Confirmation of Maslow’s Hypothesis of Synergy: Developing an Acceptance of Selfishness at the Workplace Scale

PubMed Central

Takaki, Jiro; Taniguchi, Toshiyo; Fujii, Yasuhito

2016-01-01

This study aimed to develop a new Acceptance of Selfishness at the Workplace Scale (ASWS) and to confirm Maslow’s hypothesis of synergy: if both a sense of contribution and acceptance of selfishness at the workplace are high, workers are psychologically healthy. In a cross-sectional study with employees of three Japanese companies, 656 workers answered a self-administered questionnaire on paper completely (response rate = 66.8%). Each questionnaire was submitted to us in a sealed envelope and analyzed. The ASWS indicated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86). Significant (p < 0.001) positive moderate correlations between ASWS scores and job control scores support the ASWS’s convergent and discriminant validity. Significant (p < 0.001) associations of ASWS scores with psychological distress and work engagement supported the ASWS’s criterion validity. In short, ASWS was a psychometrically satisfactory measure. Significant (p < 0.05) interactions between a sense of contribution and acceptance of selfishness at the workplace in linear regression models showed that when those two factors are low, psychological distress becomes high. However, when a sense of contribution and acceptance of selfishness are high, work engagement also becomes high. Thus, Maslow’s hypothesis of synergy was confirmed. PMID:27144575

Privacy versus autonomy: a tradeoff model for smart home monitoring technologies.

PubMed

Townsend, Daphne; Knoefel, Frank; Goubran, Rafik

2011-01-01

Smart homes are proposed as a new location for the delivery of healthcare services. They provide healthcare monitoring and communication services, by using integrated sensor network technologies. We validate a hypothesis regarding older adults' adoption of home monitoring technologies by conducting a literature review of articles studying older adults' attitudes and perceptions of sensor technologies. Using current literature to support the hypothesis, this paper applies the tradeoff model to decisions about sensor acceptance. Older adults are willing to trade privacy (by accepting a monitoring technology), for autonomy. As the information captured by the sensor becomes more intrusive and the infringement on privacy increases, sensors are accepted if the loss in privacy is traded for autonomy. Even video cameras, the most intrusive sensor type were accepted in exchange for the height of autonomy which is to remain in the home.

Testing the social competition hypothesis of depression using a simple economic game.

PubMed

Kupferberg, Aleksandra; Hager, Oliver M; Fischbacher, Urs; Brändle, Laura S; Haynes, Melanie; Hasler, Gregor

2016-03-01

Price's social competition hypothesis interprets the depressive state as an unconscious, involuntary losing strategy, which enables individuals to yield and accept defeat in competitive situations. We investigated whether patients who suffer from major depressive disorder (MDD) would avoid competition more often than either patients suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD) or healthy controls. In a simple paper-folding task healthy participants and patiens with MDD and BPD were matched with two opponents, one with an unknown diagnosis and one who shared their clinical diagnosis, and they had to choose either a competitive or cooperative payment scheme for task completion. When playing against an unknown opponent, but not the opponent with the same diagnosis, the patients with depression chose the competitive payment scheme statistically less often than healthy controls and patients diagnosed with BPD. The competition avoidance against the unknown opponent is consistent with Price's social competition hypothesis. G.H. received research support, consulting fees and speaker honoraria from Lundbeck, AstraZeneca, Servier, Eli Lilly, Roche and Novartis. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) licence.

Acceptance threshold hypothesis is supported by chemical similarity of cuticular hydrocarbons in a stingless bee, Melipona asilvai.

PubMed

Nascimento, D L; Nascimento, F S

2012-11-01

The ability to discriminate nestmates from non-nestmates in insect societies is essential to protect colonies from conspecific invaders. The acceptance threshold hypothesis predicts that organisms whose recognition systems classify recipients without errors should optimize the balance between acceptance and rejection. In this process, cuticular hydrocarbons play an important role as cues of recognition in social insects. The aims of this study were to determine whether guards exhibit a restrictive level of rejection towards chemically distinct individuals, becoming more permissive during the encounters with either nestmate or non-nestmate individuals bearing chemically similar profiles. The study demonstrates that Melipona asilvai (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) guards exhibit a flexible system of nestmate recognition according to the degree of chemical similarity between the incoming forager and its own cuticular hydrocarbons profile. Guards became less restrictive in their acceptance rates when they encounter non-nestmates with highly similar chemical profiles, which they probably mistake for nestmates, hence broadening their acceptance level.

By-product mutualism with evolving common enemies.

PubMed

De Jaegher, Kris

2017-05-07

The common-enemy hypothesis of by-product mutualism states that organisms cooperate when it is in their individual interests to do so, with benefits for other organisms arising as a by-product; in particular, such cooperation is hypothesized to arise when organisms face the common enemy of a sufficiently adverse environment. In an evolutionary game where two defenders can cooperate to defend a common resource, this paper analyzes the common-enemy hypothesis when adversity is endogenous, in that an attacker sets the number of attacks. As a benchmark, we first consider exogenous adversity, where adversity is not subject to evolution. In this case, the common-enemy hypothesis is predicted when the degree of complementarity between defenders' defensive efforts is sufficiently low. When the degree of complementarity is high, the hypothesis is predicted only when cooperation costs are high; when cooperation costs are instead low, a competing hypothesis is predicted, where adversity discourages cooperation. Second, we consider the case of endogenous adversity. In this case, we continue to predict the competing hypothesis for a high degree of complementarity and low cooperation costs. The common-enemy hypothesis, however, only continues to be predicted for the lowest degrees of complementarity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is healthy competition healthy? New evidence of the impact of hospital competition.

PubMed

Gift, Thomas L; Arnould, Richard; DeBrock, Larry

2002-01-01

Competition among hospitals is commonly regarded as inefficient due to the medical arms race phenomenon, but most evidence for this hypothesis predates the Medicare prospective payment system and preferred provider legislation. Recent studies indicate hospital competition reduces costs and prices, but nearly all such research has focused on California. We add to the body of literature that analyzes the effects of competition in hospital markets. Using data from the state of Washington, we show that hospitals assume more risk in competitive markets by being more likely to accept prospective payment arrangements with insurers. If the arrangement is retrospective, the hospital is more likely to offer a discount as the number of competing hospitals increases. Both findings indicate that competitive forces operate the same in hospital markets as in most others: as the number of competitors increases, prices decrease and market power shifts from the suppliers to purchasers. The medical arms race hypothesis that favors more concentrated hospital markets no longer appears to be valid.

The effect of voluntariness on the acceptance of e-learning by nursing students.

PubMed

Žvanut, Boštjan; Pucer, Patrik; Ličen, Sabina; Trobec, Irena; Plazar, Nadja; Vavpotič, Damjan

2011-05-01

Although e-learning is an innovation that is worth making generally available, it is not always accepted by nursing students. Many researchers state that voluntariness is closely related to the individual level of adoption of innovations. Hence, we hypothesized that voluntariness moderates the effect of perceived attributes of innovations (e.g. relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability), which determines the acceptance of e-learning. To test the hypothesis a survey involving two groups of nursing students was carried out. For the first group the usage of e-learning was mandatory, for the second group it was optional. The results confirm our hypothesis. Institutions, interested in e-learning initiatives, should consider the effect of voluntariness when implementing e-learning. This paper provides a useful reference that can help e-learning providers to develop guidelines that can improve the acceptance of e-learning. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The dependency paradox in close relationships: accepting dependence promotes independence.

PubMed

Feeney, Brooke C

2007-02-01

Using multiple methods, this investigation tested the hypothesis that a close relationship partner's acceptance of dependence when needed (e.g., sensitive responsiveness to distress cues) is associated with less dependence, more autonomous functioning, and more self-sufficiency (as opposed to more dependence) on the part of the supported individual. In two studies, measures of acceptance of dependency needs and independent functioning were obtained through couple member reports, by observing couple members' behaviors during laboratory interactions, by observing responses to experimentally manipulated partner assistance provided during an individual laboratory task, and by following couples over a period of 6 months to examine independent goal striving as a function of prior assessments of dependency acceptance. Results provided converging evidence in support of the proposed hypothesis. Implications of the importance of close relationships for optimal individual functioning are discussed. ((c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).

Project Atlantis--An Exercise in the Application of Earth Science to a Critical Examination of a Pseudoscience Hypothesis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earle, Steven

2003-01-01

Describes an activity in which students are asked to write an essay on the Crustal Displacement hypothesis, an hypothesis that is inconsistent with the accepted understanding of crustal and mantle processes. The assignment is useful because it forces students to solidify their understanding of plate tectonics by applying their knowledge in a new…

Feasibility of Combining Common Data Elements Across Studies to Test a Hypothesis.

PubMed

Corwin, Elizabeth J; Moore, Shirley M; Plotsky, Andrea; Heitkemper, Margaret M; Dorsey, Susan G; Waldrop-Valverde, Drenna; Bailey, Donald E; Docherty, Sharron L; Whitney, Joanne D; Musil, Carol M; Dougherty, Cynthia M; McCloskey, Donna J; Austin, Joan K; Grady, Patricia A

2017-05-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the outcomes of a collaborative initiative to share data across five schools of nursing in order to evaluate the feasibility of collecting common data elements (CDEs) and developing a common data repository to test hypotheses of interest to nursing scientists. This initiative extended work already completed by the National Institute of Nursing Research CDE Working Group that successfully identified CDEs related to symptoms and self-management, with the goal of supporting more complex, reproducible, and patient-focused research. Two exemplars describing the group's efforts are presented. The first highlights a pilot study wherein data sets from various studies by the represented schools were collected retrospectively, and merging of the CDEs was attempted. The second exemplar describes the methods and results of an initiative at one school that utilized a prospective design for the collection and merging of CDEs. Methods for identifying a common symptom to be studied across schools and for collecting the data dictionaries for the related data elements are presented for the first exemplar. The processes for defining and comparing the concepts and acceptable values, and for evaluating the potential to combine and compare the data elements are also described. Presented next are the steps undertaken in the second exemplar to prospectively identify CDEs and establish the data dictionaries. Methods for common measurement and analysis strategies are included. Findings from the first exemplar indicated that without plans in place a priori to ensure the ability to combine and compare data from disparate sources, doing so retrospectively may not be possible, and as a result hypothesis testing across studies may be prohibited. Findings from the second exemplar, however, indicated that a plan developed prospectively to combine and compare data sets is feasible and conducive to merged hypothesis testing. Although challenges exist in combining CDEs across studies into a common data repository, a prospective, well-designed protocol for identifying, coding, and comparing CDEs is feasible and supports the development of a common data repository and the testing of important hypotheses to advance nursing science. Incorporating CDEs across studies will increase sample size and improve data validity, reliability, transparency, and reproducibility, all of which will increase the scientific rigor of the study and the likelihood of impacting clinical practice and patient care. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Measurement of air contamination in different wards of public sector hospital, Sukkur.

PubMed

Memon, Badaruddin AllahDino; Bhutto, Gul Hassan; Rizvi, Wajid Hussain

2016-11-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate and assess the index of bacterial contamination in different wards of the Public Sector Hospital of Sukkur (Teaching) Pakistan; whether or not the air contamination was statistically different from the acceptable level using active and passive sampling. In addition to this main hypothesis, other investigations included: occurrence of the most common bacteria, whether or not the bacterial contamination in the wards was a persistent problem and identification of the effective antibiotics against the indentified bacteria. The evidence sought based on the One Sample T test suggests that there is a (statistically) significant difference between the observed (higher) than the acceptance level (p<0.01), the result based on One-Way ANOVA suggests that the contamination problem was persistent as there was no significant difference among observed contamination of all three visits at (p>0.01) and the result of antibiotic susceptibility test highlights sensitivity and resistance level of antibiotics for the indentified bacteria.

Endoscopic Debridement for Treatment of Chronic Plantar Fasciitis: An Innovative Technique and Prospective Study of 46 Consecutive Patients.

PubMed

Cottom, James M; Maker, Jared M; Richardson, Phillip; Baker, Joseph S

2016-01-01

Plantar fasciitis is one the most common pathologies treated by foot and ankle surgeons. When nonoperative therapy fails, surgical intervention might be warranted. Various surgical procedures are available for the treatment of recalcitrant plantar fasciitis. The most common surgical management typically consists of open versus endoscopic plantar fascia release. Comorbidities associated with the release of the plantar fascia have been documented, including lateral column overload and metatarsalgia. We present an innovative technique for this painful condition that is minimally invasive, allows visualization of the plantar fascia, and maintains the integrity of the fascia. Our hypothesis was that the use of endoscopic debridement of the plantar fascia with or without heel spur resection would provide a minimally invasive technique with acceptable patient outcomes. Copyright © 2016 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Ethical Review of Euthanasia and Physician-assisted Suicide

PubMed Central

BANOVIĆ, Božidar; TURANJANIN, Veljko; MILORADOVIĆ, Anđela

2017-01-01

Background: In the majority of countries, active direct euthanasia is a forbidden way of the deprivation of the patients’ life, while its passive form is commonly accepted. This distinction between active and passive euthanasia has no justification, viewed through the prism of morality and ethics. Therefore, we focused on attention on the moral and ethical implications of the aforementioned medical procedures. Methods: Data were obtained from the Clinical Hospital Center in Kragujevac, collected during the first half of the 2015. The research included 88 physicians: 57 male physicians (representing 77% of the sample) and 31 female physicians (23% of the sample). Due to the nature, subject and hypothesis of the research, the authors used descriptive method and the method of the theoretical content analysis. Results: A slight majority of the physicians (56, 8%) believe that active euthanasia is ethically unacceptable, while 43, 2% is for another solution (35, 2% took a viewpoint that it is completely ethically acceptable, while the remaining 8% considered it ethically acceptable in certain cases). From the other side, 56, 8% of respondents answered negatively on the ethical acceptability of the physician-assisted suicide, while 33% of them opted for a completely ethic viewpoint of this procedure. Out of the remaining 10, 2% opted for the ethical acceptability in certain cases. Conclusion: Physicians in Serbia are divided on this issue, but a group that considers active euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide as ethically unacceptable is a bit more numerous. PMID:28451551

Periodontal therapy.

PubMed

Niemiec, Brook A

2008-05-01

Periodontal disease is the most common disease in small animal patients. It not only creates severe localized infection, but it has been linked to numerous severe systemic maladies. Proper therapy of this disease process results in a significant increase in the overall health of the patient. The treatment of periodontal disease is currently evolving due to the acceptance of the specific plaque hypothesis of periodontal disease. These findings have led to the development of the "one-stage full-mouth disinfection" treatment as well as a vaccine against these organisms. However, the cornerstone of therapy is still meticulous plaque control. This control is achieved via a combination of regular dental prophylaxis and home care. With progressive disease, advanced periodontal surgery or extraction becomes necessary.

Empirical evaluation of the uncanny valley hypothesis fails to confirm the predicted effect of motion.

PubMed

Piwek, Lukasz; McKay, Lawrie S; Pollick, Frank E

2014-03-01

The uncanny valley hypothesis states that the acceptability of an artificial character will not increase linearly in relation to its likeness to human form. Instead, after an initial rise in acceptability there will be a pronounced decrease when the character is similar, but not identical to human form (Mori, 1970/2012). Moreover, it has been claimed but never directly tested that movement would accentuate this dip and make moving characters less acceptable. We used a number of full-body animated computer characters along with a parametrically defined motion set to examine the effect of motion quality on the uncanny valley. We found that improving the motion quality systematically improved the acceptability of the characters. In particular, the character classified in the deepest location of the uncanny valley became more acceptable when it was animated. Our results showed that although an uncanny valley was found for static characters, the deepening of the valley with motion, originally predicted by Mori (1970/2012), was not obtained. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perceived social acceptance, theory of mind and social adjustment in children with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Fiasse, Catherine; Nader-Grosbois, Nathalie

2012-01-01

Perceived social acceptance, theory of mind (ToM) and social adjustment were investigated in 45 children with intellectual disabilities (ID) compared with 45 typically developing (TD) preschoolers, matched for developmental age assessed by means of the Differential Scales of Intellectual Efficiency-Revised edition (EDEI-R, Perron-Borelli, 1996). Children's understanding of beliefs and emotions was assessed by means of ToM belief tasks (Nader-Grosbois & Thirion-Marissiaux, 2011) and ToM emotion tasks (Nader-Grosbois & Thirion-Marissiaux, 2011). Seven items from the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for children (PSPCSA, Harter & Pike, 1980) assessed children's perceived social acceptance. Their teachers completed the Social Adjustment for Children Scale (EASE, Hughes, Soares-Boucaud, Hochmann, & Frith, 1997). For both groups together, the results showed that perceived social acceptance mediates the relation between ToM skills and social adjustment. The presence or absence of intellectual disabilities does not moderate the relations either between ToM skills and perceived social acceptance, or between perceived social acceptance and social adjustment. The study did not confirm the difference hypothesis of structural and relational patterns between these three processes in children with ID, but instead supported the hypothesis of a similar structure that develops in a delayed manner. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analytical methodology for determination of helicopter IFR precision approach requirements. [pilot workload and acceptance level

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phatak, A. V.

1980-01-01

A systematic analytical approach to the determination of helicopter IFR precision approach requirements is formulated. The approach is based upon the hypothesis that pilot acceptance level or opinion rating of a given system is inversely related to the degree of pilot involvement in the control task. A nonlinear simulation of the helicopter approach to landing task incorporating appropriate models for UH-1H aircraft, the environmental disturbances and the human pilot was developed as a tool for evaluating the pilot acceptance hypothesis. The simulated pilot model is generic in nature and includes analytical representation of the human information acquisition, processing, and control strategies. Simulation analyses in the flight director mode indicate that the pilot model used is reasonable. Results of the simulation are used to identify candidate pilot workload metrics and to test the well known performance-work-load relationship. A pilot acceptance analytical methodology is formulated as a basis for further investigation, development and validation.

The Myth of the Critical Period

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strid, John Evar

2017-01-01

In language conferences, student papers, some linguistics textbooks, and wider culture, the critical period hypothesis is presented as factual despite still being fiercely debated in academic literature. The widespread popular acceptance of the hypothesis contrasts with a sharp debate and criticism of it in academic literature (Muñoz &…

The Antieconomy Hypothesis (Part 2): Theoretical Roots

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vanderburg, Willem H.

2009-01-01

The hypothesis of an antieconomy developed in part 1 is incommensurate with mainstream economics. This article explores three reasons for this situation: the limits of discipline-based scholarship in general and of mainstream economics in particular, the status of economists in contemporary societies, and the failure of economists to accept any…

Drawbacks of the ancient RNA-based life-like system under primitive earth conditions.

PubMed

Kawamura, Kunio

2012-07-01

Following the discovery of ribozymes, the "RNA world" hypothesis has become the most accepted hypothesis concerning the origin of life and genetic information. However, this hypothesis has several drawbacks. Verification of the hypothesis from different viewpoints led us to proposals from the viewpoint of the hydrothermal origin of life, solubility of RNA and related biopolymers, and the possibility of creating an evolutionary system comparable to the in vitro selection technique for functional RNA molecules based on molecular biology. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Public Acceptability in the UK and USA of Nudging to Reduce Obesity: The Example of Reducing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Consumption.

PubMed

Petrescu, Dragos C; Hollands, Gareth J; Couturier, Dominique-Laurent; Ng, Yin-Lam; Marteau, Theresa M

2016-01-01

"Nudging"-modifying environments to change people's behavior, often without their conscious awareness-can improve health, but public acceptability of nudging is largely unknown. We compared acceptability, in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA), of government interventions to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Three nudge interventions were assessed: i. reducing portion Size, ii. changing the Shape of the drink containers, iii. changing their shelf Location; alongside two traditional interventions: iv. Taxation and v. Education. We also tested the hypothesis that describing interventions as working through non-conscious processes decreases their acceptability. Predictors of acceptability, including perceived intervention effectiveness, were also assessed. Participants (n = 1093 UK and n = 1082 USA) received a description of each of the five interventions which varied, by randomisation, in how the interventions were said to affect behaviour: (a) via conscious processes; (b) via non-conscious processes; or (c) no process stated. Acceptability was derived from responses to three items. Levels of acceptability for four of the five interventions did not differ significantly between the UK and US samples; reducing portion size was less accepted by the US sample. Within each country, Education was rated as most acceptable and Taxation the least, with the three nudge-type interventions rated between these. There was no evidence to support the study hypothesis: i.e. stating that interventions worked via non-conscious processes did not decrease their acceptability in either the UK or US samples. Perceived effectiveness was the strongest predictor of acceptability for all interventions across the two samples. In conclusion, nudge interventions to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages seem similarly acceptable in the UK and USA, being more acceptable than taxation, but less acceptable than education. Contrary to prediction, we found no evidence that highlighting the non-conscious processes by which nudge interventions may work decreases their acceptability. However, highlighting the effectiveness of all interventions has the potential to increase their acceptability.

Point of a space experiment proposal.

PubMed

Fukui, Keiji; Shimazu, Toru; Higashibata, Akira; Fujimoto, Nobuyoshi; Ishioka, Noriaki

2003-10-01

JAXA will solicit research proposals for space flight experiments that would be conducted for less than three years after the selection. In principle, available samples will be limited to Arabidopsis and C. elegans and flight hardware and protocol of space flight experiment will be pre-fixed. Proposals using different combinations of species and flight hardware will not be acceptable. Besides scientific issues, it is very important for proposer to write an impressive proposal. Hypothesis basis research proposal is the accepted standard. Reviewers will dislike a descriptive and unfocused research proposal without hypothesis. Ground preparation experiments, which are not related directly to space experiments, should not be included in the solicitation.

Psychological adjustment and the facilitative nature of close personal relationships.

PubMed

Cramer, D

1985-06-01

The Rogerian hypothesis that psychological adjustment is positively related to having a relationship which is perceived as being characterized by understanding, congruence and unconditional acceptance was tested in the context of a current, close relationship, using the original Relationship Inventory in two studies which used different measures of assessing psychological adjustment. In the first study 26 females and 19 males completed Phillips' questionnaire which assesses acceptance of self and of others, while in the second study, 98 females and 23 males completed Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and a 30-item symptom checklist. The hypothesis was strongly confirmed for the females but not for the males in both studies.

A neural hypothesis for stress-induced headache.

PubMed

Cathcart, Stuart

2009-12-01

The mechanisms by which stress contributes to CTH are not clearly understood. The commonly accepted notion of muscle hyper-reactivity to stress in CTH sufferers is not supported in the research data. We propose a neural model whereby stress acts supra-spinally to aggravate already increased pain sensitivity in CTH sufferers. Indirect support for the model comes from emerging research elucidating complex supra-spinal networks through which psychological stress may contribute to and even cause pain. Similarly, emerging research demonstrates supra-spinal pain processing abnormalities in CTH sufferers. While research with CTH sufferers offering direct support for the model is lacking at present, initial work by our group is consistent with the models predictions, particularly, that stress aggravates already increased pain sensitivity in CTH sufferers.

Output Beam Polarisation of X-ray Lasers with Transient Inversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janulewicz, K. A.; Kim, C. M.; Matouš, B.; Stiel, H.; Nishikino, M.; Hasegawa, N.; Kawachi, T.

It is commonly accepted that X-ray lasers, as the devices based on amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), did not show any specific polarization in the output beam. The theoretical analysis within the uniform (single-mode) approximation suggested that the output radiation should show some defined polarization feature, but randomly changing from shot-to-shot. This hypothesis has been verified by experiment using traditional double-pulse scheme of transient inversion. Membrane beam-splitter was used as a polarization selector. It was found that the output radiation has a significant component of p-polarisation in each shot. To explain the effect and place it in the line with available, but scarce data, propagation and kinetic effects in the non-uniform plasma have been analysed.

Testing of Hypothesis in Equivalence and Non Inferiority Trials-A Concept.

PubMed

Juneja, Atul; Aggarwal, Abha R; Adhikari, Tulsi; Pandey, Arvind

2016-04-01

Establishing the appropriate hypothesis is one of the important steps for carrying out the statistical tests/analysis. Its understanding is important for interpreting the results of statistical analysis. The current communication attempts to provide the concept of testing of hypothesis in non inferiority and equivalence trials, where the null hypothesis is just reverse of what is set up for conventional superiority trials. It is similarly looked for rejection for establishing the fact the researcher is intending to prove. It is important to mention that equivalence or non inferiority cannot be proved by accepting the null hypothesis of no difference. Hence, establishing the appropriate statistical hypothesis is extremely important to arrive at meaningful conclusion for the set objectives in research.

The Genetics of Autism: Key Issues, Recent Findings and Clinical Implications

PubMed Central

El-Fishawy, Paul; State, Matthew W.

2010-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD’S) are highly heritable. Consequently, gene discovery promises to help illuminate the pathophysiology of these syndromes, yielding important opportunities for the development of novel treatments and a more nuanced understanding of the natural history of these disorders. Although the underlying genetic architecture of ASD’s is not yet known, the literature demonstrates that it is not, writ large, a monogenic disorder with Mendelian inheritance, but rather a group of complex genetic syndromes with risk deriving from genetic variations in multiple genes. The widely accepted “Common Disease-Common Variant” hypothesis predicts that the risk alleles in ASD’s and other complex disorders will be common in the general population. However, recent evidence from gene discovery efforts in a wide range of diseases raises important questions regarding the overall applicability of the theory and the extent of its usefulness in explaining individual genetic liability. In contrast, considerable evidence points to the importance of rare alleles both with regard to their value in providing a foothold into the molecular mechanisms of ASD and their overall contribution to the population-wide risk. This chapter reviews the origins of the common versus rare variant debate, highlights recent findings in the field, and addresses the clinical implications of both common and rare variant discoveries. PMID:20159341

Test of association: which one is the most appropriate for my study?

PubMed

Gonzalez-Chica, David Alejandro; Bastos, João Luiz; Duquia, Rodrigo Pereira; Bonamigo, Renan Rangel; Martínez-Mesa, Jeovany

2015-01-01

Hypothesis tests are statistical tools widely used for assessing whether or not there is an association between two or more variables. These tests provide a probability of the type 1 error (p-value), which is used to accept or reject the null study hypothesis. To provide a practical guide to help researchers carefully select the most appropriate procedure to answer the research question. We discuss the logic of hypothesis testing and present the prerequisites of each procedure based on practical examples.

Public Acceptability in the UK and USA of Nudging to Reduce Obesity: The Example of Reducing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Consumption

PubMed Central

Petrescu, Dragos C.; Hollands, Gareth J.; Couturier, Dominique-Laurent; Ng, Yin-Lam; Marteau, Theresa M.

2016-01-01

Background “Nudging”—modifying environments to change people’s behavior, often without their conscious awareness—can improve health, but public acceptability of nudging is largely unknown. Methods We compared acceptability, in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA), of government interventions to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Three nudge interventions were assessed: i. reducing portion Size, ii. changing the Shape of the drink containers, iii. changing their shelf Location; alongside two traditional interventions: iv. Taxation and v. Education. We also tested the hypothesis that describing interventions as working through non-conscious processes decreases their acceptability. Predictors of acceptability, including perceived intervention effectiveness, were also assessed. Participants (n = 1093 UK and n = 1082 USA) received a description of each of the five interventions which varied, by randomisation, in how the interventions were said to affect behaviour: (a) via conscious processes; (b) via non-conscious processes; or (c) no process stated. Acceptability was derived from responses to three items. Results Levels of acceptability for four of the five interventions did not differ significantly between the UK and US samples; reducing portion size was less accepted by the US sample. Within each country, Education was rated as most acceptable and Taxation the least, with the three nudge-type interventions rated between these. There was no evidence to support the study hypothesis: i.e. stating that interventions worked via non-conscious processes did not decrease their acceptability in either the UK or US samples. Perceived effectiveness was the strongest predictor of acceptability for all interventions across the two samples. Conclusion In conclusion, nudge interventions to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages seem similarly acceptable in the UK and USA, being more acceptable than taxation, but less acceptable than education. Contrary to prediction, we found no evidence that highlighting the non-conscious processes by which nudge interventions may work decreases their acceptability. However, highlighting the effectiveness of all interventions has the potential to increase their acceptability. PMID:27276222

Peer Acceptance and Friendship in Early Childhood: The Conceptual Distinctions between Them

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beazidou, Eleftheria; Botsoglou, Kafenia

2016-01-01

This paper reviews previous literature about peer acceptance and friendship, two of the most critical aspects of peer relations that have received most of research attention during the past years. In this review, we will focus on the processes explaining the way children use the ability to socialise with peers; explore the hypothesis that certain…

Learning with Interactive Whiteboards: Determining the Factors on Promoting Interactive Whiteboards to Students by Technology Acceptance Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilic, Eylem; Güler, Çetin; Çelik, H. Eray; Tatli, Cemal

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors which might affect the intention to use interactive whiteboards (IWBs) by university students, using Technology Acceptance Model by the structural equation modeling approach. The following hypothesis guided the current study: H1. There is a positive relationship between IWB…

A Classic Test of the Hubbert-Rubey Weakening Mechanism: M7.6 Thrust-Belt Earthquake Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, L.; Suppe, J.

2005-12-01

The Hubbert-Rubey (1959) fluid-pressure hypothesis has long been accepted as a classic solution to the problem of the apparent weakness of long thin thrust sheets. This hypothesis, in its classic form argues that ambient high pore-fluid pressures, which are common in sedimentary basins, reduce the normalized shear traction on the fault τb/ρ g H = μb(1-λb) where λb=Pf/ρ g H is the normalized pore-fluid pressure and μb is the coefficient of friction. Remarkably, there have been few large-scale tests of this classic hypothesis. Here we document ambient pore-fluid pressures surrounding the active frontal thrusts of western Taiwan, including the Chulungpu thrust that slipped in the 1999 Mw7.6 Chi-Chi earthquake. We show from 3-D mapping of these thrusts that they flatten to a shallow detachment at about 5 km depth in the Pliocene Chinshui Shale. Using critical-taper wedge theory and the dip of the detachment and surface slope we constrain the basal shear traction τb/ρ g H ≍ 0.1 which is substantially weaker than common lab friction values of of Byerlee's law (μb= 0.85-0.6). We have determined the pore-fluid pressures as a function of depth in 76 wells, based on in-situ formation tests, sonic logs and mud densities. Fluid pressures are regionally controlled stratigraphically by sedimentary facies. The top of overpressures is everywhere below the base of the Chinshui Shale, therefore the entire Chinshui thrust system is at ambient hydrostatic pore-fluid pressures (λb ≍ 0.4). According to the classic Hubbert-Rubey hypothesis the required basal coefficient of friction is therefore μb ≍ 0.1-0.2. Therefore the classic Hubbert & Rubey mechanism involving static ambient excess fluid pressures is not the cause of extreme fault weakening in this western Taiwan example. We must look to other mechanisms of large-scale fault weakening, many of which are difficult to test.

Experiencing limits of acceptable change: some thoughts after a decade of implementation

Treesearch

Stephen F. McCool; David N. Cole

1997-01-01

Wilderness managers and researchers have experienced implementation of the Limits of Acceptable Change planning system for over a decade. In a sense, implementation of LAC has been a broad scale experiment in planning, with the hypothesis being that LAC processes are more effective approaches to deal with questions of recreation management in protected areas than the...

[Physiopathology of overactive bladder syndrome].

PubMed

Sacco, Emilio

2012-01-01

The pathophysiology of OAB is complex, multifactorial and still largely unknown. Several pathophysiological mechanisms have been highlighted that may play a different role in different patient groups. There are now experimental evidences that support both the myogenic and neurogenic hypothesis, but in recent years the "integrative" hypothesis has been gaining more and more acceptance, where a disruption in the multiple interactions between different cell types (neurons, urothelium, interstitial cells, myocytes) and network functions represent a central element of lower urinary tract dysfunctions. Of utmost importance, a disorder in the urothelial sensory function and in the urothelial/suburothelial non-neural cholinergic system, favored by age and comorbidities, appears to be crucial for the development of the OAB. Neuroplastic and detrusor changes in OAB are broadly similar to those observed in bladders exposed to outlet obstruction, neuropathies, inflammation or aging, and may be driven by a common urothelial dysfunction. Several signaling substances and their receptors were found to be involved in central pathways of bidirectional communication between the different cell types in the bladder, and were shown to be modified in several animal models of OAB as well as in human models, indicating new potential therapeutic targets.

Merkel cell carcinoma: is this a true carcinoma?

PubMed

Jankowski, Marek; Kopinski, Piotr; Schwartz, Robert; Czajkowski, Rafal

2014-11-01

Recent years have brought an enhanced understanding of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) biology, especially with regard to the Merkel cell polyoma virus as a causative agent. Differences between Merkel cell polyomavirus-positive and Merkel cell polyomavirus-negative MCC in morphology; gene expression, miRNA profiles and prognosis have been reported. Origin of MCC is controversial. Presence of neurosecretory granules has suggested that these carcinomas originate from one of the neurocrest derivatives, most probably Merkel cells; the name Merkel cell carcinoma is now widely accepted. Expression of PGP 9.5, chromogranin A and several neuropeptides, initially regarded as specific markers for neural and neuroendocrine cells, has recently been shown in a subset of lymphomas. MCC commonly expresses terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase and PAX5. Their co-expression under physiologic circumstances is restricted to pro/pre-B cells and pre-B cells. These findings lead to the hypothesis by zur Hausen et al. that MCC originates from early B cells. This review was intended to critically appraise zur Hausen's hypothesis and discuss the possibility that MCC is a heterogenous entity with distinct subtypes. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Long-term social bonds promote cooperation in the iterated Prisoner's Dilemma.

PubMed

St-Pierre, Angèle; Larose, Karine; Dubois, Frédérique

2009-12-07

Reciprocal altruism, one of the most probable explanations for cooperation among non-kin, has been modelled as a Prisoner's Dilemma. According to this game, cooperation could evolve when individuals, who expect to play again, use conditional strategies like tit-for-tat or Pavlov. There is evidence that humans use such strategies to achieve mutual cooperation, but most controlled experiments with non-human animals have failed to find cooperation. One reason for this could be that subjects fail to cooperate because they behave as if they were to play only once. To assess this hypothesis, we conducted an experiment with monogamous zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) that were tested in a two-choice apparatus, with either their social partner or an experimental opponent of the opposite sex. We found that zebra finches maintained high levels of cooperation in an iterated Prisoner's Dilemma game only when interacting with their social partner. Although other mechanisms may have contributed to the observed difference between the two treatments, our results support the hypothesis that animals do not systematically give in to the short-term temptation of cheating when long-term benefits exist. Thus, our findings contradict the commonly accepted idea that reciprocal altruism will be rare in non-human animals.

The Possible Role of Meditation in Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A New Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Panta, Prashanth

2017-01-01

Background of Hypothesis: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is the most common musculoskeletal pain disorder of the head and neck area. In the past, several theories were put forth to explain its origin and nature, but none proved complete. Myofascial pain responds to changing psychological states and stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, anger, depression and chronic pain are direct contributional factors. Myofascial pain syndrome may be considered as a psychosomatic disorder. There are numerous accepted palliative approaches, but of all, relaxation techniques stand out and initiate healing at the base level. In this article, the connection between mental factors, MPS and meditation are highlighted. Recent literature has shed light on the fundamental role of free radicals in the emergence of myofascial pain. The accumulating free radicals disrupt mitochondrial integrity and function, leading to sustenance and progression of MPS. Meditation on the other hand was shown to reduce free radical load and can result in clinical improvement. ‘Mindfulness’ is the working principle behind the effect of all meditations, and I emphasize that it can serve as a potential tool to reverse the neuro-architectural, neurobiological and cellular changes that occur in MPS. Conclusions: The findings described in this paper were drawn from studies on myofascial pain, fibromyalgia, similar chronic pain models and most importantly from self experience (experimentation). Till date, no hypothesis is available connecting MPS and meditation. Mechanisms linking MPS and meditation were identified, and this paper can ignite novel research in this direction. PMID:28503039

Acceptance and suitability of novel trees for Orthotomicus erosus, an exotic bark beetle in North America

Treesearch

A.J. Walter; R.C. Venette; S.A. Kells

2010-01-01

To predict whether an herbivorous pest insect will establish in a new area, the potential host plants must be known. For invading bark beetles, adults must recognize and accept trees suitable for larval development. The preference-performance hypothesis predicts that adults will select host species that maximize the fitness of their offspring. We tested five species of...

Boring in response to bark and phloem extracts from North American trees does not explain host acceptance behavior of Orthotomicus erosus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Treesearch

Abigail J. Walter; Stephen A. Kells; Robert C. Venette; Steven J. Seybold

2010-01-01

When invasive herbivorous insects encounter novel plant species, they must determine whether the novel plants are hosts. The Mediterranean pine engraver, Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston), an exotic bark beetle poised to expand its range in North America, accepts hosts after contacting the bark. To test the hypothesis that O. erosus...

An impact hypothesis for Venus argon anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaula, W. M.; Newman, W. I.

1997-03-01

The Ar-36+38 argon-excess anomally of Venus has been hypothesized to have its origin in the impact of an outer solar system body of about 100-km diameter. A critical evaluation is made of this hypothesis and its competitors; it is judged that its status must for the time being remain one of 'Sherlock Holmes' type, in that something so improbable must be accepted when all alternatives are eliminated.

Reward and social valuation deficits following ventromedial prefrontal damage.

PubMed

Moretti, Laura; Dragone, Davide; di Pellegrino, Giuseppe

2009-01-01

Lesion and imaging studies have implicated the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in economic decisions and social interactions, yet its exact functions remain unclear. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that the vmPFC represents the subjective value or desirability of future outcomes during social decision-making. Both vmPFC-damaged patients and control participants acted as the responder in a single-round ultimatum game. To test outcome valuation, we contrasted concrete, immediately available gains with abstract, future ones. To test social valuation, we contrasted interactions with a human partner and those involving a computer. We found that, compared to controls, vmPFC patients substantially reduced their acceptance rate of unfair offers from a human partner, but only when financial gains were presented as abstract amounts to be received later. When the gains were visible and readily available, the vmPFC patients' acceptance of unfair offers was normal. Furthermore, unlike controls, vmPFC patients did not distinguish between unfair offers from a human agent and those from a computerized opponent. We conclude that the vmPFC encodes the expected value of abstract, future goals in a common neural currency that takes into account both reward and social signals in order to optimize economic decision-making.

The Mechanisms of Water Exchange: The Regulatory Roles of Multiple Interactions in Social Wasps.

PubMed

Agrawal, Devanshu; Karsai, Istvan

2016-01-01

Evolutionary benefits of task fidelity and improving information acquisition via multiple transfers of materials between individuals in a task partitioned system have been shown before, but in this paper we provide a mechanistic explanation of these phenomena. Using a simple mathematical model describing the individual interactions of the wasps, we explain the functioning of the common stomach, an information center, which governs construction behavior and task change. Our central hypothesis is a symmetry between foragers who deposit water and foragers who withdraw water into and out of the common stomach. We combine this with a trade-off between acceptance and resistance to water transfer. We ultimately derive a mathematical function that relates the number of interactions that foragers complete with common stomach wasps during a foraging cycle. We use field data and additional model assumptions to calculate values of our model parameters, and we use these to explain why the fullness of the common stomach stabilizes just below 50 percent, why the average number of successful interactions between foragers and the wasps forming the common stomach is between 5 and 7, and why there is a variation in this number of interactions over time. Our explanation is that our proposed water exchange mechanism places natural bounds on the number of successful interactions possible, water exchange is set to optimize mediation of water through the common stomach, and the chance that foragers abort their task prematurely is very low.

The Mechanisms of Water Exchange: The Regulatory Roles of Multiple Interactions in Social Wasps

PubMed Central

Agrawal, Devanshu; Karsai, Istvan

2016-01-01

Evolutionary benefits of task fidelity and improving information acquisition via multiple transfers of materials between individuals in a task partitioned system have been shown before, but in this paper we provide a mechanistic explanation of these phenomena. Using a simple mathematical model describing the individual interactions of the wasps, we explain the functioning of the common stomach, an information center, which governs construction behavior and task change. Our central hypothesis is a symmetry between foragers who deposit water and foragers who withdraw water into and out of the common stomach. We combine this with a trade-off between acceptance and resistance to water transfer. We ultimately derive a mathematical function that relates the number of interactions that foragers complete with common stomach wasps during a foraging cycle. We use field data and additional model assumptions to calculate values of our model parameters, and we use these to explain why the fullness of the common stomach stabilizes just below 50 percent, why the average number of successful interactions between foragers and the wasps forming the common stomach is between 5 and 7, and why there is a variation in this number of interactions over time. Our explanation is that our proposed water exchange mechanism places natural bounds on the number of successful interactions possible, water exchange is set to optimize mediation of water through the common stomach, and the chance that foragers abort their task prematurely is very low. PMID:26751076

Is a multivariate consensus representation of genetic relationships among populations always meaningful?

PubMed Central

Moazami-Goudarzi, K; Laloë, D

2002-01-01

To determine the relationships among closely related populations or species, two methods are commonly used in the literature: phylogenetic reconstruction or multivariate analysis. The aim of this article is to assess the reliability of multivariate analysis. We describe a method that is based on principal component analysis and Mantel correlations, using a two-step process: The first step consists of a single-marker analysis and the second step tests if each marker reveals the same typology concerning population differentiation. We conclude that if single markers are not congruent, the compromise structure is not meaningful. Our model is not based on any particular mutation process and it can be applied to most of the commonly used genetic markers. This method is also useful to determine the contribution of each marker to the typology of populations. We test whether our method is efficient with two real data sets based on microsatellite markers. Our analysis suggests that for closely related populations, it is not always possible to accept the hypothesis that an increase in the number of markers will increase the reliability of the typology analysis. PMID:12242255

Optimizing Aircraft Availability: Where to Spend Your Next O&M Dollar

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

patterns of variance are present. In addition, we use the Breusch - Pagan test to statistically determine whether homoscedasticity exists. For this... Breusch - Pagan test , large p-values are preferred so that we may accept the null hypothesis of normality. Failure to meet the fourth assumption is...Next, we show the residual by predicted plot and the Breusch - Pagan test for constant variance of the residuals. The null hypothesis is that the

Toward Joint Hypothesis-Tests Seismic Event Screening Analysis: Ms|mb and Event Depth

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

Anderson, Dale; Selby, Neil

2012-08-14

Well established theory can be used to combine single-phenomenology hypothesis tests into a multi-phenomenology event screening hypothesis test (Fisher's and Tippett's tests). Commonly used standard error in Ms:mb event screening hypothesis test is not fully consistent with physical basis. Improved standard error - Better agreement with physical basis, and correctly partitions error to include Model Error as a component of variance, correctly reduces station noise variance through network averaging. For 2009 DPRK test - Commonly used standard error 'rejects' H0 even with better scaling slope ({beta} = 1, Selby et al.), improved standard error 'fails to rejects' H0.

[Experimental testing of Pflüger's reflex hypothesis of menstruation in late 19th century].

PubMed

Simmer, H H

1980-07-01

Pflüger's hypothesis of a nerve reflex as the cause of menstruation published in 1865 and accepted by many, nonetheless did not lead to experimental investigations for 25 years. According to this hypothesis the nerve reflex starts in the ovary by an increase of the intraovarian pressure by the growing follicles. In 1884 Adolph Kehrer proposed a program to test the nerve reflex, but only in 1890, Cohnstein artificially increased the intraovarian pressure in women by bimanual compression from the outside and the vagina. His results were not convincing. Six years later, Strassmann injected fluids into ovaries of animals and obtained changes in the uterus resembling those of oestrus. His results seemed to verify a prognosis derived from Pflüger's hypothesis. Thus, after a long interval, that hypothesis had become a paradigma. Though reasons can be given for the delay, it is little understood, why experimental testing started so late.

The atmospheric electric global circuit. [thunderstorm activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kasemir, H. W.

1979-01-01

The hypothesis that world thunderstorm activity represents the generator for the atmospheric electric current flow in the earth atmosphere between ground and the ionosphere is based on a close correlation between the magnitude and the diurnal variation of the supply current (thunderstorm generator current) and the load current (fair weather air-earth current density integrated over the earth surface). The advantages of using lightning survey satellites to furnish a base for accepting or rejecting the thunderstorm generator hypothesis are discussed.

Differential Effect of Correct Name Translation on Human and Automated Judgments of Translation Acceptability: A Pilot Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

in the Input Hypothesis (IH) of Krashen (1981) and the Expectancy Hypothesis (EH) of Oller and Richard-Amato (1983). Situations where readers attempt...hypothesizing what will come next can be conceptualized in terms of grammar-based expectancies ( Oller , 1983). New elements are interspersed with known...Testing. Applied Language Learning 1993, 4. Clifford, R.; Granoien, N.; Jones, D. A.; Shen, W.; Weinstein, C. J . The Effect of Text Difficulty on

Discovering the silk road: Nuclear and mitochondrial sequence data resolve the phylogenetic relationships among theraphosid spider subfamilies.

PubMed

Lüddecke, Tim; Krehenwinkel, Henrik; Canning, Gregory; Glaw, Frank; Longhorn, Stuart J; Tänzler, René; Wendt, Ingo; Vences, Miguel

2018-02-01

The mygalomorph spiders in the family Theraphosidae, also known as "tarantulas", are one of the most popular and diverse groups of arachnids, but their evolutionary history remains poorly understood because morphological analyses have only provided mostly controversial results, and a broad molecular perspective has been lacking until now. In this study we provide a preliminary molecular phylogenetic hypothesis of relationships among theraphosid subfamilies, based on 3.5 kbp of three nuclear and three mitochondrial markers, for 52 taxa representing 10 of the 11 commonly accepted subfamilies. Our analysis confirms the monophyly of the Theraphosidae and of most recognized theraphosid subfamilies, supports the validity of the Stromatopelminae and Poecilotheriinae, and indicates paraphyly of the Schismatothelinae. The placement of representatives of Schismatothelinae also indicates possible non-monophyly of Aviculariinae and supports the distinction of the previously contentious subfamily Psalmopoeinae. Major clades typically corresponded to taxa occurring in the same biogeographic region, with two of them each occurring in Africa, South America and Asia. Because relationships among these major clades were poorly supported, more extensive molecular data sets are required to test the hypothesis of independent colonization and multiple dispersal events among these continents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Late Pleistocene Megafaunal Extinction Consistent With YDB Impact Hypothesis at Younger Dryas Onset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennett, J. P.; Kennett, D. J.

2008-12-01

At least 35 mammal and 19 bird genera became extinct across North America near the end of the Pleistocene. Modern increases in stratigraphic and dating resolution suggest that this extinction occurred relatively rapidly near 12.9 ka (11 radiocarbon kyrs). Within the context of a long-standing debate about its cause, Firestone et al., (2007) proposed that this extinction resulted from an extraterrestrial (ET) impact over North America at 12.9 ka. This hypothesis predicts that the extinction of most of these animals should have occurred abruptly at 12.9 ka. To test this hypothesis, we have critically examined radiocarbon ages and the extinction stratigraphy of these taxa. From a large data pool, we selected only radiocarbon dates with low error margins with a preference for directly dated biological materials (e.g., bone, dung, etc.) and modern chemical purification techniques. A relatively small number of acceptable dates indicate that at least 16 animal genera and several other species became extinct close to 12.9 ka. These taxa include the most common animals of the late Pleistocene such as horses, camels, and mammoths. Also, the remains of extinct taxa are reportedly found up to, but not above, the base of a widely distributed carbon-rich layer called the black mat. This stratum forms an abrupt, major biostratigraphic boundary at the Younger Dryas onset (12.9 ka), which also contains multiple ET markers comprising the impact layer (the YDB). Surviving animal populations were abruptly reduced at the YDB (e.g., Bison), with major range restrictions and apparent evolutionary bottlenecks. The abruptness of this major extinction is inconsistent with the hypotheses of human overkill and climatic change. We argue that extinction ages older than 12.9 ka for many less common species result from the Signor-Lipps effect, but the impact hypothesis predicts that as new dates are acquired, they will approach ever closer to 12.9 ka. The megafaunal extinction is strongly associated with abrupt and major vegetation changes, abrupt cooling, and widespread biomass burning at the onset of the Younger Dryas over North America. The stratigraphic and chronologic data are consistent with megafaunal extinction being caused by continental-scale ecosystem disruption due to an ET impact.

A randomized controlled trial of Moderation-Oriented Cue Exposure.

PubMed

Heather, N; Brodie, J; Wale, S; Wilkinson, G; Luce, A; Webb, E; McCarthy, S

2000-07-01

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine the effectiveness of Moderation-Oriented Cue Exposure (MOCE) in comparison to Behavioral Self-Control Training (BSCT). The main hypothesis was that MOCE would be more effective than BSCT among a sample of problem drinkers aiming at moderate drinking. A subsidiary hypothesis was that MOCE would be relatively more effective than BSCT among problem drinkers with higher levels of alcohol dependence. Clients (N = 91; 75% men) were randomly allocated to either MOCE or BSCT. Treatment was delivered in weekly sessions by two trained therapists, in a nested design in which therapists switched to the alternative treatment modality approximately halfway through the trial. Follow-up was carried out 6 months following posttreatment assessment, with 85% successful contact. There was no evidence for the general superiority of MOCE over BSCT. The subsidiary hypothesis was not confirmed. A subsample of clients (n = 14) showing levels of dependence at baseline above the commonly accepted cut-point for a moderation goal (Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire [SADQ] > 29) showed outcomes at least as favorable as those below the cut-point. The validity of self-reports of alcohol consumption and problems was supported by significant relationships with liver function tests (gamma-glutamyl transferase and alanine transferase). These results provide no grounds for the replacement of BSCT by MOCE in routine, moderation-oriented treatment practice. Assuming they prefer it to abstinence and that it is not contra-indicated on other grounds, there seems no reason why clients showing a higher level of dependence (SADQ = 30-45) should not be offered a moderation goal.

Chromosome Connections: Compelling Clues to Common Ancestry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flammer, Larry

2013-01-01

Students compare banding patterns on hominid chromosomes and see striking evidence of their common ancestry. To test this, human chromosome no. 2 is matched with two shorter chimpanzee chromosomes, leading to the hypothesis that human chromosome 2 resulted from the fusion of the two shorter chromosomes. Students test that hypothesis by looking for…

Multiplexed resequencing analysis to identify rare variants in pooled DNA with barcode indexing using next-generation sequencer.

PubMed

Mitsui, Jun; Fukuda, Yoko; Azuma, Kyo; Tozaki, Hirokazu; Ishiura, Hiroyuki; Takahashi, Yuji; Goto, Jun; Tsuji, Shoji

2010-07-01

We have recently found that multiple rare variants of the glucocerebrosidase gene (GBA) confer a robust risk for Parkinson disease, supporting the 'common disease-multiple rare variants' hypothesis. To develop an efficient method of identifying rare variants in a large number of samples, we applied multiplexed resequencing using a next-generation sequencer to identification of rare variants of GBA. Sixteen sets of pooled DNAs from six pooled DNA samples were prepared. Each set of pooled DNAs was subjected to polymerase chain reaction to amplify the target gene (GBA) covering 6.5 kb, pooled into one tube with barcode indexing, and then subjected to extensive sequence analysis using the SOLiD System. Individual samples were also subjected to direct nucleotide sequence analysis. With the optimization of data processing, we were able to extract all the variants from 96 samples with acceptable rates of false-positive single-nucleotide variants.

Physical Approaches to Masking Bitter Taste: Lessons from Food and Pharmaceuticals

PubMed Central

Hayes, John E.

2016-01-01

Many drugs and desirable phytochemicals are bitter, and bitter tastes are aversive. Food and pharmaceutical manufacturers share a common need for bitterness-masking strategies that allow them to deliver useful quantities of the active compounds in an acceptable form and in this review we compare and contrast the challenges and approaches by researchers in both fields. We focus on physical approaches, i.e., micro- or nano-structures to bind bitter compounds in the mouth, yet break down to allow release after they are swallowed. In all of these methods, the assumption is the degree of bitterness suppression depends on the concentration of bitterant in the saliva and hence the proportion that is bound. Surprisingly, this hypothesis has only rarely been fully tested using a combination of adequate human sensory trials and measurements of binding. This is especially true in pharmaceutical systems, perhaps due to the greater experimental challenges in sensory analysis of drugs. PMID:25205460

Cytotoxicity of titanium and titanium alloying elements.

PubMed

Li, Y; Wong, C; Xiong, J; Hodgson, P; Wen, C

2010-05-01

It is commonly accepted that titanium and the titanium alloying elements of tantalum, niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, tin, and silicon are biocompatible. However, our research in the development of new titanium alloys for biomedical applications indicated that some titanium alloys containing molybdenum, niobium, and silicon produced by powder metallurgy show a certain degree of cytotoxicity. We hypothesized that the cytotoxicity is linked to the ion release from the metals. To prove this hypothesis, we assessed the cytotoxicity of titanium and titanium alloying elements in both forms of powder and bulk, using osteoblast-like SaOS(2) cells. Results indicated that the metal powders of titanium, niobium, molybdenum, and silicon are cytotoxic, and the bulk metals of silicon and molybdenum also showed cytotoxicity. Meanwhile, we established that the safe ion concentrations (below which the ion concentration is non-toxic) are 8.5, 15.5, 172.0, and 37,000.0 microg/L for molybdenum, titanium, niobium, and silicon, respectively.

Bias neglect: a blind spot in the evaluation of scientific results.

PubMed

Strickland, Brent; Mercier, Hugo

2014-01-01

Experimenter bias occurs when scientists' hypotheses influence their results, even if involuntarily. Meta-analyses have suggested that in some domains, such as psychology, up to a third of the studies could be unreliable due to such biases. A series of experiments demonstrates that while people are aware of the possibility that scientists can be more biased when the conclusions of their experiments fit their initial hypotheses, they robustly fail to appreciate that they should also be more sceptical of such results. This is true even when participants read descriptions of studies that have been shown to be biased. Moreover, participants take other sources of bias-such as financial incentives-into account, showing that this bias neglect may be specific to theory-driven hypothesis testing. In combination with a common style of scientific reporting, bias neglect could lead the public to accept premature conclusions.

Together They Stand: Interpreting Not-At-Issue Content.

PubMed

Frazier, Lyn; Dillon, Brian; Clifton, Charles

2018-06-01

Potts unified the account of appositives, parentheticals, expressives, and honorifics as 'Not- At-Issue' (NAI) content, treating them as a natural class semantically in behaving like root (unembedded) structures, typically expressing speaker commitments, and being interpreted independently of At-Issue content. We propose that NAI content expresses a complete speech act distinct from the speech act of the containing utterance. The speech act hypothesis leads us to expect the semantic properties Potts established. We present experimental confirmation of two intuitive observations made by Potts: first that speech act adverbs should be acceptable as NAI content, supporting the speech act hypothesis; and second, that when two speech acts are expressed as successive sentences, the comprehender assumes they are related by some discourse coherence relation, whereas an NAI speech act need not bear a restrictive discourse coherence relation to its containing utterance, though overall sentences containing relevant content are rated more acceptable than those that do not. The speech act hypothesis accounts for these effects, and further accounts for why judgments of syntactic complexity or evaluations of whether or not a statement is true interact with the at-issue status of the material being judged or evaluated.

The frequentist implications of optional stopping on Bayesian hypothesis tests.

PubMed

Sanborn, Adam N; Hills, Thomas T

2014-04-01

Null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) is the most commonly used statistical methodology in psychology. The probability of achieving a value as extreme or more extreme than the statistic obtained from the data is evaluated, and if it is low enough, the null hypothesis is rejected. However, because common experimental practice often clashes with the assumptions underlying NHST, these calculated probabilities are often incorrect. Most commonly, experimenters use tests that assume that sample sizes are fixed in advance of data collection but then use the data to determine when to stop; in the limit, experimenters can use data monitoring to guarantee that the null hypothesis will be rejected. Bayesian hypothesis testing (BHT) provides a solution to these ills because the stopping rule used is irrelevant to the calculation of a Bayes factor. In addition, there are strong mathematical guarantees on the frequentist properties of BHT that are comforting for researchers concerned that stopping rules could influence the Bayes factors produced. Here, we show that these guaranteed bounds have limited scope and often do not apply in psychological research. Specifically, we quantitatively demonstrate the impact of optional stopping on the resulting Bayes factors in two common situations: (1) when the truth is a combination of the hypotheses, such as in a heterogeneous population, and (2) when a hypothesis is composite-taking multiple parameter values-such as the alternative hypothesis in a t-test. We found that, for these situations, while the Bayesian interpretation remains correct regardless of the stopping rule used, the choice of stopping rule can, in some situations, greatly increase the chance of experimenters finding evidence in the direction they desire. We suggest ways to control these frequentist implications of stopping rules on BHT.

Time to Reject the Linear-No Threshold Hypothesis and Accept Thresholds and Hormesis: A Petition to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

PubMed

Marcus, Carol S

2015-07-01

On February 9, 2015, I submitted a petition to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to reject the linear-no threshold (LNT) hypothesis and ALARA as the bases for radiation safety regulation in the United States, using instead threshold and hormesis evidence. In this article, I will briefly review the history of LNT and its use by regulators, the lack of evidence supporting LNT, and the large body of evidence supporting thresholds and hormesis. Physician acceptance of cancer risk from low dose radiation based upon federal regulatory claims is unfortunate and needs to be reevaluated. This is dangerous to patients and impedes good medical care. A link to my petition is available: http://radiationeffects.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Hormesis-Petition-to-NRC-02-09-15.pdf, and support by individual physicians once the public comment period begins would be extremely important.

One-way ANOVA based on interval information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hesamian, Gholamreza

2016-08-01

This paper deals with extending the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to the case where the observed data are represented by closed intervals rather than real numbers. In this approach, first a notion of interval random variable is introduced. Especially, a normal distribution with interval parameters is introduced to investigate hypotheses about the equality of interval means or test the homogeneity of interval variances assumption. Moreover, the least significant difference (LSD method) for investigating multiple comparison of interval means is developed when the null hypothesis about the equality of means is rejected. Then, at a given interval significance level, an index is applied to compare the interval test statistic and the related interval critical value as a criterion to accept or reject the null interval hypothesis of interest. Finally, the method of decision-making leads to some degrees to accept or reject the interval hypotheses. An applied example will be used to show the performance of this method.

Share Market Analysis Using Various Economical Determinants to Predict Decision of Investors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Arijit; Roy, Samrat; Bandyopadhyay, Gautam; Choudhuri, Kripasindhu

2010-10-01

The following paper tries to develop six major hypotheses in Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India. The paper tries to proof the hypothesis by collecting data from the fields on six sectors: oil prices, gold price, Cash Reserve Ratio, food price inflation, call money rate and Dollar price. The research uses these data as indicators to identify relationship and level of influence on Share prices of Bombay Stock Exchange by rejecting and accepting the null hypothesis.

Is the primary mechanism underlying COPD: inflammation or ischaemia?

PubMed

Pearson, Michael

2013-08-01

The mechanisms underlying the majority of COPD cases have remained ill-defined. Cigarette smoke contains many toxic chemicals that certainly cause some inflammatory responses, but this article advances a hypothesis that the nicotine and similar compounds within the smoke acting as vasoconstrictors of bronchiolar arterioles may be more important via multiple small infarcts that eventually destroy lung tissue. The hypothesis can explain many of the known features of COPD and if accepted would significantly alter the approach to this condition.

'I ate too much so I must have been sad': Emotions as a confabulated reason for overeating.

PubMed

Adriaanse, Marieke A; Prinsen, Sosja; de Witt Huberts, Jessie C; de Ridder, Denise T D; Evers, Catharine

2016-08-01

Emotional eating (i.e., overeating in response to negative affect) is a commonly accepted explanation for eating behaviors that are not in line with personal eating-norms. However, the empirical evidence for a causal link between self-reported emotional eating and overeating is mixed. The present study tested an alternative hypothesis stating that high emotional eating scores are indicative of a susceptibility to use negative affect as a confabulated, post-hoc reason to explain overeating. Female students (N = 46) participated in a 'taste-test' and came back to the lab a day later to receive feedback that they either ate too much (norm-violation condition) or an acceptable amount of food (control condition), whereafter emotional eating was assessed. Negative affect was measured several times throughout the study. In the norm-violation condition, participants with high emotional eating scores retrospectively rated their affect prior to eating as more negative than participants with low emotional eating scores. In the control condition, no effect of emotional score on affect ratings was found. For some individuals emotional eating scores may represent a tendency to retrospectively attribute overeating to negative affect. This could explain the lack of consistent findings for a link between self-reported emotional eating and overeating. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urban African-American Men Speak Out on Sexual Partner Concurrency

PubMed Central

Carey, Michael P.; Senn, Theresa E.; Seward, Derek X.; Vanable, Peter A.

2008-01-01

Sexual partner concurrency, which fuels the spread of HIV, has been hypothesized as a cause of higher rates of HIV among low-income, urban African-Americans. Despite this hypothesis, little is known about the phenomenology of partner concurrency. To address this gap in the literature, we recruited 20 urban African-American men from a public STD clinic to elicit their ideas about partner concurrency. Five themes emerged during focus group discussions. First, there was a general consensus that it is normative to have more than one sexual partner. Second, men agreed it is acceptable for men to have concurrent partners, but disagreed about whether it was acceptable for women. Third, although men provided many reasons for concurrent partnerships, the most common reasons were that (a) multiple partners fulfill different needs, and (b) it is in a man’s nature to have multiple partners. Fourth, men described some (but not all) of the negative consequences of having concurrent partners. Finally, men articulated spoken and unspoken rules that govern concurrent partnerships. These findings increase knowledge about urban, African-American men’s attitudes toward concurrent partnerships, and can help to improve the efficacy of sexual risk-reduction interventions for this group of underserved men and their partners. PMID:18483847

Control/display trade-off study for single-pilot instrument flight rule operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoh, R.

1983-01-01

The objectives were to determine minimum autopilot functions and displays required to keep pilot workload at an acceptable level; to determine what constitutes an acceptable level of workload; to identify critical tasks; and to suggest specific experiments required to refine conclusions. It was determined that workload relief is derived from basic stability augmentation; that complex autopilots can lead to serious blunders; and that displays need to enhance positional awareness and minimize the likelihood of false hypothesis.

Argument structure hierarchy system and method for facilitating analysis and decision-making processes

DOEpatents

Janssen, Terry

2000-01-01

A system and method for facilitating decision-making comprising a computer program causing linkage of data representing a plurality of argument structure units into a hierarchical argument structure. Each argument structure unit comprises data corresponding to a hypothesis and its corresponding counter-hypothesis, data corresponding to grounds that provide a basis for inference of the hypothesis or its corresponding counter-hypothesis, data corresponding to a warrant linking the grounds to the hypothesis or its corresponding counter-hypothesis, and data corresponding to backing that certifies the warrant. The hierarchical argument structure comprises a top level argument structure unit and a plurality of subordinate level argument structure units. Each of the plurality of subordinate argument structure units comprises at least a portion of the grounds of the argument structure unit to which it is subordinate. Program code located on each of a plurality of remote computers accepts input from one of a plurality of contributors. Each input comprises data corresponding to an argument structure unit in the hierarchical argument structure and supports the hypothesis or its corresponding counter-hypothesis. A second programming code is adapted to combine the inputs into a single hierarchical argument structure. A third computer program code is responsive to the second computer program code and is adapted to represent a degree of support for the hypothesis and its corresponding counter-hypothesis in the single hierarchical argument structure.

