Inbreeding in reintroduced populations: the effects of early reintroduction history and contemporary processes

Maintaining genetic variation and minimizing inbreeding are central goals of conservation genetics. It is therefore crucial to understand the important population parameters that affect inbreeding, particularly in reintroduction programs. Using data from 41 reintroduced Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) populations we estimated inbreeding since the beginning of reintroductions using population-specific Fst, and inbreeding over the last few generations with contemporary effective population sizes. Total levels of inbreeding since reintroduction of ibex were, on average, close to that from one generation of half-sib mating. Contemporary effective population sizes did not reflect total inbreeding since reintroduction, but 16% of variation in contemporary effective population sizes among populations was due to variation in current population sizes. Substantial variation in inbreeding levels among populations was explained by founder group sizes and the harmonic mean population sizes since founding. This study emphasizes that, in addition to founder group sizes, early population growth rates are important parameters determining inbreeding levels in reintroduced population

Microsatellite-based genotyping of MHC class II DRB1 gene in Iberian and Alpine ibex

In an analysis of a microsatellite locus (OLADRB1) linked to the MHC DRB1 gene of Iberian and Alpine ibex (Capra pyrenaica and Capra ibex), we detected strong linkage disequilibrium between both loci. The allele length polymorphism at OLADRB1 was unambiguously linked to a particular DRB1 allele. This allowed us to develop a DRB-STR matching method for both ibex species. Validation of the DRB-STR matching method was performed in 160 Iberian ibex from Spain and 98 Alpine ibex from Switzerland and Italy. This simple and relatively inexpensive protocol may find wide applications in a variety of research areas (e.g., mate choice, pathogen-driven selection) and in the biological conservation and management of the Western European ibex population

Skewed morph ratios lead to lower genetic diversity of the heterostylous Primula veris in fragmented grasslands

Populations of heterostylous plant species are ideally composed of equal frequencies of two (distylous) or three (tristylous) morphologically different floral morphs. Intra-morph incompatibility helps to avoid inbreeding and to maintain genetic diversity, supporting plant fitness and long-term viability. Habitat fragmentation can lead to skewed morph ratios and thereby reduce the abundance of compatible mates. This, in turn, can result in a loss of genetic diversity. We tested whether the genetic diversity of heterostylous plants is affected by morph ratio bias using populations of the distylous grassland plant Primula veris in recently fragmented grasslands. We recorded morph frequencies and population sizes in 30 study populations of P. veris on two Estonian islands characterised by different degrees of habitat fragmentation. Examining variation of thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and heterostyly-specific genetic markers, we quantified overall and morph-specific genetic diversity and differentiation in these populations. Morph frequencies deviated more in smaller populations. Skewed morph ratios had a negative effect on the genetic diversity of P. veris in more fragmented grasslands. In the populations of better-connected grassland systems, genetic differentiation among S-morphs was higher than among L-morphs. Our study shows that deviations from morph balance are stronger in small populations and have a negative impact on the genetic diversity of the distylous plant P. veris. Together with the direct negative effects of habitat loss and decreased population size on the genetic diversity of plants, morph ratio bias may intensify the process of genetic erosion, thus exacerbating the local extinction of heterostylous species

Male reproductive pattern in a polygynous ungulate with a slow life-history: the role of age, social status and alternative mating tactics

According to life-history theory age-dependent investments into reproduction are thought to co-vary with survival and growth of animals. In polygynous species, in which size is an important determinant of reproductive success, male reproduction via alternative mating tactics at young age are consequently expected to be the less frequent in species with higher survival. We tested this hypothesis in male Alpine ibex (Capra ibex), a highly sexually dimorphic mountain ungulate whose males have been reported to exhibit extremely high adult survival rates. Using data from two offspring cohorts in a population in the Swiss Alps, the effects of age, dominance and mating tactic on the likelihood of paternity were inferred within a Bayesian framework. In accordance with our hypothesis, reproductive success in male Alpine ibex was heavily biased towards older, dominant males that monopolized access to receptive females by adopting the ‘tending' tactic, while success among young, subordinate males via the sneaking tactic ‘coursing' was in general low and rare. In addition, we detected a high reproductive skew in male Alpine ibex, suggesting a large opportunity for selection. Compared with other ungulates with higher mortality rates, reproduction among young male Alpine ibex was much lower and more sporadic. Consistent with that, further examinations on the species level indicated that in polygynous ungulates the significance of early reproduction appears to decrease with increasing survival. Overall, this study supports the theory that survival prospects of males modulate the investments into reproduction via alternative mating tactics early in life. In the case of male Alpine ibex, the results indicate that their life-history strategy targets for long life, slow and prolonged growth and late reproductio

Detection of isorhamnetin glycosides in extracts of apples (Malus domestica cv. ‘Brettacher’) by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-APCI-MSy MS.

