A Preference for a Sexual Signal Keeps Females Safe

Predation is generally thought to constrain sexual selection by female choice and limit the evolution of conspicuous sexual signals. Under high predation risk, females usually become less choosy, because they reduce their exposure to their predators by reducing the extent of their mate searching. However, predation need not weaken sexual selection if, under high predation risk, females exhibit stronger preferences for males that use conspicuous signals that help females avoid their predators. We tested this prediction in the fiddler crab Uca terpsichores by increasing females' perceived predation risk from crab-eating birds and measuring the attractiveness of a courtship signal that females use to find mates. The sexual signal is an arching mound of sand that males build at the openings of their burrows to which they attract females for mating. We found that the greater the risk, the more attractive were males with those structures. The benefits of mate preferences for sexual signals are usually thought to be linked to males' reproductive contributions to females or their young. Our study provides the first evidence that a female preference for a sexual signal can yield direct survival benefits by keeping females safe as they search for mates

Preparing veterinary students for extramural clinical placement training: issues identified and a possible solution

Catriona Bell – ORCID: 0000-0001-8501-1697 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8501-1697Item not available in this repository.Item previously deposited in the University of Edinburgh repository at: https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/fa503683-7a33-4bb5-bcd9-8850b1949d9dExtramural clinical placement training is an important part of many veterinary degree programs and provides students with valuable learning experiences in private practice, often focusing on the management of typical first-opinion cases. In the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has a mandatory requirement that students take 26 weeks of clinical placement or extramural studies (EMS) before graduation. However, if students are to maximize their learning opportunities during these placements, it is important that they be adequately prepared. In response to recent topical issues surrounding EMS in the United Kingdom, the current project undertook an iterative consultation process with key stakeholders, including students and placement providers, to identify key issues associated with students attending placements. These findings then informed the development and content of a computer-aided learning (CAL) package titled “The EMS Driving Licence” that aimed to improve the preparation of students for placements. The CAL package included sections covering the main identified areas of concern: Preparation (including what to take), Working With People (staff and clients), Professionalism (including confidentiality), Frequently Asked Questions (from students), and Top Tips (from practitioners). The CAL package was evaluated by students, and feedback was gathered by means of a questionnaire. Students recognized that the content addressed many of their concerns, and all reported that they would recommend the package to others. The CAL package has been made available to all UK veterinary schools and has received backing from the RCVS as part of their current recommendations on EMS to the UK veterinary profession.The development of the EMS Driving Licence was supported by a mini-project grant from the Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. The evaluation was supported by an Innovation Fund award from the Centre for Excellence in Professional Placement Learning, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.https://doi.org/10.3138/jvme.37.2.19037pubpub

Efficient Solar-vapor Generation in Hollow-mesoporous Plasmonic Nanoshells

Plasmonic nanostructures have shown great promise in solar thermal applications. Here we report highly efficient solar vapor generation using hollow-mesoporous plasmonic nanoshells, where the steam production is significantly enhanced by the extended active surface and the nearly neutral buoyancy. An energy-to-vapor conversion efficiency of 69% was measured under 10x solar irradiance. We also show clear evidence of direct vapor nucleation from the plasmonic structure without bulk heating

Hollow Mesoporous Plasmonic Nanoshells for Enhanced Solar Vapor Generation

In the past decade, nanomaterials have made their way into a variety of technologies in solar energy, enhancing the performance by taking advantage of the phenomena inherent to the nanoscale. Recent examples exploit plasmonic core/shell nanoparticles to achieve efficient direct steam generation, showing great promise of such nanoparticles as a useful material for solar applications. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel technique for fabricating bimetallic hollow mesoporous plasmonic nanoshells that yield a higher solar vapor generation rate compared with their solid-core counterparts. On the basis of a combination of nanomasking and incomplete galvanic replacement, the hollow plasmonic nanoshells can be fabricated with tunable absorption and minimized scattering. When exposed to sun light, each hollow nanoshell generates vapor bubbles simultaneously from the interior and exterior. The vapor nucleating from the interior expands and diffuses through the pores and combines with the bubbles formed on the outer wall. The lack of a solid core significantly accelerates the initial vapor nucleation and the overall steam generation dynamics. More importantly, because the density of the hollow porous nanoshells is essentially equal to the surrounding host medium these particles are much less prone to sedimentation, a problem that greatly limits the performance and implementation of standard nanoparticle dispersions