Selection, inheritance, and the evolution of parent-offspring interactions

Very few studies have examined parent-offspring interactions from a quantitative genetic perspective. We used a cross-fostering design and measured genetic correlations and components of social selection arising from two parental and two offspring behaviors in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. Genetic correlations were assessed by examining behavior of relatives independent of common social influences. We found positive genetic correlations between all pairs of behaviors, including between parent and offspring behaviors. Patterns of selection were assessed by standardized performance and selection gradients. Parental provisioning had positive effects on offspring performance and fitness, while remaining near the larvae without feeding them had negative effects. Begging had positive effects on offspring performance and fitness, while increased competition among siblings had negative effects. Coadaptations between parenting and offspring behavior appear to be maintained by genetic correlations and functional trade-offs; parents that feed their offspring more also spend more time in the area where they can forage for themselves. Families with high levels of begging have high levels of sibling competition. Integrating information from genetics and selection thus provides a general explanation for why variation persists in seemingly beneficial traits expressed in parent-offspring interactions and illustrates why it is important to measure functionally related suites of behaviors

Introduction to 'Counselling and Psychotherapy in Organisational Settings'

This is the introduction to a book entitled 'Counselling and Psychotherapy in Organisational Settings', co-edited with Ruth Roberts

Coadaptation of prenatal and postnatal maternal effects

In a wide variety of species, a female's age of first reproduction influences offspring size and survival, suggesting that there exists an optimal timing of reproduction. Mothers in many species also influence offspring size and survival after birth through variation in parental care. We experimentally separated these effects in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides to test for coadaptation between prenatal and postnatal maternal effects associated with age at first reproduction. Females that reproduced early produced offspring with lower birth weight. The amount of parental care depended on the age of first reproduction of the caretaker, as did the extent of offspring begging. As predicted for a coadaptation of maternal effects, prenatal and postnatal effects were opposite for different-aged mothers, and larval weight gain and survival was greatest when the age of the caretaker and birth mother matched. Thus, prenatal effects intrinsically associated with age of first reproduction can be ameliorated by innate plasticity in postnatal care. A coadaptation of prenatal and postnatal maternal effects may evolve to allow variable timing of the first reproductive attempt. Such a coadaptation might be particularly valuable when females are constrained from reproducing at an optimal age, as, for example, in species that breed on scarce and unpredictable resources

Seeding versus natural regeneration: a comparison of vegetation change following thinning and burning in ponderosa pine

The decision whether to seed with native species following restoration treatments should be based on existing vegetation, species present in or absent from the soil seed bank, past management history, microclimate conditions and soils. We installed three permanent monitoring plots in two areas (total 18.6 ha) at Mt. Trumbull, AZ. Trees were thinned and the sites burned in 1996 and 1997. A 5 ha area was seeded with native shrub, grass and forb species; the remaining 13.6 ha were unseeded. Pretreatment species richness ranged from none to five species per plot. We recorded 13 graminoid and eight shrub species in the seeded area, and four graminoid and four shrub species in the unseeded area. The greatest increase in species richness in both seeded and unseeded plots occurred approximately 1.8 years posttreatment. Perennial native species dominated plant cover by 2.8 years, although annual native forbs dominate the soil seed bank. Perennial grasses are nearly absent from the seed bank. The seeded area had the highest diversity, but it also had twice as many nonnative species (14 versus 7 in the unseeded plots). By August 1999, maximum species richness reached 51 species on the seeded plot. Of these species, 80 percent were native. Although seeding increases diversity, it may also have the long-term tradeoff of introducing new genotypes and species, both native and nonnative

Keeping Track of Care: Quality and Technology at LifeBridge Health System (Baltimore)

This one-day site visit focused on quality and technology in acute, post-acute and long-term care at Sinai Hospital and Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, both components of LifeBridge Health System in Baltimore. Participants traced the treatment paths of hypothetical cardiac and cancer patients through the hospital and explored the range of home- and community-based as well as institutional care available through the geriatric center. The role of clinical information technology was highlighted in both settings

