295 research outputs found
The effects of habitat fragmentation on the demography and population genetic structure of Uromys Caudimaculatus
No full textHabitat fragmentation can have an impact on a wide variety of biological processes including abundance, life history strategies, mating system, inbreeding and genetic diversity levels of individual species. Although fragmented populations have received much attention, ecological and genetic responses of species to fragmentation have still not been fully resolved. The current study investigated the ecological factors that may influence the demographic and genetic structure of the giant white-tailed rat (Uromys caudimaculatus) within fragmented tropical rainforests. It is the first study to examine relationships between food resources, vegetation attributes and Uromys demography in a quantitative manner. Giant white-tailed rat densities were strongly correlated with specific suites of food resources rather than forest structure or other factors linked to fragmentation (i.e. fragment size). Several demographic parameters including the density of resident adults and juvenile recruitment showed similar patterns. Although data were limited, high quality food resources appear to initiate breeding in female Uromys. Where data were sufficient, influx of juveniles was significantly related to the density of high quality food resources that had fallen in the previous three months. Thus, availability of high quality food resources appear to be more important than either vegetation structure or fragment size in influencing giant white-tailed rat demography. These results support the suggestion that a species’ response to fragmentation can be related to their specific habitat requirements and can vary in response to local ecological conditions. In contrast to demographic data, genetic data revealed a significant negative effect of habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity and effective population size in U. caudimaculatus. All three fragments showed lower levels of allelic richness, number of private alleles and expected heterozygosity compared with the unfragmented continuous rainforest site. Populations at all sites were significantly differentiated, suggesting restricted among population gene flow. The combined effects of reduced genetic diversity, lower effective population size and restricted gene flow suggest that long-term viability of small fragmented populations may be at risk, unless effective management is employed in the future. A diverse range of genetic reproductive behaviours and sex-biased dispersal patterns were evident within U. caudimaculatus populations. Genetic paternity analyses revealed that the major mating system in U. caudimaculatus appeared to be polygyny at sites P1, P3 and C1. Evidence of genetic monogamy, however, was also found in the three fragmented sites, and was the dominant mating system in the remaining low density, small fragment (P2). High variability in reproductive skew and reproductive success was also found but was less pronounced when only resident Uromys were considered. Male body condition predicted which males sired offspring, however, neither body condition nor heterozygosity levels were accurate predictors of the number of offspring assigned to individual males or females. Genetic spatial autocorrelation analyses provided evidence for increased philopatry among females at site P1, but increased philopatry among males at site P3. This suggests that male-biased dispersal occurs at site P1 and female-biased dispersal at site P3, implying that in addition to mating systems, Uromys may also be able to adjust their dispersal behaviour to suit local ecological conditions. This study highlights the importance of examining the mechanisms that underlie population-level responses to habitat fragmentation using a combined ecological and genetic approach. The ecological data suggested that habitat quality (i.e. high quality food resources) rather than habitat quantity (i.e. fragment size) was relatively more important in influencing giant white-tailed rat demographics, at least for the populations studied here . Conversely, genetic data showed strong evidence that Uromys populations were affected adversely by habitat fragmentation and that management of isolated populations may be required for long-term viability of populations within isolated rainforest fragments
A strategy for corporate social responsibility : the case of the withdrawal from South Africa by Barclays Bank
No full textCranfield School of Managemen
Updating future year origin-destination matrices when using matrix estimation methods : Craig A. McGeoch.
No full textThis thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author.
Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to
make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field
The Foundations of Hip-Hop Encyclopedia
No full textDeejaying, emceeing, graffiti writing, and breakdancing. Together, these artistic expressions combined to form the foundation of one of the most significant cultural phenomena of the late 20th century — Hip-Hop. Rooted in African American culture and experience, the music, fashion, art, and attitude that is Hip-Hop crossed both racial boundaries and international borders. The Foundations of Hip-Hop Encyclopedia is a general reference work for students, scholars, and virtually anyone interested in Hip-Hop’s formative years. In thirty-six entries, it covers the key developments, practices, personalities, and products that mark the history of Hip-Hop from the 1970s through the early ‘90s. All entries are written by students at Virginia Tech who enthusiastically enrolled in a course on Hip-Hop taught by Dr. Anthony Kwame Harrison, author of Hip Hop Underground, and co-taught by Craig E. Arthur. Because they are students writing about issues and events that took place well before most of them were born, their entries capture the distinct character of young people reflecting back on how a music and culture that has profoundly shaped their lives came to be. Future editions are planned as more students take the class, making this a living, evolving work
Trading arrangements and industrial development
No full textHow do different trading arrangements influence the industrialization process of developing countries? Can preferential trading arrangements (PTAs) be superior to multilateral liberalization, or at least an alternative when multilateral liberalization proceeds slowly? If so, what form should the PTAs take? Are developing countries better advised to seek PTAs with industrial countries or among themselves? Traditional analysis of these issues has been based on the idea of trade creation and trade diversion. The problem with this analysis is that it starts from assuming a pattern of comparative advantage of newly industrialized countries. The experience of these countries suggests the need for an analysis in which the pattern of comparative advantage is not set in stone but is potentially flexible, and in which less developed countries can develop and converge in both income and economic structure to industrial economies. The authors outline an alternative approach for analyzing the role of trade in promoting industrial development. There are few fundamental differences between countries that generate immutable patterns of comparative advantage. Instead the pattern of trade and development in the world economy is determined mainly by history. Cumulative causation has created concentrations of industrial activity in particular locations (industrial countries) and left other areas more dependent on primary activities. Economic development can be thought of as the spread of these concentrations from country to country. Different trading arrangements may have a major impact on this development process. By changing the attractiveness of countries as a base for manufacturing production they can potentially trigger or postpone industrial development. This approach explains why firms are reluctant to move to economies that have lower wages and labor costs, and shows how trade liberalization can change the incentives to become established in developing countries. It provides a mechanism through which import liberalization can have a powerful effect in promoting industrialization. And it suggests that import liberalization may create or amplify differences between liberalizing countries with the possible political tensions this may create. While these features are consistent with the world economy, they fall short of providing convincing empirical support for the approach. Using the approach, the authors derive number of conclusions about the effects of trade liberalization. First, that unilaterally liberalizing imports of manufactures can promote development of the local manufacturing industry. The mechanism is forward linkages from imported intermediates, but this may be interpreted as part of a wider package of linkages coming from these imports. Second, the gains from liberalization through PTA membership are likely to exceed those obtained from unilateral action. South-South PTAs will be sensitive to the market size of member states, and North-South PTAs seem to offer better prospects for participating Southern economies, if not for North and excluded countries. Third, the effects of particular schemes (such as the division of benefits between Southern economies) will depend on the characteristics of the countries and cross-country differences in these characteristics.Economic Theory&Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,Water and Industry,Labor Policies,Banks&Banking Reform,Economic Theory&Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,TF054105-DONOR FUNDED OPERATION ADMINISTRATION FEE INCOME AND EXPENSE ACCOUNT,Trade and Regional Integration,Water and Industry
Measurement of V̇O2<sub>max</sub> in clinical groups is feasible and necessary
No full textThis is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from American Physiological Society via the DOI in this record
Reproducibility of maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing for young cystic fibrosis patients
