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Consistent Pattern (consistent + pattern)
Selected AbstractsOceanic influence on the precipitation of the south-east of VenezuelaENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 3 2002Lelys Guenni Abstract The Caroní catchment located in the south-east of Venezuela accounts for 70 per cent of the total hydropower energy of the country. On a year to year basis, it has been shown that low frequency large scale ocean-atmosphere phenomena are highly coupled to the hydroclimatology of the region, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) being a major forcing mechanism of climatic and hydrological anomalies. Regional differences in amplitude and timing are due to complex orographic interactions, land surface-atmosphere feedback mechanisms and the evolution of dominant synoptic meteorological conditions. A detailed analysis of the relationship between rainfall and several large scale ocean-atmospheric variables was carried out to determine the potential use of large scale climatic information as predictors of the rainfall anomalies over the region. The problem was tackled in two ways: (a) first a seasonal dynamic rainfall model was fitted to monthly rainfall for different locations. In this case rainfall is assumed as a normal variate w which has been transformed to account for its departure from normality and truncated to account for the positive probability mass of zero values, which corresponds to negative values of the normal variable. The time series of the model parameters and the macroclimatic variables are inspected for their potential relationship with local rainfall via the stochastic model. (b) Second, dynamic linear regression models between the macroclimatic variables as predictors and the rainfall anomalies as predictant were fitted to evaluate and quantify the significance of these dependencies. Consistent patterns are observed with the Tropical Atlantic and Pacific ocean temperature anomalies, in which a significant negative relationship has been present since 1976, indicating an overall decrease (increase) in rainfall when the Pacific and the Tropical Atlantic are warmer (colder) than normal. In all cases the results suggest that the relationships between rainfall anomalies and the macroclimatic variables are not constant with time. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Actor alignments in the European Union before and after enlargementEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL RESEARCH, Issue 6 2009ROBERT THOMSON What impact has the 2004 enlargement had on legislative decision making in the European Union (EU)? This study answers this question by examining the controversies raised by a broad selection of legislative proposals from before and after the 2004 enlargement. The analyses focus on the alignments of decision-making actors found on those controversies. Member State representatives, the European Commission and the European Parliament vary considerably in the positions they take on controversial issues before and after enlargement. Consistent patterns in actor alignments are found for only a minority of controversial issues. To the extent that consistent patterns are found, the most common involve differences in the positions of Northern and Southern Member States and old and new Member States. The North-South alignment was more common in the EU-15 and reflected Northern Member States' preference for low levels of regulatory intervention. The new-old alignment that has been evident in the post-2004 EU reflects new Member States' preference for higher levels of financial subsidies. This study argues that the persistent diversity in actor alignments contributes to the EU's capacity to cope with enlargement. [source] Plumage-based phylogenetic analyses of the Merops bee-eatersIBIS, Issue 3 2004D. BRENT BURT I review previous systematic work on the family Meropidae and present phylogenetic hypotheses derived from my analyses of colour, pattern and shape variation in 30 plumage regions among species and subspecies in this family. Consistent patterns are seen across shallow portions of the trees. Uncertainty remains concerning the placement of several deep branches within this group's phylogeny. In particular, the phylogenetic placement of Meropogon forsteni and Merops breweri, M. ornatus, M. hirundineus and M. boehmi remains uncertain. The biogeographical patterns in the resultant trees are similar with either a Southeast Asian or African origin for the family, with most of the early diversification occurring in Africa, and with multiple independent subsequent invasions of non-African areas. [source] Predicting effective fungicide doses through observation of leaf emergencePLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2000N. D. Paveley Experimental data were used to test the hypothesis that the effective fungicide dose (ED) , the dose required to achieve a given level of disease suppression , varies in a predictable manner according to the pattern of development of the wheat canopy. Replicated and randomized field plots received a single systemic fungicide spray at either zero (control), 0·25, 0·5, 0·75 or 1·0 dose (the recommended dose), at one of eight timings from April to June. Wheat cultivars and locations for experiments were selected to promote epidemics of septoria tritici spot and yellow rust caused by Septoria tritici (anamorph of Mycosphaerella graminicola) and Puccinia striiformis, respectively. Logistic or exponential disease progress curves were fitted to disease severity data and used to estimate the date of disease onset (t0) and relative epidemic growth rate (r) on each leaf layer for each treatment. Area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) values were used to construct fungicide dose by spray timing response surfaces for each of the upper four leaves. A parsimonious function, with an exponential form in the dose,response dimension and a normal distribution in the timing dimension described a high proportion of the variation in AUDPC (R2 values ranging from 0·73 to 0·97). Consistent patterns of treatment effect were noted across pathogen species, leaf layers, sites and seasons. Fungicide applications that coincided with full leaf emergence delayed t0 on that leaf layer. Treatments applied after full leaf emergence did not delay t0, but reduced r. Progressively earlier or later treatments, or lower doses, had decreasing effects. AUDPC was affected more by t0 than r. AUDPC response surface parameter estimates