifocal hepatic necrosis, and splenic congestion.

Cystinuria in a maned wolf.

Science.gov (United States)

Bush, M; Bovee, K C

1978-11-01

A renal calculus composed principally of the amino acid, cystine, was found in an 8-year-old male maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus). Cystine crystals were found in the urine sediment. The renal clearance of 10 amino acids was abnormal, whereas reabsorption of others was normal. The renal clearance of cystine, lysine, ornithine, and arginine exceeded the filtered load. The renal tubular handling of glucose, phosphate, sodium, potassium, and uric acid was identical to that for the clinically normal dog. These findings indicated an isolated renal tubular defect for cystine and other amino acids.

On x radiation of double systems containing Wolf-Rayet type stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prilutskij, O.F.; Usov, V.V.

1976-01-01

It is shown that the close binary systems must be rather intensive sources of X radiation one or both components of which are young massive stars with strong outflow of matter from them (Wolf-Rayet type stars and OB supergiants). X-radiation of such binary systems is stimulated by gas heating behind the front of shock waves formed as a result of collision of gas outflowing from one component either with the second star surface or with its magnetosphere or with gas outflowing from the second star. The most possible candidates of X-ray sources among double Wolf-Rayet stars are γ 2 Vel and V 444 Cyg

New hybrid conjugate gradient methods with the generalized Wolfe line search.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xiao; Kong, Fan-Yu

2016-01-01

The conjugate gradient method was an efficient technique for solving the unconstrained optimization problem. In this paper, we made a linear combination with parameters β k of the DY method and the HS method, and putted forward the hybrid method of DY and HS. We also proposed the hybrid of FR and PRP by the same mean. Additionally, to present the two hybrid methods, we promoted the Wolfe line search respectively to compute the step size α k of the two hybrid methods. With the new Wolfe line search, the two hybrid methods had descent property and global convergence property of the two hybrid methods that can also be proved.

The Wolf-Rayet nebula NGC 3199 - an interstellar snow plough?

Science.gov (United States)

Dyson, J. E.; Ghanbari, J.

1989-12-01

The Wolf-Rayet nebula NGC 3199 has a highly asymmetric morphology, with a very bright hemisphere near the exciting star HD 89358 and a much fainter and more extended other hemisphere. This nebula is modeled in terms of the distorted bubble produced by a moving star blowing a strong stellar wind into a surrounding uniform interstellar medium; this model is fitted to the morphology and observed kinematic data. The exciting star appears to be moving at about 60 km/s into local interstellar gas of density of about 10/cu cm, and has a mass-loss rate of about 0.000027 solar mass/yr. This latter mass-loss rate is in excellent agreement with observed mass-loss rates from Wolf-Rayet stars.

Red Wolf (Canis rufus Recovery: A Review with Suggestions for Future Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael J. Chamberlain

2013-08-01

Full Text Available By the 1970s, government-supported eradication campaigns reduced red wolves to a remnant population of less than 100 individuals on the southern border of Texas and Louisiana. Restoration efforts in the region were deemed unpromising because of predator-control programs and hybridization with coyotes. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS removed the last remaining red wolves from the wild and placed them in a captive-breeding program. In 1980, the USFWS declared red wolves extinct in the wild. During 1987, the USFWS, through the Red Wolf Recovery Program, reintroduced red wolves into northeastern North Carolina. Although restoration efforts have established a population of approximately 70–80 red wolves in the wild, issues of hybridization with coyotes, inbreeding, and human-caused mortality continue to hamper red wolf recovery. We explore these three challenges and, within each challenge, we illustrate how research can be used to resolve problems associated with red wolf-coyote interactions, effects of inbreeding, and demographic responses to human-caused mortality. We hope this illustrates the utility of research to advance restoration of red wolves.

A Conceptual Analysis of Mass Loss and Frequency Redistribution in Wolf-Rayet Winds

OpenAIRE

Onifer, A. J.; Gayley, K. G.

2007-01-01

To better understand Wolf-Rayet stars as progenitors of gamma-ray bursts, an understanding of the effect metallicity has on Wolf-Rayet mass loss is needed. Using simple analytic models, we study the Mdot - Z relation of a WN star and compare the results to similar models. We find that Mdot roughly follows a power law in Z with index 0.88 from -2.5 < log Z/Z_sun < -1 and appears to flatten by log Z/Z_sun ~ -0.5.

Gemini/GNIRS infrared spectroscopy of the Wolf-Rayet stellar wind in Cygnus X-3

Science.gov (United States)

Koljonen, K. I. I.; Maccarone, T. J.

2017-12-01

The microquasar Cygnus X-3 was observed several times with the Gemini North Infrared Spectrograph while the source was in the hard X-ray state. We describe the observed 1.0-2.4 μm spectra as arising from the stellar wind of the companion star and suggest its classification as a WN 4-6 Wolf-Rayet star. We attribute the orbital variations of the emission line profiles to the variations in the ionization structure of the stellar wind caused by the intense X-ray emission from the compact object. The strong variability observed in the line profiles will affect the mass function determination. We are unable to reproduce earlier results, from which the mass function for the Wolf-Rayet star was derived. Instead, we suggest that the system parameters are difficult to obtain from the infrared spectra. We find that the near-infrared continuum and the line spectra can be represented with non-LTE Wolf-Rayet atmosphere models if taking into account the effects arising from the peculiar ionization structure of the stellar wind in an approximative manner. From the representative models we infer the properties of the Wolf-Rayet star and discuss possible mass ranges for the binary components.

THE PROPAGATION OF NEUTRINO-DRIVEN JETS IN WOLF-RAYET STARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagakura, Hiroki, E-mail: hiroki@heap.phys.waseda.ac.jp [Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, JapanAND (Japan); Advanced Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan)

2013-02-20

We numerically investigate the jet propagation through a rotating collapsing Wolf-Rayet star with detailed central engine physics constructed based on the neutrino-driven collapsar model. The collapsing star determines the evolution of the mass accretion rate, black hole mass, and spin, all of which are important ingredients for determining the jet luminosity. We reveal that neutrino-driven jets in rapidly spinning Wolf-Rayet stars are capable of breaking out from the stellar envelope, while those propagating in slower rotating progenitors fail to break out due to insufficient kinetic power. For progenitor models with successful jet breakouts, the kinetic energy accumulated in the cocoon could be as large as {approx}10{sup 51} erg and might significantly contribute to the luminosity of the afterglow emission or to the kinetic energy of the accompanying supernova if nickel production takes place. We further analyze the post-breakout phase using a simple analytical prescription and conclude that the relativistic jet component could produce events with an isotropic luminosity L {sub p(iso)} {approx} 10{sup 52} erg s{sup -1} and isotropic energy E {sub j(iso)} {approx} 10{sup 54} erg. Our findings support the idea of rapidly rotating Wolf-Rayet stars as plausible progenitors of GRBs, while slowly rotational ones could be responsible for low-luminosity or failed GRBs.

The Gender of Authorship: Heiner Müller and Christa Wolf

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helen Fehervary

1980-09-01

Full Text Available The relationship between sexuality and politics has always been an underlying assumption of the avant-garde. In recent East German avant-garde literature, the notion of authorship as production has become associated with technological rationality and the patriarchal socialist state. The ensuing crisis of the traditional male author has thus led necessarily to a radicalization of subjectivity and to the politics of gender. A comparison of two contemporary texts, one by a female author, one by a male, shows that the crisis of authorship assumes two distinctly different forms when differences in gender are taken into account. The East German authors Heiner Müller and Christa Wolf have exhibited remarkably similar literary and political developments. Two of their most recent texts, Mülller's Hamletmachine and Wolf's No Place. Nowhere , both address the problematic of traditional male authorship and the disintegration of a preconceived literary gender identity. Yet, these two texts exemplify very different assumptions about the relationship between authorship and the literary tradition. Müller's text suggests the imprisonment of the male author within a petrified system of tradition and images, and hence the necessity of deconstruction. Wolf's text manifests a process of creating a new form of female-identified authorship and the possibility of redefining the tradition of literature and its future.

The Lurking Wolf

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Janni Lisander; Jacobsen, Søren; Hall, Elisabeth

of existential experiences over time in female patients suffering from Lupus. Method: Three 3 qualitative indept interviews with 15 women is planned during 1½ year. First and second round is performed, and third is planned during spring 2015. Interviews are guided by Van Manens life world existentials (time...... to withdraw their consent, and to choose time and place for the interviewing. Results: Interpretation on the existential meaning is in progress. Preliminary results document that the chaotic time of the diagnosis gradually changes over the years, leaving a mark on their existential life. Experiencing......THE LURKING OF THE WOLF- QUALITATIVE RESARCH OF EXISTENTIAL EXPERIENCES WITH LUPUS IN FEMALE PATIENTS. J. Lisander Larsen (1, 2), S. Jacobsen (2), E.O. C. Hall (1), R. Birkelund(3) (1) Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Section for Nursing, Denmark. (2) University Hospital...

Sarcocystis arctica (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae): ultrastructural description and its new host record, the Alaskan wolf (Canis lupus

Science.gov (United States)

Sarcocystis sarcocysts are common in muscles of herbivores but are rare in muscles of carnivores. Here, we report sarcocysts in muscle of an Alaskan wolf (Canis lupus) from Alaska, USA for the first time. Sarcocysts extracted from tongue of the wolf were up to 900 µm long, slender, and appeared to h...

Planck 2015 results: XXI. The integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ade, P. A R; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a study of the integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect from the Planck 2015 temperature and polarization data release. This secondary cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy caused by the large-scale time-evolving gravitational potential is probed from different perspectives....

The Wolf-Rayet stars in 30 Doradus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melnick, J.

1982-01-01

The second brightest giant HII region in the sky is the 30 Doradus nebula in the LMC. This cluster contains many WR stars and may be one of the best objects where general ideas about the origin and evolution of WR stars can be tested. The author briefly describes observations of WR stars in 30 Doradus and discusses the implications for Wolf-Rayet evolutionary theories. (Auth.)

Emission - line theoretical profiles for Wolf- Rayet stars with low-mass companions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antokhin, I.I.

1986-01-01

Profiles of the resonant line λ 765 A and the subordinate line λ 4058 of N4 have been calculated for a binary system medel consisting of the Wolf-Rayet star and the low-mass companion (possibly, a relativistic object) by means of Sobolev approximation. The equations of statistical equilibrium have been solved for the first 32 levels of N4. Two cases have been considered: 1) detached zone of N5 surrounding the Wolf-Rayet star and the companion; 2) common zone of N5. The criteria for detection of presence of a companion in line profile observations have been formulated

CMB anisotropies at all orders: the non-linear Sachs-Wolfe formula

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roldan, Omar

2017-01-01

We obtain the non-linear generalization of the Sachs-Wolfe + integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) formula describing the CMB temperature anisotropies. Our formula is valid at all orders in perturbation theory, is also valid in all gauges and includes scalar, vector and tensor modes. A direct consequence of our results is that the maps of the logarithmic temperature anisotropies are much cleaner than the usual CMB maps, because they automatically remove many secondary anisotropies. This can for instance, facilitate the search for primordial non-Gaussianity in future works. It also disentangles the non-linear ISW from other effects. Finally, we provide a method which can iteratively be used to obtain the lensing solution at the desired order.

CMB anisotropies at all orders: the non-linear Sachs-Wolfe formula

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roldan, Omar, E-mail: oaroldan@if.ufrj.br [Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-972, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2017-08-01

We obtain the non-linear generalization of the Sachs-Wolfe + integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) formula describing the CMB temperature anisotropies. Our formula is valid at all orders in perturbation theory, is also valid in all gauges and includes scalar, vector and tensor modes. A direct consequence of our results is that the maps of the logarithmic temperature anisotropies are much cleaner than the usual CMB maps, because they automatically remove many secondary anisotropies. This can for instance, facilitate the search for primordial non-Gaussianity in future works. It also disentangles the non-linear ISW from other effects. Finally, we provide a method which can iteratively be used to obtain the lensing solution at the desired order.

Largest global shark biomass found in the northern Galápagos Islands of Darwin and Wolf

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pelayo Salinas de León

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Overfishing has dramatically depleted sharks and other large predatory fishes worldwide except for a few remote and/or well-protected areas. The islands of Darwin and Wolf in the far north of the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR are known for their large shark abundance, making them a global scuba diving and conservation hotspot. Here we report quantitative estimates of fish abundance at Darwin and Wolf over two consecutive years using stereo-video surveys, which reveal the largest reef fish biomass ever reported (17.5 t ${\\mathrm{ha}}^{-1}$ ha − 1 on average, consisting largely of sharks. Despite this, the abundance of reef fishes around the GMR, such as groupers, has been severely reduced because of unsustainable fishing practices. Although Darwin and Wolf are within the GMR, they were not fully protected from fishing until March 2016. Given the ecological value and the economic importance of Darwin and Wolf for the dive tourism industry, the current protection should ensure the long-term conservation of this hotspot of unique global value.

WOLF RAYETS: INTERFEROMETRY OF HOT DUST

OpenAIRE

J. Rajagopal

2010-01-01

Las Wolf Rayets (WRs) son estrellas masivas calientes en sus ltimas etapas evolutivas. Son indicadores prominentes de la formaci n de estrellas de gran masa y sus vientos masivos tienen in uencia signi cativa en el medio interestelar. Es sabido que un peque o pero signi cativo n mero de estas estrellas en la galaxia producen copiosas cantidades de polvo. Dado el hostil ambiente circunestelar, esto plantea preguntas interesantes. Las observaciones interferom tricas y de abertura de m scara in...

Theories for the winds from Wolf Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cassinelli, J.P.

1982-01-01

The massive and fast winds of Wolf Rayet stars present a serious momentum problem for the line-driven wind theories that are commonly used to explain the fast winds of early type stars. It is perhaps possible for the winds to be driven by lines, if multiple scattering occurs and if there are a sufficient number of lines in the spectrum so that large fraction of the continuum is blocked by line opacity in the winds. Several other mechanisms are discussed, in particular two that rely on strong magnetic fields: a) Alfven wave driven wind models like those recently developed by Hartmann and MacGregor for late type supergiants and b) the ''Fast Magnetic Rotator'' model that was developed by Belcher and MacGregor for the winds from pre-main sequence stars. In either model, large magnetic fields (approximately equal to 10 4 gauss) are required to drive the massive and fast winds of Wolf Rayet stars. Smaller fields might be possible if the multiple scattering line radiation force can be relied on to provide a final acceleration to terminal velocity. (Auth.)

Elk migration patterns and human activity influence wolf habitat use in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Abigail A; Kauffman, Matthew J; Middleton, Arthur D; Jimenez, Michael D; McWhirter, Douglas E; Barber, Jarrett; Gerow, Kenneth

2012-12-01

Identifying the ecological dynamics underlying human-wildlife conflicts is important for the management and conservation of wildlife populations. In landscapes still occupied by large carnivores, many ungulate prey species migrate seasonally, yet little empirical research has explored the relationship between carnivore distribution and ungulate migration strategy. In this study, we evaluate the influence of elk (Cervus elaphus) distribution and other landscape features on wolf (Canis lupus) habitat use in an area of chronic wolf-livestock conflict in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA. Using three years of fine-scale wolf (n = 14) and elk (n = 81) movement data, we compared the seasonal habitat use of wolves in an area dominated by migratory elk with that of wolves in an adjacent area dominated by resident elk. Most migratory elk vacate the associated winter wolf territories each summer via a 40-60 km migration, whereas resident elk remain accessible to wolves year-round. We used a generalized linear model to compare the relative probability of wolf use as a function of GIS-based habitat covariates in the migratory and resident elk areas. Although wolves in both areas used elk-rich habitat all year, elk density in summer had a weaker influence on the habitat use of wolves in the migratory elk area than the resident elk area. Wolves employed a number of alternative strategies to cope with the departure of migratory elk. Wolves in the two areas also differed in their disposition toward roads. In winter, wolves in the migratory elk area used habitat close to roads, while wolves in the resident elk area avoided roads. In summer, wolves in the migratory elk area were indifferent to roads, while wolves in resident elk areas strongly avoided roads, presumably due to the location of dens and summering elk combined with different traffic levels. Study results can help wildlife managers to anticipate the movements and establishment of wolf packs as they expand into areas

Finding the Wolves in Sheeps Clothing: Ways to Distinguish and Deter Lone-Wolf Terrorists

Science.gov (United States)

2015-03-01

Mark Hamm, “Lone-wolf Terrorism in America: Forging a New Way of Looking at an Old Problem,” YouTube video, 7:32, posted by the National Institute...that factors that influence most lone-wolf terrorists include, “to varying degrees and in variable combinations: personal aversion or depression ...Russia.”97 Also discovered after the bombings, “Tamerlan had a YouTube account that he used to post and watch violent Islamic extremist videos starting

How massive the Wolf-Rayet stars are

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemela, V.S.

1981-01-01

If the Wolf-Rayet stars are produced by the evolution of massive stars with mass loss (Paczynski 1967, Conti 1976) from O stars to WN stars and thereafter to WC stars, then we may expect to observe a correlation of decreasing mean masses in the same sense as the evolution. Information about the masses of WR stars are obtained from studies of binary systems with WR components. (Auth.)

Wolf-Rayet stars featured in emission-line galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunth, D.

1982-01-01

In the galaxy Tololo 3 (NGC 3125) recent observations by the author and Sargent (1981) have revealed the presence of an unusual strong and broad He II 4686 emission. The origin of this line together with some nitrogen lines (e.g. N V 4620 and N III 4638) is attributed to Wolf-Rayet stars, mostly of WN types. (Auth.)

Key Issues and Research Agendas in Lone Wolf Terrorism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spaaij, R.; Hamm, M.S.

2015-01-01

This article builds on recent contributions to the academic literature on lone wolf terrorism to critically examine key issues that are germane to the current state of play in this field of study. It finds that, overall, the recent academic literature still suffers from considerable problems

Chemical composition and origin of the Wolf-Rayet ring Nebula NGC 6888

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwitter, K.B.

1981-01-01

We have obtained spectrophotometric observations of NGC 6888, a ring nebula surrounding the Population I Wolf-Rayet star HD 192163, in order to determine the physical conditions and chemical abundances in this object. We conclude that NGC 6888 is enriched in nitrogen and helium by factors of about 9 and 2, respectively, compared with the Orion Nebula. This enrichment is a result of contamination of the ambient abundances by the nigrogen-rich and helium-rich wind from the central Wolf-rayet star. We have interpreted NGC 6888 as an interstellar bubble, according to recent theory, and calculate an approximate age for the nebula of 18,000 years. The fraction of nebular mass contributed by the central star can be estimated from published stellar abundances; we calculate that the stellar wind has provided approx.10% of the observed nebular mass. If this nebula is representative, then the total mass contributed to a ring nebula by stellar wind is small (< or approx. =1M/sub sun/). This suggests that mass loss from stars in the Wolf-Rayet phase does not play a significant role in the nitrogen and helium enrichment of the interstellar medium

Treatment of fibrosarcoma in a maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) by rostral maxillectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

McNulty, E E; Gilson, S D; Houser, B S; Ouse, A

2000-09-01

A 12-yr-old captive intact male maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) was diagnosed with a fibrosarcoma of the incisive bones. The mass was excised by rostral maxillectomy, and the wolf remained normal and on display with good function and cosmetics for 7 mo. Subsequently, it became weak, ataxic, and dyspneic and was euthanatized. At necropsy, there was a small regrowth of the maxillary tumor, a metastatic mediastinal mass, and multiple metastatic lung masses, suggesting that oral fibrosarcoma in maned wolves behaves similarly to oral fibrosarcoma in domestic canines. Aggressive surgical treatment of oral fibrosarcoma in this species can achieve good functional and cosmetic results.

Gray wolf exposure to emerging vector-borne diseases in Wisconsin with comparison to domestic dogs and humans

Science.gov (United States)

Jara, Rocio F.; Wydeven, Adrian P.; Samuel, Michael D.

2016-01-01

World-wide concern over emerging vector-borne diseases has increased in recent years for both animal and human health. In the United Sates, concern about vector-borne diseases in canines has focused on Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and heartworm which infect domestic and wild canids. Of these diseases, Lyme and anaplasmosis are also frequently diagnosed in humans. Gray wolves (Canis lupus) recolonized Wisconsin in the 1970s, and we evaluated their temporal and geographic patterns of exposure to these four vector-borne diseases in Wisconsin as the population expanded between 1985 and 2011. A high proportion of the Wisconsin wolves were exposed to the agents that cause Lyme (65.6%) and anaplasma (47.7%), and a smaller proportion to ehrlichiosis (5.7%) and infected with heartworm (9.2%). Wolf exposure to tick borne diseases was consistently higher in older animals. Wolf exposure was markedly higher than domestic dog (Canis familiaris) exposure for all 4 disease agents during 2001–2013. We found a cluster of wolf exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi in northwestern Wisconsin, which overlaps human and domestic dog clusters for the same pathogen. In addition, wolf exposure to Lyme disease in Wisconsin has increased, corresponding with the increasing human incidence of Lyme disease in a similar time period. Despite generally high prevalence of exposure none of these diseases appear to have slowed the growth of the Wisconsin wolf population.

Genome-wide analysis of SNPs is consistent with no domestic dog ancestry in the endangered Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)

Science.gov (United States)

Fitak, Robert R.; Rinkevich, Sarah E.; Culver, Melanie

2018-01-01

The Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) was historically distributed throughout the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Extensive predator removal campaigns during the early 20th century, however, resulted in its eventual extirpation by the mid 1980s. At this time, the Mexican wolf existed only in 3 separate captive lineages (McBride, Ghost Ranch, and Aragón) descended from 3, 2, and 2 founders, respectively. These lineages were merged in 1995 to increase the available genetic variation, and Mexican wolves were reintroduced into Arizona and New Mexico in 1998. Despite the ongoing management of the Mexican wolf population, it has been suggested that a proportion of the Mexican wolf ancestry may be recently derived from hybridization with domestic dogs. In this study, we genotyped 87 Mexican wolves, including individuals from all 3 captive lineages and cross-lineage wolves, for more than 172000 single nucleotide polymorphisms. We identified levels of genetic variation consistent with the pedigree record and effects of genetic rescue. To identify the potential to detect hybridization with domestic dogs, we compared our Mexican wolf genotypes with those from studies of domestic dogs and other gray wolves. The proportion of Mexican wolf ancestry assigned to domestic dogs was only between 0.06% (SD 0.23%) and 7.8% (SD 1.0%) for global and local ancestry estimates, respectively; and was consistent with simulated levels of incomplete lineage sorting. Overall, our results suggested that Mexican wolves lack biologically significant ancestry with dogs and have useful implications for the conservation and management of this endangered wolf subspecies.

Characterization of the Wolf 1061 Planetary System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kane, Stephen R.; Waters, Miranda A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132 (United States); Von Braun, Kaspar [Lowell Observatory, 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States); Henry, Gregory W. [Center of Excellence in Information Systems, Tennessee State University, 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd., Box 9501, Nashville, TN 37209 (United States); Boyajian, Tabetha S. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (United States); Mann, Andrew W., E-mail: skane@sfsu.edu [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

2017-02-01

A critical component of exoplanetary studies is an exhaustive characterization of the host star, from which the planetary properties are frequently derived. Of particular value are the radius, temperature, and luminosity, which are key stellar parameters for studies of transit and habitability science. Here we present the results of new observations of Wolf 1061, known to host three super-Earths. Our observations from the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy interferometric array provide a direct stellar radius measurement of 0.3207±0.0088 R{sub ⊙}, from which we calculate the effective temperature and luminosity using spectral energy distribution models. We obtained 7 yr of precise, automated photometry that reveals the correct stellar rotation period of 89.3±1.8 days, finds no evidence of photometric transits, and confirms that the radial velocity signals are not due to stellar activity. Finally, our stellar properties are used to calculate the extent of the Habitable Zone (HZ) for the Wolf 1061 system, for which the optimistic boundaries are 0.09–0.23 au. Our simulations of the planetary orbital dynamics show that the eccentricity of the HZ planet oscillates to values as high as ∼0.15 as it exchanges angular momentum with the other planets in the system.

Population genomics of the inbred Scandinavian wolf

OpenAIRE

Hagenblad, Jenny; Olsson, Maria; Parker, Heidi G.; Ostrander, Elaine A.; Ellegren, Hans

2009-01-01

The Scandinavian wolf population represents one of the genetically most well characterized examples of a severely bottlenecked natural population (with only two founders), and of how the addition of new genetic material (one immigrant) can at least temporarily provide a “genetic rescue”. However, inbreeding depression has been observed in this population and in the absence of additional immigrants, its long-term viability is questioned. To study the effects of inbreeding and selection on geno...

Habitat suitability and movement corridors of grey wolf (Canis lupus) in Northern Pakistan

Science.gov (United States)

Kabir, Muhammad; Hameed, Shoaib; Ali, Hussain; Bosso, Luciano; Din, Jaffar Ud; Bischof, Richard; Redpath, Steve

2017-01-01

Habitat suitability models are useful to understand species distribution and to guide management and conservation strategies. The grey wolf (Canis lupus) has been extirpated from most of its historic range in Pakistan primarily due to its impact on livestock and livelihoods. We used non-invasive survey data from camera traps and genetic sampling to develop a habitat suitability model for C. lupus in northern Pakistan and to explore the extent of connectivity among populations. We detected suitable habitat of grey wolf using a maximum entropy approach (Maxent ver. 3.4.0) and identified suitable movement corridors using the Circuitscape 4.0 tool. Our model showed high levels of predictive performances, as seen from the values of area under curve (0.971±0.002) and true skill statistics (0.886±0.021). The main predictors for habitat suitability for C. lupus were distances to road, mean temperature of the wettest quarter and distance to river. The model predicted ca. 23,129 km2 of suitable areas for wolf in Pakistan, with much of suitable habitat in remote and inaccessible areas that appeared to be well connected through vulnerable movement corridors. These movement corridors suggest that potentially the wolf range can expand in Pakistan’s Northern Areas. However, managing protected areas with stringent restrictions is challenging in northern Pakistan, in part due to heavy dependence of people on natural resources. The habitat suitability map provided by this study can inform future management strategies by helping authorities to identify key conservation areas. PMID:29121089

Treatment of a forelimb fracture and rehabilitation of a free-ranging Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filipe C. Silva

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract: The surgical treatment of an exposed compounded comminuted fracture of the right radius and ulna in a free-ranging adult female Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus with an osteosynthesis plate and screws and subsequent post-operative care are described. The evolution of the fracture healing was very similar to those expected in a dog of the same size. The prompt surgical intervention and a proper housing, feeding and wound management adapted to a free-ranging wolf, in view to reduce manipulation and post-operative complications, allowed the subsequent rehabilitation and release of the animal. After 10th post-operative weeks the wolf was fitted with a Global Positioning System (GPS for wildlife tracking collar and released in the same area where it has been caught. GPS telemetry data showed that the animal covered increasingly large distances confirming a complete functionality of the right thoracic limb and its successfully return to the wild. This report could constitute the first detailed report of a long bone fracture treatment in a free-ranging wolf and its successfully rehabilitation, release and adaptation to the wild.

AHP 6: The Brag 'go Wolf Begging Ritual

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mgon po tshe ring

2010-06-01

Full Text Available A ritual performed in 1999 in Dge rtse (Genzhi 更知 Township, Brag 'go (Luhuo 炉霍 County, Dkar mdzes (Ganzi 甘孜 Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan (四川 Province is described. The ritual involved a man, his son, and his nephew taking a wolf skin, visiting nine villages, and asking for donations to appease the 'owner of the wolves'.

Wolf-Rayet nebulae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, You-Hua

2016-01-01

Since the discovery of nebulae around Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars in the 1960s, it has been established that WR stars are massive stars at advanced evolutionary stages and that their surrounding nebulae result from the interactions between the stellar mass loss and the ambient interstellar medium. Surveys of WR nebulae have been made in the Galaxy, Magellanic Clouds, and other nearby galaxies in the Local Group. Some WR nebulae exhibit He II λ4686 line emission, indicating stellar effective temperatures of 90 — 100 x 10 3 K. The shocked fast stellar winds from WR nebulae have been detected in soft X-rays, but theoretical models have not been able to reproduce the observed X-ray spectral properties. Elemental abundances of WR nebulae consisting of synthesized stellar material can constrain stellar evolution models, but high-dispersion spectra are needed to kinematically separate the expanding shell of a WR nebula and the background interstellar medium for accurate abundance analyses. (paper)

Constraints on gamma-ray burst and supernova progenitors through circumstellar absorption lines : II. Post-LBV Wolf-Rayet stars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marle, A.J.; Langer, N.; Garcia-Segura, G.

2007-01-01

Van Marle et al. (2005) showed that circumstellar absorption lines in early Type Ib/c supernova and gamma-ray burst afterglow spectra may reveal the progenitor evolution of the exploding Wolf-Rayet star. While the quoted paper deals with Wolf-Rayet stars which evolved through a red supergiant stage,

77 FR 55529 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Gray Wolf in Wyoming From the...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-10

... background information is also available online at http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf... allowing the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission (WGFC) to diminish Wyoming's Wolf Trophy Game Management Area... minimum levels. In early 2011, we began discussions with Wyoming seeking to develop a strategy to address...

Fear or food ? abundance of red fox in relation to occurrence of lynx and wolf

OpenAIRE

Wikenros, Camilla; Aronsson, Malin; Liberg, Olof; Jarnemo, Anders; Hansson, Jessica; Wallgren, M?rtha; Sand, H?kan; Bergstr?m, Roger

2017-01-01

Apex predators may affect mesopredators through intraguild predation and/or supply of carrion from their prey, causing a trade-off between avoidance and attractiveness. We used wildlife triangle snow-tracking data to investigate the abundance of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in relation to lynx (Lynx lynx) and wolf (Canis lupus) occurrence as well as land composition and vole (Microtus spp.)?density. Data from the Swedish wolf-monitoring system and VHF/GPS-collared wolves were used to study the eff...

Gray Wolf Exposure to Emerging Vector-Borne Diseases in Wisconsin with Comparison to Domestic Dogs and Humans.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rocio F Jara

Full Text Available World-wide concern over emerging vector-borne diseases has increased in recent years for both animal and human health. In the United Sates, concern about vector-borne diseases in canines has focused on Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and heartworm which infect domestic and wild canids. Of these diseases, Lyme and anaplasmosis are also frequently diagnosed in humans. Gray wolves (Canis lupus recolonized Wisconsin in the 1970s, and we evaluated their temporal and geographic patterns of exposure to these four vector-borne diseases in Wisconsin as the population expanded between 1985 and 2011. A high proportion of the Wisconsin wolves were exposed to the agents that cause Lyme (65.6% and anaplasma (47.7%, and a smaller proportion to ehrlichiosis (5.7% and infected with heartworm (9.2%. Wolf exposure to tick borne diseases was consistently higher in older animals. Wolf exposure was markedly higher than domestic dog (Canis familiaris exposure for all 4 disease agents during 2001-2013. We found a cluster of wolf exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi in northwestern Wisconsin, which overlaps human and domestic dog clusters for the same pathogen. In addition, wolf exposure to Lyme disease in Wisconsin has increased, corresponding with the increasing human incidence of Lyme disease in a similar time period. Despite generally high prevalence of exposure none of these diseases appear to have slowed the growth of the Wisconsin wolf population.

Zosteriform impetigo: Wolf's isotopic response in a cutaneous immunocompromised district.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Philip R

2015-07-01

Impetigo can result from Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Wolf's isotopic response is the occurrence of a new cutaneous disorder at the site of a previously healed disease. A cutaneous immunocompromised district is an area of skin that is more vulnerable than the rest of the individual's body. To describe a man with impetigo localized to a unilateral dermatome and review the clinical features of other patients with zosteriform Staphylococcus aureus cutaneous infection. PubMed was used to search the following terms, separately and in combination: cutaneous, dermatome, dermatomal, district, herpes, immunocompromised, impetigo, infection, isotopic, response, skin, staphylococcal, Staphylococcus aureus, Wolf, zoster, zosteriform. All papers were reviewed and relevant manuscripts, along with their reference citations, were evaluated. Crusted, eroded and intact, erythematous papules and nodules acutely presented localized to the mandibular branch of the left trigeminal nerve on the face of a 66-year-old man; he did not recall a prior episode of varicella-zoster virus infection in that area. A bacterial culture isolated methicillin-susceptible S. aureus. Viral cultures and direct fluorescent absorption studies were negative for herpes simplex and herpes zoster virus. All of the lesions resolved after oral treatment with cefdinir. Impetigo and/or furunculosis in a zosteriform distribution have also been described in 3 additional patients. The bacterial culture showed either methicillin-susceptible or methicillin-resistant S. aureus; the skin infection resolved after treatment with oral antibiotics; however one man experienced 2 recurrences in the same area. Zosteriform cutaneous staphylococcal impetigo may be an example of Wolf's isotopic response in a cutaneous immunocompromised district.

Wolf presence and increased willow consumption by Yellowstone elk: implications for trophic cascades.

Science.gov (United States)

Creel, Scott; Christianson, David

2009-09-01

Recent increases in the height and growth ring width of willow (Salix spp.) and other woody plants in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) have been attributed to a behaviorally mediated trophic cascade from wolves (Canis lupus) to elk (Cervus elaphus) to willows. This hypothesis predicts that individual elk consume less willow in response to the presence of wolves, but this prediction has not been directly tested with data from elk. We collected 727 fecal samples from elk in the Gallatin Canyon portion of the GYE over three winters and used microhistological methods to quantify the proportion of willow in each sample. We then tested the effect of wolf presence on willow consumption by elk, controlling for the effects of snow conditions, sex, and habitat type. During the period of study, 8-17 wolves occupied the study area, and wolves were locally present on 49% of 260 sampling days, stratified at two-week intervals across three drainages. Over the three years combined, willow consumption was related to snow conditions, wolf presence, and a wolf X sex interaction. As expected, willow consumption increased with deeper and less penetrable snow, and this effect was strong. Contrary to expectation, willow consumption increased in the presence of wolves. As with other aspects of antipredator behavior, wolves had different effects on willow consumption by males and females. Finally, we aggregated the data to estimate winter-long mean willow consumption within each drainage; at this broader scale, willow consumption again increased as predation risk increased. In summary, willow consumption was more strongly affected by snow conditions than by the presence of wolves. Interactions between elk and willow were affected by wolves, but not as predicted by the hypothesis that wolf presence favors willow release through a reduction in the selection of willow by individual elk. If a trophic cascade is operating, our results suggest that a decline in the size of the elk

Killing and caching of an adult White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, by a single Gray Wolf, Canis lupus

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Michael E.

2011-01-01

A single Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) killed an adult male White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and cached the intact carcass in 76 cm of snow. The carcass was revisited and entirely consumed between four and seven days later. This is the first recorded observation of a Gray Wolf caching an entire adult deer.

Ring nebulae associated with Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, Y.-H.

1982-01-01

Using strict selection criteria, the author and colleagues have searched for ring nebulae associated with Wolf-Rayet stars in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds. 15 WR ring nebulae are identified in the Galaxy, 9 in the Large Magellanic Cloud, and none in the small Magellanic Cloud. The morphology and kinematics of these 24 nebulae have subsequently been observed to study their nature. These nebulae and their references are listed and a correlation between spectral and nebular types is presented. (Auth.)

Community Resource Uses and Ethiopian Wolf Conservation in Mount Abune Yosef

Science.gov (United States)

Eshete, Girma; Tesfay, Girmay; Bauer, Hans; Ashenafi, Zelealem Tefera; de Iongh, Hans; Marino, Jorgelina

2015-09-01

People who perceive economic benefits and enjoy unrestricted access to natural resources tend to support ecosystem conservation efforts. Our study explores whether this remains true in remnant patches of Afroalpine ecosystem in North Ethiopia, where communal land provides valuable natural resources for the local communities and also sustain small populations of the endangered Ethiopian wolf ( Canis simensis). Questionnaires were designed to assess ecological and socio-economic characteristics of the livelihoods of the Amhara people living in Mount Abune Yosef and their attitudes toward Afroalpine and Ethiopian wolf conservation. Of the 120 households interviewed, selected randomly from across eight villages, 80 % benefited from natural resources by grazing their livestock and harvesting firewood and grasses. The majority (90 %) also suffered from livestock predation by Ethiopian wolves and common jackals (Canis aureus) and crop raiding by geladas ( Theropithecus gelada), birds, and rodents, yet more than half reported a positive attitudes toward Ethiopian wolves (66 %). People with positive attitudes tended to live close to the communal land, to own more livestock, and to be unaffected by conflict. Many also recognized the need to protect the Afroalpine habitats of Abune Yosef (71 %), and this attitude predominated among the literate, households that owned land, had smaller herds and were further away. We discussed how people's attitudes were modulated by human-wildlife conflicts and by the benefits derived from the access to natural resources in communal land, and the implications for the conservation of Afroalpine ecosystem and the flagship Ethiopian wolf.

Parsing demographic effects of canine pParvovirus on a Minnesota wolf population

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David; Goyal, Sagar M.

2011-01-01

We examined 35 years of relationships among wolf (Canis lupus) pup survival, population change and canine parvovirus (CPV) seroprevalence in Northeastern Minnesota to determine when CPV exerted its strongest effects. Using correlation analysis of data from five periods of 7-years each from 1973 through 2007, we learned that the strongest effect of CPV on pup survival (r = -0.73) and on wolf population change (r = -0.92) was during 1987 to 1993. After that, little effect was documented despite a mean CPV seroprevalence from 1994 of 2007 of 70.8% compared with 52.6% during 1987 to 1993. We conclude that after CPV became endemic and produced its peak effect on the study population, that population developed enough immunity to withstand the disease.

Noninvasive molecular tracking of colonizing wolf (Canis lupus) packs in the western Italian Alps.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucchini, V; Fabbri, E; Marucco, F; Ricci, S; Boitani, L; Randi, E

2002-05-01

We used noninvasive methods to obtain genetic and demographic data on the wolf packs (Canis lupus), which are now recolonizing the Alps, a century after their eradication. DNA samples, extracted from presumed wolf scats collected in the western Italian Alps (Piemonte), were genotyped to determine species and sex by sequencing parts of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control-region and ZFX/ZFY genes. Individual genotypes were identified by multilocus microsatellite analyses using a multiple tubes polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The performance of the laboratory protocols was affected by the age of samples. The quality of excremental DNA extracts was higher in samples freshly collected on snow in winter than in samples that were older or collected during summer. Preliminary mtDNA screening of all samples allowed species identification and was a good predictor of further PCR performances. Wolf, and not prey, DNA targets were preferentially amplified. Allelic dropout occurred more frequently than false alleles, but the probability of false homozygote determinations was always wolf genotypes, also whether related, with a probability of identity of < 0.015. Genealogical relationships among individuals could be determined reliably if the number of candidate parents was 6-8, and most of them had been sampled and correctly genotyped. Genetic data indicate that colonizing Alpine wolves originate exclusively from the Italian source population and retain a high proportion of its genetic diversity. Spatial and temporal locations of individual genotypes, and kinship analyses, suggest that two distinct packs of closely related wolves, plus some unrelated individuals, ranged in the study areas. This is in agreement with field observations.

Preventing Lone Wolf Terrorism: some CT Approaches Addressed

OpenAIRE

Edwin Bakker; Beatrice de Graaf

2011-01-01

After a brief discussion of the epistemological and phenomenological difficulties associated with the concept of lone wolf terrorism, a number of possible counter-terrorist approaches are discussed. Lone operator terrorist acts should be considered ‘black swan’ occurrences that are almost impossible to categorize or systematize, let alone forecast. Thus, not the profile of the perpetrator, but the modus operandi offer clues for a better response to this particular threat. Furtherm...

Complete Genomic Sequence of Canine Distemper Virus from an Ethiopian Wolf.

Science.gov (United States)

Marston, Denise A; Watson, Jemma; Wise, Emma L; Ellis, Richard J; Bedin, Eric; Ayalew, Girma; Abute, Muktar; de Lamballerie, Xavier; Fooks, Anthony R; Sillero-Zubiri, Claudio; Banyard, Ashley C

2017-07-20

Canine distemper virus (CDV) has been implicated in population declines of wildlife, including many threatened species. Here we present the full genome of CDV from an Ethiopian wolf, Canis simensis , the world's rarest and most endangered canid. © Crown copyright 2017.

Using Pop-II models to predict effects of wolf predation and hunter harvests on elk, mule deer, and moose on the northern range

Science.gov (United States)

Mack, John A.; Singer, Francis J.

1993-01-01

The effects of establishing a gray wolf (Canis lupus) population in Yellowstone National Park were predicted for three ungulate species—elk (Cervus elaphus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and moose (Alces alces)—using previously developed POP-II population models. We developed models for 78 and 100 wolves. For each wolf population, we ran scenarios using wolf predation rates of 9, 12, and 15 ungulates/wolf/year. With 78 wolves and the antlerless elk harvest reduced 27%, our modeled elk population estimated were 5-18% smaller than the model estimate without wolves. With 100 wolves and the antlerless elk harvest reduced 27%, our elk population estimated were 11-30% smaller than the population estimates without wolves. Wolf predation effects were greater on the modeled mule deer population than on elk. With 78 wolves and no antlerless deer harvest, we predicted the mule deer population could be 13-44% larger than without wolves. With 100 wolves and no antlerless deer harvest, the mule deer population was 0-36% larger than without wolves. After wolf recovery, our POP-II models suggested moose harvests would have to be reduced at least 50% to maintain moose numbers at the levels predicted when wolves were not present. Mule deer and moose population data are limited, and these wolf predation effects may be overestimated if population sizes or male-female ratios were underestimated in our population models. We recommend additional mule deer and moose population data be obtained.

Dioctophyma renale in maned wolf in the geoeconomic region of Jatai, GO, Brazil - Case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valcinir Aloisio Scalla Vulcani

2015-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT. Vulcani V.A.S., Franzo V.S., de Araújo D.P., Vicentin F.R., da Costa O.M., Rangel A.S. & Gomes L.A. [Dioctophyma renale in maned wolf in the geoeconomic region of Jatai, GO, Brazil - Case report.] Dioctophyma renale em Lobo-Guará na região geoeconômica de Jataí, GO, Brasil - Relato de caso. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 37(2:149-152, 2015. Laboratório de Anatomia, Curso de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Campus de Jataí, BR 364 Km 192, 3800, Setor Industrial, Jataí, GO 75801-615, Brasil. E-mail: aloisiosv@hotmail.com The maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815 is the largest animal that represents the canidae species at the South America. The Dioctophyme renale (Goeze, 1782 known as the giant kidney-worm, because it is used to lodges mostly this organs, and it has been also responsible for the majority of captive animals deaths. A maned wolf necropsy was done at the animal anatomy laboratory of the Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG - Campus Jataí and showed a nematode in the right kidney of the wild dog. This is the second confirmed case report of maned wolf that have free life in the city of Jataí and in State of Goiás, that suggests that is a common parasitism in this region of the country.

False alerts in air traffic control conflict alerting system: is there a "cry wolf" effect?

Science.gov (United States)

Wickens, Christopher D; Rice, Stephen; Keller, David; Hutchins, Shaun; Hughes, Jamie; Clayton, Krisstal

2009-08-01

The aim is to establish the extent to which the high false-alarm rate of air traffic control midair conflict alerts is responsible for a "cry wolf' effect-where true alerts are not responded to and all alerts are delayed in their response. Some aircraft collisions have been partly attributed to the cry wolf effect, and in other domains (health care and systems monitoring), there is a causal connection between false-alarm rate and cry wolf behavior. We hypothesized that a corresponding relationship exists in air traffic control (ATC). Aircraft track and alert system behavior data surrounding 495 conflict alerts were analyzed to identify true and false alerts, trajectory type, and controller behavior. Forty-five percent of the alerts were false, ranging from 0.28 to 0.58. Although centers with more false alerts contributed to more nonresponses, there was no evidence that these were nonresponses to true alerts or that response times were delayed in those centers. Instead, controllers showed desirable anticipatory behavior by issuing trajectory changes prior to the alert. Those trajectory pairs whose conflicts were more difficult to visualize induced more reliance on, and less compliance with, the alerting system. The high false-alarm rate does not appear to induce cry wolf behavior in the context of en route ATC conflict alerts. There is no need to substantially modify conflict alert algorithms, but the conflict alert system may be modified to address difficult-to-visualize conflicts.

Light curve of the CX Cep eclipsing binary system and characteristics of a Wolf-Rayet star

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lipunova, N.A.; Cherepashchuk, A.M.

1982-01-01

The photoelectric B, V, R observations of the eclipsing Wolf-Rayet binary CX Cep (WN 5 + 08V, V approximately equal to 12sup(m),1, p approximately equal to 2sup(d),127) have been carried out. The physical characteristics of the WN 5 star, the core radius r 0 =(4.5+-2.5) Rsub(S) (Rsub(S) is the Sun radius) and the brightness temperature of the core Tsub(b)>50 000 K, are determined from the analysis of the light curve lambdasub(eff) approximately equal to 6 000 A. These characteristics are close to those of the WN 5 star in the eclipsing Wolf-Rayet binary V 444 Cyg. The results of the interpretation of the light curves of two eclipsing Wolf-Rayet binaries (V 444 Cyg and CX Cep) confirm the conclusions of the modern theory of evolution of massive close binary systems [ru

Spectrophotometry of ring nebulae around Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwitter, K.B.

