The evolutionary impact of invasive species

Since the Age of Exploration began, there has been a drastic breaching of biogeographic barriers that previously had isolated the continental biotas for millions of years. We explore the nature of these recent biotic exchanges and their consequences on evolutionary processes. The direct evidence of evolutionary consequences of the biotic rearrangements is of variable quality, but the results of trajectories are becoming clear as the number of studies increases. There are examples of invasive species altering the evolutionary pathway of native species by competitive exclusion, niche displacement, hybridization, introgression, predation, and ultimately extinction. Invaders themselves evolve in response to their interactions with natives, as well as in response to the new abiotic environment. Flexibility in behavior, and mutualistic interactions, can aid in the success of invaders in their new environment.

Identifying sociodemographic differences in Intimate Partner Violence among immigrant and native women in Spain: a cross-sectional study

Objectives: To analyze whether sociodemographics and social support have a different or similar effect on the likelihood of Intimate Partner Violence in immigrants and natives, and to estimate prevalences and associations between different types of IPV depending on women's birthplace. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 10,048 women (18–70 years) attending primary healthcare in Spain (2006–2007). Outcome: Current Intimate Partner Violence (psychological, physical and both). Sociodemographics and social support were considered first as explicative and later as control variables. Results: Similar Intimate Partner Violence sociodemographic and social support factors were observed among immigrants and natives. However, these associations were stronger among immigrants, except in the case of poor social support (adjusted odds ratio natives 4.36 and adjusted odds ratio immigrants 4.09). When these two groups were compared, immigrants showed a higher likelihood of IPV than natives (adjusted odds ratios 1.58). Conclusion: Immigrant women are in a disadvantaged Intimate Partner Violence situation. It is necessary that interventions take these inequalities into account.

Differences in exposure to occupational health risks in Spanish and foreign-born workers in Spain (Itsal Project)

Migrant workers usually show higher rates of work-related health problems than natives. However, little information is available about their exposure to occupational risks. We describe self-reported working exposure in Spanish and foreign-born workers. A cross-sectional survey was conducted as part of the ITSAL Project. Data on sociodemographic and self-reported occupational exposure in 1,841 foreign-born and 509 Spanish workers were collected through face-to-face interviews. Prevalence and adjusted odds ratios-aOR- (by age, education, type of contract) were calculated. Foreign-born men in non-services sectors and those in manual occupations perceived exposure to occupational risks with lower prevalence than Spanish workers. Foreign-born women reported higher prevalence of exposure than Spanish female workers. By occupation, foreign-born female workers were more likely than Spanish workers to report working many hours/day (aOR2.68; 95 % CI 1.06–6.78) and exposure to extreme temperatures (aOR2.19; 95 % CI 1.10–4.38). Some groups of migrant workers may need increased protection regarding some occupational exposures.

Work-related health problems among resident immigrant workers in Italy and Spain

Background: in both Spain and Italy the number of immigrants has strongly increased in the last 20 years, currently representing more than the 10% of workforce in each country. The segregation of immigrants into unskilled or risky jobs brings negative consequences for their health. The objective of this study is to compare prevalence of work-related health problems between immigrants and native workers in Italy and Spain. Methods: data come from the Italian Labour Force Survey (n=65 779) and Spanish Working Conditions Survey (n=11 019), both conducted in 2007. We analyzed merged datasets to evaluate whether interviewees, both natives and migrants, judge their health being affected by their work conditions and, if so, which specific diseases. For migrants, we considered those coming from countries with a value of the Human Development Index lower than 0.85. Logistic regression models were used, including gender, age, and education as adjusting factors. Results: migrants reported skin diseases (Mantel-Haenszel pooled OR=1.49; 95%CI: 0.59-3.74) and musculoskeletal problems among those employed in agricultural sector (Mantel-Haenszel pooled OR=1.16; 95%CI: 0.69-1.96) more frequently than natives; country-specific analysis showed higher risks of musculoskeletal problems among migrants compared to the non-migrant population in Italy (OR=1.17; 95% CI: 0.48-1.59) and of respiratory problems in Spain (OR=2.02; 95%CI: 1.02-4.0). In both countries the risk of psychological stress was predominant among national workers. Conclusions: this collaborative study allows to strength the evidence concerning the health of migrant workers in Southern European countries.

La transformación del ecosistema mediático español: el caso de eldiario.es

El ecosistema mediático español se está transformando a ritmo vertiginoso, de manera similar a la política nacional y con muchas claves coincidentes como la participación ciudadana. Tras unos años de experimentación en torno a contenidos, organización y sobre todo modelos de negocio de los nuevos medios, en España se están consolidando proyectos de sumo interés. Uno de ellos es eldiario.es, medio nativo digital encabezado por el periodista Ignacio Escolar que se ha colocado entre los medios más influyentes del país, entre los más visitados en Internet, y ello gracias a un periodismo de calidad especializado en contenidos de política nacional, aderezados con un toque social. En el presente artículo se analiza la evolución de los medios nativos digitales en España durante el último lustro, poniendo el foco en el caso aludido por la originalidad de su modelo de negocio y por el impacto de sus contenidos de actualidad política.

