Secondary reproductive strategies in Pacific black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans)

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1999Waterfowl are known to use secondary reproductive strategies, both extra-pair copulations and intraspecific brood parasitism, to increase fitness. We used five polymorphic microsatellite loci to determine extra-pair paternity and nest parasitism in 30 nests of Pacific Black Brant geese (Branta bernicla nigricans) containing 108 offspring. Fourteen of the 30 nests contained offspring that were not genetically related to one or both of the attending adults: 6.5% (7/108) of the offspring resulted from extra-pair copulations (EPC); 13.9% (15/108) of the offspring resulted from intraspecific brood parasitism (IBP). All offspring resulting from EPCs were produced during the peak period of nest initiation. Adult females hosting parasitic eggs were significantly older than non-hosts. After accounting for eggs resulting from IBPs in the calculated clutch size, clutches containing IBPs were significantly smaller than unparasitized clutches. Our data indicate that secondary strategies represent an important component of reproductive effort in Black Brant

The Role of Internet in the War against Terrorism – Threatening Privacy or an Ensuring Mechanism (National) Security – the Slovene Perspective

The use of information-communication technology (ICT) undoubtedly leads towards greater decentralization and individualization of societies. On the other hand, due to the use of ICT, the perception of physical reality has basically changed. When the ICT (security) implications of individual (human) or national security theoretical and empirical perspectives are discussed, a very interesting turning point can be observed. After 11 September 2001, and following the terrorist attacks in Europe, the state has been trying to increase control over ICT and especially the Internet. At the same time, civil society, non-governmental organizations and even individuals have been expressing their own security and other interests, expressed in the fight for privacy and individual human rights. Although the state reactions against particular security challenges are often disproportionate, we can see very different policies, even within the same security communities such as NATO and the European Union. Meanwhile, some countries have developed very strong mechanisms for controlling ICT and data retention; in others individual privacy and human rights are still respected and untouchable. Nevertheless, the terrorist attacks showed very clearly that telecommunication data retention as well as other control mechanisms could not prevent all kinds of such attacks. They could only be used after security incidents occurred as a means for identifying perpetrators. How much liberty society is prepared to sacrifice in exchange for greater, but in no way absolute, security depends on societal, political and cultural standards

Disposition of Local\u27s Funds upon Disaffiliation

Disposition of funds upon a local\u27s disaffiliation from the international union has been one of the most difficult problems for the courts to overcome in the field of Labor Law. The application of common law doctrines to a mobile field requiring flexible approaches posed many problems. Seemingly, a new theory had to be developed every time\u27a new situation arose since the courts were reluctant to consistently apply any one theory because of its undesirable results. This resulted in the development of six distinct doctrines: implied condition or frustration of purpose, local autonomy, trust fund, unclean hands, certification and breach of fiduciary obligation

Physician\u27s Liability for Torts of Hospital Employees

Why should a treating physician be held liable for any lack of treatment on the part of the hospital employees? On what basis can such a conclusion be reached? An agency relationship was considered as existing between the parties, making the physician liable for the actions of the hospital employees. He was the Captain of the Ship, the one in control of the patient\u27s treatment and care. Only he was answerable for resulting injury and death from lack of said treatment. The Captain will be held liable for others\u27 negligence where the acts performed by them are under conditions where the physician could have or should have been able to prevent injurious effects and did not

The Use of Facebook in the Slovenian Local Self-Government: Empirical Evidence

The paper presents a contribution to the rapidly growing field of social networks usage in public administration organizations. Despite the increasing volume of research in this field, there is a lack of detailed empirical evidence. To address the issue, we aim here at comprehensive empirical analysis of the usage of Facebook as the most popular social networking site among Slovenian municipalities. The methodology of research is based on 21 indicators measuring usage, engagement, multichannel features, multi-media content, and the existence of a social networks usage strategy. The measurement has been performed in each of the 212 Slovenian municipalities. Their Facebook interaction has been observed in a period of six months, from November 2015 to May 2016. The analysis results reveal that only 36% of the Slovenian municipalities were present on Facebook in 2016, with almost a quarter having a zero interaction rate on their Facebook pages/profiles in the observed six-month period. In particular, one-way interaction was recorded on municipal Facebook pages, leaving considerable room for improvement as regards the usage of Facebook as a social network with the highest potential of reach and engagement in terms of number of its users. The results are useful for information and benchmarking purposes for Slovenian and foreign municipal managers

