A Threat to New Zealand\u27s Tuatara Heats Up

No matter how many times we head to one of New Zealand\u27s offshore islands, the feelings are always a mix of sheer awe at the beauty and biodiversity preserved in these special refuges and lingering nerves. Did we remember all the gear? Do we have enough food and water in case we get stuck? Can the helicopter land on the side of a cliff in these winds? These epic journeys are in pursuit of a lone remnant of the reptile evolutionary tree, with a unique ecology that has big implications under climate change

Novel aspects of platelet factor XIII function

Acknowledgments The study was supported by grants FS/11/2/28579 (N.J.M.) from the British Heart Foundation and the University of Aberdeen Development Trust.Peer reviewedPostprin

Public and private interests in the formulation of government policy: The case of the Import Duties Advisory Committee (IDAC) in 1930s britain.

The thesis examines the interplay of business, politics and the economy during the 1930s. Relationships are studied through the analysis of the tariff introduced in 1932 by the British government. The introduction of the tariff in 1932 was important because this marked a clear break in government policy toward international trade, Britain having had a long tradition of free trade. The work is not concerned with the macroeconomic effects of the tariff and its overall impact on the economy. The focus instead is upon policy formulation and business involvement in this process. Government knew the tariff could be used as more than a revenue earner, importantly the tariff also provided them with the opportunity to negotiate with industry, enabling intervention and promotion of industrial policy aims. On the other side, business wanted a given level of protection and would lobby to achieve their aims: while at the same time they were unwilling to undergo change. The thesis provides the first detailed analysis of the work of the Import Duties Advisory Committee [IDAC] and their attempt to develop a 'scientific' tariff from its inception in 1932. A two-pronged approach is taken to the work considering the process from the point of view of the government and business. The first perspective, that of government, considers what the government wanted from the tariff and the extent to which these objectives were met. The second perspective analyses what business wanted and how successful business was in 'capturing' benefits. An overview of how the committee arrived at its decision for all additional duty applications made between 1932 and 1939 is offered in the thesis. This brings to light the factors at play in convincing the Committee that extra protection was justified. Additionally, the work provides an in-depth analysis of selective industry cases

Type 2 Diabetes and Memory: Using Neuroimaging to Understand the Mechanisms

The most robust and frequently reported cognitive deficits in type 2 diabetes (DM2) are those that relate to memory. Behavioural research has identified a number of potential contributory physiological factors, including abnormalities in glucose metabolism, such as hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia. The impact of these mechanisms on memory has been further investigated through the use of both structural and functional neuroimaging. Structural brain imaging has indicated that memory impairments in DM2 are associated with global atrophy of the brain. Further data suggest that localised atrophy in the hippocampal area, a brain region critical to memory formation and consolidation, may be primarily responsible for the memory deficits seen in this population. Functional imaging data has corroborates these findings, with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) suggesting reduced connectivity between the hippocampus and surrounding brain regions, particularly the frontal and temporal gyri. Despite this, little functional neuroimaging research has directly investigated differences in regional brain activity between healthy and DM2 participants whilst memory tasks are being performed. By using neuroimaging techniques to their full potential, we can acquire a fuller, more comprehensive picture of the impact that DM2 has on memory

Easyfig: a genome comparison visualizer

Summary: Easyfig is a Python application for creating linear comparison figures of multiple genomic loci with an easy-to-use graphical user interface. BLAST comparisons between multiple genomic regions, ranging from single genes to whole prokaryote chromosomes, can be generated, visualized and interactively coloured, enabling a rapid transition between analysis and the preparation of publication quality figures

Taking on and taking over : choice and control for physically disabled young adults

This study looked at ways of supporting physically disabled young adults to achieve their preferred levels of control over care and support arrangements: * What are physically disabled young adults experiences of managing their care and support arrangements? * How can they be better supported? Key findings and practice implications are included. A video about the research findings is also available and a poster showing the challenges and solutions for supporting young physically disabled people

Taking on choice and control in personal care and support : the experiences of physically disabled young adults

Summary: Research on self-directed care has focused on older people and adults with learning disabilities or mental health difficulties. This paper reports physically disabled young adults’ experiences of self-directed care. Such work is important because young adults are a ‘minority’ group within adult social care. This, and their still developing life skills and lack of life experience, may have a bearing on their experiences of self-directed care and associated support needs. An exploratory qualitative study using semi-structured interviews investigated this issue. Participants were aged 19-29 years with a range of congenital and acquired impairments. Findings: Many aspects of interviewees’ experiences of self-directed care appeared to be influenced by their limited life experience, the fact they are still developing life skills and are a minority group within adult social care. Interviewees identified their lack of life experience and self-confidence as making them cautious in assuming responsibility for their care arrangements and, typically, their desire for on-going parental support. They also believed their age and life stage contributed to difficulties managing carers and PAs. Preferences around the characteristics of carers/PAs were influenced by their age and desire to integrate into mainstream activities. Information provided by statutory services did not (fully) acknowledge that some users were young adults. Applications: Compared to other physically disabled users of adult social care, young adults’ under-developed life skills and lack of life experience influences their experiences as users, and the support they needed to assume control of their care arrangements. Tailored information and support for this ‘minority group’ is required. Keywords: self- or consumer-directed support; personalization; adult social care; physical disability; young adults; transitio

Sex Ratio Bias and Extinction Risk in an Isolated Population of Tuatara (\u3ci\u3eSphenodon Punctatus\u3c/i\u3e)

Understanding the mechanisms underlying population declines is critical for preventing the extinction of endangered populations. Positive feedbacks can hasten the process of collapse and create an ‘extinction vortex,’ particularly in small, isolated populations. We provide a case study of a male-biased sex ratio creating the conditions for extinction in a natural population of tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) on North Brother Island in the Cook Strait of New Zealand. We combine data from long term mark-recapture surveys, updated model estimates of hatchling sex ratio, and population viability modeling to measure the impacts of sex ratio skew. Results from the mark-recapture surveys show an increasing decline in the percentage of females in the adult tuatara population. Our monitoring reveals compounding impacts on female fitness through reductions in female body condition, fecundity, and survival as the male-bias in the population has increased. Additionally, we find that current nest temperatures are likely to result in more male than female hatchlings, owing to the pattern of temperature-dependent sex determination in tuatara where males hatch at warmer temperatures. Anthropogenic climate change worsens the situation for this isolated population, as projected temperature increases for New Zealand are expected to further skew the hatchling sex ratio towards males. Population viability models predict that without management intervention or an evolutionary response, the population will ultimately become entirely comprised of males and functionally extinct. Our study demonstrates that sex ratio bias can be an underappreciated threat to population viability, particularly in populations of long-lived organisms that appear numerically stable