Infrared temperature measurements over bare soil and vegetation - A HAPEX perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, Toby N.; Perry, Eileen M.; Taconet, Odile

1987-01-01

Preliminary analyses of aircraft and ground measurements made in France during the HAPEX experiment show that horizontal radiometric surface temperature variations, as viewed by aircraft, can reflect the vertical profile of soil moisture (soil versus root zone) because of horizontal variations in vegetation density. Analyses based on one day's data show that, although horizontal variations in soil moisture were small, the vertical differences between a dry surface and a wet root zone were large. Horizontal temperature differences between bare soil, corn and oats reflect differences in the fractional vegetation cover, as seen by the radiometer. On the other hand, these horizontal variations in radiometric surface temperature seem to reflect real horizontal variations in surface turbulent energy fluxes.

Elastic-plastic finite-element analyses of thermally cycled double-edge wedge specimens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, A.; Hunt, L. E.

1982-01-01

Elastic-plastic stress-strain analyses were performed for double-edge wedge specimens subjected to thermal cycling in fluidized beds at 316 and 1088 C. Four cases involving different nickel-base alloys (IN 100, Mar M-200, NASA TAZ-8A, and Rene 80) were analyzed by using the MARC nonlinear, finite element computer program. Elastic solutions from MARC showed good agreement with previously reported solutions obtained by using the NASTRAN and ISO3DQ computer programs. Equivalent total strain ranges at the critical locations calculated by elastic analyses agreed within 3 percent with those calculated from elastic-plastic analyses. The elastic analyses always resulted in compressive mean stresses at the critical locations. However, elastic-plastic analyses showed tensile mean stresses for two of the four alloys and an increase in the compressive mean stress for the highest plastic strain case.

Individual Differences in the Relationship between Satisfaction with Job Rewards and Job Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofmans, Joeri; De Gieter, Sara; Pepermans, Roland

2013-01-01

Although previous research often showed a positive relationship between pay satisfaction and job satisfaction, we dispute the universality of this finding. Cluster-wise regression analyses on three samples consistently show that two types of individuals can be distinguished, each with a different job reward-job satisfaction relationship. For the…

Lower Stratospheric Temperature Differences Between Meteorological Analyses in two cold Arctic Winters and their Impact on Polar Processing Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manney, Gloria L.; Sabutis, Joseph L.; Pawson, Steven; Santee, Michelle L.; Naujokat, Barbara; Swinbank, Richard; Gelman, Melvyn E.; Ebisuzaki, Wesley; Atlas, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A quantitative intercomparison of six meteorological analyses is presented for the cold 1999-2000 and 1995-1996 Arctic winters. The impacts of using different analyzed temperatures in calculations of polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) formation potential, and of different winds in idealized trajectory-based temperature histories, are substantial. The area with temperatures below a PSC formation threshold commonly varies by approximately 25% among the analyses, with differences of over 50% at some times/locations. Freie University at Berlin analyses are often colder than others at T is less than or approximately 205 K. Biases between analyses vary from year to year; in January 2000. U.K. Met Office analyses were coldest and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) analyses warmest. while NCEP analyses were usually coldest in 1995-1996 and Met Office or NCEP[National Center for Atmospheric Research Reanalysis (REAN) warmest. European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) temperatures agreed better with other analyses in 1999-2000, after improvements in the assimilation model. than in 1995-1996. Case-studies of temperature histories show substantial differences using Met Office, NCEP, REAN and NASA Data Assimilation Office (DAO) analyses. In January 2000 (when a large cold region was centered in the polar vortex), qualitatively similar results were obtained for all analyses. However, in February 2000 (a much warmer period) and in January and February 1996 (comparably cold to January 2000 but with large cold regions near the polar vortex edge), distributions of "potential PSC lifetimes" and total time spent below a PSC formation threshold varied significantly among the analyses. Largest peaks in "PSC lifetime" distributions in January 2000 were at 4-6 and 11-14 days. while in the 1996 periods, they were at 1-3 days. Thus different meteorological conditions in comparably cold winters had a large impact on expectations for PSC formation and on the discrepancies between different meteorological analyses. Met Office. NCEP, REAN, ECMWF and DAO analyses are commonly used for trajectory calculations and in chemical transport models; the choice of which analysis to use can strongly influence the results of such studies.

Development of an open-path gas analyser for plume detection in security applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hay, Kenneth G.; Norberg, Ola; Normand, Erwan; Önnerud, Hans; Black, Paul

2017-04-01

We present here an open-path analyser, initially intended for security applications, specifically for the detection of gas plumes from illicit improvised explosive device (IED) manufacturing. Subsequently, the analysers were adapted for methane measurement and used to investigate its applicability for leak detection in different scenarios (e.g. unconventional gas extraction sites). Preliminary results showed consistent measurements of gas plumes in the open path.

The influence of confounding factors on the relationship between muscle contraction level and MF and MPF values of EMG signal: a review.

PubMed

Roman-Liu, Danuta

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to gather results of studies on the relationship between median frequency (MF) and mean power frequency (MPF) and the level of muscle contraction, and to use those results to discuss the differences in the trends according to factors related to measurement technique and subject. Twenty-one studies with 63 cases for upper limb muscles and nine studies with 31 cases for lower limb muscles were analysed. Most results showed an increase in parameters with an increased level of muscle contraction, only some studies showed a decrease. The influence on parameters of the level of muscle contraction and factors such as subjects, type of contraction, muscle length and electrodes was analysed for each muscle. It was concluded that when analysing the influence of different factors on MF and MPF, because those factors interact they should be considered together, not separately.

Gender differences in brain structure and resting-state functional connectivity related to narcissistic personality.

PubMed

Yang, Wenjing; Cun, Lingli; Du, Xue; Yang, Junyi; Wang, Yanqiu; Wei, Dongtao; Zhang, Qinglin; Qiu, Jiang

2015-06-25

Although cognitive and personality studies have observed gender differences in narcissism, the neural bases of these differences remain unknown. The current study combined the voxel-based morphometry and resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) analyses to explore the sex-specific neural basis of narcissistic personality. The VBM results showed that the relationship between narcissistic personality and regional gray matter volume (rGMV) differed between sexes. Narcissistic scores had a significant positive correlation with the rGMV of the right SPL in females, but not in males. Further analyses were conducted to investigate the sex-specific relationship between rsFC and narcissism, using right SPL/frontal eye fields (FEF) as the seed regions (key nodes of the dorsal attention network, DAN). Interestingly, decreased anticorrelations between the right SPL/FEF and areas of the precuneus and middle frontal gyrus (key nodes of the the default mode network, DMN) were associated with higher narcissistic personality scores in males, whereas females showed the opposite tendency. The findings indicate that gender differences in narcissism may be associated with differences in the intrinsic and dynamic interplay between the internally-directed DMN and the externally-directed TPN. Morphometry and functional connectivity analyses can enhance our understanding of the neural basis of sex-specific narcissism.

Gender differences in brain structure and resting-state functional connectivity related to narcissistic personality

PubMed Central

Yang, Wenjing; Cun, Lingli; Du, Xue; Yang, Junyi; Wang, Yanqiu; Wei, Dongtao; Zhang, Qinglin; Qiu, Jiang

2015-01-01

Although cognitive and personality studies have observed gender differences in narcissism, the neural bases of these differences remain unknown. The current study combined the voxel-based morphometry and resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) analyses to explore the sex-specific neural basis of narcissistic personality. The VBM results showed that the relationship between narcissistic personality and regional gray matter volume (rGMV) differed between sexes. Narcissistic scores had a significant positive correlation with the rGMV of the right SPL in females, but not in males. Further analyses were conducted to investigate the sex-specific relationship between rsFC and narcissism, using right SPL/frontal eye fields (FEF) as the seed regions (key nodes of the dorsal attention network, DAN). Interestingly, decreased anticorrelations between the right SPL/FEF and areas of the precuneus and middle frontal gyrus (key nodes of the the default mode network, DMN) were associated with higher narcissistic personality scores in males, whereas females showed the opposite tendency. The findings indicate that gender differences in narcissism may be associated with differences in the intrinsic and dynamic interplay between the internally-directed DMN and the externally-directed TPN. Morphometry and functional connectivity analyses can enhance our understanding of the neural basis of sex-specific narcissism. PMID:26109334

Illumina sequencing-based analyses of bacterial communities during short-chain fatty-acid production from food waste and sewage sludge fermentation at different pH values.

PubMed

Cheng, Weixiao; Chen, Hong; Yan, ShuHai; Su, Jianqiang

2014-09-01

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) can be produced by primary and waste activated sludge anaerobic fermentation. The yield and product spectrum distribution of SCFAs can be significantly affected by different initial pH values. However, most studies have focused on the physical and chemical aspects of SCFA production by waste activated sludge fermentation at different pH values. Information on the bacterial community structures during acidogenic fermentation is limited. In this study, comparisons of the bacterial communities during the co-substrate fermentation of food wastes and sewage sludge at different pH values were performed using the barcoded Illumina paired-end sequencing method. The results showed that different pH environments harbored a characteristic bacterial community, including sequences related to Lactobacillus, Prevotella, Mitsuokella, Treponema, Clostridium, and Ureibacillus. The most abundant bacterial operational taxonomic units in the different pH environments were those related to carbohydrate-degrading bacteria, which are associated with constituents of co-substrate fermentation. Further analyses showed that during organic matter fermentation, a core microbiota composed of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes existed. Comparison analyses revealed that the bacterial community during fermentation was significantly affected by the pH, and that the diverse product distribution was related to the shift in bacterial communities.

Analysing the Effect of Demand Uncertainty in Dynamic Pricing with EAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakya, Siddhartha; Oliveira, Fernando; Owusu, Gilbert

Dynamic pricing is a pricing strategy where a firm adjust the price for their products and services as a function of its perceived demand at different times. In this paper, we show how Evolutionary algorithms (EA) can be used to analyse the effect of demand uncertainty in dynamic pricing. The experiments are conducted in a range of dynamic pricing problems considering a number of different stochastic scenarios with a number of different EAs. The results are analysed, which suggest that higher demand fluctuation may not have adverse effect to the profit in comparison to the lower demand fluctuation, and that the reliability of EA for finding accurate policy could be higher when there is higher fluctuation then when there is lower fluctuation.

A Multivariate Genome-Wide Association Analysis of 10 LDL Subfractions, and Their Response to Statin Treatment, in 1868 Caucasians

PubMed Central

Shim, Heejung; Chasman, Daniel I.; Smith, Joshua D.; Mora, Samia; Ridker, Paul M.; Nickerson, Deborah A.; Krauss, Ronald M.; Stephens, Matthew

2015-01-01

We conducted a genome-wide association analysis of 7 subfractions of low density lipoproteins (LDLs) and 3 subfractions of intermediate density lipoproteins (IDLs) measured by gradient gel electrophoresis, and their response to statin treatment, in 1868 individuals of European ancestry from the Pharmacogenomics and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease study. Our analyses identified four previously-implicated loci (SORT1, APOE, LPA, and CETP) as containing variants that are very strongly associated with lipoprotein subfractions (log10Bayes Factor > 15). Subsequent conditional analyses suggest that three of these (APOE, LPA and CETP) likely harbor multiple independently associated SNPs. Further, while different variants typically showed different characteristic patterns of association with combinations of subfractions, the two SNPs in CETP show strikingly similar patterns - both in our original data and in a replication cohort - consistent with a common underlying molecular mechanism. Notably, the CETP variants are very strongly associated with LDL subfractions, despite showing no association with total LDLs in our study, illustrating the potential value of the more detailed phenotypic measurements. In contrast with these strong subfraction associations, genetic association analysis of subfraction response to statins showed much weaker signals (none exceeding log10Bayes Factor of 6). However, two SNPs (in APOE and LPA) previously-reported to be associated with LDL statin response do show some modest evidence for association in our data, and the subfraction response proles at the LPA SNP are consistent with the LPA association, with response likely being due primarily to resistance of Lp(a) particles to statin therapy. An additional important feature of our analysis is that, unlike most previous analyses of multiple related phenotypes, we analyzed the subfractions jointly, rather than one at a time. Comparisons of our multivariate analyses with standard univariate analyses demonstrate that multivariate analyses can substantially increase power to detect associations. Software implementing our multivariate analysis methods is available at http://stephenslab.uchicago.edu/software.html. PMID:25898129

Analysis of wine volatile profile by purge-and-trap-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Application to the analysis of red and white wines from different Spanish regions.

PubMed

Aznar, Margarita; Arroyo, Teresa

2007-09-21

The purge-and-trap extraction method, coupled to a gas chromatograph with mass spectrometry detection, has been applied to the determination of 26 aromatic volatiles in wine. The method was optimized, validated and applied to the analyses of 40 red and white wines from 7 different Spanish regions. Principal components analyses of data showed the correlation between wines of similar origin.

Consumer acceptance of fresh blueberries in bio-based packages.

PubMed

Almenar, Eva; Samsudin, Hayati; Auras, Rafael; Harte, Janice

2010-05-01

Instrumental analyses have shown that non-vented bio-based containers made from poly(lactic acid) (PLA) have the capability to enhance blueberry shelf life as compared with commercial vented petroleum-based clamshell containers. However, consumer preference has not been explored so far. In this study, two sensory evaluations, triangle and paired preference tests, were performed after storing fruit in both containers at 3 and 10 degrees C for 7 and 14 days. In addition, physicochemical analyses were performed after each tasting in order to correlate instrumental findings with consumer preference. The results of the triangle test showed the capability of the consumer to differentiate (P < or = 0.001) between blueberries from different packages at both storage temperatures. A consumer preference for flavour, texture, external appearance and overall quality (P < or = 0.001) of blueberries packaged in PLA containers was observed in the paired comparison test. The instrumental analyses showed that blueberries in the PLA packages exhibited a weight loss below the limit for marketable life, a stable soluble solid content and titratable acidity and no fungal growth during storage. Consumers distinguished between blueberries from different packages and preferred those packaged in the PLA containers. The instrumental analyses showed that the usable life of the berries was extended in the PLA containers. A correlation between consumer preference and instrumental evaluations was found.

MD simulations of papillomavirus DNA-E2 protein complexes hints at a protein structural code for DNA deformation.

PubMed

Falconi, M; Oteri, F; Eliseo, T; Cicero, D O; Desideri, A

2008-08-01

The structural dynamics of the DNA binding domains of the human papillomavirus strain 16 and the bovine papillomavirus strain 1, complexed with their DNA targets, has been investigated by modeling, molecular dynamics simulations, and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. The simulations underline different dynamical features of the protein scaffolds and a different mechanical interaction of the two proteins with DNA. The two protein structures, although very similar, show differences in the relative mobility of secondary structure elements. Protein structural analyses, principal component analysis, and geometrical and energetic DNA analyses indicate that the two transcription factors utilize a different strategy in DNA recognition and deformation. Results show that the protein indirect DNA readout is not only addressable to the DNA molecule flexibility but it is finely tuned by the mechanical and dynamical properties of the protein scaffold involved in the interaction.

Single-cell analysis of population context advances RNAi screening at multiple levels

PubMed Central

Snijder, Berend; Sacher, Raphael; Rämö, Pauli; Liberali, Prisca; Mench, Karin; Wolfrum, Nina; Burleigh, Laura; Scott, Cameron C; Verheije, Monique H; Mercer, Jason; Moese, Stefan; Heger, Thomas; Theusner, Kristina; Jurgeit, Andreas; Lamparter, David; Balistreri, Giuseppe; Schelhaas, Mario; De Haan, Cornelis A M; Marjomäki, Varpu; Hyypiä, Timo; Rottier, Peter J M; Sodeik, Beate; Marsh, Mark; Gruenberg, Jean; Amara, Ali; Greber, Urs; Helenius, Ari; Pelkmans, Lucas

2012-01-01

Isogenic cells in culture show strong variability, which arises from dynamic adaptations to the microenvironment of individual cells. Here we study the influence of the cell population context, which determines a single cell's microenvironment, in image-based RNAi screens. We developed a comprehensive computational approach that employs Bayesian and multivariate methods at the single-cell level. We applied these methods to 45 RNA interference screens of various sizes, including 7 druggable genome and 2 genome-wide screens, analysing 17 different mammalian virus infections and four related cell physiological processes. Analysing cell-based screens at this depth reveals widespread RNAi-induced changes in the population context of individual cells leading to indirect RNAi effects, as well as perturbations of cell-to-cell variability regulators. We find that accounting for indirect effects improves the consistency between siRNAs targeted against the same gene, and between replicate RNAi screens performed in different cell lines, in different labs, and with different siRNA libraries. In an era where large-scale RNAi screens are increasingly performed to reach a systems-level understanding of cellular processes, we show that this is often improved by analyses that account for and incorporate the single-cell microenvironment. PMID:22531119

Draft Whole Genome Sequence Analyses on Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae Hypersensitive Response Negative Strains Detected from Kiwifruit Bleeding Sap Samples.

PubMed

Biondi, Enrico; Zamorano, Alan; Vega, Ernesto; Ardizzi, Stefano; Sitta, Davide; De Salvador, Flavio Roberto; Campos-Vargas, Reinaldo; Meneses, Claudio; Perez, Set; Bertaccini, Assunta; Fiore, Nicola

2018-05-01

Kiwifruit bleeding sap samples, collected in Italian and Chilean orchards from symptomatic and asymptomatic plants, were evaluated for the presence of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae, the causal agent of bacterial canker. The saps were sampled during the spring in both hemispheres, before the bud sprouting, during the optimal time window for the collection of an adequate volume of sample for the early detection of the pathogen, preliminarily by molecular assays, and then through its direct isolation and identification. The results of molecular analyses showed more effectiveness in the P. syringae pv. actinidiae detection when compared with those of microbiological analyses through the pathogen isolation on the nutritive and semiselective media selected. The bleeding sap analyses allowed the isolation and identification of two hypersensitive response (HR) negative and hypovirulent P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains from different regions in Italy. Moreover, multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) and whole genome sequence (WGS) were carried out on selected Italian and Chilean P. syringae pv. actinidiae virulent strains to verify the presence of genetic variability compared with the HR negative strains and to compare the variability of selected gene clusters between strains isolated in both countries. All the strains showed the lack of argK and coronatine gene clusters as reported for the biovar 3 P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains. Despite the biologic differences obtained in the tobacco bioassays and in pathogenicity assays, the MLSA and WGS analyses did not show significant differences between the WGS of the HR negative and HR positive strains; the difference, on the other hand, between PAC_ICE sequences of Italian and Chilean P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains was confirmed. The inability of the hypovirulent strains IPV-BO 8893 and IPV-BO 9286 to provoke HR in tobacco and the low virulence shown in this host could not be associated with mutations or recombinations in T3SS island.

Molecular Clustering Interrelationships and Carbohydrate Conformation in Hull and Seeds Among Barley Cultivars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

N Liu; P Yu

2011-12-31

The objective of this study was to use molecular spectral analyses with the diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT) bioanlytical technique to study carbohydrate conformation features, molecular clustering and interrelationships in hull and seed among six barley cultivars (AC Metcalfe, CDC Dolly, McLeod, CDC Helgason, CDC Trey, CDC Cowboy), which had different degradation kinetics in rumen. The molecular structure spectral analyses in both hull and seed involved the fingerprint regions of ca. 1536-1484 cm{sup -1} (attributed mainly to aromatic lignin semicircle ring stretch), ca. 1293-1212 cm{sup -1} (attributed mainly to cellulosic compounds in the hull), ca. 1269-1217 cm{sup -1}more » (attributed mainly to cellulosic compound in the seeds), and ca. 1180-800 cm{sup -1} (attributed mainly to total CHO C-O stretching vibrations) together with an agglomerative hierarchical cluster (AHCA) and principal component spectral analyses (PCA). The results showed that the DRIFT technique plus AHCA and PCA molecular analyses were able to reveal carbohydrate conformation features and identify carbohydrate molecular structure differences in both hull and seeds among the barley varieties. The carbohydrate molecular spectral analyses at the region of ca. 1185-800 cm{sup -1} together with the AHCA and PCA were able to show that the barley seed inherent structures exhibited distinguishable differences among the barley varieties. CDC Helgason had differences from AC Metcalfe, MeLeod, CDC Cowboy and CDC Dolly in carbohydrate conformation in the seed. Clear molecular cluster classes could be distinguished and identified in AHCA analysis and the separate ellipses could be grouped in PCA analysis. But CDC Helgason had no distinguished differences from CDC Trey in carbohydrate conformation. These carbohydrate conformation/structure difference could partially explain why the varieties were different in digestive behaviors in animals. The molecular spectroscopy technique used in this study could also be used for other plant-based feed and food structure studies.« less

A new high-resolution 3-D quantitative method for analysing small morphological features: an example using a Cambrian trilobite.

PubMed

Esteve, Jorge; Zhao, Yuan-Long; Maté-González, Miguel Ángel; Gómez-Heras, Miguel; Peng, Jin

2018-02-12

Taphonomic processes play an important role in the preservation of small morphological features such as granulation or pits. However, the assessment of these features may face the issue of the small size of the specimens and, sometimes, the destructiveness of these analyses, which makes impossible carrying them out in singular specimen, such as holotypes or lectotypes. This paper takes a new approach to analysing small-morphological features, by using an optical surface roughness (OSR) meter to create a high-resolution three-dimensional digital-elevation model (DEM). This non-destructive technique allows analysing quantitatively the DEM using geometric morphometric methods (GMM). We created a number of DEMs from three populations putatively belonging to the same species of trilobite (Oryctocephalus indicus) that present the same cranidial outline, but differ in the presence or absence of the second and third transglabellar furrows. Profile analysis of the DEMs demonstrate that all three populations show similar preservation variation in the glabellar furrows and lobes. The GMM shows that all populations exhibit the same range of variation. Differences in preservation are a consequence of different degrees of cementation and rates of dissolution. Fast cementation enhances the preservation of glabellar furrows and lobes, while fast dissolution hampers preservation of the same structures.

Individual differences affecting caffeine intake. Analysis of consumption behaviours for different times of day and caffeine sources.

PubMed

Penolazzi, Barbara; Natale, Vincenzo; Leone, Luigi; Russo, Paolo Maria

2012-06-01

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the individual variables contributing to determine the high variability in the consumption behaviours of caffeine, a psychoactive substance which is still poorly investigated in comparison with other drugs. The effects of a large set of specific personality traits (i.e., Impulsivity, Sensation Seeking, Anxiety, Reward Sensitivity and Circadian Preference) were compared along with some relevant socio-demographic variables (i.e., gender and age) and cigarette smoking behaviour. Analyses revealed that daily caffeine intake was significantly higher for males, older people, participants smoking more cigarettes and showing higher scores on Impulsivity, Sensation Seeking and a facet of Reward Sensitivity. However, more detailed analyses showed that different patterns of individual variables predicted caffeine consumption when the times of day and the caffeine sources were considered. The present results suggest that such detailed analyses are required to detect the critical predictive variables that could be obscured when only total caffeine intake during the entire day is considered. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Debris extrusion and foraminal deformation produced by reciprocating instruments made of thermally treated NiTi wires.

PubMed

Frota, Myrna Maria Arcanjo; Bernardes, Ricardo Affonso; Vivan, Rodrigo Ricci; Vivacqua-Gomes, Nilton; Duarte, Marco Antonio Hungaro; Vasconcelos, Bruno Carvalho de

2018-01-18

To evaluate the amount of apically extruded debris, percentage of foraminal enlargement and apical foramen (AF) deformation that occurred during root canal preparation with different reciprocation systems: Reciproc, WaveOne (M-Wire), and ProDesign R (Shape Memory Technology Wire) at two different working lengths (WLs): 0.0 and 1.0 mm beyond the AF. The AF of 120 root canals in 60 mesial roots of mandibular molars were photographed with stereomicroscope and randomly assigned into four groups: manual, Reciproc (REC), WaveOne (WO), and ProDesign R (PDR); subsequently, they were further subdivided according to the WL (n=15). Teeth were instrumented, coupled to a dual collecting chamber, and then another photograph of each AF was captured. Extrusion was analysed by determining the weight of extruded debris. Each AF diameter was measured in pre- and post-instrumentation images to determine deformation, which was analysed, and afterwards the final format of AFs was classified (circular/oval/deformed). We found no significant differences when analysing each system at different WLs. When considering each WL, REC and WO showed highest extrusion values (P<.05); for AF enlargement, differences were observed only for WO, when it was used beyond the AF; differences were observed among M-Wire groups beyond the AF (P<.05). AF deformation was observed in all groups; PDR showed the lowest AF deformation values at both WLs; M-Wire groups showed 50% strain beyond the AF. Authors concluded that beyond the apical limit, the alloy and taper are important aspects when considering extrusion and deformation.

Sex Differences in Mental Arithmetic, Digit Span, and "g" Defined as Working Memory Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynn, Richard; Irwing, Paul

2008-01-01

Meta-analyses are presented of sex differences in (1) the (mental) arithmetic subtest of the Wechsler intelligence tests for children and adolescents (the WISC and WPPSI tests), showing that boys obtained a mean advantage of 0.11d; (2) the (mental) arithmetic subtest of the Wechsler intelligence tests for adults (the WAIS tests) showing a mean…

Educational Achievement and Black-White Inequality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Jonathan; Olsen, Cara; Rice, Jennifer King; Sweetland, Stephen; Ralph, John

2001-01-01

Explored the relationship between black-white differences in educational achievement and black-white differences in a variety of educational and economic outcomes. Three sets of analyses of data from multiple sources show that over the last two decades black-white differences in educational achievement have been strongly associated with…

[Particle Size Distribution and Pollutant Speciation Analyses of Stormwater Runoff in the Ancient Town of Suzhou].

PubMed

Li, Huai; Wu, Wei; Tian, Yong-jing; Huang, Tian-yin

2016-02-15

The particle size distribution (PSD) and its transformation processes in the stormwater runoffs in the ancient town of Suzhou were studied based on the particles size analyses, the water-quality monitoring data and the parameters of the rainfall-runoff models. The commercial districts, the modern residential area, the old residential area, the traffic area and the landscape tourist area were selected as the five functional example areas in the ancient town of Suzhou. The effects of antecedent dry period, the rainfall intensity and the amount of runoffs on the particle size distributions were studied, and the existing forms of the main pollutants in different functional areas and their possible relations were analyzed as well. The results showed that the particle size distribution, the migration processes and the output characteristics in the stormwater runoffs were greatly different in these five functional areas, which indicated different control measures for the pollution of the runoffs should be taken in the design process. The antecedent dry period, the rainfall intensity and the amount of runoffs showed significant correlations with the particle size distribution, showing these were the important factors. The output of the particles was greatly influenced by the flow scouring in the early period of the rainfall, and the correlations between the amount of runoffs and the particle migration ability presented significant difference in 30% (early period) and 70% (later period) of the runoff volume. The major existence form of the output pollutants was particle, and the correlation analyses of different diameter particles showed that the particles smaller than 150 microm were the dominant carrier of the pollutants via adsorption and accumulation processes.

Texture Profile and Color Determination on Local and Imported Meat Available in Semarang City, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arifin, Mukh; Ni'matullah Al-Baarri, Ahmad; Etza Setiani, Bhakti; Fazriyati Siregar, Risa

2018-02-01

This study was done for analysing the texture profile and colour performance in local and imported meat in Semarang, Indonesia. Two types of available meat were compared in the hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, adhesiveness and the colour L*a*b* performance. Five fresh beef cut of round meats from local and imported meat were used in this experiments. Data were analysed statistically using T-test. The results showed that local beef exhibit higher in the springiness than imported beef resulting in the remarkable differences. The colour analysis showed that imported beef provided remarkable higher in L* value than local beef. Resulting significant differences among two types of beef. As conclusion, these value might provide the notable of differences among local and imported meat and may give preferences status to the user for further application in meat processing.

Effects of Interspersed versus Summary Feedback on the Quality of Students' Case Report Revisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Fred; Wolcott, Susan

2014-01-01

This study examines whether students show greater improvement in written case analyses when given feedback that is either interspersed throughout their written case analyses or presented only as a summary, and whether the benefits of these placements vary across differing levels of student performance in the course. Results from an exploratory…

Diagnostic Comparison of Meteorological Analyses during the 2002 Antarctic Winter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manney, Gloria L.; Allen, Douglas R.; Kruger, Kirstin; Naujokat, Barbara; Santee, Michelle L.; Sabutis, Joseph L.; Pawson, Steven; Swinbank, Richard; Randall, Cora E.; Simmons, Adrian J.;

Altered Brain Activity in Unipolar Depression Revisited: Meta-analyses of Neuroimaging Studies.

PubMed

Müller, Veronika I; Cieslik, Edna C; Serbanescu, Ilinca; Laird, Angela R; Fox, Peter T; Eickhoff, Simon B

2017-01-01

During the past 20 years, numerous neuroimaging experiments have investigated aberrant brain activation during cognitive and emotional processing in patients with unipolar depression (UD). The results of those investigations, however, vary considerably; moreover, previous meta-analyses also yielded inconsistent findings. To readdress aberrant brain activation in UD as evidenced by neuroimaging experiments on cognitive and/or emotional processing. Neuroimaging experiments published from January 1, 1997, to October 1, 2015, were identified by a literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using different combinations of the terms fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), PET (positron emission tomography), neural, major depression, depression, major depressive disorder, unipolar depression, dysthymia, emotion, emotional, affective, cognitive, task, memory, working memory, inhibition, control, n-back, and Stroop. Neuroimaging experiments (using fMRI or PET) reporting whole-brain results of group comparisons between adults with UD and healthy control individuals as coordinates in a standard anatomic reference space and using an emotional or/and cognitive challenging task were selected. Coordinates reported to show significant activation differences between UD and healthy controls during emotional or cognitive processing were extracted. By using the revised activation likelihood estimation algorithm, different meta-analyses were calculated. Meta-analyses tested for brain regions consistently found to show aberrant brain activation in UD compared with controls. Analyses were calculated across all emotional processing experiments, all cognitive processing experiments, positive emotion processing, negative emotion processing, experiments using emotional face stimuli, experiments with a sex discrimination task, and memory processing. All meta-analyses were calculated across experiments independent of reporting an increase or decrease of activity in major depressive disorder. For meta-analyses with a minimum of 17 experiments available, separate analyses were performed for increases and decreases. In total, 57 studies with 99 individual neuroimaging experiments comprising in total 1058 patients were included; 34 of them tested cognitive and 65 emotional processing. Overall analyses across cognitive processing experiments (P > .29) and across emotional processing experiments (P > .47) revealed no significant results. Similarly, no convergence was found in analyses investigating positive (all P > .15), negative (all P > .76), or memory (all P > .48) processes. Analyses that restricted inclusion of confounds (eg, medication, comorbidity, age) did not change the results. Inconsistencies exist across individual experiments investigating aberrant brain activity in UD and replication problems across previous neuroimaging meta-analyses. For individual experiments, these inconsistencies may relate to use of uncorrected inference procedures, differences in experimental design and contrasts, or heterogeneous clinical populations; meta-analytically, differences may be attributable to varying inclusion and exclusion criteria or rather liberal statistical inference approaches.

Altered Brain Activity in Unipolar Depression Revisited Meta-analyses of Neuroimaging Studies

PubMed Central

Müller, Veronika I.; Cieslik, Edna C.; Serbanescu, Ilinca; Laird, Angela R.; Fox, Peter T.; Eickhoff, Simon B.

2017-01-01

IMPORTANCE During the past 20 years, numerous neuroimaging experiments have investigated aberrant brain activation during cognitive and emotional processing in patients with unipolar depression (UD). The results of those investigations, however, vary considerably; moreover, previous meta-analyses also yielded inconsistent findings. OBJECTIVE To readdress aberrant brain activation in UD as evidenced by neuroimaging experiments on cognitive and/or emotional processing. DATA SOURCES Neuroimaging experiments published from January 1, 1997, to October 1, 2015, were identified by a literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using different combinations of the terms fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), PET (positron emission tomography), neural, major depression, depression, major depressive disorder, unipolar depression, dysthymia, emotion, emotional, affective, cognitive, task, memory, working memory, inhibition, control, n-back, and Stroop. STUDY SELECTION Neuroimaging experiments (using fMRI or PET) reporting whole-brain results of group comparisons between adults with UD and healthy control individuals as coordinates in a standard anatomic reference space and using an emotional or/and cognitive challenging task were selected. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Coordinates reported to show significant activation differences between UD and healthy controls during emotional or cognitive processing were extracted. By using the revised activation likelihood estimation algorithm, different meta-analyses were calculated. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Meta-analyses tested for brain regions consistently found to show aberrant brain activation in UD compared with controls. Analyses were calculated across all emotional processing experiments, all cognitive processing experiments, positive emotion processing, negative emotion processing, experiments using emotional face stimuli, experiments with a sex discrimination task, and memory processing. All meta-analyses were calculated across experiments independent of reporting an increase or decrease of activity in major depressive disorder. For meta-analyses with a minimum of 17 experiments available, separate analyses were performed for increases and decreases. RESULTS In total, 57 studies with 99 individual neuroimaging experiments comprising in total 1058 patients were included; 34 of them tested cognitive and 65 emotional processing. Overall analyses across cognitive processing experiments (P > .29) and across emotional processing experiments (P > .47) revealed no significant results. Similarly, no convergence was found in analyses investigating positive (all P > .15), negative (all P > .76), or memory (all P > .48) processes. Analyses that restricted inclusion of confounds (eg, medication, comorbidity, age) did not change the results. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Inconsistencies exist across individual experiments investigating aberrant brain activity in UD and replication problems across previous neuroimaging meta-analyses. For individual experiments, these inconsistencies may relate to use of uncorrected inference procedures, differences in experimental design and contrasts, or heterogeneous clinical populations; meta-analytically, differences may be attributable to varying inclusion and exclusion criteria or rather liberal statistical inference approaches. PMID:27829086

Shortwave forcing and feedbacks in Last Glacial Maximum and Mid-Holocene PMIP3 simulations.

PubMed

Braconnot, Pascale; Kageyama, Masa

2015-11-13

Simulations of the climates of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), 21 000 years ago, and of the Mid-Holocene (MH), 6000 years ago, allow an analysis of climate feedbacks in climate states that are radically different from today. The analyses of cloud and surface albedo feedbacks show that the shortwave cloud feedback is a major driver of differences between model results. Similar behaviours appear when comparing the LGM and MH simulated changes, highlighting the fingerprint of model physics. Even though the different feedbacks show similarities between the different climate periods, the fact that their relative strength differs from one climate to the other prevents a direct comparison of past and future climate sensitivity. The land-surface feedback also shows large disparities among models even though they all produce positive sea-ice and snow feedbacks. Models have very different sensitivities when considering the vegetation feedback. This feedback has a regional pattern that differs significantly between models and depends on their level of complexity and model biases. Analyses of the MH climate in two versions of the IPSL model provide further indication on the possibilities to assess the role of model biases and model physics on simulated climate changes using past climates for which observations can be used to assess the model results. © 2015 The Author(s).

A laser desorption ionization/matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization target system applicable for three distinct types of instruments (LinTOF/curved field RTOF, LinTOF/RTOF and QqRTOF) with different performance characteristics from three vendors.

PubMed

Rados, Edita; Pittenauer, Ernst; Frank, Johannes; Varmuza, Kurt; Allmaier, Günter

2018-04-30

We have developed a target system which enables the use of only one target (i.e. target preparation set) for three different laser desorption ionization (LDI)/matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometric instruments. The focus was on analysing small biomolecules with LDI for future use of the system for the study of meteorite samples (carbonaceous chondrites) using devices with different mass spectrometric performance characteristics. Three compounds were selected due to their potential presence in meteoritic chondrites: tryptophan, 2-deoxy-d-ribose and triphenylene. They were prepared (with and without MALDI matrix, i.e. MALDI and LDI) and analysed with three different mass spectrometers (LinTOF/curved field RTOF, LinTOF/RTOF and QqRTOF). The ion sources of two of the instruments were run at high vacuum, and one at intermediate pressure. Two devices used a laser wavelength of 355 nm and one a wavelength of 337 nm. The developed target system operated smoothly with all devices. Tryptophan, 2-deoxy-d-ribose and triphenylene showed similar desorption/ionization behaviour for all instruments using the LDI mode. Interestingly, protonated tryptophan could be observed only with the LinTOF/curved field RTOF device in LDI and MALDI mode, while sodiated molecules were observed with all three instruments (in both ion modes). Deprotonated tryptophan was almost completely obscured by matrix ions in the MALDI mode whereas LDI yielded abundant deprotonated molecules. The presented target system allowed successful analyses of the three compounds using instruments from different vendors with only one preparation showing different analyser performance characteristics. The elemental composition with the QqRTOF analyser and the high-energy 20 keV collision-induced dissociation fragmentation will be important in identifying unknown compounds in chondrites. © 2018 The Authors. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The influence of confounding factors on the relationship between muscle contraction level and MF and MPF values of EMG signal: a review

PubMed Central

Roman-Liu, Danuta

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to gather results of studies on the relationship between median frequency (MF) and mean power frequency (MPF) and the level of muscle contraction, and to use those results to discuss the differences in the trends according to factors related to measurement technique and subject. Twenty-one studies with 63 cases for upper limb muscles and nine studies with 31 cases for lower limb muscles were analysed. Most results showed an increase in parameters with an increased level of muscle contraction, only some studies showed a decrease. The influence on parameters of the level of muscle contraction and factors such as subjects, type of contraction, muscle length and electrodes was analysed for each muscle. It was concluded that when analysing the influence of different factors on MF and MPF, because those factors interact they should be considered together, not separately. PMID:26654476

Likelihood ratio decisions in memory: three implied regularities.

PubMed

Glanzer, Murray; Hilford, Andrew; Maloney, Laurence T

2009-06-01

We analyze four general signal detection models for recognition memory that differ in their distributional assumptions. Our analyses show that a basic assumption of signal detection theory, the likelihood ratio decision axis, implies three regularities in recognition memory: (1) the mirror effect, (2) the variance effect, and (3) the z-ROC length effect. For each model, we present the equations that produce the three regularities and show, in computed examples, how they do so. We then show that the regularities appear in data from a range of recognition studies. The analyses and data in our study support the following generalization: Individuals make efficient recognition decisions on the basis of likelihood ratios.

Impact and fracture analysis of fish scales from Arapaima gigas.

PubMed

Torres, F G; Malásquez, M; Troncoso, O P

2015-06-01

Fish scales from the Amazonian fish Arapaima gigas have been characterised to study their impact and fracture behaviour at three different environmental conditions. Scales were cut in two different directions to analyse the influence of the orientation of collagen layers. The energy absorbed during impact tests was measured for each sample and SEM images were taken after each test in order to analyse the failure mechanisms. The results showed that scales tested at cryogenic temperatures display fragile behaviour, while scales tested at room temperature did not fracture. Different failure mechanisms have been identified, analysed and compared with the failure modes that occur in bone. The impact energy obtained for fish scales was two to three times higher than the values reported for bone in the literature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Debris extrusion and foraminal deformation produced by reciprocating instruments made of thermally treated NiTi wires

PubMed Central

Frota, Myrna Maria Arcanjo; Bernardes, Ricardo Affonso; Vivan, Rodrigo Ricci; Vivacqua-Gomes, Nilton; Duarte, Marco Antonio Hungaro; de Vasconcelos, Bruno Carvalho

2018-01-01

Abstract Objective To evaluate the amount of apically extruded debris, percentage of foraminal enlargement and apical foramen (AF) deformation that occurred during root canal preparation with different reciprocation systems: Reciproc, WaveOne (M-Wire), and ProDesign R (Shape Memory Technology Wire) at two different working lengths (WLs): 0.0 and 1.0 mm beyond the AF. Material and methods The AF of 120 root canals in 60 mesial roots of mandibular molars were photographed with stereomicroscope and randomly assigned into four groups: manual, Reciproc (REC), WaveOne (WO), and ProDesign R (PDR); subsequently, they were further subdivided according to the WL (n=15). Teeth were instrumented, coupled to a dual collecting chamber, and then another photograph of each AF was captured. Extrusion was analysed by determining the weight of extruded debris. Each AF diameter was measured in pre- and post-instrumentation images to determine deformation, which was analysed, and afterwards the final format of AFs was classified (circular/oval/deformed). Results We found no significant differences when analysing each system at different WLs. When considering each WL, REC and WO showed highest extrusion values (P<.05); for AF enlargement, differences were observed only for WO, when it was used beyond the AF; differences were observed among M-Wire groups beyond the AF (P<.05). AF deformation was observed in all groups; PDR showed the lowest AF deformation values at both WLs; M-Wire groups showed 50% strain beyond the AF. Conclusion Authors concluded that beyond the apical limit, the alloy and taper are important aspects when considering extrusion and deformation. PMID:29364346

Amino acid analyses of Apollo 14 samples.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gehrke, C. W.; Zumwalt, R. W.; Kuo, K.; Aue, W. A.; Stalling, D. L.; Kvenvolden, K. A.; Ponnamperuma, C.

1972-01-01

Detection limits were between 300 pg and 1 ng for different amino acids, in an analysis by gas-liquid chromatography of water extracts from Apollo 14 lunar fines in which amino acids were converted to their N-trifluoro-acetyl-n-butyl esters. Initial analyses of water and HCl extracts of sample 14240 and 14298 samples showed no amino acids above background levels.

Potential genotoxic effects of melted snow from an urban area revealed by the Allium cepa test.

PubMed

Blagojević, Jelena; Stamenković, Gorana; Vujosević, Mladen

2009-09-01

The presence of well-known atmospheric pollutants is regularly screened for in large towns but knowledge about the effects of mixtures of different pollutants and especially their genotoxic potential is largely missing. Since falling snow collects pollutants from the air, melted snow samples could be suitable for evaluating potential genotoxicity. For this purpose the Allium cepa anaphase-telophase test was used to analyse melted snow samples from Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia. Samples of snow were taken at two sites, characterized by differences in pollution intensity, in three successive years. At the more polluted site the analyses showed a very high degree of both toxicity and genotoxicity in the first year of the study corresponding to the effects of the known mutagen used as the positive control. At the other site the situation was much better but not without warning signals. The results showed that standard analyses for the presence of certain contaminants in the air do not give an accurate picture of the possible consequences of urban air pollution because the genotoxic potential remains hidden. The A. cepa test has been demonstrated to be very convenient for evaluation of air pollution through analyses of melted snow samples.

Comparison of Sprint Reaction and Visual Reaction Times of Athletes in Different Branches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akyüz, Murat; Uzaldi, Basar Basri; Akyüz, Öznur; Dogru, Yeliz

2017-01-01

The aims of this study are to analyse sprint reaction and visual reaction times of female athletes of different branches competing in Professional leagues and to show the differences between them. 42 voluntary female athletes from various branches of Professional leagues of Istanbul (volleyball, basketball, handball) were included in the…

Career Plans of Men and Women in Gender-Dominant Professions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shann, Mary H.

1983-01-01

Investigated sex differences in career plans of graduate students (N=559) completing training in male- and female-dominated professions. Analyses showed clear patterns of sex differences in the feminine professions. Except for child care, the plans of women in male-dominated groups were not significantly different from those of male colleagues.…

Reliability Problems of the Datum: Solutions for Questionnaire Responses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bastick, Tony

Questionnaires often ask for estimates, and these estimates are given with different reliabilities. It is difficult to know the different reliabilities of single estimates and to take these into account in subsequent analyses. This paper contains a practical example to show that not taking the reliability of different responses into account can…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miranda, J.; Calva-Vasquez, G.; Solis, C.

Particle induced X-ray emission (PIeXE) and Rutherford backscattering (RBS) elemental analyses of tree rings and soils from forests around the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) were performed. The aim was to estimate the impact of pollution on the forests. Cores from Pinus montezumae and Abies religiosa trees, in four forests around the MCMA (Desierto de los Leones, Iztapopocatepetl, Villa del Carbon and Zoquiapan) and a reference site (El Chico). Differences were observed in samples from the different forests, showing higher values in the areas closest to the MCMA. A correlation of several elements with ring width was found using clustermore » analysis. Additionally, soil analyses from different depths in the forests were carried out, trying to relate the elemental concentrations measured in the tree rings with cation mobility. In this case, samples taken in 1993 and 1999 were analyzed, showing elemental mobility to the various depths.« less

Differences in the fragrances of pollen, leaves, and floral parts of garland (Chrysanthemum coronarium) and composition of the essential oils from flowerheads and leaves.

PubMed

Flamini, Guido; Cioni, Pier Luigi; Morelli, Ivano

2003-04-09

Headspace analyses of pollen, whole flowerheads, ligulate and tubular florets, flower buds, involucral bracts, and leaves have been performed on the food plant Chrysanthemum coronarium L. (Asteraceae). The analyses permitted differences in the pattern of volatiles emitted by the different floral parts to be observed and the site and phenological stage of emission of these chemicals to be verified. Camphor and cis-chrysanthenyl acetate were emitted mainly by ligulate and tubular florets; the production of myrcene and (Z)-ocimene was higher in the flower buds, whereas beta-caryophyllene, (E,E)-alpha-farnesene, and (E)-beta-farnesene seemed attributable mainly to the involucral bracts. The leaves showed a quite different volatile profile, with (Z)-ocimene as the main constituent. Pollen showed a completely different composition of its volatiles, with perilla aldehyde, cis-chrysanthenyl acetate, and camphor among the principal compounds; many carbonylic compounds and linear hydrocarbons have been detected exclusively in pollen. Furthermore, the essential oils obtained from flowerheads and leaves have been studied. These samples showed mainly quantitative differences. Camphor (22.1%) and cis-chrysanthenyl acetate (19.9%) were the main constituents of the oil from flowers, whereas the oil from the leaves contained mainly (Z)-ocimene (45.4%) and myrcene (28.2%).

Gender differences in Finnish homicide offence characteristics.

PubMed

Häkkänen-Nyholm, Helinä; Putkonen, Hanna; Lindberg, Nina; Holi, Matti; Rovamo, Tuija; Weizmann-Henelius, Ghitta

2009-04-15

Approximately 10% of the homicides in Finland are committed by females. This study was designed to compare offence circumstances and crime scene behaviour among female and male homicide offenders. The forensic examination reports and crime reports of all female offenders prosecuted for a homicide between 1995 and 2004 were collected and content analysed (n=91). A sample of male offenders was selected for a comparison group. In addition to several bivariate analyses, two multidimensional scaling analyses were conducted to identify the underlying structure of the offence characteristics-related variables in male and female offenders. The results showed that family members were the victims of female offenders more frequently than of male offenders. Child victims were almost always killed by females. No significant difference emerged between the gender groups in the proportion of victims being former intimate partners. The results also showed that different offence characteristics relate to offender gender and type of victim. In male offenders, covering the body relates to moving and hiding an acquaintance victim's body, while in females it relates to emotional detachment and family member victim. For females, post-offence behaviours that relate to seek for help and regret were more frequent than for males. There were only marginal differences in the use of violence between females and males.

Predictors of Prosocial Behavior among Chinese High School Students in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Siu, Andrew M. H.; Shek, Daniel T. L.; Lai, Frank H. Y.

2012-01-01

This study examined the correlates and predictors of prosocial behavior among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. A sample of 518 high school students responded to a questionnaire containing measures of antisocial and prosocial behavior, prosocial norms, pragmatic values, moral reasoning, and empathy. Preliminary analyses showed that there were gender differences in some of the measures. While correlation analyses showed that parental education, prosocial norms, pragmatic values, moral reasoning, and empathy were related to prosocial behavior, regression analyses showed that prosocial norms, pragmatic values, and empathy dimensions (personal distress and empathy) were key predictors of it. The findings are largely consistent with theoretical predictions and previous research findings, other than the negative relationship between personal distress and prosocial behavior. The study also underscores the importance of values and norms in predicting prosocial behavior, which has been largely neglected in previous studies. PMID:22919326

Site index curves for black, white, scarlet, and chestnut oaks in the Central States.

Treesearch

Willard H. Carmean

1971-01-01

Stem analyses showed polymorphic patterns of height growth for each species and for different levels of site quality. New site index curves are presented that show better height growth in later years than predicted by older harmonized site index curves.

How Genes Modulate Patterns of Aging-Related Changes on the Way to 100: Biodemographic Models and Methods in Genetic Analyses of Longitudinal Data

PubMed Central

Yashin, Anatoliy I.; Arbeev, Konstantin G.; Wu, Deqing; Arbeeva, Liubov; Kulminski, Alexander; Kulminskaya, Irina; Akushevich, Igor; Ukraintseva, Svetlana V.

2016-01-01

Background and Objective To clarify mechanisms of genetic regulation of human aging and longevity traits, a number of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of these traits have been performed. However, the results of these analyses did not meet expectations of the researchers. Most detected genetic associations have not reached a genome-wide level of statistical significance, and suffered from the lack of replication in the studies of independent populations. The reasons for slow progress in this research area include low efficiency of statistical methods used in data analyses, genetic heterogeneity of aging and longevity related traits, possibility of pleiotropic (e.g., age dependent) effects of genetic variants on such traits, underestimation of the effects of (i) mortality selection in genetically heterogeneous cohorts, (ii) external factors and differences in genetic backgrounds of individuals in the populations under study, the weakness of conceptual biological framework that does not fully account for above mentioned factors. One more limitation of conducted studies is that they did not fully realize the potential of longitudinal data that allow for evaluating how genetic influences on life span are mediated by physiological variables and other biomarkers during the life course. The objective of this paper is to address these issues. Data and Methods We performed GWAS of human life span using different subsets of data from the original Framingham Heart Study cohort corresponding to different quality control (QC) procedures and used one subset of selected genetic variants for further analyses. We used simulation study to show that approach to combining data improves the quality of GWAS. We used FHS longitudinal data to compare average age trajectories of physiological variables in carriers and non-carriers of selected genetic variants. We used stochastic process model of human mortality and aging to investigate genetic influence on hidden biomarkers of aging and on dynamic interaction between aging and longevity. We investigated properties of genes related to selected variants and their roles in signaling and metabolic pathways. Results We showed that the use of different QC procedures results in different sets of genetic variants associated with life span. We selected 24 genetic variants negatively associated with life span. We showed that the joint analyses of genetic data at the time of bio-specimen collection and follow up data substantially improved significance of associations of selected 24 SNPs with life span. We also showed that aging related changes in physiological variables and in hidden biomarkers of aging differ for the groups of carriers and non-carriers of selected variants. Conclusions . The results of these analyses demonstrated benefits of using biodemographic models and methods in genetic association studies of these traits. Our findings showed that the absence of a large number of genetic variants with deleterious effects may make substantial contribution to exceptional longevity. These effects are dynamically mediated by a number of physiological variables and hidden biomarkers of aging. The results of these research demonstrated benefits of using integrative statistical models of mortality risks in genetic studies of human aging and longevity. PMID:27773987

Men and women show similar survival outcome in stage IV breast cancer.

PubMed

Wu, San-Gang; Zhang, Wen-Wen; Liao, Xu-Lin; Sun, Jia-Yuan; Li, Feng-Yan; Su, Jing-Jun; He, Zhen-Yu

2017-08-01

To evaluate the clinicopathological features, patterns of distant metastases, and survival outcome between stage IV male breast cancer (MBC) and female breast cancer (FBC). Patients diagnosed with stage IV MBC and FBC between 2010 and 2013 were included using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to analyze risk factors for overall survival (OS). A total of 4997 patients were identified, including 60 MBC and 4937 FBC. Compared with FBC, patients with MBC were associated with a significantly higher rate of estrogen receptor-positive, progesterone receptor-positive, unmarried, lung metastases, and a lower frequency of liver metastases. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed no significant difference in OS between MBC and FBC. In the propensity score-matched population, there was also no difference in survival between MBC and FBC. Multivariate analysis of MBC showed that OS was longer for patients aged 50-69 years and with estrogen receptor-positive disease. There was no significant difference in survival outcome between stage IV MBC and FBC, but significant differences in clinicopathological features and patterns of metastases between the genders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of ontology evolution on functional analyses.

PubMed

Groß, Anika; Hartung, Michael; Prüfer, Kay; Kelso, Janet; Rahm, Erhard

2012-10-15

Ontologies are used in the annotation and analysis of biological data. As knowledge accumulates, ontologies and annotation undergo constant modifications to reflect this new knowledge. These modifications may influence the results of statistical applications such as functional enrichment analyses that describe experimental data in terms of ontological groupings. Here, we investigate to what degree modifications of the Gene Ontology (GO) impact these statistical analyses for both experimental and simulated data. The analysis is based on new measures for the stability of result sets and considers different ontology and annotation changes. Our results show that past changes in the GO are non-uniformly distributed over different branches of the ontology. Considering the semantic relatedness of significant categories in analysis results allows a more realistic stability assessment for functional enrichment studies. We observe that the results of term-enrichment analyses tend to be surprisingly stable despite changes in ontology and annotation.

Gender and telomere length: Systematic review and meta-analysis☆

PubMed Central

Gardner, Michael; Bann, David; Wiley, Laura; Cooper, Rachel; Hardy, Rebecca; Nitsch, Dorothea; Martin-Ruiz, Carmen; Shiels, Paul; Sayer, Avan Aihie; Barbieri, Michelangela; Bekaert, Sofie; Bischoff, Claus; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Chen, Wei; Cooper, Cyrus; Christensen, Kaare; De Meyer, Tim; Deary, Ian; Der, Geoff; Roux, Ana Diez; Fitzpatrick, Annette; Hajat, Anjum; Halaschek-Wiener, Julius; Harris, Sarah; Hunt, Steven C.; Jagger, Carol; Jeon, Hyo-Sung; Kaplan, Robert; Kimura, Masayuki; Lansdorp, Peter; Li, Changyong; Maeda, Toyoki; Mangino, Massimo; Nawrot, Tim S.; Nilsson, Peter; Nordfjall, Katarina; Paolisso, Giuseppe; Ren, Fu; Riabowol, Karl; Robertson, Tony; Roos, Goran; Staessen, Jan A.; Spector, Tim; Tang, Nelson; Unryn, Brad; van der Harst, Pim; Woo, Jean; Xing, Chao; Yadegarfar, Mohammad E.; Park, Jae Yong; Young, Neal; Kuh, Diana; von Zglinicki, Thomas; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav

2015-01-01

Background It is widely believed that females have longer telomeres than males, although results from studies have been contradictory. Methods We carried out a systematic review and meta-analyses to test the hypothesis that in humans, females have longer telomeres than males and that this association becomes stronger with increasing age. Searches were conducted in EMBASE and MEDLINE (by November 2009) and additional datasets were obtained from study investigators. Eligible observational studies measured telomeres for both females and males of any age, had a minimum sample size of 100 and included participants not part of a diseased group. We calculated summary estimates using random-effects meta-analyses. Heterogeneity between studies was investigated using sub-group analysis and meta-regression. Results Meta-analyses from 36 cohorts (36,230 participants) showed that on average females had longer telomeres than males (standardised difference in telomere length between females and males 0.090, 95% CI 0.015, 0.166; age-adjusted). There was little evidence that these associations varied by age group (p = 1.00) or cell type (p = 0.29). However, the size of this difference did vary by measurement methods, with only Southern blot but neither real-time PCR nor Flow-FISH showing a significant difference. This difference was not associated with random measurement error. Conclusions Telomere length is longer in females than males, although this difference was not universally found in studies that did not use Southern blot methods. Further research on explanations for the methodological differences is required. PMID:24365661

Gender and telomere length: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Gardner, Michael; Bann, David; Wiley, Laura; Cooper, Rachel; Hardy, Rebecca; Nitsch, Dorothea; Martin-Ruiz, Carmen; Shiels, Paul; Sayer, Avan Aihie; Barbieri, Michelangela; Bekaert, Sofie; Bischoff, Claus; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Chen, Wei; Cooper, Cyrus; Christensen, Kaare; De Meyer, Tim; Deary, Ian; Der, Geoff; Diez Roux, Ana; Fitzpatrick, Annette; Hajat, Anjum; Halaschek-Wiener, Julius; Harris, Sarah; Hunt, Steven C; Jagger, Carol; Jeon, Hyo-Sung; Kaplan, Robert; Kimura, Masayuki; Lansdorp, Peter; Li, Changyong; Maeda, Toyoki; Mangino, Massimo; Nawrot, Tim S; Nilsson, Peter; Nordfjall, Katarina; Paolisso, Giuseppe; Ren, Fu; Riabowol, Karl; Robertson, Tony; Roos, Goran; Staessen, Jan A; Spector, Tim; Tang, Nelson; Unryn, Brad; van der Harst, Pim; Woo, Jean; Xing, Chao; Yadegarfar, Mohammad E; Park, Jae Yong; Young, Neal; Kuh, Diana; von Zglinicki, Thomas; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav

2014-03-01

It is widely believed that females have longer telomeres than males, although results from studies have been contradictory. We carried out a systematic review and meta-analyses to test the hypothesis that in humans, females have longer telomeres than males and that this association becomes stronger with increasing age. Searches were conducted in EMBASE and MEDLINE (by November 2009) and additional datasets were obtained from study investigators. Eligible observational studies measured telomeres for both females and males of any age, had a minimum sample size of 100 and included participants not part of a diseased group. We calculated summary estimates using random-effects meta-analyses. Heterogeneity between studies was investigated using sub-group analysis and meta-regression. Meta-analyses from 36 cohorts (36,230 participants) showed that on average females had longer telomeres than males (standardised difference in telomere length between females and males 0.090, 95% CI 0.015, 0.166; age-adjusted). There was little evidence that these associations varied by age group (p=1.00) or cell type (p=0.29). However, the size of this difference did vary by measurement methods, with only Southern blot but neither real-time PCR nor Flow-FISH showing a significant difference. This difference was not associated with random measurement error. Telomere length is longer in females than males, although this difference was not universally found in studies that did not use Southern blot methods. Further research on explanations for the methodological differences is required. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Differences in students' mathematics engagement between gender and between rural and urban schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayub, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd; Yunus, Aida Suraya Md.; Mahmud, Rosnaini; Salim, Nur Raidah; Sulaiman, Tajularipin

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore secondary school students' mathematics engagement focusing on the cognitive, affective and behavioural engagement domains. A total of 387 students (186 male and 201 female) from the urban and rural secondary schools in Pahang, Malaysia, were randomly selected. There were 158 students from the urban schools and 229 students from the rural schools. Descriptive analyses for mathematics engagement domains revealed behavioural engagement had the highest mean (M = 3.74, SD = .63), followed by cognitive engagement (M = 3.56, SD = .43) and affective engagement (M = 3.48, SD = .47). The mean for students' overall mathematics engagement was 3.56 (SD = .46). Further analyses showed there were significant differences in each of the engagement domains in mathematics learning (affective, cognitive and behavioural), where students in the urban schools showed significantly better in the mean scores for affective, cognitive, behavioural domains and the overall mathematics engagement as compared to the students in the rural schools. Similar findings also showed there were significant differences in the overall mathematics engagement mean between the genders. The findings indicated girls were significantly better than boys in all (affective, cognitive and behavioural) of the engagement domains in mathematics learning. It was also shown girls had higher overall mathematics engagement mean as compared to boys. However, the study also indicated the overall students' mathematics engagement was at a moderate level. Besides, the rural school students did not show high mathematics engagement as compared to the urban school students. Further analyses showed girls significantly had better mathematics engagement as compared to boys. Hence, it is recommended that in order to optimize students' mathematics engagement, they should be actively engaged in more participative learning activities in mathematics classrooms. Focus should be given to rural schools and also among the boys.

Proficiency Differences in Syntactic Processing of Monolingual Native Speakers Indexed by Event-related Potentials

PubMed Central

Pakulak, Eric; Neville, Helen J.

2010-01-01

While anecdotally there appear to be differences in the way native speakers use and comprehend their native language, most empirical investigations of language processing study university students and none have studied differences in language proficiency which may be independent of resource limitations such as working memory span. We examined differences in language proficiency in adult monolingual native speakers of English using an event-related potential (ERP) paradigm. ERPs were recorded to insertion phrase structure violations in naturally spoken English sentences. Participants recruited from a wide spectrum of society were given standardized measures of English language proficiency, and two complementary ERP analyses were performed. In between-groups analyses, participants were divided, based on standardized proficiency scores, into Lower Proficiency (LP) and Higher Proficiency (HP) groups. Compared to LP participants, HP participants showed an early anterior negativity that was more focal, both spatially and temporally, and a larger and more widely distributed positivity (P600) to violations. In correlational analyses, we utilized a wide spectrum of proficiency scores to examine the degree to which individual proficiency scores correlated with individual neural responses to syntactic violations in regions and time windows identified in the between-group analyses. This approach also employed partial correlation analyses to control for possible confounding variables. These analyses provided evidence for the effects of proficiency that converged with the between-groups analyses. These results suggest that adult monolingual native speakers of English who vary in language proficiency differ in the recruitment of syntactic processes that are hypothesized to be at least in part automatic as well as of those thought to be more controlled. These results also suggest that in order to fully characterize neural organization for language in native speakers it is necessary to include participants of varying proficiency. PMID:19925188

Molecular and morphological diversity of Trebouxia microalgae in sphaerothallioid Circinaria spp. lichens1.

PubMed

Molins, Arántzazu; Moya, Patricia; García-Breijo, Francisco J; Reig-Armiñana, José; Barreno, Eva

2018-05-23

Three vagrant (Circinaria hispida, Circinaria gyrosa, and Circinaria sp. 'paramerae') and one crustose (semi-vagrant, Circinaria sp. 'oromediterranea') lichens growing in very continental areas in the Iberian Peninsula were selected to study the phycobiont diversity. Mycobiont identification was checked using nrITS DNA barcoding: Circinaria sp. 'oromediterranea' and Circinaria sp. 'paramerae' formed a new clade. Phycobiont diversity was analyzed in 50 thalli of Circinaria spp. using nrITS DNA and LSU rDNA, with microalgae coexistence being found in all the species analyzed by Sanger sequencing. The survey of phycobiont diversity showed up to four different Trebouxia spp. as the primary phycobiont in 20 thalli of C. hispida, in comparison with the remaining Circinaria spp., where only one Trebouxia was the primary microalga. In lichen species showing coexistence, some complementary approaches are needed (454 pyrosequencing and/or ultrastructural analyses). Five specimens were selected for high-throughput screening (HTS) analyses: 22 Trebouxia OTUs were detected, 10 of them not previously known. TEM analyses showed three different cell morphotypes (Trebouxia sp. OTU A12, OTU S51, and T. cretacea) whose ultrastructure is described here in detail for the first time. HTS revealed a different microalgae pool in each species studied, and we cannot assume a specific pattern between these pools and the ecological and/or morphological characteristics. The mechanisms involved in the selection of the primary phycobiont and the other microalgae by the mycobiont are unknown, and require complex experimental designs. The systematics of the genus Circinaria is not yet well resolved, and more analyses are needed to establish a precise delimitation of the species. © 2018 Phycological Society of America.

In-depth study of 16CygB using inversion techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buldgen, G.; Salmon, S. J. A. J.; Reese, D. R.; Dupret, M. A.

2016-12-01

Context. The 16Cyg binary system hosts the solar-like Kepler targets with the most stringent observational constraints. Indeed, we benefit from very high quality oscillation spectra, as well as spectroscopic and interferometric observations. Moreover, this system is particularly interesting since both stars are very similar in mass but the A component is orbited by a red dwarf, whereas the B component is orbited by a Jovian planet and thus could have formed a more complex planetary system. In our previous study, we showed that seismic inversions of integrated quantities could be used to constrain microscopic diffusion in the A component. In this study, we analyse the B component in the light of a more regularised inversion. Aims: We wish to analyse independently the B component of the 16Cyg binary system using the inversion of an indicator dedicated to analyse core conditions, denoted tu. Using this independent determination, we wish to analyse any differences between both stars due to the potential influence of planetary formation on stellar structure and/or their respective evolution. Methods: First, we recall the observational constraints for 16CygB and the method we used to generate reference stellar models of this star. We then describe how we improved the inversion and how this approach could be used for future targets with a sufficient number of observed frequencies. The inversion results were then used to analyse the differences between the A and B components. Results: The inversion of the tu indicator for 16CygB shows a disagreement with models including microscopic diffusion and sharing the chemical composition previously derived for 16CygA. We show that small changes in chemical composition are insufficient to solve the problem but that extra mixing can account for the differences seen between both stars. We use a parametric approach to analyse the impact of extra mixing in the form of turbulent diffusion on the behaviour of the tu values. We conclude on the necessity of further investigations using models with a physically motivated implementation of extra mixing processes including additional constraints to further improve the accuracy with which the fundamental parameters of this system are determined.

Genome-scale transcriptional analyses of first-generation interspecific sunflower hybrids reveals broad regulatory compatibility

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Interspecific hybridization creates individuals harboring diverged genomes. The interaction of these genomes can generate successful evolutionary novelty or disadvantageous genomic conflict. Annual sunflowers Helianthus annuus and H. petiolaris have a rich history of hybridization in natural populations. Although first-generation hybrids generally have low fertility, hybrid swarms that include later generation and fully fertile backcross plants have been identified, as well as at least three independently-originated stable hybrid taxa. We examine patterns of transcript accumulation in the earliest stages of hybridization of these species via analyses of transcriptome sequences from laboratory-derived F1 offspring of an inbred H. annuus cultivar and a wild H. petiolaris accession. Results While nearly 14% of the reference transcriptome showed significant accumulation differences between parental accessions, total F1 transcript levels showed little evidence of dominance, as midparent transcript levels were highly predictive of transcript accumulation in F1 plants. Allelic bias in F1 transcript accumulation was detected in 20% of transcripts containing sufficient polymorphism to distinguish parental alleles; however the magnitude of these biases were generally smaller than differences among parental accessions. Conclusions While analyses of allelic bias suggest that cis regulatory differences between H. annuus and H. petiolaris are common, their effect on transcript levels may be more subtle than trans-acting regulatory differences. Overall, these analyses found little evidence of regulatory incompatibility or dominance interactions between parental genomes within F1 hybrid individuals, although it is unclear whether this is a legacy or an enabler of introgression between species. PMID:23701699

Examining Moderation Analyses in Propensity Score Methods: Application to Depression and Substance Use

PubMed Central

Green, Kerry M.; Stuart, Elizabeth A.

2014-01-01

Objective This study provides guidance on how propensity score methods can be combined with moderation analyses (i.e., effect modification) to examine subgroup differences in potential causal effects in non-experimental studies. As a motivating example, we focus on how depression may affect subsequent substance use differently for men and women. Method Using data from a longitudinal community cohort study (N=952) of urban African Americans with assessments in childhood, adolescence, young adulthood and midlife, we estimate the influence of depression by young adulthood on substance use outcomes in midlife, and whether that influence varies by gender. We illustrate and compare five different techniques for estimating subgroup effects using propensity score methods, including separate propensity score models and matching for men and women, a joint propensity score model for men and women with matching separately and together by gender, and a joint male/female propensity score model that includes theoretically important gender interactions with matching separately and together by gender. Results Analyses showed that estimating separate models for men and women yielded the best balance and, therefore, is a preferred technique when subgroup analyses are of interest, at least in this data. Results also showed substance use consequences of depression but no significant gender differences. Conclusions It is critical to prespecify subgroup effects before the estimation of propensity scores and to check balance within subgroups regardless of the type of propensity score model used. Results also suggest that depression may affect multiple substance use outcomes in midlife for both men and women relatively equally. PMID:24731233

What Does Good Education Research Look Like? Conducting Educational Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Lyn

2004-01-01

This book explains the debates that bedevil education research--for example that it is low quality, or not scientific enough, or not useful enough--and shows how research in education must meet different demands in different places, times and conditions. A major part of the book provides detailed analyses and guidance to different areas in which…

Departmental Publication Productivity and Reputational Quality: Disciplinary Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baird, Leonard

2009-01-01

Using US national data, this study examines the levels and interactions between reputational rankings, average publications, citations, and external research support across 30 disciplines. The analyses show great variation among the disciplines in average and range of publications, citations, and external research support. They also show that the…

Analysing home-ownership of couples: the effect of selecting couples at the time of the survey.

PubMed

Mulder, C H

1996-09-01

"The analysis of events encountered by couple and family households may suffer from sample selection bias when data are restricted to couples existing at the moment of interview. The paper discusses the effect of sample selection bias on event history analyses of buying a home [in the Netherlands] by comparing analyses performed on a sample of existing couples with analyses of a more complete sample including past as well as current partner relationships. The results show that, although home-buying in relationships that have ended differs clearly from behaviour in existing relationships, sample selection bias is not alarmingly large." (SUMMARY IN FRE) excerpt

Individual differences in metacontrast masking regarding sensitivity and response bias.

PubMed

Albrecht, Thorsten; Mattler, Uwe

2012-09-01

In metacontrast masking target visibility is modulated by the time until a masking stimulus appears. The effect of this temporal delay differs across participants in such a way that individual human observers' performance shows distinguishable types of masking functions which remain largely unchanged for months. Here we examined whether individual differences in masking functions depend on different response criteria in addition to differences in discrimination sensitivity. To this end we reanalyzed previously published data and conducted a new experiment for further data analyses. Our analyses demonstrate that a distinction of masking functions based on the type of masking stimulus is superior to a distinction based on the target-mask congruency. Individually different masking functions are based on individual differences in discrimination sensitivities and in response criteria. Results suggest that individual differences in metacontrast masking result from individually different criterion contents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Similar but Different: Dynamic Social Network Analysis Highlights Fundamental Differences between the Fission-Fusion Societies of Two Equid Species, the Onager and Grevy’s Zebra

PubMed Central

Rubenstein, Daniel I.; Sundaresan, Siva R.; Fischhoff, Ilya R.; Tantipathananandh, Chayant; Berger-Wolf, Tanya Y.

2015-01-01

Understanding why animal societies take on the form that they do has benefited from insights gained by applying social network analysis to patterns of individual associations. Such analyses typically aggregate data over long time periods even though most selective forces that shape sociality have strong temporal elements. By explicitly incorporating the temporal signal in social interaction data we re-examine the network dynamics of the social systems of the evolutionarily closely-related Grevy’s zebras and wild asses that show broadly similar social organizations. By identifying dynamic communities, previously hidden differences emerge: Grevy’s zebras show more modularity than wild asses and in wild asses most communities consist of solitary individuals; and in Grevy’s zebras, lactating females show a greater propensity to switch communities than non-lactating females and males. Both patterns were missed by static network analyses and in general, adding a temporal dimension provides insights into differences associated with the size and persistence of communities as well as the frequency and synchrony of their formation. Dynamic network analysis provides insights into the functional significance of these social differences and highlights the way dynamic community analysis can be applied to other species. PMID:26488598

Association of the gut microbiota mobilome with hospital location and birth weight in preterm infants.

PubMed

Ravi, Anuradha; Estensmo, Eva Lena F; Abée-Lund, Trine M L'; Foley, Steven L; Allgaier, Bernhard; Martin, Camilia R; Claud, Erika C; Rudi, Knut

2017-11-01

BackgroundThe preterm infant gut microbiota is vulnerable to different biotic and abiotic factors. Although the development of this microbiota has been extensively studied, the mobilome-i.e. the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in the gut microbiota-has not been considered. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association of the mobilome with birth weight and hospital location in the preterm infant gut microbiota.MethodsThe data set consists of fecal samples from 62 preterm infants with and without necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) from three different hospitals. We analyzed the gut microbiome by using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, shot-gun metagenome sequencing, and quantitative PCR. Predictive models and other data analyses were performed using MATLAB and QIIME.ResultSThe microbiota composition was significantly different between NEC-positive and NEC-negative infants and significantly different between hospitals. An operational taxanomic unit (OTU) showed strong positive and negative correlation with NEC and birth weight, respectively, whereas none showed significance for mode of delivery. Metagenome analyses revealed high levels of conjugative plasmids with MGEs and virulence genes. Results from quantitative PCR showed that the plasmid signature genes were significantly different between hospitals and in NEC-positive infants.ConclusionOur results point toward an association of the mobilome with hospital location in preterm infants.

Performance of Stratified and Subgrouped Disproportionality Analyses in Spontaneous Databases.

PubMed

Seabroke, Suzie; Candore, Gianmario; Juhlin, Kristina; Quarcoo, Naashika; Wisniewski, Antoni; Arani, Ramin; Painter, Jeffery; Tregunno, Philip; Norén, G Niklas; Slattery, Jim

2016-04-01

Disproportionality analyses are used in many organisations to identify adverse drug reactions (ADRs) from spontaneous report data. Reporting patterns vary over time, with patient demographics, and between different geographical regions, and therefore subgroup analyses or adjustment by stratification may be beneficial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of subgroup and stratified disproportionality analyses for a number of key covariates within spontaneous report databases of differing sizes and characteristics. Using a reference set of established ADRs, signal detection performance (sensitivity and precision) was compared for stratified, subgroup and crude (unadjusted) analyses within five spontaneous report databases (two company, one national and two international databases). Analyses were repeated for a range of covariates: age, sex, country/region of origin, calendar time period, event seriousness, vaccine/non-vaccine, reporter qualification and report source. Subgroup analyses consistently performed better than stratified analyses in all databases. Subgroup analyses also showed benefits in both sensitivity and precision over crude analyses for the larger international databases, whilst for the smaller databases a gain in precision tended to result in some loss of sensitivity. Additionally, stratified analyses did not increase sensitivity or precision beyond that associated with analytical artefacts of the analysis. The most promising subgroup covariates were age and region/country of origin, although this varied between databases. Subgroup analyses perform better than stratified analyses and should be considered over the latter in routine first-pass signal detection. Subgroup analyses are also clearly beneficial over crude analyses for larger databases, but further validation is required for smaller databases.

The properties of ZnO nanofluids and the role of H2O2 in the disinfection activity against Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Zhang, Lingling; Li, Yu; Liu, Xiaoming; Zhao, Lihua; Ding, Yulong; Povey, Malcolm; Cang, Daqiang

2013-08-01

This work investigates the disinfection property of ZnO nanofluids, focusing on H2O2 production and the disinfection activities of ZnO suspensions with different particles/aggregates. The possible disinfection mechanisms of ZnO suspensions are analysed. In this work, a medium mill was used to produce ZnO suspensions with different sizes of particles/aggregates. During the milling process, five ZnO suspension samples (A-E) were produced. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analyses revealed that after milling, the size of ZnO particles/aggregates in the suspensions decreased. Disinfection tests, H2O2 detection assays and fluorescent analyses were used to explore the disinfection activities and mechanism of ZnO suspensions. Disinfection tests results showed that all the produced ZnO suspension exhibited disinfection activity against Escherichia coli. ZnO suspensions with smaller particles/aggregates showed better disinfection activities. The presence of H2O2 in ZnO suspension was analysed. The H2O2 detection assay suggested that there is 1 μM H2O2 in 0.2 g/l ZnO Sample A, while there was no H2O2 present in ZnO Sample E. Though results showed that there was no H2O2 present in ZnO Sample E, Sample E with a size of 93 nm showed the best disinfection activities. Fluorescence tests detected that the interaction between E. coli lipid vesicles and ZnO Sample E was much faster and more efficient. This study firstly demonstrated that ZnO suspensions with different particles/aggregates produced different amount of H2O2. Results suggested that H2O2 is responsible for the disinfection activity of larger ZnO particles/aggregates while the interaction between smaller ZnO particles/aggregates and vesicle lipids is responsible for the disinfection activity of smaller ZnO particles/aggregates. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Quantitative Empirical Analysis of the Abstract/Concrete Distinction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Felix; Korhonen, Anna; Bentz, Christian

2014-01-01

This study presents original evidence that abstract and concrete concepts are organized and represented differently in the mind, based on analyses of thousands of concepts in publicly available data sets and computational resources. First, we show that abstract and concrete concepts have differing patterns of association with other concepts.…

Antibiotic treatment of bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy: multiple meta-analyses and dilemmas in interpretation.

