Category Archives: Evolution

Early lineages of mammals, like this large Gobiconodon from Mongolia, outcompeted the ancestors of modern mammals in the time of dinosaurs. Credit: Art by Corbin Rainbolt

A new study led by researchers from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford, and the University of Birmingham for Current Biology has used new methods to analyze the variability of mammal fossils, revealing extraordinary results: it was not dinosaurs, but possibly other mammals, that were the main competitors of modern mammals before and after the mass extinction of dinosaurs.

The study challenges old assumptions about why mammals only seemed to diversify, becoming larger and exploring new diets, locomotion, and ways of life, after the extinction of the non-bird dinosaurs. It points to a more complex story of competition between distinct mammal groups. The new research also highlights the importance of testing old and established ideas about evolution using the latest statistical tools.

There were lots of exciting types of mammals in the time of dinosaurs that included gliding, swimming, and burrowing species, but none of these mammals belonged to modern groups, they all come from earlier branches in the mammal tree, said Dr. Elsa Panciroli, a researcher from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and a co-author of the study. These other kinds of mammals mostly became extinct at the same time as the non-avian dinosaurs, at which point modern mammals start to become larger, explore new diets and ways of life. From our research it looks like before the extinction it was the earlier radiations of mammals that kept the modern mammals out of these exciting ecological roles by outcompeting them.

Most of the mammal species alive today trace their origins to groups that expanded explosively 66 million years ago, when a mass extinction killed all non-bird dinosaurs. It was traditionally thought that, before the extinction, mammals lived in the shadow of the dinosaurs. They were supposedly prevented from occupying the niches that were already occupied by the giant reptiles, keeping the mammals relatively small and unspecialized in terms of diet and lifestyle. It appeared that they were only able to flourish after the dinosaurs disappearance left these niches vacant.

However, new statistical methods were used to analyze how constrained different groups of mammals were in their evolution before and after the mass extinction. These methods identified the point where evolution stopped producing new traits and started producing features that had already evolved in other lineages. This allowed the researchers to identify the evolutionary limits placed on different groups of mammals, showing where they were being excluded from different niches by competition with other animals. The results suggest that it may not have been the dinosaurs that were placing the biggest constraints on the ancestors of modern mammals, but their closest relatives.

The study looked at the anatomy of all the different kinds of mammals living alongside dinosaurs, including the ancestors of modern groups, also known as therians. By measuring how frequently new features appeared, such as changes in the size and shape of their teeth and bones, and the pattern and timing of their appearance before and after the mass extinction, the researchers determined that the modern mammals were more constrained during the time of the dinosaurs than their close relatives. This meant that while their relatives were exploring larger body sizes, different diets, and novel ways of life such as climbing and gliding, they were excluding modern mammals from these lifestyles, keeping them small and generalist in their habits.

This result makes very little sense if you assume that it was the dinosaurs constraining the therians, said Dr. Neil Brocklehurst of the University of Oxford, who led the research. There is no reason why the dinosaurs would be selectively competing with just these mammals and allowing others to prosper. It instead appears that the therians were being held back by these other groups of mammals.

The researchers suggest the extinction of other mammal groups was more important in paving the way for modern mammal success. As further evidence for this, the researchers looked at body size in different mammal groups. They discovered that both the smallest and largest mammals showed the same release from constraints following the dinosaur extinction, suggesting that size made little difference to their success.

Co-author Dr. Gemma Benevento of the University of Birmingham said, Most of the mammals that lived alongside the dinosaurs were less than 100g in body mass thats smaller than any non-bird dinosaur. Therefore, these smallest mammals would probably not have been directly competing with dinosaurs. Despite this, small mammals show diversity increases after the extinction which are just as profound as those seen in larger mammals.

Dr. Brocklehurst added, Paleontology is undergoing a revolution. We have greatly expanded the toolkit available to analyze large datasets and directly test our ideas about evolution. Most studies of the mammal radiation have focused on how fast they evolved, but analyzing what limits there were on the evolution provides new perspectives. We have had to rethink many of our theories using these state-of-the-art approaches.

Reference: Mammaliaform extinctions as a driver of the morphological radiation of Cenozoic mammals by Neil Brocklehurst, Elsa Panciroli, Gemma Louise Benevento and Roger B.J. Benson, 17 May 2021, Current Biology.DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.044

Funding: European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Palaeontological Association Research Grant

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Extraordinary Evolution Research Reveals Mammals in the Time of Dinosaurs Held Each Other Back - SciTechDaily

Coronaviruses infect many animals. Bats are often singled out as culprits in spillover events, but they are not unique. In fact, humans have transmitted Sars-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, to animals like cats, minks, and gorillas.

Viruses dont always respect species boundaries. They recognise receptors to attach to and cells to infect. There are currently around 220 viruses known to infect humans, of which seven are coronaviruses.

Coronaviruses have been responsible for two epidemics and one pandemic in the last two decades. In recent months, scientists have discovered two more novel coronaviruses that infect humans. There are certainly many more. The simple fact is the more we search in the virosphere, the more viruses we will find.

