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Crucial Element (crucial + element)
Selected AbstractsThe rise of research on futures in ecology: rebalancing scenarios and predictionsECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 12 2009Audrey Coreau Abstract Concern about the ecological consequences of global change has increasingly stimulated ecologists to examine the futures of ecological systems. Studying futures is not only a crucial element of the interaction between science, management and decision making, but also a critical research challenge per se, especially because futures cannot be observed or experimented on. In addition, researchers can encounter methodological and theoretical difficulties, which make interpretations and predictions problematic. In the literature which deals with futures of ecological systems two main lines of research can be distinguished: a predictive approach, which dominates the literature, can be contrasted with a rarer number of studies that elaborate potential scenarios for ecological systems. Scenario approaches currently concern mainly contacts with stakeholders or decision makers, or the use of climate scenarios to derive projections about ecological futures. We argue that a new direction for ecological futures research could be explored by using ecological scenarios in combination with predictive models to further fundamental ecological research, in addition to enhancing its applied value. Ecology Letters (2009) 12: 1277,1286 [source] Competitive coexistence in spatially structured environments: a synthesisECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 12 2003Priyanga Amarasekare Abstract Theoretical developments in spatial competitive coexistence are far in advance of empirical investigations. A framework that makes comparative predictions for alternative hypotheses is a crucial element in narrowing this gap. This review attempts to synthesize spatial competition theory into such a framework, with the goal of motivating empirical investigations that adopt the comparative approach. The synthesis presented is based on a major axis, coexistence in spatially homogeneous vs. heterogeneous competitive environments, along which the theory can be organized. The resulting framework integrates such key concepts as niche theory, spatial heterogeneity and spatial scale(s) of coexistence. It yields comparative predictions that can guide empirical investigations. [source] Interventions to improve adherence to medication in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus: the role of nursesEUROPEAN DIABETES NURSING, Issue 2 2006Deputy Director, H Hearnshaw BSc, PhD Reader in Primary Care Abstract Summary Nurses now provide the majority of education and support for people with diabetes both in community and hospital settings. However, there are very few studies on nurse-led interventions to improve adherence to medication, a crucial element of the self-management of diabetes. The four studies reviewed formed a subgroup of a Cochrane review on interventions to improve adherence to medication in people with type 2 diabetes. Search terms were ,type 2 diabetes mellitus' and ,compliance' or ,adherence'. Studies were included if they assessed adherence to medical treatment specifically, rather than other aspects of self-management. Out of the 21 studies selected for review, four described an intervention delivered by a nurse. All four studies were from the USA and used an intervention delivered by telephone. Different interventions (two educational programmes, one automated telephone management system, one tracking system for health service and medication use) were backed up by a scripted nurse call. While patients in two studies reported improvements in self-care behaviour, only one measured a significant improvement in blood glucose control. Although some studies asked patients to report on their adherence to medication taking, responses from patients were not explicitly presented. The studies reviewed show the potential for generating evidence for the effectiveness of nurse-led diabetes management programmes. Further high-quality studies into this area are desperately needed, and they should consider new ways of evaluating complex interventions to generate more evidence. Copyright © 2006 FEND. [source] The Creation of a Vocational Sector in Swiss Higher Education: balancing trends of system differentiation and integrationEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, Issue 4 2003Juan-Francisco Perellon The article discusses the establishment of a vocational sector in Swiss higher education as a complement to the existing two-tier system of cantonal Universities and federal Institutes of technology. The origins of this new player, its missions and organisational features are discussed. This overall discussion is placed into the context of changing landscape of Swiss higher education policy characterised by increasing pressures for geographical reorganisation of the higher education sector under the auspices of a more direct role of the federal government. The article makes two points. First, it argues that the creation of a vocational sector in Swiss higher education