bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Canada‐Bangladesh partnership for nurse education: case study
Authors: Berland A. , Richards J. , Lund K.D.
Published: August 2010

BERLAND A., RICHARDS J. & LUND K.D. (2010). A Canada‐Bangladesh partnership for nurse education: case study. International Nursing Review57, 352–358

Aim:  To describe the lessons learned from a partnership in nurse education between a Bangladesh university and a group of Canadian volunteers.

Background:  In the host country, nursing enjoys low status and pay, which adversely affect professional standards.

Method:  The paper describes implementation details of training a core of nurses to international standards, using limited resources. The first cohort received their Bachelor of Nursing degrees in 2009.

Outcomes:  The Bangladeshi partners benefit from access to up‐to‐date curriculum materials, current clinical expertise, and interaction with visiting faculty and students. The Canadian nursing instructors enjoy professional development opportunities; visiting Canadian students gain exposure to a practice setting in a low‐income country.

Lessons learned:  These include the importance of (1) integrating nurse training with a general university able to provide core courses (e.g. English as second language, computer training), (2) countering the low status of nursing and inculcating a caring attitude among students, and (3) instilling critical thinking as opposed to rote learning. Next, the following were identified: mechanisms to support networking in the local health system, sharing of resources (e.g. electronic course material adapted to host country context), and assuring programme quality.

Implications for practice:  The paper will be of interest to those concerned with nurse education and human resource development in less developed countries.
Mobbing against nurses in the workplace in Turkey
Authors: Efe S.Y. , Ayaz S.
Published: August 2010

EFE S.Y. & AYAZ S. (2010) Mobbing against nurses in the workplace in Turkey. International Nursing Review57, 328–334

Aim:  The aim of the study was to determine whether the nurses have been exposed to mobbing or not, and to reveal the causes of the mobbing between 3 November 2008 and 31 December 2008.

Methods:  This research was a mixed method study involving survey and focus group interviews. The sample was calculated using sample calculation formula, and 206 nurses were included in the survey study. Four focus group interviews were later carried out with 16 nurses. The survey method and semi‐structured question form were used to collect data. The percentage and chi‐square were used to evaluate the quantitative data, and for the analysis of the qualitative data, descriptive analyses were made through direct quotations from the nurses' statements.

Findings:  According to the mobbing scale, 9.7% of the nurses had been exposed to mobbing, but according to their own declarations, 33% had been exposed. Some of the nurses (25.2%) who expressed that they had been exposed to mobbing reported that the executor of mobbing was the head nurse and 9.2% said that the reason for mobbing was ‘communication problems’. Nurses under 25 years of age and those who work in intensive care units are apparently exposed to mobbing more frequently than others (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:  It is suggested that head nurses' mobbing behaviours should be determined and they should be educated about leadership. Nurses should be educated about assertiveness to prevent mobbing. The necessary measures should be adopted to solve the ‘communication problems’, which are shown as a major reason for mobbing.
Space‐in‐Time and Time‐in‐Space Self‐Organizing Maps for Exploring Spatiotemporal Patterns
Authors: Andrienko G. , Andrienko N. , Bremm S. , Schreck T. , Von Landesberger T. , Bak P. , Keim D.
Published: August 2010

Spatiotemporal data pose serious challenges to analysts in geographic and other domains. Owing to the complexity of the geospatial and temporal components, this kind of data cannot be analyzed by fully automatic methods but require the involvement of the human analyst's expertise. For a comprehensive analysis, the data need to be considered from two complementary perspectives: (1) as spatial distributions (situations) changing over time and (2) as profiles of local temporal variation distributed over space. In order to support the visual analysis of spatiotemporal data, we suggest a framework based on the “Self‐Organizing Map” (SOM) method combined with a set of interactive visual tools supporting both analytic perspectives. SOM can be considered as a combination of clustering and dimensionality reduction. In the first perspective, SOM is applied to the spatial situations at different time moments or intervals. In the other perspective, SOM is applied to the local temporal evolution profiles. The integrated visual analytics environment includes interactive coordinated displays enabling various transformations of spatiotemporal data and post‐processing of SOM results. The SOM matrix display offers an overview of the groupings of data objects and their two‐dimensional arrangement by similarity. This view is linked to a cartographic map display, a time series graph, and a periodic pattern view. The linkage of these views supports the analysis of SOM results in both the spatial and temporal contexts. The variable SOM grid coloring serves as an instrument for linking the SOM with the corresponding items in the other displays. The framework has been validated on a large dataset with real city traffic data, where expected spatiotemporal patterns have been successfully uncovered. We also describe the use of the framework for discovery of previously unknown patterns in 41‐years time series of 7 crime rate attributes in the states of the USA.
The Perception of Correlation in Scatterplots
Authors: Rensink Ronald A. , Baldridge Gideon
Published: August 2010

We present a rigorous way to evaluate the visual perception of correlation in scatterplots, based on classical psychophysical methods originally developed for simple properties such as brightness. Although scatterplots are graphically complex, the quantity they convey is relatively simple. As such, it may be possible to assess the perception of correlation in a similar way.