showed that curvature of the dose,response was not affected by spray timing, but appeared to be a characteristic of the fungicide,pathogen combination. However, the lower asymptote of the dose,response curve, and hence the ED, varied substantially with spray timing. The pattern of change in ED with spray timing was consistent across a range of leaf layers, pathosystems and seasons, and the spray timing at which the ED was minimized varied only within a small range, around the time of leaf emergence. In contrast, variation in untreated disease severity, resulting from variation in initial inoculum and weather, was large. It was concluded that the main value of disease forecasting schemes may be in their capacity to predict the level of untreated disease, to which the economic optimum, or ,appropriate', dose relates. Spray timing determines the part of the canopy where disease will be efficiently controlled and hence the green leaf area saved. Timing decisions should relate to observations of emergence of those leaf layers important to yield. [source] How reactions to cigarette packet health warnings influence quitting: findings from the ITC Four-Country surveyADDICTION, Issue 4 2009Ron Borland ABSTRACT Objectives To examine prospectively the impact of health warnings on quitting activity. Design Five waves (2002,06) of a cohort survey where reactions to health warnings at one survey wave are used to predict cessation activity at the next wave, controlling for country (proxy for warning differences) and other factors. These analyses were replicated on four wave-to-wave transitions. Setting and participants Smokers from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Samples were waves 1,2: n = 6525; waves 2,3: n = 5257; waves 3,4: n = 4439; and waves 4,5: n = 3993. Measures Warning salience, cognitive responses (thoughts of harm and of quitting), forgoing of cigarettes and avoidance of warnings were examined as predictors of quit attempts, and of quitting success among those who tried (1 month sustained abstinence), replicated across four wave-to-wave transitions. Results All four responses to warnings were independently predictive of quitting activity in bivariate analyses. In multivariate analyses, both forgoing cigarettes and cognitive responses to the warnings predicted prospectively making quit attempts in all replications. However, avoiding warnings did not add predictive value consistently, and there was no consistent pattern for warning salience. There were no interactions by country. Some, but not all, the effects were mediated by quitting intentions. There were no consistent effects on quit success. Conclusions This study adds to the evidence that forgoing cigarettes as a result of noticing warnings and quit-related cognitive reactions to warnings are consistent prospective predictors of making quit attempts. This work strengthens the evidence base for governments to go beyond the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to mandate health warnings on tobacco products that stimulate the highest possible levels of these reactions. [source] Cadmium tolerance in the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) following acute exposure: Assessment of some ionoregulatory parametersENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 1 2006Sofia Garcia-Santos Abstract The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) can tolerate very high levels of waterborne cadmium. It has one of the highest 96 h LC50 recorded for a freshwater teleost fish (14.8 mg/L Cd; hardness 50 mg/L CaCO3). Cadmium is known to perturb ion balance in teleost fishes. However, in an acute time course experiment, plasma Na+ concentrations were unaffected, and plasma Ca2+ values only decreased after 96 h exposure in a dose-independent manner. Branchial Na+/K+ -ATPase activity and ,-subunit protein level expression in crude gill homogenates were not affected by Cd exposure during this period. Branchial chloride cell numbers, identified as Na+/K+ -ATPase immunoreactive cells using immunohistochemistry, decreased 24 h after exposure but recovered thereafter. Histopathological changes did not follow a consistent pattern of variation with exposure time, and the alterations noted in gill epithelium were basically nonspecific to cadmium. Because of its tolerance, it can be concluded that the tilapia O. niloticus would not be a suitable test organism to evaluate sublethal toxicity of cadmium and the realistic impact of this pollutant in the environment. However, it certainly could contribute significantly to our understanding of the toxic mechanism of cadmium exposure in aquatic organisms. This is the first work to investigate the effect of waterborne pollutants on Na+/K+ -ATPase ,-subunit protein expression in fish gills. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 21: 33,46, 2006. [source] Comparative Analysis of Adult versus Adolescent Sexual Assault: Epidemiology and Patterns of Anogenital InjuryACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 8 2003Jeffrey S. Jones MD Abstract Objectives: To compare the characteristics of sexual assault in pubertal girls (<18 years old) and adults in a community-based population of women presenting to an urban sexual assault clinic. Methods: This case-series analysis evaluated consecutive female patients presenting to a sexual assault clinic during a three-year study period. The clinic is associated with a university-affiliated emergency medicine residency program and is staffed by forensic nurses trained to perform medicolegal examinations using colposcopy with nuclear staining. Patient demographics, assault characteristics, and injury patterns were recorded using a standardized classification system. Data from the two patient groups (adolescents vs. women ,18 years of age) were analyzed using chi-square test and t-test. Results: A total of 766 cases were identified: 43% of the victims were 13 to 17 years old (mean 15.0 years old), and 57% were older than 17 years old (mean 30.8 years old). Adolescents were more likely to be assaulted by an acquaintance or relative (84% vs. 50%, p < 0.001) and to delay medical evaluation (17 hours vs. 12 hours, p < 0.001) than were older women. Adolescent sexual assault was less likely to involve weapons or physical coercion (29% versus 57%, p < 0.001) and was associated with fewer nongenital injuries (33% vs. 55%, p < 0.001). Adolescents had a greater frequency of anogenital injuries (83% vs. 64%, p < 0.001), however, compared with older women. Common sites of injury in