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Methods Used (methods + used)
Kinds of Methods Used Selected AbstractsA REVIEW OF SENSORY AND INSTRUMENTAL METHODS USED TO EVALUATE THE TEXTURE OF FISH MUSCLEJOURNAL OF TEXTURE STUDIES, Issue 3 2001GRETHE HYLDIG The texture of fish muscle is an important quality attribute that depends on several parameters, both intrinsic and extrinsic. Its evaluation by sensory means is the result of a combination of several parameters that cover every impression from when the fish first comes into contact with a surface in the mouth, until it is completely masticated. This makes texture difficult to describe and evaluate. In addition the muscle structure of fish is not homogenous, and this has important implications on texture measurements by instrumental means. Numerous instrumental and sensory methods have been used to evaluate the texture of fish and fish fillets, with varying results and there exists no universal recommended method. [source] Assessing Perceived Health and Associated Health-Promoting Behaviors: An Investigation of Methods Used to Assess Health StatusJOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2007Craig M. Becker Health assessments have been integral in the development of health behavior and policy recommendations. As the nation's health status improves, information about positive health is needed to continue development of appropriate behavior and policy recommendations. In this study, perceived health, health behaviors, health care usage, and how participants defined health were assessed. Using reported health-promoting behaviors, respondents were grouped into high-, middle-, and low-health groups. Analyses found statistically significant differences (p<.05) for all health behaviors reported and for life satisfaction. Each group's understanding of health also differed significantly. Results document the discriminating value and importance of positive health-promoting behaviors beyond their traditional role in prevention. Recommendations for health professionals' use of positive health assessments are discussed. [source] Comparing Dementia Diagnostic Methods Used with People with Intellectual DisabilitiesJOURNAL OF POLICY AND PRACTICE IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 2 2005Diana B. Burt Abstract, Accurate detection of dementia in adults with intellectual disabilities is important for clinical care, program planning, and clinical research. This paper reports on a study that examined two major diagnostic methods that varied in the following ways: (1) the extent to which they relied on clinical judgment; (2) the statistical method used to detect declines; and (3) the sensitivity to declines in functioning. Two methods based on testing were compared with one based on clinical judgment. Data were drawn from annual sequential assessments of 168 adults with intellectual disabilities (78 with Down syndrome and 90 with other etiologies). Agreement between testing and clinical judgment methods was 72,75% depending on testing method used. Clinical judgment produced a higher rate of dementia diagnosis for adults with Down syndrome compared with testing methods, suggesting a possible bias. The authors found that diagnostic criteria were useful both for identifying dementia and for describing its characteristics. Our results suggest that clinical judgment could result in a higher number of adults with Down syndrome diagnosed with dementia than methods based on test batteries. Common results across research studies indicate that combinations of sources of information (interviews/direct testing) would be most useful for dementia diagnosis. Future collaboration across research sites is needed to promote rapid progress in this important area, with emphasis on differential diagnosis. [source] Administrative registers in psychiatric research: a systematic review of validity studiesACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2005N. Byrne Objective:, To conduct a systematic review of studies investigating the validity of administrative registers for use in psychiatric research. Method:, Studies were identified using MEDLINE (1966,2004) and EMBASE (1980,2004) databases using keywords ,validity' or ,reliability' combined with ,register' or ,database$'. Studies reviewed by two raters blind to each other and quality assessed using a data extraction form devised by the authors. A narrative description of the findings is presented. Results:, Fourteen studies were identified, seven of which concerned Scandinavian registers. Ten studies were solely concerned with diagnostic validity and the most common single diagnosis studied was schizophrenia (five studies). Methods used and study quality varied widely. Conclusion:, Given the importance of the area, relatively little high-quality work exists into systematically measuring the diagnostic data validity of registers for research purposes. [source] Linkage mapping methods applied to the COGA data set: Presentation Group 4 of Genetic Analysis Workshop 14GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue S1 2005E. Warwick Daw Abstract Presentation Group 4 participants analyzed the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism data provided for Genetic Analysis Workshop 14. This group examined various aspects of linkage analysis and related issues. Seven papers