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Function Analysis (function + analysis)
Kinds of Function Analysis Selected AbstractsWeight Function Analysis on the R-Curve Behavior of Multilayered Alumina,Zirconia CompositesJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 6 2002Robert J. Moon The single-edge V-notched-beam (SEVNB) testing geometry was used to measure the crack growth resistance (R -curve) behavior of multilayered alumina,zirconia composites. Fracture mechanics weight function analysis was applied to predict the R -curve behavior of multilayered composites having a stepwise change in composition. These results were then used to differentiate the influence of residual stresses from crack-bridging stresses on the measured R -curve behavior. [source] A Production Function Analysis of Seabass and Seabream Production in GreeceJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 3 2000Giannis Karagiannis This paper analyzes the technical relationships involved in the production of seabass and seabream in Greece. The empirical findings indicate that the marginal productivity of juveniles and fish feed exhibit the largest fluctuates among fish farms, while at the same time consist of the most important inputs in the production of seabass and seabream. In contrast, little variation was found with respect to the marginal productivity of labor among fish farms. Returns to scale were found to be decreasing for all fish farms included in the sample. Estimates of Allen-Uzawa partial elasticities of substitution indicated a strong complementary relation between juveniles and fish feed and labor along with a quite strong substitutability between fish feed and labor given the prevelance of use of mechanical feeders. [source] The use of Artificial Neural Networks to classify primate vocalizations: a pilot study on black lemursAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Luca Pozzi Abstract The identification of the vocal repertoire of a species represents a crucial prerequisite for a correct interpretation of animal behavior. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) have been widely used in behavioral sciences, and today are considered a valuable classification tool for reducing the level of subjectivity and allowing replicable results across different studies. However, to date, no studies have applied this tool to nonhuman primate vocalizations. Here, we apply for the first time ANNs, to discriminate the vocal repertoire in a primate species, Eulemur macaco macaco. We designed an automatic procedure to extract both spectral and temporal features from signals, and performed a comparative analysis between a supervised Multilayer Perceptron and two statistical approaches commonly used in primatology (Discriminant Function Analysis and Cluster Analysis), in order to explore pros and cons of these methods in bioacoustic classification. Our results show that ANNs were able to recognize all seven vocal categories previously described (92.5,95.6%) and perform better than either statistical analysis (76.1,88.4%). The results show that ANNs can provide an effective and robust method for automatic classification also in primates, suggesting that neural models can represent a valuable tool to contribute to a better understanding of primate vocal communication. The use of neural networks to identify primate vocalizations and the further development of this approach in studying primate communication are discussed. Am. J. Primatol. 72:337,348, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] GM1,/,GD1b,/,GA1 synthase expression results in the reduced cancer phenotypes with modulation of composition and raft-localization of gangliosides in a melanoma cell lineCANCER SCIENCE, Issue 9 2010Yu Dong Gangliosides are expressed in neuroectoderm-derived tumors, and seemed to play roles in the regulation of cancer properties. To examine the behavior and roles of individual gangliosides, GM1/GD1b/GA1 synthase cDNA was introduced into the melanoma cell line SK-MEL-37, and changes in tumor phenotypes were analyzed. The transfectant cells showed neo-expression of GD1b, GT1b, and GM1, and reduced expression of GM3, GM2, GD2, and GD3. Function analyses revealed that the transfectant cells had definite reduction in cell growth and invasion. Tyrosine-phosphorylation levels of proteins such as p130Cas and paxillin were also reduced in the transfectants. These results suggested that the expression of GM1/GD1b/GA1 synthase resulted in the suppression of tumor properties. In the analyses of the floating patterns of gangliosides using fractions from sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation of TritonX-100 extracts, the majority of gangliosides were found in glycolipid-enriched microdomain (GEM)/raft fractions, while GD3, GD1b, and GT1b in the transfectant cells tended to disperse to non-GEM/raft fractions. Furthermore, GD3, GD1b, and GT1b in non-GEM/raft dominantly had unsaturated fatty acids, while those in GEM/rafts contained more saturated forms than in non-GEM/rafts. This might be a mechanism for the decreased tumor properties in the transfectants of GM1/GD1b/GA1 synthase cDNA. (Cancer Sci 2010) [source] Structure/function analysis of LTBP-1INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2000Claire L. Nevett [source] Derailed regulates development of the Drosophila neuromuscular junctionDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Faith L.W. Liebl Abstract Neural function is dependent upon the proper formation and development of synapses. We show here that Wnt5 regulates the growth of the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ) by signaling through the Derailed receptor. Mutations in both wnt5 and drl result in a significant reduction in the number of synaptic boutons. Cell-type specific rescue experiments show that wnt5 functions in the presynaptic motor neuron while drl likely functions in the postsynaptic muscle cell. Epistatic analyses indicate that drl acts downstream of wnt5 to promote synaptic growth. Structure,function analyses of the Drl protein indicate that normal synaptic growth requires the extracellular Wnt inhibitory factor domain and the intracellular domain, which includes an atypical kinase. Our findings reveal a novel signaling mechanism that regulates morphology of the Drosophila NMJ. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2008 [source] Raman-FISH: combining stable-isotope Raman spectroscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization for the single cell analysis of identity and functionENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 8 2007Wei E. Huang Summary We have coupled fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with Raman microscopy for simultaneous cultivation-independent identification and determination of 13C incorporation into microbial cells. Highly resolved Raman confocal spectra were generated for individual cells which were grown in minimal medium where the ratio of 13C to 12C content of the sole carbon source was incrementally varied. Cells which were 13C-labelled through anabolic incorporation of the isotope exhibited key red-shifted spectral peaks, the calculated ,red shift ratio' (RSR) being highly correlated with the 13C-content of the cells. Subsequently, Raman instrumentation and FISH protocols were optimized to allow combined epifluorescence and Raman imaging of Fluos, Cy3 and Cy5-labelled microbial populations at the single cell level. Cellular 13C-content determinations exhibited good congruence between fresh cells and FISH hybridized cells indicating that spectral peaks, including phenylalanine resonance, which were used to determine 13C-labelling, were preserved during fixation and hybridization. In order to demonstrate the suitability of this technology for structure,function analyses in complex microbial communities, Raman-FISH was deployed to show the importance of Pseudomonas populations during naphthalene degradation in groundwater microcosms. Raman-FISH extends and complements current technologies such as FISH-microautoradiography and stable isotope probing in that it can be applied at the resolution of single cells in complex communities, is quantitative if suitable calibrations are performed, can be used with stable isotopes and has analysis times of typically 1 min per cell. [source] Acoustic Features of Female Chacma Baboon BarksETHOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Julia Fischer We studied variation in the loud barks of free-ranging female chacma baboons (Papio cynocephalus ursinus) with respect to context, predator type, and individuality over an 18-month period in the Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana. To examine acoustic differences in relation to these variables, we extracted a suite of acoustic parameters from digitized calls and applied discriminant function analyses. The barks constitute a graded continuum, ranging from a tonal, harmonically rich call into a call with a more noisy, harsh structure. Tonal barks are typically given when the signaler is at risk of losing contact with the group or when a mother and infant have become separated (contact barks). The harsher variants are given in response to large predators (alarm barks). However, there are also intermediate forms between the two subtypes which may occur in both situations. This finding is not due to an overlap of individuals' distinct distributions but can be replicated within individuals. Within the alarm bark category, there are significant differences between calls given in response to mammalian carnivores and those given in response to crocodiles. Again, there are intermediate variants. Both alarm call types are equally different from contact barks, indicating that the calls vary along different dimensions. Finally, there are consistent, significant differences among different individuals' calls. However, individual identity in one call type cannot directly be inferred from knowledge of the individuals' call characteristics in the other. In sum, the barks of female baboons potentially provide rich information to the recipients of these signals. The extent to which baboons discriminate between alarm and contact barks, and classify calls according to context and/or acoustic similarity will be described in a subsequent paper. [source] VARIATION OF SHELL SHAPE IN THE CLONAL SNAIL MELANOIDES TUBERCULATA AND ITS CONSEQUENCES FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF FOSSIL SERIESEVOLUTION, Issue 2 2000Sarah Samadi Abstract., Interpreting paleontological data is difficult because the genetic nature of observed morphological variation is generally unknown. Indeed, it is hardly possible to distinguish among several sources of morphological variation including phenotypic plasticity, sexual dimorphism, within-species genetic variation or differences among species. This can be addressed using fossil organisms with recent representatives. The freshwater snail Melanoides tuberculata ranks in this category. A fossil series of this and other species have been studied in the Turkana Basin (Kenya) and is presented as one of the best examples illustrating the punctuated pattern of evolution by the tenants of this theory. Melanoides tuberculata today occupies most of the tropics. We studied variation of shell shape in natural populations of this parthenogenetic snail using Raup's model of shell coiling. We considered different sources of variation on estimates of three relevant parameters of Raup's model: (1) variation in shell shape was detected among clones, and had both genetic and environmental bases; (2) sexual dimorphism, in those clones in which males occur, appeared as an additional source of shell variation; and (3) ecophenotypic variation was detected by comparing samples from different sites and years within two clones. We then tested the performance of discriminant function analyses, a classical tool in paleontological studies, using several datasets. Although the three sources