A good humanities degree has real value and opens the door to a wide range of career prospects

A report released by Shearer West and colleagues confounds popular notions regarding the usefulness of a humanities degree. The report established a significant increase in the number of Oxford University humanities graduates who went into growth sectors of the economy —namely management, media, financial services and law—during the period of study. As this study was always intended to be a pilot, she hopes that others will produce comparable studies that examine different universities, other subject areas and variant time frames

The theatrical portrait in eighteenth century London

A theatrical portrait is an image of an actor or actors in character. This genre was widespread in eighteenth century London and was practised by a large number of painters and engravers of all levels of ability. The sources of the genre lay in a number of diverse styles of art, including the court portraits of Lely and Kneller and the fetes galantes of Watteau and Mercier. Three types of media for theatrical portraits were particularly prevalent in London, between c.1745 and 1800 : painting, print and book illustration. All three offered some form of publicity to the actor, and allowed patrons and buyers to recollect a memorable - performance of a play. Several factors governed the artist's choice of actor, character and play. Popular or unusual productions of plays were nearly always accompanied by some form of actor portrait, although there are eighteenth century portraits which do not appear to reflect any particular performance at all. Details of costume in these works usually reflected fashions of the contemporary stage, although some artists occasionally invented costumes to suit their own ends. Gesture and expression of the actors in theatrical portraits also tended to follow stage convention, and some definite parallels between gestures of actors in theatrical portraits and contemporary descriptions of those actors can be made. Theatrical portraiture on the eighteenth century model continued into the nineteenth century, but its form changed with the changing styles of acting. However the art continued to be largely commercial and ephemeral, and in its very ephemerality lies its importance as a part of the social history of the eighteenth century

Fertility control, shared nurturing, and dual exploitation: the lives of enslaved mothers in the antebellum United States

Slaveholders believed women could both labour and care for their children simultaneously, and they routinely exploited enslaved mothers as both workers and as reproducers. Using Stephanie Camp’s conceptualization of enslaved women’s bodies as sites of resistance, this article argues that despite slavery’s arduousness motherhood provided a place of refuge for enslaved women to enjoy their children and the camaraderie of their peers. However, women sometimes lamented bringing enslaved children into the world and strove not to do so, especially when pregnancy resulted from sexual assault. Slavery’s unique burdens meant many women participated in shared and more communal forms of mothering than their white counterparts

Seasonal cues induce phenotypic plasticity of Drosophila suzukii to enhance winter survival

Additional file 7: Table S6. Table of differentially expressed genes in bodies of winter morphs of D. suzukii relative to those of summer morphs. Fold change represents the ratio of expression levels of winter to summer morphs

Match play performance characteristics that predict post-match creatine kinase responses in professional rugby union players

Background: Rugby union players can take several days to fully recover from competition. Muscle damage induced during the match has a major role in player recovery; however the specific characteristics of match play that predict post-match muscle damage remains unclear. We examined the relationships between a marker of muscle damage and performance characteristics associated with physical contacts and high-speed movement in professional rugby union players. Methods: Twenty-eight professional rugby union players (15 forwards, 13 backs) participated in this study. Data were obtained from 4 European Cup games, with blood samples collected 2 h pre, and 16 and 40 h post-match, and were subsequently analysed for creatine kinase (CK). Relationships between changes in CK concentrations and number of physical contacts and high-speed running markers, derived from performance analysis and global positioning system (GPS) data, were assessed. Results: Moderate and moderate-large effect-size correlations were identified between contact statistics from performance analysis and changes in CK at 16 and 40 h post match in forwards and backs, respectively (e.g. backs; total impacts vs. ΔCK (r = 0.638, p < 0.01) and Δ% CK (r = 0.454, p < 0.05) 40 h post-match). Furthermore, moderate effect-size correlations were found between measures of high-speed running and sprinting, and changes in CK at 16 and 40 h post-match within the backs (e.g. high-speed running distance vs. ΔCK (r = 0.434, p = 0.056) and Δ% CK (r = 0.437, p = 0.054) 40 hrs post-match). Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that muscle damage induced by professional rugby union match play is to some extent predicted by the number of physical contacts induced during performance. Furthermore, we show for the first time that muscle damage in backs players is predicted by high-speed running measures derived from GPS. These data increase the understanding of the causes of muscle damage in rugby union; performance markers could potentially be used to tailor individual recovery strategies and subsequent training following rugby union competition

