Healing an Ailing Alliance: Ethics and Science Face the Ambiguities of Water

Water-related problems are both scientific and ethical issues. The sciences and ethics are interdependent disciplines, and both are needed in an interactive alliance for adequate policy decisions on water and other ecological concerns. Water-related problems are generally linked to excess in what people take from and return to the waters. In this essay, the author outlines four moral norms that are foundational for remedial action on the waters of New England

Evaluating the roles and powers of rail regulatory bodies in Europe: A survey-based approach

European railways have been shaped by multiple reforms since the mid-1990s, covering industry structure, market opening and economic regulation. However, the literature has given little attention to the latter; namely the evolution and impacts of regulatory reforms amongst Europe's railways. This paper fills this gap by providing an up-to-date, bottom-up assessment of current rail regulatory practice in Europe. We develop a survey of economic regulators across Europe, thus complementing top-down studies of the impact of economic regulation by enabling a richer insight into regulatory activity and its impacts. The questionnaire is based on a review of the literature on ideal regulatory characteristics across multiple industries. Our results show that European rail regulators, in general, exhibit many of the features of ideal regulation; in particular around key features such as independence, resourcing, longevity and expertise, transparency and in turn stability and predictability. However, we find that rail regulatory bodies could take a more proactive role in shaping track access charges, given their importance in respect of efficient use of the network and maintaining non-discriminatory access. Importantly, there is also scope for regulators to play a greater role in regulating the efficiency and quality of infrastructure managers, and potentially becoming more involved in the designing stages of passenger market opening as it emerges; and these changes could deliver substantial beneficial impacts for rail users and funders across Europe

Effectiveness of translocation in mitigating reptile-development conflict in the UK

The translocation of reptiles from development sites is a frequent but controversial intervention to resolve reptile-development conflicts. A general lack of post-translocation monitoring means that the fate of translocated reptiles is largely unknown. Here we report on the outcome of six reptile translocations carried out to mitigate the impacts of development. Through detailed post-translocation monitoring, we sought to determine whether translocated reptiles established populations within the receptor sites. To determine the effect of translocation, we investigated six sites within the UK that had received populations of translocated slow-worm Anguis fragilis, viviparous lizard Zootoca vivipara, adder Vipera berus and / or grass snake Natrix helvetica. Identification photographs were taken of all reptiles during the translocation. Following release, between one and three years of post-translocation monitoring was undertaken; during the monitoring, identification photographs were again collected to establish whether captured individuals were part of the translocated populations. Very few translocated individuals were encountered during the post-translocation monitoring. The mean number of translocated reptiles was 98 (SE 19.61). Of these, an average of 1.5 (SE 0.72) individuals or 1.6% of the population were captured during the monitoring. No recaptures of translocated reptiles were made at three (50%) of the study sites. The low recapture rates of translocated reptiles could be due to mortality, imperfect detection (including inaccurate identification of individuals) or post-translocation dispersal. There is some limited evidence to support each of the possible options, but post-translocation dispersal is considered to be the most likely explanation. The study found no confirmatory evidence that mitigation-driven translocations are compensating for the losses of populations to development

Experimental Observation of Rainbow Scattering by a Coated Cylinder: Twin Primary Rainbows and Thin-Film Interference

We experimentally examine the primary rainbow created by the illumination of a coated cylinder. We present a simple technique for varying the coating thickness over a wide range of values, and we see evidence for two different scattering regimes. In one, where the coating thickness is large, twin rainbows are produced. In the second, where the coating is thin enough to act as a thin film, a single rainbow is produced whose intensity varies periodically as the coating thickness varies. We find good agreement with previous theoretical predictions. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America

Ranging behaviour of adders (Vipera berus) translocated from a development site

Translocation of animals from sites scheduled for development is a widespread but controversial intervention to resolve human-wildlife conflicts. Indeed, reptiles are very frequently the subject of such translocations, but there is a paucity of information on the fate of such animals or how their behaviour compares to residents. In 2014, a population of adders (Vipera berus) was translocated from a development site in Essex, UK. A sample of snakes was fitted with external radio tags and tracked for a period of 10 days during the spring. This exercise was repeated during the summer using a combination of translocated and resident individuals. Translocated males exhibited significantly greater average daily movements than resident conspecifics. Furthermore, all translocated males undertook long-distance, unidirectional movements away from the release site. In contrast, all translocated females remained within 50 m of the point of release. One of the males returned to the donor site, crossing large areas of unsuitable habitat in doing so. Translocated males also maintained significantly larger total ranges than resident conspecifics. No differences in range sizes were observed between translocated and resident females. The dispersal of male snakes from the release site may increase the risk of mortality of translocated snakes and reduces the likelihood of establishing a new population. Interventions to encourage the establishment of new home ranges within the boundaries of release sites may include mechanisms to prevent dispersal immediately following release

What do students want most from written feedback information? Distinguishing necessities from luxuries using a budgeting methodology

Feedback is a key concern for higher education practitioners, yet there is little evidence concerning the aspects of assessment feedback information that higher education students prioritise when their lecturers’ time and resources are stretched. One recent study found that in such circumstances, students actually perceive feedback information itself as a luxury rather than a necessity. We first re-examined that finding by asking undergraduates to ‘purchase’ characteristics to create the ideal lecturer, using budgets of differing sizes to distinguish necessities from luxuries. Contrary to the earlier research, students in fact considered good feedback information the single biggest necessity for lecturers to demonstrate. In a second study we used the same method to examine the characteristics of feedback information that students value most. Here, the most important perceived necessity was guidance on improvement of skills. In both studies, students’ priorities were influenced by their individual approaches to learning. These findings permit a more pragmatic approach to building student satisfaction in spite of growing expectations and demands

