Neither sex appears to benefit from divorce within migratory Northern Flickers consistent with accidental loss and bet-hedging

The Auk ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen L Wiebe
Keyword(s):  
Divorce Rate ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Adaptive Strategy ◽  
Bet Hedging ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Northern Flicker ◽  
Per Se ◽  
Colaptes Auratus ◽  
Annual Mortality

Abstract Divorce is widespread among species of birds and may either be an adaptive strategy to secure a better mate or territory or be a nonadaptive result of a failure to maintain the pairbond. I examined the causes and consequences for divorce in the Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus), a migratory woodpecker with a high annual mortality rate. In a long-term population study of 1,793 breeding pairs over 17 years, the within-season divorce rate was 4.6% and the between-season divorce rate was 15.5%. Retained pairs within a season initiated their renest 5 days faster than divorced birds that had no greater fledgling production, suggesting that within-season divorce was making the best of a bad job with severe time constraints. Poor performance in the year prior to divorce was not strongly associated with divorce, and analysis of multiple breeding stages revealed that divorcing individuals in the subsequent year had later laying dates, smaller clutches, and fewer fledglings than retained pairs but no better performance than widowed individuals. Analyzing the data separately by sex showed that neither males nor females benefitted from divorce. Thus, there is a reproductive cost linked to finding a new partner per se, but no reproductive advantage associated with divorce. New mates after divorce were usually not older (not higher quality) than previous mates, so intrasexual competition was probably not driving partnership splits. The most plausible explanation seems to be a “bet-hedging” hypothesis in which birds re-pair rapidly in spring if their previous mate does not quickly arrive during spring migration. Divorce in Northern Flickers does not appear to be adaptive and future studies on arrival and interactions of individuals in spring will elucidate proximate constraints on relocating the previous partner.

Individual effectiveness in outsourcing

2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-133
Author(s):  
Sumita Raghuram
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Employee Selection ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Communication Media ◽  
Intensive Training ◽  
Human Element ◽  
The Past ◽  
Geographical Distances

Outsourcing has grown enormously over the past few years, however, most of the attention so far has focused on the economics of the transaction, and much less on the human element involved in the transaction. In this paper I focus on call agents and my observations are based upon existing literature and my personal interviews. I suggest that it is challenging for them to identify with client organizations because of cultural differences, tacit contexts and lean communication media used to connect across vast geographical distances. The weak client identification may result in poor performance, inability to build trust with customers and long-term customer satisfaction. However, there are differences across individuals in their ability to deal with these challenges. Those who have a higher self-efficacy, higher pro-activeness and higher cultural intelligence may be more capable than others in their effectiveness. Likewise, organization initiated practices such as careful employee selection, intensive training and use of visible markers of identity may heighten client identification.

Erratum

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 612-612
Keyword(s):  
Ultraviolet Light ◽  
Skin Color ◽  
Social Norm ◽  
Sun Exposure ◽  
Sun Protection ◽  
Social Perceptions ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Ineffective Efforts ◽  
Per Se

In the commentary, "Sunburns, Melanoma, and the Pediatrician," by Williams and Sagebiel (Pediatrics 1989;84:381-382), three lines were omitted from the bottom of p 381. The whole paragraph is reprinted here. It is clear that a change is required in social perceptions in which a suntan is equated with health and beauty—not because suntans per se are unhealthy (the deleterious effects of ultraviolet light at suberythemogenic levels are not wellestablished), but because the persistent and often futile efforts of those who constitutionally have less pigment to achieve a tan have serious long-term health consequences. Ideally, there should be a social norm of beauty in which the natural differences in skin color are appreciated and black, tan, pink, and all shades in between are celebrated. Similarly, we need to change our thinking about freckles and solar lentigines. These are not "cute" but represent the ineffective efforts of melanocytes in genetically underpigmented skin to provide protective pigmentation in response to solar stress. Although pediatricians alone cannot change social concepts of beauty, we can instruct our patients and their families about sun protection and we can monitor them for early signs of excessive sun exposure. Weinstock et al demonstrated an increased risk of melanoma for those who had blistering sunburns in adolescence. Although they did not address the risk associated with sunburning prior to ages 15 years, it seems likely that these data can be applied to children of all ages. Therefore, instruction and sun protection should begin in infancy. Moreover, teenagers are known to be both highly conditioned by peer concepts of beauty and relatively impervious to the counsel of their elders. It is essential, therefore, that they enter these years with skin that has been well protected and with minds well indoctrinated.