Scatterplots were each of 5.0° extent, containing 100 points with a bivariate normal distribution. Means were 0.5 of the range of the points, and standard deviations 0.2 of this range. Precision was determined via an adaptive algorithm to find the just noticeable differences (jnds) in correlation, i.e., the difference between two side‐by‐side scatterplots that could be discriminated 75% of the time. Accuracy was measured by direct estimation, using reference scatterplots with fixed upper and lower values, with a test scatterplot adjusted so that its correlation appeared to be halfway between these. This process was recursively applied to yield several further estimates.

Results of the discrimination tests show jnd(r) = k (1/b – r), where r is the Pearson correlation, and parameters 0 < k, b < 1. Integration yields a subjective estimate of correlation g(r) = ln(1 – br) / ln(1 – b). The values of b found via discrimination closely match those found via direct estimation. As such, it appears that the perception of correlation in a scatterplot is completely described by two related performance curves, specified by two easily‐measured parameters.
Non‐iterative Second‐order Approximation of Signed Distance Functions for Any Isosurface Representation
Authors: Molchanov Vladimir , Rosenthal Paul , Linsen Lars
Published: August 2010

Signed distance functions (SDF) to explicit or implicit surface representations are intensively used in various computer graphics and visualization algorithms. Among others, they are applied to optimize collision detection, are used to reconstruct data fields or surfaces, and, in particular, are an obligatory ingredient for most level set methods. Level set methods are common in scientific visualization to extract surfaces from scalar or vector fields. Usual approaches for the construction of an SDF to a surface are either based on iterative solutions of a special partial differential equation or on marching algorithms involving a polygonization of the surface. We propose a novel method for a non‐iterative approximation of an SDF and its derivatives in a vicinity of a manifold. We use a second‐order algebraic fitting scheme to ensure high accuracy of the approximation. The manifold is defined (explicitly or implicitly) as an isosurface of a given volumetric scalar field. The field may be given at a set of irregular and unstructured samples. Stability and reliability of the SDF generation is achieved by a proper scaling of weights for the Moving Least Squares approximation, accurate choice of neighbors, and appropriate handling of degenerate cases. We obtain the solution in an explicit form, such that no iterative solving is necessary, which makes our approach fast.
Real‐Time Temporal‐Coherent Color Contrast Enhancement for Dichromats
Authors: Machado Gustavo M. , Oliveira Manuel M.
Published: August 2010

We present an automatic image‐recoloring technique for enhancing color contrast for dichromats whose computational cost varies linearly with the number of input pixels. Our approach can be efficiently implemented on GPUs, and we show that for typical image sizes it is up to two orders of magnitude faster than the current state‐of‐the‐art technique. Unlike previous approaches, ours preserve temporal coherence and, therefore, is suitable for video recoloring. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our technique by integrating it into a visualization system and showing, for the first time, real‐time high‐quality recolored visualizations for dichromats.
An Evaluation of Glyph Perception for Real Symmetric Traceless Tensor Properties
Authors: Jankun‐Kelly T.J. , Lanka Y.S. , Swan J.E.
Published: August 2010

A perceptual study of four tensor glyphs for symmetric, real, traceless tensors was performed. Each glyph encodes three properties of the system: Orientation, uniaxiality (alignment along the direction of orientation), and biaxiality (alignment along a vector orthogonal to the orientation). Thirty users over two studies were asked to identify these three properties for each glyph type under a variety of permutations in order to evaluate the effectiveness of visually communicating the properties; response time was also measured. We discuss the significant differences found between the methods as guidance to the use of these glyphs for traceless tensor visualization.
From Multiculturalism to Cultural Voluntarism: A Family‐based Approach
Authors: EEKELAAR JOHN
Published: August 2010

In the context of the current debate on multiculturalism, this article draws on three models of state policies towards families to propose a reframing of multiculturalist policies. They are the ‘authorisation’ model, wherein the state authorises families to define and enforce family obligations as law; the ‘delegation’ model, wherein the state prescribes the norms families are to follow and delegates to families the role of enforcing them; and the ‘purposive abstention’ model, wherein the state uses the voluntary performance family norms as a tool of policy, giving them limited legal recognition within the continued application of the general law. The article considers how these models might guide policy towards communities, which can be seen, substantially, as collections of families. It favours the ‘purposive abstention’ model, which, in the context of cultural groups, could be termed ‘cultural voluntarism’.
Anti‐Imperialism: Generating Universal Human Rights out of Local Norms
Authors: GREGG BENJAMIN
Published: August 2010

To counter possibilities for human rights as cultural imperialism, (1) I develop a notion of human rights as culturally particular and valid only locally. But they are an increasingly generalizable particularism. (2) Because the incommensurability of different cultures does not entail an uncritical tolerance of just about anything, but rather allows for an objectivating stance toward other communities or cultures, locally valid human rights have a critical capacity. (3) Locally valid human rights promote a community's self‐representation and thus allow for diversity, rejecting the coercive (mis)representation of a community or culture as incapable of representing itself.
Europe in the Political Imagination
Authors: WHITE JONATHAN
Published: August 2010