Use of Information-Communication Technology in American-Iraqi Conflict 2003-2004

U radu je prikazana uloga i značaj koji u suvremenim sukobima ima uporaba informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije (IKT), pri čemu smo za svoje istraživanje izabrali studiju slučaja iračko-američkog sukoba u godini 2003. i 2004. Navedeni sukob smo zbog analitičkih potreba kod istraživanja uporabe IKT-a podijelili na tri razdoblja: predkonfliktno, razdoblje neposrednog sukoba (operacija Iračka sloboda – orig. Iraqi Freedom) te postkonfliktno razdoblje, kada su se velike ratne operacije završile, Iračani su započeli s asimetričnim ratovanjem, odnosno otporom. Istraživali smo ulogu koju je IKT imao kod priprema za oružani sukob, kako na strani koalicije, tako i na strani iračkog režima; jednako tako smo analizirali kako je njena uporaba utjecala na omjer konvencionalnih snaga u svjetlu povećane učinkovitosti na umreženje oružanih snaga (orig. network centric warfare). U drugom dijelu istražujemo kako su irački pobunjenici i terorističke skupine koristile IKT u okviru provođenja asimetričnog tipa ratovanja koji traje još i danas, kritički procjenjujemo stvarni utjecaj IKT-a na ishod sukoba. Glavna znanstvena izvornost rada je prije svega u kombiniranju uporabljenih metoda, kako iz podruèja društvenih (obrambenih) tako i informatičkih znanosti; jednako tako smo u analizu uključili neke komunikološke metode koje se odnose prije svega na proučavanje propagande. Tako dokazujemo da je holistički odnos značaja IKT-a u suvremenim sukobima moguće osigurati na interdisciplinarnoj osnovi.In the present article we analysed the role and significance of Information-communication technology (ICT) in modern conflicts whereby the case study of American-Iraqi conflict during the year 2003-2004 was chosen to research. This conflict was divided into three stages: preparing, direct open confrontation (operation Iraqi Freedom) and postconflict stage which started when the major military operations ended and in the same time when Iraqi asymmetric rebellion started to begin. We tried to answer the question how both sides used ICT for preparing on the coming war as well as how especially American side used ICT within its military forces and weapon systems (implementation of network centric warfare concept). In the second part of the contribution we analysed how Iraqi rebels used ICT and other electronic media as an asymmetric warfare mean. At the same time the ICT influence for the conflict outcome was critically estimated. The main scientific originality lies especially in combining social (defence studies) and informatics research methods as well as communication research methods for propaganda analysing. We were trying to prove that holistic research of ICT role in modern conflicts is possible only under condition of interdisciplinary research approach

Strategic Importance of Information-Communication Technology in Recent International Environment

Podaci, informacije, razumijevanje i znanje kao elementi kognitivne sheme uvijek determiniraju društvenu moć, isto tako uvijek posebno značajno utječu na političku i vojnu sferu. Za njihovu važnost znali su već u starom vijeku (Sun Tzu), te je stoga potpuno razumljivo da će i u vremenu opće društvene uporabe informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije (IKT) imati posebno velik utjecaj na međunarodne odnose, stanje sigurnosti te odnose sila u svijetu. Uporaba IKT je naime promijenila odnose između velike većine tradicionalnih izvora društvene moći, a isto tako je i glavni čimbenik nastanka nekih novih, karakterističnih samo za informacijsko doba. Neovisno o tome, informacijsku moć nikako ne smijemo povezivati isključivo s uporabom IKT ili informacijskim društvom, jer je ona ipak dobila potpuno nove dimenzije i značaj. Zato IKT ubrajamo u strateški element s revolucionarnim značenjem i na području sigurnosti država, međunarodne zajednice kao i pojedinaca koji imaju središnje mjesto o human security konceptu. Rabili smo pritom tri najvažnije teoretske sigurnosne paradigme (realizam, liberalizam i konstruktivizam) te ih aplicirali na teoriju društvene moći, koja nam je služila za polazište odnosa između ključnih društvenih čimbenika.Data, information, knowledge and understanding as three elements of cognitive scheme have always been determining social power as they have been significantly influencing political and military sphere as well. This wisdom was very explicit present already in ancient world (we can put out Chinese military and strategic thinker Sun Tzu). Despite of that is the information-communication technology (ICT) importance in time of information society very clear and reasonable. Within its revolutionary social implications we want to express security issues, at modern international community level as well as human individual level. But nearby recent security paradigms - realism, liberalism and constructivism, the social power theory ought to be mentioned and used as well. With this theoretical framework we wanted to discuss major power, security and international changes. Namely ICT basically changed these three topics in two ways: material and perceiving. On one hand ICT introduced some new power forms (e-economy, digitalisation of military, intelligence and secret services, e-governance etc.), on the other it influences especially our perception of physical world through spreading (digital) media. Therefore new strategic spaces (cyber strategic space) and concepts (virtual culture imperialism) appeared. But we also treated ICT as a matter of asymmetric world (technological, economical and cultural) development, leading into asymmetric conflicts of course

Synthesis of 2-substituted 6-(5-oxo-1-phenylpyrrolidin-3-yl)pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones

2-Substituted 6-(5-oxo-1-phenylpyrrolidin-3-yl)pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones were synthesized in three steps from itaconic acid derivatives via cyclization with primary amines followed by Masamune-Claisen condensation, and cyclization of the newly formed β-keto esters with amidines. Preparation and/or isolation of β-keto esters with polar N-substituents failed, but the corresponding final products were obtained in a different way. 6-(1-(3-Hydroxypropyl)-5-oxopyrrolidin-3-yl)-2-phenylpyrimidin-4(3H)-one was obtained by hydrogenolytic o-deprotection of its o-benzyl derivative. Depending on reaction conditions, further mesylation of 6-(1-(3-(benzyloxy)propyl)-5-oxopyrrolidin-3-yl)-2-phenylpyrimidin-4(3H)-one followed by treatment with pyrrolidine gave either the monoaminated- or the diaminated product. The structures of novel compounds were determined by NMR