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Distinctive Patterns (distinctive + pattern)
Selected AbstractsPracticing Change: Curriculum Adaptation and Teacher Narrative in the Context of Mathematics Education ReformCURRICULUM INQUIRY, Issue 2 2006COREY DRAKE ABSTRACT The use of reform-based curricula is one possible avenue for the widespread implementation of mathematics education reform. In this article, we present two urban elementary teachers' models of curriculum use that describe how each teacher used a reform-oriented mathematics curriculum. In particular, we examine when and how the teachers made adaptations to the curriculum. We find that each teacher had a distinctive pattern of adaptation when using the curriculum. Furthermore, these patterns were related to three key aspects of the teachers' own experiences with mathematics: their early memories of learning mathematics, their current perceptions of themselves as mathematics learners, and their mathematical interactions with family members. Implications for curriculum design and implementation are discussed. [source] Alcohol and Russian mortality: a continuing crisisADDICTION, Issue 10 2009David A. Leon ABSTRACT Background Russia remains in the grip of a mortality crisis in which alcohol plays a central role. In 2007, male life expectancy at birth was 61 years, while for females it was 74 years. Alcohol is implicated particularly in deaths among working-age men. Aims To review the current state of knowledge about the contribution of alcohol to the continuing very high mortality seen among Russian adults Results Conservative estimates attribute 31,43% of deaths among working-age men to alcohol. This latter estimate would imply a minimum of 170 000 excess deaths due to hazardous alcohol consumption in Russia per year. Men drink appreciably more than women in Russia. Hazardous drinking is most prevalent among people with low levels of education and those who are economically disadvantaged, partly because some of the available sources of ethanol are very cheap and easy to obtain. The best estimates available suggest that per capita consumption among adults is 15,18 litres of pure ethanol per year. However, reliable estimation of the total volume of alcohol consumed per capita in Russia is very difficult because of the diversity of sources of ethanol that are available, for many of which data do not exist. These include both illegal spirits, as well as legal non-beverage alcohols (such as medicinal tinctures). In 2006 regulations were introduced aimed at reducing the production and sale of non-beverage alcohols that are commonly drunk. These appear to have been only partially successful. Conclusion There is convincing evidence that alcohol plays an important role in explaining high mortality in Russia, in particular among working age men. However, there remain important uncertainties about the precise scale of the problem and about the health effects of the distinctive pattern of alcohol consumption that is prevalent in Russia today. While there is a need for further research, enough is known to justify the development of a comprehensive inter-sectoral alcohol control strategy. The recent fall in life expectancy in Russia should give a renewed urgency to attempts to move the policy agenda forward. [source] Plant species and functional group effects on abiotic and microbial soil properties and plant,soil feedback responses in two grasslandsJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2006T. MARTIJN BEZEMER Summary 1Plant species differ in their capacity to influence soil organic matter, soil nutrient availability and the composition of soil microbial communities. Their influences on soil properties result in net positive or negative feedback effects, which influence plant performance and plant community composition. 2For two grassland systems, one on a sandy soil in the Netherlands and one on a chalk soil in the United Kingdom, we investigated how individual plant species grown in monocultures changed abiotic and biotic soil conditions. Then, we determined feedback effects of these soils to plants of the same or different species. Feedback effects were analysed at the level of plant species and plant taxonomic groups (grasses vs. forbs). 3In the sandy soils, plant species differed in their effects on soil chemical properties, in particular potassium levels, but PLFA (phospholipid fatty acid) signatures of the soil microbial community did not differ between plant species. The effects of soil chemical properties were even greater when grasses and forbs were compared, especially because potassium levels were lower in grass monocultures. 4In the chalk soil, there were no effects of plant species on soil chemical properties, but PLFA profiles differed significantly between soils from different monocultures. PLFA profiles differed between species, rather than between grasses and forbs. 5In the feedback experiment, all plant species in sandy soils grew less vigorously in soils conditioned by grasses than in soils conditioned by forbs. These effects correlated significantly with soil chemical properties. None of the seven plant species showed significant differences between performance in soil conditioned by the same vs. other plant species. 6In the chalk soil, Sanguisorba minor and in particular Briza media performed best in soil collected from conspecifics, while Bromus erectus performed best in soil from heterospecifics. There was no distinctive pattern between soils collected from forb and grass monocultures, and plant performance could not be related to soil chemical properties or PLFA signatures. 