combines two contradictory trends. On the one hand, this new sector tends to provide differentiation at the system level, through the creation of a new, more marked-oriented sector of higher education. On the other hand, system differentiation at the system level is threatened by increased demands for greater inter-institutional cooperation and system integration, emanating principally from the federal level. Second, the article also argues that the distinction between ,academic/scientific' vs. ,vocational/professional' education generally referred to when studying the emergence of non-university sectors in higher education, is not pertinent for the analysis of the Swiss case. Two reasons are brought forward to sustain this argument. First, this distinction reinforces an artificial binary divide, no longer relevant to assess the evolution of higher education institutions placed in a context of academic and vocational drifts. Second, the ,academic' vs. ,professional' opposition does not take into consideration the political organisation of the country and how this impacts on policy making in higher education; a crucial element in the Swiss context. [source] Podcasting Communities and Second Language PronunciationFOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 2 2008Gillian Lord Abstract: Although often neglected in language classrooms, second language phonology is a crucial element in language learning because it is often the most salient feature in the speech of a foreigner. As instructors, we must decide how to emphasize pronunciation and what techniques to use. This article discusses a collaborative pod-casting project in an undergraduate Spanish phonetics class. Students worked in small groups to create and maintain their own podcast channel on which they uploaded recordings for group member feedback. Each recording focused on particular aspects of Spanish pronunciation, using tongue twisters, short readings, and personal reflection on students' own pronunciation. Both attitudes and pronunciation abilities were assessed before and after the project, and both were found to improve. The benefits of podcasting projects to improve language skills are discussed from an empirical as well as a pedagogical perspective. [source] French adaptation and preliminary validation of a questionnaire to evaluate understanding of informed consent documents in phase I biomedical researchFUNDAMENTAL & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 1 2006Adeline Paris Abstract The content of informed consent documents (ICD) is a crucial element in the process of providing information to participants in biomedical research. Clear comprehension of the information, i.e. the ability to understand its meaning and its consequences, is of utmost importance. The objective of this study was to describe the different steps in the French adaptation and preliminary validation of the Qualité de Compréhension des Formulaires d'information et de consentement (QCFic) questionnaire (http://www.lyon.inserm.fr/cic-grenoble) based on the American Quality of Informed Consent (QuIC) questionnaire. Adaptation and preliminary validation of the QuIC for use in France was composed of five principal steps: translation, scientific validation, lexical validation, edition of gold-standard answers and a pilot study. Each stage was conducted by independent groups of experts, under the coordination of the study board. Thirteen questions were added and one was suppressed. Two steps were required for the scientific validation and for lexical validation, 21 modifications were proposed. Relative to gold-standard answers, the three experts gave the same answer for 24 questions and for nine other questions, two of the three gave identical answers, which were validated by the study board. Results of a pilot study showed a global QCFic score of 88.99 (84.13,90.92) and no specific commentary was made about the content of the questions, so no more modification needed to be made. A preliminary validated French questionnaire, the QCFic, is now available to evaluate the quality of an informed consent document in phase I clinical trials. It is quick and easy to use. [source] Current Developments and Trends in Social and Environmental Auditing, Reporting and Attestation: A Review and CommentINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AUDITING, Issue 3 2000Rob Gray This is a discursive paper which attempts to provide a personal review of current and recent developments in social and environmental reporting with particular emphasis on the attestation and auditing implications. The paper takes the essential desirability of social, environmental and sustainability reporting as a crucial element in any well-functioning democracy as a given. It further assumes that any civilised, but complex, society with pretensions to social justice, that seeks a potentially sustainable future and which wishes to try and rediscover some less exploitative and less insulated relationship with the natural environment, needs social and environmental reporting as one component in redirecting its social and economic organisation. With reporting being such a central issue, the paper further