George Thomson

Bio: George Thomson is an academic researcher from University of Glasgow. The author has contributed to research in topics: Genus & Melocactus. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 5 publications receiving 15 citations.

The use of closed circuit television in teaching psychiatry to medical students.

Abstract: Closed circuit television (CCTV) has been used by medical teachers in a number of British and American universities in recent years. Surgery, pathology, and psychiatry have been prominent among the medical specialties considered most suitable for the use of audio-visual aids in teaching. No doubt this is due to the fact that, for various reasons, the inclusion of a group of observers within the teacher’s immediate field of skilled activity is likely to impede that activity. Preoccupation with the technical details of closed circuit television has tended in many quarters to preclude evaluation of t h i s teaching aid. Smith and Wyllie (1969, and Smith, Wyllie, Foote, and Caridis (1966), however, compared the use of CCTV with orthodox case demonstrations in the teaching of surgery to medical students and found that the medium possessed certain measurable advantages. Yonge (1965) had a similar experience in teaching clinical psychiatry. Timbury ind MacLean (1966)~ using a questionnaire method after a CCTV teaching experiment had ended, reported that this technique possessed a number of advantages. The present investigation had the aim of measuring shifts of attitude and assimilation of information produced by closed circuit television used in teaching psychiatry to medical students. In these respects closed circuit television was compared with case demonstration and programmed learning. The experiment was carried out with the technical facilities of the Television Service at the University of Glasgow.

New Zealand's endemic, indigenous, naturalised and casual succulents

Abstract: Although New Zealand has an extremely small indigenous succulent flora, it more than makes up for it by having a significant number of adventive species, covering a wide spread of genera Most were imported intentionally as garden plants, subsequently escaping into the wild Growing conditions are often so favourable that succulents frequently spread rapidly, forming much more extensive colonies than those in their native habitats This paper details the environmental and ecological background to the occurrence of casual and naturalised succulent plants in New Zealand together with an account of those found on a visit to the country in December 2018 A current list of all succulent plants recorded as being found in New Zealand in the wild is also included

A re-evaluation of the taxonomic status of the genus Melocactus in Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Abstract: Summary: A large number of taxa of the genus Melocactus has been described from the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, which most recent authors have viewed as a single very variable species, M. macracanthos. A detailed field study and morphological analysis of the genus in Aruba suggests that three species are found on the island, M. macracanthos, M. stramineus and M. curvispinus subsp. koolwijkianus, together with a semi-stabilised hybrid M. x bozsingianus. The nomenclature has been revised with reference to type specimens, and the combination M. curvispinus subsp. koolwijkianus (Suringar)-Thomson is published as new.

Closed‐circuit Television in Teaching Diagnostic Radiology

Abstract: At the Western Infirmary, Glasgow, videotapes have been introduced in several of the ‘integrated year’ lectures and seminars to undergraduates. We thought it might interest radiologists to hear of our experience of this form of instruction the undergraduate reaction, the facilities available, and the time involved in preparation. Videotapes have been prepared demonstrating renal arteriography, barium meal examinations, investigative and clinical cardiology, including right heart catheterization and left heart angiocardiography. In this report we are concerned with the preparation of and students’ reaction to the videotape entitled ‘Techniques of Renal Arteriography’ which was prepared in collaboration with Glasgow University Television Service. The tape was also shown to a group of 60 experienced radiologists and their comments were invited.

A revision of the genus Melocactus in Curaçao and Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles with an illustration of the neotype of M. macracanthos

Abstract: Although four species of the genus Melocactus have been described in recent years from the Caribbean island of Curacao, doubts have been expressed about the specific status of M. macracanthos, M. citrispinus, M. inclinatus and M. bozsingianus. Following research by the author on the adjacent island of Aruba, morphological study was made of 18 populations of the very variable plants of the genus on the island of Curacao, using the same statistical techniques as in the previous work. In spite of the resemblance of some plants to the Aruban M. stramineus, the discovery of extremely small forms and the highly polymorphic nature of the plants, neither statistical analysis nor field observations could justify separation of morphs as distinct species. It is concluded that all melocacti in Curacao are M. macracanthos. A study of detailed photographs of plants from several populations in Bonaire confirmed that they too belonged to that species. However, M. macracanthos in each of the islands exhibit distinctive characters in a high percentage of plants, especially in their spination and flower form, but variation is so great that no taxonomic distinction is justified.

The lie of the land.

Abstract: More geophysicist PhDs are becoming postdocs

Allozyme diversity and morphometrics of the endangered Melocactus glaucescens (Cactaceae), and investigation of the putative hybrid origin of Melocactus × albicephalus (Melocactus ernestii × M. glaucescens) in north-eastern Brazil

Abstract: Melocactus glaucescens (Cactaceae) is a critically endangered species endemic to northeastern Brazil. It grows in sympatry with other congeneric species and there is evidence for hybridization among them. We evaluated the levels of genetic and morphological variability and their substructuring between populations of M. glaucescens and sympatric species, and we tested for the occurrence of natural hybridization. Genetic variability was investigated using 12 allozyme loci, and morphological variability was investigated using multivariate morphometric analyses of 18 vegetative characters in nine natural populations of M. glaucescens , Melocactus ernestii , Melocactus concinnus and two distinct morphs of putative hybrids ( Melocactus ¥ albicephalus ). Genetic variability was low in all populations ( P = 7.7–41.7, A = 0.3–1.7, H e = 0.009–0.096), and all taxa displayed a deficit in heterozygotes. Low genetic structuring and moderate morphological structuring were found for M. glaucescens ( F ST = 0.045, A MRPP = 0.16) and M. concinnus ( F ST = 0.022, A MRPP = 0.11). The results obtained are inconclusive with respect to confirming the hypothesis of occurrence of hybridization because of an absence of diagnostic loci in the presumed parental species. The presence of several private alleles and the absence of linkage disequilibrium in the putative hybrids indicate that M. albicephalus should be treated as a distinct species, and not given hybrid status as recently stated by a number of authors. The large number of exclusive alleles and the levels of morphological structuring in the populations of M. glaucescens are important factors that need to be considered in the definition of strategies for the conservation of this species.