A shift from significance test to hypothesis test through power analysis in medical research.

PubMed

Singh, G

2006-01-01

Medical research literature until recently, exhibited substantial dominance of the Fisher's significance test approach of statistical inference concentrating more on probability of type I error over Neyman-Pearson's hypothesis test considering both probability of type I and II error. Fisher's approach dichotomises results into significant or not significant results with a P value. The Neyman-Pearson's approach talks of acceptance or rejection of null hypothesis. Based on the same theory these two approaches deal with same objective and conclude in their own way. The advancement in computing techniques and availability of statistical software have resulted in increasing application of power calculations in medical research and thereby reporting the result of significance tests in the light of power of the test also. Significance test approach, when it incorporates power analysis contains the essence of hypothesis test approach. It may be safely argued that rising application of power analysis in medical research may have initiated a shift from Fisher's significance test to Neyman-Pearson's hypothesis test procedure.

Viability of male gametes in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) along the Lower Colorado River from the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Havasu NWR, and Lake Mohave of Lake Mead National Recreation Area

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jenkins, Jill A.; Goodbred, Steven L.

2005-01-01

To contribute to an investigation on possible endocrine impacts in three sites along the lower Colorado River in Arizona, especially in male fishes, this study addressed the null hypothesis that aquatic species in southern sites did not exhibit evidence of endocrine disruption as compared with those in nonimpacted sites. The results presented are intended to provide managers with science-based information and interpretations about the reproductive condition of biota in their habitat along the lower Colorado River to minimize any potential adverse effects to trust fish and wildlife resources and to identify water resources of acceptable quality. In particular, these data can inform decision making about wastewater discharges into the Colorado River that directly supplies water to Arizona refuges located along the river. These data are integral to the USFWS proposal entitled 'AZ - Endocrine Disruption in Razorback Sucker and Common Carp on National Wildlife Refuges along the Lower Colorado River' that was proposed to assess evidence of endocrine disruption in carp and razorback suckers downstream of Hoover Dam.

Some consequences of using the Horsfall-Barratt scale for hypothesis testing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Comparing treatment effects by hypothesis testing is a common practice in plant pathology. Nearest percent estimates (NPEs) of disease severity were compared to Horsfall-Barratt (H-B) scale data to explore whether there was an effect of assessment method on hypothesis testing. A simulation model ba...

Ancient Humans Influenced the Current Spatial Genetic Structure of Common Walnut Populations in Asia

PubMed Central

Pollegioni, Paola; Woeste, Keith E.; Chiocchini, Francesca; Del Lungo, Stefano; Olimpieri, Irene; Tortolano, Virginia; Clark, Jo; Hemery, Gabriel E.; Mapelli, Sergio; Malvolti, Maria Emilia

2015-01-01

Common walnut (Juglans regia L) is an economically important species cultivated worldwide for its wood and nuts. It is generally accepted that J. regia survived and grew spontaneously in almost completely isolated stands in its Asian native range after the Last Glacial Maximum. Despite its natural geographic isolation, J. regia evolved over many centuries under the influence of human management and exploitation. We evaluated the hypothesis that the current distribution of natural genetic resources of common walnut in Asia is, at least in part, the product of ancient anthropogenic dispersal, human cultural interactions, and afforestation. Genetic analysis combined with ethno-linguistic and historical data indicated that ancient trade routes such as the Persian Royal Road and Silk Road enabled long-distance dispersal of J. regia from Iran and Trans-Caucasus to Central Asia, and from Western to Eastern China. Ancient commerce also disrupted the local spatial genetic structure of autochthonous walnut populations between Tashkent and Samarkand (Central-Eastern Uzbekistan), where the northern and central routes of the Northern Silk Road converged. A significant association between ancient language phyla and the genetic structure of walnut populations is reported even after adjustment for geographic distances that could have affected both walnut gene flow and human commerce over the centuries. Beyond the economic importance of common walnut, our study delineates an alternative approach for understanding how the genetic resources of long-lived perennial tree species may be affected by the interaction of geography and human history. PMID:26332919

On the origin of life in the zinc world. 2. Validation of the hypothesis on the photosynthesizing zinc sulfide edifices as cradles of life on Earth.

PubMed

Mulkidjanian, Armen Y; Galperin, Michael Y

2009-08-24

The accompanying article (A.Y. Mulkidjanian, Biology Direct 4:26) puts forward a detailed hypothesis on the role of zinc sulfide (ZnS) in the origin of life on Earth. The hypothesis suggests that life emerged within compartmentalized, photosynthesizing ZnS formations of hydrothermal origin (the Zn world), assembled in sub-aerial settings on the surface of the primeval Earth. If life started within photosynthesizing ZnS compartments, it should have been able to evolve under the conditions of elevated levels of Zn2+ ions, byproducts of the ZnS-mediated photosynthesis. Therefore, the Zn world hypothesis leads to a set of testable predictions regarding the specific roles of Zn2+ ions in modern organisms, particularly in RNA and protein structures related to the procession of RNA and the "evolutionarily old" cellular functions. We checked these predictions using publicly available data and obtained evidence suggesting that the development of the primeval life forms up to the stage of the Last Universal Common Ancestor proceeded in zinc-rich settings. Testing of the hypothesis has revealed the possible supportive role of manganese sulfide in the primeval photosynthesis. In addition, we demonstrate the explanatory power of the Zn world concept by elucidating several points that so far remained without acceptable rationalization. In particular, this concept implies a new scenario for the separation of Bacteria and Archaea and the origin of Eukarya. The ability of the Zn world hypothesis to generate non-trivial veritable predictions and explain previously obscure items gives credence to its key postulate that the development of the first life forms started within zinc-rich formations of hydrothermal origin and was driven by solar UV irradiation. This concept implies that the geochemical conditions conducive to the origin of life may have persisted only as long as the atmospheric CO2 pressure remained above ca. 10 bar. This work envisions the first Earth biotopes as photosynthesizing and habitable areas of porous ZnS and MnS precipitates around primeval hot springs. Further work will be needed to provide details on the life within these communities and to elucidate the primordial (bio)chemical reactions. This article was reviewed by Arcady Mushegian, Eugene Koonin, and Patrick Forterre. For the full reviews, please go to the Reviewers' reports section.

On the origin of life in the Zinc world. 2. Validation of the hypothesis on the photosynthesizing zinc sulfide edifices as cradles of life on Earth

PubMed Central

Mulkidjanian, Armen Y; Galperin, Michael Y

2009-01-01

Background The accompanying article (A.Y. Mulkidjanian, Biology Direct 4:26) puts forward a detailed hypothesis on the role of zinc sulfide (ZnS) in the origin of life on Earth. The hypothesis suggests that life emerged within compartmentalized, photosynthesizing ZnS formations of hydrothermal origin (the Zn world), assembled in sub-aerial settings on the surface of the primeval Earth. Results If life started within photosynthesizing ZnS compartments, it should have been able to evolve under the conditions of elevated levels of Zn2+ ions, byproducts of the ZnS-mediated photosynthesis. Therefore, the Zn world hypothesis leads to a set of testable predictions regarding the specific roles of Zn2+ ions in modern organisms, particularly in RNA and protein structures related to the procession of RNA and the "evolutionarily old" cellular functions. We checked these predictions using publicly available data and obtained evidence suggesting that the development of the primeval life forms up to the stage of the Last Universal Common Ancestor proceeded in zinc-rich settings. Testing of the hypothesis has revealed the possible supportive role of manganese sulfide in the primeval photosynthesis. In addition, we demonstrate the explanatory power of the Zn world concept by elucidating several points that so far remained without acceptable rationalization. In particular, this concept implies a new scenario for the separation of Bacteria and Archaea and the origin of Eukarya. Conclusion The ability of the Zn world hypothesis to generate non-trivial veritable predictions and explain previously obscure items gives credence to its key postulate that the development of the first life forms started within zinc-rich formations of hydrothermal origin and was driven by solar UV irradiation. This concept implies that the geochemical conditions conducive to the origin of life may have persisted only as long as the atmospheric CO2 pressure remained above ca. 10 bar. This work envisions the first Earth biotopes as photosynthesizing and habitable areas of porous ZnS and MnS precipitates around primeval hot springs. Further work will be needed to provide details on the life within these communities and to elucidate the primordial (bio)chemical reactions. Reviewers This article was reviewed by Arcady Mushegian, Eugene Koonin, and Patrick Forterre. For the full reviews, please go to the Reviewers' reports section. PMID:19703275

Lift calculations based on accepted wake models for animal flight are inconsistent and sensitive to vortex dynamics.

PubMed

Gutierrez, Eric; Quinn, Daniel B; Chin, Diana D; Lentink, David

2016-12-06

There are three common methods for calculating the lift generated by a flying animal based on the measured airflow in the wake. However, these methods might not be accurate according to computational and robot-based studies of flapping wings. Here we test this hypothesis for the first time for a slowly flying Pacific parrotlet in still air using stereo particle image velocimetry recorded at 1000 Hz. The bird was trained to fly between two perches through a laser sheet wearing laser safety goggles. We found that the wingtip vortices generated during mid-downstroke advected down and broke up quickly, contradicting the frozen turbulence hypothesis typically assumed in animal flight experiments. The quasi-steady lift at mid-downstroke was estimated based on the velocity field by applying the widely used Kutta-Joukowski theorem, vortex ring model, and actuator disk model. The calculated lift was found to be sensitive to the applied model and its different parameters, including vortex span and distance between the bird and laser sheet-rendering these three accepted ways of calculating weight support inconsistent. The three models predict different aerodynamic force values mid-downstroke compared to independent direct measurements with an aerodynamic force platform that we had available for the same species flying over a similar distance. Whereas the lift predictions of the Kutta-Joukowski theorem and the vortex ring model stayed relatively constant despite vortex breakdown, their values were too low. In contrast, the actuator disk model predicted lift reasonably accurately before vortex breakdown, but predicted almost no lift during and after vortex breakdown. Some of these limitations might be better understood, and partially reconciled, if future animal flight studies report lift calculations based on all three quasi-steady lift models instead. This would also enable much needed meta studies of animal flight to derive bioinspired design principles for quasi-steady lift generation with flapping wings.

The Failed Feminist Challenge to `Fundamental Epistemology'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinnick, Cassandra L.

Despite volumes written in the name of the new and fundamental feminist project in philosophy of science, and conclusions drawn on the strength of the hypothesis that the feminist project will boost progress toward cognitive aims associated with science and rationality (and, one might add, policy decisions enacted in the name of these aims), the whole rationale for the project remains (after 20 years, plus) wholly unsubstantiated. We must remain agnostic about its evidentiary merits or demerits. This is because we are without evidence to test the hypothesis: certainly, we have no data that would test the strength of the hypothesis as asserting a causal relationship between women and cognitive ends. Thus, any self-respecting epistemologist who places a premium on evidence-driven belief and justification ought not to accept the hypothesis. By extension, there is no reasoned basis to draw any definitive conclusion about the project itself. No matter how self-evidently correct.

Are High-IQ Individuals Deficient in Common Sense? A Critical Examination of the "Clever Sillies" Hypothesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodley, Michael A.

2010-01-01

A controversial hypothesis [Charlton (2009). "Clever sillies: Why high-IQ people tend to be deficient in common sense." "Medical Hypotheses," 73, 867-870] has recently been proposed to account for why individuals of high-IQ and high social status tend to hold counter-intuitive views on social phenomena. It is claimed that these "clever sillies"…

Foundational Issues in Evolution Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Mike U.; And Others

1995-01-01

Reviews evidence that demonstrates the need for effective evolution education and analyzes the foundational, semantic, epistemological, and philosophical issues involved. Emphasizes the scientific meaning of the terms theory, hypothesis, fact, proof, evidence, and truth, and focuses on the difference between religious belief and acceptance of…

Limited Genetic Connectivity between Gorgonian Morphotypes along a Depth Gradient

PubMed Central

Gori, Andrea; Lopez-González, Pablo; Bramanti, Lorenzo; Rossi, Sergio; Gili, Josep-Maria; Abbiati, Marco

2016-01-01

Gorgonian species show a high morphological variability in relation to the environment in which they live. In coastal areas, parameters such as temperature, light, currents, and food availability vary significantly with depth, potentially affecting morphology of the colonies and the structure of the populations, as well as their connectivity patterns. In tropical seas, the existence of connectivity between shallow and deep populations supported the hypothesis that the deep coral reefs could potentially act as (reproductive) refugia fostering re-colonization of shallow areas after mortality events. Moreover, this hypothesis is not so clear accepted in temperate seas. Eunicella singularis is one of the most common gorgonian species in Northwestern Mediterranean Sea, playing an important role as ecosystem engineer by providing biomass and complexity to the coralligenous habitats. It has a wide bathymetric distribution ranging from about 10 m to 100 m. Two depth-related morphotypes have been identified, differing in colony morphology, sclerite size and shape, and occurrence of symbiotic algae, but not in mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. In the present study the genetic structure of E. singularis populations along a horizontal and bathymetric gradient was assessed using microsatellites and ITS1 sequences. Restricted gene flow was found at 30–40 m depth between the two Eunicella morphotypes. Conversely, no genetic structuring has been found among shallow water populations within a spatial scale of ten kilometers. The break in gene flow between shallow and deep populations contributes to explain the morphological variability observed at different depths. Moreover, the limited vertical connectivity hinted that the refugia hypothesis does not apply to E. singularis. Re-colonization of shallow water populations, occasionally affected by mass mortality events, should then be mainly fueled by larvae from other shallow water populations. PMID:27490900

Common 5S rRNA variants are likely to be accepted in many sequence contexts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhang, Zhengdong; D'Souza, Lisa M.; Lee, Youn-Hyung; Fox, George E.

2003-01-01

Over evolutionary time RNA sequences which are successfully fixed in a population are selected from among those that satisfy the structural and chemical requirements imposed by the function of the RNA. These sequences together comprise the structure space of the RNA. In principle, a comprehensive understanding of RNA structure and function would make it possible to enumerate which specific RNA sequences belong to a particular structure space and which do not. We are using bacterial 5S rRNA as a model system to attempt to identify principles that can be used to predict which sequences do or do not belong to the 5S rRNA structure space. One promising idea is the very intuitive notion that frequently seen sequence changes in an aligned data set of naturally occurring 5S rRNAs would be widely accepted in many other 5S rRNA sequence contexts. To test this hypothesis, we first developed well-defined operational definitions for a Vibrio region of the 5S rRNA structure space and what is meant by a highly variable position. Fourteen sequence variants (10 point changes and 4 base-pair changes) were identified in this way, which, by the hypothesis, would be expected to incorporate successfully in any of the known sequences in the Vibrio region. All 14 of these changes were constructed and separately introduced into the Vibrio proteolyticus 5S rRNA sequence where they are not normally found. Each variant was evaluated for its ability to function as a valid 5S rRNA in an E. coli cellular context. It was found that 93% (13/14) of the variants tested are likely valid 5S rRNAs in this context. In addition, seven variants were constructed that, although present in the Vibrio region, did not meet the stringent criteria for a highly variable position. In this case, 86% (6/7) are likely valid. As a control we also examined seven variants that are seldom or never seen in the Vibrio region of 5S rRNA sequence space. In this case only two of seven were found to be potentially valid. The results demonstrate that changes that occur multiple times in a local region of RNA sequence space in fact usually will be accepted in any sequence context in that same local region.

Ophthalmic randomized controlled trials reports: the statement of the hypothesis.

PubMed

Lee, Chun Fan; Cheng, Andy Chi On; Fong, Daniel Yee Tak

2014-01-01

To evaluate whether the ophthalmic randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were designed properly, their hypotheses stated clearly, and their conclusions drawn correctly. A systematic review of 206 ophthalmic RCTs. The objective statement, methods, and results sections and the conclusions of RCTs published in 4 major general clinical ophthalmology journals from 2009 through 2011 were assessed. The clinical objective and specific hypothesis were the main outcome measures. The clinical objective of the trial was presented in 199 (96.6%) studies and the hypothesis was specified explicitly in 56 (27.2%) studies. One hundred ninety (92.2%) studies tested superiority. Among them, 17 (8.3%) studies comparing 2 or more active treatments concluded equal or similar effectiveness between the 2 arms after obtaining insignificant results. There were 5 noninferiority studies and 4 equivalence studies. How the treatments were compared was not mentioned in 1 of the noninferiority studies. Two of the equivalence studies did not specify the equivalence margin and used tests for detecting difference rather than confirming equivalence. The clinical objective commonly was stated, but the prospectively defined hypothesis tended to be understated in ophthalmic RCTs. Superiority was the most common type of comparison. Conclusions made in some of them with negative results were not consistent with the hypothesis, indicating that noninferiority or equivalence may be a more appropriate design. Flaws were common in the noninferiority and equivalence studies. Future ophthalmic researchers should choose the type of comparison carefully, specify the hypothesis clearly, and draw conclusions that are consistent with the hypothesis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reappraisal of the envenoming capacity of Euchambersia mirabilis (Therapsida, Therocephalia) using μCT-scanning techniques

PubMed Central

Norton, Luke A.; Manger, Paul R.; Rubidge, Bruce S.

2017-01-01

Euchambersia mirabilis is an iconic species of Permo-Triassic therapsid because of its unusually large external maxillary fossa linked through a sulcus to a ridged canine. This anatomy led to the commonly accepted conclusion that the large fossa accommodated a venom gland. However, this hypothesis remains untested so far. Here, we conducted a μCT scan assisted reappraisal of the envenoming capacity of Euchambersia, with a special focus on the anatomy of the maxillary fossa and canines. This study shows that the fossa, presumably for the venom-producing gland, is directly linked to the maxillary canal, which carries the trigeminal nerve (responsible for the sensitivity of the face). The peculiar anatomy of the maxillary canal suggests important reorganisation in the somatosensory system and that a ganglion could possibly have been present in the maxillary fossa instead of a venom gland. Nevertheless, the venom gland hypothesis is still preferred since we describe, for the first time, the complete crown morphology of the incisiform teeth of Euchambersia, which strongly suggests that the complete dentition was ridged. Therefore Euchambersia manifests evidence of all characteristics of venomous animals: a venom gland (in the maxillary fossa), a mechanism to deliver the venom (the maxillary canal and/or the sulcus located ventrally to the fossa); and an apparatus with which to inflict a wound for venom delivery (the ridged dentition). PMID:28187210

Who trusts scientists for information about climate change? Nuclear power? Vaccines?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, L.

2015-12-01

US public acceptance/rejection of science on the topic of climate change has become highly polarized, with a demographic profile well established through survey research. Trust in scientists for information about climate change tends to increase with education, decrease with age, and is higher among self-identified liberals and moderates than among conservatives. Demographic profiles of people who do or do not trust scientists regarding other disputed topics are less well established. Some observers have argued that certain domains such as vaccines, nuclear power or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) could present a mirror image of climate change, with liberals instead of conservatives disproportionately rejecting science on that topic. Evidence for this mirror-image hypothesis has been mainly anecdotal, however. Here we test it systematically using statewide survey data on more than 1200 interviews, comparing five similarly worded questions that ask respondents whether they trust, don't trust, or are unsure about scientists as a source of information about ... climate change, vaccines, evolution, nuclear power safety, or GMOs. Climate change proves to be the most polarized of these topics, but all five exhibit roughly similar age, education and ideological effects -- contrary to the mirror-image hypothesis. The common patterns across five science domains, chosen for their hypothetical contrasts, map out an unexpectedly cohesive picture of who trusts scientists for information, and who does not. Implications of these survey results for public outreach and science communication are explored.

Positively Biased Self-Perceptions of Peer Acceptance and Subtypes of Aggression in Children

PubMed Central

Lynch, Rebecca J.; Kistner, Janet A.; Stephens, Haley F.; David-Ferdon, Corinne

2016-01-01

There is a growing body of research linking children’s positively biased self-perceptions with higher levels of aggression. This study extended this area of research by examining prospective associations of positively biased self-perceptions of peer acceptance with overt and relational aggression. In addition, moderating effects of peer rejection were examined to test the “disputed overestimation hypothesis,” which posits that the link between bias and aggression is limited to children who are rejected by their peers. Using a two-wave longitudinal design, measures of peer-rated and self-perceived peer acceptance and peer-rated overt and relational aggression were obtained for 712 children in 3rd through 5th grades (386 girls and 326 boys). Positively biased perceptions led to increases in relational, but not overt, aggression. This pattern was observed even when the effects of gender, race, peer rejection, and overt aggression on relational aggression were controlled. Contrary to the disputed overestimation hypothesis, the prospective associations between bias and aggression did not vary as a function of children’s peer rejection status, thus supporting the view that positive bias predicts future aggressive behavior, regardless of social status. The results are discussed in terms of the comparability with previous findings and practical implications. PMID:26423823

Domestication affects exploratory behaviour of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca L.) during the transition to pelleted food.

PubMed

Molnár, Tamás; Csuvár, Adrienn; Benedek, Ildikó; Molnár, Marcell; Kabai, Péter

2018-01-01

Genetic selection for body size during domestication of animal species can inadvertently affect a number of physiological and behavioural traits. The pace-of-life syndrome (POLS) hypothesis predicts that domestication in an artificial environment lacking predators and providing abundant resources prefers proactive individuals with strong feeding motivation, high levels of aggression and risk taking, with low hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responsiveness. In the present experiment we weaned fingerling pike-perch from live feed and habituated them to formulated feed. We recorded the number of weeks needed for the fish to accept pellets, their body length at the age of 100 days, their boldness in a novel object test and their HPI axis responsiveness. Individuals accepting the artificial feed within the first week grew larger than fish habituating later; therefore early weaners would be kept and bred in routine aquaculture procedures. Contrary to predictions of POLS hypothesis, fish weaning earlier and thus growing faster were less bold and had higher HPI axis responsiveness than fish accepting the pellets later or never. As live feed is preferred to artificial pellets, less competitive individuals may switch to pellets earlier. Inadvertent selection for stress sensitive fish may have an effect on production in aquaculture as well as on natural population after intensive restocking.

Domestication affects exploratory behaviour of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca L.) during the transition to pelleted food

PubMed Central

Csuvár, Adrienn; Benedek, Ildikó; Molnár, Marcell; Kabai, Péter

2018-01-01

Genetic selection for body size during domestication of animal species can inadvertently affect a number of physiological and behavioural traits. The pace-of-life syndrome (POLS) hypothesis predicts that domestication in an artificial environment lacking predators and providing abundant resources prefers proactive individuals with strong feeding motivation, high levels of aggression and risk taking, with low hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis responsiveness. In the present experiment we weaned fingerling pike-perch from live feed and habituated them to formulated feed. We recorded the number of weeks needed for the fish to accept pellets, their body length at the age of 100 days, their boldness in a novel object test and their HPI axis responsiveness. Individuals accepting the artificial feed within the first week grew larger than fish habituating later; therefore early weaners would be kept and bred in routine aquaculture procedures. Contrary to predictions of POLS hypothesis, fish weaning earlier and thus growing faster were less bold and had higher HPI axis responsiveness than fish accepting the pellets later or never. As live feed is preferred to artificial pellets, less competitive individuals may switch to pellets earlier. Inadvertent selection for stress sensitive fish may have an effect on production in aquaculture as well as on natural population after intensive restocking. PMID:29742135

Identifying With a Stereotype: The Divergent Effects of Exposure to Homosexual Television Characters.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Bryan; Rodriguez, Nathian S

2017-01-01

Scholars examining homosexual television characters have typically come to one of two conclusions: either exposure to homosexual characters can lead to increased acceptance, or homosexual characters serve to reaffirm negative stereotypes. We seek to bridge these two bodies of research by introducing the concept of stereotyped identification-the idea that cognitively and emotionally identifying with fictional characters can increase acceptance of minorities, while reinforcing implicit stereotypes about how they look, act, and talk. Results from our national survey (N = 972) offer support for this hypothesis.

Recommendations for Exploring the Disfluency Hypothesis for Establishing Whether Perceptually Degrading Materials Impacts Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunlosky, John; Mueller, Michael L.

2016-01-01

The target articles explore a common hypothesis pertaining to whether perceptually degrading materials will improve reasoning, memory, and metamemory. Outcomes are mixed, yet some evidence was garnered in support of a version of the disfluency hypothesis that includes moderators, and along with evidence from prior research, researchers will likely…

Hypothesis testing of a change point during cognitive decline among Alzheimer's disease patients.

PubMed

Ji, Ming; Xiong, Chengjie; Grundman, Michael

2003-10-01

In this paper, we present a statistical hypothesis test for detecting a change point over the course of cognitive decline among Alzheimer's disease patients. The model under the null hypothesis assumes a constant rate of cognitive decline over time and the model under the alternative hypothesis is a general bilinear model with an unknown change point. When the change point is unknown, however, the null distribution of the test statistics is not analytically tractable and has to be simulated by parametric bootstrap. When the alternative hypothesis that a change point exists is accepted, we propose an estimate of its location based on the Akaike's Information Criterion. We applied our method to a data set from the Neuropsychological Database Initiative by implementing our hypothesis testing method to analyze Mini Mental Status Exam scores based on a random-slope and random-intercept model with a bilinear fixed effect. Our result shows that despite large amount of missing data, accelerated decline did occur for MMSE among AD patients. Our finding supports the clinical belief of the existence of a change point during cognitive decline among AD patients and suggests the use of change point models for the longitudinal modeling of cognitive decline in AD research.

Gender equity: A study of classroom interactions of sixth-grade science teachers before and after gender equity training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuliano, Joanne

The researcher investigated teachers' perceptions of their interactions with students in their 6th grade science classrooms and the effects of gender equity training on teachers' interactions with students. Teacher perceptions were measured at pretest and posttest using the Gender Equity Teacher-Student Interaction Questionnaire (GETSIQ). The outcomes from one day of gender equity training, using the Gender Equity Video and Instructional Guide, were measured at pretest, posttest, and follow-up using the INTERSECT scale. A non-random sample of twenty 6th grade science teachers from five middle schools participated in the study. Ten teachers were assigned to each of the control or experimental groups. The first hypothesis posited that teacher perceptions of and actions toward male and female students in sixth grade science classrooms would be different as reflected by scores on the GETSIQ. The hypothesis was partially supported. Teachers reported significantly different amounts of acknowledgment, attention in general, and attention to questions, responses, and comments for boys and girls, and different evaluations based on their expectations for a student. Following training, teachers from the experimental group obtained somewhat higher scores, though the differences were not statistically significant. Hypothesis 2 stated that gender equity training would increase equitable teacher interactions with male and female students as demonstrated by scores on the INTERSECT Checklist. This hypothesis was partially supported. A comparison of the Intersect checklist (praise, acceptance, remediation, criticism) revealed that teachers were observed to more equally give praise to boys and girls following training, male teachers engaged in more acceptance responses with girls, and female teachers had more equitable distribution of acceptance. Male teachers increased the amount of remediation to girls, and female teachers continued to provide more remediation to boys. The differences between pretest and posttest were statistically significant. There was some reversion to pretest levels interactions at follow-up. The results of the study support the effectiveness of gender equity training in facilitating increased awareness and behavioral change in teachers. However, training needs to be of longer duration for continued effectiveness.

Surrogate outcomes: experiences at the Common Drug Review

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Surrogate outcomes are a significant challenge in drug evaluation for health technology assessment (HTA) agencies. The research objectives were to: identify factors associated with surrogate use and acceptability in Canada’s Common Drug Review (CDR) recommendations, and compare the CDR with other HTA or regulatory agencies regarding surrogate concerns. Methods Final recommendations were identified from CDR inception (September 2003) to December 31, 2010. Recommendations were classified by type of outcome (surrogate, final, other) and acceptability of surrogates (determined by the presence/absence of statements of concern regarding surrogates). Descriptive and statistical analyses examined factors related to surrogate use and acceptability. For thirteen surrogate-based submissions, recommendations from international HTA and regulatory agencies were reviewed for statements about surrogate acceptability. Results Of 156 final recommendations, 68 (44%) involved surrogates. The overall ‘do not list’ (DNL) rate was 48%; the DNL rate for surrogates was 41% (p = 0.175). The DNL rate was 64% for non-accepted surrogates (n = 28) versus 25% for accepted surrogates (odds ratio 5.4, p = 0.002). Clinical uncertainty, use of economic evidence over price alone, and a premium price were significantly associated with non-accepted surrogates. Surrogates were used most commonly for HIV, diabetes, rare diseases, cardiovascular disease and cancer. For the subset of drugs studied, other HTA agencies did not express concerns for most recommendations, while regulatory agencies frequently stated surrogate acceptance. Conclusions The majority of surrogates were accepted at the CDR. Non-accepted surrogates were significantly associated with clinical uncertainty and a DNL recommendation. There was inconsistency of surrogate acceptability across several international agencies. Stakeholders should consider collaboratively establishing guidelines on the use, validation, and acceptability of surrogates. PMID:24341379

Ideal Standards, Acceptance, and Relationship Satisfaction: Latitudes of Differential Effects

PubMed Central

Buyukcan-Tetik, Asuman; Campbell, Lorne; Finkenauer, Catrin; Karremans, Johan C.; Kappen, Gesa

2017-01-01

We examined whether the relations of consistency between ideal standards and perceptions of a current romantic partner with partner acceptance and relationship satisfaction level off, or decelerate, above a threshold. We tested our hypothesis using a 3-year longitudinal data set collected from heterosexual newlywed couples. We used two indicators of consistency: pattern correspondence (within-person correlation between ideal standards and perceived partner ratings) and mean-level match (difference between ideal standards score and perceived partner score). Our results revealed that pattern correspondence had no relation with partner acceptance, but a positive linear/exponential association with relationship satisfaction. Mean-level match had a significant positive association with actor’s acceptance and relationship satisfaction up to the point where perceived partner score equaled ideal standards score. Partner effects did not show a consistent pattern. The results suggest that the consistency between ideal standards and perceived partner attributes has a non-linear association with acceptance and relationship satisfaction, although the results were more conclusive for mean-level match. PMID:29033876

Science to Action: Thoughts on Convincing a Skeptical Public

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Press, William

2016-01-01

Acceptance by the public of findings widely accepted by scientists varies dramatically, issue by issue. The danger of smoking, for example, readily achieved public acceptance, while the arguably greater danger of climate change has, thus far, not. What are the relevant variables that make some public issues more difficult than others? A hypothesis consistent with the historical data is that, in communicating to the public, scientists fail to adequately distinguish two different types of messages, the first relating to the nature of scientific evidence, and the second relating to the rational choice of evidence-based decision-making. As scientists we take both for granted, but the public often may not. Different kinds of communication are required for the two different messages.

The epistemological function of Hill's criteria.

PubMed

Bird, Alexander

2011-10-01

This article outlines an epistemological framework for understanding how Hill's criteria may aid us in establishing a causal hypothesis (A causes B) in an observational study. We consider Hill's criteria in turn with respect to their ability or otherwise to exclude alternative hypotheses (B causes A; there is a common cause of A and B; there is no causal connection between A and B). We may classify Hill's criteria according to which of the alternative hypotheses they are able to exclude, and also on the basis of whether they relate to (a) evidence from within observational study or (b) evidence independent of that study. It is noted that no criterion is able to exclude the common cause hypothesis in a systematic way. Observational studies are typically weaker than experimental studies, since the latter can systematically exclude competing hypotheses, whereas observational studies lack a systematic way of ruling out the common cause hypothesis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Universal scaling for polymer chain scission in turbulence

PubMed Central

Vanapalli, Siva A.; Ceccio, Steven L.; Solomon, Michael J.

2006-01-01

We report that previous polymer chain scission experiments in strong flows, long analyzed according to accepted laminar flow scission theories, were in fact affected by turbulence. We reconcile existing anomalies between theory and experiment with the hypothesis that the local stress at the Kolmogorov scale generates the molecular tension leading to polymer covalent bond breakage. The hypothesis yields a universal scaling for polymer scission in turbulent flows. This surprising reassessment of over 40 years of experimental data simplifies the theoretical picture of polymer dynamics leading to scission and allows control of scission in commercial polymers and genomic DNA. PMID:17075043

A mechanism for the activation of the Na/H exchanger NHE-1 by cytoplasmic acidification and mitogens

PubMed Central

Lacroix, Jérôme; Poët, Mallorie; Maehrel, Céline; Counillon, Laurent

2004-01-01

Eukaryotic cells constantly have to fight against internal acidification. In mammals, this task is mainly performed by the ubiquitously expressed electroneutral Na+/H+ exchanger NHE-1, which activates in a cooperative manner when cells become acidic. Despite its biological importance, the mechanism of this activation is still poorly understood, the most commonly accepted hypothesis being the existence of a proton-sensor site on the internal face of the transporter. This work uncovers mutations that lead to a nonallosteric form of the exchanger and demonstrates that NHE-1 activation is best described by a Monod–Wyman–Changeux concerted mechanism for a dimeric transporter. During intracellular acidification, a low-affinity form of NHE-1 is converted into a form possessing a higher affinity for intracellular protons, with no requirement for an additional proton-sensor site on the protein. This new mechanism also explains the activation of the exchanger by growth signals, which shift the equilibrium towards the high-affinity form. PMID:14710192

Enactment controversies: a critical review of current debates.

PubMed

Ivey, Gavin

2008-02-01

This critical review of the current disputes concerning countertransference enactment systematically outlines the various issues and the perspectives adopted by the relevant psychoanalytic authors. In the light of this the 'common ground ' hypothesis concerning the unifying influence of contemporary countertransference theory is challenged. While the existence of enactments, minimally defined as the analyst's inadvertent actualization of the patient's transference fantasies, is widely accepted, controversies regarding the specific scope, nature, prevalence, relationship to countertransference experience, impact on the analytic process, role played by the analyst's subjectivity, and the correct handling of enactments abound. Rather than taking a stand based on ideological allegiance to any particular psychoanalytic school or philosophical position, the author argues that the relative merits of contending perspectives is best evaluated with reference to close process scrutiny of the context, manifestation and impact of specific enactments on patients' intrapsychic functioning and the analytic relationship. A detailed account of an interpretative enactment provides a context for the author's position on these debates.

The impact of protein disulfide bonds on the amyloid fibril morphology

PubMed Central

Kurouski, Dmitry

2014-01-01

Amyloid fibrils are associated with many neurodegenerative diseases. Being formed from more than 20 different proteins that are functionally or structurally unrelated, amyloid fibrils share a common cross-β core structure. It is a well-accepted hypothesis that fibril biological activity and the associated toxicity vary with their morphology. Partial denaturation of a native protein usually precedes the initial stage of fibrillation, namely the nucleation process. Low pH and elevated temperature, typical conditions of amyloid fibril formation in vitro, resulted in partial denaturation of the proteins. Cleavage of disulfide bonds results typically in significant disruption of protein native structure and in the formation of the molten global state. Herein we report on a comparative investigation of fibril formation by apo-α-lactalbumin and its analog that contains only one of the four original disulfide bonds using deep UV resonance and non-resonance Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Significant differences in the aggregation mechanism and the resulting fibril morphology were found. PMID:24693331

The Roles of a Flavone-6-Hydroxylase and 7-O-Demethylation in the Flavone Biosynthetic Network of Sweet Basil*

PubMed Central

Berim, Anna; Gang, David R.

2013-01-01

Lipophilic flavonoids found in the Lamiaceae exhibit unusual 6- and 8-hydroxylations whose enzymatic basis is unknown. We show that crude protein extracts from peltate trichomes of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivars readily hydroxylate position 6 of 7-O-methylated apigenin but not apigenin itself. The responsible protein was identified as a P450 monooxygenase from the CYP82 family, a family not previously reported to be involved in flavonoid metabolism. This enzyme prefers flavones but also accepts flavanones in vitro and requires a 5-hydroxyl in addition to a 7-methoxyl residue on the substrate. A peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.) homolog displayed identical substrate requirements, suggesting that early 7-O-methylation of flavones might be common in the Lamiaceae. This hypothesis is further substantiated by the pioneering discovery of 2-oxoglutarate-dependent flavone demethylase activity in basil, which explains the accumulation of 7-O-demethylated flavone nevadensin. PMID:23184958

Copernican Astronomy and Oceanic Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKittrick, Paul

2014-01-01

This paper examines the relationships between the century long development of the “New Astronomy” (Copernicus’ axially rotating and solar orbiting earth, governed by Kepler’s laws of planetary motion) of the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries and the emerging astronomical navigation technologies of the fifteenth and sixteenth century Iberian oceanic explorers and their sixteenth and seventeenth century Protestant competitors. Since the first breakthroughs in Portuguese astronomical navigation in ascertaining latitude at sea were based upon the theories and observations of classically trained Ptolemaic astronomers and cosmographers, it can be argued that the new heliocentric astronomy was not necessary for future developments in early modern navigation. By examining the history of the concurrent revolutions in early modern navigation and astronomy and focusing upon commonalities, we can identify the period during which the old astronomy provided navigators with insufficient results - perhaps hastening the acceptance of the new epistemology championed by Galileo and rejected by Bellarmine. Even though this happened during the period of northern protestant ascendancy in exploration, its roots can be seen during pre-Copernican acceptance in both Lutheran and Catholic Europe. Copernican mathematics was used to calculate Reinhold’s Prutenic Tables despite the author’s ontological rejection of the heliocentric hypothesis. These tables became essential for ascertaining latitude at sea. Kepler’s Rudophine Tables gained even more widespread currency across Europe. His theories were influenced by Gilbert’s work on magnetism - a work partially driven by the requirements of English polar exploration. Sailors themselves never needed to accept a heliocentric cosmography, but the data they brought back to the metropolis undermined Ptolemy, as better data kept them alive at sea. This exchange between theoretician and user in the early modern period drove both ships and science. Copernican astronomers and the great explorers had reciprocal debts.

A Common-Fate Analysis of Pornography Acceptance, Use, and Sexual Satisfaction Among Heterosexual Married Couples.

PubMed

Brown, Cameron C; Carroll, Jason S; Yorgason, Jeremy B; Busby, Dean M; Willoughby, Brian J; Larson, Jeffry H

2017-02-01

Using matched, heterosexual couple data from the Relationship Evaluation Questionnaire (RELATE; n = 326 couples), an adapted common-fate approach was used to examine both common and unique attributes of husbands' and wives' acceptance of pornography and sexual satisfaction as well as husbands' and wives' pornography use. It was expected that spouses' unique as well as shared variance of pornography acceptance would be significantly associated with husbands' and wives' levels of personal pornography use and that these use patterns would be significantly associated with husbands' and wives' unique as well as shared variance of sexual satisfaction. It was also expected that pornography use would significantly mediate the relationship between pornography acceptance and sexual satisfaction. Results indicated that the shared variance of pornography acceptance was positively associated with both spouses' pornography use and that spouses' pornography use was negatively associated with their own sexual satisfaction. Wives' pornography use was found to be positively associated with the couple's shared variance of sexual satisfaction, but pornography use did not significantly mediate the relationship between pornography acceptance and sexual satisfaction. These findings emphasize the complexity of pornography use in couple relationships and the importance of studying pornography acceptance and use as a coupling dynamic within marriages rather than just an individual behavior.

Response of the μ-opioid system to social rejection and acceptance.

PubMed

Hsu, D T; Sanford, B J; Meyers, K K; Love, T M; Hazlett, K E; Wang, H; Ni, L; Walker, S J; Mickey, B J; Korycinski, S T; Koeppe, R A; Crocker, J K; Langenecker, S A; Zubieta, J-K

2013-11-01

The endogenous opioid system, which alleviates physical pain, is also known to regulate social distress and reward in animal models. To test this hypothesis in humans (n=18), we used an μ-opioid receptor (MOR) radiotracer to measure changes in MOR availability in vivo with positron emission tomography during social rejection (not being liked by others) and acceptance (being liked by others). Social rejection significantly activated the MOR system (i.e., reduced receptor availability relative to baseline) in the ventral striatum, amygdala, midline thalamus and periaqueductal gray (PAG). This pattern of activation is consistent with the hypothesis that the endogenous opioids have a role in reducing the experience of social pain. Greater trait resiliency was positively correlated with MOR activation during rejection in the amygdala, PAG and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC), suggesting that MOR activation in these areas is protective or adaptive. In addition, MOR activation in the pregenual ACC was correlated with reduced negative affect during rejection. In contrast, social acceptance resulted in MOR activation in the amygdala and anterior insula, and MOR deactivation in the midline thalamus and sgACC. In the left ventral striatum, MOR activation during acceptance predicted a greater desire for social interaction, suggesting a role for the MOR system in social reward. The ventral striatum, amygdala, midline thalamus, PAG, anterior insula and ACC are rich in MORs and comprise a pathway by which social cues may influence mood and motivation. MOR regulation of this pathway may preserve and promote emotional well being in the social environment.

Nutrient acquisition across a dietary shift: fruit feeding butterflies crave amino acids, nectivores seek salt.

PubMed

Ravenscraft, Alison; Boggs, Carol L

2016-05-01

Evolutionary dietary shifts have major ecological consequences. One likely consequence is a change in nutrient limitation-some nutrients become more abundant in the diet, others become more scarce. Individuals' behavior should change accordingly to match this new limitation regime: they should seek out nutrients that are deficient in the new diet. We investigated the relationship between diet and responses to nutrients using adult Costa Rican butterflies with contrasting feeding habits, testing the hypothesis that animals will respond more positively to nutrients that are scarcer in their diets. Via literature searches and our own data, we showed that nitrogen and sodium are both at lower concentration in nectar than in fruit. We therefore assessed butterflies' acceptance of sodium and four nitrogenous compounds that ranged in complexity from inorganic nitrogen (ammonium chloride) to protein (albumin). We captured wild butterflies, offered them aqueous solutions of each substance, and recorded whether they accepted (drank) or rejected each substance. Support for our hypothesis was mixed. Across the sexes, frugivores were four times more likely to accept amino acids (hydrolyzed casein) than nectivores, in opposition to expectation. In males, nectivores accepted sodium almost three times more frequently than frugivores, supporting expectations. Together, these results suggest that in butterflies, becoming frugivorous is associated with an increased receptivity to amino acids and decreased receptivity to sodium. Nectivory and frugivory are widespread feeding strategies in organisms as diverse as insects, birds, and bats; our results suggest that these feeding strategies may put different pressures on how animals fulfill their nutritional requirements.

Biology Today: New Developments in Reproductive Biology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flannery, Maura C.

1982-01-01

Briefly reviews research studies focusing on sex differences in the human brain. One study suggests that the presence of androgens either during fetal development or at puberty (rather than their continued presence) determines spatial ability. Cautions against accepting this hypothesis of hormonal influence of spatial ability are discussed.…

A Paradigm for the Telephonic Assessment of Suicidal Ideation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halderman, Brent L.; Eyman, James R.; Kerner, Lisa; Schlacks, Bill

2009-01-01

A three-stage paradigm for telephonically assessing suicidal risk and triaging suicidal callers as practiced in an Employee Assistance Program Call Center was investigated. The first hypothesis was that the use of the procedure would increase the probability that callers would accept the clinician's recommendations, evidenced by fewer police…

On the trail of Vikings with polarized skylight: experimental study of the atmospheric optical prerequisites allowing polarimetric navigation by Viking seafarers.

PubMed

Horváth, Gábor; Barta, András; Pomozi, István; Suhai, Bence; Hegedüs, Ramón; Akesson, Susanne; Meyer-Rochow, Benno; Wehner, Rüdiger

2011-03-12

Between AD 900 and AD 1200 Vikings, being able to navigate skillfully across the open sea, were the dominant seafarers of the North Atlantic. When the Sun was shining, geographical north could be determined with a special sundial. However, how the Vikings could have navigated in cloudy or foggy situations, when the Sun's disc was unusable, is still not fully known. A hypothesis was formulated in 1967, which suggested that under foggy or cloudy conditions, Vikings might have been able to determine the azimuth direction of the Sun with the help of skylight polarization, just like some insects. This hypothesis has been widely accepted and is regularly cited by researchers, even though an experimental basis, so far, has not been forthcoming. According to this theory, the Vikings could have determined the direction of the skylight polarization with the help of an enigmatic birefringent crystal, functioning as a linearly polarizing filter. Such a crystal is referred to as 'sunstone' in one of the Viking's sagas, but its exact nature is unknown. Although accepted by many, the hypothesis of polarimetric navigation by Vikings also has numerous sceptics. In this paper, we summarize the results of our own celestial polarization measurements and psychophysical laboratory experiments, in which we studied the atmospheric optical prerequisites of possible sky-polarimetric navigation in Tunisia, Finland, Hungary and the high Arctic.

On the trail of Vikings with polarized skylight: experimental study of the atmospheric optical prerequisites allowing polarimetric navigation by Viking seafarers

PubMed Central

Horváth, Gábor; Barta, András; Pomozi, István; Suhai, Bence; Hegedüs, Ramón; Åkesson, Susanne; Meyer-Rochow, Benno; Wehner, Rüdiger

2011-01-01

Between AD 900 and AD 1200 Vikings, being able to navigate skillfully across the open sea, were the dominant seafarers of the North Atlantic. When the Sun was shining, geographical north could be determined with a special sundial. However, how the Vikings could have navigated in cloudy or foggy situations, when the Sun's disc was unusable, is still not fully known. A hypothesis was formulated in 1967, which suggested that under foggy or cloudy conditions, Vikings might have been able to determine the azimuth direction of the Sun with the help of skylight polarization, just like some insects. This hypothesis has been widely accepted and is regularly cited by researchers, even though an experimental basis, so far, has not been forthcoming. According to this theory, the Vikings could have determined the direction of the skylight polarization with the help of an enigmatic birefringent crystal, functioning as a linearly polarizing filter. Such a crystal is referred to as ‘sunstone’ in one of the Viking's sagas, but its exact nature is unknown. Although accepted by many, the hypothesis of polarimetric navigation by Vikings also has numerous sceptics. In this paper, we summarize the results of our own celestial polarization measurements and psychophysical laboratory experiments, in which we studied the atmospheric optical prerequisites of possible sky-polarimetric navigation in Tunisia, Finland, Hungary and the high Arctic. PMID:21282181

Do Flexible Goal Adjustment and Acceptance Help Preserve Quality of Life in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis?

PubMed

Van Damme, Stefaan; De Waegeneer, Annelies; Debruyne, Jan

2016-06-01

Goal regulation strategies such as flexible goal adjustment and acceptance are believed to be protective factors in persons with chronic illness, but research on their relative contributions to quality of life in multiple sclerosis (MS) is lacking. We aimed to test the idea that acceptance and flexible goal adjustment (in contrast to tenacious goal pursuit) may help preserve the quality of life in persons with MS. A sample of 117 patients with MS was recruited. They completed questionnaires measuring quality of life (physical functioning, psychological distress), acceptance, flexible goal adjustment, and tenacious goal pursuit. Acceptance significantly accounted for variance in all three indexes of quality of life, beyond the effects of demographic and illness characteristics. The role of goal regulation style was less clear. Flexible goal adjustment significantly accounted for psychological well-being only. Surprisingly, tenacious goal pursuit predicted better psychological functioning and less psychological distress. No support was found for the hypothesis that acceptance and flexible goal adjustment would moderate the relation between illness severity and quality of life. The findings suggest the potential importance of acceptance in understanding MS patients' quality of life, although its hypothesized protective function could not be confirmed. Further conceptual work on acceptance and goal regulation style is needed, as well as prospective work investigating their causal status.

Gene Set−Based Integrative Analysis Revealing Two Distinct Functional Regulation Patterns in Four Common Subtypes of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

PubMed Central

Chang, Chia-Ming; Chuang, Chi-Mu; Wang, Mong-Lien; Yang, Yi-Ping; Chuang, Jen-Hua; Yang, Ming-Jie; Yen, Ming-Shyen; Chiou, Shih-Hwa; Chang, Cheng-Chang

2016-01-01

Clear cell (CCC), endometrioid (EC), mucinous (MC) and high-grade serous carcinoma (SC) are the four most common subtypes of epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). The widely accepted dualistic model of ovarian carcinogenesis divided EOCs into type I and II categories based on the molecular features. However, this hypothesis has not been experimentally demonstrated. We carried out a gene set-based analysis by integrating the microarray gene expression profiles downloaded from the publicly available databases. These quantified biological functions of EOCs were defined by 1454 Gene Ontology (GO) term and 674 Reactome pathway gene sets. The pathogenesis of the four EOC subtypes was investigated by hierarchical clustering and exploratory factor analysis. The patterns of functional regulation among the four subtypes containing 1316 cases could be accurately classified by machine learning. The results revealed that the ERBB and PI3K-related pathways played important roles in the carcinogenesis of CCC, EC and MC; while deregulation of cell cycle was more predominant in SC. The study revealed that two different functional regulation patterns exist among the four EOC subtypes, which were compatible with the type I and II classifications proposed by the dualistic model of ovarian carcinogenesis. PMID:27527159

Novel hypothesis to explain why SGLT2 inhibitors inhibit only 30-50% of filtered glucose load in humans.

PubMed

Abdul-Ghani, Muhammad A; DeFronzo, Ralph A; Norton, Luke

2013-10-01

Inhibitors of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) are a novel class of antidiabetes drugs, and members of this class are under various stages of clinical development for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It is widely accepted that SGLT2 is responsible for >80% of the reabsorption of the renal filtered glucose load. However, maximal doses of SGLT2 inhibitors fail to inhibit >50% of the filtered glucose load. Because the clinical efficacy of this group of drugs is entirely dependent on the amount of glucosuria produced, it is important to understand why SGLT2 inhibitors inhibit <50% of the filtered glucose load. In this Perspective, we provide a novel hypothesis that explains this apparent puzzle and discuss some of the clinical implications inherent in this hypothesis.

Prey preferences and prey acceptance in juvenile Brown Treesnakes (Boiga irregularis)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lardner, Bjorn; Savidge, Julie A.; Rodda, Gordon H.; Reed, Robert N.

2009-01-01

On the Pacific island of Guam, control of the invasive Brown Treesnake (Boiga irregularis) relies largely on methods that use mice as bait. Juvenile B. irregularis feed primarily on lizards and their eggs, but little is known about their prey preference. We conducted an experiment to investigate preferences for, and acceptance of, dead geckos, skinks, and neonatal mice, in juvenile B. irregularis ranging from 290 mm to ca. 700 mm snout-vent length (SVL). Snakes of all sizes showed a preference for geckos over skinks and neonatal mice. Geckos were the first prey chosen in 87% of 224 initial trials (56 snakes subjected to four trials each; 33% would be expected from a random choice). The smallest snakes had the most pronounced preference. Although many of the snakes accepted neonatal mice and/or skinks, some snakes of all sizes were reluctant to feed on anything but geckos, especially when well fed. We also addressed the hypothesis that repeated encounters with a particular prey type increase a snake's preference for that prey. Our study does not support this hypothesis. Our results suggest that control methods relying solely on rodent bait may be inefficient for targeting snakes < 700 mm SVL and that individual heterogeneity in prey preference may cause a significant part of this juvenile cohort to be completely refractory to capture with rodent bait, even if the bait is dead and small enough to be readily swallowed.

Pilot clinical observations between food and drug seeking derived from fifty cases attending an eating disorder clinic.

PubMed

Beitscher-Campbell, Harriet; Blum, Kenneth; Febo, Marcelo; Madigan, Margaret A; Giordano, John; Badgaiyan, Rajendra D; Braverman, Eric R; Dushaj, Kristina; Li, Mona; Gold, Mark S

2016-09-01

Background The reward deficiency syndrome hypothesis posits that genes are responsible for reward dependence and related behaviors. There is evidence that both bulimia and anorexia nervosa, especially in women, have been linked to a lifetime history of substance use disorder (SUD). There are difficulties in accepting food as an addiction similar to drugs; however, increasingly neuroimaging studies favor such an assertion. Case presentations We are reporting the evidence of comorbidity of eating disorders with SUD found within these case presentations. We show 50 case reports derived from two independent treatment centers in Florida that suggest the commonality between food and drug addictions. In an attempt to provide data from this cohort, many participants did not adequately respond to our questionnaire. Discussion We propose that dopamine agonist therapy may be of common benefit. Failure in the past may reside in too powerful D2 agonist activity leading to D2 receptor downregulation, while the new methodology may cause a reduction of "dopamine resistance" by inducing "dopamine homeostasis." While this is not a definitive study, it does provide some additional clinical evidence that these two addictions are not mutually exclusive. Conclusion Certainly, it is our position that there is an overlap between food- and drug-seeking behavior. We propose that the studies focused on an effort to produce natural activation of dopaminergic reward circuitry as a type of common therapy may certainly be reasonable. Additional research is warranted.

The normalization heuristic: an untested hypothesis that may misguide medical decisions.

PubMed

Aberegg, Scott K; O'Brien, James M

2009-06-01

Medical practice is increasingly informed by the evidence from randomized controlled trials. When such evidence is not available, clinical hypotheses based on pathophysiological reasoning and common sense guide clinical decision making. One commonly utilized general clinical hypothesis is the assumption that normalizing abnormal laboratory values and physiological parameters will lead to improved patient outcomes. We refer to the general use of this clinical hypothesis to guide medical therapeutics as the "normalization heuristic". In this paper, we operationally define this heuristic and discuss its limitations as a rule of thumb for clinical decision making. We review historical and contemporaneous examples of normalization practices as empirical evidence for the normalization heuristic and to highlight its frailty as a guide for clinical decision making.

Oxygen and hydrogen peroxide in the early evolution of life on earth: in silico comparative analysis of biochemical pathways.

PubMed

Slesak, Ireneusz; Slesak, Halina; Kruk, Jerzy

2012-08-01

In the Universe, oxygen is the third most widespread element, while on Earth it is the most abundant one. Moreover, oxygen is a major constituent of all biopolymers fundamental to living organisms. Besides O(2), reactive oxygen species (ROS), among them hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), are also important reactants in the present aerobic metabolism. According to a widely accepted hypothesis, aerobic metabolism and many other reactions/pathways involving O(2) appeared after the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis. In this study, the hypothesis was formulated that the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) was at least able to tolerate O(2) and detoxify ROS in a primordial environment. A comparative analysis was carried out of a number of the O(2)-and H(2)O(2)-involving metabolic reactions that occur in strict anaerobes, facultative anaerobes, and aerobes. The results indicate that the most likely LUCA possessed O(2)-and H(2)O(2)-involving pathways, mainly reactions to remove ROS, and had, at least in part, the components of aerobic respiration. Based on this, the presence of a low, but significant, quantity of H(2)O(2) and O(2) should be taken into account in theoretical models of the early Archean atmosphere and oceans and the evolution of life. It is suggested that the early metabolism involving O(2)/H(2)O(2) was a key adaptation of LUCA to already existing weakly oxic zones in Earth's primordial environment.

Evidence for soft bounds in Ubuntu package sizes and mammalian body masses.

PubMed

Gherardi, Marco; Mandrà, Salvatore; Bassetti, Bruno; Cosentino Lagomarsino, Marco

2013-12-24

The development of a complex system depends on the self-coordinated action of a large number of agents, often determining unexpected global behavior. The case of software evolution has great practical importance: knowledge of what is to be considered atypical can guide developers in recognizing and reacting to abnormal behavior. Although the initial framework of a theory of software exists, the current theoretical achievements do not fully capture existing quantitative data or predict future trends. Here we show that two elementary laws describe the evolution of package sizes in a Linux-based operating system: first, relative changes in size follow a random walk with non-Gaussian jumps; second, each size change is bounded by a limit that is dependent on the starting size, an intriguing behavior that we call "soft bound." Our approach is based on data analysis and on a simple theoretical model, which is able to reproduce empirical details without relying on any adjustable parameter and generates definite predictions. The same analysis allows us to formulate and support the hypothesis that a similar mechanism is shaping the distribution of mammalian body sizes, via size-dependent constraints during cladogenesis. Whereas generally accepted approaches struggle to reproduce the large-mass shoulder displayed by the distribution of extant mammalian species, this is a natural consequence of the softly bounded nature of the process. Additionally, the hypothesis that this model is valid has the relevant implication that, contrary to a common assumption, mammalian masses are still evolving, albeit very slowly.

The Experimental Detection of an Emotional Response to the Idea of Evolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bland, Mark W.; Morrison, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

Evolution is widely regarded as biology's unifying theme, yet rates of rejection of evolutionary science remain high. Anecdotal evidence suggests that cognitive dissonance leading to an emotional response is a barrier to learning about and accepting evolution. We explored the hypothesis that students whose worldviews may be inconsistent with the…

Psychoanalytic Bases for One's Image of God: Fact or Artifact?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buri, John R.

As a result of Freud's seminal postulations of the psychoanalytic bases for one's God-concept, it is a frequently accepted hypothesis that an individual's image of God is largely a reflection of experiences with and feelings toward one's own father. While such speculations as to an individual's phenomenological conceptions of God have an…

Presenting Global Warming and Evolution as Public Health Issues to Encourage Acceptance of Scientific Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stover, Shawn K.; McArthur, Laurence B.; Mabry, Michelle L.

2013-01-01

Although evidence supporting anthropogenic global warming and evolution by natural selection is considerable, the public does not embrace these concepts. The current study explores the hypothesis that individuals will become more receptive to scientific viewpoints if evidence for evolution and implications of global warming are presented as issues…

Caregivers' Agreement and Validity of Indirect Functional Analysis: A Cross Cultural Evaluation across Multiple Problem Behavior Topographies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virues-Ortega, Javier; Segui-Duran, David; Descalzo-Quero, Alberto; Carnerero, Jose Julio; Martin, Neil

2011-01-01

The Motivation Assessment Scale is an aid for hypothesis-driven functional analysis. This study presents its Spanish cross-cultural validation while examining psychometric attributes not yet explored. The study sample comprised 80 primary caregivers of children with autism. Acceptability, scaling assumptions, internal consistency, factor…

DECODAGE DE LA CHAINE PARLEE ET APPRENTISSAGE DES LANGUES (SPEECH DECODING AND LANGUAGE LEARNING).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

COMPANYS, EMMANUEL

THIS PAPER WRITTEN IN FRENCH, PRESENTS A HYPOTHESIS CONCERNING THE DECODING OF SPEECH IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING. THE THEORETICAL BACKGROUND OF THE DISCUSSION CONSISTS OF WIDELY ACCEPTED LINGUISTIC CONCEPTS SUCH AS THE PHONEME, DISTINCTIVE FEATURES, NEUTRALIZATION, LINGUISTIC LEVELS, FORM AND SUBSTANCE, EXPRESSION AND CONTENT, SOUNDS, PHONEMES,…

Differentiation at Higher Levels of Cognitive Ability: Evidence from the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Harrison D.; Oakland, Thomas D.; Brand, Christopher R.

2006-01-01

Most psychologists and educators assume that intelligence is a linear construct, meaning that smart people simply have more intelligence than their less gifted peers. Likewise, individuals with mental retardation are thought to have less intelligence. In contrast to this widely accepted belief, the authors posed an alternative hypothesis--that…

Processing Elided Verb Phrases with Flawed Antecedents: the Recycling Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Arregui, Ana; Clifton, Charles; Frazier, Lyn; Moulton, Keir

2006-01-01

Traditional syntactic accounts of verb phrase ellipsis (e.g. “Jason laughed. Sam did [ ] too.”) categorize as ungrammatical many sentences that language users find acceptable (they “undergenerate”); semantic accounts overgenerate. We propose that a processing theory, together with a syntactic account, does a better job of describing and explaining the data on verb phrase-ellipsis. Five acceptability judgment experiments supported a “VP recycling hypothesis,” which claims that when a syntactically-matching antecedent is not available, the listener/reader creates one using the materials at hand. Experiments 1 and 2 used verb phrase ellipsis sentences with antecedents ranging from perfect (a verb phrase in matrix verb phrase position) to impossible (a verb phrase containing only a deverbal word). Experiments 3 and 4 contrasted antecedents in verbal versus nominal gerund subjects. Experiment 5 explored the possibility that speakers are particularly likely to go beyond the grammar and produce elided constituents without perfect matching antecedents when the antecedent needed is less marked than the antecedent actually produced. This experiment contrasted active (unmarked) and passive antecedents to show that readers seem to honor such a tendency. PMID:17710192

Relations of Machiavellian behavior with sales performance of stockbrokers.

PubMed

Aziz, Abdul; May, Kim; Crotts, John C

2002-04-01

The hypothesis of a relationship between Machiavellian behavior and sales performance of Christie and Geis was tested with a sample of 110 stockbrokers. Scores on a measure called the Machiavellian Behavior scale were positively and significantly correlated with two self-reported measures of sales performance of the stock-brokers. Present results together with those of two earlier studies supported the hypothesis that salespeople with a Machiavellian orientation are likely to be more sucessful. Analysis of the data also indicated predictive validity and acceptable internal consistency of the Machiavellian Behavior scale. Limitations of the present study and a need for further research are discussed.

Fructose content and composition of commercial HFCS-sweetened carbonated beverages.

PubMed

White, J S; Hobbs, L J; Fernandez, S

2015-01-01

The obesigenic and related health effects of caloric sweeteners are subjects of much current research. Consumers can properly adjust their diets to conform to nutritional recommendations only if the sugars composition of foods and beverages is accurately measured and reported, a matter of recent concern. We tested the hypothesis that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) used in commercial carbonated beverages conforms to commonly assumed fructose percentages and industry technical specifications, and fulfills beverage product label regulations and Food Chemicals Codex-stipulated standards. A high-pressure liquid chromatography method was developed and verified for analysis of sugars in carbonated beverages sweetened with HFCS-55. The method was used to measure percent fructose in three carbonated beverage categories. Method verification was demonstrated by acceptable linearity (R(2)>0.99), accuracy (94-104% recovery) and precision (RSD < 2%). Fructose comprised 55.58% of total sugars (95% confidence interval 55.51-55.65%), based on 160 total measurements by 2 independent laboratories of 80 randomly selected carbonated beverages sweetened with HFCS-55. The difference in fructose measurements between laboratories was significant but small (0.1%), and lacked relevance. Differences in fructose by product category or by product age were not statistically significant. Total sugars content of carbonated beverages showed close agreement within product categories (95% confidence interval = 0.01-0.54%). Using verified analytical methodology for HFCS-sweetened carbonated beverages, this study confirmed the hypothesis that fructose as a percentage of total sugars is in close agreement with published specifications in industry technical data sheets, published literature values and governmental standards and requirements. Furthermore, total sugars content of commercial beverages is consistent with common industry practices for canned and bottled products and met the US Federal requirements for nutritional labeling and nutrient claims. Prior concerns about composition were likely owing to use of improper and unverified methodology.

