Abnormalities of the foetal cerebral cortex

Prenatal ultrasound has concentrated on readily visible cerebral structures including head size, shape, ventricles, CSP (cavum septi pellucidi), cerebellar size/vermian presence and cisterna magna. However, apart from these easily visible structures it is important to evaluate the brain itself. Patients who initially appear to have mild isolated findings such as borderline ventriculomegaly in fact can have many more subtle findings that significantly alter prognosis and management that can be detected on detailed examination of the brain. There has been rapid evolution in imaging these foetuses, especially with neurosonography and MRI, and a revolution in understanding the underlying genetic and biochemical mechanisms. There is increasing emphasis to detect cortical abnormalities as early as possible. This article reviews development of the cerebral cortex, the classification, aetiologies and clinical manifestations of cortical disorders, normal and abnormal appearances at ultrasound and MRI, and approaches to investigation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interagency Resource Teams: a Model for Collaborative Approaches to Environmental Education

Abstract: The Undergraduate Interagency Resource Teams at the White Mountain Research Station of the University of California were created in 1994 to support resource-agency mandates and academic research objectives by providing qualified students who can learn, apply, and improve research and agency monitoring protocols. Drawing from documented elements of other successful internship programs, we identified four basic components that we believe may enhance the potential success of the interns: (1) self-directed learning methodologies, (2) multidisciplinary approaches to science, (3) reflection on and documentation of intern learning, and (4) principles of a positive work environment, including teamwork, conflict resolution, and effective communication. During a 10-week summer session, the Interagency Resource Teams expose approximately 17 students to the professional worlds of natural resource agencies and research scientists. In this environment, we have also observed that the internship program not only exposes students to resource management careers but may also help bridge the gap between resource agency specialists and academic researchers.     

Effects of early auditory experience on the development of local song preference in female swamp sparrows

A growing number of studies show that learning about male mating signals can shape the way females discriminate among males and may influence the evolution of both female preferences and the male traits under selection. Female songbirds commonly prefer local songs over foreign songs from a different population. In some species, however, the extent of variation among songs sung by different males within a population is as great as the variation observed between populations, raising the question of how females are able to discriminate local from foreign songs. Here, we report that laboratory-reared female swamp sparrows (Melospiza georgiana) not only show a preference for the particular song types with which they were tutored as compared with both foreign songs and unfamiliar local songs but also show preference for unfamiliar local songs over unfamiliar foreign songs. An acoustic analysis comparing tutor songs and those presented as unfamiliar local and foreign songs suggests that female swamp sparrows might be attuned to the specifics of local note phonology when assessing the attractiveness of unfamiliar songs. Our results demonstrate that early auditory experience influences response to geographic song variation in female swamp sparrows, and suggest the possibility that female songbirds may generalize what they learn from songs early in life to novel songs heard in adulthood. Additional work is needed to evaluate the contribution of unlearned predispositions for local song.