1979-01-01

Spectrophotometric observations of four ring nebulae surrounding population I Wolf-Rayet (WN) stars have been obtained, and four additional filamentary nebulae in order to determine the physical conditions and chemical abundances in these objects. It was concluded that the ring nebulae are enriched in nitrogen and helium as a result of contamination of the ambient interstellar medium by the helium- and nitrogen-rich wind from the central Wolf-Rayet star. Of the additional nebulae studied, two were found to be Peimbert Type I planetary nebulae, overabundant in nitrogen and helium due to mixing of CNO processed material into the parent envelope prior to ejection. One of the remaining objects, a shell around an Oef star, is found to have normal abundances; the other, a small H II region around an early Be star, also exhibits normal abundances. It was attempted to interpret the ring nebulae and the Oef shell as interstellar bubbles, according to recent theory; it met with varying degrees of success. For two of the ring nebulae, the fraction of nebular mass contributed by the central star can be estimated from published stellar abundances. It was found that in these two cases, the stellar wind has provided less than 10% of the observed nebular mass

The effective temperatures of early Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmutz, W.

1982-01-01

Nussbaumer et al. (1981) (NSSW) have calculated temperatures of 15 Wolf-Rayet stars, which cover most subtypes in the WN and WC sequences. Some Wolf-Rayet stars are found to have a blackbody-like energy distribution and therefore their effective temperature can be well determined, others show deviation from the blackbody shape. This deviation is probably due to an extended continuum emitting region. In view of these later cases NSSW adopted a temperature which they derived from a Zanstra analysis of the He II recombination lines. According to their analysis there should be a continuum jump at 2050 A. New IUE observations of the WN 5 star HD 50896 however did not show any trace of such an absorption edge. This implies that the effective temperature of this WN 5 star and probably of all WR stars with a non blackbody energy distribution is not yet known accurately. Therefore the author started a detailed analysis with a spherically symmetric atmosphere model. Though the model has not yet reached its final shape he has obtained as a first result that the location of HD 50896 in the HR-diagram is to the left of the ZAMS and that the Zanstra analysis is indeed not valid for this star. (Auth.)

MANDIBULAR MORPHOMETRY APPLIED TO ANESTHETIC BLOCKAGE IN THE MANED WOLF (CHRYSOCYON BRACHYURUS).

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Junior, Paulo; de Moraes, Flavio Machado; de Carvalho, Natan da Cruz; Canelo, Evandro Alves; Thiesen, Roberto; Santos, André Luiz Quagliatto

2016-03-01

Chrysocyon brachyurus (maned wolf) is the biggest South American canid and has a high frequency of dental injuries, both in the wild and in captivity. Thus, veterinary procedures are necessary to preserve the feeding capacity of hundreds of captive specimens worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the mandibular morphometry of the maned wolf with emphasis on the establishment of anatomic references for anesthetic block of the inferior alveolar and mental nerves. Therefore, 16 measurements in 22 mandibles of C. brachyurus adults were taken. For extraoral block of the inferior alveolar nerve at the level of the mandibular foramen, the needle should be advanced close to the medial face of the mandibular ramus for 11.4 mm perpendicular to the palpable concavity. In another extraoral approach, the needle may be introduced for 30.4 mm from the angular process at a 20-25° angle to the ventral margin. For blocking only the mental nerve, the needle should be inserted for 10 mm from ventral border, close to the labial surface of the mandibular body, at the level of the lower first premolar. The mandibular foramen showed similar position, size, and symmetry in the maned wolf specimens examined. Comparison of the data observed here with those available for other carnivores indicates the need to determine these anatomic references specifically for each species.

Microbiota and anthropic interference on antimicrobial resistance profile of bacteria isolated from Brazilian maned-wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)

OpenAIRE

Vieira-da-Motta, Olney; Eckhardt-de-Pontes, Luiz Antonio; Petrucci, Melissa Paes; dos Santos, Israel Pereira; da Cunha, Isabel Candia Nunes; Morato, Ronaldo Gonçalves

2014-01-01

Both the study of Brazilian wild mammal fauna and the conditions that foster the preservation of endangered species, such as Brazilian Maned-wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), in wild life are of extreme importance. In order to study the resistance profile of microbiota bacterial colonizing Brazilian Maned-wolf, this work investigated samples from eight male captive and free roaming animals originating from different Brazilian geographical regions. Samples for microbiological purposes were collect...

Unusual motions in the Wolf-Rayet nebula NGC 6888

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, P.G.; Songsathaporn, R.

1981-01-01

A systematic survey of the velocity structure within the Wolf-Rayet ring nebula NGC 6888 has been undertaken by making observations of the [N II] line profiles. They reveal a hitherto undetected and particularly unusual velocity structure with three of the brightest portions of the circumference of this ring exhibiting triple line components. Possible models to explain these observations are discussed. (author)

Elk migration patterns and human activity influence wolf habitat use in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Abigail; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Middleton, Arthur D.; Jimenez, Mike; McWhirter, Douglas; Barber, Jarrett; Gerow, Ken

2012-01-01

Identifying the ecological dynamics underlying human–wildlife conflicts is important for the management and conservation of wildlife populations. In landscapes still occupied by large carnivores, many ungulate prey species migrate seasonally, yet little empirical research has explored the relationship between carnivore distribution and ungulate migration strategy. In this study, we evaluate the influence of elk (Cervus elaphus) distribution and other landscape features on wolf (Canis lupus) habitat use in an area of chronic wolf–livestock conflict in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA. Using three years of fine-scale wolf (n = 14) and elk (n = 81) movement data, we compared the seasonal habitat use of wolves in an area dominated by migratory elk with that of wolves in an adjacent area dominated by resident elk. Most migratory elk vacate the associated winter wolf territories each summer via a 40–60 km migration, whereas resident elk remain accessible to wolves year-round. We used a generalized linear model to compare the relative probability of wolf use as a function of GIS-based habitat covariates in the migratory and resident elk areas. Although wolves in both areas used elk-rich habitat all year, elk density in summer had a weaker influence on the habitat use of wolves in the migratory elk area than the resident elk area. Wolves employed a number of alternative strategies to cope with the departure of migratory elk. Wolves in the two areas also differed in their disposition toward roads. In winter, wolves in the migratory elk area used habitat close to roads, while wolves in the resident elk area avoided roads. In summer, wolves in the migratory elk area were indifferent to roads, while wolves in resident elk areas strongly avoided roads, presumably due to the location of dens and summering elk combined with different traffic levels. Study results can help wildlife managers to anticipate the movements and establishment of wolf packs as they expand into

The Tibetan Wolf Canis lupus chanco Gray (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae in northeastern India with a recent sighting from northern Sikkim, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anwaruddin Choudhury

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The Tibetan Wolf Canis lupus chanco which is a relatively rarer subspecies of the wolf C. lupus occurs in Sikkim in North-east India with unconfirmed reports from Arunachal Pradesh. Its range in Sikkim is in the high elevation areas. There are very few sighting records from the state. This article reports an observation made recently between Thangu and Gyagong or Gogong in North Sikkim district at 4,250m elevation on 17 April 2014. Presence of feral dogs are threats to the Wolf as well as its prey base.  

Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) movements and behavior around a kill site and implications for GPS collar studies

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David

2011-01-01

Global Positioning System (GPS) radio-collars are increasingly used to estimate Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) kill rates. In interpreting results from this technology, researchers make various assumptions about wolf behavior around kills, yet no detailed description of this behavior has been published. This article describes the behavior of six wolves in an area of constant daylight during 30 hours, from when the pack killed a Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) calf and yearling on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, to when they abandoned the kill remains. Although this is only a single incident, it demonstrates one possible scenario of pack behavior around a kill. Combined with the literature, this observation supports placing a radio-collar on the breeding male to maximize finding kills via GPS collars and qualifying results depending on whatever other information is available about the collared wolf's pack.

Genetic variability in maned wolf based on heterologous short-tandem repeat markers from domestic dog.

Science.gov (United States)

Salim, D C; Akimoto, A A; Carvalho, C B; Oliveira, S F; Grisolia, C K; Moreira, J R; Klautau-Guimarães, M N

2007-06-20

The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest South American canid. Habitat loss and fragmentation, due to agricultural expansion and predatory hunting, are the main threats to this species. It is included in the official list of threatened wildlife species in Brazil, and is also protected by IUCN and CITES. Highly variable genetic markers such as microsatellites have the potential to resolve genetic relationships at all levels of the population structure (among individuals, demes or metapopulations) and also to identify the evolutionary unit for strategies for the conservation of the species. Tests were carried out to verify whether a class of highly polymorphic tetranucleotide repeats described for the domestic dog effectively amplifies DNA in the maned wolf. All five loci studied were amplified; however, one of these, was shown to be monomorphic in 69 maned wolf samples. The average allele number and estimated heterozygosity per polymorphic locus were 4.3 and 67%, respectively. The genetic variability found for this species, which is considered threatened with extinction, showed similar results when compared to studies of other canids.

Hybrid Algorithm of Particle Swarm Optimization and Grey Wolf Optimizer for Improving Convergence Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Narinder Singh

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A newly hybrid nature inspired algorithm called HPSOGWO is presented with the combination of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO and Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO. The main idea is to improve the ability of exploitation in Particle Swarm Optimization with the ability of exploration in Grey Wolf Optimizer to produce both variants’ strength. Some unimodal, multimodal, and fixed-dimension multimodal test functions are used to check the solution quality and performance of HPSOGWO variant. The numerical and statistical solutions show that the hybrid variant outperforms significantly the PSO and GWO variants in terms of solution quality, solution stability, convergence speed, and ability to find the global optimum.

Observations of mass loss from OB and Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barlow, M.J.

1982-01-01

In this review, three observationally accessible parameters of the winds of OB and Wolf-Rayet stars are discussed: (1) Terminal velocities, (2) Velocity laws, (3) Mass loss rates. In addition, some discussion of the ionisation structure of the winds is included. In general, only the most recent results for OB stars are mentioned. (Auth.)

Bucking the trend in wolf-dog hybridization: first evidence from europe of hybridization between female dogs and male wolves.

Science.gov (United States)

Hindrikson, Maris; Männil, Peep; Ozolins, Janis; Krzywinski, Andrzej; Saarma, Urmas

2012-01-01

Studies on hybridization have proved critical for understanding key evolutionary processes such as speciation and adaptation. However, from the perspective of conservation, hybridization poses a concern, as it can threaten the integrity and fitness of many wild species, including canids. As a result of habitat fragmentation and extensive hunting pressure, gray wolf (Canis lupus) populations have declined dramatically in Europe and elsewhere during recent centuries. Small and fragmented populations have persisted, but often only in the presence of large numbers of dogs, which increase the potential for hybridization and introgression to deleteriously affect wolf populations. Here, we demonstrate hybridization between wolf and dog populations in Estonia and Latvia, and the role of both genders in the hybridization process, using combined analysis of maternal, paternal and biparental genetic markers. Eight animals exhibiting unusual external characteristics for wolves - six from Estonia and two from Latvia - proved to be wolf-dog hybrids. However, one of the hybridization events was extraordinary. Previous field observations and genetic studies have indicated that mating between wolves and dogs is sexually asymmetrical, occurring predominantly between female wolves and male dogs. While this was also the case among the Estonian hybrids, our data revealed the existence of dog mitochondrial genomes in the Latvian hybrids and, together with Y chromosome and autosomal microsatellite data, thus provided the first evidence from Europe of mating between male wolves and female dogs. We discuss patterns of sexual asymmetry in wolf-dog hybridization.

The wolf reference genome sequence (Canis lupus lupus) and its implications for Canis spp. population genomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gopalakrishnan, Shyam; Samaniego Castruita, Jose Alfredo; Sinding, Mikkel Holger Strander

2017-01-01

Background An increasing number of studies are addressing the evolutionary genomics of dog domestication, principally through resequencing dog, wolf and related canid genomes. There is, however, only one de novo assembled canid genome currently available against which to map such data - that of a......Background An increasing number of studies are addressing the evolutionary genomics of dog domestication, principally through resequencing dog, wolf and related canid genomes. There is, however, only one de novo assembled canid genome currently available against which to map such data...

To Find a Treasure: The Nuu-chah-nulth Wolf Mask

Science.gov (United States)

Kruger, Arnold

2003-01-01

The Wolf Ritual, or Tlukwana, with its associated regalia of masks, dances, costumes, and musical instruments, was a major feature of the Nuu-chah-nulth Winter Ceremonies. In common with other Northwest Coast Native nations, the lives of the Nuu-chah-nulth people were controlled by the seasons, and following a summer and autumn of gathering and…

The Wolf-Rayet hydrogen puzzle -- an observational point of view

OpenAIRE

Foellmi, C.; Marchenko, S. V.; Moffat, A. F. J.

2005-01-01

Significant amounts of hydrogen were found in very hot early-type single WN stars in the SMC and the LMC. Recently, we found similar evidence in the Wolf-Rayet star of a short-period LMC binary. We discuss here the relevance of hydrogen for WR star classification, models, the relation to metallicity, and the GRB progenitors.

Epilepsy in a child with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radlović Nedeljko

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS is a rare chromosomal disorder characterized by facial dismorphy, multiple congenital anomalies, delayed psychomotor development and pharmaco-resistant epilepsy. Case Outline. We present a 5-year-old girl with severe delay in growth and development, microcephaly, mild facial dismorphy and epilepsy. The pregnancy was complicated by intrauterine growth retardation. Generalized muscle hypotonia was observed at birth. First seizures started at age of 9 months as unilateral convulsive status epilepticus (SE, sometimes with bilateral generalization. Seizures were often triggered by fever and were resistant to antiepileptic treatment. Introduction of lamotrigine and valproate therapy led to complete seizure control at the age of 33 months. Electroencephalographic (EEG finding was typical at the beginning. After transitory improvement between age four and five years, epileptiform EEG activity appeared again at the age of five years, without observed clinical seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging showed diffuse brain atrophy and delay in myelination. Using Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA method, we disclosed heterozygote microdeletation of the distal part of the short arm of chromosome 4 (4p16. Conclusion. We present a clinical course of epilepsy in a patient with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. The diagnosis was verified by modern molecular technique. This is the first molecular characterization of a patient with WHS performed in our country.

Subluminous Wolf-Rayet stars: Observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heap, S.R.

1982-01-01

The author has used the fact that some central stars are WR stars and others are say, O stars, as a focal point for his presentation. In attempting to answer this question he has considered how the properties of WR-type central stars differ from those of O-type stars. The study begins with the classification and calibration of WR spectra, then goes on to the physical properties of WR-type central stars, and at the end returns to the question of what distinguishes a Wolf-Rayet star. The observational data for central stars are neither complete nor precise. Nevertheless, they suggest that what distinguishes a WR central star is not so much its present physical properties (e.g. temperature, gravity), but rather, its fundamental properties (initial and evolutionary history). (Auth.)

Supernovae from Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaeffer, R.

1986-01-01

Wolf-Rayet stars are known to originate from the most massive stars. Under the assumption that these stripped stars explode at the end of their evolution through the same instability mechanism as type II supernovae, we calculate their light curve. The latter is found to be quite similar to the typical SN I light curves but is fainter by about 2 magnitudes. A detailed study of its shape leads to identify the WR supernovae with the SNIp (or SNIb) subclass. The more massive WR stars should explode via the e + e - pair production mechanism, with negligible 56 Ni formation. Their rather dim light curve is predicted to have a ∼ 2 month plateau and afterwards a very sharp decline. A delayed manifestation of such an event might be the Cas A remnant

Differential wolf-pack-size persistence and the role of risk when hunting dangerous prey

Science.gov (United States)

Barber-Meyer, Shannon M.; Mech, L. David; Newton, Wesley E.; Borg, Bridget

2016-01-01

Risk to predators hunting dangerous prey is an emerging area of research and could account for possible persistent differences in gray wolf (Canis lupus) pack sizes. We documented significant differences in long-term wolf-pack-size averages and variation in the Superior National Forest (SNF), Denali National Park and Preserve, Yellowstone National Park, and Yukon, Canada (pwolves’ risk when hunting primary prey, for those packs (N=3) hunting moose (Alces americanus) were significantly larger than those (N=10) hunting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) (F1,8=16.50, p=0.004). Our data support the hypothesis that differential pack-size persistence may be perpetuated by differences in primary prey riskiness to wolves, and we highlight two important extensions of this idea: (1) the potential for wolves to provision and defend injured packmates from other wolves and (2) the importance of less-risky, buffer prey to pack-size persistence and year-to-year variation. Risk to predators hunting dangerous prey is an emerging area of research and could account for possible persistent differences in gray wolf (Canis lupus) pack sizes. We documented significant differences in long-term wolf-pack-size averages and variation in the Superior National Forest (SNF), Denali National Park and Preserve, Yellowstone National Park, and Yukon, Canada (pwolves’ risk when hunting primary prey, for those packs (N=3) hunting moose (Alces americanus) were significantly larger than those (N=10) hunting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) (F1,8=16.50, p=0.004). Our data support the hypothesis that differential pack-size persistence may be perpetuated by differences in primary prey riskiness to wolves, and we highlight two important extensions of this idea: (1) the potential for wolves to provision and defend injured packmates from other wolves and (2) the importance of less-risky, buffer prey to pack-size persistence and year-to-year variation.

Medea in the past and in the present: (Reconstructing the identity of a woman and a foreigner in the novel Medea by Christa Wolf

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stevanović Lada

2010-01-01

Full Text Available One of the most shocking, the most difficult to understand and at the same time the most inspiring tragedy from the Greek antiquity is Euripeides' Medea. This drama has a rich and a long history of adaptations that have always represented an interface between the ancient text on the one hand, and the author's reading on the other, which always depended on cultural and political context of the period that influenced the perspective of the author. Most of these adaptations belong to theatrical production. However my interest in this paper is not oriented towards theatre, but towards literature, a novel Medea: A Modern Retelling by Christa Wolf. First part of the paper deals with the reconstruction of the ancient context and meaning of this drama in the antiquity from the perspective of contemporary study of classics, while the second part is devoted to the questions of Wolf's adaptation: the ways in which Christa Wolf rewrites Medea, tracing of Wolf's reasons to approach the text in such a way, the main relation of Wolf's version to former version(s, and intellectual and social climate in which Wolf's Medea was created. The focus of the research will be on the reading of the construction of the Other, of gender and gender roles, also through the analysis of their transgression - in the Greek antiquity when Euripides drama was staged, as well in the Germen (European context of the end of the twentieth century in which Medea was rewritten by Christa Wolf.

Wolf-Rayet stars and O-star runaways with HIPPARCOS - I. Kinematics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moffat, AFJ; Marchenko, SV; Seggewiss, W; van der Hucht, KA; Schrijver, H; Stenholm, B; Lundstrom, [No Value; Gunawan, DYAS; Sutantyo, W; van den Heuvel, EPJ; De Cuyper, JP; Gomez, AE

Reliable systemic radial velocities are almost impossible to secure for Wolf-Rayet stars, difficult for O stars. Therefore, to study the motions - both systematic in the Galaxy and peculiar - of these two related types of hot, luminous star, we have examined the Hipparcos proper motions of some 70

Wolf-Rayet stars and O-star runaways with HIPPARCOS - II. Photometry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marchenko, SV; Moffat, AFJ; van der Hucht, KA; Seggewiss, W; Schrijver, H; Stenholm, B; Lundstrom, [No Value; Setia Gunawan, DYA; Sutantyo, W; van den Heuvel, EPJ; De Cuyper, JP; Gomez, AE

Abundant HIPPARCOS photometry over 3 years of 141 O and Wolf-Rayet stars, including 8 massive X-ray binaries, provides a magnificent variety of light curves at the sigma similar to 1-5% level. Among the most interesting results, we mention: optical outbursts in HD 102567 (MXRB), coinciding with

Transfer of the uranium decay products, polonium-210 and lead-210, through the lichen-cariboo-wolf food chain in northern Canada. Manuscript report No. MR18-91

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, P A

1991-01-01

Study to investigate the accumulation and transfer of polonium-210 and lead-210 in the Arctic food chain lichen-caribou-wolf in the Northwest Territories. With the participation of the hunters of Baker Lake, caribou and wolf samples were collected and analyzed for polonium. The level of polonium-210 was determined in lichen, several caribou tissues, and several wolf tissues. Transfer coefficients were derived between trophic levels in the food chain and the Po-210:PB-210 ratios for lichens and selected tissues in caribou and wolf were determined.

Demographic effects of canine parvovirus on a free-ranging wolf population over 30 years

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L.D.; Goyal, S.M.; Paul, W.J.; Newton, W.E.

2008-01-01

We followed the course of canine parvovinis (CPV) antibody prevalence in a subpopulation of wolves (Canis 1upus) in northeastern Minnesota from 1973, when antibodies were first detected, through 2004. Annual early pup survival was reduced by 70%, and wolf population change was related to CPV antibody prevalence. In the greater Minnesota population of 3,000 wolves, pup survival was reduced by 40-60%. This reduction limited the Minnesota wolf population rate of increase to about 4% per year compared with increases of 16-58% in other populations. Because it is young wolves that disperse, reduced pup survival may have caused reduced dispersal and reduced recolonization of new range in Minnesota. ?? Wildlife Disease Association 2008.

The close binary frequency of Wolf-Rayet stars as a function of metallicity in M31 and M33

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neugent, Kathryn F.; Massey, Philip, E-mail: kneugent@lowell.edu, E-mail: phil.massey@lowell.edu [Lowell Observatory, 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States)

2014-07-01

Massive star evolutionary models generally predict the correct ratio of WC-type and WN-type Wolf-Rayet stars at low metallicities, but underestimate the ratio at higher (solar and above) metallicities. One possible explanation for this failure is perhaps single-star models are not sufficient and Roche-lobe overflow in close binaries is necessary to produce the 'extra' WC stars at higher metallicities. However, this would require the frequency of close massive binaries to be metallicity dependent. Here we test this hypothesis by searching for close Wolf-Rayet binaries in the high metallicity environments of M31 and the center of M33 as well as in the lower metallicity environments of the middle and outer regions of M33. After identifying ∼100 Wolf-Rayet binaries based on radial velocity variations, we conclude that the close binary frequency of Wolf-Rayets is not metallicity dependent and thus other factors must be responsible for the overabundance of WC stars at high metallicities. However, our initial identifications and observations of these close binaries have already been put to good use as we are currently observing additional epochs for eventual orbit and mass determinations.

A fresh look at the wolf-pack theory of companion-animal dog social behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

van Kerkhove, Wendy

2004-01-01

A popular perspective on the social behavior of dogs in multiple-dog households sees the dogs' behavior as reflecting the sociobiological laws of the rigidly structured dominance hierarchy that has been described for wolf packs. This view suggests that aggression problems among dogs are natural expressions of conflict that arise whenever dominance status is in contention. One recommended solution has been for the owner to endorse and enforce a particular dominance hierarchy because, on the wolf pack model, aggression is minimized when the structure of the hierarchy is clear, strong, and stable. This article questions the validity of this perspective on 2 principal grounds. First, because it does not seem to occur in the wild, this article suggests the strong dominance hierarchy that has been described for wolves may be a by-product of captivity. If true, it implies that social behavior--even in wolves--may be a product more of environmental circumstances and contingencies than an instinctive directive. Second, because feral dogs do not exhibit the classic wolf-pack structure, the validity of the canid, social dominance hierarchy again comes into question. This article suggests that behavioral learning theory offers another perspective regarding the behavior of dogs and wolves in the wild or in captivity and offers an effective intervention for aggression problems.

Efficacy Quotient Tindakan ESWL Piezolith Richard Wolf 3000 pada Penderita Batu Ureter di RSUPN Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo, 2008–2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinny Verdini

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL saat ini telah menjadi metode yang paling umum dalam tatalaksana aktif batu ureter. Sejak Maret 2008, RSCM telah menggunakan mesin ESWL piezolith 3000 richard wolf dan belum diketahui nilai efficacy quotient (EQ. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan nilai EQ dari tindakan ESWL menggunakan mesin piezolith richard wolf 3000 pada batu ureter dan hubungan angka bebas batu dengan lokasi batu, jumlah batu, beban batu, opasitas batu, obstruksi, dan fungsi ginjal. Studi cross sectional ini dilakukan pada bulan Januari 2008-Desember 2011 dan data dianalisis dengan statistik multivariat. Terdapat 113 (95 % dari 119 pasien yang dinyatakan bebas batu setelah tindakan ESWL pertama. Didapatkan nilai EQ 0,89. Hanya ukuran batu yang mempengaruhi angka bebas batu dalam penelitian ini (p<0,05. Disimpulkan bahwa prosedur ESWL menggunakan mesin richard wolf piezolith 3000 memiliki nilai EQ dan angka bebas batu yang lebih baik daripada mesin-mesin sebelumnya dan mesin lain yang sejenis. Faktor yang mempengaruhi keberhasilan adalah ukuran batu ureter yang ditatalaksana.Kata Kunci: batu ureter, ESWL, efficacy quotient, angka bebas batu. Efficacy Quotient of ESWL Piezolith Richard Wolf 3000 Machine in Patientswith Ureteral Stones in Dr. Cipto MangunkusumoNational Hospital 2008 - 2011AbstractExtracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL is the most common method of ureteral stone management. Since 2008, RSCM has ben using ESWL piezolith 3000 richard wolf and efficacy quotient (EQ value have not yet studied. The study aims was to determine the efficacy quotient (EQ of ESWL using piezolith richard wolf 3000 machine for ureteral stone by analyzing free-stone rate with location of stones, number of stones, stone burden, stone opacity, obstruction and kidney function. This cross sectional study was carried out in January 2008-December 2011, with multivariate analytical study. Ninety five percent (n=113 of 119 patients were

Hemiterpenoids and Pyrazines in the Odoriferous Urine of the Maned Wolf

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goodwin, T.E.; Songsasen, N.; Broederdorf, L.J.; Burkert, B.A.; Joi Chen, C.; Jackson, S.R.; Keplinger, K.B.; Rountree, M.E.; Waldrip, Z.J.; Wedell, M.E.; Desrochers, L.P.; Baker, W.K.; Helsper, J.P.F.G.

2013-01-01

Maned wolves ( Chrysocyon brachyurus ) are endemic to South America, monogamous, solitary, and threatened in the wild. Maned wolf urine has a pungent and powerful odour and is used for scent marking. There is evidence to suggest that the presence of a male may be required to initiate oestrus and/or

Winter wolf predation in a multiple ungulate prey system, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Dale, Bruce W.; Adams, Layne G.; Bowyer, R. Terry; Carbyn, Ludwig N.; Fritts, Steven H.; Seip, Dale R.

1995-01-01

We investigated patterns of winter wolf predation, including prey selection, prey switching, kill rates, carcass utilization, and consumption rates for four wolf packs during three different study periods (March 1989, March 1990, and November 1990) in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Wolves killed predominantly caribou (165 caribou, seven moose, and five Dall sheep) even when moose and sheep were more abundant. Prey selection varied between study periods. More moose were killed in march 1989, a particularly deep snow year, and more sheep were killed in November 1990 than during other periods. Overall kill rates ranged from 0-8 days/ungulate killed (x̅ = 2.0, SD = 1.6) and did not vary between study periods.  Pack size and species killed explained significant variation in the length of time intervals between kills. Although caribou density varied nearly 40-fold between pack territories, it had little influence on predation characteristics except at low densities, when kill rates may have declined. Caribou distribution had marked effects on wolf predation rate.

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS): a history in pictures.

Science.gov (United States)

Battaglia, A; Carey, J C; Viskochil, D H; Cederholm, P; Opitz, J M

2000-01-01

The Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a well known chromosomal disorder, due to a deletion of distal chromosome 4p. The classical gestalt is striking and poses few diagnostic problems. However, due to the difficulty of detecting very small deletions by standard cytogenetics, diagnosis can be sometimes very difficult, particularly in older patients. In this paper we show the changes, occurring over time, in facial appearance of affected individuals, to improve insight into the evolution of the phenotype, and to increase its diagnostic potential.

A new ejecta shell surrounding a Wolf-Rayet star in the LMC

Science.gov (United States)

Garnett, Donald R.; Chu, You-Hua

1994-01-01

We have obtained CCD spectra of newly discovered shell-like nebulae around the WN4 star Breysacher 13 and the WN1 star Breysacher 2 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The shell around Br 13 shows definite signs of enrichment in both nitrogen and helium, having much stronger (N II) and He I emission lines than are seen in typical LMC H II regions. From the measured electron temperature of about 17,000 K in the shell, we derive He/H and N/O abundance ratios which are factors of 2 and more than 10 higher, respectively, than the average LMC interstellar values. The derived oxygen abundance in the Br 13 shell is down by a factor of 8 compared to the local LMC interstellar medium (ISM); however, the derived electron temperature is affected by the presence of an incomplete shock arising from the interaction of the stellar wind with photoionized material. This uncertainty does not affect the basic conclusion that the Br 13 shell is enriched by processed material from the Wolf-Rayet star. In contrast, the shell around Br 2 shows no clear evidence of enrichment. The nebular spectrum is characterized by extremely strong (O III) and He II emission and very weak (N II). We derive normal He, O, and N abundances from our spectrum. This object therefore appears to be simply a wind-blown structure associated with a relatively dense cloud near the Wolf-Rayet star, although the very high-ionization state of the gas is unusual for a nebula associated with a Wolf-Rayet star.

Modified Discrete Grey Wolf Optimizer Algorithm for Multilevel Image Thresholding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linguo Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The computation of image segmentation has become more complicated with the increasing number of thresholds, and the option and application of the thresholds in image thresholding fields have become an NP problem at the same time. The paper puts forward the modified discrete grey wolf optimizer algorithm (MDGWO, which improves on the optimal solution updating mechanism of the search agent by the weights. Taking Kapur’s entropy as the optimized function and based on the discreteness of threshold in image segmentation, the paper firstly discretizes the grey wolf optimizer (GWO and then proposes a new attack strategy by using the weight coefficient to replace the search formula for optimal solution used in the original algorithm. The experimental results show that MDGWO can search out the optimal thresholds efficiently and precisely, which are very close to the result examined by exhaustive searches. In comparison with the electromagnetism optimization (EMO, the differential evolution (DE, the Artifical Bee Colony (ABC, and the classical GWO, it is concluded that MDGWO has advantages over the latter four in terms of image segmentation quality and objective function values and their stability.

Higher spin currents in Wolf space. Part I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Changhyun [Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University,Taegu 702-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-03-20

For the N=4 superconformal coset theory described by ((SU(N+2))/(SU(N))) (that contains a Wolf space) with N=3, the N=2 WZW affine current algebra with constraints is obtained. The 16 generators of the large N=4 linear superconformal algebra are described by those WZW affine currents explicitly. By factoring out four spin-(1/2) currents and the spin-1 current from these 16 generators, the remaining 11 generators (spin-2 current, four spin-(3/2) currents, and six spin-1 currents) corresponding to the large N=4 nonlinear superconformal algebra are obtained. Based on the recent work by Gaberdiel and Gopakumar on the large N=4 holography, the extra 16 currents, with spin contents (1,(3/2),(3/2),2), ((3/2),2,2,(5/2)), ((3/2),2,2,(5/2)), and (2,(5/2),(5/2),3) described in terms of N=2 multiplets, are obtained and realized by the WZW affine currents. As a first step towards N=4W algebra (which is NOT known so far), the operator product expansions (OPEs) between the above 11 currents and these extra 16 higher spin currents are found explicitly. It turns out that the composite fields with definite U(1) charges, made of above (11+16) currents (which commute with the Wolf space subgroup SU(N=3)×SU(2)×U(1) currents), occur in the right hand sides of these OPEs.

Hemorrhagic and necrotizing hepatitis associated with administration of a modified live canine adenovirus-2 vaccine in a maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus).

Science.gov (United States)

Swenson, Julie; Orr, Kathryn; Bradley, Gregory A

2012-06-01

A 15-yr-old, female, maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) was euthanized after presenting semicomatose with severe, uncontrolled frank hemorrhage from her rectum 6 days following a routine physical examination and vaccination. Histopathology indicated severe hemorrhagic and necrotizing hepatitis with intranuclear basophilic inclusion bodies in the liver that were thought to be consistent with adenoviral infection. Further classification by polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemical staining, virus isolation, and electron microscopy confirmed the etiologic agent to be canine adenovirus-2. A representative sample of the vaccine that had been used was submitted and sequenced along with the virus isolated from the maned wolf. The sequencing of the etiologic agent that had been isolated from the maned wolf was determined to be the same as the strain of virus used in the production of the modified live vaccine that had been administered 6 days prior to death. From this information, the diagnosis of vaccine-induced adenoviral hepatitis was made. This is the first confirmed case of vaccine-induced canine adenoviral hepatitis in a maned wolf.

GMRT Low Radio Frequency Study of the Wolf Rayet Galaxy NGC ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In this paper, we present the first low frequency (< 1.4 GHz) radio continuum study of a Wolf Rayet galaxy NGC 4214 using the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT). We detect diffuse extended emission from the galaxy disk at 325 MHz and find that the radio emission closely follows the ultraviolet emission mapped by ...

GMRT Low Radio Frequency Study of the Wolf Rayet Galaxy NGC ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. In this paper, we present the first low frequency (< 1.4 GHz) radio continuum study of a Wolf Rayet galaxy NGC 4214 using the. Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT). We detect diffuse extended emission from the galaxy disk at 325 MHz and find that the radio emis- sion closely follows the ultraviolet emission ...

ISO-SWS spectrophotometry of galactic Wolf-Rayet stars: preliminary results.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Hucht, K. A.; Morris, P. W.; Williams, P. M.; Setia Gunawan, D. Y. A.; Beintema, D. A.; Boxhoorn, D. R.; de Graauw, T.; Heras, A.; Kester, D. J. M.; Lahuis, F.; Leech, K. J.; Roelfsema, P. R.; Salama, A.; Valentijn, E. A.; Vandenbussche, B.

1996-01-01

ISO-SWS spectra of seven late-type galactic Wolf-Rayet stars are discussed. A high resolution spectrum (2.3-29.6μm, λ/{DELTA}λ=~820-1700) of the WC8 star WR11 (γ^2^ Vel) is shown and its Ne abundance is discussed. Medium resolution spectra (λ/{DELTA}λ=~250-600) of the WC8-9 stars WR48a, WR98a,

Survey of selected pathogens and blood parameters of northern yellowstone elk: Wolf sanitation effect implications

Science.gov (United States)

Barber-Meyer, S. M.; White, P.J.; Mech, L.D.

2007-01-01

The restoration or conservation of predators could reduce seroprevalences of certain diseases in prey if predation selectively removes animals exhibiting clinical signs. We assessed disease seroprevalences and blood parameters of 115 adult female elk (Cervus elaphus) wintering on the northern range of Yellowstone National Park [YNP] during 2000-2005 and compared them to data collected prior to wolf (Canis lupus) restoration (WR) in 1995 and to two other herds in Montana to assess this prediction. Blood parameters were generally within two standard deviations of the means observed in other Montana herds (Gravelly-Snowcrest [GS] and Garnet Mountain [GM]), but Yellowstone elk had higher seroprevalences of parainfluenza-3 virus (95% CI YNP = 61.1-78.6, GS = 30.3-46.5) and bovine-virus-diarrhea virus type 1 (95% CI YNP = 15.9-31.9, GM = 0). In comparisons between pre-wolf restoration [pre-WR] (i.e., prior to 1995) seroprevalences with those post-wolf restoration [post-WR] in Yellowstone, we found lower seroprevalences for some disease-causing agents post-wolf restoration (e.g., bovine-virus-diarrhea virus type-1 [95% CI pre-WR = 73.1-86.3, post-WR = 15.9-31.9] and bovine-respiratory syncytial virus [95% CI pre-WR = 70.0-83.8, post-WR = 0]), but similar (e.g., Brucella abortus [95% CI pre-WR = 0-4.45, post-WR = 0-4.74] and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus [95% CI pre-WR = 0, post-WR = 0]) or higher for others (e.g., Anaplasma marginale [95% CI pre-WR = 0, post-WR = 18.5-38.7] and Leptospira spp. [95% CI pre-WR = 0.5-6.5, post-WR = 9.5-23.5]). Though we did not detect an overall strong predation effect through reduced disease seroprevalence using retrospective comparisons with sparse data, our reference values will facilitate future assessments of this issue.

The origin of Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doom, C.

1987-01-01

The paper reviews the origin of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars, with emphasis on the so-called Population I WR stars which are associated with the young and luminous stellar population. A description is given of the observational characteristics i.e. classification, luminosities composition, etc. of WR stars. The origin and evolution of WR stars is described, including the single, binary, subtypes and ratio WR/O. The interaction of the WR stars with their environment is discussed with respect to the energy deposition and composition anomalies. A brief account of the discovery of WR stars in other galaxies is given. Finally, some of the main issues in the research into the structure and evolution of WR stars are outlined. (U.K.)

DISCOVERY OF A WOLF-RAYET STAR THROUGH DETECTION OF ITS PHOTOMETRIC VARIABILITY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Littlefield, Colin [Law School, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Garnavich, Peter; McClelland, Colin; Rettig, Terrence [Physics Department, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Marion, G. H. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Vinko, Jozsef [Department of Optics, University of Szeged (Hungary); Wheeler, J. Craig [Astronomy Department, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

2012-06-15

We report the serendipitous discovery of a heavily reddened Wolf-Rayet star that we name WR 142b. While photometrically monitoring a cataclysmic variable, we detected weak variability in a nearby field star. Low-resolution spectroscopy revealed a strong emission line at 7100 A, suggesting an unusual object and prompting further study. A spectrum taken with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope confirms strong He II emission and an N IV 7112 A line consistent with a nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet star of spectral class WN6. Analysis of the He II line strengths reveals no detectable hydrogen in WR 142b. A blue-sensitive spectrum obtained with the Large Binocular Telescope shows no evidence for a hot companion star. The continuum shape and emission line ratios imply a reddening of E(B - V) = 2.2-2.6 mag. We estimate that the distance to WR 142b is 1.4 {+-} 0.3 kpc.

DISCOVERY OF A WOLF-RAYET STAR THROUGH DETECTION OF ITS PHOTOMETRIC VARIABILITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Littlefield, Colin; Garnavich, Peter; McClelland, Colin; Rettig, Terrence; Marion, G. H.; Vinkó, József; Wheeler, J. Craig

2012-01-01

We report the serendipitous discovery of a heavily reddened Wolf-Rayet star that we name WR 142b. While photometrically monitoring a cataclysmic variable, we detected weak variability in a nearby field star. Low-resolution spectroscopy revealed a strong emission line at 7100 Å, suggesting an unusual object and prompting further study. A spectrum taken with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope confirms strong He II emission and an N IV 7112 Å line consistent with a nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet star of spectral class WN6. Analysis of the He II line strengths reveals no detectable hydrogen in WR 142b. A blue-sensitive spectrum obtained with the Large Binocular Telescope shows no evidence for a hot companion star. The continuum shape and emission line ratios imply a reddening of E(B – V) = 2.2-2.6 mag. We estimate that the distance to WR 142b is 1.4 ± 0.3 kpc.

Lechery, lycanthropy and Little Red Riding Hood in Type O Negative’s ‘Wolf Moon (Including Zoanthropic Paranoia)’

OpenAIRE

Digioia, A.

2016-01-01

Type O Negative’s ‘Wolf Moon (including Zoanthropic Paranoia)’ seems to be a melodic ode to lascivious werewolves or to sexual intercourse during menstruation, which is transformative, allowing participation to channel animalistic instincts. Subject to more critical examination, ‘Wolf Moon (including Zoanthropic Paranoia)’ can also be presented as a contemporary incarnation of the ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ myth. Both contain the same themes: the stigmatization of eroticism, reclamation of agen...

Consequences of a refuge for the predator-prey dynamics of a wolf-elk system in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Joshua F; Hebblewhite, Mark; Bardsley, John

2014-01-01

Refugia can affect predator-prey dynamics via movements between refuge and non-refuge areas. We examine the influence of a refuge on population dynamics in a large mammal predator-prey system. Wolves (Canis lupus) have recolonized much of their former range in North America, and as a result, ungulate prey have exploited refugia to reduce predation risk with unknown impacts on wolf-prey dynamics. We examined the influence of a refuge on elk (Cervus elaphus) and wolf population dynamics in Banff National Park. Elk occupy the Banff townsite with little predation, whereas elk in the adjoining Bow Valley experience higher wolf predation. The Banff refuge may influence Bow Valley predator-prey dynamics through source-sink movements. To test this hypothesis, we used 26 years of wolf and elk population counts and the Delayed Rejection Adaptive Metropolis Markov chain Monte Carlo method to fit five predator-prey models: 1) with no source-sink movements, 2) with elk density-dependent dispersal from the refuge to the non-refuge, 3) with elk predation risk avoidance movements from the non-refuge to the refuge, 4) with differential movement rates between refuge and non-refuge, and 5) with short-term, source-sink wolf movements. Model 1 provided the best fit of the data, as measured by Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). In the top model, Banff and Bow Valley elk had median growth rates of 0.08 and 0.03 (95% credibility intervals [CIs]: 0.027-0.186 and 0.001-0.143), respectively, Banff had a median carrying capacity of 630 elk (95% CI: 471.9-2676.9), Bow Valley elk had a median wolf encounter rate of 0.02 (95% CI: 0.013-0.030), and wolves had a median death rate of 0.23 (95% CI: 0.146-0.335) and a median conversion efficiency of 0.07 (95% CI: 0.031-0.124). We found little evidence for potential source-sink movements influencing the predator-prey dynamics of this system. This result suggests that the refuge was isolated from the non-refuge.

Nucleosynthesis in Wolf-Rayet stars and galactic cosmic-ray isotopic composition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prantzos, N.

1984-01-01

An explanation of the isotopic composition of galactic cosmic rays could provide some clues to the mystery of their origin. It seems now that the strong stellar winds of Wolf-Rayet stars could account for most of the isotopic anomalies that have been observed in cosmic rays. Some results are presented, obtained by detailed nucleosynthesis computations. 25 references

Neon Abundances from a Spitzer/IRS Survey of Wolf-Rayet Stars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ignace, R.; Cassinelli, J.P.; Tracy, G.; Churchwell, E.B.; Lamers, H.J.G.L.M.

2007-01-01

We report on neon abundances derived from Spitzer high resolution spectral data of eight Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars using the forbidden line of [Ne III] 15.56 μm. Our targets include four WN stars of subtypes 4-7, and four WC stars of subtypes 4-7. We derive ion fraction abundances γ of Ne2+ for the

Planetary nebulae and Wolf-Rayet stars in the galactic-centre field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allen, D A [Anglo-Australian Observatory, Epping (Australia)

1979-06-01

A UK Schmidt objective-prism plate of the Galactic-centre field has been examined. Of the 74 objects in the field which have been catalogued as planetary nebulae, only half appear correctly classified; the others include Be stars, symbiotic stars, and stars without emission lines. A further 19 planetary nebulae and two Wolf-Rayet stars have been discovered.

Effects of Headcutting on the Bottomland Hardwood Wetlands Adjacent to the Wolf River, Tennessee

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Weins, Karen

2003-01-01

The Wolf River in western Tennessee has experienced severe channel erosion in the form of headcutting and downcutting that has extended 17 kilometers upstream from the location at which channelization ceased in 1964...

Gastrointestinal parasites of maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus, Illiger 1815) in a suburban area in southeastern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Massara, R L; Paschoal, A M O; Chiarello, A G

2015-08-01

We examined 42 maned wolf scats in an unprotected and disturbed area of Cerrado in southeastern Brazil. We identified six helminth endoparasite taxa, being Phylum Acantocephala and Family Trichuridae the most prevalent. The high prevalence of the Family Ancylostomatidae indicates a possible transmission via domestic dogs, which are abundant in the study area. Nevertheless, our results indicate that the endoparasite species found are not different from those observed in protected or least disturbed areas, suggesting a high resilience of maned wolf and their parasites to human impacts, or a common scenario of disease transmission from domestic dogs to wild canid whether in protected or unprotected areas of southeastern Brazil.

Conservation implications for the Himalayan wolf Canis (lupus) himalayensis based on observations of packs and home sites in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Werhahn, G; Kusi, N; Sillero-Zubiri, C; Macdonald, DW

2017-01-01

We provide insights into pack composition and den site parameters of the Himalayan wolf Canis (lupus) himalayensis based on observations of free-ranging wolves in three study areas in Nepal. We combine this with a social survey of the local Buddhist communities regarding human–carnivore conflict, to draw inferences for conservation practice in the Nepalese Himalayas. We recorded eight wolf packs (with an average composition of two adults and three pups), and found five home sites in high-alti...

Linking Community Communication to Conservation of the Maned Wolf in Central Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Bizerril, Marcelo Ximenes A.; Soares, Carla Cruz; Santos, Jean Pierre

2011-01-01

This article describes the environmental education (EE) program developed in the neighboring community of Serra da Canastra National Park based on a research project focused on the maned wolf conservation. The article assesses three tools used to foster the community's participation in discussing local issues: (1) communal production of a book…

Gray wolf (Canis lupus) is a natural definitive host for Neospora caninum

Science.gov (United States)

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) was found to be a new natural definitive host for Neospora caninum. This finding is based on the recovery of Neospora-like oocysts from the feces of 3 of 73 wolves from Minnesota examined at necropsy, and on successful amplification of N. caninum-specific sequences from ...

Spectra of the Wolf-Rayet stars in 30 Doradus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conti, P.S.

1982-01-01

The central cluster of the 30 Doradus complex in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) contains at least a dozen Wolf-Rayet (W-R) stars of the nitrogen sequence according to Melnick (1978). In addition to the six stars previously identified by Feast, Thackeray and Wesselinck (1960), Melnick identified an additional six using an Echele spectrograph on the 1.52 m telescope at La Silla. The author has obtained high resolution spectra of ten of these stars and discusses the spectral types. (Auth.)