Fructose content and composition of commercial HFCS-sweetened carbonated beverages

PubMed Central

White, J S; Hobbs, L J; Fernandez, S

2015-01-01

Objective: The obesigenic and related health effects of caloric sweeteners are subjects of much current research. Consumers can properly adjust their diets to conform to nutritional recommendations only if the sugars composition of foods and beverages is accurately measured and reported, a matter of recent concern. We tested the hypothesis that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) used in commercial carbonated beverages conforms to commonly assumed fructose percentages and industry technical specifications, and fulfills beverage product label regulations and Food Chemicals Codex-stipulated standards. Design: A high-pressure liquid chromatography method was developed and verified for analysis of sugars in carbonated beverages sweetened with HFCS-55. The method was used to measure percent fructose in three carbonated beverage categories. Method verification was demonstrated by acceptable linearity (R2>0.99), accuracy (94–104% recovery) and precision (RSD<2%). Result: Fructose comprised 55.58% of total sugars (95% confidence interval 55.51–55.65%), based on 160 total measurements by 2 independent laboratories of 80 randomly selected carbonated beverages sweetened with HFCS-55. The difference in fructose measurements between laboratories was significant but small (0.1%), and lacked relevance. Differences in fructose by product category or by product age were not statistically significant. Total sugars content of carbonated beverages showed close agreement within product categories (95% confidence interval=0.01–0.54%). Conclusions: Using verified analytical methodology for HFCS-sweetened carbonated beverages, this study confirmed the hypothesis that fructose as a percentage of total sugars is in close agreement with published specifications in industry technical data sheets, published literature values and governmental standards and requirements. Furthermore, total sugars content of commercial beverages is consistent with common industry practices for canned and bottled products and met the US Federal requirements for nutritional labeling and nutrient claims. Prior concerns about composition were likely owing to use of improper and unverified methodology. PMID:24798032

Internet Searches About Therapies Do Not Impact Willingness to Accept Prescribed Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

PubMed

Feathers, Alexandra; Yen, Tommy; Yun, Laura; Strizich, Garrett; Swaminath, Arun

2016-04-01

A significant majority of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) search the Internet for information about their disease. While patients who search the Internet for disease or treatment information are believed to be more resistant to accepting medical therapy, no studies have tested this hypothesis. All IBD patients over a 3-month period across three gastroenterology practices were surveyed about their disease, treatments, websites visited, attitudes toward medications, and their willingness to accept prescribed therapies after disease-related Internet searches. Of 142 total patients, 91 % of respondents searched the Internet for IBD information. The vast majority (82 %) reported taking medication upon their doctor's recommendation and cited the desire to acquire additional information about their disease and prescribed therapies as their most important search motivator (77 %). Internet usage did not affect the willingness of 52 % of our cohort to accept prescribed medication. The majority of IBD patients who searched the Internet for disease and treatment-related information were not affected in their willingness to accept prescribed medical therapy.

A regret-induced status-quo bias

PubMed Central

Nicolle, A.; Fleming, S.M.; Bach, D.R.; Driver, J.; Dolan, R. J.

2011-01-01

A suboptimal bias towards accepting the ‘status-quo’ option in decision-making is well established behaviorally, but the underlying neural mechanisms are less clear. Behavioral evidence suggests the emotion of regret is higher when errors arise from rejection rather than acceptance of a status-quo option. Such asymmetry in the genesis of regret might drive the status-quo bias on subsequent decisions, if indeed erroneous status-quo rejections have a greater neuronal impact than erroneous status-quo acceptances. To test this, we acquired human fMRI data during a difficult perceptual decision task that incorporated a trial-to-trial intrinsic status-quo option, with explicit signaling of outcomes (error or correct). Behaviorally, experienced regret was higher after an erroneous status-quo rejection compared to acceptance. Anterior insula and medial prefrontal cortex showed increased BOLD signal after such status-quo rejection errors. In line with our hypothesis, a similar pattern of signal change predicted acceptance of the status-quo on a subsequent trial. Thus, our data link a regret-induced status-quo bias to error-related activity on the preceding trial. PMID:21368043

Evolution Controversy: A Phenomenon Prompted by the Incompatibility between Science and Religious Beliefs.

PubMed

Paz-Y-Miño-C, Guillermo; Espinosa, Avelina

2015-06-01

The incompatibility between science and the belief in supernatural causation helps us understand why people do not accept evolution. Belief disrupts, distorts, delays, or stops (3Ds + S) the acceptance of scientific evidence. Here we examine the evolution controversy under three predictions of the incompatibility hypothesis. First, chronological-conflict-and-accommodation, which explains the historical re-emergence of antagonism between evolution and religion when advances in science continue to threaten the belief in supernatural causation; in such situations, creationists' rejection of and subsequent partial acceptance of the new scientific discoveries are expected. Second, change in evolution's acceptance as function of educational attainment, which explains the positive association between acceptance of evolution and level of education. And third, change in evolution's acceptance as function of religiosity, which explains the negative association between acceptance of evolution and level of religious beliefs. We rely on an ample assessment of the attitudes toward evolution by highly-educated audiences (i.e. research faculty, educators of prospective teachers, and college students in the United States) to characterize the associations among the understanding of science and evolution, personal religious convictions, and conservative ideology. We emphasize that harmonious coexistence between science and religion is illusory. If co-persisting in society, their relationship will fluctuate from moderate to intense antagonism.

Evolution Controversy: A Phenomenon Prompted by the Incompatibility between Science and Religious Beliefs

PubMed Central

Paz-y-Miño-C, Guillermo; Espinosa, Avelina

2016-01-01

The incompatibility between science and the belief in supernatural causation helps us understand why people do not accept evolution. Belief disrupts, distorts, delays, or stops (3Ds + S) the acceptance of scientific evidence. Here we examine the evolution controversy under three predictions of the incompatibility hypothesis. First, chronological-conflict-and-accommodation, which explains the historical re-emergence of antagonism between evolution and religion when advances in science continue to threaten the belief in supernatural causation; in such situations, creationists’ rejection of and subsequent partial acceptance of the new scientific discoveries are expected. Second, change in evolution's acceptance as function of educational attainment, which explains the positive association between acceptance of evolution and level of education. And third, change in evolution's acceptance as function of religiosity, which explains the negative association between acceptance of evolution and level of religious beliefs. We rely on an ample assessment of the attitudes toward evolution by highly-educated audiences (i.e. research faculty, educators of prospective teachers, and college students in the United States) to characterize the associations among the understanding of science and evolution, personal religious convictions, and conservative ideology. We emphasize that harmonious coexistence between science and religion is illusory. If co-persisting in society, their relationship will fluctuate from moderate to intense antagonism. PMID:26877774

Novel Hypothesis to Explain Why SGLT2 Inhibitors Inhibit Only 30–50% of Filtered Glucose Load in Humans

PubMed Central

Abdul-Ghani, Muhammad A.; DeFronzo, Ralph A.; Norton, Luke

2013-01-01

Inhibitors of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) are a novel class of antidiabetes drugs, and members of this class are under various stages of clinical development for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It is widely accepted that SGLT2 is responsible for >80% of the reabsorption of the renal filtered glucose load. However, maximal doses of SGLT2 inhibitors fail to inhibit >50% of the filtered glucose load. Because the clinical efficacy of this group of drugs is entirely dependent on the amount of glucosuria produced, it is important to understand why SGLT2 inhibitors inhibit <50% of the filtered glucose load. In this Perspective, we provide a novel hypothesis that explains this apparent puzzle and discuss some of the clinical implications inherent in this hypothesis. PMID:24065789

Changing your mind.

PubMed

Walsh, Clare R; Johnson-Laird, P N

2009-07-01

When individuals detect an inconsistency in a set of propositions, they tend to change their minds about at least one proposition to resolve the inconsistency. The orthodox view from William James (1907) onward has been that a rational change should be minimal. We propose an alternative hypothesis according to which individuals seek to resolve inconsistencies by explaining their origins. We report four experiments corroborating the explanatory hypothesis. Experiment 1 showed that participants' explanations revised general conditional claims rather than specific categorical propositions. Experiment 2 showed that, when explanations did revise the categorical proposition, participants also tended to deny the consequences of a second generalization. Experiment 3 showed that this tendency persists when participants previously affirmed these consequences explicitly. Experiment 4 showed that, when participants could easily explain an inconsistency by revising a generalization, they were more likely to accept the consequences of a second generalization. All four results contravene minimalism but support the explanatory hypothesis.

Malnutrition in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: Assessment, Prevalence, and Association to Adverse Outcomes.

PubMed

Daskalou, Efstratia; Galli-Tsinopoulou, Assimina; Karagiozoglou-Lampoudi, Thomais; Augoustides-Savvopoulou, Persefone

2016-01-01

Malnutrition is a frequent finding in pediatric health care settings in the form of undernutrition or excess body weight. Its increasing prevalence and impact on overall health status, which is reflected in the adverse outcomes, renders imperative the application of commonly accepted and evidence-based practices and tools by health care providers. Nutrition risk screening on admission and nutrition status evaluation are key points during clinical management of hospitalized pediatric patients, in order to prevent health deterioration that can lead to serious complications and growth consequences. In addition, anthropometric data based on commonly accepted universal growth standards can give accurate results for nutrition status. Both nutrition risk screening and nutrition status assessment are techniques that should be routinely implemented, based on commonly accepted growth standards and methodology, and linked to clinical outcomes. The aim of the present review was to address the issue of hospital malnutrition in pediatric settings in terms of prevalence, outline nutrition status evaluation and nutrition screening process using different criteria and available tools, and present its relationship with outcome measures. Key teaching points • Malnutrition-underweight or excess body weight-is a frequent imbalance in pediatric settings that affects physical growth and results in undesirable clinical outcomes. • Anthropometry interpretation through growth charts and nutrition screening are cornerstones for the assessment of malnutrition.To date no commonly accepted anthropometric criteria or nutrition screening tools are used in hospitalized pediatric patients. • Commonly accepted nutrition status and screening processes based on the World Health Organization's growth standards can contribute to the overall hospital nutrition care of pediatric patients.

The "Mevalonate hypothesis": a cholesterol-independent alternative for the etiology of atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Keizer, Hiskias G

2012-11-05

The "cholesterol hypothesis" is the leading theory to explain the cause of atherosclerosis. The "cholesterol hypothesis" assumes that plasma (LDL) cholesterol is an important causal factor for atherosclerosis.However, data of at least seven placebo controlled randomized prospective trials with various cholesterol lowering drugs show that plasma cholesterol lowering does not necessarily lead to protection against cardiovascular disease. Therefore an alternative hypothesis for the etiology of cardiovascular disease is formulated. This alternative hypothesis, the "mevalonate hypothesis", assumes that after stimulation of the mevalonate pathway in endothelial cells by inflammatory factors, these cells start producing cholesterol and free radicals. In this hypothesis, only the latter play a role in the etiology of atherosclerosis by contributing to the formation of oxidized cholesterol which is a widely accepted causal factor for atherosclerosis.Regardless of how the mevalonate pathway is activated (by withdrawal of statin drugs, by inflammatory factors or indirectly by reduced intracellular cholesterol levels) in all these cases free radical production is observed as well as cardiovascular disease. Since in the "mevalonate hypothesis" cholesterol is produced at the same time as the free radicals causing atherosclerosis, this hypothesis provides an explanation for the correlation which exists between cardiovascular disease and plasma cholesterol levels. From an evolutionary perspective, concomitant cholesterol production and free radical production in response to inflammatory factors makes sense if one realizes that both activities potentially protect cells and organisms from infection by gram-negative bacteria.In conclusion, data have been collected which suggest that activation of the mevalonate pathway in endothelial cells is likely to be a causal factor for atherosclerosis. This "mevalonate hypothesis" provides a better explanation for results obtained from recent clinical studies with cholesterol lowering drugs than the "cholesterol hypothesis". Furthermore, this hypothesis explains how cholesterol can be correlated with cardiovascular disease without being a causal factor for it. Finally it provides a logical explanation for the etiology of this disease.

Pre-Service Teachers' Beliefs about Teaching English to Primary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shinde, Mahesh B.; Karekatti, Tripti K.

2012-01-01

This paper is a part of an ongoing doctoral research on "Teacher Talk in ESL Classrooms". The idea for this was gained through the hypothesis that teachers' beliefs about English teaching may also mould their talk. The researcher intends here to analyse and comment on teachers' English teaching beliefs. It is generally accepted that…

The Short Circuit Hypothesis of ESL Reading--Or when Language Competence Interferes with Reading Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Mark A.

1980-01-01

Examines a sampling of current ESL reading instruction practices, addressing the concern that the lack of a generally accepted theory of L2 reading constitutes a major obstacle to teaching and testing ESL reading skills. Summarizes the results of two studies and discusses their implications for ESL teachers. (MES)

Institutional Tendencies of Legitimate Evaluation: A Comparison of Finnish and English Higher Education Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vartiainen, Pirkko

2005-01-01

This article analyses institutional evaluations of higher education in England and Finland through the concept of legitimacy. The focus of the article is on the institutional tendencies of legitimacy. This author's hypothesis is that evaluation is legitimate when the evaluation process is of a good quality and accepted both morally and in practice…

To What Extent Is Academic Entrepreneurship Taken for Granted within Research Universities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Harvey A.

2010-01-01

We test the hypothesis that academic entrepreneurship, resisted in the past by some as being in conflict with the long-standing Mertonian norms of open science and free enquiry, has now become widely accepted within the academy, or "taken for granted", as an institutional shift. Using responses to a series of attitudinal questions about academic…

Deictic Relational Responding, Empathy, and Experiential Avoidance as Predictors of Social Anhedonia: Further Contributions from Relational Frame Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vilardaga, Roger; Estevez, Ana; Levin, Michael E.; Hayes, Steven C.

2012-01-01

Social anhedonia has been linked to the development and exacerbation of psychosis. The present study explored the hypothesis that scores in social anhedonia are related to deictic relational responding, empathic concern, and experiential avoidance, as suggested by relational frame theory and acceptance and commitment therapy. College students (N =…

[Depressive realism: happiness or objectivity].

PubMed

Birinci, Fatih; Dirik, Gülay

2010-01-01

Realism is described as objective evaluations and judgments about the world; however, some research indicates that judgments made by "normal" people include a self-favored, positive bias in the perception of reality. Additionally, some studies report that compared to normal people, such cognitive distortions are less likely among depressive people. These findings gave rise to the depressive realism hypothesis. While results of several studies verify the notion that depressive people evaluate reality more objectively, other studies fail to support this hypothesis. Several causes for these inconsistent findings have been proposed, which can be characterized under 3 headings. One proposed explanation suggests that what is accepted as "realistic" in these studies is not quite objective and is in fact ambiguous. According to another perspective, the term "depressive" used in these studies is inconsistent with the criteria of scientific diagnostic methods. Another suggests that the research results can only be obtained under the specific experimental conditions. General negativity and limited processing are popular approaches used for explaining the depressive realism hypothesis. Nowadays, the debate over this hypothesis continues. The present review focuses on frequently cited research related to depressive realism and discusses the findings.

Lying to patients with dementia: Attitudes versus behaviours in nurses.

PubMed

Cantone, Daniela; Attena, Francesco; Cerrone, Sabrina; Fabozzi, Antonio; Rossiello, Riccardo; Spagnoli, Laura; Pelullo, Concetta Paola

2017-01-01

Using lies, in dementia care, reveals a common practice far beyond the diagnosis and prognosis, extending to the entire care process. In this article, we report results about the attitude and the behaviour of nurses towards the use of lies to patients with dementia. An epidemiological cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2016 and February 2017 in 12 elderly residential facilities and in the geriatric, psychiatric and neurological wards of six specialised hospitals of Italy's Campania Region. In all, 106 nurses compiled an attitude questionnaire (A) where the main question was 'Do you think it is ethically acceptable to use lies to patients with dementia?', instead 106 nurses compiled a behaviour questionnaire (B), where the main question was 'Have you ever used lies to patients with dementia?' Ethical considerations: Using lies in dementia care, although topic ethically still controversial, reveals a common practice far beyond the diagnosis and prognosis, extending to the entire care process. Only a small percentage of the interviewed nurses stated that they never used lies/that it is never acceptable to use lies (behaviour 10.4% and attitude 12.3%; p = 0.66). The situation in which nurses were more oriented to use lies was 'to prevent or reduce aggressive behaviors'. Indeed, only the 6.7% in the attitude group and 3.8% in the behaviour group were against using lies. On the contrary, the case in which the nurses were less oriented to use lies was 'to avoid wasting time giving explanations', in this situation were against using lies the 51.0% of the behaviour group and the 44.6% of the attitude group. Our results, according to other studies, support the hypothesis of a low propensity of nurses to ethical reflection about use of lies. In our country, the implementation of guidelines about a correct use of lie in the relationship between health operators and patients would be desirable.

Relation of Creativity to Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sligh, Allison C.; Conners, Frances A.; Roskos-Ewoldsen, Beverly

2005-01-01

The threshold hypothesis regarding creativity and intelligence suggests that these two constructs are positively correlated except at the higher end of the IQ distribution, where they are unrelated. Much of the support for this hypothesis comes from comparisons of correlations within average and high-IQ groups. However, a common methodological…

Muscle cramps: A comparison of the two-leading hypothesis.

PubMed

Giuriato, Gaia; Pedrinolla, Anna; Federico, Schena; Venturelli, Massimo

2018-05-26

Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps (EAMC) are a common painful condition of muscle spasms. Despite scientists tried to understand the physiological mechanism that underlies these common phenomena, the etiology is still unclear. From 1900 to nowadays, the scientific world retracted several times the original hypothesis of heat cramps. However, recent literature seems to focus on two potential mechanisms: the dehydration or electrolyte depletion mechanism, and the neuromuscular mechanism. The aim of this review is to examine the recent literature, in terms of physiological mechanisms of EAMC. A comprehensive search was conducted on PubMed and Google Scholar. The following terminology was applied: muscle cramps, neuromuscular hypothesis (or thesis), dehydration hypothesis, Exercise-Associated muscle cramps, nocturnal cramps, muscle spasm, muscle fatigue. From the initial literature of 424 manuscripts, sixty-nine manuscripts were included, analyzed, compared and summarized. Literature analysis indicates that neuromuscular hypothesis may prevails over the initial hypothesis of the dehydration as the trigger event of muscle cramps. New evidence suggests that the action potentials during a muscle cramp are generated in the motoneuron soma, likely accompanied by an imbalance between the rising excitatory drive from the muscle spindles (Ia) and the decreasing inhibitory drive from the Golgi tendon organs. In conclusion, from the latest investigations there seem to be a spinal involvement rather than a peripheral excitation of the motoneurons. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

47 CFR 27.65 - Acceptance of interference in 2000-2020 MHz.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Acceptance of interference in 2000-2020 MHz. 27.65 Section 27.65 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER... interference in 2000-2020 MHz. (a) Receivers operating in the 2000-2020 MHz band must accept interference from...

47 CFR 27.65 - Acceptance of interference in 2000-2020 MHz.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Acceptance of interference in 2000-2020 MHz. 27.65 Section 27.65 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER... interference in 2000-2020 MHz. (a) Receivers operating in the 2000-2020 MHz band must accept interference from...

Accepted Common Interest Community (CIC) Proposals.

PubMed

These are the 18 accepted proposals for the three Common Interest Community (CIC) sessions at IAYT's Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research (SYTAR), June 5-8, 2014, in Austin, Texas and published in the Final Program Guide and CIC Works for SYTAR 2014. The sessions were CIC#1 Rehab Professionals: Bridging the Past with the Future and CIC#2a & CIC#2b Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Health.

Exploring the controversy in child abuse pediatrics and false accusations of abuse.

PubMed

Gabaeff, Steven C

2016-01-01

There is a controversy in child abuse pediatrics between an established corps of child abuse pediatricians aligned with hospital colleagues and law enforcement, and a multi-specialty challenger group of doctors and other medical professionals working with public interest lawyers. The latter group questions the scientific validity of the core beliefs of child abuse pediatricians and believes that there are a substantial number of false accusations of abuse occurring. An unproven primary hypothesis, crafted around 1975 by a small group of pediatricians with an interest in child abuse, lies at the foundation of child abuse pediatrics. With no scientific study, it was hypothesized that subdural hemorrhage (SDH) and retinal hemorrhage (RH) were diagnostic of shaking abuse. That hypothesis became the so-called "shaken baby syndrome." Through the period 1975-1985, in a coordinated manner, these child abuse specialists coalesced under the American Academy of Pediatrics and began working with district attorneys and social workers, informing them of the ways in which their hypothesis could be applied to prosecutions of child abuse and life-altering social service interventions. In a legal context, using then-prevailing evidentiary rules which treated scientific expert testimony as valid if it was "generally accepted" in the field, they represented falsely that there was general acceptance of their hypothesis and therefore it was valid science. As the ability to convict based on this unproven prime hypothesis (SDH and RH equals abuse) increased, some defense attorneys were professionally compelled by their own doubts to reach out to experts from other fields with experience with SDH and RH, trauma, and biomechanics, for second opinions. Medical and legal challenges to the established thinking soon emerged, based on both old and new evidenced-based literature. As the intensity of the controversy increased, the probability of false accusation became more apparent and the need to address the issue more pressing. Since false accusations of child abuse are themselves abusive, efforts to eliminate such false accusations must continue. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Patients' attitudes vs. physicians' determination: implications for cesarean sections.

PubMed

Lo, Joan C

2003-07-01

Most research studies identifying non-clinical factors that influence the choice of Cesarean Section as a method of obstetric delivery assume that the physician makes the decision. This paper arguably shows the role played by the mother. Owing to the fact that Chinese people generally believe that choosing the right days for certain life events, such as marriage, can change a person's fate into a better one, the hypothesis is tested that the probability of Cesarean Sections being performed is significantly higher on auspicious days and significantly lower on inauspicious days. By employing a logistic model and utilizing 1998 birth certificate data for Taiwan, we are able to show that the hypothesis is accepted.

Hypotheses on the stability and variation of human sex ratios at birth.

PubMed

James, William H

2012-10-07

Human sex ratios at birth simultaneously show both significant variation with a number of variables, and striking stability across time. Hypotheses on these features are discussed here. A) The causes of the stability are not established. B) There are several hypotheses which purport to explain sex ratio variation. 1. The Trivers–Willard hypothesis has had only limited success. This may be because (from a methodological standpoint) it has an unusual provenance in that it is not a response to a perceived need for explanation of an observed phenomenon. At present there seems too much evidence in its favour for this hypothesis to be rejected, and too much against it, for it to be accepted. 2. My hypothesis proposes that hormone concentrations (of both parents) around the time of conception partially control the sex of the zygote. A substantial quantity of data has been adduced in favour of this hypothesis. But it cannot explain all types of variation of sex ratios at birth. 3. It has been proposed by Catalano that other variation in sex ratios at birth is associated with maternal stress during pregnancy. He and his co-workers have adduced substantial quantities of data to support this hypothesis too. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disgust selectively modulates reciprocal fairness in economic interactions.

PubMed

Moretti, Laura; di Pellegrino, Giuseppe

2010-04-01

We report two studies aimed at investigating the effects of distinct negative emotions on pairwise economic interactions. In the ultimatum game, a proposer offers a division of a sum of money to a responder who decides whether to accept the split, or reject and leave both players with nothing. In Experiment 1, we investigated whether induced disgust, as compared to sadness and neutral emotion, specifically influences responders' decisions to reject unfair proposals. In Experiment 2, we assessed whether the effects of disgust were selectively related to social contexts by contrasting interactions with a human partner with those involving a computer. Results showed that relative to being in a sad or neutral mood, induced feelings of disgust significantly increased rejection rates of unfair offers. Moreover, we found that when the partner was not responsible for the fairness violation, such as in the computer-offer condition, the disgust induction failed to affect participants' choices. We conclude by focusing on the hypothesis that disgust and social norm violations may share common computational components, both at a psychological and a neural level. Copyright 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Proficiency Testing for Evaluating Aerospace Materials Test Anomalies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hirsch, D.; Motto, S.; Peyton, S.; Beeson, H.

2006-01-01

ASTM G 86 and ASTM G 74 are commonly used to evaluate materials susceptibility to ignition in liquid and gaseous oxygen systems. However, the methods have been known for their lack of repeatability. The inherent problems identified with the test logic would either not allow precise identification or the magnitude of problems related to running the tests, such as lack of consistency of systems performance, lack of adherence to procedures, etc. Excessive variability leads to increasing instances of accepting the null hypothesis erroneously, and so to the false logical deduction that problems are nonexistent when they really do exist. This paper attempts to develop and recommend an approach that could lead to increased accuracy in problem diagnostics by using the 50% reactivity point, which has been shown to be more repeatable. The initial tests conducted indicate that PTFE and Viton A (for pneumatic impact) and Buna S (for mechanical impact) would be good choices for additional testing and consideration for inter-laboratory evaluations. The approach presented could also be used to evaluate variable effects with increased confidence and tolerance optimization.

Multiple payers, commonality and free-riding in health care: Medicare and private payers.

PubMed

Glazer, Jacob; McGuire, Thomas G

2002-11-01

Managed health care plans and providers in the US and elsewhere sell their services to multiple payers. For example, the three largest groups of purchasers from health plans in the US are employers, Medicaid plans, and Medicare, with the first two accounting for over 90% of the total enrollees. In the case of hospitals, Medicare is the largest buyer, but it alone only accounts for 40% of the total payments. While payers have different objectives and use different contracting practices, the plans and providers set some elements of the quality in common for all payers. In this paper, we study the interactions between a public payer, modeled on Medicare, which sets a price and takes any willing provider, a private payer, which limits providers and pays a price on the basis of quality, and a provider/plan, in the presence of shared elements of quality. The provider compromises in response to divergent incentives from payers. The private sector dilutes Medicare payment initiatives, and may, under some circumstances, repair Medicare payment policy mistakes. If Medicare behaves strategically in the presence of private payers, it can free-ride on the private payer and set its prices too low. Our paper has many testable implications, including a new hypothesis for why Medicare has failed to gain acceptance of health plans in the US.

Getting better with age: The relationship between age, acceptance, and negative affect

PubMed Central

Shallcross, Amanda J.; Ford, Brett Q.; Floerke, Victoria A.; Mauss, Iris B.

2013-01-01

Although aging involves cognitive and physical declines, it is also associated with improved emotional well-being, particularly lower negative affect. However, the relationship between age and global negative affect, versus discrete negative emotions, and the pathways that link age to lower negative affect are not well understood. We hypothesize that one important link between age and lower negative affect may be acceptance of negative emotional experiences. The present study examined this hypothesis in a community sample of 21–73 year olds (N = 340) by measuring acceptance and multiple indices of negative affect: trait negative affect; negative experiential and physiological reactivity to a laboratory stress induction; daily experience of negative affect; and trait negative affect six months after the initial assessment. Negative affect was measured using a discrete emotions approach whereby anger, anxiety, and sadness were assessed at each time point. Age was associated with increased acceptance as well as lower anger and anxiety (but not sadness) across measurement modalities and time points. Further, acceptance statistically mediated the relationship between age and anger and anxiety. These results are consistent with the idea that acceptance may be an important pathway in the link between age and lower negative affect. Implications of these results for understanding the nature of age-related decreases in discrete negative emotions are discussed. PMID:23276266

Delinquency and Peer Acceptance in Adolescence: A Within-Person Test of Moffitt’s Hypotheses

PubMed Central

Rulison, Kelly L; Kreager, Derek A.; Osgood, D. Wayne

2015-01-01

We tested two hypotheses derived from Moffitt’s (1993) taxonomic theory of antisocial behavior, both of which are central to her explanation for the rise in delinquency during adolescence. Specifically, we tested whether persistently delinquent individuals become more accepted by their peers during adolescence and whether individuals who abstain from delinquent behavior become less accepted. Participants were 4,359 adolescents from 14 communities in the PROSPER study, which assessed friendship networks and delinquency from 6th (M = 11.8 years) to 9th (M = 15.3 years) grade. We operationalized peer acceptance as: number of nominations received (indegree centrality), attractiveness as a friend (adjusted indegree centrality), and network bridging potential (betweenness centrality) and tested the hypotheses using multilevel modeling. Contrary to Moffitt’s hypothesis, persistently delinquent youth did not become more accepted between early and middle adolescence, and although abstainers were less accepted in early adolescence, they became more accepted over time. Results were similar for boys and girls; when differences occurred, they provided no support for Moffitt’s hypotheses for boys and were opposite of her hypotheses for girls. Sensitivity analyses using alternative strategies and additional data to identify persistently delinquent adolescents produced similar results. We explore the implications of these results for Moffitt’s assertions that social mimicry of persistently antisocial adolescents leads to increases in delinquency and that social isolation leads to abstention. PMID:25243328

Game On: Diminishing Risks for Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescence through Positive Involvement in Team Sports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boone, Erin M.; Leadbeater, Bonnie J.

2006-01-01

While research shows that low levels of social acceptance and elevated body dissatisfaction increase risks for depressive symptoms among both girls and boys, little is known about protective factors that can mediate these risks. We test the hypothesis that positive team sports involvement mediates the effects of these risks on depression in a…

The Role of Age and Motivation for the Experience of Social Acceptance and Rejection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikitin, Jana; Schoch, Simone; Freund, Alexandra M.

2014-01-01

A study with n = 55 younger (18-33 years, M = 23.67) and n = 58 older (61-85 years, M = 71.44) adults investigated age-related differences in social approach and avoidance motivation and their consequences for the experience of social interactions. Results confirmed the hypothesis that a predominant habitual approach motivation in younger adults…

Conceptions over Time: Are Language and the Here-and-Now up to the Task?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewson, Peter W.

2008-01-01

Is it possible to explain students' conceptions of natural phenomena purely in terms of the interactions between two people and the language they use during an interview? I argue that this hypothesis cannot be accepted on several grounds. First, contextual factors prior to the interview influence the course of its events, and that these in turn…

Evaluation of a Teen Dating Violence Social Marketing Campaign: Lessons Learned when the Null Hypothesis Was Accepted

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothman, Emily F.; Decker, Michele R.; Silverman, Jay G.

2006-01-01

This chapter discusses a three-month statewide mass media campaign to prevent teen dating violence, "See It and Stop It." The Massachusetts campaign reached out--using television, radio, and print advertising--and also encouraged anti-violence activism in select high schools. The objective was to drive thirteen- to seventeen-year-olds to…

How protein chemists learned about the hydrophobic factor.

PubMed Central

Tanford, C.

1997-01-01

It is generally accepted today that the hydrophobic force is the dominant energetic factor that leads to the folding of polypeptide chains into compact globular entities. This principle was first explicitly introduced to protein chemists in 1938 by Irving Langmuir, past master in the application of hydrophobicity to other problems, and was enthusiastically endorsed by J.D. Bernal. But both proposal and endorsement came in the course of a debate about a quite different structural principle, the so-called "cyclol hypothesis" proposed by D. Wrinch, which soon proved to be theoretically and experimentally unsupportable. Being a more tangible idea, directly expressed in structural terms, the cyclol hypothesis received more attention than the hydrophobic principle and the latter never actually entered the mainstream of protein science until 1959, when it was thrust into the limelight in a lucid review by W. Kauzmann. A theoretical paper by H.S. Frank and M. Evans, not itself related to protein folding, probably played a major role in the acceptance of the hydrophobicity concept by protein chemists because it provided a crude but tangible picture of the origin of hydrophobicity per se in terms of water structure. PMID:9194199

Bayesian Approaches to Imputation, Hypothesis Testing, and Parameter Estimation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Steven J.; Mackey, Beth

2015-01-01

This chapter introduces three applications of Bayesian inference to common and novel issues in second language research. After a review of the critiques of conventional hypothesis testing, our focus centers on ways Bayesian inference can be used for dealing with missing data, for testing theory-driven substantive hypotheses without a default null…

‘Nasty neighbours’ rather than ‘dear enemies’ in a social carnivore

PubMed Central

Müller, Corsin A; Manser, Marta B

2007-01-01

Territorial animals typically respond less aggressively to neighbours than to strangers. This ‘dear enemy effect’ has been explained by differing familiarity or by different threat levels posed by neighbours and strangers. In most species, both the familiarity and the threat-level hypotheses predict a stronger response to strangers than to neighbours. In contrast, the threat-level hypothesis predicts a stronger response to neighbours than to strangers in species with intense competition between neighbours and with residents outnumbering strangers, as commonly found in social mammals such as the banded mongoose (Mungos mungo). The familiarity hypothesis predicts reduced aggression towards neighbours also in these species. We exposed free-living banded mongoose groups to translocated scent marks of neighbouring groups and strangers. Groups vocalized more and inspected more samples in response to olfactory cues of the neighbours than to the strangers. Our results support the threat-level hypothesis and contradict the familiarity hypothesis. We suggest that increased aggression towards neighbours is more common in social species with intense competition between neighbours, as opposed to reduced aggression towards neighbours typical for most solitary species. PMID:17251103

Linking Cognitive and Visual Perceptual Decline in Healthy Aging: The Information Degradation Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Monge, Zachary A.; Madden, David J.

2016-01-01

Several hypotheses attempt to explain the relation between cognitive and perceptual decline in aging (e.g., common-cause, sensory deprivation, cognitive load on perception, information degradation). Unfortunately, the majority of past studies examining this association have used correlational analyses, not allowing for these hypotheses to be tested sufficiently. This correlational issue is especially relevant for the information degradation hypothesis, which states that degraded perceptual signal inputs, resulting from either age-related neurobiological processes (e.g., retinal degeneration) or experimental manipulations (e.g., reduced visual contrast), lead to errors in perceptual processing, which in turn may affect non-perceptual, higher-order cognitive processes. Even though the majority of studies examining the relation between age-related cognitive and perceptual decline have been correlational, we reviewed several studies demonstrating that visual manipulations affect both younger and older adults’ cognitive performance, supporting the information degradation hypothesis and contradicting implications of other hypotheses (e.g., common-cause, sensory deprivation, cognitive load on perception). The reviewed evidence indicates the necessity to further examine the information degradation hypothesis in order to identify mechanisms underlying age-related cognitive decline. PMID:27484869

Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Multiple Hypotheses, Few Answers

PubMed Central

Tang, Fei; Hartz, Anika M. S.; Bauer, Björn

2017-01-01

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that affects over 70 million people worldwide. Despite the recent introduction of new antiseizure drugs (ASDs), about one-third of patients with epilepsy have seizures refractory to pharmacotherapy. Early identification of patients who will become refractory to ASDs could help direct such patients to appropriate non-pharmacological treatment, but the complexity in the temporal patterns of epilepsy could make such identification difficult. The target hypothesis and transporter hypothesis are the most cited theories trying to explain refractory epilepsy, but neither theory alone fully explains the neurobiological basis of pharmacoresistance. This review summarizes evidence for and against several major theories, including the pharmacokinetic hypothesis, neural network hypothesis, intrinsic severity hypothesis, gene variant hypothesis, target hypothesis, and transporter hypothesis. The discussion is mainly focused on the transporter hypothesis, where clinical and experimental data are discussed on multidrug transporter overexpression, substrate profiles of ASDs, mechanism of transporter upregulation, polymorphisms of transporters, and the use of transporter inhibitors. Finally, future perspectives are presented for the improvement of current hypotheses and the development of treatment strategies as guided by the current understanding of refractory epilepsy. PMID:28729850

Using high-level construal and perceptions of changeability to promote self-change over self-protection motives in response to negative feedback.

PubMed

Belding, Jennifer N; Naufel, Karen Z; Fujita, Kentaro

2015-06-01

Diagnostic negative information presents people with a motivational dilemma. Although negative feedback can provide useful information with which to guide future self-improvement efforts, it also presents short-term affective costs. We propose that construal level, jointly with the perceived changeability of the feedback domain, determines whether people choose to accept or dismiss such information. Whereas low-level construal promotes short-term self-protection motivation (promoting dismissal), high-level construal promotes long-term self-change motivation (promoting acceptance)--to the extent that change is perceived as possible. Four studies support this hypothesis and examine underlying cognitive and motivational mechanisms. The present work may provide an integrative theoretical framework for understanding when people will be open to and accept negative diagnostic information, and has important practical implications for promoting self-change efforts. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Parents behaving badly: Gender biases in the perception of parental alienating behaviors.

PubMed

Harman, Jennifer J; Biringen, Zeynep; Ratajack, Ellen M; Outland, Pearl L; Kraus, Allyson

2016-10-01

According to gender role theory, individuals who confirm expectations associated with their gender roles are rewarded and judged against these expectations when they deviate. Parental roles are strongly tied to gender, and there are very different expectations for behaviors of mothers and fathers. This study examined how mothers' and fathers' behaviors that support or discourage a positive relationship with the other parent are perceived in terms of their acceptability. Two-hundred twenty-eight parents completed an online survey assessing perceptions of acceptability of negative (parental alienating) and positive coparenting behaviors. Results provided support for our hypothesis: Although parental alienating behaviors were rated unacceptable, they were more acceptable for mothers than fathers. Expectancy violation theory can explain why parental alienating behaviors are not viewed as negatively when mothers exhibit them than fathers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

75 FR 44709 - Common Crop Insurance Regulations; Stonefruit Crop Insurance Provisions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-29

... specified in the Special Provisions or is accepted by a packer, processor or other handler.'' According to... not make grade, it is not considered marketable unless a packer, handler or processor accepts the... meeting the standards or being accepted by a processor, etc., without any indication that the grade...

The Development and Acceptability of a Mobile Application for Tracking Symptoms of Heart Failure Among Older Adults.

PubMed

Portz, Jennifer Dickman; Vehovec, Anton; Dolansky, Mary A; Levin, Jennifer B; Bull, Sheana; Boxer, Rebecca

2018-02-01

Heart failure (HF) is common in older adults. With increases in technology use among older adults, mobile applications may provide a solution for older adults to self-manage symptoms of HF. This article discusses the development and acceptability of a HF symptom-tracking mobile application (HF app). The HF app was developed to allow patients to track their symptoms of HF. Thirty (N = 30) older adults completed an acceptability survey after using the mobile app. The survey used Likert items and open-ended feedback questions. Overall, the acceptability feedback from users was positive with participants indicating that the HF app was both easy to use and understand. Participants identified recommendations for improvement including additional symptoms to track and the inclusion of instructions and reminders. HF is common in older adults, and acceptability of mobile apps is of key importance. The HF app is an acceptable tool for older patients with HF to self-manage their symptoms, identify patterns, and changes in symptoms, and ultimately prevent HF readmission.

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

Fedorka, K. M.; Copeland, E. K.; Winterhalter, W. E.

To improve thermoregulation in colder environments, insects are expected to darken their cuticles with melanin via the phenoloxidase cascade, a phenomenon predicted by the thermal melanin hypothesis. However, the phenoloxidase cascade also plays a significant role in insect immunity, leading to the additional hypothesis that the thermal environment indirectly shapes immune function via direct selection on cuticle color. Support for the latter hypothesis comes from the cricket Allonemobius socius, where cuticle darkness and immune-related phenoloxidase activity increase with latitude. However, thermal environments vary seasonally as well as geographically, suggesting that seasonal plasticity in immunity may also exist. Although seasonal fluctuationsmore » in vertebrate immune function are common (because of flux in breeding or resource abundance), seasonality in invertebrate immunity has not been widely explored. We addressed this possibility by rearing crickets in simulated summer and fall environments and assayed their cuticle color and immune function. Prior to estimating immunity, crickets were placed in a common environment to minimize metabolic rate differences. Individuals reared under fall-like conditions exhibited darker cuticles, greater phenoloxidase activity and greater resistance to the bacteria Serratia marcescens. These data support the hypothesis that changes in the thermal environment modify cuticle color, which indirectly shapes immune investment through pleiotropy. This hypothesis may represent a widespread mechanism governing immunity in numerous systems, considering that most insects operate in seasonally and geographically variable thermal environments.« less

On the impact of masking and blocking hypotheses for measuring the efficacy of new tuberculosis vaccines.

PubMed

Arregui, Sergio; Sanz, Joaquín; Marinova, Dessislava; Martín, Carlos; Moreno, Yamir

2016-01-01

Over the past 60 years, the Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been used worldwide to prevent tuberculosis (TB). However, BCG has shown a very variable efficacy in different trials, offering a wide range of protection in adults against pulmonary TB. One of the most accepted hypotheses to explain these inconsistencies points to the existence of a pre-existing immune response to antigens that are common to environmental sources of mycobacterial antigens and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Specifically, two different mechanisms have been hypothesized to explain this phenomenon: the masking and the blocking effects. According to masking hypothesis, previous sensitization confers some level of protection against TB that masks vaccine's effects. In turn, the blocking hypothesis postulates that previous immune response prevents vaccine taking of a new TB vaccine. In this work we introduce a series of models to discriminate between masking and blocking mechanisms and address their relative likelihood. We apply our methodology to the data reported by BCG-REVAC clinical trials, which were specifically designed for studying BCG efficacy variability. Our results yield estimates that are consistent with high levels of blocking (41% in Manaus -95% CI [14-68]- and 96% in Salvador -95% CI [52-100]-). Moreover, we also show that masking does not play any relevant role in modifying vaccine's efficacy either alone or in addition to blocking. The quantification of these effects around a plausible model constitutes a relevant step towards impact evaluation of novel anti-tuberculosis vaccines, which are susceptible of being affected by similar effects, especially if applied on individuals previously exposed to mycobacterial antigens.

Evidence for soft bounds in Ubuntu package sizes and mammalian body masses

PubMed Central

Gherardi, Marco; Mandrà, Salvatore; Bassetti, Bruno; Cosentino Lagomarsino, Marco

2013-01-01

The development of a complex system depends on the self-coordinated action of a large number of agents, often determining unexpected global behavior. The case of software evolution has great practical importance: knowledge of what is to be considered atypical can guide developers in recognizing and reacting to abnormal behavior. Although the initial framework of a theory of software exists, the current theoretical achievements do not fully capture existing quantitative data or predict future trends. Here we show that two elementary laws describe the evolution of package sizes in a Linux-based operating system: first, relative changes in size follow a random walk with non-Gaussian jumps; second, each size change is bounded by a limit that is dependent on the starting size, an intriguing behavior that we call “soft bound.” Our approach is based on data analysis and on a simple theoretical model, which is able to reproduce empirical details without relying on any adjustable parameter and generates definite predictions. The same analysis allows us to formulate and support the hypothesis that a similar mechanism is shaping the distribution of mammalian body sizes, via size-dependent constraints during cladogenesis. Whereas generally accepted approaches struggle to reproduce the large-mass shoulder displayed by the distribution of extant mammalian species, this is a natural consequence of the softly bounded nature of the process. Additionally, the hypothesis that this model is valid has the relevant implication that, contrary to a common assumption, mammalian masses are still evolving, albeit very slowly. PMID:24324175

Independent evolution of knuckle-walking in African apes shows that humans did not evolve from a knuckle-walking ancestor.

PubMed

Kivell, Tracy L; Schmitt, Daniel

2009-08-25

Despite decades of debate, it remains unclear whether human bipedalism evolved from a terrestrial knuckle-walking ancestor or from a more generalized, arboreal ape ancestor. Proponents of the knuckle-walking hypothesis focused on the wrist and hand to find morphological evidence of this behavior in the human fossil record. These studies, however, have not examined variation or development of purported knuckle-walking features in apes or other primates, data that are critical to resolution of this long-standing debate. Here we present novel data on the frequency and development of putative knuckle-walking features of the wrist in apes and monkeys. We use these data to test the hypothesis that all knuckle-walking apes share similar anatomical features and that these features can be used to reliably infer locomotor behavior in our extinct ancestors. Contrary to previous expectations, features long-assumed to indicate knuckle-walking behavior are not found in all African apes, show different developmental patterns across species, and are found in nonknuckle-walking primates as well. However, variation among African ape wrist morphology can be clearly explained if we accept the likely independent evolution of 2 fundamentally different biomechanical modes of knuckle-walking: an extended wrist posture in an arboreal environment (Pan) versus a neutral, columnar hand posture in a terrestrial environment (Gorilla). The presence of purported knuckle-walking features in the hominin wrist can thus be viewed as evidence of arboreality, not terrestriality, and provide evidence that human bipedalism evolved from a more arboreal ancestor occupying the ecological niche common to all living apes.

Markers of physiological stress in juvenile bonobos (Pan paniscus): are enamel hypoplasia, skeletal development and tooth size interrelated?

PubMed

Lukacs, John R

2009-07-01

A reduction in enamel thickness due to disrupted amelogenesis is referred to as enamel hypoplasia (EH). Linear EH in permanent teeth is a widely accepted marker of systemic physiological stress. An enigmatic, nonlinear form of EH commonly manifest in great ape and human deciduous canines (dc) is known as localized hypoplasia of primary canines (LHPC). The etiology of LHPC and what it signifies-localized traumatic or systemic physiological stress-remains unclear. This report presents frequency data on LHPC, hypostotic cranial traits, and tooth size in a sample of juvenile bonobos, then tests hypotheses of intertrait association that improve knowledge of the etiology and meaning of LHPC. The fenestration hypothesis is tested using hypostotic cranial traits as a proxy for membrane bone ossification, and the relationship between tooth size, LHPC, and hypostosis is investigated. Macroscopic observations of EH, hypostotic traits, and measurements of buccolingual tooth size were conducted according to established standards. LHPC was found in 51.2% of bonobos (n = 86) and in 26% of dc teeth (n = 269). Hypostotic traits were observed in 55.2% of bonobos (n = 96). A test of the association between LHPC and hypostosis yielded nonsignificant results (chi(2) = 2.935; P = 0.0867). Primary canines were larger in specimens with LHPC than in unaffected specimens (paired samples t test; udc, P = 0.011; ldc, P = 0.018), a result consistent with the fenestration hypothesis of LHPC pathogenesis. Hypostosis was not associated with differences in tooth size (P > 0.05). LHPC may be an indirect indicator of physiological stress, resulting from large, buccally displaced primary canines.

Comparison of histological features, and description of histopathological lesions in thyroid glands from three species of free-ranging sharks from the northwestern Atlantic, the blue shark, Prionace glauca (L.), the shortfin mako, Isurus oxyrhinchus Rafinesque, and the thresher, Alopias vulpinus (Bonnaterre).

PubMed

Borucinska, J D; Tafur, M

2009-09-01

Abstract Histomorphological features of piscine thyroids are widely accepted and frequently used as bioindicators of environmental pollution. This despite the fact that there is marked variation in thyroid morphology resulting from numerous pathological and physiological conditions. Our hypothesis was that there will be variations in histological features in thyroids collected from different shark species during the summer season in the northwestern Atlantic. To test our hypothesis, we examined histological features encountered in grossly normal thyroids from three species of sharks, the shortfin mako, Isurus oxyrhinchus, thresher, Alopias vulpinus and blue sharks, Prionace glauca. In addition, microscopic lesions from these thyroids were described. Ninety-four sharks were collected in summer 2001, 2002 and 2004. Routine, haematoxylin and eosin-stained paraffin-embedded sections were studied by light microscopy. We found inter-species but not intra-species variation in histological patterns of thyroids, which were distinct enough to allow 'blind' assignment of a thyroid to the specific species. The most common lesions encountered were lymphofollicular hyperplasia and chronic thyroiditis. In addition, one case each of intravascular larval nematodes and a myxosporean infection was found. Our results provide the first data on species-specific morphology of thyroids collected during summer months from sharks. The results indicate that familiarity with normal thyroid morphology is crucial before using shark thyroids in biomonitoring of environmental contamination or interpreting data from this gland in shark-health studies.

Bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis as a functional somatic syndrome.

PubMed

Warren, John W

2014-12-01

To determine whether bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) has the characteristics of a functional somatic syndrome (FSS). There is no accepted definition of an FSS. Consequently, this paper reviewed the literature for common FSS characteristics and for reports that BPS/IC has these characteristics. Eleven articles met inclusion and exclusion criteria and yielded 18 FSS characteristics. BPS/IC patients manifest all but two: the exceptions were normal light microscopic anatomy (after hydrodistention under anesthesia, some BPS/IC bladders have Hunner's lesions and most have petechial hemorrhages) and normal laboratory tests (many BPS/IC patients have hematuria). Petechial hemorrhages and hematuria are probably related and may appear during naturally-occurring bladder distention. Without such distention, then, the 90% of BPS/IC patients without a Hunner's lesion have all the characteristics of an FSS. Comparisons in the opposite direction were consistent: several additional features of BPS/IC were found in FSSs. This systematic but untested method is consistent with but does not test the hypothesis that BPS/IC in some patients might best be understood as an FSS. Like most conditions, BPS/IC is probably heterogeneous; hence only a proportion of BPS/IC cases are likely to be manifestations of an FSS. This hypothesis has several implications. Explorations of processes that connect the FSSs might contribute to understanding the pathogenesis of BPS/IC. Patients with FSSs are at risk for BPS/IC and may benefit from future preventive strategies. Therapies that are useful in FSSs also may be useful in some cases of BPS/IC. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving Operational Acceptability of Dynamic Weather Routes Through Analysis of Commonly Use Routings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Antony D.; Sridhar, Banavar; McNally, David

2016-01-01

The Dynamic Weather Routes (DWR) tool is a ground-based trajectory automation system that continuously and automatically analyzes active in-flight aircraft in en route airspace to find simple modifications to flight plan routes that can save significant flying time, while avoiding weather and considering traffic conflicts, airspace sector congestion, special use airspace, and FAA routing restrictions. Trials of the DWR system have shown that significant delay savings are possible. However, some DWR advised routes are also rejected by dispatchers or modified before being accepted. Similarly, of those sent by dispatchers to flight crews as proposed route change requests, many are not accepted by air traffic control, or are modified before implementation as Center route amendments. Such actions suggest that the operational acceptability of DWR advised route corrections could be improved, which may reduce workload and increase delay savings. This paper analyzes the historical usage of different flight routings, varying from simple waypoint pairs to lengthy strings of waypoints incorporating jet routes, in order to improve DWR route acceptability. An approach is developed that can be incorporated into DWR, advising routings with high historical usage and savings potential similar to that of the nominal DWR advisory. It is hypothesized that modifying a nominal DWR routing to one that is commonly used, and nearby, will result in more actual savings since common routings are generally familiar and operationally acceptable to air traffic control. The approach allows routing segments with high historical usage to be concatenated to form routes that meet all DWR constraints. The relevance of a route's historical usage to its acceptance by dispatchers and air traffic control is quantified by analyzing historical DWR data. Results indicate that while historical usage may be less of a concern to flight dispatchers accepting or rejecting DWR advised route corrections, it may be important to air traffic control acceptance of DWR routes.

Parents Who Decline HPV Vaccination: Who Later Accepts and Why?

PubMed

Kornides, Melanie L; McRee, Annie-Laurie; Gilkey, Melissa B

2018-03-01

Parental declination contributes to low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage among US adolescents, resulting in missed opportunities for cancer prevention. We sought to characterize parents' acceptance of HPV vaccination after declination ("secondary acceptance"). In September 2016, we conducted an online survey with a national sample of parents of children ages 11 to 17 years. For those who reported having ever declined HPV vaccination for their children (n = 494), our survey assessed whether they accepted the vaccine at a subsequent visit. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess correlates of secondary acceptance. Overall, 45% of parents reported secondary acceptance of HPV vaccination, and an additional 24% intended to vaccinate in the next 12 months. In multivariable analyses, secondary acceptance was associated with receiving follow-up counseling about HPV vaccination from a health care provider (odds ratio, 2.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.42-3.28). However, only 53% of parents overall reported receiving such counseling. Secondary acceptance was also associated with receiving a higher quality HPV vaccine recommendation from a provider during the initial discussion and greater satisfaction with provider communication, as well as higher vaccination confidence. Among the reasons for secondary acceptance, parents most commonly reported the child getting older (45%), learning more about HPV vaccine (34%), and receiving a provider recommendation (33%). Our findings suggest secondary acceptance of HPV vaccination is common, with more than two-thirds of parents in this national sample accepting or intending to accept HPV vaccination after declination. Providers should seek to motivate secondary acceptance by delivering repeated, high-quality recommendations for HPV vaccination. Copyright © 2017 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evolutionary evidence of the effect of rare variants on disease etiology.

PubMed

Gorlov, I P; Gorlova, O Y; Frazier, M L; Spitz, M R; Amos, C I

2011-03-01

The common disease/common variant hypothesis has been popular for describing the genetic architecture of common human diseases for several years. According to the originally stated hypothesis, one or a few common genetic variants with a large effect size control the risk of common diseases. A growing body of evidence, however, suggests that rare single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), i.e. those with a minor allele frequency of less than 5%, are also an important component of the genetic architecture of common human diseases. In this study, we analyzed the relevance of rare SNPs to the risk of common diseases from an evolutionary perspective and found that rare SNPs are more likely than common SNPs to be functional and tend to have a stronger effect size than do common SNPs. This observation, and the fact that most of the SNPs in the human genome are rare, suggests that rare SNPs are a crucial element of the genetic architecture of common human diseases. We propose that the next generation of genomic studies should focus on analyzing rare SNPs. Further, targeting patients with a family history of the disease, an extreme phenotype, or early disease onset may facilitate the detection of risk-associated rare SNPs. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Spondyloarthritis, Acute Anterior Uveitis, and Fungi: Updating the Catterall–King Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Laurence, Martin; Asquith, Mark; Rosenbaum, James T.

2018-01-01

Spondyloarthritis is a common type of arthritis which affects mostly adults. It consists of idiopathic chronic inflammation of the spine, joints, eyes, skin, gut, and prostate. Inflammation is often asymptomatic, especially in the gut and prostate. The HLA-B*27 allele group, which presents intracellular peptides to CD8+ T cells, is by far the strongest risk factor for spondyloarthritis. The precise mechanisms and antigens remain unknown. In 1959, Catterall and King advanced a novel hypothesis explaining the etiology of spondyloarthritis: an as-yet-unrecognized sexually acquired microbe would be causing all spondyloarthritis types, including acute anterior uveitis. Recent studies suggest an unrecognized sexually acquired fungal infection may be involved in prostate cancer and perhaps multiple sclerosis. This warrants reanalyzing the Catterall–King hypothesis based on the current literature. In the last decade, many links between spondyloarthritis and fungal infections have been found. Antibodies against the fungal cell wall component mannan are elevated in spondyloarthritis. Functional polymorphisms in genes regulating the innate immune response against fungi have been associated with spondyloarthritis (CARD9 and IL23R). Psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease, two common comorbidities of spondyloarthritis, are both strongly associated with fungi. Evidence reviewed here lends credence to the Catterall–King hypothesis and implicates a common fungal etiology in prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and spondyloarthritis. However, the evidence available at this time is insufficient to definitely confirm this hypothesis. Future studies investigating the microbiome in relation to these conditions should screen specimens for fungi in addition to bacteria. Future clinical studies of spondyloarthritis should consider antifungals which are effective in psoriasis and multiple sclerosis, such as dimethyl fumarate and nystatin. PMID:29675414

Self organising hypothesis networks: a new approach for representing and structuring SAR knowledge

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Combining different sources of knowledge to build improved structure activity relationship models is not easy owing to the variety of knowledge formats and the absence of a common framework to interoperate between learning techniques. Most of the current approaches address this problem by using consensus models that operate at the prediction level. We explore the possibility to directly combine these sources at the knowledge level, with the aim to harvest potentially increased synergy at an earlier stage. Our goal is to design a general methodology to facilitate knowledge discovery and produce accurate and interpretable models. Results To combine models at the knowledge level, we propose to decouple the learning phase from the knowledge application phase using a pivot representation (lingua franca) based on the concept of hypothesis. A hypothesis is a simple and interpretable knowledge unit. Regardless of its origin, knowledge is broken down into a collection of hypotheses. These hypotheses are subsequently organised into hierarchical network. This unification permits to combine different sources of knowledge into a common formalised framework. The approach allows us to create a synergistic system between different forms of knowledge and new algorithms can be applied to leverage this unified model. This first article focuses on the general principle of the Self Organising Hypothesis Network (SOHN) approach in the context of binary classification problems along with an illustrative application to the prediction of mutagenicity. Conclusion It is possible to represent knowledge in the unified form of a hypothesis network allowing interpretable predictions with performances comparable to mainstream machine learning techniques. This new approach offers the potential to combine knowledge from different sources into a common framework in which high level reasoning and meta-learning can be applied; these latter perspectives will be explored in future work. PMID:24959206

A specific hygiene hypothesis.

PubMed

Shunsheng Han, Cliff

2016-08-01

Allergic diseases have reached epidemic proportions in Western populations in the last several decades. The hygiene hypothesis proposed more than twenty years ago has helped us to understand the epidemic and has been verified with numerous studies. However, translational measures deduced from these studies to prevent allergic diseases have not proven effective. Recent studies on immigrants' allergies and any potential association between oral infection and allergic diseases prompt me to propose a specific hygiene hypothesis to explain how oral hygiene practices might have contributed to the uprising of hay fever, the most common allergic disease. The historic oral hygiene level in US is closely associated with the emerging allergic epidemic. Future studies to test the hypothesis are needed and verification of the hypothesis can potentially yield highly effective measures to prevent allergic diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Influenza vaccination among medical residents in a teaching hospital .

PubMed

Bishburg, Eliahu; Shah, Monica; Mathis, A Scott

2008-01-01

We assessed the rates of influenza vaccine acceptance and the reasons for acceptance or refusal among medical residents in different disciplines during the 2004-2005 influenza season. Rates varied among disciplines; emergency department residents had the lowest acceptance rate (24%). The perception of a low risk of contracting influenza was the most common reason reported for vaccine refusal.

Investigating Heritage Language and Culture Links: An Indo-Canadian Hindu Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Nootan; Trofimovich, Pavel; Gatbonton, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

Although it is commonly believed that language and culture are inexorably linked, the precise nature of this relationship remains elusive. This study investigated the hypothesis that a loss in language signals a loss in culture if language is considered a central value. This hypothesis was investigated by rating the Hindi and English proficiency…

Winter activity patterns of American martens (Martes americana): Rejection of the hypothesis of thermal-cost minimization

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drew, Gary S.; Bissonette, John A.

1997-01-01

Despite their temperate to subarctic geographic range, American martens (Martes americana) possess a thermally inefficient morphology. The lack of morphological adaptations for reducing thermal costs suggests that marten may use behavioral strategies to optimize thermal budgets. During the winters of 1989–1990 and 1990–1991, we radio-collared and monitored the diel activity of 7 martens. A log-linear model suggested that the presence or absence of light was the only factor associated with marten activity patterns (p < 0.001). A regression of the percentage of active fixes on ambient temperature failed to detect an association (b = −4.45, p = 0.084, n = 12). Contents of marten scats suggested that their activity was consistent with the prey-vulnerability hypothesis. While martens must balance multiple life requisites, their activity patterns suggest that they accept increased thermal costs in order to increase foraging efficiency. However, the nocturnal activity of martens during winter was also consistent with the hypothesis that they may be able to limit their own exposure to predation risk. The nocturnal habits of Newfoundland martens in the winter were consistent with the hypothesis of avoidance of predation risk.

Rejection Sensitivity, Jealousy, and the Relationship to Interpersonal Aggression.

PubMed

Murphy, Anna M; Russell, Gemma

2018-07-01

The development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships lead individuals to risk rejection in the pursuit of acceptance. Some individuals are predisposed to experience a hypersensitivity to rejection that is hypothesized to be related to jealous and aggressive reactions within interpersonal relationships. The current study used convenience sampling to recruit 247 young adults to evaluate the relationship between rejection sensitivity, jealousy, and aggression. A mediation model was used to test three hypotheses: Higher scores of rejection sensitivity would be positively correlated to higher scores of aggression (Hypothesis 1); higher scores of rejection sensitivity would be positively correlated to higher scores of jealousy (Hypothesis 2); jealousy would mediate the relationship between rejection sensitivity and aggression (Hypothesis 3). Study results suggest a tendency for individuals with high rejection sensitivity to experience higher levels of jealousy, and subsequently have a greater propensity for aggression, than individuals with low rejection sensitivity. Future research that substantiates a link between hypersensitivity to rejection, jealousy, and aggression may provide an avenue for prevention, education, or intervention in reducing aggression within interpersonal relationships.

Can tract element distributions reclaim tectonomagmatic facies of basalts in greenstone assemblages?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, J. C.

1986-01-01

During the past two decades many words have been written both for and against the hypothesis that the tectonic setting of a suite of igneous rocks is retained by the chemical variability within the suite. For example, it is argued that diagrams can be constructed from modern/recent basalt subcompositions within the system Ti-Zr-Y-Nb-Sr such that tectonomagmatic settings can be reclaimed. If one accepts this conclusion, it is tempting to inquire as to how far this hypothesis can be extended into other petrological realms. If chemical variations of metabasalts retain information relating to their genesis (tectonic setting), for example, this would be most helpful in reconstructing the history of basalts from greenstone belts. A discussion follows.

Sensory exploitation as an evolutionary origin to nuptial food gifts in insects.

PubMed Central

Sakaluk, S K

2000-01-01

Nuptial food gifts given by males to females at mating are widespread in insects, but their evolutionary origin remains obscure. Such gifts may arise as a form of sensory trap that exploits the normal gustatory responses of females, favouring the selective retention of sperm of gift-giving males. I tested this hypothesis by offering foreign food gifts, synthesized by males of one cricket species, to females of three non-gift-giving species. Females provisioned with novel food gifts were 'fooled' into accepting more sperm than they otherwise would in the absence of a gift. These results support the hypothesis that nuptial food gifts and post-copulatory female mating preferences coevolve through a unique form of sensory exploitation. PMID:10722214

Extra dimensions hypothesis in high energy physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volobuev, Igor; Boos, Eduard; Bunichev, Viacheslav; Perfilov, Maxim; Smolyakov, Mikhail

2017-10-01

We discuss the history of the extra dimensions hypothesis and the physics and phenomenology of models with large extra dimensions with an emphasis on the Randall- Sundrum (RS) model with two branes. We argue that the Standard Model extension based on the RS model with two branes is phenomenologically acceptable only if the inter-brane distance is stabilized. Within such an extension of the Standard Model, we study the influence of the infinite Kaluza-Klein (KK) towers of the bulk fields on collider processes. In particular, we discuss the modification of the scalar sector of the theory, the Higgs-radion mixing due to the coupling of the Higgs boson to the radion and its KK tower, and the experimental restrictions on the mass of the radion-dominated states.

Parental influence on adolescents' imagination.

PubMed

Rabinowitz, A; Engelberg, D

1984-09-01

It was hypothesized that a permissive democratic parental attitude towards childrearing and favorable accepting attitude towards children's imagination are conducive to the development of their adolescent children's imaginative ability. It was also hypothesized that the mothers' role is more crucial than that of the fathers. The subjects were 104 adolescent Israeli boys and girls and their parents. The subjects were administered four scales of the Imaginal Processes Inventory and the Children's Report of Parental Behavior Inventory. The parents filled out a questionnaire devised to study their attitude to children's imagination. The first two hypotheses were not confirmed. The data point in the opposite direction as regards the first hypothesis. There was partial conformation for the third hypothesis. The data were also discussed in relation to healthy and neurotic daydreaming.

RESISTANCE TO INNOVATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION, A SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLORATION FOCUSED ON TELEVISION AND THE ESTABLISHMENT. THE JOSSEY-BASS SERIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

EVANS, RICHARD I.; LEPPMANN, PETER K.

FOR THIS CASE STUDY, 80 PERCENT (319) OF THE FACULTY AT THE URBAN UNIVERSITY RETURNED A QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY VALUES, PERSONALITY TRAITS, AND ATTITUDES TOWARD INSTRUCTIONAL TELEVISION (ITV) AND 14 TEACHING METHODS. AN HYPOTHESIS DERIVED FOR FUTURE RESEARCH WAS--ACCEPTANCE OF INNOVATION VARIES DIRECTLY WITH THE PERSONALITY ATTRIBUTE…

Uneven Reassembly of Tense, Telicity and Discourse Features in L2 Acquisition of the Chinese "shì…de" Cleft Construction by Adult English Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mai, Ziyin; Yuan, Boping

2016-01-01

This article reports an empirical study investigating L2 acquisition of the Mandarin Chinese "shì…de" cleft construction by adult English-speaking learners within the framework of the Feature Reassembly Hypothesis (Lardiere, 2009). A Sentence Completion task, an interpretation task, two Acceptability Judgement tasks, and a felicity…

Association with humans and seasonality interact to reverse predictions for animal space use.