Before Sars, there was limited interested in coronaviruses. A perspective in Science in 2003 called coronavirology one of the backwaters of virology. After Sars, when scientists searched intensively for new coronaviruses, they found two that cause common cold-like infections.

Also Read | A tale of two infections

There are many reasons we will find more viruses.

First, the molecular tools of virology are relatively new, and sampling of animals has traditionally been limited to species and classes of viruses with greatest pandemic potential. Second, some spillover events from animals may be relatively recent. Third, some of viruses may be infecting people but escaping detection because they are not causing disease. Others may cause disease, but may be self-limited to non-specific symptoms of pneumonia or gastrointestinal problems that get better within a few days.

In COVID-19: Separating Fact from Fiction, I mention the various interactions between viruses and humans. There are millions of viruses that dont infect human cells at all. There are a few viruses that infect people in spillover events, but dont spread further. There are others can infect people but do not cause recognisable disease. Yet others that result in disease may not have outward transmission to other people. Viruses that transmit from one person to another might stop spreading if they dont transmit well.

Of course, of greatest concern are viruses like Sars-CoV-2 that transmit well and cause disease. These viruses cause significant disease and death and they threaten to remain in human populations.

A preprint on MedRxiv describes a pig coronavirus found in blood samples of children in Haiti who had acute fever of unknown cause a few years ago. By sampling the genome and comparing with other known viruses, researchers found that these infections were the result of at least two past spillover events. The causative coronavirus belongs to a family that was not thought to typically infect humans. It is currently unknown whether the virus caused the fever in the children or whether it was simply coincidentally present. We also dont know how prevalent this coronavirus is in broader populations.

Another description of a novel coronavirus is in an article in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Eight samples collected from children hospitalised in rural Malaysia with pneumonia many years ago turned up a canine coronavirus. This virus seems to have sequences that are similar to dog coronaviruses but also to coronaviruses found in cats and pigs.

Sars-CoV-2 is also a virus that seem to have different genetic sequences that are similar to coronaviruses from different animals. What the discovery of the hybrid canine coronavirus in Malaysia reinforces is that recombination events, which result in new viruses that are made up of parts of other viruses, are common in nature.

The newly identified virus is the first canine coronavirus found to infect people, a trait that may have taken years of evolution to acquire. Like the other novel coronavirus which spilled over from pigs, it hasnt yet been shown to cause disease; it might even result in dead-end infections.

Both studies underscore a fact. We do not know how many coronaviruses infect humans. Better surveillance for coronaviruses is needed especially when humans and animals are in close proximity and there are outbreaks of pneumonia of unknown causes. The virus identified in Malaysia was found because of a highly sensitive RT-PCR test that checked for many different coronavirus types.

Neither of these two new coronaviruses are capable of causing a pandemic right now. They were found because scientists were looking for them. But there is a need to search for viruses that infect people, because a virus might lurk undetected and be just a few years away from causing the next pandemic.

We can speculate what might happen when viruses remain undetected and cause infections in people. Over years, in the test tube of human cells, they might acquire additional mutations that allow them to become more capable of replicating and transmitting to others. In the process of using up the cells resources, they might cause severe disease. These scenarios are catastrophic for us, but there is nothing nefarious here, only evolution at work.

Anirban Mahapatra, a microbiologist by training, is the author of COVID-19: Separating Fact From Fiction

The views expressed are personal

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Scientifically Speaking | Decoding the evolution of coronaviruses - Hindustan Times

RTLS solutions have changed a lot throughout the years, and the journey has been a fascinating one.

May 26, 2021When you think of asset and staff tracking in real time, what comes to mind? Perhaps duress buttons, locators, GPSwhat about cow bells?Seriously, cow bells were one of the original asset-tracking systems. Cow runs away, you're looking for it, cow gives away its location by the ring of the bell. Simple.

Needless to say, things have changed in the Information Age. Real-time locating systems (RTLS) are vital tools for improving staff safety, business efficiency and logistics. And, yes, some high-tech RTLS solutions still track cows. RTLS solutions have changed a lot throughout the years, and the journey is pretty fascinating. What's on the bleeding edge of asset and staff tracking could propel new growth of industries from healthcare to corrections.

Early Technology and Ancient TimesThe earliest uses for RTLS solutions were livestock tracking, and for good reason. For about the first 10,000 years of human history, once cattle were domesticated from their ancient wild ancestors, cattle symbolized wealth, offered protein-rich food sources, and were used for plowing and other agricultural purposes too. Suffice it to say, it was important to keep track of this very literal representation of financial stability.

There's evidence of pottery cowbells in use as early as 4,000 years ago, then a gradual shift to iron and other metal devices. While bells are still in use, adorning animals in many cultures, RTLS solutions using GPS or other positioning technologies are now widely used in agriculture, allowing farmers and ranchers clearer and more immediate visibility into their herds' movements, behaviors and more.

RTLS Goes Global: Military MightThe U.S. military started using radarshort for "radio detection and ranging"during World War II as an RTLS method for tracking enemy planes and ships. Radar works by emitting short electromagnetic waves, which then bounce back to the radar receiver and can be used to determine how close or far away an object is.