adolescents were posterior, including the fossa navicularis, hymen, fourchette, and labia minora. The injuries showed consistent topologic features, varying with the site and nature of tissue. Adult victims of sexual assault had a less consistent pattern of anogenital injuries with fewer hymenal injuries, greater injury to the perianal area, and widespread erythema. Conclusions: Of women presenting to an urban sexual assault clinic, 43% were adolescents. The epidemiology of sexual trauma and the pattern of anogenital trauma in this age group are unique and may pose special challenges to emergency health care providers. [source] Clinical and genetic features of human prion diseases in Catalonia: 1993,2002EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 10 2004R. Sanchez-Valle We describe the clinical and genetic characteristics of the 85 definite or probable human prion diseases cases died between January 1993 and December 2002 in Catalonia (an autonomous community of Spain, 6 million population). Seventy-three (86%) cases were sporadic Creutzfeld-Jakob diseases (sCJD) (49 definite, 24 probable), with a median age at onset of 66 years. The clinical presentation was dementia in 29 cases, ataxia in 14 and visual symptoms in five. The median survival was 3 months. The 14-3-3 assay was positive in 93% cases, 62% presented periodic sharp wave complexes (PSWC) in EEG but only 18% the typical signs on MRI. Forty-eight sCJD were studied for codon 129 PRNP polymorphism: 69% were methionine/methionine (M/M), 14.5% valine/valine (V/V) and 16.5% M/V. Six out of seven V/V cases did not present PSWC and in two survival was longer than 20 months. Eleven cases (13%) were genetic: five familial fatal insomnia and six familial CJD (fCJD). Up to four (67%) fCJD lacked family history of disease, two presented seizures early at onset and one neurosensorial deafness. The only iatrogenic case was related to a dura mater graft. No case of variant CJD was registered. The study confirms in our population the consistent pattern reported worldwide on human prion diseases. Atypical features were seen more frequently in sporadic 129 V/V CJD and fCJD cases. [source] Gross rates of ammonification and nitrification at a nitrogen-saturated spruce (Picea abies (L.)Karst.) stand in southern GermanyEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 5 2010P. Rosenkranz We investigated the magnitudes of temporal and spatial variabilities of gross ammonification and nitrification, in an N-saturated temperate forest ecosystem. Forest soil gross ammonification, gross nitrification and heterotrophic soil respiration were measured in the forest floor and uppermost mineral layer over a period of 3 years. Total annual gross fluxes for the organic layer and uppermost mineral horizon (0,4 cm) were in the range of 800,980 kg N ha,1 year,1 for gross ammonification and 480,590 kg N ha,1 year,1 for gross nitrification. Annual heterotrophic soil respiration was 8000,8900 kg C ha,1 year,1. Highest soil C and N turnover rates occurred in summer, and a consistent pattern was observed throughout the observation period, with highest values for plots located at a clear-cut area and lowest values for plots located at an unmanaged, approximately 100-year-old, spruce control site. Soil moisture, soil temperature and substrate availability accounted for most of the observed variability of C and N turnover rates. Because gross rates of inorganic N production were more than an order of magnitude larger than ecosystem N losses along hydrological and gaseous pathways, our study underlines the importance of internal microbial N turnover processes for ecosystem N cycling and retention. [source] METAMODELS AND PHYLOGENETIC REPLICATION: A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO THE EVOLUTION OF DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAYSEVOLUTION, Issue 11 2009Artyom Kopp Molecular genetic analysis of phenotypic variation has revealed many examples of evolutionary change in the developmental pathways that control plant and animal morphology. A major challenge is to integrate the information from diverse organisms and traits to understand the general patterns of developmental evolution. This integration can be facilitated by evolutionary metamodels,traits that have undergone multiple independent changes in different species and whose development is controlled by well-studied regulatory pathways. The metamodel approach provides the comparative equivalent of experimental replication, allowing us to test whether the evolution of each developmental pathway follows a consistent pattern, and whether different pathways are predisposed to different modes of evolution by their intrinsic organization. A review of several metamodels suggests that the structure of developmental pathways may bias the genetic basis of phenotypic evolution, and highlights phylogenetic replication as a value-added approach that produces deeper insights into the mechanisms of evolution than single-species analyses. [source] Mammals in South American drylands: faunal similarity and trophic structureGLOBAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2000Ricardo A. Ojeda Abstract We compared the fauna of small mammals (less than 500 g body weight) among five major South American drylands (Atacama, Altiplano, Monte, Patagonia and Caatinga) and found considerable heterogeneity and distinctiveness in species richness and composition between these biomes. From a total of 89 recorded species, 76 of them are restricted to only one of these drylands. The highland desert, or Altiplano, is the biome with the highest number of species. Despite the marked differences in the composition of the mammalian fauna, the trophic structure shows a rather consistent pattern: herbivores are the most important trophic group in all drylands. This consistency seems to be more the result of phylogenetic inertia than of similar ecological processes. Our results are compared with recent studies on desert small mammals across continents. [source] Influence of Self-Affirmation on Responses to Gain- Versus Loss-Framed Antismoking MessagesHUMAN COMMUNICATION RESEARCH, Issue 4 2010Xiaoquan Zhao Self-affirmation has been shown to reduce biased processing of threatening health messages. In this study, the impact of self-affirmation on college smokers' reactions to gain- versus loss-framed antismoking public service announcements (PSAs) was examined. A consistent pattern of interaction was observed wherein self-affirmation produced more favorable responses to