takes good quality attestation of that information as essential to both its reliability and its ability to fulfill its required role in developing transparency and accountability. The paper has three motifs: the need to clarify terminology in the field of social and environmental ,audits'; the current weakness of attestation practices in the area; and the significant , but unfulfilled , promise offered by professional accounting and auditing education and training. The paper concludes with a call for a substantial re-think of accounting education and training. [source] Evaluating disease management programme effectiveness: an introduction to the regression discontinuity designJOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 2 2006Ariel Linden DrPH MS Abstract Although disease management (DM) has been in existence for over a decade, there is still much uncertainty as to its effectiveness in improving health status and reducing medical cost. The main reason is that most programme evaluations typically follow weak observational study designs that are subject to bias, most notably selection bias and regression to the mean. The regression discontinuity (RD) design may be the best alternative to randomized studies for evaluating DM programme effectiveness. The most crucial element of the RD design is its use of a ,cut-off' score on a pre-test measure to determine assignment to intervention or control. A valuable feature of this technique is that the pre-test measure does not have to be the same as the outcome measure, thus maximizing the programme's ability to use research-based practice guidelines, survey instruments and other tools to identify those individuals in greatest need of the programme intervention. Similarly, the cut-off score can be based on clinical understanding of the disease process, empirically derived, or resource-based. In the RD design, programme effectiveness is determined by a change in the pre,post relationship at the cut-off point. While the RD design is uniquely suitable for DM programme evaluation, its success will depend, in large part, on fundamental changes being made in the way DM programmes identify and assign individuals to the programme intervention. [source] The global recession of 2009 in a long-term development perspectiveJOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 6 2010Charles Gore Abstract This paper argues that the global recession of 2009 marks the ending of a global development cycle which began in the early 1950s. The long-wave rhythm of production and prices in the global development cycle is generated by the life cycle of investment and innovation during a technological revolution, related changes in supply and demand for natural resources, and inertia and transformation in the socio-institutional framework within which development takes place. From this perspective, the global recession is interpreted as a blocked structural transition. Whilst failings in the financial system triggered the global financial crisis, that crisis and the recession are more deeply rooted in contradictions in the global development trajectory. A paradigm shift in development theory and practice is a crucial element of the socio-institutional transformation now necessary to re-boot the global development cycle. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The historiography of Swedish sociology and the bounding of disciplinary identityJOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2006Anna Larsson Bounding a scientific discipline is a way of regulating its cognitive direction as well as its relations to neighboring disciplines and extra-academic authorities. In this process of identity making, disciplinary history often is a crucial element. In this article, focusing on the historiography of Swedish sociology and the reception of Gustaf Steffen, Sweden's first professional sociologist, it is argued that Steffen's marginalized role in the traditional accounts should be understood not only with reference to his supposed theoretical shortcomings, but also in the historical context of the early postwar reestablishment of sociology as an academic discipline and its prevalent need for a new disciplinary identity, strategically adjusted to the contemporary institutional and political settings. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Trade costs in empirical New Economic GeographyPAPERS IN REGIONAL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010Maarten Bosker Trade costs; New Economic Geography; market access Abstract Trade costs are a crucial element of New Economic Geography (NEG) models. Without trade costs there is no role for geography. In empirical NEG studies the unavailability of direct trade cost data calls for the need to approximate these trade costs by introducing a trade cost function. In doing so, hardly any attention is paid to the (implicit) assumptions and empirical consequences of the particular trade cost function used. Based on a meta-analysis of NEG market access studies as well as on the results of estimating the NEG wage equation for a uniform sample while using different trade costs functions, we show that the relevance of the key NEG variable, market