After Japan's 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Scottish-born Robert Watson-Watt, who's heralded as the developer of modern radar, advised the U.S. military on a much-needed air strategy. For obvious reasons, having the power to scan the skies and anticipate an airborne attack was top-of-mind for the United States. Great Britain used the same technology to help detect Germany's Luftwaffe aircraft as they flew and dropped bombs over London and the surrounding areas.

Like many major technological advances throughout the course of human history, radar and similar methodologies were being developed by numerous nations simultaneously, including Germany, the Soviet Union, Japan and Italy. Watson-Watt's technology, dubbed "radar" by the U.S. Navy in 1940, was the most technologically advancedand it helped turn the tide of the war.

Product Tracking and the Rise of Massive WarehousingWith the advent of modern big-box storesthink Walmart, Costco and Ikeaand multinational logistics channels, RTLS technology became an incredibly important tool for asset tracking, efficient shipping and more.Let's zoom in on Walmart and its pioneering asset-tracking techniques.

After humble beginnings in Arkansas in 1962, Walmart grew to become the largest retailer in the United State by 1990. By 1999, it was the largest employer in the world. And while Amazon and similar companies have now taken top spots for total company value, Walmart paved the way in offering a massive selection of goods in its stores across the world. But how did the company do it? Supply chain managementaided by innovative asset-tracking technology.

Walmart pioneered new types of cross-docking and supply chain management, but arguably its most groundbreaking RTLS innovation was in combining radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking technology with universal product codes (UPCs). This allowed the retail giant to quickly turn over its inventory, reduce costs associated with lost, stolen or misplaced goods, and locate a product on any shelf across its vast network of warehouses and stores.

Staff Duress and Facility SafetyBut enough about productslet's talk people. Specifically in hospitals, corrections facilities and mental health facilities, RTLS technology can be used to prioritize the safety of staff members, as well as that of those in their charge. It can get pretty complicated in a sprawling facility, but basically, indoor RTLS technology can be used to track a person or an asset, such as an expensive piece of medical equipment, down to the room they're in. Facility-based RTLS works through an interaction between signals sent out from transmitter tags on people or physical assets and strategically placed locators that convey the data to the staff tasked with tracking movement within the facility.

Usually, RTLS for staff safety or efficiency uses radio frequency beacons such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or custom signals for locating, sometimes triangulating over multiple receivers. These solutions should all be crafted for the environments they're set to operate in to maximize signal propagation and speedwhen seconds matter for personal safety, no delay is acceptable.Uusing hospitals as examples, those that upgrade to an effective RTLS solution report huge increases in workplace safety, as well as big cost savings.

On the Horizon: Staff Efficiency, Advanced TechnologiesAt this point, it seems clear that staff duress and tracking should be a standard operating procedure in environments that call for itespecially in high-intensity, fast-moving environments such as corrections facilities, mental health facilities or healthcare facilities. The technology is such a powerful tool for safety that it feels like an operational necessity.

That's why I believe the next evolution of RTLS is its role as an efficiency tool.We're already seeing this in healthcare. By tagging high-value, high-demand assets like fluoroscopes, wheelchairs, ventilators and portable ultrasound devices, nurses and other employees can efficiently and accurately find them when they need them, thereby improving patient care.

The industry is discussing how to use this tracking technology to track patients' journey through a health facility, to improve how quickly they receive care. Nurses and other care providers will have greater control over the care environment, and overall satisfaction with health services should increase provided we tackle the privacy issues.Today's technology is primed for this kind of evolutionespecially tech that solves for challenges posed by complex physical environments. With all the advances happening in the RTLS space, we are sure to see solutions that go beyond just providing "more cowbell."

Isaac Davenport, Ph.D., is Actall's chief technology officer. In this role, he supports Actall in recruiting, project management, technology strategy, system design, debugging, employee development, vendor management and occasionally connector specification. Isaac has a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from CU and has worked on dozens of product-development programs. He has run small companies and has worked as a hardware, firmware, and software design engineer and technical management consultant for large businesses.

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The Evolution of Real-Time Location-Tracking Technology | RFID JOURNAL - RFID Journal

Owl Insights is a cloud-based platform created to help organisations administer mental health treatment. Through a digital, data-driven, automated system, it enables clinicians to screen and monitor patients, whether they're adults, teenagers or children..

The platform has been used across the US, by Texas Childrens Hospital, Virginia Tech, Californias San Mateo County Office of Education, and more recently by Main Line Health, a not-for-profit health system serving the greater Philadelphia region. Here CEO Eric Meier tells us how it works and how technology can help to address the mental health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

When and why Owl Insights was founded?Owl was conceived at the University of Washington in their clinical psychology department. The focus was implementing and training psychologists on evidence-based care. In 2016, I was brought in as CEO to bring this innovative product to market.

How is Owl improving behavioural healthcare through technology?Owl represents the evolution of behavioural health. Leveraging a data-driven, clinical decision support platform, Owl matches patients with the right level of care, personalises treatment pathways, and enables clinicians to measure treatment response to ensure and improve effectiveness.