PubMed

Varma, Rajesh; Gupta, Janesh K

2006-01-01

There is considerable evidence to show an association between genital tract infections, such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), and preterm delivery (PTD). Meta-analyses to date have shown screening and treating BV in pregnancy does not prevent PTD. This casts doubt on a cause and effect relationship between BV and PTD. However, the meta-analyses reported significant clinical, methodological and statistical heterogeneity of the included studies. We therefore undertook a repeat meta-analysis, included recently published trials, and applied strict criteria on data extraction. We meta-analysed low and high-risk pregnancies separately. We found that screening and treating BV in low-risk pregnancies produced a statistically significant reduction in spontaneous PTD (RR 0.73; 95% CI 0.55-0.98). This beneficial effect was not observed in high-risk or combined risk groups. The differences in antibiotic sensitivity between high and low risk groups may suggest differing causal contributions of the infectious process to PTD. The evidence, along with prior knowledge of differing predisposing factors and prognosis between these risk groups, supports the hypothesis that PTD in high and low risk pregnant women are different entities and not linear extremes of the same syndrome.

A concept for holistic whole body MRI data analysis, Imiomics

PubMed Central

Malmberg, Filip; Johansson, Lars; Lind, Lars; Sundbom, Magnus; Ahlström, Håkan; Kullberg, Joel

2017-01-01

Purpose To present and evaluate a whole-body image analysis concept, Imiomics (imaging–omics) and an image registration method that enables Imiomics analyses by deforming all image data to a common coordinate system, so that the information in each voxel can be compared between persons or within a person over time and integrated with non-imaging data. Methods The presented image registration method utilizes relative elasticity constraints of different tissue obtained from whole-body water-fat MRI. The registration method is evaluated by inverse consistency and Dice coefficients and the Imiomics concept is evaluated by example analyses of importance for metabolic research using non-imaging parameters where we know what to expect. The example analyses include whole body imaging atlas creation, anomaly detection, and cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis. Results The image registration method evaluation on 128 subjects shows low inverse consistency errors and high Dice coefficients. Also, the statistical atlas with fat content intensity values shows low standard deviation values, indicating successful deformations to the common coordinate system. The example analyses show expected associations and correlations which agree with explicit measurements, and thereby illustrate the usefulness of the proposed Imiomics concept. Conclusions The registration method is well-suited for Imiomics analyses, which enable analyses of relationships to non-imaging data, e.g. clinical data, in new types of holistic targeted and untargeted big-data analysis. PMID:28241015

Utilising a construct of teacher capacity to examine national curriculum reform in mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qinqiong; Stephens, Max

2013-12-01

This study involving 120 Australian and Chinese teachers introduces a construct of teacher capacity to analyse how teachers help students connect arithmetic learning and emerging algebraic thinking. Four criteria formed the basis of our construct of teacher capacity: knowledge of mathematics, interpretation of the intentions of official curriculum documents, understanding of students' thinking, and design of teaching. While these key elements connect to what other researchers refer to as mathematical knowledge for teaching, several differences are made clear. Qualitative and quantitative analyses show that our construct was robust and effective in distinguishing between different levels of teacher capacity.

Trace element content of gossans at four mines in the West Shasta massive sulfide district.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanzolone, R.F.; Domenico, J.A.

1985-01-01

Paired analyses of the spongy whole-rock gossan and its botryoidal crust ("chipped rock rind') show little differences, whereas duplicate samples of each at individual sites show such extreme differences as to preclude the use of the data in areal mapping. Gossans from disseminated sulphides have lower and less variable trace-element contents than gossans from massive sulphides, due in part to dilution by rock silicates. Computer reduction of the data by a regionalizing algorithm enables determination of pattern differences among the four mines.-G.J.N.

Reaffirmed limitations of meta-analytic methods in the study of mild traumatic brain injury: a response to Rohling et al.

PubMed

Bigler, Erin D; Farrer, Thomas J; Pertab, Jon L; James, Kelly; Petrie, Jo Ann; Hedges, Dawson W

2013-01-01

In 2009 Pertab, James, and Bigler published a critique of two prior meta-analyses by Binder, Rohling, and Larrabee (1997) and Frencham, Fox, and Maybery (2005) that showed small effect size difference at least 3 months post-injury in individuals who had sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The Binder et al. and Frencham et al. meta-analyses have been widely cited as showing no lasting effect of mTBI. In their critique Pertab et al. (2009) point out many limitations of these two prior meta-analyses, demonstrating that depending on how inclusion/exclusion criteria were defined different meta-analytic findings occur, some supporting the persistence of neuropsychological impairments beyond 3 months. Rohling et al. (2011) have now critiqued Pertab et al. (2009). Herein we respond to the Rolling et al. (2011) critique reaffirming the original findings of Pertab et al. (2009), providing additional details concerning the flaws in prior meta-analytic mTBI studies and the effects on neuropsychological performance.

Self-Reported Harassment and Bullying in Australian Universities: Explaining Differences between Regional, Metropolitan and Elite Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, Timothy C.; Peetz, David; Strachan, Glenda; Whitehouse, Gillian; Bailey, Janis; Broadbent, Kaye

2015-01-01

We analyse data from the largest survey of university staff in Australia to determine whether bullying and harassment are more common in regional than metropolitan and Go8 universities, and to what extent any differences could be attributed to other factors. While professional staff showed no difference in harassment rates between regional and…

Examining the role of social cues in early word learning.

PubMed

Briganti, Alicia M; Cohen, Leslie B

2011-02-01

Infants watched a video of an adult pointing towards two different objects while hearing novel labels. Analyses indicated that 14- and 18-month-olds looked longer at the target object, but only 18-month-olds showed word learning. The results suggest that different types of social cues are available at different ages. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Associations between belief in conspiracy theories and the maladaptive personality traits of the personality inventory for DSM-5.

PubMed

Swami, Viren; Weis, Laura; Lay, Alixe; Barron, David; Furnham, Adrian

2016-02-28

Conspiracy theories can be treated as both rational narratives of the world as well as outcomes of underlying maladaptive traits. Here, we examined associations between belief in conspiracy theories and individual differences in personality disorders. An Internet-based sample (N=259) completed measures of belief in conspiracy theories and the 25 facets of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5). Preliminary analyses showed no significant differences in belief in conspiracy theories across participant sex, ethnicity, and education. Regression analyses showed that the PID-5 facets of Unusual Beliefs and Experiences and, to a lesser extent, Suspiciousness, significantly predicted belief in conspiracy theories. These findings highlight a role for maladaptive personality traits in understanding belief in conspiracy theories, but require further investigation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Character Recognition Method by Time-Frequency Analyses Using Writing Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Tatsuhito; Katsura, Seiichiro

With the development of information and communication technology, personal verification becomes more and more important. In the future ubiquitous society, the development of terminals handling personal information requires the personal verification technology. The signature is one of the personal verification methods; however, the number of characters is limited in the case of the signature and therefore false signature is used easily. Thus, personal identification is difficult from handwriting. This paper proposes a “haptic pen” that extracts the writing pressure, and shows a character recognition method by time-frequency analyses. Although the figures of characters written by different amanuenses are similar, the differences appear in the time-frequency domain. As a result, it is possible to use the proposed character recognition for personal identification more exactly. The experimental results showed the viability of the proposed method.

Job security and work performance in Chinese employees: The mediating role of organisational identification.

PubMed

Ma, Bing; Liu, Shanshi; Liu, Donglai; Wang, Hongchun

2016-04-01

This research focuses on investigating whether organisational identification mediates the effects of job security on in-role behaviour and extra-role behaviour and how these mediation mechanisms differ according to gender. Through analysing 212 supervisor-subordinate dyads from a Chinese air transportation group, the research indicated that organisational identification partially mediated the effect of job security on in-role behaviour and fully mediated the effect of job security on extra-role behaviour. A multi-group analysis also showed that there were significant differences between male and female employees in these relationships. In addition, moderated mediation analyses showed that gender moderated the indirect effects of job security on in-role behaviour and extra-role behaviour through organisational identification. Limitations and implications of these findings are discussed. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

Selection of Sphingomonadaceae at the base of Laccaria proxima and Russula exalbicans fruiting bodies.

PubMed

Boersma, F G Hidde; Warmink, Jan A; Andreote, Fernando A; van Elsas, Jan Dirk

2009-04-01

The dense hyphal network directly underneath the fruiting bodies of ectomycorrhizal fungi might exert strong influences on the bacterial community of soil. Such fruiting bodies might serve as hot spots for bacterial activity, for instance by providing nutrients and colonization sites in soil. Here, we assessed the putative selection of specific members of the Sphingomonadaceae family at the bases of the fruiting bodies of the ectomycorrhizal fungi Laccaria proxima and Russula exalbicans in comparison to the adjacent bulk soil. To do so, we used a previously designed Sphingomonadaceae-specific PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) system and complemented this with analyses of sequences from a Sphingomonadaceae-specific clone library. The analyses showed clear selective effects of the fruiting bodies of both fungi on the Sphingomonadaceae community structures. The effect was especially prevalent with R. exalbicans. Strikingly, similar fungi sampled approximately 100 m apart showed similar DGGE patterns, while corresponding bulk soil-derived patterns differed from each other. However, the mycospheres of L. proxima and R. exalbicans still revealed divergent community structures, indicating that different fungi select for different members of the Sphingomonadaceae family. Excision of specific bands from the DGGE patterns, as well as analyses of the clone libraries generated from both habitats, revealed fruiting body-specific Sphingomonadaceae types. It further showed that major groups from the mycospheres of R. exalbicans and L. proxima did not cluster with known bacteria from the database, indicating new groups within the family of Sphingomonadaceae present in these environments.

Long-term vegetation activity trends in the Iberian Peninsula and The Balearic Islands using high spatial resolution NOAA-AVHRR data (1981 - 2015).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin-Hernandez, Natalia; Vicente-Serrano, Sergio; Azorin-Molina, Cesar; Begueria-Portugues, Santiago; Reig-Gracia, Fergus; Zabalza-Martínez, Javier

2017-04-01

We have analysed trends in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the Iberian Peninsula and The Balearic Islands over the period 1981 - 2015 using a new high resolution data set from the entire available NOAA - AVHRR images (IBERIAN NDVI dataset). After a complete processing including geocoding, calibration, cloud removal, topographic correction and temporal filtering, we obtained bi-weekly time series. To assess the accuracy of the new IBERIAN NDVI time-series, we have compared temporal variability and trends of NDVI series with those results reported by GIMMS 3g and MODIS (MOD13A3) NDVI datasets. In general, the IBERIAN NDVI showed high reliability with these two products but showing higher spatial resolution than the GIMMS dataset and covering two more decades than the MODIS dataset. Using the IBERIAN NDVI dataset, we analysed NDVI trends by means of the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and Theil-Sen slope estimator. In average, vegetation trends in the study area show an increase over the last decades. However, there are local spatial differences: the main increase has been recorded in humid regions of the north of the Iberian Peninsula. The statistical techniques allow finding abrupt and gradual changes in different land cover types during the analysed period. These changes are related with human activity due to land transformations (from dry to irrigated land), land abandonment and forest recovery.

Molecular responses of genetically modified maize to abiotic stresses as determined through proteomic and metabolomic analyses

PubMed Central

Benevenuto, Rafael Fonseca; Agapito-Tenfen, Sarah Zanon; Vilperte, Vinicius; Wikmark, Odd-Gunnar; van Rensburg, Peet Jansen; Nodari, Rubens Onofre

2017-01-01

Some genetically modified (GM) plants have transgenes that confer tolerance to abiotic stressors. Meanwhile, other transgenes may interact with abiotic stressors, causing pleiotropic effects that will affect the plant physiology. Thus, physiological alteration might have an impact on the product safety. However, routine risk assessment (RA) analyses do not evaluate the response of GM plants exposed to different environmental conditions. Therefore, we here present a proteome profile of herbicide-tolerant maize, including the levels of phytohormones and related compounds, compared to its near-isogenic non-GM variety under drought and herbicide stresses. Twenty differentially abundant proteins were detected between GM and non-GM hybrids under different water deficiency conditions and herbicide sprays. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that most of these proteins are assigned to energetic/carbohydrate metabolic processes. Among phytohormones and related compounds, different levels of ABA, CA, JA, MeJA and SA were detected in the maize varieties and stress conditions analysed. In pathway and proteome analyses, environment was found to be the major source of variation followed by the genetic transformation factor. Nonetheless, differences were detected in the levels of JA, MeJA and CA and in the abundance of 11 proteins when comparing the GM plant and its non-GM near-isogenic variety under the same environmental conditions. Thus, these findings do support molecular studies in GM plants Risk Assessment analyses. PMID:28245233

Students' Perceptions of Motivational Climate and Enjoyment in Finnish Physical Education: A Latent Profile Analysis.

PubMed

Jaakkola, Timo; Wang, C K John; Soini, Markus; Liukkonen, Jarmo

2015-09-01

The purpose of this study was to identify student clusters with homogenous profiles in perceptions of task- and ego-involving, autonomy, and social relatedness supporting motivational climate in school physical education. Additionally, we investigated whether different motivational climate groups differed in their enjoyment in PE. Participants of the study were 2 594 girls and 1 803 boys, aged 14-15 years. Students responded to questionnaires assessing their perception of motivational climate and enjoyment in physical education. Latent profile analyses produced a five-cluster solution labeled 1) 'low autonomy, relatedness, task, and moderate ego climate' group', 2) 'low autonomy, relatedness, and high task and ego climate, 3) 'moderate autonomy, relatedness, task and ego climate' group 4) 'high autonomy, relatedness, task, and moderate ego climate' group, and 5) 'high relatedness and task but moderate autonomy and ego climate' group. Analyses of variance showed that students in clusters 4 and 5 perceived the highest level of enjoyment whereas students in cluster 1 experienced the lowest level of enjoyment. The results showed that the students' perceptions of various motivational climates created differential levels of enjoyment in PE classes. Key pointsLatent profile analyses produced a five-cluster solution labeled 1) 'low autonomy, relatedness, task, and moderate ego climate' group', 2) 'low autonomy, relatedness, and high task and ego climate, 3) 'moderate autonomy, relatedness, task and ego climate' group 4) 'high autonomy, relatedness, task, and moderate ego climate' group, and 5) 'high relatedness and task but moderate autonomy and ego climate' group.Analyses of variance showed that clusters 4 and 5 perceived the highest level of enjoyment whereas cluster 1 experienced the lowest level of enjoyment. The results showed that the students' perceptions of motivational climate create differential levels of enjoyment in PE classes.

Structural characterization and evaluation of the antioxidant activities of polysaccharides extracted from Qingzhuan brick tea.

PubMed

Yang, Xinhe; Huang, Mingjun; Qin, Caiqin; Lv, Bangyu; Mao, Qingli; Liu, Zhonghua

2017-08-01

The crude tea polysaccharides (CTPS) from Qingzhuan brick tea(QZBT) were extracted and fractionated to afford two fractions, namely TPS-1 and TPS-2. Analyses were conducted concerning the structural characterization and antioxidant activities of these samples. Component analysis revealed that the carbohydrate, uronic acid, protein and polyphenol contents of these samples differed significantly. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed that these samples showed similar characteristic absorption peaks for polysaccharides. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, circular dichroism, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analyses indicated that there were considerable differences in the presence of protein, surface features, conformational characteristics and thermodynamic behaviors. For antioxidant activities in vitro, CTPS, TPS-1 and TPS-2 exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activities, with TPS-2 showing significantly higher antioxidant activity than CTPS and TPS-1. These results provide a scientific and strong foundation for the use of tea polysaccharides(TPS) from QZBT and further research towards the relationships between the characteristics and antioxidant activities of TPS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Mediterranean Diet: its definition and evaluation of a priori dietary indexes in primary cardiovascular prevention.

PubMed

D'Alessandro, Annunziata; De Pergola, Giovanni

2018-01-18

We have analysed the definition of Mediterranean Diet in 28 studies included in six meta-analyses evaluating the relation between the Mediterranean Diet and primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Some typical food of this dietary pattern like whole cereals, olive oil and red wine were taken into account only in a few a priori indexes, and the dietary pattern defined as Mediterranean showed many differences among the studies and compared to traditional Mediterranean Diet of the early 1960s. Altogether, the analysed studies show a protective effect of the Mediterranean Diet against cardiovascular disease but present different effects against specific conditions as cerebrovascular disease and coronary heart disease. These different effects might depend on the definition of Mediterranean Diet and the indexes of the adhesion to the same one used. To compare the effects of the Mediterranean Diet against cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and stroke a univocal model of Mediterranean Diet should be established as a reference, and it might be represented by the Modern Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. The a priori index to evaluate the adhesion to Mediterranean Diet might be the Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern Score that has some advantages in comparison to the others a priori indexes.

Human papilloma virus status of penile squamous cell carcinoma is associated with differences in tumour-infiltrating T lymphocytes.

PubMed

Lohneis, Philipp; Boral, Sengül; Kaufmann, Andreas M; Lehmann, Annika; Schewe, Christiane; Dietel, Manfred; Anagnostopoulos, Ioannis; Jöhrens, Korinna

2015-03-01

Meta-analyses show that approximately half of all squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the penis are associated with a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. As data about the tumour microenvironment of HPV-positive and HPV-negative penile carcinomas is scarce and conflicting, we examined tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte populations in such cases. The HPV status of 28 penile SCCs was determined by polymerase chain reaction, while the number and distribution of different lymphocyte populations were analysed by immunohistochemistry on whole sections of paraffin-embedded tumour specimens. The average number of tumour-infiltrating T cells in HPV-associated SCC was higher than in HPV-negative SCC, and their phenotype showed strong polarization towards a T helper 1 and cytotoxic immune response. In addition, we identified more tumour-infiltrating regulatory T cells in HPV-positive carcinomas, which might represent a mechanism of immune evasion. The present study provides further evidence that the tumour microenvironment of HPV-positive carcinomas differs from that of HPV-negative carcinomas.

Food attitudes and well-being: The role of culture.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Arauz, Gloriana; Ramírez-Esparza, Nairán; Smith-Castro, Vanessa

2016-10-01

Previous cross-cultural studies have found differences in food attitudes. For example, Americans are more concerned about weight gain than people from France and India. This study aimed to add on the literature on cross-cultural differences in food attitudes by comparing Euro-Americans with Costa Ricans on three different food attitudes: concern about gaining weight, food negativity, and the belief in the link between diet and health. This study also analyzes the implications of food attitudes on well-being. Specifically, within and across cultures, analyses were done to test the relationship between food attitudes and both anxiety and depression. Results showed that Costa Ricans are significantly less concerned about weight and less food negative than Euro-Americans. In further analyses an interaction was revealed, in which Costa Ricans that are high on weight concern but low on food negativity show lower levels of depression, compared to Euro-Americans. Results and implications for further research are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integration of heterogeneous molecular networks to unravel gene-regulation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PubMed

van Dam, Jesse C J; Schaap, Peter J; Martins dos Santos, Vitor A P; Suárez-Diez, María

2014-09-26

Different methods have been developed to infer regulatory networks from heterogeneous omics datasets and to construct co-expression networks. Each algorithm produces different networks and efforts have been devoted to automatically integrate them into consensus sets. However each separate set has an intrinsic value that is diluted and partly lost when building a consensus network. Here we present a methodology to generate co-expression networks and, instead of a consensus network, we propose an integration framework where the different networks are kept and analysed with additional tools to efficiently combine the information extracted from each network. We developed a workflow to efficiently analyse information generated by different inference and prediction methods. Our methodology relies on providing the user the means to simultaneously visualise and analyse the coexisting networks generated by different algorithms, heterogeneous datasets, and a suite of analysis tools. As a show case, we have analysed the gene co-expression networks of Mycobacterium tuberculosis generated using over 600 expression experiments. Regarding DNA damage repair, we identified SigC as a key control element, 12 new targets for LexA, an updated LexA binding motif, and a potential mismatch repair system. We expanded the DevR regulon with 27 genes while identifying 9 targets wrongly assigned to this regulon. We discovered 10 new genes linked to zinc uptake and a new regulatory mechanism for ZuR. The use of co-expression networks to perform system level analysis allows the development of custom made methodologies. As show cases we implemented a pipeline to integrate ChIP-seq data and another method to uncover multiple regulatory layers. Our workflow is based on representing the multiple types of information as network representations and presenting these networks in a synchronous framework that allows their simultaneous visualization while keeping specific associations from the different networks. By simultaneously exploring these networks and metadata, we gained insights into regulatory mechanisms in M. tuberculosis that could not be obtained through the separate analysis of each data type.

Factor structure and invariance test of the alcohol use disorder identification test (AUDIT): Comparison and further validation in a U.S. and Philippines college student sample.

PubMed

Tuliao, Antover P; Landoy, Bernice Vania N; McChargue, Dennis E

2016-01-01

The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test's factor structure varies depending on population and culture. Because of this inconsistency, this article examined the factor structure of the test and conducted a factorial invariance test between a U.S. and a Philippines college sample. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a three-factor solution outperforms the one- and two-factor solution in both samples. Factorial invariance analyses further supports the confirmatory findings by showing that factor loadings were generally invariant across groups; however, item intercepts show non-invariance. Country differences between factors show that Filipino consumption factor mean scores were significantly lower than their U.S. counterparts.

On measuring bird habitat: influence of observer variability and sample size

Treesearch

William M. Block; Kimberly A. With; Michael L. Morrison

1987-01-01

We studied the effects of observer variability when estimating vegetation characteristics at 75 0.04-ha bird plots. Observer estimates were significantly different for 31 of 49 variables. Multivariate analyses showed significant interobserver differences for five of the seven classes of variables studied. Variable classes included the height, number, and diameter of...

Changing Struggles for Relevance in Eight Fields of Natural Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hessels, Laurens K.; van Lente, Harro; Grin, John; Smits, Ruud E. H. M.

2011-01-01

This paper investigates the consequences of institutional changes on academic research practices in eight fields of natural science in the Netherlands. The authors analyse the similarities and differences among the dynamics of these different fields and reflect on possible explanations for the changes observed. The study shows that the increasing…

Discovery of two new species of Crotalaria (Leguminosae, Crotalarieae) from Western Ghats, India

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Two new species of Fabaceae-Papilionoideae are described and illustrated. Crotalaria suffruticosa from Karul Ghat region of Maharashtra is morphologically close to C. albida and C. epunctata. C. multibracteata from Panhala region of Maharashtra resembles C. vestita. C. suffruticosa differs from C. albida and C. epunctata in its habit, leaf, inflorescence, callosity, keel type, stigma, style morphology and number of seeds/pod. To test if the new species differ from their morphologically most similar species, we measured various traits and performed a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). This analysis shows that the new species differs from similar species in gross morphology for several diagnostic traits and showed correlations between the variables or distance among groups and estimated the contribution of each character. Phylogenetic analyses were also conducted based on nuclear (ITS) and plastid (matK) markers. The analyses revealed nucleotide differences between the new species and their close allies attributing to their distinctiveness. A map and key including all species of Crotalaria from Maharashtra state are provided. Conservation status of the two new species have also been assessed. PMID:29447200

Discovery of two new species of Crotalaria (Leguminosae, Crotalarieae) from Western Ghats, India.

PubMed

Rather, Shabir A; Subramaniam, Shweta; Danda, Shagun; Pandey, Arun K

2018-01-01

Two new species of Fabaceae-Papilionoideae are described and illustrated. Crotalaria suffruticosa from Karul Ghat region of Maharashtra is morphologically close to C. albida and C. epunctata. C. multibracteata from Panhala region of Maharashtra resembles C. vestita. C. suffruticosa differs from C. albida and C. epunctata in its habit, leaf, inflorescence, callosity, keel type, stigma, style morphology and number of seeds/pod. To test if the new species differ from their morphologically most similar species, we measured various traits and performed a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). This analysis shows that the new species differs from similar species in gross morphology for several diagnostic traits and showed correlations between the variables or distance among groups and estimated the contribution of each character. Phylogenetic analyses were also conducted based on nuclear (ITS) and plastid (matK) markers. The analyses revealed nucleotide differences between the new species and their close allies attributing to their distinctiveness. A map and key including all species of Crotalaria from Maharashtra state are provided. Conservation status of the two new species have also been assessed.

Finite-key security analyses on passive decoy-state QKD protocols with different unstable sources.

PubMed

Song, Ting-Ting; Qin, Su-Juan; Wen, Qiao-Yan; Wang, Yu-Kun; Jia, Heng-Yue

2015-10-16

In quantum communication, passive decoy-state QKD protocols can eliminate many side channels, but the protocols without any finite-key analyses are not suitable for in practice. The finite-key securities of passive decoy-state (PDS) QKD protocols with two different unstable sources, type-II parametric down-convention (PDC) and phase randomized weak coherent pulses (WCPs), are analyzed in our paper. According to the PDS QKD protocols, we establish an optimizing programming respectively and obtain the lower bounds of finite-key rates. Under some reasonable values of quantum setup parameters, the lower bounds of finite-key rates are simulated. The simulation results show that at different transmission distances, the affections of different fluctuations on key rates are different. Moreover, the PDS QKD protocol with an unstable PDC source can resist more intensity fluctuations and more statistical fluctuation.

A construct-driven investigation of gender differences in a leadership-role assessment center.

PubMed

Anderson, Neil; Lievens, Filip; van Dam, Karen; Born, Marise

2006-05-01

This study examined gender differences in a large-scale assessment center for officer entry in the British Army. Subgroup differences were investigated for a sample of 1,857 candidates: 1,594 men and 263 women. A construct-driven approach was chosen (a) by examining gender differences at the construct level, (b) by formulating a priori hypotheses about which constructs would be susceptible to gender effects, and (c) by using both effect size statistics and latent mean analyses to investigate gender differences in assessment center ratings. Results showed that female candidates were rated notably higher on constructs reflecting an interpersonally oriented leadership style (i.e., oral communication and interaction) and on drive and determination. These results are discussed in light of role congruity theory and of the advantages of using latent mean analyses.

Health research needs more comprehensive accessibility measures: integrating time and transport modes from open data.

PubMed

Tenkanen, Henrikki; Saarsalmi, Perttu; Järv, Olle; Salonen, Maria; Toivonen, Tuuli

2016-07-28

In this paper, we demonstrate why and how both temporality and multimodality should be integrated in health related studies that include accessibility perspective, in this case healthy food accessibility. We provide evidence regarding the importance of using multimodal spatio-temporal accessibility measures when conducting research in urban contexts and propose a methodological approach for integrating different travel modes and temporality to spatial accessibility analyses. We use the Helsinki metropolitan area (Finland) as our case study region to demonstrate the effects of temporality and modality on the results. Spatial analyses were carried out on 250 m statistical grid squares. We measured travel times between the home location of inhabitants and open grocery stores providing healthy food at 5 p.m., 10 p.m., and 1 a.m. using public transportation and private cars. We applied the so-called door-to-door approach for the travel time measurements to obtain more realistic and comparable results between travel modes. The analyses are based on open access data and publicly available open-source tools, thus similar analyses can be conducted in urban regions worldwide. Our results show that both time and mode of transport have a prominent impact on the outcome of the analyses; thus, understanding the realities of accessibility in a city may be very different according to the setting of the analysis used. In terms of travel time, there is clear variation in the results at different times of the day. In terms of travel mode, our results show that when analyzed in a comparable manner, public transport can be an even faster mode than a private car to access healthy food, especially in central areas of the city where the service network is dense and public transportation system is effective. This study demonstrates that time and transport modes are essential components when modeling health-related accessibility in urban environments. Neglecting them from spatial analyses may lead to overly simplified or even erroneous images of the realities of accessibility. Hence, there is a risk that health related planning and decisions based on simplistic accessibility measures might cause unwanted outcomes in terms of inequality among different groups of people.

Meta-analyses of Adverse Effects Data Derived from Randomised Controlled Trials as Compared to Observational Studies: Methodological Overview

PubMed Central

Golder, Su; Loke, Yoon K.; Bland, Martin

2011-01-01

Background There is considerable debate as to the relative merits of using randomised controlled trial (RCT) data as opposed to observational data in systematic reviews of adverse effects. This meta-analysis of meta-analyses aimed to assess the level of agreement or disagreement in the estimates of harm derived from meta-analysis of RCTs as compared to meta-analysis of observational studies. Methods and Findings Searches were carried out in ten databases in addition to reference checking, contacting experts, citation searches, and hand-searching key journals, conference proceedings, and Web sites. Studies were included where a pooled relative measure of an adverse effect (odds ratio or risk ratio) from RCTs could be directly compared, using the ratio of odds ratios, with the pooled estimate for the same adverse effect arising from observational studies. Nineteen studies, yielding 58 meta-analyses, were identified for inclusion. The pooled ratio of odds ratios of RCTs compared to observational studies was estimated to be 1.03 (95% confidence interval 0.93–1.15). There was less discrepancy with larger studies. The symmetric funnel plot suggests that there is no consistent difference between risk estimates from meta-analysis of RCT data and those from meta-analysis of observational studies. In almost all instances, the estimates of harm from meta-analyses of the different study designs had 95% confidence intervals that overlapped (54/58, 93%). In terms of statistical significance, in nearly two-thirds (37/58, 64%), the results agreed (both studies showing a significant increase or significant decrease or both showing no significant difference). In only one meta-analysis about one adverse effect was there opposing statistical significance. Conclusions Empirical evidence from this overview indicates that there is no difference on average in the risk estimate of adverse effects of an intervention derived from meta-analyses of RCTs and meta-analyses of observational studies. This suggests that systematic reviews of adverse effects should not be restricted to specific study types. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:21559325

Sex and cognition: gender and cognitive functions.

PubMed

Hyde, Janet S

2016-06-01

Gender stereotypes hold that males outperform females in mathematics and spatial tests, and females outperform males on verbal tests. According to meta-analyses, however, among both children and adults, females perform equally to males on mathematics assessments. The gender difference in verbal skills is small and varies depending on the type of skill assessed (e.g., vocabulary, essay writing). The gender difference in 3D mental rotation shows a moderate advantage for males, but this gender difference occurs in the absence of a spatial curriculum in the schools. Meta-analyses of gender differences across a wide array of psychological qualities support the Gender Similarities Hypothesis, which states that males and females are quite similar on most-but not all-psychological variables. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calcified cartilage shape in archosaur long bones reflects overlying joint shape in stress-bearing elements: Implications for nonavian dinosaur locomotion.

PubMed

Bonnan, Matthew F; Sandrik, Jennifer L; Nishiwaki, Takahiko; Wilhite, D Ray; Elsey, Ruth M; Vittore, Christopher

2010-12-01

In nonavian dinosaur long bones, the once-living chondroepiphysis (joint surface) overlay a now-fossilized calcified cartilage zone. Although the shape of this zone is used to infer nonavian dinosaur locomotion, it remains unclear how much it reflects chondroepiphysis shape. We tested the hypothesis that calcified cartilage shape reflects the overlying chondroepiphysis in extant archosaurs. Long bones with intact epiphyses from American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis), helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), and juvenile ostriches (Struthio camelus) were measured and digitized for geometric morphometric (GM) analyses before and after chondroepiphysis removal. Removal of the chondroepiphysis resulted in significant element truncation in all examined taxa, but the amount of truncation decreased with increasing size. GM analyses revealed that Alligator show significant differences between chondroepiphysis shape and the calcified cartilage zone in the humerus, but display nonsignificant differences in femora of large individuals. In Numida, GM analysis shows significant shape differences in juvenile humeri, but humeri of adults and the femora of all guinea fowl show no significant shape difference. The juvenile Struthio sample showed significant differences in both long bones, which diminish with increasing size, a pattern confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging scans in an adult. Our data suggest that differences in extant archosaur long bone shape are greater in elements not utilized in locomotion and related stress-inducing activities. Based on our data, we propose tentative ranges of error for nonavian dinosaur long bone dimensional measurements. We also predict that calcified cartilage shape in adult, stress-bearing nonavian dinosaur long bones grossly reflects chondroepiphysis shape.

Analysis of microdissected neurons by 18O mass spectrometry reveals altered protein expression in Alzheimer's disease

PubMed Central

Hashimoto, Masakazu; Bogdanovic, Nenad; Nakagawa, Hiroyuki; Volkmann, Inga; Aoki, Mikio; Winblad, Bengt; Sakai, Jun; Tjernberg, Lars O

2012-01-01

Abstract It is evident that the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are derived from severe neuronal damage, and especially pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus are affected pathologically. Here, we analysed the proteome of hippocampal neurons, isolated from post-mortem brains by laser capture microdissection. By using 18O labelling and mass spectrometry, the relative expression levels of 150 proteins in AD and controls were estimated. Many of the identified proteins are involved in transcription and nucleotide binding, glycolysis, heat-shock response, microtubule stabilization, axonal transport or inflammation. The proteins showing the most altered expression in AD were selected for immunohistochemical analysis. These analyses confirmed the altered expression levels, and showed in many AD cases a pathological pattern. For comparison, we also analysed hippocampal sections by Western blot. The expression levels found by this method showed poor correlation with the neuron-specific analysis. Hence, we conclude that cell-specific proteome analysis reveals differences in the proteome that cannot be detected by bulk analysis. PMID:21883897

Impact of TRMM and SSM/I Rainfall Assimilation on Global Analysis and QPF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hou, Arthur; Zhang, Sara; Reale, Oreste

2002-01-01

Evaluation of QPF skills requires quantitatively accurate precipitation analyses. We show that assimilation of surface rain rates derived from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager and Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) improves quantitative precipitation estimates (QPE) and many aspects of global analyses. Short-range forecasts initialized with analyses with satellite rainfall data generally yield significantly higher QPF threat scores and better storm track predictions. These results were obtained using a variational procedure that minimizes the difference between the observed and model rain rates by correcting the moist physics tendency of the forecast model over a 6h assimilation window. In two case studies of Hurricanes Bonnie and Floyd, synoptic analysis shows that this procedure produces initial conditions with better-defined tropical storm features and stronger precipitation intensity associated with the storm.

Hydrologic characteristics of surface-mined land reclaimed by sludge irrigation, Fulton County, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patterson, G.L.; Fuentes, R.F.; Toler, L.G.

1982-01-01

Analyses of water samples collected at four stream-monitoring stations, in an area surface mined for coal and being reclaimed by sludge irrigation, show the principal metals are sodium, calcium, and magnesium and principal non-metals are chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate. Comparing yearly mean chemical concentrations shows no changing trends since reclamation began, nor are there differences between stations upstream and downstream from the site. Yearly suspended-sediment loads and discharge relations upstream and downstream from the site also show no differences. Discharge hydrographs of two streams draining the site show a delayed response to precipitation due to the storage capacity of several upstream strip-mine lakes. The water-table surface generally follows the irregular topography. Monthly water-level fluctuations were dependent on the surface material (mined or unmined) and proximity to surface discharge. The largest fluctuations were in unmined land away from discharge while the smallest were in mined land near discharge. The water table is closer to the surface in unmined land. Analyses of water samples from 70 wells within or adjacent to the reclamation site showed no differences in water quality which could be attributed to sludge or supernatant application. Samples from wells in mined land, however, had higher concentrations of dissolved sulfate, calcium, magnesium, chloride, iron, zinc, and manganese than samples from wells in unmined land. (USGS)

Analysis of non locality proofs in Quantum Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisticò, Giuseppe

2012-02-01

Two kinds of non-locality theorems in Quantum Mechanics are taken into account: the theorems based on the criterion of reality and the quite different theorem proposed by Stapp. In the present work the analyses of the theorem due to Greenberger, Horne, Shimony and Zeilinger, based on the criterion of reality, and of Stapp's argument are shown. The results of these analyses show that the alleged violations of locality cannot be considered definitive.

On the nature of motivational orientations: implications of assessed goals and gender differences for motivational goal theory.

PubMed

Alonso-Tapia, Jesús; Huertas, Juan A; Ruiz, Miguel A

2010-05-01

In a historical revision of the achievement goal construct, Elliot (2005) recognized that there is little consensus on whether the term "goal" in "achievement goal orientations" (GO) is best represented as an "aim", as an overarching orientation encompassing several "aims", or as a combination of aims and other processes -self-regulation, etc.-. Elliot pointed also that goal theory research provides evidence for different models of GO. As there were no consensus on these issues, we decided to get evidence about the nature and structure of GO, about the role of gender differences in the configuration of such structure, and about relations between GO, expectancies, volitional processes and achievement. A total of 382 university students from different faculties of two public universities of Madrid (Spain) that voluntarily accepted to fill in a questionnaire that assessed different goals, expectancies and self-regulatory processes participated in the study. Scales reliability, confirmatory factor analyses, multiple-group analyses, and correlation and regression analyses were carried out. Results support the trichotomous model of GO, the consideration of GO as a combination of aims and other psychological processes, showed some gender differences and favour the adoption of a multiple goal perspective for explaining students' motivation.

Coexisting Disadvantages in later Life: Demographic and Socio-Economic Inequalities.

PubMed

Heap, Josephine; Fors, Stefan; Lennartsson, Carin

2017-01-01

In this study, we aimed to identify which of certain demographic and socio-economic groups in the oldest part of the population that have an increased probability of experiencing simultaneous disadvantages in different life domains - here termed coexisting disadvantages. To do so, we compared analyses of coexisting disadvantages, measured as two or more simultaneous disadvantages, with analyses of single disadvantages and specific combinations of disadvantages. Indicators of physical health problems, ADL limitations, psychological health problems, limited financial resources, and limited social resources were included. We used nationally representative data from 2011 on people aged 76 and older in Sweden ( n  = 765). Results showed that coexisting disadvantages were associated with specific demographic and socio-economic groups, particularly certain marital status groups. Moreover, the differences between the demographic and socio-economic groups were only found for those who reported coexisting disadvantages, and not for those who reported only one disadvantage, which suggests that demographic and social factors become more important as disadvantages compound. Further, we analysed pairwise combinations of disadvantages. We found that different combinations of disadvantages tended to be associated with different groups, information useful from a social planning perspective since different combinations of disadvantages may imply different needs for help and support.

Learning strategies and general cognitive ability as predictors of gender- specific academic achievement

PubMed Central

Ruffing, Stephanie; Wach, F. -Sophie; Spinath, Frank M.; Brünken, Roland; Karbach, Julia

2015-01-01

Recent research has revealed that learning behavior is associated with academic achievement at the college level, but the impact of specific learning strategies on academic success as well as gender differences therein are still not clear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in the incremental contribution of learning strategies over general cognitive ability in the prediction of academic achievement. The relationship between these variables was examined by correlation analyses. A set of t-tests was used to test for gender differences in learning strategies, whereas structural equation modeling as well as multi-group analyses were applied to investigate the incremental contribution of learning strategies for male and female students’ academic performance. The sample consisted of 461 students (mean age = 21.2 years, SD = 3.2). Correlation analyses revealed that general cognitive ability as well as the learning strategies effort, attention, and learning environment were positively correlated with academic achievement. Gender differences were found in the reported application of many learning strategies. Importantly, the prediction of achievement in structural equation modeling revealed that only effort explained incremental variance (10%) over general cognitive ability. Results of multi-group analyses showed no gender differences in this prediction model. This finding provides further knowledge regarding gender differences in learning research and the specific role of learning strategies for academic achievement. The incremental assessment of learning strategy use as well as gender-differences in their predictive value contributes to the understanding and improvement of successful academic development. PMID:26347698

Learning strategies and general cognitive ability as predictors of gender- specific academic achievement.

PubMed

Ruffing, Stephanie; Wach, F-Sophie; Spinath, Frank M; Brünken, Roland; Karbach, Julia

2015-01-01

Recent research has revealed that learning behavior is associated with academic achievement at the college level, but the impact of specific learning strategies on academic success as well as gender differences therein are still not clear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in the incremental contribution of learning strategies over general cognitive ability in the prediction of academic achievement. The relationship between these variables was examined by correlation analyses. A set of t-tests was used to test for gender differences in learning strategies, whereas structural equation modeling as well as multi-group analyses were applied to investigate the incremental contribution of learning strategies for male and female students' academic performance. The sample consisted of 461 students (mean age = 21.2 years, SD = 3.2). Correlation analyses revealed that general cognitive ability as well as the learning strategies effort, attention, and learning environment were positively correlated with academic achievement. Gender differences were found in the reported application of many learning strategies. Importantly, the prediction of achievement in structural equation modeling revealed that only effort explained incremental variance (10%) over general cognitive ability. Results of multi-group analyses showed no gender differences in this prediction model. This finding provides further knowledge regarding gender differences in learning research and the specific role of learning strategies for academic achievement. The incremental assessment of learning strategy use as well as gender-differences in their predictive value contributes to the understanding and improvement of successful academic development.

Qualitative and quantitative studies of chemical composition of sandarac resin by GC-MS.

PubMed

Kononenko, I; de Viguerie, L; Rochut, S; Walter, Ph

2017-01-01

The chemical composition of sandarac resin was investigated qualitatively and quantitatively by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Six compounds with labdane and pimarane skeletons were identified in the resin. The obtained mass spectra were interpreted and the mass spectrometric behaviour of these diterpenoids under EI conditions was described. Quantitative analysis by the method of internal standard revealed that identified diterpenoids represent only 10-30% of the analysed sample. The sandarac resin from different suppliers was analysed (from Kremer, Okhra, Color Rare, La Marchande de Couleurs, L'Atelier Montessori, Hevea). The analysis of different lumps of resins showed that the chemical composition differs from one lump to another, varying mainly in the relative distributions of the components.

Reliability analysis of different structure parameters of PCBA under drop impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, P. S.; Fan, G. M.; Liu, Y. H.

2018-03-01

The establishing process of PCBA is modelled by finite element analysis software ABAQUS. Firstly, introduce the Input-G method and the fatigue life under drop impact are introduced and the mechanism of the solder joint failure in the process of drop is analysed. The main reason of solder joint failure is that the PCB component is suffering repeated tension and compression stress during the drop impact. Finally, the equivalent stress and peel stress of different solder joint and plate-level components under different impact acceleration are also analysed. The results show that the reliability of tin-silver copper joint is better than that of tin- lead solder joint, and the fatigue life of solder joint expectancy decrease as the impact pulse amplitude increases.

Data from the Television Game Show "Friend or Foe?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalist, David E.

2004-01-01

The data discussed in this paper are from the television game show "Friend or Foe", and can be used to examine whether age, gender, race, and the amount of prize money affect contestants' strategies. The data are suitable for a variety of statistical analyses, such as descriptive statistics, testing for differences in means or proportions, and…

Differences in postural tremor dynamics with age and neurological disease.

PubMed

Morrison, Steven; Newell, Karl M; Kavanagh, Justin J

2017-06-01

The overlap of dominant tremor frequencies and similarly amplified tremor observed for Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) means differentiating between these pathologies is often difficult. As tremor exhibits non-linear properties, employing both linear and non-linear analyses may help distinguish between the tremor dynamics of aging, PD and ET. This study was designed to examine postural tremor in healthy older adults, PD and ET using standard linear and non-linear metrics. Hand and finger postural tremor was recorded in 15 healthy older adults (64 ± 6 years), 15 older individuals with PD (63 ± 6 years), and 10 persons with ET (68 ± 7 years). Linear measures of amplitude, frequency, and between-limb coupling (coherence) were performed. Non-linear measures of regularity (ApEn) and coupling (Cross-ApEn) were also used. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed for those measures that were significantly different between all groups. The results revealed that the linear measures only showed significant differences between the healthy adults and ET/PD persons, but no differences between the two neurological groups. Coherence showed higher bilateral coupling for ET but no differences in inter-limb coupling between PD and healthy subjects. However, ApEn values for finger tremor revealed significant differences between all groups, with tremor for ET persons being more regular (lower ApEn) overall. Similarly, Cross-ApEn results also showed differences between all groups, with ET persons showing strongest inter-limb coupling followed by PD and elderly. Overall, our findings point to the diagnostic potential for non-linear measures of coupling and tremor structure as biomarkers for discriminating between ET, PD and healthy persons.

Inertial Sensor Based Analysis of Lie-to-Stand Transfers in Younger and Older Adults

PubMed Central

Schwickert, Lars; Boos, Ronald; Klenk, Jochen; Bourke, Alan; Becker, Clemens; Zijlstra, Wiebren

2016-01-01

Many older adults lack the capacity to stand up again after a fall. Therefore, to analyse falls it is relevant to understand recovery patterns, including successful and failed attempts to get up from the floor in general. This study analysed different kinematic features of standing up from the floor. We used inertial sensors to describe the kinematics of lie-to-stand transfer patterns of younger and healthy older adults. Fourteen younger (20–50 years of age, 50% men) and 10 healthy older community dwellers (≥60 years; 50% men) conducted four lie-to-stand transfers from different initial lying postures. The analysed temporal, kinematic, and elliptic fitting complexity measures of transfer performance were significantly different between younger and older subjects (i.e., transfer duration, angular velocity (RMS), maximum vertical acceleration, maximum vertical velocity, smoothness, fluency, ellipse width, angle between ellipses). These results show the feasibility and potential of analysing kinematic features to describe the lie-to-stand transfer performance, to help design interventions and detection approaches to prevent long lies after falls. It is possible to describe age-related differences in lie-to-stand transfer performance using inertial sensors. The kinematic analysis remains to be tested on patterns after real-world falls. PMID:27529249

Treatment retention in a prison-based residential sex offender treatment program.

PubMed

Pelissier, Bernadette

2007-12-01

This study assessed the role of static factors, a dynamic factor (motivation to change sexually deviant behavior), and an administrative factor in predicting treatment retention within a prison-based sex offender treatment program. The analyses also included assessing differences in initial levels of motivation and differences in beginning-versus end-of-treatment motivation scores for various types of program discharges. The sample consisted of 251 individuals who were admitted to a residential prison-based sex offender treatment program where 46% completed the program. Paired comparison t-tests showed higher motivation scores at the end of treatment only among treatment completers. Multivariate analyses showed that treatment retention was associated with higher initial motivation scores, higher levels of education and admission to treatment within 3 months of initial commitment to prison. Implications for motivational enhancement programming as well as for changes in admission criteria are discussed.

Cultural bases for self-evaluation: seeing oneself positively in different cultural contexts.

PubMed

Becker, Maja; Vignoles, Vivian L; Owe, Ellinor; Easterbrook, Matthew J; Brown, Rupert; Smith, Peter B; Bond, Michael Harris; Regalia, Camillo; Manzi, Claudia; Brambilla, Maria; Aldhafri, Said; González, Roberto; Carrasco, Diego; Paz Cadena, Maria; Lay, Siugmin; Schweiger Gallo, Inge; Torres, Ana; Camino, Leoncio; Özgen, Emre; Güner, Ülkü E; Yamakoğlu, Nil; Silveira Lemos, Flávia Cristina; Trujillo, Elvia Vargas; Balanta, Paola; Macapagal, Ma Elizabeth J; Cristina Ferreira, M; Herman, Ginette; de Sauvage, Isabelle; Bourguignon, David; Wang, Qian; Fülöp, Márta; Harb, Charles; Chybicka, Aneta; Mekonnen, Kassahun Habtamu; Martin, Mariana; Nizharadze, George; Gavreliuc, Alin; Buitendach, Johanna; Valk, Aune; Koller, Silvia H

2014-05-01

Several theories propose that self-esteem, or positive self-regard, results from fulfilling the value priorities of one's surrounding culture. Yet, surprisingly little evidence exists for this assertion, and theories differ about whether individuals must personally endorse the value priorities involved. We compared the influence of four bases for self-evaluation (controlling one's life, doing one's duty, benefitting others, achieving social status) among 4,852 adolescents across 20 cultural samples, using an implicit, within-person measurement technique to avoid cultural response biases. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses showed that participants generally derived feelings of self-esteem from all four bases, but especially from those that were most consistent with the value priorities of others in their cultural context. Multilevel analyses confirmed that the bases of positive self-regard are sustained collectively: They are predictably moderated by culturally normative values but show little systematic variation with personally endorsed values.

[Influence of physiologic 17 beta-estradiol concentrations on gene E6 expression in HVP type 18 in vitro].

PubMed

Dziubińska-Parol, Izabella; Gasowska, Urszula; Rzymowska, Jolanta; Kwaśniewska, Anna

2003-09-01

Many recent studies indicate that long term use of contraceptives is a strong risk factor in the development of cervical cancer. Steroid hormones, in persistent papilloma virus infection act on various levels, one of them is enhancing transforming activity of the virus. The aim of the study was to estimate if physiological concentrations of 17 beta-estradiol could influence expression of viral transforming genes. HeLa cell lines were incubated with three different physiological concentrations and and on the third day of incubation the level of E6 gene expression was determined. Results show no differences in expression between the control culter, and cultures incubated with physiological concentrations. It indicates that normal levels of 17 beta-estradiol don't play role in transforming process but it also shows need to analyse higher levels of hormones by quantitative analyses in prospective studies.

[Burden of mothers and fathers of persons with schizophrenia].

PubMed

Friedrich, Fabian; Gross, Rainer; Wrobel, Margit; Klug, Günter; Unger, Annemarie; Fellinger, Matthäus; Süßenbacher, Stefanie; Freidl, Marion; Saumer, Gertraud; Wancata, Johannes

2015-05-01

Most studies about the burden of schizophrenia carers included only one care-giving relative, usually the patients' mothers. The present study intended to analyse differences of the level of burden between mothers and fathers of the same patients. 101 mothers and 101 fathers of the same patients suffering from schizophrenia were included into this study. They were assessed by means of the "Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire" and the "Carers' Needs Assessment for Schizophrenia". Mothers showed significantly higher scores than fathers regarding the subscores "Tensions" and "Urging". Multiple linear regression analyses showed positive associations between the frequency of mothers' as well as fathers' unmet needs and dimensions of caregiver involvement. Unmet needs among mothers and fathers have negative effects on their burden. The differences between mothers and fathers indicate the importance of considering the carer's gender in clinical work. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Composition of ribonucleic acid from various parts of spider oocytes.

PubMed

EDSTROM, J E

1960-09-01

Microphoretic purine-pyrimidine analyses of the ribonucleic acid (RNA) in nucleoli, nucleoplasm, cytoplasm, and yolk nuclei of spider oocytes have been carried out. The material necessary for the analyses was isolated by micromanipulation. Determinations of the amounts of RNA in the different parts of the cell were also performed. No differences between the composition of RNA in the nucleolus and the cytoplasm could be disclosed. Nucleoplasmic RNA was, on the other hand, distinctly different from that in the nucleolus and in the cytoplasm. The difference lies in the content of adenine, which is highest in nucleoplasmic RNA. The few analyses carried out on yolk nuclei showed their RNA to be variable in composition with a tendency to high purine values. The cytoplasm contains about 99 per cent of the total RNA in these cells, the nucleoplasm about 1 per cent, and the nucleolus not more than 0.3 per cent, although the highest concentrations are found in these latter structures. When considered in the light of other recent findings the results are compatible with the view that nucleolar RNA is the precursor of cytoplasmic RNA.

Comparative study of smile analysis by subjective and computerized methods.

PubMed

Basting, Roberta Tarkany; da Trindade, Rita de Cássia Silva; Flório, Flávia Martão

2006-01-01

This study compared: 1) the subjective analyses of a smile done by specialists with advanced training and by general dentists; 2) the subjective analysis of a smile, or that associated with the face, by specialists with advanced training and general dentists; 3) subjective analysis using a computerized analysis of the smile by specialists with advanced training, verifying the midline, labial line, smile line, the line between commissures and the golden proportion. The sample consisted of 100 adults with natural dentition; 200 photographs were taken (100 of the smile and 100 of the entire face). Computerized analysis using AutoCAD software was performed, together with the subjective analyses of 2 groups of professionals (3 general dentists and 3 specialists with advanced training), using the following assessment factors: the midline, labial line, smile line, line between the commissures and the golden proportion. The smile itself and the smile associated with the entire face were recorded as being agreeable or not agreeable by the professionals. The McNemar test showed a highly significant difference (p=0.0000) among the subjective analyses performed by specialists compared to general dentists. Between the 2 groups of dental professionals, there were highly significant differences (p=0.0000) found between the subjective analyses of the smile and that of the face. The McNemar test showed statistical differences in all factors assessed, with the exception of the midline (p=0.1951), when the computerized analysis and subjective analysis of the specialists were compared. In order to establish harmony of the smile, it was not possible to establish a greater or lesser relevance among the factors analyzed.

Long working hours and sickness absence-a fixed effects design.

PubMed

Bernstrøm, Vilde Hoff

2018-05-02

While long working hours seem to lead to impaired health, several studies have also shown that long working hours are related to lower levels of sickness absence. Previous studies on the relationship between long working hours and sickness absence have compared those who work long hours to those who do not, looking only at between-individual correlations. Those results might therefore reflect relatively stable differences between employees who typically work long hours and employees who typically do not. The aim of the present study is to examine within-individual correlations between long working hours and sickness absence. Records from the Human Resources department in a large Norwegian hospital from 2012 to 2015 provided objective data on both working hours and sickness absence. Two analyses were performed: a prospective cohort analysis to replicate the results from previous between-individual analyses and a second analysis of within-individual correlations using a fixed effect design. In line with existing research, both between-individual and within-individual analyses showed a negative relationship between long working hours (> 48 h/week) and short-term sickness absence (1-8 days) and no significant difference in incidence of long-term sickness absence (> 8 days). The results indicate that the negative relationship between long working hours and sickness absence is not due only to relatively stable individual differences between those who typically work long hours and those who do not. The results from both analyses therefore still contrast with previous research showing a negative relationship between long working hours and other health indicators.

East-West gradient in cardio-vascular mortality in Austria: how much can we explain by following the pattern of risk factors?

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Various studies show major regional differences in the prevalence of cardio-vascular disease morbidity and mortality, both in Europe and within European countries. In Austria, these differences are documented by an East-West gradient with declining morbidity and mortality rates when moving from the East to the West of the country. It was the aim of this study to analyse if, and to what extent, socio-demographic and socio-economic determinants, social resources and health behaviour can contribute to the clarification of this East-West gradient by conducting secondary analyses of an existing Austrian health dataset. Results The data were analysed using bivariate analyses, as well as univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. These analyses revealed significant East-West gradients for various risk factors, as well as socio-demographic and socio-economic health determinants. There was a gradual decrease of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and psycho-social discomfort in both sexes, with the highest prevalences in those Austrian regions with the highest cardio-vascular mortality and a stepwise decrease to the regions with the lowest cardio-vascular mortality. Controlling for educational level significantly raised the odds for diabetes, hypertension and obesity. In the results of the multivariate analyses, factors that significantly and independently predicted diabetes mellitus were geographic location, psycho-social discomfort, lack of physical exercise, and age in both sexes. For women these factors additionally included a low educational level, lack of social support, and being born abroad. Conclusions Our study shows a clear gradual decline of cardio-vascular mortality and some of its risk factors from East to West in Austria. Concerning these risk factors, the geographic region and psycho-social discomfort showed the greatest association with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obesity. Hence, they contribute to the explanation of the variance in spatial cardio-vascular disease mortality. Yet, a large proportion of this variance remains unexplained. It would be of great importance to public health and preventive measures to take a closer look at spatial differences in cardio-vascular disease morbidity and mortality to better tailor programmes to the regional environments and settings. Our results also call for a greater importance of preventative measures for psycho-social discomfort and increase of social support. PMID:22082341

Systematic review finds that study data not published in full text articles have unclear impact on meta-analyses results in medical research.

PubMed

Schmucker, Christine M; Blümle, Anette; Schell, Lisa K; Schwarzer, Guido; Oeller, Patrick; Cabrera, Laura; von Elm, Erik; Briel, Matthias; Meerpohl, Joerg J

2017-01-01

A meta-analysis as part of a systematic review aims to provide a thorough, comprehensive and unbiased statistical summary of data from the literature. However, relevant study results could be missing from a meta-analysis because of selective publication and inadequate dissemination. If missing outcome data differ systematically from published ones, a meta-analysis will be biased with an inaccurate assessment of the intervention effect. As part of the EU-funded OPEN project (www.open-project.eu) we conducted a systematic review that assessed whether the inclusion of data that were not published at all and/or published only in the grey literature influences pooled effect estimates in meta-analyses and leads to different interpretation. Systematic review of published literature (methodological research projects). Four bibliographic databases were searched up to February 2016 without restriction of publication year or language. Methodological research projects were considered eligible for inclusion if they reviewed a cohort of meta-analyses which (i) compared pooled effect estimates of meta-analyses of health care interventions according to publication status of data or (ii) examined whether the inclusion of unpublished or grey literature data impacts the result of a meta-analysis. Seven methodological research projects including 187 meta-analyses comparing pooled treatment effect estimates according to different publication status were identified. Two research projects showed that published data showed larger pooled treatment effects in favour of the intervention than unpublished or grey literature data (Ratio of ORs 1.15, 95% CI 1.04-1.28 and 1.34, 95% CI 1.09-1.66). In the remaining research projects pooled effect estimates and/or overall findings were not significantly changed by the inclusion of unpublished and/or grey literature data. The precision of the pooled estimate was increased with narrower 95% confidence interval. Although we may anticipate that systematic reviews and meta-analyses not including unpublished or grey literature study results are likely to overestimate the treatment effects, current empirical research shows that this is only the case in a minority of reviews. Therefore, currently, a meta-analyst should particularly consider time, effort and costs when adding such data to their analysis. Future research is needed to identify which reviews may benefit most from including unpublished or grey data.

Systematic review finds that study data not published in full text articles have unclear impact on meta-analyses results in medical research

PubMed Central

Blümle, Anette; Schell, Lisa K.; Schwarzer, Guido; Oeller, Patrick; Cabrera, Laura; von Elm, Erik; Briel, Matthias; Meerpohl, Joerg J.

2017-01-01

Background A meta-analysis as part of a systematic review aims to provide a thorough, comprehensive and unbiased statistical summary of data from the literature. However, relevant study results could be missing from a meta-analysis because of selective publication and inadequate dissemination. If missing outcome data differ systematically from published ones, a meta-analysis will be biased with an inaccurate assessment of the intervention effect. As part of the EU-funded OPEN project (www.open-project.eu) we conducted a systematic review that assessed whether the inclusion of data that were not published at all and/or published only in the grey literature influences pooled effect estimates in meta-analyses and leads to different interpretation. Methods and findings Systematic review of published literature (methodological research projects). Four bibliographic databases were searched up to February 2016 without restriction of publication year or language. Methodological research projects were considered eligible for inclusion if they reviewed a cohort of meta-analyses which (i) compared pooled effect estimates of meta-analyses of health care interventions according to publication status of data or (ii) examined whether the inclusion of unpublished or grey literature data impacts the result of a meta-analysis. Seven methodological research projects including 187 meta-analyses comparing pooled treatment effect estimates according to different publication status were identified. Two research projects showed that published data showed larger pooled treatment effects in favour of the intervention than unpublished or grey literature data (Ratio of ORs 1.15, 95% CI 1.04–1.28 and 1.34, 95% CI 1.09–1.66). In the remaining research projects pooled effect estimates and/or overall findings were not significantly changed by the inclusion of unpublished and/or grey literature data. The precision of the pooled estimate was increased with narrower 95% confidence interval. Conclusions Although we may anticipate that systematic reviews and meta-analyses not including unpublished or grey literature study results are likely to overestimate the treatment effects, current empirical research shows that this is only the case in a minority of reviews. Therefore, currently, a meta-analyst should particularly consider time, effort and costs when adding such data to their analysis. Future research is needed to identify which reviews may benefit most from including unpublished or grey data. PMID:28441452

Analytical performance, agreement and user-friendliness of six point-of-care testing urine analysers for urinary tract infection in general practice

PubMed Central

Schot, Marjolein J C; van Delft, Sanne; Kooijman-Buiting, Antoinette M J; de Wit, Niek J; Hopstaken, Rogier M

2015-01-01

Objective Various point-of-care testing (POCT) urine analysers are commercially available for routine urine analysis in general practice. The present study compares analytical performance, agreement and user-friendliness of six different POCT urine analysers for diagnosing urinary tract infection in general practice. Setting All testing procedures were performed at a diagnostic centre for primary care in the Netherlands. Urine samples were collected at four general practices. Primary and secondary outcome measures Analytical performance and agreement of the POCT analysers regarding nitrite, leucocytes and erythrocytes, with the laboratory reference standard, was the primary outcome measure, and analysed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and Cohen's κ coefficient for agreement. Secondary outcome measures were the user-friendliness of the POCT analysers, in addition to other characteristics of the analysers. Results The following six POCT analysers were evaluated: Uryxxon Relax (Macherey Nagel), Urisys 1100 (Roche), Clinitek Status (Siemens), Aution 11 (Menarini), Aution Micro (Menarini) and Urilyzer (Analyticon). Analytical performance was good for all analysers. Compared with laboratory reference standards, overall agreement was good, but differed per parameter and per analyser. Concerning the nitrite test, the most important test for clinical practice, all but one showed perfect agreement with the laboratory standard. For leucocytes and erythrocytes specificity was high, but sensitivity was considerably lower. Agreement for leucocytes varied between good to very good, and for the erythrocyte test between fair and good. First-time users indicated that the analysers were easy to use. They expected higher productivity and accuracy when using these analysers in daily practice. Conclusions The overall performance and user-friendliness of all six commercially available POCT urine analysers was sufficient to justify routine use in suspected urinary tract infections in general practice. PMID:25986635

Comparing Efficiency of Public Universities among European Countries: Different Incentives Lead to Different Performances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agasisti, Tommaso; Haelermans, Carla

2016-01-01

This paper analyses the relationship between the public funding systems of higher education in Italy and the Netherlands and their universities' performances. Empirically, an efficiency analysis on 13 Dutch and 58 Italian public universities is conducted. The findings show that the relative efficiency of Italian and Dutch universities is strongly…

Fluid inclusion chemistry of adularia-sericite epithermal Au-Ag deposits of the southern Hauraki Goldfield, New Zealand

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simpson, Mark P.; Strmic Palinkas, Sabina; Mauk, Jeffrey L.; Bodnar, Robert J.

2015-01-01

LA-ICP-MS analyses show that in some cases different fluid inclusion assemblages (FIAs) within a single sample trapped fluids with variable chemistries. These differences likely reflect modification of a single parent fluid through mineral dissolution and precipitation, water/rock interactions, boiling and vapor loss, conductive cooling, and mixing.

Perceptions of Friendship Quality and Observed Behaviors with Friends: How Do Sociometrically Rejected, Average, and Popular Girls Differ?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lansford, Jennifer E.; Putallaz, Martha; Grimes, Christina L.; Schiro-Osman, Kimberlea A.; Kupersmidt, Janis B.; Coie, John D.

2006-01-01

This study examined associations between sociometric status and friendship quality using observational and questionnaire data from 139 fourth-grade girls and their friends. Multivariate analyses of covariance (controlling for ethnicity and socioeconomic status) showed that rejected girls and their friends did not differ in their reported…

Using Technology to Break Gender Barriers: Gender Differences in Teachers' Information and Communication Technology Use in Saudi Arabian Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiseman, Alexander W.; Al-bakr, Fawziah; Davidson, Petrina M.; Bruce, Elizabeth

2018-01-01

How does teachers' gender influence their information and communication technology-based instruction in Saudi Arabian government schools? Using unique data collected in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2014, the analyses presented here show that male and female teachers in intermediate school classrooms differently use information and communication…

Variation of facial features among three African populations: Body height match analyses.

PubMed

Taura, M G; Adamu, L H; Gudaji, A

2017-01-01

Body height is one of the variables that show a correlation with facial craniometry. Here we seek to discriminate the three populations (Nigerians, Ugandans and Kenyans) using facial craniometry based on different categories of body height of adult males. A total of 513 individuals comprising 234 Nigerians, 169 Ugandans and 110 Kenyans with mean age of 25.27, s=5.13 (18-40 years) participated. Paired and unpaired facial features were measured using direct craniometry. Multivariate and stepwise discriminate function analyses were used for differentiation of the three populations. The result showed significant overall facial differences among the three populations in all the body height categories. Skull height, total facial height, outer canthal distance, exophthalmometry, right ear width and nasal length were significantly different among the three different populations irrespective of body height categories. Other variables were sensitive to body height. Stepwise discriminant function analyses included maximum of six variables for better discrimination between the three populations. The single best discriminator of the groups was total facial height, however, for body height >1.70m the single best discriminator was nasal length. Most of the variables were better used with function 1, hence, better discrimination than function 2. In conclusion, adult body height in addition to other factors such as age, sex, and ethnicity should be considered in making decision on facial craniometry. However, not all the facial linear dimensions were sensitive to body height. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Finite-key security analyses on passive decoy-state QKD protocols with different unstable sources

PubMed Central

Song, Ting-Ting; Qin, Su-Juan; Wen, Qiao-Yan; Wang, Yu-Kun; Jia, Heng-Yue

2015-01-01

In quantum communication, passive decoy-state QKD protocols can eliminate many side channels, but the protocols without any finite-key analyses are not suitable for in practice. The finite-key securities of passive decoy-state (PDS) QKD protocols with two different unstable sources, type-II parametric down-convention (PDC) and phase randomized weak coherent pulses (WCPs), are analyzed in our paper. According to the PDS QKD protocols, we establish an optimizing programming respectively and obtain the lower bounds of finite-key rates. Under some reasonable values of quantum setup parameters, the lower bounds of finite-key rates are simulated. The simulation results show that at different transmission distances, the affections of different fluctuations on key rates are different. Moreover, the PDS QKD protocol with an unstable PDC source can resist more intensity fluctuations and more statistical fluctuation. PMID:26471947

[Adherence to a mediterranean diet and sport performance in a elite female athletes futsal population].

PubMed

Rubio-Arias, Jacobo Ángel; Ramos Campo, Domingo Jesús; Ruiloba Nuñez, Juana María; Carrasco Poyatos, María; Alcaraz Ramón, Pedro Emilio; Jiménez Díaz, Fernando José

2015-05-01

Low energy intake may lead to the loss of muscle mass, menstrual dysfunction, increased risk of fatigue, injures and the need for prolonged recovery process. 1) To analyse the adherence to the Mediterranean diet of a elite female athletes futsal population, 2) To analyse the relationship between the Dietary Mediterranean index, body composition and sport performance, and 3) To analyse if the differences in the index of adherence to the Mediterranean diet generates test differences in sports performance and body composition. The adherence to a Mediterranean Diet, body composition test, isokinetic test, vertical jump test (CMJ and SJ), kicking ball, speed test and test Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) was measured. we found that 7 out of 12 players (58.33%) showed a low index and 5 of the 12 players (41.67%) showed a means index. We found that 7 out of 12 players (58.33%) showed a low index and 5 of the 12 players (41.67%) below the optimum index. Moreover, this adhesion index did not correlate with the values of the body composition or athletic performance test. No significant differences between the players that scored below the optimal index with those with a low level of adhesion were observed. However, mass fat (%) correlated to the ability to repeat sprint. Low levels of adherence to the Mediterranean diet was observed in futsal players, the values shown in the KIDMED questionnaire did not correlate with the performance of the players nor body composition. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Effect of substituent of terpyridines on the in vitro antioxidant, antitubercular, biocidal and fluorescence studies of copper(II) complexes with clioquinol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kharadi, G. J.

2014-01-01

An octahedral complexes of copper with clioquinol(CQ) and substituted terpyridine have been synthesized. The Cu(II) complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, thermogravimetric analyses, magnetic moment measurements, FT-IR, electronic, 1H NMR and FAB mass spectra. Antimycobacterial screening of ligand and its copper compound against Mycobacterium tuberculosis shows clear enhancement in the antitubercular activity upon copper complexation. Ferric-reducing anti-oxidant power of all complexes were measured. The fluorescence spectra of complexes show red shift, which may be due to the chelation by the ligands to the metal ion. It enhances ligand ability to accept electrons and decreases the electron transition energy. The antimicrobial efficiency of the complexes were tested on five different microorganisms and showed good biological activity.

Mineral Types and Tree Species Determine the Functional and Taxonomic Structures of Forest Soil Bacterial Communities.

PubMed

Colin, Y; Nicolitch, O; Turpault, M-P; Uroz, S

2017-03-01

Although minerals represent important soil constituents, their impact on the diversity and structure of soil microbial communities remains poorly documented. In this study, pure mineral particles with various chemistries (i.e., obsidian, apatite, and calcite) were considered. Each mineral type was conditioned in mesh bags and incubated in soil below different tree stands (beech, coppice with standards, and Corsican pine) for 2.5 years to determine the relative impacts of mineralogy and mineral weatherability on the taxonomic and functional diversities of mineral-associated bacterial communities. After this incubation period, the minerals and the surrounding bulk soil were collected to determine mass loss and to perform soil analyses, enzymatic assays, and cultivation-dependent and -independent analyses. Notably, our 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing analyses revealed that after the 2.5-year incubation period, the mineral-associated bacterial communities strongly differed from those of the surrounding bulk soil for all tree stands considered. When focusing only on minerals, our analyses showed that the bacterial communities associated with calcite, the less recalcitrant mineral type, significantly differed from those that colonized obsidian and apatite minerals. The cultivation-dependent analysis revealed significantly higher abundances of effective mineral-weathering bacteria on the most recalcitrant minerals (i.e., apatite and obsidian). Together, our data showed an enrichment of Betaproteobacteria and effective mineral-weathering bacteria related to the Burkholderia and Collimonas genera on the minerals, suggesting a key role for these taxa in mineral weathering and nutrient cycling in nutrient-poor forest ecosystems. IMPORTANCE Forests are usually developed on nutrient-poor and rocky soils, while nutrient-rich soils have been dedicated to agriculture. In this context, nutrient recycling and nutrient access are key processes in such environments. Deciphering how soil mineralogy influences the diversity, structure, and function of soil bacterial communities in relation to the soil conditions is crucial to better understanding the relative role of the soil bacterial communities in nutrient cycling and plant nutrition in nutrient-poor environments. The present study determined in detail the diversity and structure of bacterial communities associated with different mineral types incubated for 2.5 years in the soil under different tree species using cultivation-dependent and -independent analyses. Our data showed an enrichment of specific bacterial taxa on the minerals, specifically on the most weathered minerals, suggesting that they play key roles in mineral weathering and nutrient cycling in nutrient-poor forest ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Mineral Types and Tree Species Determine the Functional and Taxonomic Structures of Forest Soil Bacterial Communities

PubMed Central

Colin, Y.; Nicolitch, O.; Turpault, M.-P.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Although minerals represent important soil constituents, their impact on the diversity and structure of soil microbial communities remains poorly documented. In this study, pure mineral particles with various chemistries (i.e., obsidian, apatite, and calcite) were considered. Each mineral type was conditioned in mesh bags and incubated in soil below different tree stands (beech, coppice with standards, and Corsican pine) for 2.5 years to determine the relative impacts of mineralogy and mineral weatherability on the taxonomic and functional diversities of mineral-associated bacterial communities. After this incubation period, the minerals and the surrounding bulk soil were collected to determine mass loss and to perform soil analyses, enzymatic assays, and cultivation-dependent and -independent analyses. Notably, our 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing analyses revealed that after the 2.5-year incubation period, the mineral-associated bacterial communities strongly differed from those of the surrounding bulk soil for all tree stands considered. When focusing only on minerals, our analyses showed that the bacterial communities associated with calcite, the less recalcitrant mineral type, significantly differed from those that colonized obsidian and apatite minerals. The cultivation-dependent analysis revealed significantly higher abundances of effective mineral-weathering bacteria on the most recalcitrant minerals (i.e., apatite and obsidian). Together, our data showed an enrichment of Betaproteobacteria and effective mineral-weathering bacteria related to the Burkholderia and Collimonas genera on the minerals, suggesting a key role for these taxa in mineral weathering and nutrient cycling in nutrient-poor forest ecosystems. IMPORTANCE Forests are usually developed on nutrient-poor and rocky soils, while nutrient-rich soils have been dedicated to agriculture. In this context, nutrient recycling and nutrient access are key processes in such environments. Deciphering how soil mineralogy influences the diversity, structure, and function of soil bacterial communities in relation to the soil conditions is crucial to better understanding the relative role of the soil bacterial communities in nutrient cycling and plant nutrition in nutrient-poor environments. The present study determined in detail the diversity and structure of bacterial communities associated with different mineral types incubated for 2.5 years in the soil under different tree species using cultivation-dependent and -independent analyses. Our data showed an enrichment of specific bacterial taxa on the minerals, specifically on the most weathered minerals, suggesting that they play key roles in mineral weathering and nutrient cycling in nutrient-poor forest ecosystems. PMID:28003192

Is the pattern of intellectual growth and decline across the adult life span different for men and women?

PubMed

Kaufman, A S; Kaufman-Packer, J L; McLean, J E; Reynolds, C R

1991-11-01

Gender comparisons on the WAIS-R were made for 1,480 adults from the standardization sample, ages 20-74 years, to determine whether men and women differ in their age-related patterns of change on tests of fluid and crystallized abilities. Multivariate analyses of covariance and univariate analyses of covariance were conducted, covarying education, to examine the age + gender interactions. These interactions tended to be nonsignificant and trivial for the WAIS-R Verbal and Performance scales and the 11 subtests, which suggests that both men and women maintain their crystallized abilities through old age, but show early, rapid declines in fluid ability. These results were interpreted in terms of the literature on aging and intelligence, gender differences in cognitive abilities, and gender differences in V-P patterns for patients with unilateral brain damage.

Intraoral laser welding: ultrastructural and mechanical analysis to compare laboratory laser and dental laser.

PubMed

Fornaini, Carlo; Passaretti, Francesca; Villa, Elena; Rocca, Jean-Paul; Merigo, Elisabetta; Vescovi, Paolo; Meleti, Marco; Manfredi, Maddalena; Nammour, Samir

2011-07-01

The Nd:YAG laser has been used since 1970 in dental laboratories to weld metals on dental prostheses. Recently in several clinical cases, we have suggested that the Nd:YAG laser device commonly utilized in the dental office could be used to repair broken fixed, removable and orthodontic prostheses and to weld metals directly in the mouth. The aim of this work was to evaluate, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), the quality of the weld and its mechanical strength, comparing a device normally used in dental laboratory and a device normally used in the dental office for oral surgery, the same as that described for intraoral welding. Metal plates of a Co-Cr-Mo dental alloy and steel orthodontic wires were subjected to four welding procedures: welding without filler metal using the laboratory laser, welding with filler metal using the laboratory laser, welding without filler metal using the office laser, and welding with filler metal using the office laser. The welded materials were then analysed by SEM, EDS and DMA. SEM analysis did not show significant differences between the samples although the plates welded using the office laser without filler metal showed a greater number of fissures than the other samples. EDS microanalysis of the welding zone showed a homogeneous composition of the metals. Mechanical tests showed similar elastic behaviours of the samples, with minimal differences between the samples welded with the two devices. No wire broke even under the maximum force applied by the analyser. This study seems to demonstrate that the welds produced using the office Nd:YAG laser device and the laboratory Nd:YAG laser device, as analysed by SEM, EDS and DMA, showed minimal and nonsignificant differences, although these findings need to be confirmed using a greater number of samples.