Differential effects of EPA vs. DHA on postprandial vascular function and the plasma oxylipin profile in men

Our objective was to investigate the impact of EPA versus DHA, on arterial stiffness and reactivity, and underlying mechanisms (with a focus on plasma oxylipins), in the postprandial state. In a 3-arm cross-over acute test meal trial men (n=26, 35-55y) at increased CVD risk, received a high fat (42.4g) test meal providing 4.16 g of EPA or DHA or control oil in random order. At 0 h and 4 h, blood samples were collected to quantify plasma fatty acids, LCn-3PUFAs derived oxylipins, nitrite and hydrogen sulfide and serum lipids and glucose. Vascular function was assessed using blood pressure, Reactive Hyperaemia Index (RHI), Pulse Wave Velocity and Augmentation Index (AIx). The DHA-rich oil significantly reduced AIx by 13% (P=0.047) with the decrease following EPA-rich oil intervention not reaching statistical significance. Both interventions increased EPA and DHA derived oxylipins in the acute postprandial state, with an (1.3 fold) increase in 19,20-DiHDPA evident after DHA intervention (P < 0.001). In conclusion, a single dose of DHA significantly improved postprandial arterial stiffness as assessed by AIx, which if sustained would be associated with a significant decrease in CVD risk. The observed increases in oxylipins provide a mechanistic insight for the AIx effect

A peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-δ agonist provides neuroprotection in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine model of Parkinson's disease

Copyright © 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Seasonal cues induce phenotypic plasticity of Drosophila suzukii to enhance winter survival

Background: As global climate change and exponential human population growth intensifies pressure on agricultural systems, the need to effectively manage invasive insect pests is becoming increasingly important to global food security. Drosophila suzukii is an invasive pest that drastically expanded its global range in a very short time since 2008, spreading to most areas in North America and many countries in Europe and South America. Preliminary ecological modeling predicted a more restricted distribution and, for this reason, the invasion of D. suzukii to northern temperate regions is especially unexpected. Investigating D. suzukii phenology and seasonal adaptations can lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which insects express phenotypic plasticity, which likely enables invasive species to successfully colonize a wide range of environments. Results: We describe seasonal phenotypic plasticity in field populations of D. suzukii. Specifically, we observed a trend of higher proportions of flies with the winter morph phenotype, characterized by darker pigmentation and longer wing length, as summer progresses to winter. A laboratory-simulated winter photoperiod and temperature (12:12 L:D and 10°C) were sufficient to induce the winter morph phenotype in D. suzukii. This winter morph is associated with increased survival at 1°C when compared to the summer morph, thus explaining the ability of D. suzukii to survive cold winters. We then used RNA sequencing to identify gene expression differences underlying seasonal differences in D. suzukii physiology. Winter morph gene expression is consistent with known mechanisms of cold-hardening such as adjustments to ion transport and up-regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. In addition, transcripts involved in oogenesis and DNA replication were down-regulated in the winter morph, providing the first molecular evidence of a reproductive diapause in D. suzukii. Conclusions: To date, D. suzukii cold resistance studies suggest that this species cannot overwinter in northern locations, e.g. Canada, even though they are established pests in these regions. Combining physiological investigations with RNA sequencing, we present potential mechanisms by which D. suzukii can overwinter in these regions. This work may contribute to more accurate population models that incorporate seasonal variation in physiological parameters, leading to development of better management strategies.Availability of supporting data: The RNA sequencing data sets supporting the results of this article are available in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) repository. [Bio- Project PRJNA294845   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA294845/ , and Sequence Read Archives SRS1057327 (summer bodies)   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/?term=SRS1057327/;SRS1057275 (summer heads)   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/?term=SRS1057275/;SRS1057328 (winter bodies)   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/?term=SRS1057328/;SRS1057296 (winter heads)   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/?term=SRS1057296/ ]. NCBI accession for individual replicates are also provided in Additional file 2: Table S1.Keywords: Phenotypic plasticity, Transcriptome, High-throughput sequencing, Cold tolerance, Diapause, Drosophila suzuki

