University of Lincoln

About: University of Lincoln is a education organization based out in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Higher education. The organization has 2341 authors who have published 7025 publications receiving 124797 citations.

The Effect of Climatic Factors on the Activity Budgets of Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus)

Abstract: Climatic conditions can significantly affect the behavior of animals and constrain their activity or geographic distribution. Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) are one of the few primates that live outside the tropics. Here we analyze if and how the activity budgets of Barbary macaques are affected by climatic variables, i.e., air temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, and snow coverage. We collected scan sampling data on the activity budgets of four groups of macaques living in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco from June 2008 to January 2011. This habitat is characterized by extreme seasonal changes, from cold and snowy winters to hot and dry summers. The activity budgets of the macaques differed across months but not across the time of day (with the exception of time spent feeding). The monkeys spent significantly more time feeding or foraging when there was no snow than when snow coverage was moderate or major. Daily rainfall was positively related to resting time and negatively to time spent moving or in social behavior. Air temperature was negatively related to time spent feeding or foraging. Finally, time spent on social behavior was significantly lower when relative humidity was high. These data indicate that environmental factors significantly affect the time budgets of endangered Barbary macaques, a species that has been little studied in the wild. Our findings support previous studies on temperate primates in showing that snow coverage can have negative consequences on the feeding ecology and survival of these species.

Regaining trust in medicine: professional and state strategies

Abstract: Recently, the system of medical regulation through which doctors are held to account has come under sustained criticism. A series of public inquiries have revealed incompetence, dishonesty, sexual misconduct by individual doctors and, in one case, serial killing, as well as weaknesses in systems that failed to detect deviant behaviour early and then to take action to protect patients. This article looks at the longer-term social and political changes that have brought a shift in the relationship between patients, doctors and the state and a greater concern for predictability in medical competence. It then assesses the evidence for a decline in public trust in doctors as individual practitioners and in the system of professional self-regulation. The concept of trust is discussed and, from the data available, it is suggested that members of the public continue to trust their doctor. However, data on complaints indicate an increasing propensity for people to make complaints about individual doctors and the doctors' regulatory body, the General Medical Council (GMC) has been seen by the public as self-interested. Various state-sponsored inquiries have questioned whether professional self-regulation in its present form can be sustained. The final section of the article looks at the reforms introduced by the GMC and government, and considers whether these are sufficient to restore trust. The discussions have implications for other professions as professional governance systems in the UK have been based on the medical model.

The impacts of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and E-commerce on bilateral trade flows

Abstract: This study examines the impact of Internet and e-commerce adoption on bilateral trade flows using a panel of 21 developing- and least-developed countries and 30 OECD countries. Given the commitment of East African Community (EAC) to become the frontrunner in export-led economy across the African continent, special attention is dedicated to analyse the role of ICT and e-commerce on EAC’s export performance. The empirical results indicate that better access to the modern ICT and adoption of e-commerce applications stimulate bilateral trade flows at various levels. The study notes that the efficient use of ICT equipped with highspeed internet and secured servers is a crucial milestone for unlocking the e-trade potentials for developing- and least-developed counties.