Aspects of the ecology and reproductive biology of crabs in a mangrove swamp at Patonga, N.S.W.

Populations of crabs in a mangrove swamp at Patonga, N.S.W., were sampled from September, 1974, to February, 1976, to determine seasonal patterns of distribution and abundance in relation to height on the shore

Moving towards adaptive search in digital libraries

Search applications have become very popular over the last two decades, one of the main drivers being the advent of the Web. Nevertheless, searching on the Web is very different to searching on smaller, often more structured collections such as digital libraries, local Web sites, and intranets. One way of helping the searcher locating the right information for a specific information need in such a collection is by providing well-structured domain knowledge to assist query modification and navigation. There are two main challenges which we will both address in this chapter: acquiring the domain knowledge and adapting it automatically to the specific interests of the user community. We will outline how in digital libraries a domain model can automatically be acquired using search engine query logs and how it can be continuously updated using methods resembling ant colony behaviour. © 2011 Springer-Verlag

Loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 16p13.3 in hamartomas from tuberous sclerosis patients

Tuberous sclerosis (TSC) is an autosomal dominant condition with characteristic skin lesions, mental handicap, seizures and the development of hamartomas in the brain, heart, kidneys and other organs. Linkage studies have shown locus heterogeneity with a TSC gene mapped to chromosome 9q34 and a second, recently identified on 16p13.3. We have analysed DNA markers in eight hamartomas and one tumour from TSC patients and found allele loss on 16p13.3 in three angiomyolipomas, one cardiac rhabdomyoma, one cortical tuber and one giant cell astrocytoma. We suggest that the TSC gene on 16p13.3 functions like a tumour suppressor gene, in accordance with Knudsen's hypothesis

Genetic variation in complement regulators and susceptibility to age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the commonest cause of blindness in Western populations. Risk is influenced by age, genetic and environmental factors. Complement activation appears to be important in the pathogenesis and associations have been found between AMD and genetic variations in complement regulators such as complement factor H. We therefore investigated other complement regulators for association with AMD

Identification of a Rare Coding Variant in Complement 3 Associated with Age-related Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is a common cause of blindness in the elderly. To identify rare coding variants associated with a large increase in risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), we sequenced 2,335 cases and 789 controls in 10 candidate loci (57 genes). To increase power, we augmented our control set with ancestry-matched exome sequenced controls. An analysis of coding variation in 2,268 AMD cases and 2,268 ancestry matched controls revealed two large-effect rare variants; previously described R1210C in the CFH gene (fcase = 0.51%, fcontrol = 0.02%, OR = 23.11), and newly identified K155Q in the C3 gene (fcase = 1.06%, fcontrol = 0.39%, OR = 2.68). The variants suggest decreased inhibition of C3 by Factor H, resulting in increased activation of the alternative complement pathway, as a key component of disease biology

Customer emotions in service failure and recovery encounters

Emotions play a significant role in the workplace, and considerable attention has been given to the study of employee emotions. Customers also play a central function in organizations, but much less is known about customer emotions. This chapter reviews the growing literature on customer emotions in employee–customer interfaces with a focus on service failure and recovery encounters, where emotions are heightened. It highlights emerging themes and key findings, addresses the measurement, modeling, and management of customer emotions, and identifies future research streams. Attention is given to emotional contagion, relationships between affective and cognitive processes, customer anger, customer rage, and individual differences

Landscape-scale disturbances and regeneration in semi-arid woodlands of southwestern Australia

Woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus salmonophloia occur both in the fragmented landscapes of the Western Australian wheatbelt and in the adjacent unfragmented goldfields area. We examined the responses of the unfragmented woodlands to landscape-scale disturbances caused by fire, floods, windstorms and drought. Sites known to have experienced disturbances of these types over the past 50 years all had cohorts of sapling-stage E. salmonophloia and other dominant Eucalyptus species. Sites disturbed either by fire, flood or storm during 1991-92 displayed adult tree mortality and extensive seedling establishment, although rates of establishment and survival varied between sites. No regeneration was observed at equivalent undisturbed sites. These results indicate that landscape-scale disturbances of several types are important drivers of the dynamics of these semi-arid woodlands. Lack of regeneration of fragmented woodlands in the wheatbelt is likely to be due to changed disturbance regimes coupled with altered physical and biotic conditions within remnants. We argue that it may be difficult to identify processes which are important for the long-term persistence of natural ecosystems in fragmented landscapes without reference to equivalent unfragmented areas

Factors limiting the recruitment of Eucalyptus salmonophloia in remnant woodlands. III. Conditions necessary for seed germination

Characteristics of the germination strategy of Eucalyptus salmonophloia are described, and whether the germination niche is limiting recruitment of E. salmonophloia seedlings in remnant woodlands is discussed. Germination in E. salmonophloia proceeds with favourable soil temperature and water conditions on a variety of substrates. However, at temperatures above and below the optimum for germination (25°C), enforced dormancy occurs and germination is retarded. In these situations, dormancy is simply overcome when temperatures return to optimum. Seeds can remain moist at sub-optimum temperatures for prolonged periods without losing viability. Furthermore E. salmonophloia seeds are capable of withstanding a cycle of wetting and drying with undiminished germination capacity. Conditions suitable for germination occur at the beginning of the winter wet season in SW Australia when soil temperatures are still suitable and soil moisture and atmospheric humidity are frequently high. These germination characteristics minimize the chances of seeds germinating at times when the probability of seedling establishment is low (e.g. summer). This is particularly important because E. salmonophloia only establishes a temporary soil, seed-reserve following large scale disturbances, and therefore the opportunities for recruitment may be quite rare. In remnant woodland when ants were excluded and a soil seed-bank was created artificially, seeds germinated, but no seedlings survived. This suggests that the destruction of seeds by ants during inter-disturbance periods is having little effect on recruitment because seedlings are unlikely to establish. Unfavourable conditions for germination are unlikely to be responsible for the lack of E. salmonophloia seedling recruitment in remnant woodlands.Further research is needed to identify the factors critical for seedling establishment; changes in resource availability following large-scale disturbances and associated tree death are important in this respect