Size and Shape Information Serve as Labels in the Alarm Calls of Gunnison’s Prairie Dogs Cynomys gunnisoni

Some animals have the capacity to produce different alarm calls for terrestrial and aerial predators. However, it is not clear what cognitive processes are involved in generating these calls. One possibility is the position of the predator: Anything on the ground receives a terrestrial predator call, and anything in the air receives an aerial predator call. Another possibility is that animals are able to recognize the physical features of predators and incorporate those into their calls. As a way of elucidating which of these mechanisms plays a primary role in generating the structure of different calls, we performed two field experiments with Gunnison’s prairie dogs. First, we presented the prairie dogs with a circle, a triangle, and a square, each moving across the colony at the same height and speed. Second, we presented the prairie dogs with two squares of differing sizes. DFA statistics showed that 82.6 percent of calls for the circle and 79.2 percent of the calls for the triangle were correctly classified, and 73.3 percent of the calls for the square were classified as either square or circle. Also, 100 percent of the calls for the larger square and 90 percent of the calls for the smaller square were correctly classified. Because both squares and circles are features of terrestrial predators and triangles are features of aerial predators, our results suggest that prairie dogs might have a cognitive mechanism that labels the abstract shape and size of different predators, rather than the position of the predator

Accountability and Transparency of Entrepreneurial Journalism: Unresolved ethical issues in crowdfunded journalism projects

Crowdfunding is a new business model in which journalists rely—and depend—on (micro-) payments by a large number of supporters to finance their reporting. In this form of entrepreneurial journalism the roles of publisher, fundraiser and journalist often overlap. This raises questions about conflicts of interest, accountability and transparency. The article presents the results of selected case studies in four different European countries—Germany (Krautreporter), Italy (Occhidellaguerra), the United Kingdom (Contributoria) and the Netherlands (De Correspondent)—as well as one US example (Kickstarter). The study used a two-step methodological approach: first a content analysis of the websites and the Twitter accounts with regard to practices of media accountability, transparency and user participation was undertaken. The aim was to investigate how far ethical challenges in crowdfunded entrepreneurial journalism are accounted for. Second, we present findings from semi-structured interviews with journalists from each crowdfunding. The study provides evidence about the ethical issues in this area, particularly in relation to production transparency and responsiveness. The study also shows that in some cases of crowdfunding (platforms), accountability is outsourced and implemented only through the audience participation

An evidence-based approach to understanding the competency development needs of the health service management workforce in Australia

Background: Competent managers are essential to the productivity of organisations and the sustainability of health systems. Effective workforce development strategies sensitive to the current competency development needs of health service managers (HSMs) are required. Purpose: To conduct a 360° assessment of the competence of Australian HSMs to identify managerial competence levels, and training and development needs. Methods: Assessment of 93 middle-level HSMs from two public hospitals (n = 25) and five community health services (CHS) (n = 68), using the Managerial Competency Assessment Partnership (MCAP) framework and tool, conducted between 2012 and 2014 in Victoria, Australia. Results: Mean competency scores from both self- and combined colleagues' assessments indicated competence (scores greater than five but less than six) without guidance, but many HSMs have not had extensive experience. Around 12% of HSMs were unable to demonstrate the competency of 'evidence-informed decision-making' and 4% of HSMs were unable to demonstrate the competency of 'enabling and managing change'. Conclusion: The assessments confirmed managerial competence for the majority of middle-level HSMs from hospitals and CHS in Victoria, but found competency gaps. In addition, the assessment confirmed managerial strengths and weaknesses varied across management groups from different organisations. These findings suggest that the development of strategies to strengthen the health service management workforce should be multifaceted. Practice implications: A focus on competency in performance evaluation and development using the MCAP framework and tool not only provides insights into performance of HSMs, but also has the potential to provide an organisation strategic advantage through succession planning and advancing managers' competence via learning needs analysis and targeted professional development. Linking competencies of HSMs to organisational objectives and strategies provides optimal use of the human resource capacity, improving the organisation's productivity and sustainability

The High-Density Ionized Gas in the Central Parsecs of the Galaxy

We report the results from observations of H30$\alpha$ line emission in Sgr A West with the Submillimeter Array at a resolution of 2\arcsec and a field of view of about 40\arcsec. The H30$\alpha$ line is sensitive to the high-density ionized gas in the minispiral structure. We compare the velocity field obtained from H30$\alpha$ line emission to a Keplerian model, and our results suggest that the supermassive black hole at Sgr A* dominates the dynamics of the ionized gas. However, we also detect significant deviations from the Keplerian motion, which show that the impact of strong stellar winds from the massive stars along the ionized flows and the interaction between Northern and Eastern arms play significant roles in the local gas dynamics.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, South-South Nigeria: a 5-year review