7Our study shows that mechanisms of plant,soil feedback can depend on plant species, plant taxonomic (or functional) groups and site-specific differences in abiotic and biotic soil properties. Understanding how plant species can influence their rhizosphere, and how other plant species respond to these changes, will greatly enhance our understanding of the functioning and stability of ecosystems. [source] Improved homogeneity of the transmit field by simultaneous transmission with phased array and volume coilJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 2 2010Nikolai I. Avdievich PhD Abstract Purpose: To improve the homogeneity of transmit volume coils at high magnetic fields (,4 T). Due to radiofrequency (RF) field/tissue interactions at high fields, 4 T to 8 T, the transmit profile from head-sized volume coils shows a distinctive pattern with relatively strong RF magnetic field B1 in the center of the brain. Materials and Methods: In contrast to conventional volume coils at high field strengths, surface coil phased arrays can provide increased RF field strength peripherally. In theory, simultaneous transmission from these two devices could produce a more homogeneous transmission field. To minimize interactions between the phased array and the volume coil, counter rotating current (CRC) surface coils consisting of two parallel rings carrying opposite currents were used for the phased array. Results: Numerical simulations and experimental data demonstrate that substantial improvements in transmit field homogeneity can be obtained. Conclusion: We have demonstrated the feasibility of using simultaneous transmission with human head-sized volume coils and CRC phased arrays to improve homogeneity of the transmit RF B1 field for high-field MRI systems. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2010;32:476,481. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] International Sourcing: An Australian PerspectiveJOURNAL OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2000Nexhmi Rexha SUMMARY International sourcing has emerged as an integral part of firms' competitive advantage building. In spite of increasing management attention to international sourcing, the literature is predominately based on U.S. research. Taking into account the impact of a firm's operational environment upon its sourcing strategies, the applicability of the existing knowledge outside the United States is highly questionable. This study provides new insights into the understanding of international sourcing from the unique perspective of Australia-located manufacturers. Intra-firm trade practice among Australian subsidiaries of multinationals is also investigated. While the study found distinctive international sourcing behaviors of Australia-located manufacturers, it also discovered a distinctive pattern of international sourcing practice. [source] Dynamics of Model Overfitting Measured in terms of Autoregressive RootsJOURNAL OF TIME SERIES ANALYSIS, Issue 3 2006Clive W. J. Granger C32 Abstract., One method of describing the properties of a fitted autoregressive model of order p is to show the p roots that are implied by the lag operator. Considering autoregressive models fitted to 215 US macro series, with lags chosen by either the Bayesian or Schwarz information criteria or Akaike information criteria, the roots are found to constitute a distinctive pattern. Later analysis suggests that much of this pattern occurs because of overfitting of the models. An extension of the results shows that they have some practical multivariate time-series modelling implications. [source] A neutral-niche theory of nestedness in mutualistic networksOIKOS, Issue 11 2008Abhay Krishna Recently, there has been a vigorous interest in community ecology about the structure of mutualistic networks and its importance for species persistence and coevolution. However, the mechanisms shaping mutualistic networks have been rarely explored. Here we extend for the first time the neutral theory of biodiversity to a multi trophic system. We focus on nestedness, a distinctive pattern of mutualistic community assembly showing two characteristics, namely, asymmetrical specialization (specialists interacting with generalists) and a generalist core (generalists interacting with generalists). We investigate the importance of relative species abundance (RSA) for the nested assembly of plant,animal mutualistic networks. Our results show that neutral mutualistic communities give rise to networks considerably more nested than real communities. RSA explains 60,70% of nested patterns in two real communities studied here, while 30,40% of nestedness is still unexplained. The nested pattern in real communities is better explained when we introduce interaction-specific species traits such as forbidden links and intensity of dependence (relative importance of fruits for the diet of a frugivore) in our analysis. The fact that neutral mutualistic communities exhibit a perfectly nested structure and do not show a random or compartmentalized structure, underlines the importance of RSA in the assembly of mutualistic networks. [source] Industrialization, class structure, and social mobility in postwar Japan 1THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, Issue 4 2001Hiroshi