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Does extra-pair paternity drive sexual dichromatism and sexual size dimorphism in passerines?
No full textMale-biased sexual selection is considered a main evolutionary driver of the sexual dimorphism frequently observed in species exhibiting polygyny or female-only parental care. Correspondingly, it is hypothesized that extra-pair paternity (EPP) can select for sexual dimorphism in monogamous species. This is because EPP can increase variance in male reproductive success in a similar way to social polygyny. Here we used two common indicators of extra-pair mating (species EPP rates and residual testes mass - a presumed indicator of the level of sperm competition) to examine the relationship between EPP and two forms of sexual dimorphism in passerine birds: sexual dichromatism and sexual size dimorphism (SSD). First, we confirm that species with high EPP rates are more sexually dichromatic and this effect was much stronger than the effects of mating system and parental care. Furthermore, by modelling male and female colouration independently, we show that while social mating system has primarily acted on female colouration, EPP has instead driven on male colouration. In contrast, testes size was only weakly related to sexual dichromatism, and this effect was instead associated with reduced female colouration in species with large testes size. Second, we found a strong positive relationship between EPP and SSD, but surprisingly no relationship between testes size and SSD. The contrasting results using either EPP rates or testes size suggests that there are fundamental differences in the traits measured by the two variables, but further study is needed to determine why these two variables produce different findings. Our study provides evidence that EPP has been an important selective force in the evolution of both sexual dichromatism and SSD. These results highlight the importance of considering the impact of both social and genetic mating systems in evolutionary studies of sexual dimorphism
Challenges for the use of hydrogen: White paper for Task 38 – power to X
No full textPower to hydrogen (PtH)
Hydrogen to power (H2P)
Hydrogen injection in NG grid (HG-H2)
Hydrogen to Natural Gas – Methanation (HtG-M)
Hydrogen to Fuel Cell – Vehicle (HtF-H2)
Hydrogen to Liquid Synfuels (HtF-S)
Hydrogen to Gas Fuels (HtF-G)
Hydrogen to industry (HtI)
Hydrogen to heat (HtQ)
Hydrogen to Ammonia (H2tA)
Hydrogen to Methanol (H2M)
Hydrogen to Chemicals (HtCh
Book Review: Agency of Hope: The story of the Auckland City Mission 1920 to 2020, Peter Lineham, Massey University Press, 2020
No full textNew chorological data for the Italian vascular flora
No full textDespite the importance for scientific and conservation purposes, the knowledge of the Italian territory is far from exhaustive. New chorological data for 87 vascular taxa regarding the central-southern part of Italy and its two main islands (Sicilia and Sardegna) are presented. Among these taxa, Epilobium nummularifolium, Metrosideros excelsa, and Salvinia minima are recorded as casual aliens for the first time in Europe (excluding Azores and Madeira for M. excelsa), while Cyclamen balearicum and Polygala rupestris are reported for the first time and confirmed for Italian native flora, respectively. Furthermore, several taxa are new or confirmed at regional level. Finally, Lathyrus cirrhosus, Urginea fugax, and Linum tenuifolium are excluded from Italy, continental and peninsular Italy, and Sardegna, respectively
Made in Bangladesh : housing for garment workers in Chittagong, Bangladesh
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION:
Can designing housing for garment factory workers in Bangladesh, improve their quality of life?
ABSTRACT:
Manufacturing of textiles and garments is the most significant industry in Bangladesh. The country is the second-largest manufacturer of western apparel brands in the world. The industry has a negative stigma in developing countries due to the exploitation of workers. These issues are decreasing in Bangladesh, as the industry tries to re-brand and build the best factories in the world. The highest-rated environmentally friendly and sustainable factories in the world are now home to Bangladesh, competing with the global demand. The factories also provide more facilities and benefits for employees in the workplace. However, this initiative still does not consider the socio-economic issues of the employees that work in these factories. Majority of the workers are women from low-income communities with little educational background. The purpose of this research project is to improve the quality of life of garment workers by attempting to resolve the primary issues that are common amongst the female workers, which is affordable housing and childcare. The method of the research will be investigating a variety of case studies and relevant literature to provide the design principles to create a proposed design of what factory housing in Bangladesh may be. The majority of the case studies will investigate social housing projects and mixed-use public centres for low-income communities in South Asia. The literature reviews will investigate theories of Critical Regionalism to ensure the research is contextually appropriate.
The design proposal will be applied to a site in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Chittagong is a significant port city, with a large concentration of factories that employs a significant number of residents from the city.
The final design produced for the workers will provide affordable housing and facilities for childcare and education for the children of the garment employees. The housing colony will be situated near factories. The proposed design will improve the quality of life of the workers, relations between employers and workers and the public image of the manufacturers and apparel brands
Additional lichen records from New Zealand 51. Usnea dasaea Stirt.
No full text[OFF-PRINT]
Usnea dasaea is reported for the first time from New Zealand.
