New insights to the molecular phylogenetics and generic assessment in the Rhacophoridae (Amphibia: Anura) based on five nuclear and three mitochondrial genes, with comments on the evolution of reproduction

The phylogenetic relationships among 12 genera of treefrogs (Family, Rhacophoridae), were investigated based on a large sequence data set, including five nuclear (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, proopiomelanocortin, recombination activating gene 1, tyr

Seasonal pattern of reproduction of Hizikia fusiformis (Sargassaceae, Phaeophyta) from Nanao Island, Shantou, China

The maturation pattern of sexual reproduction in Hizikia fusiformis (Harvey) Okamura (Sargassaceae, Phaeaophyta) was examined in 2003 at Yunao Bay, Nanao Island, Shantou, China. Maturation began in mid-April (seawater temperature 19-21 degrees C), reached the peak in mid-May (maturation rate ca. 70%, and seawater temperature 23.5-25 degrees C) and finished in late-June (seawater temperature 27.5-30 degrees C). The Hizikia plants continued to gain the length from the beginning of maturation season to reach a maximum mean length of 34.8 cm in mid-May, after which the mean length was reduced drastically due to the senescence and rupture of the larger plants in size. The major portion of the mature plants belonged to the larger plants between April and May, but to the smaller ones in June. It is suggested that the plant must achieve a critical size before reproductive maturation occurred. There was a positive relationship between the number of receptacles (NR), as well as the reproductive allocation (RA), and the plant size of Hizikia population, with the recorded maximum values of NR and RA being 1220 and 64.3% respectively, for a single plant.

Control of reproduction rhythmicity by environmental and endogenous signals in Ulva pseudocurvata (Chlorophyta)

A field population of Ulva pseudocurvata Koeman et C. Hoek (hereafter termed Ulva) at Sylt Island (North Sea, Germany) exhibited biweekly peaks of gametophytic reproduction during the colder seasons and approximately weekly peaks during summer. The reproductive events lasted 1-5 d and were separated from each other by purely vegetative phases. Under constant conditions in the laboratory, a free-running rhythm was observed with reproductive peaks occurring approximately every 7 d. When artificial moonlight was provided every 4 weeks, fewer reproductive events occurred, and the reproductive rhythm became synchronized to the environmental artificial moonlight rhythm. In the laboratory, apical disks were entirely converted into reproductive tissue after 8 d cultivation, while almost all basal disks stayed vegetative, which prevented the entire loss of the vegetative thallus during reproductive events. Seasonal size reduction of the thallus occurred from late autumn onward and was determined to be controlled by a genuine photoperiodic response, since size reduction could be induced from May onward by experimental short-day (SD) treatment but was prevented in a long-day (LD) or night-break regime (NB). A daily fine-tuning occurred with gamete release early in the morning at the first sign of daylight, following an obligatory dark ("night") period of at least 1 h duration. No release took place if the overnight dark phase was replaced by continuous light. Blue, green, or red light all triggered gamete release after a dark phase at an irradiance of 0.1 mu mol photons . m(-2) .s(-1), while 0.001 mu mol photons . m(-2) . s(-1) was equivalent to a dark control.

Seasonal variation of reproduction rates and body size of Calanus sinicus in the Southern Yellow Sea, China

Annual variations of egg production rate (EPR) and clutch size of Calanus sinicus, as well as body size of females (prosome length and dry weight), were investigated at a series of stations in the Southern Yellow Sea by onboard incubation. Calanus sinicus was spawning in all the 11 cruises investigated, and the annual variation of EPR was bimodal. Monthly average EPR was highest from May to July, respectively, 5.97, 5.36 and 6.30 eggs female(-1) d(-1), then decreased dramatically to only 1.37 eggs female(-1) d(-1) in August and attained the lowest 1.07 eggs female(-1) d(-1) in October. In November, average EPR increased again to 4.31 eggs female(-1) d(-1). Seasonal variation of clutch size was similar to EPR, except that it decreased gradually after August rather than dramatically as did EPR. Prosome length of females was maximum in May and minimum in October, but dry weight was highest in November. Monthly average EPR correlated better with prosome length than dry weight, while clutch size was rather determined by dry weight of females. It is suggested that egg production of C. sinicus was active during two discontinuous periods when both surface and bottom temperature fell into its favorite range (i.e. 10-23degreesC), and different reproductive strategies were adopted in these two reproductive peaks: other than the highest EPR, longer prosome length was also achieved by C. sinicus from May to July, while females in November developed shorter bodies but accumulated more energy for reproduction.