PubMed

Laver, Peter N; Alexander, Kathleen A

2018-01-01

Variation in animal space use reflects fitness trade-offs associated with ecological constraints. Associated theories such as the metabolic theory of ecology and the resource dispersion hypothesis generate predictions about what drives variation in animal space use. But, metabolic theory is usually tested in macro-ecological studies and is seldom invoked explicitly in within-species studies. Full evaluation of the resource dispersion hypothesis requires testing in more species. Neither have been evaluated in the context of anthropogenic landscape change. In this study, we used data for banded mongooses ( Mungos mungo ) in northeastern Botswana, along a gradient of association with humans, to test for effects of space use drivers predicted by these theories. We used Bayesian parameter estimation and inference from linear models to test for seasonal differences in space use metrics and to model seasonal effects of space use drivers. Results suggest that space use is strongly associated with variation in the level of overlap that mongoose groups have with humans. Seasonality influences this association, reversing seasonal space use predictions historically-accepted by ecologists. We found support for predictions of the metabolic theory when moderated by seasonality, by association with humans and by their interaction. Space use of mongooses living in association with humans was more concentrated in the dry season than the wet season, when historically-accepted ecological theory predicted more dispersed space use. Resource richness factors such as building density were associated with space use only during the dry season. We found negligible support for predictions of the resource dispersion hypothesis in general or for metabolic theory where seasonality and association with humans were not included. For mongooses living in association with humans, space use was not associated with patch dispersion or group size over both seasons. In our study, living in association with humans influenced space use patterns that diverged from historically-accepted predictions. There is growing need to explicitly incorporate human-animal interactions into ecological theory and research. Our results and methodology may contribute to understanding effects of anthropogenic landscape change on wildlife populations.

Multiple sclerosis: a geographical hypothesis.

PubMed

Carlyle, I P

1997-12-01

Multiple sclerosis remains a rare neurological disease of unknown aetiology, with a unique distribution, both geographically and historically. Rare in equatorial regions, it becomes increasingly common in higher latitudes; historically, it was first clinically recognized in the early nineteenth century. A hypothesis, based on geographical reasoning, is here proposed: that the disease is the result of a specific vitamin deficiency. Different individuals suffer the deficiency in separate and often unique ways. Evidence to support the hypothesis exists in cultural considerations, in the global distribution of the disease, and in its historical prevalence.

Is prostitution harmful?

PubMed

Moen, Ole Martin

2014-02-01

A common argument against prostitution states that selling sex is harmful because it involves selling something deeply personal and emotional. More and more of us, however, believe that sexual encounters need not be deeply personal and emotional in order to be acceptable--we believe in the acceptability of casual sex. In this paper I argue that if casual sex is acceptable, then we have few or no reasons to reject prostitution. I do so by first examining nine influential arguments to the contrary. These arguments purport to pin down the alleged additional harm brought about by prostitution (compared to just casual sex) by appealing to various aspects of its practice, such as its psychology, physiology, economics and social meaning. For each argument I explain why it is unconvincing. I then weight the costs against the benefits of prostitution, and argue that, in sum, prostitution is no more harmful than a long line of occupations that we commonly accept without hesitation.

Introduction: revisiting the "negrito" hypothesis: a transdisciplinary approach to human prehistory in southeast Asia.

PubMed

Endicott, Phillip

2013-01-01

The "negrito" hypothesis predicts that a shared phenotype among various contemporary groups of hunter-gatherers in Southeast Asia--dark skin, short stature, tight curly hair--is due to common descent from a region-wide, pre-Neolithic substrate of humanity. The alternative is that their distinctive phenotype results from convergent evolution. The core issues of the negrito hypothesis are today more relevant than ever to studies of human evolution, including the out-of-Africa migration, admixture with Denisovans, and the effects of environment and ecology on life-history traits. Understanding the current distribution of the negrito phenotype dictates a wide-ranging remit for study, including the articulation of the relationship between foragers and farmers in the present, the development of settled agriculture in the mid-Holocene, and terminal Pleistocene population expansions. The consensus reached by the contributors to this special double issue of Human Biology is that there is not yet conclusive evidence either for or against the negrito hypothesis. Nevertheless, the process of revisiting the problem will benefit the knowledge of the human prehistory of Southeast Asia. Whether the term negrito accurately reflects the all-encompassing nature of the resulting inquiry is in itself questionable, but the publication of this double issue is testament to the enduring ability of this hypothesis to unite disparate academic disciplines in a common purpose. Copyright © 2013 Wayne State University Press, Detroit, Michigan 48201-1309.

What can HIV vaccine trials teach us about future HIV vaccine dissemination?

PubMed Central

Newman, Peter A.; Duan, Naihua; Kakinami, Lisa; Roberts, Kathleen

2008-01-01

Summary This investigation explored commonalities and differences in barriers and motivators to HIV vaccine trial participation and acceptability of future U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved HIV vaccines in order to identify implications of clinical trials for future HIV vaccine dissemination. Fifteen focus groups were conducted with 157 predominately ethnic minority and low income participants recruited using venue-based sampling in Los Angeles. Data were analyzed using narrative thematic analysis. Barriers and motivators in common across willingness to participate (WTP) in HIV vaccine trials and future HIV vaccine acceptability (e.g., concerns about vaccine-induced infection, false-positives, side effects, efficacy, mistrust and stigma) suggest clinical trials present significant opportunities to develop and evaluate empirically based interventions to support future HIV vaccine dissemination. Barriers specific to HIV vaccine acceptability (e.g., concerns about duration of protection, cross-clade protection, cost and access) also indicate the need for formative research focused specifically on future dissemination. Protection motivation, common to WTP and acceptability, highlights the need to provide and evaluate prevention counseling and education in clinical trials, which may form the basis of evidence-informed preventive interventions to be launched in tandem with dissemination of partial efficacy HIV vaccines. PMID:18420313

The fire and oak hypothesis: incorporating the influence of deer browsing and canopy gaps

Treesearch

Rachel J. Collins; Walter P. Carson

2003-01-01

A century of fire suppression has altered tree species composition and is a commonly cited cause for the region-wide decline in oak abundance (the fire and oak hypothesis). Other explanations include alterations in canopy gap regimes and deer browsing that operate in conjunction with fire suppression. We examined the interactions among these processes by manipulating...

Phase II design with sequential testing of hypotheses within each stage.

PubMed

Poulopoulou, Stavroula; Karlis, Dimitris; Yiannoutsos, Constantin T; Dafni, Urania

2014-01-01

The main goal of a Phase II clinical trial is to decide, whether a particular therapeutic regimen is effective enough to warrant further study. The hypothesis tested by Fleming's Phase II design (Fleming, 1982) is [Formula: see text] versus [Formula: see text], with level [Formula: see text] and with a power [Formula: see text] at [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is chosen to represent the response probability achievable with standard treatment and [Formula: see text] is chosen such that the difference [Formula: see text] represents a targeted improvement with the new treatment. This hypothesis creates a misinterpretation mainly among clinicians that rejection of the null hypothesis is tantamount to accepting the alternative, and vice versa. As mentioned by Storer (1992), this introduces ambiguity in the evaluation of type I and II errors and the choice of the appropriate decision at the end of the study. Instead of testing this hypothesis, an alternative class of designs is proposed in which two hypotheses are tested sequentially. The hypothesis [Formula: see text] versus [Formula: see text] is tested first. If this null hypothesis is rejected, the hypothesis [Formula: see text] versus [Formula: see text] is tested next, in order to examine whether the therapy is effective enough to consider further testing in a Phase III study. For the derivation of the proposed design the exact binomial distribution is used to calculate the decision cut-points. The optimal design parameters are chosen, so as to minimize the average sample number (ASN) under specific upper bounds for error levels. The optimal values for the design were found using a simulated annealing method.

Timing and proximate causes of mortality in wild bird populations: testing Ashmole’s hypothesis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barton, Daniel C.; Martin, Thomas E.

2012-01-01

Fecundity in birds is widely recognized to increase with latitude across diverse phylogenetic groups and regions, yet the causes of this variation remain enigmatic. Ashmole’s hypothesis is one of the most broadly accepted explanations for this pattern. This hypothesis suggests that increasing seasonality leads to increasing overwinter mortality due to resource scarcity during the lean season (e.g., winter) in higher latitude climates. This mortality is then thought to yield increased per-capita resources for breeding that allow larger clutch sizes at high latitudes. Support for this hypothesis has been based on indirect tests, whereas the underlying mechanisms and assumptions remain poorly explored. We used a meta-analysis of over 150 published studies to test two underlying and critical assumptions of Ashmole’s hypothesis: first, that ad ult mortality is greatest during the season of greatest resource scarcity, and second, t hat most mortality is caused by starvation. We found that the lean season (winter) was generally not the season of greatest mortality. Instead, spring or summer was most frequently the season of greatest mortality. Moreover, monthly survival rates were not explained by monthly productivity, again opposing predictions from Ashmole’s hypothesis. Finally, predation, rather than starvation, was the most frequent proximate cause o f mortality. Our results do not support the mechanistic predictions of Ashmole‘s hypothesis, and suggest alternative explanations of latitudinal variation in clutch size should remain under consideration. Our meta-analysis also highlights a paucity of data available on the timing and causes of mortality in many bird populations, particularly tropical bird populations, despite the clear theoretical and empirical importance of such data.

Does the acceptance of hybrid learning affect learning approaches in France?

PubMed

Marco, Lionel Di; Venot, Alain; Gillois, Pierre

2017-01-01

Acceptance of a learning technology affects students' intention to use that technology, but the influence of the acceptance of a learning technology on learning approaches has not been investigated in the literature. A deep learning approach is important in the field of health, where links must be created between skills, knowledge, and habits. Our hypothesis was that acceptance of a hybrid learning model would affect students' way of learning. We analysed these concepts, and their correlations, in the context of a flipped classroom method using a local learning management system. In a sample of all students within a single year of study in the midwifery program (n= 38), we used 3 validated scales to evaluate these concepts (the Study Process Questionnaire, My Intellectual Work Tools, and the Hybrid E-Learning Acceptance Model: Learner Perceptions). Our sample had a positive acceptance of the learning model, but a neutral intention to use it. Students reported that they were distractible during distance learning. They presented a better mean score for the deep approach than for the superficial approach (P< 0.001), which is consistent with their declared learning strategies (personal reorganization of information; search and use of examples). There was no correlation between poor acceptance of the learning model and inadequate learning approaches. The strategy of using deep learning techniques was moderately correlated with acceptance of the learning model (r s = 0.42, P= 0.03). Learning approaches were not affected by acceptance of a hybrid learning model, due to the flexibility of the tool. However, we identified problems in the students' time utilization, which explains their neutral intention to use the system.

Does the acceptance of hybrid learning affect learning approaches in France?

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Purpose Acceptance of a learning technology affects students’ intention to use that technology, but the influence of the acceptance of a learning technology on learning approaches has not been investigated in the literature. A deep learning approach is important in the field of health, where links must be created between skills, knowledge, and habits. Our hypothesis was that acceptance of a hybrid learning model would affect students’ way of learning. Methods We analysed these concepts, and their correlations, in the context of a flipped classroom method using a local learning management system. In a sample of all students within a single year of study in the midwifery program (n= 38), we used 3 validated scales to evaluate these concepts (the Study Process Questionnaire, My Intellectual Work Tools, and the Hybrid E-Learning Acceptance Model: Learner Perceptions). Results Our sample had a positive acceptance of the learning model, but a neutral intention to use it. Students reported that they were distractible during distance learning. They presented a better mean score for the deep approach than for the superficial approach (P< 0.001), which is consistent with their declared learning strategies (personal reorganization of information; search and use of examples). There was no correlation between poor acceptance of the learning model and inadequate learning approaches. The strategy of using deep learning techniques was moderately correlated with acceptance of the learning model (rs= 0.42, P= 0.03). Conclusion Learning approaches were not affected by acceptance of a hybrid learning model, due to the flexibility of the tool. However, we identified problems in the students’ time utilization, which explains their neutral intention to use the system. PMID:29051406

7 CFR 2201.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Index United States Television Household Estimates. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) means a common set of accounting standards and procedures that are either promulgated by an authoritative accounting rulemaking body or accepted as appropriate due to wide-spread application in the United...

Impacts of in utero and early infant taste experiences on later taste acceptance: a systematic review.

PubMed

Nehring, Ina; Kostka, Tanja; von Kries, Rüdiger; Rehfuess, Eva A

2015-06-01

Dietary behavior exerts a critical influence on health and is the outcome of a broad range of interacting factors, including food and taste acceptance. These may be programmed in utero and during early infancy. We examined the hypothesis that fetuses and infants exposed to sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami, or specific tastes show greater acceptance of that same taste later in life. We conducted a systematic review of the literature, using comprehensive searches and following established procedures for screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal. We used harvest plots to synthesize the evidence graphically. Twenty studies comprising 38 subgroups that differed by taste, age, medium, and duration of exposure were included. Exposure to bitter and specific tastes increased the acceptance of these tastes. Studies on sweet and salty tastes showed equivocal results. Studies on sour tastes were sparse. Our systematic review clearly shows programming of the acceptance of bitter and specific tastes. For other tastes the results were either equivocal or confined to a few number of studies that precluded us from drawing conclusions. Further research should examine the association of salty and sour taste exposures on later preferences of these tastes. Long-term studies and randomized clinical trials on each type of taste are needed. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Circadian Rhythms of Heart Rate and Locomotion After Treatment With Low-Dose Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

with pyridostigmine bromide (PB), a carbamate AChE by air conditioned vans and air-freight to the Laboratory inhibitor that does not cross the blood ...15. SUBJECT TERMS Nerve agents, sarin, pyridostigmine bromide, cerebral glucose utilization, cerebrovascular circulation, low dose cholinesterase ...March 2006" Accepted 12 May 2006 ABSTRACT: This study tested the hypothesis that repeated exposure to low levels of sarin, pyridostigmine bromide (PB

Power-line harmonic radiation - Can it significantly affect the earth's radiation belts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thorne, R. M.; Tsurutani, B. T.

1979-01-01

It has been suggested that harmonic radiation from the earth's 50- and 60-hertz power transmission lines might significantly influence the distribution of electrons in the radiation belts. On the basis of observations presented here, it seems advisable to accept such a hypothesis with caution. New evidence suggests that power-line radiation does not play any major role in the nonadiabatic dynamics of radiation belt electrons.

“Selling” Value: The Influence of Language on Willingness-to-Accept

PubMed Central

Manson, Kirk F.; Levy, Ifat

2015-01-01

In behavioral economics, the “endowment effect” describes the robust finding that prices people are willing to accept (WTA) for a good exceed prices people are willing to pay (WTP) for the same good. The increase in WTA values is often explained by the sellers’ negative hedonic response to losing their item. Recent studies, however, show that subtle cues may change participants’ perspective, influencing their valuations. We hypothesized that implicit connotations of instructional language may be one of those cues. To test this hypothesis we manipulated the wording of instructions in two conditions: in the Sell condition, subjects were endowed with a set of pens and asked to select an amount of money for which they would sell the pens back and in the Take condition, subjects were endowed with the pens and asked to select an amount of money they would take for the pens. Participants in each condition also estimated the market value of the pens. Consistent with our hypothesis, WTA in the Sell condition was higher than in the Take condition, though there were no differences in market values between conditions. These findings show that instructional language does influence participant valuations. Furthermore, we suggest that those being asked to “sell” use their market estimations as the salient reference point in the transaction. PMID:25822825

Preemption versus Entrenchment: Towards a Construction-General Solution to the Problem of the Retreat from Verb Argument Structure Overgeneralization

PubMed Central

Ambridge, Ben; Bidgood, Amy; Twomey, Katherine E.; Pine, Julian M.; Rowland, Caroline F.; Freudenthal, Daniel

2015-01-01

Participants aged 5;2-6;8, 9;2-10;6 and 18;1-22;2 (72 at each age) rated verb argument structure overgeneralization errors (e.g., *Daddy giggled the baby) using a five-point scale. The study was designed to investigate the feasibility of two proposed construction-general solutions to the question of how children retreat from, or avoid, such errors. No support was found for the prediction of the preemption hypothesis that the greater the frequency of the verb in the single most nearly synonymous construction (for this example, the periphrastic causative; e.g., Daddy made the baby giggle), the lower the acceptability of the error. Support was found, however, for the prediction of the entrenchment hypothesis that the greater the overall frequency of the verb, regardless of construction, the lower the acceptability of the error, at least for the two older groups. Thus while entrenchment appears to be a robust solution to the problem of the retreat from error, and one that generalizes across different error types, we did not find evidence that this is the case for preemption. The implication is that the solution to the retreat from error lies not with specialized mechanisms, but rather in a probabilistic process of construction competition. PMID:25919003

Preemption versus Entrenchment: Towards a Construction-General Solution to the Problem of the Retreat from Verb Argument Structure Overgeneralization.

PubMed

Ambridge, Ben; Bidgood, Amy; Twomey, Katherine E; Pine, Julian M; Rowland, Caroline F; Freudenthal, Daniel

2014-01-01

Participants aged 5;2-6;8, 9;2-10;6 and 18;1-22;2 (72 at each age) rated verb argument structure overgeneralization errors (e.g., *Daddy giggled the baby) using a five-point scale. The study was designed to investigate the feasibility of two proposed construction-general solutions to the question of how children retreat from, or avoid, such errors. No support was found for the prediction of the preemption hypothesis that the greater the frequency of the verb in the single most nearly synonymous construction (for this example, the periphrastic causative; e.g., Daddy made the baby giggle), the lower the acceptability of the error. Support was found, however, for the prediction of the entrenchment hypothesis that the greater the overall frequency of the verb, regardless of construction, the lower the acceptability of the error, at least for the two older groups. Thus while entrenchment appears to be a robust solution to the problem of the retreat from error, and one that generalizes across different error types, we did not find evidence that this is the case for preemption. The implication is that the solution to the retreat from error lies not with specialized mechanisms, but rather in a probabilistic process of construction competition.

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: Generally Accepted Causes and Their Management.

PubMed

Kaiser, Jennifer; Branch, D Ware

2016-09-01

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), commonly defined as 3 consecutive losses <10 weeks gestation, affects up to 5% of couples. Well-accepted causes include uterine malformation, antiphospholipid syndrome, and parental chromosomal abnormalities; however, the majority of RPL cases are idiopathic (up to 75%). This chapter covers these accepted causes of RPL and provides diagnosis and management strategies for patients falling within the above categories.

How have research questions and methods used in clinical trials published in Clinical Rehabilitation changed over the last 30 years?

PubMed Central

Mayo, Nancy E; Kaur, Navaldeep; Barbic, Skye P; Fiore, Julio; Barclay, Ruth; Finch, Lois; Kuspinar, Ayse; Asano, Miho; Figueiredo, Sabrina; Aburub, Ala’ Sami; Alzoubi, Fadi; Arafah, Alaa; Askari, Sorayya; Bakhshi, Behtash; Bouchard, Vanessa; Higgins, Johanne; Hum, Stanley; Inceer, Mehmet; Letellier, Marie Eve; Lourenco, Christiane; Mate, Kedar; Salbach, Nancy M; Moriello, Carolina

2016-01-01

Research in rehabilitation has grown from a rare phenomenon to a mature science and clinical trials are now common. The purpose of this study is to estimate the extent to which questions posed and methods applied in clinical trials published in Clinical Rehabilitation have evolved over three decades with respect to accepted standards of scientific rigour. Studies were identified by journal, database, and hand searching for the years 1986 to 2016. A total of 390 articles whose titles suggested a clinical trial of an intervention, with or without randomization to form groups, were reviewed. Questions often still focused on methods to be used (57%) rather than what knowledge was to be gained. Less than half (43%) of the studies delineated between primary and secondary outcomes; multiple outcomes were common; and sample sizes were relatively small (mean 83, range 5 to 3312). Blinding of assessors was common (72%); blinding of study subjects was rare (19%). In less than one-third of studies was intention-to-treat analysis done correctly; power was reported in 43%. There is evidence of publication bias as 83% of studies reported either a between-group or a within-group effect. Over time, there was an increase in the use of parameter estimation rather than hypothesis testing and there was evidence that methodological rigour improved. Rehabilitation trialists are answering important questions about their interventions. Outcomes need to be more patient-centred and a measurement framework needs to be explicit. More advanced statistical methods are needed as interventions are complex. Suggestions for moving forward over the next decades are given. PMID:27496695

Methodology Used to Assess Acceptability of Oral Pediatric Medicines: A Systematic Literature Search and Narrative Review.

PubMed

Mistry, Punam; Batchelor, Hannah

2017-06-01

Regulatory guidelines require that any new medicine designed for a pediatric population must be demonstrated as being acceptable to that population. There is currently no guidance on how to conduct or report on acceptability testing. Our objective was to undertake a review of the methods used to assess the acceptability of medicines within a pediatric population and use this review to propose the most appropriate methodology. We used a defined search strategy to identify literature reports of acceptability assessments of medicines conducted within pediatric populations and extracted information about the tools used in these studies for comparison across studies. In total, 61 articles were included in the analysis. Palatability was the most common (54/61) attribute measured when evaluating acceptability. Simple scale methods were most commonly used, with visual analog scales (VAS) and hedonic scales used both separately and in combination in 34 of the 61 studies. Hedonic scales alone were used in 14 studies and VAS alone in just five studies. Other tools included Likert scales; forced choice or preference; surveys or questionnaires; observations of facial expressions during administration, ease of swallowing, or ability to swallow the dosage; prevalence of complaints or refusal to take the medicine; and time taken for a nurse to administer the medicine. The best scale in terms of validity, reliability, feasibility, and preference to use when assessing acceptability remains unclear. Further work is required to select the most appropriate method to justify whether a medicine is acceptable to a pediatric population.

Reproductive potential and instability of the rDNA region of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast: Common or separate mechanisms of regulation?

PubMed

Zadrag-Tecza, Renata; Skoneczna, Adrianna

2016-11-01

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a unicellular organism commonly used as a model to explain mechanisms of aging in multicellular organisms. It is used as a model organism for both replicative and chronological aging. Replicative aging is defined as the number of daughter cells produced by an individual cell during its life. A widely accepted hypothesis assumes that replicative aging of yeast is related to the existence of a so called "senescence factor" that gradually accumulates in the mother cell, which consequently leads to its death. One of the earliest proposed "senescence factors" were extrachromosomal rDNA circles (ERCs). However, their role in the regulation of the replicative lifespan is somewhat controversial and subject to discussion. In this paper, we propose a more comprehensive approach to this problem by analysing the length of life and the correlation between the cell size and the replicative lifespan of yeast cells with different level of ERCs, i.e. Δrad52 and Δsgs1 mutants. This analysis shows that it is not the accumulation of ERCs but genomic instability and hypertrophy that play an important role in the regulation of reproductive potential and total lifespan of the S. cerevisiae yeast. However, these two factors have a different impact on various phases of the yeast cell life, i.e. reproductive and post-reproductive phases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Epigenetic Programming of Synthesis, Release, and/or Receptor Expression of Common Mediators Participating in the Risk/Resilience for Comorbid Stress-Related Disorders and Coronary Artery Disease.

PubMed

Zapata-Martín Del Campo, Carlos Manuel; Martínez-Rosas, Martín; Guarner-Lans, Verónica

2018-04-18

Corticotrophin releasing factor, vasopressin, oxytocin, natriuretic hormones, angiotensin, neuregulins, some purinergic substances, and some cytokines contribute to the long-term modulation and restructuring of cardiovascular regulation networks and, at the same time, have relevance in situations of comorbid abnormal stress responses. The synthesis, release, and receptor expression of these mediators seem to be under epigenetic control since early stages of life, possibly underlying the comorbidity to coronary artery disease (CAD) and stress-related disorders (SRD). The exposure to environmental conditions, such as stress, during critical periods in early life may cause epigenetic programming modifying the development of pathways that lead to stable and long-lasting alterations in the functioning of these mediators during adulthood, determining the risk of or resilience to CAD and SRD. However, in contrast to genetic information, epigenetic marks may be dynamically altered throughout the lifespan. Therefore, epigenetics may be reprogrammed if the individual accepts the challenge to undertake changes in their lifestyle. Alternatively, epigenetics may remain fixed and/or even be inherited in the next generation. In this paper, we analyze some of the common neuroendocrine functions of these mediators in CAD and SRD and summarize the evidence indicating that they are under early programming to put forward the theoretical hypothesis that the comorbidity of these diseases might be epigenetically programmed and modified over the lifespan of the individual.

Epigenetic Programming of Synthesis, Release, and/or Receptor Expression of Common Mediators Participating in the Risk/Resilience for Comorbid Stress-Related Disorders and Coronary Artery Disease

PubMed Central

Zapata-Martín del Campo, Carlos Manuel; Martínez-Rosas, Martín

2018-01-01

Corticotrophin releasing factor, vasopressin, oxytocin, natriuretic hormones, angiotensin, neuregulins, some purinergic substances, and some cytokines contribute to the long-term modulation and restructuring of cardiovascular regulation networks and, at the same time, have relevance in situations of comorbid abnormal stress responses. The synthesis, release, and receptor expression of these mediators seem to be under epigenetic control since early stages of life, possibly underlying the comorbidity to coronary artery disease (CAD) and stress-related disorders (SRD). The exposure to environmental conditions, such as stress, during critical periods in early life may cause epigenetic programming modifying the development of pathways that lead to stable and long-lasting alterations in the functioning of these mediators during adulthood, determining the risk of or resilience to CAD and SRD. However, in contrast to genetic information, epigenetic marks may be dynamically altered throughout the lifespan. Therefore, epigenetics may be reprogrammed if the individual accepts the challenge to undertake changes in their lifestyle. Alternatively, epigenetics may remain fixed and/or even be inherited in the next generation. In this paper, we analyze some of the common neuroendocrine functions of these mediators in CAD and SRD and summarize the evidence indicating that they are under early programming to put forward the theoretical hypothesis that the comorbidity of these diseases might be epigenetically programmed and modified over the lifespan of the individual. PMID:29670001

On the origin of Triton and Pluto

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckinnon, W. B.

1984-01-01

Lyttleton's (1936) hypothesis that Triton and Pluto originated as adjacent prograde satellites of Neptune is evaluated, and it is shown that with the presently accepted masses of Triton and Pluto-Charon, the momentum and energy exchange required to set Triton on a retrograde orbit is impossible. The Pluto-Charon system could not have acquired its present angular momentum state during an ejection event unless a physical collision was involved, which is quite unlikely. The simplest hypothesis is that Triton and Pluto are independent representatives of large outer solar system planetesimals. Triton is simply captured, with spectacular consequences that include runaway melting of interior ices and release to the surface of clathrated CH4, CO, and N2. Condensed remnants of this protoatmosphere could account for features in Triton's unique spectrum.

On the Origin of Triton and Pluto

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckinnon, W. B.

1985-01-01

Lyttleton's (1936) hypothesis that Triton and Pluto originated as adjacent prograde satellites of Neptune is evaluated, and it is shown that with the presently accepted masses of Triton and Pluto-Charon, the momentum and energy exchange required to sell Triton on a retrograde orbit is impossible. The Pluto-Charon system could not have acquired its present angular momentum state during an ejection event unless a physical collision was involved, which is quite unlikely. The simplest hypothesis is that Triton and Pluto are independent representatives of large outer solar system planetesimals. Triton is simply captured, with spectacular consequences that include runaway melting of interior ices and release to the surface of clathrated CH4, CO, and N2. Condensed remnants of this protoatmosphere could account for features in Triton's unique spectrum.

Carbon dioxide emissions, output, and energy consumption categories in Algeria.

PubMed

Amri, Fethi

2017-06-01

This study examines the relation between CO 2 emissions, income, non-renewable, and renewable energy consumption in Algeria during the period extending from 1980 to 2011. Our work gives particular attention to the validity of environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) with break point method outcome demonstrates the positive effect of non-renewable type of energy on CO 2 emissions consumption. On the contrary, the results reveal an insignificant effect of renewable energy on environment improvement. Moreover, the results accept the existence of EKC hypothesis but the highest gross domestic product value in logarithm scale of our data is inferior to the estimated turning point. Consequently, policy-makers in Algeria should expand the ratio of renewable energy and should decrease the quota of non-renewable energy consumption.

Light harvesting control in plants.

PubMed

Ruban, Alexander V

2018-05-23

In 1991, my colleagues and I published a hypothesis article that proposed a mechanism that controls light harvesting in plants and protects them against photodamage. The major light harvesting complex, LHCII, was suggested to undergo aggregation upon exposure of the plant to damaging levels of light. Aggregated LHCII was found to be much less efficient in light harvesting, as it promptly dissipated absorbed energy into heat, possessing a very low chlorophyll fluorescence yield. Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) is a term coined to describe this reduction in chlorophyll fluorescence yield. This article is a story of how the hypothesis that LHCII aggregation is involved in NPQ is developed into a model that is now becoming broadly accepted by the research community. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Possible extraterrestrial strategy for earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deardorff, J. W.

1986-03-01

A hypothesis concerning the nature of extraterrestrial messages to the earth is proposed. The hypothesis is based on the following assumptions about (1) that they exist in abundance in the Galaxy; (2) that they are benevolent toward earth-based life forms, and (3) that the lack of any human detection of extraterrestrials is due to an embargo designed to prevent any premature disclosure of their existence. It is argued that any embargo not involving alien force must be a leaky one designed to allow a gradual disclosure of the alien message and its gradual acceptance on the part of the general public over a very long time-scale. The communication may take the form of what is now considered magic, and may therefore be misinterpreted as 'magic' by or a hoax by contemporary governments and scientists.

Study on Treatment with Respect to Idiopathic Scoliosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeuchi, Kenzen; Azegami, Hideyuki; Murachi, Shunji; Kitoh, Junzoh; Ishida, Yoshito; Kawakami, Noriaki; Makino, Mitsunori

A hypothesis that the thoracic idiopathic scoliosis is buckling phenomenon of the fourth mode induced by the growth of thoracic vertebral bodies was presented in the previous work by the authors using numerical simulations with finite element model of the spine. If the hypothesis is acceptable, sensitivity function with respect to the critical growth of thoracic vertebrae on the maximization problem of buckling load with the fourth buckling mode gives us useful information to improve and develop treatments for the idiopathic scoliosis. The numerical results analyzed by the finite element method demonstrated that the sensitivity function is high at the articular capsules of the intervertebral joints, the intervertebral disks, the costotransverse joints and the constovertebral joints around the apex of the curvature in the case of the thoracic idiopathic scoliosis.

Explaining brain size variation: from social to cultural brain.

PubMed

van Schaik, Carel P; Isler, Karin; Burkart, Judith M

2012-05-01

Although the social brain hypothesis has found near-universal acceptance as the best explanation for the evolution of extensive variation in brain size among mammals, it faces two problems. First, it cannot account for grade shifts, where species or complete lineages have a very different brain size than expected based on their social organization. Second, it cannot account for the observation that species with high socio-cognitive abilities also excel in general cognition. These problems may be related. For birds and mammals, we propose to integrate the social brain hypothesis into a broader framework we call cultural intelligence, which stresses the importance of the high costs of brain tissue, general behavioral flexibility and the role of social learning in acquiring cognitive skills. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

It still hurts: altered endogenous opioid activity in the brain during social rejection and acceptance in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Hsu, D T; Sanford, B J; Meyers, K K; Love, T M; Hazlett, K E; Walker, S J; Mickey, B J; Koeppe, R A; Langenecker, S A; Zubieta, J-K

2015-02-01

The μ-opioid receptor (MOR) system, well known for dampening physical pain, is also hypothesized to dampen 'social pain.' We used positron emission tomography scanning with the selective MOR radioligand [(11)C]carfentanil to test the hypothesis that MOR system activation (reflecting endogenous opioid release) in response to social rejection and acceptance is altered in medication-free patients diagnosed with current major depressive disorder (MDD, n=17) compared with healthy controls (HCs, n=18). During rejection, MDD patients showed reduced endogenous opioid release in brain regions regulating stress, mood and motivation, and slower emotional recovery compared with HCs. During acceptance, only HCs showed increased social motivation, which was positively correlated with endogenous opioid release in the nucleus accumbens, a reward structure. Altered endogenous opioid activity in MDD may hinder emotional recovery from negative social interactions and decrease pleasure derived from positive interactions. Both effects may reinforce depression, trigger relapse and contribute to poor treatment outcomes.

It still hurts: altered opioid activity in the brain during social rejection and acceptance in major depressive disorder

PubMed Central

Hsu, David T; Sanford, Benjamin J; Meyers, Kortni K; Love, Tiffany M; Hazlett, Kathleen E; Walker, Sara J; Mickey, Brian J; Koeppe, Robert A; Langenecker, Scott A; Zubieta, Jon-Kar

2015-01-01

The μ-opioid receptor (MOR) system, well known for dampening physical pain, is also hypothesized to dampen “social pain.” We used positron emission tomography scanning with the selective MOR radioligand [11C]carfentanil to test the hypothesis that MOR system activation in response to social rejection and acceptance is altered in medication-free patients diagnosed with current major depressive disorder (MDD, n = 17) compared to healthy controls (HCs, n = 18). During rejection, MDD patients showed reduced MOR activation (e.g., reduced endogenous opioid release) in brain regions regulating stress, mood, and motivation, and slower emotional recovery compared to HCs. During acceptance, only HCs showed increased social motivation, which was positively correlated with MOR activation in the nucleus accumbens, a reward structure. Abnormal MOR function in MDD may hinder emotional recovery from negative social interactions and decrease pleasure derived from positive interactions. Both effects may reinforce depression, trigger relapse, and contribute to poor treatment outcomes. PMID:25600108

Acceptability of robotic manipulators in shared working environments through human-like redundancy resolution.

PubMed

Zanchettin, Andrea Maria; Bascetta, Luca; Rocco, Paolo

2013-11-01

Next generation robotic manipulators are expected to resemble a human-like behavior at kinematic level, in order to reach the same level of dexterity of humans in operations like assembly of small pieces. These manipulators are also expected to share the same working environments with humans without artificial barriers. In this work we conjecture that making robots not only kinematically similar but also able to move and act in the same way as humans do, might facilitate their social acceptance. For this the kinematic redundancy of such new generation manipulators can be exploited. An experimental campaign has been organized to assess the physiological comfort/discomfort perceived by humans working side-by-side with robots. For comparison, a human-like and two alternative redundancy resolution strategies have been implemented. The analysis confirmed the hypothesis that a human-like motion of the robot helps in facilitating social acceptance, by reducing the perceived stress by humans in human-robot coexistence. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Evidence disputing deforestation as the cause for the collapse of the ancient Maya polity of Copan, Honduras

PubMed Central

McNeil, Cameron L.; Burney, David A.; Burney, Lida Pigott

2009-01-01

Archaeologists have proposed diverse hypotheses to explain the collapse of the southern Maya lowland cities between the 8th and 10th centuries A.D. Although it generally is believed that no single factor was responsible, a commonly accepted cause is environmental degradation as a product of large-scale deforestation. To date, the most compelling scientific evidence used to support this hypothesis comes from the archaeological site of Copan, Honduras, where the analysis of a sediment core suggested a dramatic increase in forest clearance in the Late Classic period (A.D. 600–900). By contrast, in the work presented here, the authors’ analysis of a longer sediment core demonstrates that forest cover increased from A.D. 400 to A.D. 900, with arboreal pollen accounting for 59.8–71.0% of the pollen assemblage by approximately A.D. 780–980. The highest levels of deforestation are found about 900 B.C. when, at its peak, herb pollen made up 89.8% of the assemblage. A second, although less pronounced, period of elevated deforestation peaked at approximately A.D. 400 when herb pollen reached 65.3% of the assemblage. The first deforestation event likely coincided with the widespread adoption of agriculture, a pattern found elsewhere in Mesoamerica. The second period of forest clearance probably was associated with the incursion of Maya speakers into the Copan Valley and their subsequent construction of the earliest levels of the Copan Acropolis. These results refute the former hypothesis that the ancient Maya responded to their increasingly large urban population by exhausting, rather than conserving, natural resources. PMID:20018691

Causal attributions in parents of babies with a cleft lip and/or palate and their association with psychological well-being.

PubMed

Nelson, Jonathan; O'Leary, Catherine; Weinman, John

2009-07-01

This study aimed to assess causal attributions of parents of babies with a cleft lip and/or palate. Evidence from causal attribution theory and attribution studies in other medical conditions led to the hypothesis that parents who make internal attributions (self-blame) will have poorer psychological well-being. A cross-sectional survey. Postal questionnaires were sent to parents of children under the care of the South Thames Cleft Service at Guy's Hospital. PARTICIPANTS were recruited if they had a baby between 12 and 24 months old with a cleft lip and/or palate. Of 204 parents, 42 responded. A semistructured questionnaire about causal beliefs was completed alongside validated questionnaires measuring anxiety, depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale). Causal attributions were grouped according to type (environmental, chance, self-blame, and no belief) and loci (external or internal). The most common attribution made was to external factors (54.4%), followed by no causal attribution (38.1%). Parents making an internal (self-blaming) attribution (16.7%) had significantly (p < .05) higher scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety measure (r = .32) and Perceived Stress Scale (r = .33), but not on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depression measure (p = .283). The high number of parents making an external attribution can be explained by causal attribution theory. However, the percentage of parents making no causal attribution was higher than seen in previous research. Surprisingly, no parents blamed others. The main hypothesis was tentatively accepted because there were significantly higher anxiety and stress scores in parents who self-blamed; although, depression scores were not significantly higher.

To What Extent Do Educated British Users of English Accept Certain Established Norms in Selected Non-British Inner Circle and Outer Circle Englishes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sykes, Abdel Halim

2015-01-01

Drawing on work that has attempted to describe and codify features of World Englishes, this study sought to address the question of whether certain established norms common to several varieties of English would be accepted by educated British users of English. The findings revealed that the respondents did not accept most of the selected norms.…

Peer Acceptance of Children with Language and Communication Impairments in a Mainstream Primary School: Associations with Type of Language Difficulty, Problem Behaviours and a Change in Placement Organization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laws, Glynis; Bates, Geraldine; Feuerstein, Maike; Mason-Apps, Emily; White, Catherine

2012-01-01

This research investigated peer acceptance of children with language and communication impairments attending a language resource base attached to a mainstream school. Compared to other children in their mainstream peer groups, peer acceptance was poor. Peer rejection was more common for children with profiles consistent with an autistic spectrum…

A study on acceptance of mobileschool at secondary schools in Malaysia: Urban vs rural

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, Ahmad Sobri; Ahmad, Wan Fatimah Wan; Sarlan, Aliza

2017-10-01

Developing countries are in dilemma where sophisticated technologies are more advance as compared to the way their people think. In education, there have been many novel approaches and technologies were introduced. However, very minimal efforts were put to apply in our education. MobileSchool is a mobile learning (m-learning) management system, developed for administrative, teaching and learning processes at secondary schools in Malaysia. The paper presents the acceptance of MobileSchool between urban and rural secondary schools in Malaysia. Research framework was designed based on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The constructs of the framework include computer anxiety, self-efficacy, facilitating condition, technological complexity, perceived behavioral control, perceive ease of use, perceive usefulness, attitude and behavioral intention. Questionnaire was applied as research instrument which involved 373 students from four secondary schools (two schools in urban category and another two in rural category) in Perak. Inferential analyses using hypothesis and t-test, and descriptive analyses using mean and percentage were used to analyze the data. Results showed that there were no big difference (<20%) of all acceptance constructs between urban and rural secondary schools except computer anxiety.

The Read-Across Hypothesis and Environmental Risk Assessment of Pharmaceuticals

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Pharmaceuticals in the environment have received increased attention over the past decade, as they are ubiquitous in rivers and waterways. Concentrations are in sub-ng to low μg/L, well below acute toxic levels, but there are uncertainties regarding the effects of chronic exposures and there is a need to prioritise which pharmaceuticals may be of concern. The read-across hypothesis stipulates that a drug will have an effect in non-target organisms only if the molecular targets such as receptors and enzymes have been conserved, resulting in a (specific) pharmacological effect only if plasma concentrations are similar to human therapeutic concentrations. If this holds true for different classes of pharmaceuticals, it should be possible to predict the potential environmental impact from information obtained during the drug development process. This paper critically reviews the evidence for read-across, and finds that few studies include plasma concentrations and mode of action based effects. Thus, despite a large number of apparently relevant papers and a general acceptance of the hypothesis, there is an absence of documented evidence. There is a need for large-scale studies to generate robust data for testing the read-across hypothesis and developing predictive models, the only feasible approach to protecting the environment. PMID:24006913

Treatment acceptability among mexican american parents.

PubMed

Borrego, Joaquin; Ibanez, Elizabeth S; Spendlove, Stuart J; Pemberton, Joy R

2007-09-01

There is a void in the literature with regard to Hispanic parents' views about common interventions for children with behavior problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the treatment acceptability of child management techniques in a Mexican American sample. Parents' acculturation was also examined to determine if it would account for differences in treatment acceptability. Mexican American parents found response cost, a punishment-based technique, more acceptable than positive reinforcement-based techniques (e.g., differential attention). Results suggest that Mexican American parents' acculturation has little impact on acceptability of child management interventions. No association was found between mothers' acculturation and treatment acceptability. However, more acculturated Mexican American fathers viewed token economy as more acceptable than less acculturated fathers. Results are discussed in the context of clinical work and research with Mexican Americans.

Towards a formalism for mapping the spacetimes of massive compact objects: Bumpy black holes and their orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Nathan A.; Hughes, Scott A.

2004-06-01

Astronomical observations have established that extremely compact, massive objects are common in the Universe. It is generally accepted that these objects are, in all likelihood, black holes. As observational technology has improved, it has become possible to test this hypothesis in ever greater detail. In particular, it is or will be possible to measure the properties of orbits deep in the strong field of a black hole candidate (using x-ray timing or future gravitational-wave measurements) and to test whether they have the characteristics of black hole orbits in general relativity. Past work has shown that, in principle, such measurements can be used to map the spacetime of a massive compact object, testing in particular whether the object’s multipolar structure satisfies the rather strict constraints imposed by the black hole hypothesis. Performing such a test in practice requires that we be able to compare against objects with the “wrong” multipole structure. In this paper, we present tools for constructing the spacetimes of bumpy black holes: objects that are almost black holes, but that have some multipoles with the wrong value. In this first analysis, we focus on objects with no angular momentum. Generalization to bumpy Kerr black holes should be straightforward, albeit labor intensive. Our construction has two particularly desirable properties. First, the spacetimes which we present are good deep into the strong field of the object—we do not use a “large r” expansion (except to make contact with weak field intuition). Second, our spacetimes reduce to the exact black hole spacetimes of general relativity in a natural way, by dialing the “bumpiness” of the black hole to zero. We propose that bumpy black holes can be used as the foundation for a null experiment: if black hole candidates are indeed the black holes of general relativity, their bumpiness should be zero. By comparing the properties of orbits in a bumpy spacetime with those measured from an astrophysical source, observations should be able to test this hypothesis, stringently testing whether they are in fact the black holes of general relativity.

Transport inhibition of digoxin using several common P-gp expressing cell lines is not necessarily reporting only on inhibitor binding to P-gp.

PubMed

Lumen, Annie Albin; Li, Libin; Li, Jiben; Ahmed, Zeba; Meng, Zhou; Owen, Albert; Ellens, Harma; Hidalgo, Ismael J; Bentz, Joe

2013-01-01

We have reported that the P-gp substrate digoxin required basolateral and apical uptake transport in excess of that allowed by digoxin passive permeability (as measured in the presence of GF120918) to achieve the observed efflux kinetics across MDCK-MDR1-NKI (The Netherlands Cancer Institute) confluent cell monolayers. That is, GF120918 inhibitable uptake transport was kinetically required. Therefore, IC50 measurements using digoxin as a probe substrate in this cell line could be due to inhibition of P-gp, of digoxin uptake transport, or both. This kinetic analysis is now extended to include three additional cell lines: MDCK-MDR1-NIH (National Institute of Health), Caco-2 and CPT-B2 (Caco-2 cells with BCRP knockdown). These cells similarly exhibit GF120918 inhibitable uptake transport of digoxin. We demonstrate that inhibition of digoxin transport across these cell lines by GF120918, cyclosporine, ketoconazole and verapamil is greater than can be explained by inhibition of P-gp alone. We examined three hypotheses for this non-P-gp inhibition. The inhibitors can: (1) bind to a basolateral digoxin uptake transporter, thereby inhibiting digoxin's cellular uptake; (2) partition into the basolateral membrane and directly reduce membrane permeability; (3) aggregate with digoxin in the donor chamber, thereby reducing the free concentration of digoxin, with concomitant reduction in digoxin uptake. Data and simulations show that hypothesis 1 was found to be uniformly acceptable. Hypothesis 2 was found to be uniformly unlikely. Hypothesis 3 was unlikely for GF120918 and cyclosporine, but further studies are needed to completely adjudicate whether hetero-dimerization contributes to the non-P-gp inhibition for ketoconazole and verapamil. We also find that P-gp substrates with relatively low passive permeability such as digoxin, loperamide and vinblastine kinetically require basolateral uptake transport over that allowed by +GF120918 passive permeability, while highly permeable P-gp substrates such as amprenavir, quinidine, ketoconazole and verapamil do not, regardless of whether they actually use the basolateral transporter.

Transport Inhibition of Digoxin Using Several Common P-gp Expressing Cell Lines Is Not Necessarily Reporting Only on Inhibitor Binding to P-gp

PubMed Central

Lumen, Annie Albin; Li, Libin; Li, Jiben; Ahmed, Zeba; Meng, Zhou; Owen, Albert; Ellens, Harma; Hidalgo, Ismael J.; Bentz, Joe

2013-01-01

We have reported that the P-gp substrate digoxin required basolateral and apical uptake transport in excess of that allowed by digoxin passive permeability (as measured in the presence of GF120918) to achieve the observed efflux kinetics across MDCK-MDR1-NKI (The Netherlands Cancer Institute) confluent cell monolayers. That is, GF120918 inhibitable uptake transport was kinetically required. Therefore, IC50 measurements using digoxin as a probe substrate in this cell line could be due to inhibition of P-gp, of digoxin uptake transport, or both. This kinetic analysis is now extended to include three additional cell lines: MDCK-MDR1-NIH (National Institute of Health), Caco-2 and CPT-B2 (Caco-2 cells with BCRP knockdown). These cells similarly exhibit GF120918 inhibitable uptake transport of digoxin. We demonstrate that inhibition of digoxin transport across these cell lines by GF120918, cyclosporine, ketoconazole and verapamil is greater than can be explained by inhibition of P-gp alone. We examined three hypotheses for this non-P-gp inhibition. The inhibitors can: (1) bind to a basolateral digoxin uptake transporter, thereby inhibiting digoxin's cellular uptake; (2) partition into the basolateral membrane and directly reduce membrane permeability; (3) aggregate with digoxin in the donor chamber, thereby reducing the free concentration of digoxin, with concomitant reduction in digoxin uptake. Data and simulations show that hypothesis 1 was found to be uniformly acceptable. Hypothesis 2 was found to be uniformly unlikely. Hypothesis 3 was unlikely for GF120918 and cyclosporine, but further studies are needed to completely adjudicate whether hetero-dimerization contributes to the non-P-gp inhibition for ketoconazole and verapamil. We also find that P-gp substrates with relatively low passive permeability such as digoxin, loperamide and vinblastine kinetically require basolateral uptake transport over that allowed by +GF120918 passive permeability, while highly permeable P-gp substrates such as amprenavir, quinidine, ketoconazole and verapamil do not, regardless of whether they actually use the basolateral transporter. PMID:23976943

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering: Factors Impacting Airlines E-Maintenance Technologies, Authoring and Illustrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karayianes, Frank

The purpose of this research was to evaluate factors influencing acceptance and use of technologies in the field of aircraft maintenance authoring, graphics, and documentation. Maintenance engineering authors convert complex engineering used in aircraft production and transform that data using technology (tools) into usable technical publications data. While the current literature includes a large volume of research in technology acceptance in various domains of industry and business, the problem is that no such studies exist with respect to the aircraft maintenance engineering authoring, allowing any number of tools to be used and acceptance to be unsure. The study was based on theoretical approaches of the Technology Acceptance Model and the associated hypothesis related to eight research questions. A survey questionnaire was developed for data collection from a selected population of aircraft maintenance engineering authors. Data collected from 148 responses were exposed to a range of statistical methods and analyses. Analysis of data were performed within the structural equation model using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and a range of regression methods. The analyses generally provided results consistent with prior literature. Two survey questions yielded unexpected results contrary to similar studies. The relationship between prior experience and job level did not show a significant relationship with perceived usefulness or perceived ease of use. Other results included the significant relationship between Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use with Technology acceptance. Recommendations include understanding how Technology Acceptance can be improved for the industry and the need for further research not covered to refine recommendations for technology acceptance related to the aviation industry.

Infant acceptance of breast milk after maternal exercise.

PubMed

Wright, Kc S; Quinn, Timothy J; Carey, Gale B

2002-04-01

Previous research reported that breast milk lactic acid (LA) levels increase after lactating women complete a bout of exhaustive exercise, resulting in poor infant acceptance of the postexercise breast milk. This highly publicized finding may not apply to more practical, everyday exercise conditions of lactating women. The purpose of the present study was to reexamine the composition and infant acceptance of postexercise breast milk while controlling maternal diet, exercise intensity, and the method, timing, and assessment of infant feeding. Twenty-four women, 2 to 4 months' postpartum, completed 3 test sessions: a maximal oxygen uptake test, a 30-minute bout of moderate exercise, and a resting control session. One hour before and 1 hour after each session, participants fully expressed their milk, placed it in a bottle familiar to the infant, fed their infant, and rated their infant's acceptance of the milk. Each feeding was videotaped and viewed individually by 3 lactation consultants who rated infant acceptance; consultants were blinded to the test sessions. Milk was analyzed for LA and infant milk consumption was measured. There were no differences in presession versus postsession values for maternal skin temperature, breast milk temperature, and infant milk acceptance as judged by either the mothers or lactation consultants. These results prevailed despite a small but significant increase in breast milk LA premaximal versus postmaximal exercise (0.09 vs 0.21 mM, respectively); there was no difference in milk LA premoderate versus postmoderate exercise, or prerest versus postrest. These data support the hypothesis that moderate or even high-intensity exercise during lactation does not impede infant acceptance of breast milk consumed 1 hour postexercise.

Energy Metabolism Impairment in Migraine.

PubMed

Cevoli, Sabina; Favoni, Valentina; Cortelli, Pietro

2018-06-22

Migraine is a common disabling neurological disorder which is characterised by recurring headache associated with a variety of sensory and autonomic symptoms. The pathophysiology of migraine remains not entirely understood, although many mechanisms involving the central and peripheral nervous system are now becoming clear. In particular, it is widely accepted that migraine is associated with energy metabolic impairment of the brain. The purpose of this review is to present an update overview of the energy metabolism involvement in the migraine pathophysiology. Several biochemical, morphological and magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies have confirmed the presence of energy production deficiency together with an increment of energy consumption in migraine patients. An increment of energy demand over a certain threshold create metabolic and biochemical preconditions for the onset of the migraine attack. The defect of oxidative energy metabolism in migraine is generalized. It remains to be determined if the mitochondrial deficit in migraine is primary or secondary. Riboflavin and Co-Enzyme Q10, both physiologically implicated in mitochondrial respiratory chain functioning, are effective in migraine prophylaxis, supporting the hypothesis that improving brain energy metabolism may reduce the susceptibility to migraine. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Constructing better classifier ensemble based on weighted accuracy and diversity measure.

PubMed

Zeng, Xiaodong; Wong, Derek F; Chao, Lidia S

2014-01-01

A weighted accuracy and diversity (WAD) method is presented, a novel measure used to evaluate the quality of the classifier ensemble, assisting in the ensemble selection task. The proposed measure is motivated by a commonly accepted hypothesis; that is, a robust classifier ensemble should not only be accurate but also different from every other member. In fact, accuracy and diversity are mutual restraint factors; that is, an ensemble with high accuracy may have low diversity, and an overly diverse ensemble may negatively affect accuracy. This study proposes a method to find the balance between accuracy and diversity that enhances the predictive ability of an ensemble for unknown data. The quality assessment for an ensemble is performed such that the final score is achieved by computing the harmonic mean of accuracy and diversity, where two weight parameters are used to balance them. The measure is compared to two representative measures, Kappa-Error and GenDiv, and two threshold measures that consider only accuracy or diversity, with two heuristic search algorithms, genetic algorithm, and forward hill-climbing algorithm, in ensemble selection tasks performed on 15 UCI benchmark datasets. The empirical results demonstrate that the WAD measure is superior to others in most cases.

Resistance of Brachystegia spiciformis to Carbohydrate and Phenological Manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richer, R. A.

2006-12-01

Despite the development of metabolic ecology, the role that carbohydrate stores play in regulating phenological events is unknown. Whole tree manipulation experiments in the common southern African tree species, Brachystegia spiciformis offer new insights into the physiological and environmental mechanisms controlling bud break. This experiment tested a novel hypothesis that decreasing Total Non-Structural Carbohydrates (TNC) in the stem could cue bud break in Brachystegia spiciformis. The experimental treatments included fertilization, canopy defoliation, shading and stem heating and were repeated over a two year period in the Kalahari sand savanna system of northwestern Zimbabwe. The treatments were designed to decrease stem carbohydrates and result in an earlier leaf flush. None of the treatments significantly decreased seasonal stem TNC. Likewise the heating, fertilization and defoliation treatments did not significantly affect the date of bud break from controls. However, shaded trees showed a significant delay in bud break. This delay in bud break could not be attributed to leaf level photosynthetic traits, stem water content, leaf pre-dawn water potential or delayed leaf fall. These results question widely accepted hypotheses about the mechanism controlling bud break in savanna ecosystems and may suggest a carbohydrate homeostatic mechanism.

Optical methods in nano-biotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruno, Luigi; Gentile, Francesco

2016-01-01

A scientific theory is not a mathematical paradigm. It is a framework that explains natural facts and may predict future observations. A scientific theory may be modified, improved, or rejected. Science is less a collection of theories and more the process that brings either to deny some hypothesis, maintain or accept somehow universal beliefs (or disbeliefs), and create new models that may improve or replace precedent theories. This process cannot be entrusted to common sense, personal experiences or anecdotes (many precepts in physics are indeed counterintuitive), but on a rigorous design, observation and rational to statistical analysis of new experiments. Scientific results are always provisional: scientists rarely proclaim an absolute truth or absolute certainty. Uncertainty is inevitable at the frontiers of knowledge. Notably, this is the definition of the scientific method and what we have written in the above echoes the opinion Marcia McNutt who is the Editor of Science 'Science is a method for deciding whether what we choose to believe has a basis in the laws of nature or not'. A new discovery, a new theory that explains that discovery and the scientific method itself need observations, verifications and are susceptible of falsification.

Surgical confusions in ophthalmology.

PubMed

Simon, John W; Ngo, Yen; Khan, Samira; Strogatz, David

2007-11-01

To investigate the hypothesis that surgical confusions rarely occur but are unacceptable to the public; occur in predictable circumstances; involve a wrong lens implant more often than a wrong eye, procedure, or patient; and can be prevented using the Universal Protocol. A retrospective series of 106 cases, including 42 from the Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Company and 64 from the New York State Health Department. We investigated how the error occurred; when and by whom it was recognized; who was responsible; whether the patient was informed; what treatment was given; what the outcome and liability was; what policy changes or sanctions resulted; and whether the error was preventable using the Universal Protocol. The most common confusion was wrong lens implants, accounting for 67 cases (63%). Wrong-eye operations occurred in 15 cases, wrong-eye block in 14, wrong patient or procedure in 8, and wrong corneal transplant in 2. Use of the Universal Protocol would have prevented the confusion in 90 cases (85%). Surgical confusions occur infrequently. Although they usually cause little or no permanent injury, consequences for the patient, the physician, and the profession may be serious. Measures to prevent such confusions deserve the acceptance, support, and active participation of ophthalmologists.

Directional gravity sensing in gravitropism.

PubMed

Morita, Miyo Terao

2010-01-01

Plants can reorient their growth direction by sensing organ tilt relative to the direction of gravity. With respect to gravity sensing in gravitropism, the classic starch statolith hypothesis, i.e., that starch-accumulating amyloplast movement along the gravity vector within gravity-sensing cells (statocytes) is the probable trigger of subsequent intracellular signaling, is widely accepted. Several lines of experimental evidence have demonstrated that starch is important but not essential for gravity sensing and have suggested that it is reasonable to regard plastids (containers of starch) as statoliths. Although the word statolith means sedimented stone, actual amyloplasts are not static but instead possess dynamic movement. Recent studies combining genetic and cell biological approaches, using Arabidopsis thaliana, have demonstrated that amyloplast movement is an intricate process involving vacuolar membrane structures and the actin cytoskeleton. This review covers current knowledge regarding gravity sensing, particularly gravity susception, and the factors modulating the function of amyloplasts for sensing the directional change of gravity. Specific emphasis is made on the remarkable differences in the cytological properties, developmental origins, tissue locations, and response of statocytes between root and shoot systems. Such an approach reveals a common theme in directional gravity-sensing mechanisms in these two disparate organs.

Horizontal mantle flow controls subduction dynamics.

PubMed

Ficini, E; Dal Zilio, L; Doglioni, C; Gerya, T V

2017-08-08

It is generally accepted that subduction is driven by downgoing-plate negative buoyancy. Yet plate age -the main control on buoyancy- exhibits little correlation with most of the present-day subduction velocities and slab dips. "West"-directed subduction zones are on average steeper (~65°) than "East"-directed (~27°). Also, a "westerly"-directed net rotation of the lithosphere relative to the mantle has been detected in the hotspot reference frame. Thus, the existence of an "easterly"-directed horizontal mantle wind could explain this subduction asymmetry, favouring steepening or lifting of slab dip angles. Here we test this hypothesis using high-resolution two-dimensional numerical thermomechanical models of oceanic plate subduction interacting with a mantle flow. Results show that when subduction polarity is opposite to that of the mantle flow, the descending slab dips subvertically and the hinge retreats, thus leading to the development of a back-arc basin. In contrast, concordance between mantle flow and subduction polarity results in shallow dipping subduction, hinge advance and pronounced topography of the overriding plate, regardless of their age-dependent negative buoyancy. Our results are consistent with seismicity data and tomographic images of subduction zones. Thus, our models may explain why subduction asymmetry is a common feature of convergent margins on Earth.

Constructing Better Classifier Ensemble Based on Weighted Accuracy and Diversity Measure

PubMed Central

Chao, Lidia S.

2014-01-01

A weighted accuracy and diversity (WAD) method is presented, a novel measure used to evaluate the quality of the classifier ensemble, assisting in the ensemble selection task. The proposed measure is motivated by a commonly accepted hypothesis; that is, a robust classifier ensemble should not only be accurate but also different from every other member. In fact, accuracy and diversity are mutual restraint factors; that is, an ensemble with high accuracy may have low diversity, and an overly diverse ensemble may negatively affect accuracy. This study proposes a method to find the balance between accuracy and diversity that enhances the predictive ability of an ensemble for unknown data. The quality assessment for an ensemble is performed such that the final score is achieved by computing the harmonic mean of accuracy and diversity, where two weight parameters are used to balance them. The measure is compared to two representative measures, Kappa-Error and GenDiv, and two threshold measures that consider only accuracy or diversity, with two heuristic search algorithms, genetic algorithm, and forward hill-climbing algorithm, in ensemble selection tasks performed on 15 UCI benchmark datasets. The empirical results demonstrate that the WAD measure is superior to others in most cases. PMID:24672402

The evolution of movements and behaviour at boundaries in different landscapes: a common arena experiment with butterflies.

PubMed Central

Merckx, Thomas; Van Dyck, Hans; Karlsson, Bengt; Leimar, Olof

2003-01-01

As landscapes change, mobility patterns of species may alter. Different mechanistic scenarios may, however, lead to particular patterns. Here, we tested conflicting predictions from two hypotheses on butterfly movements in relation to habitat fragmentation. According to the resource distribution hypothesis, butterflies in more fragmented landscapes would have higher levels of mobility as resources are more scattered. However, these butterflies could have lower levels of mobility as they experience 'hard' habitat boundaries more frequently (i.e. higher crossing costs) compared with butterflies in landscapes with continuous habitat; i.e. the behaviour-at-boundaries hypothesis. We studied movements, habitat boundary crossing and habitat preference of laboratory-reared individuals of Pararge aegeria that originated from woodland and agricultural landscapes, by using an experimental landscape as a common environment (outdoor cages) to test the predictions, taking into account sexual differences and weather. Woodland butterflies covered longer distances, were more prone to cross open-shade boundaries, travelled more frequently between woodland parts of the cages and were more at flight than agricultural butterflies. Our results support the behaviour-at-boundaries hypothesis, with 'softer' boundaries for woodland landscapes. Because the butterflies were reared in a common environment, the observed behavioural differences rely on heritable variation between populations from woodland and agricultural landscapes. PMID:12964984

Stretching: Does It Help?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vardiman, Phillip; Carrand, David; Gallagher, Philip M.

2010-01-01

Stretching prior to activity is universally accepted as an important way to improve performance and help prevent injury. Likewise, limited flexibility has been shown to decrease functional ability and predispose a person to injuries. Although this is commonly accepted, appropriate stretching for children and adolescents involved with sports and…

Prenatal alcohol exposure increases postnatal acceptability of nicotine odor and taste in adolescent rats.

PubMed

Mantella, Nicole M; Youngentob, Steven L

2014-01-01

Human studies indicate that alcohol exposure during gestation not only increases the chance for later alcohol abuse, but also nicotine dependence. The flavor attributes of both alcohol and nicotine can be important determinants of their initial acceptance and they both share the component chemosensory qualities of an aversive odor, bitter taste and oral irritation. There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating epigenetic chemosensory mechanisms through which fetal alcohol exposure increases adolescent alcohol acceptance, in part, by decreasing the aversion to alcohol's bitter and oral irritation qualities, as well as its odor. Given that alcohol and nicotine have noteworthy chemosensory qualities in common, we investigated whether fetal exposure to alcohol increased the acceptability of nicotine's odor and taste in adolescent rats. Study rats were alcohol-exposed during fetal development via the dams' liquid diet. Control animals received ad lib access to an iso-caloric, iso-nutritive diet throughout gestation. Odorant-induced innate behavioral responses to nicotine odor (Experiment 1) or orosensory-mediated responses to nicotine solutions (Experiment 2) were obtained, using whole-body plethysmography and brief access lick tests, respectively. Compared to controls, rats exposed to fetal alcohol showed an enhanced nicotine odor response that was paralleled by increased oral acceptability of nicotine. Given the common aversive component qualities imbued in the flavor profiles of both drugs, our findings demonstrate that like postnatal alcohol avidity, fetal alcohol exposure also influences nicotine acceptance, at a minimum, by decreasing the aversion of both its smell and taste. Moreover, they highlight potential chemosensory-based mechanism(s) by which fetal alcohol exposure increases the later initial risk for nicotine use, thereby contributing to the co-morbid expression with enhanced alcohol avidity. Where common chemosensory mechanisms are at play, our results suggest broader implications related to the consequence of fetal exposure with one substance of abuse and initial acceptability of others.