Ishida ABSTRACT This study examines intergenerational class mobility in Japan using cross-national comparisons with Western nations and cross-temporal comparisons of five national surveys conducted in postwar Japan. Cross-national comparisons highlight the similarity in relative mobility pattern between Japan and Western nations and at the same time the Japanese distinctiveness in absolute mobility rates especially regarding the demographic character of the Japanese manual working class. The results of cross-temporal comparisons of mobility pattern report some systematic trends in total mobility, inflow and outflow rates, reflecting the Japanese experience of late but rapid industrialization. The pattern of association between class origin and class destination, however, was stable in postwar Japan. It is therefore the combination of distinctive absolute mobility rates and similar relative mobility rates that characterizes the Japanese mobility pattern in comparison with the Western experience. Furthermore, Japan's distinctive pattern of postwar social mobility is characterized by a combination of rapidly changing absolute mobility rates and comparatively stable relative mobility rates. [source] Galectin 3 induces a distinctive pattern of cytokine and chemokine production in rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts via selective signaling pathwaysARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 6 2009Andrew Filer Objective High expression of galectin 3 at sites of joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) suggests that galectin 3 plays a role in RA pathogenesis. Previous studies have demonstrated the effects of galectins on immune cells, such as lymphocytes and macrophages. This study was undertaken to investigate the hypothesis that galectin 3 induces proinflammatory effects in RA by modulating the pattern of cytokine and chemokine production in synovial fibroblasts. Methods Matched samples of RA synovial and skin fibroblasts were pretreated with galectin 3 or tumor necrosis factor , (TNF,), and the levels of a panel of cytokines, chemokines, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and multiplex assays. Specific inhibitors were used to dissect signaling pathways, which were confirmed by Western blotting and NF-,B activation assay. Results Galectin 3 induced secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6), granulocyte,macrophage colony-stimulating factor, CXCL8, and MMP-3 in both synovial and skin fibroblasts. By contrast, galectin 3,induced secretion of TNF,, CCL2, CCL3, and CCL5 was significantly greater in synovial fibroblasts than in skin fibroblasts. TNF, blockade ruled out autocrine TNF,-stimulated induction of chemokines. The MAPKs p38, JNK, and ERK were necessary for IL-6 production, but phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) was required for selective CCL5 induction. NF-,B activation was required for production of both IL-6 and CCL5. Conclusion Our findings indicate that galectin 3 promotes proinflammatory cytokine secretion by tissue fibroblasts. However, galectin 3 induces the production of mononuclear cell,recruiting chemokines uniquely from synovial fibroblasts, but not matched skin fibroblasts, via a PI 3-kinase signaling pathway. These data provide further evidence of the role of synovial fibroblasts in regulating the pattern and persistence of the inflammatory infiltrate in RA and suggest a new and important functional consequence of the observed high expression of galectin 3 in the rheumatoid synovium. [source] Characteristic patterns of circadian variation in plasma catecholamine levels, blood pressure and heart rate variability in Type 2 diabetic patientsDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 5 2002K. Kondo Abstract Aims To investigate whether Type 2 diabetic patients exhibit characteristic patterns of circadian variation in plasma levels of catecholamines, blood pressure (BP) and heart rate variability (HRV). Methods Ten Type 2 diabetic and eight control in-patients were studied. Blood for catecholamine measurement was collected every 4 h, and non-invasive ambulatory BP and heart rate were monitored throughout the day. HRV was determined using frequency domain methods. Results Diabetic patients showed a different pattern of circadian variation in BP and HRV from that of controls, the diurnal-nocturnal differences (D-N) being significantly smaller. The mean 24-h HRV levels were reduced in diabetic subjects. The mean 24-h plasma noradrenaline level of 1.36 ± 0.12 nmol/l in diabetic patients was significantly lower than the 2.03 ± 0.20 nmol/l in controls (P < 0.01). In contrast, no significant difference in adrenaline levels was observed. The mean 24-h plasma noradrenaline level demonstrated a significant positive correlation with D-N in systolic BP (r = 0.49, P = 0.0153). Conclusions The present study demonstrated distinctive patterns of circadian variation in plasma noradrenaline level, BP and HRV in Type 2 diabetic patients, associated with an abnormal circadian pattern of sympathovagal modulation. [source] Fine Structure of Elytral Punctures and Diffraction Gratings in Korean Sericinae (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae)ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2003Jin Ill KIM ABSTRACT The surface structures of the elytra in twenty two species belonging to the subfamily Sericinae (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae) were observed