Carnivore specific bone bioapatite and collagen carbon isotope fractionations: Case studies of modern and fossil grey wolf populations

Science.gov (United States)

Fox-Dobbs, K.; Wheatley, P. V.; Koch, P. L.

2006-12-01

Stable isotope analyses of modern and fossil biogenic tissues are routinely used to reconstruct present and past vertebrate foodwebs. Accurate isotopic dietary reconstructions require a consumer and tissue specific understanding of how isotopes are sorted, or fractionated, between trophic levels. In this project we address the need for carnivore specific isotope variables derived from populations that are ecologically well- characterized. Specifically, we investigate the trophic difference in carbon isotope values between mammalian carnivore (wolf) bone bioapatite and herbivore (prey) bone bioapatite. We also compare bone bioapatite and collagen carbon isotope values collected from the same individuals. We analyzed bone specimens from two modern North American grey wolf (Canis lupus) populations (Isle Royale National Park, Michigan and Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming), and the ungulate herbivores that are their primary prey (moose and elk, respectively). Because the diets of both wolf populations are essentially restricted to a single prey species, there were no confounding effects due to carnivore diet variability. We measured a trophic difference of approximately -1.3 permil between carnivore (lower value) and herbivore (higher value) bone bioapatite carbon isotope values, and an average inter-tissue difference of 5.1 permil between carnivore bone collagen (lower value) and bioapatite (higher value) carbon isotope values. Both of these isotopic differences differ from previous estimates derived from a suite of African carnivores; our carnivore-herbivore bone bioapatite carbon isotope spacing is smaller (-1.3 vs. -4.0 permil), and our carnivore collagen-bioapatite carbon difference is larger (5.1 vs. 3.0 permil). These discrepancies likely result from comparing values measured from a single hypercarnivore (wolf) to average values calculated from several carnivore species, some of which are insectivorous or partly omnivorous. The trophic and inter

Características clínicas y citogenéticas en el síndrome de Wolf-Hirschhorn. Serie de casos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Cammarata-Scalisi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Resumen (español El síndrome de Wolf-Hirschhorn es una entidad genética producida por una deleción parcial que abarca la región distal del brazo corto del cromosoma 4 (4p16.3. Las manifestaciones más frecuentes son anomalías craneofaciales, retraso psicomotor y alteraciones neurológicas. La incidencia estimada es de 1 en 50.000 nacimientos, aunque hay un subdiagnóstico de esta entidad. El objetivo de este estudio es describir cuatro casos clínicos del síndrome de Wolf-Hirschhorn con descripción específica de los hallazgos clínicos y citogenéticos Abstract (english Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome is a genetic entity produced by a partial deletion spanning the distal short arm of chromosome 4 (4p16.3. The most common manifestations are craniofacial anomalies, psychomotor retardation and neurological disorders. The estimated incidence is 1 in 50,000 births, although there is an underdiagnosis of this entity. The aim of this study is to describe four clinical cases of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome with specific description of clinical and cytogenetic findings

Electron density in the emission-line region of Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varshni, Y.P.

1978-01-01

The Inglis-Teller relation, generalized for a hydrogen-like or alkali-like ion with an arbitrary core charge, is used to estimate the electron density in the emission-like region of Wolf-Rayet stars. It is found that the electron density in the region which gives rise to He II emission lines is approximately = 4 x 10 14 cm -3 . (Auth.)

Dynamic changes in display architecture and function across environments revealed by a systems approach to animal communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenthal, Malcolm F; Wilkins, Matthew R; Shizuka, Daizaburo; Hebets, Eileen A

2018-02-20

Animal communication is often structurally complex and dynamic, with signaler and receiver behavior varying in response to multiple environmental factors. To date, studies assessing signal dynamics have mostly focused on the relationships between select signaling traits and receiver responses in a single environment. We use the wolf spider Schizocosa floridana to explore the relationships between courtship display form and function across two social contexts (female presence vs absence) and two light environments (light vs dark). We use traditional analytical methods to determine predictors of copulation success (i.e., signal function) and examine these predictors in a structural context by overlaying them on signal phenotype networks (Wilkins et al. 2015). This allows us to explore system design principles (degeneracy, redundancy, pluripotentiality), providing insight into hypotheses regarding complex signal evolution. We found that both social context and light environment affect courtship structure, although the predictors of mating success remain similar across light environments, suggesting system degeneracy. Contrastingly, the same display traits may serve different functions across social environments, suggesting pluripotentiality. Ultimately, our network approach uncovers a complexity in display structure and function that is missed by functional analyses alone, highlighting the importance of systems-based methodologies for understanding the dynamic nature of complex signals. © 2018 The Author(s). Evolution © 2018 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Wolf-Hirschhorn (4p-) syndrome with West syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Motoi, Hirotaka; Okanishi, Tohru; Kanai, Sotaro; Yokota, Takuya; Yamazoe, Tomohiro; Nishimura, Mitsuyo; Fujimoto, Ayataka; Yamamoto, Takamichi; Enoki, Hideo

2016-01-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a chromosome disorder (4p-syndrome) which is characterized by craniofacial features and epileptic seizures. Here, we report a case of WHS with West syndrome, in whom the seizures were refractory to several antiepileptic drugs but were responsive to the addition of lamotrigine. The patient had epileptic spasms at age seven months. The interictal electroencephalogram was hypsarrhythmic. After adding lamotrigine, seizures decreased remarkably, and spasms disappeared. We have identified and described the very rare case of a girl with WHS who also developed West syndrome. In this case, adding lamotrigine to her medications effectively treated the spasms.

Wolf-Rayet stars in the Andromeda Galaxy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moffat, A.F.J.; Shara, M.M.; Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD)

1987-01-01

A survey of M31 for strong-line Wolf-Rayet (W-R) stars has been completed, confirming the trends found previously, that (1) M31 is at present about an order of magnitude less active in star formation than the Galaxy, as reflected in the total number of W-R stars, assumed to have evolved from massive progenitors; (2) the number ratio of late to early WC stars, WCL/WCE, varies systematically with galactocentric radius as in the Galaxy, possibly a consequence of the metallicity gradient in the disk; and (3) most W-R stars lie in the prominent ring of active star formation at R = 7-12 kpc from the center of M31. 19 references

Decoding Group Vocalizations: The Acoustic Energy Distribution of Chorus Howls Is Useful to Determine Wolf Reproduction

Science.gov (United States)

López-Bao, José Vicente; Llaneza, Luis; Fernández, Carlos; Font, Enrique

2016-01-01

Population monitoring is crucial for wildlife management and conservation. In the last few decades, wildlife researchers have increasingly applied bioacoustics tools to obtain information on several essential ecological parameters, such as distribution and abundance. One such application involves wolves (Canis lupus). These canids respond to simulated howls by emitting group vocalizations known as chorus howls. These responses to simulated howls reveal the presence of wolf litters during the breeding period and are therefore often used to determine the status of wolf populations. However, the acoustic structure of chorus howls is complex and discriminating the presence of pups in a chorus is sometimes difficult, even for experienced observers. In this study, we evaluate the usefulness of analyses of the acoustic energy distribution in chorus howls to identify the presence of pups in a chorus. We analysed 110 Iberian wolf chorus howls with known pack composition and found that the acoustic energy distribution is concentrated at higher frequencies when there are pups vocalizing. We built predictive models using acoustic energy distribution features to determine the presence of pups in a chorus, concluding that the acoustic energy distribution in chorus howls can be used to determine the presence of wolf pups in a pack. The method we outline here is objective, accurate, easily implemented, and independent of the observer's experience. These advantages are especially relevant in the case of broad scale surveys or when many observers are involved. Furthermore, the analysis of the acoustic energy distribution can be implemented for monitoring other social canids that emit chorus howls such as jackals or coyotes, provides an easy way to obtain information on ecological parameters such as reproductive success, and could be useful to study other group vocalizations. PMID:27144887

Decoding Group Vocalizations: The Acoustic Energy Distribution of Chorus Howls Is Useful to Determine Wolf Reproduction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vicente Palacios

Full Text Available Population monitoring is crucial for wildlife management and conservation. In the last few decades, wildlife researchers have increasingly applied bioacoustics tools to obtain information on several essential ecological parameters, such as distribution and abundance. One such application involves wolves (Canis lupus. These canids respond to simulated howls by emitting group vocalizations known as chorus howls. These responses to simulated howls reveal the presence of wolf litters during the breeding period and are therefore often used to determine the status of wolf populations. However, the acoustic structure of chorus howls is complex and discriminating the presence of pups in a chorus is sometimes difficult, even for experienced observers. In this study, we evaluate the usefulness of analyses of the acoustic energy distribution in chorus howls to identify the presence of pups in a chorus. We analysed 110 Iberian wolf chorus howls with known pack composition and found that the acoustic energy distribution is concentrated at higher frequencies when there are pups vocalizing. We built predictive models using acoustic energy distribution features to determine the presence of pups in a chorus, concluding that the acoustic energy distribution in chorus howls can be used to determine the presence of wolf pups in a pack. The method we outline here is objective, accurate, easily implemented, and independent of the observer's experience. These advantages are especially relevant in the case of broad scale surveys or when many observers are involved. Furthermore, the analysis of the acoustic energy distribution can be implemented for monitoring other social canids that emit chorus howls such as jackals or coyotes, provides an easy way to obtain information on ecological parameters such as reproductive success, and could be useful to study other group vocalizations.

Implications of teenagers' attitudes toward maned wolf conservation in Brazil

OpenAIRE

Consorte-McCrea, A.; Nigbur, D.; Bath, A.

2017-01-01

The relationships between people and wild canids are a widespread concern for the conservation of species and habitats. The maned wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus is a Near Threatened species inhabiting South America. Strategies to conserve this keystone species may benefit the also-declining Cerrado biome. The attitudes of teenagers toward wild carnivores are also of worldwide interest as these youth are the future decision makers. We investigated selected attitudes, beliefs and knowledge in relat...

Airway Management in a Patient with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamble, John F; Kurian, Dinesh J; Udani, Andrea G; Greene, Nathaniel H

2016-01-01

We present a case of a 3-month-old female with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) undergoing general anesthesia for laparoscopic gastrostomy tube placement with a focus on airway management. WHS is a rare 4p microdeletion syndrome resulting in multiple congenital abnormalities, including craniofacial deformities. Microcephaly, micrognathia, and glossoptosis are common features in WHS patients and risk factors for a pediatric airway that is potentially difficult to intubate. We discuss anesthesia strategies for airway preparation and management in a WHS patient requiring general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation.

NOVEL RADIOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE FOR PREGNANCY DETECTION IN THE MANED WOLF (CHRYSOCYON BRACHYURUS) WITHOUT ANESTHESIA.

Science.gov (United States)

Aitken-Palmer, Copper; A C Z M, Dipl; Ware, Lisa H; Braun, Lacey; Lang, Kenneth; Joyner, Priscilla H

2017-03-01

Maned wolves ( Chrysocyon brachyurus ) maintained in ex situ populations challenge veterinarians and managers with high neonatal mortality and parental incompetence. These challenges led to the development of a novel diagnostic approach for pregnancy detection using radiographic imaging without anesthesia or sedation. To do this, a specialized crate was constructed to easily contain a single maned wolf, allowing the capture of lateral projection radiographic images of the abdomen prior to and throughout a 66-day pregnancy (days 20, 34, 48, and 55 of 66). Radiographs taken at days 48 and 55 postbreeding showed evidence of neonatal skeleton mineralization, confirming pregnancy with two pups. The dam gave birth at day 66 to two pups. This technical report describes a novel approach without anesthesia for successful radiographic pregnancy detection and determination of litter size in the maned wolf, a midsize carnivore, using a specially constructed crate.

Gastrointestinal parasites of maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus, Illiger 1815 in a suburban area in southeastern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RL Massara

Full Text Available AbstractWe examined 42 maned wolf scats in an unprotected and disturbed area of Cerrado in southeastern Brazil. We identified six helminth endoparasite taxa, being Phylum Acantocephala and Family Trichuridae the most prevalent. The high prevalence of the Family Ancylostomatidae indicates a possible transmission via domestic dogs, which are abundant in the study area. Nevertheless, our results indicate that the endoparasite species found are not different from those observed in protected or least disturbed areas, suggesting a high resilience of maned wolf and their parasites to human impacts, or a common scenario of disease transmission from domestic dogs to wild canid whether in protected or unprotected areas of southeastern Brazil.

Spectrum and light curve of a supernova shock breakout through a thick Wolf-Rayet wind

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Svirski, Gilad; Nakar, Ehud, E-mail: swirskig@post.tau.ac.il [Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978 (Israel)

2014-06-20

Wolf-Rayet stars are known to eject winds. Thus, when a Wolf-Rayet star explodes as a supernova, a fast (≳ 40, 000 km s{sup –1}) shock is expected to be driven through a wind. We study the signal expected from a fast supernova shock propagating through an optically thick wind and find that the electrons behind the shock driven into the wind are efficiently cooled by inverse Compton over soft photons that were deposited by the radiation-mediated shock that crossed the star. Therefore, the bolometric luminosity is comparable to the kinetic energy flux through the shock, and the spectrum is found to be a power law, whose slope and frequency range depend on the number flux of soft photons available for cooling. Wolf-Rayet supernovae that explode through a thick wind have a high flux of soft photons, producing a flat spectrum, νF {sub ν} = Const, in the X-ray range of 0.1 ≲ T ≲ 50 keV. As the shock expands into an optically thin wind, the soft photons are no longer able to cool the shock that plows through the wind, and the bulk of the emission takes the form of a standard core-collapse supernova (without a wind). However, a small fraction of the soft photons is upscattered by the shocked wind and produces a transient unique X-ray signature.

Spectrum and light curve of a supernova shock breakout through a thick Wolf-Rayet wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svirski, Gilad; Nakar, Ehud

2014-01-01

Wolf-Rayet stars are known to eject winds. Thus, when a Wolf-Rayet star explodes as a supernova, a fast (≳ 40, 000 km s –1 ) shock is expected to be driven through a wind. We study the signal expected from a fast supernova shock propagating through an optically thick wind and find that the electrons behind the shock driven into the wind are efficiently cooled by inverse Compton over soft photons that were deposited by the radiation-mediated shock that crossed the star. Therefore, the bolometric luminosity is comparable to the kinetic energy flux through the shock, and the spectrum is found to be a power law, whose slope and frequency range depend on the number flux of soft photons available for cooling. Wolf-Rayet supernovae that explode through a thick wind have a high flux of soft photons, producing a flat spectrum, νF ν = Const, in the X-ray range of 0.1 ≲ T ≲ 50 keV. As the shock expands into an optically thin wind, the soft photons are no longer able to cool the shock that plows through the wind, and the bulk of the emission takes the form of a standard core-collapse supernova (without a wind). However, a small fraction of the soft photons is upscattered by the shocked wind and produces a transient unique X-ray signature.

Let's stay together? Intrinsic and extrinsic factors involved in pair bond dissolution in a recolonizing wolf population.

Science.gov (United States)

Milleret, Cyril; Wabakken, Petter; Liberg, Olof; Åkesson, Mikael; Flagstad, Øystein; Andreassen, Harry Peter; Sand, Håkan

2017-01-01

For socially monogamous species, breeder bond dissolution has important consequences for population dynamics, but the extent to which extrinsic or intrinsic population factors causes pair dissolution remain poorly understood, especially among carnivores. Using an extensive life-history data set, a survival analysis and competing risks framework, we examined the fate of 153 different wolf (Canis lupus) pairs in the recolonizing Scandinavian wolf population, during 14 winters of snow tracking and DNA monitoring. Wolf pair dissolution was generally linked to a mortality event and was strongly affected by extrinsic (i.e. anthropogenic) causes. No divorce was observed, and among the pair dissolution where causes have been identified, death of one or both wolves was always involved. Median time from pair formation to pair dissolution was three consecutive winters (i.e. approximately 2 years). Pair dissolution was mostly human-related, primarily caused by legal control actions (36·7%), verified poaching (9·2%) and traffic-related causes (2·1%). Intrinsic factors, such as disease and age, accounted for only 7·7% of pair dissolutions. The remaining 44·3% of dissolution events were from unknown causes, but we argue that a large portion could be explained by an additional source of human-caused mortality, cryptic poaching. Extrinsic population factors, such as variables describing the geographical location of the pair, had a stronger effect on risk of pair dissolution compared to anthropogenic landscape characteristics. Population intrinsic factors, such as the inbreeding coefficient of the male pair member, had a negative effect on pair bond duration. The mechanism behind this result remains unknown, but might be explained by lower survival of inbred males or more complex inbreeding effects mediated by behaviour. Our study provides quantitative estimates of breeder bond duration in a social carnivore and highlights the effect of extrinsic (i.e. anthropogenic) and

Foraging and feeding ecology of the gray wolf (Canis lupus): lessons from Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Stahler, Daniel R; Smith, Douglas W; Guernsey, Debra S

2006-07-01

The foraging and feeding ecology of gray wolves is an essential component to understanding the role that top carnivores play in shaping the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems. In Yellowstone National Park (YNP), predation studies on a highly visible, reintroduced population of wolves are increasing our understanding of this aspect of wolf ecology. Wolves in YNP feed primarily on elk, despite the presence of other ungulate species. Patterns of prey selection and kill rates in winter have varied seasonally each year from 1995 to 2004 and changed in recent years as the wolf population has become established. Wolves select elk based on their vulnerability as a result of age, sex, and season and therefore kill primarily calves, old cows, and bulls that have been weakened by winter. Summer scat analysis reveals an increased variety in diet compared with observed winter diets, including other ungulate species, rodents, and vegetation. Wolves in YNP hunt in packs and, upon a successful kill, share in the evisceration and consumption of highly nutritious organs first, followed by major muscle tissue, and eventually bone and hide. Wolves are adapted to a feast-or-famine foraging pattern, and YNP packs typically kill and consume an elk every 2-3 d. However, wolves in YNP have gone without fresh meat for several weeks by scavenging off old carcasses that consist mostly of bone and hide. As patterns of wolf density, prey density, weather, and vulnerability of prey change, in comparison with the conditions of the study period described here, we predict that there will also be significant changes in wolf predation patterns and feeding behavior.

Do really all wolf spiders carry spiderlings on their opisthosomas? The case of Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata (Araneae: Lycosidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dolejš, Petr

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Wolf spider females are characterised by carrying cocoons attached to their spinnerets. Emerged spiderlings are carried on the females’ opisthosomas, with the exception of three Japanese lycosid species who carry spiderlings on empty cocoons. Here, the same behaviour is recorded in a European spider: the drumming wolf spider Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata. Spiderlings of this species do not try to climb on the female’s opisthosoma, even when they are adopted by a female of a species with a normal pulli-carrying behaviour. This behaviour occurs in Trechaleidae and four unrelated species of Lycosidae inhabiting wet habitats and is therefore regarded as an adaptation to the unsuitable environment.

On planetary nebulae and Wolf-Rayet stars in the galactic-centre field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, D.A.

1979-01-01

A UK Schmidt objective-prism plate of the Galactic-centre field has been examined. Of the 74 objects in the field which have been catalogued as planetary nebulae, only half appear correctly classified; the others include Be stars, symbiotic stars, and stars without emission lines. A further 19 planetary nebulae and two Wolf-Rayet stars have been discovered. (author)

Isolation and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from the gray wolf Canis lupus

Science.gov (United States)

Little is known of the genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii circulating in wildlife. In the present study feral gray wolf (Canis lupus) from Minnesota were examined for T. gondii infection. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 130 (52.4%) of 248 wolves tested by the modified agglutination test...

First record of entodiniomorph ciliates in a carnivore, the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), from Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Vynne, Carly; Kinsella, John M

2009-06-01

The entodiniomorph ciliates (Ciliophora: Entodiniomorphida) are endosymbiotes widely found in the intestines of herbivorous mammals. These commensals commonly occur in the Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla and have also been described in the Proboscidea, Primates, Rodentia, and Diprotodontia. This study reports the first finding of a ciliate in a member of order Carnivora, the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus). Fecal samples from wild and captive maned wolves were screened using ethyl acetate sedimentation. Prevalence in fecal samples collected from free-ranging maned wolves in Brazil was 40% (6 of 15). Fecal samples from two of four captive individuals from the St. Louis Zoo also had the same species of ciliate. The largely frugivorous diet of the maned wolf likely explains the occurrence of these normally herbivore-associated endosymbiotes in a carnivore.

Canine parvovirus effect on wolf population change and pup survival

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L.D.; Goyal, S.M.

1993-01-01

Canine parvovirus infected wild canids more than a decade ago, but no population effect has been documented. In wild Minnesota wolves (Canis lupus) over a 12-yr period, the annual percent population increase and proportion of pups each were inversely related to the percentage of wolves serologically positive to the disease. Although these effects did not seem to retard this large extant population, similar relationships in more isolated wolf populations might hinder recovery of this endangered and threatened species.

Airway Management in a Patient with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John F. Gamble

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We present a case of a 3-month-old female with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS undergoing general anesthesia for laparoscopic gastrostomy tube placement with a focus on airway management. WHS is a rare 4p microdeletion syndrome resulting in multiple congenital abnormalities, including craniofacial deformities. Microcephaly, micrognathia, and glossoptosis are common features in WHS patients and risk factors for a pediatric airway that is potentially difficult to intubate. We discuss anesthesia strategies for airway preparation and management in a WHS patient requiring general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation.

Clinical characterization and proposed mechanism of juvenile glaucoma--a patient with a chromosome 4p deletion, Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Curtin, Jeremy; Moloney, Greg; Grigg, John; Sharota Franzco, Dorian

2010-09-01

The case presented is that of a 22-year-old male with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome who was referred with glaucoma refractory to medical treatment. Six other patients have been described with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) and glaucoma, most being congenital glaucoma with diagnosis in infancy. We describe the first case of juvenile onset glaucoma in this syndrome. Our patient had narrow angles on gonioscopy, with ultrasound biomicroscopy revealing ciliary body cysts. We alert others to the possibility of this mechanism of secondary narrow angle glaucoma associated with this chromosomal deletion syndrome.

DISCOVERY OF TWIN WOLF-RAYET STARS POWERING DOUBLE RING NEBULAE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mauerhan, Jon C.; Wachter, Stefanie; Van Dyk, Schuyler D.; Hoard, D. W.; Morris, Patrick W.

2010-01-01

We have spectroscopically discovered a pair of twin, nitrogen-type, hydrogen-rich, Wolf-Rayet stars (WN8-9h) that are both surrounded by circular, mid-infrared-bright nebulae detected with the Spitzer Space Telescope and MIPS instrument. The emission is probably dominated by a thermal continuum from cool dust, but also may contain contributions from atomic line emission. There is no counterpart at shorter Spitzer/IRAC wavelengths, indicating a lack of emission from warm dust. The two nebulae are probably wind-swept stellar ejecta released by the central stars during a prior evolutionary phase. The nebulae partially overlap on the sky and we speculate on the possibility that they are in the early stage of a collision. Two other evolved massive stars have also been identified within the area subtended by the nebulae, including a carbon-type Wolf-Rayet star (WC8) and an O7-8 III-I star, the latter of which appears to be embedded in one of the larger WN8-9h nebulae. The derived distances to these stars imply that they are coeval members of an association lying 4.9 ± 1.2 kpc from Earth, near the intersection of the Galaxy's Long Bar and the Scutum-Centaurus spiral arm. This new association represents an unprecedented display of complex interactions between multiple stellar winds, outflows, and the radiation fields of evolved massive stars.

Prenatal diagnosis of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (4p- in association with congenital hypospadias and foot deformity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ermis Hayri

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome is caused by distal deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4 (4p-. We report a case in which intrauterine growth restriction, hypospadias and foot deformity were detected by prenatal ultrasound examination at 29 weeks of gestation. Case Presentation A 31-year-old gravida 2 partus 1 woman was referred at 29 weeks' gestation with suspicion of intrauterine growth restriction. Sonographic examination revealed deformity of the right lower limb and undescended testes with an irregular distal penis. A cordocentesis was performed and chromosome analysis revealed a 46,XY,del(4(p14 karyotype. Conclusion The prenatal detection of intrauterine growth restriction, hypospadias and foot deformity should lead doctors to suspect the presence of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.

Prenatal diagnosis of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (4p-) in association with congenital hypospadias and foot deformity

Science.gov (United States)

Aslan, Halil; Karaca, Nilay; Basaran, Seher; Ermis, Hayri; Ceylan, Yavuz

2003-01-01

Background Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome is caused by distal deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4 (4p-). We report a case in which intrauterine growth restriction, hypospadias and foot deformity were detected by prenatal ultrasound examination at 29 weeks of gestation. Case Presentation A 31-year-old gravida 2 partus 1 woman was referred at 29 weeks' gestation with suspicion of intrauterine growth restriction. Sonographic examination revealed deformity of the right lower limb and undescended testes with an irregular distal penis. A cordocentesis was performed and chromosome analysis revealed a 46,XY,del(4)(p14) karyotype. Conclusion The prenatal detection of intrauterine growth restriction, hypospadias and foot deformity should lead doctors to suspect the presence of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. PMID:12546710

Predicting the Spatial Distribution of Wolf (Canis lupus Breeding Areas in a Mountainous Region of Central Italy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Bassi

Full Text Available Wolves (Canis lupus in Italy represent a relict west European population. They are classified as vulnerable by IUCN, though have increased in number and expanded their range in recent decades. Here we use 17 years of monitoring data (from 1993 to 2010 collected in a mountainous region of central Italy (Arezzo, Tuscany in an ecological niche-based model (MaxEnt to characterize breeding sites (i.e. the areas where pups were raised within home ranges, as detected from play-back responses. From a suite of variables related to topography, habitat and human disturbance we found that elevation and distance to protected areas were most important in explaining the locality of wolf responses. Rendezvous sites (family play-back response sites typically occurred between 800 and 1200 m a.s.l., inside protected areas, and were usually located along mountain chains distant from human settlements and roads. In these areas human disturbance is low and the densities of ungulates are typically high. Over recent years, rendezvous sites have occurred closer to urban areas as the wolf population has continued to expand, despite the consequent human disturbance. This suggests that undisturbed landscapes may be reaching their carrying capacity for wolves. This, in turn, may lead to the potential for increased human-wolf interactions in future. Applying our model, both within and beyond the species' current range, we identify sites both within the current range and also further afield, that the species could occupy in future. Our work underlines the importance of the present protected areas network in facilitating the recolonisation by wolves. Our projections of suitability of sites for future establishment as the population continues to expand could inform planning to minimize future wolf-human conflicts.

Further Wolf-Rayet stars in the starburst cluster Westerlund 1

OpenAIRE

Negueruela, I.; Clark, J. S.

2005-01-01

We present new low and intermediate-resolution spectroscopic observations of the Wolf Rayet (WR) star population in the massive starburst cluster Westerlund 1. Finding charts are presented for five new WRs - four WNL and one WCL - raising the current total of known WRs in the cluster to 19. We also present new spectra and correct identifications for the majority of the 14 WR stars previously known, notably confirming the presence of two WNVL stars. Finally we briefly discuss the massive star ...

Myiasis by Screw Worm Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in a Wild Maned Wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus (Mammalia: Canidae), in Brasília, Brazil

OpenAIRE

Cansi, ER; Bonorino, R; Ataíde, HS; Pujol-Luz, JR

2011-01-01

In April 2009, a wild maned wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus, was captured in an area of cerrado in Brasília, DF, Brazil, with screw worm maggots in external wounds. Fifty larvae were bred in the laboratory and eight adults of Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) emerged 10 days after pupation. This is the first report of a myiasis by C. hominivorax in a free-living maned wolf in Brazil.

Myiasis by screw worm Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in a wild maned wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus (Mammalia: Canidae), in Brasília, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Cansi, E R; Bonorino, R; Ataíde, H S; Pujol-Luz, J R

2011-01-01

In April 2009, a wild maned wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus, was captured in an area of cerrado in Brasília, DF, Brazil, with screw worm maggots in external wounds. Fifty larvae were bred in the laboratory and eight adults of Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) emerged 10 days after pupation. This is the first report of a myiasis by C. hominivorax in a free-living maned wolf in Brazil.

A Grey Wolf Optimizer for Modular Granular Neural Networks for Human Recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Sánchez

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A grey wolf optimizer for modular neural network (MNN with a granular approach is proposed. The proposed method performs optimal granulation of data and design of modular neural networks architectures to perform human recognition, and to prove its effectiveness benchmark databases of ear, iris, and face biometric measures are used to perform tests and comparisons against other works. The design of a modular granular neural network (MGNN consists in finding optimal parameters of its architecture; these parameters are the number of subgranules, percentage of data for the training phase, learning algorithm, goal error, number of hidden layers, and their number of neurons. Nowadays, there is a great variety of approaches and new techniques within the evolutionary computing area, and these approaches and techniques have emerged to help find optimal solutions to problems or models and bioinspired algorithms are part of this area. In this work a grey wolf optimizer is proposed for the design of modular granular neural networks, and the results are compared against a genetic algorithm and a firefly algorithm in order to know which of these techniques provides better results when applied to human recognition.

Tribute to Emil Wolf: Science and Engineering Legacy of Physical Optics

Science.gov (United States)

2004-09-23

1983; his Ph.D. research examined a novel nonimag - ing solar thermal collector with Prof. Roland Winston. While at NRL, Dr. Snail has published more...advanced illumination systems, sensors, and nonimaging optical devices. This SPIE Press book pays tribute to Emil Wolf (see Fig. 1) for his pio- neering...who described the effect of nonimage forming optical systems and scattering media in terms of the Mueller formalism; Edwin H. Land,† who invented the

Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Bladder Tumor in a Patient with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Marte

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT is a rare neoplasm described in several tissues and organs including genitourinary system, lung, head, and neck. The etiology of IMT is contentious, and whether it is a postinflammatory process or a true neoplasm remains controversial. To our knowledge, we report the first reported case of IMT of urinary bladder in a pediatric patient with Wolf-Hirschhorn (WHS. We also review the literature about patients with associated neoplasia.

The wolf reference genome sequence (Canis lupus lupus) and its implications for Canis spp. population genomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gopalakrishnan, Shyam; Samaniego Castruita, Jose Alfredo; Sinding, Mikkel Holger Strander

2017-01-01

Background An increasing number of studies are addressing the evolutionary genomics of dog domestication, principally through resequencing dog, wolf and related canid genomes. There is, however, only one de novo assembled canid genome currently available against which to map such data - that of a......Background An increasing number of studies are addressing the evolutionary genomics of dog domestication, principally through resequencing dog, wolf and related canid genomes. There is, however, only one de novo assembled canid genome currently available against which to map such data...... that regardless of the reference genome choice, most evolutionary genomic analyses yield qualitatively similar results, including those exploring the structure between the wolves and dogs using admixture and principal component analysis. However, we do observe differences in the genomic coverage of re-mapped...

The Wolf at the Door: Competing Land Use Values on Military Installations

Science.gov (United States)

1996-04-01

The Gray Wolf ............. ................ 88 a. Return to Yellowstone ...... .......... 90 1. Final EIS ......... ............. 91 2. Wolves ...western North and South Dakota. 233 "A final devastating blow fell when officials in Yellowstone decided to exterminate the park wolves --they succeeded... Wolves into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho.32° FWS Regional Director Ralph Morgenweck issued the Final EIS (FEIS) on April 14, 1994.321 The

The galactic distribution of Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hidayat, B.; Supelli, K.; Hucht, K.A. van der

1982-01-01

On the basis of the most recent compilation of narrow-band photometry and absolute visual magnitudes of Wolf-Rayet stars, and adopting a normal interstellar extinction law in all directions, the galactic distribution of 132 of the 159 known galactic WR stars is presented and discussed. The spiral structure is found to be more clearly pronounced than in earlier studies. Furthermore the authors find an indication of two spiral arms at r=4 and 6 kpc. There appears to be an asymmetry of the z-distribution of single stars with respect to galactic longitude. The location of the WC8.5 and WC9 stars between 4.5 and 9 kpc from the galactic center is discussed in the context of Maeder's red supergiant to WR star scenario. (Auth.)

Use of erroneous wolf generation time in assessments of domestic dog and human evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L. David; Barber-Meyer, Shannon

2017-01-01

Scientific interest in dog domestication and parallel evolution of dogs and humans (Wang et al. 2013) has increased recently (Freedman et al. 2014, Larson and Bradley 2014, Franz et al. 2016,), and various important conclusions have been drawn based on how long ago the calculations show dogs were domesticated from ancestral wolves (Canis lupus). Calculation of this duration is based on “the most commonly assumed mutation rate of 1 x 10-8 per generation and a 3-year gray wolf generation time . . .” (Skoglund et al. 2015:3). It is unclear on what information the assumed generation time is based, but Ersmark et al. (2016) seemed to have based their assumption on a single wolf (Mech and Seal 1987). The importance of assuring that such assumptions are valid is obvious. Recently, two independent studies employing three large data sets and three methods from two widely separated areas have found that wolf generation time is 4.2-4.7 years. The first study, based on 200 wolves in Yellowstone National Park used age-specific birth and death rates to calculate a generation time of 4.16 years (vonHoldt et al. 2008). The second, using estimated first-breeding times of 86 female wolves in northeastern Minnesota found a generation time of 4.3 years and using uterine examination of 159 female wolves from throughout Minnesota yielded a generation time of 4.7 years (Mech et al. 2016). We suggest that previous studies using a 3-year generation time recalculate their figures and adjust their conclusions based on these generation times and publish revised results.

Expression of a wolf spider toxin in tobacco inhibits the growth of microbes and insects

Science.gov (United States)

Abstract Lycotoxin I, from the wolf spider (Lycosa carolinensis), is an amphipathic pore-forming peptide that has antimicrobial and anti-insect activity. Constitutive expression of a lycotoxin I odified for oral toxicity to insects in tobacco (Nicotiana abacum) conferred significantly enhanced resis...

Effect of sociality and season on gray wolf (Canis lupus) foraging behavior: implications for estimating summer kill rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Metz, Matthew C; Vucetich, John A; Smith, Douglas W; Stahler, Daniel R; Peterson, Rolf O

2011-03-01

Understanding how kill rates vary among seasons is required to understand predation by vertebrate species living in temperate climates. Unfortunately, kill rates are only rarely estimated during summer. For several wolf packs in Yellowstone National Park, we used pairs of collared wolves living in the same pack and the double-count method to estimate the probability of attendance (PA) for an individual wolf at a carcass. PA quantifies an important aspect of social foraging behavior (i.e., the cohesiveness of foraging). We used PA to estimate summer kill rates for packs containing GPS-collared wolves between 2004 and 2009. Estimated rates of daily prey acquisition (edible biomass per wolf) decreased from 8.4±0.9 kg (mean ± SE) in May to 4.1±0.4 kg in July. Failure to account for PA would have resulted in underestimating kill rate by 32%. PA was 0.72±0.05 for large ungulate prey and 0.46±0.04 for small ungulate prey. To assess seasonal differences in social foraging behavior, we also evaluated PA during winter for VHF-collared wolves between 1997 and 2009. During winter, PA was 0.95±0.01. PA was not influenced by prey size but was influenced by wolf age and pack size. Our results demonstrate that seasonal patterns in the foraging behavior of social carnivores have important implications for understanding their social behavior and estimating kill rates. Synthesizing our findings with previous insights suggests that there is important seasonal variation in how and why social carnivores live in groups. Our findings are also important for applications of GPS collars to estimate kill rates. Specifically, because the factors affecting the PA of social carnivores likely differ between seasons, kill rates estimated through GPS collars should account for seasonal differences in social foraging behavior.

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Chao; Yang, Xiufeng; Zhang, Honghai; Zhang, Jin; Chen, Lei; Sha, Weilai; Liu, Guangshuai

2016-01-01

In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), the unique species in Chrysocyon, was sequenced and reported for the first time using blood samples obtained from a female individual in Shanghai Zoo, China. Sequence analysis showed that the genome structure was in accordance with other Canidae species and it contained 12 S rRNA gene, 16 S rRNA gene, 22 tRNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes and 1 control region.

To Eat or Not To Eat? The Diet of the Endangered Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus in a Human-Dominated Landscape in Central Portugal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita Tinoco Torres

Full Text Available Livestock predation by large carnivores and their persecution by local communities are major conservation concerns. In order to prevent speculations and reduce conflicts, it is crucial to get detailed and accurate data on predators' dietary ecology, which is particularly important in human dominated landscapes where livestock densities are high. This is the case of the endangered Iberian wolf in Portugal, an endemic subspecies of the Iberian Peninsula, which has seen its population distribution and abundance decline throughout the 20th century. Accordingly, the diet of the Iberian wolf was analyzed, using scat analysis, in a humanized landscape in central Portugal. From 2011 to 2014, a total of 295 wolf scats were collected from transects distributed throughout the study area, prospected on a monthly basis. Scat analysis indicated a high dependence of Iberian wolf on livestock. Domestic goat predominated the diet (62% of the scats, followed by cow (20% and sheep (13%; the only wild ungulate present in the scat analysis was the wild boar (4% of the scats. Our results show that even though livestock constitute most part of wolves diet, different livestock species may represent different predation opportunities. We conclude that the high levels of livestock consumption may be a result of low diversity and density of wild ungulates that settles livestock as the only abundant prey for wolves. Our findings help on the understanding of the Iberian wolf feeding ecology and have implications for conflict management strategies. Finally, management implications are discussed and solutions are recommended.

Discovery of a new Wolf-Rayet star using SAGE-LMC

OpenAIRE

Gvaramadze, V. V.; Chené, A. -N.; Kniazev, A. Y.; Schnurr, O.

2011-01-01

We report the first-ever discovery of an extragalactic Wolf-Rayet (WR)star with Spitzer. A new WR star in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) was revealed via detection of its circumstellar shell using 24 {\\mu}m images obtained in the framework of the Spitzer Survey of the Large Magellanic Cloud (SAGE-LMC). Subsequent spectroscopic bservations with the Gemini South resolved the central star in two components, one of which is a WN3b+abs star, while the second one is a B0V star. We consider the lo...

Wolf-Rayet stars associated to giant regions of star formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Odorico, S.; Rosa, M.

1982-01-01

Data on Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars in extragalactic H II regions and emission line galaxies are presented and discussed. The sample is still limited and inhomogeneous but two important points appear to be already established: a) The WR stars are more numerous than the blue supergiants at least in same phase of the evolution of the stellar clusters which ionize the giant H II regions, b) When the WR stars are detected, two cases are apparently observed, one in which only WN, the other in which both WN and WC, are present. (Auth.)

78 FR 20613 - Ochoco National Forest, Paulina Ranger District; Oregon; Wolf Creek Vegetation and Fuels...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-05

... 2012 and documented in the Wolf Creek Watershed Analysis. The watershed analysis determined that... includes National Forest system lands within the Lower Beavercreek watershed. The alternatives that will be... analysis and decision making process so interested and affected people may participate and contribute to...

Extraction of Unerupted Maxillary Canine Teeth in a Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lourdes M. B. Pessoa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this case report is to describe the diagnosis and treatment of unerupted canine teeth in a maned wolf. After physical examination, complete blood count, and serum biochemical profile, the animal underwent general anesthesia and head radiography was performed to confirm the diagnosis. The treatment consisted of the extraction of both maxillary canine teeth and clinical and radiographic follow-up of the right mandibular canine tooth.

Extraction of Unerupted Maxillary Canine Teeth in a Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)

OpenAIRE

Pessoa, Lourdes M. B.; Roza, Marcello; Farias, Anderson; Jesus, Pedro Henrique de; Campbell, Rita de Cassia; Pinho, Mariângela Pereira de

2016-01-01

The purpose of this case report is to describe the diagnosis and treatment of unerupted canine teeth in a maned wolf. After physical examination, complete blood count, and serum biochemical profile, the animal underwent general anesthesia and head radiography was performed to confirm the diagnosis. The treatment consisted of the extraction of both maxillary canine teeth and clinical and radiographic follow-up of the right mandibular canine tooth.

SN 2008D: A WOLF-RAYET EXPLOSION THROUGH A THICK WIND

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svirski, Gilad; Nakar, Ehud

2014-01-01

Supernova (SN) 2008D/XRT 080109 is considered to be the only direct detection of a shock breakout from a regular SN to date. While a breakout interpretation was favored by several papers, inconsistencies remain between the observations and current SN shock breakout theory. Most notably, the duration of the luminous X-ray pulse is considerably longer than expected for a spherical breakout through the surface of a type Ibc SN progenitor, and the X-ray radiation features, mainly its flat spectrum and its luminosity evolution, are enigmatic. We apply a recently developed theoretical model for the observed radiation from a Wolf-Rayet SN exploding through a thick wind and show that it naturally explains all of the observed features of SN 2008D X-ray emission, including the energetics, the spectrum, and the detailed luminosity evolution. We find that the inferred progenitor and SN parameters are typical for an exploding Wolf-Rayet. A comparison of the wind density found at the breakout radius and the density at much larger radii, as inferred by late radio observations, suggests an enhanced mass-loss rate taking effect about 10 days prior to the SN explosion. This finding joins accumulating evidence for a possible late phase in the stellar evolution of massive stars, involving vigorous mass loss a short time before the SN explosion

SN 2008D: A WOLF-RAYET EXPLOSION THROUGH A THICK WIND

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Svirski, Gilad; Nakar, Ehud [Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978 (Israel)

2014-06-10

Supernova (SN) 2008D/XRT 080109 is considered to be the only direct detection of a shock breakout from a regular SN to date. While a breakout interpretation was favored by several papers, inconsistencies remain between the observations and current SN shock breakout theory. Most notably, the duration of the luminous X-ray pulse is considerably longer than expected for a spherical breakout through the surface of a type Ibc SN progenitor, and the X-ray radiation features, mainly its flat spectrum and its luminosity evolution, are enigmatic. We apply a recently developed theoretical model for the observed radiation from a Wolf-Rayet SN exploding through a thick wind and show that it naturally explains all of the observed features of SN 2008D X-ray emission, including the energetics, the spectrum, and the detailed luminosity evolution. We find that the inferred progenitor and SN parameters are typical for an exploding Wolf-Rayet. A comparison of the wind density found at the breakout radius and the density at much larger radii, as inferred by late radio observations, suggests an enhanced mass-loss rate taking effect about 10 days prior to the SN explosion. This finding joins accumulating evidence for a possible late phase in the stellar evolution of massive stars, involving vigorous mass loss a short time before the SN explosion.

Crystal structure of hemoglobin from the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) using synchrotron radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fadel, Valmir; Canduri, Fernanda; Olivieri, Johnny R; Smarra, André L S; Colombo, Marcio F; Bonilla-Rodriguez, Gustavo O; de Azevedo, Walter F

2003-12-01

Crystal structure of hemoglobin isolated from the Brazilian maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) was determined using standard molecular replacement technique and refined using maximum-likelihood and simulated annealing protocols to 1.87A resolution. Structural and functional comparisons between hemoglobins from the Chrysocyon brachyurus and Homo sapiens are discussed, in order to provide further insights in the comparative biochemistry of vertebrate hemoglobins.

Direction of Wolf-Rayet stars in a very powerful far-infrared galaxy - Direct evidence for a starburst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armus, L.; Heckman, T.M.; Miley, G.K.

1988-01-01

Spectra covering the wavelength range 4476-7610 A are presented for the powerful far-infrared galaxy IRAS 01003-2238. The broad emission band centered at a rest wavelength of roughly 4660 A, and other broad weaker features are interpreted, as arising from the combined effect of approximately 100,000 late Wolf-Rayet stars of the WN subtype. This represents perhaps the most direct evidence to date for the presence of a large number of hot massive stars in the nucleus of a very powerful far-infrared galaxy. The high number of Wolf-Rayet stars in relation to the number of O-type stars may be interpreted as arguing against continuous steady state star formation in 01003-2238, in favor of a recent burst of star formation occurring approximately 100 million yrs ago. 24 references

Ring chromosome 4 and Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) in a child with multiple anomalies.

Science.gov (United States)

Balci, Sevim; Engiz, Ozlem; Aktaş, Dilek; Vargel, Ibrahim; Beksaç, M S; Mrasek, Kristin; Vermeesch, Joris; Liehr, Thomas

2006-03-15

We report on a 16-month-old male patient with ring chromosome 4 and deletion of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) region with multiple congenital anomalies including unilateral cleft lip and palate, iris coloboma, microcephaly, midgut malrotation, hypospadias, and double urethral orifices. Peripheral chromosome analysis of the patient showed 46,XY,r(4)(p16.3q35) de novo. Multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) study was also performed and according to multicolor banding (MCB) a r(4)(::p16.3 --> q34.3 approximately 35.1::) was found in all metaphases. Subtelomeric 4p region, subtelomeric 4q region, as well as, Wolf-Hirschhorn critical region were deleted in ring chromosome 4. Genomic microarray analysis was also performed to delineate the size of deletion. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed hypoplastic corpus callosum, delayed myelinization, and frontal and occipital lobe atrophies. Both maternal and paternal chromosomal analyses were normal. We compare the phenotypic appearance of our patient with the previously reported 16 cases of ring chromosome 4 in the medical literature. 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Lurking Wolf: Qualitative Research of Existential Experiences with Lupus in Female Patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Janni Lisander; Jacobsen, Søren; Hall, Elisabeth

THE LURKING OF THE WOLF- QUALITATIVE RESARCH OF EXISTENTIAL EXPERIENCES WITH LUPUS IN FEMALE PATIENTS. J. Lisander Larsen (1, 2), S. Jacobsen (2), E.O. C. Hall (1), R. Birkelund(3) (1) Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Section for Nursing, Denmark. (2) University Hospital of Copenha......THE LURKING OF THE WOLF- QUALITATIVE RESARCH OF EXISTENTIAL EXPERIENCES WITH LUPUS IN FEMALE PATIENTS. J. Lisander Larsen (1, 2), S. Jacobsen (2), E.O. C. Hall (1), R. Birkelund(3) (1) Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Section for Nursing, Denmark. (2) University Hospital...... for existential uncertainty. Patient experiences are scarcely researched, and studies do not emphasize existential themes at stake during the illness trajectory and this leaves a knowledge gap important for evidence-based nursing support. Purpose: The purpose of this PhD study is to explore the meaning...... of existential experiences over time in female patients suffering from Lupus. Method: Three 3 qualitative indept interviews with 15 women is planned during 1½ year. First and second round is performed, and third is planned during spring 2015. Interviews are guided by Van Manens life world existentials (time...