Perceptions of the EU tend to be studied by examining responses to targeted opinion polls. This paper looks instead at how citizens draw Europe into a wider discussion of politics and political problems. Based on a series of group discussions with taxi‐drivers in Britain, Germany and the Czech Republic, it examines the motifs speakers use to explain the origins of problems, the assumptions they make about their susceptibility to address, and how, when these patterned ways of speaking are applied to the EU, they serve to undermine its credibility as a positive source of political agency.
Biology and defensive adaptations in Rodatus major (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and its prey, Monophlebulus pilosior (Hemiptera: Margarodidae)
Authors: Richards Aola M.
Published: August 2010

The biology of the Australian coccinellid Rodatus major (Blackburn) and its prey, the hemipteran margarodid Monophlebulus pilosior (Maskell), are described. New predators and a new parasite of M. pilosior are recorded. Rodatus major makes use of elaborate and distinctive defensive adaptations and behaviour to protect itself from predators. They include cryptic coloration, aposematic behaviour, production of wax by larvae, production of a large, thick protective covering concealing the pupa and resembling an M. pilosior ovisac, and reflex bleeding. It is the only known coccinellid species in which both prepupa and pupa are hidden by a protective shroud of wax threads. Rodatus major has a specialized feeding behaviour. Its potential as a biological control agent is assessed. It is only the second Australian margarodid‐feeding coccinellid to be studied, Rodolia cardinalis (Mulsant) being the first.
The non‐invasive monitoring of reproductive events in wild Vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) using urinary pregnanediol‐3α‐glucuronide and its correlation with behavioural observations
Authors: Andelman S. J. , Else J. G. , Hearn J. P. , Hodges J. K.
Published: August 2010

The reliable detection of reproductive events in free‐ranging primates is usually not feasible because of the difficulty of obtaining physiological measures in the field. Utilizing a non‐invasive technique, urine was collected from wild Vervet monkeys in Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Measurement of pregnanediol‐3α‐glucuronide levels in urine of female Vervets, combined with behavioural observations, permitted accurate estimation of conception dates for individual females. Copulatory behaviour in Amboseli Vervets was unrelated to female hormonal cycles, and females copulated both before the initiation of ovarian function and during pregnancy. This study establishes new possibilities for integrative studies of the physiology and ecology of mammals in their natural habitats.
The interaction of food distribution and the caste composition of an ant colony (Myrmica rubra L.)
Authors: Evesham E. J. M.
Published: August 2010

The distribution of food between members of a Myrmica rubra L. Society was investigated by varying the ratios of queens, workers and medium‐sized larvae. Observations revealed patterns in colony behaviour which could be of importance in a polygyne system.

Queens had little effect upon the rate of food transmission, but the worker/larva ratio was of significance. Many workers effectively fed all larvae present in a colony, but a small number of workers fed only a few. If larvae and/or queens were in abundance, the workers were partly deprived of access to them. Competition between the queens and larvae for food and worker attention occurred when their numbers were high. In this situation, queens fed themselves while the workers cared for the larvae. The significance of overcrowding, not only upon the administration of food, but upon the queen effect acting on the workers to stimulate or inhibit worker egg‐laying and brood‐rearing, is discussed.
Geographical and temporal variation in the calls of the Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus and British storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
Authors: James Paul C.
Published: August 2010

The geographical variation in the calls of the Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus and British storm petrel Hydrobales pelagicus was investigated, as well as its temporal stability in the shearwater. Within‐island call variation was not apparent in Puffinus, although male calls were relatively more distinct locally than female calls. This is discussed in relation to the differential dispersal of the sexes. Between‐island call variation was apparent in both Puffinus and Hydrobates, but the variation was continuous, and not discrete. Call divergence is unrelated to inter‐island distance, and may reflect the influence of coastlines on each species’dispersal opportunities. The calls of a shearwater population changed over a period of six to seven years, apparently due to the appearance of new birds rather than surviving birds altering their calls. Male calls changed more than female calls, which, taken with dispersal factors, suggests that calls are transmitted across generations at least in part by cultural copying. The vocal‘drift’over time therefore probably results from errors in this copying process.
The population dynamics, reproductive strategy and life history tactics of Musculium lacusfre (Bivalvia: Pisidiidae) in Hong Kong
Authors: Morton Brian
Published: August 2010

Hitherto uninvestigated in Hong Kong are the population dynamics, reproductive strategies and life history tactics of the Pisidiidae of which three species are known to occur locally. This study is of Musculium lacustre inhabiting a drainage ditch of the Lam Tsuen River in the New Territories of Hong Kong and extended over 15 months during 1983–84.