You've recently partnered with Main Line Health, what capabilities will you be providing them?Main Line Health was looking to enhance and differentiate their behavioural health service and partnering with a technology platform leader that would help them improve clinical workflows, deliver evidence-based care, improve the patient experience and improve clinical outcomes.

Does Owl's platform integrate with healthcare providers' electronic health records (EHRs)?Owl has an automated, bi-directional integration with EHR systems. This enables automated workflows, reduces clinician burden and ensures high patient engagement.

Owls cloud-based platform will seamlessly integrate with Main Line Healths EHR system to screen, stratify and monitor patient progress. The data generated will provide critical insights and advanced reporting to effectively treat patients with a wide variety of behavioural health conditions.

What role can technology play in addressing the mental health crisis caused by the pandemic?With the accelerated use of telehealth, Owl better supports care management in a virtual environment, allowing a more consistent experience, quality measurement and patient engagement.The data and insights driven by use of Owl allows real-time progress monitoring of patients from wherever the patient is located. Using technology to improve workflow and reduce clinician burden allows greater clinical decision support to ensure that patients are getting the right treatment at the right time.

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Owl Insights: the evolution of behavioural health | Digital Healthcare - Healthcare Global - Healthcare News, Magazine and Website

In ancient times, humans did not at first regard death and disease as natural phenomena; they were regarded as supernatural in origin.

They might be the result of a spell cast upon the victim by some enemy or the work of an offended god.

Drilling holes 2.5 to 5cm across in the skull known as trephination was one method practised to provide the evil spirit a means of escape.

Hypnosis, magic and religion also played a large part in the medicine practised by prehistoric human society.

This was accompanied by incantations, dancing, grimaces etc, hence practitioners were also called witch doctors or sorcerers.

The transition from magic to science was a gradual process that lasted over centuries.

There are illustrations of the usage of opium, mandrake plants or alcohol to decrease pain and for surgical procedures like the amputation of a limb.

Making a patient unconscious by hitting them on the head (and giving them a concussion) was another method that sometimes had lethal consequences.

Moving forward, plant products were widely used in folk medicine, and indeed, are still used in many parts of the world today.

As a matter of fact, some modern drugs have their origins in plants, e.g. aspirin from willow bark, digoxin from foxgloves, morphine from opium poppies and quinine from Chicona bark.

Beginnings of a science

The works of the Greek Father of Medicine Hippocrates (460-375 BCE) mark the beginning of diseases being considered a natural, rather than a supernatural, phenomenon.

The first vaccination occurred in the late 18th century, when English physician Edward Jenner (1749-1823) discovered that a person became protected from smallpox when they were inoculated with pus from a cowpox lesion.

Perhaps the most spectacular advancement of the 19th century was the discovery that diseases were caused by minute living organisms.

The usage of antiseptics by French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur (1822-95) and British surgeon Joseph Lister (1827-1912) dramatically reduced infections and deaths after surgical procedures.

At the beginning of the 20th century, German physician Paul Ehrlich (1854-1915) discovered the lethal effects of arsenic on the microorganism responsible for syphilis.

This success inaugurated the antibiotics era, and was followed by the accidental discovery of sulphonamides and penicillin.

Gene-based therapy is the latest advancement in modern-day medicine. AFP

Lock and key

At this point, all these discoveries were made via observations of the patients; the doctors and scientists then did not know how exactly any of these medicines acted inside the human body.

With technological advancements in the field of microscopy, it was discovered that medicines specifically bind to a particular protein on the bodys cells and cause their effect.

These proteins are known as receptors and are potential targets for drugs.

Each receptor binds to one unique ligand (chemical compounds present in our body), just like a lock and key.

Only the correct key (ligand) can fit into the keyhole of the lock (receptor).

Upon the binding of the ligand to the receptor, a chain of signalling reactions will trigger the cells response.

This response can vary depending on the organ and the type of cell.

For example, in the stomach, it could be gastric secretion from the parietal cells to digest food, while in blood vessels, it could be constriction of the smooth muscle cells to increase blood pressure, and so on.

That is also how medicines act on our cells.

The chemical structure of a medicine is designed to selectively bind to a receptor, producing a desirable effect to cure or control a disease.

In type 2 diabetes, for example, there is insufficient insulin produced by the pancreas, resulting in an unhealthily high glucose level in the blood.

Anti-diabetic medicine (e.g. gliclazide) acts on the beta cells of the pancreas and increases its insulin release.

This increased amount of insulin elevates the use of glucose by peripheral tissues and reduces blood glucose levels.

Gene effect

We also came to know about biological units we inherit from both our parents known as genes, which are made up of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that reside in the nucleus of our cells.

Genes are responsible for our looks, height, skin colour and body functions, as well as our resistance to or predisposition for certain diseases.

It is now a reality that each one of us can have our genetic makeup analysed if we so wish.

This can provide information to doctors on how our bodies respond to certain medications, allowing them to see which medications are effective and which ones should be avoided to decrease adverse effects.

Genetic differences between humans (caused by natural mutations) can result in slightly altered proteins, which may in turn be more or less active.