Experience of the diagnosis and observation of a child with wolf-hirschhorn syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.V. Besh

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Modern data about the causes, course peculiarities, principles of diagnosis and symptomatic treatment of Wolf-Hirshhorn syndrome are given in the article. The description of own clinical case is presented. In most cases, there are multiple developmental abnormalities, in particular heart and kidney defects. External symptoms include: the unusual structure of the skull (“ancient warrior’s helmet”, straight bridge of the nose, moderately severe microcephaly, hypertelorism, small mouth with drooping corners, abnormal auricle’s forms, also cleft lip and cleft palate, eyeballs anomalies, hypospadias, feet deformity. Hemangiomas of the skin are often presented, they are usually flat, small and located on the face. Muscle hypotonia, significantly reduced reaction to external stimuli are revealed during the examination. The diagnosis is based on clinical changes and is confirmed by the DNA research. Deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4 is detected in approximately 80 % of probands. The description of own clinical observation of a child with Wolf-Hirshhorn syndrome, confirmed at the age of 3 months, is presented. Despite the early detection of the syndrome and prescribed appropriate therapy, the disease has a poor prognosis.

A signal-substrate match in the substrate-borne component of a multimodal courtship display

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damian O. ELIAS, Andrew C. MASON, Eileen A. HEBETS

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The environment can impose strong limitations on the efficacy of signal transmission. In particular, for vibratory communication, the signaling environment is often extremely heterogeneous at very small scales. Nevertheless, natural selection is expected to select for signals well-suited to effective transmission. Here, we test for substrate-dependent signal efficacy in the wolf spider Schizocosa stridulans Stratton 1991. We first explore the transmission characteristics of this important signaling modality by playing recorded substrate-borne signals through three different substrates (leaf litter, pine litter, and red clay and measuring the propagated signal. We found that the substrate-borne signal of S. stridulans attenuates the least on leaf litter, the substrate upon which the species is naturally found. Next, by assessing mating success with artificially muted and non-muted males across different signaling substrates (leaf litter, pine litter, and sand, we explored the relationship between substrate-borne signaling and substrate for mating success. We found that muted males were unsuccessful in obtaining copulations regardless of substrate, while mating success was dependent on the signaling substrate for non-muted males. For non-muted males, more males copulated on leaf litter than any other substrate. Taken together, these results confirm the importance of substrate-borne signaling in S. stridulans and suggest a match between signal properties and signal efficacy – leaf litter transmits the signal most effectively and males are most successful in obtaining copulations on leaf litter [Current Zoology 56 (3: 370–378, 2010].

Kinematic adjustments during succesful and unsuccessful wolf jumps on the balance beam

OpenAIRE

Mauz, Danica; Jensen, Randall; Naundorf, Falk; Richter, Chris; Vieten, Manfred

2013-01-01

The current study examined differences in the kinematics between successful and failed landings of a wolf jump on the balance beam. Subjects were 35 elite level gymnasts performing in competition. Discrete point analysis and Analysis of Characterizing Phases found that failed landings involved higher initial longitudinal component of the inertia tensor, body angle in the anterior-posterior direction at takeoff and landing, and the medial-lateral component of angular velocity during the descen...

Path Tortuosity and the Permeability of Roads and Trails to Wolf Movement

OpenAIRE

Jesse Whittington; Colleen Cassady St. Clair; George Mercer

2004-01-01

Few studies have examined the effects of human development on fine-scale movement behavior, yet understanding animal movement through increasingly human-dominated landscapes is essential for the persistence of many wild populations, especially wary species. In mountainous areas, roads and trails may be particularly deserving of study because they are concentrated in the valley bottoms where they can impede animal movement both across and between valleys. In this study, we tracked wolf (Canis ...

A three-term conjugate gradient method under the strong-Wolfe line search

Science.gov (United States)

Khadijah, Wan; Rivaie, Mohd; Mamat, Mustafa

2017-08-01

Recently, numerous studies have been concerned in conjugate gradient methods for solving large-scale unconstrained optimization method. In this paper, a three-term conjugate gradient method is proposed for unconstrained optimization which always satisfies sufficient descent direction and namely as Three-Term Rivaie-Mustafa-Ismail-Leong (TTRMIL). Under standard conditions, TTRMIL method is proved to be globally convergent under strong-Wolfe line search. Finally, numerical results are provided for the purpose of comparison.

Massive stars on the verge of exploding: the properties of oxygen sequence Wolf-Rayet stars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tramper, F.; Straal, S.M.; Sanyal, D.; Sana, H.; de Koter, A.; Gräfener, G.; Langer, N.; Vink, J.S.; de Mink, S.E.; Kaper, L.

2015-01-01

Context. Oxygen sequence Wolf-Rayet (WO) stars are a very rare stage in the evolution of massive stars. Their spectra show strong emission lines of helium-burning products, in particular highly ionized carbon and oxygen. The properties of WO stars can be used to provide unique constraints on the

The Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome in adulthood: Evaluation of a 24-year-old man with a rec(4) chromosome

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogle, R.; Sillence, D.O.; Merrick, A. [Children`s Hospital, Summer Hill, NSW (Australia)] [and others

1996-10-16

We describe a profoundly intellectually disabled 24-year-old man with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, left hemiplegia, epilepsy, atrophy of the right cerebral hemisphere, and dilatation of the right ventricle. The patient had a small ventricular septal defect, was wheelchair bound, and totally dependent. He had no speech, but vocalized to show his feelings. In this patient, the del(4)(p15) was subtle and arose due to the inheritance of a recombinant chromosome (4) from a maternal pericentric inversion - 46,XX,inv(4)(p15.32q35). Fluorescence in situ hybridization with probe D4S96 confirmed the deletion. This is the second case of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome resulting from a large pericentric inversion of chromosome 4. 14 refs., 3 figs.

Influence of Crop Management and Environmental Factors on Wolf Spider Assemblages (Araneae: Lycosidae) in an Australian Cotton Cropping System.

Science.gov (United States)

Rendon, Dalila; Whitehouse, Mary E A; Hulugalle, Nilantha R; Taylor, Phillip W

2015-02-01

Wolf spiders (Lycosidae) are the most abundant ground-hunting spiders in the Australian cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) agroecosystems. These spiders have potential in controlling pest bollworms, Helicoverpa spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in minimum-tilled fields. A study was carried out during a wet growing season (2011-2012) in Narrabri, New South Wales, Australia, to determine how different crop rotations and tillage affect wolf spider assemblages in cotton fields. Spider abundance and species richness did not differ significantly between simple plots (no winter crop) and complex plots (cotton-wheat Triticum aestivum L.-vetch Vicia benghalensis L. rotation). However, the wolf spider biodiversity, as expressed by the Shannon-Weaver and Simpson's indices, was significantly higher in complex plots. Higher biodiversity reflected a more even distribution of the most dominant species (Venatrix konei Berland, Hogna crispipes Koch, and Tasmanicosa leuckartii Thorell) and the presence of more rare species in complex plots. T. leuckartii was more abundant in complex plots and appears to be sensitive to farming disturbances, whereas V. konei and H. crispipes were similarly abundant in the two plot types, suggesting higher resilience or recolonizing abilities. The demographic structure of these three species varied through the season, but not between plot types. Environmental variables had a significant effect on spider assemblage, but effects of environment and plot treatment were overshadowed by the seasonal progression of cotton stages. Maintaining a high density and even distribution of wolf spiders that prey on Helicoverpa spp. should be considered as a conservation biological control element when implementing agronomic and pest management strategies. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

New Galactic Candidate Luminous Blue Variables and Wolf-Rayet Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Stringfellow, Guy S.; Gvaramadze, Vasilii V.; Beletsky, Yuri; Kniazev, Alexei Y.

2012-04-01

We have undertaken a near-infrared spectral survey of stars associated with compact mid-IR shells recently revealed by the MIPSGAL (24 μm) and GLIMPSE (8 μm) Spitzer surveys, whose morphologies are typical of circumstellar shells produced by massive evolved stars. Through spectral similarity with known Luminous Blue Variable (LBV) and Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars, a large population of candidate LBVs (cLBVs) and a smaller number of new WR stars are being discovered. This significantly increases the Galactic cLBV population and confirms that nebulae are inherent to most (if not all) objects of this class.

Otoliths of the wolf-fishes (genus Anarrhichas Linnaeus, 1758) from the Northern Atlantic (Pisces, Perciformes)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijssen, H.

1964-01-01

While working at the Rijksinstituut voor Visserijonderzoek (R.V.I.O.) at IJmuiden, I received through the courtesy of Mr. C. van Delft some specimens of the three northern Atlantic species of wolf-fishes. At IJmuiden they are brought in by commercial trawlers. The only data in the literature known

Using group-specific PCR to detect predation of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) by wolf spiders (Lycosidae) at a mercury-contaminated site.

Science.gov (United States)

Northam, Weston T; Allison, Lizabeth A; Cristol, Daniel A

2012-02-01

Bioaccumulation of contaminants can occur across ecosystem boundaries via transport by emergent aquatic insects. In the South River, Virginia, USA, aquatic mercury has contaminated songbirds nesting in adjacent riparian forests. Spiders contribute the majority of mercury to these songbirds' diets. We tested the hypothesis that massive annual mayfly emergences provide a vector for mercury from river sediments to the Lycosid spiders most frequently eaten by contaminated songbirds. We designed mayfly-specific PCR primers that amplified mtDNA from 76% of adult mayflies collected at this site. By combining this approach with an Agilent 2100 electrophoresis system, we created a highly sensitive test for mayfly predation by Lycosids, commonly known as wolf spiders. In laboratory spider feeding trials, mayfly DNA could be detected up to 192h post-ingestion; however, we detected no mayfly predation in a sample of 110 wolf spiders collected at the site during mayfly emergence. We suggest that mayfly predation is not an important mechanism for dietary transfer of mercury to wolf spiders and their avian predators at the South River. Instead, floodplain soil should be considered as a potential proximate source for mercury in the terrestrial food web. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic evidence of hybridization between Onothera wolfii (Wolf's evening primrose) and O. glaziovana, a garden escape

Science.gov (United States)

Jennifer DeWoody; Leonel Arguello; David Imper; Robert D. Westfall; Valerie D. Hipkins

2008-01-01

Isozyme analysis of the rare Oenothera wolfii (Wolf's evening primrose) and the garden escape, O. glazioviana, indicates that hybridization between these species may be more widespread than morphological evidence indicates. Although both species contained low amounts of genetic variation, unique alleles were identified in...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in caribou, moose, and wolf scat samples from three areas of the Alberta oil sands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lundin, Jessica I.; Riffell, Jeffrey A.; Wasser, Samuel K.

2015-01-01

Impacts of toxic substances from oil production in the Alberta oil sands (AOS), such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), have been widely debated. Studies have been largely restricted to exposures from surface mining in aquatic species. We measured PAHs in Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), moose (Alces americanus), and Grey wolf (Canis lupus) across three areas that varied in magnitude of in situ oil production. Our results suggest a distinction of PAH level and source profile (petro/pyrogenic) between study areas and species. Caribou samples indicated pyrogenic sourced PAHs in the study area previously devastated by forest fire. Moose and wolf samples from the high oil production area demonstrated PAH ratios indicative of a petrogenic source and increased PAHs, respectively. These findings emphasize the importance of broadening monitoring and research programs in the AOS. - Highlights: • We measured PAHs from areas with varying degrees of in situ oil production activity. • PAH levels were measured in scat samples from three terrestrial species. • Caribou indicated pyrogenic PAHs in the area previously devastated by forest fire. • High oil production area moose and wolf showed petrogenic PAH characteristics. • Further scientific investigation of PAH exposures in these areas is warranted. - We demonstrate a distinction of PAH level and source profile in scat samples of three large mammals collected from areas with varying degrees of in situ oil production.

Wolf predation risk associated with white-tailed deer movements

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, M.E.; Mech, L.D.

1991-01-01

The survival of 159 yearling and adult deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was monitored by telemetry during 282 spring and 219 fall individual migrations to winter deeryards in northeastern Minnesota. A disproportionate number of deer were killed by wolves (Canis lupus) during fall migration relative to the short time they spent migrating, but not during spring migration. Predation was also significantly greater for male and female yearlings and adult females outside deeryards during winter. Survival of 79 yearlings dispersing from natal ranges was high (1.00). It appears that changing climatic conditions combined with unfamiliar terrain and undetermined factors predispose migratory deer to wolf predation during fall. These findings support an earlier hypothesis that winter yarding is an antipredator strategy.

Wolf-Rayet stars and galactic structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stenholm, B.

1975-01-01

A 15 0 wide strip along the galactic equator between longitudes 250 0 and 360 0 has been searched for Wolf-Rayet stars. Six new WR stars and four new planetary nebulae have been found. Seven stars earlier listed as WR stars have been rejected as such. The new WR stars in the 'Luminous Stars in the Southern Milky Way' are discussed. A sample of 154 WR stars has been treated statistically. For the distribution in longitude, comparisons are made with OB stars and classical cepheids. The differences in distribution are thought to be an age effect. An effort to explain the empty interval towards the anticentre is made. The distribution in latitude is compared with young clusters and long-period cepheids. The physical plane formed by these objects is tilted about one degree to the galactic plane and the tilt is upwards in the Cygnus direction. This result is also received by a least squares solution of the objects when given in rectangular coordinates. The WR star sample is regarded as fairly complete up to a distance of 5 kpc. (orig.) [de

Effect of sociality and season on gray wolf (Canis lupus foraging behavior: implications for estimating summer kill rate.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew C Metz

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Understanding how kill rates vary among seasons is required to understand predation by vertebrate species living in temperate climates. Unfortunately, kill rates are only rarely estimated during summer. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: For several wolf packs in Yellowstone National Park, we used pairs of collared wolves living in the same pack and the double-count method to estimate the probability of attendance (PA for an individual wolf at a carcass. PA quantifies an important aspect of social foraging behavior (i.e., the cohesiveness of foraging. We used PA to estimate summer kill rates for packs containing GPS-collared wolves between 2004 and 2009. Estimated rates of daily prey acquisition (edible biomass per wolf decreased from 8.4±0.9 kg (mean ± SE in May to 4.1±0.4 kg in July. Failure to account for PA would have resulted in underestimating kill rate by 32%. PA was 0.72±0.05 for large ungulate prey and 0.46±0.04 for small ungulate prey. To assess seasonal differences in social foraging behavior, we also evaluated PA during winter for VHF-collared wolves between 1997 and 2009. During winter, PA was 0.95±0.01. PA was not influenced by prey size but was influenced by wolf age and pack size. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate that seasonal patterns in the foraging behavior of social carnivores have important implications for understanding their social behavior and estimating kill rates. Synthesizing our findings with previous insights suggests that there is important seasonal variation in how and why social carnivores live in groups. Our findings are also important for applications of GPS collars to estimate kill rates. Specifically, because the factors affecting the PA of social carnivores likely differ between seasons, kill rates estimated through GPS collars should account for seasonal differences in social foraging behavior.

Intraocular pressure and Schirmer tear test values in maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiane S. Honsho

Full Text Available Abstract: The purpose of this study was to establish baseline data on lacrimal quantity (STT-1 and intraocular pressure (IOP in captive maned wolves. Ten healthy adult maned wolves were contained with a snare pole and muzzle and kept in decubitus of the left side. STT-1 measurement was performed on the lateral third of the lower conjunctival sac for one minute. The cornea was desensitized and intraocular pressure was measured with an tonopen. Average STT-1 in both eyes was 11±5mm.min-1, with no statistical difference between the left and right eye (p=0.960. Average IOP in both eyes was 20±6mmHg, with no statistical difference between the left and right eye (p=0.836. Average STT-1 was lower than, and IOP was the same as normal levels found in dogs. There was no statistical difference in the age of the animals, and STT-1 and IOP values. In the present paper, average maned wolf STT-1 levels were lower compared with those found in dogs, while the IOP was the same in maned wolves as in dogs. Due to the increased incidence in providing emergency care for maned wolf victims of road kill and fires, determination reference values of ocular parameters may improve the correct diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

But What About The Big Bad Wolf? Refashionig Red And The Wolf In The 21st Century

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Şerban Andreea

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to revisit three adaptations of Red Riding Hood fairy tales and explore some of the wolf’s reincarnations in order to see how realities change in time. It has generally been observed in the literature that in pop culture Red has undergone quite dramatic changes from the little ingénue to the mature seductress. But what has happened to the bad wolf? How is he imagined by the 21st century pop culture? How do his agency and power change? What (new message does he convey? To answer these questions, I shall look at three fairly recent advertisements that adapt the classic Little Red story for the screen: “Red Bull” energizer (February 2010, “Chanel no. 5” (featuring actress Estella Warren, late 1990s, 2007 and “B.U. Heartbeat” (featuring Tyson Kuteyi, 2008 perfumes. I will explore not only how such commercials reframe the dominant Western cultural pattern, but if they also undo the lessons both men and women have so far been forced to learn.

The scale-dependent impact of wolf predation risk on resource selection by three sympatric ungulates.

Science.gov (United States)

Kittle, Andrew M; Fryxell, John M; Desy, Glenn E; Hamr, Joe

2008-08-01

Resource selection is a fundamental ecological process impacting population dynamics and ecosystem structure. Understanding which factors drive selection is vital for effective species- and landscape-level management. We used resource selection probability functions (RSPFs) to study the influence of two forms of wolf (Canis lupus) predation risk, snow conditions and habitat variables on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), elk (Cervus elaphus) and moose (Alces alces) resource selection in central Ontario's mixed forest French River-Burwash ecosystem. Direct predation risk was defined as the frequency of a predator's occurrence across the landscape and indirect predation risk as landscape features associated with a higher risk of predation. Models were developed for two winters, each at two spatial scales, using a combination of GIS-derived and ground-measured data. Ungulate presence was determined from snow track transects in 64 16- and 128 1-km(2) resource units, and direct predation risk from GPS radio collar locations of four adjacent wolf packs. Ungulates did not select resources based on the avoidance of areas of direct predation risk at any scale, and instead exhibited selection patterns that tradeoff predation risk minimization with forage and/or mobility requirements. Elk did not avoid indirect predation risk, while both deer and moose exhibited inconsistent responses to this risk. Direct predation risk was more important to models than indirect predation risk but overall, abiotic topographical factors were most influential. These results indicate that wolf predation risk does not limit ungulate habitat use at the scales investigated and that responses to spatial sources of predation risk are complex, incorporating a variety of anti-predator behaviours. Moose resource selection was influenced less by snow conditions than cover type, particularly selection for dense forest, whereas deer showed the opposite pattern. Temporal and spatial scale

The infrared emission features in the spectrum of the Wolf-Rayet star WR 48a

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chiar, JE; Peeters, E; Tielens, A. G. G. M.

2002-01-01

We present the first detection of unidentified infrared (UIR) emission features at similar to6.4 and 7.9 mum in the spectrum of the dusty WC8 Wolf-Rayet star WR 48a. Based on the H-deficient nature of WC stars, we attribute the emission features to large carbonaceous molecules or amorphous carbon

Integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect in a quintessence cosmological model: Including anisotropic stress of dark energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y. T.; Xu, L. X.; Gui, Y. X.

2010-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect in the quintessence cold dark matter model with constant equation of state and constant speed of sound in dark energy rest frame, including dark energy perturbation and its anisotropic stress. Comparing with the ΛCDM model, we find that the integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW)-power spectrums are affected by different background evolutions and dark energy perturbation. As we change the speed of sound from 1 to 0 in the quintessence cold dark matter model with given state parameters, it is found that the inclusion of dark energy anisotropic stress makes the variation of magnitude of the ISW source uncertain due to the anticorrelation between the speed of sound and the ratio of dark energy density perturbation contrast to dark matter density perturbation contrast in the ISW-source term. Thus, the magnitude of the ISW-source term is governed by the competition between the alterant multiple of (1+3/2xc-circumflex s 2 ) and that of δ de /δ m with the variation of c-circumflex s 2 .

Rangelia vitalii in a free-ranging maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) and co-infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Silveira, Julia Angélica Gonçalves; D'Elia, Mirella Lauria; de Oliveira Avelar, Isabela; de Almeida, Lara Ribeiro; Dos Santos, Hudson Andrade; de Magalhães Soares, Danielle Ferreira; Ribeiro, Múcio Flávio Barbosa; Dos Santos Lima, Walter; Ecco, Roselene

2016-12-01

An adult free-ranged female maned wolf was rescued from a periurban area subject to anthropogenic disturbances in the Minas Gerais, Brazil. The animal presented poor body condition and anemia. The clinical condition rapidly deteriorated culminating in dead and a necropsy was performed. The main gross lesions were marked anemia and blood content in the intestines accompanied by many types of parasites. The protozoa Rangelia vitalii was identified by histopathological analysis predominantly within the cytoplasm of endothelial cells of capillaries of the small intestine. The lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, dermis, lungs and kidney had similar protozoal forms but with mild or moderate intensity. Rangelia vitalii was confirmed by molecular assays. Hepatozoon sp., Leishmania sp., and Entamoeba spp., apparently not related to the clinical signs were also detected. The myriad parasites found in the intestines included nematodes ( Ancylostoma caninum , A . braziliensis ,, Molineus sp., Pterygodermatites sp., and Trichuris sp.), cestodes ( Spirometra sp.) and (acanthocephalans. To our knowledge, R . vitalii was identified in C . brachyurus for the first time. These findings emphasize the fragility of Brazilian ecosystems, especially in disturbed areas, reinforcing the necessity of efforts to preserve these areas and wild carnivores, some of which are threatened with extinction, such as the maned wolf.

Rangelia vitalii in a free-ranging maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus and co-infections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia Angélica Gonçalves Silveira

2016-12-01

Full Text Available An adult free-ranged female maned wolf was rescued from a periurban area subject to anthropogenic disturbances in the Minas Gerais, Brazil. The animal presented poor body condition and anemia. The clinical condition rapidly deteriorated culminating in dead and a necropsy was performed. The main gross lesions were marked anemia and blood content in the intestines accompanied by many types of parasites. The protozoa Rangelia vitalii was identified by histopathological analysis predominantly within the cytoplasm of endothelial cells of capillaries of the small intestine. The lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, dermis, lungs and kidney had similar protozoal forms but with mild or moderate intensity. Rangelia vitalii was confirmed by molecular assays. Hepatozoon sp., Leishmania sp., and Entamoeba spp., apparently not related to the clinical signs were also detected. The myriad parasites found in the intestines included nematodes (Ancylostoma caninum, A. braziliensis,, Molineus sp., Pterygodermatites sp., and Trichuris sp., cestodes (Spirometra sp. and (acanthocephalans. To our knowledge, R. vitalii was identified in C. brachyurus for the first time. These findings emphasize the fragility of Brazilian ecosystems, especially in disturbed areas, reinforcing the necessity of efforts to preserve these areas and wild carnivores, some of which are threatened with extinction, such as the maned wolf.

Daily Peak Load Forecasting Based on Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise and Support Vector Machine Optimized by Modified Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuyu Dai

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Daily peak load forecasting is an important part of power load forecasting. The accuracy of its prediction has great influence on the formulation of power generation plan, power grid dispatching, power grid operation and power supply reliability of power system. Therefore, it is of great significance to construct a suitable model to realize the accurate prediction of the daily peak load. A novel daily peak load forecasting model, CEEMDAN-MGWO-SVM (Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise and Support Vector Machine Optimized by Modified Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm, is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the model uses the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN algorithm to decompose the daily peak load sequence into multiple sub sequences. Then, the model of modified grey wolf optimization and support vector machine (MGWO-SVM is adopted to forecast the sub sequences. Finally, the forecasting sequence is reconstructed and the forecasting result is obtained. Using CEEMDAN can realize noise reduction for non-stationary daily peak load sequence, which makes the daily peak load sequence more regular. The model adopts the grey wolf optimization algorithm improved by introducing the population dynamic evolution operator and the nonlinear convergence factor to enhance the global search ability and avoid falling into the local optimum, which can better optimize the parameters of the SVM algorithm for improving the forecasting accuracy of daily peak load. In this paper, three cases are used to test the forecasting accuracy of the CEEMDAN-MGWO-SVM model. We choose the models EEMD-MGWO-SVM (Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition and Support Vector Machine Optimized by Modified Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm, MGWO-SVM (Support Vector Machine Optimized by Modified Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm, GWO-SVM (Support Vector Machine Optimized by Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm, SVM (Support Vector

Bursting star formation and the overabundance of Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodigfee, G.; Deloore, C.

1985-01-01

The ratio of the number of WR-stars to their OB progenitors appears to be significantly higher in some extragalactic systems than in our Galaxy. This overabundance of Wolf-Rayet-stars can be explained as a consequence of a recent burst of star formation. It is suggested that this burst is the manifestation of a long period nonlinear oscillation in the star formation process, produced by positive feedback effects between young stars and the interstellar medium. Star burst galaxies with large numbers of WR-stars must generate gamma fluxes but due to the distance, all of them are beyond the reach of present-day detectors, except probably 30 Dor

The first detection on Wolf-Rayet stars in M31

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shara, M.M.; Moffat, A.F.J.

1982-01-01

A search to continuum magnitude B approximately equal to 21.5 (Msub(B) approximately equal to -3) using a narrow band filter at lambda4670A and a wide B-band filter has revealed 21 Wolf-Rayet star candidates in about half the giant Sb galaxy M31. Some weak-line WR stars, particularly WN subtypes, may have escaped detection. These numbers are compatible with the total number of luminous (i.e. massive) stars in M31. Eighteen of twenty confirmed candidate stars in M31 lie in the direction of OB associations in the ring of prominent star formation 5-16 kpc from the center. (Auth.)

Is climate change affecting wolf populations in the high Arctic?

Science.gov (United States)

Mech, L.D.

2004-01-01

Gobal climate change may affect wolves in Canada's High Arctic (80?? N) acting through three trophic levels (vegetation, herbivores, and wolves). A wolf pack dependent on muskoxen and arctic hares in the Eureka area of Ellesmere Island denned and produced pups most years from at least 1986 through 1997. However, when summer snow covered vegetation in 1997 and 2000 for the first time since records were kept, halving the herbivore nutrition-replenishment period, muskox and hare numbers dropped drastically, and the area stopped supporting denning wolves through 2003. The unusual weather triggering these events was consistent with global-climate-change phenomena. ?? 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Gastrinoma and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome in canids: a literature review and a case in a Mexican gray wolf.

Science.gov (United States)

Struthers, Jason D; Robl, Nick; Wong, Valerie M; Kiupel, Matti

2018-06-01

Gastrinoma, an infrequent diagnosis in middle-aged dogs, occurs with nonspecific gastrointestinal morbidity. Laboratory tests can yield a presumptive diagnosis, but definitive diagnosis depends on histopathology and immunohistochemistry. We describe a malignant pancreatic gastrinoma with lymph node metastases and corresponding Zollinger-Ellison syndrome in a Mexican gray wolf ( Canis lupus baileyi) and review this endocrine neoplasm in domestic dogs. A 12-y-old, captive, male Mexican gray wolf developed inappetence and weight loss. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a thickened duodenum and peritoneal effusion. Two duodenal perforations were noted on exploratory celiotomy and were repaired. Persisting clinical signs led to a second celiotomy that revealed a mesenteric mass, which was diagnosed histologically as a neuroendocrine carcinoma. During the following 16 mo, the wolf received a combination of H 2 -receptor antagonists, proton-pump inhibitors, gastroprotectants, and anti-emetics, but had recurrent episodes of anorexia, nausea, acid reflux, and remained underweight. Worsening clinical signs and weakness prompted euthanasia. The antemortem serum gastrin concentration of 414 ng/L (reference interval: 10-40 ng/L) corroborated hypergastrinemia. Autopsy revealed a mass expanding the right pancreatic limb; 3 parapancreatic mesenteric masses; duodenal ulcers; focal duodenal perforation with septic fibrinosuppurative peritonitis; chronic-active ulcerative esophagitis; and poor body condition. The pancreatic mass was diagnosed histologically as a neuroendocrine carcinoma and the parapancreatic masses as lymph node metastases. Immunohistochemistry of the pancreatic mass was positive for gastrin and negative for glucagon, insulin, pancreatic polypeptide, serotonin, somatostatin, and vasoactive intestinal peptide.

The Search for Wolf-Rayet Stars in IC10

Science.gov (United States)

Tehrani, Katie; Crowther, Paul; Archer, Isabelle

2017-11-01

We present a deep imaging and spectroscopic survey of the Local Group starburst galaxy IC10 using Gemini North/GMOS to unveil the global Wolf-Rayet population. It has previously been suggested that for IC10 to follow the WC/WN versus metallicity dependence seen in other Local Group galaxies, a large WN population must remain undiscovered. Our search revealed 3 new WN stars, and 5 candidates awaiting confirmation, providing little evidence to support this claim. We also compute an updated nebular derived metallicity of log(O/H)+12=8.40 +/- 0.04 for the galaxy using the direct method. Inspection of IC10 WR average line luminosities show these stars are more similar to their LMC, rather than SMC counterparts.

Identification of two new races of Diplocarpon rosae Wolf, the causal agent of rose black spot disease

Science.gov (United States)

The fungal pathogen, Diplocarpon rosae Wolf, infects only roses (Rosa spp.) and leads to rose black spot disease. Rose black spot is the most problematic disease of outdoor grown roses worldwide, due to the potential for rapid leaf yellowing and defoliation. Plants repeatedly defoliated from black ...

Effects of hunger level and nutrient balance on survival and acetylcholinesterase activity of dimethoate exposed wolf spiders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Lars-Flemming; Dall, Lars G.; Sorensen, Bo C.

2002-01-01

The influence of two nutritional factors (food quantity and quality) on the responses of a wolf spider, Pardosa prativaga (L.K.), to a high dose of the insecticide dimethoate, was investigated in a fully factorial experimental design. Spider groups with different (good and bad) nutrient balance w...

Seizure and EEG patterns in Wolf-Hirschhorn (4p-) syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Battaglia, Agatino; Carey, John C

2005-08-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a well-characterized chromosomal disorder that occurs due to partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4 (4p-). Although, about 300 cases have been reported to date, limited data are available on electroclinical findings. Information given to parents at the time of diagnosis tends to be skewed to the extreme negative. To delineate the natural history of seizures and EEG patterns in WHS, and obtain better information on diagnosis or outcome in a clinical setting, we reviewed the available literature on electroclinical findings of WHS. 4p- syndrome is characterized by distinctive seizure and EEG patterns that facilitate the early diagnosis and management of such patients.

Discovery of a new Wolf-Rayet star and its ring nebula in Cygnus

Science.gov (United States)

Gvaramadze, V. V.; Fabrika, S.; Hamann, W.-R.; Sholukhova, O.; Valeev, A. F.; Goranskij, V. P.; Cherepashchuk, A. M.; Bomans, D. J.; Oskinova, L. M.

2009-11-01

We report the serendipitous discovery of a ring nebula around a candidate Wolf-Rayet (WR) star, HBHA4202-22, in Cygnus using the Spitzer Space Telescope archival data. Our spectroscopic follow-up observations confirmed the WR nature of this star (we named it WR138a) and showed that it belongs to the WN8-9h subtype. We thereby add a new example to the known sample of late WN stars with circumstellar nebulae. We analysed the spectrum of WR138a by using the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmospheres, obtaining a stellar temperature of 40kK. The stellar wind composition is dominated by helium with 20 per cent of hydrogen. The stellar spectrum is highly reddened and absorbed (EB- V = 2.4mag, AV = 7.4mag). Adopting a stellar luminosity of logL/Lsolar = 5.3, the star has a mass-loss rate of 10-4.7Msolaryr-1, and resides in a distance of 4.2 kpc. We measured the proper motion for WR138a and found that it is a runaway star with a peculiar velocity of ~=50kms-1. Implications of the runaway nature of WR138a for constraining the mass of its progenitor star and understanding the origin of its ring nebula are discussed.

Developing metapopulation connectivity criteria from genetic and habitat data to recover the endangered Mexican wolf.

Science.gov (United States)

Carroll, Carlos; Fredrickson, Richard J; Lacy, Robert C

2014-02-01

Restoring connectivity between fragmented populations is an important tool for alleviating genetic threats to endangered species. Yet recovery plans typically lack quantitative criteria for ensuring such population connectivity. We demonstrate how models that integrate habitat, genetic, and demographic data can be used to develop connectivity criteria for the endangered Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi), which is currently being restored to the wild from a captive population descended from 7 founders. We used population viability analysis that incorporated pedigree data to evaluate the relation between connectivity and persistence for a restored Mexican wolf metapopulation of 3 populations of equal size. Decreasing dispersal rates greatly increased extinction risk for small populations (0.5 genetically effective migrants per generation may be achievable via natural dispersal under current landscape conditions. When sufficient data are available, these methods allow planners to move beyond general aspirational connectivity goals or rules of thumb to develop objective and measurable connectivity criteria that more effectively support species recovery. The shift from simple connectivity rules of thumb to species-specific analyses parallels the previous shift from general minimum-viable-population thresholds to detailed viability modeling in endangered species recovery planning. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Task Specificity and the Influence of Memory on Visual Search: Comment on Vo and Wolfe (2012)

Science.gov (United States)

Hollingworth, Andrew

2012-01-01

Recent results from Vo and Wolfe (2012b) suggest that the application of memory to visual search may be task specific: Previous experience searching for an object facilitated later search for that object, but object information acquired during a different task did not appear to transfer to search. The latter inference depended on evidence that a…

Stable Isotope (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) Analysis and Satellite Telemetry Depict the Complexity of Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) Diets in Southwest Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Stanek, A.; Watts, D. E.; Cohn, B. R.; Spencer, P.; Mangipane, B.; Welker, J. M.

2010-12-01

Throughout Alaska, gray wolves (Canis lupus) are a top predator of large ungulates. While they primarily rely on ungulates such as moose (Alces alces) and caribou (Rangifer tarandus) as food, they are opportunistic and use alternative resources. The variation and supplemental protein sources in wolf diet has not been studied extensively on live animals currently using the landscape. With large seasonal influxes of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus sp.) into Alaska, terrestrial carnivore use of marine species is of particular interest. Using stable isotope (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) analysis of wolf guard hair and blood, this study aims to determine the proportion of marine derived nutrients (MDN) in the diet of wolf packs within and surrounding Lake Clark National Park and Preserve and Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuges in Southwest Alaska. Satellite telemetry from the animals sampled facilitates quantification of landscape use patterns in correspondence with isotopic traits. Wolf pack territories within and surrounding the Lake Clark region appear to vary in spatial extent and in availability of MDN, such as salmon. Initial analysis shows that two packs with smaller home ranges, centrally located around areas with greater salmon availability, have enriched δ15N values compared to packs that have larger home ranges not centralized around salmon spawning waters. This pattern of isotopic enrichment is found in red blood cells, blood serum and hair, representing diets over different time scales. The enrichment in both blood and hair indicates a sustained use of MDN over the previous six to nine months. In the Lake Clark region, simple mixing model estimates suggest that up to 30% of wolf pack diets may be from marine sources. In contrast, packs with larger home ranges and less access to salmon have stable isotope values representative of a terrestrial diet.

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Wolf Creek Generating Staton, Unit No. 1, (Docket No. STN 50-482). Supplement No. 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-12-01

Supplement No. 4 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of the Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit No. 1 updates the information contained in the Safety Evaluation Report, dated April 1982 and Supplements 1, 2, and 3, dated August 1982, June 1983 and August, 1983, respectively. Supplement No. 4 addresses open issues, confirmatory items and addresses Board Notifications. The Safety Evaluation and its supplements pertain to the application for a license to operate the Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit No. 1 filed by Kansas Gas and Electric Company on February 19, 1980. The Construction Permit No. CPPR-147 was issued on May 17, 1977

The first wolf found in the Netherlands in 150 years was the victim of a wildlife crime

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gravendeel, B.; Groot, de G.A.; Kik, M.; Beentjes, K.; Bergman, H.; Caniglia, R.; Cremers, H.; Fabbri, E.; Groenenberg, D.; Grone, A.; Groot Bruinderink, G.W.T.A.; Font, I.; Hakhof, J.; Harms, V.; Jansman, H.A.H.; Janssen, R.; Lammertsma, D.R.; Laros, I.; Linnartz, L.; Marel, van der D.; Mulder, J.L.; Mije, van der S.; Nieman, A.M.; Nowak, C.; Randi, E.; Rijks, M.; Speksnijder, A.; Vonhof, H.B.

2013-01-01

On July 4th 2013 a dead subadult female wolf-like canid was found by the roadside between Luttelgeest and Marknesse in the Noordoostpolder in the central part of the Netherlands. As the last observations of wild wolves in the Netherlands date back to 1869 the discovery of this animal generated a lot

The Changing View of Abortion: A Study of Friedrich Wolf's Cyankali and Arnold Zweig's Junge Frau von 1914

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabine Schroeder-Krassnow

1979-08-01

Full Text Available With the end of the nineteenth century, women start becoming more independent, demanding more rights, making a place for themselves in society. The docile woman who is seduced by the socially higher male and in desperation commits infanticide begins to fade from literature. At the same time a new woman with a fresh vitality emerges and deals with the old problem of pregnancy and abortion. Two works which treat this type of woman are examined and the parallels as well as the differences between the portrayal are established. Although the heroines in Wolf's play and Zweig's novel come from different social backgrounds, they encounter almost identical problems in trying to have an abortion. Zweig's novel is more detailed in its account of the abortion than the play, and although it was written only two years after Wolf's play, Zweig takes the problem of the modern woman a big step further by not letting his heroine die as a result of the abortion.

The relationship between food intake and predation risk in migratory caribou and implications to caribou and wolf population dynamics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas C. Heard

1996-01-01

Full Text Available We examined the hypothesis that spring migration in barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus enhances access to high quality food, reduces predation risks or both. We related our findings to the hypothesis that one of the consequences of migration is that prey populations cannot be regulated by predation because predators are unable to respond numerically to changes in abundance of migratory prey. In the Northwest Territories, migration to calving grounds by pregnant cows reduced the risk of predation on neonates. Wolf (Canis lupus densities on calving grounds averaged only 22% of winter range densities because most wolves denned near tree line. The quality and quantity of food that was available to cows that migrated to calving grounds was lower than for bulls and other caribou that lagged far behind the pregnant cows during spring migration. Fecal nitrogen levels were higher in bulls than in cows in late May and early June but there were no differences in mid or late June. Areas occupied by bulls in late May had a greater biomass of live sedges than on the calving ground in early June. It appears that although food in July is abundant and nutritious, insect harassment prevents efficient feeding. Body fat reserves in both sexes declined to almost zero by mid-July, the lowest level of the year. Insect numbers declined in August and body fat levels increased to the highest level of the year by early September. Because the timing of caribou's return to the hunting ranges of tree line denning wolves was related to caribou density, our data were inconsistent with the suggested consequence of migration. Tree line denning by wolves and density-dependent changes in caribou migration suggests a mechanism for population regulation in caribou and wolves. We suggest that the process is as follows; when caribou numbers increase, some density-dependent factor causes range expansion in August (e.g., competition for food causing caribou to return earlier to

Integrating immunomarking with ecological and behavioural approaches to assess predation of Helicoverpa spp. larvae by wolf spiders in cotton

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae) are abundant soil-dwelling predators found in cotton fields and can contribute important pest management services. These spiders can kill and consume larvae of the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) that survive foraging on Bt cotton and desce...

Discovery of a New Wolf-Rayet Star Using SAGE-LMC

Science.gov (United States)

Gvaramadze, V. V.; Chené, A.-N.; Kniazev, A. Y.; Schnurr, O.

2012-12-01

We report the first-ever discovery of an extragalactic Wolf-Rayet (WR) star with Spitzer. A new WR star in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) was revealed via detection of its circumstellar shell using 24 μm images obtained in the framework of the Spitzer Survey of the Large Magellanic Cloud (SAGE-LMC). Subsequent spectroscopic observations with the Gemini South resolved the central star in two components, one of which is a WN3b+abs star, while the second one is a B0 V star. We consider the lopsided brightness distribution over the circumstellar shell as an indication that the WR star is a runaway and use this interpretation to identify a possible parent cluster of the star.

75 FR 65574 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reinstatement of Protections for the Gray Wolf in...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-26

... courses: (A) If the animal was not involved in conflicts with humans and is determined likely to be an... an experimental wolf and was involved in conflicts with humans as identified in the management plan... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 [Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2010...

78 FR 35663 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-13

... legs that are well adapted to running, allowing them to move fast and travel far in search of food... area of unsuitable habitat. Wolf populations are remarkably resilient as long as food supply (a... populations are maintained below carrying capacity and natural mortality rates and self-regulation of the...

76 FR 81665 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revising the Listing of the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-28

... Wolf (Canis lupus) in the Western Great Lakes; Final rule #0;#0;Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 249... (Canis lupus) in the Western Great Lakes AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Final rule... Minnesota population of gray wolves (Canis lupus) to conform to current statutory and policy requirements...

Mathematical models and algorithms for the computer program 'WOLF'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halbach, K.

1975-12-01

The computer program FLOW finds the nonrelativistic self- consistent set of two-dimensional ion trajectories and electric fields (including space charges from ions and electrons) for a given set of initial and boundary conditions for the particles and fields. The combination of FLOW with the optimization code PISA gives the program WOLF, which finds the shape of the emitter which is consistent with the plasma forming it, and in addition varies physical characteristics such as electrode position, shapes, and potentials so that some performance characteristics are optimized. The motivation for developing these programs was the desire to design optimum ion source extractor/accelerator systems in a systematic fashion. The purpose of this report is to explain and derive the mathematical models and algorithms which approximate the real physical processes. It serves primarily to document the computer programs. 10 figures

The Wolf-Rayet eclipsing binary HD 5980 in the Small Magellanic Cloud

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breysacher, J.; Moffat, A.F.J.

1982-01-01

The Wolf-Rayet star HD 5980, which is probably associated with the bright HII region NGC 346 of the Small Magellanic Cloud, was found to be an eclipsing binary by Hoffmann, Stift and Moffat (1978). Breysacher and Perrier (1980) determined the orbital period, P=19.26 +- 0.003d, of the system whose light curve reveals a strongly eccentric orbit (e=0.47 for i=80 0 ). The behaviour of the light curve outside the eclipses shows that one is dealing with a rather complex binary system. An analysis of the spectroscopic data is presented here. (Auth.)

A study of the genetic relationships within and among wolf packs using DNA fingerprinting and mitochondrial DNA

Science.gov (United States)

Lehman, Niles; Clarkson, Peter; Mech, L. David; Meier, Thomas J.; Wayne, Robert K.

1992-01-01

DNA fingerprinting and mitochondrial DNA analyses have not been used in combination to study relatedness in natural populations. We present an approach that involves defining the mean fingerprint similarities among individuals thought to be unrelated because they have different mtDNA genotypes. Two classes of related individuals are identified by their distance in standard errors above this mean value. The number of standard errors is determined by analysis of the association between fingerprint similarity and relatedness in a population with a known genealogy. We apply this approach to gray wolf packs from Minnesota, Alaska, and the Northwest Territories. Our results show that: (1) wolf packs consist primarily of individuals that are closely related genetically, but some packs contain unrelated, non-reproducing individuals; (2) dispersal among packs within the same area is common; and (3) short-range dispersal appears more common for female than male wolves. The first two of these genetically-based observations are consistent with behavioral data on pack structure and dispersal in wolves, while the apparent sex bias in dispersal was not expected.

Near-Infrared Keck Interferometer and IOTA Closure Phase Observations of Wolf-Rayet stars

Science.gov (United States)

Rajagopal, J.; Wallace, D.; Barry, R.; Richardson, L. J.; Traub, W.; Danchi, W. C.

We present first results from observations of a small sample of IR-bright Wolf-Rayet stars with the Keck Interferometer in the near-infrared, and with the IONIC beam three-telescope beam combiner at the Infrared and Optical Telescope Array (IOTA) observatory. The former results were obtained as part of shared-risk observations in commissioning the Keck Interferometer and form a subset of a high-resolution study of dust around Wolf-Rayet stars using multiple interferometers in progress in our group. The latter results are the first closure phase observations of these stars in the near-infrared in a separated telescope interferometer. Earlier aperture-masking observations with the Keck-I telescope provide strong evidence that dust-formation in late-type WC stars are a result of wind-wind collision in short-period binaries.Our program with the Keck interferometer seeks to further examine this paradigm at much higher resolution. We have spatially resolved the binary in the prototypical dusty WC type star WR 140. WR 137, another episodic dust-producing star, has been partially resolved for the first time, providing the first direct clue to its possible binary nature.We also include WN stars in our sample to investigate circumstellar dust in this other main sub-type of WRs. We have been unable to resolve any of these, indicating a lack of extended dust.Complementary observations using the MIDI instrument on the VLTI in the mid-infrared are presented in another contribution to this workshop.