In Hong Kong, M. lacustre is a protandric, simultaneous hermaphrodite that matures at a length of 2 mm; the majority of each generation is, however, not mature until a length of between 4–6 mm is attained. Fertilized eggs are brooded in the inner demibranchs until they reach a length of 1.5 mm when they are released as post‐foetal larvae. Musculium lacustre is univoltine. Reproduction occurs twice a year but, since M. lacustve is semelparous, the population contains, at any one time, two overstepping generations. Thus, a spring generation is recruited and grows rapidly to generate a second, smaller, autumn generation. This in turn grows rapidly and matures to produce the spring generation of the succeeding year. Adult mortality occurs in late summer and winter. A few of the late‐born spring generation may overwinter to contribute to the spring generation of the succeeding year. This is not so with the autumn generation.

Such sexual and life history tactics can be related to the climate and hydrology of Hong Kong and its freshwater habitats. Reproduction takes place in spring and autumn when temperatures are moderate. Mortality is high in summer and winter when the habitat is either, respectively, hot and flushed out by summer rains or cold and dry. As M. larustre is able to overwinter but not aestivate at these latitudes (22° N), it is postulated that this holarctic species is approaching the southern limit of its asiatic range. Musculium larustre is compared with the other bivalves inhabiting fresh and brackish‐water habitats in southern China.
Growth of Jackass penguin chicks (Spheniscus demersus) hand reared on different diets
Authors: Heath R. G. M. , Randall R. M.
Published: August 2010

Jackass penguin chicks from the age of about 10 days were hand reared on different diets: mulletLiza richardsoni, anchovyEngraulis capensisand squidLoligo reynaudi, until they fledged. The weight of food fed and the daily weight increment of the chicks was measured. Excreta were collected every 5–6 days and analysed to establish metabolized energy and metabolic efficiency. Culmen measurements were taken regularly and plotted against age. The age, weight and sum of food fed up to fledging was compared between diets as well as with field data. Compensatory growth was exhibited when stunted chicks on a relatively poor diet had their diet changed to a relatively better diet.
Mechanics of the ligamentum nuchae of some artiodactyls
Authors: Dimery Nicola J. , Alexander R. McN. , Deyst Katherine A.
Published: August 2010

The ligamentum nuchae lies near the dorsal surface of the neck, connecting the occiput to the thoracic neural spines and helping to support the head. It consists largely of elastin, a protein with rubber‐like elastic properties. Experiments have been performed on deer, a sheep and a camel to measure the elastic strain in the ligament, both when the head is raised and when it is lowered as in feeding from the ground. The elastic properties of the excised ligament were investigated so that the forces in it, in the intact animal, could be inferred from the observed strains. The forces required to support the head have been calculated, and are compared with the forces inferred from the strains.
The song of the New Zealand weta, Hemideina thoracica (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatidae)
Authors: McVean Alistair
Published: August 2010

Sound is produced by the New Zealand weta, Hemideina thoracica (White, 1846), by relative movement between a field of pegs situated on the medial surface of the metathoracic legs and a pair of abdominal files on the second abdominal tergite. In defensive stridulation, the metathoracic legs are raised above the body, straightened and rotated downwards. Sound is emitted only on the downward stroke and the pegs and files are orientated to obtain maximal effective contact in this direction only. In intraspecific communication male, but not female, wetas stridulate by reversing the above process: the metathoracic legs are held on the substratum while the abdomen is oscillated up and down. Sound is emitted only on the upstroke. Songs generated by abdominal oscillation contain between one and nine syllables which repeat at about 2.5 Hz. The syllable is about one‐seventh the duration of the intersyllabic interval, but the duration of both increases steadily during the song. The sound spectrum of the song forms a broad, low frequency band, peaking at 3.3 kHz, above which there is a sharp fall off, although there are ultrasonic components present. The structure of the stridulatory structures changes gradually with successive instars. Peg number increases as the weta becomes larger, the pegs become less rounded, the width of the file ridges and space between increase as does the number of potential contacts between the two surfaces generated in one sweep. At all stages there are pegs on the femur which are not reached by the file, while the number of impulses in a syllable are only a small fraction of the number of potential contacts. The ridges on the files are evenly spaced. while the peg distribution is irregular but declines in density distally and ventrally. The sound spectrum of small wetas, produced by imposed stridulation, contains a spectral peak of higher frequency than does that of adult wetas, though the lack of wear on the pegs in all but the larger wetas indicates that. although the structures develop gradually from instar to instar, only the adult and possibly the last instar stridulate. The structure, innervation and contraction rate of proximal limb muscles are those of slow‐ to medium‐speed insect skeletal muscle. The rǒle of abdominal stridulation is discussed.
A longitudinal study of tooth resorption in newly metamorphosed Xenopus laevis, with comments on tooth resorption in amphibians
Authors: Shaw J. P.
Published: August 2010