access, depends nontrivially on the choice of trade cost function. Next, we propose an alternative way to approximate trade costs that does not require the specification of a trade cost function, the so called implied trade costs approach. Overall, our results stress that the specification of trade costs can matter a lot for the conclusions reached in any empirical NEG study. We therefore call for a much more careful treatment of trade costs in future empirical NEG studies. Resumen Los costos de comercio son un elemento crucial de los modelos de la Nueva Geografía Económica (NEG, siglas en inglés). Sin los costos de comercio no hay un rol para la geografía. En estudios empíricos de NEG, la falta de disponibilidad de datos de costos directos de comercio directo crea la necesidad de estimar estos costos de comercio mediante la introducción de una función de costos de comercio. Al hacer esto, apenas se presta atención a las suposiciones (implícitas) y consecuencias empíricas de la función de costo utilizada en particular. Basado en un meta análisis de estudios de acceso de mercado de NEG, así como en los resultados de estimar la ecuación salarial de NEG para una muestra uniforme al tiempo que utilizando diferentes funciones de costos de comercio, mostramos que la relevancia de la variable clave para la NEG, acceso a mercados, depende considerablemente de la elección de la función de costos de comercio. A continuación, proponemos una alternativa para estimar costos de comercio que no requiere especificar una función de costos de comercio, el llamado enfoque de costos de comercio implícitos. En resumen, nuestros resultados insisten en que el especificar los costos de comercio puede tener mucha importancia para las conclusiones alcanzadas en cualquier estudio empírico de NEG. Pedimos por tanto un tratamiento mucho más cuidadoso de los costos de comercio en futuros estudios empíricos de NEG. [source] Mobility on discharge from an aged care unitPHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2007Edward Gorgon Abstract Background and Purpose.,Independent mobility is a crucial element of independent living and quality of life. However, little is known about the mobility of older people around the time of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. The present study aimed to describe mobility on discharge from an aged care rehabilitation unit. Method.,The study utilized a descriptive, cross-sectional design. Ninety-five patients (mean age 81 (±8) years; 60% female) with diverse chronic conditions (median 5) who were able to walk at least 10,m without weight-bearing restrictions were recruited from the aged care rehabilitation wards. Scores on the Barthel Index were obtained on admission and discharge to provide information about their overall level of function. Within the last week of rehabilitation stay, scores on the mobility and locomotion subsections of the Functional Independence Measure, gait velocity, and time and distance parameters of gait were obtained. Gait variables were measured by use of the GAITRiteTM, an instrumented walkway. Medians and interquartile ranges (IQR) were reported for mobility variables. Results.,Following inpatient rehabilitation, many patients achieved independence in bed or chair transfers (83%), toilet transfers (81%), shower transfers (60%) and level-surface walking (74%). Only 31% achieved independence in stair climbing. Patients walked slowly at a median (IQR) gait velocity of 45.96 (31.51) cm/s and with markedly diminished cadence and step length. Subjects with a low number of chronic conditions generally performed better on mobility measures than those with a high number of chronic conditions. Conclusions.,Although many older people are able to transfer and walk independently around the time of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation their mobility is still often impaired. For example, only 9.5% achieved a walking velocity considered to be adequate for street crossing and few demonstrated the ability to negotiate stairs. This highlights the need for ongoing rehabilitation for many of these older people. The possible cumulative effects of chronic conditions on mobility require further investigation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Late blight resistance in a diploid full-sib potato familyPLANT BREEDING, Issue 4 2004S. Costanzo Abstract Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, is the most destructive disease of potato worldwide. As this pathogen can rapidly overcome major race-specific resistance genes, identifying the basis for enhanced quantitative resistance has become a crucial element for implementing advanced breeding strategies. A population of 230 full-sib progeny derived from a cross between two diploid hybrid Solanum phureja × S. stenotomum clones was evaluated for foliage resistance against late blight in replicated trials at multiple locations in Pennsylvania between 1999 and 2002. In field experiments, plants were evaluated visually for per cent defoliation, and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was determined. The two parents and three control cultivars (,Atlantic', ,Kennebec' and ,Katahdin') were