of variation cited above contributed significantly to the observed morphological variance, they could not be detected without a priori knowledge of the biological entities studied. However, it was possible to distinguish between M. tuberculata and a related thiarid species using these analyses. Overall, this suggests that the tools classically used in paleontological studies are poorly efficient when distinguishing between important sources of within-species variation. Our study also gives some empirical bases to the doubts cast on the interpretation of the molluscan series of the Turkana Basin. [source] N-terminal CFTR missense variants severely affect the behavior of the CFTR chloride channel,HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 5 2008G.G. Gené Abstract Over 1,500 cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene sequence variations have been identified in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and related disorders involving an impaired function of the CFTR chloride channel. However, detailed structure,function analyses have only been established for a few of them. This study aimed evaluating the impact of eight N-terminus CFTR natural missense changes on channel behavior. By site-directed mutagenesis, we generated four CFTR variants in the N-terminal cytoplasmic tail (p.P5L, p.S50P, p.E60K, and p.R75Q) and four in the first transmembrane segment of membrane-spanning domain 1 (p.G85E/V, p.Y89C, and p.E92K). Immunoblot analysis revealed that p.S50P, p.E60K, p.G85E/V, and p.E92K produced only core-glycosylated proteins. Immunofluorescence and whole cell patch-clamp confirmed intracellular retention, thus reflecting a defect of CFTR folding and/or trafficking. In contrast, both p.R75Q and p.Y89C had a glycosylation pattern and a subcellular distribution comparable to the wild-type CFTR, while the percentage of mature p.P5L was considerably reduced, suggesting a major biogenesis flaw on this channel. Nevertheless, whole-cell chloride currents were recorded for all three variants. Single-channel patch-clamp analyses revealed that the channel activity of p.R75Q appeared similar to that of the wild-type CFTR, while both p.P5L and p.Y89C channels displayed abnormal gating. Overall, our results predict a major impact of the CFTR missense variants analyzed, except p.R75Q, on the CF phenotype and highlight the importance of the CFTR N-terminus on channel physiology. Hum Mutat 29(5), 738,749, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] CASRdb: calcium-sensing receptor locus-specific database for mutations causing familial (benign) hypocalciuric hypercalcemia, neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism, and autosomal dominant hypocalcemia,HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 2 2004Svetlana Pidasheva Abstract Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) is caused by heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in the calcium-sensing receptor (CASR), in which the lifelong hypercalcemia is generally asymptomatic. Homozygous loss-of-function CASR mutations manifest as neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism (NSHPT), a rare disorder characterized by extreme hypercalcemia and the bony changes of hyperparathyroidism, which occur in infancy. Activating mutations in the CASR gene have been identified in several families with autosomal dominant hypocalcemia (ADH), autosomal dominant hypoparathyroidism, or hypocalcemic hypercalciuria. Individuals with ADH may have mild hypocalcemia and relatively few symptoms. However, in some cases seizures can occur, especially in younger patients, and these often happen during febrile episodes due to intercurrent infection. Thus far, 112 naturally-occurring mutations in the human CASR gene have been reported, of which 80 are unique and 32 are recurrent. To better understand the mutations causing defects in the CASR gene and to define specific regions relevant for ligand-receptor interaction and other receptor functions, the data on mutations were collected and the information was centralized in the CASRdb (www.casrdb.mcgill.ca), which is easily and quickly accessible by search engines for retrieval of specific information. The information can be searched by mutation, genotype,phenotype, clinical data, in vitro analyses, and authors of publications describing the mutations. CASRdb is regularly updated for new mutations and it also provides a mutation submission form to ensure up-to-date information. The home page of this database provides links to different web pages that are relevant to the CASR, as well as disease clinical pages, sequence of the CASR gene exons, and position of mutations in the CASR. The CASRdb will help researchers to better understand and analyze the mutations, and aid in structure,function analyses. Hum Mutat 24:107,111, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Attachment in low-SES rural Appalachian infants: Contextual, infant, and maternal interaction risk and protective factorsINFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 6 2001Margaret Fish Attachment classifications were obtained for 95 low-socioeconomic-status (SES) rural Appalachian infants in the Strange Situation procedure at 15 months. The distribution of secure (B) and insecure (A, C, D) infants was similar to other low-SES samples and significantly different from low-risk samples. Levels of contextual and infant risk, together with maternal responsiveness to crying and pattern of sensitivity from 4 to 9 months, predicted attachment security. High social support, when examined as a protective factor, related to reduced contextual risk, but not to increased likelihood of security. Exploratory discriminant function analyses showed that infants in secure relationships differed in positive directions on contextual and maternal interactional factors. Insecure-organized (A and C) infants experienced contextual and maternal interaction risks, while insecure-disorganized (D) infants were best distinguished