Extracts of apple fruits (Malus domestica cv. "Brettacher") were analysed by HPLC with photodiode array detection. An unknown peak was monitored displaying the same retention time as isorhamnetin 3-Oglucoside. Preliminary identification of the isorhamnetin aglycone was performed by comparison of UV spectral data of the unknown compound with a reference substance. Using atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation mass spectrometry in the negative ion mode, the presence of an isorhamnetin glycoside was supported by loss of 162 amu from the pseudomolecular ion (m/z 477). MS 2 product ion analysis of the parent ion m/z 477 provided a fragmentation pattern identical to the reference. Collision-induced dissociation of the aglycone (m/z 315) in the MS 3 product ion analysis allowed the differentiation of rhamnetin and isorhamnetin, and unambiguous assignment by comparison with standard compounds. A second isorhamnetin glycoside eluting prior to the glucoside was tentatively identified as isorhamnetin 3-Ogalactoside. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of isorhamnetin glycosides in apple fruit extracts. Results are discussed with respect to chemotaxonomic relevance within the genera Malus and Pyrus, and especially in consideration of the control of the authenticity of apple products

Funding models in palliative care: lessons from international experience

Background:Funding models influence provision and development of palliative care services. As palliative care integrates into mainstream health care provision, opportunities to develop funding mechanisms arise. However, little has been reported on what funding models exist or how we can learn from them.Aim:To assess national models and methods for financing and reimbursing palliative care.Design:Initial literature scoping yielded limited evidence on the subject as national policy documents are difficult to identify, access and interpret. We undertook expert consultations to appraise national models of palliative care financing in England, Germany, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States and Wales. These represent different levels of service development and a variety of funding mechanisms.Results:Funding mechanisms reflect country-specific context and local variations in care provision. Patterns emerging include the following:Provider payment is rarely linked to population need and often perpetuates existing inequitable patterns in service provision.Funding is frequently characterised as a mixed system of charitable, public and private payers.The basis on which providers are paid for services rarely reflects individual care input or patient needs.Conclusion:Funding mechanisms need to be well understood and used with caution to ensure best practice and minimise perverse incentives. Before we can conduct cross-national comparisons of costs and impact of palliative care, we need to understand the funding and policy context for palliative care in each country of interest

Digitising and participation in education. An outline of the thematic field and explication of methods applied in the presented research syntheses

Der Beitrag führt in das Themenfeld "Teilhabe und soziales Lernen in der digitalen Bildung" ein und legt zunächst dar, wie sich die Forschung hierzu entwickelt hat und welche (Teil-)Fragestellungen im Fokus der Forschung stehen. Zu letzteren zählt gleichermaßen die Beschäftigung mit den Potenzialen digitaler Medien für mehr gesellschaftliche Teilhabe und mit den Risiken, bestimmte Bevölkerungsgruppen nicht oder aus Bildungssicht unzulänglich zu erreichen. Ebenso werden auch praxisnahe Anwendungen vorgestellt, die in regionalen, nationalen oder EU-weiten Kontexten die Zielsetzung verfolgen, digitale Teilhabe bei gesellschaftlichen Gruppen mit besonderen Bedarfen zu ermöglichen und auszubauen und somit eine differenzierte Nutzung digitaler Medien in den Blick nehmen. Anschließend erläutert das Kapitel die Methodik, die den Forschungssynthesen in diesem Band zu Grunde liegt. Dabei wird sowohl in das Format Critical Review als auch in die verschiedenen Arbeitsprozesse der Reviewerstellung eingeführt. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit erfährt die für die Forschungssynthesen entwickelte Recherchestrategie, die angepasst an die jeweiligen Ausgangslagen in den Bildungsbereichen (Bildung in Kindheit, Jugend und Familie; Schule; Lehrkräftebildung; Berufliche Bildung; Erwachsenen- und Weiterbildung) in einem mehrstufigen Verfahren ausgearbeitet und umgesetzt wurde. Die Trefferzahlen der Literaturrecherche bewegen sich für die einzelnen Bildungsbereiche zwischen 2491 und 4134 Titeln, von denen jeweils zwischen 19 und 35 Studien in die Forschungssynthesen aufgenommen wurden. (DIPF/Orig.)This article introduces the topic of "participation and social learning in digital education" and first describes how research on this topic has developed and which (sub-)questions are in the focus of research. The latter includes both the potential of digital media for more social participation and the risks of not reaching certain population groups or reaching them inadequately from an educational perspective. The chapter also presents practical applications that aim to enable and expand digital participation among groups with special needs in regional, national or EU-wide contexts and thus focus on the differentiated use of digital media. The chapter then explains the methodology underlying the research syntheses in this volume. It introduces both the critical review format and the various work processes involved in producing a review. Special attention is paid to the research strategy developed for the research syntheses, which was implemented in a multistage procedure adapted to the respective situations in the educational sectors (education in childhood, youth and family; school; teacher education; vocational education; adult and continuing education). The number of hits from the literature search ranged between 2491 and 4134 titles for each educational area, of which between 19 and 35 were included in each of the research syntheses. (DIPF/Orig.

Literary-theoretical Transformations of Social Models

This study investigates transformations of classical antiquity oikonomia and chrematistics from the Middle Ages to the present-day.From an ancient- historical, philosophical, literary and cultural-science perspective, it reconstructs exemplary acquisitions and reinterpretations of economic knowledge. The study argues that the modern economy has benefited from transformation relationships with the oikonomia of classical antiquity, which exhibit no unambiguously economic, efficient and profit-maximising character. For this reason, in addition to actual historical aspects, our interest also includes issues relating to the poetology of economic knowledge, the metaphorology and scenaristics of the house, the theoretical, narrative and literary representation economies and the promotion of ‘economy’ to an ordering category per se