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Various Levels (various + level)
Selected AbstractsGrowth Performance, Immune Response, and Resistance to Streptococcus iniae of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, Fed Diets Containing Various Levels of Vitamins C and EJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 1 2010Chhorn Lim Growth, immunity, and resistance of Nile tilapia to Streptococcus iniae challenge were evaluated after feeding diets supplemented with vitamin C (0, 100, 2000 mg/kg) and E (0, 50, 500 mg/kg) for 12 wk. Supplementation of 100 mg vitamin C/kg to the basal diet was sufficient to increase growth and feed efficiency. The amount of vitamin E present in the basal diet (23.1 mg/kg) was sufficient to promote good growth and feed efficiency, but adding 50 mg vitamin E/kg was necessary to increase survival. Liver vitamin C and E concentrations increased with increasing dietary concentrations of the corresponding vitamin. Dietary vitamin E concentrations had no effect on liver vitamin C concentration, but increasing dietary vitamin C increased liver vitamin E. Although hematology was generally unaffected by dietary vitamin E, significantly lower red blood cell count and hemoglobin and higher mean corpuscular volume were observed in fish fed the vitamin C-unsupplemented diets. Total immunoglobulin and lysozyme activity were significantly higher and lower, respectively, in fish fed 2000 mg/kg vitamin C diets. Vitamin E at 500 mg/kg diet significantly decreased alternative complement activity. Dietary concentrations of vitamin C had no effect on mortality following S. iniae challenge, but mortality significantly decreased in fish fed vitamin E,supplemented diets. [source] Neurostimulation systems for deep brain stimulation: In vitro evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging,related heating at 1.5 teslaJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 3 2002Ali R. Rezai MD Abstract Purpose To assess magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-related heating for a neurostimulation system (Activa® Tremor Control System, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) used for chronic deep brain stimulation (DBS). Materials and Methods Different configurations were evaluated for bilateral neurostimulators (Soletra® Model 7426), extensions, and leads to assess worst-case and clinically relevant positioning scenarios. In vitro testing was performed using a 1.5-T/64-MHz MR system and a gel-filled phantom designed to approximate the head and upper torso of a human subject. MRI was conducted using the transmit/receive body and transmit/receive head radio frequency (RF) coils. Various levels of RF energy were applied with the transmit/receive body (whole-body averaged specific absorption rate (SAR); range, 0.98,3.90 W/kg) and transmit/receive head (whole-body averaged SAR; range, 0.07,0.24 W/kg) coils. A fluoroptic thermometry system was used to record temperatures at multiple locations before (1 minute) and during (15 minutes) MRI. Results Using the body RF coil, the highest temperature changes ranged from 2.5°,25.3° C. Using the head RF coil, the highest temperature changes ranged from 2.3°,7.1° C.Thus, these findings indicated that substantial heating occurs under certain conditions, while others produce relatively minor, physiologically inconsequential temperature increases. Conclusion The temperature increases were dependent on the type of RF coil, level of SAR used, and how the lead wires were positioned. Notably, the use of clinically relevant positioning techniques for the neurostimulation system and low SARs commonly used for imaging the brain generated little heating. Based on this information, MR safety guidelines are provided. These observations are restricted to the tested neurostimulation system. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2002;15:241,250. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Effect of morphology on barrier properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate),POLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 3 2005A.A. Natu The effects of morphology on the barrier properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) have been investigated. Various levels of crystallinity can be developed in PET as a result of thermal exposure, orientation, and heat setting. The morphologies of the crystalline phase are affected by the conditions of their formation. As a result of morphological differences, samples with equivalent levels of crystallinity have been found to exhibit different oxygen barrier properties. These differences are most apparent at low and intermediate levels of crystallinity. For thermally crystallized systems, at the same crystalline content, increasing superstructure size in the crystalline phase leads to greater tortuosity for the permeant molecules, resulting in lower permeability. For stretched and heat set PET, transport properties can be correlated with birefringence as well as overall orientation, measured in terms of fraction of molecules in the trans or extended chain conformation. At high levels of crystallinity, where the spherulites become volume filling, permeation takes place primarily through the interlamellar regions of the crystalline phase and is controlled by level of crystallinity, independent of the mode of crystallization. The barrier properties of PET, before spherulitic impingement occurs, are governed by the size and number of spherulites as well as by the amorphous orientation present in non-crystalline regions. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 45:400,409, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] Significant Achievements in Protection and Restoration of Alpine Grassland Ecosystem in Northern Tibet, ChinaRESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Qing-zhu Gao Abstract Alpine grassland is a fragile ecosystem, and a large area of this grassland type has been severely degraded in Northern Tibet, to the extent that it has become the primary ecological problem in the region. Various levels of government, including the national central government, the Tibetan Autonomous Region government, and the Nagqu Prefecture government have worked together to achieve alpine grassland ecosystem protection and prevent grassland degradation. These efforts have resulted in significant ecological, social, and economic benefits in Northern Tibet. [source] The interplay between experiment and theory in charge-density analysisACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION A, Issue 5 2004Philip Coppens The comparison of theory and experiment remains a cornerstone of scientific inquiry. Various levels of such comparison applicable to charge-density analysis are discussed, including static and dynamic electron densities, topological properties, d -orbital occupancies and electrostatic moments. The advantages and drawbacks of the pseudoatom multipole are discussed, as are the experimentally constrained wavefunctions introduced by Jayatilaka and co-workers, which combine energy minimization with the requirement to provide a reasonable fit to the X-ray structure factors. The transferability of atomic densities can be exploited through construction of a pseudoatom databank, which may be based on analysis of ab initio molecular electron densities, and can be used to evaluate a host of physical properties. Partitioning of theoretical energies with the Morokuma,Ziegler energy decomposition scheme allows direct comparison with electrostatic interaction energies obtained from electron densities represented by the pseudoatom formalism. Compared with the Buckingham expression for the interaction between non-overlapping densities, the agreement with theory is much improved when a newly developed hybrid EP/MM (exact potential/multipole model) method is employed. [source] Differentiating and Linking Politics and Adjudication,The Example of European Electricity PolicyEUROPEAN LAW JOURNAL, Issue 3 2002Adrienne Héritier The paper analyses how politics and adjudication answer similar questions in the context of policy-making. It contrasts how societal problems are selected, defined, solved and legitimised by both disciplines. We raise these questions in regard to the liberalization of the European Electricity markets. We reconstruct the decision-making process at the political and adjudicative arena taking place in this policy area. By so doing, we elaborate the differences and establish the links between politics and adjudication. We argue that what differentiates these two disciplines constitutes their very links; that is, the adjudicative and political arena are linked precisely because they are different at various level. [source] Sensitivity analysis on stochastic equilibrium transportation networks using genetic algorithmJOURNAL OF ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION, Issue 3 2004Halim Ceylan Abstract This study deals with the sensitivity analysis of an equilibrium transportation networks using genetic algorithm approach and uses the bi-level iterative sensitivity algorithm. Therefore, integrated Genetic Algorithm-TRANSYT and Path Flow Estimator (GATPFE) is developed for signalized road networks for various level of perceived travel time in order to test the sensitivity of perceived travel time error in an urban stochastic road networks. Level of information provided to drivers correspondingly affects the signal timing parameters and hence the Stochastic User Equilibrium (SUE) link flows. When the information on road system is increased, the road users try to avoid conflicting links. Therefore, the stochastic equilibrium assignment concept tends to be user equilibrium. The GATPFE is used to solve the bi-level problem, where the Area Traffic Control (ATC) is the upper-level and the SUE assignment is the lower-level. The GATPFE is tested for six-junction network taken from literature. The results show that the integrated GATPFE can be applied to carry out sensitivity analysis at the equilibrium network design problems for various level of information and it simultaneously optimize the signal timings (i.e. network common cycle time, signal stage and offsets between junctions). [source] Horizontal Roadway Curvature Computation Algorithm Using Vision TechnologyCOMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2010Yichang (James) Tsai However, collecting such data is time-consuming, costly, and dangerous using traditional, manual surveying methods. It is especially difficult to perform such manual measurement when roadways have high traffic volumes. Thus, it would be valuable for transportation agencies if roadway curvature data could be computed from photographic images taken using low-cost digital cameras. This is the first article that develops an algorithm using emerging vision technology to acquire horizontal roadway curvature data from roadway images to perform roadway safety assessment. The proposed algorithm consists of four steps: (1) curve edges image processing, (2) mapping edge positions from an image domain to the real-world domain, (3) calibrating camera parameters, and (4) calculating the curve radius and center from curve points. The proposed algorithm was tested on roadways having various levels of curves and using different image sources to demonstrate its capability. The ground truth curvatures for two cases were also collected to evaluate the error of the proposed algorithm. The test results are