Late larvae and newly metamorphosed specimens of Xenopus laevis (Daudin) were reared in such a way that their growth rates were assessed as similar. After the larvae had reached Nieuwkoop and Faber Stage 65,12 were killed each day for eight days, so that the events in resorption of the first teeth to develop could be studied histologically, and an absolute time scale applied. Resorption extended over several days and occurred in two phases, (a) erosion and (b) absorption. Erosion was a process lasting several days, and involved the destruction of a small quantity of dentine and adjacent bone at the base of a standing tooth. Osteoclasts were not seen inside the pulp, but were confined to the outer aspect of the dentine and bone, and were removing the hard tissues from without. Absorption was a rapid process lasting about 48 hours, during which the majority of the dental tissue was destroyed. Osteoclasts resorbed the dentine piecemeal from within along its full length from base to tip. As a result, the vast majority (probably all) of the calcified tissues would seem to have been available for reabsorption and recycling. It seemed that erosion occurred as a result of local mechanical factors (the growing successional tooth), but that absorption was controlled by a specific timing mechanism. It is suggested that gross internal resorption of teeth may be common in Amphibia, and that even in species where crowns are shed, extensive thinning of the dentine from its pulpal aspect is likely to have occurred beforehand.
Reproductive endocrinology of the Black‐browed albatross Diomedea melanophris and the Grey‐headed albatross D. chrysostoma
Authors: Hector J. A. L. , Follett B. K. , Prince P. A.
Published: August 2010

Gonadal size and the circulating concentrations of two pituitary hormones (luteinizing hormone and prolactin) and three gonadal steroids (testosterone, progesterone and oestradiol‐17β) were measured in two closely related Diomedea albatrosses at South Georgia. The Grey‐headed albatross D. chrysostoma, if successful in rearing a chick, usually breeds biennially, whilst the Black‐browed albatross D. melanophris normally breeds annually. Direct examination (by laparoscopy) of the gonads showed that the testes of both species underwent annual cycles, whilst endocrine data confirmed that those male Grey‐headed albatrosses at the colony in the pre‐laying period but not breeding in that year (having bred successfully the previous year) were apparently in full reproductive condition with elevated testosterone levels typical of breeding birds. However, the females of the two species differed markedly. Grey‐headed albatrosses, in a year following successful breeding, had undeveloped ovaries with low levels of circulating oestradiol but high levels of progesterone, whereas the Black‐browed albatrosses showed a pattern consistent with annual ovarian development. The profiles of gonadal steroids through the breeding season were similar for the males of both species but differences existed between the females. In the female Grey‐headed albatrosses, transient peaks of progesterone were present throughout chick rearing but these were absent from Black‐browed albatrosses. Prolactin had a similar profile in both species, with uniformly high levels throughout incubation and a rapid fall near the end of the brood‐guard period. It is suggested that Grey‐headed, like Black‐browed, albatrosses are intrinsically annual breeders. However, if a female Grey‐headed albatross breeds successfully in one year, then nutritional factors operate to ensure that in the following year the female does not show ovarian development, although the ovary is active in terms of progesterone secretion.
The dynamics of Wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) populations in the Camargue
Authors: Jamon Marc
Published: August 2010

The ecology of two monospecific populations of Wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) was studied using mark‐recapture techniques in a high grassland and a low grassland of the Camargue. Annual changes in population size resembled the classical pattern of variation for European Wood mice. Numbers were low in summer, and peaks in numbers occurred in autumn and decreased sharply in early spring. However, the densities of the populations in winter were higher than many other European Wood mouse populations. The Wood mouse population in the high grassland area was dense and showed regular variations throughout the year. In the low grassland area, the population was lower and showed less regular variations, especially in winter, coinciding with soil flooding. Reproduction‐related differences between the demographic parameters of the two sexes pointed to the use of differential space use strategies by males and females.
The role of tendon elasticity in hopping in a wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus)
Authors: Ker R. F. , Dimery Nicola J. , Alexander R. McN.
Published: August 2010

The elastic properties of the major tendons of wallaby feet have been investigated in dynamic tensile tests at a frequency close to normal hopping frequencies. In addition, bending tests have been performed on the intertarsal and tarso‐metatarsal joints. The data are used to calculate the strain energy stored temporarily in the tendons and ligaments of the legs during a typical hopping stride. The contribution made by stored strain energy to the work required for hopping is assessed.
Age estimation of the White rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)
Authors: Hillman‐Smith A. K. K. , Owen‐Smith N. , Anderson J. L. , Hall‐Martin A. J. , Selaladi J. P.
Published: August 2010

Age estimation criteria for the southern White rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) are presented both for free‐ranging live animals and for cranial material. These are based on: (i) size appearance and horn development of live animals; (ii) stages of tooth eruption; (iii) tooth wear classes; (iv) attrition in height of the first molar tooth; (v) counts of cementum lines visible in tooth sections. Selected measurements are presented for live animals, skulls and horns.

For live animals, eight size classes are distinguished, seven of these covering immature animals up to ten years of age. Sixteen tooth wear classes are established, based on eruption and surface wear of maxillary dentition. Chronological ages were assigned from individually known animals followed in the field, and from skulls from animals for which exact records of age were available, or which could be assigned to an age category from appearance at death. Cementum line counts corresponded approximately with age in years, despite difficulties in interpreting lines. Some variability was observed, possibly related to nutritional conditions.