included linkage analyses, while the eighth calculated identity-by-descent (IBD) probabilities. Six papers analyzed linkage to an alcoholism phenotype: ALDX1 (four papers), ALDX2 (one paper), or a combination both (one paper). Methods used included Bayesian variable selection coupled with Haseman-Elston regression, recursive partitioning to identify phenotype and covariate groupings that interact with evidence for linkage, nonparametric linkage regression modeling, affected sib-pair linkage analysis with discordant sib-pair controls, simulation-based homozygosity mapping in a single pedigree, and application of a propensity score to collapse covariates in a general conditional logistic model. Alcoholism linkage was found with ,2 of these approaches on chromosomes 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 14, and 21. The remaining linkage paper compared the utility of several single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and microsatellite marker maps for Monte Carlo Markov chain combined oligogenic segregation and linkage analysis, and analyzed one of the electrophysiological endophenotypes, ttth1, on chromosome 7. Linkage was found with all marker sets. The last paper compared the multipoint IBD information content of several SNP sets and the microsatellite set, and found that while all SNP sets examined contained more information than the microsatellite set, most of the information contained in the SNP sets was captured by a subset of the SNP markers with ,1-cM marker spacing. From these papers, we highlight three points: a 1-cM SNP map seems to capture most of the linkage information, so denser maps do not appear necessary; careful and appropriate use of covariates can aid linkage analysis; and sources of increased gene-sharing between relatives should be accounted for in analyses. Genet. Epidemiol. 29(Suppl. 1):S29,S34, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Ab Initio Structure/Reactivity Investigations of Illudin-Based Antitumor Agents: A Model for Reaction in vivoHELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 12 2003Laura (Hydroxymethyl)acylfulvene (HMAF, irofulven; 4), a third-generation derivative of a natural product extracted from the mushroom Omphalotus illudens, is selectively toxic towards certain forms of malignant tumors. Conversion of HMAF and cognates to stable aromatic derivatives is triggered by thiol attack in vitro and in vivo. Quantum-chemical methods predict well the structure for several functionalized derivatives of irofulven as compared to known X-ray crystallographic structures. Computational reaction profiles for thiol attack and aromatic rearrangement of irofulven and illudin S, a toxin from which irofulven is derived, provide insight into HMAF's selectivity and toxicity. Methods used include hybrid density-functional theory (HDFT), HartreeFock (HF), and MøllerPlesset second-order perturbation theory (MP2). Solvent effects have been explored by means of the new continuum-solvation method, COSab, presented in an accompanying paper. [source] Reference genes identified in the silkworm Bombyx mori during metamorphism based on oligonucleotide microarray and confirmed by qRT-PCRINSECT SCIENCE, Issue 5 2008Gen-Hong Wang Abstract Gene expression quantification at mRNA level is very important for post-genomic studies, as gene expression level is the reflection of the special biological function of the target gene. Methods used for gene expression quantification, such as microarray or quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), require stable expressed reference genes. Thus, finding suitable control genes is essential for gene quantification. In this study, a genome-wide survey of reference genes during metamorphism was performed on silkworm Bombyx mori. Twelve genes were chosen as putative reference genes based on a whole genome oligonucleotide microarray normalized by external controls. Then, qRT-PCR was employed for further validation and selection of potential reference gene candidates. The results were analyzed, and stable genes were selected using geNorm 3.4 and NormFinder software. Finally, considering factors from every aspect, translation initiation factor 4A, translation initiation factor 3 subunit 4, and translation initiation factor 3 subunit 5 (represented by sw22934, swl4876, and swl3956) were selected as reliable internal controls across the examined developmental stages, while cytoplasmic actin (sw22671), the commonly used reference gene in a previous study was shown to vary drastically throughout the examined developmental stages. For future research, we recommend the use of the geometric mean of those three stable reference genes as an accurate normalization factor for data normalization of different developmental stages during metamorphism. [source] Profiling bacterial survival through a water treatment process and subsequent distribution systemJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2005D. Hoefel Abstract Aims:, To profile fractions of active bacteria and of bacteria culturable with routine heterotrophic plate count (HPC) methods through a typical water treatment process and subsequent distribution system. In doing so, investigate how water treatment affects both bacterial abundance and diversity, and reveal the identities of active bacteria not detected by traditional HPC culture. Methods