Basic Needs, Property Rights and Degradation Of Commons

A major problem in many developing countries is the degradation of commons. This degradation has occurred on account of the lack of fulfilment of the basic needs of the poor, free riding and ill–defined property rights. As these goods are essential for the survival of these people, they have to access these items from commons. This results in regular raids to common land for resources and also to private houses (for example, in New Delhi) which are not guarded for water. A variant of the agricultural household model is used to analyse the above problem. Several propositions are established and it is demonstrated that degradation can occur at both a low and high price of basic needs. This result has important policy implications as it demonstrates that land or common degradation cannot be solved by just using the price system. Properly defined property rights and provision of basic goods in kind may resolve the problem of degradation of commons.

Effective teaching in universities: are students' basic needs being satisfied in large classes?

In a quest for a more efficient education system, many organizations have opted to increase class size. It is a common perception that large subjects are economical to run and small subjects are not. Many in the tertiary  education system have had concerns with issues involved in the teaching of large classes, including teaching quality and whether there are effective learning outcomes for students. As with any complex issue, there are several approaches that could be utilized to assess whether the needs of  stakeholders are being met. Stakeholders include the institution, the  teaching staff the community and the students. This study aims to assess whether universities are satisfying the needs of students as class size is increased The study focuses on satisfaction with large classes and includes an assessment of the satisfaction of students' psychological needs. These constructs are measured in small, medium and large classes to identify the change in the level of satisfaction. The study used a multi-method approach consisting of a literature review, a qualitative phase involving in depth  interviews, focus groups, and a quantitative survey The results show that while customer satisfaction is being met, the satisfaction of students' psychological needs are not being fully realised. It was also found that there were notable variations between individual students, the subjects being studied and degree streams of students taking the same subject. The implications of these findings and suggestions for further investigation are discussed in this paper.

Facts on fats

Cardiovascular disease and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may share common risk factors in their causal pathways. Decades of research from the cardiovascular sciences on fats have led investigators to focus on specific types of fats rather than total fat as a whole. They have established that saturated and trans-unsaturated fats (trans fats) are damaging to cardiovascular health while polyunsaturated fats, particularly the marine omega 3 fatty acids appear protective. This has led to a number of studies investigating the associations of fat and AMD. Though the causal relationship between fats and AMD remain unproven, some studies suggest that an association may be present. To be able to understand and interpret the study results and their implications, an understanding of the fats in the diet is important. This review aims to give an overview of fatty acids, particularly the trans-unsaturated fatty acids, and the relevant food groups.

What do we mean by the term "inflammation"? A contemporary basic science update for sports medicine

Most practicing sports medicine clinicians refer to the concept of "inflammation" many times a day when diagnosing and treating acute and overuse injuries. What is meant by this term? Is it a "good" or a "bad" process? The major advances in the understanding of inflammation in recent years are summarised, and some clinical implications of the contemporary model of inflammation are highlighted.

Testosterone effects on avian basal metabolic rate and aerobic performance : facts and artefacts

We examined the effects of cage size and testosterone (T) levels on basal and peak metabolic rates (BMR and PMR, respectively) and on pectoral and leg muscle masses of male house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Birds were housed either in small birdcages or in flight aviaries for at least 2 weeks prior to the initial metabolic evaluations. They were then implanted with either empty or T-filled silastic capsules and remeasured 5–6 weeks later. Birds treated with single T implants achieved breeding levels (4–6 ng/mL) and one group given double implants reached 10 ng/mL. There was no effect of T on BMR or PMR in any group studied, but there was an effect of caging. Caged birds showed significant reductions in PMR over the course of captivity, whereas PMR in aviary-housed birds were indistinguishable from their free-living counterparts. Testosterone treatment significantly increased leg muscle mass in caged birds, but had no effect on muscle mass in aviary-housed sparrows. We conclude that testosterone has no direct effect on sparrow metabolic rate or muscle mass, but may interact with cage conditions to produce indirect changes to these variables.

Risk assessment of sexual offenders for extended supervision orders in New Zealand : basic principles and current practice

A growing number of jurisdictions in North America, the United Kingdom, and Australasia have enacted legislation allowing for special sentencing, civil commitment, and community supervision options for high risk sexual offenders. In New Zealand, one example of this concern for public protection is the Parole (Extended Supervision) Amendment Act 2004, which provides for additional supervision of sexual offenders with child victims for up to 10 years after their release from prison. Recent experience with expert evidence and judicial decision making in such cases suggests that those involved in the process might benefit from a more thorough understanding of the current state of sexual offender risk assessment that can be provided by mental health professionals.