Microearthquake patterns following the 1998 eruption of Axial Volcano, Juan de Fuca Ridge : mechanical relaxation and thermal strain

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2004. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research 109 (2004): B01101, doi:10.1029/2003JB002499.Ocean bottom seismic networks deployed following the 1998 eruption of Axial seamount reveal an evolving pattern of microearthquake activity associated with subsurface magmatism and thermal strain. Seismicity rates decay steadily over 15 months of observation (February 8, 1998, to April 30, 1999), consistent with a trend toward thermal and mechanical equilibrium in the shallow crust after the magmatic event. Immediately after the eruption, seismicity rates were high for about 60 days in the southeast corner of the caldera where lava flows from the 1998 eruption were mapped. A small burst of seismic activity was observed on the southeast shoulder of the volcano from 100 to 150 days after the eruption. These events, which are characterized by slip on nearly vertical faults in the shallow crust, extend about 6 km from the southeast corner of the caldera and overlie a mid-crustal low-velocity zone. After this episode, seismicity rates remain low until the end of the observation period, 455 days after the eruption. Shallow (~0.7 km depth) events, consistent with thermal contraction and volume changes of ~2 × 10−3 m3 in ~5 m3 sources, are observed in individual clusters beneath hydrothermal vents within the 1998 lava flow at the southeast edge of the caldera. Microearthquakes observed during the last 70 days of observation are distributed around the central caldera, most likely representing small amounts of subsidence on caldera faults during the final stages of equilibration following melt withdrawal associated with the 1998 eruption.Sohn, Webb, and the field program were supported by NSF grant OCE 97- 11700. Barclay was supported in part by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Exploring the sensitivity of coastal inundation modelling to DEM vertical error

© 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. As sea level is projected to rise throughout the twenty-first century due to climate change, there is a need to ensure that sea level rise (SLR) models accurately and defensibly represent future flood inundation levels to allow for effective coastal zone management. Digital elevation models (DEMs) are integral to SLR modelling, but are subject to error, including in their vertical resolution. Error in DEMs leads to uncertainty in the output of SLR inundation models, which if not considered, may result in poor coastal management decisions. However, DEM error is not usually described in detail by DEM suppliers; commonly only the RMSE is reported. This research explores the impact of stated vertical error in delineating zones of inundation in two locations along the Devon, United Kingdom, coastline (Exe and Otter Estuaries). We explore the consequences of needing to make assumptions about the distribution of error in the absence of detailed error data using a 1 m, publically available composite DEM with a maximum RMSE of 0.15 m, typical of recent LiDAR-derived DEMs. We compare uncertainty using two methods (i) the NOAA inundation uncertainty mapping method which assumes a normal distribution of error and (ii) a hydrologically correct bathtub method where the DEM is uniformly perturbed between the upper and lower bounds of a 95% linear error in 500 Monte Carlo Simulations (HBM+MCS). The NOAA method produced a broader zone of uncertainty (an increase of 134.9% on the HBM+MCS method), which is particularly evident in the flatter topography of the upper estuaries. The HBM+MCS method generates a narrower band of uncertainty for these flatter areas, but very similar extents where shorelines are steeper. The differences in inundation extents produced by the methods relate to a number of underpinning assumptions, and particularly, how the stated RMSE is interpreted and used to represent error in a practical sense. Unlike the NOAA method, the HBM+MCS model is computationally intensive, depending on the areas under consideration and the number of iterations. We therefore used the HBM+ MCS method to derive a regression relationship between elevation and inundation probability for the Exe Estuary. We then apply this to the adjacent Otter Estuary and show that it can defensibly reproduce zones of inundation uncertainty, avoiding the computationally intensive step of the HBM+MCS. The equation-derived zone of uncertainty was 112.1% larger than the HBM+MCS method, compared to the NOAA method which produced an uncertain area 423.9% larger. Each approach has advantages and disadvantages and requires value judgements to be made. Their use underscores the need for transparency in assumptions and communications of outputs. We urge DEM publishers to move beyond provision of a generalised RMSE and provide more detailed estimates of spatial error and complete metadata, including locations of ground control points and associated land cover