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Important Influence (important + influence)
Selected AbstractsAccess to Secondary Healthcare for People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Review of the LiteratureJOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 6 2009Clare Backer Background, There is growing evidence that people with intellectual disabilities have greater healthcare needs than the general population and that these needs are often unmet. Recently, increasing attention has been drawn to poor care received by people with intellectual disabilities when admitted to hospital. Method, A literature search was conducted to identify studies on experiences of secondary healthcare for people with intellectual disabilities. Studies were published between January 1990 and March 2008. Results, Thirteen studies were identified. Important influences on the experience of hospital care were: individual factors; the carer's role; the attitudes, knowledge and communicative style of health staff; and the physical environment. A range of recommendations and initiatives have been developed to improve hospital care. Conclusion, More research is needed, given that so few studies are published in this area. Initiatives to improve access to secondary healthcare need to be evaluated to inform the development of services. [source] Three-dimensional models of reservoir sediment and effects on the seismic response of arch damsEARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 10 2004O. Maeso Abstract The important effects of bottom sediments on the seismic response of arch dams are studied in this paper. To do so, a three-dimensional boundary element model is used. It includes the water reservoir as a compressible fluid, the dam and unbounded foundation rock as viscoelastic solids, and the bottom sediment as a two-phase poroelastic domain with dynamic behaviour described by Biot's equations. Dynamic interaction among all those regions, local topography and travelling wave effects are taken into account. The results obtained show the important influence of sediment compressibility and permeability on the seismic response. The former is associated with a general change of the system response whereas the permeability has a significant influence on damping at resonance peaks. The analysis is carried out in the frequency domain considering time harmonic excitation due to P and S plane waves. The time-domain results obtained by using the Fourier transform for a given earthquake accelerogram are also shown. The possibility of using simplified models to represent the bottom sediment effects is discussed in the paper. Two alternative models for porous sediment are tested. Simplified models are shown to be able to reproduce the effects of porous sediments except for very high permeability values. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Determinants and effects of foreign direct investment: evidence from German firm-level data*ECONOMIC POLICY, Issue 41 2005Claudia M. Buch SUMMARY FDI Firm-level evidence Foreign direct investment is an essential aspect of ,globalization' yet its empirical determinants are not well understood. What we do know is based either on poor data for a wide range of nations, or good data for the US and Swedish cases. In this paper, we provide evidence on the determinants of the activities of German multinational firms by using a newly available firm-level data set from the Deutsche Bundesbank. The specific goal of this paper is to demonstrate the relative role of country-level and firm-level determinants of foreign direct investment. We focus on three main questions: First, what are the main driving forces of German firms' multinational activities? Second, is there evidence that sector-level and firm-level factors shape internationalization patterns? Third, is there evidence of agglomeration effects in the foreign activities of German firms? We find that the market access motive for internationalization dominates. Firms move abroad mainly to gain better access to large foreign markets. Cost-saving motives, however, are important for some manufacturing sectors. Our results strongly suggest that firm-level heterogeneity has an important influence on internationalization patterns , as stressed by recent models of international trade. We also find positive agglomeration effects for the activities of German firms that stem from the number of other German firms that are active on a given foreign market. In terms of lessons for economic policy, our results show that lowering barriers to the integration of markets and encouraging the formation of human capital can promote the activities of multinational firms. However, our results related to the heterogeneity of firms and agglomeration tendencies show that it might be difficult to fine-tune policies directed at the exploitation of synergies and at the creation of clusters of foreign firms. , Claudia M. Buch, Jörn Kleinert, Alexander Lipponer and Farid Toubal [source] Increasing Returns, Labour Utilization and Externalities: Procyclical Productivity in the United States and JapanECONOMICA, Issue 266 2000Michela Vecchi This paper investigates procyclical productivity and attempts to discriminate among several competing explanations. The study focuses on the United States and Japan, since the different industrial relations in these two economies serve to cast a sharper light on the procyclical productivity debate. Labour hoarding, evaluated through the introduction of a labour utilization proxy, proves to be an important influence. The interpretation of the role of external economies remains an open issue. [source] Pain and sensory complaints in multiple sclerosisEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 7 2004A. G. Beiske Pain is a frequent and disabling symptom among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The importance of this problem was investigated in a hospital based MS population. A total of 142 MS patients underwent neurological