and Results:, Profiling active fractions was performed by flow cytometric cell sorting of either membrane-intact (BacLightTM kit) or enzymatically active (carboxyfluorescein diacetate, CFDA) bacteria, followed by eubacterial 16S rDNA-directed PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Water treatment significantly reduced active bacterial numbers detected by the BacLightTM kit and CFDA assay by 2·89 and 2·81 log respectively. Bacterial diversity was also reduced from >20 DGGE bands in the active fractions of reservoir water to only two bands in the active fractions of finished water. These two bands represented Stenotrophomonas maltophila, initially culturable by HPC, and a Burkholderia -related species. Both species maintained measurable traits of physiological activity in distribution system bulk water but were undetected by HPC. Conclusions:, Flow cytometric cell sorting with PCR-DGGE, to assess water treatment efficacy, identified active bacteria from a variety of major phylogenetic groups undetected by routine HPC. Following treatment S. maltophila and a Burkholderia -related species retained activity and entered distribution undetected by HPC. Significance and Impact of the Study:, Methods used here demonstrate how water treatment operators can better monitor water treatment plant efficacy and assess distribution system instability by the detection and identification of active bacteria recalcitrant to routine HPC culture. [source] Activity and mechanisms of action of selected biocidal agents on Gram-positive and -negative bacteriaJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2003S.E. Walsh Abstract Aims: This study investigates the antimicrobial activity and mode of action of two natural products, eugenol and thymol, a commonly utilized biostatic agent, triclocarban (TCC), and two surfactants, didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDDMAC) and C10,C16 alkyldimethyl amine N -oxides (ADMAO). Methods and Results: Methods used included: determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), lethal effect studies with suspension tests and the investigation of sub-MIC concentrations on growth of E. coli, Staph. aureus and Ps. aeruginosa using a Bioscreen microbiological analyser. Leakage of intracellular constituents and the effects of potentiating agents were also investigated. Only DDDMAC was bactericidal against all of the organisms tested. Eugenol, thymol and ADMAO showed bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity, but not against Ps. aeruginosa. TCC was only bacteristatic against Staph. aureus, but like the other agents, it did affect the growth of the other organisms in the Bioscreen experiments. All of the antimicrobial agents tested were potentiated by the permeabilizers to some extent and leakage of potassium was seen with all of the agents except TCC. Conclusions: DDDMAC was bactericidal against all organisms tested and all compounds had some bacteriostatic action. Low level static effects on bacterial growth were seen with sub-MIC concentrations. Membrane damage may account for at least part of the mode of action of thymol, eugenol, DDDMAC and ADMAO. Significance and Impact of the Study: The ingredients evaluated demonstrated a range of bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties against the Gram-negative and -positive organisms evaluated and the membrane (leakage of intracellular components) was implicated in the mode of action for most (except TCC). Sub-MIC levels of all ingredients did induce subtle effects on the organisms which impacted bacterial growth, even for those which had no true inhibitory effects. [source] Capacity of selected ionic liquids as alternative EP/AW additiveLUBRICATION SCIENCE, Issue 6-7 2010Ameneh Schneider Abstract In this paper, it is shown that specific ionic liquids have great potential to be used as additives for tribological applications. The results promise a high load carrying capacity; especially for the cation 3-Octhylthiazolium and long term stability up to temperatures of 120°C is given. However, only extreme pressures/anti-wear properties are examined in detail with the selected test method. Friction modifier (FM) effectiveness cannot easily be demonstrated, because of the good performance of the selected base stock. Nevertheless, ionic liquids in general did not change the FM characteristic of the base oil in a negative way. A promising potential for ionic liquids to replace a majority of additives in tribological systems is given. Methods used are Schwing-Reib-Verschleiß test according to DIN ASTM D 5706, and Four Ball Tests according to DIN 51360. Mechanisms related to additives in lubricants are investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Challenges and strategies of increasing the production and use of Cochrane reviews: the Argentinean experiencePAEDIATRIC & PERINATAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 2008Agustín Ciapponi Summary The Cochrane Collaboration (CC), established in 1993, is an internationally renowned initiative dedicated to improving health care for the world's population. In the late 1990s, the Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre (IbCC) was created to promote the CC in Latin America. Because the production and use of Cochrane reviews were still low in 2002, Argentina implemented specific strategies