In comparison to biodiversity on Earth's surface, subterranean biodiversity has largely remained concealed. The olm (Proteus anguinus) is one of the most enigmatic extant cave inhabitants, and until ...now little was known regarding its genetic structure and evolutionary history. Olms inhabit subterranean waters throughout the Dinaric Karst of the western Balkans, with a seemingly uniform phenotypic appearance of cave‐specialized traits: an elongate body, snout and limbs, degenerated eyes and loss of pigmentation (“white olm”). Only a single small region in southeastern Slovenia harbours olms with a phenotype typical of surface animals: pigmented skin, eyes, a blunt snout and short limbs (“black olm”). We used a combination of mitochondrial DNA and genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphism data to investigate the molecular diversity, evolutionary history and biogeography of olms along the Dinaric Karst. We found nine deeply divergent species‐level lineages that separated between 17 and 4 million years ago, while molecular diversity within lineages was low. We detected no signal of recent admixture between lineages and only limited historical gene flow. Biogeographically, the contemporaneous distribution of lineages mostly mirrors hydrologically separated subterranean environments, while the historical separation of olm lineages follows microtectonic and climatic changes in the area. The reconstructed phylogeny suggests at least four independent transitions to the cave phenotype. Two of the species‐level lineages have miniscule ranges and may represent Europe's rarest amphibians. Their rarity and the decline in other lineages call for protection of their subterranean habitats.
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It is of fundamental importance for the field of evolutionary biology to understand when and why major evolutionary transitions occur. Live‐bearing young (viviparity) is a major evolutionary change ...and has evolved from egg‐laying (oviparity) independently in many vertebrate lineages and most abundantly in lizards and snakes. Although contemporary viviparous squamate species generally occupy cold climatic regions across the globe, it is not known whether viviparity evolved as a response to cold climate in the first place. Here, we used available published time‐calibrated squamate phylogenies and parity data on 3,498 taxa. We compared the accumulation of transitions from oviparity to viviparity relative to background diversification and a simulated binary trait. Extracting the date of each transition in the phylogenies and informed by 65 my of global palaeoclimatic data, we tested the nonexclusive hypotheses that viviparity evolved under the following: (a) cold, (b) long‐term stable climatic conditions and (c) with background diversification rate. We show that stable and long‐lasting cold climatic conditions are correlated with transitions to viviparity across squamates. This correlation of parity mode and palaeoclimate is mirrored by background diversification in squamates, and simulations of a binary trait also showed a similar association with palaeoclimate, meaning that trait evolution cannot be separated from squamate lineage diversification. We suggest that parity mode transitions depend on environmental and intrinsic effects and that background diversification rate may be a factor in trait diversification more generally.
Frequency of transitions from oviparity to viviparity and palaeoclimate. (a) Empirically estimated transitions from oviparity to viviparity in squamates (dark grey) and the ratio of oxygen isotope (δ18O) as proxy for global mean temperature (light grey) are displayed per million years from 65 million years ago to present. Temperature (y‐axis) and number of transitions (z‐axis) are shown as smoothed lines (spanλ = 0.25).
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Spark plasma sintering (SPS) synthesis of CoSb
3 and LaFe
4Sb
12 from ball-milled elemental metal powders has been performed obtaining samples with high relative densities (∼99%). Fracture behaviour, ...the microstructure and mechanical properties were studied. From ultrasound and nano-indentation measurements, Young's moduli of 148
GPa for CoSb
3 and 141
GPa for LaFe
4Sb
12 were deduced. SPS has been also applied to compact alkali metal and alkaline-earth metal iron antimonides with filled skutterudite structure.
WHILE MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS HAVE BECOME ALMOST A CORPORATE MUST, MANY OF THE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE MANAGERIAL CAPABILITY FALL FAR SHORT OF THEIR GOALS AND PRODUCE MORE TALK AND PAPERWORK THAN ...SUBSTANCE. A NEW FOCUS ON THE INDIVIDUAL CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND FAILURE. BLOCKS OR BARRIERS WHICH LIE OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM AND INHIBIT THE FULFILLMENT OF EVEN WELL-CONCEIVED MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS ARE - THE EMPLOYEES' SELF CONCEPT, EXPEDIENCY DECISIONS WHICH SUPPORT EMPLOYEES' LIFE GOALS, INTERPERSONAL CONTRACTS, DOUBLE-BIND SITUATIONS, THE CURRENT RELATIVE MORALITY SYNDROME AND SKILL INADEQUACIES. THESE ARE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL. FOURTEEN PROPOSALS ARE MADE, VARYING FROM PERSONALIZING THE PROGRAM TO BUILDING AN ETHICAL SYSTEM, SHOWING HOW THE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS OF ANY DEVELOPMENT EFFORT CAN BE IMPROVED.
Management development programs have become almost a corporate must, many of the efforts to improve managerial capabilities fall far short of their goals. Fourteen proposals made here, which range ...from personalizing the program to building an ethical system, show how the structure and process of any development effort can be improved. (Author/BP)
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10.
TEAMWORK IN INDUSTRY Recknagel, Kenneth H
The Journal of educational sociology (New York, N.Y.),
02/1953, Volume:
26, Issue:
6
Journal Article
The entire issue is devoted to a summary and interpretation of the opinions and ideas shared in a 'Teamwork in Industry Institute' held at Rutgers U. during the summer of 1952. Presented are the ...discussions and addresses of the Institute under the headings, 'Recognition of the Need,' 'Steps Already Taken in Assuming this Responsibility,' land 'Steps Ahead.' B. E. Mercer.
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