loss-framed PSAs and more unfavorable responses to gain-framed PSAs. Self-affirmation also reduced smoking intention in the loss frame condition and increased antismoking self-efficacy across framing conditions. These findings are discussed in light of previous research linking self-affirmation to increased message scrutiny. L'influence de l'affirmation de soi sur les réactions aux messages anti-tabac cadrés autour du gain ou de la perte Xiaoquan Zhao & Xiaoli Nan Il a été démontré que l'affirmation de soi réduit le traitement biaisé des messages menaçants concernant la santé. Dans cette étude, l'impact de l'affirmation de soi sur les réactions des étudiants universitaires fumeurs face à des messages d'intérêt public anti-tabac cadrés autour du gain ou de la perte a été examiné. Une tendance régulière d'interaction a été observée, selon laquelle l'affirmation de soi produisait des réactions plus favorables aux messages cadrés autour de la perte et des réactions plus défavorables aux messages cadrés autour du gain. L'affirmation de soi a également réduit l'intention de fumer dans les conditions de cadrage autour de la perte et a augmenté l'efficacité anti-tabac dans toutes les conditions de cadrage. Ces résultats sont commentés à la lumière de la recherche antérieure observant un lien entre l'affirmation de soi et une augmentation de l'examen attentif des messages. Der Einfluss von Selbstbestätigung auf die Reaktionen zu gewinn- vs. verlustgerahmten Anti-Raucher-Botschaften Xiaoquan Zhao & Xiaoli Nan Bislang konnte gezeigt werden, dass Selbstbestätigung eine voreingenommene Verarbeitung von bedrohlichen Gesundheitsbotschaften vermindert. In dieser Studie untersuchten wir den Einfluss von Selbstbestätigung auf die Reaktionen auf gewinn- vs. verlustgerahmte Anti-Raucher-Public Service Botschaften an einer Population von Universitätsstudierenden. Es zeigte sich ein konsistentes Interaktionsmuster in der Form, dass Selbstbestätigung zu stärker befürwortenden Reaktionen auf verlustgerahmte Botschaften führte und zu stärker ablehnenden Reaktionen auf gewinngerahmte Botschaften. Selbstbestätigung verminderte die Rauchintention in der verlustgerahmten Kondition und erhöhte die Anti-Rauchen-Selbstwirksamkeit für beide Frames. Diese Ergebnisse werden mit Blick auf bestehende Forschung zu Selbstbestätigung und erhöhter Botschaftswahrnehmung diskutiert. La Influencia de la Auto-Afirmación en las Respuestas a los Encuadres de Ganancia Versus de Pérdida de los Mensajes Anti-Tabaco Xiaoquan Zhao & Xiaoli Nan Department of Communication, George Mason University Resumen Se ha demostrado que la auto-afirmación reduce el procesamiento tendencioso de los mensajes de salud amenazantes. En este estudio, el impacto de la auto-afirmación en las reacciones de los estudiantes universitarios fumadores a los encuadres de ganancia- versus de pérdida de los anuncios de servicios públicos (PSA) anti-tabaco AQ1 fueron examinados. Una pauta consistente de interacción fue observada donde la auto-afirmación produjo respuestas más favorables a los PSA de encuadres de pérdida y respuestas más desfavorables a los encuadres de ganancia de los PSA. La auto-afirmación redujo también la intención de fumar en la condición de encuadre de pérdida e incrementó la auto-eficacia anti-tabaco a través de las condiciones de encuadre. Los hallazgos son discutidos a la luz de la investigación previa conectando a la auto-afirmación con el incremento del escrutinio del mensaje. [source] The non-Hodgkin lymphomas: A review of the epidemiologic literatureINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue S12 2007Dominik D. Alexander Abstract The non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) are a heterogeneous group of B-cell and T-cell neoplasms that arise primarily in the lymph nodes. NHL incidence rates in the US doubled between about 1970 and 1990, and stabilized during the 1990s. NHL accounts for ,3.4% of cancer deaths in the US. Although some of the observed patterns in NHL have been related to HIV/AIDS, these conditions cannot fully explain the magnitude of the changes; neither do changes in classification systems nor improved diagnostic capabilities. Studies of occupational and environmental exposures (e.g., pesticides, solvents) have produced no consistent pattern of significant positive associations. Inverse associations with ultraviolet radiation exposure and alcohol and fish intake, and positive associations with meat and saturated fat intake have been reported in several studies; additional studies are needed to confirm or refute these associations. Family history of NHL or other hematolymphoproliferative cancers and personal history of several autoimmune disorders are associated with increased risk of NHL, but are not likely to account for a large proportion of cases. HIV and other infectious agents, such as human herpesvirus 8 and Epstein,Barr, appear to be associated with differing types of NHL, such as some B-cell lymphomas. Future epidemiologic studies should evaluate associations by NHL type, enhance exposure information collected, and elucidate factors that may identify susceptible (or resistant) subpopulations because of genetic, immunologic or other characteristics. The extent to which the etiology of NHL types may differ is important to resolve in ongoing and future studies. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Changes in aspects of children's oral-health-related quality of life following dental treatment under general anaesthesiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 5 2004H. K. ANDERSON Summary. Objectives. This study was intended to examine the treatment-associated change in aspects of oral-health-related quality of life (QoL) among children (and their families) undergoing dental rehabilitation under general anaesthesia (GA). Methods. The parents or caregivers of a consecutive clinical sample of children receiving comprehensive dental treatment under GA at the University of Otago School of Dentistry, Dunedin, and the Christchurch Oral Health Centre, Christchurch, New Zealand, were interviewed by telephone before and after the treatment. Questions were asked relating to the impact of the condition on the child and the family. The post-treatment questionnaire also sought information related to parental satisfaction with the care provided under GA. Results. The parents or caregivers of 95 children participated in the study: 49 had treatment completed at the University of Otago School of Dentistry; and 46 were treated at the Christchurch Oral Health