scholarly journals Do I stay or do I go? Shifts in perch use by lizards during morning twilight suggest anticipatory behaviour

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Wei Chen ◽  
Martin J. Whiting ◽  
En-Cheng Yang ◽  
Si-Min Lin
Keyword(s):  
Predation Risk ◽  
Environmental Cues ◽  
Future Event ◽  
The Past ◽  
Bubulcus Ibis ◽  
Avian Predators ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Tactical Decisions ◽  
Event Based ◽  
Near Future

Anticipatory behaviour is the expectation of a near-future event based on information processed in the past and influences an animal's tactical decisions, particularly when there are significant fitness consequences. The grass lizard ( Takydromus viridipunctatus ) perches on blades of grass at night which likely reduces the probability of predation by terrestrial predators such as snakes, rodents and shrews. During twilight (starting 30 min before sunrise), they move from above the grass to within grass clumps and this is thought to afford the lizard protection while reducing detection by avian predators. Here, we examined how lizards shift their behaviour as a function of visual detectability to their primary predator, the cattle egret ( Bubulcus ibis ). We show that the lizards shift from their perch site during twilight at the earliest time at which egrets depart communal roosts. At the same time, visual modelling shows a dramatic increase in the detectability of the lizards to the visual system of egrets. Therefore, anticipatory behaviour in response to environmental cues acts to reduce predation risk as lizards become more conspicuous and predators become more active. Grass lizard anticipatory behaviour appears to be finely tuned by natural selection to adjust to temporal changes in predation risk.

Understanding Molecular Process and Chemotherapeutics for the Management of Breast Cancer.

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhishek Kumar ◽  
Neeraj Masand ◽  
Vaishali M. Patil
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Molecular Targets ◽  
Molecular Classification ◽  
Neoplastic Disease ◽  
Molecular Process ◽  
The Past ◽  
Anti Cancer ◽  
Molecular Etiology ◽  
Near Future

Abstract: Breast cancer is the most common and highly heterogeneous neoplastic disease comprised of several subtypes with distinct molecular etiology and clinical behaviours. The mortality observed over the past few decades and the failure in eradicating the disease is due to the lack of specific etiology, molecular mechanisms involved in initiation and progression of breast cancer. Understanding of the molecular classes of breast cancer may also lead to new biological insights and eventually to better therapies. The promising therapeutic targets and novel anti-cancer approaches emerging from these molecular targets that could be applied clinically in the near future are being highlighted. In addition, this review discusses some of the details of current molecular classification and available chemotherapeutics

Patents for Critical Pharmaceuticals: The AZT Case

1991 ◽  
Vol 17 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 145-180
Author(s):  
Evan Ackiron
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Incentive System ◽  
The Public ◽  
Incentive Programs ◽  
The Past ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Monopoly Pricing ◽  
Conflicting Interests ◽  
Necessary Evil ◽  
Near Future

Patents and other statutory types of market protections are used in the United States to promote scientific research and innovation. This incentive is especially important in research intensive fields such as the pharmaceutical industry. Unfortunately, these same protections often result in higher monopoly pricing once a successful product is brought to market. Usually this consequence is viewed as the necessary evil of an incentive system that encourages costly research and development by promising large rewards to the successful inventor. However, in the case of the AIDS drug Zidovudine (AZT), the high prices charged by the pharmaceutical company owning the drug have led to public outcry and a re-examination of government incentive systems.This Note traces the evolution of these incentive programs — the patent system, and, to a lesser extent, the orphan drug program — and details the conflicting interests involved in their development. It then demonstrates how the AZT problem brings the interest of providing inventors with incentives for risky innovative efforts into a sharp collision with the ultimate goal of such systems: ensuring that the public has access to the resulting products at a reasonable price. Finally, the Note describes how Congress and the courts have attempted to resolve these problems in the past, and how they might best try to solve the AZT problem in the near future.

scholarly journals Acute graft-versus-host disease: a bench-to-bedside update

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shernan G. Holtan ◽  
Marcelo Pasquini ◽  
Daniel J. Weisdorf
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecules ◽  
Graft Versus Host Disease ◽  
Host Disease ◽  
Multiple Modalities ◽  
Graft Versus Host ◽  
The Past ◽  
Prevention And Treatment ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Acute Graft

Abstract Over the past 5 years, many novel approaches to early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) have been translated from the bench to the bedside. In this review, we highlight recent discoveries in the context of current aGVHD care. The most significant innovations that have already reached the clinic are prophylaxis strategies based upon a refinement of our understanding of key sensors, effectors, suppressors of the immune alloreactive response, and the resultant tissue damage from the aGVHD inflammatory cascade. In the near future, aGVHD prevention and treatment will likely involve multiple modalities, including small molecules regulating immunologic checkpoints, enhancement of suppressor cytokines and cellular subsets, modulation of the microbiota, graft manipulation, and other donor-based prophylaxis strategies. Despite long-term efforts, major challenges in treatment of established aGVHD still remain. Resolution of inflammation and facilitation of rapid immune reconstitution in those with only a limited response to corticosteroids is a research arena that remains rife with opportunity and urgent clinical need.

