香港仲裁法制: 回顧與前瞻

published_or_final_versio

Responses of African penguins to regime changes of sardine and anchovy in the Benguela system

Regional trends in numbers of African penguins Spheniscus demersus conform with an altered distribution of sardine Sardinops sagax and anchovy Engraulis capensis prey. In the 1950s, sardine dominated the pelagic fish component of the Benguela system. Abundance of this fish decreased in the 1960s and early 1970s and it was replaced by anchovy. Beginning in the early 1980s, sardine started to increase and anchovy to decrease in abundance. The decrease of the sardine resulted in collapses of colonies of African penguins between Lüderitz and Table Bay. Although colonies east of Table Bay increased, the overall population of African penguins fell by 25%. As the Benguela system started to revert to one dominated by sardine, penguin colonies between Lüderitz and Table Bay stabilized. Three new colonies were established in the vicinity of Table Bay, but the large colony at Dyer Island underwent a massive decrease. As a result, overall numbers of African penguins decreased by a further 19%. During shifts between regimes dominated by sardine and anchovy, African penguins that are breeding for the first time immigrate to colonies where food is plentiful. Inability of African penguins to cope with recent shifts between regimes may have resulted from increased competition for food with fishermen and seals during the 20th century

Elliptic flow in Au+Au collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}} = 130 GeV

We report the elliptic flow of charged and identified particles at mid-rapidity in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=130$ GeV using the STAR TPC at RHIC. The integrated elliptic flow signal, $v_2$, for charged particles reaches values of about 0.06, indicating a higher degree of thermalization than at lower energies. The differential elliptic flow signal, $v_2$($p_t$) up to 1.5 GeV/$c$, shows a behavior expected from hydrodynamic model calculations. Above 1.5 GeV/$c$, the data deviate from the hydro predictions; however the $v_2$($p_t$) is still large, suggesting finite asymmetry for the products of hard scattering. For the identified particles, elliptic flow as a function of $p_t$ and centrality differ significantly for particles of different masses. This dependence can be accounted for in hydrodynamic models, indicating that the system created shows a behavior consistent with collective hydrodynamical flow.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures, Quark Matter 200

Comparison of trends in abundance of guano-producing seabirds in Peru and Southern Africa

The abundant guano-producing seabirds in Peru and southern Africa feed mainly on the large populations of anchovy Engraulis spp. and sardine Sardinops sagax supported by the Humboldt and Benguela upwellingsystems. Numbers of guanay cormorants Phalacrocorax bougainvillii in Peru and the breeding population of Cape cormorants P. capensis in South Africa are significantly related to the biomass of anchovy. For both species,reproductive success decreases in periods of anchovy scarcity, and there may also be substantial adult mortality. There has been long-term stability in numbers of Peruvian boobies Sula variegata, whereas the numbers ofCape gannets Morus capensis decreased as sardine decreased in southern Africa. Numbers of Peruvian pelicans Pelecanus (occidentalis) thagus are significantly related to the combined biomass of anchovy and sardine inPeru. They have been stable in the long-term. There have been ongoing severe decreases in populations of the Humboldt penguin Spheniscus humboldti and the African penguin S. demersus, both of which are nowVulnerable. Common causes for the decreases have been collection of eggs, loss of habitat through exploitation of accumulated deposits of guano and competition with fisheries for food. Short-term decreases in guanay cormorants, Peruvian boobies, Peruvian pelicans and Humboldt penguins have followed El Niño events. Time-series of indices of the abundance of guano-producing seabirds date from 1908 in Peru and 1896 in southern Africa. They are significantly, negatively correlated in the period prior to the development of intensive fisheries on sardineand anchovy, suggesting that the out-of-phase nature of the anchovy and sardine populations in the Peru and Benguela systems pre-dated commercial exploitation of these fish resources

Identification of Occupation Clustering in Kandy City, Sri Lanka: An Investigation of Residential Location Pattern by Occupational Status.

Existence of social groups with different socio-economic status is a common character in a city and makes cities to form residentially varied areas within the city which is generally termed as ‘residential differentiation’. Since residential differentiation sometimes becomes a critical issue to be addressed it should be understood as much as possible before planning and organizing the urban space in optimal manner. This study attempts to investigate spatial expression of occupational structure of Kandy city, Sri Lanka. Attention is given for identifying, measuring and mapping the existing location pattern of occupational groups over the urban space of Kandy city. Occupation data in Kandy city collected from national census of population and housing in 2001 were used and Location Quotient technique (LQ) was employed to analyze the data.Results evidently revealed that ‘occupation’ is influential to form a distinct location pattern in the city space. Basic pattern of location of occupation groups identifiable is that higher ranking occupation groups are concentrated in peripheral areas while lower ranking occupation groups are located in city canter areas or proximity areas to the city Center. This has made some particular areas to be specialized for some occupation groups. Working class or labourer category which has the highest proportion is mostly limited to city center and adjoining areas where commercial and other services are dominated. These areas are highly commercial and mix residential areas in the city and are very valuable lands that can be used for the better economic use establishing new projects. This is one of critical issues to be addressed in future development of the city