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Increases Postnatal Acceptability of Nicotine Odor and Taste in Adolescent Rats

PubMed Central

Mantella, Nicole M.; Youngentob, Steven L.

2014-01-01

Human studies indicate that alcohol exposure during gestation not only increases the chance for later alcohol abuse, but also nicotine dependence. The flavor attributes of both alcohol and nicotine can be important determinants of their initial acceptance and they both share the component chemosensory qualities of an aversive odor, bitter taste and oral irritation. There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating epigenetic chemosensory mechanisms through which fetal alcohol exposure increases adolescent alcohol acceptance, in part, by decreasing the aversion to alcohol's bitter and oral irritation qualities, as well as its odor. Given that alcohol and nicotine have noteworthy chemosensory qualities in common, we investigated whether fetal exposure to alcohol increased the acceptability of nicotine's odor and taste in adolescent rats. Study rats were alcohol-exposed during fetal development via the dams' liquid diet. Control animals received ad lib access to an iso-caloric, iso-nutritive diet throughout gestation. Odorant-induced innate behavioral responses to nicotine odor (Experiment 1) or orosensory-mediated responses to nicotine solutions (Experiment 2) were obtained, using whole-body plethysmography and brief access lick tests, respectively. Compared to controls, rats exposed to fetal alcohol showed an enhanced nicotine odor response that was paralleled by increased oral acceptability of nicotine. Given the common aversive component qualities imbued in the flavor profiles of both drugs, our findings demonstrate that like postnatal alcohol avidity, fetal alcohol exposure also influences nicotine acceptance, at a minimum, by decreasing the aversion of both its smell and taste. Moreover, they highlight potential chemosensory-based mechanism(s) by which fetal alcohol exposure increases the later initial risk for nicotine use, thereby contributing to the co-morbid expression with enhanced alcohol avidity. Where common chemosensory mechanisms are at play, our results suggest broader implications related to the consequence of fetal exposure with one substance of abuse and initial acceptability of others. PMID:25029285

Heterogeneity in the development of proactive and reactive aggression in childhood: Common and specific genetic - environmental factors

PubMed Central

Lacourse, Eric; Brendgen, Mara; Vitaro, Frank; Dionne, Ginette; Tremblay, Richard Ernest; Boivin, Michel

2017-01-01

Background Few studies are grounded in a developmental framework to study proactive and reactive aggression. Furthermore, although distinctive correlates, predictors and outcomes have been highlighted, proactive and reactive aggression are substantially correlated. To our knowledge, no empirical study has examined the communality of genetic and environmental underpinning of the development of both subtypes of aggression. The current study investigated the communality and specificity of genetic-environmental factors related to heterogeneity in proactive and reactive aggression’s development throughout childhood. Methods Participants were 223 monozygotic and 332 dizygotic pairs. Teacher reports of aggression were obtained at 6, 7, 9, 10 and 12 years of age. Joint development of both phenotypes were analyzed through a multivariate latent growth curve model. Set point, differentiation, and genetic maturation/environmental modulation hypotheses were tested using a biometric decomposition of intercepts and slopes. Results Common genetic factors accounted for 64% of the total variation of proactive and reactive aggression’s intercepts. Two other sets of uncorrelated genetic factors accounted for reactive aggression’s intercept (17%) on the one hand, and for proactive (43%) and reactive (13%) aggression’s slopes on the other. Common shared environmental factors were associated with proactive aggression’s intercept (21%) and slope (26%) and uncorrelated shared environmental factors were also associated with reactive aggression’s slope (14%). Common nonshared environmental factors explained most of the remaining variability of proactive and reactive aggression slopes. Conclusions A genetic differentiation hypothesis common to both phenotypes was supported by common genetic factors associated with the developmental heterogeneity of proactive and reactive aggression in childhood. A genetic maturation hypothesis common to both phenotypes, albeit stronger for proactive aggression, was supported by common genetic factors associated with proactive and reactive aggression slopes. A shared environment set point hypothesis for proactive aggression was supported by shared environmental factors associated with proactive aggression baseline and slope. Although there are many common features to proactive and reactive aggression, the current research underscores the advantages of differentiating them when studying aggression. PMID:29211810

Boring in response to bark and phloem extracts from North American trees does not explain host acceptance behavior of Orthotomicus erosus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae).

PubMed

Walter, Abigail J; Kells, Stephen A; Venette, Robert C; Seybold, Steven J

2010-04-01

When invasive herbivorous insects encounter novel plant species, they must determine whether the novel plants are hosts. The Mediterranean pine engraver, Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston), an exotic bark beetle poised to expand its range in North America, accepts hosts after contacting the bark. To test the hypothesis that O. erosus accepts hosts on the basis of gustatory cues, we prepared bark and phloem extracts from logs of four North American tree species that we had used in previous host acceptance experiments. Water, methanol, and hexane extracts of red pine, tamarack, balsam fir, and paper birch were presented alone and in combination on a neutral filter paper substrate in a section of a plastic drinking straw. Boring behavior in response to the three-extract combinations differed from the pattern of acceptance previously observed among species when the beetles were in contact with the bark surface. Only the aqueous extracts of tamarack, Larix laricina, increased the initiation and the extent of boring by O. erosus on the filter paper substrate. We conclude that the effects of extracted chemicals do not match the behavior of the beetles observed when penetrating excised bark and phloem discs, indicating that host selection by O. erosus may not be predictable from bark and phloem chemistry alone. Instead, host acceptance may be determined by nongustatory stimuli or by a combination of stimuli including gustatory and nongustatory cues.

Enactive neuroscience, the direct perception hypothesis, and the socially extended mind.

PubMed

Froese, Tom

2015-01-01

Pessoa's The Cognitive-Emotional Brain (2013) is an integrative approach to neuroscience that complements other developments in cognitive science, especially enactivism. Both accept complexity as essential to mind; both tightly integrate perception, cognition, and emotion, which enactivism unifies in its foundational concept of sense-making; and both emphasize that the spatial extension of mental processes is not reducible to specific brain regions and neuroanatomical connectivity. An enactive neuroscience is emerging.

Multi-modal Social Networks: A MRF Learning Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-20

number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. University of Texas at Austin 101 East 27th Street Suite 5.300 Austin , TX 78712 -1532...Proceedings of ACM Sigmetrics, Austin , TX June 2014. (17% acceptance) “Topic Modeling from Network Spread,” A. Ray, S. Sanghavi and S. Shakkottai...Proceedings of ACM Sigmetrics (poster paper), Austin , TX June 2014. Conclusions: Our approach based on hypothesis testing on graphs provides a

The Age of Second Language Acquisition Determines the Variability in Activation Elicited by Narration in Three Languages in Broca's and Wernicke's Area

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloch, Constantine; Kaiser, Anelis; Kuenzli, Esther; Zappatore, Daniela; Haller, Sven; Franceschini, Rita; Luedi, Georges; Radue, Ernst-Wilhelm; Nitsch, Cordula

2009-01-01

It is generally accepted that the presence of a second language (L2) has an impact on the neuronal substrates build up and used for language processing; the influence of the age of L2 exposure, however, is not established. We tested the hypothesis that the age of L2 acquisition has an effect on the cortical representation of a multilingual…

The delphic oracle and the ethylene-intoxication hypothesis.

PubMed

Foster, J; Lehoux, D

2007-01-01

An interdisciplinary team of scientists--including an archeologist, a geologist, a chemist, and a toxicologist--has argued that ethylene intoxication was the probable cause of the High Priestess of Delphi's divinatory (mantic) trances. The claim that the High Priestess of Delphi entered a mantic state because of ethylene intoxication enjoyed widespread reception in specialist academic journals, science magazines, and newspapers. This article uses a similar interdisciplinary approach to show that this hypothesis is implausible since it is based on problematic scientific and textual evidence, as well as a fallacious argument. The main issue raised by this counterargument is not that a particular scientific hypothesis or conjecture turned out to be false. (This is expected in scientific investigation.) Rather, the main issue is that it was a positivist disposition that originally led readers to associate the evidence presented in such a way that it seemed to point to the conclusion, even when the evidence did not support the conclusion. We conclude by observing that positivist dispositions can lead to the acceptance of claims because they have a scientific form, not because they are grounded in robust evidence and sound argument.

Test of the Brink-Axel Hypothesis for the Pygmy Dipole Resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, D.; von Neumann-Cosel, P.; Tamii, A.; Aoi, N.; Bassauer, S.; Bertulani, C. A.; Carter, J.; Donaldson, L.; Fujita, H.; Fujita, Y.; Hashimoto, T.; Hatanaka, K.; Ito, T.; Krugmann, A.; Liu, B.; Maeda, Y.; Miki, K.; Neveling, R.; Pietralla, N.; Poltoratska, I.; Ponomarev, V. Yu.; Richter, A.; Shima, T.; Yamamoto, T.; Zweidinger, M.

2017-11-01

The gamma strength function and level density of 1- states in 96Mo have been extracted from a high-resolution study of the (p → , p→ ' ) reaction at 295 MeV and extreme forward angles. By comparison with compound nucleus γ decay experiments, this allows a test of the generalized Brink-Axel hypothesis in the energy region of the pygmy dipole resonance. The Brink-Axel hypothesis is commonly assumed in astrophysical reaction network calculations and states that the gamma strength function in nuclei is independent of the structure of the initial and final state. The present results validate the Brink-Axel hypothesis for 96Mo and provide independent confirmation of the methods used to separate gamma strength function and level density in γ decay experiments.

Domain Cell Theory supports the independent evolution of the Eukarya, Bacteria and Archaea and the Nuclear Compartment Commonality hypothesis.

PubMed

Staley, James T

2017-06-01

In 2015, the Royal Society of London held a meeting to discuss the various hypotheses regarding the origin of the Eukarya. Although not all participants supported a hypothesis, the proposals that did fit into two broad categories: one group favoured 'Prokaryotes First' hypotheses and another addressed 'Eukaryotes First' hypotheses. Those who proposed Prokaryotes First hypotheses advocated either a fusion event between a bacterium and an archaeon that produced the first eukaryote or the direct evolution of the Eukarya from the Archaea. The Eukaryotes First proponents posit that the eukaryotes evolved initially and then, by reductive evolution, produced the Bacteria and Archaea. No mention was made of another previously published hypothesis termed the Nuclear Compartment Commonality (NuCom) hypothesis, which proposed the evolution of the Eukarya and Bacteria from nucleated ancestors (Staley 2013 Astrobiol Outreach 1 , 105 (doi:10.4172/2332-2519.1000105)). Evidence from two studies indicates that the nucleated Planctomycetes-Verrucomicrobia-Chlamydia superphylum members are the most ancient Bacteria known (Brochier & Philippe 2002 Nature 417 , 244 (doi:10.1038/417244a); Jun et al. 2010 Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 107 , 133-138 (doi:10.1073/pnas.0913033107)). This review summarizes the evidence for the NuCom hypothesis and discusses how simple the NuCom hypothesis is in explaining eukaryote evolution relative to the other hypotheses. The philosophical importance of simplicity and its relationship to truth in hypotheses such as NuCom and Domain Cell Theory is presented. Domain Cell Theory is also proposed herein, which contends that each of the three cellular lineages of life, the Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya domains, evolved independently, in support of the NuCom hypothesis. All other proposed hypotheses violate Domain Cell Theory because they posit the evolution of different cellular descendants from ancestral cellular types. © 2017 The Authors.

How Social Communications Influence Advertising Perception and Response in Online Communities?

PubMed Central

Zeng, Fue; Tao, Ran; Yang, Yanwu; Xie, Tingting

2017-01-01

This research aims to explore how social communications of online communities affect users’ perception and responses toward social media advertising. We developed a conceptual model based on the SBT, encapsulating 9 constructs and 10 hypothesis extracted from the extant social media advertising literature. Our research outcome proves that social communications can effectively boost users’ behaviors to be in accordance with an online social community, thus facilitate their acceptance and responses toward social media advertising, with users’ group intention as an intervening factor. From an operational standpoint, it’s an effective way to build and maintain social bonds between users and the community by boosting social communications, supporting fluent interpersonal communications. In addition, managers of an online community should elaborate on users’ group intentions to increase users’ advertising acceptance and response. PMID:28855879

Repeated significance tests of linear combinations of sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic biomarker

PubMed Central

Wu, Mixia; Shu, Yu; Li, Zhaohai; Liu, Aiyi

2016-01-01

A sequential design is proposed to test whether the accuracy of a binary diagnostic biomarker meets the minimal level of acceptance. The accuracy of a binary diagnostic biomarker is a linear combination of the marker’s sensitivity and specificity. The objective of the sequential method is to minimize the maximum expected sample size under the null hypothesis that the marker’s accuracy is below the minimal level of acceptance. The exact results of two-stage designs based on Youden’s index and efficiency indicate that the maximum expected sample sizes are smaller than the sample sizes of the fixed designs. Exact methods are also developed for estimation, confidence interval and p-value concerning the proposed accuracy index upon termination of the sequential testing. PMID:26947768

How Social Communications Influence Advertising Perception and Response in Online Communities?

PubMed

Zeng, Fue; Tao, Ran; Yang, Yanwu; Xie, Tingting

2017-01-01

This research aims to explore how social communications of online communities affect users' perception and responses toward social media advertising. We developed a conceptual model based on the SBT, encapsulating 9 constructs and 10 hypothesis extracted from the extant social media advertising literature. Our research outcome proves that social communications can effectively boost users' behaviors to be in accordance with an online social community, thus facilitate their acceptance and responses toward social media advertising, with users' group intention as an intervening factor. From an operational standpoint, it's an effective way to build and maintain social bonds between users and the community by boosting social communications, supporting fluent interpersonal communications. In addition, managers of an online community should elaborate on users' group intentions to increase users' advertising acceptance and response.

Radiogenomics Consortium (RGC)

Cancer.gov

The Radiogenomics Consortium's hypothesis is that a cancer patient's likelihood of developing toxicity to radiation therapy is influenced by common genetic variations, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

A role for bioelectric effects in the induction of bystander signals by ionizing radiation?

PubMed

Mothersill, C; Moran, G; McNeill, F; Gow, M D; Denbeigh, J; Prestwich, W; Seymour, C B

2007-04-03

The induction of "bystander effects" i.e. effects in cells which have not received an ionizing radiation track, is now accepted but the mechanisms are not completely clear. Bystander effects following high and low LET radiation exposure are accepted but mechanisms are still not understood. There is some evidence for a physical component to the signal. This paper tests the hypothesis that bioelectric or biomagnetic phenomena are involved. Human immortalized skin keratinocytes and primary explants of mouse bladder and fish skin, were exposed directly to ionizing radiation or treated in a variety of bystander protocols. Exposure of cells was conducted by shielding one group of flasks using lead, to reduce the dose below the threshold of 2mGy (60)Cobalt gamma rays established for the bystander effect. The endpoint for the bystander effect in the reporter system used was reduction in cloning efficiency (RCE). The magnitude of the RCE was similar in shielded and unshielded flasks. When cells were placed in a Faraday cage the magnitude of the RCE was less but not eliminated. The results suggest that liquid media or cell-cell contact transmission of bystander factors may be only part of the bystander mechanism. Bioelectric or bio magnetic fields may have a role to play. To test this further, cells were placed in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine for 10 min using a typical head scan protocol. This treatment also induced a bystander response. Apart from the obvious clinical relevance, the MRI results further suggest that bystander effects may be produced by non-ionizing exposures. It is concluded that bioelectric or magnetic effects may be involved in producing bystander signaling cascades commonly seen following ionizing radiation exposure.

A Role for Bioelectric Effects in the Induction of Bystander Signals by Ionizing Radiation?

PubMed Central

Mothersill, C.; Moran, G.; McNeill, F.; Gow, M.D.; Denbeigh, J.; Prestwich, W.; Seymour, C.B.

2007-01-01

The induction of “bystander effects” i.e. effects in cells which have not received an ionizing radiation track, is now accepted but the mechanisms are not completely clear. Bystander effects following high and low LET radiation exposure are accepted but mechanisms are still not understood. There is some evidence for a physical component to the signal. This paper tests the hypothesis that bioelectric or biomagnetic phenomena are involved. Human immortalized skin keratinocytes and primary explants of mouse bladder and fish skin, were exposed directly to ionizing radiation or treated in a variety of bystander protocols. Exposure of cells was conducted by shielding one group of flasks using lead, to reduce the dose below the threshold of 2mGy 60Cobalt gamma rays established for the bystander effect. The endpoint for the bystander effect in the reporter system used was reduction in cloning efficiency (RCE). The magnitude of the RCE was similar in shielded and unshielded flasks. When cells were placed in a Faraday cage the magnitude of the RCE was less but not eliminated. The results suggest that liquid media or cell-cell contact transmission of bystander factors may be only part of the bystander mechanism. Bioelectric or bio magnetic fields may have a role to play. To test this further, cells were placed in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine for 10min using a typical head scan protocol. This treatment also induced a bystander response. Apart from the obvious clinical relevance, the MRI results further suggest that bystander effects may be produced by non-ionizing exposures. It is concluded that bioelectric or magnetic effects may be involved in producing bystander signaling cascades commonly seen following ionizing radiation exposure. PMID:18648606

Addendum to the article: Misuse of null hypothesis significance testing: Would estimation of positive and negative predictive values improve certainty of chemical risk assessment?

PubMed

Bundschuh, Mirco; Newman, Michael C; Zubrod, Jochen P; Seitz, Frank; Rosenfeldt, Ricki R; Schulz, Ralf

2015-03-01

We argued recently that the positive predictive value (PPV) and the negative predictive value (NPV) are valuable metrics to include during null hypothesis significance testing: They inform the researcher about the probability of statistically significant and non-significant test outcomes actually being true. Although commonly misunderstood, a reported p value estimates only the probability of obtaining the results or more extreme results if the null hypothesis of no effect was true. Calculations of the more informative PPV and NPV require a priori estimate of the probability (R). The present document discusses challenges of estimating R.

[An exploratory study regarding the hypothetical human embryo donation in Chile].

PubMed

Alvarez Díaz, J A

2007-12-01

To explore opinions of patients who undergone to complex ART towards gamete and embryo donation, as well as the reasons to do it or not. The seat was the Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile. There were interviewed ten participants (seven women, three men), who had undergone at least to one ART, without comprising of donation programs. It was a cross-sectional study of descriptive bioethics, done with ethnographic qualitative methodology with a semistructured interview applying speech analysis to the resulting text. Regarding embryo donation, six participants would accept to donate them, five to fertility therapy and one to research. Regarding the cryopreservation, three participants would always accept it, and three with some restrictions, just one on them would rather to discard instead of donating a cryopreserved embryo. It could be suggested: gamete donation is more commented and generally accepted; embryo donation is a more conflicting and less discussed subject, as much to donate as to accept; cryopreservation is a complex subject, commented but also conflicting, whose acceptance or not, as well as the destiny of the probably cryopreserved embryos, depends on the believes that participants have about the origin of the life, personal ethics, and the religion. It could be possible to say that a hypothesis constructed in this study (to be verified in future quantitative researches) is that embryo donation could take place, for therapy of fertility, and exceptionally to research.

42 CFR 426.410 - Docketing and evaluating the acceptability of LCD complaints.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... good cause shown. (e) Consolidation of complaints regarding an LCD—(1) Criteria for consolidation. If a... contain common questions of law, common questions of fact, or both. (iii) Consolidating the complaints...

42 CFR 426.510 - Docketing and evaluating the acceptability of NCD complaints.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... extension for good cause shown. (e) Consolidation of complaints regarding an NCD—(1) Criteria for... complaints. (ii) The complaints contain common questions of law, common questions of fact, or both. (iii...

Demonstration of risk based, goal driven framework for hydrological field campaigns and inverse modeling with case studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harken, B.; Geiges, A.; Rubin, Y.

2013-12-01

There are several stages in any hydrological modeling campaign, including: formulation and analysis of a priori information, data acquisition through field campaigns, inverse modeling, and forward modeling and prediction of some environmental performance metric (EPM). The EPM being predicted could be, for example, contaminant concentration, plume travel time, or aquifer recharge rate. These predictions often have significant bearing on some decision that must be made. Examples include: how to allocate limited remediation resources between multiple contaminated groundwater sites, where to place a waste repository site, and what extraction rates can be considered sustainable in an aquifer. Providing an answer to these questions depends on predictions of EPMs using forward models as well as levels of uncertainty related to these predictions. Uncertainty in model parameters, such as hydraulic conductivity, leads to uncertainty in EPM predictions. Often, field campaigns and inverse modeling efforts are planned and undertaken with reduction of parametric uncertainty as the objective. The tool of hypothesis testing allows this to be taken one step further by considering uncertainty reduction in the ultimate prediction of the EPM as the objective and gives a rational basis for weighing costs and benefits at each stage. When using the tool of statistical hypothesis testing, the EPM is cast into a binary outcome. This is formulated as null and alternative hypotheses, which can be accepted and rejected with statistical formality. When accounting for all sources of uncertainty at each stage, the level of significance of this test provides a rational basis for planning, optimization, and evaluation of the entire campaign. Case-specific information, such as consequences prediction error and site-specific costs can be used in establishing selection criteria based on what level of risk is deemed acceptable. This framework is demonstrated and discussed using various synthetic case studies. The case studies involve contaminated aquifers where a decision must be made based on prediction of when a contaminant will arrive at a given location. The EPM, in this case contaminant travel time, is cast into the hypothesis testing framework. The null hypothesis states that the contaminant plume will arrive at the specified location before a critical value of time passes, and the alternative hypothesis states that the plume will arrive after the critical time passes. Different field campaigns are analyzed based on effectiveness in reducing the probability of selecting the wrong hypothesis, which in this case corresponds to reducing uncertainty in the prediction of plume arrival time. To examine the role of inverse modeling in this framework, case studies involving both Maximum Likelihood parameter estimation and Bayesian inversion are used.

Wald Sequential Probability Ratio Test for Space Object Conjunction Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, James R.; Markley, F Landis

2014-01-01

This paper shows how satellite owner/operators may use sequential estimates of collision probability, along with a prior assessment of the base risk of collision, in a compound hypothesis ratio test to inform decisions concerning collision risk mitigation maneuvers. The compound hypothesis test reduces to a simple probability ratio test, which appears to be a novel result. The test satisfies tolerances related to targeted false alarm and missed detection rates. This result is independent of the method one uses to compute the probability density that one integrates to compute collision probability. A well-established test case from the literature shows that this test yields acceptable results within the constraints of a typical operational conjunction assessment decision timeline. Another example illustrates the use of the test in a practical conjunction assessment scenario based on operations of the International Space Station.

Examining age-related shared variance between face cognition, vision, and self-reported physical health: a test of the common cause hypothesis for social cognition

PubMed Central

Olderbak, Sally; Hildebrandt, Andrea; Wilhelm, Oliver

2015-01-01

The shared decline in cognitive abilities, sensory functions (e.g., vision and hearing), and physical health with increasing age is well documented with some research attributing this shared age-related decline to a single common cause (e.g., aging brain). We evaluate the extent to which the common cause hypothesis predicts associations between vision and physical health with social cognition abilities specifically face perception and face memory. Based on a sample of 443 adults (17–88 years old), we test a series of structural equation models, including Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause (MIMIC) models, and estimate the extent to which vision and self-reported physical health are related to face perception and face memory through a common factor, before and after controlling for their fluid cognitive component and the linear effects of age. Results suggest significant shared variance amongst these constructs, with a common factor explaining some, but not all, of the shared age-related variance. Also, we found that the relations of face perception, but not face memory, with vision and physical health could be completely explained by fluid cognition. Overall, results suggest that a single common cause explains most, but not all age-related shared variance with domain specific aging mechanisms evident. PMID:26321998

On Chinese Culture Curriculum Planning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Catherine

2006-01-01

The importance of cultural elements in foreign language teaching has been widely accepted in recent years. This applies particularly to the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language (TCFL) to non-native Chinese speakers at tertiary level in mainland China. However, there is no commonly accepted blueprint that defines the parts of Chinese culture…

Factors Affecting Treatment Acceptability for Psychostimulant Medication versus Psychoeducational Intervention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stinnett, Terry A.; Crawford, Stephanie A.; Gillespie, Marci D.; Cruce, Michael K.; Langford, Courtney A.

2001-01-01

Examines future teachers' judgments of acceptability for two common treatments for children with the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) label. In this study, the ADHD label evoked greater expectations of attentional difficulties even when the pattern of functioning was similar to nonlabeled children. On the other hand, children with…

Treatment Acceptability among Mexican American Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borrego, Joaquin, Jr.; Ibanez, Elizabeth S.; Spendlove, Stuart J.; Pemberton, Joy R.

2007-01-01

There is a void in the literature with regard to Hispanic parents' views about common interventions for children with behavior problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the treatment acceptability of child management techniques in a Mexican American sample. Parents' acculturation was also examined to determine if it would account for…

Complementary feeding with cowpea reduces growth faltering in rural Malawian infants: A blind, randomized controlled clinical trial

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Growth faltering is common in rural African children and is attributed to inadequate dietary intake and environmental enteric dysfunction (EED). We tested the hypothesis that complementary feeding with cowpea or common bean flour would reduce growth faltering and EED in 6-mo-old rural Malawians com...

Extraordinary Evil or Common Malevolence? Evaluating the Jewish Holocaust.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lackey, Douglas P.

1986-01-01

Considers and rejects the hypothesis of Frackenheim, Wiesel and others that the Jewish Holocaust contains some qualitative or quantitatively distinct moral evil. It argues that the intentions and vices of mass murderers are qualitatively indistinguishable from those of the common murderer, and that the evils of six million individual murders are…

Dopamine dysregulation hypothesis: the common basis for motivational anhedonia in major depressive disorder and schizophrenia?

PubMed

Szczypiński, Jan Józef; Gola, Mateusz

2018-03-24

Abnormalities in reward processing are crucial symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia (SCH). Recent neuroscientific findings regarding MDD have led to conclusions about two different symptoms related to reward processing: motivational and consummatory anhedonia, corresponding, respectively, to impaired motivation to obtain rewards ('wanting'), and diminished satisfaction from consuming them ('liking'). One can ask: which of these is common for MDD and SCH. In our review of the latest neuroscientific studies, we show that MDD and SCH do not share consummatory anhedonia, as SCH patients usually have unaltered liking. Therefore, we investigated whether motivational anhedonia is the common symptom across MDD and SCH. With regard to the similarities and differences between the neural mechanisms of MDD and SCH, here we expand the current knowledge of motivation deficits and present the common underlying mechanism of motivational anhedonia - the dopamine dysregulation hypothesis - stating that any prolonged dysregulation in tonic dopamine signaling that exceeds the given equilibrium can lead to striatal dysfunction and motivational anhedonia. The implications for further research and treatment of MDD and SCH are also discussed.

Vegetable acceptance by infants

PubMed Central

Mennella, Julie A.; Kennedy, Janice M.; Beauchamp, Gary K.

2008-01-01

Individual differences in acceptance patterns are evident as early as the child’s first experiences with a particular food. To test hypothesis that the flavor of formula fed to infants modifies their acceptance of some foods, we conducted a within- and between-subjects design study in which two groups of 6- to 11-month-old infants were tested on two separate days. One group was currently feeding a milk-based formula whereas the other was feeding a protein hydrolysate formula, a particularly unpleasant tasting formula to adults that contains similar flavor notes (e.g., sulfur volatiles) with Brasscia vegetables such as broccoli. In counterbalanced order, acceptance of pureed broccoli/cauliflower was determined during one test session and pureed carrots on the other. Although there were no group differences in the amount of carrots consumed, hydrolysate infants consumed significantly less broccoli/cauliflower relative to carrots when compared to those who were currently fed milk based formulas (F(1, 72 df)=4.43; p=0.04). The mothers of hydrolysate infants were significantly more likely to report that their infants did not enjoy feeding the broccoli/cauliflower (54.2%) when compared to mothers of infants being fed milk-based formulas (28.0%; Chi-Square (1 df)=4.79; p=0.03). Such findings are consistent with prior research that demonstrated a sensory specific satiety following repeated exposure to a particular flavor in milk. We hypothesize that when infants are experiencing a flavor in milk or formula, in the short term, the preference that develops is specific to the context it is experienced in (e.g., milk). Over the longer term, the preference may generalize to other contexts such as solid foods. Hydrolysate infants were also significantly more likely to be judged by their mothers as being more active (F(1, 69 df)=3.95; p=0.05) and hesitant (F(1, 69 df)=6.55; p=0.01) when compared to those infants who were feeding milk-based formulas, a finding that further supports the hypothesis that mother—child dynamics surrounding early feeding impacts upon mothers’ perception of their children’s temperament. PMID:16469455

Evaluating alternative stem cell hypotheses for adult corneal epithelial maintenance

PubMed Central

West, John D; Dorà, Natalie J; Collinson, J Martin

2015-01-01

In this review we evaluate evidence for three different hypotheses that explain how the corneal epithelium is maintained. The limbal epithelial stem cell (LESC) hypothesis is most widely accepted. This proposes that stem cells in the basal layer of the limbal epithelium, at the periphery of the cornea, maintain themselves and also produce transient (or transit) amplifying cells (TACs). TACs then move centripetally to the centre of the cornea in the basal layer of the corneal epithelium and also replenish cells in the overlying suprabasal layers. The LESCs maintain the corneal epithelium during normal homeostasis and become more active to repair significant wounds. Second, the corneal epithelial stem cell (CESC) hypothesis postulates that, during normal homeostasis, stem cells distributed throughout the basal corneal epithelium, maintain the tissue. According to this hypothesis, LESCs are present in the limbus but are only active during wound healing. We also consider a third possibility, that the corneal epithelium is maintained during normal homeostasis by proliferation of basal corneal epithelial cells without any input from stem cells. After reviewing the published evidence, we conclude that the LESC and CESC hypotheses are consistent with more of the evidence than the third hypothesis, so we do not consider this further. The LESC and CESC hypotheses each have difficulty accounting for one main type of evidence so we evaluate the two key lines of evidence that discriminate between them. Finally, we discuss how lineage-tracing experiments have begun to resolve the debate in favour of the LESC hypothesis. Nevertheless, it also seems likely that some basal corneal epithelial cells can act as long-term progenitors if limbal stem cell function is compromised. Thus, this aspect of the CESC hypothesis may have a lasting impact on our understanding of corneal epithelial maintenance, even if it is eventually shown that stem cells are restricted to the limbus as proposed by the LESC hypothesis. PMID:25815115

Qualitative methods to ensure acceptability of behavioral and social interventions to the target population

PubMed Central

Ayala, Guadalupe X.; Elder, John P.

2013-01-01

This paper introduces qualitative methods for assessing the acceptability of an intervention. Acceptability refers to determining how well an intervention will be received by the target population and the extent to which the new intervention or its components might meet the needs of the target population and organizational setting. In this paper, we focus on two common qualitative methods for conducting acceptability research and their advantages and disadvantages: focus groups and interviews. We provide examples from our own research and other studies to demonstrate the use of these methods for conducting acceptability research and how one might adapt this approach for oral health research. Finally, we present emerging methods for conducting acceptability research, including the use of community-based participatory research, as well as the utility of conducting acceptability research for assessing the appropriateness of measures in intervention research. PMID:21656958

Paternal alcoholism and offspring conduct disorder: evidence for the 'common genes' hypothesis.

PubMed

Haber, Jon R; Jacob, Theodore; Heath, Andrew C

2005-04-01

Not only are alcoholism and externalizing disorders frequently comorbid, they often co-occur in families across generations; for example, paternal alcoholism predicts offspring conduct disorder just as it does offspring alcoholism. To clarify this relationship, the current study examined the 'common genes' hypothesis utilizing a children-of-twins research design. Participants were male monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry who were concordant or discordant for alcohol dependence together with their offspring and the mothers of those offspring. All participants were conducted through a structured psychiatric interview. Offspring risk of conduct disorder was examined as a function of alcoholism genetic risk (due to paternal and co-twin alcohol dependence) and alcoholism environmental risk (due to being reared by a father with an alcohol dependence diagnosis). After controlling for potentially confounding variables, the offspring of alcohol-dependent fathers were significantly more likely to exhibit conduct disorder diagnoses than were offspring of nonalcohol-dependent fathers, thus indicating diagnostic crossover in generational family transmission. Comparing offspring at high genetic and high environmental risk with offspring at high genetic and low environmental risk indicated that genetic factors were most likely responsible for the alcoholism-conduct disorder association. The observed diagnostic crossover (from paternal alcoholism to offspring conduct disorder) across generations in the context of both high and low environmental risk (while genetic risk remained high) supported the common genes hypothesis.

Acceptability of Interventions Delivered Online and Through Mobile Phones for People Who Experience Severe Mental Health Problems: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Berry, Natalie; Lobban, Fiona; Emsley, Richard; Bucci, Sandra

2016-05-31

Psychological interventions are recommended for people with severe mental health problems (SMI). However, barriers exist in the provision of these services and access is limited. Therefore, researchers are beginning to develop and deliver interventions online and via mobile phones. Previous research has indicated that interventions delivered in this format are acceptable for people with SMI. However, a comprehensive systematic review is needed to investigate the acceptability of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI in depth. This systematic review aimed to 1) identify the hypothetical acceptability (acceptability prior to or without the delivery of an intervention) and actual acceptability (acceptability where an intervention was delivered) of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI, 2) investigate the impact of factors such as demographic and clinical characteristics on acceptability, and 3) identify common participant views in qualitative studies that pinpoint factors influencing acceptability. We conducted a systematic search of the databases PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science in April 2015, which yielded a total of 8017 search results, with 49 studies meeting the full inclusion criteria. Studies were included if they measured acceptability through participant views, module completion rates, or intervention use. Studies delivering interventions were included if the delivery method was online or via mobile phones. The hypothetical acceptability of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI was relatively low, while actual acceptability tended to be high. Hypothetical acceptability was higher for interventions delivered via text messages than by emails. The majority of studies that assessed the impact of demographic characteristics on acceptability reported no significant relationships between the two. Additionally, actual acceptability was higher when participants were provided remote online support. Common qualitative factors relating to acceptability were safety and privacy concerns, the importance of an engaging and appealing delivery format, the inclusion of peer support, computer and mobile phone literacy, technical issues, and concerns about the impact of psychological state on intervention use. This systematic review provides an in-depth focus on the acceptability of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI and identified the need for further research in this area. Based on the results from this review, we recommend that researchers measure both hypothetical and actual acceptability to identify whether initial perceptions of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions change after access. In addition, more focus is needed on the potential impact of demographic and clinical characteristics on acceptability. The review also identified issues with module completion rates and intervention use as measures of acceptability. We therefore advise researchers to obtain qualitative reports of acceptability throughout each phase of intervention development and testing. Further implications and opportunities for future research are discussed.

Acceptability of Interventions Delivered Online and Through Mobile Phones for People Who Experience Severe Mental Health Problems: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Lobban, Fiona; Emsley, Richard; Bucci, Sandra

2016-01-01

Background Psychological interventions are recommended for people with severe mental health problems (SMI). However, barriers exist in the provision of these services and access is limited. Therefore, researchers are beginning to develop and deliver interventions online and via mobile phones. Previous research has indicated that interventions delivered in this format are acceptable for people with SMI. However, a comprehensive systematic review is needed to investigate the acceptability of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI in depth. Objective This systematic review aimed to 1) identify the hypothetical acceptability (acceptability prior to or without the delivery of an intervention) and actual acceptability (acceptability where an intervention was delivered) of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI, 2) investigate the impact of factors such as demographic and clinical characteristics on acceptability, and 3) identify common participant views in qualitative studies that pinpoint factors influencing acceptability. Methods We conducted a systematic search of the databases PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science in April 2015, which yielded a total of 8017 search results, with 49 studies meeting the full inclusion criteria. Studies were included if they measured acceptability through participant views, module completion rates, or intervention use. Studies delivering interventions were included if the delivery method was online or via mobile phones. Results The hypothetical acceptability of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI was relatively low, while actual acceptability tended to be high. Hypothetical acceptability was higher for interventions delivered via text messages than by emails. The majority of studies that assessed the impact of demographic characteristics on acceptability reported no significant relationships between the two. Additionally, actual acceptability was higher when participants were provided remote online support. Common qualitative factors relating to acceptability were safety and privacy concerns, the importance of an engaging and appealing delivery format, the inclusion of peer support, computer and mobile phone literacy, technical issues, and concerns about the impact of psychological state on intervention use. Conclusions This systematic review provides an in-depth focus on the acceptability of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI and identified the need for further research in this area. Based on the results from this review, we recommend that researchers measure both hypothetical and actual acceptability to identify whether initial perceptions of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions change after access. In addition, more focus is needed on the potential impact of demographic and clinical characteristics on acceptability. The review also identified issues with module completion rates and intervention use as measures of acceptability. We therefore advise researchers to obtain qualitative reports of acceptability throughout each phase of intervention development and testing. Further implications and opportunities for future research are discussed. PMID:27245693

What did domestication do to dogs? A new account of dogs' sensitivity to human actions.

PubMed

Udell, Monique A R; Dorey, Nicole R; Wynne, Clive D L

2010-05-01

Over the last two decades increasing evidence for an acute sensitivity to human gestures and attentional states in domestic dogs has led to a burgeoning of research into the social cognition of this highly familiar yet previously under-studied animal. Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) have been shown to be more successful than their closest relative (and wild progenitor) the wolf, and than man's closest relative, the chimpanzee, on tests of sensitivity to human social cues, such as following points to a container holding hidden food. The "Domestication Hypothesis" asserts that during domestication dogs evolved an inherent sensitivity to human gestures that their non-domesticated counterparts do not share. According to this view, sensitivity to human cues is present in dogs at an early age and shows little evidence of acquisition during ontogeny. A closer look at the findings of research on canine domestication, socialization, and conditioning, brings the assumptions of this hypothesis into question. We propose the Two Stage Hypothesis, according to which the sensitivity of an individual animal to human actions depends on acceptance of humans as social companions, and conditioning to follow human limbs. This offers a more parsimonious explanation for the domestic dog's sensitivity to human gestures, without requiring the use of additional mechanisms. We outline how tests of this new hypothesis open directions for future study that offer promise of a deeper understanding of mankind's oldest companion.

Study of the top quark electric charge at the CDF experiment (in Slovak)

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

Bartos, Pavol

We report on the measurement of the top quark electric charge using the jet charge tagging method on events containing a single lepton collected by the CDF II detector at Fermilab between February 2002 and February 2010 at the center-of-mass energy √s = 1.96 TeV. There are three main components to this measurement: determining the charge of the W (using the charge of the lepton), pairing the W with the b-jet to ensure that they are from the same top decay branch and finally determining the charge of the b-jet using the Jet Charge algorithm. We found, on a samplemore » of 5.6 fb -1 of data, that the p-value under the standard model hypothesis is equal to 13.4%, while the p-value under the exotic model hypothesis is equal to 0.014%. Using the a priori criteria generally accepted by the CDF collaboration, we can say that the result is consistent with the standard model, while we exclude an exotic quark hypothesis with 95% confidence. Using the Bayesian approach, we obtain for the Bayes factor (2ln(BF)) a value of 19.6, that favors very strongly the SM hypothesis over the XM one. The presented method has the highest sensitivity to the top quark electric charge among the presented so far top quark charge analysis.« less

17 CFR 40.2 - Listing and accepting products for trading or clearing by certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... for trading or clearing by certification. 40.2 Section 40.2 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION PROVISIONS COMMON TO REGISTERED ENTITIES § 40.2 Listing and accepting products for trading or clearing by certification. (a) Unless permitted otherwise by § 37.7 of this chapter...

Merit Pay Plans for Teachers: Status and Descriptions. ERS Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Research Service, Arlington, VA.

This report, an update of the 1978 survey of national merit pay plans for teachers, provides descriptive data on currently operating merit pay plans and state level activities. Outlining current research, the report points out that neither a commonly acceptable definition of merit pay nor a generally acceptable method of determining meritorious…

Human, Social, Cultural Behavior (HSCB) Modeling Workshop I: Characterizing the Capability Needs for HSCB Modeling

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

Darwin Accepted Generally 4 life is related and has descended from a common Accepted ancestor: the birds and the bananas , the fishes and the... flowers -- all related. Darwin’s general Science, Physical Sociology Arousal Theory Arousal Theory. cost-reward theory suggests that SWAG+ SWAG

Teachers' Knowledge of ADHD, Treatments for ADHD, and Treatment Acceptability: An Initial Investigation. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vereb, Rebecca L.; DiPerna, James C.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to begin to explore the relationship among teachers' knowledge of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), knowledge of common treatments for ADHD, and acceptability of different approaches to treatment for ADHD (medication and behavior management). Relationships also were explored between these variables and…

How catholic college students think about homosexuality: the connection between authority and sexuality.

PubMed

Maher, Michael J; Sever, Linda M; Pichler, Shaun

2008-01-01

The researchers conducted a survey of undergraduates living in residence halls at Loyola University Chicago, a Jesuit Catholic university. The survey included 20 statements on topics currently being debated in the Church. The researchers hypothesized that those who indicated some level of agreement with the statement, Homosexuality is wrong, would show strong correlations with other statements about sexuality, while those indicating disagreement with the statement would show strong correlations with statements about discrimination. Results showed that the question of the morality of homosexuality seemed to be tied to a broader way of thinking that pits Catholic Church authority against a sort of wisdom of the world. This way of thinking is operational regardless of whether the young Catholic is accepting or not of homosexuality. The hypothesis was rejected. Attitudes toward homosexuality are tied with attitudes regarding sexuality and Church authority. Knowing gay and lesbian people seems to be the major factor that causes young Catholics to be more accepting of homosexuality. The majority of young Catholics is accepting of homosexuality and inclined to question Church teaching and Church authority.

Cognitive Constraints and Island Effects

PubMed Central

Hofmeister, Philip; Sag, Ivan A.

2012-01-01

Competence-based theories of island effects play a central role in generative grammar, yet the graded nature of many syntactic islands has never been properly accounted for. Categorical syntactic accounts of island effects have persisted in spite of a wealth of data suggesting that island effects are not categorical in nature and that non-structural manipulations that leave island structures intact can radically alter judgments of island violations. We argue here, building on work by Deane, Kluender, and others, that processing factors have the potential to account for this otherwise unexplained variation in acceptability judgments. We report the results of self-paced reading experiments and controlled acceptability studies which explore the relationship between processing costs and judgments of acceptability. In each of the three self-paced reading studies, the data indicate that the processing cost of different types of island violations can be significantly reduced to a degree comparable to that of non-island filler-gap constructions by manipulating a single non-structural factor. Moreover, this reduction in processing cost is accompanied by significant improvements in acceptability. This evidence favors the hypothesis that island-violating constructions involve numerous processing pressures that aggregate to drive processing difficulty above a threshold so that a perception of unacceptability ensues. We examine the implications of these findings for the grammar of filler-gap dependencies.* PMID:22661792

Copperheads are common when kingsnakes are not: relationships between the abundances of a predator and one of their prey

Treesearch

David A. Steen; Christopher J. W. McClure; William B. Sutton; D. Craig Rudolph; Josh B. Pierce; James R. Lee; Lora L. Smith; Beau B. Gregory; Danna L. Baxley; Dirk J. Stevenson; Craig Guyer

2014-01-01

Common Kingsnakes (formerly known collectively as Lampropeltis getula) are experiencing localized declines throughout the southeastern United States. Because there have been limited studies to determine how snakes regulate prey populations, and because Kingsnake declines may result in ecosystem impacts, we evaluated the hypothesis that Kingsnakes regulate the abundance...

Consideration of "g" as a Common Antecedent for Cognitive Ability Test Performance, Test Motivation, and Perceived Fairness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeve, Charlie L.; Lam, Holly

2007-01-01

Several different analyses were used to test the hypothesis that test-taking motivation, perceived test fairness, and actual test performance are correlated only because they share a common antecedent. First, hierarchical regressions reveal that initial test performance has a unique influence on non-ability factors even after controlling for…

Exploring heterogeneous market hypothesis using realized volatility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chin, Wen Cheong; Isa, Zaidi; Mohd Nor, Abu Hassan Shaari

2013-04-01

This study investigates the heterogeneous market hypothesis using high frequency data. The cascaded heterogeneous trading activities with different time durations are modelled by the heterogeneous autoregressive framework. The empirical study indicated the presence of long memory behaviour and predictability elements in the financial time series which supported heterogeneous market hypothesis. Besides the common sum-of-square intraday realized volatility, we also advocated two power variation realized volatilities in forecast evaluation and risk measurement in order to overcome the possible abrupt jumps during the credit crisis. Finally, the empirical results are used in determining the market risk using the value-at-risk approach. The findings of this study have implications for informationally market efficiency analysis, portfolio strategies and risk managements.

The promise of acceptance as an NGO security management approach.

PubMed

Fast, Larissa; Freeman, Faith; O'Neill, Michael; Rowley, Elizabeth

2015-04-01

This paper explores three questions related to acceptance as a security management approach. Acceptance draws upon relationships with community members, authorities, belligerents and other stakeholders to provide consent for the presence and activities of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), thereby reducing threats from these actors. Little is documented about how NGOs gain and maintain acceptance, how they assess and monitor the presence and degree of acceptance, or how they determine whether acceptance is effective in a particular context. Based on field research conducted in April 2011 in Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda, we address each of these three issues and argue that acceptance must be actively sought as both a programme and a security management strategy. In the paper we delineate elements common to all three contexts as well as missed opportunities, which identify areas that NGOs can and should address as part of an acceptance approach. © 2015 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2015.

Unscaled Bayes factors for multiple hypothesis testing in microarray experiments.

PubMed

Bertolino, Francesco; Cabras, Stefano; Castellanos, Maria Eugenia; Racugno, Walter

2015-12-01

Multiple hypothesis testing collects a series of techniques usually based on p-values as a summary of the available evidence from many statistical tests. In hypothesis testing, under a Bayesian perspective, the evidence for a specified hypothesis against an alternative, conditionally on data, is given by the Bayes factor. In this study, we approach multiple hypothesis testing based on both Bayes factors and p-values, regarding multiple hypothesis testing as a multiple model selection problem. To obtain the Bayes factors we assume default priors that are typically improper. In this case, the Bayes factor is usually undetermined due to the ratio of prior pseudo-constants. We show that ignoring prior pseudo-constants leads to unscaled Bayes factor which do not invalidate the inferential procedure in multiple hypothesis testing, because they are used within a comparative scheme. In fact, using partial information from the p-values, we are able to approximate the sampling null distribution of the unscaled Bayes factor and use it within Efron's multiple testing procedure. The simulation study suggests that under normal sampling model and even with small sample sizes, our approach provides false positive and false negative proportions that are less than other common multiple hypothesis testing approaches based only on p-values. The proposed procedure is illustrated in two simulation studies, and the advantages of its use are showed in the analysis of two microarray experiments. © The Author(s) 2011.

Acceptance of HIV testing among women attending antenatal care in south-western Uganda: risk factors and reasons for test refusal.

PubMed

Dahl, V; Mellhammar, L; Bajunirwe, F; Björkman, P

2008-07-01

A problem commonly encountered in programs for prevention of mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa is low rates of HIV test acceptance among pregnant women. In this study, we examined risk factors and reasons for HIV test refusal among 432 women attending three antenatal care clinics offering PMTCT in urban and semi-urban parts of the Mbarara district, Uganda. Structured interviews were performed following pre-test counselling. Three-hundred-eighty women were included in the study, 323 (85%) of whom accepted HIV testing. In multivariate analysis, testing site (Site A: OR = 1.0; Site B: OR = 3.08; 95%CI: 1.12-8.46; Site C: OR = 5.93; 95%CI: 2.94-11.98), age between 30 and 34 years (<20 years: OR = 1.0; 20-24 years: OR = 1.81; 95%CI: 0.58-5.67; 25-29 years: OR = 2.15; 95%CI: 0.66-6.97; 30-34 years: OR = 3.88; 95%CI: 1.21-13.41), mistrust in reliability of the HIV test (OR = 20.60; 95%CI: 3.24-131.0) and not having been tested for HIV previously (OR = 2.15; 95%CI: 1.02-4.54) were associated with test refusal. Testing sites operating for longer durations had higher rates of acceptance. The most common reasons claimed for test refusal were: lack of access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-infected women (88%; n=57), a need to discuss with partner before decision (82%; n=57) and fear of partner's reaction (54%; n=57). Comparison with previous periods showed that the acceptance rate increased with the duration of the program. Our study identified risk factors for HIV test refusal among pregnant women in Uganda and common reasons for not accepting testing. These findings may suggest modifications and improvements in the performance of HIV testing in this and similar populations.

Refusal of hemodialysis by hospitalized chronic kidney disease patients in Pakistan.

PubMed

Shafi, Salman Tahir; Saleem, Mohammad; Anjum, Roshina; Abdullah, Wajid; Shafi, Tahir

2018-01-01

In Pakistan, patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are commonly diagnosed at a late stage. There is little information about the refusal of hemodialysis by hospitalized CKD patients who need hemodialysis (HD) and reasons for acceptance and refusal among these patients. All patients with Stage V CKD who had medical indications to undergo HD and were hospitalized at a tertiary care facility over a six-month period were invited to participate in this study. Patients were surveyed regarding acceptance or refusing of HD and reasons for their decisions. Demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical characteristics of patients were compared between patients who accepted or refused HD. A total of 125 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 47.9 ±12.1 years. The mean duration of diagnosis of CKD was 2.5 ± 0.6 months. Of all patients, 72 (57.6%) agreed to do HD and 53 (42.4%) refused HD. Patients with arteriovenous fistula in place (27.1 vs. 9.1%, P 0.02) and those in the middle- or higher-income group (64.4% vs. 38.6%, p = 0.03) were more willing to undergo HD. Trust in doctor's advice (86.1%) was the most common reason for acceptance of HD. Frequency of HD per week (52.8%), lifelong and permanent nature of HD (50.9%), advice by family members or friends (37.7%), perception of poor quality of life on HD (35.8%), and fear of HD needles and complications during HD (33.9%) were the most common reasons for refusal. Refusal of HD is common among hospitalized CKD patients with medical indications to undergo HD, especially in lower income group.

Heterogeneity in the Effects of Reward- and Deposit-based Financial Incentives on Smoking Cessation.

PubMed

Halpern, Scott D; French, Benjamin; Small, Dylan S; Saulsgiver, Kathryn; Harhay, Michael O; Audrain-McGovern, Janet; Loewenstein, George; Asch, David A; Volpp, Kevin G

2016-10-15

Targeting different smoking cessation programs to smokers most likely to quit when using them could reduce the burden of lung disease. To identify smokers most likely to quit using pure reward-based financial incentives or incentive programs requiring refundable deposits to become eligible for rewards. We conducted prespecified secondary analyses of a randomized trial in which 2,538 smokers were assigned to an $800 reward contingent on sustained abstinence from smoking, a refundable $150 deposit plus a $650 reward, or usual care. Using logistic regression, we identified characteristics of smokers that were most strongly associated with accepting their assigned intervention and ceasing smoking for 6 months. We assessed modification of the acceptance, efficacy, and effectiveness of reward and deposit programs by 11 prospectively selected demographic, smoking-related, and psychological factors. Predictors of sustained smoking abstinence differed among participants assigned to reward- versus deposit-based incentives. However, greater readiness to quit and less steep discounting of future rewards were consistently among the most important predictors. Deposit-based programs were uniquely effective relative to usual care among men, higher-income participants, and participants who more commonly failed to pay their bills (all interaction P values < 0.10). Relative to rewards, deposits were more effective among black persons (P = 0.022) and those who more commonly failed to pay their bills (P = 0.082). Relative to rewards, deposits were more commonly accepted by higher-income participants, men, white persons, and those who less commonly failed to pay their bills (all P < 0.05). Heterogeneity among smokers in their acceptance and response to different forms of incentives suggests potential benefits of targeting behavior-change interventions based on patient characteristics. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 01526265).

Proposed acceptance, qualification, and characterization tests for thin-film PV modules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waddington, D.; Mrig, L.; Deblasio, R.; Ross, R.

1988-01-01

Details of a proposed test program for PV thin-film modules which the Department of Energy has directed the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) to prepare are presented. Results of one of the characterization tests that SERI has performed are also presented. The objective is to establish a common approach to testing modules that will be acceptable to both users and manufacturers. The tests include acceptance, qualification, and characterization tests. Acceptance tests verify that randomly selected modules have similar characteristics. Qualification tests are based on accelerated test methods designed to simulate adverse conditions. Characterization tests provide data on performance in a predefined environment.

Attitudes of belgian students of medicine, philosophy, and law toward euthanasia and the conditions for its acceptance.

PubMed

Roelands, Marc; Van den Block, Lieve; Geurts, Sylvie; Deliens, Luc; Cohen, Joachim

2015-01-01

Euthanasia is legal in Belgium if due care criteria are met, which is judged by committees including physicians, ethicists, and jurists. We examined whether students in these disciplines differ in how they judge euthanasia as an acceptable act. A cross-sectional, anonymous e-mail survey revealed that they have similar attitudes and accept its legalization. Therefore, joint decision-making of physicians, ethicists, and lawyers regarding euthanasia seems to have a common attitudinal base in Belgium. However, they differ to some extent regarding the conditions they put forward for euthanasia being acceptable. Philosophy of life (religion) was an independent predictor of these attitudes.

Gender-Blind Sexism and Rape Myth Acceptance.

PubMed

Stoll, Laurie Cooper; Lilley, Terry Glenn; Pinter, Kelly

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to explore whether gender-blind sexism, as an extension of Bonilla-Silva's racialized social system theory, is an appropriate theoretical framework for understanding the creation and continued prevalence of rape myth acceptance. Specifically, we hypothesize that individuals who hold attitudes consistent with the frames of gender-blind sexism are more likely to accept common rape myths. Data for this article come from an online survey administered to the entire undergraduate student body at a large Midwestern institution (N = 1,401). Regression analysis showed strong support for the effects of gender-blind sexism on rape myth acceptance. © The Author(s) 2016.

The influence of oceans on Martian volcanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mouginis-Mark, Peter

1993-01-01

Geomorphological evidence for episodic oceans on Mars has recently been identified. This idea of large bodies of water on Mars is innovative and controversial compared to the more generally accepted view of a 'dry Mars', but also enables some of the more enigmatic volcanic landforms to be reinterpreted in a self-consistent model. This hypothesis can be used to develop new models for the mode of formation of several volcanic landforms in the W. Tharsis and S.E. Elysium Planitia regions of Mars.

[The medical history of Edgar Allan Poe].

PubMed

Miranda C, Marcelo

2007-09-01

Edgar Allan Poe, one of the best American storytellers and poets, suffered an episodic behaviour disorder partially triggered by alcohol and opiate use. Much confusion still exists about the last days of his turbulent life and the cause of his death at an early age. Different etiologies have been proposed to explain his main medical problem, however, complex partial seizures triggered by alcohol, poorly recognized at the time when Poe lived, seems to be one of the most acceptable hypothesis, among others discussed.

Mixed cropping regimes promote the soil fungal community under zero tillage.

PubMed

Silvestro, L B; Biganzoli, F; Stenglein, S A; Forjan, H; Manso, L; Moreno, M V

2018-07-01

Fungi of yield soils represent a significant portion of the microbial biomass and reflect sensitivity to changes in the ecosystem. Our hypothesis was that crops included in cropping regimes under the zero tillage system modify the structure of the soil fungi community. Conventional and molecular techniques provide complementary information for the analysis of diversity of fungal species and successful information to accept our hypothesis. The composition of the fungal community varied according to different crops included in the cropping regimes. However, we detected other factors as sources of variation among them, season and sampling depth. The mixed cropping regimes including perennial pastures and one crop per year promote fungal diversity and species with potential benefit to soil and crop. The winter season and 0-5 cm depth gave the largest evenness and fungal diversity. Trichoderma aureoviride and Rhizopus stolonifer could be used for monitoring changes in soil under zero tillage.

The presence of the ancestral insect telomeric motif in kissing bugs (Triatominae) rules out the hypothesis of its loss in evolutionarily advanced Heteroptera (Cimicomorpha)

PubMed Central

Pita, Sebastián; Panzera, Francisco; Mora, Pablo; Vela, Jesús; Palomeque, Teresa; Lorite, Pedro

2016-01-01

Abstract Next-generation sequencing data analysis on Triatoma infestans Klug, 1834 (Heteroptera, Cimicomorpha, Reduviidae) revealed the presence of the ancestral insect (TTAGG)n telomeric motif in its genome. Fluorescence in situ hybridization confirms that chromosomes bear this telomeric sequence in their chromosomal ends. Furthermore, motif amount estimation was about 0.03% of the total genome, so that the average telomere length in each chromosomal end is almost 18 kb long. We also detected the presence of (TTAGG)n telomeric repeat in mitotic and meiotic chromosomes in other three species of Triatominae: Triatoma dimidiata Latreille, 1811, Dipetalogaster maxima Uhler, 1894, and Rhodnius prolixus Ståhl, 1859. This is the first report of the (TTAGG)n telomeric repeat in the infraorder Cimicomorpha, contradicting the currently accepted hypothesis that evolutionarily recent heteropterans lack this ancestral insect telomeric sequence. PMID:27830050

Life Before RNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sowerby, Stephen J.; Petersen, George B.

2002-08-01

The hypothesis that life originated and evolved from linear informational molecules capable of facilitating their own catalytic replication is deeply entrenched. However, widespread acceptance of this paradigm seems oblivious to a lack of direct experimental support. Here, we outline the fundamental objections to the de novo appearance of linear, self-replicating polymers and examine an alternative hypothesis of template-directed coding of peptide catalysts by adsorbed purine bases. The bases (which encode biological information in modern nucleic acids) spontaneously self-organize into two-dimensional molecular solids adsorbed to the uncharged surfaces of crystalline minerals; their molecular arrangement is specified by hydrogen bonding rules between adjacent molecules and can possess the aperiodic complexity to encode putative protobiological information. The persistence of such information through self-reproduction, together with the capacity of adsorbed bases to exhibit enantiomorphism and effect amino acid discrimination, would seem to provide the necessary machinery for a primitive genetic coding mechanism.

Earth history. U-Pb geochronology of the Deccan Traps and relation to the end-Cretaceous mass extinction.

PubMed

Schoene, Blair; Samperton, Kyle M; Eddy, Michael P; Keller, Gerta; Adatte, Thierry; Bowring, Samuel A; Khadri, Syed F R; Gertsch, Brian

2015-01-09

The Chicxulub asteroid impact (Mexico) and the eruption of the massive Deccan volcanic province (India) are two proposed causes of the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, which includes the demise of nonavian dinosaurs. Despite widespread acceptance of the impact hypothesis, the lack of a high-resolution eruption timeline for the Deccan basalts has prevented full assessment of their relationship to the mass extinction. Here we apply uranium-lead (U-Pb) zircon geochronology to Deccan rocks and show that the main phase of eruptions initiated ~250,000 years before the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary and that >1.1 million cubic kilometers of basalt erupted in ~750,000 years. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the Deccan Traps contributed to the latest Cretaceous environmental change and biologic turnover that culminated in the marine and terrestrial mass extinctions. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The Concept of Accident Proneness: A Review

PubMed Central

Froggatt, Peter; Smiley, James A.

1964-01-01

The term accident proneness was coined by psychological research workers in 1926. Since then its concept—that certain individuals are always more likely than others to sustain accidents, even though exposed to equal risk—has been questioned but seldom seriously challenged. This article describes much of the work and theory on which this concept is based, details the difficulties encountered in obtaining valid information and the interpretative errors that can arise from the examination of imperfect data, and explains why accident proneness became so readily accepted as an explanation of the facts. A recent hypothesis of accident causation, namely that a person's accident liability may vary from time to time, is outlined, and the respective abilities of this and of accident proneness to accord with data from the more reliable literature are examined. The authors conclude that the hypothesis of individual variation in liability is more realistic and in better agreement with the data than is accident proneness. PMID:14106130

Fisher, Neyman-Pearson or NHST? A tutorial for teaching data testing.

PubMed

Perezgonzalez, Jose D

2015-01-01

Despite frequent calls for the overhaul of null hypothesis significance testing (NHST), this controversial procedure remains ubiquitous in behavioral, social and biomedical teaching and research. Little change seems possible once the procedure becomes well ingrained in the minds and current practice of researchers; thus, the optimal opportunity for such change is at the time the procedure is taught, be this at undergraduate or at postgraduate levels. This paper presents a tutorial for the teaching of data testing procedures, often referred to as hypothesis testing theories. The first procedure introduced is Fisher's approach to data testing-tests of significance; the second is Neyman-Pearson's approach-tests of acceptance; the final procedure is the incongruent combination of the previous two theories into the current approach-NSHT. For those researchers sticking with the latter, two compromise solutions on how to improve NHST conclude the tutorial.

Molecular analyses of oral polio vaccine samples.

PubMed

Poinar, H; Kuch, M; Pääbo, S

2001-04-27

It has been suggested that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and thus the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) it causes, was inadvertently introduced to humans by the use of an oral polio vaccine (OPV) during a vaccination campaign launched by the Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA, in the Belgian Congo in 1958 and 1959. The "OPV/AIDS hypothesis" suggests that the OPV used in this campaign was produced in chimpanzee kidney epithelial cell cultures rather than in monkey kidney cell cultures, as stated by H. Koprowski and co-workers, who produced the OPV. If chimpanzee cells were indeed used, this would lend support to the OPV/AIDS hypothesis, since chimpanzees harbor a simian immunodeficiency virus, widely accepted to be the origin of HIV-1. We analyzed several early OPV pools and found no evidence for the presence of chimpanzee DNA; by contrast, monkey DNA is present.

Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence: The Case of Non-Local Perception, a Classical and Bayesian Review of Evidences

PubMed Central

Tressoldi, Patrizio E.

2011-01-01

Starting from the famous phrase “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence,” we will present the evidence supporting the concept that human visual perception may have non-local properties, in other words, that it may operate beyond the space and time constraints of sensory organs, in order to discuss which criteria can be used to define evidence as extraordinary. This evidence has been obtained from seven databases which are related to six different protocols used to test the reality and the functioning of non-local perception, analyzed using both a frequentist and a new Bayesian meta-analysis statistical procedure. According to a frequentist meta-analysis, the null hypothesis can be rejected for all six protocols even if the effect sizes range from 0.007 to 0.28. According to Bayesian meta-analysis, the Bayes factors provides strong evidence to support the alternative hypothesis (H1) over the null hypothesis (H0), but only for three out of the six protocols. We will discuss whether quantitative psychology can contribute to defining the criteria for the acceptance of new scientific ideas in order to avoid the inconclusive controversies between supporters and opponents. PMID:21713069

Ethnicity versus migration: two hypotheses about the psychosocial adjustment of immigrant adolescents.

