Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and inorganic elements in predatory bird livers and eggs 2007 to 2009: a Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS) Report

The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS; http://pbms.ceh.ac.uk/) is the umbrella project that encompasses the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology’s National Capability contaminant monitoring and surveillance work on avian predators. By monitoring sentinel vertebrate species, the PBMS aims to detect and quantify current and emerging chemical threats to the environment and in particular to vertebrate wildlife. Sparrowhawk livers were analysed for a range of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals. Sparrowhawks are studied because they have a wide distribution across the Britain and can be used as a sentinel species for the terrestrial environment. Mean PCB and mercury liver concentrations were below those thought to have an adverse effect on individual birds. Pollutants, such as mercury and PCBs, can affect development and hatchability. Therefore, the PBMS also monitors the levels of contaminants in the eggs of a range of species including those of conservation concern, such as golden eagle and the re-introduced white-tailed sea eagle. Other species that are monitored are the northern gannet, which is used as a monitor of the marine environment, and merlin that hunts in upland habitats. The residues measured in the eggs of golden eagle and gannets collected between 2007 and 2009 were below those thought to have an adverse effect, but some residues in individual merlin eggs were above concentrations suggested to be indicative of no effect concentrations for birds generally. Few white-tailed see eagle eggs are received for analysis by the PBMS but many of the eggs that have been analysed, including one of the eggs analysed for this report, have DDE, PCB and/or mercury concentrations above levels associated with adverse effects on bird embryos and hatching success. In terms of long-term trends, there has been a decline in congener sum PCB contamination in the eggs of most of the species that have been monitored, except for coastal nesting golden eagles. In contrast however, there has been no significant decline over time in PCB concentrations in sparrowhawk livers and concentrations of ‘Paris 10’ congener sum and PCB-TEQ concentrations have also largely remained unchanged in both livers and eggs since monitoring began in 1996. Evidence for changes over time in mercury concentrations in predatory birds or their eggs is inconsistent across the species monitored. Where a decline has been detected, it has occurred before approximately 1990 and remained largely unchanged since then

Elite football player engagement with performance analysis

Despite the wide spread employment of Performance Analysis (PA) within the football coaching process to enhance augmented feedback, until recently little consideration has been given to the context in which PA delivery takes place at elite levels and subsequently impacts on players receiving such information. The aim of this investigation was to explore players’ preferred engagement with the PA approach. Comparisons were also drawn between Senior and Academy players. Method: A two phase methodology was employed. 48 male footballers from three English Championship football clubs completed an online questionnaire. Following this 22 players were selected using an opportunistic sample to complete a semi-structured interview. Results/ Discussion: In total, the hierarchical content analysis identified 26 higher order themes and 103 lower order themes. Three key themes emerged and were explored within the discussion: (1) the level of debate and player interaction differed greatly during video feedback sessions, (2) the use of video analysis is central to player self-reflection but the level of engagement with self-reflection varied across players, (3) the majority of players preferred some delay (between 24 and 48 hours) before receiving video feedback. Chi-square statistical analysis identified no meaningful differences in the responses between Senior and Academy players and as a result only descriptive findings were reported. These factors have provided further insight into the practical contexts in which PA is used and perceived by elite players. The most eminent findings have potential implications for coach and analyst education. Further contemplation should be given to the level of interaction during PA feedback as a result of the willingness and ability of a coach to engage a player in discussion regarding their performance and PA use within the player self-reflection process

Prikaz knjige: Zorislav Kaleb - Djelovanje kaznene presude na parnični postupak /Vizura, Zagreb, 2008./

Nedavno je u izdanju nakladničke kuće Vizura objavljena knjiga mr. sc. Zorislava Kaleba, suca Kaznenog odjela Općinskog suda u Zagrebu, Djelovanje kaznene presude na parnični postupak s podnaslovom Vezanost parničnog suda za pravomoćnu presudu kaznenog suda. Knjiga Djelovanje kaznene presude na parnični postupak predstavlja autorov izra¬đeni i obranjeni magistarski rad na poslijediplomskom znanstvenom studiju iz trgovačkog prava i prava društava na Pravnom fakultetu Sveučilišta u Zagrebu dana 4. travnja 2006. godine na temu Vezanost parničnog suda za pravomoćnu presudu kaznenog suda pred Povjerenstvom koje su činili akademik Jakša Barbić, predsjednik Povjerenstva, prof. dr. se. Mihajlo Dika kao mentor, te prof. dr. se. Davor Krapac i dr. se. Branko Vukmir kao članovi Povjerenstva. Isti rad je autor u međuvremenu dijelom prilagodio radi objave kao monografije, a također je unio i izmjene koje su se u međuvremenu dogodile našem pozitivnom zakonodavstvu. U knjizi se obrađuje odnos između parničnog i kaznenog postupka, vezanost par¬ničnog suda za pravomoćnu osuđujuću presudu kaznenog suda po tužbi iz istog događaja, prejudicijelno djelovanje presude kaznenog suda na parnični postupak, djelovanje kaznene presude kao pravno relevantne činjenice u parničnom postupku, prekid postupka po od¬luci suda u parničnom postupku, donošenje pravomoćne kaznene presude kao razlog za ponavljanje parničnog postupka, te neki zaključni prijedlozi de legeferenda. Rad dijelom komparativno obrađuje istu materiju i u nekim drugim zakonodavstvima u opsegu koliko je to zanimljivo za našeg praktičara. Knjiga je rezultat dvogodišnjeg istraživanja autora prvenstveno odluka Županijskog suda u Zagrebu i Vrhovnog suda Republike Hrvatske, te potom i dostupnih odluka drugih domaćih i stranih sudova

Use of soil moisture information in yield models

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Clarification of the Bootstrap Percolation Paradox

We study the onset of the bootstrap percolation transition as a model of generalized dynamical arrest. We develop a new importance-sampling procedure in simulation, based on rare events around "holes", that enables us to access bootstrap lengths beyond those previously studied. By framing a new theory in terms of paths or processes that lead to emptying of the lattice we are able to develop systematic corrections to the existing theory, and compare them to simulations. Thereby, for the first time in the literature, it is possible to obtain credible comparisons between theory and simulation in the accessible density range.Comment: 4 pages with 3 figure