by infant characteristics, including greater likelihood of being male and low use of mother as a secure base at 9 months. ©2001 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health. [source] Bizygomatic breadth determination in damaged skullsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 5 2010C. L. Oskam Abstract Metric and discriminant function analyses of the skull have been used successfully to determine ancestry and sex from human skeletal remains in both forensic and archaeological contexts. However, skulls are frequently discovered in damaged condition. One structure that is commonly fragmented, even when the rest of the skull is preserved, is the zygomatic arch. The bizygomatic width is an important measurement in craniometry and in forensic facial reconstruction for determining facial width; therefore we propose a simple linear regression model to predict the bizygomatic width of skulls with damaged zygomatic arches. Thirty-one adult skulls originating from the Indian sub-continent were used to measure the bizygomatic width. Then, on the same skulls, a straight steel wire was placed at the superior surface of the temporal and zygomatic origins of the zygomatic arch to simulate the zygomatic arch reconstruction on damaged skulls. These wire measurements were used to fit a simple linear regression model between the bizygomatic widths and the wire measurements, and the estimated regression model; Bizygomatic Width (bone),=,0.61,+,1.02(wire measurement), has a very high R2 value of 0.91. Hence, this model could effectively be used to predict bizygomatic widths based on wire measurements. In addition, the bizygomatic widths and wire measurements were collected from 14 New Zealand European skulls to test the ability of the regression model to determine bizygomatic widths from different ethnic groups. This model accurately predicted the bizygomatic widths in New Zealands of European origin skulls and therefore suggests that this regression model could be used for other ethnic groups. The importance of the bizygomatic width for craniometric analysis makes this regression model particularly useful for analysing archaeological samples. Furthermore, this regression line can be used in the field of forensic facial reconstruction to reconstruct damaged zygomatic arches prior to facial reconstructions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Hydrological disturbance benefits a native fish at the expense of an exotic fishJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2006F. LEPRIEUR Summary 1Some native fish in New Zealand do not coexist with introduced salmonids. Previous studies of disjunct distributions of exotic brown trout Salmo trutta and native galaxiids demonstrated native extirpation except where major waterfalls prevented upstream migration of trout. In the Manuherikia River system, we predicted that water abstraction might be a further factor controlling the spatial distribution of both the invader and a native fish. 2We applied multiple discriminant function analyses to test for differences in environmental conditions (catchment and instream scales) at sites with roundhead galaxias Galaxias anomalus and brown trout in sympatry and allopatry. We then used a supervised artificial neural network (ANN) to predict the presence,absence of G. anomalus and brown trout (135 sites). The quantification of contributions of environmental variables to ANN models allowed us to identify factors controlling their spatial distribution. 3Brown trout can reach most locations in the Manuherikia catchment, and often occur upstream of G. anomalus. Their largely disjunct distributions in this river are mediated by water abstraction for irrigation, together with pool habitat availability and valley slope. Trout are more susceptible than the native fish to stresses associated with low flows, and seem to be prevented from eliminating galaxiid populations from sites in low gradient streams where there is a high level of water abstraction. 4Synthesis and applications. In contrast to many reports in the literature, our results show that hydrological disturbance associated with human activities benefits a native fish at the expense of an exotic in the Manuherikia River, New Zealand. Water abstraction is also known to have negative impacts on native galaxiids, therefore we recommend restoring natural low flows to maintain sustainable habitats for native galaxiids, implementing artificial barriers in selected tributaries to limit trout predation on native fish, and removing trout upstream. [source] Sex Assessment from the Sacral Base by Means of Image ProcessingJOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 2 2009Stefano Benazzi Ph.D. Abstract:, To help improve sex assessment from skeletal remains, the present study considers the diagnostic value of the sacral base (basis osseus sacri) based on its planar image and related metric data. For this purpose, 114 adult sacra of known sex and age from two early 20th century Italian populations were examined, the first from Bologna, northern Italy (n = 76), and the second from Sassari, Sardinia (n = 38). Digital photos of the sacral base were taken with each bone in a standardized orientation. Technical drawing software was used to trace its profile and to measure related dimensions (area, perimeter, and breadth of S1 and total breadth of the sacrum). The measurements were subjected to discriminant and classification function analyses. The sex prediction success of 93.2% for the Bolognese sample, 81.6% for the Sassarese sample, and 88.3% for the pooled sample indicates that the first sacral vertebra is a good character for sex determination. [source] Partner Violence and Street Violence among Urban Adolescents: Do the Same Family Factors Relate?JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, Issue 3 2001Deborah Gorman-Smith Few studies have evaluated how participation in violence that occurs on the streets as part of criminal or delinquent behavior relates