Demographics, Affect, and Adolescents' Health Behaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terre, Lisa; And Others

1992-01-01

Examined relationship between affect, demographics, and health-related lifestyle among 139 public high school students. Data analyses revealed distinctive demographic and affective correlates of different health behaviors. No one variable uniformly predicted adolescents' health behaviors. Demographics and affect showed differential relationships…

The Two-Word Stage: Motivated by Linguistic or Cognitive Constraints?

PubMed Central

Berk, Stephanie; Lillo-Martin, Diane

2012-01-01

Child development researchers often discuss a “two-word” stage during language acquisition. However, there is still debate over whether the existence of this stage reflects primarily cognitive or linguistic constraints. Analyses of longitudinal data from two Deaf children, Mei and Cal, not exposed to an accessible first language (American Sign Language - ASL) until the age of 6 years, suggest that a linguistic constraint is observed when cognition is relatively spared. These older children acquiring a first language after delayed exposure exhibit aspects of a two-word stage of language development. Results from intelligence assessments, achievement tests, drawing tasks, and qualitative cognitive analyses show that Mei and Cal are at least of average intelligence and ability. However, results from language analyses clearly show differences from both age peers and younger native signers in the early two-word stage, providing new insights into the nature of this phase of language development. PMID:22475876

Microprobe studies of microtomed particles of white druse salts in shergottite EETA 79001

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindstrom, D. J.

1991-01-01

The white druse material in Antarctic shergottite EETA 79001 has attracted much attention as a possible sample fo Martian aqueous deposits. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) was used to determine trace element analyses of small particles of this material obtained by handpicking of likely grains from broken surfaces of the meteorite. Electron microprobe work was attempted on grain areas as large as 150x120 microns. Backscattered electron images show considerable variations in brightness, and botryoidal structures were observed. Microprobe analyses showed considerable variability both within single particles and between different particles. Microtomed surfaces of small selected particles were shown to be very useful in obtaining information on the texture and composition of rare lithologies like the white druse of EETA 79001. This material is clearly heterogeneous on all distance scales, so a large number of further analyses will be required to characterize it.

Oral and Written Expression in Children With Reading Comprehension Difficulties.

PubMed

Carretti, Barbara; Motta, Eleonora; Re, Anna Maria

2016-01-01

Several studies have highlighted that children with reading comprehension difficulties also have problems in tasks that involve telling a story, in writing or verbally. The main differences identified regard poor comprehenders' lower level of coherence in their productions by comparison with good comprehenders. Only one study has compared poor and good comprehenders' performance in both modalities (oral and written), however, to see whether these modalities differently influence poor comprehenders' performance. We qualitatively and quantitatively compared the performance of good and poor comprehenders in oral and written narrative tasks with the aim of shedding light on this issue. Regression analyses were also used to explore the role of working memory and vocabulary in explaining individual differences. Our results showed that the two groups produced narratives of comparable length, with similar percentages of spelling mistakes, whereas they differed in terms of the quality of their narratives, regardless of the modality. These differences were qualified by analyzing the children's use of connective devices, and poor comprehenders were found to use a higher proportion of additive devices than good comprehenders. Regression analyses showed that working memory (particularly the intrusion errors measure) explained a modest part of the qualitative differences in narrative production. Implications for our theoretical understanding of poor comprehenders' profiles and education are discussed. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

Three WRKY transcription factors additively repress abscisic acid and gibberellin signaling in aleurone cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Liyuan; Gu, Lingkun; Ringler, Patricia; Smith, Stanley; Rushton, Paul J; Shen, Qingxi J

2015-07-01

Members of the WRKY transcription factor superfamily are essential for the regulation of many plant pathways. Functional redundancy due to duplications of WRKY transcription factors, however, complicates genetic analysis by allowing single-mutant plants to maintain wild-type phenotypes. Our analyses indicate that three group I WRKY genes, OsWRKY24, -53, and -70, act in a partially redundant manner. All three showed characteristics of typical WRKY transcription factors: each localized to nuclei and yeast one-hybrid assays indicated that they all bind to W-boxes, including those present in their own promoters. Quantitative real time-PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses indicated that the expression levels of the three WRKY genes varied in the different tissues tested. Particle bombardment-mediated transient expression analyses indicated that all three genes repress the GA and ABA signaling in a dosage-dependent manner. Combination of all three WRKY genes showed additive antagonism of ABA and GA signaling. These results suggest that these WRKY proteins function as negative transcriptional regulators of GA and ABA signaling. However, different combinations of these WRKY genes can lead to varied strengths in suppression of their targets. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nutritional composition analysis of meat from human lactoferrin transgenic bulls.

PubMed

Zhao, Jie; Xu, Jianxiang; Wang, Jianwu; Li, Ning

2013-01-01

Transgenic technology has many potential advantages in food production. However, the transgenic technology process may influence the composition of food products derived from genetically engineered (GE) animals, which may be adverse to human health. Therefore, it is very important to research the compositions of GE animal products. Here, we analyzed the compositions of meat from the offspring of human lactoferrin (hLF) transgenic cows, which can express human lactoferrin proteins in their mammary gland. Six hLF transgenic bulls and three wide-type (WT) bulls, 10 months of age, were slaughtered for meat composition analysis. To determine the comparative health of hLF bulls for meat analysis, hematological analyses, organ/body weight analyses and pathology analyses were conducted. Results of the meat analysis show that there were no significant differences in the hematological parameters, organ/body weight ratios of hLF and WT bulls (P>0.05), and histopathological examination of the main organs of hLF bulls revealed no abnormalities. Nutrient parameters of meat compositions of hLF and WT bulls did not show any significant differences (P>0.05). All of these results suggest that the hLF transgene did not have an impact on the meat nutrient compositions of hLF bulls.

The Representation of Extra-tropical Cyclones in Recent Re-Analyses: ERA-Interim, NASA-MERRA, NCEP-CFS and JRA25

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodges, K.

2010-12-01

Re-analyses are produced using a forecast model, data assimilation system and historical observations. Whilst the observations are common between the re-analyses the way they are assimilated and the forecast model used are often different between the re-analyses which can introduce uncertainty in the representation of particular phenomena between the re-analyses, for example the distribution and properties of weather systems. It is important to inter-compare re-analyses to determine the uncertainty in their representation of the atmosphere, its circulation and weather systems in order to have confidence in their use for studies of the atmosphere and validating climate models. The four recent re-analyses, ERA-Interim, NASA-MERRA, NCEP-CFS and JRA25 are explored and compared for the representation of synoptic scale extra-tropical cyclones. Previous studies of the older re-analyses. ERA40, NCEP-NCAR and DOE has shown that whilst in the NH there was relatively good agreement between the re-analyses in terms of the distribution and properties of extra-tropical cyclones, in the SH there was much larger uncertainty. The newest re-analyses are produced at much higher resolutions than previous re-analyses, in addition more modern data assimilation systems and forecast models have been used. Hence, it would be hoped that the representation of cyclones will be improved to the same extent as that seen in modern NWP systems. This study contrasts extra-tropical cyclones, their distribution and properties, between these new re-analyses and compares them with cyclones in the slightly older though lower resolution JRA25 re-analysis. Results will show that in general in the higher resolution re-analysis more cyclones are identified than in JRA25. In the NH the distribution of storms agrees as well if not better than was the case for the older re-analyses. However, it is in the SH that the largest improvement in agreement is seen for the distribution of storms. For ERA-Interim, NASA-MERRA and NCEP-CFS the agreement in the SH is almost as good as in the NH with the best agreement occurring between ERA-Interim and NCEP-CFS. However, the comparison with JRA25 shows the same level of uncertainty as seen with the older re-analyses. Determining the separation distances of storms using storm matching confirm these results. The biggest differences between the re-analyses occurs for the intensity of storms with the NASA-MERRA having consistently the strongest extreme storms in terms of pressure and winds and JRA25 the weakest, ERA-Interim and NCEP-CFS are very similar in this respect. Using vorticity as an intensity measure shows the greatest sensitivity and goes with resolution. If time permits a comparison of the structure of the storms will also be presented. The approach used only highlights the uncertainty between the re-analyses it does not say which one is right. To try to address this some early results of comparing the re-analyses directly with observations of low level winds from scatterometers in the vicinity of storms will be presented if time permits.

Analysis of ambient SO 2 concentrations and winds in the complex surroundings of a thermal power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mlakar, P.

2004-11-01

SO2 pollution is still a significant problem in Slovenia, especially around large thermal power plants (TPPs), like the one at Šoštanj. The Šoštanj TPP is the exclusive source of SO2 in the area and is therefore a perfect example for air pollution studies. In order to understand air pollution around the Šoštanj TPP in detail, some analyses of emissions and ambient concentrations of SO2 at six automated monitoring stations in the surroundings of the TPP were made. The data base from 1991 to 1993 was used when there were no desulfurisation plants in operation. Statistical analyses of the influence of the emissions from the three TPP stacks at different measuring points were made. The analyses prove that the smallest stack (100 m) mainly pollutes villages and towns near the TPP within a radius of a few kilometres. The medium stack's (150 m) influence is noticed at shorter as well as at longer distances up to more than ten kilometres. The highest stack (230 m) pollutes mainly at longer distances, where the plume reaches the higher hills. Detailed analyses of ambient SO2 concentrations were made. They show the temporal and spatial distribution of different classes of SO2 concentrations from very low to alarming values. These analyses show that pollution patterns at a particular station remain the same if observed on a yearly basis, but can vary very much if observed on a monthly basis, mainly because of different weather patterns. Therefore the winds in the basin (as the most important feature influencing air pollution dispersion) were further analysed in detail to find clusters of similar patterns. For cluster analysis of ground-level winds patterns in the basin around the Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant, the Kohonen neural network and Leaders' method were used. Furthermore, the dependence of ambient SO2 concentrations on the clusters obtained was analysed. The results proved that effective cluster analysis can be a useful tool for compressing a huge wind data base in order to find the correlation between winds and pollutant concentrations. The analyses made provide a better insight into air pollution over complex terrain.

Fractal and multifractal analyses of bipartite networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jin-Long; Wang, Jian; Yu, Zu-Guo; Xie, Xian-Hua

2017-03-01

Bipartite networks have attracted considerable interest in various fields. Fractality and multifractality of unipartite (classical) networks have been studied in recent years, but there is no work to study these properties of bipartite networks. In this paper, we try to unfold the self-similarity structure of bipartite networks by performing the fractal and multifractal analyses for a variety of real-world bipartite network data sets and models. First, we find the fractality in some bipartite networks, including the CiteULike, Netflix, MovieLens (ml-20m), Delicious data sets and (u, v)-flower model. Meanwhile, we observe the shifted power-law or exponential behavior in other several networks. We then focus on the multifractal properties of bipartite networks. Our results indicate that the multifractality exists in those bipartite networks possessing fractality. To capture the inherent attribute of bipartite network with two types different nodes, we give the different weights for the nodes of different classes, and show the existence of multifractality in these node-weighted bipartite networks. In addition, for the data sets with ratings, we modify the two existing algorithms for fractal and multifractal analyses of edge-weighted unipartite networks to study the self-similarity of the corresponding edge-weighted bipartite networks. The results show that our modified algorithms are feasible and can effectively uncover the self-similarity structure of these edge-weighted bipartite networks and their corresponding node-weighted versions.

Fractal and multifractal analyses of bipartite networks.

PubMed

Liu, Jin-Long; Wang, Jian; Yu, Zu-Guo; Xie, Xian-Hua

2017-03-31

Bipartite networks have attracted considerable interest in various fields. Fractality and multifractality of unipartite (classical) networks have been studied in recent years, but there is no work to study these properties of bipartite networks. In this paper, we try to unfold the self-similarity structure of bipartite networks by performing the fractal and multifractal analyses for a variety of real-world bipartite network data sets and models. First, we find the fractality in some bipartite networks, including the CiteULike, Netflix, MovieLens (ml-20m), Delicious data sets and (u, v)-flower model. Meanwhile, we observe the shifted power-law or exponential behavior in other several networks. We then focus on the multifractal properties of bipartite networks. Our results indicate that the multifractality exists in those bipartite networks possessing fractality. To capture the inherent attribute of bipartite network with two types different nodes, we give the different weights for the nodes of different classes, and show the existence of multifractality in these node-weighted bipartite networks. In addition, for the data sets with ratings, we modify the two existing algorithms for fractal and multifractal analyses of edge-weighted unipartite networks to study the self-similarity of the corresponding edge-weighted bipartite networks. The results show that our modified algorithms are feasible and can effectively uncover the self-similarity structure of these edge-weighted bipartite networks and their corresponding node-weighted versions.

Fractal and multifractal analyses of bipartite networks

PubMed Central

Liu, Jin-Long; Wang, Jian; Yu, Zu-Guo; Xie, Xian-Hua

2017-01-01

Bipartite networks have attracted considerable interest in various fields. Fractality and multifractality of unipartite (classical) networks have been studied in recent years, but there is no work to study these properties of bipartite networks. In this paper, we try to unfold the self-similarity structure of bipartite networks by performing the fractal and multifractal analyses for a variety of real-world bipartite network data sets and models. First, we find the fractality in some bipartite networks, including the CiteULike, Netflix, MovieLens (ml-20m), Delicious data sets and (u, v)-flower model. Meanwhile, we observe the shifted power-law or exponential behavior in other several networks. We then focus on the multifractal properties of bipartite networks. Our results indicate that the multifractality exists in those bipartite networks possessing fractality. To capture the inherent attribute of bipartite network with two types different nodes, we give the different weights for the nodes of different classes, and show the existence of multifractality in these node-weighted bipartite networks. In addition, for the data sets with ratings, we modify the two existing algorithms for fractal and multifractal analyses of edge-weighted unipartite networks to study the self-similarity of the corresponding edge-weighted bipartite networks. The results show that our modified algorithms are feasible and can effectively uncover the self-similarity structure of these edge-weighted bipartite networks and their corresponding node-weighted versions. PMID:28361962

Primary biliary cirrhosis: an epidemiological study.

PubMed Central

Triger, D R

1980-01-01

A three-year study (1977-9) of primary biliary cirrhosis in the city of Sheffield disclosed 34 cases, a point prevalence of 54 per million population. Closer inspection showed an apparent clustering of cases, and the prevalence in relation to one water reservoir appeared to be more than ten times that of the other reservoirs. Nevertheless, analyses of the water showed no significant relevant differences between the reservoir serving areas with a high prevalence of cirrhosis and other reservoirs. Despite the inconclusive results of the water analyses, these findings do suggest that an environmental agent may be a cause of primary biliary cirrhosis and that further epidemiological studies may help to elucidate the cause. PMID:7427444

Improvement of sulfur resistance of Pd/Ce-Zr-Al-O catalysts for CO oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Haebin; Baek, Minsung; Ro, Youngsoo; Song, Changyeol; Lee, Kwan-Young; Song, In Kyu

2018-01-01

Two kinds of mesoporous ceria-zirconia-alumina supports were prepared by a single-step epoxide-driven sol-gel method (SGCZA) and by a co-precipitation method (PCZA). Palladium catalysts supported on these materials were then prepared by a wet impregnation method (Pd/SGCZA and Pd/PCZA). The prepared catalysts were applied to the CO oxidation reaction before and after sulfur aging. XRD and N2 adsorption-desorption analyses revealed that these two catalysts retained different physicochemical properties. Pd/SGCZA had higher surface area and larger pore volume than Pd/PCZA before and after sulfur aging. TPR (Temperature-programmed reduction), CO chemisorption, FT-IR, and XPS analyses showed that the catalysts were differently influenced by sulfur species. Pd/SGCZA formed less sulfate and retained higher palladium dispersion than Pd/PCZA after sulfur aging. In the CO oxidation, Pd/PCZA showed better activity than Pd/SGCZA before sulfur aging. However, Pd/SGCZA showed higher CO conversion than Pd/PCZA after sulfur aging. We concluded that Pd/SGCZA was less poisoned by sulfur species than Pd/PCZA.

Long-Term Remote Monitoring of Three Typical Lake Area Variations in the Northwest China Over the Past 40 Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Lu, Y.; Li, Y.; Yue, H.

2018-04-01

water resources management and sustainable development strategy, but also provide reference for assessing the impact of climate change and human activities. This paper selects three inland lakes in Northwest China, using Landsat MSS/TM/ETM+/OLI data from 1970 to 2015, Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) were used to extract lake area and analysed the dynamic trends. Meteorological station rainfall, evaporation and other meteorological data of the lakes were used to analyse reasons for the area change. The results showed that area of Hongjiannao Lake in the past 40 a was reduced, the groundwater impoundment and underground coal mining are the main cause of area reduction; the area of Bosten Lake in recent 40 a showed a decreasing trend after the first increase, the area was mainly affected by the surface runoff and snowmelt; the area of Qinghai Lake in the past 40 a shows a trend of decreasing first and then increasing, the change of its area is mainly affected by regional precipitation and the inflow.

High statistical heterogeneity is more frequent in meta-analysis of continuous than binary outcomes.

PubMed

Alba, Ana C; Alexander, Paul E; Chang, Joanne; MacIsaac, John; DeFry, Samantha; Guyatt, Gordon H

2016-02-01

We compared the distribution of heterogeneity in meta-analyses of binary and continuous outcomes. We searched citations in MEDLINE and Cochrane databases for meta-analyses of randomized trials published in 2012 that reported a measure of heterogeneity of either binary or continuous outcomes. Two reviewers independently performed eligibility screening and data abstraction. We evaluated the distribution of I(2) in meta-analyses of binary and continuous outcomes and explored hypotheses explaining the difference in distributions. After full-text screening, we selected 671 meta-analyses evaluating 557 binary and 352 continuous outcomes. Heterogeneity as assessed by I(2) proved higher in continuous than in binary outcomes: the proportion of continuous and binary outcomes reporting an I(2) of 0% was 34% vs. 52%, respectively, and reporting an I(2) of 60-100% was 39% vs. 14%. In continuous but not binary outcomes, I(2) increased with larger number of studies included in a meta-analysis. Increased precision and sample size do not explain the larger I(2) found in meta-analyses of continuous outcomes with a larger number of studies. Meta-analyses evaluating continuous outcomes showed substantially higher I(2) than meta-analyses of binary outcomes. Results suggest differing standards for interpreting I(2) in continuous vs. binary outcomes may be appropriate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intermittent catheterisation with hydrophilic and non-hydrophilic urinary catheters: systematic literature review and meta-analyses.

PubMed

Rognoni, Carla; Tarricone, Rosanna

2017-01-10

Intermittent catheterisation is the method of choice for the management of bladder dysfunctions. Different urinary catheters are available, but there is conflicting evidence on which type of catheter is best. The present study provides an objective evaluation of the clinical effectiveness of different subsets of urinary catheters. A systematic literature review was performed for published RCTs regarding hydrophilic coated and PVC (standard) catheters for intermittent catheterisation. Separate meta-analyses were conducted to combine data on frequencies of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and haematuria. Two separate analyses were performed, including or excluding reused standard catheters. Seven studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. The meta-analyses exploring UTI frequencies showed a lower risk ratio associated with hydrophilic catheters in comparison to standard ones (RR = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75-0.94; p = 0.003). Results for the "reuse" scenario were consistent with the ones related to "single-use" scenario in terms of frequency of UTIs. The meta-analyses exploring haematuria were not able to demonstrate any statistically significant difference between hydrophilic catheters in comparison to standard ones. The findings confirm previously reported benefits of hydrophilic catheters but a broader evaluation that takes into account also patient preferences, compliance of therapy, quality of life and costs would be needed to assess the economic sustainability of these advanced devices.

Reading Profiles in Multi-Site Data With Missingness.

PubMed

Eckert, Mark A; Vaden, Kenneth I; Gebregziabher, Mulugeta

2018-01-01

Children with reading disability exhibit varied deficits in reading and cognitive abilities that contribute to their reading comprehension problems. Some children exhibit primary deficits in phonological processing, while others can exhibit deficits in oral language and executive functions that affect comprehension. This behavioral heterogeneity is problematic when missing data prevent the characterization of different reading profiles, which often occurs in retrospective data sharing initiatives without coordinated data collection. Here we show that reading profiles can be reliably identified based on Random Forest classification of incomplete behavioral datasets, after the missForest method is used to multiply impute missing values. Results from simulation analyses showed that reading profiles could be accurately classified across degrees of missingness (e.g., ∼5% classification error for 30% missingness across the sample). The application of missForest to a real multi-site dataset with missingness ( n = 924) showed that reading disability profiles significantly and consistently differed in reading and cognitive abilities for cases with and without missing data. The results of validation analyses indicated that the reading profiles (cases with and without missing data) exhibited significant differences for an independent set of behavioral variables that were not used to classify reading profiles. Together, the results show how multiple imputation can be applied to the classification of cases with missing data and can increase the integrity of results from multi-site open access datasets.

Evaluation of risk factors for perforated peptic ulcer.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Kazuki; Takahashi, Osamu; Arioka, Hiroko; Kobayashi, Daiki

2018-02-15

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prediction factors for perforated peptic ulcer (PPU). At St. Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo, Japan, a case control study was performed between August 2004 and March 2016. All patients diagnosed with PPU were included. As control subjects, patients with age, sex and date of CT scan corresponding to those of the PPU subjects were included in the study at a proportion of 2 controls for every PPU subject. All data such as past medical histories, physical findings, and laboratory data were collected through chart reviews. Univariate analyses and multivariate analyses with logistic regression were conducted, and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) were calculated to show validity. Sensitivity analyses were performed to confirm results using a stepwise method and conditional logistic regression. A total of 408 patients were included in this study; 136 were a group of patients with PPU, and 272 were a control group. Univariate analysis showed statistical significance in many categories. Four different models of multivariate analyses were conducted, and significant differences were found for muscular defense and a history of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in all models. The conditional forced-entry analysis of muscular defense showed an odds ratio (OR) of 23.8 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.70-100.0), and the analysis of PUD history showed an OR of 6.40 (95% CI: 1.13-36.2). The sensitivity analysis showed consistent results, with an OR of 23.8-366.2 for muscular defense and an OR of 3.67-7.81 for PUD history. The area under the curve (AUC) of all models was high enough to confirm the results. However, anticoagulants, known risk factors for PUD, did not increase the risk for PPU in our study. The conditional forced-entry analysis of anticoagulant use showed an OR of 0.85 (95% CI: 0.03-22.3). The evaluation of prediction factors and development of a prediction rule for PPU may help our decision making in performing a CT scan for patients with acute abdominal pain.

A spectral power analysis of driving behavior changes during the transition from nondistraction to distraction.

PubMed

Wang, Yuan; Bao, Shan; Du, Wenjun; Ye, Zhirui; Sayer, James R

2017-11-17

This article investigated and compared frequency domain and time domain characteristics of drivers' behaviors before and after the start of distracted driving. Data from an existing naturalistic driving study were used. Fast Fourier transform (FFT) was applied for the frequency domain analysis to explore drivers' behavior pattern changes between nondistracted (prestarting of visual-manual task) and distracted (poststarting of visual-manual task) driving periods. Average relative spectral power in a low frequency range (0-0.5 Hz) and the standard deviation in a 10-s time window of vehicle control variables (i.e., lane offset, yaw rate, and acceleration) were calculated and further compared. Sensitivity analyses were also applied to examine the reliability of the time and frequency domain analyses. Results of the mixed model analyses from the time and frequency domain analyses all showed significant degradation in lateral control performance after engaging in visual-manual tasks while driving. Results of the sensitivity analyses suggested that the frequency domain analysis was less sensitive to the frequency bandwidth, whereas the time domain analysis was more sensitive to the time intervals selected for variation calculations. Different time interval selections can result in significantly different standard deviation values, whereas average spectral power analysis on yaw rate in both low and high frequency bandwidths showed consistent results, that higher variation values were observed during distracted driving when compared to nondistracted driving. This study suggests that driver state detection needs to consider the behavior changes during the prestarting periods, instead of only focusing on periods with physical presence of distraction, such as cell phone use. Lateral control measures can be a better indicator of distraction detection than longitudinal controls. In addition, frequency domain analyses proved to be a more robust and consistent method in assessing driving performance compared to time domain analyses.

Assessing change in sensitivity of tropical vegetation to climate based on wavelet analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claessen, J.; Martens, B.; Verhoest, N.; Molini, A.; Miralles, D. G.

2017-12-01

Vegetation dynamics are driven by climate, and at the same time they play a key role in forcing the different bio-geochemical cycles. As climate change leads to an increase in frequency and intensity of hydro-meteorological extremes, vegetation is expected to respond to these changes, and subsequently feed back on their occurrence. Future responses can be better understood by analysing the past using time series of different vegetation diagnostics observed from space, both in the optical and microwave domain. In this contribution, the climatic drivers (air temperature, precipitation, and incoming radiation) of these different vegetation diagnostics are analysed using a monthly global data-cube of 32 years at a 0.25° resolution. To do so, we analyse the wavelet coherence between each vegetation index and the climatic drivers of vegetation. The use of wavelet coherence allows unveiling the different response and sensitivity of the diverse vegetation indices to their climatic drivers, simultaneously in the time and frequency domains. Our results show that the wavelet-based statistics are suitable for extracting information from the different vegetation indices. Areas of high rainfall volumes are characterised by a strong control of radiation and temperature over vegetation. At higher latitudes, the positive trends in all vegetation diagnostics agree with the hypothesis of a greening pattern, which is coherent with the increase in temperature. At the same time, substantial differences can be observed between the responses of the different vegetation indices as well. As an example, the VOD - thought to be a close proxy for vegetation water content - shows a larger sensitivity to precipitation than traditional optical indices such as the NDVI. Further, important temporal changes in the wavelet coherence between vegetation and climate are identified. For instance, the Amazonian rainforest shows an increased correspondence with precipitation dynamics, indicating positive shifts in ecosystem sensitivity to water availability, which can arguably be related to an increase in the amplitude of the seasonal cycle in rainfall. These results are in line with the expected intensification of the water cycle due to climate change and point to the complex response of the biosphere to climatic changes.

Health-Related Messages about Physical Activity Promotion: An Analysis of Photographs on Social Networking Sites of Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martínez-Bello, Vladimir E.; Martínez-Rojas, Ángela; Molina-García, Javier

2017-01-01

The main aim of this study was to examine how different physical activity domains are represented on the official social media sites of Spanish universities, through a content analysis of the photographs. Our results show that the representation of different physical activity domains is not balanced. While the analysed images do promote a message…

Gender Differences in the Development of Dieting from Adolescence to Early Adulthood: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Soest, Tilmann; Wichstrom, Lars

2009-01-01

This study examines gender differences in the development of dieting among a representative sample of 1,368 Norwegian boys and girls. The respondents were followed over 3 time points from ages 13/14 to 20/21. Latent growth curve analyses were conducted showing that girls' dieting scores increased while boys' scores remained constant. Gender…

Self-Concept, Self-Esteem and Academic Achievement: Strategies for Maintaining Self-Esteem in Students Experiencing Academic Failure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peixoto, Francisco; Almeida, Leandro S.

2010-01-01

Previous research into the relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement shows that despite differences in academic self-evaluation, students' global self-representations do not differ as a result of their grades at school. In this study, we will analyse the strategies that underachievers used to maintain their self-esteem at an…

Structure of Enhanced Cued Recall Task in the 7 Minute Screen Test.

PubMed

Mora-Simon, Sara; Ladera-Fernandez, Valentina; Garcia-Garcia, Ricardo; Patino-Alonso, María C; Perea-Bartolome, M Victoria; Unzueta-Arce, Jaime; Perez-Arechaederra, Diana; Rodriguez-Sanchez, Emiliano

2017-01-01

Episodic memory in the 7 Minute Screen is assessed by the Enhanced Cued Recall (ECR) test. The ECR test is composed of three phases, Identification, Immediate Recall, and Free and Cued Recall. However, just the last phase is considered for the total score. We believe that collecting the performance data of the Identification and Immediate Recall phases could provide information regarding possible difficulties or impairments in the different aspects involved in the temporal mnesic process of acquisition of new information, such as in working memory or visual identification. The objective was to assess the goodness of fit for the three phases of the ECR test using a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to show if each phase is separated from each other as a different aspect that participates in the mnesic process. A total of 311 participants greater than 65 years were included in this study. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted for each individual phase. The analyses show that the ECR test consists of three separate phases that identify different steps of the mnesic process. Individual scores for each phase could allow for investigation of patient performance in different aspects of the memory process and could help in further neuropsychological assessment.

Sample entropy applied to the analysis of synthetic time series and tachograms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muñoz-Diosdado, A.; Gálvez-Coyt, G. G.; Solís-Montufar, E.

2017-01-01

Entropy is a method of non-linear analysis that allows an estimate of the irregularity of a system, however, there are different types of computational entropy that were considered and tested in order to obtain one that would give an index of signals complexity taking into account the data number of the analysed time series, the computational resources demanded by the method, and the accuracy of the calculation. An algorithm for the generation of fractal time-series with a certain value of β was used for the characterization of the different entropy algorithms. We obtained a significant variation for most of the algorithms in terms of the series size, which could result counterproductive for the study of real signals of different lengths. The chosen method was sample entropy, which shows great independence of the series size. With this method, time series of heart interbeat intervals or tachograms of healthy subjects and patients with congestive heart failure were analysed. The calculation of sample entropy was carried out for 24-hour tachograms and time subseries of 6-hours for sleepiness and wakefulness. The comparison between the two populations shows a significant difference that is accentuated when the patient is sleeping.

Chinese adolescents' perceptions of parenting styles of fathers and mothers.

PubMed

Shek, D T

1995-06-01

Father Treated and Mother Treated subscales of the Parent Image Differential were used to assess recalled parental treatment styles of 2,150 Chinese secondary school students. Results from reliability and factor analyses showed that both scales were internally consistent, and two factors (Concern and Restrictiveness) were abstracted from each of these scales. The data on gender differences in parenting revealed significant differences, across socioeconomic classes, between paternal and maternal treatment styles, with the fathers perceived to be relatively more restrictive and showing less concern than the mothers. The data suggest that differences between paternal and maternal treatment styles exist in the Chinese context but that signs of gradual change in the differences are appearing.

[Study on the ingredients of reserpine by TLC-FT-SERS].

PubMed

Wang, Y; Zi, F; Wang, Y; Zhao, Y; Zhang, X; Weng, S

1999-12-01

A new method for analysing the ingredients of reserpine by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is reported in this paper. The results show that the characteristic spectral bands of reserpine satuated at the thin layer with the amount of sample about 2 microg were obtained. The difference between SERS and solid spectra was found. An absorption model of reserpine and silver sol was proposed. This method can be used to analyse the chemical ingredients with high sensitivity.

[Trauma and accident documentation in Germany compared with elsewhere in Europe].

PubMed

Probst, C; Richter, M; Haasper, C; Lefering, R; Otte, D; Oestern, H J; Krettek, C; Hüfner, T

2008-07-01

The role of trauma documentation has grown continuously since the 1970s. Prevention and management of injuries were adapted according to the results of many analyses. Since 1993 there have been two different trauma databases in Germany: the German trauma registry (TR) and the database of the Accident Research Unit (UFO). Modern computer applications improved the data processing. Our study analysed the pros and cons of each system and compared them with those of our European neighbours. We compared the TR and the UFO databases with respect to aims and goals, advantages and disadvantages, and current status. Results were reported as means +/- standard errors of the mean. The level of significance was set at P<0.05. There were differences between the two databases concerning number and types of items, aims and goals, and demographics. The TR documents care for severely injured patients and the clinical course of different types of accidents. The UFO describes traffic accidents, accident conditions, and interrelations. The German and British systems are similar, and the French system shows interesting differences. The German trauma documentation systems focus on different points. Therefore both can be used for substantiated analyses of different hypotheses. Certain intersections of both databases may help to answer very special questions in the future.

Multilocus microsatellite typing shows three different genetic clusters of Leishmania major in Iran.

PubMed

Mahnaz, Tashakori; Al-Jawabreh, Amer; Kuhls, Katrin; Schönian, Gabriele

2011-10-01

Ten polymorphic microsatellite markers were used to analyse 25 strains of Leishmania major collected from cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in different endemic areas in Iran. Nine of the markers were polymorphic, revealing 21 different genotypes. The data displayed significant microsatellite polymorphism with rare allelic heterozygosity. Bayesian statistic and distance based analyses identified three genetic clusters among the 25 strains analysed. Cluster I represented mainly strains isolated in the west and south-west of Iran, with the exception of four strains originating from central Iran. Cluster II comprised strains from the central part of Iran, and cluster III included only strains from north Iran. The geographical distribution of L. major in Iran was supported by comparing the microsatellite profiles of the 25 Iranian strains to those of 105 strains collected in 19 Asian and African countries. The Iranian clusters I and II were separated from three previously described populations comprising strains from Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia whereas cluster III grouped together with the Central Asian population. The considerable genetic variability of L. major might be related to the existence of different populations of Phlebotomus papatasi and/or to differences in reservoir host abundance in different parts of Iran. Copyright © 2011 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

What Types of Pornography Do People Find Arousing and Do They Cluster? Assessing Types and Categories of Pornography in a Large-Scale Online Sample.

PubMed

Hald, Gert Martin; Štulhofer, Aleksandar

2016-09-01

Previous research on exposure to different types of pornography has primarily relied on analyses of millions of search terms and histories or on user exposure patterns within a given time period rather than the self-reported frequency of consumption. Further, previous research has almost exclusively relied on theoretical or ad hoc overarching categorizations of different types of pornography, when investigating patterns of pornography exposure, rather than latent structure analyses of these exposure patterns. In contrast, using a large sample of 18- to 40-year-old heterosexual and nonheterosexual Croatian men and women, this study investigated the self-reported frequency of using 27 different types of pornography and statistically explored their latent structures. The results showed substantial differences in consumption patterns across gender and sexual orientation. However, latent structure analyses of the 27 different types of pornography assessed suggested that although several categories of consumption were gender and sexual orientation specific, common categories across the different types of pornography could be established. Based on this finding, a five-item scale was proposed to indicate the use of nonmainstream (paraphilic) pornographic content, as this type of pornography has often been targeted in previous research. To the best of our knowledge, no similar measurement tool has been proposed before.

Comparative study of muscle proteins in relation to the development of yake in three tropical tuna species yellowfin (Thunnus albacares), big eye (Thunnus obesus) and skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis).

PubMed

Erdaide, Oihane; Lekube, Xabier; Olsen, Ragnar L; Ganzedo, Unai; Martinez, Iciar

2016-06-15

Burnt tuna (BT), or yake-niku, is a quality flaw of the muscle characterised by a pale colour and grainy and exudative texture. Cathepsin-L, water soluble and total protein components from normal and BT muscles, from three tropical tuna species - yellowfin (YFT, Thunnus albacares), bigeye (BET, Thunnus obesus) and skipjack (SKJ, Katsuwonus pelamis) - were compared by electrophoretic and western blot analyses to identify biomarkers for BT. As expected, SDS-PAGE patterns were species-specific but differences, due to BT, were observed only between some low ionic strength extracts of BET and YFT. Protein oxidation and cell proliferation analysed by immunoblotting did not show differences between BT and normal muscles. Gelatine zymography revealed different gelatinase activity patterns that, although not linked to BT, may affect the final texture of the muscle. A 43 kDa band, identified as creatine kinase by proteomic analysis, showed the potential to be a good indicator for BT in BET and YFT. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Microphone Type on Acoustical Measures of Synthesized Vowels.

PubMed

Kisenwether, Jessica Sofranko; Sataloff, Robert T

2015-09-01

The purpose of this study was to compare microphones of different directionality, transducer type, and cost, with attention to their effects on acoustical measurements of period perturbation, amplitude perturbation, and noise using synthesized sustained vowel samples. This was a repeated measures design. Synthesized sustained vowel stimuli (with known acoustic characteristics and systematic changes in jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonics ratio) were recorded by a variety of dynamic and condenser microphones. Files were then analyzed for mean fundamental frequency (fo), fo standard deviation, absolute jitter, shimmer in dB, peak-to-peak amplitude variation, and noise-to-harmonics ratio. Acoustical measures following recording were compared with the synthesized, known acoustical measures before recording. Although informal analyses showed some differences among microphones, and analyses of variance showed that type of microphone is a significant predictor, t-tests revealed that none of the microphones generated different means compared with the generated acoustical measures. In this sample, microphone type, directionality, and cost did not have a significant effect on the validity of acoustic measures. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phylogenomic analyses reveal novel relationships among snake families.

PubMed

Streicher, Jeffrey W; Wiens, John J

2016-07-01

Snakes are a diverse and important group of vertebrates. However, relationships among the major groups of snakes have remained highly uncertain, with recent studies hypothesizing very different (and typically weakly supported) relationships. Here, we address family-level snake relationships with new phylogenomic data from 3776 nuclear loci from ultraconserved elements (1.40million aligned base pairs, 52% missing data overall) sampled from 29 snake species that together represent almost all families, a dataset ∼100 times larger than used in previous studies. We found relatively strong support from species-tree analyses (NJst) for most relationships, including three largely novel clades: (1) a clade uniting the boas, pythons and their relatives, (2) a clade placing cylindrophiids and uropeltids with this clade, and (3) a clade uniting bolyeriids (Round Island boas) with pythonids and their relatives (xenopeltids and loxocemids). Relationships among families of advanced snakes (caenophidians) were also strongly supported. The results show the potential for phylogenomic analyses to resolve difficult groups, but also show a surprising sensitivity of the analyses to the inclusion or exclusion of outgroups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alcohol and tobacco use and cognitive-motivational variables in school settings: effects on academic performance in Spanish adolescents.

PubMed

Inglés, Cándido J; Torregrosa, María S; Rodríguez-Marín, Jesús; García del Castillo, José A; Gázquez, José J; García-Fernández, José M; Delgado, Beatriz

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to analyze: (a) the relationship between alcohol and tobacco use and academic performance, and (b) the predictive role of psycho-educational factors and alcohol and tobacco abuse on academic performance in a sample of 352 Spanish adolescents from grades 8 to 10 of Compulsory Secondary Education. The Self-Description Questionnaire-II, the Sydney Attribution Scale, and the Achievement Goal Tendencies Questionnaire were administered in order to analyze cognitive-motivational variables. Alcohol and tobacco abuse, sex, and grade retention were also measured using self-reported questions. Academic performance was measured by school records. Frequency analyses and logistic regression analyses were used. Frequency analyses revealed that students who abuse of tobacco and alcohol show a higher rate of poor academic performance. Logistic regression analyses showed that health behaviours, and educational and cognitive-motivational variables exert a different effect on academic performance depending on the academic area analyzed. These results point out that not only academic, but also health variables should be address to improve academic performance in adolescence.

Patterns of acoustic variation in Cicada barbara Stål (Hemiptera, Cicadoidea) from the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco.

PubMed

Pinto-Juma, G A; Seabra, S G; Quartau, J A

2008-02-01

Field recordings of the calling song and of an amplitude modulated signal produced by males of Cicada barbara from North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula were analysed in order to assess the geographical acoustic variation and the potential usefulness of acoustic data in the discrimination of subspecies and populations. Sound recordings were digitized and the frequency and temporal properties of the calls of each cicada were analysed. In all regions studied, peak frequency, quartiles 25, 50 and 75% and syllable rate showed low coefficients of variation suggesting inherent static properties. All frequency variables were correlated with the latitude, decreasing from south to north. In addition, most acoustic variables of the calling song showed significant differences between regions, and PCA and DFA analyses supported a partitioning within this species between Iberian Peninsula+Ceuta and Morocco, corroborating mtDNA data on the same species. Therefore, the subspecific division of C. barbara into C. barbara barbara from Morocco and C. barbara lusitanica from Portugal, Spain and Ceuta finds support from the present acoustic analyses, a result which is also reinforced by molecular markers.

Assessment of air pollution tolerance levels of selected plants around cement industry, Coimbatore, India.

PubMed

Radhapriya, P; NavaneethaGopalakrishnan, A; Malini, P; Ramachandran, A

2012-05-01

Being the second largest manufacturing industry in India, cement industry is one of the major contributors of suspended particulate matter (SPM). Since plants are sensitive to air pollution, introducing suitable plant species as part of the greenbelt around cement industry was the objective of the present study. Suitable plant species were selected based on the Air pollution tolerance index (APTI) calculated by analyzing ascorbic acid (AA), pH, relative water content (RWC) and total chlorophyll (TChl) of the plants occuring in the locality. Plants were selected within a 6 km radius from the industry and were graded as per their tolerance levels by analyzing the biochemical parameters. From the statistical analysis at 0.05 level of significance a difference in the APTI values among the 27 plant species was observed, but they showed homogenous results when analysed zone wise using one-way analyses of variance. Analyses of individual parameters showed variation in the different zones surrounding the cement industry, whereas the APTI value (which is a combination of the parameter viz. AA, RWC, TChl, pH) showed more or less same gradation. Significant variation in individual parameters and APTI was seen with in the species. All the plants surrounding the cement industry are indicative of high pollution exposure comparable to the results obtain for control plants. Based on the APTI value, it was observed that about 37% of the plant species were tolerant. Among them Mangifera indica, Bougainvillea species, Psidum quajava showed high APTI values. 33% of the species were highly susceptible to the adverse effects of SPM, among which Thevetia neriifolia, Saraca indica, Phyllanthus emblica and Cercocarpus ledifolius showed low APTI values. 15% each of the species were at the intermediary and moderate tolerance levels.

Systematic Analysis and Comparison of Nucleotide-Binding Site Disease Resistance Genes in a Diploid Cotton Gossypium raimondii

PubMed Central

Wei, Hengling; Li, Wei; Sun, Xiwei; Zhu, Shuijin; Zhu, Jun

2013-01-01

Plant disease resistance genes are a key component of defending plants from a range of pathogens. The majority of these resistance genes belong to the super-family that harbors a Nucleotide-binding site (NBS). A number of studies have focused on NBS-encoding genes in disease resistant breeding programs for diverse plants. However, little information has been reported with an emphasis on systematic analysis and comparison of NBS-encoding genes in cotton. To fill this gap of knowledge, in this study, we identified and investigated the NBS-encoding resistance genes in cotton using the whole genome sequence information of Gossypium raimondii. Totally, 355 NBS-encoding resistance genes were identified. Analyses of the conserved motifs and structural diversity showed that the most two distinct features for these genes are the high proportion of non-regular NBS genes and the high diversity of N-termini domains. Analyses of the physical locations and duplications of NBS-encoding genes showed that gene duplication of disease resistance genes could play an important role in cotton by leading to an increase in the functional diversity of the cotton NBS-encoding genes. Analyses of phylogenetic comparisons indicated that, in cotton, the NBS-encoding genes with TIR domain not only have their own evolution pattern different from those of genes without TIR domain, but also have their own species-specific pattern that differs from those of TIR genes in other plants. Analyses of the correlation between disease resistance QTL and NBS-encoding resistance genes showed that there could be more than half of the disease resistance QTL associated to the NBS-encoding genes in cotton, which agrees with previous studies establishing that more than half of plant resistance genes are NBS-encoding genes. PMID:23936305

Metal and physico-chemical variations at a hydroelectric reservoir analyzed by Multivariate Analyses and Artificial Neural Networks: environmental management and policy/decision-making tools.

PubMed

Cavalcante, Y L; Hauser-Davis, R A; Saraiva, A C F; Brandão, I L S; Oliveira, T F; Silveira, A M

2013-01-01

This paper compared and evaluated seasonal variations in physico-chemical parameters and metals at a hydroelectric power station reservoir by applying Multivariate Analyses and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) statistical techniques. A Factor Analysis was used to reduce the number of variables: the first factor was composed of elements Ca, K, Mg and Na, and the second by Chemical Oxygen Demand. The ANN showed 100% correct classifications in training and validation samples. Physico-chemical analyses showed that water pH values were not statistically different between the dry and rainy seasons, while temperature, conductivity, alkalinity, ammonia and DO were higher in the dry period. TSS, hardness and COD, on the other hand, were higher during the rainy season. The statistical analyses showed that Ca, K, Mg and Na are directly connected to the Chemical Oxygen Demand, which indicates a possibility of their input into the reservoir system by domestic sewage and agricultural run-offs. These statistical applications, thus, are also relevant in cases of environmental management and policy decision-making processes, to identify which factors should be further studied and/or modified to recover degraded or contaminated water bodies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do men and women show love differently in marriage?

PubMed

Schoenfeld, Elizabeth A; Bredow, Carrie A; Huston, Ted L

2012-11-01

In Western societies, women are considered more adept than men at expressing love in romantic relationships. Although scholars have argued that this view of love gives short shrift to men's ways of showing love (e.g., Cancian, 1986; Noller, 1996), the widely embraced premise that men and women "love differently" has rarely been examined empirically. Using data collected at four time points over 13 years of marriage, the authors examined whether love is associated with different behaviors for husbands and wives. Multilevel analyses revealed that, counter to theoretical expectations, both genders were equally likely to show love through affection. But whereas wives expressed love by enacting fewer negative or antagonistic behaviors, husbands showed love by initiating sex, sharing leisure activities, and doing household work together with their wives. Overall, the findings indicate that men and women show their love in more nuanced ways than cultural stereotypes suggest.

PRNP genetic variability and molecular typing of natural goat scrapie isolates in a high number of infected flocks

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

One hundred and four scrapie positive and 77 negative goats from 34 Greek mixed flocks were analysed by prion protein gene sequencing and 17 caprine scrapie isolates from 11 flocks were submitted to molecular isolate typing. For the first time, the protective S146 variant was reported in Greece, while the protective K222 variant was detected in negative but also in five scrapie positive goats from heavily infected flocks. By immunoblotting six isolates, including two goat flockmates carrying the K222 variant, showed molecular features slightly different from all other Greek and Italian isolates co-analysed, possibly suggesting the presence of different scrapie strains in Greece. PMID:21961834

PRNP genetic variability and molecular typing of natural goat scrapie isolates in a high number of infected flocks.

PubMed

Fragkiadaki, Eirini G; Vaccari, Gabriele; Ekateriniadou, Loukia V; Agrimi, Umberto; Giadinis, Nektarios D; Chiappini, Barbara; Esposito, Elena; Conte, Michela; Nonno, Romolo

2011-09-30

One hundred and four scrapie positive and 77 negative goats from 34 Greek mixed flocks were analysed by prion protein gene sequencing and 17 caprine scrapie isolates from 11 flocks were submitted to molecular isolate typing. For the first time, the protective S146 variant was reported in Greece, while the protective K222 variant was detected in negative but also in five scrapie positive goats from heavily infected flocks. By immunoblotting six isolates, including two goat flockmates carrying the K222 variant, showed molecular features slightly different from all other Greek and Italian isolates co-analysed, possibly suggesting the presence of different scrapie strains in Greece.

Is inertial flywheel resistance training superior to gravity-dependent resistance training in improving muscle strength? A systematic review with meta-analyses.

PubMed

Vicens-Bordas, J; Esteve, E; Fort-Vanmeerhaeghe, A; Bandholm, T; Thorborg, K

2018-01-01

The primary aim of this systematic review was to determine if inertial flywheel resistance training is superior to gravity-dependent resistance training in improving muscle strength. The secondary aim was to determine whether inertial flywheel resistance training is superior to gravity-dependent resistance training in improving other muscular adaptations. A systematic review with meta-analyses of randomised and non-randomised controlled trials. We searched MEDLINE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials with no publication date restrictions until November 2016. We performed meta-analyses on randomised and non-randomised controlled trials to determine the standardized mean difference between the effects of inertial flywheel and gravity-dependent resistance training on muscle strength. A total of 76 and 71 participants were included in the primary and secondary analyses, respectively. After systematic review, we included three randomised and four non-randomised controlled trials. In the primary analysis for the primary outcome muscle strength, the pooled results from randomised controlled trials showed no difference (SMD=-0.05; 95%CI -0.51 to 0.40; p=0.82; I 2 =0%). In the secondary analyses of the primary outcome, the pooled results from non-randomised controlled trials showed no difference (SMD=0.02; 95%CI -0.45 to 0.49; p=0.93; I 2 =0%; and SMD=0.03; 95%CI -0.43 to 0.50; p=0.88; I 2 =0%). Meta-analysis on secondary outcomes could not be performed. Based on the available data, inertial flywheel resistance training was not superior to gravity-dependent resistance training in enhancing muscle strength. Data for other strength variables and other muscular adaptations was insufficient to draw firm conclusions from. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predicting nurse burnout from demands and resources in three acute care hospitals under different forms of ownership: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

PubMed

Hansen, Niklas; Sverke, Magnus; Näswall, Katharina

2009-01-01

Health care organizations have changed dramatically over the last decades, with hospitals undergoing restructurings and privatizations. The aim of this study is to enhance the understanding of the origin and prevalence of burnout in health care by investigating factors in the psychosocial work environment and comparing three Swedish emergency hospitals with different types of ownership. A cross-sectional design was used. We selected a total sample of 1800 registered nurses from three acute care hospitals, one private for-profit, one private non-profit and one publicly administered. A total of 1102 questionnaires were included in the analyses. The examined ownership types were a private for-profit, a private non-profit and a traditional publicly administered hospital. All were situated in the Stockholm region, Sweden. Data were collected by questionnaires using validated instruments, in accordance with the Job Demands-Resources Model and Maslach's Burnout Inventory. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, multivariate covariance analyses and multiple regression analyses were conducted. The results showed that the burnout levels were the highest at the private for-profit hospital and lowest at the publicly administered hospital. However, in contrast to expectations the demands were not higher overall at the for-profit organization or lowest at the public administration unit, and overall, resources were not better in the private for-profit or worse at the publicly administered hospital. Multiple regression analyses showed that several of the demands included were related to higher burnout levels. Job resources were linked to lower burnout levels, but not for all variables. Profit orientation in health care seems to result in higher burnout levels for registered nurses compared to a publicly administered hospital. In general, demands were more predictive of burnout than resources, and there were only marginal differences in the pattern of predictors across hospitals.

The phytoalexin camalexin induces fundamental changes in the proteome of Alternaria brassicicola different from those caused by brassinin.

PubMed

Pedras, M Soledade C; Minic, Zoran; Abdoli, Abbas

2014-01-01

Camalexin is the major phytoalexin produced by Alternaria thaliana, but is absent in Brassica species that usually produce phytoalexin blends containing brassinin and derivatives. The protein profiles of A. brassicicola treated with camalexin were evaluated using proteomics and metabolic analyses and compared with those treated with brassinin. Conidial germination and mycelial growth of A. brassicicola in liquid media amended with camalexin and brassinin showed that fungal growth was substantially slower in presence of camalexin than brassinin; chemical analyses revealed that A. brassicicola detoxified camalexin at much slower rate than brassinin. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) followed by tryptic digestion and capillary liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric analyses identified 158 different proteins, of which 45 were up-regulated and 113 were down-regulated relative to controls. Venn diagram analyses of differentially expressed proteins in cultures of A. brassicicola incubated with camalexin and brassinin indicated clear differences in the effect of each phytoalexin, with camalexin causing down-regulation of a larger number of proteins than brassinin. Overall, results of this work suggest that each phytoalexin has several different targets in the cells of A. brassicicola, and that camalexin appears to have greater potential to protect cultivated Brassica species against A. brassicicola than brassinin. Copyright © 2013 The British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing local stromal alterations in human ovarian cancer subtypes via second harmonic generation microscopy and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Kirby R.; Campagnola, Paul J.

2017-11-01

The collagen architecture in all human ovarian cancers is substantially remodeled, where these alterations are manifested in different fiber widths, fiber patterns, and fibril size and packing. Second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy has differentiated normal tissues from high-grade serous (HGS) tumors with high accuracy; however, the classification between low-grade serous, endometrioid, and benign tumors was less successful. We postulate this is due to known higher genetic variation in these tissues relative to HGS tumors, which are genetically similar, and this results in more heterogeneous collagen remodeling in the respective matrix. Here, we examine fiber widths and SHG emission intensity and directionality locally within images (e.g., 10×10 microns) and show that normal tissues and HGS tumors are more uniform in fiber properties as well as in fibril size and packing than the other tissues. Moreover, these distributions are in good agreement with phase matching considerations relating SHG emission directionality and intensity. The findings show that in addition to average collagen assembly properties the intrinsic heterogeneity must also be considered as another aspect of characterization. These local analyses showed differences not shown in pure intensity-based image analyses and may provide further insight into disease etiology of the different tumor subtypes.

Gender stereotyping in television advertisements: a study of French and Danish television.

PubMed

Furnham, A; Babitzkow, M; Uguccioni, S

2000-02-01

Two similar, but not identical, content analyses of the portrayals of men and women in French and Danish television advertisements are reported. By partially replicating and extending past investigations conducted in America, Australia, Britain, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, and New Zealand, it was predicted that there would be more gender stereotyping in French television advertisements and less gender stereotyping in Danish television advertisements. In the first study, 165 French television advertisements were analyzed by following established coding categories (A. Furnham & E. Skae, 1997; L. Z. McArthur & B. G. Resko, 1975). Contrary to prediction, the results showed that traditional gender role portrayal on French television was no different from that found in other countries. Separate statistical analyses were carried out for visually versus aurally classified central figures, yet this yielded relatively few significant differences. In the second study, a sample of 151 Danish advertisements was analyzed; results showed that Danish television was generally less gender stereotypic than French television in its portrayal of women. Exactly half (5) of the coding categories showed significant differences. Finally, an international statistical comparison between these two studies and similar research in Australia, Britain, and Italy was carried out. The methodological implications of these results are discussed as well as the theoretical issues arising from other studies of this sort.

Effect of various electrokinetic treatment regimes on solids surface properties and thermal behavior of oil sediments.

PubMed

Kariminezhad, Esmaeel; Elektorowicz, Maria

2018-04-10

The electrokinetic process has shown its ability to separate the different material phases. However, not much is known about the effect of the electric fields on the surface properties of solids in the oil sediments and their behavior under different electrical regimes. In this study, the effect of four different types of electrical current on the surface properties of oil sediments was investigated, namely constant direct current (CDC), pulsed direct current (PDC), incremental direct current (IDC) and decremental direct current (DDC). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses showed a decrease in the concentration of carbon from 99% in centrifuged samples to 63% on the surface of the solids in the PDC-treated oil sediment. Wettability alteration and contact angle studies showed an enhance in hydrophilicity of the solids following electrokinetic treatment. A significant change in carbon and oxygen-containing functionalities at the surface solids of the DDC-treated sediment was also observed. Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) confirmed the ability of electrokinetic treatment in separating the phases by shifting the thermogram profiles towards lower temperatures. The findings showed that the electrokinetic process exerts its effect by altering the surface properties of the sediment solids and destabilizing water-in-oil emulsions to facilitate phase separation of this complex waste. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrical Characteristics CuFe2O4 Thick Film Ceramics Made with Different Screen Size Utiizing Fe2O3 Nanopowder Derived from Yarosite for NTC Thermistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiendartun, Syarif, Dani Gustaman

2010-10-01

Fabrication of CuFe2O4 thick film ceramics utilizing Fe2O3 derived from yarosite using screen printing technique for NTC thermistor has been carried out. Effect of thickness variation due to different size of screen (screen 225; 300 and 375 mesh) has been studied. X-ray diffraction analyses (XRD) was done to know crystal structure and phases formation. SEM analyses was carried out to know microstructure of the films. Electrical properties characterization was done through measurement of electrical resistance at various temperatures (room temperature to 100° C). The XRD data showed that the films crystalize in tetragonal spinel. The SEM images showed that the screen with the smaller of the hole size, made the grain size was bigger. Electrical data showed that the larger the screen different size thickness variation (mesh), the larger the resistance, thermistor constant and sensitivity. From the electrical characteristics data, it was known that the electrical characteristics of the CuFe2O4 thick film ceramics followed the NTC characteristic. The value of B and RRT of the produced CuFe2O4 ceramics namely B = 3241-3484 K and RRT = 25.6-87.0 M Ohm, fitted market requirement.

The Effect of Spatial Smoothing on Representational Similarity in a Simple Motor Paradigm

PubMed Central

Hendriks, Michelle H. A.; Daniels, Nicky; Pegado, Felipe; Op de Beeck, Hans P.

2017-01-01

Multi-voxel pattern analyses (MVPA) are often performed on unsmoothed data, which is very different from the general practice of large smoothing extents in standard voxel-based analyses. In this report, we studied the effect of smoothing on MVPA results in a motor paradigm. Subjects pressed four buttons with two different fingers of the two hands in response to auditory commands. Overall, independent of the degree of smoothing, correlational MVPA showed distinctive patterns for the different hands in all studied regions of interest (motor cortex, prefrontal cortex, and auditory cortices). With regard to the effect of smoothing, our findings suggest that results from correlational MVPA show a minor sensitivity to smoothing. Moderate amounts of smoothing (in this case, 1−4 times the voxel size) improved MVPA correlations, from a slight improvement to large improvements depending on the region involved. None of the regions showed signs of a detrimental effect of moderate levels of smoothing. Even higher amounts of smoothing sometimes had a positive effect, most clearly in low-level auditory cortex. We conclude that smoothing seems to have a minor positive effect on MVPA results, thus researchers should be mindful about the choices they make regarding the level of smoothing. PMID:28611726

[DRG systems in Europe. Incentives, purposes and differences in 12 countries].

PubMed

Geissler, A; Scheller-Kreinsen, D; Quentin, W; Busse, R

2012-05-01

DRG systems were introduced across Europe based on expected transparency and efficiency gains. However, European DRG systems have not been systematically analysed so far. As a consequence little is known about the relative strengths and weaknesses of different DRG systems. The EuroDRG project closed this research and knowledge gap by systematically analysing and comparing the DRG systems of 12 countries with different health systems (Austria, the UK, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden).This article summarizes the results of this analysis illustrating how DRG systems across Europe differ with regard to policy goals, patient classification, data collection, price setting and actual reimbursement. Moreover, it outlines which main challenges arise within and across the different types of DRG systems. The results show that the European DRG systems are very heterogeneous. Even if the basic DRG approach of grouping similar patients remains the same across countries, the design of the main building blocks differs to a great extent.

Ten different hip resurfacing systems: biomechanical analysis of design and material properties.

PubMed

Heisel, Christian; Kleinhans, Jennifer A; Menge, Michael; Kretzer, Jan Philippe

2009-08-01

This study gives an overview of the main macro- and microstructural differences of ten commercially available total hip resurfacing implants. The heads and cups of resurfacing hip implants from ten different manufacturers were analysed. The components were measured in a coordinate measuring machine. The microstructure of the heads and cups was inspected by scanning electron microscopy. The mean radial clearance was 84.86 microm (range: 49.47-120.93 microm). The implants were classified into three groups (low, medium and high clearance). All implants showed a deviation of roundness of less than 10 microm. It was shown that all implants differ from each other and a final conclusion about the ideal design and material combination cannot be given based on biomechanical data. Widespread use of specific designs can only be recommended if clinical long-term follow-up studies are performed and analysed for each design.

Choice of Reading Comprehension Test Influences the Outcomes of Genetic Analyses

PubMed Central

Betjemann, Rebecca S.; Keenan, Janice M.; Olson, Richard K.; DeFries, John C.

2010-01-01

Does the choice of test for assessing reading comprehension influence the outcome of genetic analyses? A twin design compared two types of reading comprehension tests classified as primarily associated with word decoding (RC-D) or listening comprehension (RC-LC). For both types of tests, the overall genetic influence is high and nearly identical. However, the tests differed significantly in how they covary with the genes associated with decoding and listening comprehension. Although Cholesky decomposition showed that both types of comprehension tests shared significant genetic influence with both decoding and listening comprehension, RC-D tests shared most genetic variance with decoding, and RC-LC tests shared most with listening comprehension. Thus, different tests used to measure the same construct may manifest very different patterns of genetic covariation. These results suggest that the apparent discrepancies among the findings of previous twin studies of reading comprehension could be due at least in part to test differences. PMID:21804757

Drug attitude and subjective well-being in antipsychotic treatment monotherapy in real-world settings.

PubMed

Balestrieri, Matteo; Di Sciascio, Guido; Isola, Miriam; Lomonaco, Emanuele; Maso, Elisa; Merli, Roberto; Calò, Salvatore; Bellantuono, Cesario

2009-01-01

To assess using two well-know scales (DAI-30 and SWN) the drug attitude and subjective well-being of patients treated with haloperidol or second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) in four different Italian communities. The sample included 145 patients taking five different antipsychotics (APs) in mono-therapy: haloperidol, clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine. A stepwise multiple regression analysis (SMRA) was used to analyse the contribution of different AP treatments and of other predictors to SWN and DAI-30 scores. Univariate analyses showed no differences in DAI-30 and SWN scores across treatments. The SMRA showed that SWN scores were negatively correlated with the severity of the psychoses (BPRS scores), while the DAI-30 scores were negatively correlated with the severity of the psychoses and positively correlated both with the length of drug treatment and with the use of olanzapine. Our study does not confirm a better drug attitude in patients treated with SGA with respect to haloperidol. The only partial exception is the better performance of olanzapine over haloperidol on DAI-30, which could be due to the lower use of anticholinergic drugs during olanzapine treatment. The differences between the SWN and DAI-30 may give good reason for the use of both instruments during AP treatments.

Post Hoc Analyses of ApoE Genotype-Defined Subgroups in Clinical Trials.

PubMed

Kennedy, Richard E; Cutter, Gary R; Wang, Guoqiao; Schneider, Lon S

2016-01-01

Many post hoc analyses of clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are in small Phase 2 trials. Subject heterogeneity may lead to statistically significant post hoc results that cannot be replicated in larger follow-up studies. We investigated the extent of this problem using simulation studies mimicking current trial methods with post hoc analyses based on ApoE4 carrier status. We used a meta-database of 24 studies, including 3,574 subjects with mild AD and 1,171 subjects with MCI/prodromal AD, to simulate clinical trial scenarios. Post hoc analyses examined if rates of progression on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive (ADAS-cog) differed between ApoE4 carriers and non-carriers. Across studies, ApoE4 carriers were younger and had lower baseline scores, greater rates of progression, and greater variability on the ADAS-cog. Up to 18% of post hoc analyses for 18-month trials in AD showed greater rates of progression for ApoE4 non-carriers that were statistically significant but unlikely to be confirmed in follow-up studies. The frequency of erroneous conclusions dropped below 3% with trials of 100 subjects per arm. In MCI, rates of statistically significant differences with greater progression in ApoE4 non-carriers remained below 3% unless sample sizes were below 25 subjects per arm. Statistically significant differences for ApoE4 in post hoc analyses often reflect heterogeneity among small samples rather than true differential effect among ApoE4 subtypes. Such analyses must be viewed cautiously. ApoE genotype should be incorporated into the design stage to minimize erroneous conclusions.

Patterns and sources of adult personality development: growth curve analyses of the NEO PI-R scales in a longitudinal twin study.

PubMed

Bleidorn, Wiebke; Kandler, Christian; Riemann, Rainer; Spinath, Frank M; Angleitner, Alois

2009-07-01

The present study examined the patterns and sources of 10-year stability and change of adult personality assessed by the 5 domains and 30 facets of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. Phenotypic and biometric analyses were performed on data from 126 identical and 61 fraternal twins from the Bielefeld Longitudinal Study of Adult Twins (BiLSAT). Consistent with previous research, LGM analyses revealed significant mean-level changes in domains and facets suggesting maturation of personality. There were also substantial individual differences in the change trajectories of both domain and facet scales. Correlations between age and trait changes were modest and there were no significant associations between change and gender. Biometric extensions of growth curve models showed that 10-year stability and change of personality were influenced by both genetic as well as environmental factors. Regarding the etiology of change, the analyses uncovered a more complex picture than originally stated, as findings suggest noticeable differences between traits with respect to the magnitude of genetic and environmental effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).

Relationships between physical properties and sequence in silkworm silks

PubMed Central

Malay, Ali D.; Sato, Ryota; Yazawa, Kenjiro; Watanabe, Hiroe; Ifuku, Nao; Masunaga, Hiroyasu; Hikima, Takaaki; Guan, Juan; Mandal, Biman B.; Damrongsakkul, Siriporn; Numata, Keiji

2016-01-01

Silk has attracted widespread attention due to its superlative material properties and promising applications. However, the determinants behind the variations in material properties among different types of silk are not well understood. We analysed the physical properties of silk samples from a variety of silkmoth cocoons, including domesticated Bombyx mori varieties and several species from Saturniidae. Tensile deformation tests, thermal analyses, and investigations on crystalline structure and orientation of the fibres were performed. The results showed that saturniid silks produce more highly-defined structural transitions compared to B. mori, as seen in the yielding and strain hardening events during tensile deformation and in the changes observed during thermal analyses. These observations were analysed in terms of the constituent fibroin sequences, which in B. mori are predicted to produce heterogeneous structures, whereas the strictly modular repeats of the saturniid sequences are hypothesized to produce structures that respond in a concerted manner. Within saturniid fibroins, thermal stability was found to correlate with the abundance of poly-alanine residues, whereas differences in fibre extensibility can be related to varying ratios of GGX motifs versus bulky hydrophobic residues in the amorphous phase. PMID:27279149

Genetic diversity of Babesia bovis in virulent and attenuated strains.

PubMed

Mazuz, M L; Molad, T; Fish, L; Leibovitz, B; Wolkomirsky, R; Fleiderovitz, L; Shkap, V

2012-03-01

The aim of this study was to compare the genetic diversity of the single copy Bv80 gene sequences of Babesia bovis in populations of attenuated and virulent parasites. PCR/ RT-PCR followed by cloning and sequence analyses of 4 attenuated and 4 virulent strains were performed. Multiple fragments in the range of 420 to 744 bp were amplified by PCR or RT-PCR. Cloning of the PCR fragments and sequence analyses revealed the presence of mixed subpopulations in either virulent or attenuated parasites with a total of 19 variants with 12 different sequences that differed in number and type of tandem repeats. High levels of intra- and inter-strain diversity of the Bv80 gene, with the presence of mixed populations of parasites were found in both the virulent field isolates and the attenuated vaccine strains. In addition, during the attenuation process, sequence analyses showed changes in the pattern of the parasite subpopulations. Despite high polymorphism found by sequence analyses, the patterns observed and the number of repeats, order, or motifs found could not discriminate between virulent field isolates and attenuated vaccine strains of the parasite.

Relationships between physical properties and sequence in silkworm silks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malay, Ali D.; Sato, Ryota; Yazawa, Kenjiro; Watanabe, Hiroe; Ifuku, Nao; Masunaga, Hiroyasu; Hikima, Takaaki; Guan, Juan; Mandal, Biman B.; Damrongsakkul, Siriporn; Numata, Keiji

2016-06-01

Silk has attracted widespread attention due to its superlative material properties and promising applications. However, the determinants behind the variations in material properties among different types of silk are not well understood. We analysed the physical properties of silk samples from a variety of silkmoth cocoons, including domesticated Bombyx mori varieties and several species from Saturniidae. Tensile deformation tests, thermal analyses, and investigations on crystalline structure and orientation of the fibres were performed. The results showed that saturniid silks produce more highly-defined structural transitions compared to B. mori, as seen in the yielding and strain hardening events during tensile deformation and in the changes observed during thermal analyses. These observations were analysed in terms of the constituent fibroin sequences, which in B. mori are predicted to produce heterogeneous structures, whereas the strictly modular repeats of the saturniid sequences are hypothesized to produce structures that respond in a concerted manner. Within saturniid fibroins, thermal stability was found to correlate with the abundance of poly-alanine residues, whereas differences in fibre extensibility can be related to varying ratios of GGX motifs versus bulky hydrophobic residues in the amorphous phase.

The Choice of PCR Primers Has Great Impact on Assessments of Bacterial Community Diversity and Dynamics in a Wastewater Treatment Plant

PubMed Central

Fredriksson, Nils Johan; Hermansson, Malte; Wilén, Britt-Marie

2013-01-01

Assessments of bacterial community diversity and dynamics are fundamental for the understanding of microbial ecology as well as biotechnological applications. We show that the choice of PCR primers has great impact on the results of analyses of diversity and dynamics using gene libraries and DNA fingerprinting. Two universal primer pairs targeting the 16S rRNA gene, 27F&1492R and 63F&M1387R, were compared and evaluated by analyzing the bacterial community in the activated sludge of a large-scale wastewater treatment plant. The two primer pairs targeted distinct parts of the bacterial community, none encompassing the other, both with similar richness. Had only one primer pair been used, very different conclusions had been drawn regarding dominant phylogenetic and putative functional groups. With 27F&1492R, Betaproteobacteria would have been determined to be the dominating taxa while 63F&M1387R would have described Alphaproteobacteria as the most common taxa. Microscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed that both Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria were abundant in the activated sludge, confirming that the two primer pairs target two different fractions of the bacterial community. Furthermore, terminal restriction fragment polymorphism analyses of a series of four activated sludge samples showed that the two primer pairs would have resulted in different conclusions about community stability and the factors contributing to changes in community composition. In conclusion, different PCR primer pairs, although considered universal, target different ranges of bacteria and will thus show the diversity and dynamics of different fractions of the bacterial community in the analyzed sample. We also show that while a database search can serve as an indicator of how universal a primer pair is, an experimental assessment is necessary to evaluate the suitability for a specific environmental sample. PMID:24098498

Assessment of bruise age on dark-skinned individuals using tristimulus colorimetry.

PubMed

Thavarajah, D; Vanezis, P; Perrett, D

2012-01-01

Studies on the ageing of bruises have been reported on Caucasians or individuals of fair ethnicity. This study focuses on bruise changes in dark-skinned individuals using tristimulus colorimetry for forensic analysis in such individuals. Eighteen subjects of South Indian or Sri-Lankan ethnicity were recruited. Subjects were bruised using a vacuum pump and then daily colour measurements were taken of the bruise using a tristimulus colorimeter. The L*a*b* readings were recorded of a control area and of the bruise until it disappeared. Two Caucasians were used for comparison. This study showed that, using colorimetry, bruises on dark-skinned individuals can be measured and analysed even if the bruises are unclear visually. As the bruise is beneath the skin, the colour difference ΔL*, Δa* and Δb* were calculated. All values showed a trend, indicating that the L*a*b* measuring technique is a reliable method to analyse bruises on dark-skinned individuals. Comparisons of Asian subjects and Caucasian subjects were performed. The largest difference was seen in the b* value. Statistical analysis showed that ΔL* colour difference was the most consistent (95% CI -4.05 to -2.49) showing a significant difference between days 1-4 and 5-8. Objective assessment of bruises on dark-skinned individuals using the L*a*b* method of measuring gave reproducible results. Furthermore, the study showed that the yellowing of a bruise cannot be seen or measured with a tristimulus colorimeter on dark-skinned individuals due to the pigmentation of the skin. With further studies and more subjects, the age of bruises could potentially be assessed for use in forensic analysis.

Effectiveness of regional DTI measures in distinguishing Alzheimer's disease, MCI, and normal aging☆

PubMed Central

Nir, Talia M.; Jahanshad, Neda; Villalon-Reina, Julio E.; Toga, Arthur W.; Jack, Clifford R.; Weiner, Michael W.; Thompson, Paul M.

2013-01-01

The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) recently added diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), among several other new imaging modalities, in an effort to identify sensitive biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While anatomical MRI is the main structural neuroimaging method used in most AD studies and clinical trials, DTI is sensitive to microscopic white matter (WM) changes not detectable with standard MRI, offering additional markers of neurodegeneration. Prior DTI studies of AD report lower fractional anisotropy (FA), and increased mean, axial, and radial diffusivity (MD, AxD, RD) throughout WM. Here we assessed which DTI measures may best identify differences among AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and cognitively healthy elderly control (NC) groups, in region of interest (ROI) and voxel-based analyses of 155 ADNI participants (mean age: 73.5 ± 7.4; 90 M/65 F; 44 NC, 88 MCI, 23 AD). Both VBA and ROI analyses revealed widespread group differences in FA and all diffusivity measures. DTI maps were strongly correlated with widely-used clinical ratings (MMSE, CDR-sob, and ADAS-cog). When effect sizes were ranked, FA analyses were least sensitive for picking up group differences. Diffusivity measures could detect more subtle MCI differences, where FA could not. ROIs showing strongest group differentiation (lowest p-values) included tracts that pass through the temporal lobe, and posterior brain regions. The left hippocampal component of the cingulum showed consistently high effect sizes for distinguishing groups, across all diffusivity and anisotropy measures, and in correlations with cognitive scores. PMID:24179862

Spectrophotometric and computerized evaluation of tooth bleaching employing 10 different home-bleaching procedures: In-vitro study

PubMed Central

Peskersoy, Cem; Tetik, Ayhan; Ozturk, Veli Ozgen; Gokay, Necmi

2014-01-01

Objective: The aim of this in-vitro study was to evaluate the efficacy of bleaching products, determine the applicability and validation of the measurement methods. Materials and Methods: Freshly extracted 110 human incisor teeth were stained with whole blood and hemolysate solution prior to the application of 10 different home-bleaching products. Spectrophotometric measurements of the tooth shades were performed for each specimen before and after bleaching at the 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 14 days. Differences in lightness (Δl), chroma (Δc), hue (Δh) values and shade changes were measured to evaluate process. Computerized digital imaging analyses to determine the color changes were performed with Photoshop CS4 software (Adobe, San Jose, CA, USA). Statistical analyses were performed with analysis of variance, Scheffe and Tukey tests. Results: In all of the test groups regardless of the material used, a significant increase in lightness and hue, and decrease of chroma were observed, as compared to the control group. After recommended bleaching applications, Δl and Δh values respectively increased in group Zaris White and Brite (ZWB) and group Pola Night and Δc values showed significant decrease in groups ZWB and Rembrandt REM3 (P < 0.05). At the end of the procedure both spectrophotometric and digital imaging analysis showed ZWB was the most effective product among the others while Yotuel and Happy Smile were the least (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Home-bleaching systems showed slower but almost permanent bleaching effect likewise office-based methods. Both software and spectrophotometric analyses have advantages such as evaluating the results objectively and numerically, also treatment outcomes could be preserved. PMID:25512738

Epigenetics: A way to bridge the gap between biological fields.

