Tree diversity enhances predation by birds but not by arthropods across climate gradients

Tree diversity can promote both predator abundance and diversity. However, whether this translates into increased predation and top-down control of herbivores across predator taxonomic groups and contrasting environmental conditions remains unresolved. We used a global network of tree diversity experiments (TreeDivNet) spread across three continents and three biomes to test the effects of tree species richness on predation across varying climatic conditions of temperature and precipitation. We recorded bird and arthropod predation attempts on plasticine caterpillars in monocultures and tree species mixtures. Both tree species richness and temperature increased predation by birds but not by arthropods. Furthermore, the effects of tree species richness on predation were consistent across the studied climatic gradient. Our findings provide evidence that tree diversity strengthens top-down control of insect herbivores by birds, underscoring the need to implement conservation strategies that safeguard tree diversity to sustain ecosystem services provided by natural enemies in forests

The effect of willow diversity on insect herbivory and predation

The relationship between plant diversity and ecosystems functions such as regulation of insect herbivory is complex and context-dependent. The empirical data necessary to account for these interactions are scarce. Our objective is to test the top-down effects of predation and bottom-up effects of plant traits to understand what drives patterns of herbivory in managed systems. We established single- and multiple-variety willow field plots with up to four varieties, to study herbivory and predation, and greenhouse experiments to investigate the effects on insect preference and performance. Herbivore damage in the field was higher in single- as opposed to multiple-variety plots for the two most prevalent insect types in one of the 3 years. Predation was higher in multiple-variety plots than in pure plots during 2016 but the opposite occurred in 2018. Predation on leaf beetle eggs was higher in multiple-variety plots, but the result was related to specific variety mixtures rather than increased numbers of varieties. Leaf beetle feeding choice and egg-laying were influenced to some extent by plant diversity. Our results give insights into the links between plant diversity, composition and levels of herbivore damage. They also spark questions about how temporal aspects influence these links

Black men’s desistance: the racialisation of crime/criminal justice systems and its impacts on the desistance process

Desistance is increasingly conceptualised as a theoretical construct which is used to explain how offenders orient themselves away from committing crimes. Previous studies suggest that successful desistance occurs due to one or a number of factors. These factors include things such as: becoming a father and thereby recognising one’s responsibilities to others (Maruna, 2011); faith based conversion that can give one’s life meaning and purpose (Giordano et al, 2002); employment that can improve self-esteem, offer legitimate financial gain and enable development of a stronger sense of one’s ‘social capital’ (Maruna, 2011), on account of psychosocial processes (Healey 2010), personal and social circumstances which are space and place specific (Flynn, 2010), vary by ethnicity (Calverley, (2013). Whereas (Giordano, 2002) examines the gendered nature of desistance, to date there has been little work undertaken to examine the racialisation of crime and criminal justice systems and its impact on the desistance process. ‘Racialisation’ draws attention to the process of making ‘race’ relevant to a particular situation or context, such as criminal justice systems, (Garner, 2009). A key theoretical framework employed throughout this research is Critical Race Theory (CRT) that has been widely applied to law (Delgado and Stefanic, 2005); education, (Ladson-Billings 1995); and more recently sport (Hylton, 2005). This thesis used CRT as the analytical framework and developed a ‘counter narrative’ for the racialised voices of black men in relation to their perceptions of the desistance process. Drawing upon data from thirty one interviews with black men in the community from Birmingham, black men in the Therapeutic Community (TC) at HMP Grendon, and black men from the city of Baltimore (USA) this thesis explores how those perceptions of the racialisation of crime/criminal justice systems impacts on the desistance process for black men. This thesis concludes by arguing that to understand black men’s desistance, the interrogation of race, gender, and other identity categories should not to be treated as separate entities, as that position denies the complexities of multiple identities in relation to black men’s own understandings and insights into the desistance process

ReGAE 5: Can we improve the surgical journey for African-Caribbean patients undergoing glaucoma filtration surgery? Some preliminary findings

Vinette Cross, Peter Shah, Martin Glynn, Shivani ChidrawarCentre for Health and Social Care Improvement, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United KingdomAim: To explore the experiences of African-Caribbean patients who had undergone filtration surgery for advanced glaucoma.Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were used to collect the data and an interview guide was developed. Participants recounted when they first became aware of a problem with their eyes and their feelings at the time. Subsequently they were probed about their subjective experiences of becoming a glaucoma patient, receiving treatment, the decision to undergo surgery, and its aftermath. The perceptions of three participants from three different generations of African-Caribbean men were selected from the larger study for presentation in this paper. Interview transcripts were subjected to narrative analysis.Results: The concept of patient-partnership was re-framed in terms of mentorship. Surgeon–patient relationships are central to developing effective coping strategies. Support to face the ordeals ahead, challenge to take on new responsibilities, and help to envision a meaningful life with glaucoma are fundamental to fostering trust and maintaining motivation to continue.Conclusions: The use of patient narratives provides a valuable a resource for enhancing communication skills and patient-centered care in the hospital eye service.Keywords: glaucoma, secondary eye-care, African-Caribbean, filtration surgery, trabeculectom