Analysis of motion during the breast clamping phase of mammography

Objectives: To measure paddle motion during the clamping phase of a breast phantom for a range of machine/paddle combinations. Methods: A deformable breast phantom was used to simulate a female breast. Twelve mammography machines from three manufacturers with twenty two flexible and twenty fixed paddles were evaluated. Vertical motion at the paddle was measured using two calibrated linear potentiometers. For each paddle, the motion in millimeters was recorded every 0.5 seconds for 40 seconds while the phantom was compressed with 80 N. Independent t-tests were used to determine differences in paddle motion between flexible and fixed, small and large, GE Senographe Essential and Hologic Selenia Dimensions paddles. Paddle tilt in the medial-lateral plane for each machine/paddle combination was calculated. Results: All machine/paddle combinations demonstrate highest levels of motion during the first 10s of the clamping phase. Least motion is 0.17±0.05 mm/10s (n=20) and the most is 0.51±0.15 mm/10s (n=80). There is a statistical difference in paddle motion between fixed and flexible (p<0.001), GE Senographe Essential and Hologic Selenia Dimensions paddles (p<0.001). Paddle tilt in the medial-lateral plane is independent of time and varied from 0.04° to 0.69°. Conclusions: All machine/paddle combinations exhibited motion and tilting and the extent varied with machine and paddle sizes and types. Advances in knowledge: This research suggests that image blurring will likely be clinically insignificant 4 seconds or more after the clamping phase commences

Creativity, or, Holding on to aroha : exploring, exemplifying and encouraging creativity in adulthood : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Adult), Massey University

"Creativity is the sixth sense, transporting us to dreamed of places which the other five cannot reach," to paraphrase the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Helen Clark. It was the task of this thesis to 'catch' creativity, scrutinise it and make sense of it. Accordingly, it was necessary to: Define creativity as the catalyst for effective innovation Determine who manifests it; major and minor exemplars Discover where it occurs; personal and public sites Detect how it can be effectively encouraged Delve into reasons for esteeming it; philosophical and pragmatic Answers to the above alliterative list's demands, were found in three places: The first was a global location, specifically the international literature on creativity, with particular reference to that written over the past fifty years The second was a New Zealand venue for the encouragement of creativity, The Leaming Connexion, Wellington, evidenced in the story of its founder The third was in the personal perspective of five people who are convinced that creativity is central to shaping how they live. They agreed to be identified as a signature, witnessing the role that creativity has in their lives. Throughout, the theoretical and actual informed each other, as well as the thesis author. Soon universal evidence of creativity's relevance became apparent. On a poetic note, the study concluded that creativity is worth holding onto since it is at the heart of what makes us take nothing for granted. In so doing, its breath grants humanity meaning. More prosaically, the thesis ends with five practical recommendations as to how some of the insights gained might be implemented to help make living and learning more meaningful in an increasingly complex world

CHIP and Medicaid Outreach and Enrollment: A Hands-on Look at Marketing and Applications

The State Children\u27s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP or CHIP), enacted as part of the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) in 1997, has enrolled eligible low-income children in innovative ways and tackled a variety of challenges to make sure that families know about the new program. This issue brief describes the outreach, application, and enrollment process for both SCHIP and Medicaid, analyzing the difficulty in simplifying applications, and noting problems that states must solve around systems design, immigration issues, and the stigma sometimes associated with government programs

Will Coaching Improve One\u27s Math Score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test?

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) has long been a determining factor for admission into most of the nation\u27s colleges and universities. Numerous studies have been conducted to question the reliability and predictive validity of SAT scores, yet they are still widely used. The widespread use of these scores in determining college admission is an indication that the SAT will be around for quite some time. For this reason and for personal reasons, I posed the following research question: Will coaching improve one\u27s math score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test

A Report from the Forum Session Implementing the New Medicare Drug Benefit: Challenges and Opportunities for States

The National Health Policy Forum convened a meeting on July 22, 2004 to discuss state-based challenges associated with implementing the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA). The meeting brought together an extremely insightful and experienced group of current and former state officials and other experts to discuss key issues. In keeping with its tradition of promoting a frank, off-the-record exchange on health policy issues, NHPF does not normally prepare written summaries or reports of meetings. However, because this meeting provided vivid illustrations of the importance of state-federal collaboration for the successful implementation of the new Medicare drug benefit, participants agreed that the information should be shared more widely. Thus, this report is intended to provide a candid montage of the July 22 meeting and supply additional information and insights into state issues surrounding MMA implementation. Though the MMA offers a huge number and range of potential subjects, the discussion was focused around four primary areas affecting states: eligibility, enrollment, and outreach; the transition for dual eligibles; financing challenges; and administrative and systems issues