very promising, and the computed curvatures are especially accurate for curves of small radii (less than 66 m/200 ft) with less than 1.0% relative errors with respect to the ground truth data. The proposed algorithm can be used as an alternative method that complements the traditional measurement methods used by state DOTs to collect roadway curvature data. [source] Nonparametric Identification of a Building Structure from Experimental Data Using Wavelet Neural NetworkCOMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2003Shih-Lin Hung By combining wavelet decomposition and artificial neural networks (ANN), wavelet neural networks (WNN) are used for solving chaotic signal processing. The basic operations and training method of wavelet neural networks are briefly introduced, since these networks can approximate universal functions. The feasibility of structural behavior modeling and the possibility of structural health monitoring using wavelet neural networks are investigated. The practical application of a wavelet neural network to the structural dynamic modeling of a building frame in shaking tests is considered in an example. Structural acceleration responses under various levels of the strength of the Kobe earthquake were used to train and then test the WNNs. The results reveal that the WNNs not only identify the structural dynamic model, but also can be applied to monitor the health condition of a building structure under strong external excitation. [source] Ploidy mosaicism in well-developed nuclear transplants produced by transfer of adult somatic cell nuclei to nonenucleated eggs of medaka (Oryzias latipes)DEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 9 2007Elena Kaftanovskaya Chromosomal abnormalities such as ploidy mosaicism have constituted a major obstacle to the successful nuclear transfer of adult somatic cell nuclei in lower vertebrates to date. Euploid mosaicism has been reported previously in well-developed amphibian transplants. Here, we investigated ploidy mosaicisms in well-developed transplants of adult somatic cell nuclei in medaka fish (Oryzias latipes). Donor nuclei from primary cultured cells from the adult caudal fin of a transgenic strain carrying the green fluorescent protein gene (GFP) were transferred to recipient nonenucleated eggs of a wild-type strain to produce 662 transplants. While some of the transplants developed beyond the body formation stage and several hatched, all exhibited varying degrees of abnormal morphology, limited growth and subsequent death. Twenty-one transplants, 19 embryos and two larvae, were selected for chromosomal analysis; all were well-developed 6-day-old or later embryonic stages exhibiting slight morphological abnormalities and the same pattern of GFP expression as that of the donor strain. In addition, all exhibited various levels of euploid mosaicism with haploid-diploid, haploid-triploid or haploid-diploid-triploid chromosome sets. No visible chromosomal abnormalities were observed. Thus, euploid mosaicism similar to that observed in amphibians was confirmed in well-developed nuclear transplants of fish. [source] A randomized controlled trial of the impact of therapeutic horse riding on the quality of life, health, and function of children with cerebral palsyDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2009E DAVIS PHD This randomized controlled trial examined whether therapeutic horse riding has a clinically significant impact on the physical function, health and quality of life (QoL) of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Ninety-nine children aged 4 to 12 years with no prior horse riding experience and various levels of impairment (Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels I,III) were randomized to intervention (10wks therapeutic programme; 26 males, 24 females; mean age 7y 8mo [SD 2y 5mo] or control (usual activities, 27 males, 22 females; mean age 8y 2mo [SD 2y 6mo]). Pre- and post-measures were completed by 72 families (35 intervention and 37 control). Children's gross motor function (Gross Motor Function Measure [GMFM]), health status (Child Health Questionnaire [CHQ]), and QoL (CP QoL-Child, KIDSCREEN) were assessed by parents and QoL was assessed by children before and after the 10-week study period. On analysis of covariance, there was no statistically significant difference in GMFM, CP QoL-Child (parent report and child self-report), and CHQ scores (except family cohesion) between the intervention and control group after the 10-week study period, but there was weak evidence of a difference for KIDSCREEN (parent report). This study suggests that therapeutic horse riding does not have a clinically significant impact on children with CP. However, a smaller effect cannot be ruled out and the absence of evidence might be explained by a lack of sensitivity of the instruments since the QoL and health measures have not yet been demonstrated to be sensitive to change for children with CP. [source] Diagnosis of invasion depth in early colorectal carcinoma by pit pattern analysis with magnifying endoscopyDIGESTIVE ENDOSCOPY, Issue 2001Shinji Tanaka Background: The aim of this study was to clarify whether various pit patterns on the surface of colorectal tumors are associated with various levels of submucosal invasion. Methods: We examined pathologic features of the pit pattern of the tumor surface in 457 colorectal adenomas and early carcinomas. The examinations involved the use of magnifying endoscopy with indigocarmine dye spraying or crystal violet staining methods. Regarding the pit pattern classification, we used the types I, II, IIIL, IIIS, IV, VA and VN. We subclassified the VN pit pattern according to the area of the tumor surface covered into grades