Corticolous specimens of Usnea collected in Northland and Tasman in 2004 could not be identified at the time using the key and descriptions in the first edition of the New Zealand lichen Flora (Galloway 1985). Thin-layer chromatography revealed the presence of salazinic, norstictic and galbinic acids, which did not match species then recognized in New Zealand. Reading the description of Australian Usnea species in Stevens (1999), it seemed possible that the specimens were U. undulata Stirt. although U. undulata was not recorded in New Zealand until the second edition of the Flora for saxicolous material (Galloway 2007), and Clerc & Herrera-Campos (1997) considered U. undulata to be a synonym of U. dasaea Stirt. Clerc (2004) later identified a specimen of U. dasaea from Australia, which suggested the species could also be present in NewZealand. Morphological and chemical examination of a wider range of specimens from the North Island and comparison with descriptions of U. dasaea confirm the presence of the species in New Zealand
The need for a national accreditation programme for professionals working in the field of animal training and behavioural modification in New Zealand
No full textSIMPLE SUMMARY:
Companion animals play an important role in the lives of New Zealanders. Animals’ guardians often engage professional behaviour and training support to ensure their companion animal’s behaviour is compatible with their lifestyle and expectations. The methods these professionals use vary substantially and potentially subject animals to psychological (and physical) harm where outdated, incorrect or aversive methods of training or equipment are used. The national regulation of training methods or techniques would safeguard the welfare of the animal benefactors of these services. In the absence of such regulation, the development of a national accreditation body may act to protect animal welfare by certifying the experience, qualifications and training methods of the professionals offering these services. We investigated industry opinion and readiness for the establishment of an accreditation body via an online survey and found that accreditation, promoting the use of reward-based training and behavioural modification techniques, was generally supported. We conclude that the establishment of a national accreditation body would ensure that those seeking services source professionals who use best practice when it comes to training and behavioural modification, resulting in lasting benefits to animal welfare.
ABSTRACT:
Companion animals are at risk of psychological (and physical) harm if outdated, incorrect or aversive methods of training or equipment are used during training and behavioural modification. Companion animal guardians often engage professional animal behaviour and training services, yet this industry is not regulated in New Zealand. A voluntary national accreditation and registration programme could act to protect the welfare of animals by robustly evaluating the experience, qualifications and training methods of industry professionals. To investigate industry readiness for a national accreditation programme, we conducted an online survey and analysed the responses of 262 animal trainers, behavioural consultants, dog safety educators, veterinarians and veterinary nurses. A national accreditation programme, promoting the use of reward-based training and behavioural modification techniques, was generally supported, especially by individuals holding qualifications and membership of professional organisations. The implementation of such a programme would ensure that those seeking these services are able to source professionals that use best practice when it comes to training and behavioural modification, with lasting benefits to animal welfare
An investigation of test-retest reliability, internal consistency, construct validity, and floor and ceiling effects for the Rowley Self-Efficacy Breathing Scale (RoBE)
No full textDysfunctional breathing (DB) is an overarching term used to describe a cluster of chronic breathing disorders that can occur either in excess or in the absence of other cardiopulmonary pathologies (Barker & Everard, 2015). Dyspnoea is the most common symptom associated with DB, however many non-respiratory symptoms may also occur (Boulding, Stacey, Niven, & Fowler, 2016). Though there is increasing awareness of DB amongst most medical fraternities, it still lacks a consensus-based definition (Boulding et al., 2016). Recent research has focused on improving the diagnostic tools available for the detection of DB, however, unlike many common pathologies, few resources have been dedicated to developing tools that could be useful to help people with DB manage their symptoms.
Self-efficacy is well-known as a strong predictor of behaviour and drive. For people with chronic diseases such as DB, self-efficacy offers a cost-effective method with which to monitor and improve treatment response and adherence to self-care (Belil, Alhani, & Ebadi, 2018). The Rowley Breathing Self-efficacy (RoBE) scale was developed by New Zealand physiotherapists Janet Rowley and David Nicholls in 2006 to measure the self-efficacy of people with DB. Due to a lack of psychometric evaluation, the quality of the RoBE is largely unknown.
This thesis is arranged into four main chapters: Chapter 1 is a literature review that outlines the definitions of DB and the different physiological domains that it influences, as well as a discussion of self-efficacy, how it relates to healthcare and the development of the RoBE scale. Chapter 2 contains a methodology segment that explores some pragmatic approaches on how to best measure the psychometric properties of the RoBE. Chapter 3 contains a manuscript reporting an investigation into the psychometric properties of the RoBE and is intended for submission to the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. The aim of the study reported in this manuscript was to determine the test-retest reliability, construct validity and internal consistency of the RoBE, and to determine the presence of any floor or ceiling effects. Finally, Chapter 4 contains Appendices in support of the thesis
Mobilising future-focused work-based learning in automotive engineering
No full textTargeted review of the qualification
New qualifications
ITP Consortium
Old national qualifications
Holistic vs atomistic
On-line portfolio type assessments
Why Google Classroom
Challenges
Benefits
Google Classroom course menu
Learner portfolio sample
First year delivery reflection
Future focussed
Where to from here
Community development in a fractured future
No full textThis article explores the implications for community development in a near-term future context of some degree of ecological and societal collapse. The extreme likelihood of near-term future collapse is well known to most climate and environmental scientists but generally not acknowledged by mainstream academic literature and mainstream media. Community development has an important role in preparing communities for a difficult future and will be vital in supporting community solidarity amid fracturing state capacity for social-care provision. The challenge of a future self-protective neoliberally informed global hegemony becoming more punitive is also explored