Evidence-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation for People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 7512520385p1-7512520385p1
Author(s):  
Yu-Chih Chen ◽  
Szu-Wei Chen ◽  
Britney Ferri
Keyword(s):  
Processing Speed ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Cognitive Rehabilitation ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Noninvasive Brain Stimulation ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Cognitive Improvement ◽  
Computer Based

Abstract Date Presented 04/22/21 Computer-based programs, conventional cognitive rehabilitation, neurologic music therapy, and noninvasive brain stimulation are effective in improving memory and learning, processing speed, language, executive function, or general cognitive skills. However, the retention of treatment effects and the generalizability of the cognitive improvement to the daily occupations are not clear. Including a predetermined single outcome, functional and long-term outcomes are needed in future studies. Primary Author and Speaker: Yu-Chih Chen Contributing Authors: Nicole Gerhardt, Christina Calhoun Thielen, Winnie Dunn, and Mary Jane Mulcahey

scholarly journals Preparation and Characterization of PEBAX-5513/AgBF4/BMIMBF4 Membranes for Olefin/Paraffin Separation

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1550 ◽  
Author(s):  
So Young Kim ◽  
Younghyun Cho ◽  
Sang Wook Kang
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Amide Group ◽  
Stabilizing Effect ◽  
Poly Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Poly Ethylene ◽  
Scanning Electron

In this study, we investigated a poly(ether-block-amide)-5513 (PEBAX-5513)/AgBF4/1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIMBF4) composite membrane, which is expected to have a high stabilizing effect on the Ag+ ions functioning as olefin carriers in the amide group. Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) only consists of ether regions, whereas the PEBAX-5513 copolymer contains both ether and amide regions. However, given the brittle nature of the amide, the penetration of BMIMBF4 remains challenging. The nanoparticles did not stabilize after their formation in the long-term test, thereby resulting in a poor performance compared to previous experiments using PEO as the polymer (selectivity 3; permeance 12.3 GPU). The properties of the functional groups in the polymers were assessed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis, which confirmed that the properties endowed during the production of the film using the ionic liquid can impact the performance.

scholarly journals Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation as Drivers for Early Engagement in Research by Medical Students

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yassar Alamri ◽  
Erik Monasterio ◽  
Lutz Beckert ◽  
Tim J Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Extrinsic Motivation ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Research Engagement ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Research Involvement ◽  
Key Factor

Abstract BackgroundA student’s motivation is a key factor in their success in undertaking an education endeavour. However, how this relates to involvement in research by medical students is unclear.MethodsAn electronic questionnaire was sent to all medical students at our institution. To ascertain students’ motivation to undertake research, they were asked an open-ended question to describe the single major factor that would encourage them to get involved in research as a medical student. A framework of self-determination theory was used to deductively code the responses as intrinsic motivation (‘IM’; e.g., interest/passion) or extrinsic motivation (‘EM’; e.g. improving CV). The two groups were then contrasted in relation to their research engagement.ResultsA total of 348 students were included in the survey, of whom 204 were coded as IM responses, and 144 were coded as EM responses. Students who engaged in extra-curricular research activities were more likely to report an underlying EM (48% vs. 36%, p = 0.03). They were also older (23.7 ± 3.5 vs. 21.9 ± 3.7, p = 0.005), and more likely to have completed a prior research degree (15% vs. 3%, p = 0.01).ConclusionIn this study, EM was a bigger influencer on research involvement by medical students than IM. Future studies should explore promoters of IM, and include longitudinal data in order to assess whether EM students continue to be involved in research long-term.

