The geographic extent of bird populations affected by renewable-energy development

Bird populations are declining globally. Wind and solar energy can reduce emissions of fossil fuels that drive anthropogenic climate change, yet renewable-energy production represents a potential threat to bird species. Surveys to assess potential effects at renewable-energy facilities are exclusively local, and the geographic extent encompassed by birds killed at these facilities is largely unknown, which creates challenges for minimizing and mitigating the population-level and cumulative effects of these fatalities. We performed geospatial analyses of stable hydrogen isotope data obtained from feathers of 871 individuals of 24 bird species found dead at solar- and wind-energy facilities in California (USA). Most species had individuals with a mix of origins, ranging from 23% to 98% nonlocal. Mean minimum distances to areas of likely origin for nonlocal individuals were as close as 97 to >1250 km, and these minimum distances were larger for species found at solar-energy facilities in deserts than at wind-energy facilities in grasslands (Cohen's d = 6.5). Fatalities were drawn from an estimated 30-100% of species' desingated ranges, and this percentage was significantly smaller for species with large ranges found at wind facilities (Pearson's r = -0.67). Temporal patterns in the geographic origin of fatalities suggested that migratory movements and nonmigratory movements, such as dispersal and nomadism, influence exposure to fatality risk for these birds. Our results illustrate the power of using stable isotope data to assess the geographic extent of renewable-energy fatalities on birds. As the buildout of renewable-energy facilities continues, accurate assessment of the geographic footprint of wildlife fatalities can be used to inform compensatory mitigation for their population-level and cumulative effects.

Antiviral activity of hop constituents against a series of DNA and RNA viruses

We investigated whether crude hop extracts and purified hop components representing every major chemical class of hop compound have antiviral activity. These hop constituents were tested for antiviral activity against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) as a surrogate model of hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza A virus (FLU-A), influenza B virus (FLU-B), rhinovirus (Rhino), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), yellow fever virus (YFV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). The extracts all failed to prevent the replication of HIV, FLU-A, FLU-B, RSV and YFV. A xanthohumol-enriched hop extract displayed a weak to moderate antiviral activity against BVDV (therapeutic index (TI)=6.0), HSV-2 (TI=>5.3), Rhino (TI=4.0) and HSV-1 (TI=>1.9) with IC(50) values in the low microg/ml range. Pure iso-alpha-acids demonstrated low to moderate antiviral activity against both BVDV (TI=9.1) and CMV (TI=4.2) with IC(50) values in the low microg/ml range. No antiviral activity was detected using beta-acids or a hop oil extract. Ultra-pure preparations (>99% pure) were used to show that xanthohumol accounted for the antiviral activity observed in the xanthohumol-enriched hop extract against BVDV, HSV-1 and HSV-2. Xanthohumol was found to be a more potent antiviral agent against these viruses than the isomer iso-xanthohumol. With Rhino, the opposite trend was observed with iso-xanthohumol showing superior antiviral activity to that observed with xanthohumol. Xanthohumol also showed antiviral activity against CMV, suggesting that it might have a generalized anti-herpesvirus antiviral activity. Again, superior antiviral activity was observed with the xanthohumol isomer against CMV. In summary, iso-alpha-acids and xanthohumol were shown to have a low-to-moderate antiviral activity against several viruses. These hop constituents might serve as interesting lead compounds from which more active anti-HCV, anti-Rhino and anti-herpesvirus antiviral agents could be synthesized.

Endorphins and placebo fear reduction

This study examined whether endorphins play a role in placebo fear reduction in addition to their apparent mediation of placebo analgesia. 27 female undergraduate students were intravenously administered either saline or the endorphin antagonist, naloxone, under double-blind conditions prior to exposure to a nonspecific analogue treatment for snake fear. Analysis indicated that the two groups of subjects performed comparably and significantly better than no-treatment controls on posttest measures of self-efficacy, self-rated fear, and approach toward a live, harmless snake. These preliminary findings suggest that a mechanism other than endorphin release underlies fear reduction in psychological placebo treatments.

Factor structure of the Faschingbauer Abbreviated MMPI (FAM) in a psychiatric population

Factor analysis of the Faschingbauer Abbreviated MMPI (FAM) identified factors of Absence of Distress, Depression, Low Morale, Feminine Interests, Somatization, and Extroversion. These results are consistent with previous MMPI factoranalytic studies, with the first factor being a reflected factor of major psychopathological disturbance. This reflected factor is explained as a function of the elimination of clinically invalid profiles from the analysis. Implications concerning standard profile selection procedures are discussed in light of these results.

Chapman's versus Broen and Storms' theory of schizophrenic thought disorder: an empirical comparison

Compared Chapman's "response-bias" theory and Broen and Storms' "response-disorganization" theory of schizophrenic psychological deficit in a combined experimental format. Twenty-six hospitalized schizophrenics and 26 normal Ss, equivalent in age, education, and WAIS vocabulary, were administered a modification of Roberts and Schuhams' (1974) vocabulary sorting task. Ss chose a word conceptually similar to a referent from correct, moderate- or strong-distracter, and irrelevant responses. Half of the participants performed under induced muscular tension (squeezing a hand dynamometer). Results indicated that, congruent with Broen and Storms' theory, heightened arousal increased frequency of nondominant, strong-distracter errors in normals, but did not affect moderate distracter selection. No significant arousal effects emerged in the schizophrenics. The patient group essentially performed according to Chapman's theory, making significantly more strong- than moderate-distracter errors under both conditions. Rank orders of normal and schizophrenic errors did not differ significantly. Implications are discussed.