Partitioning of reproduction among queens in the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile

We investigated how queens share parentage (skew) in the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, a social insect with multiple queens (polygyny). Overall, maternity of 546 male and female sexuals that mated successfully was determined with microsatellites in 26 colonies consisting of two queens and workers. The first main finding was that queens all contributed to sexual production. However, there was a significant departure from equal contribution to male and female sexual production in a notable proportion of colonies. Overall, reproductive skew for sexual (male and female) production was relatively low but higher than reproductive skew for egg production. The second interesting result was that there was a trade-off in the relative contribution of queens to male and female production. The queens contributing more to male production contributed significantly less to female sexual production. Finally, there was no significant association between colony productivity and the degree of reproductive skew. The relatively low reproductive skew is in line with predictions of the so-called concession models of reproductive skew because, in the Argentine ant, relatedness between queens is low and ecological constraints on dispersal nonexistent or weak. © 2001 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Abortion and Nation: The Politics of Reproduction in Contemporary Ireland

Abortion politics are contentious and divisive in many parts of the world, but nowhere more so than in Ireland. Abortion and Nation examines the connection between abortion politics and hegemonic struggles over national identity and the nation-state in the Irish Republic. Situating the abortion question in the global context of human rights politics, as well as international social movements, Lisa Smyth analyses the formation and transformation of abortion politics in Ireland from the early 1980s to the present day. She considers whether or not the shifting connections between morality, rights and nationhood promise a new era of gender equality in the context of nation-state citizenship.
The book provides a new sociological framework through which the significance of conflict over abortion and reproductive freedom is connected to conflict over national identity. It also offers a distinctive in-depth consideration of the connection between gender and nationhood, particularly in terms of its impact on women's status as citizens; within the nation-state; within the European Union; and as members of a global civil society.

'Leaving Nothing to Chance'?: Joint Tenancies, The 'Right' of Survivorship and Unilateral Severance

The joint tenancy with its inherent right of survivorship is the most prevalent form of co-ownership in the common law world today. Most couples will be joint tenants of a family home, while relations (such as siblings) who purchase property together may opt for this arrangement. Inter vivos acquisitions aside, the huge intergenerational transfer of wealth within families on death can result in a joint tenancy, and it may also be a convenient estate planning device. The fact that property automatically vests in the surviving joint tenants on death is the reason why many people choose this form of co-ownership. However, there is one serious disadvantage. A joint tenancy is an inflexible form of landholding where relationships sour or family circumstances change over time, and co-owners want their respective `shares' of the property to pass to someone else on death. Where consensual severance is not possible, one joint tenant can sever unilaterally. The latter mechanism is vital in terms of giving effect to the wishes of the severing joint tenant, especially in situations of discord or a breakdown in relations with their fellow co-owners. However, unilateral severance also has serious implications for the non-severing joint tenant(s) who expected to inherit property through survivorship, and can impact significantly on ownership of the home and other family property. This article looks at unilateral severance as a means of subverting the right of survivorship. The focus is on personal and inter-family relationships, and the various legal issues and policy considerations associated with unilateral severance across the common law jurisdictions of Britain, Ireland, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. It assesses the various methods of effecting unilateral severance and proposes specific measures, as well as considering novel arguments for preventing unilateral severance based on contractual agreements to the contrary and proprietary estoppel.

The right of access to a lawyer in terrorist cases

This is a survey of the applicable international human rights standards concerning the right which alleged terrorists have to access a lawyer.

A “Child’s Rights Perspective”: The “Right” of Children and Young People to Participate in Health Care Research

As all human beings are consumers of health care provision across the life span and in receipt of care delivered by accountable health care professionals, all should have the right to be involved in shaping the future of their own health care. Rights-based participation, when applied successfully, has the potential to inform and influence the delivery of child health care, the child’s experience of health care, plus children’s nursing education (Coyne & Gallagher, 2011). The “right” of every child and young person to participate in research that relates to their own health care is also sustained by the author’s lead position as a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education for pre-registration children’s nursing in Northern Ireland and the appreciation of their voice when practicing as a registered children’s nurse and ward sister. The report provides an insight into seminal work on human and child rights; the historical context of children in Western society, and the evolution of children’s nursing amid the child’s right to participate in shaping their own health care.