and a model to expand the IbCC. The objective of this article was to describe strategies to increase the production and use of Cochrane reviews in Argentina. Methods used included surveys delivered to primary health care workers to provide data about their knowledge and use of the CC, and about the production of titles, protocols, and systematic reviews published in the Cochrane Library. Our survey showed that only 51% of a selected population of primary healthcare workers knew about the CC and only 23% knew about the Argentine Cochrane centre. In the previous year, 60% had never used the CC. To overcome these challenges, we used seven types of complementary strategies: (1) networking, (2) dissemination, (3) training, (4) support to Cochrane members, (5) strategic alliances, (6) research, and (7) fund-raising. An improvement in the production and use of Cochrane reviews was seen in Argentina, and the set of aforementioned strategies could be partly responsible for this increase. Multi-level networking, training and an appropriate centre's mother institution could be the most important interventions. More research is needed to explore this hypothesis. Lessons learned on this first evaluation will help us to continue with the development of the CC in Argentina. [source] Can we believe predictions of climate change?THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 602 2004John F. B. Mitchell Abstract Methods used to evaluate the ability of climate models to produce reliable estimates of future climate change are examined and assessed. © Crown copyright, 2004. Royal Meteorological Society [source] Granulosa cell tumours of the ovaryAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Puliyath GEETHA Granulosa cell tumours are rare, potentially malignant sex cord stromal tumours of the ovary. They are unique in their presentation and histological features. Many of them are hormone-producing and this property helps them to present early unlike other epithelial ovarian cancers. As a result, most of them will be in an early stage at the time of initial diagnosis. The tumour can manifest in young girls as a juvenile form and conservative management with unilateral salpingo-opherectomy may be an option in them as 95% are unilateral. Surgery is the treatment of choice and initial staging laparatomy a determinant recurrence. Advance stage of the tumour, its size (>5 cm), mitotic figures (>10/hpf), nuclear atypia and absence of call-exner bodies are poor prognostic factors. Such tumours are characterised by late recurrences and this necessitates a prolonged follow-up. Tumour markers such as inhibin and estradiol are useful in follow-up. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone replacement therapy have very little role in the initial treatment and may be suggested in case of recurrences. With appropriate treatment, a better survival rate can be achieved as against other ovarian malignancies. Methods used for locating, selecting and synthesising data:, A search of Medline and Cochrane data base for the period from 1999 to 2010 was carried out to include relevant systematic reviews, meta-analysis, randomised controlled and other clinical and rare case reports. The date of the last search was January 2010. [source] Recent advances in extending the shelf life of fresh Agaricus mushrooms: a reviewJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 9 2010Preeti Singh Abstract Postharvest browning of Agaricus mushrooms is a severe problem that reduces the shelf life of harvested mushrooms because of their continued respiration and biochemical activity. There are no simple answers and no single treatment is known to limit overall quality deterioration. However, there are several strategies that are being implemented in order to reduce the rate of respiration for mushrooms. Packaging technology is the common denominator that allows us to implement these strategies and thus is key to quality preservation. In this review, first, the major factors involved in postharvest quality deterioration are discussed and then technological advances/methods used to counteract these hurdles are presented. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Survey of the pre-school child health surveillance programme in SwedenACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 2000R Kornfält A survey of the programme for developmental surveillance in the Child Health Centres (CHCs) in Sweden was performed using a questionnaire administered to the Chief Medical Officers (CMO) of the Child Health Services. The questionnaire asked about methods used for auditory examination, developmental surveillance and identification of disturbances in mother-child interaction. Activities for health promotion concerning breastfeeding, non-smoking and allergy prevention were also queried. Thirty-four CMOs representing 1731 CHCs and 645000 children answered the questionnaire. The reply rate was 81%. Various methods of auditory examination are offered all infants and children in Sweden. The national guidelines for health supervision are followed fairly closely by all. Screening for disturbances in attention, motor development and perception (DAMP) is performed by all but four districts, with various methods, resources and degrees of co-operation with school health services. Support in mother-child interaction is considered