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Buruli ulcer (BU) is a skin infection caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans and a neglected tropical disease of the skin (skin NTD). Antibiotic treatments are available but, to be effective in the absence of surgery, BU must be detected at its earliest stages (an innocuous-looking lump under the skin) and adherence to prescribed drugs must be high. This study aimed to develop multisensory medical illustrations of BU to support communication with at-risk communities. We used a Think Aloud method to explore community health workers' (n = 6) experiences of BU with a focus on the role of their five senses, since these non-medical disease experts are familiar with the day-to-day challenges presented by BU. Thematic analysis of the transcripts identified three key themes relating to 'Detection,' 'Help Seeking,' and 'Adherence' with a transcending theme 'Senses as key facilitators of health care'. New medical illustrations, for which we coin the phrase "5D illustrations" (signifying the contribution of the five senses) were then developed to reflect these themes. The senses therefore facilitated an enriched narrative enabling the production of relevant and useful visuals for health communication. The medical artist community could utilise sensory experiences to create dynamic medical illustrations for use in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools in the UK and Europe, North America and Australia are introducing ambitious forms of relationships and sex education (RSE) or school-based sexuality education. For RSE to be effective it must be inclusive, recognising and respecting the needs and experiences of those who have not always been well served by sex/sexuality education. This paper considers one such group – students with faith backgrounds – and explores ways of delivering RSE in the ‘postsecular classroom’ in which religion is recognised and respected. We conducted consultative research – designed primarily to inform the development of teaching resources – among students and parents of faith, and RSE teachers. Focussing upon two religiously diverse cities in England, this research included systematic literature review, classroom observations and group discussions with students, and questionnaire surveys and interviews with parents and teaching staff. Informed by the findings of this research, we designed, piloted and now share evidence-based teaching resources. This illustrates one way in which RSE can be adapted for use in the postsecular classroom where faith is out in the open, but not necessarily explicitly engaged with in the lesson. Considering the perspectives of faith communities in this way can improve RSE for everyone in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring of population sizes and trends using conventional surveys is challenging for nocturnal, burrow-nesting seabirds. The White-chinned Petrel is the most commonly killed species in Southern Ocean fisheries and its breeding success at many sites is reduced because of predation by invasive cats and rodents. As adaptive management of such threats requires cost-effective and reproducible protocols for monitoring populations, we examined the potential of automated bioacoustic techniques for measuring colony attendance patterns (relative number of birds visiting at a given time) using data from acoustic recorders deployed over a breeding season at Bird Island, South Georgia. Generic recognition software was of limited utility, but a suite of acoustic indices in a random forest model reliably predicted the occurrence of vocalisations. Vocal activity showed clear temporal patterns, despite high day-to-day variability, and was lowest during the pre-laying period, in the early evening, and on moonlit nights. To facilitate estimation of population density using acoustic recorders, we determined the mean vocalisation rate of individuals (2.3 min−1), mean call length (~15.3 sec), and detection distance (~15 m based on signal to noise ratios of playbacks). Our results indicate that acoustic indices are a useful measure of colony attendance. If these indices can be linked to density, acoustic monitoring would provide a powerful and cost-effective census method for White-chinned Petrels and other nocturnal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the ongoing significance of Pakistani heritage in the lives of young British Pakistani Muslims. Drawing upon interviews with 56 women and men, it explores the link between Pakistani heritage and young peoples' lives, focusing upon marriage. Pakistani heritage is widely regarded as a constraint and an anachronism, which young people are jettisoning in favour of religious or secular identities: as Muslims, British, or both. This is a half-truth, at most. Some young people are turning away from Pakistaniness, but others are embracing and exploring versions and elements of this heritage as they make decisions about whether, when and whom to marry. Whether they are rejecting or embracing Pakistani heritage, young people are actively mobilizing the terms "Pakistan" and "Pakistani" as springboards from which to identify and make life choices. They are exploring possibilities rather than acknowledging inevitabilities, and approaching heritage as a resource rather than a constraint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmacological treatment of Buruli ulcer (Mycobacterium ulcerans infection; BU) is highly effective, as shown in two randomized trials in Africa. We review BU drug treatment – in vitro, in vivo and clinical trials (PubMed: '(Buruli OR (Mycobacterium AND ulcerans)) AND (treatment OR therapy).' We also highlight the pathogenesis of M. ulcerans infection that is dominated by mycolactone, a secreted exotoxin, that causes skin and soft tissue necrosis, and impaired immune response and tissue repair. Healing is slow, due to the delayed wash-out of mycolactone. An array of repurposed tuberculosis and leprosy drugs appears effective in vitro and in animal models. In clinical trials and observational studies, only rifamycins (notably, rifampicin), macrolides (notably, clarithromycin), aminoglycosides (notably, streptomycin) and fluoroquinolones (notably, moxifloxacin, and ciprofloxacin) have been tested. A combination of rifampicin and clarithromycin is highly effective but lesions still take a long time to heal. Novel drugs like telacebec have the potential to reduce treatment duration but this drug may remain unaffordable in low-resourced settings. Research should address ulcer treatment in general; essays to measure mycolactone over time hold promise to use as a readout for studies to compare drug treatment schedules for larger lesions