to violence that occurs as part of dating or marital relationships (partner violence). Using longitudinal data from 141 African American and Latino male youth (15,19 years old), the relation between family characteristics and participation in one or both types of violent behavior was evaluated. The youth in this study were more likely to report use of violence in relationships if they were also participating in violence as part of other criminal behavior. However, there were distinct groups of offenders. Among those males reporting involvement in a dating or romantic relationship, four groups were identified: (1) those who had not participated in either type of violence, 57%; (2) those who had participated in partner violence only, 14%; (3) those who had participated in street violence only, 12%; and (4) those who had participated in both, 17%. Discriminate function analyses significantly differentiated the group who had participated in both types of violence from the nonviolent group, with the former group having poorer functioning families. These two groups were also differentiated from the partner violence-only and street violence-only groups. No differences were found between the partner violence-only and the street violence-only groups. Implications for intervention and prevention are discussed. [source] Cloning, sequence, and function analyses of giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) CD9 gene,MOLECULAR REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 9 2008Yang Tang Abstract CD9 is a member of the tetraspanin family proteins and has recently been shown to be essential for sperm,oocyte fusion in mice. The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) CD9 (gpCD9) cDNA was amplified for the first time by RT-PCR from ovary total RNA and cloned, sequenced and analyzed. The result revealed that the open reading frame (ORF) of gpCD9 was 681 bp, which has the same length as that of mouse. Sequence analysis and structure prediction displayed that the amino acid sequence of gpCD9 is over 80% identity to those of mammals with the conserved structures, including the four transmembrane domains (TM) and certain characteristic residues. The results of sperm,egg fusion experiments demonstrated that giant panda CD9 large extracellular loop (LEL) significantly inhibited (P,<,0.05) the mouse gamete fusion when the recombinant protein was added. However, when three amino acid residues TVT (173,175) of the gpCD9 were mutated to AAA, the large extracellular loop (LELM) of mutated protein was rarely inhibiting the gamete fusion of mice. Our results may be useful in improving an insight into understanding the potential mechanism of gamete fusion and genetic characteristics of giant panda. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75: 1418,1425, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis after severe exposure to welding fumesAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2002U. Buerke MD Abstract Background Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is reported after long term, severe exposure to welding fumes in poorly ventilated workplaces. Methods Fifteen welders with IPF were examined,13 in our outpatient clinic,from 1990 to 1997. Occupational histories and examinations, lung function analyses, symptoms and clinical findings, histological analyses in 13 patients partly including SEM/EDX-analyses, chest X-rays, chest computed tomographies were conducted. Results Duration of work as welders was 28 years and the cumulative dose of welding fumes 221 mg/m3,×,years (median). Lung function studies found pattern of restriction or combined restriction-obstruction, lower diffusion capacity, and reduced blood oxygen tension at exercise. Histologicallly, patchy interstitial fibrosis was noted. Accumulations of particulate matter typically for welding fume were detected. EDX showed increase of iron load and close topographical relationship to welding fume particles embedded in areas of scattered fibrosis. Conclusion While epidemiological data are limited, it is reasonable to conclude that a causal relationship exists between IPF in welders with long term exposure to high concentrations of welding fumes. Am. J. Ind. Med. 41:259,268, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Production and perception of sex differences in vocalizations of Wied's black-tufted-ear marmosets (Callithrix kuhlii)AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Adam S. Smith Abstract Males and females from many species produce distinct acoustic variations of functionally identical call types. Social behavior may be primed by sex-specific variation in acoustic features of calls. We present a series of acoustic analyses and playback experiments as methods for investigating this subject. Acoustic parameters of phee calls produced by Wied's black-tufted-ear marmosets (Callithrix kuhlii) were analyzed for sex differences. Discriminant function analyses showed that calls contained sufficient acoustic variation to predict the sex of the caller. Several frequency variables differed significantly between the sexes. Natural and synthesized calls were presented to male,female pairs. Calls elicited differential behavioral responses based on the sex of the caller. Marmosets became significantly more vigilant following the playback of male phee calls (both natural and synthetic) than following female phee calls. In a second playback experiment, synthesized calls were modified by independently manipulating three parameters that were known to differ between the sexes (low-, peak-, and end-frequency). When end-frequency-modified calls were presented, responsiveness was differentiable by sex of caller but did not differ from responses to natural calls. This suggests that marmosets did not use end-frequency to determine the sex of the caller. Manipulation of peak-and low-frequency parameters eliminated the discrete behavioral responses to male and female calls. Together, these parameters may be important features that encode for the sex-specific signal. Recognition of sex by acoustic cues seems to be a multivariate process that depends on the congruency of acoustic features. Am. J. Primatol. 