Managing investment in teaching and learning technologies

Information and communications technologies are radically changing the way that teaching and learning activities are organised and delivered within HE institutions. A wide range of technologies is being deployed in quite complex and interactive ways, including virtual learning environments (VLEs), mobile communication technologies, digital libraries and on-line resources. A key challenge for university leaders is to maximise the benefits derived from these investments for all institutional stakeholders (not just teachers and learners), while at the same time minimising cost and risk (Ford et al, 1996). This requires not only co-ordinated strategies for change management but also new approaches to decision-making and to the evaluation of changes resulting from these decisions

Conodontes et coraux de la patie supérieure du Frasnien dans la tranchée du chemin de fer de Neuville (Massif de Philippeville, Belgique)

The railway cutting at Neuville (« Massif de Philippeville >», Belgium) has uncovered beds of upper Frasnian age belonging to the Ancyrognathus triangularis and Palmatolepis gigas Zones. They also contain representatives of the genera Phillipsastrea D'ORBIGNY, A., 1849 et Iowaphyllum STUMM, E.C., 1949, of which the interesting stratigraphic distribution is stressed in comparison with the one of contemporary deposits from the Massif de la Vesdre

Neural Representations of Courtship Song in the Drosophila Brain

Acoustic communication in drosophilid flies is based on the production and perception of courtship songs, which facilitate mating. Despite decades of research on courtship songs and behavior in Drosophila, central auditory responses have remained uncharacterized. In this study, we report on intracellular recordings from central neurons that innervate the Drosophila antennal mechanosensory and motor center (AMMC), the first relay for auditory information in the fly brain. These neurons produce graded-potential (nonspiking) responses to sound; we compare recordings from AMMC neurons to extracellular recordings of the receptor neuron population [Johnston's organ neurons (JONs)]. We discover that, while steady-state response profiles for tonal and broadband stimuli are significantly transformed between the JON population in the antenna and AMMC neurons in the brain, transient responses to pulses present in natural stimuli (courtship song) are not. For pulse stimuli in particular, AMMC neurons simply low-pass filter the receptor population response, thus preserving low-frequency temporal features (such as the spacing of song pulses) for analysis by postsynaptic neurons. We also compare responses in two closely related Drosophila species, Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans, and find that pulse song responses are largely similar, despite differences in the spectral content of their songs. Our recordings inform how downstream circuits may read out behaviorally relevant information from central neurons in the AMMC

Reassignment to the Middle Devonian of some rugose corals investigated by LE MAÎTRE (1934) in the Chalonnes Formation from the Southeastern Armorican Massif (France)

Nine taxa of rugose corals collected by LEMAÎTRE (1934) and coming from the Chalonnes Formation of the Southeastern Armorican Massif in France have been revised. They belong to the genera Stringophyllum WEDEKIND, 1922, Sociophyllum BIRENHEIDE, 1962, Acanthophyllum DYBOWSKI, 1873, Beugniesastraea COEN-AUBERT, 1989 and Fasciphyllum SCHLÜTER, 1885. Among this material, Stringophyllum acanthicum (FRECH, 1885), Sociophyllum elongatum (SCHLÜTER, 1881), Acanthophyllum vermiculare (GOLDFUSS, 1826) and A. tortum (TSIEN, 1969) occur close to the Eifelian-Givetian boundary, on the south side of the Dinant Synclinorium in Belgium. Moreover, the first three species have been defined in the Middle Devonian of the Eifel Hills in Germany and they are observed in the Late Eifelian and the Early Givetian of this area. For comparison, A. heterophyllum (MILNE-EDWARDS & HAIME, 1851) and Sociophyllum cf. elongatum sampled by LE MAÎTRE (1934) in the Late Emsian Valet Formation from the Southeastern Armorican Massif have also been investigated. The Belgian material of Stringophyllum acanthicum is included in the systematic description of this taxon

New species of <i>Frechastraea</i> Scrutton, 1968 at the base of the Late Frasnian in Belgium

Frechastraea coeni n. sp. is widely distributed at the base of the Late Frasnian from the Philippeville Massif, the north side of the Dinant Synclinorium, the south side of the Namur Synclinorium and the Vesdre Massif. It occurs within the Early Palmatolepis rhenana conodont Zone and is locally associated with F. glabra n. sp. and F. phillipsastraeiformis (Moenke, 1954). However, F. phillipsastraeiformis, which is also described in this paper, may be already present at the top of the Middle Frasnian from the Philippeville Massif and the south side of the Dinant Synclinorium

Nouvelles sous-espèces de Phillipsastrea hennahi (LONSDALE, W., 1840) dans le Frasnien supérieur de la Belgique

Phillipsastrea hennahi falsa n. subsp. is described from nodular limestones of late Frasnian age in the Philippeville and Visé Massifs. P. hennahi ranciae n. subsp. is described from two bioherms ("red marble" reefs) of the uppermost Frasnian at Rance. The two new subspecies are associated with Frechaslraea pemagona minima (ROZKOWSKA, M., 1953)

Fasciculate Disphyllids (Rugosa) from the Early Givetian Trois-Fontaines Formation in Belgium

Disphyllum caespitosum (GOLDFUSS, 1826), which is the type species of Disphyllum DE FROMENTEL, 1861, D. oekentorpi n. sp. and Coenophyllum groessensi n. gen., n. sp., which is the type species of Coenophyllum n. gen., are described in detail and come from the Early Givetian Trois-Fontaines Formation, on the south side of the Dinant Synclinorium. Both genera are representatives of the family Disphyllidae HILL, 1939. Disphyllum oekentorpi is widely distributed in the upper part of the Trois-Fontaines Formation; it is found at the same level as Argutastrea quadrigemina (GOLDFUSS, 1826) and is locally associated in Hotton with Coenophyllum groessensi. Disphyllum caespitosum has only been collected at the locality of Pondrôme to the east of Givet. In the more eastern area of Marenne and Ménil-Favay, the lower part of the Trois-Fontaines Formation is partly composed of silty limestones; however, these detrital deposits have not been observed in the nearby section of Hotton. As a whole, the Trois-Fontaines Formation belongs to the Polygnathus hemiansatus conodont Zone

Rugueux coloniaux mésodévoniens du Fondry des Chiens à Nismes (Ardenne, Belgique)

The stromatoporoid reef limestone that outcrops in the Fondry des Chiens at Nismes, reaches a thickness of 70 metres and is assigned to the base of the Givetian, by conodonts. It contains rare colonies of Nemphyma dalcqae n. sp. and Fasciphyllum katranicum (GORIANOV, 1968). F. conglomeratum (SCHLÜTER, 1881), type species of Fasciphyllum SCHLÜTER, 1885 has been collected from the Upper Eifelian and the Lower Givetian of Wellin. The relations between the genera Fasciphyllum and Battersbyia MILNE-EDWARDS & HAIME, 1851 are also investigated

Deuxième note sur les Rugueux coloniaux de l’Eifelien supérieur et de la base du Givetien à Wellin (bord sud du Bassin de Dinant, Belgique)

The following species are described herein: _Neomphyma delicata n. sp. and Lyrielasma mutabilis (TSYGANKO,1977) from the Upper Eifelian; _Thamnophyllum schouppei SCRUTTON, 1968 from the top of theEifelian; _Centristela fasciculata TSYGANKO, 1967, Beugniesastraea conili n.sp., Columnaria intermedia n. sp., Neomphyma delicata and Lyrielasmasp. A from the base of the Givetian. Moreover, the correlations between the sections of Wellin and Resteigneemphasize the diachronism present at the base of the Givet Limestone