PubMed

Slonim-Nevo, Vered; Sharaga, Yana; Mirsky, Julia; Petrovsky, Vadim; Borodenko, Marina

2006-01-01

STUDY BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study investigates the psychosocial adjustment of immigrant adolescents and examines two hypotheses: the ethnicity hypothesis, which suggests that ethnic background determines the psychosocial reactions of immigrant adolescents; and the migration hypothesis, which suggests that the migration experience determines such reactions. The study compared four groups of respondents: first-generation immigrants (N = 63) and second-generation immigrants (N = 64) from the former Soviet Union (FSU) in Israel; and Jewish (N = 212) and non-Jewish (N = 184) adolescents in the FSU. A self-report questionnaire administered to the respondents collected demographic, educational and psychological data using standardised scales. Immigrant adolescents reported higher psychological distress, lower self-esteem and higher alchohol consumption than non-immigrant adolescents. Second-generation immigrants generally showed a higher level of functioning than first-generation immigrants. These findings favor the migration hypothesis. Our findings support the widely accepted view of migration as a potentially distress-provoking experience. They suggest that psychological reactions of immigrant adolescents, and in fact all immigrants, are best interpreted as reactive and are related to the universal stressful qualities of the migration experience. Further multiethnic comparative studies, however, are needed to confirm and refine these findings.

The evolutionary origins of diadromy inferred from a time-calibrated phylogeny for Clupeiformes (herring and allies).

PubMed

Bloom, Devin D; Lovejoy, Nathan R

2014-03-07

One of the most remarkable types of migration found in animals is diadromy, a life-history behaviour in which individuals move between oceans and freshwater habitats for feeding and reproduction. Diadromous fishes include iconic species such as salmon, eels and shad, and have long fascinated biologists because they undergo extraordinary physiological and behavioural modifications to survive in very different habitats. However, the evolutionary origins of diadromy remain poorly understood. Here, we examine the widely accepted productivity hypothesis, which states that differences in productivity between marine and freshwater biomes determine the origins of the different modes of diadromy. Specifically, the productivity hypothesis predicts that anadromous lineages should evolve in temperate areas from freshwater ancestors and catadromous lineages should evolve in tropical areas from marine ancestors. To test this, we generated a time-calibrated phylogeny for Clupeiformes (herrings, anchovies, sardines and allies), an ecologically and economically important group that includes high diversity of diadromous species. Our results do not support the productivity hypothesis. Instead we find that the different modes of diadromy do not have predictable ancestry based on latitude, and that predation, competition and geological history may be at least as important as productivity in determining the origins of diadromy.

Short Lesson Plan Associated with Increased Acceptance of Evolutionary Theory and Potential Change in Three Alternate Conceptions of Macroevolution in Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abraham, Joel K.; Perez, Kathryn E.; Downey, Nicholas; Herron, Jon C.; Meir, Eli

2012-01-01

Undergraduates commonly harbor alternate conceptions about evolutionary biology; these alternate conceptions often persist, even after intensive instruction, and may influence acceptance of evolution. We interviewed undergraduates to explore their alternate conceptions about macroevolutionary patterns and designed a 2-h lesson plan to present…

A Call to Use Cultural Competence When Teaching Evolution to Religious College Students: Introducing Religious Cultural Competence in Evolution Education (ReCCEE)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, M. Elizabeth; Brownell, Sara E.

2017-01-01

Low acceptance of evolution among undergraduate students is common and is best predicted by religious beliefs. Decreasing students' perceived conflict between religion and evolution could increase their acceptance of evolution. However, college biology instructors may struggle with trying to decrease students' perceived conflict between religion…

Explaining and Predicting Users' Continuance Intention toward E-Learning: An Extension of the Expectation-Confirmation Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Ming-Chi

2010-01-01

Although e-learning has been prompted to various education levels, the intention to continue using such systems is still very low, and the acceptance-discontinuance anomaly phenomenon (i.e., users discontinue using e-learning after initially accepting it) is a common occurrence. This paper synthesizes the expectation-confirmation model (ECM), the…

Videoconferencing a Stroke Assessment Training Workshop: Effectiveness, Acceptability, and Cost

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Patricia A.; Huijbregts, Maria; French, Esme; Taylor, Denise; Reinikka, Kirsti; Berezny, Laura; Fry, Sherri; Grunin, Anna; Harvey, Melissa

2008-01-01

Introduction: Videoconferencing (VC) is becoming a common method for the delivery of continuing education (CE) to clinicians in remote locations. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness, acceptability, and costs of a full-day training workshop (TW) delivered through two different formats: face-to-face (FTF) and VC. The TW was…

Rape Myth Acceptance in College Students: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iconis, Rosemary

2008-01-01

Sexual violence is a common phenomenon in the United States. College women appear to be at an even higher risk than those in the general population. Though there is much we still do not know about the causes of sexual violence, the acceptance of rape myths has been associated with the perpetration of sexual assaults.

The role of beach morphodynamic state on infragravity swash on beaches: field observations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes da Silva, Paula; González, Mauricio; Medina, Raul

2017-04-01

The runup generated by waves can be defined as the maximum height above sea water level on the coastline and is an important criterion for costal structures/nourishment design and erosion/flooding risk analysis. Given the complexity of nonlinear processes involved in the runup generation, its prediction is commonly made by means of empirical formulations that relate wave and beach parameters. The most accepted parametrization presented till the moment was proposed by Stockdon et al. (2006), in which the runup exceeded by 2 percent of the waves (R2) is described in terms of setup (η - the steady superelevation of the mean water level caused by breaking waves) and incident and infragravity swash (Sinc and Sig- time-varying fluctuations around the setup caused by non-breaking waves). Such formulation has been widely accepted and its efficiency was appraised in many works. Nevertheless, although empirical parametrization of infragravity swash using incident wave's parameters shows reasonable skill, the correlation can still present considerable scatter. The amount of infragravity energy on swash is directly related to the morphodynamic beach state, in a way that beach profiles classified as reflective (low wave energy, coarse sediment and higher beach slope) tend to show lower Sig values than dissipative ones (high wave energy, fine sediment and lower beach slope). However, since Stockdon's formula for predicting infragravity swash consider only wave parameters, its use implies that beaches receiving the same wave energy but with different grain size and beach slope would present the same Sig values. This work assumed the hypothesis that the scatter verified on the predictions of the infragravity swash is mainly related to the lack of information about the beach state in Stockdon formula. Based on that, a field campaign was designed and carried out in Somo-El Puntal beach, north Spain, with the aim of generating data to be analyzed in terms of infragravity swash. An important aspect about this field site is that, given the gradient of wave energy that reaches each part of the beach, it can present many morphodynamic states simultaneously, allowing a high range of measurements in a single beach. Thus, wave, currents, sediment and runup data were measured in three different profiles, as well as the whole beach topography, bathymetry and video camera images. These data, summed to those available from Stockdon study, were used to verify the validity of the hypothesis and to propose a new approach for empirically determining infragravity swash on beaches.

Infrascrotal, Perineal, Femorofemoral Bypass for Arterial Graft Infection at the Groin.

PubMed

Illuminati, Giulio; Caliò, Francesco G; D'Urso, Antonio; Giacobbi, Daniela; Papaspyropoulos, Vassilios; Ceccanei, Gianluca

2004-12-01

HYPOTHESIS: Infrascrotal, perineal, femorofemoral bypass is an acceptable procedure for treating infection of a prosthetic arterial graft limited to a unilateral groin. DESIGN: A consecutive sample clinical study with a mean follow-up of 29 months. SETTING: The surgical department of an academic tertiary care center and an affiliated secondary care center. PATIENTS: Nineteen patients with a mean age of 68 years with prosthetic graft infection at the outflow anastomosis on a femoral artery at the Scarpa triangle underwent an infrascrotal, perineal, femorofemoral bypass, with excision of the graft material limited at the groin. The recipient artery was the profunda femoris artery in 12 cases, the superficial femoral in 5, and the distal common femoral artery in 2. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cumulative survival, recurrence of sepsis, primary graft patency, and limb salvage rates expressed by standard life-table analysis. RESULTS: Postoperative mortality rate was 5%. Cumulative (SE) survival rate was 65% (11.6%) at 3 years. Cumulative (SE) rate of freedom from recurrent sepsis was 88% (8.6%) at 3 years. Cumulative (SE) primary patency and limb salvage rates were 86% (9.4%) and 91% (7.9%), respectively, at 3 years. CONCLUSION: Femorofemoral bypass with an infrascrotal perineal approach is a valuable procedure for the treatment of femoral arterial graft infection limited at a unilateral groin.

How did bonobos come to range south of the congo river? Reconsideration of the divergence of Pan paniscus from other Pan populations.

PubMed

Takemoto, Hiroyuki; Kawamoto, Yoshi; Furuichi, Takeshi

2015-01-01

While investigating the genetic structure in wild bonobos,(1) we realized that the widely accepted scenario positing that the Pleistocene appearance of the Congo River separated the common ancestor of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (P. paniscus) into two species is not supported by recent geographical knowledge about the formation of the Congo River. We explored the origin of bonobos using a broader biogeographical perspective by examining local faunas in the central African region. The submarine Congo River sediments and paleotopography of central Africa show that the Congo River has functioned as a geographical barrier for the last 34 million years. This evidence allows us to hypothesize that when the river was first formed, the ancestor of bonobos did not inhabit the current range of the species on the left bank of the Congo River but that, during rare times when the Congo River discharge decreased during the Pleistocene, one or more founder populations of ancestral Pan paniscus crossed the river to its left bank. The proposed scenario for formation of the Congo River and the corridor hypothesis for an ancestral bonobo population is key to understanding the distribution of great apes and their evolution. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The effects of aging on the rambling and trembling components of postural sway: effects of motor and sensory challenges.

PubMed

Sarabon, Nejc; Panjan, Andrej; Latash, Mark

2013-09-01

The effects of healthy aging on postural sway and its rambling and trembling components were studied. Young and elderly subjects stood quietly for 1 min in different postures, and with eyes open and closed. We found that age-related changes in postural sway and its components were similar to those observed in young participants in challenging conditions. These changes may therefore be viewed as secondary to the increased subjective perception of the complexity of postural tasks. Contrary to our expectations, stronger effects of age were seen in characteristics of rambling, not trembling. The commonly accepted hypothesis that older persons rely on vision more was not supported by this study: we found no significant interaction effects of age and vision on any of the sway characteristics. It was concluded that the reported higher reliance on vision in older persons may be task-specific. The results are compatible with the ideas that much of the age-related changes in postural sway emerge at the level of exploring the limits of stability and using the drift-and-act strategy. Our results suggest that the dominant view on rambling and trembling as reflecting supraspinal and peripheral mechanisms, respectively, may be too simplistic. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hypothesis testing of scientific Monte Carlo calculations.

PubMed

Wallerberger, Markus; Gull, Emanuel

2017-11-01

The steadily increasing size of scientific Monte Carlo simulations and the desire for robust, correct, and reproducible results necessitates rigorous testing procedures for scientific simulations in order to detect numerical problems and programming bugs. However, the testing paradigms developed for deterministic algorithms have proven to be ill suited for stochastic algorithms. In this paper we demonstrate explicitly how the technique of statistical hypothesis testing, which is in wide use in other fields of science, can be used to devise automatic and reliable tests for Monte Carlo methods, and we show that these tests are able to detect some of the common problems encountered in stochastic scientific simulations. We argue that hypothesis testing should become part of the standard testing toolkit for scientific simulations.

Hypothesis testing of scientific Monte Carlo calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallerberger, Markus; Gull, Emanuel

2017-11-01

The steadily increasing size of scientific Monte Carlo simulations and the desire for robust, correct, and reproducible results necessitates rigorous testing procedures for scientific simulations in order to detect numerical problems and programming bugs. However, the testing paradigms developed for deterministic algorithms have proven to be ill suited for stochastic algorithms. In this paper we demonstrate explicitly how the technique of statistical hypothesis testing, which is in wide use in other fields of science, can be used to devise automatic and reliable tests for Monte Carlo methods, and we show that these tests are able to detect some of the common problems encountered in stochastic scientific simulations. We argue that hypothesis testing should become part of the standard testing toolkit for scientific simulations.

Hypothesis testing for band size detection of high-dimensional banded precision matrices.

PubMed

An, Baiguo; Guo, Jianhua; Liu, Yufeng

2014-06-01

Many statistical analysis procedures require a good estimator for a high-dimensional covariance matrix or its inverse, the precision matrix. When the precision matrix is banded, the Cholesky-based method often yields a good estimator of the precision matrix. One important aspect of this method is determination of the band size of the precision matrix. In practice, crossvalidation is commonly used; however, we show that crossvalidation not only is computationally intensive but can be very unstable. In this paper, we propose a new hypothesis testing procedure to determine the band size in high dimensions. Our proposed test statistic is shown to be asymptotically normal under the null hypothesis, and its theoretical power is studied. Numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of our testing procedure.

Mind Games: Game Engines as an Architecture for Intuitive Physics.

PubMed

Ullman, Tomer D; Spelke, Elizabeth; Battaglia, Peter; Tenenbaum, Joshua B

2017-09-01

We explore the hypothesis that many intuitive physical inferences are based on a mental physics engine that is analogous in many ways to the machine physics engines used in building interactive video games. We describe the key features of game physics engines and their parallels in human mental representation, focusing especially on the intuitive physics of young infants where the hypothesis helps to unify many classic and otherwise puzzling phenomena, and may provide the basis for a computational account of how the physical knowledge of infants develops. This hypothesis also explains several 'physics illusions', and helps to inform the development of artificial intelligence (AI) systems with more human-like common sense. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predicting nurses' use of healthcare technology using the technology acceptance model: an integrative review.

PubMed

Strudwick, Gillian

2015-05-01

The benefits of healthcare technologies can only be attained if nurses accept and intend to fully use them. One of the most common models utilized to understand user acceptance of technology is the Technology Acceptance Model. This model and modified versions of it have only recently been applied in the healthcare literature among nurse participants. An integrative literature review was conducted on this topic. Ovid/MEDLINE, PubMed, Google Scholar, and CINAHL were searched yielding a total of 982 references. Upon eliminating duplicates and applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the review included a total of four dissertations, three symposium proceedings, and 13 peer-reviewed journal articles. These documents were appraised and reviewed. The results show that a modified Technology Acceptance Model with added variables could provide a better explanation of nurses' acceptance of healthcare technology. These added variables to modified versions of the Technology Acceptance Model are discussed, and the studies' methodologies are critiqued. Limitations of the studies included in the integrative review are also examined.

The archaebacterial origin of eukaryotes.

PubMed

Cox, Cymon J; Foster, Peter G; Hirt, Robert P; Harris, Simon R; Embley, T Martin

2008-12-23

The origin of the eukaryotic genetic apparatus is thought to be central to understanding the evolution of the eukaryotic cell. Disagreement about the source of the relevant genes has spawned competing hypotheses for the origins of the eukaryote nuclear lineage. The iconic rooted 3-domains tree of life shows eukaryotes and archaebacteria as separate groups that share a common ancestor to the exclusion of eubacteria. By contrast, the eocyte hypothesis has eukaryotes originating within the archaebacteria and sharing a common ancestor with a particular group called the Crenarchaeota or eocytes. Here, we have investigated the relative support for each hypothesis from analysis of 53 genes spanning the 3 domains, including essential components of the eukaryotic nucleic acid replication, transcription, and translation apparatus. As an important component of our analysis, we investigated the fit between model and data with respect to composition. Compositional heterogeneity is a pervasive problem for reconstruction of ancient relationships, which, if ignored, can produce an incorrect tree with strong support. To mitigate its effects, we used phylogenetic models that allow for changing nucleotide or amino acid compositions over the tree and data. Our analyses favor a topology that supports the eocyte hypothesis rather than archaebacterial monophyly and the 3-domains tree of life.

Evolutionary Steps in the Emergence of Life Deduced from the Bottom-Up Approach and GADV Hypothesis (Top-Down Approach)

PubMed Central

Ikehara, Kenji

2016-01-01

It is no doubt quite difficult to solve the riddle of the origin of life. So, firstly, I would like to point out the kinds of obstacles there are in solving this riddle and how we should tackle these difficult problems, reviewing the studies that have been conducted so far. After that, I will propose that the consecutive evolutionary steps in a timeline can be rationally deduced by using a common event as a juncture, which is obtained by two counter-directional approaches: one is the bottom-up approach through which many researchers have studied the origin of life, and the other is the top-down approach, through which I established the [GADV]-protein world hypothesis or GADV hypothesis on the origin of life starting from a study on the formation of entirely new genes in extant microorganisms. Last, I will describe the probable evolutionary process from the formation of Earth to the emergence of life, which was deduced by using a common event—the establishment of the first genetic code encoding [GADV]-amino acids—as a juncture for the results obtained from the two approaches. PMID:26821048

Evolutionary Steps in the Emergence of Life Deduced from the Bottom-Up Approach and GADV Hypothesis (Top-Down Approach).

PubMed

Ikehara, Kenji

2016-01-26

It is no doubt quite difficult to solve the riddle of the origin of life. So, firstly, I would like to point out the kinds of obstacles there are in solving this riddle and how we should tackle these difficult problems, reviewing the studies that have been conducted so far. After that, I will propose that the consecutive evolutionary steps in a timeline can be rationally deduced by using a common event as a juncture, which is obtained by two counter-directional approaches: one is the bottom-up approach through which many researchers have studied the origin of life, and the other is the top-down approach, through which I established the [GADV]-protein world hypothesis or GADV hypothesis on the origin of life starting from a study on the formation of entirely new genes in extant microorganisms. Last, I will describe the probable evolutionary process from the formation of Earth to the emergence of life, which was deduced by using a common event-the establishment of the first genetic code encoding [GADV]-amino acids-as a juncture for the results obtained from the two approaches.

Klinefelter syndrome as a window on the aetiology of language and communication impairments in children: the neuroligin–neurexin hypothesis

PubMed Central

Bishop, Dorothy VM; Scerif, Gaia

2011-01-01

Aim To compare the phenotype in Klinefelter syndrome (KS) with (i) specific language impairment (SLI) and (ii) XXX and XYY trisomies. Methods Phenotypes of KS, XXX and XYY were based on data from a systematic review of neurodevelopmental outcomes plus a recent parent survey. Phenotype of SLI was based on a published survey of children attending a special school. Results There are close similarities between the KS phenotype and SLI. Furthermore, a minority of children with KS have features of autistic spectrum disorder. Similar language and communication problems are seen in the other two sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs), XXX and XYY. Conclusion We propose the neurexin–neuroligin hypothesis, based on the observation that neuroligin genes, which occur on both X and Y chromosomes, are involved in the same synaptic networks as neurexin genes with common variants that affect risk for SLI and autism. According to our hypothesis, the effect of a triple dose of neuroligin gene product will be particularly detrimental when it occurs in conjunction with specific variants of neurexin genes on other chromosomes. This speculative proposal demonstrates the potential of illuminating the aetiology of common neurodevelopmental disorders by studying children with SCTs. PMID:21418292

Experimental design, power and sample size for animal reproduction experiments.

PubMed

Chapman, Phillip L; Seidel, George E

2008-01-01

The present paper concerns statistical issues in the design of animal reproduction experiments, with emphasis on the problems of sample size determination and power calculations. We include examples and non-technical discussions aimed at helping researchers avoid serious errors that may invalidate or seriously impair the validity of conclusions from experiments. Screen shots from interactive power calculation programs and basic SAS power calculation programs are presented to aid in understanding statistical power and computing power in some common experimental situations. Practical issues that are common to most statistical design problems are briefly discussed. These include one-sided hypothesis tests, power level criteria, equality of within-group variances, transformations of response variables to achieve variance equality, optimal specification of treatment group sizes, 'post hoc' power analysis and arguments for the increased use of confidence intervals in place of hypothesis tests.

Three common misuses of P values

PubMed Central

Kim, Jeehyoung; Bang, Heejung

2016-01-01

“Significance” has a specific meaning in science, especially in statistics. The p-value as a measure of statistical significance (evidence against a null hypothesis) has long been used in statistical inference and has served as a key player in science and research. Despite its clear mathematical definition and original purpose, and being just one of the many statistical measures/criteria, its role has been over-emphasized along with hypothesis testing. Observing and reflecting on this practice, some journals have attempted to ban reporting of p-values, and the American Statistical Association (for the first time in its 177 year old history) released a statement on p-values in 2016. In this article, we intend to review the correct definition of the p-value as well as its common misuses, in the hope that our article is useful to clinicians and researchers. PMID:27695640

The origin of ovarian carcinomas: a unifying hypothesis.

PubMed

Auersperg, Nelly

2011-01-01

It is currently a controversial issue whether epithelial ovarian cancers arise in the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) or the fimbrial epithelium of the oviduct. The hypothesis presented here aims to reconcile these 2 views and provides a possible explanation for 2 questions arising: first, why tumors originating in the fimbriae and OSE, which are parts of different organs, express common features; second, why these epithelia are prone to neoplastic transformation whereas the remaining oviduct and the extraovarian mesothelium are not. We hypothesize that these questions relate to the common origin of the OSE and fimbriae in that region of the embryonic coelomic epithelium, which will eventually link the extraovarian mesothelium to the epithelium of the oviductal ampulla. OSE and fimbriae become separated during embryonic development but, like other transitional, interepithelial junctions in adults, this region might remain incompletely committed and thus prone to neoplastic progression. To define differentiation at the OSE-tubal junction, salpingo-oophorectomy specimens were stained immunohistochemically for mesenchymal differentiation markers of OSE and for epithelial markers and Pax8, characterizing oviductal fimbriae and ampullae. OSE and ampullae were distinctly different, but there was no sharp boundary between OSE and fimbriae. Rather, both mesenchymal and epithelial markers overlapped, and Pax8 and fimbrial epithelial markers diminished distally, near the OSE. The results support the hypothesis that the OSE and fimbriae are parts of a transitional epithelium of common origin rather than 2 independent sources of ovarian cancer, and suggest that their immature, incompletely determined phenotype contributes to their propensity to neoplastic transformation.

Acceptance-based behavior therapy to promote HIV medication adherence.

PubMed

Moitra, Ethan; Herbert, James D; Forman, Evan M

2011-12-01

A significant number of adults with HIV in the USA do not maintain adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) at adequate levels. Although traditional cognitive behavioral interventions have shown promise in promoting HAART adherence, acceptance-based behavior therapy (ABBT) may be particularly useful in this population. ABBT has the potential to overcome common avoidance-based barriers associated with poor adherence, including denial of various illness-related factors and avoidance of stigmatization. We describe the rationale for promoting psychological and behavioral acceptance in HIV-positive populations; outline an ABBT to promote HAART adherence targeting primary care patients from urban, minority, low socioeconomic backgrounds; and report preliminary qualitative observations of treatment feasibility and acceptability.

Consumer acceptance of cultured meat: A systematic review.

PubMed

Bryant, Christopher; Barnett, Julie

2018-09-01

Cultured meat grown in-vitro from animal cells is being developed as a way of addressing many of the ethical and environmental concerns associated with conventional meat production. As commercialisation of this technology appears increasingly feasible, there is growing interest in the research on consumer acceptance of cultured meat. We present a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature, and synthesize and analyse the findings of 14 empirical studies. We highlight demographic variations in consumer acceptance, factors influencing acceptance, common consumer objections, perceived benefits, and areas of uncertainty. We conclude by evaluating the most important objections and benefits to consumers, as well as highlighting areas for future research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Defensive Physiological Reactions to Rejection

PubMed Central

Gyurak, Anett; Ayduk, Özlem

2014-01-01

We examined the hypothesis that rejection automatically elicits defensive physiological reactions in people with low self-esteem (SE) but that attentional control moderates this effect. Undergraduates (N = 67) completed questionnaire measures of SE and attentional control. Their eye-blink responses to startle probes were measured while they viewed paintings related to rejection and acceptance themes. The stimuli also included positive-, negative-, and neutral-valence control paintings unrelated to rejection. As predicted, compared with people high in SE, those low in SE showed stronger startle eye-blink responses to paintings related to rejection, but not to negative paintings. Paintings related to acceptance did not attenuate their physiological reactivity. Furthermore, attentional control moderated their sensitivity to rejection, such that low SE was related to greater eye-blink responses to rejection only among individuals who were low in attentional control. Implications of the role of attentional control as a top-down process regulating emotional reactivity in people with low SE are discussed. PMID:17894606

Morphological phylogeny of Tradescantia L. (Commelinaceae) sheds light on a new infrageneric classification for the genus and novelties on the systematics of subtribe Tradescantiinae

PubMed Central

Pellegrini, Marco O. O.

2017-01-01

Abstract Throughout the years, three infrageneric classifications were proposed for Tradescantia along with several informal groups and species complexes. The current infrageneric classification accepts 12 sections – with T. sect. Tradescantia being further divided into four series – and assimilates many concepts adopted by previous authors. Recent molecular-based phylogenetic studies indicate that the currently accepted sections might not represent monophyletic groups within Tradescantia. Based on newly gathered morphological data on the group, complemented with available micromorphological, cytological and phytochemical data, I present the first morphology-based evolutionary hypothesis for Tradescantia. Furthermore, I reduce subtribe Thyrsantheminae to a synonym of subtribe Tradescantiinae, and propose a new infrageneric classification for Tradescantia, based on the total evidence of the present morphological phylogeny, in accordance to the previously published molecular data. PMID:29118649

A mechanism to derive more truthful willingness to accept values for renewable energy systems.

PubMed

Radmehr, Mehrshad; Willis, Ken; Metcalf, Hugh

2018-01-01

This paper examines and compares households' willingness to accept (WTA)/willingness to pay (WTP) ratio for solar power equipment on their premises through both a novel experimental approach and conventional techniques. The experimental approach was administered by using a Becker-DeGroot-Marschak method and cheap talk, with open-ended questions of WTA/WTP. The results were quite striking. The ratio for the incentivised approach was 1.08:1; whereas for the conventional approach it was 3.5:1. The findings suggest that the hypothesis that WTP equals WTA cannot be rejected for the incentivised mechanism, and it appears to control for the individual's strategic behaviour bias as a treatment against over-estimating WTA and under-estimating WTP. The findings also provide some policy implications for Northern Cyprus: the government can set lower financial incentives to increase the solar power installed capacity on the island.

In silico experiment system for testing hypothesis on gene functions using three condition specific biological networks.

PubMed

Lee, Chai-Jin; Kang, Dongwon; Lee, Sangseon; Lee, Sunwon; Kang, Jaewoo; Kim, Sun

2018-05-25

Determining functions of a gene requires time consuming, expensive biological experiments. Scientists can speed up this experimental process if the literature information and biological networks can be adequately provided. In this paper, we present a web-based information system that can perform in silico experiments of computationally testing hypothesis on the function of a gene. A hypothesis that is specified in English by the user is converted to genes using a literature and knowledge mining system called BEST. Condition-specific TF, miRNA and PPI (protein-protein interaction) networks are automatically generated by projecting gene and miRNA expression data to template networks. Then, an in silico experiment is to test how well the target genes are connected from the knockout gene through the condition-specific networks. The test result visualizes path from the knockout gene to the target genes in the three networks. Statistical and information-theoretic scores are provided on the resulting web page to help scientists either accept or reject the hypothesis being tested. Our web-based system was extensively tested using three data sets, such as E2f1, Lrrk2, and Dicer1 knockout data sets. We were able to re-produce gene functions reported in the original research papers. In addition, we comprehensively tested with all disease names in MalaCards as hypothesis to show the effectiveness of our system. Our in silico experiment system can be very useful in suggesting biological mechanisms which can be further tested in vivo or in vitro. http://biohealth.snu.ac.kr/software/insilico/. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HPV Vaccine Acceptance in a Clinic-Based Sample of Women in the Rural South

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandt, Heather M.; Sharpe, Patricia A.; McCree, Donna H.; Wright, Marcie S.; Davis, Jennifer; Hutto, Brent E.

2009-01-01

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common sexually transmitted infection linked to cervical disease. Vaccines for some types of HPV were in development at the time of the study. Purpose: The study examined HPV vaccine acceptability among underserved women in a rural region of the southeastern U.S. with high rates of cervical cancer…

Residents warming up to fuels management: homeowners? acceptance of wildfire and fuels management in the wildland-urban interface

Treesearch

Greg Winter; Christine Vogt; Sarah McCaffrey

2006-01-01

Many wildland fire managers, concerned about public acceptance of local fuels management programs, want to better communicate with local residents about these programs. Research at diverse study sites shows wildland-urban interface (WUI) residents rely on common factors to decide whether or not to support particular fuels management approaches such as prescribed...

Acceptance of pain, self-compassion and psychopathology: using the chronic pain acceptance questionnaire to identify patients' subgroups.

PubMed

Costa, Joana; Pinto-Gouveia, José

2011-01-01

The present study explores whether specific subgroups of patients could be identified based on Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire scores. A battery of self-report questionnaire was used to assess acceptance of pain, self-compassion and psychopathology in 103 participants with chronic pain, from Portuguese health care units. K-Means cluster were performed and the results supported three subgroups of patients (low acceptance subgroup; high acceptance subgroup; intermediate subgroup with activity engagement near to the mean and low willingness to pain). One-way ANOVA's showed that the three subgroups identified differed significantly from each other on psychopathology and self-compassion. Results indicated that the intermediate subgroup presented less depression and stress, compared with the low acceptance subgroup. In what concerns self-compassion, the low acceptance subgroup reported higher self-judgment, isolation and over identification, compared with the intermediate subgroup. These subgroups also differed from each other in common humanity and mindfulness. Implications and clinical utility of the results were discussed, suggesting the increase of willingness to pain as an important key in chronic pain interventions.  Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Statistics, Handle with Care: Detecting Multiple Model Components with the Likelihood Ratio Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Protassov, Rostislav; van Dyk, David A.; Connors, Alanna; Kashyap, Vinay L.; Siemiginowska, Aneta

2002-05-01

The likelihood ratio test (LRT) and the related F-test, popularized in astrophysics by Eadie and coworkers in 1971, Bevington in 1969, Lampton, Margon, & Bowyer, in 1976, Cash in 1979, and Avni in 1978, do not (even asymptotically) adhere to their nominal χ2 and F-distributions in many statistical tests common in astrophysics, thereby casting many marginal line or source detections and nondetections into doubt. Although the above authors illustrate the many legitimate uses of these statistics, in some important cases it can be impossible to compute the correct false positive rate. For example, it has become common practice to use the LRT or the F-test to detect a line in a spectral model or a source above background despite the lack of certain required regularity conditions. (These applications were not originally suggested by Cash or by Bevington.) In these and other settings that involve testing a hypothesis that is on the boundary of the parameter space, contrary to common practice, the nominal χ2 distribution for the LRT or the F-distribution for the F-test should not be used. In this paper, we characterize an important class of problems in which the LRT and the F-test fail and illustrate this nonstandard behavior. We briefly sketch several possible acceptable alternatives, focusing on Bayesian posterior predictive probability values. We present this method in some detail since it is a simple, robust, and intuitive approach. This alternative method is illustrated using the gamma-ray burst of 1997 May 8 (GRB 970508) to investigate the presence of an Fe K emission line during the initial phase of the observation. There are many legitimate uses of the LRT and the F-test in astrophysics, and even when these tests are inappropriate, there remain several statistical alternatives (e.g., judicious use of error bars and Bayes factors). Nevertheless, there are numerous cases of the inappropriate use of the LRT and similar tests in the literature, bringing substantive scientific results into question.

Earthquake likelihood model testing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schorlemmer, D.; Gerstenberger, M.C.; Wiemer, S.; Jackson, D.D.; Rhoades, D.A.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTIONThe Regional Earthquake Likelihood Models (RELM) project aims to produce and evaluate alternate models of earthquake potential (probability per unit volume, magnitude, and time) for California. Based on differing assumptions, these models are produced to test the validity of their assumptions and to explore which models should be incorporated in seismic hazard and risk evaluation. Tests based on physical and geological criteria are useful but we focus on statistical methods using future earthquake catalog data only. We envision two evaluations: a test of consistency with observed data and a comparison of all pairs of models for relative consistency. Both tests are based on the likelihood method, and both are fully prospective (i.e., the models are not adjusted to fit the test data). To be tested, each model must assign a probability to any possible event within a specified region of space, time, and magnitude. For our tests the models must use a common format: earthquake rates in specified “bins” with location, magnitude, time, and focal mechanism limits.Seismology cannot yet deterministically predict individual earthquakes; however, it should seek the best possible models for forecasting earthquake occurrence. This paper describes the statistical rules of an experiment to examine and test earthquake forecasts. The primary purposes of the tests described below are to evaluate physical models for earthquakes, assure that source models used in seismic hazard and risk studies are consistent with earthquake data, and provide quantitative measures by which models can be assigned weights in a consensus model or be judged as suitable for particular regions.In this paper we develop a statistical method for testing earthquake likelihood models. A companion paper (Schorlemmer and Gerstenberger 2007, this issue) discusses the actual implementation of these tests in the framework of the RELM initiative.Statistical testing of hypotheses is a common task and a wide range of possible testing procedures exist. Jolliffe and Stephenson (2003) present different forecast verifications from atmospheric science, among them likelihood testing of probability forecasts and testing the occurrence of binary events. Testing binary events requires that for each forecasted event, the spatial, temporal and magnitude limits be given. Although major earthquakes can be considered binary events, the models within the RELM project express their forecasts on a spatial grid and in 0.1 magnitude units; thus the results are a distribution of rates over space and magnitude. These forecasts can be tested with likelihood tests.In general, likelihood tests assume a valid null hypothesis against which a given hypothesis is tested. The outcome is either a rejection of the null hypothesis in favor of the test hypothesis or a nonrejection, meaning the test hypothesis cannot outperform the null hypothesis at a given significance level. Within RELM, there is no accepted null hypothesis and thus the likelihood test needs to be expanded to allow comparable testing of equipollent hypotheses.To test models against one another, we require that forecasts are expressed in a standard format: the average rate of earthquake occurrence within pre-specified limits of hypocentral latitude, longitude, depth, magnitude, time period, and focal mechanisms. Focal mechanisms should either be described as the inclination of P-axis, declination of P-axis, and inclination of the T-axis, or as strike, dip, and rake angles. Schorlemmer and Gerstenberger (2007, this issue) designed classes of these parameters such that similar models will be tested against each other. These classes make the forecasts comparable between models. Additionally, we are limited to testing only what is precisely defined and consistently reported in earthquake catalogs. Therefore it is currently not possible to test such information as fault rupture length or area, asperity location, etc. Also, to account for data quality issues, we allow for location and magnitude uncertainties as well as the probability that an event is dependent on another event.As we mentioned above, only models with comparable forecasts can be tested against each other. Our current tests are designed to examine grid-based models. This requires that any fault-based model be adapted to a grid before testing is possible. While this is a limitation of the testing, it is an inherent difficulty in any such comparative testing. Please refer to appendix B for a statistical evaluation of the application of the Poisson hypothesis to fault-based models.The testing suite we present consists of three different tests: L-Test, N-Test, and R-Test. These tests are defined similarily to Kagan and Jackson (1995). The first two tests examine the consistency of the hypotheses with the observations while the last test compares the spatial performances of the models.

Tongue contractions during speech may have led to the development of the bony geometry of the chin following the evolution of human language: a mechanobiological hypothesis for the development of the human chin.

PubMed

Ichim, Ionut; Kieser, Jules; Swain, Michael

2007-01-01

One of the most fundamental yet unanswered questions of human evolution is that of the development of the chin. Whereas it is known that the chin, or mentum osseum, is an unique anatomical feature of modern humans that emerged during the Middle and Late Pleistocene, its origin and biomechanical significance are the subjects of intense controversy. Theories range from the suggestion that the chin evolved as a result of progressive reduction of the dental arch, which left it as a protrusion, to the hypothesis that it provided resistance to mandibular bending during mastication. Until now however, no accepted functional explanation of the human chin has emerged. Here, we develop the hypothesis that the actions of the tongue and non-masticatory orofacial muscles may have played a significant role on the development of the human chin. We report numerical simulations of the forces and resultant stresses developed in hypothetical chinned and non-chinned mandibles. Using empirical data and estimates of the forces generated by the human tongue during speech, our hypothesis suggests that the chin might in fact have developed as a result of the actions of the tongue and perioral muscles, rather than as a buttress to withstand masticatory induced stress. This provides a new perspective on the generation of the chin and importantly, suggests that its appearance may be causally related to the development of the human language.

Journal news

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conroy, M.J.; Samuel, M.D.; White, Joanne C.

1995-01-01

Statistical power (and conversely, Type II error) is often ignored by biologists. Power is important to consider in the design of studies, to ensure that sufficient resources are allocated to address a hypothesis under examination. Deter- mining appropriate sample size when designing experiments or calculating power for a statistical test requires an investigator to consider the importance of making incorrect conclusions about the experimental hypothesis and the biological importance of the alternative hypothesis (or the biological effect size researchers are attempting to measure). Poorly designed studies frequently provide results that are at best equivocal, and do little to advance science or assist in decision making. Completed studies that fail to reject Ho should consider power and the related probability of a Type II error in the interpretation of results, particularly when implicit or explicit acceptance of Ho is used to support a biological hypothesis or management decision. Investigators must consider the biological question they wish to answer (Tacha et al. 1982) and assess power on the basis of biologically significant differences (Taylor and Gerrodette 1993). Power calculations are somewhat subjective, because the author must specify either f or the minimum difference that is biologically important. Biologists may have different ideas about what values are appropriate. While determining biological significance is of central importance in power analysis, it is also an issue of importance in wildlife science. Procedures, references, and computer software to compute power are accessible; therefore, authors should consider power. We welcome comments or suggestions on this subject.

FINDING A COMMON DATA REPRESENTATION AND INTERCHANGE APPROACH FOR MULTIMEDIA MODELS

EPA Science Inventory

Within many disciplines, multiple approaches are used to represent and access very similar data (e.g., a time series of values), often due to the lack of commonly accepted standards. When projects must use data from multiple disciplines, the problems quickly compound. Often sig...

Current use and acceptability of novel diagnostic tests for active tuberculosis: a worldwide survey

PubMed Central

Amicosante, Massimo; D’Ambrosio, Lia; Munoz, Marcela; Mello, Fernanda Carvalho de Queiroz; Tebruegge, Marc; Chegou, Novel Njweipi; Seghrouchni, Fouad; Centis, Rosella; Goletti, Delia; Bothamley, Graham; Migliori, Giovanni Battista

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the current use and potential acceptance (by tuberculosis experts worldwide) of novel rapid tests for the diagnosis of tuberculosis that are in line with World Health Organization target product profiles. Methods: A multilingual survey was disseminated online between July and November of 2016. Results: A total of 723 individuals from 114 countries responded to the survey. Smear microscopy was the most commonly used rapid tuberculosis test (available to 90.9% of the respondents), followed by molecular assays (available to 70.7%). Only a small proportion of the respondents in middle- and low-income countries had access to interferon-gamma-release assays. Serological and lateral flow immunoassays were used by more than a quarter (25.4%) of the respondents. Among the respondents who had access to molecular tests, 46.7% were using the Xpert assay overall, that proportion being higher in lower middle-income countries (55.6%) and low-income countries (76.6%). The data also suggest that there was some alignment of pricing for molecular assays. Respondents stated they would accept novel rapid tuberculosis tests if available, including molecular assays (acceptable to 86.0%) or biomarker-based serological assays (acceptable to 81.7%). Simple biomarker-based assays were more commonly deemed acceptable in middle- and low-income countries. Conclusions: Second-generation molecular assays have become more widely available in high- and low-resource settings. However, the development of novel rapid tuberculosis tests continues to be considered important by tuberculosis experts. Our data also underscore the need for additional training and education of end users. PMID:29160384

Sensory Evaluation of Foods with Added Micronutrient Powder (MNP) “Taburia” to Assess Acceptability among Children Aged 6–24 Months and Their Caregivers in Indonesia

PubMed Central

Sutrisna, Aang; Izwardy, Doddy

2017-01-01

Although it is generally accepted that the addition of micronutrient powders (MNPs) to foods causes no or negligible changes to organoleptic properties, there are anecdotal reports of low acceptability of the MNP (locally known as “Taburia”) distributed in Indonesia. We hypothesized that the organoleptic properties of Taburia do not reduce the acceptability of foods if used as recommended. Acceptability of Taburia and a comparison MNP (MixMe™) were evaluated among 232 children aged 6–24 months and their caregivers. Both caregivers’ perceptions of child acceptance, and their own assessments of organoleptic qualities when added to rice porridge or meals commonly consumed by young children, were assessed. Changes to the organoleptic properties of foods mixed with Taburia and comparison MNP were reported by caregivers, even when following preparation instructions. Taburia was found to enhance texture, sweetness, saltiness, and umami taste, but was also perceived as slightly bitter. Ratings for overall appearance and taste did not differ between rice porridge, plain or with Taburia, but the overall taste of Taburia was preferred over comparison MNP (p = 0.012). Meals consumed by children were preferred without the addition of MNP (p < 0.001). We demonstrate that the addition of Taburia to foods, commonly consumed by Indonesian infants and young children, affects organoleptic properties of the foods, even when prepared according to recommendations. However, these changes are unlikely to be the cause of reported adherence problems in Indonesia. This needs to be taken into consideration for product development and communication strategies promoting adherence.

Current use and acceptability of novel diagnostic tests for active tuberculosis: a worldwide survey.

PubMed

Amicosante, Massimo; D'Ambrosio, Lia; Munoz, Marcela; Mello, Fernanda Carvalho de Queiroz; Tebruegge, Marc; Chegou, Novel Njweipi; Seghrouchni, Fouad; Centis, Rosella; Goletti, Delia; Bothamley, Graham; Migliori, Giovanni Battista

2017-01-01

To determine the current use and potential acceptance (by tuberculosis experts worldwide) of novel rapid tests for the diagnosis of tuberculosis that are in line with World Health Organization target product profiles. A multilingual survey was disseminated online between July and November of 2016. A total of 723 individuals from 114 countries responded to the survey. Smear microscopy was the most commonly used rapid tuberculosis test (available to 90.9% of the respondents), followed by molecular assays (available to 70.7%). Only a small proportion of the respondents in middle- and low-income countries had access to interferon-gamma-release assays. Serological and lateral flow immunoassays were used by more than a quarter (25.4%) of the respondents. Among the respondents who had access to molecular tests, 46.7% were using the Xpert assay overall, that proportion being higher in lower middle-income countries (55.6%) and low-income countries (76.6%). The data also suggest that there was some alignment of pricing for molecular assays. Respondents stated they would accept novel rapid tuberculosis tests if available, including molecular assays (acceptable to 86.0%) or biomarker-based serological assays (acceptable to 81.7%). Simple biomarker-based assays were more commonly deemed acceptable in middle- and low-income countries. Second-generation molecular assays have become more widely available in high- and low-resource settings. However, the development of novel rapid tuberculosis tests continues to be considered important by tuberculosis experts. Our data also underscore the need for additional training and education of end users.

Investigations into Monochloramine Biofilm Penetration

EPA Science Inventory

Biofilm in drinking water systems is undesirable. Free chlorine and monochloramine are commonly used as secondary drinking water disinfectants, but monochloramine is perceived to penetrate biofilm better than free chlorine. However, this hypothesis remains unconfirmed by direct b...

Occupant perception of indoor air and comfort in four hospitality environments.

PubMed

Moschandreas, D J; Chu, P

2002-01-01

This article reports on a survey of customer and staff perceptions of indoor air quality at two restaurants, a billiard hall, and a casino. The survey was conducted at each environment for 8 days: 2 weekend days on 2 consecutive weekends and 4 weekdays. Before and during the survey, each hospitality environment satisfied ventilation requirements set in ASHRAE Standard 62-1999, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air. An objective of this study was to test the hypothesis: If a hospitality environment satisfies ASHRAE ventilation requirements, then the indoor air is acceptable, that is, fewer than 20% of the exposed occupants perceive the environment as unacceptable. A second objective was to develop a multiple regression model that predicts the dependent variable, the environment is acceptable, as a function of a number of independent perception variables. Occupant perception of environmental, comfort, and physical variables was measured using a questionnaire. This instrument was designed to be efficient and unobtrusive; subjects could complete it within 3 min. Significant differences of occupant environment perception were identified among customers and staff. The dependent variable, the environment is acceptable, is affected by temperature, occupant density, and occupant smoking status, odor perception, health conditions, sensitivity to chemicals, and enjoyment of activities. Depending on the hospitality environment, variation of independent variables explains as much as 77% of the variation of the dependent variable.

Accepting Lower Salaries for Meaningful Work

PubMed Central

Hu, Jing; Hirsh, Jacob B.

2017-01-01

A growing literature indicates that people are increasingly motivated to experience a sense of meaning in their work lives. Little is known, however, about how perceptions of work meaningfulness influence job choice decisions. Although much of the research on job choice has focused on the importance of financial compensation, the subjective meanings attached to a job should also play a role. The current set of studies explored the hypothesis that people are willing to accept lower salaries for more meaningful work. In Study 1, participants reported lower minimum acceptable salaries when comparing jobs that they considered to be personally meaningful with those that they considered to be meaningless. In Study 2, an experimental enhancement of a job’s apparent meaningfulness lowered the minimum acceptable salary that participants required for the position. In two large-scale cross-national samples of full-time employees in 2005 and 2015, Study 3 found that participants who experienced more meaningful work lives were more likely to turn down higher-paying job offers elsewhere. The strength of this effect also increased significantly over this time period. Study 4 replicated these findings in an online sample, such that participants who reported having more meaningful work were less willing to leave their current jobs and organizations for higher paying opportunities. These patterns of results remained significant when controlling for demographic factors and differences in job characteristics. PMID:29085310

The effect of audiovisual and binaural listening on the acceptable noise level (ANL): establishing an ANL conceptual model.

PubMed

Wu, Yu-Hsiang; Stangl, Elizabeth; Pang, Carol; Zhang, Xuyang

2014-02-01

Little is known regarding the acoustic features of a stimulus used by listeners to determine the acceptable noise level (ANL). Features suggested by previous research include speech intelligibility (noise is unacceptable when it degrades speech intelligibility to a certain degree; the intelligibility hypothesis) and loudness (noise is unacceptable when the speech-to-noise loudness ratio is poorer than a certain level; the loudness hypothesis). The purpose of the study was to investigate if speech intelligibility or loudness is the criterion feature that determines ANL. To achieve this, test conditions were chosen so that the intelligibility and loudness hypotheses would predict different results. In Experiment 1, the effect of audiovisual (AV) and binaural listening on ANL was investigated; in Experiment 2, the effect of interaural correlation (ρ) on ANL was examined. A single-blinded, repeated-measures design was used. Thirty-two and twenty-five younger adults with normal hearing participated in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. In Experiment 1, both ANL and speech recognition performance were measured using the AV version of the Connected Speech Test (CST) in three conditions: AV-binaural, auditory only (AO)-binaural, and AO-monaural. Lipreading skill was assessed using the Utley lipreading test. In Experiment 2, ANL and speech recognition performance were measured using the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) in three binaural conditions, wherein the interaural correlation of noise was varied: ρ = 1 (N(o)S(o) [a listening condition wherein both speech and noise signals are identical across two ears]), -1 (NπS(o) [a listening condition wherein speech signals are identical across two ears whereas the noise signals of two ears are 180 degrees out of phase]), and 0 (N(u)S(o) [a listening condition wherein speech signals are identical across two ears whereas noise signals are uncorrelated across ears]). The results were compared to the predictions made based on the intelligibility and loudness hypotheses. The results of the AV and AO conditions appeared to support the intelligibility hypothesis due to the significant correlation between visual benefit in ANL (AV re: AO ANL) and (1) visual benefit in CST performance (AV re: AO CST) and (2) lipreading skill. The results of the N(o)S(o), NπS(o), and N(u)S(o) conditions negated the intelligibility hypothesis because binaural processing benefit (NπS(o) re: N(o)S(o), and N(u)S(o) re: N(o)S(o)) in ANL was not correlated to that in HINT performance. Instead, the results somewhat supported the loudness hypothesis because the pattern of ANL results across the three conditions (N(o)S(o) ≈ NπS(o) ≈ N(u)S(o) ANL) was more consistent with what was predicted by the loudness hypothesis (N(o)S(o) ≈ NπS(o) < N(u)S(o) ANL) than by the intelligibility hypothesis (NπS(o) < N(u)S(o) < N(o)S(o) ANL). The results of the binaural and monaural conditions supported neither hypothesis because (1) binaural benefit (binaural re: monaural) in ANL was not correlated to that in speech recognition performance, and (2) the pattern of ANL results across conditions (binaural < monaural ANL) was not consistent with the prediction made based on previous binaural loudness summation research (binaural ≥ monaural ANL). The study suggests that listeners may use multiple acoustic features to make ANL judgments. The binaural/monaural results showing that neither hypothesis was supported further indicate that factors other than speech intelligibility and loudness, such as psychological factors, may affect ANL. The weightings of different acoustic features in ANL judgments may vary widely across individuals and listening conditions. American Academy of Audiology.

Mitochondrial dysfunction precedes neurodegeneration in mahogunin (Mgrn1) mutant mice

PubMed Central

Sun, Kaihua; Johnson, Brian S.; Gunn, Teresa M.

2007-01-01

Oxidative stress, ubiquitination defects and mitochondrial dysfunction are commonly associated with neurodegeneration. Mice lacking mahogunin ring finger-1 (MGRN1) or attractin (ATRN) develop age-dependent spongiform neurodegeneration through an unknown mechanism. It has been suggested that they act in a common pathway. As MGRN1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase, proteomic analysis of Mgrn1 mutant and control brains was performed to explore the hypothesis that loss of MGRN1 causes neurodegeneration via accumulation of its substrates. Many mitochondrial proteins were reduced in Mgrn1 mutants. Subsequent assays confirmed significantly reduced mitochondrial complex IV expression and activity as well as increased oxidative stress in mutant brains. Mitochondrial dysfunction was obvious many months before onset of vacuolation, implicating this as a causative factor. Compatible with the hypothesis that ATRN and MGRN1 act in the same pathway, mitochondrial dysfunction and increased oxidative stress were also observed in the brains of Atrn mutants. Our results suggest that the study of Mgrn1 and Atrn mutant mice will provide insight into a causative molecular mechanism common to many neurodegenerative disorders. PMID:17720281

Action and perception in literacy: A common-code for spelling and reading.

PubMed

Houghton, George

2018-01-01

There is strong evidence that reading and spelling in alphabetical scripts depend on a shared representation (common-coding). However, computational models usually treat the two skills separately, producing a wide variety of proposals as to how the identity and position of letters is represented. This article treats reading and spelling in terms of the common-coding hypothesis for perception-action coupling. Empirical evidence for common representations in spelling-reading is reviewed. A novel version of the Start-End Competitive Queuing (SE-CQ) spelling model is introduced, and tested against the distribution of positional errors in Letter Position Dysgraphia, data from intralist intrusion errors in spelling to dictation, and dysgraphia because of nonperipheral neglect. It is argued that no other current model is equally capable of explaining this range of data. To pursue the common-coding hypothesis, the representation used in SE-CQ is applied, without modification, to the coding of letter identity and position for reading and lexical access, and a lexical matching rule for the representation is proposed (Start End Position Code model, SE-PC). Simulations show the model's compatibility with benchmark findings from form priming, its ability to account for positional effects in letter identification priming and the positional distribution of perseverative intrusion errors. The model supports the view that spelling and reading use a common orthographic description, providing a well-defined account of the major features of this representation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Incomplete Infection of Secondarily Infected Potato Plants – an Environment Dependent Underestimated Mechanism in Plant Virology

PubMed Central

Bertschinger, Lukas; Bühler, Lukas; Dupuis, Brice; Duffy, Brion; Gessler, Cesare; Forbes, Gregory A.; Keller, Ernst R.; Scheidegger, Urs C.; Struik, Paul C.

2017-01-01

The common assumption in potato virus epidemiology is that all daughter tubers produced by plants coming from infected mother tubers (secondary infection) will become infected via systemic translocation of the virus during growth. We hypothesize that depending on the prevalent environmental conditions, only a portion of the daughter tubers of a plant that is secondarily infected by viruses may become infected. To test this hypothesis experimental data from standardized field experiments were produced in three contrasting environments at 112, 3280, and 4000 m a.s.l. in Peru during two growing seasons. In these experiments, the percentage of infected daughter tubers produced by seed tubers that were infected with either potato potexvirus X (PVX), potato Andean mottle comovirus (APMoV), potato potyvirus Y (PVY) (jointly infected with PVX) or potato leafroll luteovirus (PLRV) was determined. Incomplete autoinfection was found in all cases, as the percentage of virus infected daughter tubers harvested from secondarily infected plants was invariably less than 100%, with the lowest percentage of infection being 30%. Changing the growing site to higher altitudes decreased autoinfection for all viruses. Therefore, the assumption of complete autoinfection of secondarily infected plants were rejected, while the hypothesis of environmentally dependent incomplete autoinfection was accepted. The findings help explain the occurrence of traditional seed management practices in the Andes and may help to develop locally adapted seed systems in environments of the world that have no steady access to healthy seed tubers coming from a formally certified seed system. The results obtained almost three decades ago are discussed in light of most recent knowledge on epigenetic regulation of host plant – virus interactions which allow for speculating about the underlying biological principles of the incomplete autoinfection. A research roadmap is proposed for achieving explicit experimental proof for the epigenetic regulation of incomplete autoinfection in the pathosystem under study. PMID:28217131

Response of red deer stags ( Cervus elaphus) to playback of harsh versus common roars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, Maxime; Wyman, Megan T.; Charlton, Benjamin D.; Tecumseh Fitch, W.; Reby, David

2014-10-01

Red deer stags ( Cervus elaphus) give two distinct types of roars during the breeding season, the "common roar" and the "harsh roar." Harsh roars are more frequent during contexts of intense competition, and characterized by a set of features that increase their perceptual salience, suggesting that they signal heightened arousal. While common roars have been shown to encode size information and mediate both male competition and female choice, to our knowledge, the specific function of harsh roars during male competition has not yet been studied. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that the specific structure of male harsh roars signals high arousal to competitors. We contrast the behavioral responses of free ranging, harem-holding stags to the playback of harsh roars from an unfamiliar competitor with their response to the playback of common roars from the same animal. We show that males react less strongly to sequences of harsh roars than to sequences of common roars, possibly because they are reluctant to escalate conflicts with highly motivated and threatening unfamiliar males in the absence of visual information. While future work should investigate the response of stags to harsh roars from familiar opponents, our observations remain consistent with the hypothesis that harsh roars may signal motivation during male competition, and illustrate how intrasexual selection can contribute to the diversification of male vocal signals.

The effect of male teenage passengers on male teenage drivers: findings from a driving simulator study

PubMed Central

Ouimet, Marie Claude; Pradhan, Anuj K.; Simons-Morton, Bruce G.; Divekar, Gautam; Mehranian, Hasmik; Fisher, Donald L.

2014-01-01

Studies have shown that teenage drivers are less attentive, more frequently exhibit risky driving behavior, and have a higher fatal crash risk in the presence of peers. The effects of direct peer pressure and conversation on young drivers have been examined. Little is known about the impact on driving performance of the presence of a non-interacting passenger and subtle modes of peer influence, such as perceived social norms. The goal of this study was to examine if teenagers would engage in more risky driving practices and be less attentive in the presence of a passenger (vs. driving alone) as well as with a risk-accepting (vs. risk-averse) passenger. A confederate portrayed the passenger's characteristics mainly by his non-verbal attitude. The relationship between driver characteristics and driving behavior in the presence of a passenger was also examined. Thirty-six male participants aged 16-17 years old were randomly assigned to drive with a risk-accepting or risk-averse passenger. Main outcomes included speed, headway, gap acceptance, eye glances at hazards, and horizontal eye movement. Driver characteristics such as tolerance of deviance, susceptibility to peer pressure, and self-esteem were measured. Compared to solo driving, the presence of a passenger was associated with significantly fewer eye glances at hazards and a trend for fewer horizontal eye movements. Contrary to the hypothesis, however, passenger presence was associated with a greater number of vehicles before initiating a left turn. Results also showed, contrary to the hypothesis, that participants with the risk-accepting passenger maintained significantly longer headway with the lead vehicle and engaged in more eye glances at hazards than participants with the risk-averse passenger. Finally, when driving with the passenger, earlier initiation of a left turn in a steady stream of oncoming vehicles was significantly associated with higher tolerance of deviance and susceptibility to peer pressure, while fewer eye glances at hazards was linked to lower self-esteem. While the results of this study were mixed, they suggest that the presence of a teenage passenger can affect some aspects of teenage driver behavior even in the absence of overt pressure and distraction. Results are discussed in relation to theoretical concepts of social influence and social facilitation models. PMID:23727554

Decision Making in the Short Run.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopes, Lola L.

1981-01-01

The commonly accepted idea that the only rational measure of the worth of a gamble is its expected value or some subjective counterpart such as expected utility is examined. Also discussed are the changes called for in theories of rational choice when prescriptions of rational models violate common sense. (Author/GK)

Variation and Commonality in Phenomenographic Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akerlind, Gerlese S.

2012-01-01

This paper focuses on the data analysis stage of phenomenographic research, elucidating what is involved in terms of both commonality and variation in accepted practice. The analysis stage of phenomenographic research is often not well understood. This paper helps to clarify the process, initially by collecting together in one location the more…

Exploring visitor acceptability for hardening trails to sustain visitation and minimize impacts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cahill, K.L.; Marion, J.L.; Lawson, S.R.

2008-01-01

Protected natural area managers are challenged to provide high quality recreation opportunities and ensure the protection of resources from impacts associated with visitation. Development of visitor use facilities and application of site hardening practices are commonly applied tools for achieving these competing management objectives. This study applies stated choice analysis to examine visitor opinions on acceptability when they are asked to make tradeoffs among competing social, resource and management attributes in backcountry and frontcountry settings of Acadia National Park. This study demonstrates that asking visitors about recreation setting attributes uni-dimensionally, a common approach, can yield less informative responses. Analyses that considered direct tradeoffs revealed more divergent opinions on acceptability for setting attributes than a unidimensional approach. Findings revealed that visitors to an accessible and popular attraction feature supported trail development options to protect resource conditions with unrestricted visitor access. In contrast, visitors to a remote undeveloped island expressed stronger support for no or limited trail development and access restrictions to protect resource conditions.

Coping and acceptance: the greatest challenge for veterans with intestinal stomas.

PubMed

Krouse, Robert S; Grant, Marcia; Rawl, Susan M; Mohler, M Jane; Baldwin, Carol M; Coons, Stephen Joel; McCorkle, Ruth; Schmidt, C Max; Ko, Clifford Y

2009-03-01

Intestinal stomas (ostomies) create challenges for veterans. The goal of this qualitative analysis was to understand better patients' perspectives regarding their greatest challenge. Ostomates at three Veterans Affairs locations were surveyed using the modified City of Hope Quality of Life-Ostomy questionnaire that contained an open-ended request for respondents to describe their greatest challenge. The response rate was 51% (239 of 467); 68% (163 of 239) completed the open-ended item. Content analysis was performed by an experienced qualitative research team. Coping and acceptance were the most commonly addressed themes. The most frequently expressed issues and advice were related to a need for positive thinking and insight regarding adjustment over time. Coping strategies included the use of humor, recognition of positive changes resulting from the stoma, and normalization of life with an ostomy. Coping and acceptance are common themes described by veterans with an intestinal stoma. Health-care providers can assist veterans by utilizing ostomate self-management strategies, experience, and advice.

The "Annie hypothesis": did the death of his daughter cause Darwin to "give up Christianity"?

PubMed

Van Wyhe, John; Pallen, Mark J

2012-01-01

This article examines one of the most widely believed episodes in the life of Charles Darwin, that the death of his daughter Annie in 1851 caused the end of Darwin's belief in Christianity, and according to some versions, ended his attendance of church on Sundays. This hypothesis, it is argued, is commonly treated as a straightforward true account of Darwin's life, yet there is little or no supporting evidence. Furthermore, we argue, there is sufficient evidence that Darwin's loss of faith occurred before Annie's death.

Critical Insights into Cardiovascular Disease from Basic Research on the Oxidation of Phospholipids: the γ-Hydroxyalkenal Phospholipid Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Salomon, Robert G.; Gu, Xiaodong

2011-01-01

Basic research, exploring the hypothesis that γ-hydroxyalkenal phospholipids are generated in vivo through oxidative cleavage of polyunsaturated phospholipids, is delivering a bonanza of molecular mechanistic insights into cardiovascular disease. Rather than targeting a specific pathology, these studies were predicated on the presumption that a fundamental understanding of lipid oxidation is likely to provide critical insights into disease processes. This investigational approach – from the chemistry of biomolecules to disease phenotype – that complements the more common opposite paradigm, is proving remarkably productive. PMID:21870852

Acceptability of a herd immunity-focused, transmission-blocking malaria vaccine in malaria-endemic communities in the Peruvian Amazon: an exploratory study.

PubMed

White, Sara E; Harvey, Steven A; Meza, Graciela; Llanos, Alejandro; Guzman, Mitchel; Gamboa, Dionicia; Vinetz, Joseph M

2018-04-27

A transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) to prevent malaria-infected humans from infecting mosquitoes has been increasingly considered as a tool for malaria control and elimination. This study tested the hypothesis that a malaria TBV would be acceptable among residents of a malaria-hypoendemic region. The study was carried out in six Spanish-speaking rural villages in the Department of Loreto in the Peruvian Amazon. These villages comprise a cohort of 430 households associated with the Peru-Brazil International Centre for Excellence in Malaria Research. Individuals from one-third (143) of enrolled households in an ongoing longitudinal, prospective cohort study in 6 communities in Loreto, Peru, were randomly selected to participate by answering a pre-validated questionnaire. All 143 participants expressed desire for a malaria vaccine in general; only 1 (0.7%) expressed unwillingness to receive a transmission-blocking malaria vaccine. Injection was considered most acceptable for adults (97.2%); for children drops in the mouth were preferred (96.8%). Acceptability waned marginally with the prospect of multiple injections (83.8%) and different projected efficacies at 70 and 50% (90.1 and 71.8%, respectively). Respondents demonstrated clear understanding that the vaccine was for community, rather than personal, protection against malaria infection. In this setting of the Peruvian Amazon, a transmission-blocking malaria vaccine was found to be almost universally acceptable. This study is the first to report that residents of a malaria-endemic region have been queried regarding a malaria vaccine strategy that policy-makers in the industrialized world often dismiss as altruistic.

International Space Station Powered Bolt Nut Anomaly and Failure Analysis Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sievers, Daniel E.; Warden, Harry K.

