The paradox of commercialising public sector intellectual property

The juxtapositioning of government providing a public good through research and development investment on one hand and engaging in commercialisation of the research outcome on the other is a paradox. Using agricultural research as an example, we examine the nature of the paradox to determine if commercialisation potentially leads to a conflict in the role of public research institutions set up to fulfil public good responsibilities. We identify the reasons for the shift in policy towards commercialisation and greater exploitation of public sector intellectual property and how this has contributed to the emergence of the apparent inconsistency. We argue that the belief in working for public good is inherent and embedded in an organisation's history and its wider operating environment. We propose that the creation of public sector intellectual property and its commercialisation are influenced by the political, social and economic environment in which the public institutions operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trematode life cycles: short is sweet

Complex life cycles are a hallmark of parasitic trematodes. In several trematode taxa, however, the life cycle is truncated: fewer hosts are used than in a typical three-host cycle, with fewer transmission events. Eliminating one host from the life cycle can be achieved in at least three different ways. Some trematodes show even more extreme forms of life cycle abbreviations, using only a mollusc to complete their cycle, with or without sexual reproduction. The occurrence of these phenomena among trematode families are reviewed here and show that life cycle truncation has evolved independently many times in the phylogeny of trematodes. The hypotheses proposed to account for life-cycle truncation, in addition to the factors preventing the adoption of shorter cycles by all trematodes are also discussed. The study of shorter life cycles offers an opportunity to understand the forces shaping the evolution of life cycles in general.

An evaluative case study of a psychological skills training program for athletes with intellectual disabilities

The purpose was to develop an evaluative case study of six 3-hr sessions, spaced over 3 months, of psychological skills training (PST) provided to athletes with an intellectual disability who were training for the Basketball Australia State Championships. Participants were 7 males and 7 females, aged 15.8 to 27.1 years, with a receptive language level of 7 to 13.7 years, 2 female coaches, 2 psychologists, and I registered psychologist supervisor. Sessions focused specifically on stress management, with primary attention given to cue words, breathing techniques, and positive thinking. Findings, based on interviews and participant observations, revealed that all participants believed that the PST was appropriate and worthwhile.

Children's body knowledge: Understanding 'life' as a biological goal

Two studies assessed the development of children's understanding of life as a biological goal of body functioning. In Study 1, 4-to-10-year-old children were given an interview consisting of a series of structured questions about the location and function of various body organs. Their responses were coded both for factual correctness and for appeals to the goal of maintaining life. The results showed a gradual increase in children's factual knowledge across this age range but an abrupt increase in appeals to life between the ages of 4 and 6. Analyses of the 4-year-olds' responses suggested that appeals to life were associated with increased knowledge of organ function, but not of organ location. Study 2 was designed to replicate the pattern found in Study I. A continuous sample of 4-to 5-year-old children was administered an abbreviated version of the interview from Study 1. Children's understanding of life as a biological goal was again found to be predictive of their knowledge of organ function, but not of organ location. These results indicate a reorganization in children's understanding of the body between the ages of 4 and 6, which coincides with children's discovery of 'life' as a biological goal for bodily function.

Jules Cotard (1840-1889) - His life and the unique syndrome which bears his name

Dr. Jules Cotard (1840-1889) was a Parisian neurologist who first described the delire des negations. Cotard's syndrome or Cotard's delusion comprises any one of a series of delusions ranging from the fixed and unshakable belief that one has lost organs, blood, or body parts to believing that one has lost one's soul or is dead. In its most profound form, the delusion takes the form of a professed belief that one does not exist. Encountered primarily in psychoses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Cotard's syndrome has also been described in organic lesions of the nondominant temporoparietal cortex as well as in migraine. Cotard's delusion is the only self-certifiable syndrome of delusional psychosis. Jules Cotard, a Parisian neurologist and psychiatrist and former military surgeon, was one of the first to induce cerebral atrophy by the experimental embolization of cerebral arteries in animals and a pioneer in studies of the clinicopathologic correlates of cerebral atrophy secondary to perinatal and postnatal pathologic changes. He was the first to record that unilateral cerebral atrophy in infancy does not necessarily lead to aphasia and was also the pioneer of studies of altered conscious states in diabetic hyperglycemia.

Exploring the learning potential of an artificial life simulation

CULTURE is an Artificial Life simulation that aims to provide primary school children with opportunities to become actively engaged in the high-order thinking processes of problem solving and critical thinking. A preliminary evaluation of CULTURE has found that it offers the freedom for children to take part in process-oriented learning experiences. Through providing children with opportunities to make inferences, validate results, explain discoveries and analyse situations, CULTURE encourages the development of high-order thinking skills. The evaluation found that CULTURE allows users to autonomously explore the important scientific concepts of life and living, and energy and change within a software environment that children find enjoyable and easy to use.