Snake eels (Ophichthidae) of the remote St. Peter and St. Paul’s Archipelago (Equatorial Atlantic) : Museum records after 37 years of shelf life

Despite of its major zoogeographical interest, the biological diversity of central Atlantic oceanic islands are still poorly known because of its remoteness. Incomplete species inventories are a hindrance to macroecology and conservation because knowledge on species distribution are important for identifying patterns and processes in biodiversity and for conservation planning. Records of the snake-eel family Ophichthidae for the St. Peter and St. Paul’s Archipelago, Brazil, are presented for the first time after revision of material collected and deposited in a museum collection 37 yrs ago. Specimens of Apterichtus kendalli and Herpetoichthys regius were collected using rotenone on sand bottoms and one Myrichthys sp. was observed and photographed swimming over a rocky reef. Remarkably, these species were not seen or collected in the St. Peter and St. Paul’s Archipelago ever since despite the substantial increase of biological expeditions over the past two decades, suggesting that the unjustified rotenone sampling prohibition in Brazil is hindering advancement of the nation’s biological diversity knowledge.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Deleuze and the New Camera Consciousness

A review of Patricia Pisters' The Matrix of Visual Culture: Working With Deleuze in Film Theory (Stanford University Press, Palo Alto, 2003)

The role of soft budgets and regulations in the performance of English Premier League Football Clubs 2004 to 2015

Since the English Premier League (EPL) commenced in 1992 top flight clubs have seen rapid and sustained growth in revenue driven primarily by broadcasting contracts negotiated collectively by the EPL. The most successful clubs also saw a rise in commercial revenue and generated additional income from regular participation in European club competitions.Growth in revenue and the global audience for EPL matches attracted foreign investors and by 2015, 55% of clubs were under foreign ownership. Analysis showed that several foreign owners focused on sporting success and provided their clubs with a soft budget constraint that allowed significant expenditure on players’ costs. This meant where expenditure exceeded revenue owners made available additional funds to cover deficits. Despite growth in revenue, excessive spending meant in aggregate terms the EPL reported losses in every year from 2004-13, and several clubs became reliant on additional funds provided by owners and related parties. A similar situation was evident in football leagues across Europe and led to stricter financial regulation by UEFA and the EPL. This study makes use of mixed-methods research to examine how the provision of a soft budget constraint impacted on the performance of clubs in the EPL, and whether this supported the introduction of stronger financial regulation. Initial quantitative research examined published financial statements for every club that played in the EPL during the 2003/4-2014/15 seasons, and enabled analysis of financial performance before and following increased regulation. Qualitative research in the form of structured interviews with nine elite informants provided valuable information about attitudes to both poor financial performance and increased regulation. Difficulty accessing elite informants has limited the use of structured interviews in research into the football sector. This thesis finds that during the period under review, the poor financial performance of clubs in the EPL was driven by wealthy owners who provided their clubs with a soft budget constraint to assist attainment of playing success. The threat of relegation forced other clubs to spend greater amounts just to remain competitive and meant growth in revenue was usually accompanied by a corresponding rise in players’ wages. It was only following significant growth in broadcasting revenue accompanied by stricter regulation after 2013 that financial performance improved

Barriers and Enablers to Healthy Planning and Active Living Initiatives

Healthy planning and active living initiatives are considered effective in addressing rising rates of non-communicable diseases. Based on interviews and surveys with Australian advocates and practitioners, this PhD by publication explores the structural barriers and possible enablers for the implementation of urban planning that allows for healthy active living. Two key approaches which may assist this in the future, namely 'health by stealth' and framing health as central to local government functioning, are put forward

The Impact on Midwives of Undertaking Screening for Domestic Violence: Focus Group Findings

Objective: To investigate the impact mandatory screening for domestic violence has had upon registered midwives. Design: Three phase study – Phase one involved focus group interviews. Setting: Hospitals in South-East Queensland undertaking mandatory domestic violence screening. Participants: Registered midwives undertaking screening for domestic violence. Results: Several barriers were identified that directly impacted upon the midwives' potential to screen effectively. Barriers identified were classified as intrinsic (intrapersonal and perception) and extrinsic (interpersonal, environmental and organisational infrastructure). Principle, conclusions and implications for practice: Although midwives have strong beliefs about the value of domestic violence screening, there is a negative perception about it's efficacy and an assumption of failure due to the barriers identified by the registered midwives