BACKGROUND Determinants of regional variation in caesarean sections can contribute explanations for the observed overall increasing trend of caesarean sections. We assessed which mechanism explains the higher rate of caesarean sections in the former West than East Germany: a more liberal use of caesarean sections in the case of relative indications or more common caesarean sections without indi...

This article addresses the perceptual identification of French regional accents by listeners from the Paris region and Belgium. It is based on the geographical localisation of about thirty speakers from seven French-speaking areas: Vendee (West of France), Languedoc (South of France), Alsace (East of France), Romand Switzerland, East, Centre and West of Belgium. Contrary to the speake bracket (...

The Employment of Mothers: Recent Developments and their Determinants in East and West Germany We apply German Mikrozensus data for the period 1996 to 2004 to investigate the employment status of mothers. Specifically, we ask whether there are behavioral differences between mothers in East and West Germany, whether these differences disappear over time, and whether there are differences in the ...

Parasitic isopods of Bopyroidea and Cryptoniscoidea (commonly referred to as epicarideans) are unique in using crustaceans as both intermediate and definitive hosts. In total, 795 epicarideans are known, representing ~7.7% of described isopods. The rate of description of parasitic species has not matched that of free-living isopods and this disparity will likely continue due to the more cryptic...

Seabirds are considered to be useful and practical indicators of the state of marine ecosystems because they integrate across changes in the lower trophic levels and the physical environment. Signals from this key group of species can indicate broad scale impacts or response to environmental change. Recent studies of penguin populations, the most commonly abundant Antarctic seabirds in the west...

Physical stature is used as a proxy for the biological standard of living in the two Germanies before and after unification in an analysis of a cross-sectional sample (1998) of adult heights, as well as among military recruits of the 1990s. West Germans tended to be taller than East Germans throughout the period under consideration. Contrary to official proclamations of a classless society, the...

A canopy trap and aerial nets led to finding 8 species of Tabanidae. There was an abundance of calyptrate muscoid flies. Camel's Hump is in the Green Mountains of western New England, USA. Discovering Diptera on Camel's Hump involved sixteen visits over 40 years. Upwards of 23 other Diptera species are listed. Habitats on the east side and above 762 m (2500 ft) elevation on Camel's Hump differ ...

PCR-based mtDNA analysis (RFLP) was used for the study of population differentiation in the Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedti). The mtDNA ND5/6 gene regions were amplified using PCR techniques followed by RFLP analysis. 39 different composite haplotypes were detected among 62 specimens. 29 haplotypes were rare occuring only once in two regions (west and east areas of the Southern Caspi...

PCR-based mtDNA analysis (RFLP) was used for the study of population differentiation in the Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedti). The mtDNA ND5/6 gene regions were amplified using PCR techniques followed by RFLP analysis. 39 different composite haplotypes were detected among 62 specimens. 29 haplotypes were rare occuring only once in two regions (west and east areas of the Southern Caspi...