Background: Hypertensive disorders complicate 5.2%-8.2% of pregnancies, and contribute significantly to perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The objective of this study is to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, maternal and perinatal outcomes of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria.Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between 1 January, 2016 and 31 December, 2020. Relevant data was retrieved, entered into a pre-designed proforma, and analysed using IBM SPSS version 25.0.Results: Out of the 4,571 obstetric patients that were managed in our Centre in the period under review, 335 of them had HDP, giving an incidence rate of 7.32%. The most common HDP were pre-eclampsia (189, 56.4%) and eclampsia (82, 24.5%), while the least common was chronic hypertension (3, 0.9%). A little more than one-half (171, 51.0%) of the women delivered preterm, with a mean gestational age at delivery of 35.5 weeks. The most common route of delivery was emergency Caesarean section (205, 61.2%). There were three maternal deaths, giving a case fatality rate of 0.9%. Two of the maternal deaths were due to eclampsia, and one, from pre-eclampsia.Conclusions: Women should be adequately counseled to embrace preconception care, early booking and regular antenatal care visits, with proper monitoring of blood pressure and urine protein. Prompt diagnosis and management are key in preventing the maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality that are associated with these disorders

Negotiation in strategy making teams : group support systems and the process of cognitive change

This paper reports on the use of a Group Support System (GSS) to explore at a micro level some of the processes manifested when a group is negotiating strategy-processes of social and psychological negotiation. It is based on data from a series of interventions with senior management teams of three operating companies comprising a multi-national organization, and with a joint meeting subsequently involving all of the previous participants. The meetings were concerned with negotiating a new strategy for the global organization. The research involved the analysis of detailed time series data logs that exist as a result of using a GSS that is a reflection of cognitive theory

Application of a novel molecular method to age free-living wild Bechstein's bats

The age profile of populations fundamentally affects their conservation status. Yet, age is frequently difficult to assess in wild animals. Here, we assessed the use of DNA methylation of homologous genes to establish the age structure of a rare and elusive wild mammal: the Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii). We collected 62 wing punches from individuals whose ages were known as a result of a long‐term banding study. DNA methylation was measured at seven CpG sites from three genes, which have previously shown age‐associated changes in humans and laboratory mice. All CpG sites from the tested genes showed a significant relationship between DNA methylation and age, both individually and in combination (multiple linear regression R2 = 0.58, p < 0.001). Despite slight approximation around estimates, the approach is sufficiently precise to place animals into practically useful age cohorts. This method is of considerable practical benefit as it can reliably age individual bats. It is also much faster than traditional capture–mark–recapture techniques, with the potential to collect information on the age structure of an entire colony from a single sampling session to better inform conservation actions for Bechstein's bats. By identifying three genes where DNA methylation correlates with age across distantly related species, this study also suggests that the technique can potentially be applied across a wide range of mammals

A Spectroscopic Study of the H-alpha Surface Brightness Profiles in the Outer Disks of Galaxies

The surface brightness profile of H-alpha emission in galaxies is generally thought to be confined by a sharp truncation, sometimes speculated to coincide with a star formation threshold. Over the past years, observational evidence for both old and young stellar populations, as well as individual H II regions, has demonstrated that the outer disk is an actively evolving part of a galaxy. To provide constraints on the origin of the aforementioned H-alpha truncation and the relation of H-alpha emission in the outer disk to the underlying stellar population, we measure the shape of the outer H-alpha surface brightness profile of 15 isolated, edge-on late-type disk galaxies using deep, long-slit spectroscopy. Tracing H-alpha emission up to 50% beyond the optical radius, R_25, we find a composite H-alpha surface brightness profile, well described by a broken-exponential law, that drops more steeply in the outer disk, but which is not truncated. The stellar continuum and H-alpha surface brightness both exhibit a break at ~0.7 R_25, but the H-alpha emission drops more steeply than the stellar continuum beyond that break. Although profiles with truncations or single exponential laws correctly describe the H-alpha surface brightness profiles of some individual galaxies, flexible broken-exponentials are required in most cases and are therefore the more appropriate generic description. The common existence of a significant second surface brightness component beyond the H-alpha break radius disfavors the hypothesis that this break is a purely stochastic effect.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

The Emergence and Development of Association Football: Influential Sociocultural Factors in Victorian Birmingham

This article explores the interdependent, complex sociocultural factors that facilitated the emergence and diffusion of football in Birmingham. The focus is the development of football in the city, against the backdrop of the numerous social changes in Victorian Birmingham. The aim is to fill a gap in the existing literature which seemingly overlooked Birmingham as a significant footballing centre, and the ‘ordinary and everyday’ aspects of the game’s early progression. Among other aspects, particular heed is paid to the working classes’ involvement in football, as previous literature has often focused on the middle classes and their influence on and participation in organized sport. As the agency of the working classes along with their mass participation and central role in the game’s development is unfolded, it is argued that far from being passive cultural beings, the working classes, from the beginnings, actively negotiated the development of their own emergent football culture