A (small), B (medium) and C (large). Results: Magnifying colonoscopic observation revealed the rates of submucosal invasion associated with specific pit patterns to be 1% (3/213) for IIIL, 5% (2/42) for IIIS, 8% (4/57) for IV, 14% (13/93) for VA and 80% (42/52) for VN. The rates of submucosal massive invasion (> 400 ,m) associated with specific pit patterns was 0% (0/213) for IIIL, 0% (0/42) for IIIS, 4% (2/57) for IV, 5% (5/93) for VA and 72% (38/52) for VN. Within the VN pit pattern subclassification, the incidence of submucosal invasion , 1500 ,m was found each grade (A, B & C): 5% (1/19) for grade A, 64% (14/22) for grade B and 93% (13/14) for grade C. Conclusion: Determination of pit pattern is useful for prediction of submucosal invasion depth and for decisions concerning treatment in colorectal tumors. Lesions with VA and non-grade C VN pit patterns are candidates for total endoscopic resection. A grade C VN pit pattern is a definite indicator of severely invasive submucosal carcinoma, which is unresectable by endoscopic resection. [source] Diversity and composition of Arctiidae moth ensembles along a successional gradient in the Ecuadorian AndesDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 5 2005Nadine Hilt ABSTRACT Andean montane rain forests are among the most species-rich terrestrial habitats. Little is known about their insect communities and how these respond to anthropogenic habitat alteration. We investigated exceptionally speciose ensembles of nocturnal tiger moths (Arctiidae) at 15 anthropogenically disturbed sites, which together depict a gradient of forest recovery and six closed-forest understorey sites in southern Ecuador. At weak light traps we sampled 9211 arctiids, representing 287 species. Arctiid abundance and diversity were highest at advanced succession sites, where secondary scrub or young forest had re-established, followed by early succession sites, and were lowest, but still high, in mature forest understorey. The proportion of rare species showed the reverse pattern. We ordinated moth samples by non-metric multidimensional scaling using the chord-normalized expected species shared index (CNESS) index at various levels of the sample size parameter m. A distinct segregation of arctiid ensembles at succession sites from those in mature forest consistently emerged only at high m -values. Segregation between ensembles of early vs. late succession stages was also clear at high m values only, and was rather weak. Rare species were responsible for much of the faunal difference along the succession gradient, whereas many common arctiid species occurred in all sites. Matrix correlation tests as well as exploration of relationships between ordination axes and environmental variables revealed the degree of habitat openness, and to a lesser extent, elevation, as best predictors of faunal dissimilarity. Faunal differences were not related to geographical distances between sampling sites. Our results suggest that many of the more common tiger moths of Neotropical montane forests have a substantial recolonization potential at the small spatial scale of our study and accordingly occur also in landscape mosaics surrounding nature reserves. These species contribute to the unexpectedly high diversity of arctiid ensembles at disturbed sites, whereas the proportion of rare species declines outside mature forest. [source] Multiobjective heuristic approaches to seismic design of steel frames with standard sectionsEARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 11 2007M. Ohsaki Abstract Seismic design problem of a steel moment-resisting frame is formulated as a multiobjective programming problem. The total structural (material) volume and the plastic dissipated energy at the collapse state against severe seismic motions are considered as performance measures. Geometrically nonlinear inelastic time-history analysis is carried out against recorded ground motions that are incrementally scaled to reach the predefined collapse state. The frame members are chosen from the lists of the available standard sections. Simulated annealing (SA) and tabu search (TS), which are categorized as single-point-search heuristics, are applied to the multiobjective optimization problem. It is shown in the numerical examples that the frames that collapse with uniform interstorey drift ratios against various levels of ground motions can be obtained as a set of Pareto optimal solutions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Predation risk allocation or direct vigilance response in the predator interaction between perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and pike (Esox lucius L.)?ECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH, Issue 3 2005A. Vainikka Abstract , Predation risk allocation hypothesis predicts that a prey's response to predator depends on prey's previous experience on predator. Here we tested whether the group of three perch respond differentially to pike, predator of perch, depending on the timing of high constant (HC) and high unpredictable (HU) risk periods within low constant risk periods in short-term (10 h) experiments, and whether the response is stronger during a HU risk period than during a HC risk period. Perch clearly erected the dorsal fin in response to predation risk treatments (pike odour only, odour and visible pike). Decrease in activity and increase in shoaling behaviour were observed mainly during high risk periods. However, the perch's responses to pike did not differ statistically between periods of various levels of predation risk or depending on the timing of high risk situations within constant low risk periods, and thus, suggesting that perch respond mainly to changes in the current predation