examination and a structured interview for registration of pain and sensory symptoms. One-hundred and five patients reported sensory and/or pain symptoms. Pain was reported by 93 patients and was most frequently located in the limbs and lumbar region. The presence of pain was independent of gender, age at onset and examination, disability, disease course and duration. The most frequently reported characteristics of the symptoms were paresthesia, neuralgia and deep muscular aching. About 40% of the patients reported that the symptoms had important influence on daily activities. Only one-third of the patients were treated for their pain. Pain is a frequent and disabling symptom, independent of demographic and clinical variables in MS patients. The low frequency of treatment for these symptoms indicates a need for improved attention to this problem. [source] The sedimentary records in Mediterranean rockshelters and caves: Archives of environmental changeGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 4 2001Jamie C. Woodward It is important to develop rigorous methods and robust conceptual models for the interpretation of rockshelter and cave sediment records so that the cultural sequences they contain can be considered in their proper environmental context. Much of what we know about the prehistory of the Mediterranean region and adjacent areas has largely been pieced together from materials excavated from sedimentary sequences in these environments. The rockshelters and caves of the region form important environmental and sedimentary archives. Recent work has begun to consider if the remarkable climatic variability evident in the high resolution lacustrine and ice core records is manifest in the rockshelter and cave sediment records of the area. In this context, the two main characteristics of a rockshelter or cave site which control its usefulness as an archive of environmental change are the temporal resolution of the sedimentary record and the environmental sensitivity of the site. Many rockshelters and caves can be described as either Active Karst Settings (AKS) or Passive Karst Settings (PKS) and site type is an important influence on climatic sensitivity with a direct influence upon the usefulness of the sedimentary sequence as a proxy record of climate change. It is now clear that some sites may preserve detailed paleoclimatic records and the climatic signal may be represented by distinctive suites of micromorphological features, by variations in the input of allogenic sediment, or by fluctuations in the mineral magnetic properties of the fine sediment fraction. It can be argued that data derived from the analysis of bulk coarse-grained samples often lacks the stratigraphic resolution and environmental sensitivity that can be obtained from other approaches. The most favorable sites for detailed paleoclimatic reconstruction appear to be in active karst settings such as Theopetra Cave (Greece) and Pigeon Cave (Morocco) where micromorphological analyses offer insights into the stratigraphic record that are not otherwise obtainable. The temporal resolution of a site can only be established through a rigorous stratigraphic analysis and a comprehensive dating program. These are fundamental considerations in the study of rockshelter sediment records, especially when attempting to correlate between sites and draw comparisons with other proxy records of environmental change derived from sedimentary environments with rather different characteristics. Rockshelters and caves are part of a wider sediment system, and their investigation must be accompanied by detailed geomorphological, sedimentological, paleoecological, and geochronological studies of the off-site Quaternary record. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] Long-term fire frequency variability in the eastern Canadian boreal forest: the influences of climate vs. local factorsGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2009ADAM A. ALI Abstract The influence of climatic and local nonclimatic factors on the fire regime of the eastern Canadian boreal forest over the last 8000 years is investigated by examining charred particles preserved in four lacustrine deposits. Herein, we compare the distribution of fire-free intervals (FFIs) and the synchronicity of fire events among sites, using Ripley's K -function to determine the extent of the role of local-scale vs. large-scale processes with respect to fire control. Between 8000 and 5800 cal. bp (calibrated years before present) the climatic and ecological conditions were less conducive to fire events than after this date. After 5800 cal. bp, the number of fires per 1000 years (fire frequency) progressively increased, reaching a maximum ca. 3400 cal. bp. There was a sharp decrease in fire frequency during the last 800 years. Between 8000 and 4000 cal. bp, comparable FFIs and synchronous fire episodes were determined for the study sites. During this period, the fire frequency was predominantly controlled by climate. After 4000 cal. bp, two sites displayed independent fire histories (different FFI distributions or asynchronous fire events), underlining the important influence of local factors, including short-term fuel wetness, characteristics of the watershed and landscape connectivity, in determining fire occurrence. We conclude that climatic changes occurred during the last 4000 years that induced a rise in the water table; this may explain the high spatial heterogeneity in fire history. Current and projected global climatic changes may cause similar spatial variability in fire frequency. [source] Dialysis adequacy and nutritional status of hemodialysis patientsHEMODIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2008Fernanda TEIXEIRA NUNES Abstract To characterize the nutritional status of renal failure patients and its relationship with hemodialysis adequacy measured by Kt/V, a study was carried out with a population of 44 adult patients with renal failure and mean age 51±15 years. Anthropometric data, such as