If the altered protein is involved in metabolising a particular medicine, this may affect the levels of the medicine in the body, and thus influence how the patient responds to the medicine.

This understanding has helped doctors realise why some people react differently to certain medicines.

In personalised medicine, doctors modify the dosage of the medicine or substitute it with a different one, according to the genetic makeup of the patient for optimal treatment effects.

It is now also possible to treat or cure genetic disorders diseases caused by genetic abnormalities that affect the normal functioning of the body by replacing the defective gene with a healthy copy, or knocking out the defective gene.

Known as gene therapy, this method of treatment is advancing rapidly and may become the primary form of treatment, rather than drugs or surgery, in the not-so-far-away future.

Associate Professor Dr Kumaraswamy Kademane and Dr Irma Izani Mohamad Isa are with Perdana University Graduate School of Medicines Pharmacology Unit. This article is courtesy of Perdana University, which is celebrating their 10th anniversary this year. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the readers own medical care. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

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The evolution of medicine from sorcery to gene therapy - The Star Online

By Jill Fox

Ohana is a Hawaiian word used to describe a group of people fighting for the same purpose. Office Evolution has brought just that to Coral Springs, with their Were all in this together culture and passion for catering to dreamers, risk-takers, and doers.

Originating in Hawaii, according to their core values, Office Evolution is an Ohana of entrepreneurs, bound together, focusing on success.

Franchise owner and longtime South Florida resident Mark Mendel, is excited to bring together other local professionals, entrepreneurs and companies to help them grow, succeed, and reach their goals.

Whether starting a new business or 35 years into a career, Office Evolution provides a safe, affordable, and inspired workspace for the community.

Particularly in this economic environment, business owners and professionals need to focus on growing their businesses, and we provide everything they need in one place, said Mark.

From workspaces to executive amenities, concierge-like reception, live telephone answering, and meeting rooms all without the worry of a lease, capital improvements, phone systems, or office staff.

Our business allows sole-preneurs, start-ups, and businesses in any state of expansion to do what people have done in the digital age over the last five years, said Mark. We provide members what they want when they want it.

Heres how it works. Clients call Office Evolution for whatever type of workspace they need a private office, a conference room, or a place to drop in and work for a few hours.

We have helped employees of companies whose offices have closed and dont want the hassle of a lease, as well as others who are just in town for a day, said Mark.

The franchise prides itself as the only shared workspace in the Parkland/Coral Springs area that has secured, covered parking, hurricane-proof windows, and is easily accessible on the first floor of a corporate building.

Having spent the last 20 years traveling extensively as a corporate executive, being back in the South Florida community was important to him.

Now Mark is trading in his passport for a chance to help others realize their dreams.

When small business owners succeed, we all share in that success, he said, adding the pandemic forced the issue of a trend that was already happening in the office industry.

With so many business professionals under one roof, he thinks of Office Evolution as a mini chamber of commerce.

We have something to contribute to other businesses both the services we provide as well as enhancing the community and their business exposure as well, said Mark.

Upon entering, clients will meet Josh Mendel, Marks nephew, who will manage the Coral Springs location and brings extensive customer service and sales expertise to their Ohana.

Like a good concierge at a hotel, we pride ourselves on great customer service thats what sets us apart, said Mark.

And like a hotel, those who are traveling can use a conference room or office for as little as an hour in any of their 70 other locations around the country.

If a member has a meeting in Tampa, they can use an office there for the day, said Josh.

Other locations in Florida include Jacksonville, Plantation, and Tampa, and Mark plans to open more in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Office Evolution member Tim Corvino does quality assurance for software development. He said what he loves about his office is the family-owned vibe.

Weve been here for two months, and theyve been nothing but great, he said.

We told them were a growing business, and they said they would work with us to get us whatever we need.

They provide everything from safe and secure high-speed internet to a caf, where someone can share coffee with a client. There are options for catering, as well as standard administrative tasks, like notaries.

We allow people to scale up or down as they need, which allows businesses and professionals to conserve their capital and use it for their business rather than for their landlord, said Mark.

Although they opened in January, they are already expanding and the renovated space will be completed in June. Currently, they are offering a grand opening Hard Hat special, where members will receive two months free with a year membership.

Clients can reserve an office for a week, a month, a year we have no minimum lease, said Mark. No build-out, no furniture needed, and we provide the utilities just bring a laptop, and youre ready to work, he said.

Office Evolution is located at 3301 North University Drive, Suite 100. 754-203-0004

Send your news to Parklands #1 news source,Parkland Talk.

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Office Evolution Brings Safe, Affordable, Inspired Workplace to Coral Springs - Parkland Talk - Parkland Talk

The Morning Watch is a recurring feature that highlights a handful of noteworthy videos from around the web. They could be video essays, fanmade productions, featurettes, short films, hilarious sketches, or just anything that has to do with our favorite movies and TV shows.

In this edition, see how The Simpsons have evolved from their debut appearance in 1987 to how they look in their most recent episodes in 2021. Plus, see what the VFX artists at Corridor Crew think of the work done on Resident Evil: Afterlife, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and more. And finally, take a look back at John Candys Saturday morning cartoon Camp Candy.