very important and new methods to identify and treat disturbances are gradually introduced. Breastfeeding is encouraged; breast milk is the main source of food for 67% of babies at 4 mo of age. Activities to stop or diminish use of tobacco are ongoing everywhere, as are programmes to identify children at risk of developing allergies and for allergy prevention. Thus, the Child Health Services maintain a high standard and are ambitious about introducing new methods and ideas. [source] Physical foundations, models, and methods of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging of the brain: A reviewCONCEPTS IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE, Issue 5 2007Ludovico Minati Abstract The foundations and characteristics of models and methods used in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, with particular reference to in vivo brain imaging, are reviewed. The first section introduces Fick's laws, propagators, and the relationship between tissue microstructure and the statistical properties of diffusion of water molecules. The second section introduces the diffusion-weighted signal in terms of diffusion of magnetization (Bloch,Torrey equation) and of spin-bearing particles (cumulant expansion). The third section is dedicated to the rank-2 tensor model, the bb -matrix, and the derivation of indexes of anisotropy and shape. The fourth section introduces diffusion in multiple compartments: Gaussian mixture models, relationship between fiber layout, displacement probability and diffusivity, and effect of the b -value. The fifth section is devoted to higher-order generalizations of the tensor model: singular value decompositions (SVD), representation of angular diffusivity patterns and derivation of generalized anisotropy (GA) and scaled entropy (SE), and modeling of non-Gaussian diffusion by means of series expansion of Fick's laws. The sixth section covers spherical harmonic decomposition (SHD) and determination of fiber orientation by means of spherical deconvolution. The seventh section presents the Fourier relationship between signal and displacement probability (Q -space imaging, QSI, or diffusion-spectrum imaging, DSI), and reconstruction of orientation-distribution functions (ODF) by means of the Funk,Radon transform (Q -ball imaging, QBI). © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part A 30A: 278,307, 2007. [source] A method-level comparison of the Java Grande and SPEC JVM98 benchmark suitesCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 7-8 2005David Gregg Abstract In this paper we seek to provide a foundation for the study of the level of use of object-oriented techniques in Java programs in general, and scientific applications in particular. Specifically, we investigate the profiles of Java programs from a number of perspectives, including the use of class library methods, the size of methods called, the mode of invoke instruction used and the polymorphicity of call sites. We also present a categorization of the nature of small methods used in Java programs. We compare the Java Grande and SPEC JVM98 benchmark suites, and note a significant difference in the nature and composition of these suites, with the programs from the Java Grande suite demonstrating a less object-oriented approach. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Deadlock detection in MPI programsCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 11 2002Glenn R. Luecke Abstract The Message-Passing Interface (MPI) is commonly used to write parallel programs for distributed memory parallel computers. MPI-CHECK is a tool developed to aid in the debugging of MPI programs that are written in free or fixed format Fortran 90 and Fortran 77. This paper presents the methods used in MPI-CHECK 2.0 to detect many situations where actual and potential deadlocks occur when using blocking and non-blocking point-to-point routines as well as when using collective routines. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Is there a SSRI dose response in treating major depression?DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 1 2003The case for re-analysis of current data, for enhancing future study design Abstract It has been widely stated that the available research data has not demonstrated a SSRI dose response for major depression. We re-evaluated the methods used to analyze the SSRI data by clarifying two key alternative definitions of dose response and their implications for enhancing analysis of currently available data as well as future study design. We differentiated "potential" dose response, which focuses exclusively on response excluding tolerability effects and asks whether differences in dose can result in significant differences in response, from "expressed" dose response, which incorporates all tolerability effects currently associated with dose (including those caused by study protocol or treatment practice) and asks whether differences in dose do result in significant differences in response. To analyze potential dose response for all studies, one should use a "dose-tolerant" sample, i.e., an ITT sample from which dropouts due to adverse events have been removed. To analyze an expressed dose response, an ITT sample is the optimum sample if the study conforms to several design specifications. In the absence of conformance to these specifications, an