The maximum cementum line count obtained indicates a longevity of at least 40 years. Full body weight and socio‐sexual maturity are attained by males between 10 and 15 years of age, while females first give birth between six and eight years of age. Sequences and times of tooth eruption are similar to those reported for the Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis).

Comparative cranial and body measurements are presented for the northern subspecies (Ceratotherium simum cottoni).
Ranging behaviour and habitat preference of a wild marmoset group, Callithrix humeralifer (Callitrichidae, Primates)
Authors: Rylands Anthony B.
Published: August 2010

The ranging behaviour of a group of marmosets (Callithrix humeralifer) in seasonal Amazonian rain forest was studied during one year. Range sizes (monthly and daily), day range lengths and patterns of range use are examined for correlations with feeding behaviour and the distribution of three forest types within the marmoset's range. Seasonal differences in ranging are associated with changes in the abundance and distribution of plant food sources. The marmosets ranged more widely and used more sources of a greater diversity of plant food species, which were distributed over a wider area, in the wet season than in the dry season. In the dry season, they ranged over a smaller area and, although they used fewer sources of a reduced diversity of plant species overall, they exploited a larger number of sources of the five highest ranked plant species in the diet. Throughout the year, they showed a preference for disturbed primary forest, characterized by dense understoreys and abundant second growth patches. Reasons for this preference are discussed, taking into account their use of fruits of typical pioneer species (particularly in the dry season), insect prey abundance, sleeping site availability and defence against predators.
The influence of body condition on sexual development of male Brown long‐eared bats (Plecotus auritus) in the wild
Authors: Speakman J. R. , Racey P. A.
Published: August 2010

The relationship between sexual maturity and body condition was examined in a sample of 57 male Brown long‐eared bats (Plecolus auritus) captured in autumn 1984 from nursery roosts in north‐east Scotland (57°N). A direct relationship was found between reproductive status, which was established by external examination of the genitalia, and body weight. No such relationship was established between reproductive status and forearm length. A strong direct relationship was found between reproductive status and an index of body condition (body weight/forearm length). Three of the males examined had distended epididymides, suggesting they were filled with spermatozoa, and that the bats concerned had recently undergone spermatogenesis.

Reproductive status also varied between maternity roosts. Bats from roosts in areas with a high proportion of tree cover were more sexually developed, and in better body condition, than bats from roosts in areas with less tree cover.
Development of the dentition in Alligator mississippiensis. Early embryonic development in the lower jaw
Authors: Westergaard B. , Ferguson M. W. J.
Published: August 2010

Development of the dentition in a close series of accurately staged and aged embryos of Alligator mississippiensis was studied by macroscopy, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and detailed reconstructions. Dental development in the lower jaw up to stage 18; day 26 is described in this paper. In the lower jaw, the first formed tooth germ appears at stage 14 in tooth family 3; the second at stage 15 in family 6; the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh at stage 17 in families 12,2,4,9 and 16, respectively. Neither ‘Zahnreihen’ nor ‘perfect alternation’ theories of tooth initiation explain the data. Rather the present data suggest that initiation of teeth is related to jaw growth, the distance between existing teeth and the size and developmental maturity of the latter. Each tooth is postulated to have a ‘zone of inhibition’ around it. The first formed embryonic teeth are discernible by macroscopy and SEM as surface elevations (projecting tooth germs). The dental tissues of these are poorly differentiated and lack enamel. Projecting tooth germs sink into the jaw mesenchyme, their dental epithelia degenerate and they persist as non‐functional dentine rudiments for varying periods before becoming completely resorbed or shed. Formation of the dental lamina occurs by an overgrowth of the operculum (on which a distinct line of cobblestoned cells is visible by SEM) and closure of the dental furrow, as well as by the formation of a dental prolamina. The scaled fate maps and descriptive appearances of the developing alligator dentition highlight its value for future experimental studies of pattern formation and positional information.
Unique clockwork in photoreceptor of rat
Authors: Schneider Katja , Tippmann Susanne , Spiwoks‐Becker Isabella , Holthues Heike , Wolloscheck Tanja , Spatkowski Gabriele , Engel Lydia , Frederiksen Ute , Spessert Rainer
Published: August 2010

