Zoos are increasingly implementing formalized animal welfare assessment programs to allow monitoring of welfare over time, as well as to aid in resource prioritization. These programs tend to rely on assessment tools that incorporate resource-based and observational animal-focused measures. A narrative review of the literature was conducted to bring together recent studies examining welfare assessment methods in zoo animals. A summary of these methods is provided, with advantages and limitations of the approaches presented. We then highlight practical considerations with respect to implementation of these tools into practice, for example scoring schemes, weighting of criteria, and innate animal factors for consideration. It is concluded that there would be value in standardizing guidelines for development of welfare assessment tools since zoo accreditation bodies rarely prescribe these. There is also a need to develop taxon or species-specific assessment tools to complement more generic processes and more directly inform welfare management.
Variations of brain weights and volumes often reflect pathological states. However, these parameters are more meaningful when related to intracranial volume. The most useful derived parameter is the difference between intracranial volume and brain volume expressed as a percentage (potential intracranial space). In patients with cerebral atrophy the potential intracranial space will be large, whereas in patients with space occupying lesions or brain swelling the potential intracranial space will shift towards 0%. Previously described techniques to determine intracranial volume have been unsatisfactory for routine application in the autopsy room. The technique described herein is based on the production of a permanent polyurethane cast of the cranial cavity. The casts can be formed in about 20 min with little modification of standard autopsy technique. Duplicate casts were made in twenty-seven unselected cases and in all cases there was less than 2% error in duplicate cast volumes. The cast provides a permanent record of the size and shape of the cranial cavity and can be used to determine intracranial volume or other intracranial dimension. The usefulness of the derived parameter, potential intracranial space, is evident in some of the cases studied.
This paper reports on implementing learning plans at an Australian university and their perceived use in supporting doctoral candidates’ professional and academic development. The implementation of individualised learning plans for doctoral candidates was the outcome of university-wide discussions regarding coursework in the PhD. Based on a review of the literature and evaluative comments from candidates and staff, the need for a learning plan for doctoral candidates was identified. Driven by institute-specific learning outcomes for doctoral candidates, we developed an online learning plan, referred to as MyPLAN. Preliminary findings suggest that areas for consideration when introducing a plan include supervisor and candidate involvement in the development and use of the plans, a user-friendly platform for implementing a learning plan, as well as the coordination of learning opportunities throughout the institution to support the specific aspects of the learning plan
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