First up, Insider takes a look at home The Simpsons has evolved from their debut on The Tracey Ullman Show back in 1987. As the series celebrates the end of the 32nd season (with more to come), see how much the animation Springfield and all the faces in town hve changed over the years with some special insight from executive producers David Silverman and Al Jean.

Next, the gang at Corridor Crew sits down to laugh at some of the awful visual effects used in a big Resident Evil: Afterlife action sequence.. Plus, they explain how some practical effects in Attack on Titan came together, point out whats wrong with the heat vision in The Day the Earth Stool Still, but give credit to the nanobot destruction scenes.

Finally, at a time when every big comedian got their own Saturday morning cartoon geared towards kids, Hats Off Entertainment pays tribute to one of the best. John Candy had his own summer camp animated series called Camp Candy that aired from 1989 through 1992, and it was one of the few good cartoons created by stand-up comedians at the time.

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The Morning Watch: The Evolution of 'The Simpsons', VFX Artists React to 'Resident Evil: Afterlife' & More - /FILM

There will undoubtedly always be cases where meeting in person remains an important element in resolving a dispute, particularly during mediation where interpersonal relationships often contribute to successful outcomes. However, access to platforms which support remote and virtual dispute resolution procedures will provide a cost effective alternative for many in the current economic climate, and may appeal to businesses seeking to reduce their carbon footprint where mediating in person would require international travel.

We are already seeing remote mediation evolve as both mediators and parties to successful mediation learn from their experiences since the outbreak of the pandemic, and we expect this to continue. However, the convenience alone of virtual platforms should not dictate their use, and litigants will be looking to their legal counsel to advise them on the appropriate format for dispute resolution forums relevant to their specific case.

Mediation is a central feature of dispute resolution. A well-implemented mediation can bring an end to longstanding disputes, avoiding the uncertainty of an errant adjudication decision, arbitral aware or court judgment in a cost effective manner. Mediation can cut through entrenched positions and encourage parties and their legal advisers to take a step back and focus on their ultimate goals, and may allow for the continuation of business relationships that have otherwise disintegrated.

Over the past year, parties, solicitors and mediators took to online remote mediationby necessity, and often in place of already-planned in-person mediations. Despite some initial concerns and scepticism particularly around privacy and security, suitable conferencing platforms and the likely effectiveness of any remote mediation the uptake in remote mediation since has been impressive. Indeed, mediators have observed that despite their anticipation of a rather quiet year, what has actually transpired has been the opposite.

Initially, parties generally defaulted to the traditional structure of a mediation day, only hosted on an online platform or platforms. This often involved the standard opening plenary session, followed by the mediator shuttling between the parties in their own virtual breakout meeting rooms until a settlement was reached, or not. However, remote mediations have evolved considerably over the past year, and are continuing to do so.

On the pulse mediators have been quick to issue updated terms and conditions, revised mediation agreements and protocols for dealing with remote mediations. They have also been able to get quickly up to speed with some of the available technologies, allowing them to help guide parties through the process.

Although preparatory groundwork is already a feature of many successful mediations, mediators are required to do more of this in advance of remote mediations reading papers, understanding the issues and speaking with the parties to understand their aims and needs. Additionally, mediators are now more often staying involved with mediations after the mediation day itself has ended, with ongoing follow-ups and shuttling between the parties on issues and potential settlement deals.

These factors are impacting the parties choice of mediator. As well as reviewing a mediators general credentials and specialist knowledge in a particular area, parties should also be considering the mediators proactiveness in advance of the mediation day, their confidence with the technology, their ability to actively facilitate the mediation process, and their effectiveness in following up and driving parties towards a settlement.

A shift away from the traditional assumption that mediation should be a one-day event had already begun to take place prior to 2020, with efficiencies and alternative ways of conducting mediation beginning to emerge.

In some instances, this has taken the form of a series of shorter mediations, spreading over a few days. Dispensing with the opening plenary session with the mediator instead conducting pre-meets with each party before then shuttling between the parties now occurs, sometimes over the course of days or weeks, to try to reach a deal. This can offer greater scheduling flexibility and be less cumbersome for busy professionals than the traditional mediation taking place in person over a long single day. This can also sometimes mean that mediations can be arranged, and so disputes be resolved, at an earlier stage than would otherwise have been the case.

Fully remote mediation has in some instances been replaced with hybrid mediation, coupling in-person appearances with remote appearances. For example, one team might gather together so that they can strategise face to face, but communications with the mediator and other party take place remotely. We are likely to continue to see this, particularly where geographical restrictions apply or due to personal preferences. Questions can arise as to how to achieve a level playing field, and these need to be considered and navigated with care.

Finding the right technology with which to conduct a virtual mediation remains an issue, although this is improving. Existing platforms have introduced enhancements since the early days of the first lockdown including increased security features; greater provision of breakout rooms; participant hand-raising; and the ability to rearrange participants in gallery view so parties can be usefully grouped.

