La Trobe University

About: La Trobe University is a education organization based out in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 13370 authors who have published 41291 publications receiving 1138269 citations. The organization is also known as: LaTrobe University & LTU.

Extra-pair paternity and intraspecific brood parasitism in wild zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata, revealed by DNA fingerprinting

Abstract: The frequency of extra-pair parentage in a wild population of zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata was examined by DNA fingerprinting. A total of 25 families, comprising 16 pairs of parents and 92 offspring (in broods of 1 to 6) were examined. Ten cases of extra-pair parentage, presumed to constitute intraspecific brood parasitism, were detected (10.9% of offspring or 36% of broods), including one possible instance of ‘quasi-parasitism’ (parasitism by a female fertilized by the male nest owner). The average number of parasitic eggs per clutch detected by fingerprinting was 1.10±0.32 SD, very similar to the one egg difference in average clutch size between parasitised (6.0±0.82) and unparasitised nests (5.0±0.95). Two cases of extra-pair paternity (EPP) were detected among 82 offspring whose maternity was confirmed: 2.4% of offspring, or 8% of broods. In both cases EPP accounted for only a single offspring within a brood. Behavioural observations show that EPP occurs through extra-pair copulation rather than rapid mate switching. The results are discussed in the light of what is known about the fertile period and sperm precedence patterns in this species.

Meta‐Analysis of Homework Effects in Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy: A Replication and Extension

Abstract: [Clin Psychol Sci Prac 17: 144–156, 2010] Kazantzis, Deane, and Ronan (2000) estimated the effect size (ES) for homework’s causal effects on outcome, but did not (a) estimate ES for “control” therapy conditions, (b) incorporate data from correlational studies, or (c) test for outliers. The present analysis (46 studies, N = 1,072) replicated and extended Kazantzis and colleagues’ review and obtained a pre–posttreatment ES of d = 0.63 for control conditions, and a larger d = 1.08 for therapy conditions with homework. A pooled ES of d = 0.48 favoring homework was obtained when the analysis was restricted to controlled studies contrasting the same therapy. No evidence was found for outlier or publication bias effects. Results supported the conclusion that homework assignments enhance therapy outcomes.

Comparative painting reveals strong chromosome homology over 80 million years of bird evolution.

Abstract: Chickens and the great flightless emu belong to two distantly related orders of birds in the carinate and ratite subclasses that diverged at least 80 million years ago. In the first ZOO-FISH study between bird species, we hybridized single chromosome paints from the chicken (Gallus domesticus) onto the emu chromosomes. We found that the nine macrochromosomes show remarkable homology between the two species, indicating strong conservation of karyotype through evolution. One chicken macrochromosome (4) was represented by a macro- and a microchromosome in the emu, suggesting that microchromosomes and macrochromosomes are interconvertible. The chicken Z chromosome paint hybridized to the emu Z and most of the W, confirming that ratite sex chromosomes are largely homologous; the centromeric region of the W which hybridized weakly may represent the location of the sex determining gene(s).