PubMed

Nicoglou, Antonine; Merlin, Francesca

2017-12-01

The concept of epigenetics has evolved since Waddington defined it from the late 1930s as the study of the causal mechanisms at work in development. It has become a multi-faceted notion with different meanings, depending on the disciplinary context it is used. In this article, we first analyse the transformations of the concept of epigenetics, from Waddington to contemporary accounts, in order to identify its different meanings and traditions, and to come up with a typology of epigenetics throughout its history. Second, we show on this basis that epigenetics has progressively turned its main focus from biological problems regarding development, toward issues concerning evolution. Yet, both these different epistemological aspects of epigenetics still coexist. Third, we claim that the classical opposition between epigenesis and preformationism as ways of thinking about the developmental process is part of the history of epigenetics and has contributed to its current various meanings. With these objectives in mind, we first show how Waddington introduced the term "epigenetics" in a biological context in order to solve a developmental problem, and we then build on this by presenting Nanney's, Riggs' and Holliday's definitions, which form the basis for the current conception of "molecular epigenetics". Then, we show that the evo-devo research field is where some particular uses of epigenetics have started shifting from developmental issues to evolutionary problems. We also show that epigenetics has progressively focused on the issue of epigenetic inheritance within the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis' framework. Finally, we conclude by presenting a typology of the different conceptions of epigenetics throughout time, and analyse the connections between them. We argue that, since Waddington, epigenetics, as an integrative research area, has been used to bridge the gap between different biological fields. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-reactivity of insulin analogues with three insulin assays.

PubMed

Dayaldasani, A; Rodríguez Espinosa, M; Ocón Sánchez, P; Pérez Valero, V

2015-05-01

Immunometric assays have recently shown higher specificity in the detection of human insulin than radioimmunoassays with almost no cross-reaction with proinsulin or C peptide. The introduction of the new insulin analogues on the market, however, has raised the need to define their cross-reactivity in these assays. Several studies have been published in this regard with different results. The analogues studied were insulins lispro, aspart, glargine, detemir, and glulisine. Insulin concentrations were measured in Immulite(®) 2000 and Advia Centaur(®) XP (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics), and Elecsys(®) Modular Analytics E170 (Roche). All samples were processed 15 times in the same analytical run following a random sequence. Those samples which showed statistically and clinically significant changes in insulin concentration were reprocessed using increasing concentrations of analogue, and this was done twice, using two different serum pools, one with a low concentration of insulin and one with a high concentration of insulin. In the Elecsys(®) E170 analyser, glargine showed statistical changes (comparison of mean concentrations with p < 0.05) and clinically significant changes in measured insulin (percentage difference 986.2% > reference change value: 59.8%), and the interference increased with increasing concentrations of analogue; the differences were not significant in the case of the other analogues. In the Advia Centaur(®) and Immulite(®) 2000 only the results for glulisine did not present significance (percentage difference 44.7% < reference change value 103.5%). Increasing concentrations of aspart, glargine, and lispro showed increased interference in Immulite(®) 2000. In the Elecsys(®) E170 assay, relevant cross-reactivity was only detected with insulin glargine, whereas in the other analysers all analogues except glulisine showed significant interference. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Comparative metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses of microbial communities in acid mine drainage.

PubMed

Chen, Lin-xing; Hu, Min; Huang, Li-nan; Hua, Zheng-shuang; Kuang, Jia-liang; Li, Sheng-jin; Shu, Wen-sheng

2015-07-01

The microbial communities in acid mine drainage have been extensively studied to reveal their roles in acid generation and adaption to this environment. Lacking, however, are integrated community- and organism-wide comparative gene transcriptional analyses that could reveal the response and adaptation mechanisms of these extraordinary microorganisms to different environmental conditions. In this study, comparative metagenomics and metatranscriptomics were performed on microbial assemblages collected from four geochemically distinct acid mine drainage (AMD) sites. Taxonomic analysis uncovered unexpectedly high microbial biodiversity of these extremely acidophilic communities, and the abundant taxa of Acidithiobacillus, Leptospirillum and Acidiphilium exhibited high transcriptional activities. Community-wide comparative analyses clearly showed that the AMD microorganisms adapted to the different environmental conditions via regulating the expression of genes involved in multiple in situ functional activities, including low-pH adaptation, carbon, nitrogen and phosphate assimilation, energy generation, environmental stress resistance, and other functions. Organism-wide comparative analyses of the active taxa revealed environment-dependent gene transcriptional profiles, especially the distinct strategies used by Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans and Leptospirillum ferrodiazotrophum in nutrients assimilation and energy generation for survival under different conditions. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the gene transcriptional profiles of AMD microorganisms are closely related to the site physiochemical characteristics, providing clues into the microbial response and adaptation mechanisms in the oligotrophic, extremely acidic environments.

[Palliative medicine content in German-language medical textbooks].

PubMed

Becker, G; Dausch, V; Xander, C; Olschewski, M; Momm, F; Blum, H E

2007-02-09

There is a need for improved end-of-life care, especially in the light of demographic changes with an increased incidence of cancer. Although medical textbooks are central to the training of medical students and also serve as a reference for more experienced clinicians, only few data exist on the extent to which medical textbooks address end-of-life care. We analysed the quantity and quality of information on end-of-life care given in German textbooks on different medical disciplines. 26 top-selling German medical textbooks were analysed for the presentation of end-of-life care in chapters that address the 13 most common causes of death worldwide In the 159 chapters analysed for information on traditional topics, like risk factors or early diagnosis (group A), such information was provided in 52% compared with only 9% on end-of-life topics, such as symptom management or manner of death (group B) (p=0.0001). There was no statistically significant difference between the different medical specialities (p=0.22). Line-by-line analysis showed that the phrase death or related terms was mentioned in only 57 of 159 chapters dealing with the most common causes of death worldwide. The top-selling German textbooks that were analysed generally offer little helpful information on end-of-life care of patients.

Natural variation in stomatal abundance of Arabidopsis thaliana includes cryptic diversity for different developmental processes

PubMed Central

Delgado, Dolores; Alonso-Blanco, Carlos; Fenoll, Carmen; Mena, Montaña

2011-01-01

Background and Aims Current understanding of stomatal development in Arabidopsis thaliana is based on mutations producing aberrant, often lethal phenotypes. The aim was to discover if naturally occurring viable phenotypes would be useful for studying stomatal development in a species that enables further molecular analysis. Methods Natural variation in stomatal abundance of A. thaliana was explored in two collections comprising 62 wild accessions by surveying adaxial epidermal cell-type proportion (stomatal index) and density (stomatal and pavement cell density) traits in cotyledons and first leaves. Organ size variation was studied in a subset of accessions. For all traits, maternal effects derived from different laboratory environments were evaluated. In four selected accessions, distinct stomatal initiation processes were quantitatively analysed. Key Results and Conclusions Substantial genetic variation was found for all six stomatal abundance-related traits, which were weakly or not affected by laboratory maternal environments. Correlation analyses revealed overall relationships among all traits. Within each organ, stomatal density highly correlated with the other traits, suggesting common genetic bases. Each trait correlated between organs, supporting supra-organ control of stomatal abundance. Clustering analyses identified accessions with uncommon phenotypic patterns, suggesting differences among genetic programmes controlling the various traits. Variation was also found in organ size, which negatively correlated with cell densities in both organs and with stomatal index in the cotyledon. Relative proportions of primary and satellite lineages varied among the accessions analysed, indicating that distinct developmental components contribute to natural diversity in stomatal abundance. Accessions with similar stomatal indices showed different lineage class ratios, revealing hidden developmental phenotypes and showing that genetic determinants of primary and satellite lineage initiation combine in several ways. This first systematic, comprehensive natural variation survey for stomatal abundance in A. thaliana reveals cryptic developmental genetic variation, and provides relevant relationships amongst stomatal traits and extreme or uncommon accessions as resources for the genetic dissection of stomatal development. PMID:21447490

The Divergent Meanings of Life Satisfaction: Item Response Modeling of the Satisfaction with Life Scale in Greenland and Norway

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vitterso, Joar; Biswas-Diener, Robert; Diener, Ed

2005-01-01

Cultural differences in response to the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) items is investigated. Data were fit to a mixed Rasch model in order to identify latent classes of participants in a combined sample of Norwegians (N = 461) and Greenlanders (N = 180). Initial analyses showed no mean difference in life satisfaction between the two…

Sources of Site Differences in the Efficacy of a Multisite Clinical Trial: The Treatment of SSRI-Resistant Depression in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spirito, Anthony; Abebe, Kaleab Z.; Iyengar, Satish; Brent, David; Vitiello, Benedetto; Clarke, Gregory; Wagner, Karen Dineen; Asarnow, Joan; Emslie, Graham; Keller, Martin

2009-01-01

Site differences in treatment outcomes are not often highlighted when the results of multisite randomized clinical trials (MRCTs) are reported. The primary analyses of a 6-site MRCT, the Treatment of SSRI-Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA) study, showed substantial variation by site in the performance of a medication-only condition and a…

Female and Male Teachers' Pro-Environmental Behaviour, Conceptions and Attitudes Towards Nature and the Environment Do Not Differ: Ecofeminism Put to the Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mc Ewen, B.; Clément, P.; Gericke, N. M.; Nyberg, E.; Hagman, M.; Landström, J.

2015-01-01

Teachers' pro-environmental behaviour, conceptions and attitudes towards nature and the environment were investigated using 47 questions from the BIOHEAD-Citizen questionnaire. The sample included 1,109 pre- and in-service teachers from Sweden and France. Analyses showed only few significant differences between female and male teachers. Forty-one…

Comparing efficacy of different taxonomic resolutions and surrogates in detecting changes in soft bottom assemblages due to coastal defence structures.

PubMed

Bertasi, Fabio; Colangelo, Marina Antonia; Colosio, Francesco; Gregorio, Gianni; Abbiati, Marco; Ceccherelli, Victor Ugo

2009-05-01

Sandy shores on the West coast of the North Adriatic Sea are extensively protected by different types of defence structures to prevent coastal erosion. Coastal defence schemes modify the hydrodynamic regime, the sediment structure and composition thus affecting the benthic assemblages. This study examines the effectiveness in detecting changes in soft bottom assemblages caused by coastal defence structures by using different levels of taxonomic resolution, polychaetes and/or bivalves as surrogates and different data transformations. A synoptic analyses of three datasets of subtidal benthic macrofauna used in studies aimed at assessing the impact of breakwaters along the North Adriatic coast has been done. Analyses of similarities and correlations between distance matrices were done using matrices with different levels of taxonomic resolution, and with polychaetes or bivalves data alone. Lentidium mediterraneum was the most abundant species in all datasets. Its abundance was not consistently related to the presence of defence structures. Moreover, distribution patterns of L. mediterraneum were masking the structure of the whole macrofaunal assemblages. Removal of L. mediterraneum from the datasets allowed the detection of changes in benthic assemblages due to coastal defences. Analyses on different levels of taxonomic resolution showed that the level of family maintained sufficient information to detect the impacts of coastal defence structures on benthic assemblages. Moreover, the outcomes depended on the transformation used. Patterns of distribution of bivalves, used as surrogates, showed low correlations with the patterns of the total macrofaunal species assemblages. Patterns of polychaetes, if identified to the species or genus level showed higher correlations with the whole dataset. However, the identification of polychaetes to species and genus level is as costly as the identification of all macrobenthic taxa at family level. This study provided additional evidences that taxonomic sufficiency is a useful tool in environmental monitoring, also in investigations on the impacts of coastal defence structures on subtidal macrofauna. The use of coarser taxonomic level, being time-efficient, would allow improving sampling designs of monitoring programs by increasing replication in space and time and by allowing long term monitoring studies.

Abiotic variability among different aquatic systems of the central Amazon floodplain during drought and flood events.

PubMed

Affonso, A G; Queiroz, H L; Novo, E M L M

2015-11-01

This paper examines water properties from lakes, (depression lakes, sensu Junk et al., 2012), channels (scroll lakes with high connectivity, sensu Junk et al., 2012) and paleo-channels (scroll lakes with low connectivity-sensu Junk et al., 2012, locally called ressacas) located in Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, in Central Amazon floodplain, Amazonas, Brazil. We analysed surface temperature, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, transparency, suspended inorganic and organic matter, chlorophyll-a, pheophytin, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, organic and inorganic carbon in 2009 high water phase, 2009 and 2010 low water phases. Multivariate statistical analyses of 24 aquatic systems (6 ressacas, 12 lakes and 6 channels, 142 samples) were applied to the variables in order to: 1) quantify differences among aquatic system types; 2) assess how those differences are affected in the different phases of the hydrological year. First, we analysed the entire set of variables to test for differences among phases of the hydrological year and types of aquatic systems using a PERMANOVA two-way crossed design. The results showed that the all measured limnological variables are distinct regarding both factors: types of aquatic systems and hydrological phases. In general, the magnitude and amplitude of all variables were higher in the low water phase than in the high water phase, except for water transparency in all aquatic system's types. PERMANOVA showed that the differences between aquatic system's types and hydrological phases of all variables were highly significant for both main factors (type and phase) and for the type x phase interaction. Limnological patterns of Amazon floodplain aquatic systems are highly dynamic, dependent on the surrounding environment, flood pulse, main river input and system type. These patterns show how undisturbed systems respond to natural variability in such a diverse environment, and how distinct are those aquatic systems, especially during the low water phase. Aquatic systems in Mamirauá floodplain represent limnological patterns of almost undisturbed areas and can be used as future reference for comparison with disturbed areas, such as those of the Lower Amazon, and as a baseline for studies on the effects of anthropogenic influences and climate change and on Amazon aquatic ecosystem.

QPF verification using different radar-based analyses: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moré, J.; Sairouni, A.; Rigo, T.; Bravo, M.; Mercader, J.

2009-09-01

Verification of QPF in NWP models has been always challenging not only for knowing what scores are better to quantify a particular skill of a model but also for choosing the more appropriate methodology when comparing forecasts with observations. On the one hand, an objective verification technique can provide conclusions that are not in agreement with those ones obtained by the "eyeball" method. Consequently, QPF can provide valuable information to forecasters in spite of having poor scores. On the other hand, there are difficulties in knowing the "truth" so different results can be achieved depending on the procedures used to obtain the precipitation analysis. The aim of this study is to show the importance of combining different precipitation analyses and verification methodologies to obtain a better knowledge of the skills of a forecasting system. In particular, a short range precipitation forecasting system based on MM5 at 12 km coupled with LAPS is studied in a local convective precipitation event that took place in NE Iberian Peninsula on October 3rd 2008. For this purpose, a variety of verification methods (dichotomous, recalibration and object oriented methods) are used to verify this case study. At the same time, different precipitation analyses are used in the verification process obtained by interpolating radar data using different techniques.

Performance Evaluation of Three Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems Using ISO 15197: 2013 Accuracy Criteria, Consensus and Surveillance Error Grid Analyses, and Insulin Dosing Error Modeling in a Hospital Setting.

PubMed

Bedini, José Luis; Wallace, Jane F; Pardo, Scott; Petruschke, Thorsten

2015-10-07

Blood glucose monitoring is an essential component of diabetes management. Inaccurate blood glucose measurements can severely impact patients' health. This study evaluated the performance of 3 blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS), Contour® Next USB, FreeStyle InsuLinx®, and OneTouch® Verio™ IQ, under routine hospital conditions. Venous blood samples (N = 236) obtained for routine laboratory procedures were collected at a Spanish hospital, and blood glucose (BG) concentrations were measured with each BGMS and with the available reference (hexokinase) method. Accuracy of the 3 BGMS was compared according to ISO 15197:2013 accuracy limit criteria, by mean absolute relative difference (MARD), consensus error grid (CEG) and surveillance error grid (SEG) analyses, and an insulin dosing error model. All BGMS met the accuracy limit criteria defined by ISO 15197:2013. While all measurements of the 3 BGMS were within low-risk zones in both error grid analyses, the Contour Next USB showed significantly smaller MARDs between reference values compared to the other 2 BGMS. Insulin dosing errors were lowest for the Contour Next USB than compared to the other systems. All BGMS fulfilled ISO 15197:2013 accuracy limit criteria and CEG criterion. However, taking together all analyses, differences in performance of potential clinical relevance may be observed. Results showed that Contour Next USB had lowest MARD values across the tested glucose range, as compared with the 2 other BGMS. CEG and SEG analyses as well as calculation of the hypothetical bolus insulin dosing error suggest a high accuracy of the Contour Next USB. © 2015 Diabetes Technology Society.

An Integrated Approach for a Structural and Functional Evaluation of Biosimilars: Implications for Erythropoietin.

PubMed

Gianoncelli, Alessandra; Bonini, Sara A; Bertuzzi, Michela; Guarienti, Michela; Vezzoli, Sara; Kumar, Rajesh; Delbarba, Andrea; Mastinu, Andrea; Sigala, Sandra; Spano, Pierfranco; Pani, Luca; Pecorelli, Sergio; Memo, Maurizio

2015-08-01

Authorization to market a biosimilar product by the appropriate institutions is expected based on biosimilarity with its originator product. The analogy between the originator and its biosimilar(s) is assessed through safety, purity, and potency analyses. In this study, we proposed a useful quality control system for rapid and economic primary screening of potential biosimilar drugs. For this purpose, chemical and functional characterization of the originator rhEPO alfa and two of its biosimilars was discussed. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the originator rhEPO alfa and its biosimilars were performed using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The identification of proteins and the separation of isoforms were studied using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE), respectively. Furthermore, the biological activity of these drugs was measured both in vitro, evaluating the TF-1 cell proliferation rate, and in vivo, using the innovative experimental animal model of the zebrafish embryos. Chemical analyses showed that the quantitative concentrations of rhEPO alfa were in agreement with the labeled claims by the corresponding manufacturers. The qualitative analyses performed demonstrated that the three drugs were pure and that they had the same amino acid sequence. Chemical differences were found only at the level of isoforms containing N-glycosylation; however, functional in vitro and in vivo studies did not show any significant differences from a biosimilar point of view. These rapid and economic structural and functional analyses were effective in the evaluation of the biosimilarity between the originator rhEPO alfa and the biosimilars analyzed.

Interventions designed to reduce sedentary behaviours in young people: a review of reviews.

PubMed

Biddle, Stuart J H; Petrolini, Irene; Pearson, Natalie

2014-02-01

Leisure time is increasingly spent in sedentary pursuits such as screen-viewing (eg, television/DVD viewing and computer use), motorised travel, school/work and sitting-based socialising (eg, social media and chatting). Sedentary screen time, particularly TV, appears to play an important role in the aetiology of obesity due to its co-occurrence with other unhealthy behaviours such as snacking on energy-dense foods, low levels of physical activity and inadequate sleep. More information is needed on how to reduce sedentary behaviours. Most interventions have focused on young people and a number of systematic reviews exist on this topic. To synthesise systematic reviews and meta-analyses of interventions aimed at decreasing sedentary behaviours among children and adolescents. Papers were located from computerised and manual searches. Included articles were English language systematic reviews or meta-analyses of interventions aiming at reducing sedentary behaviour in children (<11 years) and adolescents (12-18 years). Ten papers met the inclusion criteria and were analysed. All reviews concluded some level of effectiveness in reducing time spent in sedentary behaviour. When an effect size was reported, there was a small but significant reduction in sedentary time (highest effect size=-0.29; CI -0.35 to -0.22). Moderator analyses showed a trend favouring interventions with children younger than 6 years. Effective strategies include the involvement of family, behavioural interventions and electronic TV monitoring devices. Results from systematic reviews and meta-analyses show that interventions to reduce children's sedentary behaviour have a small but significant effect. Future research should expand these findings examining interventions targeting different types of sedentary behaviours and the effectiveness of specific behaviour change techniques across different contexts and settings.

The acute effects of grape polyphenols supplementation on endothelial function in adults: meta-analyses of controlled trials.

PubMed

Li, Shao-Hua; Tian, Hong-Bo; Zhao, Hong-Jin; Chen, Liang-Hua; Cui, Lian-Qun

2013-01-01

The acute effects of grape polyphenols on endothelial function in adults are inconsistent. Here, we performed meta-analyses to determine these acute effects as measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Trials were searched in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library database. Summary estimates of weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% CIs were obtained by using random-effects models. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses were performed to identify the source of heterogeneity. The protocol details of our meta-analysis have been submitted to the PROSPERO register and our registration number is CRD42013004157. Nine studies were included in the present meta-analyses. The results showed that the FMD level was significantly increased in the initial 120 min after intake of grape polyphenols as compared with controls. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses were performed and showed that a health status was the main effect modifier of the significant heterogeneity. Subgroups indicated that intake of grape polyphenols could significantly increase FMD in healthy subjects, and the increased FMD appeared to be more obviously in subjects with high cardiovascular risk factors. Moreover, the peak effect of grape polyphenols on FMD in healthy subjects was found 30 min after ingestion, which was different from the effect in subjects with high cardiovascular risk factors, in whom the peak effect was found 60 min after ingestion. Endothelial function can be significantly improved in healthy adults in the initial 2 h after intake of grape polyphenols. The acute effect of grape polyphenols on endothelial function may be more significant but the peak effect is delayed in subjects with a smoking history or coronary heart disease as compared with the healthy subjects.

The Acute Effects of Grape Polyphenols Supplementation on Endothelial Function in Adults: Meta-Analyses of Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Li, Shao-Hua; Tian, Hong-Bo; Zhao, Hong-Jin; Chen, Liang-Hua; Cui, Lian-Qun

2013-01-01

Background The acute effects of grape polyphenols on endothelial function in adults are inconsistent. Here, we performed meta-analyses to determine these acute effects as measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Methods Trials were searched in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library database. Summary estimates of weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% CIs were obtained by using random-effects models. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses were performed to identify the source of heterogeneity. The protocol details of our meta-analysis have been submitted to the PROSPERO register and our registration number is CRD42013004157. Results Nine studies were included in the present meta-analyses. The results showed that the FMD level was significantly increased in the initial 120 min after intake of grape polyphenols as compared with controls. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses were performed and showed that a health status was the main effect modifier of the significant heterogeneity. Subgroups indicated that intake of grape polyphenols could significantly increase FMD in healthy subjects, and the increased FMD appeared to be more obviously in subjects with high cardiovascular risk factors. Moreover, the peak effect of grape polyphenols on FMD in healthy subjects was found 30 min after ingestion, which was different from the effect in subjects with high cardiovascular risk factors, in whom the peak effect was found 60 min after ingestion. Conclusions Endothelial function can be significantly improved in healthy adults in the initial 2 h after intake of grape polyphenols. The acute effect of grape polyphenols on endothelial function may be more significant but the peak effect is delayed in subjects with a smoking history or coronary heart disease as compared with the healthy subjects. PMID:23894543

ASSESSING ABUNDANCE DISTRIBUTIONS IN NATURAL COMMUNITIES OF ECTOMYCORRHIZAS ALONG AN ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENT

EPA Science Inventory

Alpha diversity indices often fail to distinguish between natural populations that a more detailed investigation of the distribution of ramets among types would show are quite different. We studied the effectiveness of applying SHE analyses to morphotype classifications of ectom...

Transition to motherhood and the self: measurement, stability, and change.

PubMed

Ruble, D N; Brooks-Gunn, J; Fleming, A S; Fitzmaurice, G; Stangor, C; Deutsch, F

1990-03-01

Different ways of conceptualizing and measuring change in attitudes during transition to motherhood are examined. A series of analyses was performed on data from a cross-sectional sample (N = 667) and a smaller longitudinal sample (n = 48) to demonstrate sound psychometric properties for 2 new scales and to show construct comparability across different phases of childbearing. For Childbearing Attitudes Questionnaire, results demonstrated equality of covariance for 16 scales and comparability of structure and meaning of 4 higher order factors--identification with motherhood, social orientation, self-confidence, and negative aspects of giving birth. For Mothering Self-Definition Questionnaire, results demonstrated equality of covariance of 5 scales and comparability of structure and meaning of a single higher order factor, interpreted as reflecting positive feelings about one's mothering characteristics. Analyses of correlations and mean differences identified areas of change and stability.

Sex-related Differences in the Determinants and Process of Science and Mathematics Choice in Pre-university Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Langen, Annemarie; Rekers-Mombarg, Lyset; Dekkers, Hetty

2006-01-01

The more science and mathematics subjects that pupils in pre-university education include in their final examination package, the more future academic routes are available to them. Equality of educational opportunity is thus threatened when groups of pupils, distinguished by sex and family background but otherwise of equal capacities and achievement, are found to differ in their choices. This proposition is examined using data from a large Dutch cohort. Multilevel analyses show that the choice of science and mathematics subjects by girls is influenced by their family background while the choice by boys is not. The influence of various pupil and family variables on the subject selection process is explored via path analyses. The results confirm the importance of viewing subject choice as a chronological process that progresses differently for boys and girls.

Development of methodology for identification the nature of the polyphenolic extracts by FTIR associated with multivariate analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grasel, Fábio dos Santos; Ferrão, Marco Flôres; Wolf, Carlos Rodolfo

2016-01-01

Tannins are polyphenolic compounds of complex structures formed by secondary metabolism in several plants. These polyphenolic compounds have different applications, such as drugs, anti-corrosion agents, flocculants, and tanning agents. This study analyses six different type of polyphenolic extracts by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) combined with multivariate analysis. Through both principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), we observed well-defined separation between condensed (quebracho and black wattle) and hydrolysable (valonea, chestnut, myrobalan, and tara) tannins. For hydrolysable tannins, it was also possible to observe the formation of two different subgroups between samples of chestnut and valonea and between samples of tara and myrobalan. Among all samples analysed, the chestnut and valonea showed the greatest similarity, indicating that these extracts contain equivalent chemical compositions and structure and, therefore, similar properties.

Discussion of Source Reconstruction Models Using 3D MCG Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melis, Massimo De; Uchikawa, Yoshinori

In this study we performed the source reconstruction of magnetocardiographic signals generated by the human heart activity to localize the site of origin of the heart activation. The localizations were performed in a four compartment model of the human volume conductor. The analyses were conducted on normal subjects and on a subject affected by the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Different models of the source activation were used to evaluate whether a general model of the current source can be applied in the study of the cardiac inverse problem. The data analyses were repeated using normal and vector component data of the MCG. The results show that a distributed source model has the better accuracy in performing the source reconstructions, and that 3D MCG data allow finding smaller differences between the different source models.

Regional homogeneity and functional connectivity patterns in major depressive disorder, cognitive vulnerability to depression and healthy subjects.

PubMed

Sun, Hui; Luo, Lizhu; Yuan, Xinru; Zhang, Lu; He, Yini; Yao, Shuqiao; Wang, Jiaojian; Xiao, Jing

2018-08-01

Cognitive vulnerability to depression (CVD) is a high risk for depressive disorder. Recent studies focus on individuals with CVD to determine the neural basis of major depressive disorder (MDD) neuropathology. However, whether CVD showed specific or similar brain functional activity and connectivity patterns, compared to MDD, remain largely unknown. Here, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in subjects with CVD, healthy controls (HC) and MDD, regional homogeneity (ReHo) and resting-state functional connectivity (R-FC) analyses were conducted to assess local synchronization and changes in functional connectivity patterns. Significant ReHo differences were found in right posterior lobe of cerebellum (PLC), left lingual gyrus (LG) and precuneus. Compared to HC, CVD subjects showed increased ReHo in the PLC, which was similar to the difference found between MDD and HC. Compared to MDD patients, CVD subjects showed decreased ReHo in PLC, LG, and precuneus. R-FC analyses found increased functional connections between LG and left inferior parietal lobule, posterior cingulate cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in CVD compared to both HC and MDD. Moreover, Regional mean ReHo values were positively correlated with Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale scores. These analyses revealed that PLC and functional connections between LG and left inferior parietal lobule, posterior cingulate cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may be a potential marker for CVD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Large-Scale Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Mediterranean Cephalopod Diversity

PubMed Central

Keller, Stefanie; Bartolino, Valerio; Hidalgo, Manuel; Bitetto, Isabella; Casciaro, Loredana; Cuccu, Danila; Esteban, Antonio; Garcia, Cristina; Garofalo, Germana; Josephides, Marios; Jadaud, Angelique; Lefkaditou, Evgenia; Maiorano, Porzia; Manfredi, Chiara; Marceta, Bojan; Massutí, Enric; Micallef, Reno; Peristeraki, Panagiota; Relini, Giulio; Sartor, Paolo; Spedicato, Maria Teresa; Tserpes, George; Quetglas, Antoni

2016-01-01

Species diversity is widely recognized as an important trait of ecosystems’ functioning and resilience. Understanding the causes of diversity patterns and their interaction with the environmental conditions is essential in order to effectively assess and preserve existing diversity. While diversity patterns of most recurrent groups such as fish are commonly studied, other important taxa such as cephalopods have received less attention. In this work we present spatio-temporal trends of cephalopod diversity across the entire Mediterranean Sea during the last 19 years, analysing data from the annual bottom trawl survey MEDITS conducted by 5 different Mediterranean countries using standardized gears and sampling protocols. The influence of local and regional environmental variability in different Mediterranean regions is analysed applying generalized additive models, using species richness and the Shannon Wiener index as diversity descriptors. While the western basin showed a high diversity, our analyses do not support a steady eastward decrease of diversity as proposed in some previous studies. Instead, high Shannon diversity was also found in the Adriatic and Aegean Seas, and high species richness in the eastern Ionian Sea. Overall diversity did not show any consistent trend over the last two decades. Except in the Adriatic Sea, diversity showed a hump-shaped trend with depth in all regions, being highest between 200–400 m depth. Our results indicate that high Chlorophyll a concentrations and warmer temperatures seem to enhance species diversity, and the influence of these parameters is stronger for richness than for Shannon diversity. PMID:26760965

Evaluating exposures to complex mixtures of chemicals during a new production process in the plastics industry.

PubMed

Meijster, Tim; Burstyn, Igor; Van Wendel De Joode, Berna; Posthumus, Maarten A; Kromhout, Hans

2004-08-01

The goal of this study was to monitor emission of chemicals at a factory where plastics products were fabricated by a new robotic (impregnated tape winding) production process. Stationary and personal air measurements were taken to determine which chemicals were released and at what concentrations. Principal component analyses (PCA) and linear regression were used to determine the emission sources of different chemicals found in the air samples. We showed that complex mixtures of chemicals were released, but most concentrations were below Dutch exposure limits. Based on the results of the principal component analyses, the chemicals found were divided into three groups. The first group consisted of short chain aliphatic hydrocarbons (C2-C6). The second group included larger hydrocarbons (C9-C11) and some cyclic hydrocarbons. The third group contained all aromatic and two aliphatic hydrocarbons. Regression analyses showed that emission of the first group of chemicals was associated with cleaning activities and the use of epoxy resins. The second and third group showed strong association with the type of tape used in the new tape winding process. High levels of CO and HCN (above exposure limits) were measured on one occasion when a different brand of impregnated polypropylene sulphide tape was used in the tape winding process. Plans exist to drastically increase production with the new tape winding process. This will cause exposure levels to rise and therefore further control measures should be installed to reduce release of these chemicals.

Applying Rasch analysis to evaluate measurement equivalence of different administration formats of the Activity Limitation scale of the Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR).

PubMed

Twiss, J; McKenna, S P; Graham, J; Swetz, K; Sloan, J; Gomberg-Maitland, M

2016-04-09

Electronic formats of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures are now routinely used in clinical research studies. When changing from a validated paper and pen to electronic administration it is necessary to establish their equivalence. This study reports on the value of Rasch analysis in this process. Three groups of US pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients participated. The first completed an electronic version of the CAMPHOR Activity Limitation scale (e-sample) and this was compared with two pen and paper administrated samples (pp1 and pp2). The three databases were combined and analysed for fit to the Rasch model. Equivalence was evaluated by differential item functioning (DIF) analyses. The three datasets were matched randomly in terms of sample size (n = 147). Mean age (years) and percentage of male respondents were as follows: e-sample (51.7, 16.0 %); pp1 (50.0, 14.0 %); pp2 (55.5, 40.4 %). The combined dataset achieved fit to the Rasch model. Two items showed evidence of borderline DIF. Further analyses showed the inclusion of these items had little impact on Rasch estimates indicating the DIF identified was unimportant. Differences between the performance of the electronic and pen and paper administrations of the CAMPHOR Activity Limitation scale were minor. The results were successful in showing how the Rasch model can be used to determine the equivalence of alternative formats of PRO measures.

ns2np4 (n = 4, 5) lone pair triplets whirling in M*F2E3 (M* = Kr, Xe): Stereochemistry and ab initio analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galy, Jean; Matar, Samir F.

2017-02-01

The stereochemistry of ns2np4 (n = 4, 5) lone pair LP characterizing noble gas Kr and Xe (labeled M*) in M*F2 difluorides is examined within coherent crystal chemistry and ab initio visualizations. M*2+ in such oxidation state brings three lone pairs (E) and difluorides are formulated M*F2E3. The analyses use electron localization function (ELF) obtained within density functional theory calculations showing the development of the LP triplets whirling {E3} quantified in the relevant chemical systems. Detailed ELF data analyses allowed showing that in α KrF2E3 and isostructural XeF2E3 difluorides the three E electronic clouds merge or hybridize into a torus and adopt a perfect gyration circle with an elliptical section, while in β KrF2 the network architecture deforms the whole torus into an ellipsoid shape. Original precise metrics are provided for the torus in the different compounds under study. In KrF2 the geometric changes upon β → α phase transition is schematized and mechanisms for the transformation with temperature or pressure are proposed. The results are further highlighted by electronic band structure calculations which show similar features of equal band gaps of 3 eV in both α and β KrF2 and a reorganization of frontier orbitals due to the different orientations of the F-Kr-F linear molecule in the two tetragonal structures.

Breastfeeding or bottled milk? Poverty and feeding choices in the native and immigrant population in Belgium.

PubMed

Vanderlinden, Karen; Levecque, Katia; Van Rossem, Ronan

2015-04-01

In many European countries, mothers in poverty show a preference for bottled milk over breastfeeding. What remains unknown is whether the impact of poverty on feeding choices differs between immigrants and natives. We first assessed whether being born into poverty indicates a higher chance of being bottle-fed, then evaluated whether region of origin of the mother moderates the impact of poverty on feeding choice. Based on population data from nearly all newborns in Belgium in 2004 (N = 34,314), we performed several binary logistic analyses to answer these research questions. Analyses showed a strong difference in feeding choices between native and migrant mothers in poverty: for Belgian mothers, the choice to breastfeed significantly decreased; no such effect was observed for migrant women. Southern European mothers living in poverty have an even higher chance of breastfeeding than those who are better off. We suggest possible explanations and set a direction for future research regarding breastfeeding choices for migrant mothers.

The effect of meteorological factors on the daily variation of airborne fungal spores in Granada (southern Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabariego, S.; Díaz de la Guardia, C.; Alba, F.

A study was made of the link between climatic factors and the daily content of certain fungal spores in the atmosphere of the city of Granada in 1994. Sampling was carried out with a Burkard 7-day-recording spore trap. The spores analysed corresponded to the taxa Alternaria, Ustilago and Cladosporium, with two morphologically different spore types in the latter genus, cladosporioides and herbarum. These spores were selected both for their allergenic capacity and for the high level of their presence in the atmosphere, particularly during the spring and autumn. The spores of Cladosporium were the most abundant (93.82% of the total spores identified). The Spearman correlation coefficients between the spore concentrations studied and the meteorological parameters show different indices depending on the taxon being analysed. Alternaria and Cladosporium are significantly correlated with temperature and hours of sunlight, while Ustilago shows positive correlation indices with relative humidity and negative indices with wind speed.

Global metabolic analyses identify key differences in metabolite levels between polymyxin-susceptible and polymyxin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

PubMed Central

Mahamad Maifiah, Mohd Hafidz; Cheah, Soon-Ee; Johnson, Matthew D.; Han, Mei-Ling; Boyce, John D.; Thamlikitkul, Visanu; Forrest, Alan; Kaye, Keith S.; Hertzog, Paul; Purcell, Anthony W.; Song, Jiangning; Velkov, Tony; Creek, Darren J.; Li, Jian

2016-01-01

Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii presents a global medical crisis and polymyxins are used as the last-line therapy. This study aimed to identify metabolic differences between polymyxin-susceptible and polymyxin-resistant A. baumannii using untargeted metabolomics. The metabolome of each A. baumannii strain was measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Multivariate and univariate statistics and pathway analyses were employed to elucidate metabolic differences between the polymyxin-susceptible and -resistant A. baumannii strains. Significant differences were identified between the metabolic profiles of the polymyxin-susceptible and -resistant A. baumannii strains. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) deficient, polymyxin-resistant 19606R showed perturbation in specific amino acid and carbohydrate metabolites, particularly pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates. Levels of nucleotides were lower in the LPS-deficient 19606R. Furthermore, 19606R exhibited a shift in its glycerophospholipid profile towards increased abundance of short-chain lipids compared to the parent polymyxin-susceptible ATCC 19606. In contrast, in a pair of clinical isolates 03–149.1 (polymyxin-susceptible) and 03–149.2 (polymyxin-resistant, due to modification of lipid A), minor metabolic differences were identified. Notably, peptidoglycan biosynthesis metabolites were significantly depleted in both of the aforementioned polymyxin-resistant strains. This is the first comparative untargeted metabolomics study to show substantial differences in the metabolic profiles of the polymyxin-susceptible and -resistant A. baumannii. PMID:26924392

Global metabolic analyses identify key differences in metabolite levels between polymyxin-susceptible and polymyxin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

PubMed

Maifiah, Mohd Hafidz Mahamad; Cheah, Soon-Ee; Johnson, Matthew D; Han, Mei-Ling; Boyce, John D; Thamlikitkul, Visanu; Forrest, Alan; Kaye, Keith S; Hertzog, Paul; Purcell, Anthony W; Song, Jiangning; Velkov, Tony; Creek, Darren J; Li, Jian

2016-02-29

Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii presents a global medical crisis and polymyxins are used as the last-line therapy. This study aimed to identify metabolic differences between polymyxin-susceptible and polymyxin-resistant A. baumannii using untargeted metabolomics. The metabolome of each A. baumannii strain was measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Multivariate and univariate statistics and pathway analyses were employed to elucidate metabolic differences between the polymyxin-susceptible and -resistant A. baumannii strains. Significant differences were identified between the metabolic profiles of the polymyxin-susceptible and -resistant A. baumannii strains. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) deficient, polymyxin-resistant 19606R showed perturbation in specific amino acid and carbohydrate metabolites, particularly pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates. Levels of nucleotides were lower in the LPS-deficient 19606R. Furthermore, 19606R exhibited a shift in its glycerophospholipid profile towards increased abundance of short-chain lipids compared to the parent polymyxin-susceptible ATCC 19606. In contrast, in a pair of clinical isolates 03-149.1 (polymyxin-susceptible) and 03-149.2 (polymyxin-resistant, due to modification of lipid A), minor metabolic differences were identified. Notably, peptidoglycan biosynthesis metabolites were significantly depleted in both of the aforementioned polymyxin-resistant strains. This is the first comparative untargeted metabolomics study to show substantial differences in the metabolic profiles of the polymyxin-susceptible and -resistant A. baumannii.

Prevalence of the BCR/ABL1 transcripts in Mexican patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia.

PubMed

Meza-Espinoza, Juan Pablo; Gutiérrez-Angulo, Melva; Vázquez-Cárdenas, Alejandra; Delgado-Lamas, José Luis; Esparza-Flores, María Amparo; González-García, Juan Ramón

2007-01-01

RT-PCR studies in 93 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia from the Mexican West were done in order to know the proportion of b2a2 and b3a2 BCR/ABL1 transcripts. Forty-five patients showed the b3a2 transcript (48%), 37 (40%) displayed the b2a2 and in 11 cases (12%) both transcripts were detected. Statistical analyses showed that these figures are in accordance with two of three similar studies realized in Mexican population. Moreover, significant differences were found among Mexican people and patients from other countries, namely Ecuador, England, Italy, Poland, Japan, and Thailand. Ecuadorian patients showed differences with all the populations analyzed. These variations could be due to a different genetic background.

Assessing the effects of habitat patches ensuring propagule supply and different costs inclusion in marine spatial planning through multivariate analyses.

PubMed

Appolloni, L; Sandulli, R; Vetrano, G; Russo, G F

2018-05-15

Marine Protected Areas are considered key tools for conservation of coastal ecosystems. However, many reserves are characterized by several problems mainly related to inadequate zonings that often do not protect high biodiversity and propagule supply areas precluding, at the same time, economic important zones for local interests. The Gulf of Naples is here employed as a study area to assess the effects of inclusion of different conservation features and costs in reserve design process. In particular eight scenarios are developed using graph theory to identify propagule source patches and fishing and exploitation activities as costs-in-use for local population. Scenarios elaborated by MARXAN, software commonly used for marine conservation planning, are compared using multivariate analyses (MDS, PERMANOVA and PERMDISP) in order to assess input data having greatest effects on protected areas selection. MARXAN is heuristic software able to give a number of different correct results, all of them near to the best solution. Its outputs show that the most important areas to be protected, in order to ensure long-term habitat life and adequate propagule supply, are mainly located around the Gulf islands. In addition through statistical analyses it allowed us to prove that different choices on conservation features lead to statistically different scenarios. The presence of propagule supply patches forces MARXAN to select almost the same areas to protect decreasingly different MARXAN results and, thus, choices for reserves area selection. The multivariate analyses applied here to marine spatial planning proved to be very helpful allowing to identify i) how different scenario input data affect MARXAN and ii) what features have to be taken into account in study areas characterized by peculiar biological and economic interests. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Analyses of Expressive Language Development Reveal Two Distinct Language Profiles among Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Tek, Saime; Mesite, Laura; Fein, Deborah; Naigles, Letitia

2013-01-01

Although children with ASD show significant variation in language skills, research on what type(s) of language profiles they demonstrate has been limited. Using growth-curve analyses, we investigated how different groups of young children with ASD show increases in the size of their lexicon, morpho-syntactic production as measured by Brown’s 14 grammatical morphemes, and wh-question complexity, compared to TD children, across six time points. Children with ASD who had higher verbal skills were comparable to TD children on most language measures, whereas the children with ASD who had low verbal skills had flatter trajectories in most language measures. Thus, two distinct language profiles emerged for children with ASD. PMID:23719855

Effects of playing violent videogames on Chinese adolescents' pro-violence attitudes, attitudes toward others, and aggressive behavior.

PubMed

Wei, Ran

2007-06-01

This study examines the effects of exposure to online videogame violence on Chinese adolescents' attitudes toward violence, empathy, and aggressive behavior. Results of bivariate analyses show that playing violent videogames on the Internet was associated with greater tolerance of violence, a lower emphatic attitude, and more aggressive behavior. Results of hierarchical regression analyses showed sustained relationships between exposure and pro-violent attitudes and empathy when exposure was examined simultaneously with gender, computer use, and Internet use. However, the linkage between exposure and aggression became non-significant, suggesting that the effects of playing violent videogames were greater for attitudinal outcomes than on overt behavior. Gender differences in playing videogames and in effects were also found.

Analytical performance, agreement and user-friendliness of six point-of-care testing urine analysers for urinary tract infection in general practice.

PubMed

Schot, Marjolein J C; van Delft, Sanne; Kooijman-Buiting, Antoinette M J; de Wit, Niek J; Hopstaken, Rogier M

2015-05-18

Various point-of-care testing (POCT) urine analysers are commercially available for routine urine analysis in general practice. The present study compares analytical performance, agreement and user-friendliness of six different POCT urine analysers for diagnosing urinary tract infection in general practice. All testing procedures were performed at a diagnostic centre for primary care in the Netherlands. Urine samples were collected at four general practices. Analytical performance and agreement of the POCT analysers regarding nitrite, leucocytes and erythrocytes, with the laboratory reference standard, was the primary outcome measure, and analysed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and Cohen's κ coefficient for agreement. Secondary outcome measures were the user-friendliness of the POCT analysers, in addition to other characteristics of the analysers. The following six POCT analysers were evaluated: Uryxxon Relax (Macherey Nagel), Urisys 1100 (Roche), Clinitek Status (Siemens), Aution 11 (Menarini), Aution Micro (Menarini) and Urilyzer (Analyticon). Analytical performance was good for all analysers. Compared with laboratory reference standards, overall agreement was good, but differed per parameter and per analyser. Concerning the nitrite test, the most important test for clinical practice, all but one showed perfect agreement with the laboratory standard. For leucocytes and erythrocytes specificity was high, but sensitivity was considerably lower. Agreement for leucocytes varied between good to very good, and for the erythrocyte test between fair and good. First-time users indicated that the analysers were easy to use. They expected higher productivity and accuracy when using these analysers in daily practice. The overall performance and user-friendliness of all six commercially available POCT urine analysers was sufficient to justify routine use in suspected urinary tract infections in general practice. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Technical note: Aerosol light absorption measurements with a carbon analyser - Calibration and precision estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ammerlaan, B. A. J.; Holzinger, R.; Jedynska, A. D.; Henzing, J. S.

2017-09-01

Equivalent Black Carbon (EBC) and Elemental Carbon (EC) are different mass metrics to quantify the amount of combustion aerosol. Both metrics have their own measurement technique. In state-of-the-art carbon analysers, optical measurements are used to correct for organic carbon that is not evolving because of pyrolysis. These optical measurements are sometimes used to apply the technique of absorption photometers. Here, we use the transmission measurements of our carbon analyser for simultaneous determination of the elemental carbon concentration and the absorption coefficient. We use MAAP data from the CESAR observatory, the Netherlands, to correct for aerosol-filter interactions by linking the attenuation coefficient from the carbon analyser to the absorption coefficient measured by the MAAP. Application of the calibration to an independent data set of MAAP and OC/EC observations for the same location shows that the calibration is applicable to other observation periods. Because of simultaneous measurements of light absorption properties of the aerosol and elemental carbon, variation in the mass absorption efficiency (MAE) can be studied. We further show that the absorption coefficients and MAE in this set-up are determined within a precision of 10% and 12%, respectively. The precisions could be improved to 4% and 8% when the light transmission signal in the carbon analyser is very stable.

Cancer of the ovary, fallopian tube, and peritoneum: a population-based comparison of the prognostic factors and outcomes.

PubMed

Rottmann, Miriam; Burges, A; Mahner, S; Anthuber, C; Beck, T; Grab, D; Schnelzer, A; Kiechle, M; Mayr, D; Pölcher, M; Schubert-Fritschle, G; Engel, J

2017-09-01

The objective was to compare the prognostic factors and outcomes among primary ovarian cancer (OC), fallopian tube cancer (FC), and peritoneal cancer (PC) patients in a population-based setting. We analysed 5399 OC, 327 FC, and 416 PC patients diagnosed between 1998 and 2014 in the catchment area of the Munich Cancer Registry (meanwhile 4.8 million inhabitants). Tumour site differences were examined by comparing prognostic factors, treatments, the time to progression, and survival. The effect of the tumour site was additionally analysed by a Cox regression model. The median age at diagnosis, histology, and FIGO stage significantly differed among the tumour sites (p < 0.001); PC patients were older, more often diagnosed with a serous subtype, and in FIGO stage III or IV. The time to progression and survival significantly differed among the tumour sites. When stratified by FIGO stage, the differences in time to progression disappeared, and the differences in survival considerably weakened. The differences in the multivariate survival analysis showed an almost identical outcome in PC patients (HR 1.07 [0.91-1.25]) and an improved survival of FC patients (HR 0.63 [0.49-0.81]) compared to that of OC patients. The comparison of OC, FC, and PC patients in this large-scale population-based study showed differences in the prognostic factors. These differences primarily account for the inferior outcome of PC patients, and for the improved survival of FC compared to OC patients.

Executive dysfunction in schizophrenia and its association with mentalizing abilities.

PubMed

Gavilán, José M; García-Albea, José E

2015-01-01

Patients with schizophrenia have been found impaired in important aspects of their basic and social cognition. Our aim in this study is to explore the relationship between executive function (EF) and theory of mind (ToM) deficiencies in patients that suffer the illness. Twenty-two Spanish-speaking inpatients and 22 healthy controls matched in age, sex, education, language dominance, and premorbid IQ were assessed in EF and ToM abilities. The former were assessed using 10 tasks that covered 5 cognitive dimensions and the latter using 3 different tasks. Correlation analyses were used to explore the level of association between executive and mentalizing abilities. A series of discriminant function analyses were carried out to examine the relative contribution of each executive and mentalizing task to discriminate between patients and controls. Patients showed impairments in both, executive and ToM abilities. The correlation analyses showed a virtual absence of association between EF and ToM abilities within the group of patients, and an almost opposite pattern within the healthy group. ToM performance was more accurate than executive performance to discriminate patients from controls. Although EFs and ToM deficits come into view together in schizophrenia, they appear to belong to different and relatively independent cognitive domains. Copyright © 2013 SEP y SEPB. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Intraoral Laser Welding (ILW): ultrastructural and mechanical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fornaini, Carlo; Passaretti, Francesca; Villa, Elena; Nammour, Samir

2010-05-01

Nd:YAG, currently used since 1970 in dental laboratories to weld metals on dental prostheses has some limits such great dimensions, high costs and fixed delivery system. Recently it was proposed the possibility to use the Nd:YAG laser device commonly utilised in dental office, to repair broken fixed, removable and orthodontic prostheses and to weld metals directly into the mouth. The aim of this work is to value, through SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), EDS (Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy) and DMA (Dynamic Mechanical Analysis), quality and mechanical strength of the welding process comparing a device normally used in dental lab and a device normally used in dental office for oral surgery. Sixteen CoCrMo metal plates and twenty steel orthodontic wires were divided in four groups: one was welded without metal apposition by laboratory laser, one was welded with metal apposition by laboratory laser, one was welded without metal apposition by office laser and one was welded with metal apposition by office laser. The welding process was analysed by SEM, EDS and DMA to compare the differences between the different samples. By SEM analysis it was seen that the plates welded by office laser without apposition metal showed a greater number of fissurations compared with the other samples. By EDS analysis it was seen a homogeneous composition of the metals in all the samples. The mechanical tests showed a similar elastic behaviour of the samples, with minimal differences between the two devices. No wire broke even under the maximum strength by the Analyser. This study seems to demonstrate that the welding process by office Nd:YAG laser device and the welding process by laboratory Nd:YAG laser device, analysed by SEM, EDS and DMA, showed minimal and not significant differences even if these data will be confirmed by a greater number of samples.

Effect of compression load and temperature on thermomechanical tests for gutta-percha and Resilon®.

PubMed

Tanomaru-Filho, M; Silveira, G F; Reis, J M S N; Bonetti-Filho, I; Guerreiro-Tanomaru, J M

2011-11-01

To analyse a method used to evaluate the thermomechanical properties of gutta-percha and Resilon(®) at different temperatures and compression loads. Two hundred and seventy specimens measuring 10 mm in diameter and 1.5 mm in height were made from the following materials: conventional gutta-percha (GCO), thermoplastic gutta-percha (GTP) and Resilon(®) cones (RE). After 24 h, the specimens were placed in water at 50 °C, 60 °C or 70 °C for 60 s. After that, specimens were placed between two glass slabs, and loads weighing 1.0, 3.0 or 5.0 kg were applied. Images of the specimens were digitized before and after the test and analysed using imaging software to determine their initial and final areas. The thermomechanical property of each material was determined by the difference between the initial and final areas of the specimens. Data were subjected to anova and SNK tests at 5% significance. To verify a possible correlation between the results of the materials, linear regression coefficients (r) were calculated. Data showed higher flow area values for RE under all compression loads at 70 °C and under the 5.0 kg load at 60 °C (P < 0.05). Regarding gutta-percha, GTP showed higher flow under loads weighing 3.0 and 5.0 kg, at 60 and 70 °C (P < 0.05). GCO presented higher flow at 70 °C with a load of 5.0 kg. Regression analyses showed a poor linear correlation amongst the results of the materials under the different experimental conditions. Gutta-percha and Resilon(®) cones require different compression loads and temperatures for evaluation of their thermomechanical properties. For all materials, the greatest flow occurred at 70 °C under a load of 5.0 kg; therefore, these parameters may be adopted when evaluating endodontic filling materials. © 2011 International Endodontic Journal.

Does polyandry really pay off? The effects of multiple mating and number of fathers on morphological traits and survival in clutches of nesting green turtles at Tortuguero.

PubMed

Alfaro-Núñez, Alonzo; Jensen, Michael P; Abreu-Grobois, F Alberto

2015-01-01

Despite the long debate of whether or not multiple mating benefits the offspring, studies still show contradictory results. Multiple mating takes time and energy. Thus, if females fertilize their eggs with a single mating, why to mate more than once? We investigated and inferred paternal identity and number of sires in 12 clutches (240 hatchlings) of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nests at Tortuguero, Costa Rica. Paternal alleles were inferred through comparison of maternal and hatchling genotypes, and indicated multiple paternity in at least 11 of the clutches (92%). The inferred average number of fathers was three (ranging from 1 to 5). Moreover, regression analyses were used to investigate for correlation of inferred clutch paternity with morphological traits of hatchlings fitness (emergence success, length, weight and crawling speed), the size of the mother, and an environmental variable (incubation temperature). We suggest and propose two different comparative approaches for evaluating morphological traits and clutch paternity, in order to infer greater offspring survival. First, clutches coded by the exact number of fathers and second by the exact paternal contribution (fathers who gives greater proportion of the offspring per nest). We found significant differences (P < 0.05) in clutches coded by the exact number of fathers for all morphological traits. A general tendency of higher values in offspring sired by two to three fathers was observed for the length and weight traits. However, emergence success and crawling speed showed different trends which unable us to reach any further conclusion. The second approach analysing the paternal contribution showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) for any of the traits. We conclude that multiple paternity does not provide any extra benefit in the morphological fitness traits or the survival of the offspring, when analysed following the proposed comparative statistical methods.

Analyses of GIMMS NDVI Time Series in Kogi State, Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palka, Jessica; Wessollek, Christine; Karrasch, Pierre

2017-10-01

The value of remote sensing data is particularly evident where an areal monitoring is needed to provide information on the earth's surface development. The use of temporal high resolution time series data allows for detecting short-term changes. In Kogi State in Nigeria different vegetation types can be found. As the major population in this region is living in rural communities with crop farming the existing vegetation is slowly being altered. The expansion of agricultural land causes loss of natural vegetation, especially in the regions close to the rivers which are suitable for crop production. With regard to these facts, two questions can be dealt with covering different aspects of the development of vegetation in the Kogi state, the determination and evaluation of the general development of the vegetation in the study area (trend estimation) and analyses on a short-term behavior of vegetation conditions, which can provide information about seasonal effects in vegetation development. For this purpose, the GIMMS-NDVI data set, provided by the NOAA, provides information on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in a geometric resolution of approx. 8 km. The temporal resolution of 15 days allows the already described analyses. For the presented analysis data for the period 1981-2012 (31 years) were used. The implemented workflow mainly applies methods of time series analysis. The results show that in addition to the classical seasonal development, artefacts of different vegetation periods (several NDVI maxima) can be found in the data. The trend component of the time series shows a consistently positive development in the entire study area considering the full investigation period of 31 years. However, the results also show that this development has not been continuous and a simple linear modeling of the NDVI increase is only possible to a limited extent. For this reason, the trend modeling was extended by procedures for detecting structural breaks in the time series.

Nutrition metabolism plays an important role in the alternate bearing of the olive tree (Olea europaea L.).

PubMed

Turktas, Mine; Inal, Behcet; Okay, Sezer; Erkilic, Emine Gulden; Dundar, Ekrem; Hernandez, Pilar; Dorado, Gabriel; Unver, Turgay

2013-01-01

The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is widely known for its strong tendency for alternate bearing, which severely affects the fruit yield from year to year. Microarray based gene expression analysis using RNA from olive samples (on-off years leaves and ripe-unripe fruits) are particularly useful to understand the molecular mechanisms influencing the periodicity in the olive tree. Thus, we carried out genome wide transcriptome analyses involving different organs and temporal stages of the olive tree using the NimbleGen Array containing 136,628 oligonucleotide probe sets. Cluster analyses of the genes showed that cDNAs originated from different organs could be sorted into separate groups. The nutritional control had a particularly remarkable impact on the alternate bearing of olive, as shown by the differential expression of transcripts under different temporal phases and organs. Additionally, hormonal control and flowering processes also played important roles in this phenomenon. Our analyses provide further insights into the transcript changes between "on year" and "off year" leaves along with the changes from unrpipe to ripe fruits, which shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the olive tree alternate bearing. These findings have important implications for the breeding and agriculture of the olive tree and other crops showing periodicity. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the development and use of an olive array to document the gene expression profiling associated with the alternate bearing in olive tree.

Dispersive Raman spectroscopy allows the identification and quantification of melanin types

PubMed Central

Galván, Ismael; Jorge, Alberto

2015-01-01

Melanins are the most prevalent pigments in animals and are involved in visual communication by producing colored traits that often evolve as intraspecific signals of quality. Identifying and quantifying melanins are therefore essential to understand the function and evolution of melanin-based signals. However, the analysis of melanins is difficult due to their insolubility and the lack of simple methods that allow the identification of their chemical forms. We recently proposed the use of Raman spectroscopy as a simple, noninvasive technique that can be used to identify and quantify melanins in feathers and hairs. Contrarily, other authors later stated that melanins are characterized by a lack of defined Raman signals. Here, we use confocal Raman microscopy to confirm previous analyses showing that the two main chemical forms of melanins (eumelanin and pheomelanin) exhibit distinct Raman signal and compare different excitation wavelengths to analyze synthetic pheomelanin and natural melanins in feathers of different species of birds. Our analyses indicate that only laser excitation wavelengths below 1064 nm are useful for the analysis of melanins by Raman spectroscopy, and only 780-nm laser in the case of melanins in feathers. These findings show that the capacity of Raman spectroscopy to distinguish different chemical forms of melanins depends on laser power and integration time. As a consequence, Raman spectroscopy should be applied after preliminar analyses using a range of these parameters, especially in fragile biological tissues such as feathers. PMID:25897382

Segmental heterogeneity in Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Bax expression in rat tubular epithelium after ischemia-reperfusion.

PubMed

Valdés, Francisco; Pásaro, Eduardo; Díaz, Inmaculada; Centeno, Alberto; López, Eduardo; García-Doval, Sandra; González-Roces, Severino; Alba, Alfonso; Laffon, Blanca

2008-06-01

Studies in rats with bilateral clamping of renal arteries showed transient Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Bax expression in renal tubular epithelium following ischemia-reperfusion. However, current data on the preferential localization of specific mRNAs or proteins are limited because gene expression was not analysed at segmental level. This study analyses the mRNA expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Bax in four segments of proximal and distal tubules localized in the renal cortex and outer medulla in rat kidneys with bilateral renal clamping for 30 min and seven reperfusion times versus control animals without clamp. Proximal convoluted tubule (PCT), distal convoluted tubule (DCT), proximal straight tubule (PST) and medullary thick ascending limb (MTAL) were obtained by manual microdissection. RT-PCR was used to analyse mRNA expression at segmental level. Proximal convoluted tubule and MTAL showed early, persistent and balanced up-regulation of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Bax, while PST and DCT revealed only Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, when only Bax was detected in PST. DCT expressed Bcl-xL initially, and persistent Bcl-2 later. These patterns suggest a heterogeneous apoptosis regulatory response in rat renal tubules after ischemia-reperfusion, independently of cortical or medullary location. This heterogeneity of the expression patterns of Bcl-2 genes could explain the different susceptibility to undergo apoptosis, the different threshold to ischemic damage and the different adaptive capacity to injury among these tubular segments.

Advanced Behavioral Analyses Show that the Presence of Food Causes Subtle Changes in C. elegans Movement.

PubMed

Angstman, Nicholas B; Frank, Hans-Georg; Schmitz, Christoph

2016-01-01

As a widely used and studied model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans worms offer the ability to investigate implications of behavioral change. Although, investigation of C. elegans behavioral traits has been shown, analysis is often narrowed down to measurements based off a single point, and thus cannot pick up on subtle behavioral and morphological changes. In the present study videos were captured of four different C. elegans strains grown in liquid cultures and transferred to NGM-agar plates with an E. coli lawn or with no lawn. Using an advanced software, WormLab, the full skeleton and outline of worms were tracked to determine whether the presence of food affects behavioral traits. In all seven investigated parameters, statistically significant differences were found in worm behavior between those moving on NGM-agar plates with an E. coli lawn and NGM-agar plates with no lawn. Furthermore, multiple test groups showed differences in interaction between variables as the parameters that significantly correlated statistically with speed of locomotion varied. In the present study, we demonstrate the validity of a model to analyze C. elegans behavior beyond simple speed of locomotion. The need to account for a nested design while performing statistical analyses in similar studies is also demonstrated. With extended analyses, C. elegans behavioral change can be investigated with greater sensitivity, which could have wide utility in fields such as, but not limited to, toxicology, drug discovery, and RNAi screening.

Distribution patterns of the peracarid crustaceans associated with the alga Corallina elongata along the intertidal rocky shores of the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izquierdo, D.; Guerra-García, J. M.

2011-06-01

Spatial patterns of intertidal peracarids, associated with the alga Corallina elongata, were studied along the whole Iberian Peninsula. A total of 28,215 specimens were collected, comprising 78 different species (57 amphipods, 16 isopods, 4 tanaids and 1 cumacean), most of them with Atlantic-Mediterranean distribution (60%) and only 9% of Mediterranean endemics. Gammarids were dominant in abundance and number of species, representing more than 70% of the total peracarids. The most common species collected during the present study were the caprellid Caprella penantis, the gammarids Hyale schmidti, Hyale stebbingi, Jassa cf. falcata and Stenothoe monoculoides, the isopod Ischyromene lacazei and the tanaid Tanais dulongii. Caprellids and tanaidaceans presented their highest populations in the stations of the Strait of Gibraltar, whereas isopods were more abundant in Atlantic stations. Univariate analyses did not reflected differences in number of species, abundance and Shannon-Weaver diversity between Mediterranean and Atlantic. However, cluster analyses and Whittaker index, as measure of ß-diversity, showed a different species composition between Mediterranean and Atlantic and a replacement of species along the coast, especially at the Strait of Gibraltar. The turnover mainly affected species of the same genera, probably related with sympatric speciation. CCA and BIO-ENV analyses showed high correlations between environmental measures (especially conductivity) and peracarid distribution. Mediterranean species tolerated higher values of conductivity and temperature, while Atlantic species were associated with stations characterized by higher oxygen concentrations.

Nutrition Metabolism Plays an Important Role in the Alternate Bearing of the Olive Tree (Olea europaea L.)

PubMed Central

Turktas, Mine; Inal, Behcet; Okay, Sezer; Erkilic, Emine Gulden; Dundar, Ekrem; Hernandez, Pilar; Dorado, Gabriel; Unver, Turgay

2013-01-01

The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is widely known for its strong tendency for alternate bearing, which severely affects the fruit yield from year to year. Microarray based gene expression analysis using RNA from olive samples (on-off years leaves and ripe-unripe fruits) are particularly useful to understand the molecular mechanisms influencing the periodicity in the olive tree. Thus, we carried out genome wide transcriptome analyses involving different organs and temporal stages of the olive tree using the NimbleGen Array containing 136,628 oligonucleotide probe sets. Cluster analyses of the genes showed that cDNAs originated from different organs could be sorted into separate groups. The nutritional control had a particularly remarkable impact on the alternate bearing of olive, as shown by the differential expression of transcripts under different temporal phases and organs. Additionally, hormonal control and flowering processes also played important roles in this phenomenon. Our analyses provide further insights into the transcript changes between ”on year” and “off year” leaves along with the changes from unrpipe to ripe fruits, which shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the olive tree alternate bearing. These findings have important implications for the breeding and agriculture of the olive tree and other crops showing periodicity. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the development and use of an olive array to document the gene expression profiling associated with the alternate bearing in olive tree. PMID:23555820

Scoring of nonmetric cranial traits: a methodological approach

PubMed Central

GUALDI-RUSSO, E.; TASCA, M. A.; BRASILI, P.

1999-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to analyse the replicability of the scoring of discontinuous traits. This was assessed on a sample of 100 skulls from the Frassetto collection (Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica Sperimentale of Bologna University) analysed through intraobserver comparisons: the discontinuous traits were determined on the same skulls and by the same observer on 3 separate occasions. The scoring was also assessed through interobserver comparisons: 3 different observers performed an independent survey on the same skulls. The results show that there were no significant differences in the discontinuous trait frequencies between the 3 different scorings by the same observer, but there were sometimes significant differences between different observers. Caution should thus be taken in applying the frequencies of these traits to population research. After an indispensable control of material conditions (subject age included), consideration must be given to standardisation procedures between observers, otherwise this may be an additional source of variability in cranial discontinuous trait scoring. PMID:10634693

Rice varietal differences in bioactive bran components for inhibition of colorectal cancer cell growth.

PubMed

Forster, Genevieve M; Raina, Komal; Kumar, Ajay; Kumar, Sushil; Agarwal, Rajesh; Chen, Ming-Hsuan; Bauer, John E; McClung, Anna M; Ryan, Elizabeth P

2013-11-15

Rice bran chemical profiles differ across rice varieties and have not yet been analysed for differential chemopreventive bioactivity. A diverse panel of seven rice bran varieties was analysed for growth inhibition of human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Inhibition varied from 0% to 99%, depending on the variety of bran used. Across varieties, total lipid content ranged 5-16%, individual fatty acids had 1.4- to 1.9-fold differences, vitamin E isoforms (α-, γ-, δ-tocotrienols, and tocopherols) showed 1.3- to 15.2-fold differences, and differences in γ-oryzanol and total phenolics ranged between 100-275ng/mg and 57-146ngGAE/mg, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis was used to identify bioactive compounds implicated in CRC cell growth inhibitory activity. Total phenolics and γ-tocotrienol were positively correlated with reduced CRC cell growth (p<0.05). Stoichiometric variation in rice bran components and differential effects on CRC viability merit further evaluation elucidate their role in dietary CRC chemoprevention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A reanalysis of cluster randomized trials showed interrupted time-series studies were valuable in health system evaluation.

PubMed

Fretheim, Atle; Zhang, Fang; Ross-Degnan, Dennis; Oxman, Andrew D; Cheyne, Helen; Foy, Robbie; Goodacre, Steve; Herrin, Jeph; Kerse, Ngaire; McKinlay, R James; Wright, Adam; Soumerai, Stephen B

2015-03-01

There is often substantial uncertainty about the impacts of health system and policy interventions. Despite that, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are uncommon in this field, partly because experiments can be difficult to carry out. An alternative method for impact evaluation is the interrupted time-series (ITS) design. Little is known, however, about how results from the two methods compare. Our aim was to explore whether ITS studies yield results that differ from those of randomized trials. We conducted single-arm ITS analyses (segmented regression) based on data from the intervention arm of cluster randomized trials (C-RCTs), that is, discarding control arm data. Secondarily, we included the control group data in the analyses, by subtracting control group data points from intervention group data points, thereby constructing a time series representing the difference between the intervention and control groups. We compared the results from the single-arm and controlled ITS analyses with results based on conventional aggregated analyses of trial data. The findings were largely concordant, yielding effect estimates with overlapping 95% confidence intervals (CI) across different analytical methods. However, our analyses revealed the importance of a concurrent control group and of taking baseline and follow-up trends into account in the analysis of C-RCTs. The ITS design is valuable for evaluation of health systems interventions, both when RCTs are not feasible and in the analysis and interpretation of data from C-RCTs. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of BF Hearth Reasonable Cooling System Based on the Water Dynamic Characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Haibin; Jiao, Kexin; Zhang, Jianliang; Li, Qian; Wang, Cui

A rational cooling water system is the assurance for long campaign life of blast furnace. In the paper, the heat transfer of different furnace period and different furnace condition based on the water quality characteristics were analysed, and the reason of the heat flux over the normal from the hydrodynamics was analysed. The results showed that, the vapour-film and scale existence significantly influenced the hearth heat transfer, which accelerated the brick lining erosion. The water dynamic characteristics of the parallel inner pipe or among the pipes were the main reason for the abnormal heat flux and film boiling. As to the reasonable cooling water flow, the gas film and the scale should be controlled and the energy saving should be considered.

Spillover effects of state mandated benefit laws: the case of outpatient breast cancer surgery.

PubMed

Bian, John; Lipscomb, Joseph; Mello, Michelle M

This paper examines the "spillover effects" of state laws that mandate inpatient coverage for breast cancer surgery. It looks at outpatient utilization of two types of breast cancer surgery among Medicare fee-for-service patients, who are exempt from state regulation. Using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results cancer registries and Medicare claims, we performed difference-in-differences analyses of patients in nine states from 1993 to 2002. The analyses show that state laws had a significant impact on only the likelihood of outpatient mastectomy, which was reduced by five percentage points. Such a spillover effect may diminish the expected impact of federal coverage laws for inpatient breast cancer surgery, which have been proposed to achieve similar ends.

[Austerity and healthcare privatization in times of crisis: are there any differences among autonomous communities?].

PubMed

Bacigalupe, Amaia; Martín, Unai; Font, Raquel; González-Rábago, Yolanda; Bergantiños, Noemi

2016-01-01

To analyse the differences between autonomous communities in Spain according to their policies of austerity and healthcare privatization during the economic crisis. Changes in the application of legal reforms, healthcare privatization and healthcare financing/resources in the autonomous communities were analysed, and a summary indicator of each dimension was constructed. The Basque Country showed the clearest behaviour towards a weak policy of austerity and privatization, as opposed to La Rioja, Madrid, and the Balearic Islands. The three classifications will enable analysis of the mediating effect of policies of austerity and privatization in the relationship between the economic crisis and health in the Spanish context. Copyright © 2015 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Differences between immigrant and national students in motivational variables and classroom-motivational-climate perception.

PubMed

Alonso-Tapia, Jesús; Simón, Carmen

2012-03-01

The objective of this study is to see whether Immigrant (IM) and Spanish (National) students (SP) need different kinds of help from teachers due to differences in motivation, family expectancies and interests and classroom-motivational-climate perception. A sample of Secondary Students -242 Spanish and 243 Immigrants- completed questionnaires assessing goal orientations and expectancies, family attitudes towards academic work, perception of classroom motivational climate and of its effects, satisfaction, disruptive behavior and achievement. ANOVAs showed differences in many of the motivational variables assessed as well as in family attitudes. In most cases, Immigrant students scored lower than Spanish students in the relevant variables. Regression analyses showed that personal and family differences were related to student's satisfaction, achievement and disruptive behavior. Finally, multi-group analysis of classroom-motivational-climate (CMC) showed similarities and differences in the motivational value attributed by IM and SP to each specific teaching pattern that configure the CMC. IM lower self-esteem could explain these results, whose implications for teaching and research are discussed.

Neutralising antibody titration in 25,000 sera of dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies in France, in the framework of the new regulations that offer an alternative to quarantine.

PubMed

Cliquet, F; Verdier, Y; Sagné, L; Aubert, M; Schereffer, J L; Selve, M; Wasniewski, M; Servat, A

2003-12-01

Regulations governing international movements of domestic carnivores from rabies-infected to rabies-free countries have recently been loosened, with the adoption of a system that combines vaccination against rabies and serological surveillance (neutralising antibody titration test with a threshold of 0.5 UI/ml). Since 1993, the Research Laboratory for Rabies and Wild Animal Pathology in Nancy, France, has analysed over 25,000 sera from dogs and cats using a viral seroneutralisation technique. The statistical analyses performed during this time show that cats respond better than dogs. Although no significant difference in titres was observed between primovaccinated and repeat-vaccinated cats, repeat-vaccinated dogs had titres above 0.5 IU/ml more frequently. In primovaccinated dogs, monovalent vaccines offered a better serological conversion rate than multivalent ones. Finally, the results of these analyses showed a strong correlation between antibody counts and the time that elapsed between the last vaccination and the blood sampling.

Does shared family background influence the impact of educational differences on early mortality?

PubMed

Søndergaard, Grethe; Mortensen, Laust H; Nybo Andersen, Anne-Marie; Andersen, Per Kragh; Dalton, Susanne Oksbjerg; Madsen, Mia; Osler, Merete

2012-10-15

The mechanisms behind social differences in mortality rates have been debated. The authors examined the extent to which shared family background and health in early life could explain the association between educational status and all-cause mortality rates using a sibling design. The study was register-based and included all individuals born in Denmark between 1950 and 1979 who had at least 1 full sibling born in the same time period (n = 1,381,436). All individuals were followed from 28 years of age until death, emigration, or December 2009. The authors used Cox regression analyses to estimate hazard ratios for mortality according to educational level. Conventional cohort and intersibling analyses were carried out and conducted separately for deaths occurring before and after the age of 45 years, respectively. The cohort analyses showed an inverse association between educational status and all-cause mortality that was strongest for males, increased with younger birth cohorts, and tended to be strongest in the analyses of death before 45 years of age. The associations were attenuated slightly in the intersibling analyses and after adjustment for serious health conditions in early life. Hence, health selection and confounding by factors shared by siblings explained only a minor part of the association between educational level and all-cause mortality.

Higher Education Quality Assessment in China: An Impact Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Shuiyun

2015-01-01

This research analyses an external higher education quality assessment scheme in China, namely, the Quality Assessment of Undergraduate Education (QAUE) scheme. Case studies were conducted in three Chinese universities with different statuses. Analysis shows that the evaluated institutions responded to the external requirements of the QAUE…

Antibiotic drug advertising in medical journals.

PubMed

Gilad, Jacob; Moran, Lia; Schlaeffer, Francisc; Borer, Abraham

2005-01-01

Advertising is a leading strategy for drug promotion. We analysed 779 advertisements in 24 medical journals, 25% of which featured antibiotics. Antibiotic advertisements showed differences compared to those of other drugs. None addressed the issue of antibiotic resistance. Efforts to prevent antibiotic resistance should take antibiotic advertising into consideration.

Opposite metabolic responses of shoots and roots to drought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gargallo-Garriga, Albert; Sardans, Jordi; Pérez-Trujillo, Míriam; Rivas-Ubach, Albert; Oravec, Michal; Vecerova, Kristyna; Urban, Otmar; Jentsch, Anke; Kreyling, Juergen; Beierkuhnlein, Carl; Parella, Teodor; Peñuelas, Josep

2014-10-01

Shoots and roots are autotrophic and heterotrophic organs of plants with different physiological functions. Do they have different metabolomes? Do their metabolisms respond differently to environmental changes such as drought? We used metabolomics and elemental analyses to answer these questions. First, we show that shoots and roots have different metabolomes and nutrient and elemental stoichiometries. Second, we show that the shoot metabolome is much more variable among species and seasons than is the root metabolome. Third, we show that the metabolic response of shoots to drought contrasts with that of roots; shoots decrease their growth metabolism (lower concentrations of sugars, amino acids, nucleosides, N, P, and K), and roots increase it in a mirrored response. Shoots are metabolically deactivated during drought to reduce the consumption of water and nutrients, whereas roots are metabolically activated to enhance the uptake of water and nutrients, together buffering the effects of drought, at least at the short term.

Striatal action-value neurons reconsidered.

PubMed

Elber-Dorozko, Lotem; Loewenstein, Yonatan

2018-05-31

It is generally believed that during economic decisions, striatal neurons represent the values associated with different actions. This hypothesis is based on studies, in which the activity of striatal neurons was measured while the subject was learning to prefer the more rewarding action. Here we show that these publications are subject to at least one of two critical confounds. First, we show that even weak temporal correlations in the neuronal data may result in an erroneous identification of action-value representations. Second, we show that experiments and analyses designed to dissociate action-value representation from the representation of other decision variables cannot do so. We suggest solutions to identifying action-value representation that are not subject to these confounds. Applying one solution to previously identified action-value neurons in the basal ganglia we fail to detect action-value representations. We conclude that the claim that striatal neurons encode action-values must await new experiments and analyses. © 2018, Elber-Dorozko et al.