J. Neurochem. (2010) 115, 585–594.

In mammals, the retina contains a clock system that oscillates independently of the master clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and allows the retina to anticipate and to adapt to the sustained daily changes in ambient illumination. Using a combination of laser capture micro‐dissection and quantitative PCR in the present study, the clockwork of mammalian photoreceptors has been recorded. The transcript amounts of the core clock genes Clock, Bmal1, Period1 (Per1), Per3, Cryptochrome2, and Casein kinase Iε in photoreceptors of rat retina have been found to undergo daily changes. Clock and Bmal1 peak with Per1 and Per3 around dark onset, whereas Casein kinase Iε and Cryptochrome2 peak at night. As shown for Clock, Per1, and Casein kinase Iε, the oscillation of transcript amounts results in daily changes of the protein products. The in‐phase oscillation of Clock/Bmal1 with Pers and the rhythmic expression of Casein kinase Iε do not occur in molecular clocks of other tissues including the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Therefore, the findings presented suggest that the photoreceptor clock is unique not only in its position outside the clock hierarchy mastered by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, but also with regard to the intrinsic rhythmic properties of its molecular components.
Retrospective Study: Ionized calcium concentrations in cats with septic peritonitis: 55 cases (1990–2008)
Authors: Kellett‐Gregory Lindsay M. , Mittleman Boller Elise , Brown Dorothy C. , Silverstein Deborah C.
Published: August 2010

Objective
–
To report the prevalence of ionized hypocalcemia (iHCa) in cats with septic peritonitis, and to determine whether hypocalcemic cats had increased morbidity and mortality when compared with normocalcemic cats.

Design
–
Retrospective clinical study.

Setting
–
University teaching hospital.

Animals –

Fifty‐five client‐owned cats with septic peritonitis.

Measurements
–
Medical records of 55 cats with confirmed septic peritonitis meeting the study inclusion criteria were reviewed. Information obtained included signalment, cause of peritonitis, length of hospitalization (LOH), length of ICU stay, and outcome. Results from serum biochemical analysis, blood gas analysis, and coagulation testing from the time of diagnosis, and all ionized calcium (iCa) measurements during hospitalization were recorded. Systolic blood pressure, the presence of arrhythmias and administration of vasopressor agents, blood products, and sodium bicarbonate were documented. iCa concentration at the time of diagnosis and lowest recorded value during hospitalization were compared with LOH and length of ICU stay, survival to hospital discharge, and clinical and clinicopathologic data.

Main Results
–
iHCa (iCa<1.20 mmol/L) was found in 89% of cats (49/55) at the time of diagnosis of septic peritonitis and 93% (51/55) at any time during hospitalization. There was no association between the presence or severity of iHCa at diagnosis and survival to hospital discharge. LOH (P=0.046) and duration of ICU stay (P=0.026) were significantly correlated with the lowest iCa recorded during hospitalization. Failure to normalize iCa during hospitalization was associated with a decreased survival rate to discharge (P=0.029) in patients with iHCa. iHCa was not associated with an increased prevalence of hypotension, coagulopathy, arrhythmias, or evaluated therapies.

Conclusions
–
iHCa is more prevalent in cats with septic peritonitis than described previously. Failure of iCa to normalize during hospitalization may be a negative prognostic indicator. iHCa may be predictive of a longer LOH and ICU stay, but is not necessarily associated with a poorer prognosis.
Non‐Reciprocal Trade Preferences and the Role of Compliance Costs in the Agricultural Sector: Exports to the EU
Authors: Agostino Mariarosaria , Demaria Federica , Trivieri Francesco
Published: August 2010

We investigate whether non‐reciprocal preferential regimes granted by the European Union have an impact on agricultural export flows from beneficiary countries while accounting for the costs of compliance that may prevent exporters from taking full advantage of potential benefits. Compliance costs are heterogeneous and difficult to measure. We proxy their influence and specify a model that allows for a different preferential margin impact according to the proxy costs. Adopting the gravity framework and using a sample of 554 lines of agricultural products for 131 developing countries in 2002, we find that the costs of compliance play a role in making the schemes work: the lower the costs, the greater the impact of the preferential margins. Moreover, the estimated margin effect differs between different regimes.
The Influence of Geomorphological Heterogeneity on Biodiversity  I. A Patch‐Scale Perspective
Authors: Burnett Michael R. , August Peter V. , Brown James H. ,   Jr., Killingbeck Keith T.
Published: August 2010

Landscapes composed of spatially heterogeneous abiotic conditions should provide a greater diversity of potential niches for plants and animals than do homogeneous landscapes. We tested this hypothesis in a deciduous forest ecosystem in the northeastern United States. We created an index that summarizes the collective variation in terrain and soil properties in 2‐ha study plots. We measured woody plant species richness and diversity in 20 study plots that had high geomorphological heterogeneity and 20 plots that had low geomorphological heterogeneity. The richness and diversity of trees and shrubs were significantly higher in sites with high geomorphological heterogeneity than in sites that exhibited little change in terrain or soil conditions. Variation in aspect and soil drainage were especially important predictors of biotic diversity. Our results demonstrate an intimate association between abiotic and biotic diversity and have significant implications for long‐term conservation strategies.

