Sport, social change and the public intellectual

This article argues that the role of the public intellectual in sport is desperately needed. The research for the article draws upon key interviews and newspaper reports. The paper examines three questions: (i) What is the role of the public intellectual in sport? (ii) Do we wish to encourage the role of the public intellectual in sport? (iii) How does one balance the objective of challenging unseen silences in sport with its potential transformative capacity to produce change (or at least be a resource for hope) in many communities. The challenge is for today’s sociologists of sport and others not to accept the narrow job description of the academic but instead to ensure that the social study of sport is one of these very public, visible forms of activity and engagement

Nuttalliella namaqua: A Living Fossil and Closest Relative to the Ancestral Tick Lineage: Implications for the Evolution of Blood-Feeding in Ticks

Ticks are monophyletic and composed of the hard (Ixodidae) and soft (Argasidae) tick families, as well as the Nuttalliellidae, a family with a single species, Nuttalliella namaqua. Significant biological differences in lifestyle strategies for hard and soft ticks suggest that various blood-feeding adaptations occurred after their divergence. The phylogenetic relationships between the tick families have not yet been resolved due to the lack of molecular data for N. namaqua. This tick possesses a pseudo-scutum and apical gnathostoma as observed for ixodids, has a leathery cuticle similar to argasids and has been considered the evolutionary missing link between the two families. Little knowledge exists with regard to its feeding biology or host preferences. Data on its biology and systematic relationship to the other tick families could therefore be crucial in understanding the evolution of blood-feeding behaviour in ticks. Live specimens were collected and blood meal analysis showed the presence of DNA for girdled lizards from the Cordylid family. Feeding of ticks on lizards showed that engorgement occurred rapidly, similar to argasids, but that blood meal concentration occurs via malpighian excretion of water. Phylogenetic analysis of the 18S nuclear and 16S mitochondrial genes indicate that N. namaqua grouped basal to the main tick families. The data supports the monophyly of all tick families and suggests the evolution of argasid-like blood-feeding behaviour in the ancestral tick lineage. Based on the data and considerations from literature we propose an origin for ticks in the Karoo basin of Gondwanaland during the late Permian. The nuttalliellid family almost became extinct during the End Permian event, leaving N. namaqua as the closest living relative to the ancestral tick lineage and the evolutionary missing link between the tick families

Predicting spring migration of the damson-hop aphid Phorodon humuli (Homoptera: Aphididae) from historical records of host-plant flowering phenology and weather

1. Historical data of the spring migration of the damson hop aphid Phorodon humuli recorded at Wye, Kent, and Rosemaund, Herefordshire, and the phenology of overwintering host-plant flowering, recorded at East Malling, Kent, were examined for possible associations. 2. Relationships between mean temperature over a phenophase interval, defined by flowering phenology of two overwintering host plum species (Myrobalan Prunus cerasifera and Victoria Prunus domestica), which are overwintering hosts for P. humuli, and the start of migration of the aphid, versus the reciprocal of the interval duration (days), were significant for Wye (situated 32 km from East Malling) and at Rosemaund, a more north-westerly site 260 km from East Malling. 3. Predictive sample reuse (PSR) methodology was used to validate the potential of derived models to predict the start of migration of P. humuli at the two sites. Data for model determination and validation consisted of observations of P. humuli migration over 20 years (1967-86) at Wye and 15 years (1972-86) at Rosemaund. 4. The predictive performance of the host-plant flowering-aphid migration phenology models was compared with that of two other methods that use historical field data to predict insect life cycle events. The host-plant flowering-aphid migration phenology model using the beginning of flowering of Victoria gave the best prediction of the start of migration at Wye using one PSR criterion. The empirical degree-day (DD) program gave the best prediction using an alternative criterion. For the more distant Rosemaund site, the empirical DD program performed best. 5. The potential use of host-plant phenology to predict 50% migration of P, humuli at Wye and Rosemaund was also investigated, and compared with the empirical DD programme using the PSR method. The host-plant phenology model gave good prediction of migration at Wye but poor prediction at Rosemaund, whereas the empirical DD programme gave poor prediction at Wye and only reasonable prediction at Rosemaund. 6. The value of using historical data of host-plant and insect phenology to develop predictive models is illustrated, and the desirability of comparing the performance of alternative phenology models that may be used for prescriptive use is discussed

Swallowing Disorders in Trauma Patients: Impact of Tracheostomy

Tracheostomy is associated with increased aspiration rates, and swallowing disorders have not been well-studied in trauma patients with tracheostomy. Swallowing evaluations were conducted in 224 patients (102 trauma and 122 nontrauma patients). Half of the patients in each group had tracheostomies. Bedside swallow studies were conducted in 40 patients, videofluoroscopy swallow studies in 100 patients, and both studies in 84 patients. χ2, Fisher\u27s exact test, Cramer\u27s V, and descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Aspiration occurred in 35 per cent (36 of 102) of trauma patients with or without tracheostomy and in 36 per cent (22 of 61) of nontrauma patients with tracheostomy. Aspiration with and without penetration was observed in 54 per cent of trauma patients (55% with tracheostomy) compared with 67 per cent of all nontrauma patients (61% with tracheostomy). Trauma patients with head injuries exhibited 41 per cent (26 of 63) aspiration and 68 per cent (43 of 63) dysphagia compared with 26 per cent (10 of 39) and 59 per cent (23 of 39) in trauma patients with other injuries. There was a lower incidence of dysphagia in trauma patients (65% versus 81% in nontrauma) and in patients with tracheostomy (71% versus 77% without tracheostomy). Tracheostomy was not associated with increased dysphagia or aspiration