What Is Construed as Relevant Knowledge in Physics Teaching? Similarities and Differences in How Knowledge and Power Are Staged in Three Lower Secondary Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lidar, Malena; Danielsson, Anna T.; Berge, Maria

2018-05-01

The content that is privileged in teaching has consequences for what the students are given the opportunity to learn and can thus be regarded as an aspect of power. We analyse power aspects in the teaching of physics by identifying actions that guide or direct other people's actions, and then analyse similarities and differences in different classrooms in terms of how governance is staged and what potential consequences this can have. The analyses are made on data from classroom activities, documented through video recordings and field notes, in three lower secondary schools in Y8 and Y9, respectively. At first glance, teachers from all three schools adhere to a traditional interpretation of a physics curriculum. But a more in-depth analysis shows that the students in the different classrooms are given quite dissimilar opportunities to participate in teaching and create relationships with the content. What appears to be a desirable way of acting offers different conditions for meaning-making. In an increasingly individualised society where people are expected to be active, reflective and make choices for their own personal good, the students in these three classrooms are offered very different conditions to practice and learn to take part in knowledge-making, connect physics content to their everyday life and exercise informed citizenship.

Baseline Functioning and Stress Reactivity in Maltreating Parents and At-Risk Adults

PubMed Central

Reijman, Sophie; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J.; Hiraoka, Regina; Crouch, Julie L.; Milner, Joel S.; van IJzendoorn, Marinus H.

2016-01-01

We reviewed and meta-analyzed 10 studies (N = 492) that examined the association between (risk for) child maltreatment perpetration and basal autonomic activity, and 10 studies (N = 471) that examined the association between (risk for) child maltreatment and autonomic stress reactivity. We hypothesized that maltreating parents/at-risk adults would show higher basal levels of heart rate (HR) and skin conductance (SC) and lower levels of HR variability (HRV) and would show greater HR and SC stress reactivity, but blunted HRV reactivity. A narrative review showed that evidence from significance testing within and across studies was mixed. The first set of meta-analyses revealed that (risk for) child maltreatment was associated with higher HR baseline activity (g = 0.24), a possible indication of allostatic load. The second set of meta-analyses yielded no differences in autonomic stress reactivity between maltreating/at-risk participants and nonmaltreating/low-risk comparison groups. Cumulative meta-analyses showed that positive effects for sympathetic stress reactivity as a risk factor for child maltreatment were found in a few early studies, whereas each subsequently aggregated study reduced the combined effect size to a null effect, an indication of the winner’s curse. Most studies were underpowered. Future directions for research are suggested. PMID:27462035

Gender differences in subjective health complaints in adolescence: The roles of self-esteem, stress from schoolwork and body dissatisfaction.

PubMed

Aanesen, Fiona; Meland, Eivind; Torp, Steffen

2017-06-01

The aims of this study were to examine subjective health complaints among Norwegian adolescents and assess the development of gender differences in subjective health complaints between age 14 and 16; to investigate whether self-esteem, stress from schoolwork or body dissatisfaction affected adolescents' subjective health complaints; and determine whether these factors could explain the excess of subjective health complaints among girls. We used multiple linear regression analyses to analyse longitudinal survey data from 751 Norwegian adolescents at the ages of 14 and 16. The results from various cross-sectional and prospective analyses were compared. Girls reported more subjective health complaints than boys, and gender differences increased from age 14 to 16. Self-esteem and stress from schoolwork had cross-sectional and prospective associations with subjective health complaints. Stress from schoolwork at age 14 was also associated with changes in subjective health complaints from age 14 to 16. The cross-sectional mediation analyses indicated that self-esteem and stress from schoolwork accounted for 61% of the excess of subjective health complaints among girls at age 16. The same variables measured at age 14 accounted for 24% of the gender differences in subjective health complaints two years later. The investigated factors could not account for the increase in gender differences in subjective health complaints between ages 14 and 16. The findings showed that self-esteem and stress from schoolwork were associated with subjective health complaints during adolescence. These factors could partially explain the excess of subjective health complaints among girls.

Validating the cross-cultural factor structure and invariance property of the Insomnia Severity Index: evidence based on ordinal EFA and CFA.

PubMed

Chen, Po-Yi; Yang, Chien-Ming; Morin, Charles M

2015-05-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the factor structure of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) across samples recruited from different countries. We tried to identify the most appropriate factor model for the ISI and further examined the measurement invariance property of the ISI across samples from different countries. Our analyses included one data set collected from a Taiwanese sample and two data sets obtained from samples in Hong Kong and Canada. The data set collected in Taiwan was analyzed with ordinal exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to obtain the appropriate factor model for the ISI. After that, we conducted a series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), which is a special case of the structural equation model (SEM) that concerns the parameters in the measurement model, to the statistics collected in Canada and Hong Kong. The purposes of these CFA were to cross-validate the result obtained from EFA and further examine the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the ISI. The three-factor model outperforms other models in terms of global fit indices in Taiwan's population. Its external validity is also supported by confirmatory factor analyses. Furthermore, the measurement invariance analyses show that the strong invariance property between the samples from different cultures holds, providing evidence that the ISI results obtained in different cultures are comparable. The factorial validity of the ISI is stable in different populations. More importantly, its invariance property across cultures suggests that the ISI is a valid measure of the insomnia severity construct across countries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trypanosomatids (Protozoa: Kinetoplastida) in three species of Armored Catfish from Mogi-Guaçu river, Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Molina, Julia Pereira; Madi, Rubens Riscala; Solferini, Vera Nisaka; Ceccarelli, Paulo Sérgio; Pinheiro, Hildete Prisco; Ueta, Marlene Tiduko

2016-06-07

Trypanosome infections have been reported in several species of fish, in majority of cases described on the basis of morphological characteristics. Trypanosomes in fish are heteroxenous and transmitted by hirudineans. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and density of infections by Trypanosoma sp. in blood from three species of catfish, Hypostomus regani, H. strigaticeps, H. albopunctatus, from the Mogi Guaçu River, Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil. Further, this study intends to characterize the Trypanosoma specimens found in the blood of these fish by morphological and molecular techniques. The trypanosomes overall prevalence observed was 47.6% with a general average density of 0.75 parasites/µl of blood. Hypostomus regani and Hypostomus strigaticeps showed a significant difference in prevalence. The average densities of parasites were not significantly different among the three fish species. Similar findings were observed for the monthly variations in densities. The parasites found in the three species of catfish studied showed similar morphological characteristics. The morphological data and the statistical analyses used in this study didn't show the formation of groups. The analyses provided evidence of the presence of pleomorphisms in the trypanosomes found in the three studied fish.

[Analysis and spatial description to correlative factors on food hygiene appeal and food poison in restaurants of city zone in Qingdao].

PubMed

Liu, Ying; Guo, Xin-biao; Li, Hai-rong; Yang, Lin-sheng

2006-07-01

To study some factors that affected food poison and appeals in restaurants which were hidden danger on the cards. Data on food hygiene events from 2002 to 2004 in restaurants of 14 blocks which were located in the important city zone of Qingdao were collected and studied. The spatial distribution was conducted by means of Geographic Information System (GIS). Possible factors related to food hygiene events were investigated and analysed by NCSS Data statistics software. information of every block were marked on digitalized map by ARCVIEW3.2a software in order to show the spatial distribution of food hygiene events palpably in different areas in the course of three years. It was showed that air temperature, humidity, sunlight length were the important factors of food poison. Average amount of guests and floating population related to administration level of sanitation, the level of sanitation administration, geography location, business status of restaurants related to their status of food sanitation. This study showed the method that analysed and studied status of food sanitation from different areas by GIS were effective, simple and palpable.

Performance comparison of Islamic and commercial banks in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azizud-din, Azimah; Hussin, Siti Aida Sheikh; Zahid, Zalina

2016-10-01

The steady growth in the size and increase in the number of Islamic banks show that the Islamic banking system is considered as an alternative to the conventional banking system. Due to this, comparisons in term of performance measurements and evaluation of the financial health for both type of banks are essential. The main purpose of this study is to analyse the differences between Islamic and commercial banks performance. Five years secondary data were collected from the annual report for each bank. Return on Asset ratio is chosen as the dependent variable, while capital adequacy, asset quality, management quality, earning, liquidity and sensitivity to market risk (CAMELS) are the independent variables. Descriptive analyses were done to understand the data. The independent t-test and Mann Whitney test show the differences of Islamic and commercial banks based on the financial variables. The stepwise and hierarchical multiple regressions were used to determine the factor that affects profitability performance of banks. Results show that Islamic banks are better in term of profitability performance, earning power performance, liquidity performance and sensitive to market risk. The factors that affect profitability performance are capital adequacy, earning power and liquidity variable.

Influence of three commercial graphene derivatives on the catalytic properties of a Lactobacillus plantarum alpha-L-rhamnosidase when used as immobilization matrices.

PubMed

Antón-Millán, Noemí; Garcia-Tojal, Javier; Marty-Roda, Marta; Garroni, Sebastiano; Cuesta-López, Santiago; Tamayo-Ramos, Juan Antonio

2018-05-07

The modification of carbon nanomaterials with biological molecules paves the way towards their use in biomedical and biotechnological applications, such as next generation biocatalytic processes, development of biosensors, implantable electronic devices, or drug delivery. In this study, different commercial graphene derivatives, namely, monolayer graphene oxide (GO), graphene oxide nanocolloids (GOC), and polycarboxylate functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (GN), were compared as biomolecule carrier matrices. Detailed spectroscopic analyses showed that GO and GOC were similar in composition and functional groups content, and very different to GN, while divergent morphological characteristics were observed for each nanomaterial through microscopy analyses. The commercial alpha-L-rhamnosidase RhaB1 from the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum, selected as a model biomolecule for its relevant role in the pharma and food industries, was directly immobilized on the different materials. The binding efficiency and biochemical properties of RhaB1-GO, RhaB1-GOC, and RhaB1-GN composites were analyzed. RhaB1-GO and RhaB1-GOC showed high binding efficiency, while the enzyme loading on GN, not tested in previous enzyme immobilization studies, was low. The enzyme showed contrasting changes when immobilized on the different material supports. The effect of pH on the activity of the three RhaB1 immobilized versions was similar to that observed for the free enzyme, while the activity-temperature profiles and the response to the presence of inhibitors varied significantly between the RhaB1 versions. In addition, the apparent Km for the immobilized and soluble enzymes did not change. Finally, the free RhaB1 and the immobilized enzyme in GOC showed the best storage and reutilization stability, keeping most of its initial activity after 8 weeks of storage at 4°C, and 10 reutilization cycles respectively. This study shows, for the first time, that distinct commercial graphene derivatives can influence differently on the catalytic properties of an enzyme during its immobilization.

Text Mining of Journal Articles for Sleep Disorder Terminologies.

PubMed

Lam, Calvin; Lai, Fu-Chih; Wang, Chia-Hui; Lai, Mei-Hsin; Hsu, Nanly; Chung, Min-Huey

2016-01-01

Research on publication trends in journal articles on sleep disorders (SDs) and the associated methodologies by using text mining has been limited. The present study involved text mining for terms to determine the publication trends in sleep-related journal articles published during 2000-2013 and to identify associations between SD and methodology terms as well as conducting statistical analyses of the text mining findings. SD and methodology terms were extracted from 3,720 sleep-related journal articles in the PubMed database by using MetaMap. The extracted data set was analyzed using hierarchical cluster analyses and adjusted logistic regression models to investigate publication trends and associations between SD and methodology terms. MetaMap had a text mining precision, recall, and false positive rate of 0.70, 0.77, and 11.51%, respectively. The most common SD term was breathing-related sleep disorder, whereas narcolepsy was the least common. Cluster analyses showed similar methodology clusters for each SD term, except narcolepsy. The logistic regression models showed an increasing prevalence of insomnia, parasomnia, and other sleep disorders but a decreasing prevalence of breathing-related sleep disorder during 2000-2013. Different SD terms were positively associated with different methodology terms regarding research design terms, measure terms, and analysis terms. Insomnia-, parasomnia-, and other sleep disorder-related articles showed an increasing publication trend, whereas those related to breathing-related sleep disorder showed a decreasing trend. Furthermore, experimental studies more commonly focused on hypersomnia and other SDs and less commonly on insomnia, breathing-related sleep disorder, narcolepsy, and parasomnia. Thus, text mining may facilitate the exploration of the publication trends in SDs and the associated methodologies.

[The peculiarities of calcium metabolism regulation in different periods of growth and development].

PubMed

Moĭsa, S S; Nozdrachev, A D

2014-01-01

The review contains literature data about calcium metabolism regulation in different periods of growth and development. The analyses of retrospective and current sources of information about the regulation of calcium homeostasis under the theory of functional systems, the regulation of calcium metabolism in prenatal and postnatal periods of the development, the significance of calcium metabolism disturbances in the development of pathological conditions were showed.

Male-biased predation of western green lizards by Eurasian kestrels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costantini, David; Bruner, Emiliano; Fanfani, Alberto; Dell'Omo, Giacomo

2007-12-01

Selective predation can be an important force driving the evolution of organisms. In particular, sex-biased predation is expected to have implications for sexual selection, sex allocation and population dynamics. In this study, we analysed sex differences in the predation of the western green lizard ( Lacerta bilineata) by the Eurasian kestrel ( Falco tinnunculus) during the reproductive season. In addition, we investigated whether the rate of predation differed during the 8-year study period and among the three habitats studied. We collected lizard remains from nest boxes of kestrels. Freshly killed lizards were sexed by visual inspection, whilst the sex of head remains was assigned by analysing the cephalic scale morphology using geometric morphometrics. Our results show that the risk of being predated by a kestrel in our population was overall about 3.55 times higher for males than for females. To our knowledge this is the first study showing a male-biased predation in a lizard species. The selective predation of males was consistent between years over the 8-year study period (1999-2006) and also consistent between the three types of kestrel hunting habitat. Overall predation rates on lizards differed between habitats, depending on the year. We propose that the observed sex-biased predation is mainly due to sex differences in lizard behaviour.

Accounting for Atmospheric Rivers in the Flood Frequency Estimation in the Western United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barth, N. A.; Villarini, G.; White, K. D.

2016-12-01

The Bulletin 17B framework assumes that the observed annual peak flow data included in a flood frequency analysis are a "representative time sample of random homogeneous events." However, flood frequency analysis over the western United States is complicated by annual peak flow records that frequently contain flows generated from distinctly different flood generating mechanisms. Among the different flood generating mechanisms, atmospheric rivers (ARs) are responsible for large, regional scale floods. USGS streamgaging stations in the central Columbia River Basin in the Pacific Northwest, the Sierra Nevada, the central and southern California coast, and central Arizona show a mixture of 30-70% AR-generated flood peaks among the complete period of record. It is relatively common for the annual peaks fitted to the log-Pearson Type III distribution in these regions to show sharp breaks in the slope or a curve that reverses direction, pointing to the presence of different flood generating mechanisms. Following the recommendation by B17B to develop separate frequency curves when different flood agents can be identified, we will perform flood frequency analyses accounting for the role played by ARs. We will compare and contrast the results obtained by treating all annual maximum discharge values as generated from a single population against those from a mixed population analyses.

Influence of Soil Properties on Soldierless Termite Distribution.

PubMed

Bourguignon, Thomas; Drouet, Thomas; Šobotník, Jan; Hanus, Robert; Roisin, Yves

2015-01-01

In tropical rainforests, termites constitute an important part of the soil fauna biomass, and as for other soil arthropods, variations in soil composition create opportunities for niche partitioning. The aim of this study was twofold: first, we tested whether soil-feeding termite species differ in the foraging substrate; second, we investigated whether soil-feeding termites select their foraging sites to enhance nutrients intake. To do so, we collected termites and analysed the composition and structure of their feeding substrates. Although Anoplotermes-group members are all considered soil-feeders, our results show that some species specifically feed on abandoned termite nests and very rotten wood, and that this substrate selection is correlated with previous stable isotope analyses, suggesting that one component of niche differentiation among species is substrate selection. Our results show that the composition and structure of bare soils on which different termite species foraged do not differ, suggesting that there is no species specialization for a particular type of bare soil. Finally, the bare soil on which termites forage does not differ from random soil samples. Overall, our results suggest that few species of the Anoplotermes-group are specialized toward substrates rich in organic matter, but that the vast majority forage on soil independently of its structural and chemical composition, being ecologically equivalent for this factor.

On the bibliometric coordinates of four different research fields in Geography.

PubMed

Gorraiz, Juan; Gumpenberger, Christian; Glade, Thomas

This study is a bibliometric analysis of the highly complex research discipline Geography. In order to identify the most popular and most cited publication channels, to reveal publication strategies, and to analyse the discipline's coverage within publications, the three main data sources for citation analyses, namely Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar, have been utilized. This study is based on publication data collected for four individual evaluation exercises performed at the University of Vienna and related to four different subfields: Geoecology, Social and Economic Geography, Demography and Population Geography, and Economic Geography. The results show very heterogeneous and individual publication strategies, even in the same research fields. Monographs, journal articles and book chapters are the most cited document types. Differences between research fields more related to the natural sciences than to the social sciences are clearly visible, but less considerable when taking into account the higher number of co-authors. General publication strategies seem to be established for both natural science and social sciences, however, with significant differences. While in natural science mainly publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals matter, the focus in social sciences is rather on book chapters, reports and monographs. Although an "iceberg citation model" is suggested, citation analyses for monographs, book chapters and reports should be conducted separately and should include complementary data sources, such as Google Scholar, in order to enhance the coverage and to improve the quality of the visibility and impact analyses. This is particularly important for social sciences related research within Geography.

Empirical evidence of the importance of comparative studies of diagnostic test accuracy.

PubMed

Takwoingi, Yemisi; Leeflang, Mariska M G; Deeks, Jonathan J

2013-04-02

Systematic reviews that "compare" the accuracy of 2 or more tests often include different sets of studies for each test. To investigate the availability of direct comparative studies of test accuracy and to assess whether summary estimates of accuracy differ between meta-analyses of noncomparative and comparative studies. Systematic reviews in any language from the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from 1994 to October 2012. 1 of 2 assessors selected reviews that evaluated at least 2 tests and identified meta-analyses that included both noncomparative studies and comparative studies. 1 of 3 assessors extracted data about review and study characteristics and test performance. 248 reviews compared test accuracy; of the 6915 studies, 2113 (31%) were comparative. Thirty-six reviews (with 52 meta-analyses) had adequate studies to compare results of noncomparative and comparative studies by using a hierarchical summary receiver-operating characteristic meta-regression model for each test comparison. In 10 meta-analyses, noncomparative studies ranked tests in the opposite order of comparative studies. A total of 25 meta-analyses showed more than a 2-fold discrepancy in the relative diagnostic odds ratio between noncomparative and comparative studies. Differences in accuracy estimates between noncomparative and comparative studies were greater than expected by chance (P < 0.001). A paucity of comparative studies limited exploration of direction in bias. Evidence derived from noncomparative studies often differs from that derived from comparative studies. Robustly designed studies in which all patients receive all tests or are randomly assigned to receive one or other of the tests should be more routinely undertaken and are preferred for evidence to guide test selection. National Institute for Health Research (United Kingdom).

Genomic variation associated with local adaptation of weedy rice during de-domestication

PubMed Central

Qiu, Jie; Zhou, Yongjun; Mao, Lingfeng; Ye, Chuyu; Wang, Weidi; Zhang, Jianping; Yu, Yongyi; Fu, Fei; Wang, Yunfei; Qian, Feijian; Qi, Ting; Wu, Sanling; Sultana, Most Humaira; Cao, Ya-Nan; Wang, Yu; Timko, Michael P.; Ge, Song; Fan, Longjiang; Lu, Yongliang

2017-01-01

De-domestication is a unique evolutionary process by which domesticated crops are converted into ‘wild predecessor like' forms. Weedy rice (Oryza sativa f. spontanea) is an excellent model to dissect the molecular processes underlying de-domestication. Here, we analyse the genomes of 155 weedy and 76 locally cultivated rice accessions from four representative regions in China that were sequenced to an average 18.2 × coverage. Phylogenetic and demographic analyses indicate that Chinese weedy rice was de-domesticated independently from cultivated rice and experienced a strong genetic bottleneck. Although evolving from multiple origins, critical genes underlying convergent evolution of different weedy types can be found. Allele frequency analyses suggest that standing variations and new mutations contribute differently to japonica and indica weedy rice. We identify a Mb-scale genomic region present in weedy rice but not cultivated rice genomes that shows evidence of balancing selection, thereby suggesting that there might be more complexity inherent to the process of de-domestication. PMID:28537247

Developmental Origins of Low Mathematics Performance and Normal Variation in Twins from 7 to 9 Years

PubMed Central

Haworth, Claire M. A.; Kovas, Yulia; Petrill, Stephen A.; Plomin, Robert

2009-01-01

A previous publication reported the etiology of mathematics performance in 7-year-old twins (Oliver et al., 2004). As part of the same longitudinal study we investigated low mathematics performance and normal variation in a representative United Kingdom sample of 1713 same-sex 9-year-old twins based on teacher-assessed National Curriculum standards. Univariate individual differences and DeFries-Fulker extremes analyses were performed. Similar to our results at 7 years, all mathematics scores at 9 years showed high heritability (.62–.75) and low shared environmental estimates (.00–.11) for both the low performance group and the full sample. Longitudinal analyses were performed from 7 to 9 years. These longitudinal analyses indicated strong genetic continuity from 7 to 9 years for both low performance and mathematics in the normal range. We conclude that, despite the considerable differences in mathematics curricula from 7 to 9 years, the same genetic effects largely operate at the two ages. PMID:17539370

Comparison of Collisional and Electron-Based Dissociation Modes for Middle-Down Analysis of Multiply Glycosylated Peptides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatri, Kshitij; Pu, Yi; Klein, Joshua A.; Wei, Juan; Costello, Catherine E.; Lin, Cheng; Zaia, Joseph

2018-04-01

Analysis of singly glycosylated peptides has evolved to a point where large-scale LC-MS analyses can be performed at almost the same scale as proteomics experiments. While collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) remains the mainstay of bottom-up analyses, it performs poorly for the middle-down analysis of multiply glycosylated peptides. With improvements in instrumentation, electron-activated dissociation (ExD) modes are becoming increasingly prevalent for proteomics experiments and for the analysis of fragile modifications such as glycosylation. While these methods have been applied for glycopeptide analysis in isolated studies, an organized effort to compare their efficiencies, particularly for analysis of multiply glycosylated peptides (termed here middle-down glycoproteomics), has not been made. We therefore compared the performance of different ExD modes for middle-down glycopeptide analyses. We identified key features among the different dissociation modes and show that increased electron energy and supplemental activation provide the most useful data for middle-down glycopeptide analysis. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Developmental origins of low mathematics performance and normal variation in twins from 7 to 9 years.

PubMed

Haworth, Claire M A; Kovas, Yulia; Petrill, Stephen A; Plomin, Robert

2007-02-01

A previous publication reported the etiology of mathematics performance in 7-year-old twins (Oliver et al., 2004). As part of the same longitudinal study we investigated low mathematics performance and normal variation in a representative United Kingdom sample of 1713 same-sex 9-year-old twins based on teacher-assessed National Curriculum standards. Univariate individual differences and DeFries-Fulker extremes analyses were performed. Similar to our results at 7 years, all mathematics scores at 9 years showed high heritability (.62-.75) and low shared environmental estimates (.00-.11) for both the low performance group and the full sample. Longitudinal analyses were performed from 7 to 9 years. These longitudinal analyses indicated strong genetic continuity from 7 to 9 years for both low performance and mathematics in the normal range. We conclude that, despite the considerable differences in mathematics curricula from 7 to 9 years, the same genetic effects largely operate at the two ages.

How 'healthy' are healthcare organizations? Exploring employee healthcare utilization rates among Dutch healthcare organizations.

PubMed

Bronkhorst, Babette

2017-08-01

Occupational health and safety research rarely makes use of data on employee healthcare utilization to gain insight into the physical and mental health of healthcare staff. This paper aims to fill this gap by examining the prevalence of two relevant types of healthcare utilization among staff working in healthcare organizations: physical therapy and mental healthcare utilization. The paper furthermore explores what role employee and organizational characteristics play in explaining differences in healthcare utilization between organizations. A Dutch healthcare insurance company provided healthcare utilization records for a sample of 417 organizations employing 136,804 healthcare workers in the Netherlands. The results showed that there are large differences between and within healthcare industries when it comes to employee healthcare utilization. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that employee characteristics such as age and gender distributions, and healthcare industry, explain some of the variance between healthcare organizations. Nevertheless, the results of the analyses showed that for all healthcare utilization indicators there is still a large amount of unexplained variance. Further research into the subject of organizational differences in employee healthcare utilization is needed, as finding possibilities to influence employee health and subsequent healthcare utilization is beneficial to employees, employers and society as a whole.

Complex dissemination of the diversified mcr-1-harbouring plasmids in Escherichia coli of different sequence types

PubMed Central

Lin, Jingxia; Wang, Xiuna; Deng, Xianbo; Feng, Youjun

2016-01-01

The emergence of the mobilized colistin resistance gene, representing a novel mechanism for bacterial drug resistance, challenges the last resort against the severe infections by Gram-negative bacteria with multi-drug resistances. Very recently, we showed the diversity in the mcr-1-carrying plasmid reservoirs from the gut microbiota. Here, we reported that a similar but more complex scenario is present in the healthy swine populations, Southern China, 2016. Amongst the 1026 pieces of Escherichia coli isolates from 3 different pig farms, 302 E. coli isolates were determined to be positive for the mcr-1 gene (30%, 302/1026). Multi-locus sequence typing assigned no less than 11 kinds of sequence types including one novel Sequence Type to these mcr-1-positive strains. PCR analyses combined with the direct DNA sequencing revealed unexpected complexity of the mcr-1-harbouring plasmids whose backbones are at least grouped into 6 types four of which are new. Transcriptional analyses showed that the mcr-1 promoter of different origins exhibits similar activity. It seems likely that complex dissemination of the diversified mcr-1-bearing plasmids occurs amongst the various ST E. coli inhabiting the healthy swine populations, in Southern China. PMID:27741523

Personality and risk perception in transport.

PubMed

Fyhri, Aslak; Backer-Grøndahl, Agathe

2012-11-01

Within research on individual variations in risk perception, personality has been suggested as one important factor. In the present study, personality traits (44 items from the Big Five inventory) were investigated in relation to risk perception in transport and transport behavioural adaptations. In a sample of 312 participants, we found that the personality trait 'emotional stability versus neuroticism' was negatively correlated with risk perception (operationalised as "thinking about the possibility") of an accident (-0.38) and an unpleasant incident, such as crime, violence, robbery (-0.25). 'Agreeableness' was also negatively related to risk perception, however first and foremost in relation to perceived risk for unpleasant incidents on transport modes in which one interacts with other people (0.25). Moreover, regression analyses showed that 'emotional stability' was a significant predictor of behavioural adaptations on bus. Regression analyses explained between 17 and 26 percent of variance in behavioural adaptations. The results show that different groups of people vary systematically in their perception of risk in transport. Furthermore, these differences are manifest as a difference in risk-preventive behaviour at a strategic level, i.e. as decisions about avoiding risky situations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychological distress in chronic craniomandibular and cervical spinal pain patients.

PubMed

Visscher, C M; Lobbezoo, F; de Boer, W; van der Meulen, M; Naeije, M

2001-06-01

Recent studies to chronic pain have shown that the number of painful body areas is related to the level of psychological distress. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to analyse differences in level of psychological distress between craniomandibular pain patients with or without cervical spinal pain. In this analysis, the number of painful body areas below the cervical spine was also taken into account. The second aim was to determine psychological differences between subgroups of craniomandibular pain patients. In this study, 103 out of 250 persons with or without craniomandibular pain were included in the final analyses. Patients who suffered from both craniomandibular and cervical spinal pain showed higher levels of psychological distress, as measured with the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) than patients with local craniomandibular pain and persons without pain. Further, a positive relationship was found between the number of painful body areas below the cervical spine, as measured on a body drawing, and the SCL-90 scores. No psychological differences were found between myogenous and arthrogenous craniomandibular pain patients. In conclusion, chronic craniomandibular pain patients with a coexistent cervical spinal pain showed more psychological distress compared to patients with only a local craniomandibular pain and asymptomatic persons.

Effect of different storage conditions on the physical properties of bleached enamel: An in vitro vs. in situ study.

PubMed

Zeczkowski, Marília; Tenuta, Livia Maria Andaló; Ambrosano, Gláucia Maria Bovi; Aguiar, Flávio Henrique Baggio; Lima, Débora Alves Nunes Leite

2015-09-01

Evaluate the effect of different storage conditions on bleached enamel using Knoop microhardness (KHN) and colour variation. Forty-eight tooth blocks were divided into four groups (n=12), based on storage media (SM): purified water (PW), artificial saliva (AS), natural saliva (NS), in situ (IS). Three whitening sessions were carried out using 35% hydrogen peroxide, with a week interval. Colour and KHN measurements were taken before the samples were placed in the SM (t1), after 24h in the SM (t2), and after 24h at the end of the bleaching treatment (t3). Two extra samples from each group were analysed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). KHN results were analysed by PROC-MIXED and Tukey-Kramer test (α=0.05), and colour changes were evaluated using ΔL, Δa, Δb, ΔE between the different times Δ1(t1-t2), Δ2(t2-t3) using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn's test (α=0.05). Significant statistical difference was noted in KHN at t3, with the lowest values found for PW. As for colour analysis in ΔE2 and Δb2, IS showed values that were statistically lower when compared to AS. Likewise, there were differences between PW and AS in relation to IS when evaluating ΔL2. In addition, NS showed similar values to IS. The storage conditions had different effects on the physical properties of bleached enamel. NS was the only SM that showed similar behaviour to IS. NS proved an effective SM in the protection and recovery of damage caused by bleaching and is a viable SM for in vitro studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prognostic Significance of Blood Transfusion in Elderly Patients with Primary Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

PubMed Central

Fan, Liping; Fu, Danhui; Hong, Jinquan; He, Wenqian; Zeng, Feng; Lin, Qiuyan; Xie, Qianling

2018-01-01

The current study sought to evaluate whether blood transfusions affect survival of elderly patients with primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). A total of 104 patients aged 60 years and over were enrolled and divided into two groups: 24 patients who received transfusions and 80 patients who did not. Statistical analyses showed significant differences in LDH levels, platelet (Plt) counts, and hemoglobin (Hb) and albumin (Alb) levels between the two groups. Univariate analyses showed that LDH level ≥ 245 IU/L, cell of origin (germinal center/nongerminal center), and blood transfusion were associated with both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Higher IPI (3–5), Alb level < 35 g/L, and rituximab usage were associated with OS. Appearance of B symptoms was associated with PFS. Multivariate analyses showed that cell of origin and rituximab usage were independent factors for OS and LDH level was an independent factor for PFS. Blood transfusion was an independent factor for PFS, but not for OS. Our preliminary results suggested that elderly patients with primary DLBCL may benefit from a restrictive blood transfusion strategy. PMID:29750167

The effectiveness of community-based coordinating interventions in dementia care: a meta-analysis and subgroup analysis of intervention components.

PubMed

Backhouse, Amy; Ukoumunne, Obioha C; Richards, David A; McCabe, Rose; Watkins, Ross; Dickens, Chris

2017-11-13

Interventions aiming to coordinate services for the community-based dementia population vary in components, organisation and implementation. In this review we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of community-based care coordinating interventions on health outcomes and investigate whether specific components of interventions influence their effects. We searched four databases from inception to April 2017: Medline, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE and PsycINFO. This was aided by a search of four grey literature databases, and backward and forward citation tracking of included papers. Title and abstract screening was followed by a full text screen by two independent reviewers, and quality was assessed using the CASP appraisal tool. We then conducted meta-analyses and subgroup analyses. A total of 14 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving 10,372 participants were included in the review. Altogether we carried out 12 meta-analyses and 19 subgroup analyses. Meta-analyses found coordinating interventions showed a statistically significant improvement in both patient behaviour measured using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) (mean difference (MD) = -9.5; 95% confidence interval (CI): -18.1 to -1.0; p = 0.03; number of studies (n) = 4; I 2  = 88%) and caregiver burden (standardised mean difference (SMD) = -0.54; 95% CI: -1.01 to -0.07; p = 0.02; n = 5, I 2  = 92%) compared to the control group. Subgroup analyses found interventions using a case manager with a nursing background showed a greater positive effect on caregiver quality of life than those that used case managers from other professional backgrounds (SMD = 0.94 versus 0.03, respectively; p < 0.001). Interventions that did not provide supervision for the case managers showed greater effectiveness for reducing the percentage of patients that are institutionalised compared to those that provided supervision (odds ratio (OR) = 0.27 versus 0.96 respectively; p = 0.02). There was little evidence of effects on other outcomes, or that other intervention components modify the intervention effects. Results show that coordinating interventions in dementia care has a positive impact on some outcomes, namely patient behaviour and caregiver burden, but the evidence is inconsistent and results were not strong enough to draw definitive conclusions on general effectiveness. With the rising prevalence of dementia, effective complex interventions will be necessary to provide high quality and effective care for patients, and facilitate collaboration of health, social and third sector services.

Tumoural specimens for forensic purposes: comparison of genetic alterations in frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues.

PubMed

Ananian, Viviana; Tozzo, Pamela; Ponzano, Elena; Nitti, Donato; Rodriguez, Daniele; Caenazzo, Luciana

2011-05-01

In certain circumstances, tumour tissue specimens are the only DNA resource available for forensic DNA analysis. However, cancer tissues can show microsatellite instability and loss of heterozygosity which, if concerning the short tandem repeats (STRs) used in the forensic field, can cause misinterpretation of the results. Moreover, though formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues (FFPET) represent a large resource for these analyses, the quality of the DNA obtained from this kind of specimen can be an important limit. In this study, we evaluated the use of tumoural tissue as biological material for the determination of genetic profiles in the forensic field, highlighting which STR polymorphisms are more susceptible to tumour genetic alterations and which of the analysed tumours show a higher genetic variability. The analyses were conducted on samples of the same tissues conserved in different storage conditions, to compare genetic profiles obtained by frozen tissues and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. The importance of this study is due to the large number of specimens analysed (122), the large number of polymorphisms analysed for each specimen (39), and the possibility to compare, many years after storage, the same tissue frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded. In the comparison between the genetic profiles of frozen tumour tissues and FFPET, the same genetic alterations have been reported in both kinds of specimens. However, FFPET showed new alterations. We conclude that the use of FFPET requires greater attention than frozen tissues in the results interpretation and great care in both pre-extraction and extraction processes.

Differences in executive functioning between violent and non-violent offenders.

PubMed

Meijers, J; Harte, J M; Meynen, G; Cuijpers, P

2017-07-01

A growing body of neuropsychological and neurobiological research shows a relationship between functioning of the prefrontal cortex and criminal and violent behaviour. The prefrontal cortex is crucial for executive functions such as inhibition, attention, working memory, set-shifting and planning. A deficit in these functions - a prefrontal deficit - may result in antisocial, impulsive or even aggressive behaviour. While several meta-analyses show large effect sizes for the relationship between a prefrontal deficit, executive dysfunction and criminality, there are few studies investigating differences in executive functions between violent and non-violent offenders. Considering the relevance of identifying risk factors for violent offending, the current study explores whether a distinction between violent and non-violent offenders can be made using an extensive neuropsychological test battery. Male remand prisoners (N = 130) in Penitentiary Institution Amsterdam Over-Amstel were administered an extensive neuropsychological test battery (Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery; CANTAB) measuring response inhibition, planning, attention, set-shifting, working memory and impulsivity/reward sensitivity. Violent offenders performed significantly worse on the stop-signal task (partial correlation r = 0.205, p = 0.024), a task measuring response inhibition. No further differences were found between violent and non-violent offenders. Explorative analyses revealed a significant relationship between recidivism and planning (partial correlation r = -0.209, p = 0.016). Violent offenders show worse response inhibition compared to non-violent offenders, suggesting a more pronounced prefrontal deficit in violent offenders than in non-violent offenders.

[Identification of Dendrobium varieties by infrared spectroscopy].

PubMed

Liu, Fei; Wang, Yuan-Zhong; Yang, Chun-Yan; Jin, Hang

2014-11-01

The difference of Dendrobium varieties were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The infrared spectra of 206 stems from 30 Dendrobium varieties were obtained, and showed that polysaccharides, especially fiber, were the main components in Dendrobium plants. FTIR combined with Wilks' Lambda stepwise discriminative analysis was used to identify Dendrobium varieties. The effects of spectral range and number of training samples on the discrimination results were also analysed. Two hundred eighty seven variables in the spectral range of 1 800-1 250 cm(-1) were studied, and showed that the return discrimination is 100% correct when the training samples number of each species was 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively, whereas for the remaining samples the correct rates of identification were equal to 79.4%, 91.3%, 93.0%, 98.2%, and 100%, respectively. The same discriminative analyses on five different training samples in the spectral range of 1 800-1 500, 1 500-1 250, 1 250-600, 1 250-950 and 950-650 cm(-1) were compared, which showed that the variables in the range of 1 800-1 250, 1 800-1 500 and 950-600 cm(-1) were more suitable for variety identification, and one can obtain the satisfactory result for discriminative analysis when the training sample is more than 3. Our results indicate that FTIR combined with stepwise discriminative analysis is an effective way to distinguish different Dendrobium varieties.

Conical Pendulum--Linearization Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dean, Kevin; Mathew, Jyothi

2016-01-01

A theoretical analysis is presented, showing the derivations of seven different linearization equations for the conical pendulum period "T", as a function of radial and angular parameters. Experimental data obtained over a large range of fixed conical pendulum lengths (0.435 m-2.130 m) are plotted with the theoretical lines and…

Liebig-Wohler Controversy and the Concept of Isomerism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esteban, Soledad

2008-01-01

Very often controversies contribute to the development of science. An example is the conflict between Liebig and Wohler on the occasion of their analyses of fulminates and cyanates, which showed that compounds with different properties could have the same composition. Their results, together with other similar evidences, led Berzelius to recognize…

A Habermasian Approach to Critical Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Cheu-jey

2016-01-01

This article explores the connection between critical reading and Jurgen Habermas's theory of communicative action. It proposes that Habermas's criteria used for evaluating validity claims in communicative action can be applied in reading texts critically. Analyses of different types of texts are presented to show how critical reading is done in a…

A Lighthouse in the Desert? Evaluating the Effects of Creativity Training on Employee Innovation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birdi, Kamal

2007-01-01

The contribution of three different creativity training programmes to employees' workplace idea generation and implementation was evaluated. The research was conducted within a government organization, where 191 employees (a mixture of participants and non-participants in creativity training) were surveyed. Analyses showed that creativity training…

Unemployment Impairs Mental Health: Meta-Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paul, Karsten I.; Moser, Klaus

2009-01-01

The effect of unemployment on mental health was examined with meta-analytic methods across 237 cross-sectional and 87 longitudinal studies. The average overall effect size was d = 0.51 with unemployed persons showing more distress than employed persons. A significant difference was found for several indicator variables of mental health (mixed…

Turning a negative into a positive.

PubMed

Jupiter, Daniel C

2013-01-01

A lack of significant difference between populations is often misinterpreted as demonstrating equivalence between the populations. I discuss how this confusion comes about and hint at a future discussion of analyses designed to show equivalence. Copyright © 2013 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interpreting large-scale experiments on effects of trawling on benthic fauna: an empirical test of the potential effects of spatial confounding in experiments without replicated control and trawled areas.

PubMed

Lindegarth; Valentinsson; Hansson; Ulmestrand

2000-03-15

Disturbances due to trawling and dredging is a serious threat to assemblages of benthic marine animals. We tested hypotheses about effects of trawling on benthic assemblages in a manipulative field experiment, using gear and intensities relevant to future management of trawling in a Swedish fjord. Three trawled and three control sites were sampled at several times before and after trawling was initiated. This paper describes how conclusions about effects of trawling might differ between experiments involving replicate sites and experiments using only one trawled and one control site, as in several recent studies. Analyses of selected taxa showed that abundances of many species changed differently among control sites. Differences in temporal change between pairs of single trawled and control sites were also frequent. Neither the quantitative nor the qualitative nature of differences between treatments could, however, be coherently interpreted among the different combinations of trawled and control sites. This is consistent with results obtained from analyses using all sites, which showed no consistent effects of trawling on any of these taxa. These results provide empirical evidence that spatial confounding may cause serious problems to formal interpretation of experiments, which use only one control and one trawled area. Such potential problems can best be solved by ensuring that the study incorporates more than one control site.

Statistical analyses on sandstones: Systematic approach for predicting petrographical and petrophysical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stück, H. L.; Siegesmund, S.

2012-04-01

Sandstones are a popular natural stone due to their wide occurrence and availability. The different applications for these stones have led to an increase in demand. From the viewpoint of conservation and the natural stone industry, an understanding of the material behaviour of this construction material is very important. Sandstones are a highly heterogeneous material. Based on statistical analyses with a sufficiently large dataset, a systematic approach to predicting the material behaviour should be possible. Since the literature already contains a large volume of data concerning the petrographical and petrophysical properties of sandstones, a large dataset could be compiled for the statistical analyses. The aim of this study is to develop constraints on the material behaviour and especially on the weathering behaviour of sandstones. Approximately 300 samples from historical and presently mined natural sandstones in Germany and ones described worldwide were included in the statistical approach. The mineralogical composition and fabric characteristics were determined from detailed thin section analyses and descriptions in the literature. Particular attention was paid to evaluating the compositional and textural maturity, grain contact respectively contact thickness, type of cement, degree of alteration and the intergranular volume. Statistical methods were used to test for normal distributions and calculating the linear regression of the basic petrophysical properties of density, porosity, water uptake as well as the strength. The sandstones were classified into three different pore size distributions and evaluated with the other petrophysical properties. Weathering behavior like hygric swelling and salt loading tests were also included. To identify similarities between individual sandstones or to define groups of specific sandstone types, principle component analysis, cluster analysis and factor analysis were applied. Our results show that composition and porosity evolution during diagenesis is a very important control on the petrophysical properties of a building stone. The relationship between intergranular volume, cementation and grain contact, can also provide valuable information to predict the strength properties. Since the samples investigated mainly originate from the Triassic German epicontinental basin, arkoses and feldspar-arenites are underrepresented. In general, the sandstones can be grouped as follows: i) quartzites, highly mature with a primary porosity of about 40%, ii) quartzites, highly mature, showing a primary porosity of 40% but with early clay infiltration, iii) sublitharenites-lithic arenites exhibiting a lower primary porosity, higher cementation with quartz and Fe-oxides ferritic and iv) sublitharenites-lithic arenites with a higher content of pseudomatrix. However, in the last two groups the feldspar and lithoclasts can also show considerable alteration. All sandstone groups differ with respect to the pore space and strength data, as well as water uptake properties, which were obtained by linear regression analysis. Similar petrophysical properties are discernible for each type when using principle component analysis. Furthermore, strength as well as the porosity of sandstones shows distinct differences considering their stratigraphic ages and the compositions. The relationship between porosity, strength as well as salt resistance could also be verified. Hygric swelling shows an interrelation to pore size type, porosity and strength but also to the degree of alteration (e.g. lithoclasts, pseudomatrix). To summarize, the different regression analyses and the calculated confidence regions provide a significant tool to classify the petrographical and petrophysical parameters of sandstones. Based on this, the durability and the weathering behavior of the sandstone groups can be constrained. Keywords: sandstones, petrographical & petrophysical properties, predictive approach, statistical investigation

Traditional Chinese medicine compound ShengJinRunZaoYangXue granules for treatment of primary Sjögren's syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Hu, Wei; Qian, Xian; Guo, Feng; Zhang, Miaojia; Lyu, Chengyin; Tao, Juan; Gao, Zhong'en; Zhou, Zhengqiu

2014-01-01

Traditional Chinese medical treatment of primary Sjögren's syndrome has advantages over Western medicine in terms of fewer side effects and improved patient conditions. This study was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of the efficacy and safety of ShengJinRunZaoYangXue granules for the treatment of primary Sjögren's syndrome, including the symptoms of dry mouth and dry eye. We undertook a 6-week, double-blind, randomized trial involving 240 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome at five centers in East China. A computer-generated randomization schedule assigned patients at a 2:1 ratio to receive either ShengJinRunZaoYangXue granules or placebo once daily. Patients and investigators were blinded to treatment allocation. The primary endpoints were the salivary flow rate, Schirmer test results, and sugar test results. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses were performed. All 240 patients were randomly allocated to either the treatment group (n = 160, ShengJinRunZaoYangXue granules) or placebo group (n = 80) and were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. After program violation and loss to follow-up, a total of 199 patients were included in the per-protocol analysis. At six week, intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses of the left-eye Schirmer I test results showed an improved difference of 1.36 mm/5 min (95% CI: 0.03 to 2.69 mm/5 min) and 1.35 mm/5 min (95% CI: 0.04 to 2.73 mm/5 min), respectively, and those of the right-eye Schirmer I test results showed an improved difference of 1.12 mm/5 min (95% CI: 0.02 to 2.22 mm/5 min) and 1.12 mm/5 min (95% CI: -0.02 to 2.27 mm/5 min), respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups before treatment. After treatment, the between-group and within-group before-and-after paired comparison results were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses showed an improved salivary flow rate by 0.04 ml/15 min (95% CI: -0.49 to 0.58 ml/15 min) and 0.04 ml/15 min (95% CI: -0.52 to 0.60 ml/15 min), respectively, but the differences were not significant. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses showed that the sugar test results were improved by 1.77 minutes (95% CI: 0.11 to 3.44 minutes) and 1.84 minutes (95% CI: 0.12 to 3.55 minutes), respectively, but the differences were not significant. For the secondary endpoint, intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses showed significant improvement in the integrated evaluation of treated patients with dry eye and dry mouth after six weeks of treatment. The incidence of adverse events was 15.6% in the treatment group and 10.0% in the placebo group. Most (94%) adverse events were mild to moderate in the two groups, and only two cases of serious adverse events occurred in the treatment group; both were caused by autoimmune liver disease. Six-week treatment with ShengJinRun ZaoYangXue granules for primary Sjögren's syndrome in this large-scale study improved the symptoms of dry mouth, dry eyes, and low tear flow rate with minimal adverse events.

Phylogenomic, Pan-genomic, Pathogenomic and Evolutionary Genomic Insights into the Agronomically Relevant Enterobacteria Pantoea ananatis and Pantoea stewartii

PubMed Central

De Maayer, Pieter; Aliyu, Habibu; Vikram, Surendra; Blom, Jochen; Duffy, Brion; Cowan, Don A.; Smits, Theo H. M.; Venter, Stephanus N.; Coutinho, Teresa A.

2017-01-01

Pantoea ananatis is ubiquitously found in the environment and causes disease on a wide range of plant hosts. By contrast, its sister species, Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii is the host-specific causative agent of the devastating maize disease Stewart’s wilt. This pathogen has a restricted lifecycle, overwintering in an insect vector before being introduced into susceptible maize cultivars, causing disease and returning to overwinter in its vector. The other subspecies of P. stewartii subsp. indologenes, has been isolated from different plant hosts and is predicted to proliferate in different environmental niches. Here we have, by the use of comparative genomics and a comprehensive suite of bioinformatic tools, analyzed the genomes of ten P. stewartii and nineteen P. ananatis strains. Our phylogenomic analyses have revealed that there are two distinct clades within P. ananatis while far less phylogenetic diversity was observed among the P. stewartii subspecies. Pan-genome analyses revealed a large core genome comprising of 3,571 protein coding sequences is shared among the twenty-nine compared strains. Furthermore, we showed that an extensive accessory genome made up largely by a mobilome of plasmids, integrated prophages, integrative and conjugative elements and insertion elements has resulted in extensive diversification of P. stewartii and P. ananatis. While these organisms share many pathogenicity determinants, our comparative genomic analyses show that they differ in terms of the secretion systems they encode. The genomic differences identified in this study have allowed us to postulate on the divergent evolutionary histories of the analyzed P. ananatis and P. stewartii strains and on the molecular basis underlying their ecological success and host range. PMID:28959245

Integrating fragmented evidence by network meta-analysis: relative effectiveness of psychological interventions for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Gerger, H; Munder, T; Gemperli, A; Nüesch, E; Trelle, S; Jüni, P; Barth, J

2014-11-01

To summarize the available evidence on the effectiveness of psychological interventions for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We searched bibliographic databases and reference lists of relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses for randomized controlled trials that compared specific psychological interventions for adults with PTSD symptoms either head-to-head or against control interventions using non-specific intervention components, or against wait-list control. Two investigators independently extracted the data and assessed trial characteristics. The analyses included 4190 patients in 66 trials. An initial network meta-analysis showed large effect sizes (ESs) for all specific psychological interventions (ESs between -1.10 and -1.37) and moderate effects of psychological interventions that were used to control for non-specific intervention effects (ESs -0.58 and -0.62). ES differences between various types of specific psychological interventions were absent to small (ES differences between 0.00 and 0.27). Considerable between-trial heterogeneity occurred (τ²= 0.30). Stratified analyses revealed that trials that adhered to DSM-III/IV criteria for PTSD were associated with larger ESs. However, considerable heterogeneity remained. Heterogeneity was reduced in trials with adequate concealment of allocation and in large-sized trials. We found evidence for small-study bias. Our findings show that patients with a formal diagnosis of PTSD and those with subclinical PTSD symptoms benefit from different psychological interventions. We did not identify any intervention that was consistently superior to other specific psychological interventions. However, the robustness of evidence varies considerably between different psychological interventions for PTSD, with most robust evidence for cognitive behavioral and exposure therapies.

Multiple Imputation of Cognitive Performance as a Repeatedly Measured Outcome

PubMed Central

Rawlings, Andreea M.; Sang, Yingying; Sharrett, A. Richey; Coresh, Josef; Griswold, Michael; Kucharska-Newton, Anna M.; Palta, Priya; Wruck, Lisa M.; Gross, Alden L.; Deal, Jennifer A.; Power, Melinda C.; Bandeen-Roche, Karen

2016-01-01

Background Longitudinal studies of cognitive performance are sensitive to dropout, as participants experiencing cognitive deficits are less likely to attend study visits, which may bias estimated associations between exposures of interest and cognitive decline. Multiple imputation is a powerful tool for handling missing data, however its use for missing cognitive outcome measures in longitudinal analyses remains limited. Methods We use multiple imputation by chained equations (MICE) to impute cognitive performance scores of participants who did not attend the 2011-2013 exam of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. We examined the validity of imputed scores using observed and simulated data under varying assumptions. We examined differences in the estimated association between diabetes at baseline and 20-year cognitive decline with and without imputed values. Lastly, we discuss how different analytic methods (mixed models and models fit using generalized estimate equations) and choice of for whom to impute result in different estimands. Results Validation using observed data showed MICE produced unbiased imputations. Simulations showed a substantial reduction in the bias of the 20-year association between diabetes and cognitive decline comparing MICE (3-4% bias) to analyses of available data only (16-23% bias) in a construct where missingness was strongly informative but realistic. Associations between diabetes and 20-year cognitive decline were substantially stronger with MICE than in available-case analyses. Conclusions Our study suggests when informative data are available for non-examined participants, MICE can be an effective tool for imputing cognitive performance and improving assessment of cognitive decline, though careful thought should be given to target imputation population and analytic model chosen, as they may yield different estimands. PMID:27619926

Discovery of spatio-temporal patterns from location-based social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Béjar, J.; Álvarez, S.; García, D.; Gómez, I.; Oliva, L.; Tejeda, A.; Vázquez-Salceda, J.

2016-03-01

Location-based social networks (LBSNs) such as Twitter or Instagram are a good source for user spatio-temporal behaviour. These networks collect data from users in such a way that they can be seen as a set of collective and distributed sensors of a geographical area. A low rate sampling of user's location information can be obtained during large intervals of time that can be used to discover complex patterns, including mobility profiles, points of interest or unusual events. These patterns can be used as the elements of a knowledge base for different applications in different domains such as mobility route planning, touristic recommendation systems or city planning. The aim of this paper is twofold, first to analyse the frequent spatio-temporal patterns that users share when living and visiting a city. This behaviour is studied by means of frequent itemsets algorithms in order to establish some associations among visits that can be interpreted as interesting routes or spatio-temporal connections. Second, to analyse how the spatio-temporal behaviour of a large number of users can be segmented in different profiles. These behavioural profiles are obtained by means of clustering algorithms that show the different patterns of behaviour of visitors and citizens. The data analysed were obtained from the public data feeds of Twitter and Instagram within an area surrounding the cities of Barcelona and Milan for a period of several months. The analysis of these data shows that these kinds of algorithms can be successfully applied to data from any city (or general area) to discover useful patterns that can be interpreted on terms of singular places and areas and their temporal relationships.

Phylogenomic, Pan-genomic, Pathogenomic and Evolutionary Genomic Insights into the Agronomically Relevant Enterobacteria Pantoea ananatis and Pantoea stewartii.

PubMed

De Maayer, Pieter; Aliyu, Habibu; Vikram, Surendra; Blom, Jochen; Duffy, Brion; Cowan, Don A; Smits, Theo H M; Venter, Stephanus N; Coutinho, Teresa A

2017-01-01

Pantoea ananatis is ubiquitously found in the environment and causes disease on a wide range of plant hosts. By contrast, its sister species, Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii is the host-specific causative agent of the devastating maize disease Stewart's wilt. This pathogen has a restricted lifecycle, overwintering in an insect vector before being introduced into susceptible maize cultivars, causing disease and returning to overwinter in its vector. The other subspecies of P. stewartii subsp. indologenes , has been isolated from different plant hosts and is predicted to proliferate in different environmental niches. Here we have, by the use of comparative genomics and a comprehensive suite of bioinformatic tools, analyzed the genomes of ten P. stewartii and nineteen P. ananatis strains. Our phylogenomic analyses have revealed that there are two distinct clades within P. ananatis while far less phylogenetic diversity was observed among the P. stewartii subspecies. Pan-genome analyses revealed a large core genome comprising of 3,571 protein coding sequences is shared among the twenty-nine compared strains. Furthermore, we showed that an extensive accessory genome made up largely by a mobilome of plasmids, integrated prophages, integrative and conjugative elements and insertion elements has resulted in extensive diversification of P. stewartii and P. ananatis . While these organisms share many pathogenicity determinants, our comparative genomic analyses show that they differ in terms of the secretion systems they encode. The genomic differences identified in this study have allowed us to postulate on the divergent evolutionary histories of the analyzed P. ananatis and P. stewartii strains and on the molecular basis underlying their ecological success and host range.

Contrasting brain patterns of writing-related DTI parameters, fMRI connectivity, and DTI-fMRI connectivity correlations in children with and without dysgraphia or dyslexia.

PubMed

Richards, T L; Grabowski, T J; Boord, P; Yagle, K; Askren, M; Mestre, Z; Robinson, P; Welker, O; Gulliford, D; Nagy, W; Berninger, V

2015-01-01

Based on comprehensive testing and educational history, children in grades 4-9 (on average 12 years) were diagnosed with dysgraphia (persisting handwriting impairment) or dyslexia (persisting word spelling/reading impairment) or as typical writers and readers (controls). The dysgraphia group (n = 14) and dyslexia group (n = 17) were each compared to the control group (n = 9) and to each other in separate analyses. Four brain region seed points (left occipital temporal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, precuneus, and inferior frontal gyrus) were used in these analyses which were shown in a metaanalysis to be related to written word production on four indicators of white matter integrity and fMRI functional connectivity for four tasks (self-guided mind wandering during resting state, writing letter that follows a visually displayed letter in alphabet, writing missing letter to create a correctly spelled real word, and planning for composing after scanning on topic specified by researcher). For those DTI indicators on which the dysgraphic group or dyslexic group differed from the control group (fractional anisotropy, relative anisotropy, axial diffusivity but not radial diffusivity), correlations were computed between the DTI parameter and fMRI functional connectivity for the two writing tasks (alphabet and spelling) by seed points. Analyses, controlled for multiple comparisons, showed that (a) the control group exhibited more white matter integrity than either the dysgraphic or dyslexic group; (b) the dysgraphic and dyslexic groups showed more functional connectivity than the control group but differed in patterns of functional connectivity for task and seed point; and (c) the dysgraphic and dyslexic groups showed different patterns of significant DTI-fMRI connectivity correlations for specific seed points and written language tasks. Thus, dysgraphia and dyslexia differ in white matter integrity, fMRI functional connectivity, and white matter-gray matter correlations. Of clinical relevance, brain differences were observed in dysgraphia and dyslexia on written language tasks yoked to their defining behavioral impairments in handwriting and/or in word spelling and on the cognitive mind wandering rest condition and composition planning.

Contrasting brain patterns of writing-related DTI parameters, fMRI connectivity, and DTI–fMRI connectivity correlations in children with and without dysgraphia or dyslexia

PubMed Central

Richards, T.L.; Grabowski, T.J.; Boord, P.; Yagle, K.; Askren, M.; Mestre, Z.; Robinson, P.; Welker, O.; Gulliford, D.; Nagy, W.; Berninger, V.

2015-01-01

Based on comprehensive testing and educational history, children in grades 4–9 (on average 12 years) were diagnosed with dysgraphia (persisting handwriting impairment) or dyslexia (persisting word spelling/reading impairment) or as typical writers and readers (controls). The dysgraphia group (n = 14) and dyslexia group (n = 17) were each compared to the control group (n = 9) and to each other in separate analyses. Four brain region seed points (left occipital temporal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, precuneus, and inferior frontal gyrus) were used in these analyses which were shown in a metaanalysis to be related to written word production on four indicators of white matter integrity and fMRI functional connectivity for four tasks (self-guided mind wandering during resting state, writing letter that follows a visually displayed letter in alphabet, writing missing letter to create a correctly spelled real word, and planning for composing after scanning on topic specified by researcher). For those DTI indicators on which the dysgraphic group or dyslexic group differed from the control group (fractional anisotropy, relative anisotropy, axial diffusivity but not radial diffusivity), correlations were computed between the DTI parameter and fMRI functional connectivity for the two writing tasks (alphabet and spelling) by seed points. Analyses, controlled for multiple comparisons, showed that (a) the control group exhibited more white matter integrity than either the dysgraphic or dyslexic group; (b) the dysgraphic and dyslexic groups showed more functional connectivity than the control group but differed in patterns of functional connectivity for task and seed point; and (c) the dysgraphic and dyslexic groups showed different patterns of significant DTI–fMRI connectivity correlations for specific seed points and written language tasks. Thus, dysgraphia and dyslexia differ in white matter integrity, fMRI functional connectivity, and white matter–gray matter correlations. Of clinical relevance, brain differences were observed in dysgraphia and dyslexia on written language tasks yoked to their defining behavioral impairments in handwriting and/or in word spelling and on the cognitive mind wandering rest condition and composition planning. PMID:26106566

Paid family leave's effect on hospital admissions for pediatric abusive head trauma.

PubMed

Klevens, Joanne; Luo, Feijun; Xu, Likang; Peterson, Cora; Latzman, Natasha E

2016-12-01

Paediatric abusive head trauma (AHT) is a leading cause of fatal child maltreatment among young children. Current prevention efforts have not been consistently effective. Policies such as paid parental leave could potentially prevent AHT, given its impacts on risk factors for child maltreatment. To explore associations between California's 2004 paid family leave (PFL) policy and hospital admissions for AHT, we used difference-in-difference analyses of 1995-2011 US state-level data before and after the policy in California and seven comparison states. Compared with seven states with no PFL policies, California's 2004 PFL showed a significant decrease in AHT admissions in both <1 and <2-year-olds. Analyses using additional data years and comparators could yield different results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Development of methodology for identification the nature of the polyphenolic extracts by FTIR associated with multivariate analysis.

PubMed

Grasel, Fábio dos Santos; Ferrão, Marco Flôres; Wolf, Carlos Rodolfo

2016-01-15

Tannins are polyphenolic compounds of complex structures formed by secondary metabolism in several plants. These polyphenolic compounds have different applications, such as drugs, anti-corrosion agents, flocculants, and tanning agents. This study analyses six different type of polyphenolic extracts by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) combined with multivariate analysis. Through both principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), we observed well-defined separation between condensed (quebracho and black wattle) and hydrolysable (valonea, chestnut, myrobalan, and tara) tannins. For hydrolysable tannins, it was also possible to observe the formation of two different subgroups between samples of chestnut and valonea and between samples of tara and myrobalan. Among all samples analysed, the chestnut and valonea showed the greatest similarity, indicating that these extracts contain equivalent chemical compositions and structure and, therefore, similar properties. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insecure times? Workers' perceived job and labor market security in 23 OECD countries.

PubMed

Hipp, Lena

2016-11-01

By examining the association between employees' perceptions of job security and central labor market policies and characteristics, this paper seeks to understand the mechanisms through which institutions generate confidence and positive expectations among individuals regarding their economic future. The analyses distinguish between different facets of perceived job security and different institutional mechanisms. My multilevel analyses of a data set that contains information on 12,431 individuals and 23 countries show that some labor market policies and characteristics are more likely than others to provide workers with subjective security. Unemployment assistance in particular is an effective means of reducing workers' worries about job loss. Dismissal protection, by contrast, only unleashes its psychologically protective effects under certain conditions. The paper's main conclusion is that the effectiveness of policies varies and that different types of labor market institutions serve as complements rather than as substitutes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Untargeted NMR Spectroscopic Analysis of the Metabolic Variety of New Apple Cultivars

PubMed Central

Eisenmann, Philipp; Ehlers, Mona; Weinert, Christoph H.; Tzvetkova, Pavleta; Silber, Mara; Rist, Manuela J.; Luy, Burkhard; Muhle-Goll, Claudia

2016-01-01

Metabolome analyses by NMR spectroscopy can be used in quality control by generating unique fingerprints of different species. Hundreds of components and their variation between different samples can be analyzed in a few minutes/hours with high accuracy and low cost of sample preparation. Here, apple peel and pulp extracts of a variety of apple cultivars were studied to assess their suitability to discriminate between the different varieties. The cultivars comprised mainly newly bred varieties or ones that were brought onto the market in recent years. Multivariate analyses of peel and pulp extracts were able to unambiguously identify all cultivars, with peel extracts showing a higher discriminative power. The latter was increased if the highly concentrated sugar metabolites were omitted from the analysis. Whereas sugar concentrations lay within a narrow range, polyphenols, discussed as potential health promoting substances, and acids varied remarkably between the cultivars. PMID:27657148

Untargeted NMR Spectroscopic Analysis of the Metabolic Variety of New Apple Cultivars.

PubMed

Eisenmann, Philipp; Ehlers, Mona; Weinert, Christoph H; Tzvetkova, Pavleta; Silber, Mara; Rist, Manuela J; Luy, Burkhard; Muhle-Goll, Claudia

2016-09-19

Metabolome analyses by NMR spectroscopy can be used in quality control by generating unique fingerprints of different species. Hundreds of components and their variation between different samples can be analyzed in a few minutes/hours with high accuracy and low cost of sample preparation. Here, apple peel and pulp extracts of a variety of apple cultivars were studied to assess their suitability to discriminate between the different varieties. The cultivars comprised mainly newly bred varieties or ones that were brought onto the market in recent years. Multivariate analyses of peel and pulp extracts were able to unambiguously identify all cultivars, with peel extracts showing a higher discriminative power. The latter was increased if the highly concentrated sugar metabolites were omitted from the analysis. Whereas sugar concentrations lay within a narrow range, polyphenols, discussed as potential health promoting substances, and acids varied remarkably between the cultivars.

Comparative brain transcriptomic analyses of scouting across distinct behavioural and ecological contexts in honeybees

PubMed Central

Liang, Zhengzheng S.; Mattila, Heather R.; Rodriguez-Zas, Sandra L.; Southey, Bruce R.; Seeley, Thomas D.; Robinson, Gene E.

2014-01-01

Individual differences in behaviour are often consistent across time and contexts, but it is not clear whether such consistency is reflected at the molecular level. We explored this issue by studying scouting in honeybees in two different behavioural and ecological contexts: finding new sources of floral food resources and finding a new nest site. Brain gene expression profiles in food-source and nest-site scouts showed a significant overlap, despite large expression differences associated with the two different contexts. Class prediction and ‘leave-one-out’ cross-validation analyses revealed that a bee's role as a scout in either context could be predicted with 92.5% success using 89 genes at minimum. We also found that genes related to four neurotransmitter systems were part of a shared brain molecular signature in both types of scouts, and the two types of scouts were more similar for genes related to glutamate and GABA than catecholamine or acetylcholine signalling. These results indicate that consistent behavioural tendencies across different ecological contexts involve a mixture of similarities and differences in brain gene expression. PMID:25355476

Frontal and Parietal Cortices Show Different Spatiotemporal Dynamics across Problem-solving Stages.

PubMed

Tschentscher, Nadja; Hauk, Olaf

2016-08-01

Arithmetic problem-solving can be conceptualized as a multistage process ranging from task encoding over rule and strategy selection to step-wise task execution. Previous fMRI research suggested a frontal-parietal network involved in the execution of complex numerical and nonnumerical tasks, but evidence is lacking on the particular contributions of frontal and parietal cortices across time. In an arithmetic task paradigm, we evaluated individual participants' "retrieval" and "multistep procedural" strategies on a trial-by-trial basis and contrasted those in time-resolved analyses using combined EEG and MEG. Retrieval strategies relied on direct retrieval of arithmetic facts (e.g., 2 + 3 = 5). Procedural strategies required multiple solution steps (e.g., 12 + 23 = 12 + 20 + 3 or 23 + 10 + 2). Evoked source analyses revealed independent activation dynamics within the first second of problem-solving in brain areas previously described as one network, such as the frontal-parietal cognitive control network: The right frontal cortex showed earliest effects of strategy selection for multistep procedural strategies around 300 msec, before parietal cortex activated around 700 msec. In time-frequency source power analyses, memory retrieval and multistep procedural strategies were differentially reflected in theta, alpha, and beta frequencies: Stronger beta and alpha desynchronizations emerged for procedural strategies in right frontal, parietal, and temporal regions as function of executive demands. Arithmetic fact retrieval was reflected in right prefrontal increases in theta power. Our results demonstrate differential brain dynamics within frontal-parietal networks across the time course of a problem-solving process, and analyses of different frequency bands allowed us to disentangle cortical regions supporting the underlying memory and executive functions.

Outlier analyses to test for local adaptation to breeding grounds in a migratory arctic seabird.

PubMed

Tigano, Anna; Shultz, Allison J; Edwards, Scott V; Robertson, Gregory J; Friesen, Vicki L

2017-04-01

Investigating the extent (or the existence) of local adaptation is crucial to understanding how populations adapt. When experiments or fitness measurements are difficult or impossible to perform in natural populations, genomic techniques allow us to investigate local adaptation through the comparison of allele frequencies and outlier loci along environmental clines. The thick-billed murre ( Uria lomvia ) is a highly philopatric colonial arctic seabird that occupies a significant environmental gradient, shows marked phenotypic differences among colonies, and has large effective population sizes. To test whether thick-billed murres from five colonies along the eastern Canadian Arctic coast show genomic signatures of local adaptation to their breeding grounds, we analyzed geographic variation in genome-wide markers mapped to a newly assembled thick-billed murre reference genome. We used outlier analyses to detect loci putatively under selection, and clustering analyses to investigate patterns of differentiation based on 2220 genomewide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 137 outlier SNPs. We found no evidence of population structure among colonies using all loci but found population structure based on outliers only, where birds from the two northernmost colonies (Minarets and Prince Leopold) grouped with birds from the southernmost colony (Gannet), and birds from Coats and Akpatok were distinct from all other colonies. Although results from our analyses did not support local adaptation along the latitudinal cline of breeding colonies, outlier loci grouped birds from different colonies according to their non-breeding distributions, suggesting that outliers may be informative about adaptation and/or demographic connectivity associated with their migration patterns or nonbreeding grounds.

Disparities in Cardiac Rehabilitation Participation in the United States: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS.

PubMed

Sun, Enid Y; Jadotte, Yuri T; Halperin, William

2017-01-01

Phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a class I recommendation for all patients following an acute cardiac event or cardiac surgery according to the The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology Foundation. Studies have shown that there are differences in cardiac rehabilitation participation rates between sociodemographic groups. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analyses was to synthesize quantitative data on the relationship between outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (OCR) attendance and various sociodemographic factors. We conducted a search of PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Dissertations & Theses A&I, and conference abstracts for observational studies conducted in the United States that fit our inclusion criteria. A total of 21 studies were included in our final review and meta-analyses. Our meta-analyses showed that overall, attenders were younger than nonattenders (mean difference=-3.74 years, 95% CI =-5.87 to -1.61) and the odds of participation were lower among females (OR = 0.59; 95% CI = 0.51-0.69), individuals with a high school degree or less (OR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.50-0.91), and the uninsured or self-payers (OR = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.14-0.71). Full- or part-time employees were more likely to participate than those not employed (OR = 1.45; 95% CI = 1.08-1.95). Our systematic review and meta-analyses showed that there are significant sociodemographic disparities in CR participation. On the basis of this knowledge, clinicians and policy makers should focus on identifying and eliminating barriers to participation.

Performance Evaluation of Three Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems Using ISO 15197

PubMed Central

Bedini, José Luis; Wallace, Jane F.; Pardo, Scott; Petruschke, Thorsten

2015-01-01

Background: Blood glucose monitoring is an essential component of diabetes management. Inaccurate blood glucose measurements can severely impact patients’ health. This study evaluated the performance of 3 blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS), Contour® Next USB, FreeStyle InsuLinx®, and OneTouch® Verio™ IQ, under routine hospital conditions. Methods: Venous blood samples (N = 236) obtained for routine laboratory procedures were collected at a Spanish hospital, and blood glucose (BG) concentrations were measured with each BGMS and with the available reference (hexokinase) method. Accuracy of the 3 BGMS was compared according to ISO 15197:2013 accuracy limit criteria, by mean absolute relative difference (MARD), consensus error grid (CEG) and surveillance error grid (SEG) analyses, and an insulin dosing error model. Results: All BGMS met the accuracy limit criteria defined by ISO 15197:2013. While all measurements of the 3 BGMS were within low-risk zones in both error grid analyses, the Contour Next USB showed significantly smaller MARDs between reference values compared to the other 2 BGMS. Insulin dosing errors were lowest for the Contour Next USB than compared to the other systems. Conclusions: All BGMS fulfilled ISO 15197:2013 accuracy limit criteria and CEG criterion. However, taking together all analyses, differences in performance of potential clinical relevance may be observed. Results showed that Contour Next USB had lowest MARD values across the tested glucose range, as compared with the 2 other BGMS. CEG and SEG analyses as well as calculation of the hypothetical bolus insulin dosing error suggest a high accuracy of the Contour Next USB. PMID:26445813

Linear versus geometric morphometric approaches for the analysis of head shape dimorphism in lizards.

PubMed

Fabre, Anne-Claire; Cornette, Raphäel; Huyghe, Katleen; Andrade, Denis V; Herrel, Anthony

2014-09-01

Differences between the sexes may arise because of differences in reproductive strategy, with females investing more in traits related to reproductive output and males investing more in traits related to resource holding capacity and territory defence. Sexual dimorphism is widespread in lizards and in many species males and females also differ in head shape. Males typically have bigger heads than females resulting in intersexual differences in bite force. Whereas most studies documenting differences in head dimensions between sexes use linear dimensions, the use of geometric morphometrics has been advocated as more appropriate to characterize such differences. This method may allow the characterization of local shape differences that may have functional consequences, and provides unbiased indicators of shape. Here, we explore whether the two approaches provide similar results in an analyses of head shape in Tupinambis merianae. The Argentine black and white tegu differs dramatically in body size, head size, and bite force between the sexes. However, whether the intersexual differences in bite force are simply the result of differences in head size or whether more subtle modifications (e.g., in muscle insertion areas) are involved remains currently unknown. Based on the crania and mandibles of 19 lizards with known bite force, we show intersexual differences in the shape of the cranium and mandible using both linear and geometric morphometric approaches. Although both types of analyses showed generally similar results for the mandible, this was not the case for the cranium. Geometric morphometric approaches provided better insights into the underlying functional relationships between the cranium and the jaw musculature, as illustrated by shape differences in muscle insertion areas not detected using linear morphometric data. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

VIIRS Reflective Solar Band Radiometric and Stability Evaluation Using Deep Convective Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Tiejun; Xiong, Xiaoxiong; Mu, Qiaozhen

2016-01-01

This work takes advantage of the stable distribution of deep convective cloud (DCC) reflectance measurements to assess the calibration stability and detector difference in Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) reflective bands. VIIRS Sensor Data Records (SDRs) from February 2012 to June 2015 are utilized to analyze the long-term trending, detector difference, and half angle mirror (HAM) side difference. VIIRS has two thermal emissive bands with coverage crossing 11 microns for DCC pixel identification. The comparison of the results of these two processing bands is one of the indicators of analysis reliability. The long-term stability analysis shows downward trends (up to approximately 0.4 per year) for the visible and near-infrared bands and upward trends (up to 0.5per year) for the short- and mid-wave infrared bands. The detector difference for each band is calculated as the difference relative to the average reflectance overall detectors. Except for the slightly greater than 1 difference in the two bands at 1610 nm, the detector difference is less than1 for other solar reflective bands. The detector differences show increasing trends for some short-wave bands with center wavelengths from 400 to 600 nm and remain unchanged for the bands with longer center wavelengths. The HAM side difference is insignificant and stable. Those short-wave bands from 400 to 600 nm also have relatively larger HAM side difference, up to 0.25.Comparing the striped images from SDR and the smooth images after the correction validates the analyses of detector difference and HAM side difference. These analyses are very helpful for VIIRS calibration improvement and thus enhance product quality

Performance of the disease risk score in a cohort study with policy-induced selection bias.

PubMed

Tadrous, Mina; Mamdani, Muhammad M; Juurlink, David N; Krahn, Murray D; Lévesque, Linda E; Cadarette, Suzanne M

2015-11-01

To examine the performance of the disease risk score (DRS) in a cohort study with evidence of policy-induced selection bias. We examined two cohorts of new users of bisphosphonates. Estimates for 1-year hip fracture rates between agents using DRS, exposure propensity scores and traditional multivariable analysis were compared. The results for the cohort with no evidence of policy-induced selection bias showed little variation across analyses (-4.1-2.0%). Analysis of the cohort with evidence of policy-induced selection bias showed greater variation (-13.5-8.1%), with the greatest difference seen with DRS analyses. Our findings suggest that caution may be warranted when using DRS methods in cohort studies with policy-induced selection bias, further research is needed.

[The corrosion of pure iron in five different mediums].

