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W Arthur

Publications and source records attributed to W Arthur.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

A study of the efficacy of noxytiolin instillation as adjunctive to radiotherapy in carcinoma of the bladder: a clinical trial.

A prospective study was conducted to establish efficacy or otherwise of Noxytiolin (N-hydroxymethyl-N-methylthiorea) instilled concurrently with radical radiotherapy in bladder carcinoma, a previous pilot study having indicated an improved survival rate. A total of 242 patients participated in the trial. The four-year survival figures were compared and it is concluded that there was no significant difference between the controls and those patients treated with Noxytiolin.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The concept of developmental reprogramming and the quest for an inclusive theory of evolutionary mechanisms.

Evolutionary developmental biology has already made a major contribution to our understanding of evolutionary patterns, notably homology. However, while it has the potential to make an equally important contribution to our understanding of evolutionary mechanisms, and indeed to the integration of mechanism and pattern, it has not yet done so. This paper explores how this potential may be realized. In particular, I focus on the limitations of present-day neo-Darwinian theory, and indicate how a combination of the neo-Darwinian and "evo-devo" approaches provides a more inclusive view of evolutionary mechanisms with greater explanatory power. There is a particular focus on developmental reprogramming, which lies logically between mutation and selection, yet has been neglected in mainstream evolutionary theory. The inclusion of developmental reprogramming in the list of evolutionary mechanisms leads to a view that the direction of evolutionary change is determined by a combination of internal and external factors, rather than being controlled entirely by the environment.

Biological Evolution↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Geographic patterning of variation in segment number in geophilomorph centipedes: clines and speciation.

Since their origin as a metameric group, arthropods have diversified considerably in their number of segments. Present-day geophilomorph centipedes provide a model system for investigating the evolutionary origins of this diversification, because they exhibit intraspecific variation in segment number. (This variation is, however, derived; it is not a plesiomorphic condition within the Chilopoda.) Previous studies have shown that there are significant differences in segment number between populations within several geophilomorph species. In one (arguably two) species, it has been demonstrated that there is a particular form of geographic patterning of the variation, namely a latitudinal cline, with the segment number decreasing with increasing distance north. Here, we provide additional data on four more species, all of which show evidence of a latitudinal cline in either one or both sexes. It is therefore becoming clear that this is a general phenomenon, applying widely (perhaps universally) across the Geophilomorpha, a group consisting of some 1,000 known species. It may be that latitudinal clines are a frequent part of the speciation cycle in this group.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Developmental drive: an important determinant of the direction of phenotypic evolution.

Over any period of evolutionary time, the prevailing ontogenetic trajectory within a lineage may either recur unchanged from generation to generation (stasis) or alter (developmental reprogramming). A key question about reprogramming is whether it exhibits intrinsic biases in favor of some sorts of change and against others, which may be referred to respectively as "drive" and "constraint." A simple logical argument suggests that both drive and constraint should be common, and conversely that cases of equiprobable modification in various phenotypic directions should be relatively rare. These proposals, that drive and constraint exist and that they are common, appear to be widely accepted, even among neo-Darwinians, who are sometimes portrayed as rejecting them. What is more controversial is that developmental drive (and constraint) can have a powerful influence on the direction of evolutionary change. It is argued that such an influence will occur, and indeed may be pervasive.

Developmental Biology↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationships among personnel tests, age, and job performance.

Relationships among an information-processing based test battery, job performance, and age were examined using a sample of petroleum transport drivers. The results suggest that when age differences in job performance occur, they can be better explained by performance on valid predictors rather than age per se. The findings are discussed in the context of moderated models of job experience, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the erroneous use of age as a surrogate measure in personnel decision making.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Variable segment number in centipedes: population genetics meets evolutionary developmental biology.

The case studies of population genetics focus on intraspecific variation, but most cases--at least where the variation is polymorphic--deal with characters that are not directly linked to organismic structure or ontogeny. Conversely, the case studies of evolutionary developmental biology focus directly on structure/ontogeny, but usually involve only interspecific comparisons. To integrate these complementary approaches, it is desirable to have a model system that permits study of intraspecific variation in development, using a character whose genetic basis either is already known or can be elucidated. Segment number in geophilomorph centipedes is proposed as a possible model system of this kind. Segment number is variable in natural populations of geophilomorphs, while in the other centipede orders it is fixed, either completely (scutigeromorphs, lithobiomorphs), or at least within species (scolopendromorphs). Statistical analysis of data on the extent of variation in different geophilomorph species suggests that segment number may be of selective importance, rather than the variation being merely an inevitable consequence of the difficulty of achieving a high degree of repeatability when there is a large number of segments.

Animals↗