included in all trials. In all three experiments, the presence of a significant number of clones exhibiting transgressive segregation were observed. There were significant differences among environments as well as among clones, and the clone × environment interaction was also significant. Stability analysis revealed that 37 clones made a significant contribution to the overall environment × clone interaction. Broad-sense heritability for resistance, measured as AUDPC, was estimated as 0.67. The overall results indicate the presence in this potato family of a high level of field resistance against late blight. This segregating diploid family appears to be a good candidate for quantitative trait loci mapping to identify and characterize the genetic components of partial late blight resistance. [source] Smoke and Mirrors: Inverting the Discourse on TobaccoANTIPODE, Issue 4 2010Marv Waterstone Abstract:, Understanding the mechanisms that construct and maintain the taken-for-granted, "common sense" understandings of everyday life is an essential prerequisite for reconfiguring conditions in more progressive directions. Highlighting particular moments, when these processes can be made visible, and drawing appropriate insights from such interrogations is useful not only for illuminating the fundamental malleability of "common sense" (itself a crucial element of change), but also for providing suggestive strategies and tactics for effectuating change. Here the construction and reconstruction of the "common sense" around tobacco is offered as an instructive case. [source] Concept for a New Hydrodynamic Blood Bearing for Miniature Blood Pumps,ARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 10 2004Thomas Kink Abstract: The most crucial element of a long-term implantable rotary blood pump is the rotor bearing. Because of heat generation and power loss resulting from friction, seals within the devices have to be avoided. Actively controlled magnetic bearings, although maintenance-free, increase the degree of complexity. Hydrodynamic bearings for magnetically coupled rotors may offer an alternative solution to this problem. Additionally, for miniature pumps, the load capacity of hydrodynamic bearings scales slower than that of, for example, magnetic bearings because of the cube-square-law. A special kind of hydrodynamic bearing is a spiral groove bearing (SGB), which features an excellent load capacity. Mock-loop tests showed that SGBs do not influence the hydraulic performance of the tested pumps. Although, as of now, the power consumption of the SBG is higher than for a mechanical pivot bearing, it is absolutely contact-free and has an unlimited lifetime. The liftoff of the rotor occurs already at 10% of design speed. Further tests and flow visualization studies on scaled-up models must demonstrate its overall blood compatibility. [source] COMMENTS ON FACTOR PRICES AND INCOME DISTRIBUTION IN LESS INDUSTRIALISED ECONOMIES, 1870,1939: REFOCUSING ON THE FRONTIERAUSTRALIAN ECONOMIC HISTORY REVIEW, Issue 3 2007Knick HarleyArticle first published online: 7 OCT 200 economic institutions; factor prices; frontier; globalisation A great deal of the current research into nineteenth- and twentieth-century globalisation has been focused through a neoclassical trade theory lens. Applying the Stopler-Samuelson paradigm from Heckscher-Ohlin trade theory, the result is an approach that sees price convergence as pivotal in defining, identifying, and measuring globalisation. This focus, however, obscures the implications of frontier incorporation and other insights achieved by viewing nineteenth-century globalisation as a mechanism whereby peripheral economies were incorporated into the core of organised economic activity. A frontier-centred perspective also reintroduces the role of economic institutions as a crucial element of economic growth and development. [source] Evaluation of 280 000 cases in Dutch midwifery practices: a descriptive studyBJOG : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 5 2008MP Amelink-Verburg Objective, To assess the nature and outcome of intrapartum referrals from primary to secondary care within the Dutch obstetric system. Design, Descriptive study. Setting, Dutch midwifery database (LVR1), covering 95% of all midwifery care and 80% of all Dutch pregnancies (2001,03). Population, Low-risk women (280 097) under exclusive care of a primary level midwife at the start of labour either with intention to deliver at home or with a personal preference to deliver in hospital under care of a primary level midwife. Methods, Women were classified into three categories (no referral, urgent referral and referral without urgency) and were related to maternal characteristics and to neonatal outcomes. Main outcome measures, Distribution of referral categories, main reasons for urgent referral, Apgar score at 5 minutes, perinatal death within 24 hours and referral to a paediatrician within 24 hours. Results, In our study, 68.1% of the women completed childbirth under exclusive care of a midwife, 3.6% were referred on an urgency basis and 28.3% were referred without urgency. Of all referrals, 11.2% were on an urgency basis. The main