2010-01-01

A key mechanism used in the on-orbit assembly of the International Space Station (ISS) pressurized elements is the Common Berthing Mechanism. The mechanism that effects the structural connection of the Common Berthing Mechanism halves is the Powered Bolt Assembly. There are sixteen Powered Bolt Assemblies per Common Berthing Mechanism. The Common Berthing Mechanism has a bolt which engages a self aligning Powered Bolt Nut (PBN) on the mating interface (Figure 1). The Powered Bolt Assemblies are preloaded to approximately 84.5 kN (19000 lb) prior to pressurization of the CBM. The PBNs mentioned below, manufactured in 2009, will be used on ISS future missions. An on orbit functional failure of this hardware would be unacceptable and in some instances catastrophic due to the failure of modules to mate and seal the atmosphere, risking loss of crew and ISS functions. The manufacturing processes that create the PBNs need to be strictly controlled. Functional (torque vs. tension) acceptance test failures will be the result of processes not being strictly followed. Without the proper knowledge of thread tolerances, fabrication techniques, and dry film lubricant application processes, PBNs will be, and have been manufactured improperly. The knowledge gained from acceptance test failures and the resolution of those failures, thread fabrication techniques and thread dry film lubrication processes can be applied to many aerospace mechanisms to enhance their performance. Test data and manufactured PBN thread geometry will be discussed for both failed and successfully accepted PBNs.

Strategies to improve palatability and increase consumption intentions for Momordica charantia (bitter melon): A vegetable commonly used for diabetes management

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Although beneficial to health, dietary phytonutrients are bitter, acid and/or astringent in taste and therefore reduce consumer choice and acceptance during food selection. Momordica charantia, commonly known as bitter melon has been traditionally used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine to treat diabetes and its complications. The aim of this study was to develop bitter melon-containing recipes and test their palatability and acceptability in healthy individuals for future clinical studies. Methods A cross-sectional sensory evaluation of bitter melon-containing ethnic recipes was conducted among 50 healthy individuals. The primary endpoints assessed in this analysis were current consumption information and future intentions to consume bitter melon, before and after provision of attribute- and health-specific information. A convenience sample of 50, self-reported non-diabetic adults were recruited from the University of Hawaii. Sensory evaluations were compared using two-way ANOVA, while differences in stage of change (SOC) before and after receiving health information were analyzed by Chi-square (χ2) analyses. Results Our studies indicate that tomato-based recipes were acceptable to most of the participants and readily acceptable, as compared with recipes containing spices such as curry powder. Health information did not have a significant effect on willingness to consume bitter melon, but positively affected the classification of SOC. Conclusions This study suggests that incorporating bitter foods in commonly consumed food dishes can mask bitter taste of bitter melon. Furthermore, providing positive health information can elicit a change in the intent to consume bitter melon-containing dishes despite mixed palatability results. PMID:21794176

Perceived Harm, Addictiveness, and Social Acceptability of Tobacco Products and Marijuana Among Young Adults: Marijuana, Hookah, and Electronic Cigarettes Win

PubMed Central

Berg, Carla J.; Stratton, Erin; Schauer, Gillian L.; Lewis, Michael; Wang, Yanwen; Windle, Michael; Kegler, Michelle

2015-01-01

Background There has been an increase in non-daily smoking, alternative tobacco product and marijuana use among young adults in recent years. Objectives This study examined perceptions of health risks, addictiveness, and social acceptability of cigarettes, cigar products, smokeless tobacco, hookah, electronic cigarettes, and marijuana among young adults and correlates of such perceptions. Methods In Spring 2013, 10,000 students at two universities in the Southeastern United States were recruited to complete an online survey (2,002 respondents), assessing personal, parental, and peer use of each product; and perceptions of health risks, addictiveness, and social acceptability of each of these products. Results Marijuana was the most commonly used product in the past month (19.2%), with hookah being the second most commonly used (16.4%). The least commonly used were smokeless tobacco products (2.6%) and electronic cigarettes (4.5%). There were high rates of concurrent product use, particularly among electronic cigarette users. The most positively perceived was marijuana, with hookah and electronic cigarettes being second. While tobacco use and related social factors, related positively, influenced perceptions of marijuana, marijuana use and related social factors were not associated with perceptions of any tobacco product. Conclusions/Importance Marketing efforts to promote electronic cigarettes and hookah to be safe and socially acceptable seem to be effective, while policy changes seem to be altering perceptions of marijuana and related social norms. Research is needed to document the health risks and addictive nature of emerging tobacco products and marijuana and evaluate efforts to communicate such risks to youth. PMID:25268294

Perceived harm, addictiveness, and social acceptability of tobacco products and marijuana among young adults: marijuana, hookah, and electronic cigarettes win.

PubMed

Berg, Carla J; Stratton, Erin; Schauer, Gillian L; Lewis, Michael; Wang, Yanwen; Windle, Michael; Kegler, Michelle

2015-01-01

There has been an increase in non-daily smoking, alternative tobacco product and marijuana use among young adults in recent years. This study examined perceptions of health risks, addictiveness, and social acceptability of cigarettes, cigar products, smokeless tobacco, hookah, electronic cigarettes, and marijuana among young adults and correlates of such perceptions. In Spring 2013, 10,000 students at two universities in the Southeastern United States were recruited to complete an online survey (2,002 respondents), assessing personal, parental, and peer use of each product; and perceptions of health risks, addictiveness, and social acceptability of each of these products. Marijuana was the most commonly used product in the past month (19.2%), with hookah being the second most commonly used (16.4%). The least commonly used were smokeless tobacco products (2.6%) and electronic cigarettes (4.5%). There were high rates of concurrent product use, particularly among electronic cigarette users. The most positively perceived was marijuana, with hookah and electronic cigarettes being second. While tobacco use and related social factors, related positively, influenced perceptions of marijuana, marijuana use and related social factors were not associated with perceptions of any tobacco product. Conclusions/Importance: Marketing efforts to promote electronic cigarettes and hookah to be safe and socially acceptable seem to be effective, while policy changes seem to be altering perceptions of marijuana and related social norms. Research is needed to document the health risks and addictive nature of emerging tobacco products and marijuana and evaluate efforts to communicate such risks to youth.

Development and acceptability testing of decision trees for self-management of prosthetic socket fit in adults with lower limb amputation.

PubMed

Lee, Daniel Joseph; Veneri, Diana A

2018-05-01

The most common complaint lower limb prosthesis users report is inadequacy of a proper socket fit. Adjustments to the residual limb-socket interface can be made by the prosthesis user without consultation of a clinician in many scenarios through skilled self-management. Decision trees guide prosthesis wearers through the self-management process, empowering them to rectify fit issues, or referring them to a clinician when necessary. This study examines the development and acceptability testing of patient-centered decision trees for lower limb prosthesis users. Decision trees underwent a four-stage process: literature review and expert consultation, designing, two-rounds of expert panel review and revisions, and target audience testing. Fifteen lower limb prosthesis users (average age 61 years) reviewed the decision trees and completed an acceptability questionnaire. Participants reported agreement of 80% or above in five of the eight questions related to acceptability of the decision trees. Disagreement was related to the level of experience of the respondent. Decision trees were found to be easy to use, illustrate correct solutions to common issues, and have terminology consistent with that of a new prosthesis user. Some users with greater than 1.5 years of experience would not use the decision trees based on their own self-management skills. Implications for Rehabilitation Discomfort of the residual limb-prosthetic socket interface is the most common reason for clinician visits. Prosthesis users can use decision trees to guide them through the process of obtaining a proper socket fit independently. Newer users may benefit from using the decision trees more than experienced users.

Feasibility and Pilot Studies in Palliative Care Research: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Jones, Terry A; Olds, Timothy S; Currow, David C; Williams, Marie T

2017-07-01

Feasibility and pilot study designs are common in palliative care research. Finding standard guidelines on the structure and reporting of these study types is difficult. In feasibility and pilot studies in palliative care research, to determine 1) how commonly a priori feasibility are criteria reported and whether results are subsequently reported against these criteria? and 2) how commonly are participants' views on acceptability of burden of the study protocol assessed? Four databases (OVID Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PubMed via caresearch.com.au.) were searched. Search terms included palliative care, terminal care, advance care planning, hospice, pilot, feasibility, with a publication date between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2013. Articles were selected and appraised by two independent reviewers. Fifty-six feasibility and/or pilot studies were included in this review. Only three studies had clear a priori criteria to measure success. Sixteen studies reported participant acceptability or burden with measures. Forty-eight studies concluded feasibility. The terms "feasibility" and "pilot" are used synonymously in palliative care research when describing studies that test for feasibility. Few studies in palliative care research outline clear criteria for success. The assessment of participant acceptability and burden is uncommon. A gold standard for feasibility study design in palliative care research that includes both clear criteria for success and testing of the study protocol for participant acceptability and burden is needed. Such a standard would assist with consistency in the design, conduct and reporting of feasibility and pilot studies. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Several Modified Goodness-Of-Fit Tests for the Cauchy Distribution with Unknown Scale and Location Parameters

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-03-01

labels of a, which is called significance levels. The hypothesis tests are done based on the a levels . The maximum probabilities of making type II error...critical values at specific a levels . This procedure is done for each of the 50,000 samples. The number of the samples passing each test at those specific... a levels is counted. The ratio of the number of accepted samples to 50,000 gives the percentage point. Then, subtracting that value from one would

A Test by Any Other Name: P Values, Bayes Factors, and Statistical Inference.

PubMed

Stern, Hal S

2016-01-01

Procedures used for statistical inference are receiving increased scrutiny as the scientific community studies the factors associated with insuring reproducible research. This note addresses recent negative attention directed at p values, the relationship of confidence intervals and tests, and the role of Bayesian inference and Bayes factors, with an eye toward better understanding these different strategies for statistical inference. We argue that researchers and data analysts too often resort to binary decisions (e.g., whether to reject or accept the null hypothesis) in settings where this may not be required.

Statistical Analysis Techniques for Small Sample Sizes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Navard, S. E.

1984-01-01

The small sample sizes problem which is encountered when dealing with analysis of space-flight data is examined. Because of such a amount of data available, careful analyses are essential to extract the maximum amount of information with acceptable accuracy. Statistical analysis of small samples is described. The background material necessary for understanding statistical hypothesis testing is outlined and the various tests which can be done on small samples are explained. Emphasis is on the underlying assumptions of each test and on considerations needed to choose the most appropriate test for a given type of analysis.

Testing for unit root bilinearity in the Brazilian stock market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabak, Benjamin M.

2007-11-01

In this paper a simple test for detecting bilinearity in a stochastic unit root process is used to test for the presence of nonlinear unit roots in Brazilian equity shares. The empirical evidence for a set of 53 individual stocks, after adjusting for GARCH effects, suggests that for more than 66%, the hypothesis of unit root bilinearity is accepted. Therefore, the dynamics of Brazilian share prices is in conformity with this type of nonlinearity. These nonlinearities in spot prices may emerge due to the sophistication of the derivatives market.

Health effects of urea formaldehyde foam insulation: evidence of causation.

PubMed Central

Norman, G R; Newhouse, M T

1986-01-01

Studies of health effects of urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) were critically reviewed by means of accepted rules for evidence of causation. Three categories of health effects were examined: reported symptoms, primarily of the upper respiratory tract, lower respiratory tract disease and cancer. Most of the studies purporting to demonstrate health effects of UFFI failed to meet minimal methodologic criteria for evidence of causation. Evidence from the adequate studies provides little support for the hypothesis of a causative role of UFFI in health problems. PMID:3512066

Wolf population regulation revisited: again

USGS Publications Warehouse

McRoberts, Ronald E.; Mech, L. David

2014-01-01

The long-accepted conclusion that wolf density is regulated by nutrition was recently challenged, and the conclusion was reached that, at greater levels of prey biomass, social factors such as intraspecific strife and territoriality tend to regulate wolf density. We reanalyzed the data used in that study for 2 reasons: 1) we disputed the use of 2 data points, and 2) because of recognized heteroscedasticity, we used weighted-regression analysis instead of the unweighted regressions used in the original study. We concluded that the data do not support the hypothesis that wolf densities are regulated by social factors.

Illegitimate fertility decline in England, 1851-1911.

PubMed

Schellekens, J

1995-01-01

This study attempts to determine the extent to which several hypotheses are able to account for the illegitimate fertility decline in England in the second half of the nineteenth century. The results of a pooled time-series analysis are consistent with the hypothesis that a rise in working-class prosperity accounts for much of the decline. Additional reasons for the decline, which cannot be ruled out with the data used in the analysis, include the diffusion of knowledge and the acceptability of contraceptive methods and a decline in agricultural employment.

Avoiding false discoveries in association studies.

PubMed

Sabatti, Chiara

2007-01-01

We consider the problem of controlling false discoveries in association studies. We assume that the design of the study is adequate so that the "false discoveries" are potentially only because of random chance, not to confounding or other flaws. Under this premise, we review the statistical framework for hypothesis testing and correction for multiple comparisons. We consider in detail the currently accepted strategies in linkage analysis. We then examine the underlying similarities and differences between linkage and association studies and document some of the most recent methodological developments for association mapping.

An Opposite Pattern to the Conventional Thermal Hypothesis: Temperature-Dependent Variation in Coloration of Adults of Saccharosydne procerus (Homoptera: Delphacidae)

PubMed Central

Yin, Haichen; Shakeel, Muhammad; Kuang, Jing; Li, Jianhong

2015-01-01

Melanism is a common polymorphism in many insect species that also influences immune function. According to the thermal melanin hypothesis, ectothermic individuals from cooler environments have darker cuticles and higher polyphenol oxidase (PO) levels, which represent a better immunocompetence. In this study, the links among environmental temperature, melanism, and PO activity of Saccharosydne procerus (Matsumura) were examined. Most S. procerus have a black spot on their forewings at high temperatures in the field and in the laboratory. In PO activity assay, a positive association between PO level and temperature was found. Our results showed that a diversification of melanism occurred under different temperatures and that melanism in S. procerus presented an opposite pattern to the one proposed by the thermal hypothesis. PMID:26024474

Methylmercury poisoning in common marmosets--a study of selective vulnerability within the cerebral cortex.

PubMed

Eto, K; Yasutake, A; Kuwana, T; Korogi, Y; Akima, M; Shimozeki, T; Tokunaga, H; Kaneko, Y

2001-01-01

Neuropathological lesions found in chronic human Minamata disease tend to be localized in the calcarine cortex of occipital lobes, the pre- and postcentral lobuli, and the temporal gyri. The mechanism for the selective vulnerability is still not clear, though several hypotheses have been proposed. One hypothesis is vascular and postulates that the lesions are the result of ischemia secondary to compression of sulcal arteries from methylmercury-induced cerebral edema. To test this hypothesis, we studied common marmosets because the cerebrum of marmosets has 2 distinct deep sulci, the calcarine and Sylvian fissures. MRI analysis, mercury assays of tissue specimens, histologic and histochemical studies of the brain are reported and discussed. Brains sacrificed early after exposure to methylmercury showed high contents of methylmercury and edema of the cerebral white matter. These results may explain the selective cortical degeneration along the deep cerebral fissures or sulci.

+Gz-induced post-cholecystectomy syndrome in rabbit model by using a telemetric method

PubMed Central

Kong, Yalin; Zhao, Gang; Li, Yifeng; Wen, Dongqing; Zhang, Hui; He, Xiaojun; Zhen, Yuying; Zhang, Hongyi

2015-01-01

Aviation-related mechanism may exist in the post-cholecystectomy syndrome (PCS) of aircrew patients. The aim of this study was to test this hypothesis on vivo rabbit model and to explore the mechanism by using a novel telemetric method. We constructed a bile duct-to-intestinal bridge bypass on 30 rabbits, with a telemetry implant attached to the Oddi’s sphincter. Then a telemetric recording system was used to record the biliary pressure fluctuation through the subcutaneous bridge and the changes of electromyography of the Oddi’s sphincter under different +Gz acceleration. Self-control comparison was made before and after cholecystectomy. The fully implantable device was very well accepted by rabbits and the data could reflect the real experimental environment simultaneously. Biliary pressure in common bile duct increased accordingly with +Gz acceleration increased, but bile secretion didn’t change. Although +Gz acceleration could increase the frequency of burst of spike potentials in the Oddi’s sphincter, the frequency didn’t change with the +Gz acceleration increased, and the spike activity didn’t change obviously before cholecystectomy. After cholecystectomy, the biliary pressure in common bile duct remained high in 12 rabbits (40%) under +Gz exposure, and the pressure value didn’t change as the +Gz acceleration increased. The long-time changes in electromyography of the Oddi’s sphincter were observed in the same 12 rabbits, with symptoms of PCS developed in 9 of them. +Gz exposure is an important external factor leading to the biliary physiology disorder, and it may induce PCS in some aircrew patients with individual susceptibility, which means gallbladder maybe a dominant factor in regulating the biliary physiology in theses aircrew patients. PMID:26064268

A 7-year follow-up study of obstructive sleep apnoea in healthy elderly: The PROOF cohort study.

PubMed

Sforza, Emilia; Hupin, David; Pichot, Vincent; Barthélémy, Jean Claude; Roche, Frédéric

2017-07-01

Clinical and epidemiological cohort studies have shown that obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common but largely undiagnosed disorder in senior subjects, where progressive deterioration of the pathology would be expected as a consequence of the ageing processes. Our study examines the longitudinal progression of OSA over a 7-year period in a community-based sample of healthy subjects. The sample consisted of 284 volunteers, aged >65 years (52% women, 48% men) accepting clinical and instrumental follow-up at 7 years. OSA was defined as an apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) of ≥15. Between evaluations in the total sample, AHI slightly decreased from 17.8 ± 14 to 16.7 ± 11 with a decrease affecting more the hypopnoea index (P < 0.001) and associated with significant changes (P < 0.001) in all indices of hypoxaemia. While in the non-OSA group there was a slight but significant increase of AHI, a significant AHI decrease was noted in mild-moderate patients (P < 0.01) and a significant rise of nocturnal hypoxaemia in severe OSA patients (P < 0.001). The AHI decrease was not associated with clinical, weight, metabolic and blood pressure changes between the two evaluations; the baseline AHI value being the only factor correlated to the degree of AHI decline. In elderlies, the severity and prevalence of OSA decrease progressively with ageing without effect of factors commonly influencing OSA severity. This trend may support the hypothesis that in healthy elderly, OSA is a phenomenon related to ageing. © 2017 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

A prospective pilot study on early toxicity from a simultaneously integrated boost technique for canine sinonasal tumours using image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

PubMed

Soukup, A; Meier, V; Pot, S; Voelter, K; Rohrer Bley, C

2018-05-14

In order to overcome the common local treatment failure of canine sinonasal tumours, integrated boost techniques were tried in the cobalt/orthovoltage era, but dismissed because of unacceptable early (acute) toxicity. Intriguingly, a recent calculation study of a simultaneously integrated boost (SIB) technique for sinonasal irradiation using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) predicted theoretical feasibility. In this prospective pilot study we applied a commonly used protocol of 10 × 4.2 Gy to the planning target volume (PTV) with a 20%-SIB dose to the gross tumour volume (GTV). Our hypothesis expected this dose escalation to be clinically tolerable if applied with image-guided IMRT. We included 9 dogs diagnosed with sinonasal tumours without local/distant metastases. For treatment planning, organs at risk were contoured according to strict anatomical guidelines. Planning volume extensions (GTV/CTV/PTV) were standardized to minimize interplanner variability. Treatments were applied with rigid patient positioning and verified daily with image guidance. After radiation therapy, we set focus on early ophthalmologic complications as well as mucosal and cutaneous toxicity. Early toxicity was evaluated at week 1, 2, 3, 8 and 12 after radiotherapy. Only mild ophthalmologic complications were found. Three patients (33%) had self-limiting moderate to severe early toxicity (grade 3 mucositis) which was managed medically. No patient developed ulcerations/haemorrhage/necrosis of skin/mucosa. The SIB protocol applied with image-guided IMRT to treat canine sinonasal tumours led to clinically acceptable side effects. The suspected increased tumour control probability and the risk of late toxicity with the used dose escalation of 20% has to be further investigated. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sequencing artifacts in the type A influenza databases and attempts to correct them.

PubMed

Suarez, David L; Chester, Nikki; Hatfield, Jason

2014-07-01

There are over 276 000 influenza gene sequences in public databases, with the quality of the sequences determined by the contributor. As part of a high school class project, influenza sequences with possible errors were identified in the public databases based on the size of the gene being longer than expected, with the hypothesis that these sequences would have an error. Students contacted sequence submitters alerting them of the possible sequence issue(s) and requested they the suspect sequence(s) be correct as appropriate. Type A influenza viruses were screened, and gene segments longer than the accepted size were identified for further analysis. Attention was placed on sequences with additional nucleotides upstream or downstream of the highly conserved non-coding ends of the viral segments. A total of 1081 sequences were identified that met this criterion. Three types of errors were commonly observed: non-influenza primer sequence wasn't removed from the sequence; PCR product was cloned and plasmid sequence was included in the sequence; and Taq polymerase added an adenine at the end of the PCR product. Internal insertions of nucleotide sequence were also commonly observed, but in many cases it was unclear if the sequence was correct or actually contained an error. A total of 215 sequences, or 22.8% of the suspect sequences, were corrected in the public databases in the first year of the student project. Unfortunately 138 additional sequences with possible errors were added to the databases in the second year. Additional awareness of the need for data integrity of sequences submitted to public databases is needed to fully reap the benefits of these large data sets. © 2014 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

nAChR dysfunction as a common substrate for schizophrenia and comorbid nicotine addiction: current trends and perspectives

PubMed Central

Parikh, Vinay; Kutlu, Munir Gunes; Gould, Thomas J.

2016-01-01

Introduction The prevalence of tobacco use in the population with schizophrenia is enormously high. Moreover, nicotine dependence is found to be associated with symptom severity and poor outcome in patients with schizophrenia. The neurobiological mechanisms that explain schizophrenia-nicotine dependence comorbidity are not known. This study systematically reviews the evidence highlighting the contribution of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) to nicotine abuse in schizophrenia. Methods Electronic data bases (Medline, Google Scholar, and Web of Science) were searched using the selected key words that match the aims set forth for this review. A total of 275 articles were used for the qualitative synthesis of this review. Results Substantial evidence from preclinical and clinical studies indicated that dysregulation of α7 and β2-subunit containing nAChRs account for the cognitive and affective symptoms of schizophrenia and nicotine use may represent a strategy to remediate these symptoms. Additionally, recent meta-analyses proposed that early tobacco use may itself increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. Genetic studies demonstrating that nAChR dysfunction that may act as a shared vulnerability factor for comorbid tobacco dependence and schizophrenia were found to support this view. The development of nAChR modulators was considered an effective therapeutic strategy to ameliorate psychiatric symptoms and to promote smoking cessation in schizophrenia patients. Conclusions The relationship between schizophrenia and smoking is complex. While the debate for the self-medication versus addiction vulnerability hypothesis continues, it is widely accepted that a dysfunction in the central nAChRs represent a common substrate for various symptoms of schizophrenia and comorbid nicotine dependence. PMID:26803692

Is childhood wheeze and asthma in Latin America associated with poor hygiene and infection? A systematic review.

PubMed

Ardura-Garcia, Cristina; Garner, Paul; Cooper, Philip J

2018-01-01

High asthma prevalence in Latin-American cities is thought to be caused by poor hygiene and infections. This contradicts the widely accepted 'hygiene hypothesis' for asthma aetiology. Systematic review of observational studies evaluating the association between poor hygiene exposures or infections and asthma/wheeze among Latin-American children aged 4-16 years. MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS and CINAHL electronic databases were searched following a predefined strategy to 18 December 2017. We quantified outcomes measured and reported, assessed risk of bias and tabulated the results. Forty-five studies included: 6 cohort, 30 cross-sectional and 9 case-control studies. 26 cross-sectional studies were school-based surveys (14 of over 3000 children), whereas 5 case-control studies were hospital/health centre-based. Exposures measured and reported varied substantially between studies, and current wheeze was the most common outcome reported. Data showed selective reporting based on statistical significance (P value <0.05): 17/45 studies did not clearly describe the number of exposures measured and 15/45 studies reported on less than 50% of the exposures measured. Most exposures studied did not show an association with wheeze or asthma, except for a generally increased risk associated with acute respiratory infections in early life. Contradictory associations were observed frequently between different studies. Selective reporting is common in observational studies exploring the association between environmental exposures and risk of wheeze/asthma. This, together with the use of different study outcomes (wheeze/asthma) associated with possibly distinct causal mechanisms, complicates inferences about the role of poor hygiene exposures and childhood infections in explaining asthma prevalence in Latin-American children.

Simulating real-life exposures to uncover possible risks to human health: A proposed consensus for a novel methodological approach.

PubMed

Tsatsakis, A M; Kouretas, D; Tzatzarakis, M N; Stivaktakis, P; Tsarouhas, K; Golokhvast, K S; Rakitskii, V N; Tutelyan, V A; Hernandez, A F; Rezaee, R; Chung, G; Fenga, C; Engin, A B; Neagu, M; Arsene, A L; Docea, A O; Gofita, E; Calina, D; Taitzoglou, I; Liesivuori, J; Hayes, A W; Gutnikov, S; Tsitsimpikou, C

2017-06-01

In real life, consumers are exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals via food, water and commercial products consumption. Since risk assessment usually focuses on individual compounds, the current regulatory approach doesn't assess the overall risk of chemicals present in a mixture. This study will evaluate the cumulative toxicity of mixtures of different classes of pesticides and mixtures of different classes of pesticides together with food additives (FAs) and common consumer product chemicals using realistic doses after long-term exposure. Groups of Sprague Dawley (CD-SD) rats (20 males and 20 females) will be treated with mixtures of pesticides or mixtures of pesticides together with FAs and common consumer product chemicals in 0.0, 0.25 × acceptable daily intake (ADI)/tolerable daily intake (TDI), ADI/TDI and 5 × ADI/TDI doses for 104 weeks. All animals will be examined every day for signs of morbidity and mortality. Clinical chemistry hematological parameters, serum hormone levels, biomarkers of oxidative stress, cardiotoxicity, genotoxicity, urinalysis and echocardiographic tests will be assessed periodically at 6 month intervals. At 3-month intervals, ophthalmological examination, test for sensory reactivity to different types of stimuli, together with assessment of learning abilities and memory performance of the adult and ageing animals will be conducted. After 24 months, animals will be necropsied, and internal organs will be histopathologically examined. If the hypothesis of an increased risk or a new hazard not currently identified from cumulative exposure to multiple chemicals was observed, this will provide further information to public authorities and research communities supporting the need of replacing current single-compound risk assessment by a more robust cumulative risk assessment paradigm.

Liberating Lévy walk research from the shackles of optimal foraging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reynolds, Andy

2015-09-01

There is now compelling evidence that many organisms have movement patterns that can be described as Lévy walks, or Lévy flights. Lévy movement patterns have been identified in cells, microorganisms, molluscs, insects, reptiles, fish, birds and even human hunter-gatherers. Most research into Lévy walks as models of organism movement patterns has been shaped by the 'Lévy flight foraging hypothesis'. This states that, since Lévy walks can optimize search efficiencies, natural selection should lead to adaptations that select for Lévy walk foraging. However, a growing body of research on generative mechanisms suggests that Lévy walks can arise freely as by-products of otherwise innocuous behaviours; consequently their advantageous properties are purely coincidental. This suggests that the Lévy flight foraging hypothesis should be amended, or even replaced, by a simpler and more general hypothesis. This new hypothesis would state that 'Lévy walks emerge spontaneously and naturally from innate behaviours and innocuous responses to the environment but, if advantageous, then there could be selection against losing them'. The new hypothesis has the virtue of making fewer assumptions and being broader than the original hypothesis; it also encompasses the many examples of suboptimal Lévy patterns that challenge the prevailing paradigm. This does not detract from the Lévy flight foraging hypothesis, in fact, it adds to the theory by providing a stronger and more compelling case for the occurrence of Lévy walks. It dispenses with concerns about the theoretical arguments in support of the Lévy flight foraging hypothesis and so may lead to a wider acceptance of Lévy walks as models of movement pattern data. Furthermore, organisms can approximate Lévy walks by adapting intrinsic behaviour in simple ways; this occurs when Lévy movement patterns are advantageous, but come with an associated cost. These new developments represent a major change in perspective and provide the broadest picture yet of Lévy movement patterns. However, the process of understanding and identifying Lévy movement patterns still has a long way to go, and further reinterpretations and shifts in understanding will occur. In conclusion, Lévy walk research remains exciting precisely because so much remains to be understood, and because, even relatively small studies, are interesting discoveries in their own right.

Liberating Lévy walk research from the shackles of optimal foraging.

PubMed

Reynolds, Andy

2015-09-01

There is now compelling evidence that many organisms have movement patterns that can be described as Lévy walks, or Lévy flights. Lévy movement patterns have been identified in cells, microorganisms, molluscs, insects, reptiles, fish, birds and even human hunter-gatherers. Most research into Lévy walks as models of organism movement patterns has been shaped by the 'Lévy flight foraging hypothesis'. This states that, since Lévy walks can optimize search efficiencies, natural selection should lead to adaptations that select  for Lévy walk foraging. However, a growing body of research on generative mechanisms suggests that Lévy walks can arise freely as by-products of otherwise innocuous behaviours; consequently their advantageous properties are purely coincidental. This suggests that the Lévy flight foraging hypothesis should be amended, or even replaced, by a simpler and more general hypothesis. This new hypothesis would state that 'Lévy walks emerge spontaneously and naturally from innate behaviours and innocuous responses to the environment but, if advantageous, then there could be selection against losing them'. The new hypothesis has the virtue of making fewer assumptions and being broader than the original hypothesis; it also encompasses the many examples of suboptimal Lévy patterns that challenge the prevailing paradigm. This does not detract from the Lévy flight foraging hypothesis, in fact, it adds to the theory by providing a stronger and more compelling case for the occurrence of Lévy walks. It dispenses with concerns about the theoretical arguments in support of the Lévy flight foraging hypothesis and so may lead to a wider acceptance of Lévy walks as models of movement pattern data. Furthermore, organisms can approximate Lévy walks by adapting intrinsic behaviour in simple ways; this occurs when Lévy movement patterns are advantageous, but come with an associated cost. These new developments represent a major change in perspective and provide the broadest picture yet of Lévy movement patterns. However, the process of understanding and identifying Lévy movement patterns still has a long way to go, and further reinterpretations and shifts in understanding will occur. In conclusion, Lévy walk research remains exciting precisely because so much remains to be understood, and because, even relatively small studies, are interesting discoveries in their own right. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The evolutionary origins of diadromy inferred from a time-calibrated phylogeny for Clupeiformes (herring and allies)

PubMed Central

Bloom, Devin D.; Lovejoy, Nathan R.

2014-01-01

One of the most remarkable types of migration found in animals is diadromy, a life-history behaviour in which individuals move between oceans and freshwater habitats for feeding and reproduction. Diadromous fishes include iconic species such as salmon, eels and shad, and have long fascinated biologists because they undergo extraordinary physiological and behavioural modifications to survive in very different habitats. However, the evolutionary origins of diadromy remain poorly understood. Here, we examine the widely accepted productivity hypothesis, which states that differences in productivity between marine and freshwater biomes determine the origins of the different modes of diadromy. Specifically, the productivity hypothesis predicts that anadromous lineages should evolve in temperate areas from freshwater ancestors and catadromous lineages should evolve in tropical areas from marine ancestors. To test this, we generated a time-calibrated phylogeny for Clupeiformes (herrings, anchovies, sardines and allies), an ecologically and economically important group that includes high diversity of diadromous species. Our results do not support the productivity hypothesis. Instead we find that the different modes of diadromy do not have predictable ancestry based on latitude, and that predation, competition and geological history may be at least as important as productivity in determining the origins of diadromy. PMID:24430843

Variable Thermal-Force Bending of a Three-Layer Bar with a Compressible Filler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starovoitov, E. I.; Leonenko, D. V.

2017-11-01

Deformation of a three-layer elastoplastic bar with a compressible filler in a temperature field is considered. To describe the kinematics of a pack asymmetric across its thickness, the hypothesis of broken line is accepted, according to which the Bernoulli hypothesis is true in thin bearing layers, and the Timoshenko hypothesis is valid for a filler compressible across the its thickness, with a linear approximation of displacements across the layer thickness. The work of filler in the tangential direction is taken into account. The physical stress-strain relations correspond to the theory of small elastoplastic deformations. Temperature variations are calculated from a formula obtained by averaging the thermophysical properties of layer materials across the bar thickness. Using the variational method, a system of differential equilibrium equations is derived. On the boundary, the kinematic conditions of simply supported ends of the bar are assumed. The solution of the boundary problem is reduced to the search for four functions, namely, deflections and longitudinal displacements of median surfaces of the bearing layers. An analytical solution is derived by the method of elastic solutions with the use of the Moskvitin theorem on variable loadings. Its numerical analysis is performed for the cases of continuous and local loads.

Heterogeneity in the Effects of Reward- and Deposit-based Financial Incentives on Smoking Cessation

PubMed Central

French, Benjamin; Small, Dylan S.; Saulsgiver, Kathryn; Harhay, Michael O.; Audrain-McGovern, Janet; Loewenstein, George; Asch, David A.; Volpp, Kevin G.

2016-01-01

Rationale: Targeting different smoking cessation programs to smokers most likely to quit when using them could reduce the burden of lung disease. Objectives: To identify smokers most likely to quit using pure reward-based financial incentives or incentive programs requiring refundable deposits to become eligible for rewards. Methods: We conducted prespecified secondary analyses of a randomized trial in which 2,538 smokers were assigned to an $800 reward contingent on sustained abstinence from smoking, a refundable $150 deposit plus a $650 reward, or usual care. Measurements and Main Results: Using logistic regression, we identified characteristics of smokers that were most strongly associated with accepting their assigned intervention and ceasing smoking for 6 months. We assessed modification of the acceptance, efficacy, and effectiveness of reward and deposit programs by 11 prospectively selected demographic, smoking-related, and psychological factors. Predictors of sustained smoking abstinence differed among participants assigned to reward- versus deposit-based incentives. However, greater readiness to quit and less steep discounting of future rewards were consistently among the most important predictors. Deposit-based programs were uniquely effective relative to usual care among men, higher-income participants, and participants who more commonly failed to pay their bills (all interaction P values < 0.10). Relative to rewards, deposits were more effective among black persons (P = 0.022) and those who more commonly failed to pay their bills (P = 0.082). Relative to rewards, deposits were more commonly accepted by higher-income participants, men, white persons, and those who less commonly failed to pay their bills (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: Heterogeneity among smokers in their acceptance and response to different forms of incentives suggests potential benefits of targeting behavior-change interventions based on patient characteristics. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 01526265). PMID:27064456

Childhood Vaccine Acceptance and Refusal among Warao Amerindian Caregivers in Venezuela; A Qualitative Approach.

PubMed

Burghouts, Jochem; Del Nogal, Berenice; Uriepero, Angimar; Hermans, Peter W M; de Waard, Jacobus H; Verhagen, Lilly M

2017-01-01

Acceptance of childhood vaccination varies between societies, affecting worldwide vaccination coverage. Low coverage rates are common in indigenous populations where parents often choose not to vaccinate their children. We aimed to gain insight into reasons for vaccine acceptance or rejection among Warao Amerindians in Venezuela. Based on records of vaccine acceptance or refusal, in-depth interviews with 20 vaccine-accepting and 11 vaccine-declining caregivers were performed. Parents' attitudes were explored using a qualitative approach. Although Warao caregivers were generally in favor of vaccination, fear of side effects and the idea that young and sick children are too vulnerable to be vaccinated negatively affected vaccine acceptance. The importance assigned to side effects was related to the perception that these resembled symptoms/diseases of another origin and could thus harm the child. Religious beliefs or traditional healers did not influence the decision-making process. Parental vaccine acceptance requires educational programs on the preventive nature of vaccines in relation to local beliefs about health and disease. Attention needs to be directed at population-specific concerns, including explanation on the nature of and therapeutic options for side effects.

Multiple coloured ornaments in male common kestrels: different mechanisms to convey quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vergara, Pablo; Fargallo, Juan A.

2011-04-01

The simultaneous exhibition of more than one secondary sexual trait is a widespread phenomenon in nature, though it has rarely been explored. It has been proposed that different ornaments may convey complementary or back-up information about a single aspect of individual quality (redundancy hypothesis) or that each ornament may convey unique information (multiple-messages hypothesis). During a 5-year period, we measured several carotenoid-based (eye ring, bill cere and tarsi skin) and melanin-based (head, back, rump and tail feathers) potential ornamental colours in male common kestrels. We analysed whether multiple ornaments can convey different or related information about individual quality. We explored whether different ornaments can express different information depending on the pigment (carotenoids or melanins), the time-scale over which the ornament can change (dynamic vs. static) and the season of the year when the ornament is formed. We found that both melanin- and carotenoid- based traits correlated with indexes of quality, including body condition, body condition of their partners and laying date. However, not all ornaments correlated with the same measures of quality. In addition, some ornaments were intercorrelated within the same individuals while others were not. These results suggest that different ornaments can convey information about different qualities, as predicted by the multiple-messages hypothesis. In addition, this study suggests that the predominant pigment (e.g. carotenoid vs. melanin, eumelanin vs. pheomelanin), the time-scale over which the trait is developed (static feathers vs. dynamic skin) and the season of the year at which the ornament is produced can be potential mechanisms to convey different messages in male common kestrels.

A brief report on rape myth acceptance: differences between police officers, law students, and psychology students in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Sleath, Emma; Bull, Ray

2015-01-01

A common perception is that police officers hold very negative attitudes about rape victims. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to establish whether police officers do accept stereotypical rape myths at a higher level compared to members of other populations. There were 3 comparison samples, composed of police officers, law students, and psychology students, that completed the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance scale. Male and female police officers accepted "she lied" myths at a higher level than the student samples. Student samples were found to accept 2 types of rape myths ("she asked for it" and "he didn't meant to") at a higher level compared to police officers. No significant differences were found in the other 4 subfactors. Therefore, the pattern of results suggests that police officers do not adhere to stereotypical myths about rape victims more than do other populations.

Feasibility of Providing Web-Based Information to Breast Cancer Patients Prior to a Surgical Consult.

PubMed

Bruce, Jordan G; Tucholka, Jennifer L; Steffens, Nicole M; Mahoney, Jane E; Neuman, Heather B

2017-03-30

Patients facing decisions for breast cancer surgery commonly search the internet. Directing patients to high-quality websites prior to the surgeon consultation may be one way of supporting patients' informational needs. The objective was to test an approach for delivering web-based information to breast cancer patients. The implementation strategy was developed using the Replicating Effective Programs framework. Pilot testing measured the proportion that accepted the web-based information. A pre-consultation survey assessed whether the information was reviewed and the acceptability to stakeholders. Reasons for declining guided refinement to the implementation package. Eighty-two percent (309/377) accepted the web-based information. Of the 309 that accepted, 244 completed the pre-consultation survey. Participants were a median 59 years, white (98%), and highly educated (>50% with a college degree). Most patients who completed the questionnaire reported reviewing the website (85%), and nearly all found it helpful. Surgeons thought implementation increased visit efficiency (5/6) and would result in patients making more informed decisions (6/6). The most common reasons patients declined information were limited internet comfort or access (n = 36), emotional distress (n = 14), and preference to receive information directly from the surgeon (n = 7). Routine delivery of web-based information to breast cancer patients prior to the surgeon consultation is feasible. High stakeholder acceptability combined with the low implementation burden means that these findings have immediate relevance for improving care quality.

By-product mutualism and the ambiguous effects of harsher environments - A game-theoretic model.

PubMed

De Jaegher, Kris; Hoyer, Britta

2016-03-21

We construct two-player two-strategy game-theoretic models of by-product mutualism, where our focus lies on the way in which the probability of cooperation among players is affected by the degree of adversity facing the players. In our first model, cooperation consists of the production of a public good, and adversity is linked to the degree of complementarity of the players׳ efforts in producing the public good. In our second model, cooperation consists of the defense of a public, and/or a private good with by-product benefits, and adversity is measured by the number of random attacks (e.g., by a predator) facing the players. In both of these models, our analysis confirms the existence of the so-called boomerang effect, which states that in a harsh environment, the individual player has few incentives to unilaterally defect in a situation of joint cooperation. Focusing on such an effect in isolation leads to the "common-enemy" hypothesis that a larger degree of adversity increases the probability of cooperation. Yet, we also find that a sucker effect may simultaneously exist, which says that in a harsh environment, the individual player has few incentives to unilaterally cooperate in a situation of joint defection. Looked at in isolation, the sucker effect leads to the competing hypothesis that a larger degree of adversity decreases the probability of cooperation. Our analysis predicts circumstances in which the "common enemy" hypothesis prevails, and circumstances in which the competing hypothesis prevails. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Virginia Standards Predated the Common Core Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowledge Quest, 2014

2014-01-01

The Virginia Board of Education is committed to the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) program and opposed to adoption of the newly developed Common Core State Standards as a prerequisite for participation in federal competitive grant and entitlement programs. The Standards of Learning are clear and rigorous and have won the acceptance and trust…

Technology and Engineering Education and the Common Core Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rust, Terrie

2012-01-01

The nearly unanimous state acceptance of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) jolted many teachers out of their complacency. How was this major change going to impact their teaching and their curriculum? What changes would be made in student assessments and teacher accountability? The good news is…

Ancient humans influenced the current spatial genetic structure of common walnut populations in Asia

Treesearch

Paola Pollegioni; Keith E. Woeste; Francesca Chiocchini; Stefano Del Lungo; Irene Olimpieri; Virginia Tortolano; Jo Clark; Gabriel E. Hemery; Sergio Mapelli; Maria Emilia Malvolti; Gyaneshwer Chaubey

2015-01-01

Common walnut (Juglans regia L) is an economically important species cultivated worldwide for its wood and nuts. It is generally accepted that J. regia survived and grew spontaneously in almost completely isolated stands in its Asian native range after the Last Glacial Maximum. Despite its natural geographic isolation, J....

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Pre-Service Teachers' Technology Acceptance: A Validation Study Using Structural Equation Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teo, Timothy; Tan, Lynde

2012-01-01

This study applies the theory of planned behavior (TPB), a theory that is commonly used in commercial settings, to the educational context to explain pre-service teachers' technology acceptance. It is also interested in examining its validity when used for this purpose. It has found evidence that the TPB is a valid model to explain pre-service…

Carcinogenicity and teratogenicity vs. psychogenicity: Psychological characteristics associated with self-reported Agent Orange exposure among Vietnam combat veterans who seek treatment for substance abuse

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

Robinowitz, R.; Roberts, W.R.; Dolan, M.P.

1989-09-01

This study asked, What are the psychological characteristics of Vietnam combat veterans who claim Agent Orange exposure when compared with combat-experienced cohorts who do not report such contamination The question was researched among 153 heroin addicts, polydrug abusers, and chronic alcoholics who were seeking treatment: 58 reported moderate to high defoliant exposure while in combat; 95 reported minimal to no exposure while in Vietnam. The null hypothesis was accepted for measures of childhood and present family social climate, premilitary backgrounds, reasons for seeking treatment, patterns and types of illicit drug and alcohol use, interpersonal problems, intellectual functioning, and short-term memory.more » The null hypothesis was rejected for personality differences, however, those who self-reported high Agent Orange exposure scored significantly higher on MMPI scales F, Hypochondriasis, Depression, Paranoia, Psychasthenia, Schizophrenia, Mania, and Social interoversion. The results suggest that clinicians carefully assess attributional processing of those who report traumatic experience.« less

Zipf's law and city size distribution: A survey of the literature and future research agenda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arshad, Sidra; Hu, Shougeng; Ashraf, Badar Nadeem

2018-02-01

This study provides a systematic review of the existing literature on Zipf's law for city size distribution. Existing empirical evidence suggests that Zipf's law is not always observable even for the upper-tail cities of a territory. However, the controversy with empirical findings arises due to sample selection biases, methodological weaknesses and data limitations. The hypothesis of Zipf's law is more likely to be rejected for the entire city size distribution and, in such case, alternative distributions have been suggested. On the contrary, the hypothesis is more likely to be accepted if better empirical methods are employed and cities are properly defined. The debate is still far from to be conclusive. In addition, we identify four emerging areas in Zipf's law and city size distribution research including the size distribution of lower-tail cities, the size distribution of cities in sub-national regions, the alternative forms of Zipf's law, and the relationship between Zipf's law and the coherence property of the urban system.

What Does Galileo's Discovery of Jupiter's Moons Tell Us About the Process of Scientific Discovery?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawson, Anton E.

In 1610, Galileo Galilei discovered Jupiter''smoons with the aid of a new morepowerful telescope of his invention. Analysisof his report reveals that his discoveryinvolved the use of at least three cycles ofhypothetico-deductive reasoning. Galileofirst used hypothetico-deductive reasoning to generateand reject a fixed star hypothesis.He then generated and rejected an ad hocastronomers-made-a-mistake hypothesis.Finally, he generated, tested, and accepted a moonhypothesis. Galileo''s reasoningis modeled in terms of Piaget''s equilibration theory,Grossberg''s theory of neurologicalactivity, a neural network model proposed by Levine &Prueitt, and another proposedby Kosslyn & Koenig. Given that hypothetico-deductivereasoning has played a rolein other important scientific discoveries, thequestion is asked whether it plays a rolein all important scientific discoveries. In otherwords, is hypothetico-deductive reasoningthe essence of the scientific method? Possiblealternative scientific methods, such asBaconian induction and combinatorial analysis,are explored and rejected as viablealternatives. Educational implications of thishypothetico-deductive view of scienceare discussed.

Nursing students' opinions about acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

PubMed

Weber, J P

1975-01-01

Eighty senior nursing students at the University of San Francisco (USF) were divided at random into four groups of 20. Two groups were pretested on their knowledge of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. One week later a 50-minute class in acupuncture and Chinese medicine was given in a community health class to one of the two pretexted groups and one of the two untested groups. Following the class, the test was given to all four groups. Using the Solomon Four-Group design to measure effects of pretesting and the class content, significant differences were found between the groups on questions seeking differences, to confirm the first hypothesis that an increase in knowledge about acupuncture and Chinese medicine will accompany an increase in its acceptance as a healing tool and the desire to learn more about it. A t-test on the results of pre- and post- tests confirmed the second hypothesis that there will be no difference between groups in history or maturation from one week to the next.

Allergenicity of vertebrate tropomyosins: Challenging an immunological dogma.

PubMed

González-Fernández, J; Daschner, A; Cuéllar, C

With the exception of tilapia tropomyosin, other anecdotic reports of tropomyosin recognition of vertebrate origin are generally not accompanied by clinical significance and a dogmatic idea is generally accepted about the inexistence of allergenicity of vertebrate tropomyosins, based mainly on sequence similarity evaluations with human tropomyosins. Recently, a specific work-up of a tropomyosin sensitised patient with seafood allergy, demonstrated that the IgE-recognition of tropomyosin from different fish species can be clinically relevant. We hypothesise that some vertebrate tropomyosins could be relevant allergens. The hypothesis is based on the molecular evolution of the proteins and it was tested by in silico methods. Fish, which are primitive vertebrates, could have tropomyosins similar to those of invertebrates. If the hypothesis is confirmed, tropomyosin should be included in different allergy diagnosis tools to improve the medical protocols and management of patients with digestive or cutaneous symptoms after fish intake. Copyright © 2016 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Integrating novel chemical weapons and evolutionarily increased competitive ability in success of a tropical invader.

PubMed

Zheng, Yu-Long; Feng, Yu-Long; Zhang, Li-Kun; Callaway, Ragan M; Valiente-Banuet, Alfonso; Luo, Du-Qiang; Liao, Zhi-Yong; Lei, Yan-Bao; Barclay, Gregor F; Silva-Pereyra, Carlos

2015-02-01

The evolution of increased competitive ability (EICA) hypothesis and the novel weapons hypothesis (NWH) are two non-mutually exclusive mechanisms for exotic plant invasions, but few studies have simultaneously tested these hypotheses. Here we aimed to integrate them in the context of Chromolaena odorata invasion. We conducted two common garden experiments in order to test the EICA hypothesis, and two laboratory experiments in order to test the NWH. In common conditions, C. odorata plants from the nonnative range were better competitors but not larger than plants from the native range, either with or without the experimental manipulation of consumers. Chromolaena odorata plants from the nonnative range were more poorly defended against aboveground herbivores but better defended against soil-borne enemies. Chromolaena odorata plants from the nonnative range produced more odoratin (Eupatorium) (a unique compound of C. odorata with both allelopathic and defensive activities) and elicited stronger allelopathic effects on species native to China, the nonnative range of the invader, than on natives of Mexico, the native range of the invader. Our results suggest that invasive plants may evolve increased competitive ability after being introduced by increasing the production of novel allelochemicals, potentially in response to naïve competitors and new enemy regimes. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

Demonstrating Patterns in the Views Of Stakeholders Regarding Ethically-Salient Issues in Clinical Research: A Novel Use of Graphical Models in Empirical Ethics Inquiry.

PubMed

Kim, Jane Paik; Roberts, Laura Weiss

Empirical ethics inquiry works from the notion that stakeholder perspectives are necessary for gauging the ethical acceptability of human studies and assuring that research aligns with societal expectations. Although common, studies involving different populations often entail comparisons of trends that problematize the interpretation of results. Using graphical model selection - a technique aimed at transcending limitations of conventional methods - this report presents data on the ethics of clinical research with two objectives: (1) to display the patterns of views held by ill and healthy individuals in clinical research as a test of the study's original hypothesis and (2) to introduce graphical model selection as a key analytic tool for ethics research. In this IRB-approved, NIH-funded project, data were collected from 60 mentally ill and 43 physically ill clinical research protocol volunteers, 47 healthy protocol-consented participants, and 29 healthy individuals without research protocol experience. Respondents were queried on the ethical acceptability of research involving people with mental and physical illness (i.e., cancer, HIV, depression, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder) and non-illness related sources of vulnerability (e.g., age, class, gender, ethnicity). Using a statistical algorithm, we selected graphical models to display interrelationships among responses to questions. Both mentally and physically ill protocol volunteers revealed a high degree of connectivity among ethically-salient perspectives. Healthy participants, irrespective of research protocol experience, revealed patterns of views that were not highly connected. Between ill and healthy protocol participants, the pattern of views is vastly different. Experience with illness was tied to dense connectivity, whereas healthy individuals expressed views with sparse connections. In offering a nuanced perspective on the interrelation of ethically relevant responses, graphical model selection has the potential to bring new insights to the field of ethics.

Insect Seed Predators in Erythrina falcata (Fabaceae): Identification of Predatory Species and Ecological Consequences of Asynchronous Flowering.

PubMed

Pereira, C M; Moura, M O; Da-Silva, P R

2014-06-01

Seed predation by insects exerts negative effects on plant reproduction by limiting the supply of seeds and preventing germination. Seed predators of the family Fabaceae are usually generalists, which increases the rate of predation. One strategy to minimize seed predation, developed by plants from temperate regions, is "escape in time," i.e., flowering before or after the peak of predation. For tropical species, few studies have investigated the strategies used by plants to minimize seed predation. Here, using Erythrina falcata, a tropical species of Fabaceae, we test three main hypotheses: (i) escape in time is a mechanism used by E. falcata to minimize seed predation, (ii) the predators of E. falcata seeds are generalists, and (iii) the biometric variables of the pods can influence seed predation. In order to test these hypotheses, we determined the flowering time of E. falcata, rate of seed predation, the predators insects, and biometric variables of the pods. The analyzed trees were grouped into three classes: "early," "peak," and "late" flowering. The average seed predation rates on trees in the early and late classes were 65% and 50%, respectively, and in the peak class, 80%; thus, our first hypothesis can be accepted. Three species of Lepidoptera and two of Coleoptera were found preying on E. falcata seeds. These species were observed to be generalist predators; thus, our second hypothesis can be accepted. The biometric variables of the pods cannot influence seed predation rate. The ecological consequences of asynchronous flowering on plants and insects are discussed.

Primates and their pinworm parasites: the cameron hypothesis revisited.

PubMed

Hugot, J P

1999-09-01

A morphologically based cladistic analysis of the Enterobiinae, which includes most of the Oxyuridae parasitic in Primates, allows a reevaluation of the Cameron's hypothesis of close coevolution with cospeciation between hosts and parasites. Each of the three genera separated in the Enterobiinae fits with one of the suborders defined in Primates: Lemuricola with the Strepsirhini, Trypanoxyuris with the Platyrrhini, and Enterobius with the Catarrhini. Inside each of the three main groups, the subdivisions observed in the parasite tree also fit with many of the subdivisions generally accepted within the Primate order. These results confirm the subgroups previously described in the subfamily and support Cameron's hypothesis in its aspect of association by descent. Although the classification of the Enterobiinae generally closely underlines the classification of Primates, several discordances also are observed. These are discussed case by case, with use of computed reconstruction scenarios. Given that the occurrences of the same pinworm species as a parasite for several congeneric host species is not the generalized pattern, and given that several occurrences also are observed in which the speciations of the parasites describe a more complex network, Cameron's hypothesis of a slower rhythm of speciation in the parasites can be considered partly refuted. The presence of two genera parasitic on squirrels in a family that contains primarily primate parasites also is discussed. The cladistic analysis does not support close relationships between the squirrel parasites and suggests an early separation from the Enterobiinae for the first (Xeroxyuris), and a tardy host-switching from the Platyrrhini to the squirrels for the second (Rodentoxyuris).

Preliminary embryological study of the radiological concept of retroperitoneal interfascial planes: what are the interfascial planes?

PubMed

Ishikawa, Kazuo; Nakao, Shota; Murakami, Gen; Rodríguez-Vázquez, Jose Francisco; Matsuoka, Tetsuya; Nakamuro, Makoto; Shimazu, Takeshi

2014-12-01

Recently, the radiological concept of retroperitoneal interfascial planes has been widely accepted to explain the extension of retroperitoneal pathologies. This study aimed to explore embryologically based corroborative evidence, which remains to be elucidated, for this concept. Using serial or semi-serial transverse sections from 29 human fetuses at the 5th-25th week of fetal age, we microscopically observed the development of the retroperitoneal fasciae and other structures in the retroperitoneal connective tissue. A hypothesis for the formation of the interfascial planes was generated from the developmental study and analysis of retroperitoneal fasciae in computed tomography images from 224 patients. Whereas the loose connective tissue was uniformly distributed in the retroperitoneum by the 9th week, the primitive renal and transversalis fasciae appeared at the 10th-12th week, as previous research has noted. By the 23rd week, the renal fascia, transversalis fascia, and primitive adipose tissue of the flank pad emerged. In addition, the primitive lateroconal fascia, which runs parallel to and close to the posterior renal fascia, emerged between the renal fascia and the adipose tissue of the flank pad. Conversely, pre-existing loose connective tissue was sandwiched between the opposing fasciae and was compressed and narrowed by the developing organs and fatty tissues. Through this developmental study, we provided the hypothesis that the compressed loose connective tissue and both opposed fasciae compose the interfascial planes. Analysis of the thickened retroperitoneal fasciae in computed tomography images supported this hypothesis. Further developmental or histological studies are required to verify our hypothesis.

A biomechanical hypothesis for the pathophysiology of apical lung disease.

PubMed

Casha, Aaron R; Manché, Alexander; Camilleri, Liberato; Gatt, Ruben; Dudek, Krzysztof; Pace-Bardon, Michael; Gauci, Marilyn; Grima, Joseph N

2016-07-01

A hypothesis is presented suggesting that the pathogenesis of apical lung disease is due to progression of subclinical congenital apical bullae in people with low Body Mass Index (BMI), a combination present in 15% of the population, due to high pleural stress levels present in the antero-posteriorly flattened chests of these individuals. The hypothesis was tested for validity in two apical lung pathologies with widespread epidemiological literature, namely tuberculosis (TB) and primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), assessing whether the hypothesis could identify high-risk populations, explain exceptional cases like apical lower lobe disease and confirm predictions. The biomechanical hypothesis can explain the high-risk factors of apical location, age, gender and low-BMI build, as well as the occurrence of disease in the apex of the lower lobe, in both TB and PSP patients. A predicted common pathogenesis for apical lung disease was confirmed by the higher-than-expected incidence of concomitant TB and PSP. Pleural stress levels depend on chest wall shape, but are highest in the apex of young males with low BMI, leading to growth of congenital bullae that can eventually limit clearance inhaled material, superinfect or burst. This hypothesis suggests that low-dose computerized tomography may be used to screen for TB eradication. This paper is the first to propose a biomechanical mechanism for all apical lung disease pathophysiology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does the Slow-Growth, High-Mortality Hypothesis Apply Below Ground?

PubMed

Hourston, James E; Bennett, Alison E; Johnson, Scott N; Gange, Alan C

2016-01-01

Belowground tri-trophic study systems present a challenging environment in which to study plant-herbivore-natural enemy interactions. For this reason, belowground examples are rarely available for testing general ecological theories. To redress this imbalance, we present, for the first time, data on a belowground tri-trophic system to test the slow growth, high mortality hypothesis. We investigated whether the differing performance of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) in controlling the common pest black vine weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus could be linked to differently resistant cultivars of the red raspberry Rubus idaeus. The O. sulcatus larvae recovered from R. idaeus plants showed significantly slower growth and higher mortality on the Glen Rosa cultivar, relative to the more commercially favored Glen Ample cultivar creating a convenient system for testing this hypothesis. Heterorhabditis megidis was found to be less effective at controlling O. sulcatus than Steinernema kraussei, but conformed to the hypothesis. However, S. kraussei maintained high levels of O. sulcatus mortality regardless of how larval growth was influenced by R. idaeus cultivar. We link this to direct effects that S. kraussei had on reducing O. sulcatus larval mass, indicating potential sub-lethal effects of S. kraussei, which the slow-growth, high-mortality hypothesis does not account for. Possible origins of these sub-lethal effects of EPN infection and how they may impact on a hypothesis designed and tested with aboveground predator and parasitoid systems are discussed.

Knowledge inhibition and N400: a study with words that look like common words.

PubMed

Debruille, J B

1998-04-01

In addition to their own representations, low frequency words, such as BRIBE, can covertly activate the representations of higher frequency words they look like (e.g., BRIDE). Hence, look-alike words can activate knowledge that is incompatible with the knowledge corresponding to accurate representations. Comparatively, eccentric words, that is, low frequency words that do not look as much like higher frequency words, are less likely to activate incompatible knowledge. This study focuses on the hypothesis that the N400 component of the event-related potential reflects the inhibition of incompatible knowledge. This hypothesis predicts that look-alike words elicit N400s of greater amplitudes than eccentric words in conditions where incompatible knowledge is inhibited. Results from a single item lexical decision experiment are reported which support the inhibition hypothesis. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Initial conditions for cosmological perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashtekar, Abhay; Gupt, Brajesh

2017-02-01

Penrose proposed that the big bang singularity should be constrained by requiring that the Weyl curvature vanishes there. The idea behind this past hypothesis is attractive because it constrains the initial conditions for the universe in geometric terms and is not confined to a specific early universe paradigm. However, the precise statement of Penrose’s hypothesis is tied to classical space-times and furthermore restricts only the gravitational degrees of freedom. These are encapsulated only in the tensor modes of the commonly used cosmological perturbation theory. Drawing inspiration from the underlying idea, we propose a quantum generalization of Penrose’s hypothesis using the Planck regime in place of the big bang, and simultaneously incorporating tensor as well as scalar modes. Initial conditions selected by this generalization constrain the universe to be as homogeneous and isotropic in the Planck regime as permitted by the Heisenberg uncertainty relations.

Survivorship, development, and fecundity of buck moth (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) on common tree species in the Gulf Coast urban forest

Treesearch

P. J. Martinat; J. D. Solomon; Theodor D. Leininger

1996-01-01

Hemileuca maia maia (Drury), the buck moth, is abundant in urban areas of the Gulf Coast region where it defoliates oaks. However, the extent to which the buck moth can survive on other tree species common in the southern urban forest has not been reported. In the laboratory, the authors studied the suitability and acceptability to larvae of 14 common tree species in...

Self-acceptance of stuttering: A preliminary study.

PubMed

De Nardo, Thales; Gabel, Rodney M; Tetnowski, John A; Swartz, Eric R

2016-01-01

This study explored the relationship between self-acceptance of stuttering and (1) psychosocial factors (self-esteem, hostility towards others, emotional support, and perceived discrimination); (2) treatment history (support group participation, therapy duration, and perceived therapy success); and (3) previously reported variables in self-acceptance of stuttering, which include age and stuttering severity. Participants were 80 adults who stutter who were recruited with assistance from the National Stuttering Association and Board Certified Specialists in Fluency Disorders. Participants completed an electronic survey composed of an acceptance of stuttering scale, psychosocial scales, and a participant information questionnaire. Statistical analysis identified significant correlations between participants' reports of self-acceptance of stuttering and self-esteem, perceived discrimination, hostility towards others, and perceived therapy outcome. Self-esteem was positively correlated with self-acceptance, while hostility towards others and perceived discrimination was negatively correlated with self-acceptance. Participants who perceived their therapy outcome to be successful were significantly more likely to report higher levels of self-acceptance. No significant relationships were found between self-acceptance of stuttering and support group participation, emotional support, stuttering severity, and participant age. This exploratory investigation has provided a foundation for future studies on the self-acceptance of stuttering. The findings indicate common psychosocial variables in self-acceptance of stuttering and of other disabilities. The significant relationships between self-acceptance of stuttering and psychosocial and therapeutic variables found need to be further explored to identify its causalities and clinical implications. The reader will be able to (1) discuss the importance of assessing self-acceptance of stuttering, (2) summarize the literature on self-acceptance of disability, and (3) describe the significant findings related to self-acceptance of stuttering and psychosocial, therapeutic variables. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exercise: Applications to Childhood ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wigal, Sharon B.; Emmerson, Natasha; Gehricke, Jean-G.; Galassetti, Pietro

2013-01-01

ADHD is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood, presenting with pervasive and impairing symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, or a combination. The leading hypothesis of the underlying physiology of this disorder of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity is based on catecholamine dysfunction. Pharmacotherapy…

Cultural and ethnic differences in the acceptance or rejection of liposuction instrumentation entrance marks.

PubMed

Field, Lawrence M

2007-01-01

The acceptance of visible marks on the skin as a result of surgical procedures varies by the necessity of the procedure (ie, cosmetic or not) and by the cultural interpretation of those sequelae. As liposuction has become the most commonly performed major cosmetic procedure in the US, and perhaps throughout the world, the visible stigmata resulting from the surgical invasion may be of major consequence to some while they remain of little or no consequence to others. This article explores the national, cultural, racial, and ethnic variations in the acceptance or rejection of visible marks on the skin in several parts of world.

Informed Consent to Study Purpose in Randomized Clinical Trials of Antibiotics, 1991 Through 2011.

