Good faith in the reform of insurance law

Article by Professor John Birds, University of Sheffield published in Amicus Curiae - Journal of the Society for Advanced Legal Studies. The Journal is produced by the Society for Advanced Legal Studies at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London

Heads Above the Grass

Today it is imperative that we acknowledge the brutality, intolerance and biased actions of the past. Thus by lifting our heads above the tall grass we can move forward to personal affirmation and progress. This progress can be represented by the educational and artistic exploration of complex issues of our society. In the field of art education we can articulate the progress by welcoming the creative activities of all vectors of youthful life and culture. Through this acceptance a wealth of experiences can be deposited to actually create more understanding and an enriched learning atmosphere. Once the multi-form stories of life are truly received we must then reverse the flow and generate an out-pouring of concepts, emotions and offerings back to society. The return of these artistic gifts may be in the form of workshops, lectures, critiques, dance, theatre, music, public art, visual art exhibitions and other boldly inclusive expressions

RISK CONTROL CLAUSES IN INSURANCE LAW: LAW REFORM AND THE FUTURE

This article intends to analyse the appropriateness of the reforms introduced by the Insurance Act 2015 from legal, risk assessment and management perspectives

Investigation into the effect of “day one weight” on bird weight gain of ISA 257 table birds within the Sheepdrove Organic Farm organic silvo-poultry system

This report summarises the results of a preliminary trial undertaken to investigate the effect of day one chick weight on weight gain and final weight. The objectives of the trial were to ascertain the range in weights of day old chicks brought on to the farm and establish if any low or high weights were impacting on the weight gain and final weight of the birds. A sub-sample of the brooder intake of birds was weighed on arrival and marked in accordance with their weight. Marked birds were caught and re-marked weekly. At week four, prior to the move of the birds to the field sheds, the marked birds were caught weighed and re-marked. It was at this point that the trial was abandoned as, of the 150 birds marked at the start of the trial period, only 48 birds were recovered for re-weighing, despite weekly re-marking. Despite this, preliminary findings suggest that birds with low weight (below target weight) fail to perform and gain weight as well as birds that were heavier on day one. However, as discussed, these findings are based on a limited data set so further investigation needs to be undertaken to confirm this finding. Future trials should also investigate whether this trend of lower weight gain for birds that start at a lighter weight carries through to end weight

Human infections associated with wild birds.

IntroductionWild birds and especially migratory species can become long-distance vectors for a wide range of microorganisms. The objective of the current paper is to summarize available literature on pathogens causing human disease that have been associated with wild bird species.MethodsA systematic literature search was performed to identify specific pathogens known to be associated with wild and migratory birds. The evidence for direct transmission of an avian borne pathogen to a human was assessed. Transmission to humans was classified as direct if there is published evidence for such transmission from the avian species to a person or indirect if the transmission requires a vector other than the avian species.ResultsSeveral wild and migratory birds serve as reservoirs and/or mechanical vectors (simply carrying a pathogen or dispersing infected arthropod vectors) for numerous infectious agents. An association with transmission from birds to humans was identified for 10 pathogens. Wild birds including migratory species may play a significant role in the epidemiology of influenza A virus, arboviruses such as West Nile virus and enteric bacterial pathogens. Nevertheless only one case of direct transmission from wild birds to humans was found.ConclusionThe available evidence suggests wild birds play a limited role in human infectious diseases. Direct transmission of an infectious agent from wild birds to humans is rarely identified. Potential factors and mechanisms involved in the transmission of infectious agents from birds to humans need further elucidation

British birds.

v. 11 June 1917/May 191

Ethological risk factors of West nile infection of wild birds in Senegal

Serological studies performed in 2003, as well as viral isolations demonstrated that West Nile fever (WNF) was endemic in Senegal (West Africa). Large populations of potentially infected birds fly each year from West Africa to Europe. The goal of this study was to identify potential reservoirs of West Nile virus among Senegalese birds and ethological features related to WN infection. In October 2003, wild birds were trapped and sampled in two different locations: the Ornithological Djoud¿j National Park, located in the Senegal River Basin and in a village located in the Ferlo area (northern Senegal). Sera were analysed using an inhibition immunocapture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serological data were analysed using a generalized linear Poisson model. Seven ecological features that may influence the exposure of birds to mosquito bites were included as explanatory variables: the trapping location, the migrating status, the feeding site, the resting site, the nesting type, the herd instinct level, and affinity with urban areas. A total of 422 birds representing 49 species were trapped and sampled. The overall prevalence rate was 5.5%. Resident birds building platform or cup nests, as well as birds feeding on soil or having low urban areas affinity were more at risk than others (p=0.01, p=0.02 and p=0.02 respectively). Potential consequences of these results on virus dissemination and WN reservoir birds are discussed. (Résumé d'auteur

Increased tolerance to humans among disturbed wildlife.

Human disturbance drives the decline of many species, both directly and indirectly. Nonetheless, some species do particularly well around humans. One mechanism that may explain coexistence is the degree to which a species tolerates human disturbance. Here we provide a comprehensive meta-analysis of birds, mammals and lizards to investigate species tolerance of human disturbance and explore the drivers of this tolerance in birds. We find that, overall, disturbed populations of the three major taxa are more tolerant of human disturbance than less disturbed populations. The best predictors of the direction and magnitude of bird tolerance of human disturbance are the type of disturbed area (urbanized birds are more tolerant than rural or suburban populations) and body mass (large birds are more tolerant than small birds). By identifying specific features associated with tolerance, these results guide evidence-based conservation strategies to predict and manage the impacts of increasing human disturbance on birds