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Running
Kinds of Running Terms modified by Running Selected AbstractsRunning to stand still: adaptation and the response of plants to rapid climate changeECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 9 2005Alistair S. Jump Abstract Climate is a potent selective force in natural populations, yet the importance of adaptation in the response of plant species to past climate change has been questioned. As many species are unlikely to migrate fast enough to track the rapidly changing climate of the future, adaptation must play an increasingly important role in their response. In this paper we review recent work that has documented climate-related genetic diversity within populations or on the microgeographical scale. We then describe studies that have looked at the potential evolutionary responses of plant populations to future climate change. We argue that in fragmented landscapes, rapid climate change has the potential to overwhelm the capacity for adaptation in many plant populations and dramatically alter their genetic composition. The consequences are likely to include unpredictable changes in the presence and abundance of species within communities and a reduction in their ability to resist and recover from further environmental perturbations, such as pest and disease outbreaks and extreme climatic events. Overall, a range-wide increase in extinction risk is likely to result. We call for further research into understanding the causes and consequences of the maintenance and loss of climate-related genetic diversity within populations. [source] MODAL SPACE: Is There Any Problem Running a Modal Test to 2 KHz but Only Analyzing up to 500 Hz?EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES, Issue 4 2006Pete Avitabile No abstract is available for this article. [source] FL Teachers Urged to Become Activists with Candidates Running for ElectionFOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 5 2000Article first published online: 31 DEC 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] Running induces widespread structural alterations in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortexHIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 11 2007Alexis M. Stranahan Abstract Physical activity enhances hippocampal function but its effects on neuronal structure remain relatively unexplored outside of the dentate gyrus. Using Golgi impregnation and the lipophilic tracer DiI, we show that long-term voluntary running increases the density of dendritic spines in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus of adult rats. Exercise was associated with increased dendritic spine density not only in granule neurons of the dentate gyrus, but also in CA1 pyramidal neurons, and in layer III pyramidal neurons of the entorhinal cortex. In the CA1 region, changes in dendritic spine density are accompanied by changes in dendritic arborization and alterations in the morphology of individual spines. These findings suggest that physical activity exerts pervasive effects on neuronal morphology in the hippocampus and one of its afferent populations. These structural changes may contribute to running-induced changes in cognitive function. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Automated Gripper Jaw Design and Grasp Planning for Sets of 3D ObjectsJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 3 2003Lucian Balan An algorithm for automatically generating a common jaw design and planning grasps for a given set of polyhedral objects is presented. The algorithm is suitable for a parallel-jaw gripper equipped with three cylindrical fingers. The common jaw design eliminates the need for custom made grippers and tool changing. The proposed jaw configuration and planning approach reduces the search associated with locating the finger contacts from six degrees-of-freedom to one degree-of-freedom. Closed-form algorithms for checking force closure and for predicting jamming are developed. Three quality metrics are introduced to improve the quality of the planned grasps. The first is a measure of the sensitivity of the grasp to errors between the actual and planned finger locations. The second is a measure of the efficiency of the grasp in terms of the contact forces. The third is a measure of the dependence of force closure on friction. These quality metrics are not restricted to cylindrical fingers and can be applied to n finger grasps. Running on a standard PC, the algorithm generated a solution in less than five minutes for a set of five objects with a total of 456 triangular facets. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Environmental Modulation of Alcohol Intake in Hamsters: Effects of Wheel Running and Constant Light ExposureALCOHOLISM, Issue 9 2010Steven B. Hammer Background:, Alcohol abuse leads to marked disruptions of circadian rhythms, and these disturbances in themselves can increase the drive to drink. Circadian clock timing is regulated by light, as well as by nonphotic influences such as food, social interactions, and wheel running. We previously reported that alcohol markedly disrupts photic and nonphotic modes of circadian rhythm regulation in Syrian hamsters. As an extension of this work, we characterize the hedonic interrelationship between wheel running and ethanol (EtOH) intake and the effects of environmental circadian disruption (long-term exposure to constant light [LL]) on the drive to drink. Methods:, First, we tested the effect of wheel running on chronic free-choice consumption of a 20% (v/v) EtOH solution and water. Second, the effect of this alcohol drinking on wheel running in alcohol-naive animals was investigated. Third, we assessed the influence of LL, known to suppress locomotor activity and cause circadian rhythm disruption, on EtOH consumption and wheel-running behavior. Results:, Inhibitory effects of wheel running on EtOH intake and vice versa were observed. Exposure to LL, while not affecting EtOH intake, induced rhythm splitting in 75% of the animals. Notably, the splitting phenotype was associated with lower levels of EtOH consumption and preference prior to, and throughout, the period of LL exposure. Conclusions:, These results are evidence that exercise may offer an efficacious clinical approach to reducing EtOH intake. Also, predisposition for light-induced (or other) forms of circadian disruption may modulate the drive to drink. [source] Latin America's Neocaudillismo: Ex-Presidents and Newcomers Running for President, and WinningLATIN AMERICAN POLITICS AND SOCIETY, Issue 3 2008Javier Corrales ABSTRACT Latin Americans have been voting for a surprisingly large number of ex-presidents and newcomers in presidential elections since the late 1980s. This article looks at both the demand and supply sides of this phenomenon by focusing on economic anxieties and party crises as the key independent variables. Sometimes the relationship between these variables is linear: economic anxieties combined with party crises lead to rising ex-presidents and newcomers. At other times the relationship is symbiotic: the rise of ex-presidents leads to party crises, economic and political anxieties, and thus the rise of newcomers. This article concludes that the abundance of ex-presidents and newcomers in elections,essentially, the new face of Latin America's caudillismo,does not bode well for democracy because it accelerates de-institutionalization and polarizes the electorate. [source] Constitution-making in Africa: assessing both the process and the contentPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2001M. Ndulo This article examines the relationship between governance and development, and concludes that underlying the litany of Africa's development problems is a crisis of governance. Good governance would result in institutions that are more likely to adopt economic policies that would resolve the constraints that hinder economic development. In addition, it would make a major contribution to the reduction of war and conflict. It would do this by creating an environment for sustainable development to take place and thereby reduce poverty, the root cause of war and conflict. This calls for a critical examination of the question of governance in Africa with a view to identifying the obstacles to its establishment and the possible approaches to the development of systems of governance that give political space to all groups. Since the most important legal instrument in the scheme of good governance is the national constitution, the article seeks to identify some of the key issues that must be considered in the process of developing a national constitution if it is to be durable. It also addresses the conditions under which such constitutions should be developed if they are to be acceptable to the people of the country they are intended to govern. Running through the article is the theme that the establishment of good governance in Africa depends on the development of political systems that give people a sense of ownership of the political process. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Calcaneal Tendon Regions Exhibit Different MMP-2 Activation After Vertical Jumping and Treadmill RunningTHE ANATOMICAL RECORD : ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 10 2009Olga Cristina De Mello Malheiro Abstract Increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) -2 and -9 was found in calcaneal tendon after physical training. However, little attention has been given to the distinct biomechanical and tissue structure of the calcaneal tendon's proximal and distal regions. Herein, we evaluated the effect of two types of physical activities on tendon morphology and matrix metalloproteinase activities in the proximal and distal regions of rat calcaneal tendon, separately. Adult male Wistar rats from control, water-adapted, vertical-jumping, and treadmill-running groups were sacrificed after 1 or 4 days of physical exercise, 6 hr after the end of that day's exercise session. Tendons were processed for histology, morphometry, and gelatin zymography. Tendons from adapted and trained animals showed active secretory cells and increased thickness, cellularity, and blood vessel volume fraction of peritendinous sheath, but without inflammatory process. In the proximal region, both pro- and active MMP-2 were increased after vertical jumping, but only pro-MMP-2 was increased after treadmill running. In contrast, in the distal region, both exercise types increased the activity of pro- and active MMP-2, especially treadmill running, which increased the active MMP-2 by about 11- and eightfold, respectively, after 1 and 4 days of training. No activity of MMP-9 