by scanning electron microscopy. For viewing specific characters, elytral punctures and diffraction gratings on interstitial surface were focused on. The elytral punctures of observed Sericid beetles have three representative forms: horseshoe, ocellus, and crease types. The diffraction gratings of the elytra show three distinctive patterns: regular and parallel, discontinued, and interconnected and curved. These patterns of elytral punctures and diffraction gratings considered to be useful for identification. [source] Gender and Ethnic Differences in Marital Assimilation in the Early Twentieth Century,INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION REVIEW, Issue 3 2005Sharon Sassler Historical research on intermarriage has overlooked how distinctive patterns of ethnic settlement shape partner choice and assumed that the mate selection process operated the same way for men and women. This study utilizes a sample of youn married adults drawn from the 1910 Census IPUMS to examine 1) whether ethnic variation in partner choice was shaped by differences in group concentration and distribution and 2) if factors shaping outmarriage were gendered. About one fifth of young married Americans had spouses of a different ethnic background in 1910, though there was considerable ethnic variation in outmarriage propensities. Barriers to intermarriage fell at different rates, depending upon ethnic grou, sex, and region of settlement; they were weakest for first-and seconl eneration English men. Structural factors such as group size operatef differently for men and women; while larger group representation increased men's odds of outmarriage to both native stock and other white ethnic wives, women from the ethnic groups with the largest presence were significantly more likely to wed fellow ethnics than the native stock. Ultimately, even if they resided in the same location, the marriage market operated in different ways for ethnic women and men in search of mates. [source] Trade Politics Ain't What It Used to Be: The European Union in the Doha Round,JCMS: JOURNAL OF COMMON MARKET STUDIES, Issue 4 2007ALASDAIR R. YOUNG The European Union is a key player in the Doha Development Round of multilateral trade negotiations. This article argues that its negotiating position reflects distinctive patterns of politics underlying three aspects of trade policy , traditional trade policy, commercial policy and social trade policy , characterized by different sets of actors and political dynamics. Although there is significant variation in the substance of the EU's position within each aspect of trade policy, their distinctive patterns of politics help to explain why the EU's negotiating position is most liberal in traditional trade policy and least in social trade policy. [source] The Azores diversity enigma: why are there so few Azorean endemic flowering plants and why are they so widespread?JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2010Mark A. Carine Abstract Aim, Endemism in the flora of the Azores is high (33%) but in other respects, notably the paucity of evolutionary radiations and the widespread distribution of most endemics, the flora differs markedly from the floras of the other Macaronesian archipelagos. We evaluate hypotheses to explain the distinctive patterns observed in the Azorean endemic flora, focusing particularly on comparisons with the Canary Islands. Location, Azores archipelago. Methods, Data on the distribution and ecology of Azorean endemic flowering plants are reviewed to ascertain the incidence of inter-island allopatric speciation and adaptive, ecological speciation. These are contrasted with patterns for the Canary Islands. Patterns of endemism in the Azores and Canaries are further investigated in a phylogenetic context in relation to island age. beast was used to analyse a published molecular dataset for Pericallis (Asteraceae) and to investigate the relative ages of Azorean and Canarian lineages. Results, There are few examples of inter-island allopatric speciation in the Azorean flora, despite the considerable distances between islands and sub-archipelagos. In contrast, inter-island allopatric speciation has been an important process in the evolution of the Canary Islands flora. Phylogenetic data suggest that Azorean endemic lineages are not necessarily recent in origin. Furthermore, in Pericallis the divergence of the Azorean endemic lineage from its closest relative pre-dates the radiation of a Canarian herbaceous clade by inter-island allopatric speciation. Main conclusions, The data presented do not support suggestions that hypotheses pertaining to island age, age of endemic lineages and ecological diversity considered individually explain the lack of radiations and the widespread distribution of Azorean endemics. We suggest that palaeoclimatic variation, a factor rarely considered in macroecological studies of island diversity patterns, may be an important factor. Palaeoclimatic data suggest frequent and abrupt transitions between humid and arid conditions in the Canaries during the late Quaternary, and such an unstable climate may have driven the recent diversification of the flora by inter-island allopatric speciation, a process largely absent from the climatically more stable Azores. Further phylogenetic/phylogeographic analyses are necessary to determine the relative importance of palaeoclimate and other factors in generating the patterns observed. [source] Passion