PubMed

Xu, Li; Zhu, Shengfa; Huang, Nan; Li, Xinchang; Zhang, Yu

2009-08-01

The sectional test was adopted in this study to investigate the corrosion of pure iron in 0.15 mol/L NaCl solution, Ringer solution, PBS(-) solution, SBF solution and M199 cell culture medium at three different times. The result shows that different mediums have different corrosion effects on pure iron. The arrangement according to the medium's corrosion ability from the strongest to weakest is 0.15 mol/L NaCl solution (Ringer solution), PBS(-) solution, SBF solution and M199 cell culture medium. The results of scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrum analyses show that the addition of HPO4(2-), H2POC4-, Ca2+, Mg2+, SO4(2-) and the organic component can inhibit the corrosion to some degree.

The role of income inequality and social policies on income-related health inequalities in Europe.

PubMed

Jutz, Regina

2015-10-31

The aim of the paper is to examine the role of income inequality and redistribution for income-related health inequalities in Europe. This paper contributes in two ways to the literature on macro determinants of socio-economic inequalities in health. First, it widens the distinctive focus of the research field on welfare state regimes to quantifiable measures such as social policy indicators. Second, looking at income differences completes studies on socio-economic health inequalities, which often analyse health inequalities based on educational differences. Using data from the European Values Study (2008/2009), 42 European countries are available for analysis. Country characteristics are derived from SWIID, Eurostat, and ILO and include indicators for income inequality, social policies, and economic performance. The data is analysed by using a two-step hierarchical estimation approach: At the first step-the individual level-the effect of household income on self-assessed health is extracted and introduced as an indicator measuring income-related health inequalities at the second step, the country-level. Individual-level analyses reveal that income-related health inequalities exist all across Europe. Results from country-level analyses show that higher income inequality is significantly positively related to higher health inequalities while social policies do not show significant relations. Nevertheless, the results show the expected negative association between social policies and health inequalities. Economic performance also has a reducing influence on health inequalities. In all models, income inequality was the dominating explanatory effect for health inequalities. The analyses indicate that income inequality has more impact on health inequalities than social policies. On the contrary, social policies seemed to matter to all individuals regardless of socio-economic position since it is significantly positively linked to overall population health. Even though social policies are not significantly related to health inequalities, the power of public redistribution to impact health inequalities should not be downplayed. Social policies as a way of public redistribution are a possible instrument to reduce income inequalities which would in turn lead to a reduction in health inequalities.

Utilization of Large Scale Surface Models for Detailed Visibility Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caha, J.; Kačmařík, M.

2017-11-01

This article demonstrates utilization of large scale surface models with small spatial resolution and high accuracy, acquired from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle scanning, for visibility analyses. The importance of large scale data for visibility analyses on the local scale, where the detail of the surface model is the most defining factor, is described. The focus is not only the classic Boolean visibility, that is usually determined within GIS, but also on so called extended viewsheds that aims to provide more information about visibility. The case study with examples of visibility analyses was performed on river Opava, near the Ostrava city (Czech Republic). The multiple Boolean viewshed analysis and global horizon viewshed were calculated to determine most prominent features and visibility barriers of the surface. Besides that, the extended viewshed showing angle difference above the local horizon, which describes angular height of the target area above the barrier, is shown. The case study proved that large scale models are appropriate data source for visibility analyses on local level. The discussion summarizes possible future applications and further development directions of visibility analyses.

Investigated serious occupational accidents in the Netherlands, 1998-2009.

PubMed

Bellamy, Linda J; Manuel, Henk Jan; Oh, Joy I H

2014-01-01

Since 2003, a project has been underway to analyse the most serious occupational accidents in The Netherlands. All the serious occupational accidents investigated by the Dutch Labour Inspectorate for the 12 years of 1998-2009 inclusive have been entered into a database, a total of 20 030 investigations. This database uses a model of safety barriers supported by barrier tasks and management delivery systems such that, when combined with sector and year information, trends in the data can be analysed for their underlying causes. The trend analyses show that while the number of victims of serious reportable accidents is significantly decreasing, this is due to specific sectors, hazards and underlying causes. The significant results could not easily be directly associated with any specific regulation or action undertaken in The Netherlands although there have been many different approaches to reducing accidents during the period analysed, which could be contributing to the effect.

Phylogenetic relationship and species delimitation of matsutake and allied species based on multilocus phylogeny and haplotype analyses.

PubMed

Ota, Yuko; Yamanaka, Takashi; Murata, Hitoshi; Neda, Hitoshi; Ohta, Akira; Kawai, Masataka; Yamada, Akiyoshi; Konno, Miki; Tanaka, Chihiro

2012-01-01

Tricholoma matsutake (S. Ito & S. Imai) Singer and its allied species are referred to as matsutake worldwide and are the most economically important edible mushrooms in Japan. They are widely distributed in the northern hemisphere and established an ectomycorrhizal relationship with conifer and broadleaf trees. To clarify relationships among T. matsutake and its allies, and to delimit phylogenetic species, we analyzed multilocus datasets (ITS, megB1, tef, gpd) with samples that were correctly identified based on morphological characteristics. Phylogenetic analyses clearly identified four major groups: matsutake, T. bakamatsutake, T. fulvocastaneum and T. caligatum; the latter three species were outside the matsutake group. The haplotype analyses and median-joining haplotype network analyses showed that the matsutake group included four closely related but clearly distinct taxa (T. matsutake, T. anatolicum, Tricholoma sp. from Mexico and T. magnivelare) from different geographical regions; these were considered to be distinct phylogenetic species.

Decomposition of childhood malnutrition in Cambodia.

PubMed

Sunil, Thankam S; Sagna, Marguerite

2015-10-01

Childhood malnutrition is a major problem in developing countries, and in Cambodia, it is estimated that approximately 42% of the children are stunted, which is considered to be very high. In the present study, we examined the effects of proximate and socio-economic determinants on childhood malnutrition in Cambodia. In addition, we examined the effects of the changes in these proximate determinants on childhood malnutrition between 2000 and 2005. Our analytical approach included descriptive, logistic regression and decomposition analyses. Separate analyses are estimated for 2000 and 2005 survey. The primary component of the difference in stunting is attributable to the rates component, indicating that the decrease of stunting is due mainly to the decrease in stunting rates between 2000 and 2005. While majority of the differences in childhood malnutrition between 2000 and 2005 can be attributed to differences in the distribution of malnutrition determinants between 2000 and 2005, differences in their effects also showed some significance. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Enhanced Component Performance Study. Emergency Diesel Generators 1998–2013

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schroeder, John Alton

2014-11-01

This report presents an enhanced performance evaluation of emergency diesel generators (EDGs) at U.S. commercial nuclear power plants. This report evaluates component performance over time using Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) Consolidated Events Database (ICES) data from 1998 through 2013 and maintenance unavailability (UA) performance data using Mitigating Systems Performance Index (MSPI) Basis Document data from 2002 through 2013. The objective is to present an analysis of factors that could influence the system and component trends in addition to annual performance trends of failure rates and probabilities. The factors analyzed for the EDG component are the differences in failuresmore » between all demands and actual unplanned engineered safety feature (ESF) demands, differences among manufacturers, and differences among EDG ratings. Statistical analyses of these differences are performed and results showing whether pooling is acceptable across these factors. In addition, engineering analyses were performed with respect to time period and failure mode. The factors analyzed are: sub-component, failure cause, detection method, recovery, manufacturer, and EDG rating.« less

Analysis of Italian regulations on pathways of care for patients in a vegetative or minimally conscious state

PubMed Central

Sattin, Davide; De Torres, Laura; Dolce, Giuliano; Arcuri, Francesco; Estraneo, Anna; Cardinale, Viviana; Piperno, Roberto; Zavatta, Elena; Formisano, Rita; D’Ippolito, Mariagrazia; Vassallo, Claudio; Dessi, Barbara; Lamberti, Gianfranco; Antoniono, Elena; Lanzillotti, Crocifissa; Navarro, Jorge; Bramanti, Placido; Marino, Silvia; Zampolini, Mauro; Scarponi, Federico; Avesani, Renato; Salvi, Luca; Ferro, Salvatore; Mazza, Luigi; Fogar, Paolo; Feller, Sandro; De Nigris, Fulvio; Martinuzzi, Andrea; Buffoni, Mara; Pessina, Adriano; Corsico, Paolo; Leonardi, Matilde

2017-01-01

Summary Different rehabilitation models for persons diagnosed with disorders of consciousness have been proposed in Europe during the last decade. In Italy, the Ministry of Health has defined a national healthcare model, although, to date, there is a lack of information on how this has been implemented at regional level. The INCARICO project collected information on different regional regulations, analysing ethical aspects and mapping care facilities (numbers of beds and medical units) in eleven regional territories. The researchers found a total of 106 laws; differences emerged both between regions and versus the national model, showing that patients with the same diagnosis may follow different pathways of care. An ongoing cultural shift from a treatment-oriented medical approach towards a care-oriented integrated biopsychosocial approach was found in all the welfare and healthcare systems analysed. Future studies are needed to explore the relationship between healthcare systems and the quality of services provided. PMID:29042005

Treatment for insertional Achilles tendinopathy: a systematic review.

PubMed

Wiegerinck, J I; Kerkhoffs, G M; van Sterkenburg, M N; Sierevelt, I N; van Dijk, C N

2013-06-01

Systematically search and analyse the results of surgical and non-surgical treatments for insertional Achilles tendinopathy. A structured systematic review of the literature was performed to identify surgical and non-surgical therapeutic studies reporting on ten or more adults with insertional Achilles tendinopathy. MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE (Classic) and the Cochrane database of controlled trials (1945-March 2011) were searched. The Coleman methodology score was used to assess the quality of included articles, and these were analysed with an emphasis on change in pain score, patient satisfaction and complication rate. Of 451 reviewed abstracts, 14 trials met our inclusion criteria evaluating 452 procedures in 433 patients. Five surgical techniques were evaluated; all had a good patient satisfaction (avg. 89 %). The complication ratio differed substantially between techniques. Two studies analysed injections showing significant decrease in visual analogue scale (VAS). Eccentric exercises showed a significant decrease in VAS, but a large group of patients was unsatisfied. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) was superior to both wait-and-see and an eccentric training regime. One study evaluated laser CO(2), TECAR and cryoultrasound, all with significant decrease in VAS. Despite differences in outcome and complication ratio, the patient satisfaction is high in all surgical studies. It is not possible to draw conclusions regarding the best surgical treatment for insertional Achilles tendinopathy. ESWT seems effective in patients with non-calcified insertional Achilles tendinopathy. Although both eccentric exercises resulted in a decrease in VAS score, full range of motion eccentric exercises shows a low patient satisfaction compared to floor level exercises and other conservative treatment modalities.

Molecular characterisation of four double-flowered mutants of Silene dioica representing four centuries of variation

PubMed Central

Ingle, Elizabeth K. S.; Gilmartin, Philip M.

2015-01-01

Records of double-flowered Silene dioica date from the late sixteenth century and four named varieties are grown today, as previously, for their horticultural interest. Although double-flowered mutants have been characterized in several plants, their study in dioecious species is of particular interest due to influences of the homeotic mutation on the different floral whorl configurations in males and females. We have analysed four double-flowered varieties of Silene dioica: Flore Pleno and Rosea Plena date back to the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, Thelma Kay and Firefly were recognized in the latter part of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. We have analysed the floral structure of the four varieties, which have distinct floral architectures. Based on Y chromosome-specific PCR analysis we show that Firefly is male and that the other three varieties are female: Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses suggested a common origin for the three female varieties. The double-flowered phenotype in all four varieties is caused by mutation of the C-function MADS-box transcription factor gene SDM1. We show that Firefly carries a unique 44bp insertion into SDM1, revealing an independent origin for this variety. Comparative analysis of SDM1 cDNA and genomic sequences in Flore Pleno, Rosea Plena and Thelma Kay shows that all three are caused by the same 7bp insertion within SDM1 and therefore share a common origin. The three alleles also differ by several single nucleotide polymorphisms, which represent somatic mutations accumulated over four centuries of asexual propagation. PMID:25878355

Quantification of the genetic change in the transition of Rhodnius pallescens Barber, 1932 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) from field to laboratory.

PubMed

Gómez-Sucerquia, Leysa Jackeline; Triana-Chávez, Omar; Jaramillo-Ocampo, Nicolás

2009-09-01

Previous studies have reported genetic differences between wild-caught sylvatic, domestic and laboratory pop-ulations of several Triatominae species. The differences between sylvatic and laboratory colonies parallel are similar to the differences observed between sylvatic and domestic populations. Laboratory colonies are frequently used as references for field populations, but the consequences of founder events on the genetic makeup of laboratory or domestic populations are rarely quantified. Our goal was to quantify the genetic change in Rhodnius pallescens populations artificially submitted to founder effects via laboratory colonization. We compared the genetic makeup of two sylvatic populations and their laboratory descendants using a panel of 10 microsatellite markers. Both sylvatic populations were initially collected from palm trees, but the colonies differed in the number of founder insects and amount of time kept in the laboratory. We evaluated allelic polymorphism, differences between expected and observed heterozygosity, estimates of population differentiation (Fst) and inbreeding (Fis, Fit) and cluster analyses based on Nei's distances. We found a unique genetic structure for each sample population, with significant differentiation between the field insects and each of the laboratory generations. These analyses showed strong founder effects and showed that genetic drift had led to a genetic equilibrium over several generations of isolation. Our results suggest that laboratory colonies of R. pallescens have a different genetic structure than their wild relatives and similar processes likely affect other Triatominae laboratory stocks.

Time-Dependent Rate Phenomenon in Viruses

PubMed Central

Aiewsakun, Pakorn

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Among the most fundamental questions in viral evolutionary biology are how fast viruses evolve and how evolutionary rates differ among viruses and fluctuate through time. Traditionally, viruses are loosely classed into two groups: slow-evolving DNA viruses and fast-evolving RNA viruses. As viral evolutionary rate estimates become more available, it appears that the rates are negatively correlated with the measurement timescales and that the boundary between the rates of DNA and RNA viruses might not be as clear as previously thought. In this study, we collected 396 viral evolutionary rate estimates across almost all viral genome types and replication strategies, and we examined their rate dynamics. We showed that the time-dependent rate phenomenon exists across multiple levels of viral taxonomy, from the Baltimore classification viral groups to genera. We also showed that, by taking the rate decay dynamics into account, a clear division between the rates of DNA and RNA viruses as well as reverse-transcribing viruses could be recovered. Surprisingly, despite large differences in their biology, our analyses suggested that the rate decay speed is independent of viral types and thus might be useful for better estimation of the evolutionary time scale of any virus. To illustrate this, we used our model to reestimate the evolutionary timescales of extant lentiviruses, which were previously suggested to be very young by standard phylogenetic analyses. Our analyses suggested that these viruses are millions of years old, in agreement with paleovirological evidence, and therefore, for the first time, reconciled molecular analyses of ancient and extant viruses. IMPORTANCE This work provides direct evidence that viral evolutionary rate estimates decay with their measurement timescales and that the rate decay speeds do not differ significantly among viruses despite the vast differences in their molecular features. After adjustment for the rate decay dynamics, the division between the rates of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), single-stranded RNA (ssRNA), and ssDNA/reverse-transcribing viruses could be seen more clearly than before. Our results provide a guideline for further improvement of the molecular clock. As a demonstration of this, we used our model to reestimate the timescales of modern lentiviruses, which were previously thought to be very young, and concluded that they are millions of years old. This result matches the estimate from paleovirological analyses, thus bridging the gap between ancient and extant viral evolutionary studies. PMID:27252529

How players exploit variability and regularity of game actions in female volleyball teams.

PubMed

Ramos, Ana; Coutinho, Patrícia; Silva, Pedro; Davids, Keith; Mesquita, Isabel

2017-05-01

Variability analysis has been used to understand how competitive constraints shape different behaviours in team sports. In this study, we analysed and compared variability of tactical performance indices in players within complex I at two different competitive levels in volleyball. We also examined whether variability was influenced by set type and period. Eight matches from the 2012 Olympics competition and from the Portuguese national league in the 2014-2015 season were analysed (1496 rallies). Variability of setting conditions, attack zone, attack tempo and block opposition was assessed using Shannon entropy measures. Magnitude-based inferences were used to analyse the practical significance of compared values of selected variables. Results showed differences between elite and national teams for all variables, which were co-adapted to the competitive constraints of set type and set periods. Elite teams exploited system stability in setting conditions and block opposition, but greater unpredictability in zone and tempo of attack. These findings suggest that uncertainty in attacking actions was a key factor that could only be achieved with greater performance stability in other game actions. Data suggested how coaches could help setters develop the capacity to play at faster tempos, diversifying attack zones, especially at critical moments in competition.

Histometric analyses of cancellous and cortical interface in autogenous bone grafting

PubMed Central

Netto, Henrique Duque; Olate, Sergio; Klüppel, Leandro; do Carmo, Antonio Marcio Resende; Vásquez, Bélgica; Albergaria-Barbosa, Jose

2013-01-01

Surgical procedures involving the rehabilitation of the maxillofacial region frequently require bone grafts; the aim of this research was to evaluate the interface between recipient and graft with cortical or cancellous contact. 6 adult beagle dogs with 15 kg weight were included in the study. Under general anesthesia, an 8 mm diameter block was obtained from parietal bone of each animal and was put on the frontal bone with a 12 mm 1.5 screws. Was used the lag screw technique from better contact between the recipient and graft. 3-week and 6-week euthanized period were chosen for histometric evaluation. Hematoxylin-eosin was used in a histologic routine technique and histomorphometry was realized with IMAGEJ software. T test was used for data analyses with p<0.05 for statistical significance. The result show some differences in descriptive histology but non statistical differences in the interface between cortical or cancellous bone at 3 or 6 week; as natural, after 6 week of surgery, bone integration was better and statistically superior to 3-week analyses. We conclude that integration of cortical or cancellous bone can be usefully without differences. PMID:23923071

Gait patterns for crime fighting: statistical evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulovská, Kateřina; Bělašková, Silvie; Adámek, Milan

2013-10-01

The criminality is omnipresent during the human history. Modern technology brings novel opportunities for identification of a perpetrator. One of these opportunities is an analysis of video recordings, which may be taken during the crime itself or before/after the crime. The video analysis can be classed as identification analyses, respectively identification of a person via externals. The bipedal locomotion focuses on human movement on the basis of their anatomical-physiological features. Nowadays, the human gait is tested by many laboratories to learn whether the identification via bipedal locomotion is possible or not. The aim of our study is to use 2D components out of 3D data from the VICON Mocap system for deep statistical analyses. This paper introduces recent results of a fundamental study focused on various gait patterns during different conditions. The study contains data from 12 participants. Curves obtained from these measurements were sorted, averaged and statistically tested to estimate the stability and distinctiveness of this biometrics. Results show satisfactory distinctness of some chosen points, while some do not embody significant difference. However, results presented in this paper are of initial phase of further deeper and more exacting analyses of gait patterns under different conditions.

Assessment of human thermal comfort and mitigation measures in different urban climatotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, N.; Kuttler, W.

2012-04-01

This study analyses thermal comfort in the model city of Oberhausen as an example for the densely populated metropolitan region Ruhr, Germany. As thermal loads increase due to climate change negative impacts especially for city dwellers will arise. Therefore mitigation strategies should be developed and considered in urban planning today to prevent future thermal stress. The method consists of the combination of in-situ measurements and numerical model simulations. So in a first step the actual thermal situation is determined and then possible mitigation strategies are derived. A measuring network was installed in eight climatotopes for a one year period recording air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction. Based on these parameters the human thermal comfort in terms of physiological equivalent temperature (PET) was calculated by RayMan Pro software. Thus the human comfort of different climatotopes was determined. Heat stress in different land uses varies, so excess thermal loads in urban areas could be detected. Based on the measuring results mitigation strategies were developed, such as increasing areas with high evaporation capacity (green areas and water bodies). These strategies were implemented as different plan scenarios in the microscale urban climate model ENVI-met. The best measure should be identified by comparing the range and effect of these scenarios. Simulations were run in three of the eight climatotopes (city center, suburban and open land site) to analyse the effectiveness of the mitigation strategies in several land use structures. These cover the range of values of all eight climatotopes and therefore provide representative results. In the model area of 21 ha total, the modified section in the different plan scenarios was 1 ha. Thus the effect of small-scale changes could be analysed. Such areas can arise due to population decline and structural changes and hold conversion potential. Emphasis was also laid on analysing the effectiveness of water bodies, which need further research in contrast to well analysed vegetation areas. Results show different thermal loads in the miscellaneous climatotopes due to land use structures. Both measurements and model simulations demonstrate the positive effect on thermal comfort due to augmentation of areas with high evaporation capacity. These effects can be especially well detected in summer, when heat stress is most pronounced. The measurement based PET calculations show a maximum difference of 4 K PET between inner city and open land site in summer nights. Simulation results overall present a PET reduction of 1-3 K. The average PET reduction in the city center site is about 2 K, while the maximum reduction in the suburban site can exceed 5 K. In urban areas parks are particularly advisable as mitigation measure, because they reduce thermal stress both by tree shading and evapotranspiration.

Effectiveness and harms of seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines in children, adults and elderly

PubMed Central

Manzoli, Lamberto; Ioannidis, John P.A.; Flacco, Maria Elena; De Vito, Corrado; Villari, Paolo

2012-01-01

Fifteen meta-analyses have been published between 1995 and 2011 to evaluate the efficacy/effectiveness and harms of diverse influenza vaccines—seasonal, H5N1 and 2009(H1N1) —in various age-classes (healthy children, adults or elderly). These meta-analyses have often adopted different analyses and study selection criteria. Because it is difficult to have a clear picture of vaccine benefits and harms examining single systematic reviews, we compiled the main findings and evaluated which could be the most reasonable explanations for some differences in findings (or their interpretation) across previously published meta-analyses. For each age group, we performed analyses that included all trials that had been included in at least one relevant meta-analysis, also exploring whether effect sizes changed over time. Although we identified several discrepancies among the meta-analyses on seasonal vaccines for children and elderly, overall most seasonal influenza vaccines showed statistically significant efficacy/effectiveness, which was acceptable or high for laboratory-confirmed cases and of modest magnitude for clinically-confirmed cases. The available evidence on parenteral inactivated vaccines for children aged < 2 y remains scarce. Pre-pandemic “avian” H5N1 and pandemic 2009 (H1N1) vaccines can achieve satisfactory immunogenicity, but no meta-analysis has addressed H1N1 vaccination impact on clinical outcomes. Data on harms are overall reassuring, but their value is diminished by inconsistent reporting. PMID:22777099

Impact of covariate models on the assessment of the air pollution-mortality association in a single- and multipollutant context.

PubMed

Sacks, Jason D; Ito, Kazuhiko; Wilson, William E; Neas, Lucas M

2012-10-01

With the advent of multicity studies, uniform statistical approaches have been developed to examine air pollution-mortality associations across cities. To assess the sensitivity of the air pollution-mortality association to different model specifications in a single and multipollutant context, the authors applied various regression models developed in previous multicity time-series studies of air pollution and mortality to data from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (May 1992-September 1995). Single-pollutant analyses used daily cardiovascular mortality, fine particulate matter (particles with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm; PM(2.5)), speciated PM(2.5), and gaseous pollutant data, while multipollutant analyses used source factors identified through principal component analysis. In single-pollutant analyses, risk estimates were relatively consistent across models for most PM(2.5) components and gaseous pollutants. However, risk estimates were inconsistent for ozone in all-year and warm-season analyses. Principal component analysis yielded factors with species associated with traffic, crustal material, residual oil, and coal. Risk estimates for these factors exhibited less sensitivity to alternative regression models compared with single-pollutant models. Factors associated with traffic and crustal material showed consistently positive associations in the warm season, while the coal combustion factor showed consistently positive associations in the cold season. Overall, mortality risk estimates examined using a source-oriented approach yielded more stable and precise risk estimates, compared with single-pollutant analyses.

Light driven mesoscale assembly of a coordination polymeric gelator into flowers and stars with distinct properties† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Text, figures, and tables depicting different synthetic procedures, detailed experimental procedures, characterisation data including FT-IR, microscopic analyses, TGA, EDAX and SAED analyses, pore size distribution. See DOI: 10.1039/c5sc02233a Click here for additional data file.

PubMed Central

Mukhopadhyay, Rahul Dev; Praveen, Vakayil K.; Hazra, Arpan; Maji, Tapas Kumar

2015-01-01

Control over the self-assembly process of porous organic–inorganic hybrids often leads to unprecedented polymorphism and properties. Herein we demonstrate how light can be a powerful tool to intervene in the kinetically controlled mesoscale self-assembly of a coordination polymeric gelator. Ultraviolet light induced coordination modulation via photoisomerisation of an azobenzene based dicarboxylate linker followed by aggregation mediated crystal growth resulted in two distinct morphological forms (flowers and stars), which show subtle differences in their physical properties. PMID:28757961

Which form of assessment provides the best information about student performance in chemistry examinations?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudson, Ross D.; Treagust, David F.

2013-04-01

Background . This study developed from observations of apparent achievement differences between male and female chemistry performances in a state university entrance examination. Male students performed more strongly than female students, especially in higher scores. Apart from the gender of the students, two other important factors that might influence student performance were format of questions (short-answer or multiple-choice) and type of questions (recall or application). Purpose The research question addressed in this study was: Is there a relationship between performance in state university entrance examinations in chemistry and school chemistry examinations and student gender, format of questions - multiple-choice or short-answer, and conceptual level - recall or application? Sample The two sources of data were: (1) secondary analyses of five consecutive years' data published by the examining authority of chemistry examinations, and (2) tests conducted with 192 students which provided information about all aspects of the three variables (question format, question type and gender) under consideration. Design and methods Both sources of data were analysed using ANOVA to compare means for the variables under consideration and the statistical significance of any differences. The data from the tests were also analysed using Rasch analysis to determine differences in gender performance. Results When overall mean data are considered, both male and female students performed better on multiple-choice questions and recall questions than on short-answer questions and application questions, respectively. When overall mean data are considered, male students outperformed female students in both the university entrance and school tests, particularly in the higher scores. When data were analysed with Rasch, there was no statistically significant difference in performance between males and females of equal ability. Conclusions Both male and female students generally perform better on multiple-choice questions than they do on short-answer questions. However, when the questions are matched in terms of difficulty (using Rasch analysis), the differences in performance between multiple-choice and short-answer are quite small. Rasch analysis showed that there was little difference in performance between males and females of equal ability. This study shows that a simple face-value score analysis of relative student performance - in this case, in chemistry - can be deceptive unless the actual abilities of the students concerned, as measured by a tool such as Rasch, are taken into consideration before reaching any conclusion.

STD coinfections in The Netherlands: Specific sexual networks at highest risk.

PubMed

van Veen, Maaike G; Koedijk, Femke D H; van der Sande, Marianne A B

2010-07-01

Specific subpopulations infected with multiple bacterial sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may facilitate ongoing STD transmission. To identify these subpopulations we determined the extent of concurrent incident STD infections and their risk factors among the high-risk population seen at Dutch STD clinics. STD surveillance data submitted routinely by STD clinics to the National Institute for Public Health on demographics, sexual behavior, STD testing, and diagnoses for the period 2004-2007 were analyzed. Bacterial STD coinfections were diagnosed concurrently in 2120 (7%) of the 31,754 incident bacterial STD diagnoses (chlamydia, gonorrhea, infectious syphilis). In univariate logistic regression analyses, coinfections were significantly more often diagnosed in men who have sex with men (MSM, OR = 5.4) than in heterosexuals. Multivariate analyses showed a significant interaction between age and sexual preference. Subsequent stratified analyses by sexual preference showed a linear rise in coinfections with age in MSM. In heterosexuals, by contrast, bacterial coinfections peaked in those aged 19 or less; they had 27% of coinfections, while having only 14% of monodiagnoses and 10% of consultations. Heterosexual STD clinic attendees of Surinamese or Antillean origin were significantly at higher risk for coinfection (OR = 6.5) than all other ethnicities. Attendees belonging to specific sexual networks, such as MSM, ethnic groups, and young heterosexuals were at increased risk for STD coinfections. The different trend with age in MSM versus heterosexuals suggests that these 2 high-risk networks have different determinants of higher risk, such as age-related sexual risk-taking, biologic susceptibility, and insufficient knowledge or compliance with prevention measures. Prevention should therefore be targeted differently towards specific sexual networks.

Manual therapy compared with physical therapy in patients with non-specific neck pain: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Groeneweg, Ruud; van Assen, Luite; Kropman, Hans; Leopold, Huco; Mulder, Jan; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M; Ostelo, Raymond W J G; Oostendorp, Rob A B; van Tulder, Maurits W

2017-01-01

Manual therapy according to the School of Manual Therapy Utrecht (MTU) is a specific type of passive manual joint mobilization. MTU has not yet been systematically compared to other manual therapies and physical therapy. In this study the effectiveness of MTU is compared to physical therapy, particularly active exercise therapy (PT) in patients with non-specific neck pain. Patients neck pain, aged between 18-70 years, were included in a pragmatic randomized controlled trial with a one-year follow-up. Primary outcome measures were global perceived effect and functioning (Neck Disability Index), the secondary outcome was pain intensity (Numeric Rating Scale for Pain). Outcomes were measured at 3, 7, 13, 26 and 52 weeks. Multilevel analyses (intention-to-treat) were the primary analyses for overall between-group differences. Additional to the primary and secondary outcomes the number of treatment sessions of the MTU group and PT group was analyzed. Data were collected from September 2008 to February 2011. A total of 181 patients were included. Multilevel analyses showed no statistically significant overall differences at one year between the MTU and PT groups on any of the primary and secondary outcomes. The MTU group showed significantly lower treatment sessions compared to the PT group (respectively 3.1 vs. 5.9 after 7 weeks; 6.1 vs. 10.0 after 52 weeks). Patients with neck pain improved in both groups without statistical significantly or clinically relevant differences between the MTU and PT groups during one-year follow-up. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00713843.

Levels of Red Blood Cell Fatty Acids in Patients With Psychosis, Their Unaffected Siblings, and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Medema, Suzanne; Mocking, Roel J. T.; Koeter, Maarten W. J.; Vaz, Frédéric M.; Meijer, Carin; de Haan, Lieuwe; van Beveren, Nico J. M.; Kahn, René; de Haan, Lieuwe; van Os, Jim; Wiersma, Durk; Bruggeman, Richard; Cahn, Wiepke; Meijer, Carin; Myin-Germeys, Inez

2016-01-01

Background: Two recent meta-analyses showed decreased red blood cell (RBC) polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) in schizophrenia and related disorders. However, both these meta-analyses report considerable heterogeneity, probably related to differences in patient samples between studies. Here, we investigated whether variations in RBC FA are associated with psychosis, and thus may be an intermediate phenotype of the disorder. Methods: For the present study, a total of 215 patients (87% outpatients), 187 siblings, and 98 controls were investigated for multiple FA analyses. Based on previous studies, we investigated docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), arachidonic acid (AA), linoleic acid (LA), nervonic acid (NA), and eicasopentaenoic acid (EPA). On an exploratory basis, a large number of additional FA were investigated. Multilevel mixed models were used to compare the FA between the 3 groups. Results: Compared to controls, both patients and siblings showed significantly increased DHA, DPA, AA, and NA. LA was significantly higher in siblings compared to controls. EPA was not significantly different between the 3 groups. Also the exploratory FA were increased in patients and siblings. Conclusions: We found increased RBC FA DHA, DPA, AA, and NA in patients and siblings compared to controls. The direction of change is similar in both patients and siblings, which may suggest a shared environment and/or an intermediate phenotype. Differences between patient samples reflecting stage of disorder, dietary patterns, medication use, and drug abuse are possible modifiers of FA, contributing to the heterogeneity in findings concerning FA in schizophrenia patients. PMID:26385764

Occurrence of different Canine distemper virus lineages in Italian dogs.

PubMed

Balboni, Andrea; De Lorenzo Dandola, Giorgia; Scagliarini, Alessandra; Prosperi, Santino; Battilani, Mara

2014-01-01

This study describes the sequence analysis of the H gene of 7 Canine distemper virus (CDV) strains identified in dogs in Italy between years 2002-2012. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the CDV strains belonged to 2 clusters: 6 viruses were identified as Arctic-like lineage and 1 as Europe 1 lineage. These data show a considerable prevalence of Arctic-like-CDVs in the analysed dogs. The dogs and the 3 viruses more recently identified showed 4 distinctive amino acid mutations compared to all other Arctic CDVs.

The relative age effect among elite youth competitive swimmers.

PubMed

Costa, Aldo M; Marques, Mário C; Louro, Hugo; Ferreira, Sandra S; Marinho, Daniel A

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the relative age effect (RAE) in competitive swimming. The best 50 Portuguese swimmers (12- to 18-year-olds) for the main individual swimming pool events of both genders were considered. Analysis was conducted on 7813 swimming event participants, taking account of respective swimmer birth dates and the Fédération Internationale de Natation points gained. Differences in the distribution of birth dates by quarter year were determined using the Chi-square. A one-way analysis of variance ANOVA was used to test for differences measured in points between individuals by quarterly birth year intervals. A two-way analysis of variance ANOVA was also conducted to test the interaction between gender and seasonal birth date with regard to performance. The results show an inequitable distribution (p<0.01) of birth dates by quarter for almost all age groups and both genders. However, the distribution of birth dates by quarter for each considered swim event shows that RAE seems to exist only for 12-year-old females and 12- to 15-year-old males. Analysing mean swimming performance, post-hoc results (p<0.01) show no consistency in RAE. Higher performance occurs among older swimmers only in 100 m butterfly (female 1998, 1st≠2nd quarter, p=0.003). The results also show no interaction between gender and seasonal birth date (p<0.01). Findings of this study show that a higher number of swimmers, particular males, are born in the first two quarters of the year, although there is mostly no effect of seasonal birth date on performance differences within the top 50 swimmers.

Effects of Simple Leaching of Crushed and Powdered Materials on High-precision Pb Isotope Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todd, E.; Stracke, A.

2013-12-01

We present new results of simple leaching experiments on the Pb isotope composition of USGS standard reference material powders and on ocean island basalt whole rock splits and powders. Rock samples were leached with 6N HCl in two steps, first hot and then in an ultrasonic bath, and washed with ultrapure H2O before conventional sample digestion and chromatographic purification of Pb. Pb isotope analyses were determined with Tl-doped MC-ICP-MS. Intra- and inter-session analytical reproducibility of repeated analyses of both synthetic Pb solutions and Pb from single digests of chemically processed natural samples were generally < 100 ppm (2 S.D.). The comparison of leached and unleached samples shows that leaching reliably removes variable amounts of different contaminants for different starting materials. For repeated digests of a single sample, the leached samples reproduce better than the unleached ones, showing that leaching effectively removes heterogeneously distributed extraneous Pb. However, the reproducibility of repeated digests of variably contaminated natural samples is up to an order of magnitude worse than the analytical reproducibility of ca. 100 ppm. More complex leaching methods (e.g., Nobre Silva et al., 2009) yield Pb isotope ratios within error of and with similar reproducibility to our method, showing that the simple leaching method is reliable. The remaining Pb isotope heterogeneity of natural samples, which typically exceeds 100 ppm, is thus attributed to inherent isotopic sample heterogeneity. Tl-doped MC-ICP-MS Pb ratio determination is therefore a sufficiently precise method for Pb isotope analyses in natural rocks. More precise Pb double- or triple-spike methods (e.g., Galer, 1999; Thirlwall, 2000), may exploit their full potential only in cases where natural isotopic sample heterogeneity is demonstrably negligible. References: Galer, S., 1999, Chem. Geol. 157, 255-274. Nobre Silva, et al. 2009, Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 10, Q08012. Thirlwall, M.F., 2000, Chem. Geol. 163, 299-322.

Outcomes of Basic Versus Advanced Life Support for Out-of-Hospital Medical Emergencies.

PubMed

Sanghavi, Prachi; Jena, Anupam B; Newhouse, Joseph P; Zaslavsky, Alan M

2015-11-03

Most Medicare patients seeking emergency medical transport are treated by ambulance providers trained in advanced life support (ALS). Evidence supporting the superiority of ALS over basic life support (BLS) is limited, but some studies suggest ALS may harm patients. To compare outcomes after ALS and BLS in out-of-hospital medical emergencies. Observational study with adjustment for propensity score weights and instrumental variable analyses based on county-level variations in ALS use. Traditional Medicare. 20% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries from nonrural counties between 2006 and 2011 with major trauma, stroke, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), or respiratory failure. Neurologic functioning and survival to 30 days, 90 days, 1 year, and 2 years. Except in cases of AMI, patients showed superior unadjusted outcomes with BLS despite being older and having more comorbidities. In propensity score analyses, survival to 90 days among patients with trauma, stroke, and respiratory failure was higher with BLS than ALS (6.1 percentage points [95% CI, 5.4 to 6.8 percentage points] for trauma; 7.0 percentage points [CI, 6.2 to 7.7 percentage points] for stroke; and 3.7 percentage points [CI, 2.5 to 4.8 percentage points] for respiratory failure). Patients with AMI did not exhibit differences in survival at 30 days but had better survival at 90 days with ALS (1.0 percentage point [CI, 0.1 to 1.9 percentage points]). Neurologic functioning favored BLS for all diagnoses. Results from instrumental variable analyses were broadly consistent with propensity score analyses for trauma and stroke, showed no survival differences between BLS and ALS for respiratory failure, and showed better survival at all time points with BLS than ALS for patients with AMI. Only Medicare beneficiaries from nonrural counties were studied. Advanced life support is associated with substantially higher mortality for several acute medical emergencies than BLS. National Science Foundation, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and National Institutes of Health.

Psychosocial predictors of cannabis use in adolescents at risk.

PubMed

Hüsler, Gebhard; Plancherel, Bernard; Werlen, Egon

2005-09-01

This research has tested a social disintegration model in conjunction with risk and protection factors that have the power to differentiate relative, weighted interactions among variables in different socially disintegrated groups. The model was tested in a cross-sectional sample of 1082 at-risk youth in Switzerland. Structural equation analyses show significant differences between the social disintegration (low, moderate, high) groups and gender, indicating that the model works differently for groups and for gender. For the highly disintegrated adolescents results clearly show that the risk factors (negative mood, peer network, delinquency) are more important than the protective factors (family relations, secure sense of self). Family relations lose all protective value against negative peer influence, but personal variables, such as secure self, gain protective power.

[Family perceptions and moderating factors of involvement in non-residential fathers].

PubMed

Della Casa, André; Spillner, Murielle; Winkler-Metzke, Christa; Steinhausen, Hans-Christoph

2012-01-01

The involvement of non-resident fathers with their child was analysed by use of a questionnaire in a sample of 74 divorced or separated families living in the city of Ziurich, Switzerland. Fathers, mothers, and one child separately rated the involvement of the father. The three perspectives were compared and showed significant differences in the dimensions of educational responsibility, cognitive and social support, and the quality of the emotional relationship. The temporal availability and leisure time activities did not show significant differences. The different family perspectives should be considered when assessing a father's involvement with his child. The quality of the relationship of the children to their fathers was primarily fostered by the emotional engagement of the father.

A test-retest assessment of the effects of mental load on ratings of affect, arousal and perceived exertion during submaximal cycling.

PubMed

Vera, Jesús; Perales, José C; Jiménez, Raimundo; Cárdenas, David

2018-04-24

This study aimed to test the effects of mental (i.e. executive) load during a dual physical-mental task on ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), affective valence, and arousal. The protocol included two dual tasks with matched physical demands but different executive demands (2-back and oddball), carried out on different days. The procedure was run twice to assess the sensitivity and stability of RPE, valence and arousal across the two trials. Linear mixed-effects analyses showed less positive valence (-0.44 points on average in a 1-9 scale; R β 2  = 0.074 [CI90%, 0.052-0.098]), and heightened arousal (+0.13 points on average in a 1-9 scale; R β 2  = 0.006 [CI90%, 0.001-0.015]), for the high executive load condition, but showed no effect of mental load on RPE. Separated analyses for the two task trials yielded best-fitting models that were identical across trials for RPE and valence, but not for arousal. Model fitting was improved by assuming a 1-level autoregressive covariance structure for all analyses. In conclusion, executive load during a dual physical-mental task modulates the emotional response to effort, but not RPE. The autoregressive covariance suggests that people tend to anchor estimates on prior ones, which imposes certain limits on scales' usability.

[Familial impact of children with the combined subtype of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: the effects of associated behavioural disorders].

PubMed

Presentación-Herrero, M J; García-Castellar, R; Miranda-Casas, A; Siegenthaler-Hierro, R; Jara-Jiménez, P

To determine the impact that children with ADHD-C (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined subtype) have on their family by analysing their parents' perceptions, and to examine whether the presence of associated behavioural disorders affect that impact. Participants in the study included one group made up of the parents of 27 children with ADHD-C and another group consisting of the parents of 27 children without ADHD. The parents in the ADHD-C group were divided into two subgroups according to whether or not their children had an oppositional defiant disorder and/or a co-morbid conduct disorder (10 and 17 families, respectively). The results of the analyses performed showed significant differences between the perceptions of the parents of the control children and those of the parents of children with ADHD-C in the following categories: feelings and attitudes, social life, matrimonial relationship, day-to-day relationships with peers and siblings, stress and difficulty in living with their child. Comparisons between the two subgroups of children with ADHD-C did not reveal any significant differences in any of the categories that were analysed, and showed ADHD-C to be the fundamental factor underlying the problems in the family context. Some items, however, suggested that the problem is more serious in the subtype with associated behavioural disorders.

Non-destructive analysis of the conformational differences among feedstock sources and their corresponding co-products from bioethanol production with molecular spectroscopy.

PubMed

Gamage, I H; Jonker, A; Zhang, X; Yu, P

2014-01-24

The objective of this study was to determine the possibility of using molecular spectroscopy with multivariate technique as a fast method to detect the source effects among original feedstock sources of wheat and their corresponding co-products, wheat DDGS, from bioethanol production. Different sources of the bioethanol feedstock and their corresponding bioethanol co-products, three samples per source, were collected from the same newly-built bioethanol plant with current bioethanol processing technology. Multivariate molecular spectral analyses were carried out using agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis (AHCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The molecular spectral data of different feedstock sources and their corresponding co-products were compared at four different regions of ca. 1800-1725 cm(-1) (carbonyl CO ester, mainly related to lipid structure conformation), ca. 1725-1482 cm(-1) (amide I and amide II region mainly related to protein structure conformation), ca. 1482-1180 cm(-1) (mainly associated with structural carbohydrate) and ca. 1180-800 cm(-1) (mainly related to carbohydrates) in complex plant-based system. The results showed that the molecular spectroscopy with multivariate technique could reveal the structural differences among the bioethanol feedstock sources and among their corresponding co-products. The AHCA and PCA analyses were able to distinguish the molecular structure differences associated with chemical functional groups among the different sources of the feedstock and their corresponding co-products. The molecular spectral differences indicated the differences in functional, biomolecular and biopolymer groups which were confirmed by wet chemical analysis. These biomolecular and biopolymer structural differences were associated with chemical and nutrient profiles and nutrient utilization and availability. Molecular spectral analyses had the potential to identify molecular structure difference among bioethanol feedstock sources and their corresponding co-products. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Non-destructive analysis of the conformational differences among feedstock sources and their corresponding co-products from bioethanol production with molecular spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamage, I. H.; Jonker, A.; Zhang, X.; Yu, P.

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the possibility of using molecular spectroscopy with multivariate technique as a fast method to detect the source effects among original feedstock sources of wheat and their corresponding co-products, wheat DDGS, from bioethanol production. Different sources of the bioethanol feedstock and their corresponding bioethanol co-products, three samples per source, were collected from the same newly-built bioethanol plant with current bioethanol processing technology. Multivariate molecular spectral analyses were carried out using agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis (AHCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The molecular spectral data of different feedstock sources and their corresponding co-products were compared at four different regions of ca. 1800-1725 cm-1 (carbonyl Cdbnd O ester, mainly related to lipid structure conformation), ca. 1725-1482 cm-1 (amide I and amide II region mainly related to protein structure conformation), ca. 1482-1180 cm-1 (mainly associated with structural carbohydrate) and ca. 1180-800 cm-1 (mainly related to carbohydrates) in complex plant-based system. The results showed that the molecular spectroscopy with multivariate technique could reveal the structural differences among the bioethanol feedstock sources and among their corresponding co-products. The AHCA and PCA analyses were able to distinguish the molecular structure differences associated with chemical functional groups among the different sources of the feedstock and their corresponding co-products. The molecular spectral differences indicated the differences in functional, biomolecular and biopolymer groups which were confirmed by wet chemical analysis. These biomolecular and biopolymer structural differences were associated with chemical and nutrient profiles and nutrient utilization and availability. Molecular spectral analyses had the potential to identify molecular structure difference among bioethanol feedstock sources and their corresponding co-products.

The Marburg-Münster Affective Disorders Cohort Study (MACS): A quality assurance protocol for MR neuroimaging data.

PubMed

Vogelbacher, Christoph; Möbius, Thomas W D; Sommer, Jens; Schuster, Verena; Dannlowski, Udo; Kircher, Tilo; Dempfle, Astrid; Jansen, Andreas; Bopp, Miriam H A

2018-05-15

Large, longitudinal, multi-center MR neuroimaging studies require comprehensive quality assurance (QA) protocols for assessing the general quality of the compiled data, indicating potential malfunctions in the scanning equipment, and evaluating inter-site differences that need to be accounted for in subsequent analyses. We describe the implementation of a QA protocol for functional magnet resonance imaging (fMRI) data based on the regular measurement of an MRI phantom and an extensive variety of currently published QA statistics. The protocol is implemented in the MACS (Marburg-Münster Affective Disorders Cohort Study, http://for2107.de/), a two-center research consortium studying the neurobiological foundations of affective disorders. Between February 2015 and October 2016, 1214 phantom measurements have been acquired using a standard fMRI protocol. Using 444 healthy control subjects which have been measured between 2014 and 2016 in the cohort, we investigate the extent of between-site differences in contrast to the dependence on subject-specific covariates (age and sex) for structural MRI, fMRI, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data. We show that most of the presented QA statistics differ severely not only between the two scanners used for the cohort but also between experimental settings (e.g. hardware and software changes), demonstrate that some of these statistics depend on external variables (e.g. time of day, temperature), highlight their strong dependence on proper handling of the MRI phantom, and show how the use of a phantom holder may balance this dependence. Site effects, however, do not only exist for the phantom data, but also for human MRI data. Using T1-weighted structural images, we show that total intracranial (TIV), grey matter (GMV), and white matter (WMV) volumes significantly differ between the MR scanners, showing large effect sizes. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analyses show that these structural differences observed between scanners are most pronounced in the bilateral basal ganglia, thalamus, and posterior regions. Using DTI data, we also show that fractional anisotropy (FA) differs between sites in almost all regions assessed. When pooling data from multiple centers, our data show that it is a necessity to account not only for inter-site differences but also for hardware and software changes of the scanning equipment. Also, the strong dependence of the QA statistics on the reliable placement of the MRI phantom shows that the use of a phantom holder is recommended to reduce the variance of the QA statistics and thus to increase the probability of detecting potential scanner malfunctions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Linkage of microbial kinetics and bacterial community structure of MBR and hybrid MBBR-MBR systems to treat salinity-amended urban wastewater.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Sanchez, Alejandro; Leyva-Diaz, Juan Carlos; Gonzalez-Martinez, Alejandro; Poyatos, Jose Manuel

2017-11-01

Three pilot-scale bioreactors were started up and operated under salinity-amended urban wastewater feeding. The bioreactors were configured as membrane bioreactor and two different hybrid, moving bed biofilm reactor-membrane bioreactor and operated with a hydraulic retention time of 9.5 h, a solid residence time of 11.75 days and a total solids concentration of 2500 mg L -1 . The three systems showed excellent performance in suspended solids, BOD 5 , and COD removal (values of 96-100%, 97-99%, and 88-90%, respectively), but poor nitrogen removal (values of 20-30%). The bacterial community structure during the start-up phase and the stabilization phase were different, as showed by β-diversity analyses. The differences between aerobic and anoxic biomass-and between suspended and attached biomass-were higher at the start-up phase than at the stabilization phase. The start-up phase showed high abundances of Chiayiivirga (mean values around 3-12% relative abundance) and Luteimonas (5-8%), but in the stabilization phase, the domination belonged to Thermomonas (3-14%), Nitrobacter (3-7%), Ottowia (3-11.5%), and Comamonas (2-6%), among others. Multivariate redundancy analyses showed that Thermomonas and Nitrosomonas were positively correlated with fast autotrophic kinetics, while Caulobacter and Ottowia were positively correlated with fast heterotrophic kinetics. Nitrobacter, Rhodanobacter, and Comamonas were positively correlated with fast autotrophic and heterotrophic kinetics. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:1483-1495, 2017. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Optimizing use of the structural chemical analyser (variable pressure FESEM-EDX Raman spectroscopy) on micro-size complex historical paintings characterization.

PubMed

Guerra, I; Cardell, C

2015-10-01

The novel Structural Chemical Analyser (hyphenated Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy equipped with an X-ray detector) is gaining popularity since it allows 3-D morphological studies and elemental, molecular, structural and electronic analyses of a single complex micro-sized sample without transfer between instruments. However, its full potential remains unexploited in painting heritage where simultaneous identification of inorganic and organic materials in paintings is critically yet unresolved. Despite benefits and drawbacks shown in literature, new challenges have to be faced analysing multifaceted paint specimens. SEM-Structural Chemical Analyser systems differ since they are fabricated ad hoc by request. As configuration influences the procedure to optimize analyses, likewise analytical protocols have to be designed ad hoc. This paper deals with the optimization of the analytical procedure of a Variable Pressure Field Emission scanning electron microscopy equipped with an X-ray detector Raman spectroscopy system to analyse historical paint samples. We address essential parameters, technical challenges and limitations raised from analysing paint stratigraphies, archaeological samples and loose pigments. We show that accurate data interpretation requires comprehensive knowledge of factors affecting Raman spectra. We tackled: (i) the in-FESEM-Raman spectroscopy analytical sequence, (ii) correlations between FESEM and Structural Chemical Analyser/laser analytical position, (iii) Raman signal intensity under different VP-FESEM vacuum modes, (iv) carbon deposition on samples under FESEM low-vacuum mode, (v) crystal nature and morphology, (vi) depth of focus and (vii) surface-enhanced Raman scattering effect. We recommend careful planning of analysis strategies prior to research which, although time consuming, guarantees reliable results. The ultimate goal of this paper is to help to guide future users of a FESEM-Structural Chemical Analyser system in order to increase applications. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal Microscopical Society.

[A cost-benefit analysis of different therapeutic methods in menorrhagia].

PubMed

Kirschner, R

1995-02-20

When deciding the right forms of treatment for various medical conditions it has been usual to consider medical knowledge, norms and experience. Increasingly, economic factors and principles are being introduced by the management, in the form of health economics and pharmaco-economic analyses, enforced as budgetary cuts and demands for rationalisation and measures to increase efficiency. Economic evaluations require construction of models for analyses. We have used DRG-information, National Health reimbursements and pharmacological retail prices to make a cost-efficiency analysis of treatments of menorrhagia. The analysis showed better cost-efficiency for certain pharmacological treatments than for surgery.

Positivity rates of antithyroid antibody, antinuclear antibody and thyroid peroxidase antibody in different types of vitiligo.

PubMed

Lim, H K; Bae, M I; Jeong, K H; Shin, M K; Lee, M-H

2016-04-01

Vitiligo is associated with various autoimmune disorders, and organ-specific autoantibodies are frequently found in patients with this disorder. Vitiligo is classically divided into segmental vitiligo (SV) and nonsegmental vitiligo (NSV), and it is believed that the pathogenesis differs between these two types. As the NSV type is related to an autoimmune mechanism, autoantibody detection rates are likely to be higher in the NSV type than in the segmental type; however, no comparative studies have been performed. To analyse the rates of autoantibody positivity according to the clinical features in patients with vitiligo. Rates of antithyroid antibody (Tg Ab), antinuclear antibody (ANA) and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO Ab) positivity were analysed and compared according to the sex, clinical type and age of onset of 807 patients with vitiligo. There were 106 patients with SV (13.1%) and 701 patients with NSV (86.9%). Tg Ab and ANA positivity did not differ between the SV and NSV types. A positive TPO Ab result was obtained in 16 patients with SV (15.1%) and 173 patients with NSV (24.7%). The TPO Ab positivity rate was significantly higher in NSV (χ² = 4.14, P < 0.05). The positivity rates of the three autoantibodies differed significantly according to age of onset (P = 0.001, P = 0.02 and P < 0.001 for Tg Ab, ANA and TPO Ab positivity, respectively). The TPO Ab positivity rate also showed a sex difference (P < 0.001). The positivity rates for the three autoantibodies showed differences according to age of onset and sex. The rates of Tg Ab and ANA positivity showed no significant differences according to clinical type, but the TPO Ab positivity rate was significantly different between SV and NSV. It appears likely that an autoimmune mechanism contributes to the pathogenesis of SV. © 2015 British Association of Dermatologists.

Chemical Characterization and Determination of the Anti-Oxidant Capacity of Two Brown Algae with Respect to Sampling Season and Morphological Structures Using Infrared Spectroscopy and Multivariate Analyses.

PubMed

Beratto, Angelo; Agurto, Cristian; Freer, Juanita; Peña-Farfal, Carlos; Troncoso, Nicolás; Agurto, Andrés; Castillo, Rosario Del P

2017-10-01

Brown algae biomass has been shown to be a highly important industrial source for the production of alginates and different nutraceutical products. The characterization of this biomass is necessary in order to allocate its use to specific applications according to the chemical and biological characteristics of this highly variable resource. The methods commonly used for algae characterization require a long time for the analysis and rigorous pretreatments of samples. In this work, nondestructive and fast analyses of different morphological structures from Lessonia spicata and Macrocystis pyrifera, which were collected during different seasons, were performed using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) techniques in combination with chemometric methods. Mid-infrared (IR) and near-infrared (NIR) spectral ranges were tested to evaluate the spectral differences between the species, seasons, and morphological structures of algae using a principal component analysis (PCA). Quantitative analyses of the polyphenol and alginate contents and the anti-oxidant capacity of the samples were performed using partial least squares (PLS) with both spectral ranges in order to build a predictive model for the rapid quantification of these parameters with industrial purposes. The PCA mainly showed differences in the samples based on seasonal sampling, where changes were observed in the bands corresponding to polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids. The obtained PLS models had high correlation coefficients (r) for the polyphenol content and anti-oxidant capacity (r > 0.9) and lower values for the alginate determination (0.7 < r < 0.8). Fourier transform infrared-based techniques were suitable tools for the rapid characterization of algae biomass, in which high variability in the samples was incorporated for the qualitative and quantitative analyses, and have the potential to be used on an industrial scale.

Prescribing behaviour after the introduction of decentralized drug budgets: Is there an association with employer and type of care facility?

PubMed Central

Andersson, Karolina; Carlsten, Anders; Hedenrud, Tove

2009-01-01

Objective To analyse whether prescribing patterns changed after introduction of drug budgets and whether there is an association between drug prescribing patterns and the type of employer and care facility. Methods Data analysed encompassed information on dispensed medicines, by workplaces, prescribed in the Region Västra Götaland, Sweden, for the years 2003 and 2006. Workplaces (n = 969) were categorized according to type of employer and type of care facility. Five prescribing indicators reflecting goals for cost-containing prescribing in Region Västra Götaland were assessed. Changes over time and differences between different types of employer and care facility were analysed by Mann–Whitney tests. Results In 2003, workplaces with a public employer had a significantly higher adherence to three of the prescribing indicators compared with private practitioners. Two of these differences remained in 2006. In 2003, none of the prescribing indicators differed between primary care and other care facilities. Three years later workplaces in primary care had a significantly higher adherence to three of the prescribing indicators than other care facilities. There was a statistically significant difference in change between 2003 and 2006 between primary care and other care facilities; there were no differences in change between workplaces with public and private employers. Conclusions Adherence to three of the prescribing indicators increased after the introduction of decentralized drug budgets. Workplaces with a public employer showed greater adherence to two of the prescribing indicators than private sector workplaces. PMID:19291589

A modeling approach to compare ΣPCB concentrations between congener-specific analyses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gibson, Polly P.; Mills, Marc A.; Kraus, Johanna M.; Walters, David M.

2017-01-01

Changes in analytical methods over time pose problems for assessing long-term trends in environmental contamination by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Congener-specific analyses vary widely in the number and identity of the 209 distinct PCB chemical configurations (congeners) that are quantified, leading to inconsistencies among summed PCB concentrations (ΣPCB) reported by different studies. Here we present a modeling approach using linear regression to compare ΣPCB concentrations derived from different congener-specific analyses measuring different co-eluting groups. The approach can be used to develop a specific conversion model between any two sets of congener-specific analytical data from similar samples (similar matrix and geographic origin). We demonstrate the method by developing a conversion model for an example data set that includes data from two different analytical methods, a low resolution method quantifying 119 congeners and a high resolution method quantifying all 209 congeners. We used the model to show that the 119-congener set captured most (93%) of the total PCB concentration (i.e., Σ209PCB) in sediment and biological samples. ΣPCB concentrations estimated using the model closely matched measured values (mean relative percent difference = 9.6). General applications of the modeling approach include (a) generating comparable ΣPCB concentrations for samples that were analyzed for different congener sets; and (b) estimating the proportional contribution of different congener sets to ΣPCB. This approach may be especially valuable for enabling comparison of long-term remediation monitoring results even as analytical methods change over time. 

General and specific statistical properties of foreign exchange markets during a financial crash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei-Shen; Tsai, Yun-Jie; Shen, Yu-Hsien; Liaw, Sy-Sang

2016-06-01

We investigate minute-by-minute foreign exchange rate (FX) data of 14 currencies with different exchange-rate regimes during a financial crash, and divide these data into several stages according to their respective tendencies: depreciation stage (stage 1), fluctuating stage (stage 2), and appreciation stage (stage 3). The tail distribution of FX rate returns satisfies a power-law structure for different types of currencies. We find the absolute value of the power-law exponent is smaller in emerging markets than in developed markets, especially during the stage 1, and is greatest in pegged currencies. We also find that the correlation properties of the FX rate return series have quite disparate results among the various types of currencies. Currencies in developed markets respectively have weak persistence and anti-persistence in short and long timescales; whereas the pegged currencies and currencies in emerging markets show different degrees of anti-persistence in various timescales. Further analyses on the data in divided stages indicate that emerging markets and pegged currencies have more prominent dual fractal structures after the depreciation stage, while the developed markets do not. Hurst exponent analyses on the sign series yield similar results to that on the original return series for most currencies. The magnitude series of the returns provide some unique results during a crash. The developed market currencies have strong persistence and exhibit a weaker correlation in the depreciation and appreciation stages. In contrast, the currencies of emerging markets as well as pegged currencies fail to show such a transformation, but rather show a constant-correlation behavior in the corresponding stages of a crash. These results indicate that external shocks exert different degrees of influence during different stages of the crash in various markets.

Passive Microwave Algorithms for Sea Ice Concentration: A Comparison of Two Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Comiso, Josefino C.; Cavalieri, Donald J.; Parkinson, Claire L.; Gloersen, Per

1997-01-01

The most comprehensive large-scale characterization of the global sea ice cover so far has been provided by satellite passive microwave data. Accurate retrieval of ice concentrations from these data is important because of the sensitivity of surface flux(e.g. heat, salt, and water) calculations to small change in the amount of open water (leads and polynyas) within the polar ice packs. Two algorithms that have been used for deriving ice concentrations from multichannel data are compared. One is the NASA Team algorithm and the other is the Bootstrap algorithm, both of which were developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The two algorithms use different channel combinations, reference brightness temperatures, weather filters, and techniques. Analyses are made to evaluate the sensitivity of algorithm results to variations of emissivity and temperature with space and time. To assess the difference in the performance of the two algorithms, analyses were performed with data from both hemispheres and for all seasons. The results show only small differences in the central Arctic in but larger disagreements in the seasonal regions and in summer. In some ares in the Antarctic, the Bootstrap technique show ice concentrations higher than those of the Team algorithm by as much as 25%; whereas, in other areas, it shows ice concentrations lower by as much as 30%. The The differences in the results are caused by temperature effects, emissivity effects, and tie point differences. The Team and the Bootstrap results were compared with available Landsat, advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. AVHRR, Landsat, and SAR data sets all yield higher concentrations than the passive microwave algorithms. Inconsistencies among results suggest the need for further validation studies.

Trends in alcohol-related mortality in East and West Germany, 1980-2014: age, period and cohort variations.

PubMed

Piontek, Daniela; Kraus, Ludwig

2018-05-01

Several indicators suggest that the extent and trends of alcohol-related mortality differ between East and West Germany. Regional drinking patterns and differences in health-care systems are assumed to affect the risk of dying from an alcohol-induced disease. The study addresses two questions: (1) what are the unbiased and independent age, period and cohort effects on alcohol-related mortality trends in Germany; and (2) do these trends differ between East and West Germany? Data on alcohol-related mortality for East and West Germany came from the national causes of death register for the years 1980-2014. Analyses included all deaths fully attributable to alcohol based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9 and ICD-10). Gender-stratified age-period-cohort analyses were conducted using the intrinsic estimator model. Age effects showed a concave pattern with a peak at ages 55-64 years in both regions. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) in East Germany were highest in the years 1990-1994 (men and women: IRR = 1.52) and declined thereafter. In West Germany, IRR were lowest in 1980-1984 (men: IRR = 0.81, women: IRR = 0.75) and stabilized at approximately 1.10 since 1995-1999. Cohort effects showed continuously lower IRR for those born after 1955-1959 in the East and those born after 1945-1949 in the West. Patterns for males and females were comparable. The results suggest that alcohol-related mortality showed different trends in East and West Germany, which can be explained partly by different drinking patterns before and changes in the health-care system after the reunification. © 2018 Society for the Study of Addiction.

The role of wing geometric morphometrics in the identification of sandflies within the subgenus Lutzomyia.

PubMed

Giordani, B F; Andrade, A J; Galati, E A B; Gurgel-Gonçalves, R

2017-12-01

The Lutzomyia subgenus (Diptera: Psychodidae) includes sibling species with morphologically indistinguishable females. The aims of this study were to analyse variations in the size and shape of wings of species within the Lutzomyia subgenus and to assess whether these analyses might be useful in their identification. Wings (n = 733) of 18 species deposited in Brazilian collections were analysed by geometric morphometrics, using other genera and subgenera as outgroups. Shape variation was summarized in multivariate analyses and differences in wing size among species were tested by analysis of variance. The results showed significant variation in the sizes and shapes of wings of different Lutzomyia species. Two clusters within the Lutzomyia subgenus were distinguished in analyses of both males and females. In Cluster 1 (Lutzomyia ischnacantha, Lutzomyia cavernicola, Lutzomyia almerioi, Lutzomyia forattinii, Lutzomyia renei and Lutzomyia battistinii), scores for correct reclassification were high (females, kappa = 0.91; males, kappa = 0.90), whereas in Cluster 2 (Lutzomyia alencari, Lutzomyia ischyracantha, Lutzomyia cruzi, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Lutzomyia gaminarai and Lutzomyia lichyi), scores for correct reclassification were low (females, kappa = 0.42; males, kappa = 0.48). Wing geometry was useful in the identification of some species of the Lutzomyia subgenus, but did not allow the identification of sibling species such as L. longipalpis and L. cruzi. © 2017 The Royal Entomological Society.

Validating new diagnostic imaging criteria for primary progressive aphasia via anatomical likelihood estimation meta-analyses.

PubMed

Bisenius, S; Neumann, J; Schroeter, M L

2016-04-01

Recently, diagnostic clinical and imaging criteria for primary progressive aphasia (PPA) have been revised by an international consortium (Gorno-Tempini et al. Neurology 2011;76:1006-14). The aim of this study was to validate the specificity of the new imaging criteria and investigate whether different imaging modalities [magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)] require different diagnostic subtype-specific imaging criteria. Anatomical likelihood estimation meta-analyses were conducted for PPA subtypes across a large cohort of 396 patients: firstly, across MRI studies for each of the three PPA subtypes followed by conjunction and subtraction analyses to investigate the specificity, and, secondly, by comparing results across MRI vs. FDG-PET studies in semantic dementia and progressive nonfluent aphasia. Semantic dementia showed atrophy in temporal, fusiform, parahippocampal gyri, hippocampus, and amygdala, progressive nonfluent aphasia in left putamen, insula, middle/superior temporal, precentral, and frontal gyri, logopenic progressive aphasia in middle/superior temporal, supramarginal, and dorsal posterior cingulate gyri. Results of the disease-specific meta-analyses across MRI studies were disjunct. Similarly, atrophic and hypometabolic brain networks were regionally dissociated in both semantic dementia and progressive nonfluent aphasia. In conclusion, meta-analyses support the specificity of new diagnostic imaging criteria for PPA and suggest that they should be specified for each imaging modality separately. © 2016 EAN.

Phylogeny of Castanea (Fagaceae) based on chloroplast trnT-L-F sequence data

Treesearch

Ping Lang; Fenny Dane; Thomas L. Kubisiak

2005-01-01

Species in the genus Castanea are widely distributed in the deciduous forests of the Northern Hemisphere from Asia to Europe and North America. They show floristic similarity but differences in chestnut blight resistance especially among eastern Asian and eastern North American species. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted in this study using...

Relation of Everyday Activities of Adults to Their Prose Recall Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, G. Elizabeth; And Others

1988-01-01

Explored connection between everyday activities of different aged adults (N=54) and their performance on prose recall task. Regression analyses showed that demographic variables of age, education, and verbal ability were best predictors of prose recall. Total time spent reading and other reading variables were also significantly correlated with…

New Hepatitis E Virus Genotype in Camels, the Middle East

PubMed Central

Lau, Susanna K.P.; Teng, Jade L.L.; Tsang, Alan K. L.; Joseph, Marina; Wong, Emily Y.M.; Tang, Ying; Sivakumar, Saritha; Xie, Jun; Bai, Ru; Wernery, Renate; Wernery, Ulrich; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

2014-01-01

In a molecular epidemiology study of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in dromedaries in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, HEV was detected in fecal samples from 3 camels. Complete genome sequencing of 2 strains showed >20% overall nucleotide difference to known HEVs. Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses revealed a previously unrecognized HEV genotype. PMID:24856611

Molecular Epidemiology of Autochthonous Dengue Virus Strains Circulating in Mexico ▿

PubMed Central

Rivera-Osorio, Pilar; Vaughan, Gilberto; Ramírez-González, Jose Ernesto; Fonseca-Coronado, Salvador; Ruíz-Tovar, Karina; Cruz-Rivera, Mayra Yolanda; Ruíz-Pacheco, Juan Alberto; Vázquez-Pichardo, Mauricio; Carpio-Pedroza, Juan Carlos; Cázares, Fernando; Escobar-Gutiérrez, Alejandro

2011-01-01

Dengue virus (DENV) is the most important arthropod-borne viral infection in humans. Here, the genetic relatedness among autochthonous DENV Mexican isolates was assessed. Phylogenetic and median-joining network analyses showed that viral strains recovered from different geographic locations are genetically related and relatively homogeneous, exhibiting limited nucleotide diversity. PMID:21775538

Sulfur pollution: an environmental study of Welland, Ontario

Treesearch

Michael R. Moss

1977-01-01

The distribution of sulfur as an environmental pollutant is analysed in the vicinity of Welland, Ontario. A biogeochemical-cycle approach enables areas of excess accumulation to be compared among all linked ecosystem components. Although the patterns of distribution are similar, the amounts of sulfur accumulated in different ecosystems, grassland and woodland, show...

Analyzing Anti-Asian Prejudice from a Racial Identity and Color-Blind Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohatsu, Eric L.; Victoria, Rodolfo; Lau, Andrew; Flores, Michelle; Salazar, Andrea

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine to what extent both racial identity and color-blind racial attitudes help explain anti-Asian prejudice across different socioracial groups. Participants of color from a culturally diverse West Coast university were surveyed (N = 260). Hierarchical regression analyses showed that resistance racial identity…

Fast Morphological Effects in First and Second Language Word Recognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diependaele, Kevin; Dunabeitia, Jon Andoni; Morris, Joanna; Keuleers, Emmanuel

2011-01-01

In three experiments we compared the performance of native English speakers to that of Spanish-English and Dutch-English bilinguals on a masked morphological priming lexical decision task. The results do not show significant differences across the three experiments. In line with recent meta-analyses, we observed a graded pattern of facilitation…

Cross-Country Differentials in Work Disability Reporting among Older Europeans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angelini, Viola; Cavapozzi, Danilo; Paccagnella, Omar

2012-01-01

Descriptive evidence shows that there is large cross-country variation in self-reported work disability rates of the elderly in Europe. In this paper we analyse whether these differences are genuine or they just reflect heterogeneity in reporting styles. To shed light on the determinants of work-disability differentials across countries, we…

Infrared thermal remote sensing for soil salinity assessment on landscape scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivushkin, Konstantin; Bartholomeus, Harm; Bregt, Arnold K.; Pulatov, Alim; Bui, Elisabeth N.; Wilford, John

2017-04-01

Soil salinity is considered as one of the most severe land degradation aspects. An increased soil salt level inhibits growth and development of crops. Therefore, up to date soil salinity information is vital for appropriate management practices and reclamation strategies. This information is required at increasing spatial and temporal resolution for appropriate management adaptations. Conventional soil sampling and associated laboratory analyses are slow, expensive, and often cannot deliver the temporal and spatial resolution required. The change of canopy temperature is one of the stress indicators in plants. Its behaviour in response to salt stress on individual plant level is well studied in laboratory and greenhouse experiments, but its potential for landscape scale studies using remote sensing techniques is not investigated yet. In our study, possibilities of satellite thermography for landscape scale soil salinity assessment of cropped areas were studied. The performance of satellite thermography is compared with other approaches that have been used before, like Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). The study areas were Syrdarya province of Uzbekistan and four study areas in four Australian states namely, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. The diversity of the study areas allowed us to analyse behaviour of canopy temperature of different crops (wheat, cotton, barley) and different agriculture practices (rain fed and irrigated). MODIS and Landsat TM multiannual satellite images were used to measure canopy temperature. As ground truth for Uzbekistan study area we used a provincial soil salinity map. For the Australian study areas we used the EC map for the whole country. ANOVA was used to analyse relations between the soil salinity maps and canopy temperature, NDVI, EVI. Time series graphs were created to analyse the dynamics of the indicators during the growing season. The results showed significant relations between the soil salinity maps and canopy temperature. The amplitude of canopy temperature difference between salinity classes varies for different crops, but the trend of temperature increase under increased salinity is present in all cases. The calculated F-values were higher for canopy temperature than for all other compared indicators. The vegetation indices also showed significant differences, but F-values were lower compared to canopy temperature. Also the visual comparison of the soil salinity map and the canopy temperature map show similar spatial patterns. The NDVI and EVI maps look more random and noisy and patterns are less pronounced than for the canopy temperature map. The strongest relation between the soil salinity map and canopy temperature was usually observed at the end of a dry season and in the period of maximum crop development. Satellite thermography appeared to be a valuable approach to detect soil salinity under agricultural crops at landscape scale.

The erosion of streamlined islands, longitudinal grooves and scour marks: Implications to the origin of the Martian outflow channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Komar, P. D.

1984-01-01

The diversity of proposed origins for large Martian outflow channels results from the differing interpretations given to the landforms associated with the outflow channels. In an attempt to help limit the possible mechanisms of channel erosion, detailed studies of three of the channel features were done; the streamlined islands, longitudinal grooves and scour marks. This examination involved a comparison of the martian streamlined islands with various streamlined landforms on Earth including those found in the Channel Scabland in large rivers, glacial drumlins, and desert yardangs. The comparisons included statistical analyses of the landform lengths versus widths and positions of maximum width, and an examination of the degree of shape agreement with the geometric lemniscate which was in turn demonstrated to correspond closely with true airfoil shapes. The analyses showed that the shapes of the martian islands correspond closely to the streamlined islands in rivers and the Channel Scabland land. Drumlins show a much smaller correlation. Erosional rock islands formed by glaciers are very much different in shape.

Interparental violence and children's long-term psychosocial adjustment: the mediating role of parenting practices.

PubMed

Gámez-Guadix, Manuel; Almendros, Carmen; Carrobles, José Antonio; Muñoz-Rivas, Marina

2012-03-01

The objectives of this study were: (a) to examine the direct and indirect relationships among witnessing interparental violence, parenting practices, and children's long-term psychosocial adjustment; (b) to analyze the possible gender differences in the relationships specified. The sample consisted of 1295 Spanish university students (M age = 21.21, SD = 4.04). We performed statistical analyses using structural equation modeling. The results showed that witnessing parental violence as a child is related to poor long-term psychosocial adjustment during the child's adult years. Furthermore, we found that parenting practices fully mediated the relation between witnessing interparental violence and the child's long-term adjustment. The multigroup analyses showed that most of the relations among the variables did not differ significantly by gender. However, the relation between harsh discipline and antisocial behavior was stronger for males, whereas the relation between harsh discipline and depressive symptoms was stronger for females. Finally, we discuss the implications of these findings for the clinicians and specialists who plan and develop intervention programs for populations at risk.

Beyond Cuticular Hydrocarbons: Chemically Mediated Mate Recognition in the Subsocial Burying Beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides.

PubMed

Keppner, Eva M; Prang, Madlen; Engel, Katharina C; Ayasse, Manfred; Stökl, Johannes; Steiger, Sandra

2017-01-01

Burying beetles have fascinated scientists for centuries due to their elaborate form of biparental care that includes the burial and defense of a vertebrate carcass, as well as the subsequent feeding of the larvae. However, besides extensive research on burying beetles, one fundamental question has yet to be answered: what cues do males use to discriminate between the sexes? Here, we show in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides that cuticular lipids trigger male mating behavior. Previous chemical analyses have revealed sex differences in cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) composition; however, in the current study, fractionated-guided bioassay showed that cuticular lipids, other than CHCs, elicit copulation. Chemical analyses of the behaviorally active fraction revealed 17 compounds, mainly aldehydes and fatty acid esters, with small quantitative but no qualitative differences between the sexes. Supplementation of males with hexadecanal, the compound contributing most to the statistical separation of the chemical profiles of males and females, did not trigger copulation attempts by males. Therefore, a possible explanation is that the whole profile of polar lipids mediates sex recognition in N. vespilloides.

Phenolic Compounds from Olea europaea L. Possess Antioxidant Activity and Inhibit Carbohydrate Metabolizing Enzymes In Vitro.

