On the behaviour and ecology of the Black-tailed Godwit

Migration: The large variation in the migration of godwits is mostly the result of consistent differences between individuals. These differences are large compared to other migratory bird species. The survival of godwits during migration is also higher compared to other bird species. The mortality that does occur on migration is mostly the result of adverse wind conditions during northward Sahara crossings.The considerable variation in the migration of godwits might therefore result from an absence of a consistent selection pressure during migration. The consistent differences among individuals develop during multiple years of life. A translocation experiment to Poland with naïve juveniles from The Netherlands showed that the development of their migratory direction and wintering location was not merely inherited. Polish individuals are less consistent in their migration than those from The Netherlands. This might be because there is less canalization through social factors in the lower density Polish population. Population: Godwits are monogamous, but do sometimes lay eggs in the nests of other godwits. Individuals lay similarly sized eggs every year. Our traditional observation methods often fail to capture the first nest and the renests of individual godwits. This observational bias has led to biased estimates in the past. Even though the sex ratio at hatch is equal, higher survival of male chicks and adults leads to a surplus of males. Sexual dimorphism develops during the chick phase in godwits and needs to be accounted for when evaluating the condition of chicks

Werkdruk, zingeving en burn-out bij predikanten in orthodox-gereformeerde kerken

research articleIn deze studie is bij drie kleinere orthodox gereformeerde kerkgenootschappen onderzoek gedaan naar burn-outverschijnselen onder predikanten in relatie tot werkdruk en existentiële zingeving. Van de 480 aangeschreven predikanten stuurden 280 een ingevuld formulier terug. Daarin waren opgenomen een itemlijst over werkdruk, de Existentieschaal over zingeving, ontwikkeld door leerlingen van V.E. Frankl, en de Utrechtse Burnoutschaal, aangepast voor predikanten. De respondenten bleken gemiddeld hoger te scoren op werkdruk en op alle drie dimensies van burn-out dan collega’s uit andere kerkgenootschappen in eerdere onderzoeken. De scores op werkdruk en op burn-out correleerden vrij hoog tot hoog met de scores op existentiële zingeving, in die zin dat hogere scores op de zingevingdimensies samenhingen met lagere scores op ervaren werkdruk en burn-out. De conclusie was, dat (gebrek aan) existentiële zingeving een belangrijke determinant van burn-out is, die tot op heden ten onrechte is verwaarloosd. In de preventie kan existentiële zingeving een zinvol en bruikbaar aanknopingspunt zijn voor gezondheidspsychologische interventies. Ten slotte zijn enkele aanbevelingen gedaan voor verder onderzoek

Feelings of Existential Fulfilment and Burnout Among Secondary School Teachers

Abstract Teacher burnout is recognized as a serious problem. In research it has been related to many person-specific variables; one of these, the variable of existential fulfilment, has received very little attention thus far. The present study focuses on the relationship between existential fulfilment and burnout among secondary school teachers in the Netherlands (N = 504). Existential fulfilment was made operational by means of the Existential Fulfilment Scale, which distinguishes between three dimensions: self-acceptance, self-actualization, and self-transcendence. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed a three-dimensional construct with interdependent dimensions. Burnout was measured by the Dutch version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory for teachers. Negative relationships between the existential fulfilment dimensions on the one hand and the burnout dimensions exhaustion and cynicism on the other were hypothesized, as well as positive relationships between the existential fulfilment dimensions and the burnout dimension professional efficacy. The hypotheses were confirmed, except for the relationships between self-transcendence and exhaustion and self-transcendence and cynicism, which appeared not to be significant. The inquiry demonstrated the importance of existential fulfilment for the prevalence and prevention of burnout among teachers. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications for future research

Conceptualization, Construction and Validation of the Existential Fulfilment Scale

research articleThis study presents the development and validation of the Existential Fulfilment Scale. Following Frankl’s concepts of life meaning and existential vacuum, the authors elaborate the construct of existential fulfilment. Three basic attitudes are distinguished, viz. selfacceptance, self-actualization, and self-transcendence, all of which deal with overcoming the conflicts caused by the human existential boundaries. A new scale has been developed out of Längle’s Existence Scale, the Existential Fulfilment Scale. Its advantage is that it distinguishes psychologically unhealthy, self-alienating purposes in life from healthy ones. Well-known measures such as Purpose in Life Test, Life Regard Inventory, and Sense of Coherence, fail to do so. The Existential Fulfilment Scale has been tested among 812 Dutch individuals. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis make clear that the three basic attitudes of existential fulfilment should be interpreted as distinct dimensions

Broadening the scope of the Flavin-tag method by improving flavin incorporation and incorporating flavin analogs

Methods for facile site‐selective modifications of proteins are in high demand. We have recently shown that a flavin transferase can be used for site‐specific covalent attachment of a chromo‐ and fluorogenic flavin (FMN) to any targeted protein. Although this Flavin‐tag method resulted in efficient labeling of proteins in vitro, labelling in E. coli cells resulted in partial flavin incorporation. It was also restricted in the type of installed label with only one type of flavin, FMN, being incorporated. Here, we report on an extension of the Flavin‐tag method that addresses previous limitations. We demonstrate that co‐expression of FAD synthetase improves the flavin incorporation efficiency, allowing complete flavin‐labeling of a target protein in E. coli cells. Furthermore, we have found that various flavin derivatives and even a nicotinamide can be covalently attached to a target protein, rendering this method even more versatile and valuable

Grote aantallen Drieteenstrandlopers uit allerlei windstreken bij Griend, nazomer 2011

De wadplaten van de Waddenzee zijn van groot belang voor trekkende steltlopers. Ze tanken er bij op weg naar de broedgebieden in het voorjaar en de overwinteringslocaties in het najaar (o.a. Boere 1977, van de Kam et al. 1999, Reneerkens et al. 2005). Sommige soorten steltlopers die door de Waddenzee trekken, zoals Kanoeten Calidris canutus en Rosse Grutto’s Limosa lapponica, overwinteren massaal in slechts enkele gebieden: de Banc d’Arguin in Mauritanië en de Bíjagos archipel in Guinee-Bissau. In contrast daarmee strekt het overwinteringsgebied van Drieteenstrandlopers Calidris alba, Steenlopers Arenaria interpres en Bontbekplevieren Charadrius hiaticula zich uit langs de hele kust van West-Europa en de westkust van Afrika (Delany et al. 2009). Maar waar komen de in de Waddenzee doortrekkende Drieteenstrandlopers vandaan en waar gaan ze naar toe? De afgelopen jaren zijn veel Drieteenstrandlopers op allerlei locaties langs de Oost-Atlantische trekroute individueel herkenbaar gemaakt met behulp van kleurringen (Reneerkens et al. 2009a). Hierdoor konden we inzicht verkrijgen in de herkomst en bestemming van de Drieteenstrandlopers die in de nazomer van 2011 rond het eiland Griend in de centrale Nederlandse Waddenzee pleisterden. Daarnaast konden we op basis van de fractie gekleurringde vogels een schatting maken van het aanwezige aantal