However, the technology is still not always altogether smooth. For example, some participants are prohibited from using certain platforms due to company information security policies, which can cause problems where a mediator has a preference or requirement for that platform to be used. While it is workable, and relatively common, for different participants in a mediation to use different platforms for their private rooms, mediation tends to proceed more smoothly if all participants are using different rooms within the same platform. We may see the development or growth of new or improved platforms tailored more closely to the requirements of mediation. Such platforms could also be adapted to other forms of ADR.

Whatever technology is used, the mediator must be in control of, and confident and comfortable with, the chosen platform if the mediation is to be truly effective. Background interruptions from children, pets and postmen remain rife during mediation, along with the usual technical difficulties which can kill momentum. While all of these issues can be addressed for example, by switching to a backup technology option pre-trialled by the parties they are not ideal.

There are also benefits of in-person mediation which cannot easily be replicated in an online format, including being able to observe participants non-verbal communication and in passing interactions. This can be addressed to some extent by insisting that participants keep their cameras on at all times, but seeing faces in boxes on a screen is not the same as in-person physical interaction.

Now that more mediations are taking place remotely, it is becoming a more attractive option in cross-border disputes as it avoids the need for participants to travel. After being shown to be effective, we envisage that remote mediation will continue to be a feature of international dispute resolution even once travel restrictions are lifted. Not only is it more convenient and less costly for parties, but as pressure grows for businesses to consider climate change, they are likely to question more often whether the benefits of an in-person mediation outweigh the impact on their carbon footprint of international travel.

Indeed, mediators may begin to suggest remote mediation solely for reasons connected to climate change. A number of mediators have now signed the Mediators Green Pledge committing them, among other things, to encouraging parties to consider the necessity of participants attending mediation in person if that would involve significant unnecessary travel.

Remote mediation may not be appropriate for larger, more complex mediations involving multiple parties and experts across various jurisdictions and time zones however, with detailed planning in advance and implementation of protocols, alongside the technological advances seen over the past year, such a mediation is not impossible.

As parties become more creative about the way remote mediation is used, we may see further innovation.

One quick, cost effective option, which may be attractive to businesses for certain disputes in the current climate, is a stripped back, bare essentials form of mediation involving blind bidding. This dispenses with many traditional features of mediation such as position papers, plenary sessions and one-to-one meetings with the parties in favour of email and a pre-agreed number, usually three, of bidding rounds.

The parties appoint a mediator as usual and issue their confidential bids in round one directly to the mediator. If there is a match, the figure is revealed and the process ends once a settlement is executed. If there is no match on the figures, the parties proceed to round two. If there is still no agreement, in round three the mediator will either announce a match or confirm whether the parties are within a specified range. Even where no resolution is ultimately reached, parties should emerge from the process with enough momentum and impetus to move on to a more formal mediation process to finalise the issues between them.

Blind bidding mediation is particularly useful for pure money disputes for example a traditional final account dispute in a construction contract, or a dispute over costs. However, in principle, bidding rounds could also relate to offers to remediate a defect for example, as opposed to money offers.

In more complex disputes, involving difficult technical issues and numerous legal debates, parties may still prefer more traditional mediations. Parties may also struggle to come up with settlement figures in a vacuum, although facing such questions will force businesses to focus on what they genuinely want and need in order to settle the dispute. Uptake of this idea will also depend on whether courts will regard the process as sufficient for a party to avoid the cost consequences of refusing to mediate.

Co-written by Emilie Jonesof Pinsent Masons.

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Further evolution of remote mediation expected post-pandemic - Out-Law.com

Dragon Ball Evolution is considered one of the most controversial anime adaptations of our day and age, as the West attempted to give Goku and his friends from the original series a new tale that hit movie theaters in 2009, and one fan has revisited the cursed film with an anime makeover that attempts to re-imagine these designs. With the movie starring the likes of Justin Chatwin, Emmy Rossum, Jamie Chung, and Chow Yun-Fat as the likes of Goku, Bulma, Chi-Chi, and Master Roshi, the film was ultimately reviled by many fans for its unique interpretations of the beloved Shonen characters.

Shockingly enough, Dragon Ball Evolution actually had a hand in Akira Toriyama coming back to the franchise and creating Dragon Ball Super, wherein the legendary Shonen creator was quoted in the book, Dragon Ball 30th Anniversary "Super History Book", as saying "I had put Dragon Ball behind me, but seeing how that live-action film ticked me off..." The writer of Evolution, Ben Ramsey, went so far as to apologize for the creation of the film, stating, "To have something with my name on it as the writer be so globally reviled is gut-wrenching. To receive hate mail from all over the world is heartbreaking. I'm not blaming anyone for Dragon Ball Evolution but myself,"

Reddit Artist Due_Bandicoot_5940 gave the original players of Dragon Ball Evolution a fresh anime makeover, imagining what these new designs for Akira Toriyama's biggest players might have looked like had they arrived with an anime series of their own:

There obviously was never a sequel created for Dragon Ball Evolution, but apparently, there had originally been plans to continue this take on the Z Fighters as a script for a second movie apparently was created. Though there has been no live-action takes on the world created by Akira Toriyama in recent years, we imagine that it will only be a matter of time until Hollywood decides to dive back into the Shonen series. With live-action anime adaptations such as Death Note, Ghost In The Shell, and Alita: Battle Angel being only a few, with Netflix currently working on a live-action Mobile Suit: Gundam movie to boot, this is definitely a case of "never say never".