What is an Ecodisaster?

1977 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
John L. Cloudsley-Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Developed Countries ◽  
Standard Of Living ◽  
World Population ◽  
Human Species ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
The Past ◽  
Environmental Deterioration ◽  
The World ◽  
Global Catastrophe ◽  
Near Future

The term ‘ecodisaster’ may be defined as ‘a global catastrophe of the human species’. Any ecodisasters occurring in the near future will, almost certainly, be caused, directly or indirectly, by the present overpopulation of the world, accompanied by unwise and irresponsible disregard of environmental deterioration.The suggestion is made here that Man's first and, it is to be hoped, last, ecodisaster may already have begun. Although not dramatic, it is taking the form of a steady decline in the standard of living nearly everywhere, coupled with massive pollution, and widespread malnutrition in the under-developed countries of the world. It will persist until world population eventually becomes adjusted to environmental resources.It is ironical that control of the pests and diseases which have inflicted so much misery on mankind in the past, should have helped to engender the present population explosion with all the hunger and privation that accompany it in the under-developed regions of the world.

Prospects for increasing the volume of agricultural production for export due to the expansion and intensification of the use of Russian land resources

2021 ◽  
pp. 40-47
Author(s):  
Gennadiy A. Polunin ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Agricultural Products ◽  
Land Resources ◽  
The Past ◽  
Federal Districts ◽  
Near Future

The article is devoted to substantiating the prospects for increasing the marginal volumes of agricultural production for export in the next four years. Two scenarios of such production are considered: 1) expansion and 2) intensification of the use of land resources. As part of the development of the first scenario, an analysis of the distribution of unused agricultural land, including arable land, by federal districts was carried out. Also, based on the forecast of the introduction of additional annual volumes of acreage in the subjects of the Federation, the calculation of additional volumes of agricultural production, which can be expected in the next four years, was carried out. The analysis of data on the increase in the yield of export-oriented crops over the past five years has been carried out, in the framework of the second scenario, the calculation of the projected additional yield due to the intensification of agriculture is presented. The results of the study indicate that the intensification of agriculture will have the greatest impact on the growth of production and export of agricultural products in the near future.

Silencing Social Media on Suicidal Matters at a School Setting

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-54
Author(s):  
Holly LaRoe ◽  
Antonio Corrales
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
School Setting ◽  
School Principal ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Educational Community ◽  
The Past ◽  
Near Future

Cyberbullying has become a real and occasionally lethal threat among adolescents during the past years. The act of cyberbullying is often untraceable, leaving victims tormented and routinely harassed on social media. This emerging problem causes depression and anxiety, psychologically affecting our adolescents. With an increase in adolescents’ suicides, cyberbullying should be examined as a risk factor. This case describes how the tragic suicide of a student at Heartsville High School immersed Principal Ivy La Fleur in the middle of a convoluted situation affecting students, parents, and staff. A series of events allowed the seasoned school principal to investigate the matter in depth, discover the struggles students were suffering in terms of cyberbullying, put a plan in place to manage a general crisis affecting the entire educational community, and promote changes to avoid similar situations in the near future.

Guangdong, a Potential Province for Developing Hot Dry Rock Geothermal Resource

2014 ◽  
Vol 492 ◽  
pp. 583-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
An Dong Wang ◽  
Zhan Xue Sun ◽  
Bao Qun Hu ◽  
Jin Hui Liu ◽  
Cheng Dong Liu
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Preliminary Data ◽  
Geothermal Energy ◽  
Guangdong Province ◽  
Geothermal Resource ◽  
Hot Dry Rock ◽  
The Past ◽  
Electricity Power ◽  
Near Future

In the past decades, the study on Hot Dry Rock (HDR) geothermal resource has been a hot topic. A large number of investigations confirm that electricity power generated from HDR is feasible and suggest that HDR geothermal source is a kind of local and renewable energy. Up no now, many countries have carried out HDR experiments. As a large energy consumption country, China will also develop HDR geothermal energy in the near future. In the present study, our preliminary data potentially suggest that Guangdong province have great potential to develop HDR geothermal applications.

scholarly journals Transfer of Knowhow and Experiences from Commercial Logistics into Humanitarian Logistics to Improve Rescue Missions in Disaster Areas