risk. Resumen 1. La hipótesis de la asignación de riesgo a la predación predice que la respuesta a un predador depende de la experiencia previa de la presa al predador. En este trabajo analizamos si un grupo de tres individuos de Perca fluviatilis respondían de forma distinta a la presencia de Esox lucius, (un predador común de esta especie) y si éstas dependían del momento en el que se producen periodos de alto riesgo constante y de alto riesgo impredecible, en experimentos de corto plazo (10 horas) de riesgo bajo y constante y si la respuesta era mayor durante perí odos de riesgo impredecible y alto que durante períodos de riesgo constante alto. 2. Claramente P. fluviatilis respondió levantando la aleta dorsal en respuesta a los tratamientos de riesgo a la predación (solamente olor y olor + visibilidad de E. lucius). Una menor actividad y una mayor tendencia a la formación de bancos fueron observados durante períodos de alto riesgo. Sin embargo, las respuesta de P. fluviatilis a E. lucius no difirieron estadísticamente entre períodos de varios niveles de riesgo a la predación o entre aquellos que dependieron del momento en el que se produjeron situaciones de alto riesgo dentro de períodos de bajo riesgo constante. 3. Concluimos que P. fluviatilis puede utilizar señales olfatorias como determinantes de respuestas al riesgo a la predación y responder a aumentos de riesgo, sin excluir la posibilidad de que amenazas repetidas decrezcan la intensidad de la respuesta. Nuestros resultados, obtenidos en experimentos realizados a pequeña escala temporal, no niegan la posibilidad de la P. fluviatilis y otras especies puedan balancear la alimentación con actividades anti-predación, de acuerdo a cambios en el riesgo de predación a lo largo de escalas temporales de varios días. [source] RETURNS TO EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIAECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 3 2008ANDREW LEIGH Using data from the 2001,2005 waves of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, and taking account of existing estimates of ability bias and social returns to schooling, I estimate the economic return to various levels of education. Raising high school attainment appears to yield the highest annual benefits, with per-year gains as high as 30% (depending on the adjustment for ability bias). Some forms of vocational training also appear to boost earnings, with significant gains from Certificate Level III/IV qualifications (for high school dropouts only), and from Diploma and Advanced Diploma qualifications. At the university level, bachelor degrees and postgraduate qualifications are associated with significantly higher earnings, with each year of a bachelor degree raising annual earnings by about 15%. For high schools, slightly less than half the gains are due to increased productivity, with the rest being due to higher levels of participation. For vocational training, about one-third of the gains are from productivity, and two-thirds from greater participation. For universities, most of the gains are from productivity. I find some evidence that the productivity benefits of education are higher towards the top of the distribution, but the effects on hours worked are higher towards the bottom of the conditional earnings distribution. [source] Evaluation of the participant-support method for information acquisition in the "Multiplex Risk Communicator"ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATIONS IN JAPAN, Issue 9 2009Tomohiro Watanabe Abstract In this paper, we propose a smooth risk communication support method for the Multiplex Risk Communicator. There has been a diversification of the social risks to the information-based society, leading to complex social issues, and risk communication is necessary in order to solve the complicated social problems that arise concerning stakeholders with various levels of knowledge and differing standards regarding risks. We introduce a portal system that assists participants to achieve an optimal combination of countermeasures. The characteristics of the proposed method are: first, to classify the stage when participants acquire information; second, to enable smooth transitions during the information acquisition stage; and third, to support information acquisition by offering information portals. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 92(9): 24,35, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10092 [source] EU emissions trading: Legitimacy and stringencyENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 5 2010Jon Birger Skjærseth Abstract In December 2008, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) was significantly revised and strengthened. This article explores the basis for, and the consequences of, the revision for legitimacy. The key to legitimate EU governance is seen in the convergence of different sources of legitimacy at various levels of society. In addition to member-state consent, participation of non-state actors, democracy, expertise and effectiveness are of relevance. The first conclusion is that the recent revision of the EU ETS has indeed been grounded in a broader multilevel legitimacy basis. Second, the system faces significant challenges with regard to carbon markets and effectiveness, which could reduce its legitimacy in the long term. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Measuring the amount of statistical information in the EPT indexENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 1 2005Patty L. Kitchin Abstract Biological monitoring is the process of measuring the effect of environmental stress on the environment. Aquatic macroinvertebrates are widely used in the monitoring of freshwater lotic systems. The macroinvertebrate fauna of a reference stream is commonly compared to the fauna of an impacted stream that is affected by an environmental stressor. The smaller the similarity between these two streams, the greater the effect of pollution or stress on the impacted stream. Many richness measures, or statistics, exist for measuring similarity. These statistics can be computed using different levels of taxonomic resolution (species, genus and family). Many aquatic biologists believe that species-level identifications, which require exorbitant time and expertise, are needed for correct data interpretations. The actual amount of information provided by these statistics at different taxonomic levels has never been measured. This article evaluates the amount of statistical information provided by the EPT index as compared to a sufficient statistic at the various levels of taxonomic resolution. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Changes in Quality of Life in Epilepsy: How Large Must They Be to Be Real?EPILEPSIA, Issue 1 2001Samuel Wiebe Summary: ,Purpose: The study goal was to assess the magnitude of change in generic and epilepsy-specific health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) instruments needed to exclude chance or error at various levels of certainty in patients with medically refractory epilepsy. Methods: Forty patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and clearly defined criteria of clinical stability received HRQOL measurements twice, 3 months apart, using the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-89 and -31 (QOLIE-89 and QOLIE-31), Liverpool Impact of Epilepsy, adverse drug events, seizure severity scales, and the Generic Health Utilities Index (HUI-III). Standard error of measurement and test-retest reliability were obtained for all scales and for QOLIE-89 subscales. Using the Reliable Change Index described by Jacobson and Truax, we assessed the magnitude of change required by HRQOL instruments to be 90 and 95% certain that real change has occurred, as opposed to change due to chance or measurement error. Results: Clinical features, point estimates and distribution of HRQOL measures, and test-retest reliability (all > 0.70) were similar to those previously reported. Score changes of ±13 points in QOLIE-89, ±15 in QOLIE-31, ±6.3 in Liverpool seizure severity,ictal, ±11 in Liverpool adverse drug events, ±0.25 in HUI-III, and ±9.5 in impact of epilepsy exclude chance or measurement error with 90% certainty. These correspond, respectively, to 13, 15, 17, 18, 25, and 32% of the potential range of change of each instrument. Conclusions: Threshold values for real change varied considerably among HRQOL tools but were relatively small for QOLIE-89, QOLIE-31, Liverpool Seizure Severity, and adverse drug events. In some instruments, even relatively large changes cannot rule out chance or measurement error. The relation between the Reliable Change Index and other measures of change and its distinction from measures of minimum clinically important change are discussed. [source] Variation in Individual Investment Strategies among Social AnimalsETHOLOGY, Issue 8 2006Jan Komdeur Invited Review Abstract Cooperation and conflict are ubiquitous features of life in the vast majority of animals and can occur over a wide range of functional contents and at various levels. In this review I describe known and less well-known proximate aspects of cooperation and conflict over reproductive behaviour in social animals, where individuals other than the genetic parents contribute to the provisioning of care (,alloparental care'). Traditionally the evolution of alloparental care is viewed as a two-step process: the decision to delay dispersal and independent breeding, usually as a consequence of the existence of constraints on independent breeding, and the decision to behave as alloparents by which individuals that have delayed dispersal gain a net fitness benefit. Behavioural ecological theory generally assumes that all individuals are similar in ,make-up' and that life history and behavioural decisions are facultative. However, there is probably more individual variation in the amount and type of social behaviour than originally anticipated. Here, I demonstrate that some of these differences in behaviours are because of environmental factors, which may be associated with ,reaction norms' or the genotype's quantitative phenotypic variation, or which may yield polyethisms. Most evolutionary models of animal cooperation are based on optimality approaches that do not consider individual genetic variation and maternal effects on the variation in the expression of social behaviour. Further research on the genetic basis of cooperations and subordinate,breeder interactions may be crucial for understanding the evolution of social behaviour. If we take individual differences into account our conclusions and explanations of social behaviour may change. Given the conceptual similarities between the various research disciplines addressing different types of cooperation and conflict over investment, the issues described here should lead to more mutual attraction between the different disciplines and stimulate further development in our understanding of cooperation strategies in general. [source] Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Homoleptic Tellurium Cyanides Te(CN)x: Crystal Structure of Te(CN)2EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 24 2004Thomas M. Klapötke Abstract The labile tellurium cyanide species Te(CN)2 and Te(CN)4 have been prepared by treatment of tellurium(IV) tetrahalides with cyanide. Both are thermosensitive solids and, in addition, the tetracyanide was found to be pyrophoric. The crystal structure of Te(CN)2 has been determined. The structures of Te(CN)2, Te(CN)4, and Te(CN)6 have been calculated at various levels of theory. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004) [source] Haphazard neural connections underlie the visual deficits of cats with strabismic or deprivation amblyopiaEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 1 2005Guy Gingras Abstract Identification of the neural basis of the visual deficits experienced by humans with amblyopia, particularly when associated with strabismus (strabismic amblyopia), has proved to be difficult in part because of the inability to observe directly the neural changes at various levels of the human visual pathway. Much of our knowledge has necessarily been obtained on the basis of sophisticated psychophysical studies as well as from electrophysiological explorations on the visual pathways in animal models of amblyopia. This study combines these two approaches to the problem by employing similar psychophysical probes of performance on animal models of two forms of amblyopia (deprivation and strabismic) to those employed earlier on human amblyopes (Hess & Field, 1994, Vis. Res., 34, 13397,13406). The tests explore two competing explanations for the visual deficits, namely an evenly distributed loss of neural connections (undersampling) with the amblyopic eye as opposed to disordered connections with this eye (neural disarray). Unexpectedly, the results in animal models of deprivation amblyopia were not in accord with expectations based upon an even distribution of lost connections with the amblyopic eye. However, the results were similar to those observed in a strabismic amblyopic animal and to strabismic amblyopic humans. We suggest that deprivation amblyopia may be accompanied by an uneven loss of connections that results in effective neural disarray. By contrast, amblyopia associated with strabismus might arise from neural disarray of a different origin such as an alteration of intrinsic cortical connections. [source] Daily jaw muscle activity in freely moving rats measured with radio-telemetryEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2007Nobuhiko Kawai The jaw muscle activity of rats has been investigated for specific tasks. However, the daily jaw muscle use remains unclear. The purpose of the present study was to examine daily jaw muscle activity, and its variability over time, in the rat (n = 12) by the use of radio-telemetry. A telemetric device was implanted for the continuous recording of masseter muscle and digastric muscle activity. Daily muscle use was characterized by calculating the total time that each muscle was active (duty time), the number of bursts, and the average length of bursts. All parameters were estimated for activities exceeding various levels (5,90%) of the day's peak activity. Daily muscle use remained constant for 4 wk. At the low-activity level, the duty time and burst number of the digastric muscle were significantly (P < 0.01) higher than those of the masseter muscle, whereas the opposite was true at the high-activity level (P < 0.05). No significant intermuscular correlation was observed between the number of bursts of the masseter and digastric muscles, but the interindividual variation of both muscles changed, depending on the level of activation. These findings suggest that the masseter muscle and the digastric muscle show a differential active pattern, depending on the activity level. [source] Off the Back or on the Side: Comparison of meso and 2-Substituted Donor-Acceptor Difluoroborondipyrromethene (Bodipy) DyadsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 15 2010Andrew C. Benniston Abstract The preparation of several difluoroborondipyrromethene (Bodipy) dyads is described incorporating covalently attached hydroquinone/quinone groups at the 2-position (BD-SHQ, BD-SQ, BD-SPHQ, BD-SPQ). The compounds, currently under investigation as chemical sensors for reactive oxygen species, show various levels of fluorescence depending on the oxidation state of the appended group. The 19F NMR spectrum for BD-SHQ in CDCl3 at room temperature reveals the two fluorines are inequivalent on the NMR timescale. In contrast, the 19F NMR spectrum for the counterpart quinone compound, BD-SQ, is consistent with two equivalent fluorine atoms. The two results are interpreted as the quinone is free to rotate around the connector bond, whereas this motion is restricted for the hydroquinone group and makes the fluorines chemically inequivalent. Cyclic voltammograms recorded for all derivatives in CH2Cl2 electrolyte solution are consistent with typical Bodipy-based redox chemistry; the potentials of which depend on factors such as presence of the phenylene spacer and oxidation state of the appended group. A comparison of the electrochemical behaviour with the counterpart meso derivatives reveals some interesting trends which are associated with the location of the HOMO/LUMOs. The absorption profiles for the compounds in CH3CN are again consistent with Bodipy-based derivatives, though there are some subtle differences in the band-shapes of the closely-coupled systems. In particular, the absorption spectra for the dyad, BD-SQ, in a wide range of solvents are appreciably broader than for BD-SHQ. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy performed on the hydroquinone derivatives, BD-SHQ and its meso analogue is interpreted as electron transfer occurs from the hydroquinone unit to the first-excited singlet (S1) state of the Bodipy center, followed by ultrafast charge recombination to reinstate the ground state. The coupling of OH vibrations to the return electron transfer process is invoked to explain the lack of clear identification of the charge-separated state in the transient records. [source] PERSPECTIVE: EVOLUTION AND DETECTION OF GENETIC ROBUSTNESSEVOLUTION, Issue 9 2003J. Arjan G. M. de Visser Abstract Robustness is the invariance of phenotypes in the face of perturbation. The robustness of phenotypes appears at various levels of biological organization, including gene expression, protein folding, metabolic flux, physiological homeostasis, development, and even organismal fitness. The mechanisms underlying robustness are diverse, ranging from thermodynamic stability at the RNA and protein level to behavior at the organismal level. Phenotypes can be robust either against heritable perturbations (e.g., mutations) or nonheritable perturbations (e.g., the weather). Here we primarily focus on the first kind of robustness,genetic robustness,and survey three growing avenues of research: (1) measuring genetic robustness in nature and in the laboratory; (2) understanding the evolution of genetic robustness; and (3) exploring the implications of genetic robustness for future evolution. [source] Age-related movement patterns and population structuring in southern garfish, Hyporhamphus melanochir, inferred from otolith chemistryFISHERIES MANAGEMENT & ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2009M. A. STEER Abstract, The southern garfish, Hyporhamphus melanochir (Val.), is an important inshore fishery species in South Australia. Over the past few years there have been concerns with this fishery, which is now considered to be over-exploited. Currently, the fishery is assumed to consist of two separate stocks, but there is no understanding of movement patterns both within and between these two stocks to justify this assumption. Otolith chemistry was used to infer age-related patterns of movement, delineate potential sub-populations and determine the extent of mixing within South Australian coastal waters. Results indicated that the population structuring of garfish is more complex than previously assumed and it seems that stocks can be discriminated at a much finer spatial scale. Garfish collected from sites separated by <60 km displayed significantly different chemical signatures (relative concentrations of 7Li, 24Mg, 55Mn, 88Sr and 138Ba) in their otoliths, especially during their second year of growth, indicating that they had inhabited different water bodies. From a broader perspective, South Australian garfish can be partitioned into six regional components with various levels of inter-mixing. From these results, it was suggested that assessment and management of the fishery may have to be restructured to align with the smaller spatial units. [source] Management issues relating to the European eel, Anguilla anguillaFISHERIES MANAGEMENT & ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2003A. Starkie Abstract In many European countries there is growing concern over reduced recruitment and catches of the European eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.). Evidence of the decline, together with possible reasons for the changes as detailed by various authors, are reviewed. It is suggested that the problems need to be addressed now and on various levels. Proposals for management actions, as outlined by the Environment Agency for England and Wales, are summarized by way of example. [source] On the (In)Compatibility of Guilt and Suffering in German Memory1GERMAN LIFE AND LETTERS, Issue 2 2006Aleida Assmann This article analyses the current shift in German memory concerning the issue of German suffering at the end of the Second World War. Contrary to widely held belief, these themes are not novel: German suffering was a topic of discourse immediately after the war in the private and political sphere. What is new in the current context, however, is the intensity of the unexpected return of these issues and their wide social resonance among different classes and generations. With this shift in focus, new memory contests arise. One paradigmatic case is the polarity created between a memory of German guilt and a memory of German suffering as represented by the two popular historians Hannes Heer and Jörg Friedrich; another concerns the (still ongoing) debate around a new centre for flight and expulsion. It is argued that the impasse of recent cultural memory debate typified by Heer and Friedrich can be surpassed by a more complex understanding of the structure of memory. According to this view, various levels of heterogeneous memory can exist side by side if they are contained within a normative frame of generally accepted validity. [source] The relative sensitivity of willingness-to-pay and time-trade-off to changes in health status: an empirical investigationHEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue 6 2001Richard D. Smith Abstract This paper directly compares the relative sensitivity of time-trade-off (TTO) and willingness-to-pay (WTP) values obtained for various levels of change in health status. This was achieved by administering a TTO and WTP survey to a population of 50 subjects, assessing their valuation of various degrees of change in health status. It was found that, overall, WTP is more sensitive than TTO in distinguishing between different dimensions of health at the same nominal level of health status (only four WTP values not significantly different, compared with eight TTO values). In addition, WTP was also more sensitive to differences in quality of life between different levels of health within each dimension (all values significantly different from each other, with TTO yielding three insignificant relationships). These results tentatively suggest, therefore, that WTP seems to be a more sensitive measure of change in health status than TTO. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||