An evolutionary framework for studies of hibernation and short-term torpor

Data from diverse studies endorse ideas that short term torpor and hibernation are expressions of ancient characters. In evolutionary terms, their basic mechanisms are probably plesiomorphic (= ancestral/primitive) and physiologically similar. This contrasts with the alternate view that they are apomorphic (= derived, specialized), arising independently in many taxa from homeothermic ancestry by numerous apparent convergences. This paper explores some of the implications of accepting the plesiomorphic interpretation. Hibernation is, of course, a complex phenomenon that has undergone variations and refinements in different mammalian lineages. The argument is not that hibernation in total is a plesiomorphic character, but that it is built upon fundamental processes that are. Taking this view provides a framework for research that emphasizes the value of comparative studies, particularly of reptiles and birds. Studies of reptiles, for example, might unravel the mystery about periodic arousals. A plesiomorphic framework also explains the most extreme examples of hibernation as derived specializations from ancestry in which heterothermy is more about energy management than escape from cold. It cautions against using low body temperature (Tb) alone to diagnose torpor, emphasizes the need to distinguish between constitutional eurythermy (plesiomorphic) and constitutional stenothermy (apomorphic), and leads to a parsimonious theory about the evolution of endothermy. The paper proposes that brown adipose tissue (BAT) is apomorphic within eutheria and highlights the conundrum posed by the occurrence of both nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) and rapid arousal from hibernation in noneutherian mammals that lack BAT and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). It endorses the likely existence of a different, ancient and widespread mechanism for regulatory NST in mammals.

Understanding city fringe gentrification: The role of a potential investment gap

Discussion of gentrification has become ‘balkanised’ into a series of competing and intensely-held positions. The dichotomies are between economic and cultural explanations, supply-side and demand-side explanations and structural Marxist and liberal humanist views. Despite the long academic and policy interest in gentrification there is still no clear definition of what it is and why it occurs. However, almost all previous analyses see gentrification as an inner-city phenomenon and so deal with it within framework of inner-city theory and causation. This paper approaches the debate from a somewhat different position. It argues that gentrification, seen as the replacement of lower status and income households by higher status and income households, can occur outside the inner city. It uses clear cases of gentrification on the urban fringe of metropolitan Brisbane in South East Queensland, to explore mechanisms and explanations. The key to this ‘gentrification by the sea’ is a ‘potential investment gap’ between current and potential future property values, based on increasing demand for a limited locational resource – but instead of this being inner-city properties it is waterside land in a regional facing rapid population increase. The paper also draws attention to the inadequate recognition of the roles of the state and the media in previous analyses of gentrification.

Development of a web-service-agents-based family wealth management system

The roiling financial markets, constantly changing tax law and increasing complexity of planning transaction increase the demand of aggregated family wealth management (FWM) services. However, current trend of developing such advisory systems is mainly focusing on financial or investment side. In addition, these existing systems lack of flexibility and are hard to be integrated with other organizational information systems, such as CRM systems. In this paper, a novel architecture of Web-service-agents-based FWM systems has been proposed. Multiple intelligent agents are wrapped as Web services and can communicate with each other via Web service protocols. On the one hand, these agents can collaborate with each other and provide comprehensive FWM advices. On the other hand, each service can work independently to achieve its own tasks. A prototype system for supporting financial advice is also presented to demonstrate the advances of the proposed Webservice- agents-based FWM system architecture.