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Firas Rifai
Keyword(s):  
Information Technologies ◽  
Humanitarian Logistics ◽  
Management Information ◽  
Rescue Mission ◽  
Know How ◽  
The Past ◽  
Humanitarian Organizations ◽  
Past Data ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Insight Into

Reports on the news about nature or man-made catastrophes are not uncommon. We hear constantly that a human catastrophe has taken place somewhere in the world. In those cases where the infrastructure could possibly be destroyed, it becomes clear that a rescue mission is difficult to achieve. We need special rescue teams, who despite the difficult rescue mission, save lives and reduce suffering.The special organizations involved in catastrophes are called humanitarian organizations. In addition, the specific skills and abilities that these organizations have should be mainly in logistics.In this paper, the author goes into more details about humanitarian logistics and shows its importance in disaster areas. Unfortunately, these humanitarian organizations have many weaknesses and challenges. As a result, these organizations are not well developed, despite their importance. In contrast, the commercial logistics companies, which are well developed, have much strength in management, information technologies, etc.This research defines humanitarian logistics and describes its weaknesses and limitations. Furthermore, it deals with the specifics of humanitarian organizations. The special features of these organizations are their rescue missions, especially in destroyed infrastructure areas. This research demonstrates the various similarities between commercial and humanitarian logistics and points to the potential of knowledge and experience transfer from commercial logistics to humanitarian logistics.This research compares humanitarian logistics with commercial logistics. In doing so, the author tries to gain a deeper insight into the potential of transferring know-how and experience from retail logistics to humanitarian logistics in order to strengthen humanitarian logistics.The research of logistics is a very dynamic world in which humanitarian logistics is becoming increasingly important both in research and in practice. In particular, the demands on logistics in general and on humanitarian logistics, in particular, will increase significantly in the near future because it is estimated that the number and impact of both natural and human disasters is increasing (Kumar et al., 2012).Murphy (2015) analyzed the past data of catastrophes and derived a forecast for the future frequency of disasters and their impact: “Because of the increasing frequency (and severity) of disasters over the past 50 years, humanitarian logistics is likely to be an important topic into the foreseeable future”.

scholarly journals Immigrants in polish economy

VUZF Review ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-238
Author(s):  
Iwona Dudzik ◽  
Irena Brukwicka
Keyword(s):  
Immigrant Workers ◽  
Physical Work ◽  
Important Research ◽  
Intention To Stay ◽  
The Past ◽  
Industrial Sectors ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Polish Economy ◽  
Near Future

This article deals with immigrants in Polish economy. The aim of the article is to present the most important research findings, concerning immigrants and enterprises where they are employed. This issue also includes the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors of this paper focused mostly on Ukrainian immigrants. It has been proven that increase in the number of immigrant workers leads to the growth of the Gross Domestic Product, and contributes to the faster growth in remittances from the Republic of Poland to Ukraine. As a result of the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sales, non-employment costs were reduced in the service and industrial sectors. Employment changes were not correlated with company’s situation.  It is worth noting, that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, some companies may be less inclined to recruit immigrants in the near future, and the overall demand for labor may decrease. This is particularly important, because the primary reason for employment people from abroad was the inability to meet labor needs of the citizens of Poland. The majority of immigrants are employed only to perform physical work which does not require qualifications. Large companies show greater interest in the foreign human capital. Over the past five years, there has been an increase in the number of immigrants who declared their intention to stay in Poland for a longer period of time. More than half of the immigrants stay in Poland, with at least, one family member. On this basis, it may be concluded that the number of immigrants willing to settle in Poland is growing.

scholarly journals Review of light field technologies

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuyao Zhou ◽  
Tianqian Zhu ◽  
Kanle Shi ◽  
Yazi Li ◽  
Wen Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Light Field ◽  
Depth Estimation ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Light Fields ◽  
Physical Concept ◽  
Network Bandwidth ◽  
The Past ◽  
Art Research ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Field Imaging

AbstractLight fields are vector functions that map the geometry of light rays to the corresponding plenoptic attributes. They describe the holographic information of scenes by representing the amount of light flowing in every direction through every point in space. The physical concept of light fields was first proposed in 1936, and light fields are becoming increasingly important in the field of computer graphics, especially with the fast growth of computing capacity as well as network bandwidth. In this article, light field imaging is reviewed from the following aspects with an emphasis on the achievements of the past five years: (1) depth estimation, (2) content editing, (3) image quality, (4) scene reconstruction and view synthesis, and (5) industrial products because the technologies of lights fields also intersect with industrial applications. State-of-the-art research has focused on light field acquisition, manipulation, and display. In addition, the research has extended from the laboratory to industry. According to these achievements and challenges, in the near future, the applications of light fields could offer more portability, accessibility, compatibility, and ability to visualize the world.

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