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Consistent Relationships (consistent + relationships)
Selected AbstractsA NEW METHOD FOR STUDYING THE EXTENT, STABILITY, AND PREDICTORS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIALIZATION IN VIOLENCE,CRIMINOLOGY, Issue 2 2007D. WAYNE OSGOOD Specialization in violence is an important scientific and policy topic, and over the past several decades, many analysis techniques for studying specialization have emerged. Research in this area continues to be hampered, however, by remaining methodological problems. To overcome these problems, we propose a new method for studying specialization in violence based on an item-response theory measurement approach that is implemented through a multilevel regression model. Our approach defines specialization as an individual level latent variable, takes into account the inherent confounds between specialization and overall level of offending, and gauges specialization relative to the population base rates of each offense. Our method also enables researchers to 1) estimate the extent and statistical significance of specialization, 2) assess the stability of specialization over time, and 3) relate specialization to explanatory variables. Using data from three studies, we found substantial levels of specialization in violence, considerable stability in specialization over time, and several significant and relatively consistent relationships of specialization to explanatory variables such as gender, parental education, and risk-seeking. [source] Preferences for colours and colour--emotion combinations in early childhoodDEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2001Marcel R. Zentner Previous research has shown that, by the age of 3 to 4 years, children rely not only on perceptual similarity but also on shared category or other underlying structures to draw analogies. The present study extends this work by showing that children as young as 3 years old detect consistent relationships between colours and facial expressions of emotions , two phenomena that share no physical characteristics, violate conventional categories and have no obvious environmental contiguity. Two explanatory hypotheses are put forward: (a) learning by convention, which is explored against the standard of adults' and older children's matching patterns, and (b) reliance upon a common underlying but perceptually unavailable dimension , operationalized in terms of emotion and colour preferences in the context of the present study. Both explanatory approaches are discussed and avenues for future work are suggested. [source] Spatial distribution and overlap between ichthyoplankton and pelagic fish and squids on the southern flank of Georges BankFISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY, Issue 5 2002Lance P. Garrison Abstract We conducted larval and adult fish surveys on the southern flank of Georges Bank during the spring of two years (1990 and 1995) with contrasting physical conditions. We employed canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) to examine the relationships between physical variables and the spatial distribution of pelagic fish and ichthyoplankton. Surface temperature bottom temperature, and vertical stratification were significant factors affecting larval fish distributions, and there were groups of species with similar responses to these variables. There were also consistent relationships between physical variables and pelagic fish and squid abundances and spatial distributions. Pelagic fish and ichthyoplankton with similar responses to hydrographic variables had high spatial overlap, and variation in hydrographic regimes modulated the strength of this interaction. Pelagic fish and squids are potentially important predators of both larval and juvenile fish on Georges Bank. Hydrographic structure modulates the degree of spatial overlap and therefore likely influences the strength of predator,prey interactions. [source] Carbonated Soft Drink Consumption and Bone Mineral Density in Adolescence: The Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 9 2003C McGartland Abstract In an observational study of 1335 boys and girls aged 12 and 15 years, higher intakes of carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) were significantly associated with lower bone mineral density at the heel, but only in girls. Owing to the upward trend in CSD intake in adolescence, this finding may be of concern. Introduction: High consumption of carbonated soft drinks (CSD) during adolescence may reduce bone mineral accrual and increase fracture risk. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between CSD consumption and bone mineral density (BMD) in a representative sample of adolescents. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study in 36 postprimary schools in Northern Ireland. Participants included 591 boys and 744 girls either 12 or 15 years old. BMD was measured by DXA, and usual beverage consumption was assessed by the diet history method. Adjusted regression modeling was used to investigate the influence of CSD on BMD. Results: A significant inverse relationship between total CSD intake and BMD was observed in girls at the dominant heel (,, ,0.099; 95% CI, ,0.173 to ,0.025). Non-cola consumption was inversely associated with dominant heel BMD in girls (,, ,0.121; 95% CI, ,0.194 to ,0.048), and diet drinks were also inversely associated with heel BMD in girls (,, ,0.087; 95% CI, ,0.158 to ,0.016). However, no consistent relationships were observed between CSD intake and BMD in boys. Cola consumption and nondiet drinks were not significantly related to BMD in either sex. Conclusion: CSD consumption seems to be inversely related to BMD at the dominant heel in girls. It is possible that the apparent association results from the displacement of more nutritious beverages from the diet. Although the inverse association observed between CSD consumption and BMD is modest and confined to girls, this finding may have important public health implications given the widespread use and current upward trend in CSD consumption in Western populations. [source] The evolution of rewards: seed dispersal, seed size and elaiosome sizeJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2006WILL EDWARDS Summary 1We examine the relationship between the reward offered to ants to disperse seeds (elaiosome size) and seed size, and the possible mechanisms that may generate this relationship in Australian plant species. 2We used seed and elaiosome sizes from our own data set containing 87 Acacia species, supplemented with 22 species from a previously published data set, and 98 ,Other species' from 51 genera in 25 families, also from published data. 3The relationship between ln(elaiosome size) and ln(seed size) was determined using standard major axis (SMA) regression for both data sets. For the Other data set we also determined the relationship among species independent of the differences between genera, among genera independent of the differences between families, among genera and among families. We used SMA to test for differences in slopes between groups. 4We found a significant common slope amongst all subsets of the larger data set. The estimated common slope and the 95% confidence interval for the relationship between ln(elaiosome size) and ln(seed size) across all data sets fell above one (1.24, 95%CI = 1.17,1.32), suggesting positive allometry. Slopes were also significantly positive and strikingly similar between the Acacia species data set and the Other species data sets. Similar positive allometry was shown in the ,other' species data set among genera and families, and among species independent of genus means (,species effects'). 5Significant and consistent relationships between taxonomic levels, independent of relationships at other levels, along with significant relationships at the species level, and similarity of slopes, suggest independent convergence towards an underlying functional relationship that has persisted over long evolutionary periods. Our results therefore suggest that ants have been agents of selection on seed traits. 6Such a functional relationship might result from a trade-off in ant foraging behaviour between the benefit of the reward (elaiosome) and the cost of the dispersal (determined by seed size). Slopes > 1 would then suggest that ants need more than proportionally larger rewards to remove larger seeds. [source] Effects of changing risk factors on increasing asthma prevalence in southern TaiwanPAEDIATRIC & PERINATAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Hui-chun A. Tsuang Summary The study sought to identify factors with consistent relationships with the prevalence of asthma and postulate causes for the increasing prevalence. Reduplication of prevalence surveys was conducted among children of similar ages (6,12 years) from the same area (Tainan City, Taiwan). A total of 7523 primary school children from 1993 and 7224 from 1997 participated in the study. The reported prevalence of diagnosed asthma increased from 6.46% in 1993 to 8.45% in 1997 (relative risk 1.31, 95% CI 1.16, 1.47). Among all environment- and heredity-related factors examined, only four showed consistent relationships with childhood asthma, and all appeared to be a related hereditary condition. Dander allergy is the only factor that increased correspondingly with the prevalence of childhood asthma; therefore, it seems to be the most likely key factor responsible for the increasing trend. The investigation of the interactive effects imposed by the environment- (dander exposure) and heredity-related (atopic sensitisation) factors are recommended for further studies. [source] | ||||||||||