of Buruli ulcer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unions have a distanced relationship from the practice of regional governance. Studies of regional governance tend to focus on the role of the state in combination with politically and economically dominant interest groups. In these analyses, and in practice, unions and their members are at best marginal and often absent. The argument presented in this study is that to understand the relative absence of unions, it is necessary to consider the forms and processes of regional governance and the capacities of unions to engage. These themes are addressed with reference to the North West Tasmania region in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMaterials and MethodsResultsConclusionsDegenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is the commonest cause of adult spinal cord dysfunction worldwide, for which surgery is the mainstay of treatment. At present, there is limited literature on the costs associated with the surgical management of DCM, and none from the United Kingdom (UK). This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of DCM surgery within the National Health Service, UK.Incidence of DCM was identified from the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database for a single year using five ICD-10 diagnostic codes to represent DCM. Health Resource Group (HRG) data was used to estimate the mean incremental surgery (treatment) costs compared to non-surgical care, and the incremental effect (quality adjusted life year (QALY) gain) was based on data from a previous study. A cost per QALY value of <£30,000/QALY (GBP) was considered acceptable and cost-effective, as per the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance. A sensitivity analysis was undertaken (±5%, ±10% and ±20%) to account for variance in both the cost of admission and QALY gain.The total number of admissions for DCM in 2018 was 4,218. Mean age was 62 years, with 54% of admissions being of working age (18–65 years). The overall estimated cost of admissions for DCM was £38,871,534 for the year. The mean incremental (per patient) cost of surgical management of DCM was estimated to be £9,216 (ranged £2,358 to £9,304), with a QALY gain of 0.64, giving an estimated cost per QALY value of £14,399/QALY. Varying the QALY gain by ±20%, resulted in cost/QALY figures between £12,000 (+20%) and £17,999 (−20%).Surgery is estimated to be a cost-effective treatment of DCM amongst the UK population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of thermal traits is essential for understanding and modelling physiological responses to environmental change. Egg temperatures are poorly studied in most tubenose species. We employed a contactless infrared thermometer to measure egg and nest surface temperatures throughout the incubation period for four albatross species at Bird Island, South Georgia. The observed mean warm-side temperature of 33.4°C for Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) was similar to measurements obtained from this species using dummy eggs elsewhere. Observed mean warm-side temperatures for Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris), Grey-headed Albatross (Thalassarche chrysostoma), and Light-mantled Albatross (Phoebetria palpebrata), reported here for the first time, were 30.7-31.5°C, which is lower than the egg temperatures reported for most Procellariiformes. Temperature gradients across viable eggs declined by up to 9°C during incubation, reflecting increased embryonic circulation and metabolic heat production. This suggests that bioenergetic models should not assume constant egg temperatures during embryo development. Non-viable (addled) eggs could be identified by large temperature gradients in late incubation, indicating that infrared thermometry can be used to determine whether the embryo has died or the egg is infertile in monitoring and managed breeding (e.g. translocation) programmes. Egg temperatures were correlated with ground temperatures, indicating that incubated eggs are vulnerable to environmental variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces key themes in contemporary experimental fieldwork - explorations of ordinary places by artists, writers, activists, enthusiasts, students and researchers - to the works of Georges Perec. Preoccupations of this work - including playfulness, attention to the ordinary, and writing as a fieldwork practice - are all anticipated and elaborated in Perec's oeuvre, where they converge around an 'essayistic' approach. Exhibiting these traits, some contemporary fieldwork is more convincingly Perecquian than psychogeographical or Situationist, despite the tendency to identify it with the latter. Through Perec, it is therefore possible to bring contemporary experimental fieldwork into focus, identifying a coherence and sense of project within it, while speaking to the question of what it means and could mean to conduct fieldwork experimentally. Particular attention is paid in this paper to Perec's most accomplished and sustained field texts, both of which have been translated into English: An Attempt at Exhausting a Place in Paris (2010, from 1975 original in French) and Species of Spaces (1999/1974). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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When the human health risk assessment/risk management paradigm was developed, it did not explicitly include a “problem formulation” phase. The concept of problem formulation was first introduced in the context of ecological risk assessment (ERA) for the pragmatic reason to constrain and focus ERAs on the key questions. However, this need also exists for human health risk assessment, particularly for cumulative risk assessment (CRA), because of its complexity. CRA encompasses the combined threats to health from exposure via all relevant routes to multiple stressors, including biological, chemical, physical and psychosocial stressors. As part of the HESI Risk Assessment in the 21st Century (RISK21) Project, a framework for CRA was developed in which problem formulation plays a critical role. The focus of this effort is primarily on a chemical CRA (i.e., two or more chemicals) with subsequent consideration of non-chemical stressors, defined as “modulating factors” (ModFs). Problem formulation is a systematic approach that identifies all factors critical to a specific risk assessment and considers the purpose of the assessment, scope and depth of the necessary analysis, analytical approach, available resources and outcomes, and overall risk management goal. There are numerous considerations that are specific to multiple stressors, and proper problem formulation can help to focus a