What do you think of this anime take on the designs from Dragon Ball Evolution? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of Shonen.

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Dragon Ball Evolution Gets an Impressive Anime Makeover - ComicBook.com

Fairy wrasses are swimming jewels, flitting and flouncing about coral reefs. The finger-length fishes brash, vibrant courtship displays are meant for mates and rivals, and a new study suggests that the slow waxing and waning of ice sheets and glaciers may be partly responsible for such a variety of performances.

A new genetic analysis of more than three dozen fairy wrasse species details the roughly 12 million years of evolution that produced their vast assortment of shapes, colors and behaviors. And the timing of these transformations implies that the more than 60 species of fairy wrasses may owe their great diversity to cyclic sea level changes over the last few millions of years, scientists report February 23 in Systematic Biology.

Within the dizzying assembly of colorful reef fishes, fairy wrasses (Cirrhilabrus) cant help but stand out. They are the most species-rich genus in the second most species-rich fish family in the ocean, says Yi-Kai Tea, an ichthyologist at the University of Sydney.

That is quite a bit of biodiversity, says Tea, who notes that new fairy wrasse species are identified every year. Despite this taxonomic footprint, Tea says, scientists knew next to nothing about the fairy wrasses evolutionary history or why there were so many species.

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To fill this knowledge gap, Tea and his colleagues turned to the fishes genetics, extracting DNA from 39 different fairy wrasse species. Many earlier genetic studies on ocean animals in the region focused on a handful of genes in single species, but Tea and his team used a method that isolated nearly 1,000 genes from many species at once. Comparing DNA across species, the researchers reconstructed an evolutionary tree, showing how the dozens of fairy wrasse species are interrelated. The team also estimated how long ago these species split from one another.

Fairy wrasses diverged from other wrasses about 12 million years ago in the Miocene Epoch, the researchers found. But many of the fairy wrasse species emerged only about 1 million to 3 million years ago, in the Pleistocene and late Pliocene Epochs. Fairy wrasses appear to have first evolved in the Coral Triangle, a region of exceptionally high coral reef biodiversity in the western Pacific Ocean. From there, the fishes exploded into many gaudy forms, spreading as far as the coast of East Africa to French Polynesia, a geographical range of some 17,000 kilometers.

Tea and his colleagues think the timing of this rapid evolution is tied directly to the geologic history of the region.

The Indo-Australian Archipelago sits at the confluence of the Indian and Pacific Ocean basins today, a spattering of islands strung between Asia and Australia. Tea describes this boundary as a soft barrier, with the spaces between islands occasionally allowing seafaring species to pass through to the neighboring ocean realm.

But during the Pliocene and Pleistocene Epochs when many fairy wrasses diversified ice ages dramatically changed this seascape. When water became locked up in expansions of ice sheets and glaciers, sea level fell, turning shallow reefs into land bridges. Such changes may have allowed human ancestors to access Indonesia and Australia (SN: 1/9/20), but they also cut off the movement of marine life. This isolation encouraged the evolution of new species on either side of the barrier.

When the glaciers melted again, the waters rose, and the fishes could once again intermix. The rising and falling seas could act like a species pump, Tea explains, creating new fairy wrasse species and churning them out into the world every time the barrier dissolved. The team estimates that fairy wrasses infiltrated the Indian Ocean at least five different times this way.

The findings fit into an emerging picture of the region as an engine of biodiversity in tropical seas. Genetic differences between Indian and Pacific Ocean populations have been documented in everything from sea stars to giant clams, notesPaul Barber, an evolutionary biologist at the University of California, Los Angeles not involved with this research. Such divergences are signs of temporary isolation on either side of the Indo-Australian Archipelago.

Glacial cycles get missed sometimes in explanations of the diversification of fishes, particularly in the tropics, says Lauren Sallan, a paleobiologist at the University of Pennsylvania also not involved with this research. That aspect just isnt brought up enough.

The fairy wrasses elaborate mating rituals might also be why there are so many different species, Tea says.

Since the wrasses live in large, mixed-species schools, the males are under extra pressure to not only attract a mate, but to make sure shes of the correct species. A performance with a recognizable arrangement of colors and in some cases, fluorescence (SN: 5/29/14) would come in handy. Going that extra mile to find the right species might make crossbreeding less likely, but also encourages reproductive isolation. Over time, small genetic changes accumulate in each isolated group, so that the two wrasses become fundamentally different species, dissimilar in their DNA, appearance and behavior.

These patterns of fluorescence and colors are very species specific, says Tea, who explains that theres heaps left to explore about fairy wrasses, especially when it comes to how they choose mates and the evolution of their colors.

You can dedicate your entire career to this if you wanted to and probably still never learn everything there is to learn with these amazing fishes.

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Flamboyant fishes evolved an explosion of color as seas rose and fell - Science News Magazine