and Reason: Aristotelian Strategies in Kierkegaard's EthicsJOURNAL OF RELIGIOUS ETHICS, Issue 2 2002Norman Lillegard Both Aristotle and Kierkegaard show that virtues result, in part, from training which produces distinctive patterns of salience. The "frame problem" in AI shows that rationality requires salience. Salience is a function of cares and desires (passions) and thus governs choice in much the way Aristotle supposes when he describes choice as deliberative desire. Since rationality requires salience it follows that rationality requires passion. Thus Kierkegaard is no more an irrationalist in ethics than is Aristotle, though he continues to be charged with irrationalism. The compatibility of an Aristotelian reading of Kierkegaard with the "suspension of the ethical" and general problems with aretaic ethical theories are treated briefly. The author argues that it is possible to preserve a realist ethics in the face of the "tradition relativism" which threatens the version of virtue ethics here attributed to Kierkegaard. [source] Current knowledge of host response in human tineaMYCOSES, Issue 4 2009J. Brasch Summary Skin infection caused by dermatophytes is called tinea. In this short review, the known mechanisms and factors involved in human tinea and important for the host response are briefly delineated. To establish tinea, fungal propagules must attach to the skin, germinate and overcome the epidermal barrier. Keratinases and other enzymes are released in this process and host keratinocytes are activated. This is followed by an inflammatory response mediated by a plentitude of cytokines and receptors, comprising innate as well as acquired immunity, including neutrophilic granulocytes, macrophages, antibodies and T cells. Cellular defence mechanisms appear to be decisive for clearing of infection. Nails and hair follicles are the particular sites often invaded by dermatophytes that show distinctive patterns of infection. Nails are largely excluded from defence mechanisms and steroid hormones of the pilosebaceous units may have a particular effect on follicular infection. Fungal invasion of the dermis can cause granulomatous reactions. Immune reactions to dermatophytes may lead to sterile eruptions distant from the infected skin areas. [source] EXPLORING IDENTITY AND PLACE: AN ANALYSIS OF THE PROVENANCE OF PASSAGE GRAVE STONES ON GUERNSEY AND JERSEY IN THE MIDDLE NEOLITHICOXFORD JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 1 2003DAVID BUKACH Summary. This study examines the provenance of rock types used in the construction of Middle Neolithic passage grave stones on the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, focusing on the social dimensions of stone selection. The use of stones in passage grave construction includes both local and non-local rock types, which at some sites are organized in distinctive patterns. It is argued that the choice of stones was bound by concepts of identity, and that the communities which gathered to build these monuments may have used specific rock types to represent their community and their local mythologies. The relationship between identity and stone selection is supported both by analogy and by research into the role of landmarks in the development of local landscapes and ideology. The success of megalith provenance studies on Guernsey and Jersey suggests considerable potential for future research in other geologically diverse regions. [source] Intercalary Elements, Treefrogs, and the Early Differentiation of a Complex System in the NeobatrachiaTHE ANATOMICAL RECORD : ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 12 2007Adriana S. Manzano Abstract Intercalary elements are additional skeletal structures of digits of many anuran amphibians. Twelve terminal clades in the neobatrachian lineage of frogs have intercalary elements revealing it is a homoplastic character with five to seven gains and two to four losses along a consensus phylogeny of the Neobatrachia. We analyzed anatomical variation of intercalary elements, related structures (distal phalanges, tendons, and muscles), and articulations of digits of 45 anuran species, representing eight suprageneric terminal taxa. The intercalary elements are integrated in a complex system that is probably related to different types of movements, which are produced by a similar set of muscles and tendons with limited variation among the studied taxa. Species in the clades Hyloides and Ranoides show distinctive patterns of morphostructural features in their intercalary elements that are usually wedge-shaped and composed of hyaline cartilage in Ranoides, and biconcave and composed of embryonic cartilage in Hyloides. Features derived from the typical hyloid condition may only be interpreted in some Hylidae (Pseudis and Lysapsus) and Centrolenidae. In Ranoides, the described features of the intercalary elements are found in all taxa examined with the exception of Leptopelis, which have an intercalary element similar to the other Ranoides but formed by connective tissue. Several features are shared by all taxa having intercalary elements: (1) the intercalary elements differ from the phalanges by lacking terminal epiphyses, (2) they are present in hands and feet, and (3) they appear in all digits. This finding suggests that the genetic basis for presence of intercalary elements may be homologous in all these taxa and may have evolved only once early in neobatrachian history. Anat