ITT sample may be an approximation of the appropriate sample. Given design limitations of currently available studies, a dose-tolerant sample may provide a more informative approximation of an optimal sample to be used in evaluating the expressed dose response that could be expected in the best clinical practice. Future studies of dose-response relations could be enhanced by taking into account the principles noted above, and currently available data should be reanalyzed based on these principles. This re-analysis is performed in a companion article [Baker et al. 2003, Depress Anxiety 17:1-9]. Depression and Anxiety 17:10,18, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Delayed Wound Healing After Three Different Treatments for Widespread Actinic Keratosis on the Atrophic Bald ScalpDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 10 2003Patricia J. F. Quaedvlieg MD Background. Actinic keratosis is an exceedingly common premalignant lesion that can develop into squamous cell carcinoma. There is an increasing prevalence of actinic keratosis with increasing age. Numerous treatment options are available for the treatment of actinic keratosis on the scalp. Although we know that atrophic skin heals slowly, one should be careful but should not hesitate to treat. Objective. We present three patients with widespread actinic keratotic lesions on the atrophic bald scalp who received different treatments. Methods. Patient 1 was treated with medium-depth chemical peel, patient 2 with cryopeel, and patient 3 with CO2 laser resurfacing. In all patients, the entire surface area was treated. Results. Despite the different treatment methods used, all three patients had severly delayed wound healing as a complication. Remarkably, all patients had a prolonged period of re-epithelialization. Conclusion. Care has to be taken in patients with widespread actinic keratosis on the atrophic bald scalp when treating the entire surface area regardless the treatment modality. [source] ,Social Development' as Neoliberal Trojan Horse: The World Bank and the Kecamatan Development Program in IndonesiaDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 3 2009Toby Carroll ABSTRACT This article seeks to reconceptualize the post-Washington consensus (PWC) by focusing not simply upon the institutional structures and ideology promoted by it, but the manner in which these are promoted on the ground. The aim is to reveal a central distinction between the Washington consensus and the PWC that has been somewhat neglected: their diverging approaches to implementation. The author focuses on the World Bank-funded Kecamatan Development Program (KDP) in Indonesia, a project that is viewed by some as being somewhat unorthodox. He argues that in addition to its promotion of the latest round of institutional reforms, what is really different about KDP, compared with older approaches to market-led development typical of the Washington consensus, is the manner in which it delivers its mix of neoliberalism. What is radical about a programme like KDP is that it constitutes a new Trojan horse for embedding market-centred norms and practices.1 In general, this is demonstrative of a key difference between the Washington consensus and the PWC that has been undervalued in many analyses of the dominant development paradigm: the methods used to embed and sustain liberal markets. [source] The epidemiology of autistic spectrum disorders: is the prevalence rising?DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEW, Issue 3 2002Lorna Wing Abstract For decades after Kanner's original paper on the subject was published in 1943, autism was generally considered to be a rare condition with a prevalence of around 2,4 per 10,000 children. Then, studies carried out in the late 1990s and the present century reported annual rises in incidence of autism in pre-school children, based on age of diagnosis, and increases in the age-specific prevalence rates in children. Prevalence rates of up to 60 per 10,000 for autism and even more for the whole autistic spectrum were reported. Reasons for these increases are discussed. They include changes in diagnostic criteria, development of the concept of the wide autistic spectrum, different methods used in studies, growing awareness and knowledge among parents and professional workers and the development of specialist services, as well as the possibility of a true increase in numbers. Various environmental causes for a genuine rise in incidence have been suggested, including the triple vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR]. Not one of the possible environmental causes, including MMR, has been confirmed by independent scientific investigation, whereas there is strong evidence that complex genetic factors play a major role in etiology. The evidence suggests that the majority, if not all, of the reported rise in incidence and prevalence is due to changes in diagnostic criteria and increasing awareness and recognition of autistic spectrum disorders. Whether there is also a genuine rise in incidence remains an open question. MRDD Research Reviews 2002;8:151,161. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A public-health perspective on violenceACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2002K. Melinder Objective:, To describe how specific theories and methods used in public health, especially regarding injuries, are related to violence. Method:, Theories and preventive work in injury research (above accidents) are presented and related to violence. Results: Registration of injuries and an interest in the environment are seen as specific for injuries. In prevention there is a focus on community work and the concept of ,a safe community' has been developed. Haddon's matrix offers a foundation for theoretical injury research. It is formed by cross-tabulating the trichotomy of host-agent-environment against a time dimension. Conclusion:, One practical and one theoretical model on how violence might be seen as an injury have been demonstrated. No clear evaluation has been made of the practical model up to now. The theoretical model has the advantage that the model makes it easier to get a more comprehensive picture of how different factors influence violence. [source] Investigating the evolution of floras: problems and progress , An introductionDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 1 2006H. P. Linder ABSTRACT The Cape flora of southern Africa is a remarkable hotspot for plant species diversity and endemism. At a meeting in Zurich in 2004 progress in understanding the evolution of this diversity was reviewed. In this symposium, four papers presenting several of the methods used in this investigation were reported. These papers deal with molecular dating methods, the reconstruction of ancestral habitats, with possible speciation scenarios for the Cape flora, and the importance of the correct sampling strategies. [source] A model for range expansion of an introduced species: the common waxbill Estrilda astrild in PortugalDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 6 2002Tiago Silva Abstract. The common waxbill Estrilda astrild was first introduced to Portugal from Africa in 1964, and has spread across much of the country and into Spain. We modelled the expansion of the common waxbill on a 20 × 20 km UTM grid in 4-year periods from 1964 to 1999. The time variation of the square root of the occupied area shows that this expansion process is stabilizing in Portugal, and reasons for this are discussed. Several methods used to model biological expansions are not appropriate for the present case, because little quantitative data are available on the species ecology and because this expansion has been spatially heterogeneous. Instead, colonization on a grid was modelled as a function of several biophysical and spatio-temporal variables through the fitting of a multivariate autologistic equation. This approach allows examination of the underlying factors affecting the colonization process. In the case of the common waxbill it was associated positively with its occurrence in adjacent cells, and affected negatively by altitude and higher levels of solar radiation. [source] Postgraduate education for doctors in smoking cessationDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 5 2009NICHOLAS A. ZWAR Abstract Introduction and Aims. Smoking cessation advice from doctors helps improve quit rates but the opportunity to provide this advice is often missed. Postgraduate education is one strategy to improve the amount and quality of cessation support provided. This paper describes a sample of postgraduate education programs for doctors in smoking cessation and suggests future directions to improve reach and quality. Design and Methods. Survey of key informants identified through tobacco control listserves supplemented by a review of the published literature on education programs since 2000. Programs and publications from Europe were not included as these are covered in another paper in this Special Issue. Results. Responses were received from only 21 key informants from eight countries. Two further training programs were identified from the literature review. The following components were present in the majority of programs: 5 As (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist and Arrange) approach (72%), stage of change (64%), motivational interviewing (72%), pharmacotherapies (84%). Reference to clinical practice guidelines was very common (84%). The most common model of delivery of training was face to face. Lack of interest from doctors and lack of funding were identified as the main barriers to uptake and sustainability of training programs. Discussion and Conclusions. Identifying programs proved difficult and only a limited number were identified by the methods used. There was a high level of consistency in program content and a strong link to clinical practice guidelines. Key informants identified limited reach into the medical profession as an important issue. New approaches are needed to expand the availability and uptake of postgraduate education in smoking cessation.