‘O sibling, where art thou?’ – a review of avian sibling recognition with respect to the mammalian literature

Avian literature on sibling recognition is rare compared to that developed by mammalian researchers. We compare avian and mammalian research on sibling recognition to identify why avian work is rare, how approaches differ and what avian and mammalian researchers can learn from each other. Three factors: (1) biological differences between birds and mammals, (2) conceptual biases and (3) practical constraints, appear to influence our current understanding. Avian research focuses on colonial species because sibling recognition is considered adaptive where ‘mixing potential’ of dependent young is high; research on a wider range of species, breeding systems and ecological conditions is now needed. Studies of acoustic recognition cues dominate avian literature; other types of cues (e.g. visual, olfactory) deserve further attention. The effect of gender on avian sibling recognition has yet to be investigated; mammalian work shows that gender can have important influences. Most importantly, many researchers assume that birds recognise siblings through ‘direct familiarisation’ (commonly known as associative learning or familiarity); future experiments should also incorporate tests for ‘indirect familiarisation’ (commonly known as phenotype matching). If direct familiarisation proves crucial, avian research should investigate how periods of separation influence sibling discrimination. Mammalian researchers typically interpret sibling recognition in broad functional terms (nepotism, optimal outbreeding); some avian researchers more successfully identify specific and testable adaptive explanations, with greater relevance to natural contexts. We end by reporting exciting discoveries from recent studies of avian sibling recognition that inspire further interest in this topic

Customer emotions in service failure and recovery encounters

Emotions play a significant role in the workplace, and considerable attention has been given to the study of employee emotions. Customers also play a central function in organizations, but much less is known about customer emotions. This chapter reviews the growing literature on customer emotions in employee–customer interfaces with a focus on service failure and recovery encounters, where emotions are heightened. It highlights emerging themes and key findings, addresses the measurement, modeling, and management of customer emotions, and identifies future research streams. Attention is given to emotional contagion, relationships between affective and cognitive processes, customer anger, customer rage, and individual differences

Copper mineralisation near Middleton Tyas, North Yorkshire

Historical accounts of copper mining near Middleton Tyas in the 18th century show that small tonnages of very rich ore were dug from veins, flats or irregular cavities in the Underset Limestone. The mineralisation probably originated from metalliferous brines migrating from the Stainmore Trough or a similar Lower Carboniferous sedimentary basin to the east. The possibility that the mineralisation was syngenetic has been investigated but is now discounted; similarly, boreholes through the local Permian succession to test whether a Kupferschiefer facies of the Marl Slate is present locally, gave negative results. The primary copper sulphides were subsequently enhanced in grade by supergene enrichment under arid conditions during early Permian times. Much of the outcrop of the Main and Underset limestones within the Middleton Tyas anticline is heavily drift-covered. Anomalous copper values in soils have been found over about 6 sq km, but it is not known whether these are due to ice dispersion or whether they mark hidden copper deposits. An IP survey in the area was hampered by the presence of strong artificial conductors

Geology of the Devizes district : sheet description for the British Geological Survey 1:50 000 Series Sheet 282 (England and Wales)

This Sheet Description provides a summary of the geology for the area of 1:50 000 Sheet 282 Devizes. The Devizes district extends over approximately 600 km2 of north-east Wiltshire, covering much of Salisbury Plain in the south and most of the Vale of Pewsey in the north. Jurassic, Cretaceous and Palaeogene strata crop out at surface and Quaternary deposits include alluvium, peat, river terraces and head. A full account of the stratigraphy is given in this report, based on recent mapping and also drawing from an extensive archive and previous publications. Concealed strata that have been proved in deep boreholes are also included in the description. The Oxford Clay Formation and the Corallian Group, of Jurassic age, crop out in the extreme north-west of the district, beyond a major fault. The uppermost part of the Jurassic; the Kimmeridge Clay formation, Portland and Purbeck groups, crop out in the north-west near Devizes. However, Cretaceous rocks underlie most of the district: the Weald Clay, Lower Greensand, Gault and Upper Greensand formations of the Lower Cretaceous and the Grey Chalk and White Chalk subgroups of the Upper Cretaceous. Palaeogene strata are rare, preserved only as a single isolated outlier capping Sidbury Hill, near Tidworth. T he Quaternary deposits are described in relation to their mode of origin and they include the residual deposits, fluvial and organic deposits, and artificial ground. A section is devoted to applied geological issues such as geotechnical factors that should be taken into consideration in any land development, for example, landsliding has affected the Upper Greensand escarpment in the north-west of the district. The chalk is a major aquifer in the district and an account of its hydrogeology is given. Other resources described include sand and gravel, building stones and brick clays. The Information Sources lists all the BGS publications relevant to the district and gives information on how to gain access to BGS collections and databases, including borehole records, geophysical, geochemical and geotechnical data

Benzodiazepines: Risks and benefits. A reconsideration

Over the last decade there have been further developments in our knowledge of the risks and benefits of benzodiazepines, and of the risks and benefits of alternatives to benzodiazepines. Representatives drawn from the Psychopharmacology Special Interest Group of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the British Association for Psychopharmacology together examined these developments, and have provided this joint statement with recommendationsfor clinical practice. The working group was mindful of widespread concerns about benzodiazepines and related anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs. The group believes that whenever benzodiazepines are prescribed, the potential for dependence or other harmful effects must be considered. However, the group also believes that the risks of dependence associated with long-term use should be balanced against the benefits that in many cases follow from the short or intermittent use of benzodiazepines and the risk of the underlying conditions for which treatment is being provided