reasons for urgent referrals were fetal distress and postpartum haemorrhage. The nonurgent referrals predominantly took place during the first stage of labour (73.6% of all referrals). Women who had planned a home delivery were referred less frequently than women who had planned a hospital delivery: 29.3 and 37.2%, respectively (P < 0.001). On average, the mean Apgar score at 5 minutes was high (9.72%) and the peripartum neonatal mortality was low (0.05%) in the total study group. No maternal deaths occurred. Adverse neonatal outcomes occurred most frequently in the urgent referral group, followed by the group of referrals without urgency and the nonreferred group. Conclusions, Risk selection is a crucial element of the Dutch obstetric system and continues into the postpartum period. The system results in a relatively small percentage of intrapartum urgent referrals and in overall satisfactory neonatal outcomes in deliveries led by primary level midwives. [source] Consumer integration in sustainable product developmentBUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 5 2007Esther Hoffmann Abstract Changes in production and consumption patterns are a crucial element of the sustainability agenda. Communication between product developers and users, and user integration in product development, can serve as a means for organizational as well as individual learning processes, resulting in sustainable product development. Recent approaches to innovation research describe the role of users in the innovation process as essential. However, conventional market research gives consumers a passive role as a mere object of research instead of considering them as possible innovators themselves. Improved methods, such as INNOCOPE (innovating through consumer-integrated product development), tested in this study with a cycle manufacturer and resulting in a new product, a pedelec, are needed for effective communication, activating consumers and enabling them to promote sustainability goals. Through co-operative product development processes key factors facilitating and obstructing the adoption of sustainable innovations may be identified. Such processes can enhance the emergence and diffusion of sustainable product innovations and different forms and bodies of knowledge can be combined. Integrating users' contextual everyday knowledge of the product with the technical knowledge of companies may lead to mutual learning, technical innovations and changes in consumer behaviour. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Addressing the Numbers Problem in Directed EvolutionCHEMBIOCHEM, Issue 11 2008Manfred T. Reetz Prof. Dr. Abstract Our previous contribution to increasing the efficiency of directed evolution is iterative saturation mutagenesis (ISM) as a systematic means of generating focused libraries for the control of substrate acceptance, enantioselectivity, or thermostability of enzymes. We have now introduced a crucial element to knowledge-guided targeted mutagenesis in general that helps to solve the numbers problem in directed evolution. We show that the choice of the amino acid (aa) alphabet, as specified by the utilized codon degeneracy, provides the experimenter with a powerful tool in designing "smarter" randomized libraries that require considerably less screening effort. A systematic comparison of two different codon degeneracies was made by examining the relative quality of the identically sized enzyme libraries in relation to the degree of oversampling required in the screening process. The specific example in our case study concerns the conventional NNK codon degeneracy (32 codons/20 aa) versus NDT (12 codons/12 aa). The model reaction is the hydrolytic kinetic resolution of a chiral trans -disubstituted epoxide, catalyzed by the epoxide hydrolase from Aspergillus niger. The NDT library proves to be of much higher quality, as measured by the dramatically higher frequency of positive variants and by the magnitude of catalyst improvement (enhanced rate and enantioselectivity). We provide a statistical analysis that constitutes a useful guide for the optimal design and generation of "smarter" focused libraries. This type of approach accelerates the process of laboratory evolution considerably and can be expected to be broadly applicable when engineering functional proteins in general. [source] Talking About Intentional ObjectsDIALECTICA, Issue 2 2006Michael Gorman Tim Crane has recently defended the view that all intentional states have objects, even when these objects do not exist. In this note I first set forth some crucial elements of Crane's view: his reasons for accepting intentional objects, his rejection of certain ways of thinking about them, and his distinction between the ,substantial' and the ,schematic' notion of an object. I then argue that while Crane's account successfully explains what intentional objects are not, it leaves unexplained how it could make sense to say that intentional objects need not exist. Finally I propose that we can do justice to Crane's reasons for talking about intentional objects by re-interpreting talk about intentional objects as talk about the truth- or satisfaction-conditions of