Use of linkage mapping and centrality analysis across habitat gradients to conserve connectivity of gray wolf populations in western North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Carroll, Carlos; McRae, Brad H; Brookes, Allen

2012-02-01

Centrality metrics evaluate paths between all possible pairwise combinations of sites on a landscape to rank the contribution of each site to facilitating ecological flows across the network of sites. Computational advances now allow application of centrality metrics to landscapes represented as continuous gradients of habitat quality. This avoids the binary classification of landscapes into patch and matrix required by patch-based graph analyses of connectivity. It also avoids the focus on delineating paths between individual pairs of core areas characteristic of most corridor- or linkage-mapping methods of connectivity analysis. Conservation of regional habitat connectivity has the potential to facilitate recovery of the gray wolf (Canis lupus), a species currently recolonizing portions of its historic range in the western United States. We applied 3 contrasting linkage-mapping methods (shortest path, current flow, and minimum-cost-maximum-flow) to spatial data representing wolf habitat to analyze connectivity between wolf populations in central Idaho and Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming). We then applied 3 analogous betweenness centrality metrics to analyze connectivity of wolf habitat throughout the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada to determine where it might be possible to facilitate range expansion and interpopulation dispersal. We developed software to facilitate application of centrality metrics. Shortest-path betweenness centrality identified a minimal network of linkages analogous to those identified by least-cost-path corridor mapping. Current flow and minimum-cost-maximum-flow betweenness centrality identified diffuse networks that included alternative linkages, which will allow greater flexibility in planning. Minimum-cost-maximum-flow betweenness centrality, by integrating both land cost and habitat capacity, allows connectivity to be considered within planning processes that seek to maximize species protection at minimum cost

A New Hybrid Whale Optimizer Algorithm with Mean Strategy of Grey Wolf Optimizer for Global Optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Narinder Singh

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The quest for an efficient nature-inspired optimization technique has continued over the last few decades. In this paper, a hybrid nature-inspired optimization technique has been proposed. The hybrid algorithm has been constructed using Mean Grey Wolf Optimizer (MGWO and Whale Optimizer Algorithm (WOA. We have utilized the spiral equation of Whale Optimizer Algorithm for two procedures in the Hybrid Approach GWO (HAGWO algorithm: (i firstly, we used the spiral equation in Grey Wolf Optimizer algorithm for balance between the exploitation and the exploration process in the new hybrid approach; and (ii secondly, we also applied this equation in the whole population in order to refrain from the premature convergence and trapping in local minima. The feasibility and effectiveness of the hybrid algorithm have been tested by solving some standard benchmarks, XOR, Baloon, Iris, Breast Cancer, Welded Beam Design, Pressure Vessel Design problems and comparing the results with those obtained through other metaheuristics. The solutions prove that the newly existing hybrid variant has higher stronger stability, faster convergence rate and computational accuracy than other nature-inspired metaheuristics on the maximum number of problems and can successfully resolve the function of constrained nonlinear optimization in reality.

Wolf pack hunting strategy for automatic generation control of an islanding smart distribution network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xi, Lei; Zhang, Zeyu; Yang, Bo; Huang, Linni; Yu, Tao

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A mixed homogeneous and heterogeneous multi-agent based wolf pack hunting (WPH) method is proposed. • WPH can effectively handle the ever-increasing penetration of renewable energy in smart grid. • An AGC power dispatch, coordinated control, and electric power autonomy of an ISDN is achieved. - Abstract: As the conventional centralized automatic generation control (AGC) is inadequate to handle the ever-increasing penetration of renewable energy and the requirement of plug-and-play of smart grid, this paper proposes a mixed homogeneous and heterogeneous multi-agent based wolf pack hunting (WPH) strategy to achieve a fast AGC power dispatch, optimal coordinated control, and electric power autonomy of an islanding smart distribution network (ISDN). A virtual consensus variable is employed to deal with the topology variation resulted from the excess of power limits and to achieve the plug-and-play of AGC units. Then an integrated objective of frequency deviation and short-term economic dispatch is developed, such that all units can maintain an optimal operation in the presence of load disturbances. Four case studies are undertaken to an ISDN with various distributed generations and microgrids. Simulation results demonstrate that WPH has a greater robustness and a faster dynamic optimization than that of conventional approaches, which can increase the utilization rate of the renewable energy and effectively resolve the coordination and electric power autonomy of ISDN.

A new Wolf-Rayet star and its circumstellar nebula in Aquila

Science.gov (United States)

Gvaramadze, V. V.; Kniazev, A. Y.; Hamann, W.-R.; Berdnikov, L. N.; Fabrika, S.; Valeev, A. F.

2010-04-01

We report the discovery of a new Wolf-Rayet star in Aquila via detection of its circumstellar nebula (reminiscent of ring nebulae associated with late WN stars) using the Spitzer Space Telescope archival data. Our spectroscopic follow-up of the central point source associated with the nebula showed that it is a WN7h star (we named it WR121b). We analysed the spectrum of WR121b by using the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet model atmospheres, obtaining a stellar temperature of ~=50kK. The stellar wind composition is dominated by helium with ~20 per cent of hydrogen. The stellar spectrum is highly reddened [E(B - V) = 2.85mag]. Adopting an absolute magnitude of Mv = -5.7, the star has a luminosity of logL/Lsolar = 5.75 and a mass-loss rate of 10-4.7Msolaryr-1, and resides at a distance of 6.3kpc. We searched for a possible parent cluster of WR121b and found that this star is located at ~=1° from the young star cluster embedded in the giant HII region W43 (containing a WN7+a/OB? star - WR121a). We also discovered a bow shock around the O9.5III star ALS9956, located at from the cluster. We discuss the possibility that WR121b and ALS9956 are runaway stars ejected from the cluster in W43. Based on observations collected at the German-Spanish Astronomical Center, Calar Alto, jointly operated by the Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie Heidelberg and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC). E-mail: vgvaram@mx.iki.rssi.ru (VVG); akniazev@saao.ac.za (AYK); wrh@astro.physik.uni-potsdam.de (WRH); berdnik@sai.msu.ru (LNB); fabrika@sao.ru (SF); azamat@sao.ru (AFV)

Widening the clinical spectrum of Pitt-Rogers-Danks/Wolf-Hirschhorn syndromes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana F. Mazzeu

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Chromosomal rearrangements involving partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4 and partial duplication of the short arm of chromosome 8 have been described both in Pitt-Rogers-Danks syndrome (PRDS and Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS, the former being considered a milder phenotype of the latter. We describe a patient with partial deletion of chromosome 4 and partial duplication of chromosome 8 documented by array-comparative genomic hybridization (Array-CGH. In addition to the typical features of PRDS, the patient exhibited some clinical signs (genital hypoplasia, radioulnar synostosis and mesomelic limb shortness infrequently, or never previously, reported in PRDS. These findings broaden the spectrum of anomalies generally associated with these syndromes.

Spatial genetic analyses reveal cryptic population structure and migration patterns in a continuously harvested grey wolf (Canis lupus population in north-eastern Europe.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maris Hindrikson

Full Text Available Spatial genetics is a relatively new field in wildlife and conservation biology that is becoming an essential tool for unravelling the complexities of animal population processes, and for designing effective strategies for conservation and management. Conceptual and methodological developments in this field are therefore critical. Here we present two novel methodological approaches that further the analytical possibilities of STRUCTURE and DResD. Using these approaches we analyse structure and migrations in a grey wolf (Canislupus population in north-eastern Europe. We genotyped 16 microsatellite loci in 166 individuals sampled from the wolf population in Estonia and Latvia that has been under strong and continuous hunting pressure for decades. Our analysis demonstrated that this relatively small wolf population is represented by four genetic groups. We also used a novel methodological approach that uses linear interpolation to statistically test the spatial separation of genetic groups. The new method, which is capable of using program STRUCTURE output, can be applied widely in population genetics to reveal both core areas and areas of low significance for genetic groups. We also used a recently developed spatially explicit individual-based method DResD, and applied it for the first time to microsatellite data, revealing a migration corridor and barriers, and several contact zones.

Unusual 4p16.3 deletions suggest an additional chromosome region for the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome-associated seizures disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zollino, M.; Orteschi, D.; Ruiter, M.; Pfundt, R.P.; Steindl, K.; Cafiero, C.; Ricciardi, S.; Contaldo, I.; Chieffo, D.; Ranalli, D.; Acquafondata, C.; Murdolo, M.; Marangi, G.; Asaro, A.; Battaglia, D.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Seizure disorder is one of the most relevant clinical manifestations in Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) and it acts as independent prognostic factor for the severity of intellectual disability (ID). LETM1, encoding a mitochondrial protein playing a role in K(+) /H(+) exchange and in Ca(2+)

Survival of adult female elk in yellowstone following wolf restoration

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, S.B.; Mech, L.D.; White, P.J.; Sargeant, G.A.

2006-01-01

Counts of northern Yellowstone elk (Cervus elaphus) in northwestern Wyoming and adjacent Montana, USA, have decreased at an average rate of 6-8% per year since wolves (Canis lupus) were reintroduced in 1995. Population growth rates of elk are typically sensitive to variations in adult female survival; populations that are stable or increasing exhibit high adult female survival. We used survival records for 85 radiocollared adult female elk 1-19 years old to estimate annual survival from March 2000 to February 2004. Weighted average annual survival rates were approximately 0.83 (95% CI = 0.77-0.89) for females 1-15 years old and 0.80 (95% CI = 0.73-0.86) for all females. Our estimates were much lower than the rate of 0.99 observed during 1969-1975 when fewer elk were harvested by hunters, wolves were not present, and other predators were less numerous. Of 33 documented deaths included in our analysis, we attributed 11 to hunter harvest, 14 to predation (10 wolf, 2 unknown, 1 cougar [Puma concolor], and 1 bear [Ursus sp.]), 6 to unknown causes, and 2 to winter-kill. Most deaths occurred from December through March. Estimates of cause-specific annual mortality rates were 0.09 (0.05-0.14) for all predators, 0.08 (0.04-0.13) for hunting, and 0.07 (0.03-0.11) for wolves specifically. Wolf-killed elk were typically older (median = 12 yr) than hunter-killed elk (median = 9 yr, P = 0.03). However, elk that winter outside the park where they were exposed to hunting were also younger (median = 7 yr) than elk that we did not observe outside the park (median = 9 yr, P wolves and hunters may reflect characteristics of elk exposed to various causes of mortality, as well as differences in susceptibility. Unless survival rates of adult females increase, elk numbers are likely to continue declining. Hunter harvest is the only cause of mortality that is amenable to management at the present time.

Spectrophotometry of Wolf-Rayet stars - Intrinsic colors and absolute magnitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Torres-Dodgen, Ana V.; Massey, Philip

1988-01-01

Absolute spectrophotometry of about 10-A resolution in the range 3400-7300 A have been obtained for southern Wolf-Rayet stars, and line-free magnitudes and colors have been constructed. The emission-line contamination in the narrow-band ubvr systems of Westerlund (1966) and Smith (1968) is shown to be small for most WN stars, but to be quite significant for WC stars. It is suggested that the more severe differences in intrinsic color from star to star of the same spectral subtype noted at shorter wavelengths are due to differences in atmospheric extent. True continuum absolute visual magnitudes and intrinsic colors are obtained for the LMC WR stars. The most visually luminous WN6-WN7 stars are found to be located in the core of the 30 Doradus region.

Hepatic Malignancy in an Infant with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Rutter, Sara; Morotti, Raffaella A; Peterec, Steven; Gallagher, Patrick G

2017-06-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a contiguous gene syndrome involving deletions of the chromosome 4p16 region associated with growth failure, characteristic craniofacial abnormalities, cardiac defects, and seizures. This report describes a six-month-old girl with WHS with growth failure and typical craniofacial features who died of complex congenital heart disease. Genetic studies revealed a 9.8 Mb chromosome 4p-terminal deletion. At autopsy, the liver was grossly unremarkable. Routine sampling and histologic examination revealed two hepatocellular nodular lesions with expanded cell plates and mild cytologic atypia. Immunohistochemical staining revealed these nodules were positive for glutamine synthetase and glypican 3, with increased Ki-67 signaling and diffuse CD34 expression in sinusoidal endothelium. These findings are consistent with hepatoblastoma or hepatocellular carcinoma. A possible association between WHS and hepatic malignancy may be an important consideration in the care and management of WHS patients.

Diagnosis and fine localization of deletion region in Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Tao-Yun; Chia, David; Wang, Jing-Min; Wu, Ye; Li, Jie; Xiao, Jing; Jiang, Yu-Wu

2010-07-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) results from the partial deletion of 4p. This study aimed to identify and fine map the chromosome deletion regions of Chinese children with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome among the developmental delay/mental retardation (DD/MR) patients. We analyzed the relationship of phenotype and genotype. Inclusion criteria were: moderate to severe DD/MR, no definite perinatal brain injury, and no trauma, toxication, hypoxia, infection of central nervous system; routine karyotyping was normal, no evidence of typical inherited metabolic disorder or specific neurodegenerative disorders from cranial neuro-imaging and blood/urinary metabolic diseases screening; no mutation of FMR1 in male patients, no typical clinical manifestation of Rett syndrome in female patients. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) and Affymetrix genome-wide human SNP array 6.0 assays were applied to accurately define the exact size of subtelomeric aberration region of four WHS patients. All four WHS patients presented with severe DD, hypotonia and microcephaly, failure to thrive, 3/4 patients with typical facial features and seizures, 2/4 patients with congenital heart defects and cleft lip/palate, 1/4 patients with other malformations. The length of the deletions ranged from 3.3 Mb to 9.8 Mb. Two of four patients had "classic" WHS, 1/4 patients had "mild"-to-"classic" WHS, and 1/4 patients had "mild" WHS. WHS patients in China appear to be consistent with those previously reported. The prevalence of signs and symptoms, distribution of cases between "mild" and "classic" WHS, and the correlation between length of deletion and severity of disease of these patients were all similar to those of the patients from other populations.

A new nonlinear conjugate gradient coefficient under strong Wolfe-Powell line search

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, Nur Syarafina; Mamat, Mustafa; Rivaie, Mohd

2017-08-01

A nonlinear conjugate gradient method (CG) plays an important role in solving a large-scale unconstrained optimization problem. This method is widely used due to its simplicity. The method is known to possess sufficient descend condition and global convergence properties. In this paper, a new nonlinear of CG coefficient βk is presented by employing the Strong Wolfe-Powell inexact line search. The new βk performance is tested based on number of iterations and central processing unit (CPU) time by using MATLAB software with Intel Core i7-3470 CPU processor. Numerical experimental results show that the new βk converge rapidly compared to other classical CG method.

A new family of Polak-Ribiere-Polyak conjugate gradient method with the strong-Wolfe line search

Science.gov (United States)

Ghani, Nur Hamizah Abdul; Mamat, Mustafa; Rivaie, Mohd

2017-08-01

Conjugate gradient (CG) method is an important technique in unconstrained optimization, due to its effectiveness and low memory requirements. The focus of this paper is to introduce a new CG method for solving large scale unconstrained optimization. Theoretical proofs show that the new method fulfills sufficient descent condition if strong Wolfe-Powell inexact line search is used. Besides, computational results show that our proposed method outperforms to other existing CG methods.

Is the Red Wolf a Listable Unit Under the US Endangered Species Act?

Science.gov (United States)

Waples, Robin S; Kays, Roland; Fredrickson, Richard J; Pacifici, Krishna; Mills, L Scott

2018-06-08

Defining units that can be afforded legal protection is a crucial, albeit challenging, step in conservation planning. As we illustrate with a case study of the red wolf (Canis rufus) from the southeastern United States, this step is especially complex when the evolutionary history of the focal taxon is uncertain. The US Endangered Species Act (ESA) allows listing of species, subspecies, or Distinct Population Segments (DPSs) of vertebrates. Red wolves were listed as an endangered species in 1973, and their status remains precarious. However, some recent genetic studies suggest that red wolves are part of a small wolf species (C. lycaon) specialized for heavily forested habitats of eastern North America, whereas other authors suggest that red wolves arose, perhaps within the last ~400 years, through hybridization between gray wolves (C. lupus) and coyotes (C. latrans). Using published genetic, morphological, behavioral, and ecological data, we evaluated whether each evolutionary hypothesis would lead to a listable unit for red wolves. Although the potential hybrid origin of red wolves, combined with abundant evidence for recent hybridization with coyotes, raises questions about status as a separate species or subspecies, we conclude that under any proposed evolutionary scenario red wolves meet both criteria to be considered a DPS: they are discrete compared with other conspecific populations, and they are Significant to the taxon to which they belong. As population-level units can qualify for legal protection under endangered-species legislation in many countries throughout the world, this general approach could potentially be applied more broadly.

Growth profiles of 34 patients with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimojima, Keiko; Yamamoto, Toshiyuki

2012-03-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) encompasses multiple congenital anomalies and mental retardation and is caused by partial deletions in the short arm of chromosome 4. Prenatal-onset growth deficiency is one of the WHS characteristics. Assessing and recording growth profiles of patients with WHS were the aims of this study. Anonymous questionnaire surveys were conducted with cooperation of a WHS peer-support group in Japan, and data from 34 WHS patients (12 males and 22 females; age, 1-23 years) were retrospectively collected. Height, weight, and head circumference (occipitofrontal head circumference) were measured and plotted on the standard growth charts of healthy Japanese children. Results indicated that most WHS patients showed growth retardation under the 3rd percentile since the first year of life and extremely poor body-weight gain after pubertal age. These findings are characteristic of WHS patients. The assessed growth patterns in this study could help monitoring and documentation of growth of WHS patients.

Recombinant Chromosome 4 from a Familial Pericentric Inversion: Prenatal and Adulthood Wolf-Hirschhorn Phenotypes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Malvestiti

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Pericentric inversion of chromosome 4 can give rise to recombinant chromosomes by duplication or deletion of 4p. We report on a familial case of Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome characterized by GTG-banding karyotypes, FISH, and array CGH analysis, caused by a recombinant chromosome 4 with terminal 4p16.3 deletion and terminal 4q35.2 duplication. This is an aneusomy due to a recombination which occurred during the meiosis of heterozygote carrier of cryptic pericentric inversion. We also describe the adulthood and prenatal phenotypes associated with the recombinant chromosome 4.

Capillariidae Eggs Found in the Urine of a Free Ranging Maned Wolf from Argentina

OpenAIRE

Martín Beldomenico,Pablo; Hunzicker,Daniel; Lopez Taverna,Julio; Rejf,Paula K

2002-01-01

The first finding of a Capillariid in the urinary tract of a free ranging maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is described. The individual was an adult male attacked by dogs in the locality of Cayastacito (Santa Fe, Argentina, 31º05' S, 60º 34' W). Eggs found in urine measured 64.6-66.9µm (mean 65.4µm) x 26.9-31µm (mean 29µm). Further studies are needed to determine whether this finding corresponds to a new Capillariid species, related to C. brachyurus, or it is an already described species th...

Prey nutrient composition has different effects on Pardosa wolf spiders with dissimilar life histories

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Kim; Mayntz, David; Toft, Søren

2011-01-01

The nutritional composition of prey is known to influence predator life histories, but how the life history strategies of predators affect their susceptibility to nutrient imbalance is less investigated. We used two wolf spider species with different life histories as model predators: Pardosa...... amentata, which have a fixed annual life cycle, and Pardosa prativaga, which reproduce later and can extend development across 2 years. We fed juvenile spiders of the two species ad libitum diets of one of six Drosophila melanogaster fly types varying in lipid:protein composition during three instars, from...

A Dantzig-Wolfe Decomposition Algorithm for Linear Economic MPC of a Power Plant Portfolio

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Standardi, Laura; Edlund, Kristian; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad

2012-01-01

Future power systems will consist of a large number of decentralized power producers and a large number of controllable power consumers in addition to stochastic power producers such as wind turbines and solar power plants. Control of such large scale systems requires new control algorithms....... In this paper, we formulate the control of such a system as an Economic Model Predictive Control (MPC) problem. When the power producers and controllable power consumers have linear dynamics, the Economic MPC may be expressed as a linear program and we apply Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition for solution...

Nutrient regulation in a predator, the wolf spider Pardosa prativaga

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Kim; Mayntz, David; Toft, Søren

2011-01-01

Nutrient balancing is well known in herbivores and omnivores, but has only recently been demonstrated in predators. To test how a predator might regulate nutrients when the prey varies in nutrient composition, we restricted juvenile Pardosa prativaga wolf spiders to diets of one of six fruit fly......, Drosophila melanogaster, prey types varying in lipid:protein composition during their second instar. We collected all fly remnants to estimate food and nutrient intake over each meal. The spiders adjusted their capture rate and nutrient extraction in response to prey mass and nutrient composition...... irrespective of energy intake. Intake was initially regulated to a constant lipid plus protein mass, but later spiders fed on prey with high proportions of protein increased consumption relative to spiders fed on other prey types. This pattern indicates that the spiders were prepared to overconsume vast...

A simple ductal mammary papilloma in a male maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus).

Science.gov (United States)

Cassali, Geovanni D; Bertagnolli, Angélica C; Ferreira, Enio; Malta, Marcelo C C

2009-01-01

A 1-cm-diameter nodule was identified in the left inguinal mammary gland of a 9-year-old male maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus). The mass was surgically excised and examined histologically. Microscopically, the neoplasm consisted of papillary proliferations of epithelial cells on well-defined fibrovascular stalks. A myoepithelial layer was located between the single layer of epithelial cells and the fibrovascular stalk. This histologic appearance was compatible with a diagnosis of simple ductal mammary papilloma. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for p63, cytokeratins AE1/AE3, and estrogen receptors. The clinical and histologic observations in the present case indicate that male maned wolves may develop mammary tumors that are similar to those observed in domestic dogs and humans.

A conjugate gradient method with descent properties under strong Wolfe line search

Science.gov (United States)

Zull, N.; ‘Aini, N.; Shoid, S.; Ghani, N. H. A.; Mohamed, N. S.; Rivaie, M.; Mamat, M.

2017-09-01

The conjugate gradient (CG) method is one of the optimization methods that are often used in practical applications. The continuous and numerous studies conducted on the CG method have led to vast improvements in its convergence properties and efficiency. In this paper, a new CG method possessing the sufficient descent and global convergence properties is proposed. The efficiency of the new CG algorithm relative to the existing CG methods is evaluated by testing them all on a set of test functions using MATLAB. The tests are measured in terms of iteration numbers and CPU time under strong Wolfe line search. Overall, this new method performs efficiently and comparable to the other famous methods.

The prevalence and impact of Babesia canis and Theileria sp. in free-ranging grey wolf (Canis lupus) populations in Croatia.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Ana; Huber, Doroteja; Polkinghorne, Adam; Kurilj, Andrea Gudan; Benko, Valerija; Mrljak, Vladimir; Reljić, Slaven; Kusak, Josip; Reil, Irena; Beck, Relja

2017-04-04

Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. are important emerging causes of disease in dogs. Alongside these domesticated hosts, there is increasing recognition that these piroplasms can also be found in a range of wild animals with isolated reports describing the presence of these pathogen in foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and captive grey wolves (Canis lupus). The prevalence and impact of these infections in free-ranging populations of canids are unknown. To gain a better insight into the epidemiology and pathogenesis of piroplasm infections in free-ranging grey wolves, pathological and molecular investigations into captive and free-ranging grey wolves in Croatia were performed. The carcasses of 107 free-ranging wolves and one captive wolf were the subjects of post-mortem investigations and sampling for molecular studies. A blood sample from one live captured wolf for telemetric tracking was also used for molecular analysis. PCR amplification targeting the 18S RNA gene revealed that 21 of 108 free-ranging wolves and one captive animal were positive for Theileria/Babesia DNA. Subsequent sequencing of a fragment of the 18S RNA gene revealed that 7/22 animals were positive for Babesia canis while the other amplified sequence were found to be identical with corresponding 18S rDNA sequences of Theileria capreoli isolated from wild deer (15/22). Haematological and cytological analysis revealed the presence of signet-ring shaped or pear-shaped piroplasms in several animals with the overall parasite burden in all positive animals assessed to be very low. Pathological investigation of the captive animal revealed fatal septicemia as a likely outcome of hemolytic anaemia. There was little or no evidence of hemolytic disease consistent with babesiosis in other animals. Importantly, the presence of B. canis in free-ranging grey wolves has not been described before but has been reported in a single fox and domestic dogs only. That B. canis infections cause disease in dogs but have little impact

Wolf-Rayet stars in the central region of the Milky Way

Science.gov (United States)

Hamann, Wolf-Rainer; Graefener, Goetz; Oskinova, Lidia; Zinnecker, Hans

2004-09-01

We propose to take mid-IR spectra of two Wolf-Rayet stars in the inner part of our Galaxy, within 30pc projected distance from the central Black Hole. Massive stars dominate the central galactic region by their mass-loss and ionizing radiation. A quantitative analysis of this stellar inventory is essential for understanding the energy, momentum and mass budget, for instance with respect to the feeding of the central black hole. Our group developed a highly advanced model code for the expanding atmospheres of WR stars. Recently we extended the spectrum synthesis to IR wavelengths. These models will be applied for the analysis of the Spitzer IRS data. The proposed mid-IR observations will provide a wide spectral range with many lines which are needed to determine the stellar parameters, such as stellar luminosity, effective temperature, mass-loss rate and chemical composition. Near-IR spectra of the program stars are available and will augment the analysis. The capability of our code to reproduce the observed mid-IR spectrum of a WN star has been demonstrated. The two targets we selected are sufficiently isolated, while the Galactic center cluster is too crowded for the size of Spitzer's spectrograph slit. As estimated from the K-band spectra, one of the stars (WR102ka) is of very late subtype (WN9), while the other star (WR102c) has the early subtype WN6. Hence they represent different stages in the evolutionary sequence of massive stars, the late-WN just having entered the Wolf-Rayet phase and the early WN being further evolved. We expect that the parameters of massive stars in the inner galaxy differ from the usual Galactic population. One reason is that higher metallicity should lead to stronger mass-loss, which affects the stellar evolution. The Spitzer IRS, with its high sensitivity, provides a unique opportunity to study representative members of the stellar population in the vicinity of the Galactic center.

Hypoxia adaptations in the grey wolf (Canis lupus chanco) from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wenping; Fan, Zhenxin; Han, Eunjung; Hou, Rong; Zhang, Liang; Galaverni, Marco; Huang, Jie; Liu, Hong; Silva, Pedro; Li, Peng; Pollinger, John P; Du, Lianming; Zhang, XiuyYue; Yue, Bisong; Wayne, Robert K; Zhang, Zhihe

2014-07-01

The Tibetan grey wolf (Canis lupus chanco) occupies habitats on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a high altitude (>3000 m) environment where low oxygen tension exerts unique selection pressure on individuals to adapt to hypoxic conditions. To identify genes involved in hypoxia adaptation, we generated complete genome sequences of nine Chinese wolves from high and low altitude populations at an average coverage of 25× coverage. We found that, beginning about 55,000 years ago, the highland Tibetan grey wolf suffered a more substantial population decline than lowland wolves. Positively selected hypoxia-related genes in highland wolves are enriched in the HIF signaling pathway (P = 1.57E-6), ATP binding (P = 5.62E-5), and response to an oxygen-containing compound (P≤5.30E-4). Of these positively selected hypoxia-related genes, three genes (EPAS1, ANGPT1, and RYR2) had at least one specific fixed non-synonymous SNP in highland wolves based on the nine genome data. Our re-sequencing studies on a large panel of individuals showed a frequency difference greater than 58% between highland and lowland wolves for these specific fixed non-synonymous SNPs and a high degree of LD surrounding the three genes, which imply strong selection. Past studies have shown that EPAS1 and ANGPT1 are important in the response to hypoxic stress, and RYR2 is involved in heart function. These three genes also exhibited significant signals of natural selection in high altitude human populations, which suggest similar evolutionary constraints on natural selection in wolves and humans of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Disease, food and reproduction of the maned wolf: Chrysocyon Brachyurus (Illiger) (Carnivora, Canidae) in southeast Brazil

OpenAIRE

Carvalho, Cory T. de; Vasconcellos, Luiz E. M.

1995-01-01

The most frequent endoparasite of the Maned wolf - Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815) is the giant kidney-worm. Dioctophyma renale (Goeze, 1782). It has heen responsible for the majority of deaths of captive animals. Twenty-six marked wolves have been followed in the field with ear-tags and radio-collar tagged (Tab. II) to investigate their interactions with the environment, their diurnal shelters, movements and habits, and their delivery sites. Ten years of life history data have heen gat...

A case of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome and hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

von Elten, Kelley; Sawyer, Taylor; Lentz-Kapua, Sarah; Kanis, Adam; Studer, Matthew

2013-06-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome (WHS) is a genetic syndrome that includes a typical facial appearance, mental retardation, growth delay, seizures, and congenital cardiac defects. A deletion of the terminal band of the short arm of chromosome 4, with a breakpoint at the 4p15 to 4p16 region, is the most common genetic mutation causing WHS. Congenital heart disease associated with WHS typically includes atrial and ventricular septal defects, though there are a few case reports of associated complex congenital heart disease. Here we report a case of an infant with a large 4p deletion, with a breakpoint at the 4p12 region, and hypoplasic left heart syndrome. We discuss a possible link between the size of the chromosomal deletion in WHS and the severity of the cardiac defect.

Severe short stature and Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome: response to growth hormone in two cases without growth hormone deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, Devon E; Gunn, Alistair J; Jefferies, Craig A

2015-02-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a rare congenital disorder occurring in approximately 1/50 000 births, with marked pre- and postnatal growth failure. WHS results from the hemizygous deletion encompassing the 4p16.3 region. This report of two children with WHS shows that growth hormone treatment in selected children with WHS and severe short stature may have a substantial effect on long-term growth.

Capillariidae Eggs Found in the Urine of a Free Ranging Maned Wolf from Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martín Beldomenico Pablo

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The first finding of a Capillariid in the urinary tract of a free ranging maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus is described. The individual was an adult male attacked by dogs in the locality of Cayastacito (Santa Fe, Argentina, 31º05' S, 60º 34' W. Eggs found in urine measured 64.6-66.9µm (mean 65.4µm x 26.9-31µm (mean 29µm. Further studies are needed to determine whether this finding corresponds to a new Capillariid species, related to C. brachyurus, or it is an already described species that has been introduced by domestic dogs.

Capillariidae eggs found in the urine of a free ranging maned wolf from Argentina.

Science.gov (United States)

Beldomenico, Pablo Martín; Hunzicker, Daniel; Lopez Taverna, Julio; Rejf, Paula K

2002-06-01

The first finding of a Capillariid in the urinary tract of a free ranging maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is described. The individual was an adult male attacked by dogs in the locality of Cayastacito (Santa Fe, Argentina, 31 degrees 05' S, 60 degrees 34' W). Eggs found in urine measured 64.6-66.9 micrometer (mean 65.4 micrometer) x 26.9-31 micrometer (mean 29 micrometer). Further studies are needed to determine whether this finding corresponds to a new Capillariid species, related to C. brachyurus, or it is an already described species that has been introduced by domestic dogs.

Infrared (1.4-4.1μm) spectra of Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, P.M.

1982-01-01

The spectra of a variety of Wolf-Rayet stars have been observed with approximately 1% spectral resolution in the 1.4-4.1μm region using UKIRT. Strong lines due to ions of helium and carbon are observed and their relative strengths discussed. The He I singlet at 2.058μm is anomalously strong relative to other He I lines in WC stars and is responsible for the difference in the (H-K) colours of WN and WC stars. Emission line corrections to H, K and L magnitudes of different types are discussed. The Sanduleak O VI star ST 3 shows very strong C IV lines like the WC5 stars but not the strong He I. (Auth.)

Grey Wolf Optimizer Based on Powell Local Optimization Method for Clustering Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sen Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available One heuristic evolutionary algorithm recently proposed is the grey wolf optimizer (GWO, inspired by the leadership hierarchy and hunting mechanism of grey wolves in nature. This paper presents an extended GWO algorithm based on Powell local optimization method, and we call it PGWO. PGWO algorithm significantly improves the original GWO in solving complex optimization problems. Clustering is a popular data analysis and data mining technique. Hence, the PGWO could be applied in solving clustering problems. In this study, first the PGWO algorithm is tested on seven benchmark functions. Second, the PGWO algorithm is used for data clustering on nine data sets. Compared to other state-of-the-art evolutionary algorithms, the results of benchmark and data clustering demonstrate the superior performance of PGWO algorithm.

TRIGGERED STAR FORMATION SURROUNDING WOLF-RAYET STAR HD 211853

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu Tie; Wu Yuefang; Zhang Huawei [Department of Astronomy, Peking University, 100871 Beijing (China); Qin Shengli, E-mail: liutiepku@gmail.com [I. Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet zu Koeln, Zuelpicher Str. 77, 50937 Koeln (Germany)

2012-05-20

The environment surrounding Wolf-Rayet (W-R) star HD 211853 is studied in molecular, infrared, as well as radio, and H I emission. The molecular ring consists of well-separated cores, which have a volume density of 10{sup 3} cm{sup -3} and kinematic temperature {approx}20 K. Most of the cores are under gravitational collapse due to external pressure from the surrounding ionized gas. From the spectral energy distribution modeling toward the young stellar objects, the sequential star formation is revealed on a large scale in space spreading from the W-R star to the molecular ring. A small-scale sequential star formation is revealed toward core 'A', which harbors a very young star cluster. Triggered star formations are thus suggested. The presence of the photodissociation region, the fragmentation of the molecular ring, the collapse of the cores, and the large-scale sequential star formation indicate that the 'collect and collapse' process functions in this region. The star-forming activities in core 'A' seem to be affected by the 'radiation-driven implosion' process.

TRIGGERED STAR FORMATION SURROUNDING WOLF-RAYET STAR HD 211853

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Tie; Wu Yuefang; Zhang Huawei; Qin Shengli

2012-01-01

The environment surrounding Wolf-Rayet (W-R) star HD 211853 is studied in molecular, infrared, as well as radio, and H I emission. The molecular ring consists of well-separated cores, which have a volume density of 10 3 cm –3 and kinematic temperature ∼20 K. Most of the cores are under gravitational collapse due to external pressure from the surrounding ionized gas. From the spectral energy distribution modeling toward the young stellar objects, the sequential star formation is revealed on a large scale in space spreading from the W-R star to the molecular ring. A small-scale sequential star formation is revealed toward core 'A', which harbors a very young star cluster. Triggered star formations are thus suggested. The presence of the photodissociation region, the fragmentation of the molecular ring, the collapse of the cores, and the large-scale sequential star formation indicate that the 'collect and collapse' process functions in this region. The star-forming activities in core 'A' seem to be affected by the 'radiation-driven implosion' process.

An IRAS-Based Search for New Dusty Late-Type WC Wolf-Rayet Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Martin

1995-01-01

I have examined all Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) data relevant to the 173 Galactic Wolf-Rayet (W-R) stars in an updated catalog, including the 13 stars newly discovered by Shara and coworkers. Using the W-R coordinates in these lists, I have examined the IRAS Point Source Catalog (PSC), the Faint Source Catalog, and the Faint Source Reject Catalog, and have generated one-dimensional spatial profiles, 'ADDSCANs', and two-dimensional full-resolution images, 'FRESCOS'. The goal was to assemble the best set of observed IRAS color indices for different W-R types, in particular for known dusty late-type WC Wolf-Rayet (WCL) objects. I have also unsuccessfully sought differences in IRAS colors and absolute magnitudes between single and binary W-R stars. The color indices for the entire ensemble of W-R stars define zones in the IRAS color-color ([12] - [25], [25] - [60])-plane. By searching the PSC for otherwise unassociated sources that satisfy these colors, I have identified potential new W-R candidates, perhaps too faint to have been recognized in previous optical searches. I have extracted these candidates' IRAS low-resolution spectrometer (LRS) data and compared the spectra with the highly characteristic LRS shape for known dusty WCL stars. The 13 surviving candidates must now be ex amined by optical spectroscopy. This work represents a much more rigorous and exhaustive version of the LRS study that identified IRAS 17380 - 3031 (WR98a) as the first new W-R (WC9) star discovered by IPAS. This search should have detected dusty WCL stars to a distance of 7.0 kpc from the Sun, for l is greater than 30 degrees, and to 2.9 kpc even in the innermost galaxy. For free-free-dominated W-R stars the corresponding distances are 2.5 and 1.0 kpc, respectively.

The Wolf-Rayet nebula NGC 6888 as a pressure driven bubble

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marston, A.P.; Meaburn, J.

1988-01-01

Profiles of the Hα and [NII] emission lines have been obtained across the major axis of the Wolf-Rayet ring nebula NGC6888 with the Manchester echelle spectrometer combined with the Isaac Newton Telescope. Although triple profiles are found, this nebula is shown to approximate to a shell of radius 3pc expanding at 85 km s -1 . The ionized mass in the shell is 3.5 ± 1.2 M solar masses . IRAS survey maps also reveal a shell of neutral material containing 40 M solar masses , assuming the far infrared continuum emission from warm dust dominates the line emission. If it is assumed that this mass is also expanding at 85 km s -1 it is shown that the nebula is a pressure driven bubble, which conserves the kinetic energy of the driving stellar wind. (author)

Population genomics of the inbred Scandinavian wolf.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagenblad, Jenny; Olsson, Maria; Parker, Heidi G; Ostrander, Elaine A; Ellegren, Hans

2009-04-01

The Scandinavian wolf population represents one of the genetically most well-characterized examples of a severely bottlenecked natural population (with only two founders), and of how the addition of new genetic material (one immigrant) can at least temporarily provide a 'genetic rescue'. However, inbreeding depression has been observed in this population and in the absence of additional immigrants, its long-term viability is questioned. To study the effects of inbreeding and selection on genomic diversity, we performed a genomic scan with approximately 250 microsatellite markers distributed across all autosomes and the X chromosome. We found linkage disequilibrium (LD) that extended up to distances of 50 Mb, exceeding that of most outbreeding species studied thus far. LD was particularly pronounced on the X chromosome. Overall levels of observed genomic heterozygosity did not deviate significantly from simulations based on known population history, giving no support for a general selection for heterozygotes. However, we found evidence supporting balancing selection at a number of loci and also evidence suggesting directional selection at other loci. For markers on chromosome 23, the signal of selection was particularly strong, indicating that purifying selection against deleterious alleles may have occurred even in this very small population. These data suggest that population genomics allows the exploration of the effects of neutral and non-neutral evolution on a finer scale than what has previously been possible.

Those who 'Cry Wolf' about nuclear safety damage their own credibility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shepherd, John [nuclear 24, Redditch (United Kingdom)

2016-06-15

Do you recall the fable of the boy who cried wolf? I was reminded of this following the latest call by Germany's Federal Environment Minister, Barbara Hendricks, for Belgium to take two of its nuclear reactors off the grid, citing ''questions'' about the units' safety. Those in positions of power and influence in one country should take care to be as responsible in their dealings with their neighbours as they are in handling domestic matters of state. Those who see 'danger' where there is none are not being good neighbours. They are generating fear and alarm without good cause and should mind their own business.

Application of digital mapping technology to the display of hydrologic information; a proof-of-concept test in the Fox-Wolf River Basin, Wisconsin

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, G.K.; Baten, L.G.; Allord, G.J.; Robinove, C.J.

1983-01-01

The Fox-Wolf River basin in east-central Wisconsin was selected to test concepts for a water-resources information system using digital mapping technology. This basin of 16,800 sq km is typical of many areas in the country. Fifty digital data sets were included in the Fox-Wolf information system. Many data sets were digitized from 1:500,000 scale maps and overlays. Some thematic data were acquired from WATSTORE and other digital data files. All data were geometrically transformed into a Lambert Conformal Conic map projection and converted to a raster format with a 1-km resolution. The result of this preliminary processing was a group of spatially registered, digital data sets in map form. Parameter evaluation, areal stratification, data merging, and data integration were used to achieve the processing objectives and to obtain analysis results for the Fox-Wolf basin. Parameter evaluation includes the visual interpretation of single data sets and digital processing to obtain new derived data sets. In the areal stratification stage, masks were used to extract from one data set all features that are within a selected area on another data set. Most processing results were obtained by data merging. Merging is the combination of two or more data sets into a composite product, in which the contribution of each original data set is apparent and can be extracted from the composite. One processing result was also obtained by data integration. Integration is the combination of two or more data sets into a single new product, from which the original data cannot be separated or calculated. (USGS)

New Wolf-Rayet stars in Galactic open clusters - Sher 1 and the giant H II region core Westerlund 2

Science.gov (United States)

Moffat, Anthony F. J.; Shara, Michael M.; Potter, Michael

1991-01-01

Two new Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars were found in open clusters: a WN4 star in the O9 cluster Sher 1 and a WN7 star in the O7 cluster Westerlund 2. This confirms a previous trend, namely that fainter, hotter WN stars tend to be older than brighter, cooler WN stars. This may be a consequence of evolution via extreme mass loss.

Combining phylogenetic and demographic inferences to assess the origin of the genetic diversity in an isolated wolf population.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luca Montana

Full Text Available The survival of isolated small populations is threatened by both demographic and genetic factors. Large carnivores declined for centuries in most of Europe due to habitat changes, overhunting of their natural prey and direct persecution. However, the current rewilding trends are driving many carnivore populations to expand again, possibly reverting the erosion of their genetic diversity. In this study we reassessed the extent and origin of the genetic variation of the Italian wolf population, which is expanding after centuries of decline and isolation. We genotyped wolves from Italy and other nine populations at four mtDNA regions (control-region, ATP6, COIII and ND4 and 39 autosomal microsatellites. Results of phylogenetic analyses and assignment procedures confirmed in the Italian wolves a second private mtDNA haplotype, which belongs to a haplogroup distributed mostly in southern Europe. Coalescent analyses showed that the unique mtDNA haplotypes in the Italian wolves likely originated during the late Pleistocene. ABC simulations concordantly showed that the extant wolf populations in Italy and in south-western Europe started to be isolated and declined right after the last glacial maximum. Thus, the standing genetic variation in the Italian wolves principally results from the historical isolation south of the Alps.

Behavioural evidence of male volatile pheromones in the sex-role reversed wolf spiders Allocosa brasiliensis and Allocosa alticeps

Science.gov (United States)

Aisenberg, Anita; Baruffaldi, Luciana; González, Macarena

2010-01-01

The use of chemical signals in a sexual context is widespread in the animal kingdom. Most studies in spiders report the use of female pheromones that attract potential sexual partners. Allocosa brasiliensis and Allocosa alticeps are two burrowing wolf spiders that show sex-role reversal. Females locate male burrows and initiate courtship before males perform any detectable visual or vibratory signal. So, females of these species would be detecting chemical or mechanical cues left by males. Our objective was to explore the potential for male pheromones to play a role in mate detection in A. brasiliensis and A. alticeps. We designed two experiments. In Experiment 1, we tested the occurrence of male contact pheromones by evaluating female courtship when exposed to empty burrows constructed by males or females (control). In Experiment 2, we tested the existence of male volatile pheromones by evaluating female behaviour when exposed to artificial burrows connected to tubes containing males, females or empty tubes (control). Our results suggest the occurrence of male volatile pheromones that trigger female courtship in both Allocosa species. The sex-role reversal postulated for these wolf spiders could be driving the consequent reversal in typical pheromone-emitter and detector roles expected for spiders.

Native prey distribution and migration mediates wolf (Canis lupus) predation on domestic livestock in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Abigail A.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Middleton, A.D.; Jimenez, M.D.; McWhirter, D. E.; Gerow, K.

2016-01-01

Little research has evaluated how the migration and distribution of native prey influence patterns of livestock depredation by large carnivores. Previous research suggests that the presence of native prey can increase depredation rates by attracting predators (prey tracking hypothesis). Alternatively, the absence of native prey may facilitate predation on livestock (prey scarcity hypothesis). In this study, we evaluated support for these competing hypotheses through analysis of 4 years of cattle (Bos taurus L., 1758) depredation data (n = 39 kills), 2 years of summer and fall wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758) predation and tracking data (n = 4 wolves), and 3 years of elk (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) movement data (n = 70 elk). We used logistic regression to compare the relative influence of landscape features and elk distribution on the risk of livestock depredation in areas with migratory and resident elk. Cattle depredations occurred in habitats with increased encounter rates between wolves and livestock. In resident elk areas, depredation sites were associated with elk distribution and open roads. In migratory elk areas, depredation sites were associated with wolf dens, streams, and open habitat. Patterns of carnivore–livestock conflicts are complex, and using ungulate distribution data can predict and minimize such instances.

Antioxidative and immunological responses in the haemolymph of wolf spider Xerolycosa nemoralis (Lycosidae) exposed to starvation and dimethoate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stalmach, Monika; Wilczek, Grażyna; Homa, Joanna; Szulinska, Elżbieta

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the intensity of enzymatic antioxidative parameters [catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSTPx), glutathione reductase (GR), total antioxidant capacity (TAC)] and percentage of high granularity cells as well as low to medium granularity cells in haemolymph of wolf spiders Xerolycosa nemoralis exposed to starvation and dimethoate under laboratory conditions. Only in starved males, haemolymph included a lower percentage of high granularity cells, accompanied by high activity of CAT and GSTPx, than in the control. Exposure of males to dimethoate increased CAT activity, after single application, and significantly enhanced GR activity, after five-time application. In females, five-time contact with dimethoate elevated the percentage of high granularity cells. As in comparison to females, male X. nemoralis were more sensitive to the applied stressing factors, it may be concluded that in natural conditions both food deficiency and chemical stress may diminish the immune response of their organisms. - Highlights: • Starvation of males diminishes their immunological potential. • Females, compared with males, are less sensitive to starvation and dimethoate. • Antioxidative responses are stronger in starvation than after dimethoate intoxication. - The level of antioxidative response and quantitative changes of haemocytes in the haemolymph of wolf spider Xerolycosa nemoralis (Lycosidae) depend on the stressor and gender.