71:324,332, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Squirrel monkey chuck call: vocal response to playback chucks based on acoustic structure and affiliative relationship with the callerAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Joseph Soltis Abstract Adult female squirrel monkeys (genus Saimiri) that are socially familiar often exchange the chuck vocalization, which differs acoustically across individuals. We used behavioral observations, vocalization playback experiments, and analysis of the acoustic properties of vocalizations to investigate the effect of caller identity and acoustic structure on vocal response to playback chucks in two all-female social groups (n=10 females). Females were most likely to respond with a chuck to the playback chucks of their closely affiliated partners compared to those of nonaffiliated group members. This shows for the first time that the chuck stimulus alone is sufficient to elicit a chuck response from a female's affiliated partner. Additionally, females responded with a chuck mostly to familiar playback chucks from their own group and least to playbacks of silent controls. Unfamiliar playback chucks from the same species and a different squirrel monkey species elicited chuck responses intermediate between familiar chucks and silent controls. Post-hoc discriminant function analyses provide preliminary evidence that females are most likely to respond to unfamiliar chucks when those chucks are close in acoustic structure to familiar chucks from their own social group. These results provide a provisional explanation for error in the squirrel monkey signal processing system, in which unfamiliar chucks never heard before nevertheless elicit a chuck response if they are similar in acoustic structure to familiar group chucks. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Unique Early Gene Expression Patterns in Human Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Grafts Compared to Deceased Donor GraftsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 4 2009J. De Jonge Because of inherent differences between deceased donor (DD) and living donor (LD) liver grafts, we hypothesize that the molecular signatures will be unique, correlating with specific biologic pathways and clinical patterns. Microarray profiles of 63 biopsies in 13 DD and 8 LD liver grafts done at serial time points (procurement, backbench and postreperfusion) were compared between groups using class comparisons, network and biological function analyses. Specific genes were validated by quantitative PCR and immunopathology. Clinical findings were also compared. Following reperfusion, 579 genes in DD grafts and 1324 genes in LDs were differentially expressed (p < 0.005). Many upregulated LD genes were related to regeneration, biosynthesis and cell cycle, and a large number of downregulated genes were linked to hepatic metabolism and energy pathways correlating with posttransplant clinical laboratory findings. There was significant upregulation of inflammatory/immune genes in both DD and LD, each with a distinct pattern. Gene expression patterns of select genes associated with inflammation and regeneration in LD and DD grafts correlated with protein expression. Unique patterns of early gene expression are seen in LD and DD liver grafts, correlating with protein expression and clinical results, demonstrating distinct inflammatory profiles and significant downregulation of metabolic pathways in LD grafts. [source] Long-distance dispersal and local retention of larvae as mechanisms of recruitment in an island population of a coral reef fishAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2007HEATHER M. PATTERSON Abstract Although recruitment of pelagic larvae is a fundamental and well-documented process in the dynamics of benthic marine populations, identifying the sources of recruitment, or the degree to which populations are connected via dispersal of larvae, has remained elusive for most marine taxa. In this study we used natural environmental markers (trace elements) recorded in fish otoliths (ear stones) as tags of natal origin. Specifically, we used the otolith core and edge chemistries of a locally endemic wrasse (Coris bulbifrons) from Lord Howe Island (LHI), Australia, and a widely distributed species (Coris picta) from three potential mainland source regions, to determine the likely sources of recruitment to C. picta populations on LHI. The use of a local endemic species, which is by definition self-recruiting, is a novel approach for ground-truthing the dispersal history of non-endemic coral reef fish. Discriminant function analyses were able to separate LHI from mainland fish, using both edge and core signatures, with a high degree of accuracy, suggesting at least some of the C. picta collected on LHI were of local origin. This result was corroborated when half of the C. bulbifrons and LHI C. picta were introduced as unknowns into a discriminant function analysis using the remaining C. bulbifrons, LHI C. picta, and the mainland C. picta as a training data set. Overall, our findings suggest that both long distance dispersal and local retention are important sources of recruitment to populations of C. picta on LHI and that otolith chemistry of endemic species could be a useful benchmark for determining the prevalence of self-recruitment in insular populations of other widespread species. [source] Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of pathogen-inducible oxygenase (PIOX) from Oryza sativaACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2006Tracy Lloyd Pathogen-inducible oxygenase (PIOX) is a heme-containing membrane-associated protein found in monocotyledon and dicotyledon plants that utilizes molecular oxygen to convert polyunsaturated fatty acids into their corresponding 2R -hydroperoxides. PIOX