intentional states. [source] The End of Violence and Introduction of ,Real' Politics: Tensions in Peaceful Northern IrelandGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2001Arponen, Kaisa Kuusisto This article discusses contemporary developments in the Northern Ireland peace process, and pays particular attention to some of the main paths away from political violence towards ,real' politics. Even the peace process has left many tensions in Northern Ireland. The article focuses on the gap between formal governing or decision,making and everyday life in localities, and the role of geographical scales in the peace initiatives is touched upon. In particular, the Belfast Agreement and its effects on localities are assessed to illustrate some of the advances and drawbacks of the multi,level peace developments. By looking at the local context of Derry/Londonderry, this study shows how ambiguous the very existence of peace is in Northern Ireland: for international media there is peace in Northern Ireland, for local politicians ,yes, maybe', but for many locals ,no'. In the localities territoriality, secured boundaries and collective identities remain crucial elements of everyday life. [source] Existing theories do not explain sex ratio variation at birth in monomorphic roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2007Stefan Jacob VREUGDENHIL Abstract The phenomenon of skewed sex ratios at birth has been reported in many ungulate species. So far, no consistent trend has emerged for roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), because male-biased, female-biased and equal sex ratios at birth have all been found. Nevertheless, both the Trivers-Willard hypothesis and the theory of local resource competition have gained support. Despite the great number of studies carried out regarding the ecology of roe deer, too many aspects remain unclear, and contradictory results have been produced with respect to several crucial elements. Without further research, the discussion on which theory applies will therefore remain inconclusive. We put forward the argument that eventually the theories of Trivers-Willard and local resource competition can be considered as being not essentially different. After all, both theories explain the observed skewed sex ratios as being due to the effect of the progeny's sex on the mother's body condition and hence her reproductive success in subsequent years. Furthermore, neither theory is likely to prove to be suitable for roe deer, as several assumptions are unlikely to be met. In roe deer, skewed ratios probably only have a temporal character. As a matter of fact, several observations of skewed sex ratios in birds and mammals did not withstand the accumulation of further data, as sex ratios that were initially believed to be biased turned out to be equal in the long term. This is likely to be the case in roe deer as well. We hypothesize that roe deer, as r-strategists, will produce as many offspring as possible, regardless of sex. [source] Acoustic mimicry and disruptive alternative calling tactics in an Australian bushcricket (Caedicia; Phaneropterinae; Tettigoniidae; Orthoptera): does mating influence male calling tactic?PHYSIOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2006WINSTON BAILEY Abstract Male calling and searching tactics are described for a duetting Australian bushcricket, Caedicia sp. 12 (Phaneropterinae; Tettigoniidae; Orthoptera). The repertoire of Caedicia sp. 12 consists of the calling song and, by nonduetting males, a series of calling tactics that include short-click calling, disruptive over-singing and a call mimicking the entire duet. Nonduetting males respond to the production of a duet by another male and a female with short-click calls that mimic the female call at the conclusion of a duet. By manipulating the male's mating history, it is found that this form of calling behaviour is more likely to occur within the male's 6-day postmating refractory period; the low cost tactic allows males to re-mate during spermatophore replenishment. Males also produce disruptive calls in response to a duet, where the male may over-sing the duetting male's signal or produce a call that appears to mimic the entire duet; the male produces a calling song followed by a short signal that has the same latency as the female's reply within a duet. Males also over-sing crucial elements of the duetting-male's song that are normally critical for the female's conspecific recognition. There is no evidence that females search for the duetting male partner, but males unable to enter a duet will search for the call of a responding female. Searching by males is more common when these males are producing disruptive calls. Alternative male calling tactics are discussed as a set of conditional strategies for securing unmated females. [source] On the nature and evolution of the neural bases of human languageAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue S35 2002Philip Lieberman Abstract The traditional theory equating the brain bases of language with Broca's and Wernicke's neocortical areas is wrong. Neural circuits linking activity in anatomically segregated populations of neurons