Centre. The child sample comprised 55·8% males and 44·2% females with a mean age of 5·1 years. Their mean dmft was 8·2. A consistent pattern of improvement was found with each indicator used. Complaints of pain, problems with eating and sleeping, and behaviour concerns showed significant improvements, with 100% improvement for children for whom frequent pre-GA problems associated with eating, sleeping and behaviour were reported. Sixty-six parents had to arrange time away from employment on the day of the GA and almost half of those incurred a loss of income. The majority of parents reported a high degree of satisfaction with the care received. Conclusions. Treating young children with high disease experience in a single session under GA results in immediate improvement in oral health and aspects of their QoL for both the children and their families. [source] Physical indicators of cartilage health: the relevance of compliance, thickness, swelling and fibrillar textureJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 6 2003Neil D. Broom Abstract This study uses a bovine patella model to compare the relative merits of on-bone compliance and thickness measurements, free-swelling behaviour, and structural imaging with differential interference contrast (DIC) light microscopy to assess the biomechanical normality of the cartilage matrix. The results demonstrate that across a spectrum of cartilage tissues from immature, mature, through to mildly degenerate, and all with intact articular surfaces, there is a consistent pattern of increased free swelling of the isolated general matrix with age and degeneration. High swelling was always associated with major structural alterations of the general matrix that were readily imaged using DIC light microscopy. Conversely, for all tissue groups, no relationship was observed between thickness vs. compliance and compliance vs. general matrix swelling. Only in the proximal aspects of the normal mature and degenerate tissues was there a correlation between thickness and general matrix swelling. Free-swelling measurements combined with fibrillar texture imaging using DIC light microscopy are therefore recommended as providing a reliable and quick method of assessing the biomechanical condition of the cartilage general matrix. [source] Differences in stable isotope composition within and among zooplanktivorous Utaka cichlid populations from Lake MalawiAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Dieter Anseeuw Abstract Stable isotope analysis was used to determine whether five sympatric zooplanktivorous cichlids of the Utaka assemblage from Lake Malawi vary in isotopic signature as an indication of possible differences in food resource composition. The isotopic composition of the Utaka in combination with literature data about diet composition suggests that these species exploit a narrow range of zooplanktonic prey types. At five sampling locations, significant differences in ,13C and ,15N were detected among species but a consistent pattern across locations was absent. Significant intraspecific differences between locations were found. These differences were relatively low in view of the large geographic distances between the populations and there was no consistent spatial pattern among the species. The observed differences may be indicative of local variations in diet composition, which may help in reducing niche overlap among these zooplanktivores. Résumé Nous avons utilisé une analyse des isotopes stables pour déterminer si cinq cichlides sympatriques zooplanctivores appartenant à l'assemblage Utaka du lac Malawi ont une signature isotopique différente, ce qui serait une indication de différences possibles dans la composition de leurs ressources alimentaires. La composition isotopique d'Utaka, combinée aux données publiées au sujet de la composition du régime alimentaire, suggère que ces espèces exploitent une gamme réduite de types de proies zooplanctoniques. À cinq endroits échantillonnés, on a détecté des différences significatives de ,13C et ,15N parmi les espèces, mais il n'y avait pas de schéma cohérent parmi tous les sites. On a découvert des différences intraspécifiques significatives entre les sites. Ces différences étaient relativement faibles compte tenu des grandes distances entre les populations et il n'y avait pas de schéma spatial cohérent parmi les espèces. Les différences observées peuvent indiquer des variations locales de la composition du régime alimentaire, ce qui pourrait aider à réduire le recouvrement des niches chez ces zooplanctivores. [source] Hidradenocarcinoma: Criteria for Malignancy and Hypothesis of an Apoeccrine OriginJOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2005C. Ko The immunohistochemical profile of hidradenocarcinoma, defined here as the malignant counterpart of hidradenoma, has not been well characterised. We evaluated the staining pattern of six cases of hidradenocarcinoma using antibodies to gross cystic disease fluid protein-15 (GCDFP-15), carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), S-100 protein, keratin AE1/3, cytokeratin 5/6, p53, bcl-1, bcl-2, and Ki67. All tumours were poorly circumscribed with clefting between tumour and stroma, evidence of poroid cells and cuticular cells, decapitation secretion, and increased mitoses with cords of tumour infiltrating through the adjacent desmoplastic stroma. The tumours stained with antibodies to CEA, S-100 protein, GCDFP-15, and EMA in no consistent pattern. All tumours studied stained positively for keratin AE1/3 and cytokeratin 5/6. Ki67 and p53 staining were strongly positive in 5 of 6 tumours. Bcl-1 and bcl-2 staining were variable. Our study demonstrates that hidradenocarcinomas may have both apocrine and eccrine features within the same tumour and suggests that it may be most accurate to consider that these tumours originate from apoeccrine structures or stem cells with the capacity for pluripotential differentiation. [source] Levels of inbreeding depression over seven generations of selfing in the androdioecious clam shrimp, Eulimnadia texanaJOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2004S. C. Weeks Abstract Androdioecy (mixtures of males and hermaphrodites) is a rare mating system in both plants and animals. Theory suggests that high levels of inbreeding depression can maintain males in androdioecious populations if hermaphrodites commonly self-fertilize. However, if inbreeding depression (,) can be ,purged' from selfing populations, maintaining males is more difficult. In the androdioecious