Rec, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Molecular characterization of tumour heterogeneity and malignant mesothelioma cell differentiation by gene profilingTHE JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2005Xiaojuan Sun Abstract Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive tumour, characterized by a variable differentiation pattern and poor prognosis. At present, the clinical outcome in patients with malignant mesothelioma is mainly predicted by the morphological phenotype of the tumour. However, this conventional clinicopathological parameter is of limited value, partly because of the biological heterogeneity of this tumour and poor understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the various patterns of growth. To elucidate the intrinsic molecular programmes that determine tumour differentiation, oligonucleotide arrays were used in an in vitro model of mesothelioma differentiation. The analysis of 2059 genes detected 102 genes that were significantly deregulated. Clustering of these genes into functional categories showed distinctive patterns for the two phenotypes, namely epithelioid and sarcomatoid. The molecular fingerprint of the sarcomatoid tumour component indicates overrepresentation of growth factor receptors and growth factor binding proteins, whereas epithelioid mesothelioma cells express other tumour-promoting factors involved in differentiation, metabolism, and regulation of apoptosis. These differences in the molecular phenotype may give a better basis for diagnosis and for designing novel therapies. Copyright © 2005 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Tracing Change: Patterns in Landscape ArchitectureARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, Issue 6 2009Simon Swaffield Abstract For Simon Swaffield, landscape design can be regarded as the product of distinctive patterns formed through the intersection of site, technology and idealised nature. Across time and cultures, the interpretation of nature has shifted endlessly, and with it the manner in which the natural world is conceived, transformed and represented. Given its history, what might also be the future patterns of landscape design?. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Separation Anxiety in Parents of Adolescents: Theoretical Significance and Scale DevelopmentCHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2001Ellen Hock Parents of adolescents commonly face separation-related issues associated with children's increasing independence and imminent leave-taking. The aims of this investigation were (1) to develop a reliable and valid measure of parental emotions associated with separation and (2) to validate the measure by relating it to other attributes (attachment relationship quality, parent , child communication, and parent , adolescent differentiation) assessed in mothers, fathers, and their adolescents. The newly constructed, 35-item Parents of Adolescents Separation Anxiety Scale (PASAS) was administered to 686 parents of teenagers in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 or college-bound freshmen and seniors. Factor analyses supported formation of two subscales: Anxiety about Adolescent Distancing (AAD) and Comfort with Secure Base Role (CSBR); both subscales showed distinctive patterns of change with child age. Parents' reports indicated that healthy adult attachment styles were associated with lower AAD and higher CSBR scores; children of parents who had higher AAD scores reported lower quality of attachment to both mothers and fathers. [source] Association of findings in flow-volume spirometry with high-resolution computed tomography signs in asbestos-exposed male workersCLINICAL PHYSIOLOGY AND FUNCTIONAL IMAGING, Issue 1 2009Päivi Piirilä Summary Introduction:, Disorders of pulmonary tissue and pleura are visualized by findings in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and the impairment caused by these findings is assessed by pulmonary function tests. Our aim was to determine how some commonly used spirometric variables are related to certain HRCT signs, in order to find out which HRCT signs are associated with restrictive and which with obstructive ventilatory impairment. Methods:, Altogether 590 asbestos-exposed workers, 95% of whom were smokers or ex-smokers, were studied with HRCT; 19 pathological signs were scored. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, forced expiratory flow at 50% of FVC (MEF50) and total lung capacity (TLC) were measured, and their relationship with HRCT signs was examined with bivariate correlations and multiple regression analysis. Results:, FVC and TLC were negatively correlated with fibrosis score, parenchymal bands, extent of pleural thickenings and positively with widened retrosternal space. FEV1/FVC ratio was negatively correlated with emphysema types and widened retrosternal space and positively with parenchymal bands and subpleural nodules. Thickened bronchial walls did not separate between restrictive and obstructive ventilatory function. Conclusions:, HRCT signs showed distinctive patterns in restrictive and obstructive ventilatory impairment. These results can be used to help to analyse the lung function of patients simultaneously exposed to asbestos and smoking, when this relationship requires elucidation. In addition, the results may be helpful in explaining some radiological findings. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||