CRA to the key factors in order to optimize resources. As part of the problem formulation, conceptual models for exposures and responses can be developed that address these factors, such as temporal relationships between stressors and consideration of the appropriate ModFs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Geological mapping of mountains belts is fundamental to understanding their structure and evolution. Here, a 1:200,000 scale geological map of the central Himalaya of Western Region, Nepal is presented. This map represents a compilation of previously published maps, integrated with new geological field data. The wide spatial coverage of the map and the accompanying cross sections reveal the detailed structure of the Dhaulagiri-Annapurna-Manaslu Himalaya. The addition of modern topographic and infrastructure data makes this map suitable for navigation through the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The HESI-coordinated RISK21 roadmap and matrix are tools that provide a transparent method to compare exposure and toxicity information and assess whether additional refinement is required to obtain the necessary precision level for a decision regarding safety. A case study of the use of a pyrethroid, “pseudomethrin,” in bed netting to control malaria is presented to demonstrate the application of the roadmap and matrix. The evaluation began with a problem formulation step. The first assessment utilized existing information pertaining to the use and the class of chemistry. At each stage of the step-wise approach, the precision of the toxicity and exposure estimates were refined as necessary by obtaining key data which enabled a decision on safety to be made efficiently and with confidence. The evaluation demonstrated the concept of using existing information within the RISK21 matrix to drive the generation of additional data using a value-of-information approach. The use of the matrix highlighted whether exposure or toxicity required further investigation and emphasized the need to address the default uncertainty factor of 100 at the highest tier of the evaluation. It also showed how new methodology such as the use ofin vitrostudies and assays could be used to answer the specific questions which arise through the use of the matrix. The matrix also serves as a useful means to communicate progress to stakeholders during an assessment of chemical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical fieldwork is being reinvigorated through pedagogical and methodological innovations. Yet, while there are many good ideas in circulation, there is less evidence of where these ideas are taking us: what students are getting out of them, and what significance they may have for the discipline. These questions are explored through case studies involving playful and multi-sensory fieldwork: collecting sounds, urban climbing, finding “accidental art” and getting lost. Students tend enjoy this approach to fieldwork, which inspires them to learn actively and creatively, fosters the acquisition of new skills and explores the broader possibilities of playful and multi-sensory geographies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We describe the migration routes and non-breeding areas of Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) from the Azores Archipelago, based on ringing (banding) recoveries and tracking of three birds using geolocators. Over 20 years, there have been 55 transatlantic recoveries of Common Terns from the Azores population: six from Argentina and 49 from Brazil. The three tracked birds migrated south in different months (August, September, November), but the northern migration was more synchronous, with all leaving in April. The birds were tracked to three areas of the South American coast: the male spent November-April on the northern Brazilian coast (13°N-2°S), whereas the two females first spent some time off central-eastern Brazil (4-16°S; one for 1 week, the other for 3 months) and then moved south to the coast of south-eastern Brazil, Uruguay and northern Argentina (24-39°S). Although caution is needed given the small sample size and errors associated with geolocation, the three tracked terns potentially travelled a total of ~23 200 km to and returning from their non-breeding areas, representing an average movement of ~500 km day[sup -1]. With the exception of Belém, in northern Brazil, and Lagoa do Peixe, in southern Brazil, the coastal areas used by the tracked birds were also those with concentrations of ringing recoveries, confirming their importance as non-breeding areas for birds from the Azores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until recent decades, details of the migratory movements of seabirds remained largely unknown owing to the difficulties in following individuals at sea. Subsequent advances in biologging technology have greatly increased our knowledge of seabird migration and distribution, particularly of highly pelagic species. Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) (~500 g) have been studied extensively during their breeding season but our understanding of their movements outside this period remains poor. Here, we present the first tracks of the trans-equatorial migration of Short-tailed Shearwaters from a colony on Great Dog Island, Tasmania, Australia. Data were obtained from global location sensors (GLS loggers or geolocators), which enable the estimation of location twice per day based on ambient light levels. After breeding, tracked Shearwaters flew south of the Antarctic Polar Front to a previously unknown stopover site, where they remained for several weeks, before travelling rapidly northward through the western Pacific Ocean to coastal waters off Japan. Short-tailed Shearwaters spent the bulk of the northern hemisphere summer, either in this region or further north in the Bering Sea, before returning south through the central Pacific to their breeding sites. Our results, for the first time, describe in detail the complete migration of this long-lived seabird, reveal individual variation in timing and distribution, and describe the environmental characteristics of their key non-breeding habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes and compares the pelagic distribution and migratory patterns of the two subspecies of Gould's Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera), and contrasts data obtained from tracking birds at sea using geolocators with observational data (shipboard sightings, by-catch records and beachcast specimens). While breeding, tracked individuals of both subspecies (P. l. leucoptera and P. l. caledonica) foraged within the Tasman Sea and south of the Australian continent, with forays west into