clam shrimp, Eulimnadia texana, , is estimated to be as high as 0.7. Previous work suggests that this high level is maintained in the face of high levels of inbreeding due to an associative overdominance of fitness-related loci with the sex-determining locus. Such associative overdominance would make purging of inbreeding depression difficult to impossible. The current experiment was designed to determine if , can be purged in these shrimp by tracking fitness across seven generations in selfing and outcrossing treatments. Evidence of purging was found in one of four populations, but the remaining populations demonstrated a consistent pattern of , across generations. Although the experimental design allowed ample opportunity for purging, the majority of populations were unable to purge their genetic load. Therefore, , in this species is likely due to associative overdominance caused by deleterious recessive alleles linked to the sex determining locus. [source] Quantitative multivoxel proton spectroscopy of the brain in developmental delayJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 4 2009Krijn T. Verbruggen MD Abstract Purpose To assess whether proton MR spectroscopy of the brain in children with developmental delay reveals a consistent pattern of abnormalities. Materials and Methods Eighty-eight patients (median age, 4.6 years; interquartile range, 3.1,8.1 years) with unexplained developmental delay, were compared with 48 normally developing age-matched controls. Patients and controls were assigned to five age-groups. Multivoxel MR spectroscopy was performed on a volume of interest superior to the lateral ventricles. The relative levels of choline, creatine, N-acetyl aspartate, and glutamate/glutamine in 24 voxels containing white matter and 12 voxels containing gray matter were quantified in an operator-independent manner and expressed in proportion to the total metabolite peak area in the volume of interest. Results White matter choline in DD showed less decrease with age. Mean choline levels, compared with mean control levels, increased from 99 to 111% with increasing age. This was statistically significant in the highest age groups (P = 0.015 [7 < yr , 12.8] and P = 0.039 [12.8 < yr]). Other metabolites did not show clear alterations. Conclusion Proton MR spectroscopy in a group of patients with unexplained DD shows small differences in the metabolite pattern, compared with normally developing controls, that is, higher choline in the white matter. The pathophysiological origin and significance may relate to myelination and maturation of the white matter. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;30:716,721. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Systemic to portal shunting following vena cava obstruction: Computed tomography and venographic appearancesJOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 3 2002LG Teh SUMMARY Obstruction of the inferior or superior vena cava normally leads to the formation of a well-described and consistent pattern of collateral venous pathways. We present the angiographic and CT features of the unusual development of systemic to portal venous shunting in two cases with central vein obstruction. [source] Trancranial Doppler Monitoring of Response to Therapy for Meningovascular SyphilisJOURNAL OF NEUROIMAGING, Issue 1 2003Roger E. Kelley MD ABSTRACT Meningovascular syphilis is now quite uncommon, but there have been increasing reports in patients immunocompromised with human immunodeficiency virus. The response of syphilis affecting the central nervous system to antibiotic therapy remains a challenge. This is an even greater challenge in patients who have underlying compromise of the immune system. The authors present a 46-year-old male with recurrent stroke who was found to have cerebrospinal fluid compatible with syphilitic involvement of the central nervous system and a cerebral arteriogram, which revealed focal narrowing of the right middle cerebral artery. The baseline transcranial Doppler study demonstrated increased mean and peak flow velocity within the right middle cerebral artery. Despite a 10-day course of intravenous penicillin, with substantial improvement in the cerebrospinal fluid results, this flow velocity elevation persisted, in a remarkably consistent pattern, over a 4-month follow-up period. Thus, the involved vessel remained patent following treatment, but no clear resolution of the stenotic lesion was observed. [source] Web search strategies and approaches to studyingJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 6 2003Nigel Ford This paper reports results from a project, which sought to investigate the relationship between study approaches and Web-based information seeking. Factor analyses were applied to data from over 500 queries submitting in response to three different search tasks to identify clusters of variables associated with three Web-based search strategies: Boolean, best-match, and combined. A consistent pattern emerged across the nine analyses in relation to a number of study approach variables. Boolean searching was consistently associated with a reproductive (as opposed to meaning-oriented) approach, anxiety (in the form of fear of failure), and high levels of active interest. Best-match was associated with the converse of all these measures. Combined searching was differentiated from both Boolean and best-match by being associated with poor time management. There was also some evidence of changes in strategy in relation to task complexity. A model is introduced which seeks to explain these results. This project was exploratory in nature, and the pattern of findings are proposed as prima facie evidence to support the notion that study approaches can influence choice of search strategies. The results are considered essentially as hypotheses for further systematic study, for which suggestions are made. [source] Cultural Intelligence: Its Measurement and Effects on Cultural Judgment and Decision Making, Cultural Adaptation and Task PerformanceMANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION REVIEW, Issue 3 2007Soon Ang abstract We enhance the theoretical precision of cultural intelligence (CQ: capability to function effectively in culturally diverse settings) by developing and testing a model that posits differential relationships between the four CQ dimensions (metacognitive, cognitive, motivational and behavioural) and three intercultural effectiveness outcomes (cultural judgment and decision making, cultural adaptation and task performance in culturally diverse settings). Before testing the model, we describe development and cross-validation (N = 1,360) of the multidimensional cultural intelligence scale (CQS) across samples, time and country. We then describe three substantive studies (N = 794) in field and educational development settings across two national contexts, the USA and Singapore. The results demonstrate a consistent pattern of relationships where metacognitive CQ and cognitive CQ predicted cultural judgment and decision making; motivational CQ and behavioural CQ predicted cultural adaptation; and metacognitive CQ and behavioural CQ predicted task performance. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of our model and findings. [source] Chlorophyll content and fluorescence responses cannot be used to gauge reliably phytoplankton biomass, nutrient status or growth rateNEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 3 2006Mikaela Kruskopf Summary ,,To consider the relationship between chlorophyll a (Chl a) content and phytoplankton growth and nutrient status, four phytoplankton species were grown in nitrogen (N)-limited [and, for one species, phosphorus (P)-limited] culture and measurements were made of CNP biomass, in vivo and in vitro Chl a content, the ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence (FV/FM) and the performance index for photosynthesis, PIABS (a derivative of the O-J-I-P analysis of photosystem II functionality). ,,Interspecies differences plus the development of intraspecies differences during nutrient stress produced c. 10-fold variations in Chl : C. Estimates of C from in vivo Chl content were better than those from extracted Chl content, as the decline in Chl : C during nutrient stress was offset in part by increased Chl fluorescence. ,,FV/FM was not a robust indicator of nutrient status or relative growth rate. Responses of FV/FM in cells re-fed the limiting nutrient showed no consistent pattern with which to gauge nutrient status. PIABS showed some promise as an indicator of nutrient status and relative growth rate. ,,Chl a content and fluorescence parameters do not deserve the unquestioned status they usually enjoy as indicators of biomass and physiological status. [source] Factor V Leiden mutation carriership and venous thromboembolism in polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemiaAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Marco Ruggeri Abstract Polycythemia Vera (PV) and Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) are chronic myeloproliferative disorders complicated by a high incidence of thrombotic complications. Extensive coagulation studies failed to demonstrate a consistent pattern of abnormalities associated with thrombosis. Recently, a poor anticoagulant response to activated protein C (APC), due to a mutation of factor V (FV Leiden), has been identified as the most frequent hereditary disorder associated with venous thrombophilia. We investigated in 304 patients with PV and ET whether the presence of FV Leiden could be a risk factor for thrombosis. FV Leiden was found in 14/304 patients (4.6%) and was associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurred before and at diagnosis (5/27,16%, with a significant difference of prevalence in comparison of that observed in asymptomatic patients, 9/263, 3%, p = 0.003). Carriership of FV Leiden was associated with VTE relapse, with a prevalence of 3.6% in asymptomatic patients, 6.9% in patients with a single episode of VTE and 18.1% in patients with recurrent VTE. The prevalence of FV Leiden in patients with and without arterial thrombosis was similar (5/79, 6% and 9/211, 4%, respectively, p = 0.337). This study indicates that the prevalence of the FV Leiden mutation in patients with PV and ET is comparable with that observed in the general population. FV Leiden mutation is a risk factor for VTE before and at time of diagnosis and for VTE recurrences. Screening for FV Leiden may be considered to identify PV and ET patients at higher risk of recurrences. Am. J. Hematol. 71:1,6, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Development of Oculimacula yallundae and O. acuformis (eyespot) lesions on stems of winter wheat in relation to thermal time in the UKPLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2009C. H. Bock Relationships between development of eyespot, caused by Oculimacula yallundae (OY) or O. acuformis (OA) on stems of winter wheat (cv. Avalon), and thermal time (°C days after sowing) were investigated in field experiments in 1985/86, 1986/87 and 1987/88 (two experiments). In all experiments, the incidence and severity of stem eyespot (uninoculated plots, OY- and OA-inoculated plots) were linearly related to accumulated thermal time after sowing. There were ca. 600,800°C days from the time of the first sample when eyespot lesions were recorded on stems to the time when maximum eyespot incidence or severity was recorded. Relationships between stem eyespot incidence or severity and thermal time differed between seasons, with more severe eyespot in 1986/87 and 1987/88 than 1985/86. Both the severity and volume of stem lesions were initially greater in OY-inoculated plots than OA-inoculated plots in spring but differences were less by harvest in all seasons. The percentage of plants with stems colonized by OY or OA over all plots (including uninoculated) showed a consistent pattern in 1986/87 and 1987/88 (two experiments), with the percentage colonized by OY greater initially and the percentage colonized by OA gradually increasing with time towards harvest. [source] Problems in determination of skeletal lead burden in archaeological samples: An example from the First African Baptist Church populationAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 4 2008L.E. Wittmers Jr. Abstract Human bone lead content has been demonstrated to be related to socioeconomic status, occupation and other social and environmental correlates. Skeletal tissue samples from 135 individuals from an early nineteenth century Philadelphia cemetery (First African Baptist Church) were studied by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence for lead content. High bone lead levels led to investigation of possible diagenetic effects. These were investigated by several different approaches including distribution of lead within bone by X-ray fluorescence, histological preservation, soil lead concentration and acidity as well as location and depth of burial. Bone lead levels were very high in children, exceeding those of the adult population that were buried in the cemetery, and also those of present day adults. The antemortem age-related increase in bone lead, reported in other studies, was not evidenced in this population. Lead was evenly deposited in areas of taphonomic bone destruction. Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence studies revealed no consistent pattern of lead microdistribution within the bone. Our conclusions are that postmortem diagenesis of lead ion has penetrated these archaeological bones to a degree that makes their original bone lead content irretrievable by any known method. Increased bone porosity is most likely responsible for the very high levels of lead found in bones of newborns and children. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Leaf nest use and construction in the golden-brown mouse lemur (Microcebus ravelobensis) in the Ankarafantsika National ParkAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Sandra Thorén Abstract The use of leaf nests has been documented in several mouse lemur species over the last few decades, including the golden-brown mouse lemur. Nest construction, however, has only rarely been observed and detailed descriptions of this process are lacking so far. We aim to determine the relative importance of leaf nests as shelters for the golden-brown mouse lemur, and to test predictions concerning the role of thermoregulation, safety (i.e., protection of infants), and of interspecific competition with the sympatric gray mouse lemurs in regulating nest use. Finally, we intend to clarify whether and how Microcebus ravelobensis constructs the nests, and we provide physical descriptions of seven leaf nests. Nocturnal focal observations were carried out from May 2007 to January 2008 on 18 females, and sleeping sites were regularly monitored during a six-month period. Data were collected from two study sites, one with exclusive presence of M. ravelobensis, and one with co-existence of the two mouse lemur species. Sixty-five out of 379 identified daily sleeping sites were leaf nests. These represented a total of 35 different leaf nests, used by 15 out of 18 females. The relative leaf nest use differed between sites during five out of six months, but without a consistent pattern. Interspecific competition can therefore not explain leaf nest use. Leaf nest use differed seasonally and may be partly explained by thermoregulatory advantages in the site with lower minimum temperatures. Nest use was furthermore higher than expected in both sites during the rearing season that indicates the role of nests in infant protection. For the first time, we could confirm that golden-brown mouse lemurs build leaf nests themselves. Nest building lasted between 46 and 68,min, which shows that this task is time consuming and therefore probably costly. Am. J. Primatol. 72:48,55, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Assessing reproductive profiles in female brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus rufus) from Ranomafana National Park, southeast Madagascar, using fecal hormone analysisAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2009Marina B. Blanco Abstract Studies on reproductive endocrinology in wild primate populations have greatly increased in the last decades owing to the development of noninvasive techniques that can be applied under field conditions. However, small-bodied nocturnal species are not well represented on the long list of primates surveyed in the wild, and reproductive inferences regarding these animals in their natural habitats have not benefited from direct observations of hormonal changes. We collected fecal samples from female brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus rufus) in a southeastern rainforest of Madagascar in order to determine whether or not fecally excreted steroid levels show a consistent pattern of change during the reproductive season and are a useful complement to reproductive observations in wild-trapped individuals. Initial data show variation in reproductive hormone levels before and after estrus and estimated day of parturition. Elevated levels of excreted estradiol (E2) were observed around the time of estrus, whereas high levels of fecal progesterone (P) were seen during later stages of pregnancy and around parturition. A more complete picture of reproductive profiles in female mouse lemurs, and how they may change over the life span, can be obtained if hormone analyses are used to supplement field observations. Am. J. Primatol. 71:439,446, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Age-Related Mitochondrial DNA Mutations in the Human LarynxTHE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 12 2000Jose M. Manaligod MD Abstract Objective To determine whether age-related mitochondrial DNA mutations occur in the human larynx. Study Design Genetic study of cadaveric larynx specimens. Methods Vocal fold mucosa, thyroarytenoid muscle, and cricoarytenoid joint tissue were harvested from 13 fresh postmortem larynges (age range, 2 d,82 y). DNA was extracted from each sample, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a target DNA sequence resulting from the common age-associated, 4977,base-pair (bp) mitochondrial DNA deletion. PCR products were visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis. Automated sequencing determined the sequence of identified PCR products. Subjects Thirteen cadaveric larynges were obtained through the University of Kentucky Medical Center (Lexington, KY). Specimens from patients with a history of head and neck cancer, previous laryngeal trauma, or surgery were excluded. Results Strongly positive bands were identified in samples from three individuals. Weaker bands were seen in samples from four other samples. No band was noted from the two pediatric larynges. Different band patterns were seen among the three different tissue sites in the larynges with positive PCR products, but no consistent pattern was seen. Sequencing of the identified PCR products from selected samples confirmed that they were products of the age-associated, 4977-bp mitochondrial DNA deletion. Conclusions An age-associated mitochondrial DNA deletion was detected in several postmortem human larynges. Its presence seemed to increase in appearance with age. In the larynges in which the deletion occurred, there were individual regional differences in the occurrence of the deletion, but no consistent pattern was noted across all individuals who carried the deletion. 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