scholarly journals Parental effects and the evolution of phenotypic memory

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bram Kuijper ◽  
Rufus A Johnstone
Keyword(s):  
Local Environment ◽  
Parental Effects ◽  
Bet Hedging ◽  
Changing Environments ◽  
Structured Population ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Parental Phenotype ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Nongenetic Inheritance

Abstract Despite growing evidence for nongenetic inheritance, the ecological conditions that favor the evolution of heritable parental or grandparental effects remain poorly understood. Here, we systematically explore the evolution of parental effects in a patch-structured population with locally changing environments. When selection favors the production of a mix of offspring types, this mix differs according to the parental phenotype, implying that parental effects are favored over selection for bet-hedging in which the mixture of offspring phenotypes produced does not depend on the parental phenotype. Positive parental effects (generating a positive correlation between parental and offspring phenotype) are favored in relatively stable habitats and when different types of local environment are roughly equally abundant, and can give rise to long-term parental inheritance of phenotypes. By contrast, unstable habitats can favor negative parental effects (generating a negative correlation between parental and offspring phenotype), and under these circumstances even slight asymmetries in the abundance of local environmental states select for marked asymmetries in transmission fidelity.

scholarly journals Dual orexin receptor antagonist in treatment of insomnia

Engrami ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-68
Author(s):  
Nikola Trajanović
Keyword(s):  
Circadian Rhythm ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Safety Profile ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
First Line ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Good Safety Profile ◽  
Circadian Rhythm Disorders

A novel group of medications, dual orexin receptor antagonists, emerged as a competent group that challenges current first-line hypnotics. They have relatively infrequent and mostly well-tolerated side effects, primarily in the form of residual somnolence, fatigue and nightmares/disturbing dreams. The advantage over conventional hypnotics stems from the specifics of their target receptors, which translates into lack of tolerance after long term use and good safety profile. They are particularly favoured in some specific populations, including the elderly. Ongoing and future studies are set to explore their effect on selected conditions, such as addiction and psychiatric disorders, dementias, perimenopausal condition and circadian rhythm disorders, to name a few.

scholarly journals Photoacoustic spectroscopy allows to make correlations between blood p450 cytochrome and glycemia in type 1 experimental diabetes

2021 ◽  
Vol 2090 (1) ◽  
pp. 012152
Author(s):  
L I Olvera ◽  
G C Villanueva ◽  
E Romero ◽  
A Cruz
Keyword(s):  
Photoacoustic Spectroscopy ◽  
Diabetes Complications ◽  
Venous Blood ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Patients With Diabetes ◽  
Male Wistar Rats ◽  
Experimental Type ◽  
Non Destructive

Abstract Diabetes is the eight-cause death worldwide. The cause of death of patients with diabetes is mostly the long-term complications, that are not easy to detect opportunely. In previous studies, we applied photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS), a non-destructive technique, to detect several components of blood. The goal of the study was to apply the phase-resolved method (PRM), on blood optical absorption spectra obtained by PAS, to analyse blood components in experimental type 1 diabetes. Diabetes was produced in male Wistar rats through the administrations of streptozotocin (STZ). Venous blood samples were obtained one, two, four and eight weeks after STZ. PRM applied to spectra allowed to detect p450 cytochrome. There was a significant and positive correlation between glycaemia and p450 cytochrome (p=0.001). Since p450 cytochrome participates in detoxification function, results indicate that glycaemia could affect detoxification. It will be important in future studies to study the implications of those results on the development of diabetes complications. The novelty of the study was to use PAS to find out if there was any correlation between spectroscopy variables and glycaemia. It is concluded that PRM applied to PAS is a suitable technology to study p450 cytochrome in diabetes.

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