the Indian Ocean before laying. After breeding, both subspecies migrated to distinct non-breeding ranges within the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Observational data identified the general pattern of migration and foraging areas of the species, whereas data from geolocators provided details of routes and timing of migration, core foraging ranges, and marked spatial and temporal segregation between the two subspecies. However, by attaching geolocators only to established breeders, as is typical of studies of small and medium-sized seabirds, these devices failed to identify that non-breeding birds (pre-breeders and adults that are deferring breeding) may not follow the same migratory schedules or have the same at-sea distribution. We conclude that integrating data from electronic tracking with observational data substantially improves our understanding of the pelagic distribution of seabird populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CapsuleGreat SkuasStercorarius skuawintering in different areas spent different amounts of time in flight (foraging or searching for food) and so may be experiencing different feeding conditions. AimsTo compare the daily percentage of time spent in flight (foraging or searching for food) between different wintering areas. MethodsIn 2008, loggers equipped with a saltwater sensor were deployed on adult Great Skuas at three colonies in the northeast Atlantic, and the data used to compare foraging activity between the five main wintering areas. ResultsThe five areas used by 22 Great Skuas in winter were widely separated, from the northwest Atlantic to northwest Africa, and differ substantially in oceanography. The main difference in foraging effort among areas for individuals that were site-faithful was that the percentage of time per day spent in flight off northwest Africa was much lower than elsewhere. Among five birds that travelled between wintering areas, one reduced the percentage of time in flight after switching from Iberia to northwest Africa. ConclusionThe data suggest that feeding conditions were better off northwest Africa than elsewhere, at least during winter 2008/09. This allowed Great Skuas wintering in that region to spend more time resting, so probably reducing their overall energy expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI)-coordinated Risk Assessment in the 21st Century (RISK21) project was initiated to develop a scientific, transparent, and efficient approach to the evolving world of human health risk assessment, and involved over 120 participants from 12 countries, 15 government institutions, 20 universities, 2 non-governmental organizations, and 12 corporations. This paper provides a brief overview of the tiered RISK21 framework called the roadmap and risk visualization matrix, and articulates the core principles derived by RISK21 participants that guided its development. Subsequent papers describe the roadmap and matrix in greater detail. RISK21 principles include focusing on problem formulation, utilizing existing information, starting with exposure assessment (rather than toxicity), and using a tiered process for data development. Bringing estimates of exposure and toxicity together on a two-dimensional matrix provides a clear rendition of human safety and risk. The value of the roadmap is its capacity to chronicle the stepwise acquisition of scientific information and display it in a clear and concise fashion. Furthermore, the tiered approach and transparent display of information will contribute to greater efficiencies by calling for data only as needed (enough precision to make a decision), thus conserving animals and other resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The RISK21 integrated evaluation strategy is a problem formulation-based exposure-driven risk assessment roadmap that takes advantage of existing information to graphically represent the intersection of exposure and toxicity data on a highly visual matrix. This paper describes in detail the process for using the roadmap and matrix. The purpose of this methodology is to optimize the use of prior information and testing resources (animals, time, facilities, and personnel) to efficiently and transparently reach a risk and/or safety determination. Based on the particular problem, exposure and toxicity data should have sufficient precision to make such a decision. Estimates of exposure and toxicity, bounded by variability and/or uncertainty, are plotted on the X- and Y-axes of the RISK21 matrix, respectively. The resulting intersection is a highly visual representation of estimated risk. Decisions can then be made to increase precision in the exposure or toxicity estimates or declare that the available information is sufficient. RISK21 represents a step forward in the goal to introduce new methodologies into 21st century risk assessment. Indeed, because of its transparent and visual process, RISK21 has the potential to widen the scope of risk communication beyond those with technical expertise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Center for Educational Statistics, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education, compiles statistical data for U.S. schools. As charts indicate, in 2001, it reported that nationwide, 76% of high-income graduates immediately enroll in colleges or trade schools. However, only 49% of Hispanic and 59% of African Americans enroll immediately after graduating from high school. Research demonstrates that high academic achievers from low-income families are only one-fifth as likely to enroll in college as high achievers from high-income families (U.S. Department of Education, Center for Educational Statistics, 2001). This article is an examination of the components of a college prep program, GEAR-UP, which is a federally funded comprehensive intervention program to determine if African American participants improved predictors of achievement (PSAT, SAT, and GPA scores). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the Karakoram fault (KKF) in evolution of the Tibetan–Himalayan orogenic belt is controversial. Some consider the KKF to be a stable, long-lived feature with several hundred kilometres of offset along its entire current trace, whereas others interpret it as having propagated along its NW–SE trend since initiation at ∼16 Ma with small-scale slip being gradually absorbed by transfer structures along the fault trace. Here we report new zircon U–Pb and mica40Ar/39Ar ages related to the Ayi Shan detachment to better constrain the activity of the KKF in southwestern Tibet. The zircon U–Pb data show migmatite ages of 489, 478, and 435 Ma from the footwall of the Ayi Shan detachment involved in the KKF ductile shear zone. Mylonitized migmatite in the South Ayilari did not record any KKF activity. Similarly aged magmatic and metamorphic information recorded in mylonites and undeformed rocks of the Animaqing Group around the North Ayilari also rules out the effect of KKF movement on zircon growth. Cenozoic information recorded in North Ayilari zircons evidently resulted from Trans-Himalayan magmatic belt (THB) magmatism during 45–50 Ma and 32–25 Ma. Four mica dates from the same mylonitized samples all cluster around 12 Ma. Combined zircon U–Pb and mica40Ar/39Ar ages from the mylonites and undeformed rocks support the hypothesis that the KKF imposed a structural fabric on the rocks of the Animaqing Group and the THB granites at around 12 Ma in the Ayilari Range. Chronologic, kinematic, and geometric studies demonstrate that the fault propagated southeastward into SW Tibet at 12 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Petrels are highly mobile seabirds that face many threats and whose conservation is frequently hampered by a lack of understanding of their biology at sea. We used a combination of data from burrow monitoring and geolocation-immersion loggers to study the intra- and inter-seasonal distribution and behaviour of the endangered Chatham Petrel (Pterodroma axillaris), breeding on Rangatira Island, New Zealand. Breeding extended from November to June with a pre-laying exodus of 35 days; an incubation period of 46 days, with up to five incubation shifts; and a chick-rearing period of 87 days, including a desertion period of 10 days. When breeding, Chatham Petrels foraged between the Subtropical Convergence and Subantarctic Fronts, moving 2000-3000 km to the south-east of the Chatham Islands, during the pre-laying exodus and incubation period, but restricting foraging to the south of the Chatham Islands, around the Bollons Seamount, during chick-rearing. Between April and June birds migrated east and north to core non-breeding distributions ~1000 km from the coast of Peru and Chile. Birds spent a greater proportion of time resting and nocturnally active during the non-breeding period than when breeding, when birds where active during darkness and daylight. These data contribute to the conservation management of the Chatham Petrel and to conservation initiatives to identity marine protected areas for endangered seabirds on the high seas beyond national jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Muslims in western countries are routinely depicted as non-liberal minorities through representations of homophobia, honour killings and forced marriage within their communities. This presents a practical challenge to face up to non-liberal practices where they do exist, but without demonising an entire faith community. It also raises conceptual questions about mainstream western values. In the context of forced marriage, liberal principles (such as an individual's right to choose their own marriage partner and to decide whether to marry) appear to clash with postcolonial sensibilities including a valorisation of multiculturalism (which might recognise the rights of minorities to practice different marriage customs). These questions are examined through a case study involving Stichting Platform Islamitische Organisaties Rijnmond (SPIOR), a Muslim-identified organisation that works against forced marriage. Based in the Netherlands and active in six other European countries, SPIOR has worked with people potentially affected by forced marriage and also communicated its projects – and the progressive vision of Islam they advance – to wider audiences. Its experiences suggest that tensions between secular majorities and Muslim minorities, and between liberal and postcolonial values and sensibilities, are less fundamental than they sometimes appear, and more navigable. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Capsule Great Skuas Stercorarius skua breeding in Scotland, Iceland, and Norway, winter in different areas. Aims To assess the winter distribution of adult Great Skuas breeding in different countries. Methods Geolocation data-loggers were deployed on breeding adults at colonies in Shetland (Scotland), southeast Iceland, and Bjørnøya (Norway) in 2008. Loggers were recovered when birds returned to breed the next year and downloaded data were processed to indicate the location of each individual throughout the winter period. Results Adult Great Skuas from Scotland wintered off northwest Africa and southern Europe. Adults from Iceland mostly wintered off Canada, with small numbers visiting northwest Africa and Europe. Although adults from Bjørnøya (Norway) migrated to similar areas to birds from Iceland, a slightly greater proportion wintered off Europe, and most used areas further north than birds from Scotland. Although three birds studied over consecutive winters used the same small area in consecutive years, four moved between different areas within one winter. Conclusion Great Skuas show clear variation in migrations among breeding regions, and some evidence of individual consistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographies are taking center stage in debates about new, contested forms of imperialism. Geographers have developed a powerful analysis of the spatial dynamics of imperialism, which remains somewhat rarefied, obscuring many of the ways in which people speak about imperialism in their daily lives. Taking seriously the postcolonial injunction to listen to colonized peoples and to those who stand with and for them, this article describes empirical research among activists who bring anti-imperialism to practical political projects and in so doing animate and renew this way of thinking and speaking. Interviews were conducted with members of three politicized communities, who mobilized distinct anti-imperial traditions in their opposition to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. These interviews-with Muslims, nationalist-separatists, and socialists in the United Kingdom-chart a series of interconnected, vernacular spaces of resistance. They show and suggest how, in the grounded and heterogeneous places of activist practice, and through imaginative and rhetorical geographies of resistance, the ideas and languages of imperialism are being mobilized and measured, sometimes found wanting, but ultimately animated and renewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a new, relatively simple process, which uses green liquor (sodium carbonate and sodium sulfide) as a pretreatment for the production of ethanol is described in this article. The pulps produced by this process can be enzymatically hydrolyzed to monomeric sugars with a high overall sugar recovery. The use of green liquor for pretreatment