PubMed

Dekdouk, Nadia; Malafronte, Nicola; Russo, Daniela; Faraone, Immacolata; De Tommasi, Nunziatina; Ameddah, Souad; Severino, Lorella; Milella, Luigi

2015-01-01

Phenolic composition and biological activities of fruit extracts from Italian and Algerian Olea europaea L. cultivars were studied. Total phenolic and tannin contents were quantified in the extracts. Moreover 14 different phenolic compounds were identified, and their profiles showed remarkable quantitative differences among analysed extracts. Moreover antioxidant and enzymatic inhibition activities were studied. Three complementary assays were used to measure their antioxidant activities and consequently Relative Antioxidant Capacity Index (RACI) was used to compare and easily describe obtained results. Results showed that Chemlal, between Algerian cultivars, and Coratina, among Italian ones, had the highest RACI values. On the other hand all extracts and the most abundant phenolics were tested for their efficiency to inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. Leccino, among all analysed cultivars, and luteolin, among identified phenolic compounds, were found to be the best inhibitors of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. Results demonstrated that Olea europaea fruit extracts can represent an important natural source with high antioxidant potential and significant α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects.

Phenolic Compounds from Olea europaea L. Possess Antioxidant Activity and Inhibit Carbohydrate Metabolizing Enzymes In Vitro

PubMed Central

Dekdouk, Nadia; Malafronte, Nicola; Russo, Daniela; Faraone, Immacolata; Ameddah, Souad; Severino, Lorella

2015-01-01

Phenolic composition and biological activities of fruit extracts from Italian and Algerian Olea europaea L. cultivars were studied. Total phenolic and tannin contents were quantified in the extracts. Moreover 14 different phenolic compounds were identified, and their profiles showed remarkable quantitative differences among analysed extracts. Moreover antioxidant and enzymatic inhibition activities were studied. Three complementary assays were used to measure their antioxidant activities and consequently Relative Antioxidant Capacity Index (RACI) was used to compare and easily describe obtained results. Results showed that Chemlal, between Algerian cultivars, and Coratina, among Italian ones, had the highest RACI values. On the other hand all extracts and the most abundant phenolics were tested for their efficiency to inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. Leccino, among all analysed cultivars, and luteolin, among identified phenolic compounds, were found to be the best inhibitors of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. Results demonstrated that Olea europaea fruit extracts can represent an important natural source with high antioxidant potential and significant α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects. PMID:26557862

Functional and structural neural alterations in Internet gaming disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Yao, Yuan-Wei; Liu, Lu; Ma, Shan-Shan; Shi, Xin-Hui; Zhou, Nan; Zhang, Jin-Tao; Potenza, Marc N

2017-12-01

This meta-analytic study aimed to identify the common and specific neural alterations in Internet gaming disorder (IGD) across different domains and modalities. Two separate meta-analyses for functional neural activation and gray-matter volume were conducted. Sub-meta-analyses for the domains of reward, cold-executive, and hot-executive functions were also performed, respectively. IGD subjects, compared with healthy controls, showed: (1) hyperactivation in the anterior and posterior cingulate cortices, caudate, posterior inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), which were mainly associated with studies measuring reward and cold-executive functions; and, (2) hypoactivation in the anterior IFG in relation to hot-executive function, the posterior insula, somatomotor and somatosensory cortices in relation to reward function. Furthermore, IGD subjects showed reduced gray-matter volume in the anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal, dorsolateral prefrontal, and premotor cortices. These findings suggest that IGD is associated with both functional and structural neural alterations in fronto-striatal and fronto-cingulate regions. Moreover, multi-domain assessments capture different aspects of neural alterations in IGD, which may be helpful for developing effective interventions targeting specific functions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterizing Adult Age Differences in the Initiation and Organization of Retrieval: A Further Investigation of Retrieval Dynamics in Dual-List Free Recall

PubMed Central

Wahlheim, Christopher N.; Richmond, Lauren L.; Huff, Mark J.; Dobbins, Ian G.

2016-01-01

In a recent experiment using dual-list free recall of unrelated word lists, C.N. Wahlheim and M. J. Huff (2015) found that relative to younger adults, older adults showed: 1) impaired recollection of temporal context, 2) a broader pattern of retrieval initiation when recalling from two lists, and 3) more intrusions when selectively recalling from one of two lists. These findings showed older adults' impaired ability to use controlled retrieval to avoid proactive and retroactive interference. In the present investigation, three studies examined whether differences in retrieval initiation patterns were unique to aging and whether they were governed by the control mechanisms that underlie individuals' susceptibility to intrusions. In Study 1, we conducted additional analyses of Wahlheim and Huff's data and found that older adults' broader retrieval initiation when recalling two lists was a unique effect of age that was not redundant with intrusions made when recalling from individual lists. In Study 2, we replicated these age differences in a dual-list paradigm with semantically associated lists. In Study 3, we found that older adults' broader retrieval initiation generalized when they were given twice the encoding time compared to Study 2. Analyses of transitions between recalls in Studies 2 and 3 showed that older adults used temporal associations less than younger adults, but both groups made similar use of semantic associations. Overall, these findings demonstrate adult age differences in the controlled retrieval of temporal context in hierarchically structured events. PMID:27831715

Morphometric Differences of Vocal Tract Articulators in Different Loudness Conditions in Singing.

PubMed

Echternach, Matthias; Burk, Fabian; Burdumy, Michael; Traser, Louisa; Richter, Bernhard

2016-01-01

Dynamic MRI analysis of phonation has gathered interest in voice and speech physiology. However, there are limited data addressing the extent to which articulation is dependent on loudness. 12 professional singer subjects of different voice classifications were analysed concerning the vocal tract profiles recorded with dynamic real-time MRI with 25fps in different pitch and loudness conditions. The subjects were asked to sing ascending scales on the vowel /a/ in three loudness conditions (comfortable=mf, very soft=pp, very loud=ff, respectively). Furthermore, fundamental frequency and sound pressure level were analysed from the simultaneously recorded optical audio signal after noise cancellation. The data show articulatory differences with respect to changes of both pitch and loudness. Here, lip opening and pharynx width were increased. While the vertical larynx position was rising with pitch it was lower for greater loudness. Especially, the lip opening and pharynx width were more strongly correlated with the sound pressure level than with pitch. For the vowel /a/ loudness has an effect on articulation during singing which should be considered when articulatory vocal tract data are interpreted.

Comparative transcriptomics reveals similarities and differences between astrocytoma grades.

PubMed

Seifert, Michael; Garbe, Martin; Friedrich, Betty; Mittelbronn, Michel; Klink, Barbara

2015-12-16

Astrocytomas are the most common primary brain tumors distinguished into four histological grades. Molecular analyses of individual astrocytoma grades have revealed detailed insights into genetic, transcriptomic and epigenetic alterations. This provides an excellent basis to identify similarities and differences between astrocytoma grades. We utilized public omics data of all four astrocytoma grades focusing on pilocytic astrocytomas (PA I), diffuse astrocytomas (AS II), anaplastic astrocytomas (AS III) and glioblastomas (GBM IV) to identify similarities and differences using well-established bioinformatics and systems biology approaches. We further validated the expression and localization of Ang2 involved in angiogenesis using immunohistochemistry. Our analyses show similarities and differences between astrocytoma grades at the level of individual genes, signaling pathways and regulatory networks. We identified many differentially expressed genes that were either exclusively observed in a specific astrocytoma grade or commonly affected in specific subsets of astrocytoma grades in comparison to normal brain. Further, the number of differentially expressed genes generally increased with the astrocytoma grade with one major exception. The cytokine receptor pathway showed nearly the same number of differentially expressed genes in PA I and GBM IV and was further characterized by a significant overlap of commonly altered genes and an exclusive enrichment of overexpressed cancer genes in GBM IV. Additional analyses revealed a strong exclusive overexpression of CX3CL1 (fractalkine) and its receptor CX3CR1 in PA I possibly contributing to the absence of invasive growth. We further found that PA I was significantly associated with the mesenchymal subtype typically observed for very aggressive GBM IV. Expression of endothelial and mesenchymal markers (ANGPT2, CHI3L1) indicated a stronger contribution of the micro-environment to the manifestation of the mesenchymal subtype than the tumor biology itself. We further inferred a transcriptional regulatory network associated with specific expression differences distinguishing PA I from AS II, AS III and GBM IV. Major central transcriptional regulators were involved in brain development, cell cycle control, proliferation, apoptosis, chromatin remodeling or DNA methylation. Many of these regulators showed directly underlying DNA methylation changes in PA I or gene copy number mutations in AS II, AS III and GBM IV. This computational study characterizes similarities and differences between all four astrocytoma grades confirming known and revealing novel insights into astrocytoma biology. Our findings represent a valuable resource for future computational and experimental studies.

Expression profiles of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and their regulation by Relish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dongdong; Li, Fuhua; Li, Shihao; Wen, Rong; Xiang, Jianhai

2012-07-01

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), as key immune effectors, play important roles in the innate immune system of invertebrates. Different types of AMPs, including Penaeidin, Crustin, ALF (antilipopolysaccharide factor) have been identified in different penaeid shrimp; however, systematic analyses on the function of different AMPs in shrimp responsive to different types of bacteria are very limited. In this study, we analyzed the expression profiles of AMPs in the Chinese shrimps, Fenneropenaeus chinensis, simultaneously by real-time RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) when shrimp were challenged with Micrococcus lysodeikticus (Gram-positive, G+) or Vibrio anguillarium (Gram-negative, G-). Different AMPs showed different expression profiles when shrimp were injected with one type of bacterium, and one AMP also showed different expression profiles when shrimp were challenged with different bacteria. Furthermore, the expression of these AMPs showed temporal expression profiles, suggesting that different AMPs function coordinately in bacteria-infected shrimp. An RNA interference approach was used to study the function of the Relish transcription factor in regulating the transcription of different AMPs. The current study showed that Relish could regulate the transcription of different AMPs in shrimp. Differential expression profiles of AMPs in shrimp injected with different types of bacteria indicated that a complicated antimicrobial response network existed in shrimp. These data contribute to our understanding of immunity in shrimp and may provide a strategy for the control of disease in shrimp.

Dimensional differences for evaluating the quality of footwear fit.

PubMed

Witana, Channa P; Feng, Jiejian; Goonetilleke, Ravindra S

2004-10-10

Very few standards exist for fitting products to people. Footwear is a noteworthy example. This study is an attempt to evaluate the quality of footwear fit using two-dimensional foot outlines. Twenty Hong Kong Chinese students participated in an experiment that involved three pairs of dress shoes and one pair of athletic shoes. The participants' feet were scanned using a commercial laser scanner, and each participant wore and rated the fit of each region of each shoe. The shoe lasts were also scanned and were used to match the foot scans with the last scans. The ANOVA showed significant (p < 0.05) differences among the four pairs of shoes for the overall, fore-foot and rear-foot fit ratings. There were no significant differences among shoes for mid-foot fit rating. These perceived differences were further analysed after matching the 2D outlines of both last and feet. The point-wise dimensional difference between foot and shoe outlines were computed and analysed after normalizing with foot perimeter. The dimensional difference (DD) plots along the foot perimeter showed that fore-foot fit was strongly correlated (R(2) > 0.8) with two of the minimums in the DD-plot while mid-foot fit was strongly correlated (R(2) > 0.9) with the dimensional difference around the arch region and a point on the lateral side of the foot. The DD-plots allow the designer to determine the critical locations that may affect footwear fit in addition to quantifying the nature of misfit so that design changes to shape and material may be possible.

Vessel architecture in human knee cartilage in children: an in vivo susceptibility-weighted imaging study at 7 T.

PubMed

Kolb, Alexander; Robinson, Simon; Stelzeneder, David; Schreiner, Markus; Chiari, Catharina; Windhager, Reinhard; Trattnig, Siegfried; Bohndorf, Klaus

2018-02-26

To evaluate the clinical feasibility of ultrahigh field 7-T SWI to visualize vessels and assess their density in the immature epiphyseal cartilage of human knee joints. 7-T SWI of 12 knees (six healthy volunteers, six patients with osteochondral abnormalities; mean age 10.7 years; 3 female, 9 male) were analysed by two readers, classifying intracartilaginous vessel densities (IVD) in three grades (no vessels, low IVD and high IVD) in defined femoral, tibial and patellar zones. Differences between patients and volunteers, IVDs in different anatomic locations, differences between cartilage overlying osteochondral abnormalities and corresponding normal zones, and differences in age groups were analysed. Interrater reliability showed moderate agreement between the two readers (κ = 0.58, p < 0.001). The comparison of IVDs between patients and volunteers revealed no significant difference (p = 0.706). The difference between zones in the cartilage overlying osteochondral abnormalities to corresponding normal zones showed no significant difference (p = 0.564). IVDs were related to anatomic location, with decreased IVDs in loading areas (p = 0.003). IVD was age dependent, with more vessels present in the younger participants (p = 0.001). The use of SWI in conjunction with ultrahigh field MRI makes the in vivo visualization of vessels in the growing cartilage of humans feasible, providing insights into the role of the vessel network in acquired disturbances. • SWI facilitates in vivo visualization of vessels in the growing human cartilage. • Interrater reliability of the intracartilaginous vessel grading was moderate. • Intracartilaginous vessel densities are dependent on anatomical location and age.

Feeding ecology of two demersal opportunistic predators coexisting in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López, Nieves; Navarro, Joan; Barría, Claudio; Albo-Puigserver, Marta; Coll, Marta; Palomera, Isabel

2016-06-01

The study of the feeding ecology of marine organisms is crucial to understanding their ecological roles and advancing our knowledge of marine ecosystem functioning. The aim of this study was to analyse the trophic ecology of two demersal predator species, black anglerfish (Lophius budegassa) and white anglerfish (L. piscatorius), in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Both species are important in the study area due to their high abundance and economic value, but information about their feeding behaviour is scarce. Here, we described the diet composition and ecological role of these two species, investigating whether trophic segregation exists between them and amongst fish of different sizes. In addition, by using experimental survey data we described the spatial distribution of both species to help us interpret trophic behaviour patterns. We gathered samples of two different sizes (small individuals of a total length <30 cm and large individuals ≥30 cm) of both species and combined stomach content analyses (SCA) and stable isotope analyses (SIA) of nitrogen and carbon with isotopic mixing models. Our results revealed that both anglerfish species are opportunistic predators, showing a diet composed mainly of fishes and, to a lesser extent, of crustaceans, with a small proportion of cephalopods, gastropods, bivalves and echinoderms. We found trophic segregation between the two species and the two sizes, indicating that they feed on different prey, in line with differences in their spatial distribution within the study area. This partial partition of food resources could also be explained by the differences in rhythms of activity that were reported in previous studies. In addition, although both species occupied a high position within the food web, our results showed that white anglerfish individuals and the large-sized fish of both species held higher trophic positions. This study demonstrates the usefulness of complementary approaches for trophic studies and confirms that both anglerfish species play an important role as predators in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea food web.

Patient preferences versus physicians' judgement: does it make a difference in healthcare decision making?

PubMed

Mühlbacher, Axel C; Juhnke, Christin

2013-06-01

Clinicians and public health experts make evidence-based decisions for individual patients, patient groups and even whole populations. In addition to the principles of internal and external validity (evidence), patient preferences must also influence decision making. Great Britain, Australia and Germany are currently discussing methods and procedures for valuing patient preferences in regulatory (authorization and pricing) and in health policy decision making. However, many questions remain on how to best balance patient and public preferences with physicians' judgement in healthcare and health policy decision making. For example, how to define evaluation criteria regarding the perceived value from a patient's perspective? How do physicians' fact-based opinions also reflect patients' preferences based on personal values? Can empirically grounded theories explain differences between patients and experts-and, if so, how? This article aims to identify and compare studies that used different preference elicitation methods and to highlight differences between patient and physician preferences. Therefore, studies comparing patient preferences and physician judgements were analysed in a review. This review shows a limited amount of literature analysing and comparing patient and physician preferences for healthcare interventions and outcomes. Moreover, it shows that methodology used to compare preferences is diverse. A total of 46 studies used the following methods-discrete-choice experiments, conjoint analyses, standard gamble, time trade-offs and paired comparisons-to compare patient preferences with doctor judgements. All studies were published between 1985 and 2011. Most studies reveal a disparity between the preferences of actual patients and those of physicians. For most conditions, physicians underestimated the impact of intervention characteristics on patients' decision making. Differentiated perceptions may reflect ineffective communication between the provider and the patient. This in turn may keep physicians from fully appreciating the impact of certain medical conditions on patient preferences. Because differences exist between physicians' judgement and patient preferences, it is important to incorporate the needs and wants of the patient into treatment decisions.

[Infrared spectroscopy and XRD studies of coral fossils].

PubMed

Chen, Quan-li; Zhou, Guan-min; Yin, Zuo-wei

2012-08-01

Coral fossil is an old remain of multicellular animal on the earth, and formed by various geological processes. The structural characteristics and compositions of the coral fossils with different color and radial texture on the surface were studied by infrared absorption spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction analyses. The results show that the studied coral fossils mainly are composed of SiO2, and the radial microstructure characterized by the calcareous coral cross-section is preserved. It is formed by metasomatism by SiO2. The infrared absorption spectra of the coral fossil with different color and texture are essentially the same, showing typical infrared absorption spectra of the quartz jade. XRD analysis shows that the main components of the coral fossils with different color and texture are consistent and mainly composed of SiO2 with a trace amount of other minerals and without CaCO3.

Chemical investigations of male and female leaf extracts from Schinus molle L.

PubMed

Garzoli, Stefania; Laghezza Masci, Valentina; Turchetti, Giovanni; Pesci, Lorenzo; Tiezzi, Antonio; Ovidi, Elisa

2018-05-29

The pepper-tree Schinus molle is an evergreen ornamental plant with various and diversified list of medical uses. In this article we analysed the chemical composition of male and female leaves of this plant during the off-flowering and flowering seasons. The leaf extracts were obtained by using a sequential extraction with solvents of different polarities and the chemical composition was investigated by GC-MS. The results showed a total of twenty-three components, in which elemol is the most abundant constituent followed by bicyclogermacrene, γ-eudesmol, α-eudesmol, β-eudesmol and isocalamendiol. The petroleum ether and diethyl ether extracts from male and female flowering and off-flowering leaves consisted of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons as a major constituent followed by monoterpene hydrocarbons, while the acetone extracts showed a different composition. The obtained results show differences in the chemical composition between male and female and flowering and not flowering.

Domains of psychosocial disability and mental disorders.

PubMed

Ro, Eunyoe; Watson, David; Clark, Lee Anna

2018-06-07

This study examined relations between comprehensive domains of psychosocial disability and mental disorders to determine (1) whether differential patterns of associations exist between psychosocial disability dimensions and commonly diagnosed mental disorders and (2) whether these relations differ between self-reported and interviewer-rated psychosocial disability domains. Self-reported and interviewer-rated psychosocial functioning measures and an interviewer-rated diagnostic assessment tool were administered to 181 psychiatric outpatients. Internalizing disorders showed the strongest and most pervasive associations with psychosocial impairment across both self-reported and interviewer-rated measures, followed by thought disorder; externalizing showed the weakest associations. More specifically, logistic regression analyses indicated that lower well-being factor score significantly increased the odds of distress-disorder diagnoses, and poor basic functioning increased the odds of PTSD. Results clearly showed differences in the magnitude of associations between three dimensions of psychosocial-disability and commonly diagnosed disorders, and that these differences were similar regardless of rater type. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Antioxidant activities and quali-quantitative analysis of different Smallanthus sonchifolius [(Poepp. and Endl.) H. Robinson] landrace extracts.

PubMed

Russo, D; Malafronte, N; Frescura, D; Imbrenda, G; Faraone, I; Milella, L; Fernandez, E; De Tommasi, N

2015-01-01

Five landraces of Smallanthus sonchifolius [(Poepp. and Endl.) H. Robinson], known as yacon, were investigated in total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and chemical composition of ethanol extracts (EEs) and decoction extracts (DEs). The results demonstrated that DEs are rich in phenolic acids as caffeic acid, while the EEs show an higher amount of flavonoids, as luteolin 3',7-O-diglucoside and luteolin 7-O-glucoside. These flavonoid glycosides were identified for the first time in yacon extracts, together with apigenin and luteolin. The phytochemical profile explains the different antioxidant activities shown in our study. The landraces PER6-DE and PER4-DE showed the highest radical-scavenging activity and reducing power related to their polyphenolic contents. Results also show that yacon can be considered an important source of bioactive compounds with significant differences among the analysed landraces.

Genome-wide analysis of the TPX2 family proteins in Eucalyptus grandis.

PubMed

Du, Pingzhou; Kumar, Manoj; Yao, Yuan; Xie, Qiaoli; Wang, Jinyan; Zhang, Baolong; Gan, Siming; Wang, Yuqi; Wu, Ai-Min

2016-11-24

The Xklp2 (TPX2) proteins belong to the microtubule-associated (MAP) family of proteins. All members of the family contain the conserved TPX2 motif, which can interact with microtubules, regulate microtubule dynamics or assist with different microtubule functions, for example, maintenance of cell morphology or regulation of cell growth and development. However, the role of members of the TPX family have not been studied in the model tree species Eucalyptus to date. Here, we report the identification of the members of the TPX2 family in Eucalyptus grandis (Eg) and analyse the expression patterns and functions of these genes. In present study, a comprehensive analysis of the plant TPX2 family proteins was performed. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the genes can be classified into 6 distinct subfamilies. A genome-wide survey identified 12 members of the TPX2 family in the sequenced genome of Eucalyptus grandis. The basic genetic properties of the TPX2 family in Eucalyptus were analysed. Our results suggest that the TPX2 family proteins within different sub-groups are relatively conserved but there are important differences between groups. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to confirm the expression levels of the genes in different tissues. The results showed that in the whole plant, the levels of EgWDL5 transcript are the highest, followed by those of EgWDL4. Compared with other tissues, the level of the EgMAP20 transcript is the highest in the root. Over-expression of EgMAP20 in Arabidopsis resulted in organ twisting. The cotyledon petioles showed left-handed twisting while the hypocotyl epidermal cells produced right-handed helical twisting. Finally, EgMAP20, EgWDL3 and EgWDL3L were all able to decorate microtubules. Plant TPX2 family proteins were systematically analysed using bioinformatics methods. There are 12 TPX2 family proteins in Eucalyptus. We have performed an initial characterization of the functions of several members of the TPX2 family. We found that the gene products are localized to the microtubule cytoskeleton. Our results lay the foundation for future efforts to reveal the biological significance of TPX2 family proteins in Eucalyptus.

Pinus Pinaster surface treatment realized in spatial and temporal afterglow DBD conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lecoq, E.; Clément, F.; Panousis, E.; Loiseau, J.-F.; Held, B.; Castetbon, A.; Guimon, C.

2008-04-01

This experimental work deals with the exposition of Pinus Pinaster wood samples to a DBD afterglow. Electrical parameters like duty cycle and injected energy in the gas are being varied and the modifications induced by the afterglow on the wood are analysed by several macroscopic and microscopic ways like wettability, XPS analyses and also soaking tests of treated wood in a commercial fungicide solution. Soaking tests show that plasma treatment could enhance the absorption of fungicide into the wood. The wettability results point out that the plasma treatment can inflict on the wood different surface properties, making it hydrophilic or hydrophobic, when varying electrical parameters. XPS analyses reveal several chemical modifications like an increase of the O/C ratio and the presence of carboxyl groups on the surface after plasma treatments.

Automated analysis of clonal cancer cells by intravital imaging

PubMed Central

Coffey, Sarah Earley; Giedt, Randy J; Weissleder, Ralph

2013-01-01

Longitudinal analyses of single cell lineages over prolonged periods have been challenging particularly in processes characterized by high cell turn-over such as inflammation, proliferation, or cancer. RGB marking has emerged as an elegant approach for enabling such investigations. However, methods for automated image analysis continue to be lacking. Here, to address this, we created a number of different multicolored poly- and monoclonal cancer cell lines for in vitro and in vivo use. To classify these cells in large scale data sets, we subsequently developed and tested an automated algorithm based on hue selection. Our results showed that this method allows accurate analyses at a fraction of the computational time required by more complex color classification methods. Moreover, the methodology should be broadly applicable to both in vitro and in vivo analyses. PMID:24349895

Comparison of Two Different Ultrasound Devices Using Strain Elastography Technology in the Diagnosis of Breast Lesions Related to the Histologic Results.

PubMed

Farrokh, André; Schaefer, Fritz; Degenhardt, Friedrich; Maass, Nicolai

2018-05-01

This study was conducted to provide evidence that elastograms of two different devices and different manufacturers using the same technical approach provide the same diagnoses. A total of 110 breast lesions were prospectively analysed by two experts in ultrasound, using the strain elastography function from two different manufacturers (Hitachi HI-RTE, Hitachi Medical Systems, Wiesbaden, Germany; and Siemens eSie Touch, Siemens Medical Systems, Erlangen, Germany). Results were compared with the histopathologic results. Applying the Bowker test of symmetry, no statistically significant difference between the two elastography functions of these two devices was found (p = 0.120). The Cohen's kappa of k = 0.591 showed moderate strength of agreement between the two elastograms. The two examiners yielded moderate strength of agreement analysing the elastograms (Hitachi HI-RTE, k = 0.478; Siemens eSie Touch, k = 0.441). In conclusion, evidence is provided that elastograms of the same lesion generated by two different ultrasound devices equipped with a strain elastography function do not significantly differ. Copyright © 2018 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genomic Analyses Reveal the Common Occurrence and Complexity of Plasmodium vivax Relapses in Cambodia

PubMed Central

Popovici, Jean; Friedrich, Lindsey R.; Kim, Saorin; Bin, Sophalai; Run, Vorleak; Lek, Dysoley

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Plasmodium vivax parasites have a unique dormant stage that can cause relapses weeks or months after the initial infection. These dormant parasites are among the main challenges of vivax malaria control as they constitute a reservoir that is difficult to eliminate. Since field studies are confounded by reinfections and possible recrudescence of drug-resistant parasites, most analyses of P. vivax relapses have focused on travelers returning from regions of malaria endemicity. However, it is not clear whether these individuals accurately recapitulate the relapse patterns of repeatedly infected individuals residing in areas of endemicity. Here, we present analyses of vivax malaria patients enrolled in a tightly controlled field study in Cambodia. After antimalarial drug treatment was administered, we relocated 20 individuals to a nontransmission area and followed them for 60 days, with blood collection performed every second day. Our analyses reveal that 60% of the patients relapsed during the monitoring period. Using whole-genome sequencing and high-throughput genotyping, we showed that relapses in Cambodia are often polyclonal and that the relapsing parasites harbor various degrees of relatedness to the parasites present in the initial infection. Our analyses also showed that clone populations differed dynamically, with new clones emerging during the course of the relapsing infections. Overall, our study data show that it is possible to investigate the patterns, dynamics, and diversity of P. vivax relapses of individuals living in a region of malaria endemicity and reveal that P. vivax relapses are much more pervasive and complex than previously considered. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT02118090.) PMID:29362233

Patterns of Gray Matter Abnormalities in Schizophrenia Based on an International Mega-analysis.

PubMed

Gupta, Cota Navin; Calhoun, Vince D; Rachakonda, Srinivas; Chen, Jiayu; Patel, Veena; Liu, Jingyu; Segall, Judith; Franke, Barbara; Zwiers, Marcel P; Arias-Vasquez, Alejandro; Buitelaar, Jan; Fisher, Simon E; Fernandez, Guillen; van Erp, Theo G M; Potkin, Steven; Ford, Judith; Mathalon, Daniel; McEwen, Sarah; Lee, Hyo Jong; Mueller, Bryon A; Greve, Douglas N; Andreassen, Ole; Agartz, Ingrid; Gollub, Randy L; Sponheim, Scott R; Ehrlich, Stefan; Wang, Lei; Pearlson, Godfrey; Glahn, David C; Sprooten, Emma; Mayer, Andrew R; Stephen, Julia; Jung, Rex E; Canive, Jose; Bustillo, Juan; Turner, Jessica A

2015-09-01

Analyses of gray matter concentration (GMC) deficits in patients with schizophrenia (Sz) have identified robust changes throughout the cortex. We assessed the relationships between diagnosis, overall symptom severity, and patterns of gray matter in the largest aggregated structural imaging dataset to date. We performed both source-based morphometry (SBM) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analyses on GMC images from 784 Sz and 936 controls (Ct) across 23 scanning sites in Europe and the United States. After correcting for age, gender, site, and diagnosis by site interactions, SBM analyses showed 9 patterns of diagnostic differences. They comprised separate cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions. Seven patterns showed greater GMC in Ct than Sz, while 2 (brainstem and cerebellum) showed greater GMC for Sz. The greatest GMC deficit was in a single pattern comprising regions in the superior temporal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and medial frontal cortex, which replicated over analyses of data subsets. VBM analyses identified overall cortical GMC loss and one small cluster of increased GMC in Sz, which overlapped with the SBM brainstem component. We found no significant association between the component loadings and symptom severity in either analysis. This mega-analysis confirms that the commonly found GMC loss in Sz in the anterior temporal lobe, insula, and medial frontal lobe form a single, consistent spatial pattern even in such a diverse dataset. The separation of GMC loss into robust, repeatable spatial patterns across multiple datasets paves the way for the application of these methods to identify subtle genetic and clinical cohort effects. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Level of contamination with mycobiota and contents of mycotoxins from the group of trichothecenes in grain of wheat , oats, barley, rye and triticale harvested in Poland in 2006- 2008.

PubMed

Stuper-Szablewska, Kinga; Perkowski, Juliusz

2017-03-01

The risk of cereal exposure to microbial contamination is high and possible at any time, starting from the period of plant vegetation, through harvest, up to the processing, storage and transport of the final product. Contents of mycotoxins in grain are inseparably connected with the presence of fungal biomass, the presence of which may indicate the occurrence of a fungus, and indirectly also products of its metabolism. Analyses were conducted on 378 grain samples of wheat, triticale, barley, rye and oats collected from grain silos located at grain purchase stations and at mills in Poland in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The concentrations of ERG and mycotoxins from the group of trichothecenes, as well as CFU numbers were analysed. The tested cereals were characterised by similarly low concentrations of both the investigated fungal metabolites and the level of microscopic fungi. However, conducted statistical analyses showed significant variation between tested treatments. Oat and rye grain contained the highest amounts of ERG, total toxins and CFU. In turn, the lowest values of investigated parameters were found in grain of wheat and triticale. Chemometric analyses, based on the results of chemical and microbiological tests, showed slight differences between contents of analysed metabolites between the years of the study, and do not confirm the observations on the significance of the effect of weather conditions on the development of mycobiota and production of mycotoxins; however, it does pertain to treatments showing no significant infestation. Highly significant correlations between contents of trichothecenes and ERG concentration (higher than in the case of the correlation of the total toxin concentrations/log cfu/g), indicate that the level of this metabolite is inseparably connected with mycotoxin contents in grain.

Postural instability and gait are associated with severity and prognosis of Parkinson disease.

PubMed

van der Heeden, Jorine F; Marinus, Johan; Martinez-Martin, Pablo; Rodriguez-Blazquez, Carmen; Geraedts, Victor J; van Hilten, Jacobus J

2016-06-14

Differences in disease progression in Parkinson disease (PD) have variously been attributed to 2 motor subtypes: tremor-dominant (TD) and postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD)-dominant (PG). We evaluated the role of these phenotypic variants in severity and progression of nondopaminergic manifestations of PD and motor complications. Linear mixed models were applied to data from the Profiling Parkinson's disease (PROPARK) cohort (n = 396) to evaluate the effect of motor subtype on severity and progression of cognitive impairment (Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's disease [SCOPA]-Cognition [SCOPA-COG]), depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]), autonomic dysfunction (SCOPA-Autonomic [SCOPA-AUT]), excessive daytime sleepiness, psychotic symptoms (SCOPA-Psychiatric Complications [SCOPA-PC]), and motor complications. In first analyses, subtype as determined by the commonly used ratio of tremor over PIGD score was entered as a factor, whereas in second analyses separate tremor and PIGD scores were used. Results were verified in an independent cohort (Estudio Longitudinal de Pacientes con Enfermedad de Parkinson [ELEP]; n = 365). The first analyses showed that PG subtype patients had worse SCOPA-COG, HADS, SCOPA-AUT, SCOPA-PC, and motor complications scores, and exhibited faster progression on the SCOPA-COG. The second analyses showed that only higher PIGD scores were associated with worse scores for these variables; tremor score was not associated with severity or progression of any symptom. Analyses in the independent cohort yielded similar results. In contrast to PIGD, which consistently was associated with greater severity of nondopaminergic symptoms, there was no evidence of a benign effect of tremor. Our findings do not support the use of the TD subtype as a prognostic trait in PD. The results showed that severity of PIGD is a useful indicator of severity and prognosis in PD by itself. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Grey literature in meta-analyses of randomized trials of health care interventions.

PubMed

Hopewell, S; McDonald, S; Clarke, M; Egger, M

2007-04-18

The inclusion of grey literature (i.e. literature that has not been formally published) in systematic reviews may help to overcome some of the problems of publication bias, which can arise due to the selective availability of data. To review systematically research studies, which have investigated the impact of grey literature in meta-analyses of randomized trials of health care interventions. We searched the Cochrane Methodology Register (The Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2005), MEDLINE (1966 to 20 May 2005), the Science Citation Index (June 2005) and contacted researchers who may have carried out relevant studies. A study was considered eligible for this review if it compared the effect of the inclusion and exclusion of grey literature on the results of a cohort of meta-analyses of randomized trials. Data were extracted from each report independently by two reviewers. The main outcome measure was an estimate of the impact of trials from the grey literature on the pooled effect estimates of the meta-analyses. Information was also collected on the area of health care, the number of meta-analyses, the number of trials, the number of trial participants, the year of publication of the trials, the language and country of publication of the trials, the number and type of grey and published literature, and methodological quality. Five studies met the inclusion criteria. All five studies showed that published trials showed an overall greater treatment effect than grey trials. This difference was statistically significant in one of the five studies. Data could be combined for three of the five studies. This showed that, on average, published trials showed a 9% greater treatment effect than grey trials (ratio of odds ratios for grey versus published trials 1.09; 95% CI 1.03-1.16). Overall there were more published trials included in the meta-analyses than grey trials (median 224 (IQR 108-365) versus 45(IQR 40-102)). Published trials had more participants on average. The most common types of grey literature were abstracts (55%) and unpublished data (30%). There is limited evidence to show whether grey trials are of poorer methodological quality than published trials. This review shows that published trials tend to be larger and show an overall greater treatment effect than grey trials. This has important implications for reviewers who need to ensure they identify grey trials, in order to minimise the risk of introducing bias into their review.

Vapours of US and EU Market Leader Electronic Cigarette Brands and Liquids Are Cytotoxic for Human Vascular Endothelial Cells.

PubMed

Putzhammer, Raphaela; Doppler, Christian; Jakschitz, Thomas; Heinz, Katharina; Förste, Juliane; Danzl, Katarina; Messner, Barbara; Bernhard, David

2016-01-01

The present study was conducted to provide toxicological data on e-cigarette vapours of different e-cigarette brands and liquids from systems viewed as leaders in the e-cigarette market and to compare e-cigarette vapour toxicity to the toxicity of conventional strong high-nicotine cigarette smoke. Using an adapted version of a previously constructed cigarette smoke constituent sampling device, we collected the hydrophilic fraction of e-cigarette vapour and exposed human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to the mixture of compounds present in the vapour of 4 different single-use e-cigarettes, 6 different liquid vapours produced by the same refillable e-cigarette, and one e-cigarette with an exchangeable liquid cartridge. After incubation of cells with various concentrations and for various periods of time we analysed cell death induction, proliferation rates, the occurrence of intra-cellular reactive oxygen species, cell morphology, and we also measured e-cigarette heating coil temperatures. Overall, conventional cigarette smoke extract showed the most severe impact on endothelial cells. However, some e-cigarette vapour extracts showed high cytotoxicity, inhibition of cell proliferation, and alterations in cell morphology, which were comparable to conventional high-nicotine cigarettes. The vapours generated from different liquids using the same e-cigarette show substantial differences, pointing to the liquids as an important source for toxicity. E-cigarette vapour-mediated induction of oxidative stress was significant in one out of the 11 analysed vapours. There is a high variability in the acute cytotoxicity of e-cigarette vapours depending on the liquid and on the e-cigarettes used. Some products showed toxic effects close to a conventional high-nicotine cigarette. Liquid nicotine, menthol content, and the formation of acute intracellular reactive oxygen species do not seem to be the central elements in e-cigarette vapour toxicity.

Vapours of US and EU Market Leader Electronic Cigarette Brands and Liquids Are Cytotoxic for Human Vascular Endothelial Cells

PubMed Central

Putzhammer, Raphaela; Doppler, Christian; Jakschitz, Thomas; Heinz, Katharina; Förste, Juliane; Danzl, Katarina; Messner, Barbara; Bernhard, David

2016-01-01

The present study was conducted to provide toxicological data on e-cigarette vapours of different e-cigarette brands and liquids from systems viewed as leaders in the e-cigarette market and to compare e-cigarette vapour toxicity to the toxicity of conventional strong high-nicotine cigarette smoke. Using an adapted version of a previously constructed cigarette smoke constituent sampling device, we collected the hydrophilic fraction of e-cigarette vapour and exposed human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to the mixture of compounds present in the vapour of 4 different single-use e-cigarettes, 6 different liquid vapours produced by the same refillable e-cigarette, and one e-cigarette with an exchangeable liquid cartridge. After incubation of cells with various concentrations and for various periods of time we analysed cell death induction, proliferation rates, the occurrence of intra-cellular reactive oxygen species, cell morphology, and we also measured e-cigarette heating coil temperatures. Overall, conventional cigarette smoke extract showed the most severe impact on endothelial cells. However, some e-cigarette vapour extracts showed high cytotoxicity, inhibition of cell proliferation, and alterations in cell morphology, which were comparable to conventional high-nicotine cigarettes. The vapours generated from different liquids using the same e-cigarette show substantial differences, pointing to the liquids as an important source for toxicity. E-cigarette vapour-mediated induction of oxidative stress was significant in one out of the 11 analysed vapours. There is a high variability in the acute cytotoxicity of e-cigarette vapours depending on the liquid and on the e-cigarettes used. Some products showed toxic effects close to a conventional high-nicotine cigarette. Liquid nicotine, menthol content, and the formation of acute intracellular reactive oxygen species do not seem to be the central elements in e-cigarette vapour toxicity. PMID:27351725

Long Term trends in Meridional ISO Activity as seen in CMIP5 Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, G.; Chakraborty, A.; Nanjundaiah, R. S.

2016-12-01

Active and break phases of Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) are manifested as subseasonal increase and decrease of convection. Major part of this intra-seasonal variability comes from low-frequency oscillations. Previous studies showed that northward propagating convective cloud bands are associated with these low-frequency intra-seasonal oscillations. Therefore, a thorough understanding of their spatial extent, location and intensity will be useful to understand and model the ISM. In this study, we have used Continous Wavelet Transform (CWT) technique to estimate the spatial extent (scale), center and intensity of these poleward propagating oscillatory systems. Using observation datasets, we show that scale, centre and intensity of these nothward propagating modes show different characteristics during floods and droughts of ISM. We have analysed different scenarios of CMIP5 and find that the change in mean ISM is related to changes in scale, center and intensity of northward propagations. We further show using AGCM simulations that SST over different regions of the world can modulate ISO over the Indian region.

A clade of Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b variant strains linked to recent listeriosis outbreaks associated with produce from a defined geographic region in the US.

PubMed

Burall, Laurel S; Grim, Christopher J; Datta, Atin R

2017-01-01

Four listeriosis incidences/outbreaks, spanning 19 months, have been linked to Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b variant (4bV) strains. Three of these incidents can be linked to a defined geographical region, while the fourth is likely to be linked. In this study, whole genome sequencing (WGS) of strains from these incidents was used for genomic comparisons using two approached. The first was JSpecies tetramer, which analyzed tetranucleotide frequency to assess relatedness. The second, the CFSAN SNP Pipeline, was used to perform WGS SNP analyses against three different reference genomes to evaluate relatedness by SNP distances. In each case, unrelated strains were included as controls. The analyses showed that strains from these incidents form a highly related clade with SNP differences of ≤101 within the clade and >9000 against other strains. Multi-Virulence-Locus Sequence Typing, a third standardized approach for evaluation relatedness, was used to assess the genetic drift in six conserved, known virulence loci and showed a different clustering pattern indicating possible differences in selection pressure experienced by these genes. These data suggest a high degree of relatedness among these 4bV strains linked to a defined geographic region and also highlight the possibility of alterations related to adaptation and virulence.

Collection fluid helps preservation in voided urine cytology.

PubMed

Raistrick, J; Shambayati, B; Dunsmuir, W

2008-04-01

Degenerative change caused by delay in processing contributes to false-negative and false-positive diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma in cytology. The aim of the study was to see if the use of a collection fluid for urine samples made a significant difference to urine cytology diagnosis, and if one was better suited for routine use in the hospital laboratory. Three cell collection fluids were evaluated by analysing the preservation and degeneration of cells in urine samples, as was the routine preparation which did not use a collection fluid. In the design study 50 voided urine specimens were taken at random from the hospital haematuria clinic. Three commercially available collection fluids cytolyt, cytospin and cytoRich Blue and the hospital's routine conventional preparation of urine were compared. The degree of degeneration, and so preservation, was assessed by a table of chosen criteria; then ranked and analysed by Friedman's nonparametric test, at P = 0.05. A second table showing the cell content of each slide was also made. These showed no significant diagnostic difference between the collection fluids, but there was a significant difference between the collection fluids and the routine preparation. Minor differences that do not affect diagnosis, such as crystals and ghost red blood cells, were noted in cytospin and cytoRich Blue. It is recommended that a collection fluid is used. This choice should be made after health and safety issues and cost are considered.

Misfit of Three Different Implant-Abutment Connections Before and After Cyclic Load Application: An In Vitro Study.

PubMed

Gehrke, Sergio Alexandre; Delgado-Ruiz, Rafael Arcesio; Prados Frutos, Juan Carlos; Prados-Privado, María; Dedavid, Berenice Anina; Granero Marín, Jose Manuel; Calvo Guirado, José Luiz

This study aimed to evaluate the misfit of three different implant-abutment connections before and after cycling load. One hundred twenty dental implants and correspondent prefabricated titanium abutments were used. Three different implant-abutment connections were evaluated: Morse taper (MT group), external hexagon (EH group), and internal hexagon (IH group). Forty implants and 40 abutments were used per group. The parameters for the mechanical evaluation were set as: 360,000 cycles, load of 150 N, and frequency of 4 Hz. Samples were sectioned in their longitudinal and transversal axes, and the misfit of the implant-abutment connection was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy analysis. One-way analyses of variance, Tukey post hoc analyses (α = .05), and t test (P < .05) were used to determine differences between groups. At the longitudinal direction, all the groups showed the presence of microgaps before cycling load; after cycling load, microgaps were reduced in all groups (P > .05). Transversally, only the MT group showed full fitting after cycling load compared with the other groups (EH and IH) (P < .0001). The application of cycling load produces an accommodation of the implant-abutment connection in internal, external, and Morse taper connections. In the longitudinal direction, the accommodation decreases and/or eliminates the gap observed initially (before load). In the horizontal direction, Morse cone implant-abutment connections experience a complete accommodation with the elimination of the gap.

Limitations of analyses based on achieved blood pressure: lessons from the African American study of kidney disease and hypertension trial.

PubMed

Davis, Esa M; Appel, Lawrence J; Wang, Xuelei; Greene, Tom; Astor, Brad C; Rahman, Mahboob; Toto, Robert; Lipkowitz, Michael S; Pogue, Velvie A; Wright, Jackson T

2011-06-01

Blood pressure (BP) guidelines that set target BP levels often rely on analyses of achieved BP from hypertension treatment trials. The objective of this article was to compare the results of analyses of achieved BP to intention-to-treat analyses on renal disease progression. Participants (n=1094) in the African-American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension Trial were randomly assigned to either usual BP goal defined by a mean arterial pressure goal of 102 to 107 mm Hg or lower BP goal defined by a mean arterial pressure goal of ≤92 mm Hg. Median follow-up was 3.7 years. Primary outcomes were rate of decline in measured glomerular filtration rate and a composite of a decrease in glomerular filtration rate by >50% or >25 mL/min per 1.73 m(2), requirement for dialysis, transplantation, or death. Intention-to-treat analyses showed no evidence of a BP effect on either the rate of decline in glomerular filtration rate or the clinical composite outcome. In contrast, the achieved BP analyses showed that each 10-mm Hg increment in mean follow-up achieved mean arterial pressure was associated with a 0.35 mL/min per 1.73 m(2) (95% CI: 0.08 to 0.62 mL/min per 1.73 m(2); P=0.01) faster mean glomerular filtration rate decline and a 17% (95% CI: 5% to 32%; P=0.006) increased risk of the clinical composite outcome. Analyses based on achieved BP lead to markedly different inferences than traditional intention-to-treat analyses, attributed in part to confounding of achieved BP with comorbidities, disease severity, and adherence. Clinicians and policy makers should exercise caution when making treatment recommendations based on analyses relating outcomes to achieved BP.

Isolation and molecular identification of endophytic diazotrophs from seeds and stems of three cereal crops.

PubMed

Liu, Huawei; Zhang, Lei; Meng, Aihua; Zhang, Junbiao; Xie, Miaomiao; Qin, Yaohong; Faulk, Dylan Chase; Zhang, Baohong; Yang, Shushen; Qiu, Li

2017-01-01

Ten strains of endophytic diazotroph were isolated and identified from the plants collected from three different agricultural crop species, wheat, rice and maize, using the nitrogen-free selective isolation conditions. The nitrogen-fixing ability of endophytic diazotroph was verified by the nifH-PCR assay that showed positive nitrogen fixation ability. These identified strains were classified by 879F-RAPD and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. RAPD analyses revealed that the 10 strains were clustered into seven 879F-RAPD groups, suggesting a clonal origin. 16S rRNA sequencing analyses allowed the assignment of the 10 strains to known groups of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, including organisms from the genera Paenibacillus, Enterobacter, Klebsiella and Pantoea. These representative genus are not endophytic diazotrophs in the conventional sense. They may have obtained nitrogen fixation ability through lateral gene transfer, however, the evolutionary forces of lateral gene transfer are not well known. Molecular identification results from 16S rRNA analyses were also confirmed by morphological and biochemical data. The test strains SH6A and MZB showed positive effect on the growth of plants.

Stereospecific analysis of triacylglycerols as a useful means to evaluate genuineness of pumpkin seed oils: lesson from virgin olive oil analyses.

PubMed

Butinar, Bojan; Bucar-Miklavcic, Milena; Valencic, Vasilij; Raspor, Peter

2010-05-12

In Slovenia two superb vegetable oils with high added nutritional value are produced: "Ekstra devisko oljcno olje Slovenske Istre (extra virgin olive oil from Slovene Istra)" and "Stajersko prekmursko bucno olje (pumpkin seed oil from Slovenia)". Their quality and genuineness must be monitored as adulteration can easily be undertaken. Olive oil genuineness determination experiences can show how analyses following an experience data-driven decision tree gathering several chemical determinations (fatty acids, (E)-isomers of fatty acids, sterol and tocopherol determinations) may be helpful in assessing the pumpkin seed oil from Slovenia genuineness. In the present work a set of HPLC triacylglycerol determinations was performed, based on the nine main triacylglycerols (LLLn, LLL, PLL, LOO, PLO, OOO, POO, SPL, and SLS) on a limited number of different pumpkin seed oils from northeastern Slovenia. The performed determinations showed that stereospecific analyses of triacylglycerols together with other chemical determinations can be useful in building a protocol for the evaluation of the genuineness of pumpkin seed oil from Slovenia.

'Left behind' but not left alone: parental migration & the psychosocial health of children in Moldova.

PubMed

Vanore, Michaella; Mazzucato, Valentina; Siegel, Melissa

2015-05-01

In Moldova, large-scale and rapidly feminised migration flows have inspired a wave of qualitative reports on children "left behind". Despite this recent interest, few studies have empirically evaluated the effects of parental migration on the psychosocial health of such children. Using data collected from a nationally-representative household survey conducted in Moldova between September 2011 and February 2012, this paper analyses the psychosocial health outcomes of children of migrant parents by comparing them with children without migrant parents (n = 1979). Child psychosocial health is measured through caregiver-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) scores. Multivariate regression analyses show that parental migration seldom corresponds to worse emotional symptoms outcomes but does correspond to increased conduct problems. Separate analyses for male and female children show significant gendered differences. The results partially contest the negative results that have been the subject of qualitative reports and, in particular, demonstrate that the migration of mothers infrequently results in worse psychosocial outcomes for children-contrary to what has been assumed in the discourse about parental migration in Moldova. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does Anxiety Modify the Risk for, or Severity of, Conduct Problems Among Children With Co-Occurring ADHD: Categorical and Dimensional and Analyses.

PubMed

Danforth, Jeffrey S; Doerfler, Leonard A; Connor, Daniel F

2017-08-01

The goal was to examine whether anxiety modifies the risk for, or severity of, conduct problems in children with ADHD. Assessment included both categorical and dimensional measures of ADHD, anxiety, and conduct problems. Analyses compared conduct problems between children with ADHD features alone versus children with co-occurring ADHD and anxiety features. When assessed by dimensional rating scales, results showed that compared with children with ADHD alone, those children with ADHD co-occurring with anxiety are at risk for more intense conduct problems. When assessment included a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) diagnosis via the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Epidemiologic Version (K-SADS), results showed that compared with children with ADHD alone, those children with ADHD co-occurring with anxiety neither had more intense conduct problems nor were they more likely to be diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder. Different methodological measures of ADHD, anxiety, and conduct problem features influenced the outcome of the analyses.

Long-distance travel behaviours accelerate and aggravate the large-scale spatial spreading of infectious diseases.

PubMed

Xu, Zhijing; Zu, Zhenghu; Zheng, Tao; Zhang, Wendou; Xu, Qing; Liu, Jinjie

2014-01-01

The study analyses the role of long-distance travel behaviours on the large-scale spatial spreading of directly transmitted infectious diseases, focusing on two different travel types in terms of the travellers travelling to a specific group or not. For this purpose, we have formulated and analysed a metapopulation model in which the individuals in each subpopulation are organised into a scale-free contact network. The long-distance travellers between the subpopulations will temporarily change the network structure of the destination subpopulation through the "merging effects (MEs)," which indicates that the travellers will be regarded as either connected components or isolated nodes in the contact network. The results show that the presence of the MEs has constantly accelerated the transmission of the diseases and aggravated the outbreaks compared to the scenario in which the diversity of the long-distance travel types is arbitrarily discarded. Sensitivity analyses show that these results are relatively constant regarding a wide range variation of several model parameters. Our study has highlighted several important causes which could significantly affect the spatiotemporal disease dynamics neglected by the present studies.

Hierarchical Linear Modeling Analyses of NEO-PI-R Scales In the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

PubMed Central

Terracciano, Antonio; McCrae, Robert R.; Brant, Larry J.; Costa, Paul T.

2009-01-01

We examined age trends in the five factors and 30 facets assessed by the Revised NEO Personality Inventory in Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging data (N = 1,944; 5,027 assessments) collected between 1989 and 2004. Consistent with cross-sectional results, Hierarchical Linear Modeling analyses showed gradual personality changes in adulthood: a decline up to age 80 in Neuroticism, stability and then decline in Extraversion, decline in Openness, increase in Agreeableness, and increase up to age 70 in Conscientiousness. Some facets showed different curves from the factor they define. Birth cohort effects were modest, and there were no consistent Gender × Age interactions. Significant non-normative changes were found for all five factors; they were not explained by attrition but might be due to genetic factors, disease, or life experience. PMID:16248708

Fabricating the spherical and flake silver powder used for the optoelectronic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Wei; Ma, Wangjing; Zhang, Fangzhi; Chen, Yixiang; Xie, Jinpeng

2018-01-01

The spherical and flake silver powder with different particle size for the optoelectronic devices was partly prepared by using chemical reduction and ball milling method, and charactered by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser particle size analyzer and thermo-gravimetric(TG) analyzer. The particle size of three series of spherical silver powder fabricated by chemical reduction is about 1.5μm, 1μm and 0.6μm, respectively; after being mechanical milling, the particle size of flake silver powder with high flaky rate is about 10μm, 6μm and 2μm respectively. Thermo gravimetric (TG) and XRD analyses showed that the silver powders have high purity and crystalline, and then the laser particle size and SEM analyses showed that the silver powders has good uniformity.

Coordinates Analyses of Hydrated Interplanetary Dust Particles: Samples of Primitive Solar System Bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, L. P.; Snead, C.; McKeegan, K. D.

2016-01-01

Interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) collected in the stratosphere fall into two major groups: an anhydrous group termed the "chondritic-porous (CP) IDPs and a hydrated group, the "chondritic-smooth (CS) IDPs, although rare IDPs with mineralogies intermediate between these two groups are known [1]. The CP-IDPs are widely believed to be derived from cometary sources [e.g. 2]. The hydrated CS-IDPs show mineralogical similarities to heavily aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrites (e.g. CI chondrites), but only a few have been directly linked to carbonaceous meteorite parent bodies [e.g. 3, 4]. Most CS-IDPs show distinct chemical [5] and oxygen isotopic composition differences [6-8] from primitive carbonaceous chondrites. Here, we report on our coordinated analyses of a suite of carbon-rich CS-IDPs focusing on their bulk compositions, mineralogy, mineral chemistry, and isotopic compositions.

Response inhibition in Attention deficit disorder and neurofibromatosis type 1 – clinically similar, neurophysiologically different

PubMed Central

Bluschke, Annet; von der Hagen, Maja; Papenhagen, Katharina; Roessner, Veit; Beste, Christian

2017-01-01

There are large overlaps in cognitive deficits occurring in attention deficit disorder (ADD) and neurodevelopmental disorders like neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). This overlap is mostly based on clinical measures and not on in-depth analyses of neuronal mechanisms. However, the consideration of such neuronal underpinnings is crucial when aiming to integrate measures that can lead to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Inhibitory control deficits, for example, are a hallmark in ADD, but it is unclear how far there are similar deficits in NF1. We thus compared adolescent ADD and NF1 patients to healthy controls in a Go/Nogo task using behavioural and neurophysiological measures. Clinical measures of ADD-symptoms were not different between ADD and NF1. Only patients with ADD showed increased Nogo errors and reductions in components reflecting response inhibition (i.e. Nogo-P3). Early perceptual processes (P1) were changed in ADD and NF1. Clinically, patients with ADD and NF1 thus show strong similarities. This is not the case in regard to underlying cognitive control processes. This shows that in-depth analyses of neurophysiological processes are needed to determine whether the overlap between ADD and NF1 is as strong as assumed and to develop appropriate treatment strategies. PMID:28262833

Chronic indeterminate phase of Chagas' disease: mitochondrial involvement in infection with two strains.

PubMed

Báez, Alejandra Lidia; Lo Presti, María Silvina; Fretes, Ricardo; Díaz, Cintia; Pons, Patricia; Bazán, Paola Carolina; Strauss, Mariana; Rivarola, Héctor Walter; Paglini-Oliva, Patricia

2013-03-01

Chagasic cardiopathy has become one of the most frequent causes of heart failure and sudden death, as well as one of the most common causes of cardio-embolic stroke in Latin America. The myocyte response to oxidative stress involves the progression of cellular changes, primarily targeting the mitochondria and modifying therefore the energy supply. In this paper we analysed the effect of the infection of mice with 2 different strains of Trypanosoma cruzi (Tulahuen and SGO Z12) in the chronic indeterminate stage (75 days post-infection), upon the structure and function of cardiac mitochondria. The structural results showed that 83% of the mitochondria from the Tulahuen-infected mice presented an increase in their matrix and 91% of the mitochondria from the SGO Z12-infected group showed a reduction in their diameter (P < 0.05). When the Krebs cycle and mitochondrial respiratory chain functionality was analysed through the measurement of the citrate synthase and complexes I to IV activity, it showed that their activity was altered in all cases in a similar manner in both infected groups. In this paper we have demonstrated that the chronic indeterminate phase is not 'silent' and that cardiac mitochondria are clearly involved in the genesis and progression to the chronic chagasic cardiopathy when different factors alter the host-parasite equilibrium.

Morphological and mechanical analyses of laminates manufactured from randomly positioned carbon fibre/epoxy resin prepreg scraps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souza, Christiane S. R.; Cândido, Geraldo M.; Alves, Wellington; Marlet, José Maria F.; Rezende, Mirabel C.

2017-10-01

This study aims to contribute to sustainability by proposing the reuse of composite prepreg scrap as an added value from discards. The research evaluates the microstructure and mechanical properties of laminates processed by the reuse of uncured carbon fibre/F155-epoxy resin prepreg scraps, waste from the ply cutting area of an aeronautical industry. The composite scraps were used as collected and were randomly positioned to produce laminates to be cured at an autoclave. The mechanical characterization shows a decrease of 39% for the compression property due to the discontinuous fibres in the laminate and an increase of 34% for the interlaminar shear strength, when compared to continuous fibre laminates. This increase is attributed to the higher crosslink density of the epoxy resin, as a result of the cure temperature used in autoclave (60 °C higher than suggested by supplier) and also to the randomly positioned scraps. Microscopic analyses confirm the consolidation of laminates, although show resin rich areas with different sizes and shapes attributed to the overlapping of the scraps with different sizes and shapes. These resin rich areas may contribute to decrease the mechanical properties of laminates. The correlation between mechanical and morphological results shows potential to be used on non-critical structural application, as composite jigs, contributing to sustainability.

Production and characterization of curcumin microcrystals and evaluation of the antimicrobial and sensory aspects in minimally processed carrots.

PubMed

Silva, Anderson Clayton da; Santos, Priscila Dayane de Freitas; Palazzi, Nicole Campezato; Leimann, Fernanda Vitória; Fuchs, Renata Hernandez Barros; Bracht, Lívia; Gonçalves, Odinei Hess

2017-05-24

Nontoxic conserving agents are in demand by the food industry due to consumers concern about synthetic conservatives, especially in minimally processed food. The antimicrobial activity of curcumin, a natural phenolic compound, has been extensively investigated but hydrophobicity is an issue when applying curcumin to foodstuff. The objective of this work was to evaluate curcumin microcrystals as an antimicrobial agent in minimally processed carrots. The antimicrobial activity of curcumin microcrystals was evaluated in vitro against Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) microorganisms, showing a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the minimum inhibitory concentration compared to in natura, pristine curcumin. Curcumin microcrystals were effective in inhibiting psychrotrophic and mesophile microorganisms in minimally processed carrots. Sensory analyses were carried out showing no significant difference (p < 0.05) between curcumin microcrystal-treated carrots and non-treated carrots in triangular and tetrahedral discriminative tests. Sensory tests also showed that curcumin microcrystals could be added as a natural preservative in minimally processed carrots without causing noticeable differences that could be detected by the consumer. One may conclude that the analyses of the minimally processed carrots demonstrated that curcumin microcrystals are a suitable natural compound to inhibit the natural microbiota of carrots from a statistical point of view.

Tract-specific fractional anisotropy predicts cognitive outcome in a community sample of middle-aged participants with white matter lesions

PubMed Central

Soriano-Raya, Juan José; Miralbell, Júlia; López-Cancio, Elena; Bargalló, Núria; Arenillas, Juan Francisco; Barrios, Maite; Cáceres, Cynthia; Toran, Pere; Alzamora, Maite; Dávalos, Antoni; Mataró, Maria

2014-01-01

Cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) have been consistently related to cognitive dysfunction but the role of white matter (WM) damage in cognitive impairment is not fully determined. Diffusion tensor imaging is a promising tool to explain impaired cognition related to WMLs. We investigated the separate association of high-grade periventricular hyperintensities (PVHs) and deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMHs) with fractional anisotropy (FA) in middle-aged individuals. We also assessed the predictive value to cognition of FA within specific WM tracts associated with high-grade WMLs. One hundred participants from the Barcelona-AsIA Neuropsychology Study were divided into groups based on low- and high-grade WMLs. Voxel-by-voxel FA were compared between groups, with separate analyses for high-grade PVHs and DWMHs. The mean FA within areas showing differences between groups was extracted in each tract for linear regression analyses. Participants with high-grade PVHs and participants with high-grade DWMHs showed lower FA in different areas of specific tracts. Areas showing decreased FA in high-grade DWMHs predicted lower cognition, whereas areas with decreased FA in high-grade PVHs did not. The predictive value to cognition of specific WM tracts supports the involvement of cortico-subcortical circuits in cognitive deficits only in DWMHs. PMID:24549185

Tract-specific fractional anisotropy predicts cognitive outcome in a community sample of middle-aged participants with white matter lesions.

PubMed

Soriano-Raya, Juan José; Miralbell, Júlia; López-Cancio, Elena; Bargalló, Núria; Arenillas, Juan Francisco; Barrios, Maite; Cáceres, Cynthia; Toran, Pere; Alzamora, Maite; Dávalos, Antoni; Mataró, Maria

2014-05-01

Cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) have been consistently related to cognitive dysfunction but the role of white matter (WM) damage in cognitive impairment is not fully determined. Diffusion tensor imaging is a promising tool to explain impaired cognition related to WMLs. We investigated the separate association of high-grade periventricular hyperintensities (PVHs) and deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMHs) with fractional anisotropy (FA) in middle-aged individuals. We also assessed the predictive value to cognition of FA within specific WM tracts associated with high-grade WMLs. One hundred participants from the Barcelona-AsIA Neuropsychology Study were divided into groups based on low- and high-grade WMLs. Voxel-by-voxel FA were compared between groups, with separate analyses for high-grade PVHs and DWMHs. The mean FA within areas showing differences between groups was extracted in each tract for linear regression analyses. Participants with high-grade PVHs and participants with high-grade DWMHs showed lower FA in different areas of specific tracts. Areas showing decreased FA in high-grade DWMHs predicted lower cognition, whereas areas with decreased FA in high-grade PVHs did not. The predictive value to cognition of specific WM tracts supports the involvement of cortico-subcortical circuits in cognitive deficits only in DWMHs.

Age-related decline in ovarian follicle stocks differ between chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and humans.

PubMed

Cloutier, Christina T; Coxworth, James E; Hawkes, Kristen

2015-02-01

Similarity in oldest parturitions in humans and great apes suggests that we maintain ancestral rates of ovarian aging. Consistent with that hypothesis, previous counts of primordial follicles in postmortem ovarian sections from chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) showed follicle stock decline at the same rate that human stocks decline across the same ages. Here, we correct that finding with a chimpanzee sample more than three times larger than the previous one, which also allows comparison into older ages. Analyses show depletion rates similar until about age 35, but after 35, the human counts continue to fall with age, while the change is much less steep in chimpanzees. This difference implicates likely effects on ovarian dynamics from other physiological systems that are senescing at different rates, and, potentially, different perimenopausal experience for chimpanzees and humans.

Partial differential equation techniques for analysing animal movement: A comparison of different methods.

PubMed

Wang, Yi-Shan; Potts, Jonathan R

2017-03-07

Recent advances in animal tracking have allowed us to uncover the drivers of movement in unprecedented detail. This has enabled modellers to construct ever more realistic models of animal movement, which aid in uncovering detailed patterns of space use in animal populations. Partial differential equations (PDEs) provide a popular tool for mathematically analysing such models. However, their construction often relies on simplifying assumptions which may greatly affect the model outcomes. Here, we analyse the effect of various PDE approximations on the analysis of some simple movement models, including a biased random walk, central-place foraging processes and movement in heterogeneous landscapes. Perhaps the most commonly-used PDE method dates back to a seminal paper of Patlak from 1953. However, our results show that this can be a very poor approximation in even quite simple models. On the other hand, more recent methods, based on transport equation formalisms, can provide more accurate results, as long as the kernel describing the animal's movement is sufficiently smooth. When the movement kernel is not smooth, we show that both the older and newer methods can lead to quantitatively misleading results. Our detailed analysis will aid future researchers in the appropriate choice of PDE approximation for analysing models of animal movement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pattern of morphological variation and diversity of Cocos nucifera (Arecaceae) in Mexico.

PubMed

Zizumbo-Villarreal, D; Piñero, D

1998-06-01

The pattern of morphological variation of Cocos nucifera in Mexico was statistically and numerically evaluated. Forty-one populations were analyzed, using 17 morphological fruit characters. Principal components and cluster analyses indicated four main groups of coconut populations that showed high similarity with four different genotypes recently imported into Mexico from areas that could be the origin of Mexican coconut populations. These four genotypes were evaluated with regard to the lethal yellowing disease in Jamaica and showed a differential susceptibility. Therefore it is possible to speculate upon a difference in susceptibility of the Mexican genotypes. The analysis of correlation between morphological and geographical distances showed a high positive correlation that supports: (1) historical evidence that indicates early introductions of coconut from different regions of the world, (2) that on both coasts of Mexico two different patterns of dispersal were involved: continuous and in jumps. Collectively these results suggest that the impact of the lethal yellowing disease on coconut populations will vary depending on the specific area and the origin of its coconuts.

Micro-topography and reactivity of implant surfaces: an in vitro study in simulated body fluid (SBF).

PubMed

Gandolfi, M G; Taddei, P; Siboni, F; Perrotti, V; Iezzi, G; Piattelli, A; Prati, C

2015-02-01

The creation of micro-textured dental implant surfaces possessing a stimulating activity represents a challenge in implant dentistry; particularly, the formation of a thin, biologically active, calcium-phosphate layer on their surface could help to strengthen the bond to the surrounding bone. The aim of the present study was to characterize in terms of macrostructure, micro-topography and reactivity in simulated body fluid (SBF), the surface of titanium (Ti) implants blasted with TiO2 particles, acid etched with hydrofluoric acid, and activated with Ca and Mg-containing nanoparticles. Sandblasted and acid-etched implants were analyzed by ESEM-EDX (environmental scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray system) to study the micromorphology of the surface and to perform elemental X-ray microanalysis (microchemical analyses) and element mapping. ESEM-EDX analyses were performed at time 0 and after a 28-day soaking period in SBF Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) following ISO 23317 (implants for surgery—in vitro evaluation for apatite-forming ability of implant materials). Microchemical analyses (weight % and atomic %) and element mapping were carried out to evaluate the relative element content, element distribution, and calcium/phosphorus (Ca/P) atomic ratio. Raman spectroscopy was used to assess the possible presence of impurities due to manufacturing and to investigate the phases formed upon HBSS soaking. Micro-morphological analyses showed a micro-textured, highly rough surface with microgrooves. Microchemical analyses showed compositional differences among the apical, middle, and distal thirds. The micro-Raman analyses of the as-received implant showed the presence of amorphous Ti oxide and traces of anatase, calcite, and a carbonaceous material derived from the decomposition of an organic component of lipidic nature (presumably used as lubricant). A uniform layer of Ca-poor calcium phosphates (CaPs) (Ca/P ratio <1.47) was observed after soaking in HBSS; the detection of the 961 cm⁻¹ Raman band confirms this finding. These implants showed a micro-textured surface supporting the formation of CaPs when immersed in SBF. These properties may likely favor bone anchorage and healing by stimulation of mineralizing cells.

Network analysis of the COSMOS galaxy field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Regt, R.; Apunevych, S.; von Ferber, C.; Holovatch, Yu; Novosyadlyj, B.

2018-07-01

The galaxy data provided by COSMOS survey for 1°×1° field of sky are analysed by methods of complex networks. Three galaxy samples (slices) with redshifts ranging within intervals 0.88÷0.91, 0.91÷0.94, and 0.94÷0.97 are studied as two-dimensional projections for the spatial distributions of galaxies. We construct networks and calculate network measures for each sample, in order to analyse the network similarity of different samples, distinguish various topological environments, and find associations between galaxy properties (colour index and stellar mass) and their topological environments. Results indicate a high level of similarity between geometry and topology for different galaxy samples and no clear evidence of evolutionary trends in network measures. The distribution of local clustering coefficient C manifests three modes which allow for discrimination between stand-alone singlets and dumbbells (0 ≤ C ≤ 0.1), intermediately packed (0.1 < C < 0.9) and clique (0.9 ≤ C ≤ 1) like galaxies. Analysing astrophysical properties of galaxies (colour index and stellar masses), we show that distributions are similar in all slices, however weak evolutionary trends can also be seen across redshift slices. To specify different topological environments, we have extracted selections of galaxies from each sample according to different modes of C distribution. We have found statistically significant associations between evolutionary parameters of galaxies and selections of C: the distribution of stellar mass for galaxies with interim C differs from the corresponding distributions for stand-alone and clique galaxies, and this difference holds for all redshift slices. The colour index realizes somewhat different behaviour.

Network analysis of the COSMOS galaxy field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Regt, R.; Apunevych, S.; Ferber, C. von; Holovatch, Yu; Novosyadlyj, B.

2018-03-01

The galaxy data provided by COSMOS survey for 1° × 1° field of sky are analysed by methods of complex networks. Three galaxy samples (slices) with redshifts ranging within intervals 0.88÷0.91, 0.91÷0.94 and 0.94÷0.97 are studied as two-dimensional projections for the spatial distributions of galaxies. We construct networks and calculate network measures for each sample, in order to analyse the network similarity of different samples, distinguish various topological environments, and find associations between galaxy properties (colour index and stellar mass) and their topological environments. Results indicate a high level of similarity between geometry and topology for different galaxy samples and no clear evidence of evolutionary trends in network measures. The distribution of local clustering coefficient C manifests three modes which allow for discrimination between stand-alone singlets and dumbbells (0 ≤ C ≤ 0.1), intermediately packed (0.1 < C < 0.9) and clique (0.9 ≤ C ≤ 1) like galaxies. Analysing astrophysical properties of galaxies (colour index and stellar masses), we show that distributions are similar in all slices, however weak evolutionary trends can also be seen across redshift slices. To specify different topological environments we have extracted selections of galaxies from each sample according to different modes of C distribution. We have found statistically significant associations between evolutionary parameters of galaxies and selections of C: the distribution of stellar mass for galaxies with interim C differ from the corresponding distributions for stand-alone and clique galaxies, and this difference holds for all redshift slices. The colour index realises somewhat different behaviour.

Impact of inter-seasonal solar variability on the association of lower troposphere and cold point tropopause in the tropics: Observations using RO data from COSMIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, V.; Dhaka, S. K.; Ho, Shu-Peng; Singh, Narendra; Singh, Vir; Reddy, K. K.; Chun, H.-Y.

2017-12-01

Association of lower tropospheric variations with the cold point tropopause (CPT) is examined on inter-seasonal basis over the tropical region (30°N-30°S) during 2007-2010 using COSMIC/FORMOST-3 Radio Occultation (RO) data. Temperature analyses for this association are shown over different regions of the globe having contrast topography namely over Western Pacific sector, Indian sector, and African sector. Correlation coefficient (r), taken as a measurement of association, show specific longitudinal differences between the lower troposphere (from 1 km to 5 km height) and the CPT. The northern and southern hemispheres show contrast coupling of temperature variation between lower tropospheric region and the CPT. Land and ocean effects are found to contribute in a different way to the correlation coefficient. Analyses show symmetrical structure of 'r' on both sides of the equator over the African region, as data include mostly land region on both side of equator. Data represent positive correlation (r 0.5) over 15°-20° latitudes on either side of the equator over the African region, suggesting strong hold of the inter-seasonal variation of solar diabatic heating influence over the tropic of Cancer and tropic of Capricorn. On the other hand, there is a contrast behaviour over the Indian region, 'r' is nearly negative ( - 1.0) each year in the southern hemisphere (SH) and positive ( 0.4) in the northern hemisphere (NH) with a maxima near tropic of Cancer. Western Pacific region is found to display a linear increase in 'r' from negative ( - 1.0) in SH to positive ( 0.8) in NH. In general, 'r' (positive) maximizes over the land region around 15°-20° latitudes, suggesting a control of in phase inter-seasonal solar heating on the coupling of boundary layer/lower troposphere and CPT region, whereas it turns negative over water body. Analyses suggest that variabilities in CPT over different regions of globe show significant inter-seasonal association with the lower troposphere. Thus CPT variabilities are not only governed by QBO, ENSO, gravity waves and Kelvin wave system as reported in earlier studies but also considerably affected by inter-seasonal changes taking place in the lower troposphere.

Corticolimbic structural alterations linked to health status and trait anxiety in functional neurological disorder.

PubMed

Perez, David L; Williams, Benjamin; Matin, Nassim; LaFrance, W Curt; Costumero-Ramos, Victor; Fricchione, Gregory L; Sepulcre, Jorge; Keshavan, Matcheri S; Dickerson, Bradford C

2017-12-01

Affective symptoms influence health status (health-related quality of life) in functional neurological disorder (FND), and the salience network is implicated in the pathophysiology of FND and mood/anxiety disorders. We hypothesised that self-reported health status and affective symptoms would map onto salience network regions and that patients with FND would show decreased insular volumes compared with controls. This voxel-based morphometry study investigated volumetric differences in 26 patients with FND (21 women, 5 men; mean age=40.3±11.5) compared with 27 healthy controls (22 women, 5 men; mean age=40.5±10.8). Post hoc analyses stratified patients with FND by mental and physical health scores (Short Form Health Survey-36). Within-group analyses investigated associations with mental health, physical health, trait anxiety and depression in patients with FND. There were no volumetric differences between the complete FND cohort and controls. In stratified analyses, however, patients with FND reporting the most severe physical health impairments showed reduced left anterior insular volume compared with controls. In within-group analyses, impaired mental health and elevated trait anxiety were associated with increased right amygdalar volumes in patients with FND. The relationship between amygdalar volume and mental health, driven by emotional well-being deficits and role limitations due to emotional problems, was independent of sensorimotor functional neurological symptom severity and motor FND subtype. In secondary within-group analyses, increased periaqueductal grey volume was associated with role limitations due to emotional problems. Impaired physical functioning correlated with decreased left anterior insular volumes. These findings support roles for several regions of the salience network in the pathophysiology of FND. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Methodology for processing pressure traces used as inputs for combustion analyses in diesel engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rašić, Davor; Vihar, Rok; Žvar Baškovič, Urban; Katrašnik, Tomaž

2017-05-01

This study proposes a novel methodology for designing an optimum equiripple finite impulse response (FIR) filter for processing in-cylinder pressure traces of a diesel internal combustion engine, which serve as inputs for high-precision combustion analyses. The proposed automated workflow is based on an innovative approach of determining the transition band frequencies and optimum filter order. The methodology is based on discrete Fourier transform analysis, which is the first step to estimate the location of the pass-band and stop-band frequencies. The second step uses short-time Fourier transform analysis to refine the estimated aforementioned frequencies. These pass-band and stop-band frequencies are further used to determine the most appropriate FIR filter order. The most widely used existing methods for estimating the FIR filter order are not effective in suppressing the oscillations in the rate- of-heat-release (ROHR) trace, thus hindering the accuracy of combustion analyses. To address this problem, an innovative method for determining the order of an FIR filter is proposed in this study. This method is based on the minimization of the integral of normalized signal-to-noise differences between the stop-band frequency and the Nyquist frequency. Developed filters were validated using spectral analysis and calculation of the ROHR. The validation results showed that the filters designed using the proposed innovative method were superior compared with those using the existing methods for all analyzed cases. Highlights • Pressure traces of a diesel engine were processed by finite impulse response (FIR) filters with different orders • Transition band frequencies were determined with an innovative method based on discrete Fourier transform and short-time Fourier transform • Spectral analyses showed deficiencies of existing methods in determining the FIR filter order • A new method of determining the FIR filter order for processing pressure traces was proposed • The efficiency of the new method was demonstrated by spectral analyses and calculations of rate-of-heat-release traces

Dynamically heterogenous partitions and phylogenetic inference: an evaluation of analytical strategies with cytochrome b and ND6 gene sequences in cranes.

