These businesses failed in their duty to workers and the wider public health

In many migratory birds, males precede females during migration and arrival at the breeding sites. Three proximate mechanisms are proposed to explain this phenomenon of protandry: males 1) winter closer to breeding sites, 2) start spring migration earlier, and/or 3) migrate faster than females. So far, the relative contribution of these mechanisms to protandry is unknown. The present study investigated the importance of each of the 3 proximate mechanisms of protandry for a songbird migrant wintering in Africa, the northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe). Two subspecies co-occur in Europe on migration, of which the leucorhoa northern wheatears breeding from Iceland to Canada have to cross the North Atlantic, whereas the nominate form breeding in Europe does not face any significant sea barrier. We show that the leucorhoa subspecies had a significantly higher degree of protandry at stopover sites across Europe than the oenanthe subspecies (−6 vs. −2 days). Leucorhoa northern wheatear's higher degree of protandry was associated with a larger age effect, in which old males preceded young males, and greater sex-specific differences in wing shape and refueling yielding higher migration speeds in males than females. In oenanthe northern wheatears, light-level geolocators revealed that males did not winter closer to the breeding sites or migrate faster than females, but initiated spring migration earlier. Our results demonstrate that the significance of the mechanisms causing protandry can differ between related taxa and highlight the importance of the advancement in male arrival date with age as a potential factor shaping the degree of protandry.

Synopsis This preliminary study was undertaken to provide data from which a more comprehensive investigation to establish the safety in-use of cosmetic talcs could be designed. Methods for collecting and analysing respirable talc generated during the use of loose face powder and adult and baby dusting powders were established. Respirable particles in the air were separated from larger size particles by means of a cyclone and were collected on membrane filters. The collected dust was dissolved in acid and the solution was analysed for magnesium by atomic absorption spectroscopy. From the results the concentrations of talc in the air samples were calculated. The method was used to monitor the in-use levels of a range of cosmetic talcs. Mean concentrations in air sampled for 5 min from the start of use of Chinese grades and Italian 00000 grades of talc formulated for use as loose face powder, adult dusting powder and baby dusting powder were 0.48, 1.13 and 0.21 mg m(-3), respectively. Higher levels were found with micronised adult dusting powder (mean concentration 1.9 mg m(-3)). There was no evidence that the presence of perfume in the talc or the ambient relative humidity in the range 54-74% during use affected the levels of respirable talc, but high relative humidity <90% reduced the amount of respirable talc.

The UK is one of the countries most severely affected by covid-19. Recent outbreaks in English towns such as Oldham, probably involving transmission within large multigenerational households, show the importance of getting the right public health measures in place now to prevent more widespread surges in infections. 1

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