Microarray and FISH-based genotype-phenotype analysis of 22 Japanese patients with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Kenji; Wakui, Keiko; Kosho, Tomoki; Okamoto, Nobuhiko; Mizuno, Seiji; Itomi, Kazuya; Hattori, Shigeto; Nishio, Kimio; Samura, Osamu; Kobayashi, Yoshiyuki; Kako, Yuko; Arai, Takashi; Tsutomu, Oh-ishi; Kawame, Hiroshi; Narumi, Yoko; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Fukushima, Yoshimitsu

2014-03-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a contiguous gene deletion syndrome of the distal 4p chromosome, characterized by craniofacial features, growth impairment, intellectual disability, and seizures. Although genotype-phenotype correlation studies have previously been published, several important issues remain to be elucidated including seizure severity. We present detailed clinical and molecular-cytogenetic findings from a microarray and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)-based genotype-phenotype analysis of 22 Japanese WHS patients, the first large non-Western series. 4p deletions were terminal in 20 patients and interstitial in two, with deletion sizes ranging from 2.06 to 29.42 Mb. The new Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome critical region (WHSCR2) was deleted in all cases, and duplication of other chromosomal regions occurred in four. Complex mosaicism was identified in two cases: two different 4p terminal deletions; a simple 4p terminal deletion and an unbalanced translocation with the same 4p breakpoint. Seizures began in infancy in 33% (2/6) of cases with small (6 Mb). Status epilepticus occurred in 17% (1/6) with small deletions and in 87% (13/15) with larger deletions. Renal hypoplasia or dysplasia and structural ocular anomalies were more prevalent in those with larger deletions. A new susceptible region for seizure occurrence is suggested between 0.76 and 1.3 Mb from 4 pter, encompassing CTBP1 and CPLX1, and distal to the previously-supposed candidate gene LETM1. The usefulness of bromide therapy for seizures and additional clinical features including hypercholesterolemia are also described. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Computational modelling of string body interaction for the violin family and simulation of wolf notes

Science.gov (United States)

Inácio, O.; Antunes, J.; Wright, M. C. M.

2008-02-01

Most theoretical studies of bowed-string instruments deal with isolated strings, pinned on fixed supports. In others, the instrument body dynamics have been accounted by using extremely simplified models of the string-body interaction through the instrument bridge. Such models have, nevertheless, been instrumental to the understanding of a very common and musically undesirable phenomenon known as the wolf note—a strong beating interplay between string and body vibrations. Cellos, bad and good, are particularly prone to this problem. In previous work, a computational method that allows efficient time-domain modelling of bowed strings based on a modal approach has been introduced. This has been extended to incorporate the complex dynamics of real-life instrument bodies, and their coupling to the string motions, using experimental dynamical body data. The string is modelled using its unconstrained modes, assuming pinned-pinned boundary conditions at the tailpiece and the nut. At the intermediary bridge location, the string-body coupling is enforced using the body impulse-response or modal data, as measured at the instrument bridge. In the present paper, this computational approach is applied to a specific cello, which provided experimental wolf-behaviour data under several bowing conditions, as well as laboratory measurements of the bridge impulse responses on which the numerical simulations were based. Interesting aspects of the string-body dynamical responses are highlighted by numerical simulations and the corresponding sounds and animations produced. Finally, a qualitative (and, when possible, quantitative) comparison of the experimental and numerical results is presented.

A new survey of nebulae around Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars in the northern sky

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Grant J.; Chu, You-Hua

1993-01-01

Interference filter CCD images have been obtained in H-alpha and forbidden O III 5007 A for 62 Wolf-Rayet (W-R) stars, representing a complete survey of nebulae around Galactic W-R stars in the northern sky. We find probable new ring nebulae around W-R stars number 113, 116 and 132, and possible new ring nebulae around W-R stars number 133 and 153. All survey images showing nebulosities around W-R stars are presented in this paper. New physical information is derived from the improved images of known ring nebulae. The absence of ring nebulae around most W-R stars is discussed.

Microbiota and anthropic interference on antimicrobial resistance profile of bacteria isolated from Brazilian maned-wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olney Vieira-da-Motta

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Both the study of Brazilian wild mammal fauna and the conditions that foster the preservation of endangered species, such as Brazilian Maned-wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus, in wild life are of extreme importance. In order to study the resistance profile of microbiota bacterial colonizing Brazilian Maned-wolf, this work investigated samples from eight male captive and free roaming animals originating from different Brazilian geographical regions. Samples for microbiological purposes were collected with swabs and kept in appropriate transport medium. Using routine microbiological techniques, the isolated bacteria were tested toward antimicrobial drugs by the agar disk diffusion method. Results showed that all samples from wild animals were sensitive toward all drugs tested. Conversely, the resistance profile of bacteria isolated from captive animals varied among strains and animal body site location. Escherichia coli samples from prepuce, anus and ear showed multi-resistance toward at least four drugs, especially against erythromycin and tetracycline, followed by Proteus mirabilis and P. vulgaris strains isolated from anus and ear. Among Gram-positive bacteria, strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci showed multi-resistance mainly toward erythromycin and amoxicillin. The work discusses these findings and suggests that profile of multi-resistance bacteria from captive subjects may be attributed to direct contact with human or through lifestyle factors such as feeding, predation or contact of animals with urban animals such as birds, rodents, and insects from surrounding environments.

Microbiota and anthropic interference on antimicrobial resistance profile of bacteria isolated from Brazilian Maned-wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus).

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira-da-Motta, Olney; Eckhardt-de-Pontes, Luiz Antonio; Petrucci, Melissa Paes; dos Santos, Israel Pereira; da Cunha, Isabel Candia Nunes; Morato, Ronaldo Gonçalves

2013-12-01

Both the study of Brazilian wild mammal fauna and the conditions that foster the preservation of endangered species, such as Brazilian Maned-wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), in wild life are of extreme importance. In order to study the resistance profile of microbiota bacterial colonizing Brazilian Maned-wolf, this work investigated samples from eight male captive and free roaming animals originating from different Brazilian geographical regions. Samples for microbiological purposes were collected with swabs and kept in appropriate transport medium. Using routine microbiological techniques, the isolated bacteria were tested toward antimicrobial drugs by the agar disk diffusion method. Results showed that all samples from wild animals were sensitive toward all drugs tested. Conversely, the resistance profile of bacteria isolated from captive animals varied among strains and animal body site location. Escherichia coli samples from prepuce, anus and ear showed multi-resistance toward at least four drugs, especially against erythromycin and tetracycline, followed by Proteus mirabilis and P. vulgaris strains isolated from anus and ear. Among Gram-positive bacteria, strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci showed multi-resistance mainly toward erythromycin and amoxicillin. The work discusses these findings and suggests that profile of multi-resistance bacteria from captive subjects may be attributed to direct contact with human or through lifestyle factors such as feeding, predation or contact of animals with urban animals such as birds, rodents, and insects from surrounding environments.

A Wolf-Rayet-Like Progenitor of SN 2013cu from Spectral Observations of a Stellar Wind

Science.gov (United States)

Gal-Yam, Avishay; Arcavi, I.; Ofek, E. O.; Ben-Ami, S.; Cenko, S. B.; Kasliwal, M. M.; Cao, Y.; Yaron, O.; Tal, D.; Silverman, J. M.;

Gamma-ray burst progenitors and the population of rotating Wolf-Rayet stars.

Science.gov (United States)

Vink, Jorick S

2013-06-13

In our quest for gamma-ray burst (GRB) progenitors, it is relevant to consider the progenitor evolution of normal supernovae (SNe). This is largely dominated by mass loss. We discuss the mass-loss rate for very massive stars up to 300M⊙. These objects are in close proximity to the Eddington Γ limit. We describe the new concept of the transitional mass-loss rate, enabling us to calibrate wind mass loss. This allows us to consider the occurrence of pair-instability SNe in the local Universe. We also discuss luminous blue variables and their link to luminous SNe. Finally, we address the polarization properties of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars, measuring their wind asphericities. We argue to have found a group of rotating WR stars that fulfil the required criteria to make long-duration GRBs.

Dioctophyma renale in maned wolf in the geoeconomic region of Jatai, GO, Brazil - Case report

OpenAIRE

Valcinir Aloisio Scalla Vulcani; Vanessa Sobue Franzo; Diego Pereira de Araújo; Felipen Roncatto Vicenti; Otávio Marins da Costa; Aynna Silva Rangel; Luanna Alves Gomes

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT. Vulcani V.A.S., Franzo V.S., de Araújo D.P., Vicentin F.R., da Costa O.M., Rangel A.S. & Gomes L.A. [Dioctophyma renale in maned wolf in the geoeconomic region of Jatai, GO, Brazil - Case report.] Dioctophyma renale em Lobo-Guará na região geoeconômica de Jataí, GO, Brasil - Relato de caso. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 37(2):149-152, 2015. Laboratório de Anatomia, Curso de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Campus de Jataí, BR 364 Km 192, 3800, Setor...

Ultraviolet, optical and infra-red observations of the Wolf-Rayet contact-eclipsing binary CQ Cephei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stickland, D.J.; Budding, E.; Howarth, I.D.; Willis, A.J.; Jameson, R.; Sherrington, M.R.; Bromage, G.E.; Burton, W.M.

1984-01-01

The present study on wolf-rayet contact-eclipsing binary CQ Cephei is an attempt to combine the best observational previous results with an extensive set of UV data from the IUE Satellite and with new IR photometric data. The orbital variations of the CQ Cep system are investigated as well as the secondary component. The early studies of CQ Cep are reviewed, and the observations used in the present analysis described. Continuum energy distribution, interstellar extinction, photometric variability, light curves, time dependence of the emission and absorption line spectra and models for the CQ Cept system are discussed. (U.K.)

Carcinoma of the so-called empty breast and its relation to the Wolfe's parenchymal classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwarz, E.; Eiter, H.; Taxer, F.

1983-01-01

Carcinoma in the ''empty breast'' in our experience is so common that we doubt Wolfe's conclusions in his classification of parenchymal patterns. Amongst patients over 60 years, almost 70% of carcinomas were situated in an ''empty'' parenchyma and they did not develop in a parechymal group above P1. Mammographically, the ''empty breast'' is the structureless fatty breast of older women after the menopause. Some authors believe that there is a lower incidence of carcinomas in this type of breast than in other types of parenchyma, such as those showing mastopathies. Our experience concerning carcinomas in involuted breasts is described. (orig.) [de

Prenatal diagnosis of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome: Ultrasonography and molecular karyotyping results.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhen, Li; Fan, Shu-Shu; Huang, Lv-Yin; Pan, Min; Han, Jin; Yang, Xin; Li, Dong-Zhi

2018-03-31

To present the experience on prenatal diagnosis of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) to further delineate the fetal presentation of this syndrome. This was a retrospective analysis of ten pregnancies with fetal WHS identified by chromosomal microarray (CMA). Clinical data were reviewed for these cases, including maternal demographics, indications for invasive testing, sonographic findings, CMA results and pregnancy outcomes. Three cases were diagnosed at the first trimester because of an increased NT or cystic hygroma. The remaining seven cases were identified at late gestation for abnormal ultrasound findings. CMA revealed 4p deletions to be terminal in all of the ten cases. Deletion sizes ranged from 2.05 to 19.02 Mb. Prenatal findings such as increased NT, severe and early onset intrauterine growth retardation, and renal dysplasia or oligohydramnios should warrant the diagnosis of WHS and invasive testing using CMA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Small-scale kinematic structures in ring nebulae around Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, Y.H.

1988-01-01

Four ring nebulas around galactic Wolf-Rayet stars have been observed with echelle spectrographs in the long-slit mode: NGC 2359, NGC 3199, NGC 6888, and RCW 58. The spatial resolution of these observations is seeing limited at about 1-3 arcsec, which is almost a two orders of magnitude improvement from the previous Fabry-Perot scanner observations. To avoid large geometric corrections, the slit positions were placed as close to the central stars as possible. The results show that the ejecta-type nebula RCW 58 is a clumpy shell expanding regularly at about 110 km/s, as opposed to the chaotic expansion concluded from the earlier Fabry-Perot observations. For the three windblown bubbles, NGC 2359, NGC 3199, and NGC 6888, the small-scale structures revealed in the echelle data can explain the apparently discrepant expansion velocities derived from the previous large-aperture Fabry-Perot observations. 20 references

Potential for Grey wolf Canis lupus in the Netherlands : effects of habitat fragmentation and climate change on the carrying capacity and population dynamics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Potiek, A.; Wamelink, G.W.W.; Jochem, R.; Langevelde, van F.

2012-01-01

Recolonization of the Netherlands by wolves is likely to occur within 5 to 10 years, and for management reasons the habitat suitability should be understood. Therefore, I predicted the carrying capacity and population dynamics of the wolf in the Netherlands, and studied the effects of habitat

Habermas, O'Connor, and Wolfe, and the Crisis of the Welfare-Capitalist State: Conservative Politics and the Roots of Educational Policy in the 1980s.

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro, H. Svi

1983-01-01

The works of Jurgen Habermas, James O'Connor, and Alan Wolfe, key authors in the field of current U.S. educational policies, are reviewed to further understanding of current educational change in the present politics of capitalist society. (CJB)

Transfer of the uranium decay products, polonium-210 and lead-210, through the lichen-caribou-wolf food chain in northern Canada (manuscript report)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, P.A.

1991-05-01

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the accumulation and transfer of polonium-210 and lead-210 in the arctic food chain, lichen-caribou-wolf, in the Northwest Territories. Polonium-210 arises from lead-210 decay and is a widespread alpha-emitting radionuclide. It seeks soft tissue and has the potential to accumulate in the food chain. Caribou, wolves and other wildlife may become exposed to enhanced levels of these two uranium-series radionuclides if the proposed uranium mine near Baker Lake, Northwest Territories, proceeds. Baker Lake lies at the crossroads of the ranges of the Beverly, the Kaminuriak and the Wager Bay caribou herds. Therefore, it is important to establish baseline concentrations and natural food chain transfer of uranium series radionuclides, in this study. This information can be used for baseline data before any further mining development takes place. This study will also provide data regarding the statistical uncertainty attached to transfer coefficients. This can help ensure reliable and appropriate future monitoring of environmental change. With the participation of the hunters of Baker Lake, caribou and wolf samples were collected and analyzed for polonium. Results indicate that polonium-210 activity in caribou tissues were somewhat higher than previous data reported from Alaska. Transfer coefficients for polonium-210 from caribou to wolf were near unity for many tissues. However, polonium-210 does not appear to cross the placenta in caribou. Further study includes lichen collections and collection of further caribou samples from the beverly herd in order to determine transfer from lichens to caribou in both the Baker Lake and Snowdrift areas in the Northwest Territories. (author). 26 refs., 3 tabs

Transfer of the uranium decay products, polonium-210 and lead-210, through the lichen-caribou-wolf food chain in northern Canada (manuscript report)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, P A [Sasatchewan Univ., Saskatoon (Canada). Biology Dept.

1991-05-01

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the accumulation and transfer of polonium-210 and lead-210 in the arctic food chain, lichen-caribou-wolf, in the Northwest Territories. Polonium-210 arises from lead-210 decay and is a widespread alpha-emitting radionuclide. It seeks soft tissue and has the potential to accumulate in the food chain. Caribou, wolves and other wildlife may become exposed to enhanced levels of these two uranium-series radionuclides if the proposed uranium mine near Baker Lake, Northwest Territories, proceeds. Baker Lake lies at the crossroads of the ranges of the Beverly, the Kaminuriak and the Wager Bay caribou herds. Therefore, it is important to establish baseline concentrations and natural food chain transfer of uranium series radionuclides, in this study. This information can be used for baseline data before any further mining development takes place. This study will also provide data regarding the statistical uncertainty attached to transfer coefficients. This can help ensure reliable and appropriate future monitoring of environmental change. With the participation of the hunters of Baker Lake, caribou and wolf samples were collected and analyzed for polonium. Results indicate that polonium-210 activity in caribou tissues were somewhat higher than previous data reported from Alaska. Transfer coefficients for polonium-210 from caribou to wolf were near unity for many tissues. However, polonium-210 does not appear to cross the placenta in caribou. Further study includes lichen collections and collection of further caribou samples from the beverly herd in order to determine transfer from lichens to caribou in both the Baker Lake and Snowdrift areas in the Northwest Territories. (author). 26 refs., 3 tabs.

Estrellas Wolf-Rayet y el medio interestelar: huellas de una fuerte interacción

Science.gov (United States)

Cichowolski, S.; Arnal, E. M.

Se presentan resultados observacionales de un estudio de la distribución de hidrógeno neutro en los alrededores de estrellas Wolf-Rayet (WR) galácticas. Los datos de la línea de 21 cm provienen de observaciones de resolución angular intermedia (9') tomadas con el radiotelescopio de Effelsberg. La muestra está compuesta por cuatro WR de la serie del nitrógeno (WN): WR130, WR131, WR155, WR156 y tres WR de la serie del carbono (WC): WR154, WR117 y WR126. Este análisis ha permitido detectar cavidades y envolturas de HI en expansión presumiblemente vinculadas a dichas estrellas.

Oslerus osleri (Cobbold, 1876) infection in maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus, illiger, 1815).

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, Rafael Grobério Souto; Legatti, Emerson; Rahal, Sheila Canevese; Teixeira, Carlos Roberto; Ruiz Júnior, Raul Lopes; Rocha, Noeme Sousa; dos Santos, Ivan Felismino Charas; Schmidt, Elizabeth Moreira dos Santos

2012-09-01

Oslerus osleri is a small nematode that infects the respiratory tract of domestic and wild canids and is responsible for causing chronic nodular tracheobronchitis. This paper aims to report a case of parasitism by O. osleri in a free-living maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) that was struck by a motor vehicle. Fecal samples were collected, and the presence of spiral larvae, with "S"-shaped tails, was observed on flotation. This characteristic was compatible with the Filaroididae Family larvae of O. osleri. Although the animal did not show clinical signs of respiratory system impairment, a tracheobronchoscopy was performed. Semitransparent nodules, 5 mm in diameter, containing adult parasites were observed in the third distal portion of the trachea, cranial to the carina. Larval morphological characteristics and the nodular locations were compatible with an O. osleri respiratory tract infection.

Atmospheric Tracer Depletion Testing for Unfiltered Air In-Leakage Determination at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, T. M. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Wilke, R. J. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Roberts, T. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Vignato, G. J. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2017-03-01

Atmospheric Tracer Depletion tests were conducted at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant to quantify the unfiltered in-leakage (UI) into the Control Room (CR), Control Building (CB), and Equipment Rooms (ER) at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant. Wolf Creek has two independent charcoal filter Emergency Ventilation Systems (EVS) that can be used to purify air entering the control building and control room. The Bravo System contains a filtration system in Room 1501 in the Auxiliary Building for the Control Room and another filtration system (FGK02B) on Elevation 2016 for the Control Building. The Alpha system contains a filtration system in Room 1512 in the Auxiliary Building for the Control Room and another filtration system (FGK02A) on Elevation 2016 for the Control Building. The Atmospheric Tracer Depletion (ATD) test is a technique to measure in-leakage using the concentration of perfluorocarbon compounds that have a constant atmospheric background. These levels are present in the Control Room and Control Building under normal operating conditions. When air is supplied by either of the EVS, most of the PFTS are removed by the charcoal filters. If the concentrations of the PFTs measured in protected areas are the same as the levels at the output of the EVS, the in-leakage of outside air into the protected area would be zero. If the concentration is higher in the protected area than at the output of the filter system, there is in-leakage and the in-leakage can be quantified by the difference. Sampling was performed using state-of-the-art Brookhaven Atmospheric Tracer Samplers (BATS) air sampling equipment and analysis performed on Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) dedicated PFT analytical systems. In the Alpha test two tracers PMCH and mcPDCH were used to determine in-leakage into the control building. The analytical system was tuned to maximize sensitivity after initial analysis of the Alpha test. The increased sensitivity permitted accurate quantification of

Atmospheric Tracer Depletion Testing for Unfiltered Air In-Leakage Determination at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, T. M. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Wilke, R. J. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Roberts, T. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Vignato, G. J. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2017-04-01

Atmospheric Tracer Depletion tests were conducted at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant to quantify the unfiltered in-leakage (UI) into the Control Room (CR), Control Building (CB), and Equipment Rooms (ER) at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant. Wolf Creek has two independent charcoal filter Emergency Ventilation Systems (EVS) that can be used to purify air entering the control building and control room. The Bravo System contains a filtration system in Room 1501 in the Auxiliary Building for the Control Room and another filtration system (FGK02B) on Elevation 2016 for the Control Building. The Alpha system contains a filtration system in Room 1512 in the Auxiliary Building for the Control Room and another filtration system (FGK02A) on Elevation 2016 for the Control Building.The Atmospheric Tracer Depletion (ATD) test is a technique to measure in-leakage using the concentration of perfluorocarbon compounds that have a constant atmospheric background. These levels are present in the Control Room and Control Building under normal operating conditions. When air is supplied by either of the EVS, most of the PFTS are removed by the charcoal filters. If the concentrations of the PFTs measured in protected areas are the same as the levels at the output of the EVS, the in-leakage of outside air into the protected area would be zero. If the concentration is higher in the protected area than at the output of the filter system, there is in-leakage and the in-leakage can be quantified by the difference.Sampling was performed using state-of-the-art Brookhaven Atmospheric Tracer Samplers (BATS) air sampling equipment and analysis performed on Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) dedicated PFT analytical systems. In the Alpha test two tracers PMCH and mcPDCH were used to determine in-leakage into the control building. The analytical system was tuned to maximize sensitivity after initial analysis of the Alpha test. The increased sensitivity permitted accurate quantification of five

On the rarity of X-ray binaries with Wolf-Rayet donors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linden, T. [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States); Fermi National Accelerator Lab., Batavia, IL (United States); Valsecchi, F. [Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States); Kalogera, V. [Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)

2012-03-14

The paucity of High mass X-Ray binaries (HMXB) consisting of a neutron star (NS) accretor and Wolf-Rayet (WR) donor has long been at odds with expectations from population synthesis studies indicating that these systems should survive as the evolved offspring of the observed HMXB population. This tension is particularly troubling in light of recent observations uncovering a preponderance of HMXBs containing loosely bound Be donors which would be expected to naturally evolve into WR-HMXBs. Reconciling the unexpectedly large population of Be-HMXBs with the lack of observed WR-HMXB sources thus serves to isolate the dynamics of CE physics from other binary evolution parameters. We find that binary mergers during CE events must be common in order to resolve tension between these observed populations. Furthermore, future observations which better constrain the background population of loosely bound O/B-NS binaries are likely to place significant constraints on the efficiency of CE removal.

Hungry Unlike the Wolf: Ecology, Posthumanism, Narratology in Fred Vargas’s Seeking Whom He May Devour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Parham

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines posthumanism as a philosophical position equipped to inform ecocriticism and the potential of popular fiction to articulate ecological complexity. Posthumanism will be reappraised as a dialectical model that decentres the human in relation to ‘evolutionary, ecological, or technological coordinates’ (Wolfe 2010: xvi while nevertheless retaining a sense of the integrity of, and boundaries between, human and nonhuman species or phenomena. It will be argued that a novelistic emphasis on human being, agency, and action, coupled with devices of genre, plot, atnd narrative – are consistent with the process of human self‐examinaion engendered by posthumanism. The essay will, thereafter, illustrate and examine this approach through the French crime writer Fred Vargas’s1999 novel Seeking Whom He May Devour. Identifying two human protagonists – the Canadian conservationist Johnstone and his girlfriend Camille – an initial decentring of the human subject will be examined in relation to two equivalent, nonhuman protagonists, the French Alps and the wolf. Utilising newspaper interviews that highlight Vargas’s own posthumanist perspective (grounded in her profession as an archaeologist, I will examine a how the novel explores appropriate relationships between human and nonhuman animals; b how Vargas utilises both the generic features of the crime novel – e.g. the resolution of a ‘crime’ – and the subtle narrative manipulations of character focalisation to construct (via the preferred ‘point of iew’ offered by Camille a posthumanist position on human/animal relations which argas explicitly opposes to the inhumanism represented by Johnstone.

Spermatozoa from the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) display typical canid hyper-sensitivity to osmotic and freezing-induced injury, but respond favorably to dimethyl sulfoxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Amy E M; Freeman, Elizabeth W; Wildt, David E; Songsasen, Nucharin

2014-06-01

We assessed the influences of medium osmolality, cryoprotectant and cooling and warming rate on maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) spermatozoa. Ejaculates were exposed to Ham's F10 medium (isotonic control) or to this medium plus NaCl (350-1000mOsm), sucrose (369 and 479mOsm), 1M glycerol (1086mOsm) or dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO, 1151mOsm) for 10 min. Each sample then was diluted back into Ham's medium and assessed for sperm motility and plasma membrane integrity. Although glycerol and Me2SO had no influence (P>0.05), NaCl and sucrose solutions affected sperm motility (P0.05) to the control. As osmolality of the NaCl solution increased, motility decreased to maned wolf spermatozoa are similar to domestic dog sperm in their sensitivity to osmotic-induced motility damage, the plasma membranes tolerate dehydration, and the cells respond favorably to Me2SO as a cryoprotectant. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Treating electrostatics with Wolf summation in combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ojeda-May, Pedro; Pu, Jingzhi

2015-11-07

The Wolf summation approach [D. Wolf et al., J. Chem. Phys. 110, 8254 (1999)], in the damped shifted force (DSF) formalism [C. J. Fennell and J. D. Gezelter, J. Chem. Phys. 124, 234104 (2006)], is extended for treating electrostatics in combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) molecular dynamics simulations. In this development, we split the QM/MM electrostatic potential energy function into the conventional Coulomb r(-1) term and a term that contains the DSF contribution. The former is handled by the standard machinery of cutoff-based QM/MM simulations whereas the latter is incorporated into the QM/MM interaction Hamiltonian as a Fock matrix correction. We tested the resulting QM/MM-DSF method for two solution-phase reactions, i.e., the association of ammonium and chloride ions and a symmetric SN2 reaction in which a methyl group is exchanged between two chloride ions. The performance of the QM/MM-DSF method was assessed by comparing the potential of mean force (PMF) profiles with those from the QM/MM-Ewald and QM/MM-isotropic periodic sum (IPS) methods, both of which include long-range electrostatics explicitly. For ion association, the QM/MM-DSF method successfully eliminates the artificial free energy drift observed in the QM/MM-Cutoff simulations, in a remarkable agreement with the two long-range-containing methods. For the SN2 reaction, the free energy of activation obtained by the QM/MM-DSF method agrees well with both the QM/MM-Ewald and QM/MM-IPS results. The latter, however, requires a greater cutoff distance than QM/MM-DSF for a proper convergence of the PMF. Avoiding time-consuming lattice summation, the QM/MM-DSF method yields a 55% reduction in computational cost compared with the QM/MM-Ewald method. These results suggest that, in addition to QM/MM-IPS, the QM/MM-DSF method may serve as another efficient and accurate alternative to QM/MM-Ewald for treating electrostatics in condensed-phase simulations of chemical reactions.

The Nation That Cried Lone Wolf : A Data-Driven Analysis of Individual Terrorists in the United States Since 9/11

OpenAIRE

Eby, Charles A.

2012-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited Lone-wolf terrorist attacks have occurred in the United States throughout the countrys history. Attempted attacks from individual terrorists unaffiliated with terrorist groups may be becoming more prevalent. Both the general public and government officials acknowledge the presence and importance of these attacks; however, relatively little literature exists on the subject compared to group terrorism. Much of the information on lone wol...

An Efficient Hybrid Conjugate Gradient Method with the Strong Wolfe-Powell Line Search

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Alhawarat

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Conjugate gradient (CG method is an interesting tool to solve optimization problems in many fields, such as design, economics, physics, and engineering. In this paper, we depict a new hybrid of CG method which relates to the famous Polak-Ribière-Polyak (PRP formula. It reveals a solution for the PRP case which is not globally convergent with the strong Wolfe-Powell (SWP line search. The new formula possesses the sufficient descent condition and the global convergent properties. In addition, we further explained about the cases where PRP method failed with SWP line search. Furthermore, we provide numerical computations for the new hybrid CG method which is almost better than other related PRP formulas in both the number of iterations and the CPU time under some standard test functions.

Digest: Context matters: the effects of light environment and female presence on the structure of wolf spider courtship displays.

Science.gov (United States)

Fialko, Kristina

2018-03-31

Does variation in the environment in which a signal is presented affect the components of a complex, ritualized animal display? Using a signal phenotype network, Rosenthal et al. (2018) find that light and female presence alter the structure of wolf spider courtship displays, providing evidence that complex signaling behaviors may be modified depending on the social and environmental context. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

8-13 μm spectra of very late type Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aitken, D.K.; Barlow, M.J.; Roche, P.F.; Spenser, P.M.

1980-01-01

8 to 13 μm spectra are presented of the late Wolf-Rayet stars, Ve 2-45 (WC9), CRL 2104 (WC8), He 2-113 (WC10) and CPD-56 0 8032 (WC10). Both WC10 stars show the unidentified feature at 11.25 μm and one of them that at 8.6 μm; their spectra resemble those of some planetary nebulae. These features are absent in the WC8/9 stars, whose spectra, together with their infrared photometric data, can be understood in terms of approximately 900 K blackbody spectra subject to some interstellar silicate absorption and with a small excess beyond 10 μm, perhaps due to SiC grains. The WC10 objects are characterized by much lower dust temperatures and their evolutionary status appears to be very different from that of the WC8/9 stars. (author)

[Professor Andelko Wolf, MD, PhD. (1922-2007), eminent epidemiologist and dermatovenerologist].

Science.gov (United States)

Gruber, Franjo; Peris, Zdravko

2009-01-01

Professor Andelko Wolf graduated medicine from the University of Zagreb School of Medicine in 1947. First he specialised in epidemiology and became head of the Brucellosis Centre in Rijeka for the Istria region. Later he also specialised in dermatovenerology at the Department for Skin and Venereal diseases in Rijeka. He passed the specialty board exam in dermatovenerology in 1958 and became teaching assistant. In 1973, he became assistant professor and in 1981 full professor. At the Department he founded the Laboratory for Mycology and allergology. Later he focused on occupational skin diseases and photodermatology. His doctoral thesis was on the action of light on the skin. He chaired the Clinic and was a member of various Hospital and Medical School committees. He was an excellent clinician undergraduate and graduate student teacher in Rijeka and Zagreb. He published around eighty papers on dermatology, but also on the necessity to reform medical studies.

Morphological characterization of the venom apparatus in the wolf spider Lycosa singoriensis (Laxmann, 1770

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N Yigit

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The wolf spider Lycosa singoriensis (Laxmann, 1770 (Lycosidae: Araneae is distributed throughout central and eastern Europe, including Russia, Kazakhistan and Turkey. This study describes the venom apparatus morphology of L. singoriensis through scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Its structure follows the general architecture observed in other spiders. Generally, a venom apparatus is composed by a pair of venom glands and chelicerae. L. singoriensis chelicerae are robust and consist of a stout basis and a movable apical segment (fang. The fang rests in a groove on the basal segment that is covered by different types of hair. L. singoriensis venom glands present equal size and measure about 4 mm in length. Each gland is enclosed by irregular muscular layers.

First data on canids depredation on livestock in an area of recent recolonization by wolf in central Italy : considerations on conflict survey and prevention methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magrini Caterina

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Wolf and dog depredation on livestock in the province of Rieti, central Italy, in 2007-2008, was studied. The study area was characterized by a high degree of human disturbance, widespread presence of free ranging dogs and a recent wolf recolonization. Because of the ineffectiveness of compensation programmes, it was not possible to use the official statistics to investigate the extent of the conflict, but sample interviews and surveys of farmers were used. Also, the farming protection tecniques adopted for different livestock species were analysed; the most utilized husbandry method was stabling for cattle and pigs, annual fenced grazing for horses and sheeps, and annual open grazing only for goats. Although sheep farms were the most attacked because of their availability (33.6% of the whole farms, goat farms were the most selected by predators because of their accessibility (40% of farms kept goats in annual open grazing. Management implications to mitigate livestock depredation were discussed.

Helminth parasites in the endangered Ethiopian wolf, Canis simensis.

Science.gov (United States)

van Kesteren, F; Piggott, K J; Bengui, T; Kubri, S B; Mastin, A; Sillero-Zubiri, C; Paris, M; Millar, R P; Macdonald, D W; Shiferaw, F; Craig, P S

2015-07-01

Ethiopian wolves, Canis simensis, are an endangered carnivore endemic to the Ethiopian highlands. Although previous studies have focused on aspects of Ethiopian wolf biology, including diet, territoriality, reproduction and infectious diseases such as rabies, little is known of their helminth parasites. In the current study, faecal samples were collected from 94 wild Ethiopian wolves in the Bale Mountains of southern Ethiopia, between August 2008 and February 2010, and were screened for the presence of helminth eggs using a semi-quantitative volumetric dilution method with microscopy. We found that 66 of the 94 faecal samples (70.2%) contained eggs from at least one group of helminths, including Capillaria, Toxocara, Trichuris, ancylostomatids, Hymenolepis and taeniids. Eggs of Capillaria sp. were found most commonly, followed by Trichuris sp., ancylostomatid species and Toxocara species. Three samples contained Hymenolepis sp. eggs, which were likely artefacts from ingested prey species. Four samples contained taeniid eggs, one of which was copro-polymerase chain reaction (copro-PCR) and sequence positive for Echinococcus granulosus, suggesting a spillover from a domestic parasite cycle into this wildlife species. Associations between presence/absence of Capillaria, Toxocara and Trichuris eggs were found; and egg burdens of Toxocara and ancylostomatids were found to be associated with geographical location and sampling season.

The Lurking Wolf: Qualitative research of existential experiences with lupus in female patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Janni Lisander; Jacobsen, Søren; Hall, Elisabeth

of existential experiences over time in female patients suffering from Lupus. Method: Three 3 qualitative indept interviews with 15 women is planned during 1½ year. First and second round is performed, and third is planned during spring 2015. Interviews are guided by Van Manens life world existentials (time...... to withdraw their consent, and to choose time and place for the interviewing. Results: Interpretation on the existential meaning is in progress. Preliminary results document that the chaotic time of the diagnosis gradually changes over the years, leaving a mark on their existential life. Experiencing......THE LURKING OF THE WOLF- QUALITATIVE RESARCH OF EXISTENTIAL EXPERIENCES WITH LUPUS IN FEMALE PATIENTS. J. Lisander Larsen (1, 2), S. Jacobsen (2), E.O. C. Hall (1), R. Birkelund(3) (1) Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Section for Nursing, Denmark. (2) University Hospital...

X-RAY EMISSION FROM THE WOLF-RAYET BUBBLE S 308

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toalá, J. A.; Guerrero, M. A.; Chu, Y.-H.; Gruendl, R. A.; Arthur, S. J.; Smith, R. C.; Snowden, S. L.

2012-01-01

The Wolf-Rayet (WR) bubble S 308 around the WR star HD 50896 is one of the only two WR bubbles known to possess X-ray emission. We present XMM-Newton observations of three fields of this WR bubble that, in conjunction with an existing observation of its northwest quadrant, map most of the nebula. The X-ray emission from S 308 displays a limb-brightened morphology, with a central cavity ∼22' in size and a shell thickness of ∼8'. This X-ray shell is confined by the optical shell of ionized material. The spectrum is dominated by the He-like triplets of N VI at 0.43 keV and O VII at 0.57 keV, and declines toward high energies, with a faint tail up to 1 keV. This spectrum can be described by a two-temperature optically thin plasma emission model (T 1 ∼ 1.1 × 10 6 K, T 2 ∼ 13 × 10 6 K), with a total X-ray luminosity ∼2 × 10 33 erg s –1 at the assumed distance of 1.5 kpc.

X-RAY EMISSION FROM THE WOLF-RAYET BUBBLE S 308

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toala, J. A.; Guerrero, M. A. [Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, IAA-CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomia s/n, 18008 Granada (Spain); Chu, Y.-H.; Gruendl, R. A. [Department of Astronomy, University of Illinois, 1002 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Arthur, S. J. [Centro de Radioastronomia y Astrofisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus Morelia, Apartado Postal 3-72, 58090, Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico); Smith, R. C. [NOAO/CTIO, 950 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States); Snowden, S. L., E-mail: toala@iaa.es [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 662, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2012-08-10

The Wolf-Rayet (WR) bubble S 308 around the WR star HD 50896 is one of the only two WR bubbles known to possess X-ray emission. We present XMM-Newton observations of three fields of this WR bubble that, in conjunction with an existing observation of its northwest quadrant, map most of the nebula. The X-ray emission from S 308 displays a limb-brightened morphology, with a central cavity {approx}22' in size and a shell thickness of {approx}8'. This X-ray shell is confined by the optical shell of ionized material. The spectrum is dominated by the He-like triplets of N VI at 0.43 keV and O VII at 0.57 keV, and declines toward high energies, with a faint tail up to 1 keV. This spectrum can be described by a two-temperature optically thin plasma emission model (T{sub 1} {approx} 1.1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 6} K, T{sub 2} {approx} 13 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 6} K), with a total X-ray luminosity {approx}2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 33} erg s{sup -1} at the assumed distance of 1.5 kpc.

Genotype-Phenotype Characterization of Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome Confirmed by FISH: Case Reports

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Sheth

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS is a multiple malformation and contiguous gene syndrome resulting from the deletion encompassing a 4p16.3 region. A microscopically visible terminal deletion on chromosome 4p (4p16→pter was detected in Case 1 with full blown features of WHS. The second case which had an interstitial microdeletion encompassing WHSC 1 and WHSC 2 genes at 4p16.3 presented with less striking clinical features of WHS and had an apparently “normal” karyotype. The severity of the clinical presentation was as a result of haploinsufficiency and interaction with surrounding genes as well as mutations in modifier genes located outside the WHSCR regions. The study emphasized that an individual with a strong clinical suspicion of chromosomal abnormality and a normal conventional cytogenetic study should be further investigated using molecular cytogenetic techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH or array-comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH.

Modelling of radiocesium transfer in the lichen-reindeer/caribou-wolf food chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. F. Holleman

1990-09-01

Full Text Available The environmental contaminate radiocesium (cesium-137 has been shown to be of value as a marker in food selection and intake studies. Its greatest potential value as a food marker is in the subarctic/arctic regions, particularly in the lichen to reindeer/caribou to wolf food chain. A kinetic model describing the movement of radiocesium through the food chain has been developed using the SAAM computer program and is presented here. The program has been written so that the various paramenters affecting the transfer of radiocesium in the food chain can be altered more realistically to describe the system being modeled. The values of the parameters as given in this example are realistic for interior Alaska, however caution should be exercised in the application of the present results to regions that may be vastly different from the Alaskan interior without first evaluating the parameters and assumptions of the model.

X-rays from Wolf-Rayet stars observed by the Einstein observatory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, W.T.; Cassinelli, J.P.; Hucht, K.A. van der

1982-01-01

Preliminary results of three X-ray surveys are presented. Out of a sample of 20 stars, X-rays were detected from four Wolf-Rayet stars and two O8f + stars. The detected stars have about the same mean value as O stars for the X-ray to total luminosity ratio, Lsub(x)/L = 10 -7 , but exhibit a much larger variation about the mean. The spectral energy distributions are also found to be like that of O stars in that they do not exhibit large attenuation of X-rays softer than 1 keV. This indicates that for both the O stars and WR stars much of the X-ray emission is coming from hot wisps or shocks in the outer regions of the winds and not from a thin source at the base of the wind. The general spectral shape and flux level place severe restrictions on models that attribute the lack of hydrogen emission lines to extremely high temperatures of the gas in the wind. (Auth.)

Auditory hair cell defects as potential cause for sensorineural deafness in Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohi Ahmed

2015-09-01

Full Text Available WHSC1 is a histone methyltransferase (HMT that catalyses the addition of methyl groups to lysine 36 on histone 3. In humans, WHSC1 haploinsufficiency is associated with all known cases of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS. The cardinal feature of WHS is a craniofacial dysmorphism, which is accompanied by sensorineural hearing loss in 15% of individuals with WHS. Here, we show that WHSC1-deficient mice display craniofacial defects that overlap with WHS, including cochlea anomalies. Although auditory hair cells are specified normally, their stereocilia hair bundles required for sound perception fail to develop the appropriate morphology. Furthermore, the orientation and cellular organisation of cochlear hair cells and their innervation are defective. These findings identify, for the first time, the likely cause of sensorineural hearing loss in individuals with WHS.

Autobiography, autofiction, metafiction and literature. The case of Stadt der Engel by Christa Wolf

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Celeste Ribeiro de Sousa

2014-06-01

Full Text Available O tema da obra Stadt der Engel, de Christa Wolf (1929-2011, gira em torno da problemática apreensão do real nos dias de hoje. Há nesta obra, publicada em 2010, uma ação curta e irrelevante que constitui, contudo, uma moldura narrativa a sustentar todos os discursos presentes no texto: o romanesco, o histórico, o autobiográfico. Há até a presença surreal de um anjo protetor que ajuda a protagonista a suportar as vicissitudes de uma estrangeira em terras estranhas e, em particular, a descoberta de seu passado como membro colaborador informal da outrora polícia secreta da DDR (Stasi. Este ensaio objetiva mostrar como todos esses discursos se articulam na forma de um tecido literário.

Age and egg-sac loss determine maternal behaviour and locomotor activity of wolf spiders (Araneae, Lycosidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Ruhland, Fanny; Chiara, Violette; Trabalon, Marie

2016-11-01

Wolf spiders' (Lycosidae) maternal behaviour includes a specific phase called "egg brooding" which consists of guarding and carrying an egg-sac throughout the incubation period. The transport of an egg-sac can restrict mothers' exploratory and locomotor activity, in particular when foraging. The present study details the ontogeny of maternal behaviour and assesses the influence of age of egg-sac (or embryos' developmental stage) on vagrant wolf spider Pardosa saltans females' exploration and locomotion. We observed these spiders' maternal behaviour in the laboratory and evaluated their locomotor activity using a digital activity recording device. Our subjects were virgin females (without egg-sac) and first time mothers (with her egg-sac) who were divided into three groups. The first group of mothers were tested on the day the egg-sac was built (day 0), and the females of the other two groups were tested 10 or 15days after they had built their egg-sac. We evaluated the effects of the presence and the loss of egg-sac on mothers' activity. Pardosa saltans females' behaviour depended on mothers' physiological state and/or age of egg-sac (developmental stage of embryos). Virgin females' behaviour was not modified by the presence of an egg-sac in their environment. Mothers' reactions to the presence, the loss and the recovery of their egg-sac varied during the maternal cycle. Maternal behaviour changed with age of egg-sac, but the levels of locomotor activity of mothers with egg-sacs was similar to those of virgin females. Loss of egg-sac modified the maternal behaviour and locomotor activity of all mothers; these modifications were greater on "day 15" when embryos had emerged from eggs. All mothers were able to retrieve their egg-sacs and to re-attach them to their spinnerets. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Blackout risk prevention in a smart grid based flexible optimal strategy using Grey Wolf-pattern search algorithms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahdad, Belkacem; Srairi, K.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A generalized optimal security power system planning strategy for blackout risk prevention is proposed. • A Grey Wolf Optimizer dynamically coordinated with Pattern Search algorithm is proposed. • A useful optimized database dynamically generated considering margin loading stability under severe faults. • The robustness and feasibility of the proposed strategy is validated in the standard IEEE 30 Bus system. • The proposed planning strategy will be useful for power system protection coordination and control. - Abstract: Developing a flexible and reliable power system planning strategy under critical situations is of great importance to experts and industrials to minimize the probability of blackouts occurrence. This paper introduces the first stage of this practical strategy by the application of Grey Wolf Optimizer coordinated with pattern search algorithm for solving the security smart grid power system management under critical situations. The main objective of this proposed planning strategy is to prevent the practical power system against blackout due to the apparition of faults in generating units or important transmission lines. At the first stage the system is pushed to its margin stability limit, the critical loads shedding are selected using voltage stability index. In the second stage the generator control variables, the reactive power of shunt and dynamic compensators are adjusted in coordination with minimization the active and reactive power at critical loads to maintain the system at security state to ensure service continuity. The feasibility and efficiency of the proposed strategy is applied to IEEE 30-Bus test system. Results are promising and prove the practical efficiency of the proposed strategy to ensure system security under critical situations

Disease, food and reproduction of the maned wolf: Chrysocyon Brachyurus (Illiger (Carnivora, Canidae in southeast Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cory T. de Carvalho

1995-09-01

Full Text Available The most frequent endoparasite of the Maned wolf - Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815 is the giant kidney-worm. Dioctophyma renale (Goeze, 1782. It has heen responsible for the majority of deaths of captive animals. Twenty-six marked wolves have been followed in the field with ear-tags and radio-collar tagged (Tab. II to investigate their interactions with the environment, their diurnal shelters, movements and habits, and their delivery sites. Ten years of life history data have heen gathered. They are territorial and monogamous, and give birth to two or three young once a year, after a 63 days gestation, on average. Maned wolves inhabit the open areas and have omnivorous feeding habits.

A hybrid Dantzig-Wolfe, Benders decomposition and column generation procedure for multiple diet production planning under uncertainties

Science.gov (United States)

Udomsungworagul, A.; Charnsethikul, P.