PubMed

Doshi, Peter; Hur, Peter; Jones, Mark; Albarmawi, Husam; Jefferson, Tom; Morgan, Daniel J; Spears, Patricia A; Powers, John H

2017-10-01

Potential research participants may assume that randomized trials comparing new interventions with older interventions always hypothesize greater efficacy for the new intervention, as in superiority trials. However, antibiotic trials frequently use "noninferiority" hypotheses allowing a degree of inferior efficacy deemed "clinically acceptable" compared with an older effective drug, in exchange for nonefficacy benefits (eg, decreased adverse effects). Considering these different benefit-harm trade-offs, proper informed consent necessitates supplying different information on the purposes of superiority and noninferiority trials. To determine the degree to which the study purpose is explained to potential participants in randomized clinical trials of antibiotics and the degree to which study protocols justify their selection of noninferiority hypotheses and amount of "clinically acceptable" inferiority. Cross-sectional analysis of study protocols, statistical analysis plans (SAPs), and informed consent forms (ICFs) from clinical study reports submitted to the European Medicines Agency. The ICFs were read by both methodologists and patient investigators. Protocols and SAPs were used as the reference standard to determine prespecified primary hypothesis and record rationale for selection of noninferiority hypotheses and noninferiority margins. This information was cross-referenced against ICFs to determine whether ICFs explained the study purpose. We obtained trial documents from 78 randomized trials with prespecified efficacy hypotheses (6 superiority, 72 noninferiority) for 17 antibiotics conducted between 1991 and 2011 that enrolled 39 407 patients. Fifty were included in the ICF analysis. All ICFs contained sections describing study purpose; however, none consistently conveyed study hypothesis to both methodologists and patient investigators. Methodologists found that 1 of 50 conveyed a study purpose. Patient investigators found that 11 of 50 conveyed a study purpose, 7 accurately and 4 inaccurately compared with the reference standard. Seventy-one of 72 noninferiority trial protocols or SAPs provided no rationale for selection of noninferiority hypothesis. None provided a clinical rationale for the chosen amount of decreased efficacy. Patients were not accurately informed of study purpose, which raises questions regarding the ethics of informed consent in antibiotic trials. Noninferiority and superiority trials entail different benefit-harm trade-offs that must be conveyed for ethical informed consent.

The Marriage Checkup: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Annual Relationship Health Checkups

PubMed Central

Cordova, James V.; Fleming, C.J. Eubanks; Morrill, Melinda Ippolito; Hawrilenko, Matt; Sollenberger, Julia W.; Harp, Amanda G.; Gray, Tatiana D.; Darling, Ellen V.; Blair, Jonathan M.; Meade, Amy E.; Wachs, Karen

2014-01-01

Objective This study assessed the efficacy of the Marriage Checkup for improving relationship health and intimacy. Method Cohabiting married couples (N=215, Mage women=44.5 years, men=47 years, 93.1% Caucasian) recruited from a northeastern U.S. metropolitan area through print and electronic media were randomly assigned to MC treatment or wait-list control. Treatment but not control couples participated in assessment and feedback visits, at the beginning of the study and again one year later. All couples completed nine sets of questionnaires over two years. Outcome measures included the Quality of Marriage Index, the Global Distress subscale of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised, the Intimate Safety Questionnaire, and the Relational Acceptance Questionnaire. Results A latent growth curve model indicated significant between group differences in intimacy at every measurement point after baseline (d ranged from .20 to .55, Md = .37), significant between group differences in women’s felt acceptance for every measurement point after baseline (d ranged from .17 to .47, Md = .34), significant between group differences in men’s felt acceptance through the 1-year-2 week follow-up (d across follow-up ranged from .11 to .40, Md = .25), and significant between group differences in relationship distress through 1-year 6-month follow-up (d across follow-up ranged from .11 to .39, Md = .23). Conclusions Longitudinal analysis of the MC supports the hypothesis that the MC significantly improves intimacy, acceptance, and satisfaction. Implications for dissemination are discussed. PMID:24932565

No evidence for common processes of cognitive control and self-control.

PubMed

Scherbaum, Stefan; Frisch, Simon; Holfert, Anna-Maria; O'Hora, Denis; Dshemuchadse, Maja

2018-01-01

Cognitive control and self-control are often used as interchangeable terms. Both terms refer to the ability to pursue long-term goals, but the types of controlled behavior that are typically associated with these terms differ, at least superficially. Cognitive control is observed in the control of attention and the overcoming of habitual responses, while self-control is observed in resistance to short-term impulses and temptations. Evidence from clinical studies and neuroimaging studies suggests that below these superficial differences, common control process (e.g., inhibition) might guide both types of controlled behavior. Here, we study this hypothesis in a behavioral experiment, which interlaced trials of a Simon task with trials of an intertemporal decision task. If cognitive control and self-control depend on a common control process, we expected conflict adaptation from Simon task trials to lead to increased self-control in the intertemporal decision trials. However, despite successful manipulations of conflict and conflict adaptation, we found no evidence for this hypothesis. We investigate a number of alternative explanations of this result and conclude that the differences between cognitive control and self-control are not superficial, but rather reflect differences at the process level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rarity and genetic diversity in Indo–Pacific Acropora corals

PubMed Central

Richards, Zoe T; Oppen, Madeleine J H

2012-01-01

Among various potential consequences of rarity is genetic erosion. Neutral genetic theory predicts that rare species will have lower genetic diversity than common species. To examine the association between genetic diversity and rarity, variation at eight DNA microsatellite markers was documented for 14 Acropora species that display different patterns of distribution and abundance in the Indo–Pacific Ocean. Our results show that the relationship between rarity and genetic diversity is not a positive linear association because, contrary to expectations, some rare species are genetically diverse and some populations of common species are genetically depleted. Our data suggest that inbreeding is the most likely mechanism of genetic depletion in both rare and common corals, and that hybridization is the most likely explanation for higher than expected levels of genetic diversity in rare species. A significant hypothesis generated from our study with direct conservation implications is that as a group, Acropora corals have lower genetic diversity at neutral microsatellite loci than may be expected from their taxonomic diversity, and this may suggest a heightened susceptibility to environmental change. This hypothesis requires validation based on genetic diversity estimates derived from a large portion of the genome. PMID:22957189

A Case for Common Core State Standards: Gifted Curriculum 3.0

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanTassel-Baska, Joyce

2012-01-01

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is the most successful attempt to gain consensus across states for 21st century standards in language arts and mathematics. So far, 46 states have accepted these standards, with two consortia organized to translate them into resources and sample activities. A consultant firm has been hired to develop the…

Music Learning in Schools: Perspectives of a New Foundation for Music Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gruhn, Wilfried; Regelski, Thomas A., Ed.

2006-01-01

Does music education need a new philosophy that is scientifically grounded on common agreements with educational and musical standards? If such standards are commonly accepted, why do people reflect philosophically about music teaching and learning? At first glance, these questions sound very abstract and theoretical because people love music, and…

Rethinking the history of common walnut (Juglans regia L.) in Europe: Its origins and human interactions

Treesearch

Paola Pollegioni; Keith Woeste; Francesca Chiocchini; Stefano Del Lungo; Marco Ciolfi; Irene Olimpieri; Virginia Tortolano; Jo Clark; Gabriel E. Hemery; Sergio Mapelli; Maria Emilia Malvolti; Tzen-Yuh Chiang

2017-01-01

Common walnut (Juglans regia L) is an economically important species cultivated worldwide for its high-quality wood and nuts. It is generally accepted that after the last glaciation J. regia survived and grew in almost completely isolated stands in Asia, and that ancient humans dispersed walnuts across Asia and into new...

Techniques to evaluate the importance of common cause degradation on reliability and safety of nuclear weapons.

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

Darby, John L.

2011-05-01

As the nuclear weapon stockpile ages, there is increased concern about common degradation ultimately leading to common cause failure of multiple weapons that could significantly impact reliability or safety. Current acceptable limits for the reliability and safety of a weapon are based on upper limits on the probability of failure of an individual item, assuming that failures among items are independent. We expanded the current acceptable limits to apply to situations with common cause failure. Then, we developed a simple screening process to quickly assess the importance of observed common degradation for both reliability and safety to determine if furthermore » action is necessary. The screening process conservatively assumes that common degradation is common cause failure. For a population with between 100 and 5000 items we applied the screening process and conclude the following. In general, for a reliability requirement specified in the Military Characteristics (MCs) for a specific weapon system, common degradation is of concern if more than 100(1-x)% of the weapons are susceptible to common degradation, where x is the required reliability expressed as a fraction. Common degradation is of concern for the safety of a weapon subsystem if more than 0.1% of the population is susceptible to common degradation. Common degradation is of concern for the safety of a weapon component or overall weapon system if two or more components/weapons in the population are susceptible to degradation. Finally, we developed a technique for detailed evaluation of common degradation leading to common cause failure for situations that are determined to be of concern using the screening process. The detailed evaluation requires that best estimates of common cause and independent failure probabilities be produced. Using these techniques, observed common degradation can be evaluated for effects on reliability and safety.« less

Ninety-Degree Chevron Osteotomy for Correction of Hallux Valgus Deformity: Clinical Data and Finite Element Analysis

PubMed Central

Matzaroglou, Charalambos; Bougas, Panagiotis; Panagiotopoulos, Elias; Saridis, Alkis; Karanikolas, Menelaos; Kouzoudis, Dimitris

2010-01-01

Hallux valgus is a very common foot disorder, with its prevalence estimated at 33% in adult shoe-wearing populations. Conservative management is the initial treatment of choice for this condition, but surgery is sometimes needed. The 600 angle Chevron osteotomy is an accepted method for correction of mild to moderate hallux valgus in adults less than 60 years old. A modified 900 angle Chevron osteotomy has also been described; this modified technique can confer some advantages compared to the 600 angle method, and reported results are good. In the current work we present clinical data from a cohort of fifty-one female patients who had surgery for sixty-two hallux valgus deformities. In addition, in order to get a better physical insight and study the mechanical stresses along the two osteotomies, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was also conducted. FEA indicated enhanced mechanical bonding with the modified 900 Chevron osteotomy, because the compressive stresses that keep the two bone parts together are stronger, and the shearing stresses that tend to slide the two bone parts apart are weaker, compared to the typical 600 technique. Follow-up data on our patient cohort show good or excellent long-term clinical results with the modified 900 angle technique. These results are consistent with the FEA-based hypothesis that a 900 Chevron osteotomy confers certain mechanical advantages compared to the typical 600 procedure. PMID:20648223

High throughput gene expression profiling: a molecular approach to integrative physiology

PubMed Central

Liang, Mingyu; Cowley, Allen W; Greene, Andrew S

2004-01-01

Integrative physiology emphasizes the importance of understanding multiple pathways with overlapping, complementary, or opposing effects and their interactions in the context of intact organisms. The DNA microarray technology, the most commonly used method for high-throughput gene expression profiling, has been touted as an integrative tool that provides insights into regulatory pathways. However, the physiology community has been slow in acceptance of these techniques because of early failure in generating useful data and the lack of a cohesive theoretical framework in which experiments can be analysed. With recent advances in both technology and analysis, we propose a concept of multidimensional integration of physiology that incorporates data generated by DNA microarray and other functional, genomic, and proteomic approaches to achieve a truly integrative understanding of physiology. Analysis of several studies performed in simpler organisms or in mammalian model animals supports the feasibility of such multidimensional integration and demonstrates the power of DNA microarray as an indispensable molecular tool for such integration. Evaluation of DNA microarray techniques indicates that these techniques, despite limitations, have advanced to a point where the question-driven profiling research has become a feasible complement to the conventional, hypothesis-driven research. With a keen sense of homeostasis, global regulation, and quantitative analysis, integrative physiologists are uniquely positioned to apply these techniques to enhance the understanding of complex physiological functions. PMID:14678487

Pathophysiology and Genetics of Bronchiectasis Unrelated to Cystic Fibrosis.

PubMed

Nikolic, Aleksandra

2018-05-12

Bronchiectasis is characterized by deregulated inflammatory response and recurrent bacterial infection resulting in progressive lung damage and an irreversible dilatation of bronchi and bronchioles. Generally accepted model of the development of bronchiectasis is the "vicious cycle hypothesis" that proposes compromising of the mucociliary clearance by an initial event, which leads to the infection of the respiratory tract followed by further impairment of mucociliary function, bacterial proliferation, and more inflammation. Bronchiectasis is a very common symptom in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), while bronchiectasis unrelated to CF is heterogeneous pathology of unknown cause with a large number of potential contributory factors and poorly understood pathogenesis. It is presumed that bronchiectasis unrelated to CF is a multifactorial condition predisposed by genetic factors. Different molecules have been implicated in the onset and development of idiopathic bronchiectasis, as well as modulation of the disease severity and response to therapy. Most of these molecules are involved in the processes that contribute to the homeostasis of the lung tissue, especially mucociliary clearance, protease-antiprotease balance, and immunomodulation. Evaluation of the studies performed towards investigation of the role these molecules play in bronchiectasis identifies genetic variants that may be of potential importance for clinical management of the disease, and also of interest for future research efforts. This review focuses on the molecules with major roles in lung homeostasis and their involvement in bronchiectasis unrelated to CF.

Permutation entropy of finite-length white-noise time series.

PubMed

Little, Douglas J; Kane, Deb M

2016-08-01

Permutation entropy (PE) is commonly used to discriminate complex structure from white noise in a time series. While the PE of white noise is well understood in the long time-series limit, analysis in the general case is currently lacking. Here the expectation value and variance of white-noise PE are derived as functions of the number of ordinal pattern trials, N, and the embedding dimension, D. It is demonstrated that the probability distribution of the white-noise PE converges to a χ^{2} distribution with D!-1 degrees of freedom as N becomes large. It is further demonstrated that the PE variance for an arbitrary time series can be estimated as the variance of a related metric, the Kullback-Leibler entropy (KLE), allowing the qualitative N≫D! condition to be recast as a quantitative estimate of the N required to achieve a desired PE calculation precision. Application of this theory to statistical inference is demonstrated in the case of an experimentally obtained noise series, where the probability of obtaining the observed PE value was calculated assuming a white-noise time series. Standard statistical inference can be used to draw conclusions whether the white-noise null hypothesis can be accepted or rejected. This methodology can be applied to other null hypotheses, such as discriminating whether two time series are generated from different complex system states.

‎ Anxiety Sensitivity Dimensions and Generalized Anxiety‏ ‏Severity: The ‎Mediating Role of Experiential Avoidance and Repetitive‏ ‏Negative Thinking‎ ‎

PubMed Central

Mohammadkhani, Parvaneh; Pourshahbaz, Abbas; Kami, Maryam; Mazidi, Mahdi; Abasi, Imaneh‏

2016-01-01

Objective: Generalized anxiety disorder is one of the most common anxiety disorders in the general ‎population. Several studies suggest that anxiety sensitivity is a vulnerability factor in generalized ‎anxiety severity. However, some other studies suggest that negative repetitive thinking and ‎experiential avoidance as response factors can explain this relationship. Therefore, this study ‎aimed to investigate the mediating role of experiential avoidance and negative repetitive thinking ‎in the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and generalized anxiety severity.‎ Method: This was a cross-sectional and correlational study. A sample of 475 university students was ‎selected through stratified sampling method. The participants completed Anxiety Sensitivity ‎Inventory-3, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire, and ‎Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation, multiple ‎regression analysis and path analysis.‎ Results: The results revealed a positive relationship between anxiety sensitivity, particularly cognitive ‎anxiety sensitivity, experiential avoidance, repetitive thinking and generalized anxiety severity. In ‎addition, findings showed that repetitive thinking, but not experiential avoidance, fully mediated ‎the relationship between cognitive anxiety sensitivity and generalized anxiety severity. α Level ‎was p<0.005.‎ Conclusion: Consistent with the trans-diagnostic hypothesis, anxiety sensitivity predicts generalized anxiety‏ ‏severity, but its effect is due to the generating repetitive negative thought.‎ PMID:27928245

A LINE-1 Component to Human Aging: Do LINE elements exact a longevity cost for evolutionary advantage?

PubMed Central

Laurent, Georges St.; Hammell, Neil; McCaffrey, Timothy A.

2010-01-01

Advancing age remains the largest risk factor for devastating diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer. The mechanisms by which advancing age predisposes to disease are now beginning to unfold, due in part, to genetic and environmental manipulations of longevity in lower organisms. Converging lines of evidence suggest that DNA damage may be a final common pathway linking several proposed mechanisms of aging. The present review forwards a theory for an additional aging pathway that involves modes of inherent genetic instability. Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) are endogenous non-LTR retrotransposons that compose about 20% of the human genome. The LINE-1 (L1) gene products, ORF1p and ORF2p, possess mRNA binding, endonuclease, and reverse transcriptase activity that enable retrotransposition. While principally active only during embryogenesis, L1 transcripts are detected in adult somatic cells under certain conditions. The present hypothesis proposes that L1s act as an ‘endogenous clock’, slowly eroding genomic integrity by competing with the organism’s double-strand break repair mechanism. Thus, while L1s are an accepted mechanism of genetic variation fueling evolution, it is proposed that longevity is negatively impacted by somatic L1 activity. The theory predicts testable hypotheses about the relationship between L1 activity, DNA repair, healthy aging, and longevity. PMID:20346965

Update: Dura Mater Graft-Associated Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease - Japan, 1975-2017.

PubMed

Ae, Ryusuke; Hamaguchi, Tsuyoshi; Nakamura, Yosikazu; Yamada, Masahito; Tsukamoto, Tadashi; Mizusawa, Hidehiro; Belay, Ermias D; Schonberger, Lawrence B

2018-03-09

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that, according to the most well accepted hypothesis (1), is caused by replicating, transmissible, abnormal forms of a host-encoded prion protein (prions). Most CJD cases occur spontaneously (sporadic CJD) or are inherited (genetic CJD). Iatrogenic CJD can occur after exposure to prion-contaminated instruments or products in medical/surgical settings. Cadaveric dura mater graft-associated CJD (dCJD) accounts for a common form of iatrogenic CJD. This report summarizes the epidemiologic features of 154 cases of dCJD identified in Japan during 1975-2017; these cases account for >60% of dCJD cases reported worldwide (1,2). The unusually high prevalence of dCJD in Japan was first reported in 1997 (3). In 2008, a single brand of graft (Lyodura [B. Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen, Germany]), frequently used as a patch in neurosurgical procedures, was identified as the probable vehicle of transmission (4). No international recall of the implicated Lyodura occurred, the product had a relatively long shelf life, and the grafts were used frequently in Japanese patients with non-life-threatening conditions (4,5). Since 2008, additional cases have been ascertained, reflecting the identification of previously missed cases and the occurrence of new cases with longer latency periods (interval from exposure to symptom onset) for dCJD (up to 30 years), underscoring the importance of maintaining surveillance for dCJD.

DOSE-DEPENDENT ALLERGIC ASTHMA RESPONSES TO PENICILLIUM CHRYSOGENUM

EPA Science Inventory

ABSTRACT
Indoor mold has been associated with development of allergic asthma. Penicillium chrysogenum, a common indoor mold, is known to have several allergens and its viable conidia can induce allergic responses in a mouse model of allergic penicilliosis. The hypothesis o...

Biological Factors Associated with Asperger Syndrome.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rickarby, Geoff; And Others

1991-01-01

This paper reviews Asperger Syndrome, a form of developing autism with average intelligence, in 12 boys (ages 5 to late teens). Examination of family histories, medical history and findings, obstetric, and neonatal data found no common environmental factors and supports a brain damage hypothesis. (DB)

47 CFR 1.746 - Defective applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., and Reports Involving Common Carriers Applications § 1.746 Defective applications. (a) Applications... will be accepted for filing and consideration if accompanied by petition showing good cause for waiver...

47 CFR 1.746 - Defective applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., and Reports Involving Common Carriers Applications § 1.746 Defective applications. (a) Applications... will be accepted for filing and consideration if accompanied by petition showing good cause for waiver...

Understanding the mediating effects of relationship quality on technology acceptance: an empirical study of e-appointment system.

PubMed

Chen, Shih-Chih; Liu, Shih-Chi; Li, Shing-Han; Yen, David C

2013-12-01

This study extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by incorporating relationship quality as a mediator to construct a comprehensive framework for understanding the influence on continuance intention in the hospital e-appointment system. A survey of 334 Taiwanese citizens who were contacted via phone or the Internet and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used for path analysis and hypothesis tests. The study shows that perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) have significant influence on continuance intention through the mediation of relationship quality, consisting of satisfaction and trust. The direct impact of relationship quality on continuance intention is also significant. The analytical results reveal that the relationship between the hospital, patients and e-appointment users can be improved via enhancing the continued usage of e-appointment. This paper also proposes a general model to synthesize the essence of PEOU, PU, and relationship quality for explaining users' continuous intention of e-appointment.

Looking into the crystal ball of our emotional lives: emotion regulation and the overestimation of future guilt and shame.

PubMed

van Dijk, Wilco W; van Dillen, Lotte F; Rotteveel, Mark; Seip, Elise C

2017-04-01

In the present study, we examined the impact of emotion regulation on the intensity bias in guilt and shame. Fifty-two undergraduates either forecasted their emotions and emotion regulation following a guilt- and shame-eliciting situation or reported their actual experienced emotions and employed emotion regulation. Results showed a clear intensity bias, that is, forecasters predicted to experience more guilt and shame than experiencers actually experienced. Furthermore, results showed that forecasters predicted to employ less down-regulating emotion regulation (i.e. less acceptance) and more up-regulating emotion regulation (i.e. more rumination) than experiencers actually employed. Moreover, results showed that the intensity differences between forecasted and experienced guilt and shame could be explained (i.e. were mediated) by the differences between forecasted and actually employed emotion regulation (i.e. acceptance and rumination). These findings provide support for the hypothesis that the intensity bias can-at least in part-be explained by the misprediction of future emotion regulation.

A Cooperative Learning Classroom Intervention for Increasing Peer's Acceptance of Children With ADHD.

PubMed

Capodieci, Agnese; Rivetti, Thomas; Cornoldi, Cesare

2016-08-31

The hypothesis behind this study was that trained teachers using cooperative learning procedures with children in their classroom (aged from 6 to 10 years) can influence the social skills of children with ADHD symptoms and their acceptance by their peers. The study involved 30 children with ADHD symptoms attending 12 different classes, where cooperative learning was adopted in some, and standard practices in others. ADHD children's symptoms, social skills, and cooperative behavior were assessed by means of a teacher's questionnaire, and the social preferences of the children in their class were collected. Changes emerged in teachers' assessments of the children's cooperative behavior in the experimental classes. Improvements in the sociometric status of children with ADHD symptoms were only seen in the cooperative learning classes. These results show the importance of well-structured intervention in classes that include children with ADHD symptoms. Implications of these findings for future intervention are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

The meaning of the virtual Midas touch: an ERP study in economic decision making.

PubMed

Spapé, Michiel M; Hoggan, Eve E; Jacucci, Giulio; Ravaja, Niklas

2015-03-01

The Midas touch refers to the altruistic effects of a brief touch. Though these effects have often been replicated, they remain poorly understood. We investigate the psychophysiology of the effect using remotely transmitted, precisely timed, tactile messages in an economic decision-making game called Ultimatum. Participants were more likely to accept offers after receiving a remotely transmitted touch. Furthermore, we found distinct effects of touch on event-related potentials evoked by (a) feedback regarding accepted and rejected offers, (b) decision cues related to proposals, and (c) the haptic and auditory cues themselves. In each case, a late positive effect of touch was observed and related to the P3. Given the role of the P3 in memory-related functions, the results indicate an indirect relationship between touch and generosity that relies on memory. This hypothesis was further tested and confirmed in the positive effects of touch on later proposals. © 2014 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Childhood Vaccine Acceptance and Refusal among Warao Amerindian Caregivers in Venezuela; A Qualitative Approach

PubMed Central

Burghouts, Jochem; Del Nogal, Berenice; Uriepero, Angimar; Hermans, Peter W. M.; de Waard, Jacobus H.; Verhagen, Lilly M.

2017-01-01

Objectives Acceptance of childhood vaccination varies between societies, affecting worldwide vaccination coverage. Low coverage rates are common in indigenous populations where parents often choose not to vaccinate their children. We aimed to gain insight into reasons for vaccine acceptance or rejection among Warao Amerindians in Venezuela. Methods Based on records of vaccine acceptance or refusal, in-depth interviews with 20 vaccine-accepting and 11 vaccine-declining caregivers were performed. Parents’ attitudes were explored using a qualitative approach. Results Although Warao caregivers were generally in favor of vaccination, fear of side effects and the idea that young and sick children are too vulnerable to be vaccinated negatively affected vaccine acceptance. The importance assigned to side effects was related to the perception that these resembled symptoms/diseases of another origin and could thus harm the child. Religious beliefs or traditional healers did not influence the decision-making process. Conclusions Parental vaccine acceptance requires educational programs on the preventive nature of vaccines in relation to local beliefs about health and disease. Attention needs to be directed at population-specific concerns, including explanation on the nature of and therapeutic options for side effects. PMID:28107501

Correcting power and p-value calculations for bias in diffusion tensor imaging.

PubMed

Lauzon, Carolyn B; Landman, Bennett A

2013-07-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provides quantitative parametric maps sensitive to tissue microarchitecture (e.g., fractional anisotropy, FA). These maps are estimated through computational processes and subject to random distortions including variance and bias. Traditional statistical procedures commonly used for study planning (including power analyses and p-value/alpha-rate thresholds) specifically model variability, but neglect potential impacts of bias. Herein, we quantitatively investigate the impacts of bias in DTI on hypothesis test properties (power and alpha-rate) using a two-sided hypothesis testing framework. We present theoretical evaluation of bias on hypothesis test properties, evaluate the bias estimation technique SIMEX for DTI hypothesis testing using simulated data, and evaluate the impacts of bias on spatially varying power and alpha rates in an empirical study of 21 subjects. Bias is shown to inflame alpha rates, distort the power curve, and cause significant power loss even in empirical settings where the expected difference in bias between groups is zero. These adverse effects can be attenuated by properly accounting for bias in the calculation of power and p-values. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A critique of the hypothesis, and a defense of the question, as a framework for experimentation.

PubMed

Glass, David J

2010-07-01

Scientists are often steered by common convention, funding agencies, and journal guidelines into a hypothesis-driven experimental framework, despite Isaac Newton's dictum that hypotheses have no place in experimental science. Some may think that Newton's cautionary note, which was in keeping with an experimental approach espoused by Francis Bacon, is inapplicable to current experimental method since, in accord with the philosopher Karl Popper, modern-day hypotheses are framed to serve as instruments of falsification, as opposed to verification. But Popper's "critical rationalist" framework too is problematic. It has been accused of being: inconsistent on philosophical grounds; unworkable for modern "large science," such as systems biology; inconsistent with the actual goals of experimental science, which is verification and not falsification; and harmful to the process of discovery as a practical matter. A criticism of the hypothesis as a framework for experimentation is offered. Presented is an alternative framework-the query/model approach-which many scientists may discover is the framework they are actually using, despite being required to give lip service to the hypothesis.

Electronic adherence monitoring device performance and patient acceptability: a randomized control trial.

PubMed

Chan, Amy Hai Yan; Stewart, Alistair William; Harrison, Jeff; Black, Peter Nigel; Mitchell, Edwin Arthur; Foster, Juliet Michelle

2017-05-01

To investigate the performance and patient acceptability of an inhaler electronic monitoring device in a real-world childhood asthma population. Children 6 to 15 years presenting with asthma to the hospital emergency department and prescribed inhaled corticosteroids were included. Participants were randomized to receive a device with reminder features enabled or disabled for use with their preventer. Device quality control tests were conducted. Questionnaires on device acceptability, utility and ergonomics were completed at six months. A total of 1306 quality control tests were conducted; 84% passed pre-issue and 87% return testing. The most common failure reason was actuation under-recording. Acceptability scores were high, with higher scores in the reminder than non-reminder group (median, 5 th -95 th percentile: 4.1, 3.1-5.0 versus 3.7, 2.3-4.8; p < 0.001). Most (>90%) rated the device easy to use. Feedback was positive across five themes: device acceptability, ringtone acceptability, suggestions for improvement, effect on medication use, and effect on asthma control. This study investigates electronic monitoring device performance and acceptability in children using quantitative and qualitative measures. Results indicate satisfactory reliability, although failure rates of 13-16% indicate the importance of quality control. Favorable acceptability ratings support the use of these devices in children.

Organizational Structure as a Determinant of Job Burnout.

PubMed

Bilal, Atif; Ahmed, Hafiz Mushtaq

2017-03-01

This exploratory study determined the impact of organizational structure, particularly participation in decision making, instrumental communication, formalization, integration, and promotional opportunity, on burnout among Pakistani pediatric nurses. Data were collected from pediatric nurses working for Punjab's largest state-run hospital. The findings revealed that participation in decision making, instrumental communication, and promotional opportunity prevented burnout. Formalization contributed to burnout but integration was not related to burnout. Quite interestingly, except for supervisory status, most control variables for this study were not significantly related to emotional burnout. Hence, the hypothesis that organizational structure is a determinant of job burnout was accepted.

Evolution of gas-rich meteorites: Clues from cosmogenic nuclides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goswami, J. N.

1986-01-01

The evolution of gas-rich meteorites in general, and the setting in which the observed solar-wind, solar-flare irradiation records were imprinted in individual components of these meteorites are understood only in qualitative terms, although contrary viewpoints do exist. The regolith irradiation hypothesis, bolstered by the observations of irradiation features in lunar regolith materials, similar to those observed in gas-rich meteorites, is accepted by many workers in this field. However, a close analysis of the problem suggests that the regolith irradiation may not be the dominant mode in producing the observed precompaction irradiation features in the gas-rich meteorites.

Sex differences in principal farm operators' tractor driving safety beliefs and behaviors.

PubMed

Cole, H P; Westneat, S C; Browning, S R; Piercy, L R; Struttmann, T

2000-01-01

To examine the widely accepted hypothesis that farm women are more concerned with safety issues and behaviors than their male counterparts are. A telephone survey was administered to a random sample of Kentucky principal farm operators, 90 of whom were women. Participants were questioned about their tractor safety beliefs and practices. No significant sex differences in tractor safety perceptions and behavior were observed. Socialization of women to the role of principal farm operator may override their typically greater sensitivity to safety issues, an important consideration when designing safety campaigns for this population.

Traces of embryogenesis are the same in monozygotic and dizygotic twins: not compatible with double ovulation.

PubMed

Boklage, Charles E

2009-06-01

Common knowledge of over a century has it that monozygotic and dizygotic twinning events occur by unrelated mechanisms: monozygotic twinning 'splits' embryos, producing anomalously re-arranged embryogenic asymmetries; dizygotic twinning begins with independent ovulations yielding undisturbed parallel embryogeneses with no expectation of departures from singleton outcomes. The anomalies statistically associated with twin births are due to the re-arranged embryos of the monozygotics. Common knowledge further requires that dizygotic pairs are dichorionic; monochorionicity is exclusive to monozygotic pairs. These are fundamental certainties in the literature of twin biology. Multiple observations contradict those common knowledge understandings. The double ovulation hypothesis of dizygotic twinning is untenable. Girl-boy twins differ subtly from all other humans of either sex, absolutely not representative of all dizygotics. Embryogenesis of dizygotic twins differs from singleton development at least as much as monozygotic embryogenesis does, and in the same ways, and the differences between singletons and twins of both zygosities represent a coherent system of re-arranged embryogenic asymmetries. Dizygotic twinning and monozygotic twinning have the same list of consequences of anomalous embryogenesis. Those include an unignorable fraction of dizygotic pairs that are in fact monochorionic, plus many more sharing co-twins' cells in tissues other than a common chorion. The idea that monozygotic and dizygotic twinning events arise from the same embryogenic mechanism is the only plausible hypothesis that might explain all of the observations.

Statistical significance versus clinical relevance.

PubMed

van Rijn, Marieke H C; Bech, Anneke; Bouyer, Jean; van den Brand, Jan A J G

2017-04-01

In March this year, the American Statistical Association (ASA) posted a statement on the correct use of P-values, in response to a growing concern that the P-value is commonly misused and misinterpreted. We aim to translate these warnings given by the ASA into a language more easily understood by clinicians and researchers without a deep background in statistics. Moreover, we intend to illustrate the limitations of P-values, even when used and interpreted correctly, and bring more attention to the clinical relevance of study findings using two recently reported studies as examples. We argue that P-values are often misinterpreted. A common mistake is saying that P < 0.05 means that the null hypothesis is false, and P ≥0.05 means that the null hypothesis is true. The correct interpretation of a P-value of 0.05 is that if the null hypothesis were indeed true, a similar or more extreme result would occur 5% of the times upon repeating the study in a similar sample. In other words, the P-value informs about the likelihood of the data given the null hypothesis and not the other way around. A possible alternative related to the P-value is the confidence interval (CI). It provides more information on the magnitude of an effect and the imprecision with which that effect was estimated. However, there is no magic bullet to replace P-values and stop erroneous interpretation of scientific results. Scientists and readers alike should make themselves familiar with the correct, nuanced interpretation of statistical tests, P-values and CIs. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

New interpretation of data of the Earth's solid core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guliyev, H. H.

2017-06-01

The commonly accepted scientific opinions on the inner core as the deformable solid globe are based on the solution of the problem on the distribution of elastic parameters in the inner structures of the Earth. The given solution is obtained within the necessary integral conditions on its self-weight, moment of inertia concerning the axes of rotation and periods of free oscillations of the Earth. It is shown that this solution does not satisfy the mechanics of the deformable solid body with sufficient local conditions following from basic principles concerning the strength, stability and actuality of velocities of propagation of elastic waves. The violation of local conditions shows that the inner core cannot exist in the form of the deformable solid body within the commonly accepted elastic parameters.

The Choice of the Filtering Method in Microarrays Affects the Inference Regarding Dosage Compensation of the Active X-Chromosome

PubMed Central

Zeller, Tanja; Wild, Philipp S.; Truong, Vinh; Trégouët, David-Alexandre; Munzel, Thomas; Ziegler, Andreas; Cambien, François; Blankenberg, Stefan; Tiret, Laurence

2011-01-01

Background The hypothesis of dosage compensation of genes of the X chromosome, supported by previous microarray studies, was recently challenged by RNA-sequencing data. It was suggested that microarray studies were biased toward an over-estimation of X-linked expression levels as a consequence of the filtering of genes below the detection threshold of microarrays. Methodology/Principal Findings To investigate this hypothesis, we used microarray expression data from circulating monocytes in 1,467 individuals. In total, 25,349 and 1,156 probes were unambiguously assigned to autosomes and the X chromosome, respectively. Globally, there was a clear shift of X-linked expressions toward lower levels than autosomes. We compared the ratio of expression levels of X-linked to autosomal transcripts (X∶AA) using two different filtering methods: 1. gene expressions were filtered out using a detection threshold irrespective of gene chromosomal location (the standard method in microarrays); 2. equal proportions of genes were filtered out separately on the X and on autosomes. For a wide range of filtering proportions, the X∶AA ratio estimated with the first method was not significantly different from 1, the value expected if dosage compensation was achieved, whereas it was significantly lower than 1 with the second method, leading to the rejection of the hypothesis of dosage compensation. We further showed in simulated data that the choice of the most appropriate method was dependent on biological assumptions regarding the proportion of actively expressed genes on the X chromosome comparative to the autosomes and the extent of dosage compensation. Conclusion/Significance This study shows that the method used for filtering out lowly expressed genes in microarrays may have a major impact according to the hypothesis investigated. The hypothesis of dosage compensation of X-linked genes cannot be firmly accepted or rejected using microarray-based data. PMID:21912656

Exploring user experience and technology acceptance for a fall prevention system: results from a randomized clinical trial and a living lab.

PubMed

Vaziri, Daryoush D; Aal, Konstantin; Ogonowski, Corinna; Von Rekowski, Thomas; Kroll, Michael; Marston, Hannah R; Poveda, Rakel; Gschwind, Yves J; Delbaere, Kim; Wieching, Rainer; Wulf, Volker

2016-01-01

Falls are common in older adults and can result in serious injuries. Due to demographic changes, falls and related healthcare costs are likely to increase over the next years. Participation and motivation of older adults in fall prevention measures remain a challenge. The iStoppFalls project developed an information and communication technology (ICT)-based system for older adults to use at home in order to reduce common fall risk factors such as impaired balance and muscle weakness. The system aims at increasing older adults' motivation to participate in ICT-based fall prevention measures. This article reports on usability, user-experience and user-acceptance aspects affecting the use of the iStoppFalls system by older adults. In the course of a 16-week international multicenter study, 153 community-dwelling older adults aged 65+ participated in the iStoppFalls randomized controlled trial, of which half used the system in their home to exercise and assess their risk of falling. During the study, 60 participants completed questionnaires regarding the usability, user experience and user acceptance of the iStoppFalls system. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS). For user experience the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) was applied. User acceptance was assessed with the Dynamic Acceptance Model for the Re-evaluation of Technologies (DART). To collect more detailed data on usability, user experience and user acceptance, additional qualitative interviews and observations were conducted with participants. Participants evaluated the usability of the system with an overall score of 62 (Standard Deviation, SD 15.58) out of 100, which suggests good usability. Most users enjoyed the iStoppFalls games and assessments, as shown by the overall PACES score of 31 (SD 8.03). With a score of 0.87 (SD 0.26), user acceptance results showed that participants accepted the iStoppFalls system for use in their own home. Interview data suggested that certain factors such as motivation, complexity or graphical design were different for gender and age. The results suggest that the iStoppFalls system has good usability, user experience and user acceptance. It will be important to take these along with factors such as motivation, gender and age into consideration when designing and further developing ICT-based fall prevention systems.

A phylogenetic view of the Out of Asia/Eurasia and Out of Africa hypotheses in the light of recent molecular and palaeontological finds.

PubMed

Árnason, Úlfur

2017-09-05

The substantiality of the Out of Africa hypothesis was addressed in the light of recent genomic analysis of extant humans (Homo sapiens sapiens, Hss) and progress in Neanderthal palaeontology. The examination lent no support to the commonly assumed Out of Africa scenario but favoured instead a Eurasian divergence between Neanderthals and Hss (the Askur/Embla hypothesis) and an Out of Asia/Eurasia hypothesis according to which all other parts of the world were colonized by Hss migrations from Asia. The examination suggested furthermore that the ancestors of extant KhoeSan and Mbuti composed the first Hss dispersal(s) into Africa and that the ancestors of Yoruba made up a later wave into the same continent. The conclusions constitute a change in paradigm for the study of human evolution. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Trivers–Willard hypothesis: sex ratio or investment?

PubMed Central

Veller, Carl; Haig, David; Nowak, Martin A.

2016-01-01

The Trivers–Willard hypothesis has commonly been considered to predict two things. First, that a mother in good condition should bias the sex ratio of her offspring towards males (if males exhibit greater variation in reproductive value). Second, that a mother in good condition should invest more per son than per daughter. These two predictions differ empirically, mechanistically and, as we demonstrate here, theoretically too. We construct a simple model of sex allocation that allows simultaneous analysis of both versions of the Trivers–Willard hypothesis. We show that the sex ratio version holds under very general conditions, being valid for a large class of male and female fitness functions. The investment version, on the other hand, is shown to hold only for a small subset of male and female fitness functions. Our results help to make sense of the observation that the sex ratio version is empirically more successful than the investment version. PMID:27170721

A QUANTITATIVE REVIEW OF OVERJUSTIFICATION EFFECTS IN PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

PubMed Central

Levy, Allison; DeLeon, Iser G.; Martinez, Catherine K.; Fernandez, Nathalie; Gage, Nicholas A.; Sigurđsson, Sigurđur Óli; Frank-Crawford, Michelle A.

2016-01-01

The overjustification hypothesis suggests that extrinsic rewards undermine intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic rewards are common in strengthening behavior in persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities; we examined overjustification effects in this context. A literature search yielded 65 data sets permitting comparison of responding during an initial no-reinforcement phase to a subsequent no-reinforcement phase, separated by a reinforcement phase. We used effect sizes to compare response levels in these two no-reinforcement phases. Overall, the mean effect size did not differ from zero; levels in the second no-reinforcement phase were equally likely to be higher or lower than in the first. However, in contrast to the overjustification hypothesis, levels were higher in the second no-reinforcement phase when comparing the single no-reinforcement sessions immediately before and after reinforcement. Outcomes consistent with the overjustification hypothesis were somewhat more likely when the target behavior occurred at relatively higher levels prior to reinforcement. PMID:27739068

Mechanisms of mindfulness training: Monitor and Acceptance Theory (MAT).

PubMed

Lindsay, Emily K; Creswell, J David

2017-02-01

Despite evidence linking trait mindfulness and mindfulness training with a broad range of effects, still little is known about its underlying active mechanisms. Mindfulness is commonly defined as (1) the ongoing monitoring of present-moment experience (2) with an orientation of acceptance. Building on conceptual, clinical, and empirical work, we describe a testable theoretical account to help explain mindfulness effects on cognition, affect, stress, and health outcomes. Specifically, Monitor and Acceptance Theory (MAT) posits that (1), by enhancing awareness of one's experiences, the skill of attention monitoring explains how mindfulness improves cognitive functioning outcomes, yet this same skill can increase affective reactivity. Second (2), by modifying one's relation to monitored experience, acceptance is necessary for reducing affective reactivity, such that attention monitoring and acceptance skills together explain how mindfulness improves negative affectivity, stress, and stress-related health outcomes. We discuss how MAT contributes to mindfulness science, suggest plausible alternatives to the account, and offer specific predictions for future research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanisms of Mindfulness Training: Monitor and Acceptance Theory (MAT)1

PubMed Central

Lindsay, Emily K.; Creswell, J. David

2016-01-01

Despite evidence linking trait mindfulness and mindfulness training with a broad range of effects, still little is known about its underlying active mechanisms. Mindfulness is commonly defined as (1) the ongoing monitoring of present-moment experience (2) with an orientation of acceptance. Building on conceptual, clinical, and empirical work, we describe a testable theoretical account to help explain mindfulness effects on cognition, affect, stress, and health outcomes. Specifically, Monitor and Acceptance Theory (MAT) posits that (1), by enhancing awareness of one’s experiences, the skill of attention monitoring explains how mindfulness improves cognitive functioning outcomes, yet this same skill can increase affective reactivity. Second (2), by modifying one’s relation to monitored experience, acceptance is necessary for reducing affective reactivity, such that attention monitoring and acceptance skills together explain how mindfulness improves negative affectivity, stress, and stress-related health outcomes. We discuss how MAT contributes to mindfulness science, suggest plausible alternatives to the account, and offer specific predictions for future research. PMID:27835764

The relationship between pain, disability, guilt and acceptance in low back pain: a mediation analysis.

PubMed

Serbic, Danijela; Pincus, Tamar

2017-08-01

Pain-related guilt is a common yet unexplored psychological factor in low back pain (LBP). It has recently been linked to greater depression, anxiety and disability in LBP, hence an understanding of how it can be managed in the presence of pain and disability is necessary. Since acceptance of pain has been shown to be associated with improved outcomes in chronic pain, we examined whether it might also help reduce guilt in people with LBP. To this end, a series of mediation analyses were conducted on data from 287 patients with chronic LBP, in which acceptance of pain was tested as a mediator of the relationship between pain/disability and guilt. Results showed that acceptance of pain reduced the impact of pain/disability on pain-related guilt in all mediation analyses. Pain-related guilt might be a potential target for acceptance based interventions, thus this relationship should be further tested using longitudinal designs.

Daily energy expenditure, physical activity, and weight loss in Parkinson's disease patients

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) commonly exhibit weight loss (WL) which investigators attribute to various factors, including elevated energy expenditure. We tested the hypothesis that daily energy expenditure (DEE) and its components, resting energy expenditure (REE) and physical activity (P...

Elaborating Selected Statistical Concepts with Common Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, Kenneth A.

1992-01-01

Presents ways of elaborating statistical concepts so as to make course material more meaningful for students. Describes examples using exclamations, circus and cartoon characters, and falling leaves to illustrate variability, null hypothesis testing, and confidence interval. Concludes that the exercises increase student comprehension of the text…

Null Hypothesis Significance Testing and "p" Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Travers, Jason C.; Cook, Bryan G.; Cook, Lysandra

2017-01-01

"p" values are commonly reported in quantitative research, but are often misunderstood and misinterpreted by research consumers. Our aim in this article is to provide special educators with guidance for appropriately interpreting "p" values, with the broader goal of improving research consumers' understanding and interpretation…

Towards a web-based decision support tool for selecting appropriate statistical test in medical and biological sciences.

PubMed

Suner, Aslı; Karakülah, Gökhan; Dicle, Oğuz

2014-01-01

Statistical hypothesis testing is an essential component of biological and medical studies for making inferences and estimations from the collected data in the study; however, the misuse of statistical tests is widely common. In order to prevent possible errors in convenient statistical test selection, it is currently possible to consult available test selection algorithms developed for various purposes. However, the lack of an algorithm presenting the most common statistical tests used in biomedical research in a single flowchart causes several problems such as shifting users among the algorithms, poor decision support in test selection and lack of satisfaction of potential users. Herein, we demonstrated a unified flowchart; covers mostly used statistical tests in biomedical domain, to provide decision aid to non-statistician users while choosing the appropriate statistical test for testing their hypothesis. We also discuss some of the findings while we are integrating the flowcharts into each other to develop a single but more comprehensive decision algorithm.

A review of multi-threat medical countermeasures against chemical warfare and terrorism.

PubMed

Cowan, Fred M; Broomfield, Clarence A; Stojiljkovic, Milos P; Smith, William J

2004-11-01

The Multi-Threat Medical Countermeasure (MTMC) hypothesis has been proposed with the aim of developing a single countermeasure drug with efficacy against different pathologies caused by multiple classes of chemical warfare agents. Although sites and mechanisms of action and the pathologies caused by different chemical insults vary, common biochemical signaling pathways, molecular mediators, and cellular processes provide targets for MTMC drugs. This article will review the MTMC hypothesis for blister and nerve agents and will expand the scope of the concept to include other chemicals as well as briefly consider biological agents. The article will also consider how common biochemical signaling pathways, molecular mediators, and cellular processes that contribute to clinical pathologies and syndromes may relate to the toxicity of threat agents. Discovery of MTMC provides the opportunity for the integration of diverse researchers and clinicians, and for the exploitation of cutting-edge technologies and drug discovery. The broad-spectrum nature of MTMC can augment military and civil defense to combat chemical warfare and chemical terrorism.

The Relative Acceptability of the Multimedia Teaching Format

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, William H.; And Others

1976-01-01

This research was designed to measure how students enrolled in introductory marketing courses perceived mass section multimedia lecture classes in comparison with other commonly utilized teaching formats. (Author/RK)

The direct perception hypothesis: perceiving the intention of another’s action hinders its precise imitation

PubMed Central

Froese, Tom; Leavens, David A.

2014-01-01

We argue that imitation is a learning response to unintelligible actions, especially to social conventions. Various strands of evidence are converging on this conclusion, but further progress has been hampered by an outdated theory of perceptual experience. Comparative psychology continues to be premised on the doctrine that humans and non-human primates only perceive others’ physical “surface behavior,” while mental states are perceptually inaccessible. However, a growing consensus in social cognition research accepts the direct perception hypothesis: primarily we see what others aim to do; we do not infer it from their motions. Indeed, physical details are overlooked – unless the action is unintelligible. On this basis we hypothesize that apes’ propensity to copy the goal of an action, rather than its precise means, is largely dependent on its perceived intelligibility. Conversely, children copy means more often than adults and apes because, uniquely, much adult human behavior is completely unintelligible to unenculturated observers due to the pervasiveness of arbitrary social conventions, as exemplified by customs, rituals, and languages. We expect the propensity to imitate to be inversely correlated with the familiarity of cultural practices, as indexed by age and/or socio-cultural competence. The direct perception hypothesis thereby helps to parsimoniously explain the most important findings of imitation research, including children’s over-imitation and other species-typical and age-related variations. PMID:24600413

Athlete's Heart: Is the Morganroth Hypothesis Obsolete?

PubMed

Haykowsky, Mark J; Samuel, T Jake; Nelson, Michael D; La Gerche, Andre

2018-05-01

In 1975, Morganroth and colleagues reported that the increased left ventricular (LV) mass in highly trained endurance athletes versus nonathletes was primarily due to increased end-diastolic volume while the increased LV mass in resistance trained athletes was solely due to an increased LV wall thickness. Based on the divergent remodelling patterns observed, Morganroth and colleagues hypothesised that the increased "volume" load during endurance exercise may be similar to that which occurs in patients with mitral or aortic regurgitation while the "pressure" load associated with performing a Valsalva manoeuvre (VM) during resistance exercise may mimic the stress imposed on the heart by systemic hypertension or aortic stenosis. Despite widespread acceptance of the four-decade old Morganroth hypothesis in sports cardiology, some investigators have questioned whether such a divergent "athlete's heart" phenotype exists. Given this uncertainty, the purpose of this brief review is to re-evaluate the Morganroth hypothesis regarding: i) the acute effects of resistance exercise performed with a brief VM on LV wall stress, and the patterns of LV remodelling in resistance-trained athletes; ii) the acute effects of endurance exercise on biventricular wall stress, and the time course and pattern of LV and right ventricular (RV) remodelling with endurance training; and iii) the value of comparing "loading" conditions between athletes and patients with cardiac pathology. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A new glaucoma hypothesis: a role of glymphatic system dysfunction.

PubMed

Wostyn, Peter; Van Dam, Debby; Audenaert, Kurt; Killer, Hanspeter Esriel; De Deyn, Peter Paul; De Groot, Veva

2015-06-29

In a recent review article titled "A new look at cerebrospinal fluid circulation", Brinker et al. comprehensively described novel insights from molecular and cellular biology as well as neuroimaging research, which indicate that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) physiology is much more complex than previously believed. The glymphatic system is a recently defined brain-wide paravascular pathway for CSF and interstitial fluid exchange that facilitates efficient clearance of interstitial solutes, including amyloid-β, from the brain. Although further studies are needed to substantiate the functional significance of the glymphatic concept, one implication is that glymphatic pathway dysfunction may contribute to the deficient amyloid-β clearance in Alzheimer's disease. In this paper, we review several lines of evidence suggesting that the glymphatic system may also have potential clinical relevance for the understanding of glaucoma. As a clinically acceptable MRI-based approach to evaluate glymphatic pathway function in humans has recently been developed, a unique opportunity now exists to investigate whether suppression of the glymphatic system contributes to the development of glaucoma. The observation of a dysfunctional glymphatic system in patients with glaucoma would provide support for the hypothesis recently proposed by our group that CSF circulatory dysfunction may play a contributory role in the pathogenesis of glaucomatous damage. This would suggest a new hypothesis for glaucoma, which, just like Alzheimer's disease, might be considered then as an imbalance between production and clearance of neurotoxins, including amyloid-β.

Evidence for plant-derived xenomiRs based on a large-scale analysis of public small RNA sequencing data from human samples.

PubMed

Zhao, Qi; Liu, Yuanning; Zhang, Ning; Hu, Menghan; Zhang, Hao; Joshi, Trupti; Xu, Dong

2018-01-01

In recent years, an increasing number of studies have reported the presence of plant miRNAs in human samples, which resulted in a hypothesis asserting the existence of plant-derived exogenous microRNA (xenomiR). However, this hypothesis is not widely accepted in the scientific community due to possible sample contamination and the small sample size with lack of rigorous statistical analysis. This study provides a systematic statistical test that can validate (or invalidate) the plant-derived xenomiR hypothesis by analyzing 388 small RNA sequencing data from human samples in 11 types of body fluids/tissues. A total of 166 types of plant miRNAs were found in at least one human sample, of which 14 plant miRNAs represented more than 80% of the total plant miRNAs abundance in human samples. Plant miRNA profiles were characterized to be tissue-specific in different human samples. Meanwhile, the plant miRNAs identified from microbiome have an insignificant abundance compared to those from humans, while plant miRNA profiles in human samples were significantly different from those in plants, suggesting that sample contamination is an unlikely reason for all the plant miRNAs detected in human samples. This study also provides a set of testable synthetic miRNAs with isotopes that can be detected in situ after being fed to animals.

Rhetorical Impact through Hedging Devices in the "Results and Discussion" Part of a Civil Engineering Research Article

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khamesian, Minoo

2015-01-01

It is common knowledge that hedging devices as a rhetorical technique common in all persuasive writing are considerably important in scientific discourse, for they are tools which facilitate presenting claims or arguments in a polite, acceptable and respectful manner. In addition, they are discoursal resources available to a scientific writer's…

The Reality of Virtual Schools: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbour, Michael K.; Reeves, Thomas C.

2009-01-01

Virtual schooling was first employed in the mid-1990s and has become a common method of distance education used in K-12 jurisdictions. The most accepted definition of a virtual school is an entity approved by a state or governing body that offers courses through distance delivery--most commonly using the Internet. While virtual schools can be…

Testing the lexical hypothesis: are socially important traits more densely reflected in the English lexicon?

PubMed

Wood, Dustin

2015-02-01

Using a set of 498 English words identified by Saucier (1997) as common person-descriptor adjectives or trait terms, I tested 3 instantiations of the lexical hypothesis, which posit that more socially important person descriptors show greater density in the lexicon. Specifically, I explored whether trait terms that have greater relational impact (i.e., more greatly influence how others respond to a person) have more synonyms, are more frequently used, and are more strongly correlated with other trait terms. I found little evidence to suggest that trait terms rated as having greater relational impact were more frequently used or had more synonyms. However, these terms correlated more strongly with other trait terms in the set. Conversely, a trait term's loadings on structural factors (e.g., the Big Five, HEXACO) were extremely good predictors of the term's relational impact. The findings suggest that the lexical hypothesis may not be strongly supported in some ways it is commonly understood but is supported in the manner most important to investigations of trait structure. Specifically, trait terms with greater relational impact tend to more strongly correlate with other terms in lexical sets and thus have a greater role in driving the location of factors in analyses of trait structure. Implications for understanding the meaning of lexical factors such as the Big Five are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

The origin of conodonts and of vertebrate mineralized skeletons

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murdock, Duncan J.E.; Dong, Xi-Ping; Repetski, John E.; Marone, Federica; Stampanoni, Marco; Donoghue, Philip C.J.

2013-01-01

Conodonts are an extinct group of jawless vertebrates whose tooth-like elements are the earliest instance of a mineralized skeleton in the vertebrate lineage, inspiring the ‘inside-out’ hypothesis that teeth evolved independently of the vertebrate dermal skeleton and before the origin of jaws. However, these propositions have been based on evidence from derived euconodonts. Here we test hypotheses of a paraconodont ancestry of euconodonts using synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy to characterize and compare the microstructure of morphologically similar euconodont and paraconodont elements. Paraconodonts exhibit a range of grades of structural differentiation, including tissues and a pattern of growth common to euconodont basal bodies. The different grades of structural differentiation exhibited by paraconodonts demonstrate the stepwise acquisition of euconodont characters, resolving debate over the relationship between these two groups. By implication, the putative homology of euconodont crown tissue and vertebrate enamel must be rejected as these tissues have evolved independently and convergently. Thus, the precise ontogenetic, structural and topological similarities between conodont elements and vertebrate odontodes appear to be a remarkable instance of convergence. The last common ancestor of conodonts and jawed vertebrates probably lacked mineralized skeletal tissues. The hypothesis that teeth evolved before jaws and the inside-out hypothesis of dental evolution must be rejected; teeth seem to have evolved through the extension of odontogenic competence from the external dermis to internal epithelium soon after the origin of jaws.

Host group formation decreases exposure to vector-borne disease: a field experiment in a 'hotspot' of West Nile virus transmission.

PubMed

Krebs, Bethany L; Anderson, Tavis K; Goldberg, Tony L; Hamer, Gabriel L; Kitron, Uriel D; Newman, Christina M; Ruiz, Marilyn O; Walker, Edward D; Brawn, Jeffrey D

2014-12-07

Animals can decrease their individual risk of predation by forming groups. The encounter-dilution hypothesis extends the potential benefits of gregariousness to biting insects and vector-borne disease by predicting that the per capita number of insect bites should decrease within larger host groups. Although vector-borne diseases are common and can exert strong selective pressures on hosts, there have been few tests of the encounter-dilution effect in natural systems. We conducted an experimental test of the encounter-dilution hypothesis using the American robin (Turdus migratorius), a common host species for the West Nile virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne pathogen. By using sentinel hosts (house sparrows, Passer domesticus) caged in naturally occurring communal roosts in the suburbs of Chicago, we assessed sentinel host risk of WNV exposure inside and outside of roosts. We also estimated per capita host exposure to infected vectors inside roosts and outside of roosts. Sentinel birds caged inside roosts seroconverted to WNV more slowly than those outside of roosts, suggesting that social groups decrease per capita exposure to infected mosquitoes. These results therefore support the encounter-dilution hypothesis in a vector-borne disease system. Our results suggest that disease-related selective pressures on sociality may depend on the mode of disease transmission. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

College students' use of science content during socioscientific issues negotiation: Impact of evolution understanding and acceptance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fowler, Samantha R.

The purpose of this study was to explore the evolution science content used during college students' negotiation of biology-based socioscientific issues (SSI) and examine how it related to students' conceptual understanding and acceptance of biological evolution. Specific research questions were, (1a) what specific evolutionary science content do college students evoke during SSI negotiation, (1b) what is the depth of the evolutionary science content reflected in college students. SSI negotiation, and (2) what is the nature of the interaction between evolution understanding and evolution acceptance as they relate to depth of use of evolution content during SSI negotiation? The Socioscientific Issues Questionnaire (SSI-Q) was developed using inductive data analysis to examine science content use and to develop a rubric for measuring depth of evolutionary science content use during SSI negotiation. Sixty upper level undergraduate biology and non-biology majors completed the SSI-Q and also the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS: Anderson, Fisher, & Norman, 2002) to measure evolution understanding and the Measure of Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (MATE: Rutledge & Warden, 1999) to measure evolution acceptance. A multiple regression analysis tested for interaction effects between the predictor variables, evolution understanding and evolution acceptance. Results indicate that college students primarily use science concepts related to evolution to negotiate biology-based SSI: variation in a population, inheritance of traits, differential success, and change through time. The hypothesis that the extent of one's acceptance of evolution is a mitigating factor in how evolution content is evoked during SSI negotiation was supported by the data. This was seen in that evolution was the predominant science content used by participants for each of the three SSI scenarios used in this study and used consistently throughout the three SSI scenarios. In addition to its potential to assess aspects of argumentation, a modification of the SSI-Q could be used for further study about students' misconceptions about evolution or scientific literacy, if it is defined as one's tendency to utilize science content during a decision-making process within an SSI context.

Improving the value of clinical research through the use of Common Data Elements.

PubMed

Sheehan, Jerry; Hirschfeld, Steven; Foster, Erin; Ghitza, Udi; Goetz, Kerry; Karpinski, Joanna; Lang, Lisa; Moser, Richard P; Odenkirchen, Joanne; Reeves, Dianne; Rubinstein, Yaffa; Werner, Ellen; Huerta, Michael

2016-12-01

The use of Common Data Elements can facilitate cross-study comparisons, data aggregation, and meta-analyses; simplify training and operations; improve overall efficiency; promote interoperability between different systems; and improve the quality of data collection. A Common Data Element is a combination of a precisely defined question (variable) paired with a specified set of responses to the question that is common to multiple datasets or used across different studies. Common Data Elements, especially when they conform to accepted standards, are identified by research communities from variable sets currently in use or are newly developed to address a designated data need. There are no formal international specifications governing the construction or use of Common Data Elements. Consequently, Common Data Elements tend to be made available by research communities on an empiric basis. Some limitations of Common Data Elements are that there may still be differences across studies in the interpretation and implementation of the Common Data Elements, variable validity in different populations, and inhibition by some existing research practices and the use of legacy data systems. Current National Institutes of Health efforts to support Common Data Element use are linked to the strengthening of National Institutes of Health Data Sharing policies and the investments in data repositories. Initiatives include cross-domain and domain-specific resources, construction of a Common Data Element Portal, and establishment of trans-National Institutes of Health working groups to address technical and implementation topics. The National Institutes of Health is seeking to lower the barriers to Common Data Element use through greater awareness and encourage the culture change necessary for their uptake and use. As National Institutes of Health, other agencies, professional societies, patient registries, and advocacy groups continue efforts to develop and promote the responsible use of Common Data Elements, particularly if linked to accepted data standards and terminologies, continued engagement with and feedback from the research community will remain important. © The Author(s) 2016.

Scale structure: Processing Minimum Standard and Maximum Standard Scalar Adjectives

PubMed Central

Frazier, Lyn; Clifton, Charles; Stolterfoht, Britta

2008-01-01

Gradable adjectives denote a function that takes an object and returns a measure of the degree to which the object possesses some gradable property (Kennedy, 1999). Scales, ordered sets of degrees, have begun to be studied systematically in semantics (Kennedy, to appear, Kennedy & McNally, 2005, Rotstein & Winter, 2004). We report four experiments designed to investigate the processing of absolute adjectives with a maximum standard (e.g., clean) and their minimum standard antonyms (dirty). The central hypothesis is that the denotation of an absolute adjective introduces a ‘standard value’ on a scale as part of the normal comprehension of a sentence containing the adjective (the “Obligatory Scale” hypothesis). In line with the predictions of Kennedy and McNally (2005) and Rotstein and Winter (2004), maximum standard adjectives and minimum standard adjectives systematically differ from each other when they are combined with minimizing modifiers like slightly, as indicated by speeded acceptability judgments. An eye movement recording study shows that, as predicted by the Obligatory Scale hypothesis, the penalty due to combining slightly with a maximum standard adjective can be observed during the processing of the sentence; the penalty is not the result of some after-the-fact inferencing mechanism. Further, a type of ‘quantificational variability effect’ may be observed when a quantificational adverb (mostly) is combined with a minimum standard adjective in sentences like The dishes are mostly dirty, which may receive either a degree interpretation (e.g. 80% dirty) or a quantity interpretation (e.g., 80% of the dishes are dirty). The quantificational variability results provide suggestive support for the Obligatory Scale hypothesis by showing that the standard of a scalar adjective influences the preferred interpretation of other constituents in the sentence. PMID:17376422

Born to yawn? Cortisol linked to yawning: a new hypothesis.

PubMed

Thompson, Simon B N

2011-11-01

Yawning has become an interesting and curious scientific conundrum. Links between several neurological disorders can be found through the commonality of yawning episodes and contagious yawning. However, the reasons why we yawn are uncertain. Cortisol levels are known to rise during stress and fatigue; yawning may occur when we are under stress or tired. We do not know whether cortisol levels fluctuate during yawning. Potentially, yawning and cortisol levels may provide a valuable diagnostic tool and warning of untoward underlying neurological problems. A new hypothesis is proposed that links cortisol levels with yawning episodes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polycystic ovary syndrome, oral contraceptives and metabolic issues: new perspectives and a unifying hypothesis.

PubMed

Nader, S; Diamanti-Kandarakis, E

2007-02-01

In the chronic treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) are commonly used to induce regular menses, protect the endometrium and ameliorate androgenic symptoms. However, the long-term safety of OCP use in PCOS has not been established, and the literature reveals conflicting data concerning the metabolic effects of OCPs in this patient population, with outcomes ranging from improvement of glucose tolerance to the development of frank diabetes. This article presents new perspectives and a unifying hypothesis concerning the effects of OCPs on carbohydrate metabolism in PCOS and attempts to explain the divergent findings in published reports.

A brief history of autism, the autism/vaccine hypothesis and a review of the genetic basis of autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Blake, Jerome; Hoyme, H Eugene; Crotwell, Patricia L

2013-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) represent a common spectrum of developmental disabilities, sharing deficits in social interactions, communication and restricted interests or repetitive behaviors with difficult transitions. In this article, we review the history of the identification and classification of autism and the origin of the now widely-debunked autism/vaccine hypothesis. The differences between syndromal (complex) and non-syndromal (essential) autism are described and illustrated with case descriptions where appropriate. Finally, the evidence that autism is fundamentally a genetic disease is discussed, including family studies, the role of DNA copy number variation and known single gene mutations.