was observed in either tendon region in this study. In conclusion, distal and proximal regions of calcaneal tendon exhibit differential intensities of tissue remodeling after treadmill running or vertical jumping and MMP-2, in the absence of inflammation, plays a major role in this adaptive response. Anat Rec, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Running Like a Girl: Women's Running Books and the Paradox of TraditionTHE JOURNAL OF POPULAR CULTURE, Issue 6 2009ANNEMARIE JUTEL First page of article [source] Running to the Moon: The Articulation and Construction of Self in Marathon RunnersANTHROPOLOGY OF CONSCIOUSNESS, Issue 2 2001Erica L. Reischer In this essay, I will consider how individuals engage the marathon in the service of a project of self-transformation. To that end, I will examine cultural meanings and symbols associated with the marathon, and the way in which those meanings interact with the self-system of the runners who choose to participate in the marathon. In addition, since the marathon is ultimately a cultural practice centered on the body, I will also explore the physical and material dimension of the marathon experience. This paper thus provides an account that begins to elucidate the way in which culturally-situated individuals symbolically and physically engage the marathon as a means to actively and intentionally promote self-development. [source] Predictors of Perceived Susceptibility to Sport-Related Injury among Competitive Runners: The Role of Previous Experience, Neuroticism, and Passion for RunningAPPLIED PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Yannick Stephan Whether individuals take steps to protect themselves against sport-related injury may depend on their perceived susceptibility to injury (Williams-Avery & MacKinnon, 1996). However, little is known about the determinants of perceived susceptibility to sport-related injury. The purpose of the present study is to identify the relations of previous experiences with injury, neuroticism, and passion with perceived susceptibility to sport-related injury among competitive runners. One hundred and seventy competitive runners reported the number of injuries sustained during the last year and completed the neuroticism scale of the NEO-PIR and the Passion Scale. Separate regression analysis revealed that previous experiences with injury, neuroticism, and obsessive passion were significant positive predictors of perceived susceptibility, whereas harmonious passion was significantly and negatively related to perceived susceptibility. When considered simultaneously, previous experiences, neuroticism, and obsessive passion explained unique variance in perceived susceptibility to sport-related injury. This study revealed that perceived susceptibility to sport-related injury is dependent on several distinct variables. Thus, to be effective, injury preventive actions aimed at runners' behaviour modification need to take into account that runners' perceived susceptibility to sport has multiple predictors. L'adoption par les individus de comportements de prévention de la blessure en sport est liée à leur vulnérabilité perçue à celle-ci (Williams-Avery & MacKinnon, 1996). Cependant, aucune étude ne s'est intéressée aux déterminants de cette dimension dans le contexte sportif. L'objectif de cette étude était d'identifier les relations entre les expériences passées avec une ou plusieurs blessures, le névrosisme, et la passion pour l'activité et la vulnérabilité perçue à la blessure chez des coureurs à pied. 170 coureurs compétitifs ont reporté le nombre de blessures contractées lors de la saison précédente, et ont répondu à l'échelle de névrosisme du NEO-PIR, et à l'échelle de passion en sport. Des analyses de régression séparées révèlent une contribution positive des expériences passées avec la blessure, du névrosisme, et de la passion obsessionnelle sur la vulnérabilité perçue, alors que la passion harmonieuse contribue négativement à cette dimension. Une analyse de régression multiple intégrant l'ensemble des prédicteurs révèle un lien significatif et positif entre les expériences passées, le névrosisme, la passion obsessionnelle et la vulnérabilité perçue à la blessure. Cette étude confirme que la perception de vulnérabilité est dépendante de dimensions variées et distinctes. Les actions de prévention de la blessure axées sur les changements de perception de vulnérabilitéà la blessure à des fins de modification des comportements doivent prendre en considération les prédicteurs de cette dimension afin d'être efficaces. [source] Interactive Global Photon MappingCOMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM, Issue 4 2009B. Fabianowski Abstract We present a photon mapping technique capable of computing high quality global illumination at interactive frame rates. By extending the concept of photon differentials to efficiently handle diffuse reflections, we generate footprints at all photon hit points. These enable illumination reconstruction by density estimation with variable kernel bandwidths without having to locate the k nearest photon hits first. Adapting an efficient BVH construction process for ray tracing acceleration, we build photon maps that enable the fast retrieval of all hits relevant to a shading point. We present a heuristic that automatically tunes the BVH build's termination