THE FIRST ALFRED NEWTON LECTURE Presented at the Bird Conservation in Action conference, April 1994

The breeding densities of birds could be limited by resources, such as food and nest sites, or they could be held at a lower level by natural enemies, such as predators and parasites. In this paper, I review the experimental evidence for each of these limiting factors affecting bird breeding densities. Of 18 experiments involving winter food provision (mostly on tits, Paridae). 11 led to increased breeding densities compared with control areas. Of four involving summer food depletion (all on forest insectivores), none led to decreased breeding densities. In experiments with Red Grouse Lagopus 1. scoticus , fertilizing areas of heather moor led to increased densities during a period of population increase but did not prevent a later decline. Of 32 studies on tree-cavity nesters, the provision of nestboxes led to increased breeding density in 30 (95%) studies, each involving one or more species of hole nesters. Of 15 experiments involving predator removal (mostly on ducks and gamebirds), at least 14 led to increased hatching success, four out of eight led to increased post-breeding numbers, and six out of 11 led to increased breeding density. In one experiment, the removal of strongyle parasites from a Red Grouse population prevented a cyclic decline on five out of five occasions. Taken together, these experiments confirmed that all main potential external limiting factors have affected breeding density in one bird species or another. They also confirmed that the same species has been limited by one factor in certain areas or years and by another factor in different areas or years.     

Joint Report of the Third International Workshop on Lymphocyte Alloantigens of the Horse, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, 25–27 April 1984

Summary. The Third International Workshop on Lymphocyte Alloantigens of the Horse was held on 25–27 April 1984 in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Twelve laboratories from five countries participated. The principal purpose of this Workshop was to determine the phenotypic and gene frequencies of the 10 equine lymphocyte antigens (ELA) and a non-ELA lymphocyte antigen, ELY-2.1, in several breeds of horse. A total of 86 alloantisera characterized in previous workshops were tested against lymphocytes from 1179 horses. In addition, several experimental antisera were also tested against the same panel of lymphocytes. As a result of analysis of these data, the Workshop recognized two new equine lymphocyte alloantigens: W11 of the ELA system, and ELY-1.1, an antigen not linked to the ELA system.     

Joint Report of the Second International Workshop on Lymphocyte Alloantigens of the Horse, held 3–8 October 1982

The Second International Workshop on Lymphocyte Alloantigens of the Horse was held 3–8 October 1982. At this workshop, the 6 specificities identified at the first workshop were confirmed and an additional 5 new specificities were identified and given workshop nomenclature. Four of the new specificities, products of the ELA locus, were named ELA-W7, W8, W9, and W10. An additional specificity, designated ELY-2.1, is the product of a locus independent of the ELA locus.
Cell isolation methods were compared at this workshop, Technical variation in methods clearly affected reactivity of many reagents. However, when highly selected reagents were used, antigen assignment did not differ regardless of the cell isolation method. Based on the comparison of methods, isolation procedures in which thrombin was used were more effective than those relying on carbonyl iron or slow centrifugation.     

Joint Report of the Fourth International Workshop on Lymphocyte Alloantigens of the Horse, Lexington, Kentucky, 12–22 October 1985

Summary. The workshop consisted of 12 monthly cell exchanges of full-sibling families among the 10 participating laboratories. A total of 33 parents, 52 offspring and five unrelated horses were typed by each laboratory using local antisera. The raw data were submitted for central analysis before any identification of the animals was revealed.
Confidence derived from the consistent agreement between the laboratories on the assignment and segregation of the first 10 ELA-W specificities led to the removal of the W (workshop) notation and acceptance of full status as locus A antigens. The seemingly supertypic W11 specificity, however, remained unchanged.
Ten additional specificities were seen to segregate with the ELA system, suggesting either splits of previously described specificities or products of linked loci. The workshop (W) notation was given to the 10 specificities W12-W21, befitting their status as specificities under study.
The previously described ELY-1.1 specificity, characterized by segregation independent from the ELA system, was confirmed along with a new specificity, ELY-1.2, which behaves as an allele of ELY-1.1. For informative families, the two specificities showed codominant expression and appeared to constitute a closed, autosomal system.
The ELY-2.1 specificity was confirmed to segregate independently from the ELA-A and ELY-1 loci.     

Helping Science and Drug Development to Succeed through Pharma-Academia Partnerships: Yale Healthcare Conference 2013

The theme of the 2013 Yale Healthcare Conference was “Partnerships in Healthcare: Cultivating Collaborative Solutions.” The April conference brought together leaders across several sectors of health care, including academic research, pharmaceuticals, information technology, policy, and life sciences investing. In particular, the breakout session titled “Taking R&D Back to School: The Rise of Pharma-Academia Alliances” centered on the partnerships between academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies. Attendees of the session included members of the pharmaceutical industry, academic researchers, and physicians, as well as graduate and professional students. The discussion was led by Dr. Thomas Lynch of Yale University. Several topics emerged from the discussion, including resources for scientific discovery and the management of competing interests in collaborations between academia and the pharmaceutical industry.     

Summary Report on the 2012 Sun Grant National Conference: Science for Biomass Feedstock Production and Utilization

The 2012 Sun Grant National Conference on Science for Biomass Feedstock Production and Utilization was held on 2–5 October 2012, in New Orleans, LA, USA. The Sun Grant Initiative set out to highlight recent advances in science and technology contributing to the deployment of conventional and advanced biofuels and bioproducts from agricultural and forest systems. The Initiative, with sponsorship from the Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), assembled an agenda focusing on promoting collaboration between academic, industry, non-profit, and government partners. This special issue is comprised of a small sample of conference presentations selected to reflect important research progress and to highlight the range of issues that must be considered as the transition to biomass energy takes hold.