2018-03-01

This article introduces methodology to solve large scale two-phase linear programming with a case of multiple time period animal diet problems under both nutrients in raw materials and finished product demand uncertainties. Assumption of allowing to manufacture multiple product formulas in the same time period and assumption of allowing to hold raw materials and finished products inventory have been added. Dantzig-Wolfe decompositions, Benders decomposition and Column generations technique has been combined and applied to solve the problem. The proposed procedure was programmed using VBA and Solver tool in Microsoft Excel. A case study was used and tested in term of efficiency and effectiveness trade-offs.

Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome Candidate 1 Is Necessary for Correct Hematopoietic and B Cell Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Campos-Sanchez

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Immunodeficiency is one of the most important causes of mortality associated with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS, a severe rare disease originated by a deletion in chromosome 4p. The WHS candidate 1 (WHSC1 gene has been proposed as one of the main genes responsible for many of the alterations in WHS, but its mechanism of action is still unknown. Here, we present in vivo genetic evidence showing that Whsc1 plays an important role at several points of hematopoietic development. Particularly, our results demonstrate that both differentiation and function of Whsc1-deficient B cells are impaired at several key developmental stages due to profound molecular defects affecting B cell lineage specification, commitment, fitness, and proliferation, demonstrating a causal role for WHSC1 in the immunodeficiency of WHS patients.

Auditory hair cell defects as potential cause for sensorineural deafness in Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Mohi; Ura, Kiyoe; Streit, Andrea

2015-09-01

WHSC1 is a histone methyltransferase (HMT) that catalyses the addition of methyl groups to lysine 36 on histone 3. In humans, WHSC1 haploinsufficiency is associated with all known cases of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS). The cardinal feature of WHS is a craniofacial dysmorphism, which is accompanied by sensorineural hearing loss in 15% of individuals with WHS. Here, we show that WHSC1-deficient mice display craniofacial defects that overlap with WHS, including cochlea anomalies. Although auditory hair cells are specified normally, their stereocilia hair bundles required for sound perception fail to develop the appropriate morphology. Furthermore, the orientation and cellular organisation of cochlear hair cells and their innervation are defective. These findings identify, for the first time, the likely cause of sensorineural hearing loss in individuals with WHS. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Isotopic anomalies in cosmic rays and winds from Wolf-Rayet stars - a new model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeder, A.

1984-01-01

The insufficiency of the metal-rich supernovae model and of the Wolf-Rayet star model for explaining the isotopic anomalies in the galactic cosmic ray source (GCRS) is examined, and a new model for attacking the anomaly problem is proposed. The main properties of WR stars relevant to the study of GCRS are recalled, with particular emphasis on their chemical excesses and the steep galactic gradient in their distribution. The proposed model assumes that GCRs originate from two main sources of different composition and galactic distribution, probably SN's and WR stars. Their properties may change with galactocentric distance. The relevant physical physicochemical relationships are derived, and some approximations which account for the contributions of WR and SN sources in GCRS are worked out for comparison with observations. The model is found to account very well for the observed anomalies. 33 references

Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome in young men presenting with palpitation: the pattern of delta waves in predicting location of accessory pathway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miryanti Cahyaningtias

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Palpitation is a common presenting symptom in the emergency department. Wolf-Parkinson White (WPW syndrome is a cardiac conduction disorder that may present with palpitation and lead to sudden cardiac death. WPW could be detected by  electrocardiogram (ECG. In this case report, we present two young male patients with WPW syndrome admitted to our hospital with history of repeated and progressive palpitation. ECG of the first patient revealed supraventricular tachycardia which converted to sinus rhythm after propanolol treatment. ECG showed sinus rhythm with delta wave in lead II,III,aVF, V1 suggesting the presence of accessory pathway (AP in left lateral wall. Electrophysiology study confirmed the presence of AP and radio frequency catheter ablation was successfully done resulted in disappearance of delta on outpatient clinic ECG. Patient has no symptom and he do not have to take medication. ECG of the second patient revealed supraventricular tachycardia with abberancy. After amiodarone infusion, ECG showed sinus rhythm with delta wave in lead I,II,aVL suggesting the presence of accessory pathway in anteroseptal wall. Electrophysiology study and catheter ablation did not perform for this patient because of financial problem, however amidarone has to be taken regularly to prevent the recurrence of supraventricular tachycardia. (Med J Indones 2011; 20:298-301Keywords: ECG, palpitation, supraventricular tachycardia, Wolf- Parkinson White syndrome

[Artistic dream reconstructions of the Wolf Man in the light of experimental findings].

Science.gov (United States)

Leuschner, W; Hau, S

1995-07-01

The authors take the famous dream picture by the "wolf-man" as the starting-point for experimental research of their own and relate the one to the other. They see the significance of pictorial representations of dreams less in the supplementary information they convey about the "text" of dreams than in the fact that they give separate expression to motility-based "gesture-associated" memories and ideas. These need to be distinguished from "language-associated" memories as there are dissociated modes of encoding experience underlying verbal and pictorial representation. The splitting of these modes into different part-codes is an important component of repression. In addition, the pictorial representation of dreams enables the patient to re-associate part-codes and thus achieve a "deferred" reconstruction and complementation of significant experiences. In the authors view, pictorial representation is favorable to the discovery of repressed material; it is as yet however impossible to say exactly what relationship there is between verbalized and pictorial representation in the context of analysis.

Corrections for hydrostatic atmospheric models: radii and effective temperatures of Wolf Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loore, C. de; Hellings, P.; Lamers, H.J.G.L.M.

1982-01-01

With the assumption of plane-parallel hydrostatic atmospheres, used generally for the computation of evolutionary models, the radii of WR stars are seriously underestimated. The true atmospheres may be very extended, due to the effect of the stellar wind. Instead of these hydrostatic atmospheres the authors consider dynamical atmospheres adopting a velocity law. The equation of the optical depth is integrated outwards using the equation of continuity. The ''hydrostatic'' radii are to be multiplied with a factor 2 to 8, and the effective temperatures with a factor 0.8 to 0.35 when Wolf Rayet characteristics for the wind are considered, and WR mass loss rates are used. With these corrections the effective temperatures of the theoretical models, which are helium burning Roche lobe overflow remnants, range between 30,000 K and 50,000 K. Effective temperatures calculated in the hydrostatic hypothesis can be as high as 150,000 K for helium burning RLOF-remnants with WR mass loss rates. (Auth.)

Integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect versus redshift test for the cosmological parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Kantowski, R.; Chen, B.; Dai, X.

2015-04-01

We describe a method using the integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect caused by individual inhomogeneities to determine the cosmological parameters H0, Ωm , and ΩΛ, etc. This ISW-redshift test requires detailed knowledge of the internal kinematics of a set of individual density perturbations, e.g., galaxy clusters and/or cosmic voids, in particular their density and velocity profiles, and their mass accretion rates. It assumes the density perturbations are isolated and embedded (equivalently compensated) and makes use of the newly found relation between the ISW temperature perturbation of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and the Fermat potential of the lens. Given measurements of the amplitudes of the temperature variations in the CMB caused by such clusters or voids at various redshifts and estimates of their angular sizes or masses, one can constrain the cosmological parameters. More realistically, the converse is more likely, i.e., if the background cosmology is sufficiently constrained, measurement of ISW profiles of clusters and voids (e.g., hot and cold spots and rings) can constrain dynamical properties of the dark matter, including accretion, associated with such lenses and thus constrain the evolution of these objects with redshift.

A Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition algorithm for linear economic model predictive control of dynamically decoupled subsystems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sokoler, Leo Emil; Standardi, Laura; Edlund, Kristian

2014-01-01

This paper presents a warm-started Dantzig–Wolfe decomposition algorithm tailored to economic model predictive control of dynamically decoupled subsystems. We formulate the constrained optimal control problem solved at each sampling instant as a linear program with state space constraints, input...... limits, input rate limits, and soft output limits. The objective function of the linear program is related directly to the cost of operating the subsystems, and the cost of violating the soft output constraints. Simulations for large-scale economic power dispatch problems show that the proposed algorithm...... is significantly faster than both state-of-the-art linear programming solvers, and a structure exploiting implementation of the alternating direction method of multipliers. It is also demonstrated that the control strategy presented in this paper can be tuned using a weighted ℓ1-regularization term...

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) - literature review on the features of the syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Paradowska-Stolarz, Anna M

2014-01-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a congenital disorder associated with 4 chromosome microdeletion. The patients suffer from various deformities. Among them, mental and growth retardation, even in the fetus, are observed. Most of the characteristics concern facial features. The "Greek warrior helmet appearance" is the most characteristic feature and refers to the facial view with prominent glabella, high arched eyebrow, broad nasal bridge and hypertelorism. Another characteristic feature is microcephalia with micrognathia. The features are more pronounced in infants. Clefts of lip and/or palate are observed in almost half of the cases. The characteristic thing is that the more genetic material is missing, the more pronounced are the dimorphic features of the syndrome. Mostly, the dental status does not differ much from that of the healthy individuals. It had been proven though that WHS-patients are more prone to anomalies in dental structures. Cone-shaped and taurodontic teeth were observed. Multiple tooth agenesis (mainly at premolars and molars) with over-retained deciduous dentition might be associated with MSX1-gene impairment.

Three patients with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome carrying a satellited chromosome 4p.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Desheng; Zhou, Zhongmin; Meng, Dahua; Du, Juan; Wen, Juan; Niikawa, Norio; Wu, Lingqian

2012-07-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is caused by a deletion involving the 4p16.3 region. Approximately 70% of WHS patients have a de novo isolated deletion and 22% involve unbalanced translocations. However, WHS with unbalanced rearrangements involving the short arm of an acrocentric chromosome are infrequently reported. Cytogenetic and molecular analyses by using standard G-banding, argyrophilic nucleolar organiser region (Ag-NOR) staining, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and single nucleotide polymorphism array for copy number detection were performed in three patients with WHS phenotype from two Chinese families. A heterozygous 2,767,380-bp terminal 4p deletion was detected in patients 1 and 2 and a heterozygous 5,047,291-bp terminal 4p deletion was detected in patient3. Clinical comparisons among our patients and previously reported cases have been reviewed. Two terminal 4p deletions were identified in three WHS patients with a satellited 4p and an attempt was made to refine the genotypic-phenotypic correlations of the deleted regions. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ISOLATED WOLF-RAYET STARS AND O SUPERGIANTS IN THE GALACTIC CENTER REGION IDENTIFIED VIA PASCHEN-α EXCESS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mauerhan, J. C.; Stolovy, S. R.; Cotera, A.; Dong, H.; Wang, Q. D.; Morris, M. R.; Lang, C.

2010-01-01

We report the discovery of 19 hot, evolved, massive stars near the Galactic center region (GCR). These objects were selected for spectroscopy owing to their detection as strong sources of Paschen-α (Pα) emission-line excess, following a narrowband imaging survey of the central 0. 0 65 x 0. 0 25 (l, b) around Sgr A* with the Hubble Space Telescope. Discoveries include six carbon-type (WC) and five nitrogen-type (WN) Wolf-Rayet stars, six O supergiants, and two B supergiants. Two of the O supergiants have X-ray counterparts having properties consistent with solitary O stars and colliding-wind binaries. The infrared photometry of 17 stars is consistent with the Galactic center distance, but 2 of them are located in the foreground. Several WC stars exhibit a relatively large infrared excess, which is possibly thermal emission from hot dust. Most of the stars appear scattered throughout the GCR, with no relation to the three known massive young clusters; several others lie near the Arches and Quintuplet clusters and may have originated within one of these systems. The results of this work bring the total sample of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars in the GCR to 88. All sources of strong Pα excess have been identified in the area surveyed with HST, which implies that the sample of WN stars in this region is near completion, and is dominated by late (WNL) types. The current WC sample, although probably not complete, is almost exclusively dominated by late (WCL) types. The observed WR subtype distribution in the GCR is a reflection of the intrinsic rarity of early subtypes (WNE and WCE) in the inner Galaxy, an effect that is driven by metallicity.

Temperature Inversions and Permafrost Distribution in a Mountain Valley: Preliminary Results From Wolf Creek, Yukon Territory, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Lewkowicz, A. G.; Smith, K. M.

2004-12-01

The BTS (Basal Temperature of Snow) method to predict permafrost probability in mountain basins uses elevation as an easily available and spatially distributed independent variable. The elevation coefficient in the BTS regression model is, in effect, a substitute for ground temperature lapse rates. Previous work in Wolf Creek (60° 8'N 135° W), a mountain basin near Whitehorse, has shown that the model breaks down in a mid-elevation valley (1250 m asl) where actual permafrost probability is roughly twice that predicted by the model (60% vs. 20-30%). The existence of a double tree-line at the site suggested that air temperature inversions might be the cause of this inaccuracy (Lewkowicz and Ednie, 2004). This paper reports on a first year (08/2003-08/2004) of hourly air and ground temperature data collected along an altitudinal transect within the valley in upper Wolf Creek. Measurements were made at sites located 4, 8, 22, 82 and 162 m above the valley floor. Air temperature inversions between the lowest and highest measurement points occurred 42% of the time and in all months, but were most frequent and intense in winter (>60% of December and January) and least frequent in September (snow cover. In many cases, however, air temperature inversions are not duplicated in the ground temperature record. Nevertheless, the annual altitudinal ground temperature gradient is much lower than would be expected from a standard atmospheric lapse rate, suggesting that the inversions do have an important impact on permafrost distribution at this site. More generally, therefore, it appears probable that any reduction in inversion frequency resulting from a more vigorous atmospheric circulation in the context of future climate change, would have a significant effect on permafrost distribution in mountain basins.

Genomic Analysis Reveals Hypoxia Adaptation in the Tibetan Mastiff by Introgression of the Gray Wolf from the Tibetan Plateau.

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Benpeng; Wang, Zhen; Li, Yixue

2017-03-01

The Tibetan Mastiff (TM), a native of the Tibetan Plateau, has quickly adapted to the extreme highland environment. Recently, the impact of positive selection on the TM genome was studied and potential hypoxia-adaptive genes were identified. However, the origin of the adaptive variants remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the signature of genetic introgression in the adaptation of TMs with dog and wolf genomic data from different altitudes in close geographic proximity. On a genome-wide scale, the TM was much more closely related to other dogs than wolves. However, using the 'ABBA/BABA' test, we identified genomic regions from the TM that possibly introgressed from Tibetan gray wolf. Several of the regions, including the EPAS1 and HBB loci, also showed the dominant signature of selective sweeps in the TM genome. We validated the introgression of the two loci by excluding the possibility of convergent evolution and ancestral polymorphisms and examined the haplotypes of all available canid genomes. The estimated time of introgression based on a non-coding region of the EPAS1 locus mostly overlapped with the Paleolithic era. Our results demonstrated that the introgression of hypoxia adaptive genes in wolves from the highland played an important role for dogs living in hypoxic environments, which indicated that domestic animals could acquire local adaptation quickly by secondary contact with their wild relatives. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reappearance of Taenia ovis krabbei muscle cysts in a roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Denmark after 60+ years, with a possible role of a grey wolf (Canis lupus) as definitive host

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Al-Sabi, Mohammad Nafi Solaiman; Chriél, Mariann; Holm, Elisabeth

2013-01-01

. In mainland Europe, T. o. krabbei is primarily a parasite of wolves6,7. The unexpected reappearance of a wolf in Denmark in 2012 after almost two decades of absence could be a mere coincidence, but may also explain the introduction of this parasite along with the wolf. Domestic dogs, on the other hand, could......, but unnoticed, in other areas of Denmark. The helminth burden of invading animals is normally expected to decrease8. However, invading wolves can support their establishment in new areas by carrying worms of T. o. krabbei that cause severe illness in native deer that subsequently become prey to the wolves....

Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome Candidate 1 Is Necessary for Correct Hematopoietic and B Cell Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Campos-Sanchez, Elena; Deleyto-Seldas, Nerea; Dominguez, Veronica; Carrillo-de-Santa-Pau, Enrique; Ura, Kiyoe; Rocha, Pedro P; Kim, JungHyun; Aljoufi, Arafat; Esteve-Codina, Anna; Dabad, Marc; Gut, Marta; Heyn, Holger; Kaneda, Yasufumi; Nimura, Keisuke; Skok, Jane A; Martinez-Frias, Maria Luisa; Cobaleda, Cesar

2017-05-23

Immunodeficiency is one of the most important causes of mortality associated with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS), a severe rare disease originated by a deletion in chromosome 4p. The WHS candidate 1 (WHSC1) gene has been proposed as one of the main genes responsible for many of the alterations in WHS, but its mechanism of action is still unknown. Here, we present in vivo genetic evidence showing that Whsc1 plays an important role at several points of hematopoietic development. Particularly, our results demonstrate that both differentiation and function of Whsc1-deficient B cells are impaired at several key developmental stages due to profound molecular defects affecting B cell lineage specification, commitment, fitness, and proliferation, demonstrating a causal role for WHSC1 in the immunodeficiency of WHS patients. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamic Modeling of Steam Condenser and Design of PI Controller Based on Grey Wolf Optimizer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shu-Xia Li

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Shell-and-tube condenser is a heat exchanger for cooling steam with high temperature and pressure, which is one of the main kinds of heat exchange equipment in thermal, nuclear, and marine power plant. Based on the lumped parameter modeling method, the dynamic mathematical model of the simplified steam condenser is established. Then, the pressure PI control system of steam condenser based on the Matlab/Simulink simulation platform is designed. In order to obtain better performance, a new metaheuristic intelligent algorithm, grey wolf optimizer (GWO, is used to realize the fine-tuning of PI controller parameters. On the other hand, the Z-N engineering tuning method, genetic algorithm, and particle swarm algorithm are adopted for tuning PI controller parameters and compared with GWO algorithm. Simulation results show that GWO algorithm has better control performance than other four algorithms.

Anti-rejection effect of ethanol extract of Poria cocos wolf in rats after cardiac allograft implantation

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

张国伟; 刘宏宇; 夏求明; 李君权; 吕航; 张庆华; 姚志发

2004-01-01

Background A living fetus within the maternal uterus provides an example of allogene tolerance in mammals. Poria cocos Wolf is the main component of many Chinese medicinal combination drugs that have therapeutic effects on recurrent spontaneous abortion and that can maintain pregnancy until delivery. It was hypothesized that this herbal medicine can also prolong allograft survival after organ transplantation. Here, in an in vivo study, we report the anti-rejection effect of the ethanol extract of Poria cocos Wolf (EEPCW) in rats after cardiac allograft implantation. Methods Ten normal rats were healthy controls. Eighty rats receiving homologous heart transplants were divided into 4 groups of 20 rats each based on type of treatment: olive oil 8 ml*kg-1*d-1, EEPCW 25 mg*kg-1*d-1, EEPCW 50 mg*kg-1*d-1 or cyclosporin A 5mg*kg-1*d-1. Allograft survival was observed in 10 rats from each group. On the seventh day post transplantation, pathological lesions and percentages of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ lymphocytes and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in peripheral blood were assessed in another 10 rats from each group and in 10 normal rats. Results The survival time of donor hearts in the two EEPCW groups was significantly prolonged, to (15.9±2.4) days and (30.0±0.0) days, respectively, compared with (6.7±0.8) days in the control group. Pathological lesions in the two EEPCW groups were also less severe, and the percentages of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ lymphocytes and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were significantly lower in the EEPCW groups.Conclusions Acute rejection of heart transplants and cellular immune reaction can be effectively suppressed using the EEPCW. Taking advantage of novel immunosuppressants derived from Chinese medicinal herbs used to treat abnormal pregnancy provides a hopeful road for future research and treatment in organ transplantation.

Tubulopapillary carcinoma of the mammary gland in a maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus: histopathological and immunophenotypical analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.O. Gamba

2011-12-01

Full Text Available A maned female wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus showed nodules in the inguinal and left abdominal cranial mammary glands. The mammary gland was surgically excised, and microscopic analysis revealed epithelial cell proliferation in a tubular and papillary pattern; delicate fibrovascular stalks presenting numerous layers of moderately pleomorfic epithelial cells were observed. This histologic appearance was compatible with a diagnosis of mammary tubulopapillary carcinoma. The immunohistochemical profile revealed nuclear positivity for estrogen (70% and progesterone (at least 90% of the neoplastic cells. The myoepithelium-associated with neoplastic cells lacked integrity, as evidenced by failed smooth muscle alpha actin reactivity in microinvasive areas. A low proliferation index was observed (3.4%. To the authors' knowledge, the present case represents the first finding of female tubulopapillary carcinoma in a mammary gland in this species.

POX 4 and Tol 35: Two Peculiar Wolf-Rayet Dwarf Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Méndez, David I.; Esteban, César

1999-12-01

We present results of narrowband (Hα and adjacent continuum) and broadband (U, B, and V) optical CCD imaging together with high-resolution Hα spectroscopy of the blue compact Wolf-Rayet dwarf galaxies POX 4 and Tol 35. POX 4 has a fainter, irregular, and diffuse companion located 20.5" (4.7 kpc) along the minor axis of the galaxy, which is visible also in the Hα emission. The difference in recession velocity between the galaxy and the companion is about 130 km s-1. The observational results lead us to propose that POX 4 could be interpreted as a low-mass ring galaxy, produced by a head-on intrusion of the fainter companion. Regarding the other object, a spectrum taken along the major axis of Tol 35 shows the coexistence of systems of motion with a velocity difference of about 50 km s-1. Moreover, the deep continuum-subtracted Hα image of the galaxy shows very faint features that resemble the beginning of crossed tidal tails or gaseous filaments powered by the mechanical action of the young stellar population. In this sense, Tol 35 could be interpreted either as an object in an intermediate-stage merging process between two gas-rich dwarf galaxies or as an object suffering the effect of a galactic wind.

Cranial and dental abnormalities of the endangered red wolf Canis rufus

Science.gov (United States)

Federoff, Nicholas E.; Nowak, Ronald M.

1998-01-01

Three skulls of captive-raised female endangered red wolves (Canis rufus) exhibited severe malocclusion of the jaws. Cranial and dental abnormalities (including crowding of upper toothrows, and an extra tooth behind the lower left M3 in one of the three mandibles) were also evident. Ratios of alveolar length of maxillary toothrow to maximum width across the outer sides of crowns of P4 were significantly different (p=0.008) compared to unaffected skulls. Significant differences were also evident when ratios of maximum width across inner edges of alveoli of P1 to alveolar length of maxillary toothrow and maximum width across outer sides of crowns of P4 were compared between the two groups. Although the three skulls all exhibited malocclusion, the abnormality expressed itself differently in relation to the effects to each skull. Captive inbreeding may increase the probability and frequency of expressing these anomalies, although inbreeding coefficients calculated for the wolves expressing malocclusion were not considered high (0.0313-0.0508). A wild female red wolf specimen captured in 1921 in Arkansas also exhibited the malocclusion, although not as severely as in the captive females. This demonstrates that this trait was present in wild populations prior to, and not a result of, the captive breeding program.

Flood discharges and hydraulics near the mouths of Wolf Creek, Craig Branch, Manns Creek, Dunloup Creek, and Mill Creek in the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Wiley, J.B.

1994-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, studied the frequency and magnitude of flooding near the mouths of five tributaries to the New River in the New River Gorge National River. The 100-year peak discharge at each tributary was determined from regional frequency equations. The 100-year discharge at Wolf Creek, Craig Branch, Manns Creek, Dunloup Creek, and Mill Creek was 3,400 cubic feet per second, 640 cubic feet per second, 8,200 cubic feet per second, 7,100 cubic feet per second, and 9,400 cubic feet per second, respectively. Flood elevations for each tributary were determined by application of a steady-state, one-dimensional flow model. Manning's roughness coefficients for the stream channels ranged from 0.040 to 0.100. Bridges that would be unable to contain the 100-year flood within the bridge opening included: the State Highway 82 bridge on Wolf Creek, the second Fayette County Highway 25 bridge upstream from the confluence with New River on Dunloup Creek, and an abandoned log bridge on Mill Creek.

A unique genomic sequence in the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome [WHS] region of humans is conserved in the great apes.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarzami, S T; Kringstein, A M; Conte, R A; Verma, R S

1996-10-01

The Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is caused by a partial deletion in the short arm of chromosome 4 band 16.3 (4p 16.3). A unique-sequence human DNA probe (39 kb) localized within this region has been used to search for sequence homology in the apes' equivalent chromosome 3 by FISH-technique. The WHS loci are conserved in higher primates at the expected position. Nevertheless, a control probe, which detects alphoid sequences of the pericentromeric region of humans, is diverged in chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan. The conservation of WHS loci and divergence of DNA alphoid sequences have further added to the controversy concerning human descent.

Oligonephronia and Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome: A further observation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gatto, Antonio; Ferrara, Pietro; Leoni, Chiara; Onesimo, Roberta; Zollino, Marcella; Emma, Francesco; Zampino, Giuseppe

2018-02-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a rare chromosomal disorder caused by a partial deletion of chromosome 4 (4p16.3p16.2). We describe a case of a male 9 years old children with WHS proteinuria and hypertension. Laboratory data showed creatinine 1.05 mg/dl, GFR 65.9 ml/min/1.73 m 2 , cholesterol 280 mg/dl, triglyceride 125 mg/dl with electrolytes in the normal range. Urine collection showed protein 2.72 g/L with a urine protein/creatinine ratio (U P /U Cr ratio) of 4.2 and diuresis of 1,100 ml. Renal ultrasound showed reduced kidney dimensions with diffusely hyperechogenic cortex and poorly visualized pyramids. Renal biopsy showed oligonephronia with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis associated with initial tubulointerstitial sclerotic atrophy. The child began therapy with Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-inhibitors) to reduce proteinuria and progression of chronic kidney disease. In the literature the anomalies of number of glomeruli oligonephronia and oligomeganephronia (OMN) are described in two forms, one without any associated anomalies, sporadic, and solitary and the other with one or more anomalies. Our review of the literature shows that the pathogenesis of this anomaly is unknown but the role of chromosome 4 is very relevant. Many cases of OMN are associated with anomalies on this chromosome, in the literature cases series we observed this association in 14/48 cases (29.2%) and in 7 of these 14 cases with WHS. Our case and the review of literature demonstrate how periodic urinalysis and renal ultrasound monitoring is recommended in patients affected by WHS and the renal biopsy must be performed when there is the onset of proteinuria. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Occurrence and identification of Ancylostomatidae in Maned-wolf ( Chrysocyon brachyurus, Illiger, 1811 from the Triângulo Mineiro area, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria José Santos Mundim

1991-06-01

Full Text Available An experiment involving nine Maned-wolf(Chrysocyon brachyurus, from the Triangulo Mineiro area,Minas Gerais, Brazil, was carried out to check the occurrence of hookworm eggs and their adult forms. Eggs of the referred helminths were identified in 77.77% of the studied animals. Among the adult forms founded in the small intestine, two species were identified: Uncinaria stenocephala (Railliet, 1884 and Ancylostoma caninum (Ercolani, 1859. The authors report of the first occurrence in the U. stenocephala and C.brachyurus Brazil.

Terminal velocities for a large sample of O stars, B supergiants, and Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prinja, R.K.; Barlow, M.J.; Howarth, I.D.

1990-01-01

It is argued that easily measured, reliable estimates of terminal velocities for early-type stars are provided by the central velocity asymptotically approached by narrow absorption features and by the violet limit of zero residual intensity in saturated P Cygni profiles. These estimators are used to determine terminal velocities, v(infinity), for 181 O stars, 70 early B supergiants, and 35 Wolf-Rayet stars. For OB stars, the values are typically 15-20 percent smaller than the extreme violet edge velocities, v(edge), while for WR stars v(infinity) = 0.76 v(edge) on average. New mass-loss rates for WR stars which are thermal radio emitters are given, taking into account the new terminal velocities and recent revisions to estimates of distances and to the mean nuclear mass per electron. The relationships between v(infinity), the surface escape velocities, and effective temperatures are examined. 67 refs

Distal 4p microdeletion in a case of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Science.gov (United States)

Casaccia, Germana; Mobili, Luisa; Braguglia, Annabella; Santoro, Francesco; Bagolan, Pietro

2006-03-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a well-known genetic condition characterized by typical facial anomalies, midline defects, skeletal anomalies, prenatal and postnatal growth retardation, hypotonia, mental retardation, and seizures. Affected patients with a microdeletion on distal 4p present a milder phenotype that lacks congenital malformations. WHS is rarely associated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), and only 8 cases are reported in the literature. In almost all cases of CDH and WHS a large deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4 is present. A microdeletion of 2.6 Mb on distal 4p associated with CDH and multiple congenital malformations (i.e., cleft palate) is reported for the first time. Such a microdeletion should prompt a molecular study for WHS when in a fetus/newborn with CDH the association with cleft lip/palate and typical facial appearance (flat facial profile, hypertelorism) is found. Copyright 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Encrypted Jihad: Investigating the Role of Telegram App in Lone Wolf Attacks in the West

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Shehabat

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The study aims to capture links between the use of encrypted communication channel -Telegram and lone wolf attacks occurred in Europe between 2015-2016. To understand threads of ISIS communication on Telegram we used digital ethnography approach which consists of the self-observation of information flows on four of ISIS’s most celebrated telegram Channels. We draw on public sphere theory and coined the term terror socio-sphere 3.0 as the theoretical background of this study. The collected data is presented as screenshots to capture a visual evidence of ISIS communication threads. This study shows that ISIS Telegram channels play critical role in personal communication between potential recruits and dissemination of propaganda that encourage ‘lone wolves’ to carry attacks in the world at large. This study was limited to the number of the channels that have been widely celebrated.

The first optical spectra of Wolf-Rayet stars in M101 revealed with Gemini/GMOS

Science.gov (United States)

Pledger, J. L.; Shara, M. M.; Wilde, M.; Crowther, P. A.; Long, K. S.; Zurek, D.; Moffat, A. F. J.

2018-01-01

Deep narrow-band Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging of the iconic spiral galaxy M101 has revealed over a thousand new Wolf-Rayet (WR) candidates. We report spectrographic confirmation of 10 He II-emission line sources hosting 15 WR stars. We find WR stars present at both sub- and super-solar metallicities with WC stars favouring more metal-rich regions compared to WN stars. We investigate the association of WR stars with H II regions using archival HST imaging and conclude that the majority of WR stars are in or associated with H II regions. Of the 10 emission lines sources, only one appears to be unassociated with a star-forming region. Our spectroscopic survey provides confidence that our narrow-band photometric candidates are in fact bona fide WR stars, which will allow us to characterize the progenitors of any core-collapse supernovae that erupt in the future in M101.

Cognitive-behavioral features of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome and other subtelomeric microdeletions.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisch, Gene S; Grossfeld, Paul; Falk, Rena; Battaglia, Agatino; Youngblom, Janey; Simensen, Richard

2010-11-15

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a complex congenital malformation produced by a loss of genomic material at the locus 4p16.3. In addition to its dysmorphic features, the deletion produces a range of intellectual disability (ID). Many clinical aspects of WHS are well-characterized; however, the cognitive-behavioral characteristics have been rarely examined in a systematic fashion. The purpose of our study was to examine the cognitive-behavioral features of WHS and to compare them to children with other subtelomeric deletions that also produce ID. We recruited 45 children with subtelomeric deletions and examined their cognitive-behavioral abilities using a neuropsychological assessment battery composed of standardized instruments. Nineteen children were diagnosed with WHS and 26 children with one of three other subtelomeric deletions-11q25 (Jacobsen syndrome), deletion 2q37, and inversion duplication deletion 8p21-23. We found children with WHS to be more severely impacted cognitively than children from any of the other groups. Their overall adaptive behavior was lower as well. However, children with WHS exhibit strengths in socialization skills comparable to the levels attained by the other groups we assessed. Importantly, the proportion of children with WHS with autism or autistic-like features is significantly lower than the rates of autism found in the other subtelomeric disorders we examined. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Partial covariance based functional connectivity computation using Ledoit-Wolf covariance regularization.

Science.gov (United States)

Brier, Matthew R; Mitra, Anish; McCarthy, John E; Ances, Beau M; Snyder, Abraham Z

2015-11-01

Functional connectivity refers to shared signals among brain regions and is typically assessed in a task free state. Functional connectivity commonly is quantified between signal pairs using Pearson correlation. However, resting-state fMRI is a multivariate process exhibiting a complicated covariance structure. Partial covariance assesses the unique variance shared between two brain regions excluding any widely shared variance, hence is appropriate for the analysis of multivariate fMRI datasets. However, calculation of partial covariance requires inversion of the covariance matrix, which, in most functional connectivity studies, is not invertible owing to rank deficiency. Here we apply Ledoit-Wolf shrinkage (L2 regularization) to invert the high dimensional BOLD covariance matrix. We investigate the network organization and brain-state dependence of partial covariance-based functional connectivity. Although RSNs are conventionally defined in terms of shared variance, removal of widely shared variance, surprisingly, improved the separation of RSNs in a spring embedded graphical model. This result suggests that pair-wise unique shared variance plays a heretofore unrecognized role in RSN covariance organization. In addition, application of partial correlation to fMRI data acquired in the eyes open vs. eyes closed states revealed focal changes in uniquely shared variance between the thalamus and visual cortices. This result suggests that partial correlation of resting state BOLD time series reflect functional processes in addition to structural connectivity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

THE DISCOVERY OF A RARE WO-TYPE WOLF-RAYET STAR IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neugent, Kathryn F.; Massey, Philip [Lowell Observatory, 1400 W Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States); Morrell, Nidia, E-mail: kneugent@lowell.edu, E-mail: phil.massey@lowell.edu, E-mail: nmorrell@lco.cl [Las Campanas Observatory, Carnegie Observatories, Casilla 601, La Serena (Chile)

2012-12-01

While observing OB stars within the most crowded regions of the Large Magellanic Cloud, we happened upon a new Wolf-Rayet (WR) star in Lucke-Hodge 41, the rich OB association that contains S Doradus and numerous other massive stars. At first glance the spectrum resembled that of a WC4 star, but closer examination showed strong O VI {lambda}{lambda}3811, 34 lines, leading us to classify it as a WO4. This is only the second known WO in the LMC, and the first known WO4 (the other being a WO3). This rarity is to be expected due to these stars' short lifespans as they represent the most advanced evolutionary stage in a massive star's lifetime before exploding as supernovae. This discovery shows that while the majority of WRs within the LMC have been discovered, there may be a few WRs left to be found.

EVIDENCE FOR A COMPACT WOLF-RAYET PROGENITOR FOR THE TYPE Ic SUPERNOVA PTF 10vgv

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corsi, A. [LIGO laboratory, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-36, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Ofek, E. O.; Gal-Yam, A.; Arcavi, I.; Ben-Ami, S.; Rabinak, I. [Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100 (Israel); Frail, D. A. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box 0, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States); Poznanski, D. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978 (Israel); Mazzali, P. A. [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico, vicolo dellOsservatorio, 5, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Kulkarni, S. R.; Kasliwal, M. M.; Horesh, A. [Cahill Center for Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Cenko, S. B.; Filippenko, A. V.; Kleiser, I. K. W.; Silverman, J. M. [Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States); Fox, D. B.; Howell, J. L. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Nakar, E. [Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978 (Israel); Sari, R., E-mail: corsi@caltech.edu [Racah Institute for Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904 (Israel); and others

2012-03-15

We present the discovery of PTF 10vgv, a Type Ic supernova (SN) detected by the Palomar Transient Factory, using the Palomar 48 inch telescope (P48). R-band observations of the PTF 10vgv field with P48 probe the SN emission from its very early phases (about two weeks before R-band maximum) and set limits on its flux in the week prior to the discovery. Our sensitive upper limits and early detections constrain the post-shock-breakout luminosity of this event. Via comparison to numerical (analytical) models, we derive an upper-limit of R {approx}< 4.5 R{sub Sun} (R {approx}< 1 R{sub Sun }) on the radius of the progenitor star, a direct indication in favor of a compact Wolf-Rayet star. Applying a similar analysis to the historical observations of SN 1994I yields R {approx}< 1/4 R{sub Sun} for the progenitor radius of this SN.

GWO-LPWSN: Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm for Node Localization Problem in Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Rajakumar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Seyedali Mirjalili et al. (2014 introduced a completely unique metaheuristic technique particularly grey wolf optimization (GWO. This algorithm mimics the social behavior of grey wolves whereas it follows the leadership hierarchy and attacking strategy. The rising issue in wireless sensor network (WSN is localization problem. The objective of this problem is to search out the geographical position of unknown nodes with the help of anchor nodes in WSN. In this work, GWO algorithm is incorporated to spot the correct position of unknown nodes, so as to handle the node localization problem. The proposed work is implemented using MATLAB 8.2 whereas nodes are deployed in a random location within the desired network area. The parameters like computation time, percentage of localized node, and minimum localization error measures are utilized to analyse the potency of GWO rule with other variants of metaheuristics algorithms such as particle swarm optimization (PSO and modified bat algorithm (MBA. The observed results convey that the GWO provides promising results compared to the PSO and MBA in terms of the quick convergence rate and success rate.

Efficient Power Scheduling in Smart Homes Using Hybrid Grey Wolf Differential Evolution Optimization Technique with Real Time and Critical Peak Pricing Schemes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muqaddas Naz

2018-02-01

Full Text Available With the emergence of automated environments, energy demand by consumers is increasing rapidly. More than 80% of total electricity is being consumed in the residential sector. This brings a challenging task of maintaining the balance between demand and generation of electric power. In order to meet such challenges, a traditional grid is renovated by integrating two-way communication between the consumer and generation unit. To reduce electricity cost and peak load demand, demand side management (DSM is modeled as an optimization problem, and the solution is obtained by applying meta-heuristic techniques with different pricing schemes. In this paper, an optimization technique, the hybrid gray wolf differential evolution (HGWDE, is proposed by merging enhanced differential evolution (EDE and gray wolf optimization (GWO scheme using real-time pricing (RTP and critical peak pricing (CPP. Load shifting is performed from on-peak hours to off-peak hours depending on the electricity cost defined by the utility. However, there is a trade-off between user comfort and cost. To validate the performance of the proposed algorithm, simulations have been carried out in MATLAB. Results illustrate that using RTP, the peak to average ratio (PAR is reduced to 53.02%, 29.02% and 26.55%, while the electricity bill is reduced to 12.81%, 12.012% and 12.95%, respectively, for the 15-, 30- and 60-min operational time interval (OTI. On the other hand, the PAR and electricity bill are reduced to 47.27%, 22.91%, 22% and 13.04%, 12%, 11.11% using the CPP tariff.

Probing the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect using embedded lens models

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, B.; Kantowski, R.

2015-04-01

The photometry profile of the integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect, recently obtained by the Planck consortium by stacking patches of cosmic microwave background (CMB) sky maps around a large number of cosmic voids, contains a cold ring at about half the void's effective radius surrounded by a hot ring near the void's boundary. The source of the temperature structure is assumed to be the ISW effect but the exact cause of the ringed structure is not currently well understood, particularly the outer hot ring. Numerical simulations have suggested that hot/cold ring structures can be produced by motions associated with nonlinear growths of cosmic structures whose gravitational potentials produce the ISW effect. We have recently developed the embedded lens theory and the Fermat potential formalism which can be used to model the ISW effect caused by intervening individual lens inhomogeneities evolving arbitrarily. This theory only requires knowledge of the void's projected mass profile as a function of the passing CMB photons' impact radius and the rate of change of that mass distribution at passage. We present two simple embedded void lens models with evolving mass densities and investigate the ISW effect caused by these lenses. Both models possess expanding mass shells which produce hot rings around central cold regions, consistent with the recent observations. By adding a small overdensity at the void's center we can produce the slight positive temperature excess hinted at in Planck's photometric results. We conclude that the embedded lens theory and the Fermat potential formalism is well suited for modeling the ISW effect.

Prenatal ultrasound findings observed in the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome: data from the registry of congenital malformations in Auvergne.

Science.gov (United States)

Debost-Legrand, Anne; Goumy, Carole; Laurichesse-Delmas, Hélène; Déchelotte, Pierre; Beaufrère, Anne-Marie; Lémery, Didier; Francannet, Christine; Gallot, Denis

2013-12-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is associated with facial dysmorphism including high forehead, high nasal bridge, hypertelorism and severe mental retardation. WHS results from a 4p16.3 deletion. Only a small number of reports have been made on the prenatal ultrasound findings observed in WHS. Here we report our experience on 10 cases of WHS ascertained prenatally between 1983 and 2009 through the CEMC-Auvergne registry of congenital malformations. The assumption that a "Greek warrior helmet" facies is pathognomonic of WHS could lead to misdiagnosis. Other clinical findings such as severe and early onset intrauterine growth retardation, facial dysmorphism (high forehead, high nasal bridge, low-set ears, micrognathia, hypertelorism), atrial or ventricular septal defect, and renal dysplasia should help obstetricians to suspect the diagnosis of WHS prenatally. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

No trespassing: using a biofence to manipulate wolf movements

Science.gov (United States)

Ausband, David E.; Mitchell, Michael S.; Bassing, Sarah B.; White, Craig

2013-01-01

Context: Conserving large carnivores can be challenging because of conflicts with human land use and competition with humans for resources. Predation on domestic stock can have negative economic impacts particularly for owners of small herds, and tools for minimising carnivore depredation of livestock are needed. Canids use scent marking to establish territories and avoid intraspecific conflict. Exploiting scent-marking behaviour may provide a means for manipulating canid movements. Aims: We hypothesised that human-deployed scent marks (i.e. ‘biofence’) could be used to manipulate the movements of grey wolves (Canis lupus) in Idaho, USA. Methods: We deployed 65 km of biofence within three wolf-pack territories during summer 2010 and 2011 and used location data from satellite-collared wolves and sign surveys to assess the effectiveness of biofencing. Key results: Location data provided by satellite-collared wolves and sign surveys in 2010 showed little to no trespass of the biofence, even though the excluded areas were used by the packs in previous summers. We also opportunistically deployed a biofence in between a rendezvous site of a resident pack and a nearby sheep grazing allotment; the pack was not implicated in any depredations in summer 2010, even though they had killed sheep every year since 2006. Location data provided by satellite-collared wolves in summer 2011 showed that wolves did trespass biofences. Conclusions: Biofencing effectively manipulated the movements of wolves in the first year of our study, but not the second. Implications: Our work suggests that biofencing may be most limited by the apparent necessity to maintain a continuous presence once the biofence is established. The inherent labour and costs associated with such efforts may limit the usefulness of biofencing. Our work can be improved on through further testing that maintains biofencing over a longer timeframe (>3 months), samples several animals per treatment pack, and uses a

Multiple hemangiomas in a patient with a t(3q;4p) translocation: an infrequent association with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Pardo, Sherly; Blitman, Netta; Han, Bokyung; Cohen, Ninette; Edelmann, Lisa; Hirschhorn, Kurt

2008-01-15

We report on the clinical phenotype of an infant with a duplication of the terminal portion of the long arm of chromosome 3(q26.3-qter) and a deletion of the terminal portion of the short arm of chromosome 4(p16.3) with multiple hemangiomas and a hamartoma. Patients with deletions of distal 4p have the characteristic features of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS); whereas those with the distal duplication of 3q have a well recognized syndrome with some features resembling Cornelia-de Lange syndrome (CdLS). Neither of these recognized chromosomal anomalies has been reported previously to be associated with multiple hemangiomas or other vascular malformations. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Using Grey Wolf Algorithm to Solve the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem

Science.gov (United States)

Korayem, L.; Khorsid, M.; Kassem, S. S.

2015-05-01

The capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP) is a class of the vehicle routing problems (VRPs). In CVRP a set of identical vehicles having fixed capacities are required to fulfill customers' demands for a single commodity. The main objective is to minimize the total cost or distance traveled by the vehicles while satisfying a number of constraints, such as: the capacity constraint of each vehicle, logical flow constraints, etc. One of the methods employed in solving the CVRP is the cluster-first route-second method. It is a technique based on grouping of customers into a number of clusters, where each cluster is served by one vehicle. Once clusters are formed, a route determining the best sequence to visit customers is established within each cluster. The recently bio-inspired grey wolf optimizer (GWO), introduced in 2014, has proven to be efficient in solving unconstrained, as well as, constrained optimization problems. In the current research, our main contributions are: combining GWO with the traditional K-means clustering algorithm to generate the ‘K-GWO’ algorithm, deriving a capacitated version of the K-GWO algorithm by incorporating a capacity constraint into the aforementioned algorithm, and finally, developing 2 new clustering heuristics. The resulting algorithm is used in the clustering phase of the cluster-first route-second method to solve the CVR problem. The algorithm is tested on a number of benchmark problems with encouraging results.

Eclipses and dust formation by WC9 type Wolf-Rayet stars

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, P. M.

2014-12-01

Visual photometry of 16 WC8-9 dust-making Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars during 2001-2009 was extracted from the All-Sky Automated Survey All Star Catalogue (ASAS-3) to search for eclipses attributable to extinction by dust formed in clumps in our line of sight. Data for a comparable number of dust-free WC6-9 stars were also examined to help characterize the data set. Frequent eclipses were observed from WR 104, and several from WR 106, extending the 1994-2001 studies by Kato et al., but not supporting their phasing the variations in WR 104 with its `pinwheel' rotation period. Only four other stars showed eclipses, WR 50 (one of the dust-free stars), WR 69, WR 95 and WR 117, and there may have been an eclipse by WR 121, which had shown two eclipses in the past. No dust eclipses were shown by the `historic' eclipsers WR 103 and WR 113. The atmospheric eclipses of the latter were observed but the suggestion by David-Uraz et al. that dust may be partly responsible for these is not supported. Despite its frequent eclipses, there is no evidence in the infrared images of WR 104 for dust made in its eclipses, demonstrating that any dust formed in this process is not a significant contributor to its circumstellar dust cloud and suggesting that the same applies to the other stars showing fewer eclipses.