is a member of a larger family of fatty-acid ,-dioxygenases that includes the mammalian cyclooxygenase enzymes cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 (COX-1 and COX-2). Single crystals of PIOX from rice (Oryza sativa) have been grown from MPD using recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli and subsequently extracted utilizing decyl maltoside as the solubilizing detergent. Crystals diffract to 3.0,Ĺ resolution using a rotating-anode generator and R-AXIS IV detector, and belong to space group P1. Based on the Matthews coefficient and self-rotation function analyses, there are presumed to be four molecules in the asymmetric unit related by noncrystallographic 222 symmetry. [source] Non-core subunit eIF3h of translation initiation factor eIF3 regulates zebrafish embryonic developmentDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 6 2010Avik Choudhuri Abstract Eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF3, which plays a central role in translation initiation, consists of five core subunits that are present in both the budding yeast and higher eukaryotes. However, higher eukaryotic eIF3 contains additional (non-core) subunits that are absent in the budding yeast. We investigated the role of one such non-core eIF3 subunit eIF3h, encoded by two distinct genes,eif3ha and eif3hb, as a regulator of embryonic development in zebrafish. Both eif3h genes are expressed during early embryogenesis, and display overlapping yet distinct and highly dynamic spatial expression patterns. Loss of function analysis using specific morpholino oligomers indicates that each isoform has specific as well as redundant functions during early development. The morphant phenotypes correlate with their spatial expression patterns, indicating that eif3h regulates development of the brain, heart, vasculature, and lateral line. These results indicate that the non-core subunits of eIF3 regulate specific developmental programs during vertebrate embryogenesis. Developmental Dynamics 239:1632,1644, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Sex differences in juvenile rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) agonistic screams: Life history differences and effects of prenatal androgensDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2005Michelle L. Tomaszycki Abstract This study investigated sex differences in juvenile rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) vocal behavior during agonistic contexts, and the effects of prenatal androgens on these differences. A total of 59 subjects (5,8 per treatment group) received exogenous androgen (testosterone enanthate), an anti-androgen (flutamide) or vehicle injections (DMSO) for 30 or 35 days during the second (early) or third (late) trimester of pregnancy. An additional 19 unmanipulated controls were included in the analysis. Screams by juvenile males and females between the ages of 1 and 3 years were compared to the screams of adult female exemplars using a discriminant function analysis. Juvenile females produced more adult-female like screams than did juvenile males. Females exposed to androgen treatment late in gestation produced a more masculine pattern of screams. Flutamide treatment in males either early or late in gestation did not significantly affect scream production. Flutamide treatments in females late in gestation, however, masculinized scream production. Androgen treatments administered late in gestation hyper-masculinized male scream production. No sex differences in the contextual usage of screams emerged. These findings suggest that both life history differences and the early hormone environment contribute to sex differences in juvenile rhesus macaque vocal production. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 47: 318,327, 2005. [source] Assessment of Acute Right Ventricular Dysfunction Induced by Right Coronary Artery Occlusion Using Echocardiographic Atrioventricular Plane DisplacementECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 6 2000Alpesh R. Shah M.D. Right ventricular (RV) systolic function analysis by echocardiography has traditionally required RV endocardial border definition with subsequent tracing and is often inaccurate or impossible in technically poor studies. The atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) method attempts to use the descent of the tricuspid annular ring, a reflection of the longitudinal shortening of the right ventricle, as a surrogate marker for RV systolic function. We hypothesized that RV ischemia induced during right coronary artery occlusion proximal to the major right ventricular branches would result in severe right ventricular systolic dysfunction detectable by the AVPD method. During this pilot study, seven patients undergoing elective proximal RCA angioplasty had echocardiographic measurement of RV AVPD performed at baseline (i.e., immediately prior to RCA balloon inflation), during the last 30 seconds of first RCA balloon inflation, and at 1 minute after balloon deflation (recovery). Lateral and medial RV AVPD were significantly reduced from baseline values during intracoronary balloon inflation. (Lateral: 2.45 cm ± 0.22 vs 1.77 cm ± 0.13, P < 0.001; medial: 1.46 cm ± 0.37 vs 1.28 cm ± 0.32, P < 0.05). Additionally, lateral and medial RV AVPD significantly returned towards baseline values during recovery. (Lateral: 2.39 cm ± 0.20, P < 0.001; medial: 1.58 cm ± 0.27, P = 0.01). At baseline, all lateral RV AVPD values were > 2.0 cm, whereas during balloon inflation all were < 2.0 cm. No such clear distinction was found in medial RV AVPD values. Proximal RCA angioplasty is associated with a significant reduction in lateral and medial RV AVPD. Thus RV AVPD may serve as a marker for RV systolic dysfunction. [source] Host-related life history traits in interspecific hybrids of cactophilic DrosophilaENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA, Issue 1 2008E. M. Soto Abstract In the genus Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae), interspecific