ensures that the chemicals used during pretreatment can be recovered efficiently using proven technology and can be easily implemented in a repurposed kraft pulp mill. The yield of pulps produced by the green liquor pretreatment process is about 80% with nearly 100% cellulose and 75% xylan in retention in mixed southern hardwood. The low pH prevents the random hydrolysis of polysaccharide and secondary peeling reactions from occurring during the pretreatment, resulting in higher retention of the polysaccharides in pulp. About 35% of the lignin is removed during the green liquor pretreatment process, which is sufficient for efficient enzymatic hydrolysis. The amount of sugar produced in enzymatic hydrolysis increased with both the green liquor and enzyme charge. The increase in enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency was small as the total titrateable alkali was increased beyond 12-16%. With green liquor pretreatment at 16% Total Titrateable Alkali (TTA), the overall sugar recovery for hardwood was shown to be around 77% at a cellulase charge of 20 FPU/gm of substrate. A sugar recovery of 80% could be achieved at higher enzyme charges. These levels of sugar recovery are competitive with other pretreatments for hardwood. This novel pretreatment process can be used to repurpose kraft mills, which are being closed due to a decrease in the demand for paper in North America, for production of ethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses different definitions of civilisation in western society as they relate to imperialism and modernism. Constructions of civilisation articulated by pre-modern Europeans such as the the ancient Greeks, Romans, and the medieval Franks are considered. The distinction between the civilised self and the barbaric other in the history of European exploration is presented as evidence of how modern ideas of civilisation were constructed. The development of a history of premodern Islamic civilisation as a counter narrative to Western claims about the barbarism of people subjected to colonisation is considered. Examples of these counter narratives in fiction by Tariq Ali, Ziauddin Sardar, and history by Carole Hillenbrand are considered.

The Eastern Karakoram is a remote and under studied region of Ladakh in the northwestern Himalaya. The geology of the area provides insight into the evolution of the south Asian margin since the Paleozoic and is dominated structurally by the Karakoram fault, an ∼800 km long dextral strike-slip fault that bounds western Tibet. In this paper, a 1:250,000 geological map is presented based upon fieldwork and interpretation of satellite imagery. An overview of the geology of the Eastern Karakoram is also presented and includes a discussion of the architecture and kinematics of the central segment of the Karakoram fault. The construction of the map has aided our understanding of the initiation and evolution of the Karakoram fault and of the geology of the south Asian margin in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In his article for this issue of Economy and Society, Narayanan (2008) presents a critique of our earlier work on Malaysian industrialization (Henderson & Phillips 2007). Narayanan's objections are entirely empirical and they take the form of suggesting that had we looked at the 'right' data or 'properly' interpreted the data we provide, we would have seen that our hypothesis that Malaysia's industrialization project was 'stalling' was either wrong, or, if plausible, was unproven. In this response, we show that Narayanan is largely mistaken in his critique. While his contribution contains errors of interpretation, we argue that he is mistaken predominantly because he has misunderstood the methodological basis of our analysis. Specifically, he has failed to grasp our theoretical object and thus has been unable to identify the appropriate empirical terrain for assessing its significance and condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relation of particular forms of social and labour market policy to economic development. Taking the history of Malaysian industrialization as its empirical case, the paper assesses the unintended consequences of redistribution policy, on the one hand, and migration policy, on the other, for the limited upgrading of the country's electronics industry. It argues that, while the former has been central to social harmony in Malaysia's multi-racial society, it has contributed to the underdevelopment of small and medium-sized firms capable of linking with the TNCs on the basis of knowledge-intensive and higher value-added operations. Migration policy, on the other hand, has allowed manufacturers to have continued access to supplies of low-cost, lower-skilled labour that have released the pressures that would otherwise have been there for technological and skill upgrading in the electronics industry. Only in Penang, where regional state institutions have intervened to encourage SME upgrading, has the national picture been moderated. Malaysia's industrialization project emerged at time when export competition in manufactured commodities was less intense than it is now. Largely as a result of federal government priorities and for other reasons explored in the paper, advantage was not taken of this ‘window of opportunity’. As a consequence, the country's industrialization project – exemplified by its electronics industry – is now ‘stalling’ in the sense that it remains locked into low- to medium-technology operations. With the rise of China as a manufacturing exporter, this is a dangerous situation for a country's principal industry to be in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the effect of financial advisor-monitors on the valuation of real estate investment trust (REIT) mergers. Advisor choice determinants and the effect of advisors on transaction value are examined using a sample of REIT mergers for the 1981 to 2001 period. A two-stage target firm pricing model is estimated: the first stage (logit) estimates the probability of advisor use and the second stage analyzes the effect of advisors on target firm valuation. The results indicate that financial advisor monitoring, possibly by reducing information asymmetries, has significant positive effects on the value of REIT acquisitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) system for estimating skin sensitization potency has been developed that incorporates skin metabolism and considers the potential of parent chemicals and/or their activated metabolites to react with skin proteins. A training set of diverse chemicals was compiled and their skin sensitization potency assigned to one of three classes. These three classes were, significant, weak, or