Influencia de la Heterogeneidad Geomorfológica en la Biodiversidad I. Una Perspectiva a Escala de Parcela

Los paisajes compuestos de condiciones abioticas espacialmente heterogeneas deberían proveer una gran diversidad de nichos potenciales para plantas y animales comparados con los paisajes homogéneos. Probamos esta hipótesis en un ecosistema de bosque deciduo del noroeste de los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica. Creamos un índice que sumariza la variación colectiva de las condiciones del terreno y las propiedades del suelo en áreas de estudio de 2 ha. Medimos la riqueza de especies de madera y la divresidad de 20 áreas de estudio con una alta heterogeneidad geomorfológica y 20 con baja heterogeneidad geomorfológica. La riqueza y diversidad de especies de árboles y arbustos fue significativamente mayor en sitios con alta heterogeneidad geomorfológica en comparación con sitios que exhibieron pocos cambios en las condiciones del terreno o del suelo. Variaciones en el aspecto y drenaje del suelo fueron indicadores especialmente importantes de la diversidad biótica. Nuestros resultados demuestran que existe una asociación intima entre diversidad biótica y abiótica, teniendo implicaciones significativas en las estrategias de conservación a largo plazo.
Inbreeding and Extinction: Island Populations
Authors: Frankham Richard
Published: August 2010

Island populations are more prone to extinction than mainland populations, with island endemic species having higher extinction rates than nonendemic species. Inbreeding depression is one possible explanation for this. Insular populations are expected to suffer increased inbreeding relative to mainland populations due to bottlenecks at foundation and to lower subsequent population sizes. Inbreeding coefficients for 182 nonendemic and 28 endemic island populations were estimated from allozyme and microsatellite heterozygosities in island and related mainland populations. Island populations were significantly inbred, with inbreeding coefficients significantly higher in endemic than nonendemic island populations. Many island populations showed levels of inbreeding associated with elevated extinction rates in domestic and laboratory species. Inbreeding depression cannot be excluded as a factor in the extinction proneness of island populations.

Intracruza y Extinción: Poblaciones Isleñas

Poblaciones Isleñas presentan una mayor tendencia a la extinció que las poblaciones continentales, teniendo las especies endémicas una mayor tasa de extinción que las especies no endémicas. La depresión por intracruza es una explicación posible a esto. Es de esperarse que poblaciones insulares sufran una intracruza relativemente mas alta que las poblaciones continentales debido a cuellos de botella a nivel de tamaño poblacional de fundación y subsecuentes tamaños poblacionales menores. Los coeficientes de intracruza para 182 poblaciones no endémicas y 28 poblaciones endémicas se estimaron mediante heterozigocidades de alozimas y microsatélites de poblaciones de islas y especies continentales relacionadas. Las poblaciones isleñas estuvieron significativamente intracruzadas, con coeficientes de intracruza signifiativamente mayores en poblaciones endémicas que en las poblaciones no endémicas. Muchas poblaciones isleñas mostraron niveles de intracruza asocidos con elevadas tasas de extinción en especies domesticas y de laboratorio. La depresión por intracruza no puede ser excluída como un factor en la tendencia a la extinción de especies isleñas.
Effects of Rock Climbing on Cliff Plant Communities at Joshua Tree National Park, California
Authors: Camp Richard J. , Knight Richard L.
Published: August 2010

We compared the plant communities on cliffs used for rock climbing with cliffs not used for climbing. Eighteen cliffs in Joshua Tree National Park, California (six each with no climbing, moderate climbing, and intensive climbing) were sampled for plant diversity and community structure. Plants were sampled on cliff faces and at the base of cliffs. The dominant taxa were Quercus cornelius‐mulleri, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata, and Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens. Plant species richness on cliff faces and at the base of cliffs was greater for cliffs with no evidence of climbing and lowest for cliffs with intensive use. Numbers of individual plants decreased with increased climbing use. Trees, shrubs, forbs, and cacti had greater relative abundances on cliffs without climbing than on cliffs with climbing. Plant cover on cliff faces decreased with increased climbing use. Adaptive management will be necessary to minimize the deleterious effects of rock climbing on plant communities associated with cliffs.

Efectos de Alpinismo sobre las Comunidades de Plantas en Acantilados en el Parque Nacional Joshua Tree, California

Comparamos las comunidades de plantas en acantilados usados para alpinismo contra acantilados no usados para esta actividad. Dieciocho acantilados del Parque Nacional Joshua Tree, California (seis con alpinismo, seis con alpinismo moderado y seis sin alpinismo) fueron muestreados para determinar la diversidad de plantas y la estructura de la comunidad. Las plantas fueron muestreadas en las caras y bases de los acantilados. Los taxones dominantes fueron Quercus cornelius‐mulleri, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata y Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens. La riqueza de especies en las caras y bases de los acantilados fue mayor en aquellos sin evidencia de alpinismo y menor para aquellos acantilados con uso intensivo. Los números individuales de plantas disminuyeron con un incremento en el uso para alpinismo. Árboles, arbustos, pastos y cactus tuvieron una abundancia relativa mayor en acantilados sin alpinismo que en aquellos con alpinismo. La cobertura de las plantas en las caras de los acantilados disminuyó con un incremento en el alpinismo. Será necesario emplear un manejo adaptable para minimizar los efectos dañinos del alpinismo en roca sobre comunidades de plantas asociadas con acantilados.