hybridization is a rare phenomenon. However, recent evidence suggests a certain degree of introgression between the cactophilic siblings Drosophila buzzatii Patterson & Wheeler and Drosophila koepferae Fontdevila & Wasserman. In this article, we analyzed larval viability and developmental time of hybrids between males of D. buzzatii and females of D. koepferae, raised in media prepared with fermenting tissues of natural host plants that these species utilize in nature as breeding sites. In all cases, developmental time and larval viability in hybrids was not significantly different from parental lines and, depending on the cross, hybrids developed faster than both parental species or than the slowest species. When data of wing length were included in a discriminant function analysis, we observed that both species can be clearly differentiated, while hybrids fell in two categories, one intermediate between parental species and the other consisting of extreme phenotypes. Thus, our results point out that hybrid fitness, as measured by developmental time and viability, is not lower than in the parental species. [source] Diversity of the Vocal Signals of Concave-Eared Torrent Frogs (Odorrana tormota): Evidence for Individual SignaturesETHOLOGY, Issue 11 2009Albert S. Feng Male concave-eared torrent frogs (Odorrana tormota) have an unusually large call repertoire and have been shown to communicate ultrasonically. We investigated the individual specificity of male advertisement calls in order to explore the acoustic bases of individual recognition, which was demonstrated in an accompanying study. Vocalizations of 15 marked males were recorded in the field. A quantitative analysis of the signals revealed eight basic call-types. Two of them (the single- and multi-note long-calls) were investigated in more detail. Long-calls were characterized by pronounced and varying frequency modulation patterns, and abundant occurrence of nonlinear phenomena (NLP), i.e., frequency jumps, subharmonics, biphonations and deterministic chaos. The occurrence of NLP was predictable from the contour of the fundamental frequency in the harmonic segment preceding the onset of the NLP, and this prediction showed individual-specific patterns. Fifteen acoustic variables of the long calls were measured, all of which were significantly different among individuals, except biphonic segment duration. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) showed that 54.6% of the calls could be correctly assigned to individual frogs. The correct classification was above chance level, suggesting that individual specificity of calls underlie the ability of males to behaviorally discriminate the vocal signals of their neighbors from those of strangers, a remarkable feat for a frog species with a diverse vocal repertoire. The DFA classification results were lower than those for other anurans, however. We hypothesize that there is a tradeoff between an increase in the fundamental frequency of vocalizations to avoid masking by low-frequency ambient background noise, and a decrease in individual-specific vocal tract information extractable from the signal. [source] Individual Acoustic Variation in Fallow Deer (Dama dama) Common and Harsh Groans: A Source-Filter Theory PerspectiveETHOLOGY, Issue 3 2007Elisabetta Vannoni Mammals are able to distinguish conspecifics based on vocal cues, and the acoustic structure of mammal vocalizations is directly affected by the anatomy and action of the vocal apparatus. However, most studies investigating individual patterns in acoustic signals do not consider a vocal production-based perspective. In this study, we used the source-filter model of vocal production as a basis for investigating the acoustic variability of fallow deer groans. Using this approach, we quantified the potential of each acoustic component to carry information about individual identity. We also investigated if cues to individual identity carry over among the two groan types we describe: common and harsh groans. Using discriminant function analysis, we found that variables related to the fundamental frequency contour and the minimum frequencies of the highest formants contributed most to the identification of a given common groan. Common groans were individually distinctive with 36.6% (53.6% with stepwise procedure) of groans assigned to the correct individual. This level of discrimination is approximately six times higher than that predicted by chance. In addition, univariate anovas showed significant inter-individual variation in the minimum formant frequencies when common and harsh groans were combined, suggesting that some information about individuality is shared between groan types. Our results suggest that the sound source and the vocal tract resonances act together to determine groan individuality and that enough variation exists to potentially allow individual recognition based on groans. [source] Energy functions analysis in voltage collapseEUROPEAN TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL POWER, Issue 4 2001F. Jurado Time-domain approach examines the behaviour of the system, one determines whether stability has been maintained or lost. In contrast to the time-domain approach, direct methods determine system stability based on energy functions. The basis of direct methods for the stability assessment of a system is knowledge of the stability region. During the last decade, many researches have thoroughly analysed the use of energy functions for the direct stability assessment of networks. Energy function analysis offers a different geometric view of voltage collapse. The Transient Energy Function, a technique based on Lyapunov stability theory and originally developed for direct stability analysis of power systems, has been successfully used as a voltage stability index for collapse studies. In this paper the simulation results are on the IEEE 173-bus test system. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||