Facebook in teaching: strengths and weaknesses

Purpose – The use of online social networks has experienced a vertiginous increase in the last few years, and young people appear as the key players in this trend. Immersed, educated and raised in the middle of technology, the new student generation is one of digital natives. Instead, lecturers are digital immigrants, but the authors have the responsibility to turn a technology which can be a distraction into a teaching tool. Facebook is an example of Web 2.0 technology that owns a huge potential in the field of education. The purpose of this paper is to show the teaching experience with the Facebook social network in human resource management degree subjects, for the purpose of highlighting its strengths and weaknesses. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was carried out among university students in order to reach the goal. A total of 191 students were asked to give their opinion about the use of Facebook in teaching, achieving 125 valid answers. Findings – Facebook can positively impact on the performance of students, who are satisfied with the experience and think that the information obtained in Facebook can improve their training. More negative attitudes towards Facebook appeared among those students who had not used it. Originality/value – The paper summarises the strengths and weaknesses of Facebook through a literature review and assesses them via a survey.

Immigrant labour market participation in Belgium - high time to mainstream. IES Policy Brief Issue 2015/2 March 2015

The gap in labour market participation between natives and people with an immigrant background is significant in Belgium, one of the largest in the OECD. In this Policy Brief, we present research1 that investigated one of the possible causes of this poor performance, and we propose three main policy recommendations. The research project studied whether Belgium’s complex federal state structure, and the subsequent division of responsibilities and lack of intergovernmental cooperation helps to explain this poor performance. The study concluded that governance complexity does not appear to be a main cause for Belgium’s poor results. However, more policy coordination would improve policy efficiency.

Alaska /

Vol. XIV- are of Smithsonian issue.

Harriman Alaska series. vol. I-V, VIII-XIV

Vols. I-V and VIII-XIII are of the original issue, with title: Harriman Alaska expedition with cooperation of Washington academy of sciences. Alaska ... New York, Doubleday, Doran & company, 1902-05. To each of these volumes the Smithsonian t.-p. has been prefixed

Harriman Alaska series.

Vols. 6-7 remain unpublished (October 1933)

Celebration of the 47th anniversary of the first settlement of the state of Ohio,

Running title: Anniversary celebration by natives of Ohio.

Report of the Federal Security Agency :

Index for 1867-1907 issued as the Office's Bulletin no. 407.

‘Neutral, native-like or authentic’ : Investigating attitudes and beliefs of expanding circle speakers of English

The status of English as the language of international communication is by now well-established. However, in the past 16 years, research has tried to emphasize the fact that the English spoken in international contact situations and between people with other first languages than English has different needs than the English spoken locally amongst native speakers, resulting in the emergence of English as a lingua franca (ELF) as a scholarly field. However, the impact of findings in ELF has so far only led to a moderate shift in English language teaching. Especially in expanding circle countries, where ELF should have the biggest impact, change is only gradually becoming palpable. Accent and pronunciation, as one of the biggest factors on both identity and mutual intelligibility (Jenkins 2000; 2007) are at the root of discussion. The scope of this study is therefore to examine accent choices and the extent to which native speaker ideology informs the preferences of ten speakers of ELF and 27 German natives with experience in international communication. Both ethnographical and sociolinguistic methods, as well as auditory analysis have been applied and conducted. The auditory analysis of six variables in the recorded speech production of the ten speakers suggests that there is no significant preference of one norm-giving variety over the other. Rather, speakers tend to mix-and-match General American- and Standard Southern British English-like features in their pronunciation. When reporting their accent ideals, the idea of a ‘neutral’ English accent is mentioned by four participants. Neutral accents seem to have been understood as ‘unmarked accents’. Expressed beliefs on their own English pronunciation show a comparatively high level of reflection on and confidence in their own production. Results from a rating task and a survey given to 27 German participants reveal attitudes that are more negatively stacked. While Germans reported openness towards NNS (non-native speaker) accents and showed awareness of the priority of intelligibility over accent choice in both their own and others’ pronunciation, they still largely reported NS accent preference. The ratings of the production from ten ELF speakers confirmed this and showed that ‘neutral’ is equated with native-like. In the light of these findings, issues are discussed that ultimately relate to the influence of NS Englishes, identity and the development of English as an international language.

A Case Study of Polar Bear Co-Management in Alaska

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

A survey of possible associations between preharvest environment conditions and postharvest rejections of cut freesia flowers

Botrytis cinerea is the major pathogen infecting cut freesia flowers. Flecking symptoms on petals caused by this fungus result in postharvest rejections and substantial economic loss to both growers and sellers. In a limited survey for industry, numbers of freesia stems sent from a specialist grower in The Netherlands and rejected at a cut flower wholesaler in the United Kingdom were documented. Relationships between preharvest environment conditions in Holland that may predispose flowers to infection and postharvest freesia rejection levels in the United Kingdom due to B. cinerea flecking symptom expression are reported. Freesia rejections peaked during spring and, to a lesser degree, autumn periods. However, no clear correlations between preharvest growing environment conditions (e.g. 3-day means for temperature preceding harvest) and postharvest rejection frequency (%) could be discerned. Thus, sporadic freesia rejections in the United Kingdom were probably attributable either to other unresolved variables during the pre- (e.g. infection pressure) and/or postharvest (e.g. condensation events) phases or to interactions among predisposing variables.