No full textAuthor manuscript version of an article published in the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis. The definitive published version is available via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcf.2013.04.012.BACKGROUND: The reproducibility of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has not been established in young cystic fibrosis (CF) patients using a valid protocol. METHODS: Thirteen 7-18 year olds completed three CPETs, separated by 48 h and 4-6 weeks. CPET involved a ramp-incremental cycling test with supramaximal verification. RESULTS: Maximal oxygen uptake was repeatedly determined with no learning effect and typical errors expressed as a coefficient of variation (TE(CV%)) of 9.3% (48 h) and 13.3% (4-6 weeks). The reproducibility of additional parameters of aerobic function [gas exchange threshold (TE(CV%): 11.2%, 16.8%); VO2 mean response time (TE(CV%): 37.8%, 89.4%); VO2 gain (TE(CV%): 17.4%, 24.5%)] and clinical utility [e.g. SaO2% (TE(CV%): 2.2%, 3.1%); ventilatory drive (V(E)/VCO2-slope) (TE(CV%): 7.8%, 17.7%)] was also established over the short- and the medium-term, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results establish limits of variability to determine meaningful changes over the short- and the medium-term for CPET outcomes in young CF patients
The effect of ivacaftor in adolescents with cystic fibrosis (G551D mutation): an exercise physiology perspective
No full textThis is the author version of an article published in Pediatric Physical Therapy 26(4):454-461, Winter 2014. The final published version is available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PEP.0000000000000086PediatricPURPOSE: The purpose of this report was to evaluate the influence of 12 weeks of ivacaftor treatment on the aerobic function of 2 teenage patients with cystic fibrosis (CF; ΔF508/G551D) using a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test. SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: One patient, with relatively mild disease, demonstrated no clinically meaningful changes in maximal oxygen uptake ((Equation is included in full-text article.)O2max). However, in the second case, with more established lung disease on imaging, (Equation is included in full-text article.)O2max improved by approximately 30%, an improvement out of proportion with early lung function changes. This improvement resulted from increased muscle oxygen delivery and extraction. STATEMENT OF CONCLUSIONS: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing can monitor the extent and cause(s) of change following interventions such as ivacaftor, with the potential to identify functional changes independent from spirometry indices. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing represents an important and comprehensive clinical assessment tool, and its use as an outcome measure in the functional assessment of patients with CF is encouraged
Impaired pulmonary V˙O2 kinetics in cystic fibrosis depend on exercise intensity
No full textThis is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Published online 9th June 2016PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of mild-to-moderate cystic fibrosis (CF) on the pulmonary oxygen uptake (V˙O2) kinetics of 7 pediatric patients (13.5 ± 2.8 y) versus 7 healthy matched controls (CON; 13.6 ± 2.4 y). We hypothesized that CF would slow the V˙O2 kinetic response at the onset of moderate (MOD) and very heavy (VH) intensity cycling. METHODS: Changes in breath-by-breath V˙O2, near-infrared spectroscopy-derived muscle deoxygenation ([HHb]) at the m. vastus lateralis and thoracic bioelectrical impedance-derived heart rate, stroke volume index (SVI) and cardiac index (CI) were measured during repeat transitions to MOD (90% of the gas exchange threshold) and VH (Δ60%) intensity cycling exercise. RESULTS: During MOD, the phase II V˙O2 τ (p=0.84; effect size (ES) = 0.11) and overall mean response time (MRT) (p=0.52; ES=0.11) were not significantly slower in CF versus CON. However, during VH exercise, the phase II V˙O2 τ (p=0.02, ES=1.28) and MRT (p=0.01, ES=1.40) were significantly slower in CF. Cardiac function, central O2 delivery (SVI and CI) and muscle [HHb] kinetics were unaltered in CF. However, the arterial-venous O2 content difference (C(a-V¯)O2) was reduced during VH at 30 s (p=0.03, ES=0.37), with a trend for reduced levels at 0 s (p=0.07, ES=0.25), 60 s (p=0.05, ES=0.28) and 120 s (p=0.07, ES=0.25) in CF. Furthermore, [INCREMENT]C(a-V¯)O2 significantly correlated with the VH phase II V˙O2 τ (r= -0.85; p=0.02) and MRT (r = -0.79; p=0.03) in CF only. CONCLUSION: Impairments in muscle oxidative metabolism during constant work rate exercise are intensity-dependent in young people with mild-to-moderate CF. Specifically, V˙O2 kinetics are slowed during VH but not MOD cycling and appear to be mechanistically linked to impaired muscle O2 extraction and utilization.Funding was provided by the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter
An Aesthetics of Exclusion: Konstantin Vaginov's Kozlinaia pesn'
No full textThis thesis renegotiates the position of Konstantin Vaginov’s novel Kozlinaia pesn΄ within the meta-text of post-Revolutionary culture, challenging the long accepted view that Vaginov maps out a programme of exclusion from Bolshevik reality in an attempt to preserve the classical ideals of pre-Revolutionary Russian culture from ruin. Vaginov’s ambivalent treatment of such trends in intellectual culture as the nature of the life culture dualism, the tenability of culture a priori and framings of rebirth in projections of cultural history are dialogised with the theories of Viacheslav Ivanov, Viktor Shklovskii, Roman Iakobson, Mikhail Bakhtin and Lev Pumpianskii.
In addition, critical reception centred around the novel’s status as roman-à-clef is also challenged, particularly the insistence that the novel accurately depicts the reality of intellectual life during the Soviet 1920s and the consequences of the struggle for hegemony over culture.
As an alternative to such readings, the world-view of an all encompassing life is posited as central to Vaginov’s aesthetics, marked by the tendencies to lay low and simultaneously affirm and negate any stance taken in the struggle for hegemony over culture
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