Supernumerary Spacing of Rainbows Produced by an Elliptical-Cross-Section Cylinder. II. Experiment

We measured the supernumerary spacing parameter of the first- and second-order rainbows of two glass rods, each having an approximately elliptical cross section, as a function of the rod\u27s rotation angle. We attribute large fluctuations in the supernumerary spacing parameter to small local inhomogeneities in the rod\u27s refractive index. The low-pass filtered first-order rainbow experimental data agree with the prediction of ray-tracing-wave-front modeling to within a few percent, and the second-order rainbow data exhibit additional effects that are due to rod nonellipticity. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America

Are We Fulfilling the Promise of a Jesuit Education? A Group of Educators’ Reflective Examen

Higher education is often faced with external pressures that can guide the practice and offerings of colleges and universities. Graduate professional education in the health professions is especially prone to accreditation standards and its associated professional movements. At a Jesuit university, these external pressures, along with public pressure for job-ready graduates, must be intertwined with the history and the promise of a Jesuit education — that of transformation. As educators at a Jesuit university, our roles involve more than offering this kind of education. Our responsibility is to revisit what this promise means as a way of examining our practice. This article shares the reflective practice of five colleagues working in different roles at a Jesuit university seeking answers to questions of whether they are delivering on the promise of Jesuit education. The article includes a guiding set of questions, a short reflection on each author’s experience, and a review of the external and internal influences on their programs, providing a guide for a type of practice Examen that can be used by any faculty or staff member

Physiological responses to moderate intensity continuous and high-intensity interval exercise in persons with paraplegia

Randomized crossover. To test differences in the duration and magnitude of physiological response to isocaloric moderate intensity continuous (MICE) and high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) sessions in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Academic medical center in Miami, FL, USA. Ten adult men (mean ± s.d.; 39 ± 10 year old) with chronic (13.2 ± 8.8 year) paraplegia (T2-T10) completed a graded exercise test. Then, in a randomized order, participants completed MICE and HIIE for a cost of 120 kcal. MICE was performed at 24.6% PO . During HIIE, exercise was completed in 2 min work and recovery phases at 70%:10% PO . MICE and HIIE were isocaloric (115.9 ± 21.8 and 116.6 ± 35.0 kcal, respectively; p = 0.903), but differed in duration (39.8 ± 4.6 vs 32.2 ± 6.2 min; p < 0.001) and average respiratory exchange ratio (RER; 0.90 ± 0.08 vs 1.01 ± 0.07; p = 0.002). During MICE, a workrate of 24.6 ± 6.7% PO elicited a V̇O of 53.1 ± 6.5% V̇O (10.1 ± 2.2 ml kg  min ). During HIIE, a workrate at 70% PO elicited 88.3 ± 6.7% V̇O (16.9 ± 4.2 ml kg  min ), and 29.4 ± 7.7% of the session was spent at or above 80% V̇O . During HIIE working phase, RER declined from the first to last interval (1.08 ± 0.07 vs 0.98 ± 0.09; p < 0.001), reflecting an initially high but declining glycolytic rate. Compared with MICE, HIIE imposed a greater physiological stimulus while requiring less time to achieve a target caloric expenditure. Thus, exercise intensity might be an important consideration in the tailoring of exercise prescription to address the cardiometabolic comorbidities of SCI

Physiological responses to moderate intensity continuous and high-intensity interval exercise in persons with paraplegia

Study design: Randomized crossover. Objectives: To test differences in the duration and magnitude of physiological response to isocaloric moderate intensity continuous (MICE) and high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) sessions in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Setting: Academic medical center in Miami, FL, USA. Methods: Ten adult men (mean ± s.d.; 39 ± 10 year old) with chronic (13.2 ± 8.8 year) paraplegia (T2–T10) completed a graded exercise test. Then, in a randomized order, participants completed MICE and HIIE for a cost of 120 kcal. MICE was performed at 24.6% PO peak. During HIIE, exercise was completed in 2 min work and recovery phases at 70%:10% PO peak. Results: MICE and HIIE were isocaloric (115.9 ± 21.8 and 116.6 ± 35.0 kcal, respectively; p = 0.903), but differed in duration (39.8 ± 4.6 vs 32.2 ± 6.2 min; p &lt; 0.001) and average respiratory exchange ratio (RER; 0.90 ± 0.08 vs 1.01 ± 0.07; p = 0.002). During MICE, a workrate of 24.6 ± 6.7% PO peak elicited a V̇O 2 of 53.1 ± 6.5% V̇O 2peak (10.1 ± 2.2 ml kg −1 min −1). During HIIE, a workrate at 70% PO peak elicited 88.3 ± 6.7% V̇O 2peak (16.9 ± 4.2 ml kg −1 min −1), and 29.4 ± 7.7% of the session was spent at or above 80% V̇O 2peak. During HIIE working phase, RER declined from the first to last interval (1.08 ± 0.07 vs 0.98 ± 0.09; p &lt; 0.001), reflecting an initially high but declining glycolytic rate. Conclusions: Compared with MICE, HIIE imposed a greater physiological stimulus while requiring less time to achieve a target caloric expenditure. Thus, exercise intensity might be an important consideration in the tailoring of exercise prescription to address the cardiometabolic comorbidities of SCI. </p