in subcortical structures and the neocortex throughout the human brain regulate complex behaviors such as walking, talking, and comprehending the meaning of sentences. When we hear or read a word, neural structures involved in the perception or real-world associations of the word are activated as well as posterior cortical regions adjacent to Wernicke's area. Many areas of the neocortex and subcortical structures support the cortical-striatal-cortical circuits that confer complex syntactic ability, speech production, and a large vocabulary. However, many of these structures also form part of the neural circuits regulating other aspects of behavior. For example, the basal ganglia, which regulate motor control, are also crucial elements in the circuits that confer human linguistic ability andreasoning. The cerebellum, traditionally associated with motor control, is active in motor learning. The basal ganglia are also key elements in reward-based learning. Data from studies of Broca's aphasia, Parkinson's disease, hypoxia, focal brain damage, and a genetically transmitted brain anomaly (the putative "language gene," family KE), and from comparative studies of the brains and behavior of other species, demonstrate that the basal ganglia sequence the discrete elements that constitute a complete motor act, syntactic process, or thought process. Imaging studies of intact human subjects and electrophysiologic and tracer studies of the brains and behavior of other species confirm these findings. As Dobzansky put it, "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution" (cited in Mayr, 1982). That applies with as much force to the human brain and the neural bases of language as it does to the human foot or jaw. The converse follows: the mark of evolution on the brains of human beings and other species provides insight into the evolution of the brain bases of human language. The neural substrate that regulated motor control in the common ancestor of apes and humans most likely was modified to enhance cognitive and linguistic ability. Speech communication played a central role in this process. However, the process that ultimately resulted in the human brain may have started when our earliest hominid ancestors began to walk. Yrbk Phys Anthropol 45:36,62, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] IL-10 and the resolution of infections,THE JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY, Issue 2 2008CM Filippi Abstract Chronic viral infections pose serious health concerns, as secondary complications such as immunodeficiencies and cancers are common. Treating such infections with conventional vaccine approaches has proved to be difficult. Studies in animals and humans suggest that vaccine failure is probably due to exhaustion of antiviral T cell responses, which occurs in a number of chronic infections. Attempts to elucidate the causes of impairment of antiviral immunity have pointed to a role for the immunomodulatory cytokine IL-10 in the ability of viruses to establish persistence. Induction of IL-10 production by the host during chronic infection appears to be one of the viral means to alter the class of the antiviral immune response and induce generalized immune suppression. Recent work by us and others suggests that it is possible to resuscitate antiviral immunity by interfering with the IL-10 signalling pathway. Targeting IL-10 thus constitutes a promising alternative to conventional vaccine strategies which have not proved to be successful in treating chronic infections. In addition, sterile cure may be achieved with minimal side-effects by combining agents that alter the IL-10 signalling pathway with other compounds, such as antiviral drugs or interferon, but also agents neutralizing other crucial elements of T cell exhaustion, such as PD-1. Copyright © 2007 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Expanding atmosphere models for SSS spectra of novaeASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 2 2010D.R. van Rossum Abstract Super Soft Source (SSS) spectra are powered by nuclear burning on the surface of a white dwarf. The released energy causes a radiatively-driven wind that leads to a radially extended atmosphere around the white dwarf. Significant blue shifts in photospheric absorption lines are found in the spectra of novae during their SSS phase, being an evidence of continued mass loss in this phase. We present spherically symmetric PHOENIX models that account for the expansion of the ejecta. A comparison to a plane parallel, hydrostatic atmosphere model demonstrates that the mass loss can have a significant impact on the model spectra. The dynamic model yields less pronounced absorption edges, and harder X-ray spectra are the result. Therefore, lower effective temperatures are needed to explain the observed spectra. Although both types of models are yet to be fine-tuned in order to accurately determine best fit parameters, the implications on the chemical abundances are going in opposite directions. With the expanding models the requirement for strong depletion of the crucial elements that cause these edges is now avoidable (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||