Polarization variablity among Wolf-Rayet stars. IV. A complete lack of circular polarization in the optical continuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robert, C.; Moffat, A.F.J.

1989-01-01

Quasi-simultaneous blue and red, broadband optical monitoring in linear and circular polarization and in intensity has been carried out over an interval of three weeks for several Wolf-Rayet stars that show relatively large Delta P variations in linear polarization. No significant varying Delta V component of circular polarization is detected in any of these stars. The lower upper limit Delta V/Delta P implies that the intrinsic linearly polarized light which does vary cannot be produced by electrons gyrating in a magnetic field, unless they are ultrarelativistic - a rather unlikely situation. The low mean circular polarization typically observed is probably interstellar in origin. Lack of periodicity in the observed variations of linear polarization implies that even weak magnetic field loops are unlikely to be involved in confining pockets of wind plasma. The observed linear polarization variations are related mainly to electron scattering. 25 refs

Grey Wolf based control for speed ripple reduction at low speed operation of PMSM drives.

Science.gov (United States)

Djerioui, Ali; Houari, Azeddine; Ait-Ahmed, Mourad; Benkhoris, Mohamed-Fouad; Chouder, Aissa; Machmoum, Mohamed

2018-03-01

Speed ripple at low speed-high torque operation of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine (PMSM) drives is considered as one of the major issues to be treated. The presented work proposes an efficient PMSM speed controller based on Grey Wolf (GW) algorithm to ensure a high-performance control for speed ripple reduction at low speed operation. The main idea of the proposed control algorithm is to propose a specific objective function in order to incorporate the advantage of fast optimization process of the GW optimizer. The role of GW optimizer is to find the optimal input controls that satisfy the speed tracking requirements. The synthesis methodology of the proposed control algorithm is detailed and the feasibility and performances of the proposed speed controller is confirmed by simulation and experimental results. The GW algorithm is a model-free controller and the parameters of its objective function are easy to be tuned. The GW controller is compared to PI one on real test bench. Then, the superiority of the first algorithm is highlighted. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterizing Wolf-Rayet stars in the near- and mid-infrared

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faherty, Jacqueline K. [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington 5241 Broad Branch Road NW, Washington, DC 20015 (United States); Shara, Michael M.; Zurek, David; Kanarek, Graham [Department of Astrophysics, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024 (United States); Moffat, Anthony F. J., E-mail: jfaherty@dtm.ciw.edu [Departement de Physique, Universite de Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7 (Canada)

2014-05-01

We present refined color-color selection criteria for identifying Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars using available mid-infrared (MIR) photometry from WISE in combination with near-infrared (NIR) photometry from the Two Micron All Sky Survey. Using a sample of spectrally classified objects, we find that WR stars are well distinguished from the field stellar population in the (W1 – W2) versus (J – K{sub s} ) color-color diagram, and further distinguished from other emission line objects such as planetary nebulae, Be, and cataclysmic variable stars using a combination of NIR and MIR color constraints. As proof of concept we applied the color constraints to a photometric sample in the Galactic plane, located WR star candidates, and present five new spectrally confirmed and classified WC (1) and WN (4) stars. Analysis of the 0.8-5.0 μm spectral data for a subset of known, bright WC and WN stars shows that emission lines (primarily He I) extend into the 3.0-5.0 μm spectral region, although their strength is greatly diminished compared to the 0.8-2.5 μm region. The WR population stands out relative to background field stars at NIR and MIR colors due to an excess continuum contribution, likely caused by free-free scattering in dense winds. Mean photometric properties of known WRs are presented and imply that reddened late-type WN and WC sources are easier to detect than earlier-type sources at larger Galactic radii. WISE W3 and W4 images of 10 WR stars show evidence of circumstellar shells linked to mass ejections from strong stellar winds.

White-tailed deer migration and its role in wolf predation

Science.gov (United States)

Hoskinson, R.L.; Mech, L.D.

1976-01-01

Seventeen white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were radio-tagged in winter yards and tracked for up to 17 months each (881 locations) from January 1973 through August 1974 in the central Superior National Forest of NE Minnesota following a drastic decline in deer numbers. Ten vyolves (Canis lupus) from 7 packs in the same area were radiotracked before and/or during the same period (703 locations). Deer had winter ranges averaging 26.4 ha. Spring migration took place from 26 March to 23 April and was related to loss of snow cover. Deer generally migrated ENE in straight-line distances of 10.0 to 38.0 km to summer ranges. Two fawns did not migrate. Arrival on summer ranges was between 19 April and 18 May, and summer ranges varied from 48.1 to 410.4 ha. Migration back to the same winter yards took place in early December, coincident with snow accumulation and low temperatures. Social grouping appeared strongest during migration and winter yarding. Survival of the radio-tagged deer was studied through 1 May 1975. Four deer were killed by wolves, one was poached, and one drowned. Mean age of the captured deer was 5.4 years and estimated minimum survival after capture was 2.6 years, giving an estimated total minimum survival of 8.0 years. This unusually high survival rate appeared to be related to the fact that both winter and summer ranges of these deer were situated along wolf-pack territory edges rather than in centers. In addition, most summer ranges of the radio-tagged deer were along major waterways where the deer could escape wolves.

Comparison of ESWL outcome between Wolf Piezolith 3000 vs. storz Modulith Slk. it is the man who makes efficient the machine.

Science.gov (United States)

Albino, Giuseppe; Marucco, Ettore Cirillo

2012-12-01

The choice of an extracorporeal lithotripter for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) of urinary stones must be done with efficacy criteria. It is easy to demonstrate the advantages of the third-generation lithotripters compared to previous generations of lithotripters. This study has the purpose of evaluate whether it is possible to establish differences in effectiveness between two third generation lithotripters. We report about the last 100 ESWL treatments carried out with the Wolf Piezolith 3000 and the last 100 with the Storz Modulith SLK, performed by the same single operator. Stones were stratified by site and size. Comparison was made considering the number of shock waves per session and the number of sessions and the outcomes. The results showed no statistically significant differences. In fact, the cumulative stone-free rate was 93% for the Wolf Piezolith and 91% for the Storz Modulith. The technical differences between lithotripters concern the energy delivered, the shape of the acoustic focus, the depth of focus, the coupling surface, the mobility of the head, the alignment mode and the simultaneous use of ultrasonography and radiological pointing. These differences are never obtained from published series. Furthermore data of patients and stones that have not been treated for the difficulty of stone targeting due to the depth of acoustic focus (high BMI), the limited inclination of the head or to the patient intolerance to shock waves are not usually reported. The results obtained by the same operator are comparable even when are obtained with different machines of the same generation. The real differences could arise if we would take into account also the patients which were excluded from evaluation because, for the same generation of lithotripters, the results depend on the operator, while the eligibility to treatment of the patient depends on the characteristics of the machine.

Diabetes Mellitus Secondary to Acute Pancreatitis in a Child with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asma Deeb

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome (WHS is a rare genetic disease caused by deletion in the short arm of chromosome 4. It is characterized by typical fascial features and a varying degree of intellectual disabilities and multiple systemic involvement. Epidemiological studies confirmed the association of acute pancreatitis with the development of diabetes. However, this association has not been reported in WHS. We report an 18-year-old girl with WHS who presented acutely with nonketotic Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Status (HHS in association with severe acute pancreatitis. Her presentation was preceded by febrile illness with preauricular abscess. She was treated with fluids and insulin infusion and remained on insulin 18 months after presentation. Her parents are cousins and the mother was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She had negative autoantibodies and no signs of insulin resistance and her monogenic diabetes genetic testing was negative. Microarray study using WHS probe confirmed deletion of 4p chromosome. Acute pancreatitis is uncommon in children and development of diabetes following pancreatitis has not been reported in WHS. HHS is considerably less frequent than diabetes ketoacidosis in children. We highlight the complex presentation with HHS and acute pancreatitis leading to diabetes that required long term of insulin treatment.

Astronomy in Denver: Spectropolarimetric Observations of 5 Wolf-Rayet Binary Stars with SALT/RSS

Science.gov (United States)

Fullard, Andrew; Ansary, Zyed; Azancot Luchtan, Daniel; Gallegos, Hunter; Luepker, Martin; Hoffman, Jennifer L.; Nordsieck, Kenneth H.; SALT observation team

2018-06-01

Mass loss from massive stars is an important yet poorly understood factor in shaping their evolution. Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars are of particular interest due to their stellar winds, which create large regions of circumstellar material (CSM). They are also supernova and possible gamma-ray burst (GRB) progenitors. Like other massive stars, WR stars often occur in binaries, where interaction can affect their mass loss rates and provide the rapid rotation thought to be required for GRB production. The diagnostic tool of spectropolarimetry, along with the potentially eclipsing nature of a binary system, helps us to better characterize the CSM created by the stars’ colliding winds. Thus, we can determine mass loss rates and infer rapid rotation. We present spectropolarimetric results for five WR+O eclipsing binary systems, obtained with the Robert Stobie Spectrograph at the South African Large Telescope, between April 2017 and April 2018. The data allow us to map both continuum and emission line polarization variations with phase, which constrains where different CSM components scatter light in the systems. We discuss our initial findings and interpretations of the polarimetric variability in each binary system, and compare the systems.

Applications of machine-learning algorithms for infrared colour selection of Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars

Science.gov (United States)

Morello, Giuseppe; Morris, P. W.; Van Dyk, S. D.; Marston, A. P.; Mauerhan, J. C.

2018-01-01

We have investigated and applied machine-learning algorithms for infrared colour selection of Galactic Wolf-Rayet (WR) candidates. Objects taken from the Spitzer Galactic Legacy Infrared Midplane Survey Extraordinaire (GLIMPSE) catalogue of the infrared objects in the Galactic plane can be classified into different stellar populations based on the colours inferred from their broad-band photometric magnitudes [J, H and Ks from 2 Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), and the four Spitzer/IRAC bands]. The algorithms tested in this pilot study are variants of the k-nearest neighbours approach, which is ideal for exploratory studies of classification problems where interrelations between variables and classes are complicated. The aims of this study are (1) to provide an automated tool to select reliable WR candidates and potentially other classes of objects, (2) to measure the efficiency of infrared colour selection at performing these tasks and (3) to lay the groundwork for statistically inferring the total number of WR stars in our Galaxy. We report the performance results obtained over a set of known objects and selected candidates for which we have carried out follow-up spectroscopic observations, and confirm the discovery of four new WR stars.

Characteristics of water, sediment, and benthic communities of the Wolf River, Menominee Indian Reservation, Wisconsin, water years 1986-98

Science.gov (United States)

Garn, Herbert S.; Scudder, Barbara C.; Richards, Kevin D.; Sullivan, Daniel J.

2001-01-01

Analyses and interpretation of water quality, sediment, and biological data from water years 1986 through 1998 indicated that land use and other human activities have had only minimal effects on water quality in the Wolf River upstream from and within the Menominee Indian Reservation in northeastern Wisconsin. Relatively high concentrations of calcium and magnesium (natural hardness), iron, manganese, and aluminum were measured in Wolf River water samples during water years 1986?98 from the three sampled sites and attributed to presence of highly mineralized geologic materials in the basin. Average calcium and magnesium concentrations varied from 22?26 milligrams per liter (mg/L) and 11?13 mg/L, respectively. Average iron concentrations ranged from 290?380 micrograms per liter (?g/L); average manganese concentrations ranged from 53?56 mg/L. Average aluminum concentrations ranged from 63?67 ?g/L. Mercury was present in water samples but concentrations were not at levels of concern. Levels of Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonia, nitrite plus nitrate, total phosphorus, and orthophosphorus in water samples were often low or below detection limits (0.01? 0.10 mg/L). Trace amounts of atrazine (maximum concentration of 0.031 ?g/L), deethylatrazine (maximum 0.032 ?g/L), and alachlor (maximum of 0.002 ?g/L) were detected. Low concentrations of most trace elements were found in streambed sediment. Tissues of fish and aquatic invertebrates collected once each year from 1995 through 1998 at the Langlade and Keshena sites, near the northern and southern boundaries of the Reservation, respectively, were low in concentrations of most trace elements. Arsenic and silver in fish livers from both sites were less than or equal to 2 ?g/g arsenic and less than 1 ?g/g silver for dry weight analysis, and concentrations of antimony, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, lead, nickel, and uranium were all below detection limits (less than 1 ?g/g dry weight). Concentrations of most other trace elements in fish

Final Environmental Statement related to the operation of Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit No. 1. Docket No. STN 50-482, Kansas Gas and Electric Company, et al

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-06-01

This final environmental statement contains the second assessment of the environmental impact associated with operation of Wolf Creek Generating Station Unit 1 pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and 10 CFR Part 51, as amended, of the NRC's regulations. This statement examines: the affected environment, environmental consequences and mitigating actions, and environmental and economic benefits and costs. Land use and terrestrial- and aquatic-ecological impacts will be small. Air-quality impacts will also be small. However, steam fog from the station's cooling lake has the potential for reducing visibility over nearby roads and bridges. A fog-monitoring program for roads and bridges near the lake has been recommended. Impacts to historic and prehistoric sites will be negligible. Chemical discharges to the Neosho River are expected to have no appreciable impacts on water quality under normal conditions and will be required to meet conditions of the station's NPDES permit. The effects of routine operations, energy transmission, and periodic maintenance of rights-of-way and transmission line facilities should not jeopardize any populations of endangered or threatened species. No significant impacts are anticipated from normal operational releases of radioactivity. The risk associated with accidental radiation exposure is very low. The net socioeconomic effects of the project will be beneficial. The action called for is the issuance of an operating license for the Wolf Creek Generating Station Unit 1

A CHANDRA OBSERVATION OF THE ECLIPSING WOLF-RAYET BINARY CQ Cep

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skinner, Stephen L. [CASA, Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0389 (United States); Zhekov, Svetozar A. [Space Research and Technology Institute, Akad. G. Bonchev Str., Sofia, 1113 (Bulgaria); Güdel, Manuel [Dept. of Astrophysics, Univ. of Vienna, Türkenschanzstr. 17, A-1180 Vienna (Austria); Schmutz, Werner, E-mail: stephen.skinner@colorado.edu, E-mail: szhekov@space.bas.bg, E-mail: manuel.guedel@univie.ac.at, E-mail: werner.schmutz@pmodwrc.ch [Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos and World Radiation Center (PMOD/WRC), Dorfstrasse 33, CH-7260 Davos Dorf (Switzerland)

2015-02-01

The short-period (1.64 d) near-contact eclipsing WN6+O9 binary system CQ Cep provides an ideal laboratory for testing the predictions of X-ray colliding wind shock theory at close separation where the winds may not have reached terminal speeds before colliding. We present results of a Chandra X-ray observation of CQ Cep spanning ∼1 day during which a simultaneous Chandra optical light curve was acquired. Our primary objective was to compare the observed X-ray properties with colliding wind shock theory, which predicts that the hottest shock plasma (T ≳ 20 MK) will form on or near the line-of-centers between the stars. The X-ray spectrum is strikingly similar to apparently single WN6 stars such as WR 134 and spectral lines reveal plasma over a broad range of temperatures T ∼ 4-40 MK. A deep optical eclipse was seen as the O star passed in front of the Wolf-Rayet star and we determine an orbital period P {sub orb} = 1.6412400 d. Somewhat surprisingly, no significant X-ray variability was detected. This implies that the hottest X-ray plasma is not confined to the region between the stars, at odds with the colliding wind picture and suggesting that other X-ray production mechanisms may be at work. Hydrodynamic simulations that account for such effects as radiative cooling and orbital motion will be needed to determine if the new Chandra results can be reconciled with the colliding wind picture.

Ecotoxicological effects of buprofezin on fecundity, growth, development, and predation of the wolf spider Pirata piratoides (Schenkel).

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Lingling; Xu, Muqi; Cao, Hong; Dai, Jiayin

2008-11-01

The toxicological effects of buprofezin, an insect growth regulator, on the fecundity, development, and pest control potential of the wolf spider Pirata piratoides (Schenkel) (Araneae: Lycosidae) were investigated in the laboratory. It was shown that buprofezin had low toxicity to P. piratoides and that the median lethal dosage (LD(50)) 48 h and 10% lethal dosage (LD(10)) after topical application for female spiders were 653 and 316 mg buprofezin/mg fresh weight of spider, respectively. Buprofezin significantly reduced the percent hatching of spiders' eggs but had only a slight effect on egg production. No negative effects on the development and growth were observed. However, spider predation rates were strongly affected: Insecticide-treated females predated on fewer prey than the controls, and their predation rate did not recover even 5 days after insecticide application. This indicated that their pest control potential might be influenced by buprofezin, and the use of buprofezin in biological control of insects is discussed.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. STN 50-482). Supplement No. 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-06-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report (SER) for the application filed by the Kansas Gas and Electric Company, as applicant and agent for the owners, for a license to operate the Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit 1 (Docket No. STN 50-482). The facility is located in Coffey County, Kansas. This supplement provides recent information regarding resolution of the license conditions identified in the SER. Because of the favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the licensee at power levels greater than 5% without endangering the health and safety of the public

Application of Grey Wolf Optimizer Algorithm for Optimal Power Flow of Two-Terminal HVDC Transmission System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heba Ahmed Hassan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper applies a relatively new optimization method, the Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO algorithm for Optimal Power Flow (OPF of two-terminal High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC electrical power system. The OPF problem of pure AC power systems considers the minimization of total costs under equality and inequality constraints. Hence, the OPF problem of integrated AC-DC power systems is extended to incorporate HVDC links, while taking into consideration the power transfer control characteristics using a GWO algorithm. This algorithm is inspired by the hunting behavior and social leadership of grey wolves in nature. The proposed algorithm is applied to two different case-studies: the modified 5-bus and WSCC 9-bus test systems. The validity of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated by comparing the obtained results with those reported in literature using other optimization techniques. Analysis of the obtained results show that the proposed GWO algorithm is able to achieve shorter CPU time, as well as minimized total cost when compared with already existing optimization techniques. This conclusion proves the efficiency of the GWO algorithm.

Hacia la predicción del Número R de Wolf de manchas solares utilizando Redes Neuronales con retardos temporales

Science.gov (United States)

Francile, C.; Luoni, M. L.

We present a prediction of the time series of the Wolf number R of sunspots using "time lagged feed forward neural networks". We use two types of networks: the focused and distributed ones which were trained with the back propagation of errors algorithm and the temporal back propagation algorithm respectively. As inputs to neural networks we use the time series of the number R averaged annually and monthly with the method IR5. As data sets for training and test we choose certain intervals of the time series similar to other works, in order to compare the results. Finally we discuss the topology of the networks used, the number of delays used, the number of neurons per layer, the number of hidden layers and the results in the prediction of the series between one and six steps ahead. FULL TEXT IN SPANISH

Photometric and polarimetric variability and mass-loss rate of the massive binary Wolf-Rayet star HDE 311884 (WN6 + 05: V)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moffat, A.F.J.; Drissen, L.; Robert, C.; Lamontagne, R.; Coziol, R.

1990-01-01

Photometric and polarimetric monitoring of the Wolf-Rayet (W-R) + O-type binary system HDE 311884 = WR 47 over many orbital cycles shows the clear effects of phase-dependent electron scattering of O-star light as the orbiting O companion shines through varying column density of W-R stellar wind material. In contrast to this wind-type eclipse, the stars themselves do not quite eclipse. Both photometry and polarimetry give a consistent estimate of the mass-loss rate of the W-R component: at about 0.00003 solar mass/yr. The orbital inclination, i = 70 deg, along with the previously published velocity orbit, yields high masses: M(WN6) = 48 solar masses and M(O5:V) = 57 solar masses. 33 refs

A Chandra grating observation of the dusty Wolf-Rayet star WR 48a

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhekov, Svetozar A. [Space Research and Technology Institute, Akad. G. Bonchev Str., bl.1, Sofia 1113 (Bulgaria); Gagné, Marc [Department of Geology and Astronomy, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383 (United States); Skinner, Stephen L., E-mail: szhekov@space.bas.bg, E-mail: mgagne@wcupa.edu, E-mail: stephen.skinner@colorado.edu [CASA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States)

2014-04-10

We present results of a Chandra High-Energy Transmission Grating (HETG) observation of the carbon-rich Wolf-Rayet (WR) star WR 48a. These are the first high-resolution spectra of this object in X-ray. Blueshifted centroids of the spectral lines of ∼ – 360 km s{sup –1} and line widths of 1000-1500 km s{sup –1} (FWHM) were deduced from the analysis of the line profiles of strong emission lines. The forbidden line of Si XIII is strong and not suppressed, indicating that the rarified 10-30 MK plasma forms far from strong sources of far-ultraviolet emission, most likely in a wind collision zone. Global spectral modeling showed that the X-ray spectrum of WR 48a suffered higher absorption in the 2012 October Chandra observation compared with a previous 2008 January XMM-Newton observation. The emission measure of the hot plasma in WR 48a decreased by a factor ∼3 over the same period of time. The most likely physical picture that emerges from the analysis of the available X-ray data is that of colliding stellar winds in a wide binary system with an elliptical orbit. We propose that the unseen secondary star in the system is another WR star or perhaps a luminous blue variable.

Cytogenomic Integrative Network Analysis of the Critical Region Associated with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thiago Corrêa

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Deletions in the 4p16.3 region are associated with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS, a contiguous gene deletion syndrome involving variable size deletions. In this study, we perform a cytogenomic integrative analysis combining classical cytogenetic methods, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH, chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA, and systems biology strategies, to establish the cytogenomic profile involving the 4p16.3 critical region and suggest WHS-related intracellular cell signaling cascades. The cytogenetic and clinical patient profiles were evaluated. We characterized 12 terminal deletions, one interstitial deletion, two ring chromosomes, and one classical translocation 4;8. CMA allowed delineation of the deletions, which ranged from 3.7 to 25.6 Mb with breakpoints from 4p16.3 to 4p15.33. Furthermore, the smallest region of overlapping (SRO encompassed seven genes in a terminal region of 330 kb in the 4p16.3 region, suggesting a region of susceptibility to convulsions and microcephaly. Therefore, molecular interaction networks and topological analysis were performed to understand these WHS-related symptoms. Our results suggest that specific cell signaling pathways including dopamine receptor, NAD+ nucleosidase activity, and fibroblast growth factor-activated receptor activity are associated with the diverse pathological WHS phenotypes and their symptoms. Additionally, we identified 29 hub-bottlenecks (H-B nodes with a major role in WHS.

Taxonomy, systematics and biology of the Australian halotolerant wolf spider genus Tetralycosa (Araneae: Lycosidae: Artoriinae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volker W. Framenau

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The Australian wolf spider genus Tftralycosa Roewer, 1960, with Lycosa meracula Simon, 1909 (junior synonym of Lycosa oraria L. Koch, 1877 as type species, is revised to include 13 species, eight of which are described as new here: Tetralycosa adarca sp. nov., T. alteripa (McKay, 1976, T. arabanae Framenau, Gotch & Austin, 2006, T. baudinettei sp. nov., T. caudex sp. nov., T. eyrei (Hickman, 1944, T. floundersi sp. nov., T. halophila sp. nov., T. oraria (L. Koch, 1876, T. orariola sp. nov., T. williamsi sp. nov., T. wundurra (McKay, 1979 comb. nov. and T. rebecca sp. nov. Members of Tetralycosa are halotolerant, exclusively inhabiting saline environments such as coastal beaches, and mound springs, clay pans and salt lakes in the Australian interior. A phylogenetic analysis of the genus identified a monophyletic clade of eight species that live permanently on the barren surface of salt lakes suggesting a single radiation into this extremely inhospitable habitat. Some of these Tetralycosa species are currently known from single salt lakes only and with increasing disturbances of these systems by mining, agriculture and recreational use, research effort should be increased to study their ecology and conservation status.

Multiple congenital malformations of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome are recapitulated in Fgfrl1 null mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Catela, Catarina; Bilbao-Cortes, Daniel; Slonimsky, Esfir; Kratsios, Paschalis; Rosenthal, Nadia; Te Welscher, Pascal

2009-01-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is caused by deletions in the short arm of chromosome 4 (4p) and occurs in about one per 20,000 births. Patients with WHS display a set of highly variable characteristics including craniofacial dysgenesis, mental retardation, speech problems, congenital heart defects, short stature and a variety of skeletal anomalies. Analysis of patients with 4p deletions has identified two WHS critical regions (WHSCRs); however, deletions targeting mouse WHSCRs do not recapitulate the classical WHS defects, and the genes contributing to WHS have not been conclusively established. Recently, the human FGFRL1 gene, encoding a putative fibroblast growth factor (FGF) decoy receptor, has been implicated in the craniofacial phenotype of a WHS patient. Here, we report that targeted deletion of the mouse Fgfrl1 gene recapitulates a broad array of WHS phenotypes, including abnormal craniofacial development, axial and appendicular skeletal anomalies, and congenital heart defects. Fgfrl1 null mutants also display a transient foetal anaemia and a fully penetrant diaphragm defect, causing prenatal and perinatal lethality. Together, these data support a wider role for Fgfrl1 in development, implicate FGFRL1 insufficiency in WHS, and provide a novel animal model to dissect the complex aetiology of this human disease.

Prenatal diagnosis of a fetus with a cryptic translocation 4p;18p and Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS).

Science.gov (United States)

Kohlschmidt, N; Zielinski, J; Brude, E; Schäfer, D; Olert, J; Hallermann, C; Coerdt, W; Arnemann, J

2000-02-01

Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome (WHS) is caused by distal deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4 and is characterized by growth deficiency, mental retardation, a distinctive, 'greek-helmet' facial appearance, microcephaly, ear lobe anomalies, and sacral dimples. We report a family with a balanced chromosomal translocation 4;18(p15.32;p11.21) in the father and an unbalanced translocation resulting in partial monosomy 4 and partial trisomy 18 in one living boy and a prenatally diagnosed male fetus. Both showed abnormalities consistent with WHS and had in addition aplasia of one umbilical artery. Karyotyping of another stillborn fetus revealed a supernumerary derivative chromosome der(18)t(4;18)(p15.32;p11.21) of paternal origin and two normal chromosomes 4. The umbilical cord had three normal vessels. A third stillborn fetus with the same balanced translocation as the father had a single umbilical artery and hygroma colli. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Contribution of stellar winds to the composition of cosmic rays - exotic Ne and Fe from Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blake, J.B.; Dearborn, D.S.P.

1984-01-01

The results of previous calculations of the production of Al-26 and the enhancement of heavy isotopes of Fe by Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars are discussed. Mass fractions of Al-26 in WR ejects and in WR H-rich envelopes are given as a function of stellar mass. It is concluded that the predicted mass of Al-26 in the ISM and its galactic distribution are such that WR stars are expected to be a significant if not the major source of the Al-26. The results suggest that He-22 enhancement must be accompanied by 4-8X enhancement of Fe-57, 20-45X enhancement of Fe-58, and 5-10X enhancement of Co-59. The isotopes of Fe are found to be affected before an appreciable enhancement of Ne-22 occurs. The size of the Ne-22 enhancement depends on the details of the mass-loss history whereas the Fe enhancement does not. 11 references

La transfiguración histórica del mito de Medea: de Eurípides a Christa Wolf

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernardita Bolumburu Perl

2009-10-01

Full Text Available El presente ensayo tiene como objeto de estudio un personaje de la mitología y la Antigüedad Clásica llamado Medea, el cual es examinado a la luz de miradas actuales que ofrecen nuevas aristas de significación en virtud de diversos registros históricos. Este personaje, reconocido en la cultura occidental a través de la tragedia de Eurípides como la mujer que asesinó a sus hijos en venganza contra su esposo, alberga versiones mitológicas que difieren del retrato creado por el dramaturgo griego. El objetivo es, por lo tanto, exponer esa otra historia de Medea a partir de la obra de la escritora alemana Christa Wolf titulada Medea. Voces (1998. Asimismo, se examinarán algunas adaptaciones contemporáneas de esta figura (en literatura, cine, pintura, escultura y ópera que reconstruyen la obra de Eurípides.

Air and Ground Surface Temperature Relations in a Mountainous Basin, Wolf Creek, Yukon Territory

Science.gov (United States)

Roadhouse, Emily A.

The links between climate and permafrost are well known, but the precise nature of the relationship between air and ground temperatures remains poorly understood, particularly in complex mountain environments. Although previous studies indicate that elevation and potential incoming solar radiation (PISR) are the two leading factors contributing to the existence of permafrost at a given location, additional factors may also contribute significantly to the existence of mountain permafrost, including vegetation cover, snow accumulation and the degree to which individual mountain landscapes are prone to air temperature inversions. Current mountain permafrost models consider only elevation and aspect, and have not been able to deal with inversion effects in a systematic fashion. This thesis explores the relationship between air and ground surface temperatures and the presence of surface-based inversions at 27 sites within the Wolf Creek basin and surrounding area between 2001 and 2006, as a first step in developing an improved permafrost distribution TTOP model. The TTOP model describes the relationship between the mean annual air temperature and the temperature at the top of permafrost in terms of the surface and thermal offsets (Smith and Riseborough, 2002). Key components of this model are n-factors which relate air and ground climate by establishing the ratio between air and surface freezing (winter) and thawing (summer) degree-days, thus summarizing the surface energy balance on a seasonal basis. Here we examine (1) surface offsets and (2) freezing and thawing n-factor variability at a number of sites through altitudinal treeline in the southern Yukon. Thawing n-factors (nt) measured at individual sites remained relatively constant from one year to the next and may be related to land cover. During the winter, the insulating effect of a thick snow cover results in higher surface temperatures, while thin snow cover results in low surface temperatures more closely

Wolf, wolf

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Owner

Venter slaag uitstekend om die binnewêreld van die pornoverslaafde te verwoord. Ontnugtering is onafwendbaar, want dié soort bevrediging is beperkend. Mattheüs ervaar afstomping weens sy porno- verslawing; in sy geheue kan hy nie meer.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. STN 50-482). Supplement No. 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-03-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report (SER) for the application filed by the Kansas Gas and Electric Company, as applicant and agent for the owners, for a license to operate the Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit 1 (Docket No. STN 50-482). The facility is located in Coffey County, Kansas. This supplement has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and provides recent information regarding resolution of the open items identified in the SER. Because of the favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

USE OF CORTICAL BONE FENESTRATION, AUTOGENOUS FREE SKIN GRAFT, AND THERMOGRAPHY FOR WOUND TREATMENT AND MONITORING IN A RED WOLF (CANIS RUFUS GREGORYI).

Science.gov (United States)

Hurley-Sanders, Jennifer L; Sladky, Kurt K; Nolan, Elizabeth C; Loomis, Michael R

2015-09-01

A 2-yr-old female red wolf (Canis rufus gregoryi) sustained a degloving injury to the left thoracic limb while in a display habitat. Initial attempts to resolve the extensive wound by using conservative measures were unsuccessful. Subsequent treatment using a free skin graft consisted first of establishment of an adequate granulation bed via cortical bone fenestration. After establishment of a healthy granulation bed was achieved, free skin graft was harvested and transposed over the bed. To monitor viability and incorporation of the graft, serial thermographic imaging was performed. Thermography noninvasively detects radiant heat patterns and can be used to assess vascularization of tissue, potentially allowing early detection of graft failure. In this case, thermography documented successful graft attachment.

An optimal autonomous microgrid cluster based on distributed generation droop parameter optimization and renewable energy sources using an improved grey wolf optimizer

Science.gov (United States)

Moazami Goodarzi, Hamed; Kazemi, Mohammad Hosein

2018-05-01

Microgrid (MG) clustering is regarded as an important driver in improving the robustness of MGs. However, little research has been conducted on providing appropriate MG clustering. This article addresses this shortfall. It proposes a novel multi-objective optimization approach for finding optimal clustering of autonomous MGs by focusing on variables such as distributed generation (DG) droop parameters, the location and capacity of DG units, renewable energy sources, capacitors and powerline transmission. Power losses are minimized and voltage stability is improved while virtual cut-set lines with minimum power transmission for clustering MGs are obtained. A novel chaotic grey wolf optimizer (CGWO) algorithm is applied to solve the proposed multi-objective problem. The performance of the approach is evaluated by utilizing a 69-bus MG in several scenarios.

Web building and silk properties functionally covary among species of wolf spider.

Science.gov (United States)

Lacava, Mariángeles; Camargo, Arley; Garcia, Luis F; Benamú, Marco A; Santana, Martin; Fang, Jian; Wang, Xungai; Blamires, Sean J

2018-04-15

Although phylogenetic studies have shown covariation between the properties of spider major ampullate (MA) silk and web building, both spider webs and silks are highly plastic so we cannot be sure whether these traits functionally covary or just vary across environments that the spiders occupy. As MaSp2-like proteins provide MA silk with greater extensibility, their presence is considered necessary for spider webs to effectively capture prey. Wolf spiders (Lycosidae) are predominantly non-web building, but a select few species build webs. We accordingly collected MA silk from two web-building and six non-web-building species found in semirural ecosystems in Uruguay to test whether the presence of MaSp2-like proteins (indicated by amino acid composition, silk mechanical properties and silk nanostructures) was associated with web building across the group. The web-building and non-web-building species were from disparate subfamilies so we estimated a genetic phylogeny to perform appropriate comparisons. For all of the properties measured, we found differences between web-building and non-web-building species. A phylogenetic regression model confirmed that web building and not phylogenetic inertia influences silk properties. Our study definitively showed an ecological influence over spider silk properties. We expect that the presence of the MaSp2-like proteins and the subsequent nanostructures improves the mechanical performance of silks within the webs. Our study furthers our understanding of spider web and silk co-evolution and the ecological implications of spider silk properties. © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

The seminiferous epithelium cycle and daily spermatic production in the adult maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus, Illiger, 1811).

Science.gov (United States)

Bitencourt, Viviane Lewicki; de Paula, Tarcízio Antônio Rego; da Matta, Sérgio Luis Pinto; Fonseca, Cláudio César; dos Anjos Benjamin, Laércio; Costa, Deiler Sampaio

2007-01-01

The duration of the seminiferous epithelium cycle was estimated in adult maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus, Illiger, 1811), by applying intratesticular injections with tritiated thymidine. The total duration of the seminiferous epithelium cycle in this species was calculated in 8.99 days. So, taking into account that approximately 4.5 cycles of the seminiferous epithelium are necessary for the whole spermatogenesis process to complete, the production of spermatozoa from one spermatogonia will take about 40.45 days. The duration of the spermiogenesis was calculated to be 12.3 days. The eight stages of the seminiferous epithelium cycle were described by the tubular morphology method, which is based either on the form and position of the spermatid nuclei and the occurrence of meiotic divisions. The values of the relative frequency for the pre-meiotic, meiotic and post-meiotic phases in this species were 3.5, 0.78 and 4.8 days, respectively. The maned wolf produces about 29 million spermatozoa a day for each testis gram, therefore being classified among the species provided with a high spermatogenetic efficiency.

Magnification-temperature correlation: The dark side of integrated Sachs-Wolfe measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LoVerde, Marilena; Hui, Lam; Gaztanaga, Enrique

2007-01-01

Integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) measurements, which involve cross-correlating the microwave background anisotropies with the foreground large-scale structure (e.g. traced by galaxies/quasars), have proven to be an interesting probe of dark energy. We show that magnification bias, which is the inevitable modulation of the foreground number counts by gravitational lensing, alters both the scale dependence and amplitude of the observed ISW signal. This is true especially at high redshifts because (1) the intrinsic galaxy-temperature signal diminishes greatly back in the matter-dominated era, (2) the lensing efficiency increases with redshift and (3) the number count slope generally steepens with redshift in a magnitude limited sample. At z > or approx. 2, the magnification-temperature correlation dominates over the intrinsic galaxy-temperature correlation and causes the observed ISW signal to increase with redshift, despite dark energy subdominance--a result of the fact that magnification probes structures all the way from the observer to the sources. Ignoring magnification bias therefore can lead to (significantly) erroneous conclusions about dark energy. While the lensing modulation opens up an interesting high z window for ISW measurements, high redshift measurements are not expected to add much new information to low redshift ones if dark energy is indeed the cosmological constant. This is because lensing introduces significant covariance across redshifts. The most compelling reasons for pursuing high redshift ISW measurements are to look for potential surprises such as early dark energy domination or signatures of modified gravity. We conclude with a discussion of existing measurements, the highest redshift of which is at the margin of being sensitive to the magnification effect. We also develop a formalism which might be of more general interest: to predict biases in estimating parameters when certain physical effects are ignored in interpreting observations

HIGH-RESOLUTION X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY REVEALS THE SPECIAL NATURE OF WOLF-RAYET STAR WINDS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oskinova, L. M.; Hamann, W.-R. [Institute for Physics and Astronomy, University Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam (Germany); Gayley, K. G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52245 (United States); Huenemoerder, D. P. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, 70 Vassar St., Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Ignace, R. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37663 (United States); Pollock, A. M. T., E-mail: lida@astro.physik.uni-potsdam.de [European Space Agency XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre, European Space Astronomy Centre, Apartado 78, Villanueva de la Canada, 28691 Madrid (Spain)

2012-03-10

We present the first high-resolution X-ray spectrum of a putatively single Wolf-Rayet (WR) star. 400 ks observations of WR 6 by the XMM-Newton telescope resulted in a superb quality high-resolution X-ray spectrum. Spectral analysis reveals that the X-rays originate far out in the stellar wind, more than 30 stellar radii from the photosphere, and thus outside the wind acceleration zone where the line-driving instability (LDI) could create shocks. The X-ray emitting plasma reaches temperatures up to 50 MK and is embedded within the unshocked, 'cool' stellar wind as revealed by characteristic spectral signatures. We detect a fluorescent Fe line at Almost-Equal-To 6.4 keV. The presence of fluorescence is consistent with a two-component medium, where the cool wind is permeated with the hot X-ray emitting plasma. The wind must have a very porous structure to allow the observed amount of X-rays to escape. We find that neither the LDI nor any alternative binary scenario can explain the data. We suggest a scenario where X-rays are produced when the fast wind rams into slow 'sticky clumps' that resist acceleration. Our new data show that the X-rays in single WR star are generated by some special mechanism different from the one operating in the O-star winds.

Submicroscopic duplication of the Wolf-Hirschhorn critical region with a 4p terminal deletion.

Science.gov (United States)

Roselló, M; Monfort, S; Orellana, C; Ferrer-Bolufer, I; Quiroga, R; Oltra, S; Martínez, F

2009-01-01

Chromosomal rearrangements in the short arm of chromosome 4 can result in 2 different clinical entities: Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS), characterized by severe growth delay, mental retardation, microcephaly, 'Greek helmet' facies, and closure defects, or partial 4p trisomy, associated with multiple congenital anomalies, mental retardation, and facial dysmorphisms. We present clinical and laboratory findings in a patient who showed a small duplication in 4p16.3 associated with a subtle terminal deletion in the same chromosomal region. GTG-banding analyses, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analyses, and studies by array-based comparative genomic hybridization were performed. The results of the analyses revealed a de novo 1.3 Mb deletion of the terminal 4p and a 1.1 Mb duplication in our patient, encompassing the WHS critical region. Interestingly, this unusual duplication/deletion rearrangement results in an intermediate phenotype that shares characteristics of the WHS and the 4p trisomy syndrome. The use of novel technologies in the genetic diagnosis leads to the description of new clinical syndromes; there is a growing list of microduplication syndromes. Therefore, we propose that overexpression of candidate genes in WHS (WHSC1, WHSC2 and LETM1) due to a duplication causes a clinical entity different to both the WHS and 4p trisomy syndrome. (c) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Revealing the nebular properties and Wolf-Rayet population of IC10 with Gemini/GMOS

Science.gov (United States)

Tehrani, Katie; Crowther, Paul A.; Archer, I.

2017-12-01

We present a deep imaging and spectroscopic survey of the Local Group irregular galaxy IC10 using Gemini North and GMOS to unveil its global Wolf-Rayet (WR) population. We obtain a star formation rate (SFR) of 0.045 ± 0.023 M⊙ yr-1, for IC10 from the nebular H α luminosity, which is comparable to the Small Magellanic Cloud. We also present a revised nebular oxygen abundance of log(O/H) + 12 = 8.40 ± 0.04, comparable to the LMC. It has previously been suggested that for IC10 to follow the WR subtype-metallicity dependance seen in other Local Group galaxies, a large WN population awaits discovery. Our search revealed three new WN stars, and six candidates awaiting confirmation, providing little evidence to support this claim. The new global WR star total of 29 stars is consistent with the Large Magellanic Cloud population when scaled to the reduced SFR of IC10. For spectroscopically confirmed WR stars, the WC/WN ratio is lowered to 1.0; however, including all potential candidates, and assuming those unconfirmed to be WN stars, would reduce the ratio to ∼0.7. We attribute the high WC/WN ratio to the high star formation surface density of IC10 relative to the Magellanic Clouds, which enhances the frequency of high-mass stars capable of producing WC stars.

The effect of allometric growth on morphometric traits of wolf (Canis lupus using geometric truss

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rasoul Khosravi

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Iranian wolf is found in different habitats of Iran and possesses different morphological characteristics with respect to its cranium shape based on its distribution. This study was conducted to investigate the allometric growth and geometric changes of cranium in relation to its growth .A total of 35 skulls were collected from different regions and divided into two groups (adult and subadult. Seventeen angles that were drown by joining the measuring points on the whole, neurocranium, and viscerocranium. The correlation between skull index and angle measurements were analyzed in three categories. The decreasing of angles among dorsal face point on the external occipital crest, junction on the median plane of the right and left nasofrontal sutures, the most lateral point of the zygomatic arch and anterior end of the interincisive suture located between the roots of the upper central incisor teeth showed width of the skull increased more than the skull length with age, therefore, skull index increased with age. Results of geometry surveys showed that cranial width did not increase as much compared to the length of neurocranium length. Therefore, the angles of this section increased with age. Also, viscerocranium width increased more than viscerocranium length and the skull became widened with age.

Grey Wolf Optimization-Based Optimum Energy-Management and Battery-Sizing Method for Grid-Connected Microgrids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kutaiba Sabah Nimma

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In the revolution of green energy development, microgrids with renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and fuel cells are becoming a popular and effective way of controlling and managing these sources. On the other hand, owing to the intermittency and wide range of dynamic responses of renewable energy sources, battery energy-storage systems have become an integral feature of microgrids. Intelligent energy management and battery sizing are essential requirements in the microgrids to ensure the optimal use of the renewable sources and reduce conventional fuel utilization in such complex systems. This paper presents a novel approach to meet these requirements by using the grey wolf optimization (GWO technique. The proposed algorithm is implemented for different scenarios, and the numerical simulation results are compared with other optimization methods including the genetic algorithm (GA, particle swarm optimization (PSO, the Bat algorithm (BA, and the improved bat algorithm (IBA. The proposed method (GWO shows outstanding results and superior performance compared with other algorithms in terms of solution quality and computational efficiency. The numerical results show that the GWO with a smart utilization of battery energy storage (BES helped to minimize the operational costs of microgrid by 33.185% in comparison with GA, PSO, BA and IBA.

A deep near-infrared spectroscopic survey of the Scutum-Crux arm for Wolf-Rayet stars

Science.gov (United States)

Rosslowe, C. K.; Crowther, Paul A.

2018-01-01

We present a New Technology Telescope/Son-of-Isaac spectroscopic survey of infrared selected Wolf-Rayet (WR) candidates in the Scutum-Crux spiral arm (298° ≤ l ≤ 340°, |b| ≤ 0.5°. We obtained near-IR spectra of 127 candidates, revealing 17 WR stars - a ∼13 per cent success rate - of which 16 are newly identified here. The majority of the new WR stars are classified as narrow-lined WN5-7 stars, with two broad-lined WN4-6 stars and three WC6-8 stars. The new stars, with distances estimated from previous absolute magnitude calibrations, have no obvious association with the Scutum-Crux arm. Refined near-infrared (YHJK) classification criteria based on over a hundred Galactic and Magellanic Cloud WR stars, providing diagnostics for hydrogen in WN stars, plus the identification of WO stars and intermediate WN/C stars. Finally, we find that only a quarter of WR stars in the survey region are associated with star clusters and/or H II regions, with similar statistics found for luminous blue variables (LBVs) in the Milky Way. The relative isolation of evolved massive stars is discussed, together with the significance of the co-location of LBVs and WR stars in young star clusters.

Uranium series radionuclides, polonium-210 and lead-210, in the lichen-caribou-wolf food chain of the Northwest Territories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, P.A.; Sheard, J.W.; Swanson, S.

1994-01-01

This report examines baseline concentrations and transfer of the uranium decay products polonium-210 and lead-210 in the lichen-caribou-wolf food chain at two locations in the Northwest Territories, Baker Lake and Snowdrift. At each location, concentrations of the two radionuclides were determined in the lichen species Cetraria nivalis and Cladina mitis, and several tissues from caribou and wolves. Baseline concentrations and transfer coefficients within the food chain were compared between the two locations. Lichen samples were also collected from Kasba Lake, a third hunting ground used by northern Saskatchewan hunters. The lichen species chosen were common forage for caribou. Both the predominant lichen species at each location and rumen contents were used to estimate the winter diet of caribou in the calculation of transfer coefficients. The results are relevant to environmental monitoring in areas of potential future uranium mining development and the transfer coefficients determined in the study may be used to estimate radionuclide concentrations and radiation doses in future environmental assessments