Replicated evolutionary inhibition of a complex ancestral behaviour in an adaptive radiation.

Adaptive radiations often exhibit high levels of phenotypic replication, a phenomenon that can be explained by selection on standing variation in repeatedly divergent environments or by the influence of ancestral plasticity on selection in divergent environments. Here, we offer the first evidence that plastic loss of expression of a complex display in a novel environment, followed by selection against expression, could lead to replicated evolutionary inhibition of the phenotype. In both ancestral (oceanic) and benthic (freshwater) populations of the threespine stickleback fish, cannibalism is common and males defending nests respond to approaching groups with a complex diversionary display.

Adherence to guidelines for prevention of postsplenectomy sepsis. Age and sex are risk factors: a five-year retrospective review.

Background: Vaccination, education and use of long-term antibiotics are recommended in expert guidelines for the prevention of infectious complications after splenectomy. However, studies outside Australia have shown poor adherence to the guidelines.

Method: The aim of this study was to determine overall adherence to the guidelines and to ascertain any independent risk factors for poor compliance with the guidelines.