nonsensitizing. Because skin sensitization potential depends upon the ability of chemicals to react with skin proteins either directly or after appropriate metabolism, a metabolic simulator was constructed to mimic the enzyme activation of chemicals in the skin. This simulator contains 203 hierarchically ordered spontaneous and enzyme controlled reactions. Phase I and phase II metabolism were simulated by using 102 and 9 principal transformations, respectively. The covalent interactions of chemicals and their metabolites with skin proteins were described by 83 reactions that fall within 39 alerting groups. The SAR/QSAR system developed was able to correctly classify about 80% of the chemicals with significant sensitizing effect and 72% of nonsensitizing chemicals. For some alerting groups, three-dimensional (3D)-QSARs were developed to describe the multiplicity of physicochemical, steric, and electronic parameters. These 3D-QSARs, so-called pattern recognition-type models, were applied each time a latent alerting group was identified in a parent chemical or its generated metabolite(s). The concept of the mutual influence amongst atoms in a molecule was used to define the structural domain of the skin sensitization model. The utility of the structural model domain and the predictability of the model were evaluated using sensitization potency data for 96 chemicals not used in the model building. The TIssue MEtabolism Simulator (TIMES) software was used to integrate a skin metabolism simulator and 3D-QSARs to evaluate the reactivity of chemicals thus predicting their likely skin sensitization potency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A critical genealogy of the emerging subfield of postcolonial geography illustrates how human geography has become historically shortsighted. Postcolonial geography interrogates the significance of imperialism and colonialism for disciplinary and material geographies, though its reference points, like those of most other geographical subfields, have been almost exclusively modern (c.1500–present). The marginalization of premodern imperialism rests upon the argument, or more often the assumption, that the imperialisms of the modern period have been fundamentally different from those of the premodern. We criticize this position by focusing on colonialism—as a specific aspect of imperialism—with reference to social, cultural, and political geographical theory and to wide-ranging empirical material. Regarding the social relations and the politics and scales of colonialism in the premodern and modern periods, there are no a priori grounds for distinguishing between modern and premodern forms of imperialism. We advocate a more historically and geographically inclusive postcolonial geography that will best equip geographers and others to understand and, potentially, to intervene against contemporary forms of imperialism, including those that have survived from the past and also those that have emerged in the context of present-day forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capsule Barnacle Geese restrict their movements to relatively few key sites and exhibit considerable variation in ranging behaviour. Aims To examine individual and seasonal variation in site fidelity, habitat use, range size and foraging strategies of Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis. Methods The movements of 18 male Barnacle Geese tagged in two discrete areas were tracked for 3-6 months from late autumn until departure on the spring migration. Results Tagged geese concentrated their feeding in a relatively small proportion of apparently suitable habitat. Geese moved increasingly further afield in midwinter, and there was a clear predeparture shift to the largest area of relatively undisturbed, and possibly more nitrogen-rich, saltmarsh on the Solway. Birds from one of the two capture sites tended to be more sedentary and have smaller home ranges. Conclusion There is considerable between-site and inter-individual variation in the degree of site-faithfulness of Barnacle Geese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A group is called p-linear if it is isomorphic to a subgroup of GL(n,K) for some field K of characteristic p and some integer n. Let H be a normal subgroup of G and assume that both H and G/H are periodic and p-linear. In addition, assume that both H and G/H have finite unipotent radicals and that the Hirsch-Plotkin radical of H is C˘ernikov. The main result of this article is a proof that under these assumptions G is p-linear. An example is provided showing the result is false if the assumption regarding the Hirsch-Plotkin radical is removed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, organizations serving children and families have focused service delivery by available funding stream criteria. Federal funding streams supported fragmented services by tightly channeling monies to specific programs for specific needs. The intensity of providing and improving the delivery of services has overshadowed building connectedness across organizations and systems. Service has been the major goal and intense effort has gone into maximizing opportunities and measuring effects through service frequency. Over the past several years, new funding incentives have provided the opportunity for new collaboratives. This article describes an innovative collaboration between the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) and Eastern Washington University (EWU) and the unique directions and support that a university/agency partnership can provide for both organizations. Key features of this collaboration include shifts in funding and staffing strategies that contributed to more flexible services and increased levels of collaboration between IDHW, EWU and other community and state organizations and institutions. This article describes how funding can be viewed as a tool to increase the level of collaboration between systems, thus potentially leading to a breakdown of the traditional service delivery system. Finally, this article describes how an agency/higher education partnership played a key role in documenting the success of a school based program in meeting the emergency assistance needs of children and families, and how program evaluation, like funding requirements, can provide a supportive role in building collaborative relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study which explored the power of dystopian geographical imaginations by examining the form and function of dystopias in colonial contexts. Composition of the power of dystopian geographical imaginations; Focus of the critical geographical literature on dystopias; Form of colonial discourse considered important.