Season of moult of African penguins at Robben Island, South Africa, and its variation, 1988 –1998

Counts of African penguins Spheniscus demersus in immature and adult plumage in the feather-shedding phase of moult were made at Robben Island at two-weekly intervals over a 10-year period between 1988 and1998. For both age-classes, most birds moulted between November and January, although small numbers moulted throughout the year. In most years, the peak moult was in late November or December. Immature birdshad a secondary peak in March. In 1994/95 for adults, and 1995/96 for immature birds, moult was less synchronized than in other years. This probably resulted from oiling of about 2 400 penguins in June 1994, following the sinking of the Apollo Sea. Half of those birds were cleaned and released. Their subsequent moult may have been earlier than normal

Age at first breeding and change in plumage of kelp gulls Larus Dominicanus in South Africa

In South Africa, kelp gulls Larus dominicanus first breed when 4 years old. At least 50% of 4-year-olds breed; virtually all older birds breed annually. Most chicks leave natal colonies in the austral autumn and winter, when about 6 months old, and 60% of them may not return until aged 2 or 3 years. One 3-year-old showed signs of defending territory, but birds only attain full adult plumage when aged 4. The plumage of 3-year-olds is similar to that of adults, but the white spots on the outer primaries are less well developed and the secondaries and inner primaries have no white trailing edge. Chicks are dark, whereas birds aged 1 and 2 years gain increasing amounts of pale or white plumage on the face, neck, underparts and tail

Factors influencing growth of the African penguin colony at Boulders, South Africa, 1985–1999

This paper reports on growth of the Boulders colony of African penguins Spheniscus demersus from inception in 1985 to the present. More than 900 pairs now breed there. Growth of the colony slowed in 1995 and 1996and reversed in 1998, coinciding with periods of low abundance of Cape anchovy Engraulis capensis off South Africa. In December 1996, penguins were excluded from a portion of land where they had formerly bred. Theyresponded by increasing the density of their nests in other areas and expanding their area of breeding longshore. These patterns indicate that food and not space are currently controlling colony growth rate. Much of the colonygrowth probably results from immigration of first-time breeders from other colonies. Of immigrants, 70–80% may be from Dyer Island to the south-east, where numbers of penguins have decreased. Boulders also is frequentlyvisited by penguins from other colonies, and by rehabilitated birds

Cerebral Regulation in Different Maximal Aerobic Exercise Modes

We investigated cerebral responses, simultaneously with peripheral and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) responses, during different VO2MAX-matched aerobic exercise modes. Nine cyclists (VO2MAX of 57.5 ± 6.2 ml·kg−1·min−1) performed a maximal, controlled-pace incremental test (MIT) and a self-paced 4 km time trial (TT4km). Measures of cerebral (COX) and muscular (MOX) oxygenation were assessed throughout the exercises by changes in oxy- (O2Hb) and deoxy-hemoglobin (HHb) concentrations over the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscle, respectively. Primary motor cortex (PMC) electroencephalography (EEG), VL, and rectus femoris EMG were also assessed throughout the trials, together with power output and cardiopulmonary responses. The RPE was obtained at regular intervals. Similar motor output (EMG and power output) occurred from 70% of the duration in MIT and TT4km, despite the greater motor output, muscle deoxygenation (↓ MOX) and cardiopulmonary responses in TT4km before that point. Regarding cerebral responses, there was a lower COX (↓ O2Hb concentrations in PFC) at 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60%, but greater at 100% of the TT4km duration when compared to MIT. The alpha wave EEG in PMC remained constant throughout the exercise modes, with greater values in TT4km. The RPE was maximal at the endpoint in both exercises, but it increased slower in TT4km than in MIT. Results showed that similar motor output and effort tolerance were attained at the closing stages of different VO2MAX-matched aerobic exercises, although the different disturbance until that point. Regardless of different COX responses during most of the exercises duration, activation in PMC was preserved throughout the exercises, suggesting that these responses may be part of a centrally-coordinated exercise regulation

Regenerating CNS myelin — from mechanisms to experimental medicines

Abstract | Although the core concept of remyelination — based on the activation, migration, proliferation and differentiation of CNS progenitors — has not changed over the past 20 years, our understanding of the detailed mechanisms that underlie this process has developed considerably. We can now decorate the central events of remyelination with a host of pathways, molecules, mediators and cells, revealing a complex and precisely orchestrated process. These advances have led to recent drug-based and cell-based clinical trials for myelin diseases, and have opened up hitherto unrecognized opportunities for drug-based approaches to therapeutically enhance remyelination.None acknowledged