PubMed

Krajewski, C; Fain, M G; Buckley, L; King, D G

1999-11-01

ki ctes over whether molecular sequence data should be partitioned for phylogenetic analysis often confound two types of heterogeneity among partitions. We distinguish historical heterogeneity (i.e., different partitions have different evolutionary relationships) from dynamic heterogeneity (i.e., different partitions show different patterns of sequence evolution) and explore the impact of the latter on phylogenetic accuracy and precision with a two-gene, mitochondrial data set for cranes. The well-established phylogeny of cranes allows us to contrast tree-based estimates of relevant parameter values with estimates based on pairwise comparisons and to ascertain the effects of incorporating different amounts of process information into phylogenetic estimates. We show that codon positions in the cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 genes are dynamically heterogenous under both Poisson and invariable-sites + gamma-rates versions of the F84 model and that heterogeneity includes variation in base composition and transition bias as well as substitution rate. Estimates of transition-bias and relative-rate parameters from pairwise sequence comparisons were comparable to those obtained as tree-based maximum likelihood estimates. Neither rate-category nor mixed-model partitioning strategies resulted in a loss of phylogenetic precision relative to unpartitioned analyses. We suggest that weighted-average distances provide a computationally feasible alternative to direct maximum likelihood estimates of phylogeny for mixed-model analyses of large, dynamically heterogenous data sets. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Electrical Characteristics CuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} Thick Film Ceramics Made with Different Screen Size Utilizing Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} Nanopowder Derived from Yarosite for NTC Thermistor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiendartun,; Syarif, Dani Gustaman

2010-10-24

Fabrication of CuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} thick film ceramics utilizing Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} derived from yarosite using screen printing technique for NTC thermistor has been carried out. Effect of thickness variation due to different size of screen (screen 225; 300 and 375 mesh) has been studied. X-ray diffraction analyses (XRD) was done to know crystal structure and phases formation. SEM analyses was carried out to know microstructure of the films. Electrical properties characterization was done through measurement of electrical resistance at various temperatures (room temperature to 100 deg. C). The XRD data showed that the films crystalize in tetragonal spinel. Themore » SEM images showed that the screen with the smaller of the hole size, made the grain size was bigger. Electrical data showed that the larger the screen different size thickness variation (mesh), the larger the resistance, thermistor constant and sensitivity. From the electrical characteristics data, it was known that the electrical characteristics of the CuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} thick film ceramics followed the NTC characteristic. The value of B and R{sub RT} of the produced CuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} ceramics namely B = 3241-3484 K and R{sub RT} = 25.6-87.0 M Ohm, fitted market requirement.« less

Shadow analysis via the C+K Visioline: A technical note.

PubMed

Houser, T; Zerweck, C; Grove, G; Wickett, R

2017-11-01

This research investigated the ability of shadow analysis (via the Courage + Khazaka Visioline and Image Pro Premiere 9.0 software) to accurately assess the differences in skin topography associated with photo aging. Analyses were performed on impressions collected from a microfinish comparator scale (GAR Electroforming) as well a series of impressions collected from the crow's feet region of 9 women who represent each point on the Zerweck Crow's Feet classification scale. Analyses were performed using a Courage + Khazaka Visioline VL 650 as well as Image Pro Premiere 9.0 software. Shadow analysis showed an ability to accurately measure the groove depth when measuring impressions collected from grooves of known depth. Several shadow analysis parameters showed a correlation with the expert grader ratings of crow's feet when averaging measurements taken from the North and South directions. The Max Depth parameter in particular showed a strong correlation with the expert grader's ratings which improved when a more sophisticated analysis was performed using Image Pro Premiere. When used properly, shadow analysis is effective at accurately measuring skin surface impressions for differences in skin topography. Shadow analysis is shown to accurately assess the differences across a range of crow's feet severity correlating to a 0-8 grader scale. The Visioline VL 650 is a good tool for this measurement, with room for improvement in analysis which can be achieved through third party image analysis software. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Trabecular network arrangement within the human patella: how osteoarthritis remodels the 3D trabecular structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoechel, Sebastian; Deyhle, Hans; Toranelli, Mireille; Müller-Gerbl, Magdalena

2016-10-01

Following the principles of "morphology reveals biomechanics", the anatomical structure of the cartilage-osseous interface and the supporting trabecular network show defined adaptation in their architectural properties to physiological loading. In case of a faulty relationship, the ability to support the load diminishes and the onset of osteoarthritis (OA) may arise and disturb the balanced formation and resorption processes. To describe and quantify the changes occurring, 10 human OA patellae were analysed concerning the architectural parameters of the trabecular network within the first five mms by the evaluation of 3Dmicro-CT datasets. The analysed OA-samples showed a strong irregularity for all trabecular parameters across the trabecular network, no regularity in parameter distribution was found. In general, we saw a decrease of material in the OA population as BV/TV, BS/TV, Tb.N and Tb.Th were decreased and the spacing increased. The development into depth showed a logarithmic dependency, which revealed the greatest difference for all parameters within the first mm in comparison to the physiologic samples. The differences decreased towards the 5th mm. The interpretation of the mathematic dependency leads to the conclusion that the main impact of OA is beneath the subchondral bone plate (SBP) and lessens with depth. Next to the clear difference in material, the architectural arrangement is more rod-like and isotropic just beneath the SBP in comparison to the plate-like and more anisotropic physiological arrangement.

[The Freiburg monosyllable word test in postoperative cochlear implant diagnostics].

PubMed

Hey, M; Brademann, G; Ambrosch, P

2016-08-01

The Freiburg monosyllable word test represents a central tool of postoperative cochlear implant (CI) diagnostics. The objective of this study is to test the equivalence of different word lists by analysing word comprehension. For patients whose CI has been implanted for more than 5 years, the distribution of suprathreshold speech intelligibility outcomes will also be analysed. In a retrospective data analysis, speech understanding for 626 CI users word correct scores were evaluated using a total of 5211 lists with 20 words each. The analysis of word comprehension within each list shows differences in mean and in the kind of distribution function. There are lists which show a significant difference of their mean word recognition to the overall mean. The Freiburg monosyllable word test is easy to administer at suprathreshold speech level for CI recipients, and typically has a saturation level above 80 %. The Freiburg monosyllable word test can be performed successfully by the majority of CI patients. The limited balance of the test lists elicits the conclusion that an adaptive test procedure with the Freiburg monosyllable test does not make sense. The Freiburg monosyllable test can be restructured by resorting all words across lists, or by omitting individual words of a test list to increase the reliability of the test. The results show that speech intelligibility in quiet should also be investigated in CI recipients al levels below 70 dB.

Chemotaxonomic analysis of the aroma compounds in essential oils of two different Ocimum basilicum L. varieties from Iran.

PubMed

Pirmoradi, Mohammad Reza; Moghaddam, Mohammad; Farhadi, Nasrin

2013-07-01

Hydrodistilled essential oils of 21 accessions of Ocimum basilicum L. belonging to two different varieties (var. purpurascens and var. dianatnejadii) from Iran were characterized by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. The oil yield was found to be between 0.6 and 1.1% (v/w). In total, 49 compounds, accounting for 96.6-99.7% of the oil compositions, were identified. Aromatic compounds, represented mainly by methyl chavicol (33.6-49.1%), and oxygenated monoterpenes, represented by linalool (14.4-39.3%), were the main components in all essential oils. Monoterpene hydrocarbons were present in the essential oils of all accessions of the purpurascens variety, whereas they were completely absent in those of the dianatnejadii variety, indicating that monoterpene hydrocarbons might be considered as marker constituents of the purpurascens variety. The chemotaxonomic value of the essential-oil compositions was discussed according to the results of the cluster analysis (CA). The CA showed a clear separation of the O. basilicum var. purpurascens accessions and the O. basilicum var. dianatnejadii accessions, although the data showed no major chemotype variation between the studied varieties. Indeed, the CA revealed only one principal chemotype (methyl chavicol/linalool) for both varieties. In conclusion, GC/MS analyses in combination with CA showed to be a flexible and reliable method for the characterization of the chemical profiles of different varieties of Ocimum basilicum L. Copyright © 2013 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

Characterization and effectiveness of pay-for-performance in ophthalmology: a systematic review.

PubMed

Herbst, Tim; Emmert, Martin

2017-06-05

To identify, characterize and compare existing pay-for-performance approaches and their impact on the quality of care and efficiency in ophthalmology. A systematic evidence-based review was conducted. English, French and German written literature published between 2000 and 2015 were searched in the following databases: Medline (via PubMed), NCBI web site, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, Econlit and the Cochrane Library. Empirical as well as descriptive articles were included. Controlled clinical trials, meta-analyses, randomized controlled studies as well as observational studies were included as empirical articles. Systematic characterization of identified pay-for-performance approaches (P4P approaches) was conducted according to the "Model for Implementing and Monitoring Incentives for Quality" (MIMIQ). Methodological quality of empirical articles was assessed according to the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklists. Overall, 13 relevant articles were included. Eleven articles were descriptive and two articles included empirical analyses. Based on these articles, four different pay-for-performance approaches implemented in the United States were identified. With regard to quality and incentive elements, systematic comparison showed numerous differences between P4P approaches. Empirical studies showed isolated cost or quality effects, while a simultaneous examination of these effects was missing. Research results show that experiences with pay-for-performance approaches in ophthalmology are limited. Identified approaches differ with regard to quality and incentive elements restricting comparability. Two empirical studies are insufficient to draw strong conclusions about the effectiveness and efficiency of these approaches.

The landscape context of cereal aphid–parasitoid interactions

PubMed Central

Thies, Carsten; Roschewitz, Indra; Tscharntke, Teja

2005-01-01

Analyses at multiple spatial scales may show how important ecosystem services such as biological control are determined by processes acting on the landscape scale. We examined cereal aphid–parasitoid interactions in wheat fields in agricultural landscapes differing in structural complexity (32–100% arable land). Complex landscapes were associated with increased aphid mortality resulting from parasitism, but also with higher aphid colonization, thereby counterbalancing possible biological control by parasitoids and lastly resulting in similar aphid densities across landscapes. Thus, undisturbed perennial habitats appeared to enhance both pests and natural enemies. Analyses at multiple spatial scales (landscape sectors of 0.5–6 km diameter) showed that correlations between parasitism and percentage of arable land were significant at scales of 0.5–2 km, whereas aphid densities responded to percentage of arable land at scales of 1–6 km diameter. Hence, the higher trophic level populations appeared to be determined by smaller landscape sectors owing to dispersal limitation, showing the ‘functional spatial scale’ for species-specific landscape management. PMID:15695212

High-resolution structural and elemental analyses of calcium storage structures synthesized by the noble crayfish Astacus astacus.

PubMed

Luquet, Gilles; Salomé, Murielle; Ziegler, Andreas; Paris, Céline; Percot, Aline; Dauphin, Yannicke

2016-11-01

During premolt, crayfish develop deposits of calcium ions, called gastroliths, in their stomach wall. The stored calcium is used for the calcification of parts of the skeleton regularly renewed for allowing growth. Structural and molecular analyses of gastroliths have been primarily performed on three crayfish species, Orconectes virilis, Procambarus clarkii, and more recently, Cherax quadricarinatus. We have performed high-resolution analyses of gastroliths from the native noble crayfish, Astacus astacus, focusing on the microstructure, the mineralogical and elemental composition and distribution in a comparative perspective. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) observations showed a classical layered microstructure composed of 200-nm diameter granules aligned along fibers. These granules are themselves composed of agglomerated nanogranules of 50nm-mean diameters. Denser regions of bigger fused granules are also present. Micro-Raman spectroscopy show that if A. astacus gastroliths, similarly to the other analyzed gastroliths, are mainly composed of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), they are also rich in amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP). The presence of a carotenoid pigment is also observed in A. astacus gastrolith contrary to C. quadricarinatus. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses demonstrate the presence of minor elements such as Mg, Sr, Si and P. The distribution of this last element is particularly heterogeneous. X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES) reveals an alternation of layers more or less rich in phosphorus evidenced in the mineral phase as well as in the organic matrix in different molecular forms. Putative functions of the different P-comprising molecules are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Type D personality and health status in cardiovascular disease populations: a meta-analysis of prospective studies.

PubMed

Versteeg, Henneke; Spek, Viola; Pedersen, Susanne S; Denollet, Johan

2012-12-01

Knowledge of the factors associated with individual differences in patient-reported outcomes is essential to identify high-risk patients and improve secondary prevention. In this meta-analysis, we examined the association between Type D personality and the individual differences in patient-reported physical and mental health status among cardiovascular patients. A computerized search of the literature through PUBMED and PsychINFO (from 1995 to May 2011) was performed and prospective studies were selected that analysed the association between Type D personality and health status in cardiovascular patients. Two separate meta-analyses were performed for the association of Type D personality with physical and mental health status, respectively. Of all identified studies, ten studies met the selection criteria. The meta-analyses showed that Type D was associated with a two-fold increased odds for impaired physical health status (3035 patients, OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.49-2.52) and a 2.5-fold increased odds for impaired mental health status (2213 patients, OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.57-4.16). There was no significant heterogeneity between the studies on physical health status (Q = 12.78; p = 0.17; I(2 )= 29.59), but there was between those on mental health status (Q = 21.91; p = 0.003; I(2 )= 68.04). Subgroup analyses showed that the association between Type D and mental health status decreased yet remained significant when adjusting for baseline health status. Type D personality was shown to be an independent correlate of impaired patient-reported physical and mental health status in various cardiovascular patient groups. Clinicians should be aware of the association between chronic psychological distress and poor patient-reported outcomes.

Variability and genetic structure of the population of watermelon mosaic virus infecting melon in Spain.

PubMed

Moreno, I M; Malpica, J M; Díaz-Pendón, J A; Moriones, E; Fraile, A; García-Arenal, F

2004-01-05

The genetic structure of the population of Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) in Spain was analysed by the biological and molecular characterisation of isolates sampled from its main host plant, melon. The population was a highly homogeneous one, built of a single pathotype, and comprising isolates closely related genetically. There was indication of temporal replacement of genotypes, but not of spatial structure of the population. Analyses of nucleotide sequences in three genomic regions, that is, in the cistrons for the P1, cylindrical inclusion (CI) and capsid (CP) proteins, showed lower similar values of nucleotide diversity for the P1 than for the CI or CP cistrons. The CI protein and the CP were under tighter evolutionary constraints than the P1 protein. Also, for the CI and CP cistrons, but not for the P1 cistron, two groups of sequences, defining two genetic strains, were apparent. Thus, different genomic regions of WMV show different evolutionary dynamics. Interestingly, for the CI and CP cistrons, sequences were clustered into two regions of the sequence space, defining the two strains above, and no intermediary sequences were identified. Recombinant isolates were found, accounting for at least 7% of the population. These recombinants presented two interesting features: (i) crossover points were detected between the analysed regions in the CI and CP cistrons, but not between those in the P1 and CI cistrons, (ii) crossover points were not observed within the analysed coding regions for the P1, CI or CP proteins. This indicates strong selection against isolates with recombinant proteins, even when originated from closely related strains. Hence, data indicate that genotypes of WMV, generated by mutation or recombination, outside of acceptable, discrete, regions in the evolutionary space, are eliminated from the virus population by negative selection.

New software for cervical vertebral geometry assessment and its relationship to skeletal maturation—a pilot study

PubMed Central

Cunha, A R; Júnior, G C; Fernandes, N; Campos, M J S; Costa, L F M; Vitral, R W F; Bolognese, A M

2014-01-01

Objectives: In the present study, we developed new software for quantitative analysis of cervical vertebrae maturation, and we evaluated its applicability through a multinomial logistic regression model (MLRM). Methods: Digitized images of the bodies of the second (C2), third (C3) and fourth (C4) cervical vertebrae were analysed in cephalometric radiographs of 236 subjects (116 boys and 120 girls) by using a software developed for digitized vertebrae analysis. The sample was initially distributed into 11 categories according to the Fishman's skeletal maturity indicators and were then grouped into four stages for quantitative cervical maturational changes (QCMC) analysis (QCMC I, II, III and IV). Seven variables of interest were measured and analysed to identify morphologic alterations of the vertebral bodies in each QCMC category. Results: Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed among all QCMC categories for the variables analysed. The MLRM used to calculate the probability that an individual belonged to each of the four cervical vertebrae maturation categories was constructed by taking into account gender, chronological age and four variables determined by digitized vertebrae analysis (Ang_C3, MP_C3, MP_C4 and SP_C4). The MLRM presented a predictability of 81.4%. The weighted κ test showed almost perfect agreement (κ = 0.832) between the categories defined initially by the method of Fishman and those allocated by the MLRM. Conclusions: Significant alterations in the morphologies of the C2, C3 and C4 vertebral bodies that were analysed through the digitized vertebrae analysis software occur during the different stages of skeletal maturation. The model that combines the four parameters measured on the vertebral bodies, the age and the gender showed an excellent prediction. PMID:24319125

The GnRH analogue triptorelin confers ovarian radio-protection to adult female rats.

PubMed

Camats, N; García, F; Parrilla, J J; Calaf, J; Martín-Mateo, M; Caldés, M Garcia

2009-10-02

There is a controversy regarding the effects of the analogues of the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in radiotherapy. This has led us to study the possible radio-protection of the ovarian function of a GnRH agonist analogue (GnRHa), triptorelin, in adult, female rats (Rattus norvegicus sp.). The effects of the X-irradiation on the oocytes of ovarian primordial follicles, with and without GnRHa treatment, were compared, directly in the female rats (F(0)) with reproductive parameters, and in the somatic cells of the resulting foetuses (F(1)) with cytogenetical parameters. In order to do this, the ovaries and uteri from 82 females were extracted for the reproductive analysis and 236 foetuses were obtained for cytogenetical analysis. The cytogenetical study was based on the data from 22,151 metaphases analysed. The cytogenetical parameters analysed to assess the existence of chromosomal instability were the number of aberrant metaphases (2234) and the number (2854) and type of structural chromosomal aberrations, including gaps and breaks. Concerning the reproductive analysis of the ovaries and the uteri, the parameters analysed were the number of corpora lutea, implantations, implantation losses and foetuses. Triptorelin confers radio-protection of the ovaries in front of chromosomal instability, which is different, with respect to the single and fractioned dose. The cytogenetical analysis shows a general decrease in most of the parameters of the triptorelin-treated groups, with respect to their controls, and some of these differences were considered to be statistically significant. The reproductive analysis indicates that there is also radio-protection by the agonist, although minor to the cytogenetical one. Only some of the analysed parameters show a statistically significant decrease in the triptorelin-treated groups.

Ecological and socio-demographic differences in maternal care services in Nepal

PubMed Central

Singh, Rajvir

2015-01-01

Background. Nepal is set to achieve MDG-5 goals by end of 2015. However, maternal health parameters will remain way below those of developed countries. This study was conducted to assess the factors contributing to utilization of ANC and safe delivery services with the aim of furthering overall maternal health parameters in Nepal. Material and Methods. Using survey data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011, socio-economic and demographic factors associated with the utilization of ANC and safe delivery services among women aged 15–49 years who gave births during the last three years preceding the survey are examined. Data was segregated into three ecological zones: Mountain, Hill and Terai zones for univariate analyses. Data from all three zones was then pooled for univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses of Antenatal Care and Safe Delivery services in Nepal. Results and Conclusion. The analyses show that rural place of residence is at a disadvantage in receiving ANC (OR, 0.8; 95% CI [0.7–0.9]) and ensuring safe delivery (OR, 0.6; 95% CI [0.5–0.7]). Woman’s education, husband’s education and wealth quintile are significant factors in ensuring ANC and safe delivery services. Further, the analyses show that Budh/Muslim/Kirat/Christians are at a significant disadvantage in ensuring safe delivery (OR, 0.8; 95% CI [0.7–0.9]) as compared with Hindus. Though ecological zones lost their significance in receiving ANC, women in the Terai region are at a significant advantage in ensuring safe delivery (OR, 1.7; 95% CI [1.2–2.1]). Recommendation. Segregated targets should be set for the different ecological zones for further improvement in maternal mortality rates in Nepal. PMID:26355429

A multi-state model for sick-leave data applied to a randomized control trial study of low back pain.

PubMed

Lie, Stein Atle; Eriksen, Hege R; Ursin, Holger; Hagen, Eli Molde

2008-05-01

Analysing and presenting data on different outcomes after sick-leave is challenging. The use of extended statistical methods supplies additional information and allows further exploitation of data. Four hundred and fifty-seven patients, sick-listed for 8-12 weeks for low back pain, were randomized to intervention (n=237) or control (n=220). Outcome was measured as: "sick-listed'', "returned to work'', or "disability pension''. The individuals shifted between the three states between one and 22 times (mean 6.4 times). In a multi-state model, shifting between the states was set up in a transition intensity matrix. The probability of being in any of the states was calculated as a transition probability matrix. The effects of the intervention were modelled using a non-parametric model. There was an effect of the intervention for leaving the state sick-listed and shifting to returned to work (relative risk (RR)=1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09- 1.47). The nonparametric estimates showed an effect of the intervention for leaving sick-listed and shifting to returned to work in the first 6 months. We found a protective effect of the intervention for shifting back to sick-listed between 6 and 18 months. The analyses showed that the probability of staying in the state returned to work was not different between the intervention and control groups at the end of the follow-up (3 years). We demonstrate that these alternative analyses give additional results and increase the strength of the analyses. The simple intervention did not decrease the probability of being on sick-leave in the long term; however, it decreased the time that individuals were on sick-leave.

Population-level impact of Zimbabwe's National Behavioural Change Programme.

PubMed

Buzdugan, Raluca; Benedikt, Clemens; Langhaug, Lisa; Copas, Andrew; Mundida, Oscar; Mugurungi, Owen; Watadzaushe, Constancia; Dirawo, Jeffrey; Tambashe, Basile O; Chidiya, Samson; Woelk, Godfrey; Cowan, Frances M

2014-12-15

To assess the impact of Zimbabwe's National Behavioural Change Programme (NBCP) on biological and behavioral outcomes. Representative household biobehavioral surveys of 18- to 44-year-olds were conducted in randomly selected enumeration areas in 2007 and 2011 to 2012. We examined program impact on HIV prevalence among young women, nonregular partnerships, condom use with nonregular partners, and HIV testing, distinguishing between highly exposed and low-exposed communities and individuals. We conducted (1) difference-in-differences analyses with communities as unit of analysis and (2) analyses of key outcomes by individual-level program exposure. Four thousand seven hundred seventy-six people were recruited in 2007 and 10,059 in 2011 to 2012. We found high exposure to NBCP in 2011. Prevalence of HIV and reported risky behaviors declined between 2007 and 2011. Community-level analyses showed a smaller decline in HIV prevalence among young women in highly exposed areas (11.0%-10.1%) than low-exposed areas (16.9%-10.3%, P = 0.078). Among young men, uptake of nonregular partners declined more in highly exposed areas (25%-16.8%) than low-exposed areas (21.9%-20.7%, P = 0.055) and HIV testing increased (27.2%-46.1% vs. 31.0%-34.4%, P = 0.004). Individual-level analyses showed higher reported condom use with nonregular partners among highly exposed young women (53% vs. 21% of unexposed counterparts, P = 0.037). We conducted the first impact evaluation of a NBCP and found positive effects of program exposure on key behaviors among certain gender and age groups. HIV prevalence among young women declined but could not be attributed to program exposure. These findings suggest substantial program effects regarding demand creation and justify program expansion.

New software for cervical vertebral geometry assessment and its relationship to skeletal maturation--a pilot study.

PubMed

Santiago, R C; Cunha, A R; Júnior, G C; Fernandes, N; Campos, M J S; Costa, L F M; Vitral, R W F; Bolognese, A M

2014-01-01

In the present study, we developed new software for quantitative analysis of cervical vertebrae maturation, and we evaluated its applicability through a multinomial logistic regression model (MLRM). Digitized images of the bodies of the second (C2), third (C3) and fourth (C4) cervical vertebrae were analysed in cephalometric radiographs of 236 subjects (116 boys and 120 girls) by using a software developed for digitized vertebrae analysis. The sample was initially distributed into 11 categories according to the Fishman's skeletal maturity indicators and were then grouped into four stages for quantitative cervical maturational changes (QCMC) analysis (QCMC I, II, III and IV). Seven variables of interest were measured and analysed to identify morphologic alterations of the vertebral bodies in each QCMC category. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed among all QCMC categories for the variables analysed. The MLRM used to calculate the probability that an individual belonged to each of the four cervical vertebrae maturation categories was constructed by taking into account gender, chronological age and four variables determined by digitized vertebrae analysis (Ang_C3, MP_C3, MP_C4 and SP_C4). The MLRM presented a predictability of 81.4%. The weighted κ test showed almost perfect agreement (κ = 0.832) between the categories defined initially by the method of Fishman and those allocated by the MLRM. Significant alterations in the morphologies of the C2, C3 and C4 vertebral bodies that were analysed through the digitized vertebrae analysis software occur during the different stages of skeletal maturation. The model that combines the four parameters measured on the vertebral bodies, the age and the gender showed an excellent prediction.

Phylogenetic analysis shows the general diversification pattern of deep-sea notacanthiforms (Teleostei: Elopomorpha).

PubMed

Barros-García, David; Froufe, Elsa; Bañón, Rafael; Carlos Arronte, Juan; de Carlos, Alejandro

2018-07-01

The Notacanthiformes is an ancient group of deep-sea ray-finned fishes comprising 27 species in two families; Halosauridae and Notacanthidae. Although many studies have tried to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships among the major clades of Elopomorpha, little is known about the evolutionary history of notacanthiforms. Molecular and morphological data were used to test previous hypotheses regarding the phylogenetic relationships among notacanthiform taxa, and to unravel the origin and evolution of this group. The molecular analyses of notacanthids showed similar results to those previously obtained employing osteological data, which proposed the existence of the Lipogenyinae (Lipogenys) and Notacanthinae (Notacanthus + Polyacanthonotus) subfamilies. Nevertheless, when the external morphology data is considered Lipogenys is more related to Notacanthus than Polyacanthonotus. The analyses could not fully resolve the inner relationships of the halosaurids. The time-calibrated tree of the order Notacanthiformes shows a long process of diversification spanning from the upper Cretaceous, to 50 million years after the K-Pg extinction, with the gradual emergence of all the modern families and genera of the group. This is the first specific phylogeny of the order Notacanthiformes, combining different analyses and data in order to obtain a wider perspective of the evolution and diversification of this group of fishes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Communication about patient pain in primary care: development of the Physician-Patient Communication about Pain scale (PCAP).

PubMed

Haskard-Zolnierek, Kelly B

2012-01-01

This paper describes the development of the 47-item Physician-Patient Communication about Pain (PCAP) scale for use with audiotaped medical visit interactions. Patient pain was assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study SF-36 Bodily Pain Scale. Four raters assessed 181 audiotaped patient interactions with 68 physicians. Descriptive statistics of PCAP items were computed. Principal components analyses with 20 scale items were used to reduce the scale to composite variables for analyses. Validity was assessed through (1) comparing PCAP composite scores for patients with high versus low pain and (2) correlating PCAP composites with a separate communication rating scale. Principal components analyses yielded four physician and five patient communication composites (mean alpha=.77). Some evidence for concurrent validity was provided (5 of 18 correlations with communication validation rating scale were significant). Paired-sample t tests showed significant differences for 4 patient PCAP composites, showing the PCAP scale discriminates between high and low pain patients' communication. The PCAP scale shows partial evidence of reliability and two forms of validity. More research with this scale (developing more reliable and valid composites) is needed to extend these preliminary findings before this scale is applicable for use in practice. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gender differences in highway driving performance after administration of sleep medication: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Verster, Joris C; Roth, Thomas

2012-01-01

It is generally assumed that there are minimal gender differences in the safety and efficacy of central nervous system drugs, as is evidenced by men and women receiving the same drug dosage. There is, however, evidence that drugs may have a differential effect on performance in men and women, given reported differences in pharmacokinetics as well as the presence or absence and severity of adverse effects. It is especially important to verify whether gender differences in performance exist in case of activities that have potentially dangerous outcomes such as driving a car. This review summarizes the current scientific evidence on gender differences in driving performance after treatment with hypnotic drugs. A literature search was conducted to obtain all studies that conducted on-road driving tests to examine the effects hypnotic drugs on driving. Cross-references were checked and technical reports and raw data were obtained, if possible. Fourteen studies were evaluated. Many studies did not allow analyses of gender effects because only women were included. Others did not report data on gender analyses. Technical reports and additional data analyses revealed significant gender differences in driving performance the morning following bedtime administration of flurazepam (30 mg) and after middle-of-the-night administration of zolpidem (10 mg). No significant gender differences were found for ramelteon (8 mg), lormetazepam (1 and 2 mg), zaleplon (10 and 20 mg), and zopiclone (7.5 mg). Although the available data are limited, the results show that significant gender differences have been found for some drugs but not others. Therefore, in the future more research is needed to reveal potential gender differences and to determine what mediates them.

EDTA analysis on the Roche MODULAR analyser.

PubMed

Davidson, D F

2007-05-01

Patient specimens can be subject to subtle interference from cross contamination by liquid-based, potassium-containing EDTA anticoagulant, leading to misinterpretation of results. A rapid method for EDTA analysis to detect such contamination is described. An in-house EDTA assay on the Roche MODULAR analyser was assessed for accuracy and precision by comparison with an adjusted calcium difference measurement (atomic absorption and o-cresolphthalein complexone colorimetry). EDTA method versus adjusted calcium difference showed: slope = 1.038 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.949-1.131); intercept = 0.073 (95% CI 0.018-0.132) mmol/L; r = 0.914; n = 94. However, inter-assay precision of the calcium difference method was estimated to be poorer (coefficient of variation 24.8% versus 3.4% for the automated colorimetric method at an EDTA concentration of 0.25 mmol/L). Unequivocal contamination was observed at an EDTA concentration of > or =0.2 mmol/L. The automated method showed positive interference from haemolysis and negative interference from oxalate. The method was unaffected by lipaemia (triglycerides <20 mmol/L), icterus (bilirubin <500 micromol/L), glucose (<100 mmol/L), iron (<100 micromol/L), and citrate, phosphate or fluoride (all <2.5 mmol/L). The automated colorimetric assay described is an accurate, precise and rapid (3 min) means of detecting EDTA contamination of unhaemolysed biochemistry specimens.

Examining the response of larch needle carbohydrates to climate using compound-specific δ13C and concentration analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinne, Katja T.; Saurer, Matthias; Kirdyanov, Alexander V.; Bryukhanova, Marina V.; Prokushkin, Anatoly S.; Churakova Sidorova, Olga V.; Siegwolf, Rolf T. W.

2016-04-01

Little is known about the dynamics of concentrations and carbon isotope ratios of individual carbohydrates in leaves in response to climatic and physiological factors. Improved knowledge of the isotopic ratio in sugars will enhance our understanding of the tree ring isotope ratio and will help to decipher environmental conditions in retrospect more reliably. Carbohydrate samples from larch (Larix gmelinii) needles of two sites in the continuous permafrost zone of Siberia with differing growth conditions were analysed with the Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis (CSIA). We compared concentrations and carbon isotope values (δ13C) of sucrose, fructose, glucose and pinitol combined with phenological data. The results for the variability of the needle carbohydrates show high dynamics with distinct seasonal characteristics between and within the studied years with a clear link to the climatic conditions, particularly vapour pressure deficit. Compound-specific differences in δ13C values as a response to climate were detected. The δ13C of pinitol, which contributes up to 50% of total soluble carbohydrates, was almost invariant during the whole growing season. Our study provides the first in-depth characterization of compound-specific needle carbohydrate isotope variability, identifies involved mechanisms and shows the potential of such results for linking tree physiological responses to different climatic conditions.

Analysis of intraspecific seed diversity in Astragalus aquilanus (Fabaceae), an endemic species of Central Apennine.

PubMed

Di Cecco, V; Di Musciano, M; D'Archivio, A A; Frattaroli, A R; Di Martino, L

2018-05-20

This work aims to study seeds of the endemic species Astragalus aquilanus from four different populations of central Italy. We investigated seed morpho-colorimetric features (shape and size) and chemical differences (through infrared spectroscopy) among populations and between dark and light seeds. Seed morpho-colorimetric quantitative variables, describing shape, size and colour traits, were measured using image analysis techniques. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to attempt seed chemical characterisation. The measured data were analysed by step-wise linear discriminant analysis (LDA). Moreover, we analysed the correlation between the four most important traits and six climatic variables extracted from WorldClim 2.0. The LDA on seeds traits shows clear differentiation of the four populations, which can be attributed to different chemical composition, as confirmed by Wilk's lambda test (P < 0.001). A strong correlation between morphometric traits and temperature (annual mean temperature, mean temperature of the warmest and coolest quarter), colorimetric traits and precipitation (annual precipitation, precipitation of wettest and driest quarter) was observed. The characterisation of A. aquilanus seeds shows large intraspecific plasticity both in morpho-colorimetric and chemical composition. These results confirm the strong relationship between the type of seed produced and the climatic variables. © 2018 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis of hypromellose 2910 free films.

PubMed

Cespi, Marco; Bonacucina, Giulia; Mencarelli, Giovanna; Casettari, Luca; Palmieri, Giovanni Filippo

2011-10-01

It is common practice to coat oral solid dosage forms with polymeric materials for controlled release purposes or for practical and aesthetic reasons. Good knowledge of thermo-mechanical film properties or their variation as a function of polymer grade, type and amount of additives or preparation method is of prime importance in developing solid dosage forms. This work focused on the dynamic mechanical thermal characteristics of free films of hypromellose 2910 (also known as HPMC), prepared using three grades of this polymer from two different manufacturers, in order to assess whether polymer chain length or origin affects the mechanical or thermo-mechanical properties of the final films. Hypromellose free films were obtained by casting their aqueous solutions prepared at a specific concentrations in order to obtain the same viscosity for each. The films were stored at room temperature until dried and then examined using a dynamic mechanical analyser. The results of the frequency scans showed no significant differences in the mechanical moduli E' and E″ of the different samples when analysed at room temperature; however, the grade of the polymer affected material transitions during the heating process. Glass transition temperature, apparent activation energy and fragility parameters depended on polymer chain length, while the material brand showed little impact on film performance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geographical and temporal flexibility in the response to crosswinds by migrating raptors.

PubMed

Klaassen, Raymond H G; Hake, Mikael; Strandberg, Roine; Alerstam, Thomas

2011-05-07

Wind and ocean currents may potentially have important effects on travelling animals, as an animal which does not respond to lateral flow will be drifted from its intended direction of movement. By analysing daily movements of migrating ospreys Pandion haliaetus and marsh harriers Circus aeruginosus, as recorded by satellite telemetry, in relation to global wind data, we showed that these raptors allow on average 47 per cent drift. Furthermore, our analyses revealed significant geographical and temporal variation in the response to crosswinds. During some parts of the migration, the birds drifted and in other parts they compensated or even overcompensated. In some regions, the response of marsh harriers depended on the wind direction. They drifted when the wind came from one side and (over)compensated when the wind came from the opposite side, and this flexible response was different in different geographical regions. These results suggest that migrating raptors modulate their response to crosswinds at different places and times during their travels and show that individual birds use a much more varied repertoire of behavioural responses to wind than hitherto assumed. Our results may also explain why contrasting and variable results have been obtained in previous studies of the effect of wind on bird migration.

Geographical and temporal flexibility in the response to crosswinds by migrating raptors

PubMed Central

Klaassen, Raymond H. G.; Hake, Mikael; Strandberg, Roine; Alerstam, Thomas

2011-01-01

Wind and ocean currents may potentially have important effects on travelling animals, as an animal which does not respond to lateral flow will be drifted from its intended direction of movement. By analysing daily movements of migrating ospreys Pandion haliaetus and marsh harriers Circus aeruginosus, as recorded by satellite telemetry, in relation to global wind data, we showed that these raptors allow on average 47 per cent drift. Furthermore, our analyses revealed significant geographical and temporal variation in the response to crosswinds. During some parts of the migration, the birds drifted and in other parts they compensated or even overcompensated. In some regions, the response of marsh harriers depended on the wind direction. They drifted when the wind came from one side and (over)compensated when the wind came from the opposite side, and this flexible response was different in different geographical regions. These results suggest that migrating raptors modulate their response to crosswinds at different places and times during their travels and show that individual birds use a much more varied repertoire of behavioural responses to wind than hitherto assumed. Our results may also explain why contrasting and variable results have been obtained in previous studies of the effect of wind on bird migration. PMID:20980299

Designs and performance of three new microprocessor-controlled knee joints.

PubMed

Thiele, Julius; Schöllig, Christina; Bellmann, Malte; Kraft, Marc

2018-02-09

A crossover design study with a small group of subjects was used to evaluate the performance of three microprocessor-controlled exoprosthetic knee joints (MPKs): C-Leg 4, Plié 3 and Rheo Knee 3. Given that the mechanical designs and control algorithms of the joints determine the user outcome, the influence of these inherent differences on the functional characteristics was investigated in this study. The knee joints were evaluated during level-ground walking at different velocities in a motion analysis laboratory. Additionally, technical analyses using patents, technical documentations and X-ray computed tomography (CT) for each knee joint were performed. The technical analyses showed that only C-Leg 4 and Rheo Knee 3 allow microprocessor-controlled adaptation of the joint resistances for different gait velocities. Furthermore, Plié 3 is not able to provide stance extension damping. The biomechanical results showed that only if a knee joint adapts flexion and extension resistances by the microprocessor all known advantages of MPKs can become apparent. But not all users may benefit from the examined functions: e.g. a good accommodation to fast walking speeds or comfortable stance phase flexion. Hence, a detailed comparison of user demands and performance of the designated knee joint is mandatory to ensure a maximum in user outcome.

VDR polymorphisms are associated with bone mineral density in post-menopausal Mayan-Mestizo women.

PubMed

Canto-Cetina, Thelma; Cetina Manzanilla, José Antonio; González Herrera, Lizbeth; Rojano-Mejía, David; Coral-Vázquez, Ramón Mauricio; Coronel, Agustín; Canto, Patricia

2015-01-01

Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), which is determined by an interaction of genetic, metabolic and environmental factors. To analyse the association between two polymorphisms of VDR as well as their haplotypes with BMD in post-menopausal Maya-Mestizo women. This study comprised 600 post-menopausal Maya-Mestizo women. A structured questionnaire for risk factors was applied and BMD was assessed at the lumbar spine (LS) and total hip (TH) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. DNA was extracted from blood leukocytes. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms of VDR (rs731236 and rs2228570) were studied using real-time PCR allelic discrimination for genotyping. Differences between the means of the BMDs according to the genotype were analysed with covariance. Haplotype analysis was conducted. TT genotype of rs731236 of VDR had higher BMD at total hip and femoral neck (FN), and one haplotype formed by the two polymorphisms was associated with only TH-BMD variations. This difference was statistically significant after adjustment for confounders. The genotype of rs2228570 of VDR analysis showed no significant differences with BMD variations. The results showed that the TT genotype of rs731236 of VDR and one haplotype formed by rs731236 and rs2228570 polymorphisms were associated with higher BMD at TH and FN.

Metallic content of wines from the Canary Islands (Spain). Application of artificial neural networks to the data analysis.

PubMed

Frías, Sergio; Conde, José E; Rodríguez, Miguel A; Dohnal, Vlasta; Pérez-Trujillo, Juan P

2002-10-01

Eleven elements, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Sr, Li and Rb, were determined in dry and sweet wines bearing the denominations of origin of El Hierro, La Palma and Lanzarote islands (Canary Islands, Spain). Analyses were performed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, with the exceptions of Li and Rb for which flame atomic emission spectrophotometry was used. The content in copper and iron did not present risks of cases. All samples presented a copper and zinc content below the maximum amount recommended by the Office International de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) for these elements. Significant differences in the metallic content were found among the different islands. Thus, Lanzarote presented the highest mean content in sodium and lithium and the lowest mean content in rubidium, and La Palma presented the highest mean content in strontium and rubidium. Sweet wines from La Palma, elaborated as naturally sweet with over-ripe grapes, presented mean contents significantly higher with regard to dry wines from the same island in the majority of the analysed elements. Cluster analysis and Kohonen self-organising maps showed differences in wines according to the island of origin and the ripening state of the grapes. Back-propagation artificial neural networks showed better prediction ability than stepwise linear discriminant analysis.

Review. Specificity in pollination and consequences for postmating reproductive isolation in deceptive Mediterranean orchids.

PubMed

Cozzolino, Salvatore; Scopece, Giovanni

2008-09-27

The type of reproductive isolation prevalent in the initial stages of species divergence can affect the nature and rate of emergence of additional reproductive barriers that subsequently strengthen isolation between species. Different groups of Mediterranean deceptive orchids are characterized by different levels of pollinator specificity. Whereas food-deceptive orchid species show weak pollinator specificity, the sexually deceptive Ophrys species display a more specialized pollination strategy. Comparative analyses reveal that orchids with high pollinator specificity mostly rely on premating reproductive barriers and have very little postmating isolation. In this group, a shift to a novel pollinator achieved by modifying the odour bouquet may represent the main isolation mechanism involved in speciation. By contrast, orchids with weak premating isolation, such as generalized food-deceptive orchids, show strong evidence for intrinsic postmating reproductive barriers, particularly for late-acting postzygotic barriers such as hybrid sterility. In such species, chromosomal differences may have played a key role in species isolation, although strong postmating-prezygotic isolation has also evolved in these orchids. Molecular analyses of hybrid zones indicate that the types and strength of reproductive barriers in deceptive orchids with contrasting premating isolation mechanisms directly affect the rate and evolutionary consequences of hybridization and the nature of species differentiation.

Emotion appraisal dimensions inferred from vocal expressions are consistent across cultures: a comparison between Australia and India.

PubMed

Nordström, Henrik; Laukka, Petri; Thingujam, Nutankumar S; Schubert, Emery; Elfenbein, Hillary Anger

2017-11-01

This study explored the perception of emotion appraisal dimensions on the basis of speech prosody in a cross-cultural setting. Professional actors from Australia and India vocally portrayed different emotions (anger, fear, happiness, pride, relief, sadness, serenity and shame) by enacting emotion-eliciting situations. In a balanced design, participants from Australia and India then inferred aspects of the emotion-eliciting situation from the vocal expressions, described in terms of appraisal dimensions (novelty, intrinsic pleasantness, goal conduciveness, urgency, power and norm compatibility). Bayesian analyses showed that the perceived appraisal profiles for the vocally expressed emotions were generally consistent with predictions based on appraisal theories. Few group differences emerged, which suggests that the perceived appraisal profiles are largely universal. However, some differences between Australian and Indian participants were also evident, mainly for ratings of norm compatibility. The appraisal ratings were further correlated with a variety of acoustic measures in exploratory analyses, and inspection of the acoustic profiles suggested similarity across groups. In summary, results showed that listeners may infer several aspects of emotion-eliciting situations from the non-verbal aspects of a speaker's voice. These appraisal inferences also seem to be relatively independent of the cultural background of the listener and the speaker.

Emotion appraisal dimensions inferred from vocal expressions are consistent across cultures: a comparison between Australia and India

PubMed Central

Thingujam, Nutankumar S.; Schubert, Emery

2017-01-01

This study explored the perception of emotion appraisal dimensions on the basis of speech prosody in a cross-cultural setting. Professional actors from Australia and India vocally portrayed different emotions (anger, fear, happiness, pride, relief, sadness, serenity and shame) by enacting emotion-eliciting situations. In a balanced design, participants from Australia and India then inferred aspects of the emotion-eliciting situation from the vocal expressions, described in terms of appraisal dimensions (novelty, intrinsic pleasantness, goal conduciveness, urgency, power and norm compatibility). Bayesian analyses showed that the perceived appraisal profiles for the vocally expressed emotions were generally consistent with predictions based on appraisal theories. Few group differences emerged, which suggests that the perceived appraisal profiles are largely universal. However, some differences between Australian and Indian participants were also evident, mainly for ratings of norm compatibility. The appraisal ratings were further correlated with a variety of acoustic measures in exploratory analyses, and inspection of the acoustic profiles suggested similarity across groups. In summary, results showed that listeners may infer several aspects of emotion-eliciting situations from the non-verbal aspects of a speaker's voice. These appraisal inferences also seem to be relatively independent of the cultural background of the listener and the speaker. PMID:29291085

Drug survival of the first course of anti-TNF agents in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and seronegative spondyloarthritis: analysis from the MonitorNet database.

PubMed

Scirè, Carlo A; Caporali, Roberto; Sarzi-Puttini, Piercarlo; Frediani, Bruno; Di Franco, Manuela; Tincani, Angela; Sinigaglia, Luigi; Sfriso, Paolo; Tirri, Rosella; Bellis, Emanuela; Delsante, Giovanni; Porru, Giovanni; Salaffi, Fausto; Giuggioli, Dilia; Rossini, Maurizio; Todoerti, Monica; Bazzichi, Laura; Govoni, Marcello; Gerli, Roberto; Raschetti, Roberto; Minisola, Giovanni; Montecucco, Carlomaurizio; Todesco, Silvano

2013-01-01

To compare drug survival of different anti-TNF drugs (infliximab, INF, etanercept, ETA, and adalimumab, ADA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA) by analysing data collected from an Italian multicenter observational cohort study. All patients with RA or SpA registered in the MonitorNet database who started their first course of anti-TNF therapy were included. Overall drug survival was measured, along with specific reasons of discontinuation (inefficacy or adverse events). A first set of analyses using RA as reference category assessed the relationship between diagnosis and drug survival. A second set of analyses stratified by diagnosis (RA and SpA) used INF as reference drug. Adjustment for confounders was performed. The results are presented as adjusted hazard ratios (adjHR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). 2640 RA patients and 1220 SpA patients with a median follow-up of 17 months (IQR 7.2-33.4) were included in the analyses. Patients with a diagnosis of SpA showed a lower risk of drug discontinuation with an adjHR (95%CI) of 0.81 (0.73, 0.90). In SpA, the subset of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) showed the best survival on treatment. In RA, both ETA and ADA showed a significantly lower probability of withdrawal when compared to INF [adjHR (95%CI) 0.46 (0.38, 0.56) and 0.68 (0.57, 0.81), respectively]. Similar results were found in SpA. Drug survival for SpA is longer than that in RA mainly due to the AS subgroup. In both RA and SpA, ETA and ADA showed a better retention on treatment when compared to INF.

[Distribution of soil heavy metal and pollution evaluation on the different sampling scales in farmland on Yellow River irrigation area of Ningxia: a case study in Xingqing County of Yinchuan City].

PubMed

Wang, You-Qi; Bai, Yi-Ru; Wang, Jian-Yu

2014-07-01

Determining spatial distributions and analyses contamination condition of soil heavy metals play an important role in evaluation of the quality of agricultural ecological environment and the protection of food safety and human health. Topsoil samples (0-20 cm) from 223 sites in farmland were collected at two scales of sampling grid (1 m x 1 m, 10 m x 10 m) in the Yellow River irrigation area of Ningxia. The objectives of this study were to investigate the spatial variability of total copper (Cu), total zinc (Zn), total chrome (Cr), total cadmium (Cd) and total lead (Pb) on the two sampling scales by the classical and geostatistical analyses. The single pollution index (P(i)) and the Nemerow pollution index (P) were used to evaluate the soil heavy metal pollution. The classical statistical analyses showed that all soil heavy metals demonstrated moderate variability, the coefficient of variation (CV) changed in the following sequence: Cd > Pb > Cr > Zn > Cu. Geostatistical analyses showed that the nugget coefficient of Cd on the 10 m x 10 m scale and Pb on the 1 m x 1 m scale were 100% with pure nugget variograms, which showed weak variability affected by random factors. The nugget coefficient of the other indexes was less than 25%, which showed a strong variability affected by structural factors. The results combined with P(i) and P indicated that most soil heavy metals have slight pollution except total copper, and in general there were the trend of heavy metal accumulation in the study area.

Validation of a portable nitric oxide analyzer for screening in primary ciliary dyskinesias.

PubMed

Harris, Amanda; Bhullar, Esther; Gove, Kerry; Joslin, Rhiannon; Pelling, Jennifer; Evans, Hazel J; Walker, Woolf T; Lucas, Jane S

2014-02-10

Nasal nitric oxide (nNO) levels are very low in primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) and it is used as a screening test. We assessed the reliability and usability of a hand-held analyser in comparison to a stationary nitric oxide (NO) analyser in 50 participants (15 healthy, 13 PCD, 22 other respiratory diseases; age 6-79 years). Nasal NO was measured using a stationary NO analyser during a breath-holding maneuver, and using a hand-held analyser during tidal breathing, sampling at 2 ml/sec or 5 ml/sec. The three methods were compared for their specificity and sensitivity as a screen for PCD, their success rate in different age groups, within subject repeatability and acceptability. Correlation between methods was assessed. Valid nNO measurements were obtained in 94% of participants using the stationary analyser, 96% using the hand-held analyser at 5 ml/sec and 76% at 2 ml/sec. The hand-held device at 5 ml/sec had excellent sensitivity and specificity as a screening test for PCD during tidal breathing (cut-off of 30 nL/min,100% sensitivity, >95% specificity). The cut-off using the stationary analyser during breath-hold was 38 nL/min (100% sensitivity, 95% specificity). The stationary and hand-held analyser (5 ml/sec) showed reasonable within-subject repeatability(% coefficient of variation = 15). The hand-held NO analyser provides a promising screening tool for PCD.

Effects of Flavor and Texture on the Sensory Perception of Gouda-Type Cheese Varieties during Ripening Using Multivariate Analysis.

PubMed

Shiota, Makoto; Iwasawa, Ai; Suzuki-Iwashima, Ai; Iida, Fumiko

2015-12-01

The impact of flavor composition, texture, and other factors on desirability of different commercial sources of Gouda-type cheese using multivariate analyses on the basis of sensory and instrumental analyses were investigated. Volatile aroma compounds were measured using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and steam distillation extraction (SDE)-GC/MS, and fatty acid composition, low-molecular-weight compounds, including amino acids, and organic acids, as well pH, texture, and color were measured to determine their relationship with sensory perception. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was performed to discriminate between 2 different ripening periods in 7 sample sets, revealing that ethanol, ethyl acetate, hexanoic acid, and octanoic acid increased with increasing sensory attribute scores for sweetness, fruity, and sulfurous. A partial least squares (PLS) regression model was constructed to predict the desirability of cheese using these parameters. We showed that texture and buttery flavors are important factors affecting the desirability of Gouda-type cheeses for Japanese consumers using these multivariate analyses. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Molecular characterization of Mycobacterium orygis isolates from wild animals of Nepal.

PubMed

Thapa, Jeewan; Nakajima, Chie; Maharjan, Bhagwan; Poudell, Ajay; Suzuki, Yasuhiko

2015-08-01

Mycobacterium orygis, a new member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, was isolated from a captive spotted deer (Axis axis) and a blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in Nepal. Analyses by spoligotyping, mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units-variable number of tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR) typing, region of difference and single nucleotide polymorphism of genes gyrB, mmpL6, TbD1, PPE55 and Rv2042c confirmed the isolates as M. orygis. Moreover, analyses by spoligotyping (SIT587) as well as MIRU-VNTR showed that the isolates shared a similar pattern with many reported isolates. From previous and the present studies, it can be inferred that South Asia is one of the endemic regions for M. orygis. Further investigation including a larger sample size and different host interaction will help to understand the ecology and epidemiology of M. orygis in Nepal.

A d-statistic for single-case designs that is equivalent to the usual between-groups d-statistic.

PubMed

Shadish, William R; Hedges, Larry V; Pustejovsky, James E; Boyajian, Jonathan G; Sullivan, Kristynn J; Andrade, Alma; Barrientos, Jeannette L

2014-01-01

We describe a standardised mean difference statistic (d) for single-case designs that is equivalent to the usual d in between-groups experiments. We show how it can be used to summarise treatment effects over cases within a study, to do power analyses in planning new studies and grant proposals, and to meta-analyse effects across studies of the same question. We discuss limitations of this d-statistic, and possible remedies to them. Even so, this d-statistic is better founded statistically than other effect size measures for single-case design, and unlike many general linear model approaches such as multilevel modelling or generalised additive models, it produces a standardised effect size that can be integrated over studies with different outcome measures. SPSS macros for both effect size computation and power analysis are available.

A comparison of recovered bipolar patients, healthy relatives of bipolar probands, and normal controls using the short TEMPS-A.

PubMed

Mendlowicz, Mauro V; Jean-Louis, Girardin; Kelsoe, John R; Akiskal, Hagop S

2005-03-01

To investigate the presence of temperament dysregulation in healthy relatives of bipolar probands (RBP), a population at high risk for developing mood disorders, by comparing them with clinically recovered bipolar patients (BP) and normal controls (NC). 52 RBP and 23 BP were originally recruited for a multicenter genetic study in bipolar disorders. NC (n=102) were also recruited by newspaper advertisement, radio and television announcements, flyers, newsletters, or word of mouth. All volunteers were asked to complete the TEMPS-A Scale, a self-report questionnaire designed to measure temperamental variations in psychiatric patients and healthy volunteers. In scoring temperaments, we relied upon the short validated version of the TEMPS-A [J. Affect. Disord. (2004)], from which traits with loadings <0.035 had been deleted. To examine differences in temperament dimensions among the three groups, a MANCOVA model was constructed using diagnostic group as the fixed factor (BP vs. RBP vs. NC); effects of age and gender were adjusted as covariates. MANCOVA showed overall group effect on the dependent variables (Hotelling's F5,175=6.64, p<0.001). Four dependent variables (dysthymic, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious temperaments) showed significant between-group differences. RBP showed lower cyclothymic temperament scores than BP, but higher scores than NC. BP and RBP showed higher anxious temperament scores than NC. Hyperthymic scores were significantly highest in the NC. In view of the small cell sizes, bipolar I vs. bipolar II subanalyses could not be conducted. Methodologic strengths of the present analyses is that the BP group had clinically recovered, and we used the validated short version of the TEMPS-A for the present analyses. Our findings suggest that some clinically healthy relatives of bipolar probands exhibit a subclinical cyclothymic instability in mood, interest, self-confidence, sleep, and/or energy as well as anxiety proneness that is not observed among normal controls. These traits may represent vulnerability markers and could presumably be used to identify individuals at high risk for developing bipolar spectrum disorders, or specific clinical subtypes (e.g., bipolar I, bipolar II) within this spectrum. This is a conceptual perspective with many unanswered questions. Resolution of these questions will require innovative definitions of phenotypes to be included in the analyses of the temperament subscales in different populations. The temperament subscales themselves need to be calibrated properly, to find out which traits or specific combinations of trains are most promising. More extensive and complex quantitative trait analyses of these temperaments in a much expanded sample are reported elsewhere in this issue [J. Affect. Disord. (2004)].

Using venlafaxine to treat behavioral disorders in patients with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Carminati, Giuliana Galli; Gerber, Fabienne; Darbellay, Barbara; Kosel, Markus Mathaus; Deriaz, Nicolas; Chabert, Jocelyne; Fathi, Marc; Bertschy, Gilles; Ferrero, François; Carminati, Federico

2016-02-04

To test the efficacy of venlafaxine at a dose of 18.75 mg/day on the reduction of behavioral problems such as irritability and hyperactivity/noncompliance in patients with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our secondary hypothesis was that the usual doses of zuclopenthixol and/or clonazepam would decrease in the venlafaxine-treated group. In a randomized double-blind study, we compared six patients who received venlafaxine along with their usual treatment (zuclopenthixol and/or clonazepam) with seven patients who received placebo plus usual care. Irritability, hyperactivity/noncompliance, and overall clinical improvement were measured after 2 and 8 weeks, using validated clinical scales. Univariate analyses showed that the symptom of irritability improved in the entire sample (p = 0.023 after 2 weeks, p = 0.061 at study endpoint), although no difference was observed between the venlafaxine and placebo groups. No significant decrease in hyperactivity/noncompliance was observed during the study. At the end of the study, global improvement was observed in 33% of participants treated with venlafaxine and in 71% of participants in the placebo group (p = 0.29). The study found that decreased cumulative doses of clonazepam and zuclopenthixol were required for the venlafaxine group. Multivariate analyses (principal component analyses) with at least three combinations of variables showed that the two populations could be clearly separated (p b 0.05). Moreover, in all cases, the venlafaxine population had lower values for the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI), and levels of urea with respect to the placebo group. In one case, a reduction in the dosage of clonazepam was also suggested. For an additional set of variables (ABC factor 2, BPI frequency of aggressive behaviors, hematic ammonia at Day 28, and zuclopenthixol and clonazepam intake), the separation between the two samples was statistically significant as was the Bartlett's test, but the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy was below the accepted threshold. This set of variables showed a reduction in the cumulative intake of both zuclopenthixol and clonazepam. Despite the small sample sizes, this study documented a statistically significant effect of venlafaxine. Moreover, we showed that lower doses of zuclopenthixol and clonazepam were needed in the venlafaxine group, although this difference was not statistically significant. This was confirmed by multivariate analyses, where this difference reached statistical significance when using a combination of variables involving zuclopenthixol. Larger-scale studies are recommended to better investigate the effectiveness of venlafaxine treatment in patients with intellectual disabilities and ASD.

Research on spatial distribution of photosynthetic characteristics of Winter Wheat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Q. Q.; Zhou, Q. Y.; Zhang, B. Z.; Han, X.; Han, N. N.; Li, S. M.

2018-03-01

In order to explore the spatial distribution of photosynthetic characteristics of winter wheat leaf, the photosynthetic rate on different parts of leaf (leaf base-leaf middle-leaf apex) and that on each canopy (top layer-middle layer-bottom layer) leaf during the whole growth period of winter wheat were measured. The variation of photosynthetic rate with PAR and the spatial distribution of winter wheat leaf during the whole growth periods were analysed. The results showed that the photosynthetic rate of different parts of winter wheat increased with the increase of PAR, which was showed as leaf base>leaf middle>leaf apex. In the same growth period, photosynthetic rate in different parts of the tablet was showed as leaf middle>leaf base>leaf apex. For the different canopy layer of winter wheat, the photosynthetic rate of the top layer leaf was significantly greater than that of the middle layer and lower layer leaf. The photosynthetic rate of the top layer leaf was the largest in the leaf base position. The photosynthetic rate of leaf of the same canopy layer at different growth stages were showed as tasseling stage >grain filling stage > maturation stage.

Engineered human skin substitutes undergo large-scale genomic reprogramming and normal skin-like maturation after transplantation to athymic mice.

PubMed

Klingenberg, Jennifer M; McFarland, Kevin L; Friedman, Aaron J; Boyce, Steven T; Aronow, Bruce J; Supp, Dorothy M

2010-02-01

Bioengineered skin substitutes can facilitate wound closure in severely burned patients, but deficiencies limit their outcomes compared with native skin autografts. To identify gene programs associated with their in vivo capabilities and limitations, we extended previous gene expression profile analyses to now compare engineered skin after in vivo grafting with both in vitro maturation and normal human skin. Cultured skin substitutes were grafted on full-thickness wounds in athymic mice, and biopsy samples for microarray analyses were collected at multiple in vitro and in vivo time points. Over 10,000 transcripts exhibited large-scale expression pattern differences during in vitro and in vivo maturation. Using hierarchical clustering, 11 different expression profile clusters were partitioned on the basis of differential sample type and temporal stage-specific activation or repression. Analyses show that the wound environment exerts a massive influence on gene expression in skin substitutes. For example, in vivo-healed skin substitutes gained the expression of many native skin-expressed genes, including those associated with epidermal barrier and multiple categories of cell-cell and cell-basement membrane adhesion. In contrast, immunological, trichogenic, and endothelial gene programs were largely lacking. These analyses suggest important areas for guiding further improvement of engineered skin for both increased homology with native skin and enhanced wound healing.

Association and Host Selectivity in Multi-Host Pathogens

PubMed Central

Malpica, José M.; Sacristán, Soledad; Fraile, Aurora; García-Arenal, Fernando

2006-01-01

The distribution of multi-host pathogens over their host range conditions their population dynamics and structure. Also, host co-infection by different pathogens may have important consequences for the evolution of hosts and pathogens, and host-pathogen co-evolution. Hence it is of interest to know if the distribution of pathogens over their host range is random, or if there are associations between hosts and pathogens, or between pathogens sharing a host. To analyse these issues we propose indices for the observed patterns of host infection by pathogens, and for the observed patterns of co-infection, and tests to analyse if these patterns conform to randomness or reflect associations. Applying these tests to the prevalence of five plant viruses on 21 wild plant species evidenced host-virus associations: most hosts and viruses were selective for viruses and hosts, respectively. Interestingly, the more host-selective viruses were the more prevalent ones, suggesting that host specialisation is a successful strategy for multi-host pathogens. Analyses also showed that viruses tended to associate positively in co-infected hosts. The developed indices and tests provide the tools to analyse how strong and common are these associations among different groups of pathogens, which will help to understand and model the population biology of multi-host pathogens. PMID:17183670

Costing of physical activity programmes in primary prevention: a review of the literature

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

This literature review aims to analyse the costing methodology in economic analyses of primary preventive physical activity programmes. It demonstrates the usability of a recently published theoretical framework in practice, and may serve as a guide for future economic evaluation studies and for decision making. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify all relevant studies published before December 2009. All studies were analysed regarding their key economic findings and their costing methodology. In summary, 18 international economic analyses of primary preventive physical activity programmes were identified. Many of these studies conclude that the investigated intervention provides good value for money compared with alternatives (no intervention, usual care or different programme) or is even cost-saving. Although most studies did provide a description of the cost of the intervention programme, methodological details were often not displayed, and savings resulting from the health effects of the intervention were not always included sufficiently. This review shows the different costing methodologies used in the current health economic literature and compares them with a theoretical framework. The high variability regarding the costs assessment and the lack of transparency concerning the methods limits the comparability of the results, which points out the need for a handy minimal dataset of cost assessment. PMID:22827967

Work-family conflict and health in Swedish working women and men: a 2-year prospective analysis (the SLOSH study).

PubMed

Leineweber, Constanze; Baltzer, Maria; Magnusson Hanson, Linda L; Westerlund, Hugo

2013-08-01

Research has suggested that gender is related to perceptions of work-family conflict (WFC) and an underlying assumption is that interference of paid work with family life will burden women more than men. There is, however, mixed evidence as to whether men and women report different levels of WFC. Even less studies investigate gender differences in health outcomes of WFC. Also the number of longitudinal studies in this field is low. Based on the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health, we prospectively examined the effects of WFC on three different health measures representing a wide spectrum off ill health (i.e. self-rated health, emotional exhaustion and problem drinking). Logistic regression analyses were used to analyse multivariate associations between WFC in 2008 and health 2 years later. The results show that WFC was associated with an increased risk of emotional exhaustion among both men and women. Gender differences are suggested as WFC was related to an increased risk for poor self-rated health among women and problem drinking among men. Interaction analyses revealed that the risk of poor self-rated health was substantially more influenced by WFC among women than among men. We conclude that, despite the fact that women experience conflict between work and family life slightly more often than men, both men's and women's health is negatively affected by this phenomenon.

Exterior and interior physical quality of egg of laying hens fed diets containing different dietary purslane levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kartikasari, L. R.; Hertanto, B. S.; Pranoto, D.; Salim, W. N.; Nuhriawangsa, A. M. P.

2017-04-01

Purslane is considered a rich vegetable source of alpha-linolenic acid, beta-carotene and various antioxidants. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of different dietary levels of purslane meal (Portulaca oleracea) in the diets of laying hens on physical quality of eggs. A total of 125 Hy-Line Brown hens (54 weeks old) were placed at individual cages and assigned to five dietary treatments. The diets were supplemented with 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8% purslane meal. Laying hens were fed for 5 weeks after a typical period of adaptation (7 days). Water and feed were provided ad libitum. A total of 25 egg samples of day 28 and day 35 (n = 5 egg yolks for each treatment) were collected to analyse exterior and interior physical quality of eggs. The data were analysed using ANOVA. Differences between treatment means were further analysed using Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test. Results showed that feeding different purslane meal levels in the diets improved egg weight, yolk weight, albumen weight and yolk colour. The highest intensity of yolk colour was obtained with the diet containing 8% purslane meal. However, dietary treatments did not affect egg index, albumen index, yolk index, shell weight, shell thickness and Haugh Unit. It is concluded that including purslane meal to laying hen diets increases the physical qualities of the eggs.

The influence of baseline severity on efficacy of escitalopram and citalopram in the treatment of major depressive disorder: an extended analysis.

PubMed

Lam, R W; Andersen, H F

2006-09-01

To determine the differences between escitalopram and citalopram in the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder across a range of baseline severity of depression using trend analysis. Data from the three placebo-controlled studies comparing escitalopram to citalopram were analyzed. The pre-specified primary outcome variable was MADRS total score; secondary outcomes included Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) and -Improvement (CGI-I) scores. All analyses were based on an intent-to-treat (ITT) population and all direct comparisons were done by ANCOVA adjusting for baseline value and centre. Analyses of the pooled data (N=1203) show that, while the difference between citalopram and placebo was approximately constant across the range of baseline severity, the difference between escitalopram and placebo (p=0.0010 for no trend) and between escitalopram and citalopram (p=0.0012 for no trend) became greater, the more severely depressed the patients were at baseline. A similar pattern was apparent with the CGI-S and CGI-I results. There was a significant superiority of escitalopram over citalopram in response rate (defined as > or = 50% decrease in MADRS total score), and this difference increased with increasing baseline severity. These trend analyses thus indicate that the superiority of escitalopram over citalopram is more apparent as the baseline severity of depression increases.

Time-series analyses of air pollution and mortality in the United States: a subsampling approach.

PubMed

Moolgavkar, Suresh H; McClellan, Roger O; Dewanji, Anup; Turim, Jay; Luebeck, E Georg; Edwards, Melanie

2013-01-01

Hierarchical Bayesian methods have been used in previous papers to estimate national mean effects of air pollutants on daily deaths in time-series analyses. We obtained maximum likelihood estimates of the common national effects of the criteria pollutants on mortality based on time-series data from ≤ 108 metropolitan areas in the United States. We used a subsampling bootstrap procedure to obtain the maximum likelihood estimates and confidence bounds for common national effects of the criteria pollutants, as measured by the percentage increase in daily mortality associated with a unit increase in daily 24-hr mean pollutant concentration on the previous day, while controlling for weather and temporal trends. We considered five pollutants [PM10, ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2)] in single- and multipollutant analyses. Flexible ambient concentration-response models for the pollutant effects were considered as well. We performed limited sensitivity analyses with different degrees of freedom for time trends. In single-pollutant models, we observed significant associations of daily deaths with all pollutants. The O3 coefficient was highly sensitive to the degree of smoothing of time trends. Among the gases, SO2 and NO2 were most strongly associated with mortality. The flexible ambient concentration-response curve for O3 showed evidence of nonlinearity and a threshold at about 30 ppb. Differences between the results of our analyses and those reported from using the Bayesian approach suggest that estimates of the quantitative impact of pollutants depend on the choice of statistical approach, although results are not directly comparable because they are based on different data. In addition, the estimate of the O3-mortality coefficient depends on the amount of smoothing of time trends.

The analysis sensitivity to tropical winds from the Global Weather Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paegle, J.; Paegle, J. N.; Baker, W. E.

1986-01-01

The global scale divergent and rotational flow components of the Global Weather Experiment (GWE) are diagnosed from three different analyses of the data. The rotational flow shows closer agreement between the analyses than does the divergent flow. Although the major outflow and inflow centers are similarly placed in all analyses, the global kinetic energy of the divergent wind varies by about a factor of 2 between different analyses while the global kinetic energy of the rotational wind varies by only about 10 percent between the analyses. A series of real data assimilation experiments has been performed with the GLA general circulation model using different amounts of tropical wind data during the First Special Observing Period of the Global Weather Experiment. In exeriment 1, all available tropical wind data were used; in the second experiment, tropical wind data were suppressed; while, in the third and fourth experiments, only tropical wind data with westerly and easterly components, respectively, were assimilated. The rotational wind appears to be more sensitive to the presence or absence of tropical wind data than the divergent wind. It appears that the model, given only extratropical observations, generates excessively strong upper tropospheric westerlies. These biases are sufficiently pronounced to amplify the globally integrated rotational flow kinetic energy by about 10 percent and the global divergent flow kinetic energy by about a factor of 2. Including only easterly wind data in the tropics is more effective in controlling the model error than including only westerly wind data. This conclusion is especially noteworthy because approximately twice as many upper tropospheric westerly winds were available in these cases as easterly winds.

Effect of UV radiation and its implications on carotenoid pathway in Bixa orellana L.

PubMed

Sankari, M; Hridya, H; Sneha, P; George Priya Doss, C; Ramamoorthy, Siva

2017-11-01

The current study was undertaken to analyse the effect of short-term UV-B and UV-C radiations in provoking carotenoid biosynthesis in Bixa orellana. Seeds of B. orellana were germinated and exposed to the short term UV pre-treatment under controlled environmental condition for 5days. The UV treated young seedlings response in pigment contents; antioxidant enzyme activity and mRNA gene expression level were analysed. The pigment content such as chlorophyll was increased in both UV-B and UV-C treated seedlings, but the total carotenoid level was decreased when compared to the control seedlings this can be attributed to the plant adaptability to survive in a stressed condition. The β-carotene level was increased in UV-B, and UV-C treated young seedlings. No significant changes have occurred in the secondary pigment such as bixin and ABA. The activity of the antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase was significantly increased in UV-B treated seedlings when compared to the UV-C treated seedlings and control. The mRNA expression of the genes involved in bixin biosynthesis pathways such as DXS, PSY, PDS, LCY-β, LCY-ε, CMT, LCD, ADH and CCD genes showed different expression pattern in UV-B and UV-C treated young seedlings. Further we analysed the gene co-expression network to identify the genes which are mainly involved in carotenoid/bixin biosynthesis pathway. Form our findings the CCD, LCY, PDS, ZDS and PSY showed a close interaction. The result of our study shows that the short term UV-B and UV-C radiations induce pigment content, antioxidant enzyme activity and different gene expression pattern allowing the plant to survive in the oxidative stress condition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Distinct Hypericum perforatum L. total extracts exert different antitumour activity on erythroleukemic K562 cells.

PubMed

Valletta, Elena; Rinaldi, Annamaria; Marini, Mario; Franzese, Ornella; Roscetti, Gianna

2018-05-22

Total flower extracts of Hypericum perforatum L. obtained with 3 different solvent systems were tested on tumour cell line cultures by comparing two groups of plants harvested in different times and places. The extracts, characterized according to the spectroscopic profile and the hypericin content, were tested on the growth and apoptotic death of K562 cells, a human erythroleukemic cell line. Growth and apoptosis were analysed by viable cell count, flow cytometry, and fluorescence microscopy at 6, 24, and 48 hr of culture following 1 hr exposure to the extracts under investigation. Here, we show that Hypericum extracts are able to reduce the growth of K562 cells and induce different degrees and kinetics of apoptosis according to the group of plants of origin. Also, we highlighted interesting differences in terms of efficacy among the extracts, with some samples losing their effectiveness along the culture time and others able to maintain or even increase their efficacy. Furthermore, the data herein obtained confirm the role of non hypericin compounds that are present in different proportions in the two plant groups and in the extracts analysed. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Differential Predictability of Four Dimensions of Affect Intensity

PubMed Central

Rubin, David C.; Hoyle, Rick H.; Leary, Mark R.

2013-01-01

Individual differences in affect intensity are typically assessed with the Affect Intensity Measure (AIM). Previous factor analyses suggest that the AIM is comprised of four weakly correlated factors: Positive Affectivity, Negative Reactivity, Negative Intensity and Positive Intensity or Serenity. However, little data exist to show whether its four factors relate to other measures differently enough to preclude use of the total scale score. The present study replicated the four-factor solution and found that subscales derived from the four factors correlated differently with criterion variables that assess personality domains, affective dispositions, and cognitive patterns that are associated with emotional reactions. The results show that use of the total AIM score can obscure relationships between specific features of affect intensity and other variables and suggest that researchers should examine the individual AIM subscales. PMID:21707262

Profiling and Quantification of Phenolics in Stevia rebaudiana Leaves.

PubMed

Karaköse, Hande; Müller, Anja; Kuhnert, Nikolai

2015-10-21

Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) is a plant from the Asteraceae family with significant economic value because of the steviol glycoside sweeteners in its leaves. Chlorogenic acids and flavonoid glycosides of S. rebaudiana from seven different botanical varieties cultivated over two years and harvested three times a year in eight European locations were profiled and quantified in a total of 166 samples. Compounds quantified include chlorogenic acids as well as flavonoid glycosides and aglycons. All phenolic concentration profiles show a perfect Gaussian distribution. Principal component analyses allow distinction between varieties of different geographical origin and distinction between different plant varieties. Although concentrations of all chlorogenic acids showed a positive correlation, no correlation was observed for flavonoid glycosides. Conclusions from these findings with respect to the biosynthesis and functional role of phenolics in S. rebaudiana are discussed.

Developmental Trajectories of Motivation in Physical Education: Course, Demographic Differences, and Antecedents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ntoumanis, Nikos; Barkoukis, Vassilis; Thogersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie

2009-01-01

This study investigated changes in student motivation to participate in physical education and some determinants of these changes over a period of 3 years. Measures were taken twice a year, from age 13 until age 15, from a sample of Greek junior high school students. Multilevel modeling analyses showed significant decreases in task-involving…

[Microanalytical determinations of gold alloys for fixed dentures].

PubMed

Lotito, M; Negri, P; Fraschini, M

1993-01-01

In this work the authors analyse gold alloys for fixed prosthesis by X-ray spectrometry in energy dispersion (EDS). The results of this analysis, given in graphic and table form, show remarkable differences in alloy composition. For this reason recommended dentists are to be attentive and severe in the control of gold alloys for fixed prosthesis.

Evaluation of Mathematical Self-Explanations with LSA in a Counterintuitive Problem of Probabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guiu, Jordi Maja

2012-01-01

In this paper different type of mathematical explanations are presented in relation to the mathematical problem of probabilities Monty Hall (card version) and the computational tool Latent Semantic Analyses (LSA) is used. At the moment the results in the literature about this computational tool to study texts show that this technique is…

Argentinean Students' and Teachers' Conceptions of Day and Night: An Analysis in Relation to Astronomical Reference Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galperin, D.; Raviolo, A.

2015-01-01

This work analysed the evolution of day/night cycle conceptions held by students of different ages and teachers in the Patagonian region of Argentina. The research was based on drawings, written explanations and semi-structured individual interviews. The results showed that both teachers and students had significant comprehension problems. These…