criterion to the scene and illumination conditions. As all stages of the algorithm are highly parallelizable, we demonstrate an implementation using NVidia's CUDA manycore architecture running at interactive rates on a single GPU. Both light source and camera may be freely moved with global illumination fully recalculated in each frame. [source] Design and analysis of a scalable algorithm to monitor chord-based p2p systems at runtimeCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 6 2008Andreas Binzenhöfer Abstract Peer-to-peer (p2p) systems are a highly decentralized, fault tolerant, and cost-effective alternative to the classic client,server architecture. Yet companies hesitate to use p2p algorithms to build new applications. Due to the decentralized nature of such a p2p system the carrier does not know anything about the current size, performance, and stability of its application. In this paper, we present an entirely distributed and scalable algorithm to monitor a running p2p network. The snapshot of the system enables a telecommunication carrier to gather information about the current performance parameters of the running system as well as to react to discovered errors. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] RUNAWAY STORIES: The Underground Micromovements of Filipina Oyomesan in Rural JapanCULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 4 2008LIEBA FAIER ABSTRACT During fieldwork among Filipina migrants married to Japanese men in rural Nagano, stories about Filipina women who had "run away" from Japanese husbands and families in the region regularly surfaced in casual conversations. This essay focuses on both running away and stories about it as interconnected means through which these women negotiated their dissatisfactions with their lives abroad. I suggest that through such practices, these women's dissatisfactions assumed a "runaway agency" that created unsettling and, sometimes, unexpected social effects. First, insofar as running away involved "underground micromovements," it enabled Filipina women to craft spaces in Japan outside the domestic boundaries of both the home and the nation. These "extradomestic spaces" offered at once hopeful and dangerous possibilities for building alternative lives in Japan. Second, as Filipina women who remained in rural Nagano gossiped about those who had run away, they pressured some Filipina wives into staying while encouraging others to leave. Third, running away became an unexpected leveraging tool through which some Filipina women negotiated the conditions of their domestic situations to unpredictable effect. [source] Exercise is the primary factor associated with Hsp70 induction in muscle of treadmill running ratsACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 4 2006E. G. Noble Abstract Aim:, The cytoprotective, inducible stress protein, Hsp70, increases in muscles of rodents subjected to strenuous treadmill running. Most treadmill running protocols employ negative reinforcement to encourage animals to exercise. As these stimuli may themselves activate stress responses, the present investigation was conducted to determine their contribution to the exercise-induced expression of Hsp70. Methods:, Twenty-one male Sprague,Dawley rats were randomly divided into three equal groups including an exercise group (EX), which ran on a treadmill at 30 m min,1 for 60 min; a stimulation group (STIM), which was not allowed to run, but was stimulated with compressed air and mild electric shock concurrently with their exercising cohort; and a control group (CON), which was housed in the treadmill room during the exercise period. Animals were killed 24 h post-experiment and hearts (H), soleii (SOL) and white gastrocnemii (WG) were harvested and analysed for Hsp70 content (mean% ± SEM of standard). Results:, Significant increases in Hsp70 (as a % of standard) were noted in H and WG (H = 77.4 ± 8.5; WG = 93.9 ± 18.4) of EX but not in STIM (H = 32.5 ± 4.6; WG = 32.0 ± 3.4) or CON (H = 20.5 ± 3.7; WG = 32.4 ± 7.4). In SOL, Hsp70 expression in EX (126.7 ± 6.2) was different from STIM (98.3 ± 10.9) only. This occurred, despite the fact that all groups were exposed to a stressful environment and exhibited elevated (P < 0.001) temperatures (EX ,41.2 ± 0.1 °C > STIM ,40.5 ± 0.2 °C > CON ,39.0 ± 0.1 °C) indicative of a general stress response. Conclusions:, These data suggest that exercise per se, rather than environmental conditions or noxious stimuli, are responsible for the induction of Hsp70 in rat muscle during treadmill running. [source] Treadmill exercise in mice increases intestinal lymphocyte loss via apoptosisACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 3 2003L. Hoffman-Goetz Abstract Strenuous exercise is associated with a transient decline in circulating lymphocytes, possibly through increased apoptosis. Intestinal lymphocytes are important effector cells of intestinal immune function but have not been studied in relation to exercise. Aim:, The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of exercise on intestinal lymphocyte phenotypes and apoptosis. Methods:, Female C57BL/6 mice (n = 112) were randomized to: (1) treadmill running (90 min, 32 m min,1, 8° grade) and killed immediately after exercise, (2) treadmill running and killed 2 h after exercise, (3) treadmill running and killed 24 h after exercise or (4) a non-exercised control condition with exposure to treadmill noise and vibration without running. Results:, Flow cytometry indicated that the total intestinal CD3+T (P < 0.01), CD4+T (P < 0.005), CD8+T (P < 0.05), pan-NK (P < 0.005) and CD19+B (P < 0.05) lymphocytes were significantly lower 24 h after exercise compared with non-exercised controls. Significantly more CD3+T (P < 0.05) and CD8+T (P < 0.05) intestinal lymphocytes stained positive for annexin V, a marker of apoptosis, at 24 h after exercise compared with intestinal lymphocytes from non-exercised controls. Plasma corticosterone and 8-isoprostane concentrations were also significantly higher immediately after exercise compared with other exercise conditions. Conclusion:, Acute strenuous exercise increases intestinal T (CD3+ and CD8+) lymphocyte loss and apoptosis. The extent to which the exercise-induced apoptosis in intestinal lymphocytes is mediated by increased glucocorticoid concentrations in the gastrointestinal tract will require further studies. [source] Traumatic injuries to permanent teeth in Turkish children, AnkaraDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Ceyhan Altun From a total of 4956 children aged 6,12 years (mean age: 8.91 ± 1.95) applying to the Center, 472 children (9.5%) were found to have suffered dental injuries during a period of 2 years. Injuries were classified according to drawings and texts based on the WHO classification system, as modified by Andreasen and Andreasen. Injury rates were highest among children age 6 and ages 8,10. The most frequently injured permanent teeth were the maxillary central incisors (88.2%), and the maxillary right central permanent incisor made up 47.2% of all injured teeth. The most common cause of dental trauma was falling while walking or running (40.3%). Most injuries involved a single tooth (64.8%). The most common type of injury was enamel fracture (44.6%). There was a significant difference in gender, where boys more often suffered from a dental hard tissue and pulp injury than girls (P = 0.019), whereas there was no difference in gender (P = 0.248) in the distribution of periodontal injuries. Injuries were found to occur more frequently during the summer (P < 0.001). Children with increased overjet were 2.19 times more likely to have dental injuries than other children. Considering that the incidence of traumatic dental injury is highest among children ages 6 and ages 8,10 as well as the fact that patients with increased overjet are more prone to dental trauma, preventive orthodontic treatment in early mixed dentition may play an important role in reducing traumatic dental injuries. [source] Early handling reduces vulnerability of rats to activity-based anorexiaDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 7 2006O. Carrera Abstract Resistance to restricted feeding with and without wheel access was tested in rats handled (H) for 20 days since birth. Weight loss produced by 1.5-hr restricted food access was less in H than in non-handled (NH) males when tested aged 41 days. At this age combining food restriction with access to a running wheel (a procedure commonly known as activity-based anorexia, ABA) produced very rapid weight loss and no effect of handling was detected. When 75-day females were tested in the same way, under the ABA procedure H rats took longer than NH controls to reach the removal criterion. Simply restricting food access in these females produced variable weight loss, without detection of any handling effect. No differences in food intake or running were detected between H and NH rats in either males or females. In conclusion, handling seems to have a direct effect on rats' later response to either food deprivation alone or to an ABA procedure. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 48: 520,527, 2006. [source] Influence of parental deprivation on the behavioral development in Octodon degus: Modulation by maternal vocalizationsDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Katharina Braun Abstract Repeated separation from the family during very early stages of life is a stressful emotional experience which induces a variety of neuronal and synaptic changes in limbic cortical areas that may be related to behavioral alterations. First, we investigated whether repeated parental separation and handling, without separation from the family, leads to altered spontaneous exploratory behavior in a novel environment (open field test) in 8-day-old Octodon degus. Second, we tested whether the parentally deprived and handled animals display different stimulus-evoked exploratory behaviors in a modified open field version, in which a positive emotional stimulus, the maternal call, was presented. In the open field test a significant influence of previous emotional experience was found for the parameters of running, rearing, and vocalization. Parentally deprived degus displayed increased horizontal (running) and vertical (rearing) motoric activities, but decreased vocalization, compared to normal and handled controls. The presentation of maternal vocalizations significantly modified running, vocalization, and grooming activities, which in the case of running activity was dependent on previous emotional experience. Both deprivation-induced locomotor hyperactivity together with the reduced behavioral response towards a familiar acoustic emotional signal are similar to behavioral disturbances observed in human attachment disorders. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 42: 237,245, 2003. [source] Does habitat use explain large scale species richness patterns of aquatic beetles in Europe?ECOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2003Ignacio Ribera Regularities in species richness are widely observed but controversy continues over its mechanistic explanation. Because richness patterns are usually a compound measure derived from taxonomically diverse species with different ecological requirements, these analyses may confound diverse causes of species numbers. Here we investigate species richness in the aquatic beetle fauna of Europe, separating major taxonomic groups and two major ecological types, species occurring in standing and running water bodies. We collated species distributions for 800+ species of water beetles in 15 regions across western Europe. Species number in any of these regions was related to three variables: total area size, geographic connectedness of the area, and latitude. Pooled species numbers were accurately predicted, but correlations were different for species associated with either running or standing water. The former were mostly correlated with latitude, while the latter were only correlated with the measure of connectedness or with area size. These differences were generally also observed in each of the four phylogenetically independent lineages of aquatic Coleoptera when analysed separately. We propose that effects of habitat, in this case possibly mediated by different long term persistence of running and standing water bodies, impose constraints at the population or local level which, if effective over larger temporal and spatial scales, determine global patterns of species richness. [source] SDS-PAGE and two-dimensional maps in a radial gel formatELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 3 2010Renato Millioni Abstract A novel method for performing 2-D map analysis is here reported, consisting in a modification of the second dimension run, which is performed not in a conventional square- or rectangular-size gel, but in a radial surface. This has the advantage of permitting resolution of closely adjacent bands, representing strings of isoforms of similar or identical mass but of closely spaced isoelectric points. When used in a mono-dimensional, SDS-PAGE format, this system allows the simultaneous running of 62 sample tracks. Examples are given of separation of plasma and urinary proteins. [source] Temperance, alcohol, and the American evangelical: a reassessmentADDICTION, Issue 7 2009Jessica Warner ABSTRACT Abstinence from alcohol is a way of life for many American evangelicals, with rates of abstention running at over 70% among some Pentecostal denominations. This paper examines the religious beliefs that, historically, have supported teetotalism. The most notable of these is Christian perfection, a doctrine that originated in 18th-century England, that was then radicalized in America in the early 19th century. Abstinence from alcohol is highest among denominations that make Christian perfection the cornerstone of their teachings, and lowest among those that discount human agency. The paper also argues that 19th-century American evangelicals were by no means committed uniformly to temperance as a way of life, and that this was especially true of the various Methodist churches. [source] Enhanced process monitoring for wastewater treatment systemsENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 6 2008Chang Kyoo Yoo Abstract Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) remain notorious for poor data quality and sensor reliability problems due to the hostile environment, missing data problems and more. Many sensors in WWTP are prone to malfunctions in harsh environments. If a WWTP contains any redundancy between sensors, monitoring methods with sensor reconstruction such as the proposed one can yield a better monitoring efficiency than without a reconstruction scheme. An enhanced robust process monitoring method combined with a sensor reconstruction scheme to tackle the sensor failure problems is proposed for biological wastewater treatment systems. The proposed method is applied to a single reactor for high activity ammonia removal over nitrite (SHARON) process. It shows robust monitoring performance in the presence of sensor faults and produces few false alarms. Moreover, it enables us to keep the monitoring system running in the case of sensor failures. This guaranteed continuity of the monitoring scheme is a necessary development in view of real-time applications in full-scale WWTPs. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The effect of long-term exercise on glucose metabolism and peripheral insulin sensitivity in Standardbred horsesEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue S36 2006E. de GRAAF-ROELFSEMA Summary Reasons for performing study: To study the possible long-term effect of improved glucose tolerance in horses after long-term training, as the impact of exercise training on glucose metabolism is still unclear in the equine species. It is not known whether there is a direct long-term effect of training or if the measurable effect on glucose metabolism is the residual effect of the last exercise session. Objectives: To determine the chronic effect on glucose metabolism and peripheral insulin sensitivity of long-term training in horses by use of the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique. Methods: Eleven Standardbred horses were acclimatised to running on the high-speed treadmill for 4 weeks (Phase 1) followed by training for 18 weeks with an alternating endurance (, 60% HRmax) high intensity training programme (, 80% HRmax) (Phase 2). Training frequency was 4 days/week. At the end of Phase 1, a euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp was performed 72 h after the last bout of exercise in all horses. At the end of Phase 2, the horses were clamped 24 h or 72 h after the last bout of exercise. Results: Glucose metabolism rate did not change significantly after 18 weeks of training, measured 72 h after the last exercise bout (0.018 ± 0.009 and 0.022 ± 0.006 mmol/kg bwt/min, respectively). Peripheral insulin sensitivity also did not change significantly following training (7.6 ± 5.7 times 10,6 and 8.0 ± 3.1 times 10,6, respectively). The same measurements 24 h after the last bout of exercise showed no significant differences. Conclusions: Results indicated that long-term training in Standardbreds neither changed glucose metabolism or insulin sensitivity 72 h after the last bout of exercise. Potential relevance: The fact that the beneficial effect of increased insulin sensitivity after acute exercise diminishes quickly in horses and no long-term effects on insulin sensitivity after chronic exercise have as yet been found in horses, implies that exercise should be performed on a regular basis in horses to retain the beneficial effect of improved insulin sensitivity. [source] Recruitment pattern of muscle fibre type during flat and sloped treadmill running in Thoroughbred horsesEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue S36 2006D. ETO Summary Reasons for performing the study: There is little information about the muscle fibre recruitment pattern during sloped and flat track running in Thoroughbred horses. Objectives: To examine the glycogen depletion pattern of each muscle fibre type during running on a flat and sloped treadmill. Methods: Thirteen Thoroughbred horses (3,9 years old) were used. They were initially subjected to incremental exercise tests on a treadmill at 10 and 0% inclines in each horse to determine running speed at 90 and 60% VO2max. Needle biopsy samples were obtained from the middle gluteal muscle immediately after the running at 90% VO2max for 4 min and 60% VO2max for 12 min on 10% and 0% inclines treadmill. Four muscle fibre types (Types I, IIA, IIA/IIX, and IIX) were immunohistochemically identified, and optical density of Periodic Acid Schiff staining (OD-PAS) in each fibre type and the glycogen content of the muscle sample were determined by quantitative histochemical and biochemical procedures. Results: The changes in OD-PAS showed that the recruitment of all fibre types were identical after each exercise bout, i.e., 4 min running at 90% VO2max (8.4,9.4 m/sec on 10%, 13.9,14.1 m/sec on 0%), and 12 min running at 60% VO2max (5.4,6.0 m/sec on 10%, 7.9,11.2 m/sec on 0%). No significant differences were found in the recruitment patterns of each muscle fibre type between 10 and 0% inclined exercise bouts at the same exercise intensity. Conclusions: The recruitment pattern of muscle fibre type is mainly determined by exercise intensity (%VO2max) and duration, but not by running speed. Potential relevance: The results of this study indicate the possibility that up-hill running results in the same training effect as faster running on a flat track. [source] Effects of phlebotomy on haemodynamic characteristics during exercise in Standardbred trotters with red cell hypervolaemiaEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 4 2001P. FUNKQUIST Summary Five Standardbred trotters with red cell hypervolaemia (RCHV) were compared before and after removal of approximately 22% (36 ml/kg bwt) of the total blood volume in order to evaluate the haemodynamic responses, haemorheological alterations and oxygen transport during exercise to fatigue. Data were recorded during submaximal exercise at 4 different speeds on a treadmill and then during continued running at the highest speed step until fatigue. Oxygen uptake (V,O2), pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), systemic artery pressure (SAP), heart rate (HR), haematocrit and haemoglobin concentrations (Hb) were measured. Arteriovenous O2 content difference (C(a-v,)O2), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and total systemic resistance (TSR) were calculated. Whole blood and plasma viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation tendency were determined with a rotational viscometer. Endoscopy was performed after exercise. ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Phlebotomy resulted in a decrease in haematocrit and Hb during the course of exercise. Blood and plasma viscosity were lower and erythrocyte aggregation tendency was higher after phlebotomy. Throughout exercise, including submaximal work and continued running to fatigue, PAP, SAP, PVR, TSR and C(a-v,)O2 were lower after phlebotomy. HR was higher after phlebotomy during submaximal exercise. Oxygen delivery and VO2 were lower after phlebotomy in the period from submaximal exercise to fatigue. Run time to fatigue was shorter after phlebotomy. Four horses showed exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) before phlebotomy and the degree of bleeding was diminished but not abolished after phlebotomy. The reductions in PVR, TSR, PAP and SAP after phlebotomy were probably a result of reduced blood viscosity. In conclusion, although a 22% reduction in blood volume improved the haemodynamic and haemorheological parameters and the degree of EIPH, it was found that RCHV trotters have to rely on high oxygen delivery to the working muscles for maintenance of maximal performance. [source] Aberrant responses to acoustic stimuli in mice deficient for neural recognition molecule NB-2EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 5 2003Hong Li Abstract NB-2, a member of the contactin subgroup in the immunoglobulin superfamily, is expressed specifically in the postnatal nervous system, reaching a maximum level at 3 weeks postnatal. NB-2 displays neurite outgrowth-promoting activity in vitro. To assess its function in the nervous system, we generated mutant mice in which a part of the NB-2 gene was ablated and replaced with the tau-LacZ gene. The general appearance of NB-2-deficient mice and their gross anatomical features were normal. The LacZ expression patterns in heterozygous mice revealed that NB-2 is preferentially expressed in the central auditory pathways. In the audiogenic seizure test, NB-2-deficient mice exhibited a lower incidence of wild running, but a higher mortality rate than the wild-type littermates. c-Fos immunohistochemistry demonstrated that neural excitability induced by the audiogenic seizure test in the NB-2-deficient mice was prominently attenuated in both the dorsal and external cortices of the inferior colliculus, where enhanced neural excitability was observed in the wild-type mice. In response to pure-tone stimulation after priming, NB-2-deficient mice exhibited a diffuse and low level of c-Fos expression in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus, which was distinctly different from the band-like c-Fos expression corresponding to the tonotopic map in the wild-type littermates. Taken together, these results suggest that a lack of NB-2 causes impairment of the neuronal activity in the auditory system. [source] Process, Responsibility and Inclusion in EU ConstitutionalismEUROPEAN LAW JOURNAL, Issue 1 2003Jo Shaw This paper it looks at some of the normative questions which frame debates about the EU constitutional architecture. Its main objective is to identify the core facets of a ,responsible and inclusive EU constitutionalism', and to argue for a focus on process, freedom, fairness and democracy as well as formal constitution,building within the debates inside and outside the Convention running up to the Intergovernmental Conference anticipated for 2003/2004. A model using the work of Canadian political theorist James Tully is constructed. The paper applies this framework in order to analyse some aspects of the work of the Convention on the Future of the Union, looking especially at questions of autonomy, representativity, internal dynamics, deliberation, receptiveness, and decision,making. The interim conclusion is drawn that the Convention method contains within itself the seeds of a critical and reflexive approach to EU constitutionalism. [source] Aerobic exercise acutely improves insulin- and insulin-like growth factor-1-mediated vasorelaxation in hypertensive ratsEXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Ai-Lun Yang Limited information is available concerning the effects of aerobic exercise on vasorelaxation in hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a single bout of aerobic exercise on insulin- and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-induced vasorelaxation in hypertensive rats. Four-month-old spontaneously hypertensive rats were randomly divided into a sedentary group (SHR) and an exercise group (SHR+Ex) subjected to a single bout of aerobic exercise conducted by treadmill running at 21 m min,1 for 1 h. Age-matched Wistar,Kyoto rats were used as a normotensive control group (WKY). Insulin- and IGF-1-induced vasorelaxant responses in the three groups were evaluated by using isolated aortic rings, with or without endothelial denudation, in organ baths. Possible roles of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) involved in the NO-dependent vasorelaxation were examined by adding selective inhibitors. The role of superoxide was also clarified by adding superoxide dismutase (SOD). In addition, the endothelium-independent vascular responses to sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, were examined. The insulin- and IGF-1-induced vasorelaxation was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in the SHR group compared with the WKY group. This decreased response in SHR was improved by exercise. These vasorelaxant responses among the three groups became similar after endothelial denudation and pretreatment with the PI3K inhibitor, NOS inhibitor or SOD. Also, no difference among groups was found in the SNP-induced vasorelaxation. We concluded that a single bout of aerobic exercise acutely improves insulin- and IGF-1-mediated vasorelaxation in an endothelium-dependent manner in hypertensive rats. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||