[Zwar NA, Richmond RL, Davidson D, Hasan I. Postgraduate education for doctors in smoking cessation. Drug Alcohol Rev 2009;28:466,473] [source] Variability of dry sediment bulk density between and within retention ponds and its impact on the calculation of sediment yieldsEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 4 2001Gert Verstraeten Abstract Monitoring sediment yields from catchments is important for assessing overall denudation rates and the impact of environmental change. One of the methods used to assess sediment yield is by quantifying sedimentation rates in reservoirs, lakes or small ponds. Before reliable sediment yield values (t ha,1 a,1) can be computed from such sedimentation records, the measured sediment volumes need to be converted to sediment masses using representative values of the dry sediment bulk density. In textbooks, simple relations predicting dry sediment bulk density from sediment texture, time since deposition and hydrologic condition are presented. In this study, 13 small flood retention ponds in central Belgium were sampled to reveal the variability in dry sediment bulk density and to test the commonly used relations to predict dry sediment bulk density. Dry sediment bulk density varies not only between the selected ponds (0·78,1·35 t,m,3) but also within individual ponds (coefficient of variation at 95 per cent ranges from 7 to 80 per cent). The observed variability can be attributed primarily to the hydrologic condition of the retention pond and, also, to sediment texture. The existing relations are not a reliable predictor for the observed dry bulk densities, because they are primarily based on sediment texture. Thus, when using volumetric sedimentation data from small ponds with varying hydrologic condition to predict sediment yield, existing relations predicting dry sediment bulk density cannot be applied. Instead, frequent and dense sampling of sediments is necessary to calculate a representative value of the dry sediment bulk density. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Tagging effects on three non-native fish species in England (Lepomis gibbosus, Pseudorasbora parva, Sander lucioperca) and of native Salmo truttaECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH, Issue 2 2009S. Stak Abstract,,, To address the dearth of information on tagging effects and long-term survivorship of tagged fish in native and introduced species, laboratory and field investigations were undertaken on three non-native fish species (pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus; topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva; pikeperch Sander lucioperca) tagged with coded-wire (CW), passive integrated transponder (PIT), radio (RT) telemetry and/or acoustic tags (AT), with survivorship of native brown trout (Salmo trutta) examined in the field. Laboratory results revealed high survivorship following tag attachment/insertion and resumption of feeding within 24,48 h of tagging (all mortalities could be attributed to an unrelated outbreak of fungal infection), with retention rates being high in both pumpkinseed and pikeperch but low in topmouth gudgeon (excluded from field studies). In the field, short-term post-operation survival was high in pikeperch, pumpkinseed and brown trout. In pumpkinseed and trout, 100% of RT fish survived a 24,30 day tracking study, with 60% and 80%, respectively, recaptured alive at least 3 months post-tagging. Of PIT tagged pumpkinseed, 44% were recaptured (after 6,18 months), with small-sized, CW-tagged fish (0.38 g weight) captured up to 1 year after tagging. In pikeperch, all AT fish except one (the smallest specimen) survived their full expected tracking period (i.e. tag life) , the single lost specimen survived at least half of its expected tracking period (i.e. 6 month battery life). Overall, the tagging methods used were highly effective in pumpkinseed and pikeperch, showing good retention and survival, but PIT tagging of topmouth gudgeon was plagued by low survivorship and tag rejection. [source] Estimating arable output using Durham Priory tithe receipts, 1341,1450ECONOMIC HISTORY REVIEW, Issue 2 2004BEN DODDS Research on English late medieval economic history has neglected the evidence of tithes as indicators of agrarian output. In this article, methods used by historians of continental Europe have been developed and applied to the Durham Priory accounting material in order to create the first series of tithe-based production indicators for medieval England. The data are manipulated, and presented, to provide insight into long- and short-term trends in aggregate levels of arable production. The series of indicators are then used to examine the evidence for falling output in the late middle ages in the light of our understanding of demographic, economic, and climatic factors. [source] "In-gel patch electrophoresis:" A,new method for environmental DNA purificationELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 16 2005Changhyun Roh Abstract Most of the microorganism species are largely untapped and could represent an interesting reservoir of genes useful for biotechnological applications. Unfortunately, a major difficulty associated with the methods used to isolate environmental DNA is related to the contamination of the extracted material with humic substances. These polyphenolic compounds inhibit the DNA processing reactions and severely impede cloning procedures. In this work, we describe a rapid, simple, and efficient method for the purification of genomic DNA from environmental samples: we added a chromatography step directly embedded into an agarose gel electrophoresis. This strategy enabled the DNA extraction from various environmental samples and it appeared that the purity grade was compatible with digestion by restriction enzymes and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifications. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||