Examines the association between decolonizing subjectivities and material geographies through the travel writing of James/Jan Morris in Great Britain. Characteristics of travel writing; Arguments on the in-between spaces of subjectivity and material geography; Development of imperial binaries through travel writing.

The authors comment on the article " Economic and Environmental Tradeoffs From Alternative Water Allocation Policies in the South Saskatchewan River Basin" by Marian Weber and Marius Cutlac published in a 2014 Winter issue of the journal. Topics discussed include the arguments of the authors on the application of Water Conservation Objectives in the article, their description of Alberta's current system of prior water allocation, and their critical misinterpretation of the system.

ABSTRACT Women who accompanied male adventurers and geographers often made crucial (yet generally unacknowledged) contributions to the research and writing of their partners. These women were not always named as authors, but nevertheless participated in the production and promotion of texts, influencing their form and their impact. In this light the author reconsiders the works of Isabel Burton, wife of the famous British Victorian traveller, geographer, translator and author, Richard Burton. Reinterpreting and recentring the marginalised and often caricatured Isabel Burton, it is shown that Isabel performed many roles in the `Burton industry', influencing the production, content and circulation of texts attributed mainly to her husband. While Isabel frequently worked with her husband, she sometimes worked against him, subverting and recasting `his' texts, partly in order to oppose her husband's sexual libertinism and to advance her own political agenda, which can be located within late-Victorian social purity movements. Isabel's involvement with the gendered politics of purity illustrates the second dimension in what the author calls the two fold sexual politics of authorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explains a strategy by which school-based interprofessional teams can review and learn from decisions made on critical cases. Critical case review method; Procedural steps in the critical case reviews; Sunnyview Elementary School's critical case review.

Abstract. This paper investigates relative pricing determinants of the fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) versus adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) decision. A probit model is estimated using data from a national sample of residential housing transactions for the 1986 to 1988 period. The results suggest that the probability of ARM choice is highly sensitive to ARM initial rate ("teaser") discounts and differences in the ratio of FRM to ARM points. In addition, the findings indicate that the level of local housing prices is an important determinant of ARM choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to standard foreclosure, three other methods of resolution for mortgage defaults are available: bankruptcy protection, surrender of deed to the lender, and pre-foreclosure sale. This paper develops a model that specifies the choice of resolution method as a function of the state-specific legal environment and local area economic conditions. A large national data set is used to estimate a multinomial logit choice model for the 1987 to 1991 period. The results indicate that the choice of default resolution alternative is sensitive to the legal environment. The results Imply that selected legal reforms will tend to improve the efficiency of the default resolution process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. This paper analyzes determinants of the fifteen- versus thirty-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) loan term decision. Because the thirty-year FRM may be converted (by partial prepayment) to the shorter term, the thirty-year instrument provides the implicit option to extend repayment. Relative rates measure the price (cost) of this option to the consumer. The results indicate that the term decision of consumers is highly sensitive to relative rates: probit estimates using data from a large national lending institution for the 1987 to 1990 period indicate that a 1% increase in the ratio of fifteen- to thirty-year rates lowers the probability of fifteen-year term choice by 20%. The results also indicate that expected housing price appreciation, which measures investment determinants of housing demand, is negatively related to the fifteen-year FRM term choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to examine some of the problems and benefits of using a microcomputer as a classroom teaching aid, we observed 174 school lessons during which 17 teachers employed a microcomputer regularly with a chosen class for a whole term. It is argued that the ergonomic factors here differ considerably from those in other man/machine interactions. Problems of screen visibility were frequently noted and the inexperience of pupil and teacher operators caused a number of difficulties. Styles of computer use were very varied and these are discussed. Although educational performance was not measured by means of test scores, the range and quality of pupil activities suggests that the educational benefits are considerable. Recommendations are made to teachers, education authorities, software designers and hardware manufacturers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]