Evaluating potential open source applications : a case study of the network attached storage industry

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (p. 72).The open source model for software development has been established as a legitimate competitor to the largest closed source software firms in the world. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the potential impact that the open source model can have with in the information storage industry. The existing literature regarding open source is reviewed and used as a framework for analysis of the storage industry. Additional analysis of the FreeNAS open source storage project is also conducted using the framework to provide context. The research concludes that the information storage industry meets many of the criteria that have been shown to drive adoption of open source software. Some speculation is made regarding the manner in which open source will continue to expand within the storage industry.by Martin Glynn.S.M

An investigation into the underlying genetic determinates in obesity using the candidate-gene association approach and microarray technology

Introduction: (1) Ghrelin is a peptide and has been suggested involved in energy metabolism. (2) Physical activity plays an important role in the regulation of body fat. Generally, the body composition of obese people tend to be resistant to negative energy balance. Little is known, however, with respect to the molecular mechanism and basis underlying the differences of responsiveness between obese and non-obese humans. Methods: This study consists of two parts: ( 1) Genetic association of 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ghrelin precursor gene (GHRL) with obesity phenotypes in the NL population ( 1182 subjects); (2) A global gene expression study of abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (ASAT) and comparison between lean and obese young men (10 subjects) in response to a 7-day aerobic exercise protocol using whole genome mRNA microarrays. Results: No significant association of any of the variant sites and body compositions or serum lipids was found in allele, genotype and haplotype analyses. In microarray experiment, the discoveries include, and to our knowledge the first time reported the differential regulations: 1) 6 inflammatory-related genes (SMPD3, CERK, ASAH2, ST3GAL5, ILJRIJ, and AGTRJ) within obese ASAT; 2) the genes in the lipolytic pathway (PRKACA, SLC27A6, ADCY6, ADCYAPJ, PPPJCB, DGAT2, and VLDLR); 3) the genes in the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) pathway (PTPNJJ, PTPRD, and PTPN3) related to insulin sensitivity; 4) PPARA and PPRCJ that may favourably control energy metabolism in lean individuals, while not in obese. Conclusion: ( 1) The SNPs investigated within GHRL were not significantly associated with the variations of body composition and lipids in the NL population; (2) The genome-wide mRNA microarray expression study revealed many major differences of ASA T between obese and nonobese at the molecular level, with respect to the regulation of inflammation, lipolysis and insulin sensitivity

Properties of the limit shape for some last passage growth models in random environments

We study directed last passage percolation on the first quadrant of the planar square lattice whose weights have general distributions, or equivalently, ./G/1 queues in series. The service time distributions of the servers vary randomly which constitutes a random environment for the model. Equivalently, each row of the last passage model has its own randomly chosen weight distribution. We investigate the limiting time constant close to the boundary of the quadrant. Close to the y-axis, where the number of random distributions averaged over stays large, the limiting time constant takes the same universal form as in the homogeneous model. But close to the x-axis we see the effect of the tail of the distribution of the random means attached to the rows.Comment: 24 pages, this paper has been accepted for publication in Stochastic Processes and their Application

Purification and Identification of a 7.6-kDa Protein in Media Conditioned by Superinvasive Cancer Cells

Background: Selection of the human drug sensitive and invasive cell line (MDA-MB-435S-F) with the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel, resulted in the development of drug resistant cell lines displaying enhanced invasion-related characteristics. Materials and Methods: Serum-free conditioned media from the human cancer drug-sensitive and invasive cell line (MDA-MB-435S-F) and its paclitaxel-resistant superinvasive variant (MDA-MB-435S-F/Taxol10p4pSI) were analyzed using Surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS). Results: A differentially expressed protein was observed at 7.6 kDa, which was 4-fold upregulated in MDA-MB-435S-F/Taxol10p4pSI. The differentially expressed protein was identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS), as a fragment of bovine transferrin. The transferrin receptor was also found to be overexpressed in the superinvasive cell line. Conclusion: Cleavage of serum proteins such as transferrin could provide a valuable source of markers for malignant tumours and could also play a role in aspects of cancer pathogenesis, such as tumour cachexia