dry weight, height, arm circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, mid-arm muscle circumference, and body mass index were assessed, and biochemical tests were conducted for urea, potassium, creatinine, serum albumin, and phosphorus levels, in addition to hemogram and quarterly urea reduction rate average (Kt/V). In order to evaluate calorie intake, a dietary questionnaire on habitual daily food ingestion was administered, taking into consideration the hemodialysis date. The patients were divided into 2 separate groups for the statistical analysis, with 50% of the patients in each group: A (Kt/V<1.2) and B (Kt/V>1.2). The data were tabulated as mean and standard deviation, with differences tested by Student's t test. The correlations between variables were established by the coefficient p of Pearson. Most of the patients (43%) were considered eutrophic, based on the BMI, and presented inadequate calorie intake, corresponding to 88.5±24% (30.8 kcal/kg actual weight) of the total energy required and adequate protein intake, reaching 109.9±40% of the recommended daily allowance (1.24 g/kg of actual weight). There was a correlation of Kt/V with anthropometric parameters such as body mass index, arm circumference, and mid-arm muscle circumference. The biochemical parameters related to dialysis adequacy were albumin, ferritin, and urea (predialysis). Well-dialyzed patients presented better levels of serum albumin. There was an influence of gender and age on correlations of the analyzed variables. Female and younger patients presented better dialysis adequacy. The dialysis adequacy was related to the nutritional status and influenced by the protein intake and body composition. Gender and age had an important influence in the dialysis adequacy, as men presented lower dialysis adequacy and younger adults presented better dialysis adequacy. Further research is necessary to understand better how to facilitate effective and efficient techniques for the nutritional status assessment of hemodialysis patients. [source] Attachment style, affective loss and gray matter volume: A voxel-based morphometry studyHUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, Issue 10 2010Stefania Benetti Abstract Early patterns of infant attachment have been shown to be an important influence on adult social behavior. Animal studies suggest that patterns of early attachment influence brain development, contributing to permanent alterations in neural structure; however, there are no previous studies investigating whether differences in attachment style are associated with differences in brain structure in humans. In this study, we used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine for the first time the association between attachment style, affective loss (for example, death of a loved one) and gray matter volume in a healthy sample of adults (n = 32). Attachment style was assessed on two dimensions (anxious and avoidant) using the ECR-Revised questionnaire. High attachment-related anxiety was associated with decreased gray matter in the anterior temporal pole and increased gray matter in the left lateral orbital gyrus. A greater number of affective losses was associated with increased gray matter volume in the cerebellum; in this region, however, the impact of affective losses was significantly moderated by the level of attachment-related avoidance. These findings indicate that differences in attachment style are associated with differences in the neural structure of regions implicated in emotion regulation. It is hypothesized that early attachment experience may contribute to structural brain differences associated with attachment style in adulthood; furthermore, these findings point to a neuronal mechanism through which attachment style may mediate individual differences in responses to affective loss. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Human reliability: A key to improved quality in manufacturingHUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 4 2005Heiner Bubb For one to learn, one must make mistakes. Human error can be defined on the basis of the definition of quality. Because quality is influenced by human actions, the so-called performance shaping factors have an important influence on the human error probability. Different methods have been developed to predict human error probability. One of the most established and detailed methods is THERP (technique for human error rate prediction), which was originally developed for application in the nuclear power industry. Here this method is applied to a simple example of manufacturing. Further experimental research in the area of commission will be reported, where methods of error prediction were also applied. In both cases, measures of improving human reliability can be derived. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 15: 353,368, 2005. [source] Evaluation of spatial variability in snow water equivalent for a high mountain catchmentHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 3 2004S. P. Anderton Abstract Multivariate statistical analysis was used to explore relationships between catchment topography and spatial variability in snow accumulation and melt processes in a small headwater catchment in the Spanish Pyrenees. Manual surveys of snow depth and density provided information on the spatial distribution of snow water equivalent (SWE) and its depletion over the course of the 1997 and 1998 melt seasons. A number of indices expressing the topographic control on snow processes were extracted from a detailed digital elevation model of the catchment. Bivariate screening was used to assess the relative importance of these topographic indices in controlling snow accumulation at the start of the melt season, average melt rates and the timing of snow disappearance. This suggested that topographic controls on the redistribution of snow by wind are the most important influence on snow distribution at the start of the melt season. Furthermore, it appeared that spatial patterns of snow disappearance were largely determined by the distribution of snow water equivalent (SWE) at the start of the melt season, rather than by spatial variability in melt rates during the melt season. Binary regression tree models relating snow depth and disappearance date to terrain indices were then constructed. These explained 70,80% of the variance in the observed data. As well as providing insights into the influence of topography on snow processes, it is suggested that the techniques presented herein could be used in the parameterization of distributed snowmelt models, or in the design of efficient stratified snow surveys. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Imagining the Future: Children, Education and Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty in Urban BangladeshIDS BULLETIN, Issue 1 2009Naila Kabeer Failure to invest in children's education is widely recognised as a key mechanism for the intergenerational transmission of poverty. At the same time, rising levels of education among different socioeconomic groups in countries like Bangladesh suggest that poverty on its own is not an adequate explanation for this failure. This article uses survey data on low-income households in urban Bangladesh to explore what differentiates parents who have managed to send their children to school from those who have not. One factor is education: parents with no education are more likely to have children of school-going age who are not at school. Different aspects of household vulnerability, as captured by asset deficits, reliance on casual labour and female headship, also play an important role in determining whether children go to school or not. In addition, the article argues that contextual factors have an important influence on how parents imagine their children's future and how children themselves regard education. The hazards of daily life in slum environments, the limited range of job opportunities available and the absence of decent educational facilities all serve to undermine parental commitment and children's motivation with regard to education. The article suggests that the state and civil society should collaborate to promote educational and livelihood interventions which are responsive to the needs of the more vulnerable sections of the poor and to reshape how parents and children envisage the future. [source] Synovial mast cells: role in acute and chronic arthritisIMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS, Issue 1 2007Peter A. Nigrovic Summary:, Mast cells reside in the normal synovium and increase strikingly in number in rheumatoid arthritis and other joint diseases. Given the broad spectrum of activity of this lineage, it has for decades been considered probable that mast cells are involved in the pathophysiology of synovitis. Recent work in murine arthritis has substantiated this suspicion, showing that mast cells can contribute importantly to the initiation of inflammatory arthritis. However, the role of the greatly expanded population of synovial mast cells in established arthritis remains unknown. Here we review the current understanding of mast cell function in acute arthritis and consider the potentially important influence of this cell on key processes within the chronically inflamed synovium, including leukocyte recruitment and activation, fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, matrix remodeling, and injury to collagen and bone. We also consider recent evidence supporting an immunomodulatory or anti-inflammatory role for mast cells as well as pharmacologic approaches to the mast cell as a therapeutic target in inflammatory arthritis. [source] Optimal shape of a grain or a fibre cross-section in a two-phase compositeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2005Vladislav Shenfeld Abstract The shape of grains or of cross-sections of fibres in a two-phase elastic material has an important influence on the overall mechanical behaviour of the composite. In this paper a numerical scheme is devised for determining the optimal shape of a two-dimensional grain or of a fibre's cross-section. The optimization problem is first posed mathematically, using a global objective function, and then solved numerically by the finite element method and a specially designed global optimization scheme. Excellent agreement is obtained with analytical results available for extreme cases. In addition, optimal shapes are obtained under more general conditions. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Frictional behaviors during applications of lotions by use of a novel friction meter and evaluation of tactile feelingINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 4 2010A. Ishikubo Vol. 43, No.3 (2009) pp.171,176 A novel friction meter that allows us to measure normal force and friction force at the same time was developed, and the frictional behavior of cosmetics during application was investigated for an evaluation of a tactile feeling, permeability. As a result of measurements of four lotion samples by 15 panels, time courses of normal forces, friction forces and friction coefficients were different among the panels though they used the same samples. It was also found that the maximum value of differentiation in friction coefficient with better permeability feeling was larger than those with less permeability feeling. This suggests that relative changes in the time course of friction coefficients have an important influence on a tactile feeling, permeability. [source] Influence of environmental stress on skin tone, color and melanogenesis in Japanese skinINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 1 2005K. Kikuchi Introduction It is needless to say that one of the most potent environmental stress for melanogenesis of the human skin is the effect of ultraviolet (UV) light from the sunlight. Characteristic skin aging as a result of this UV light is recognized as photoaging. Clinical features in photoaging are wrinkles, skin laxity, coarseness, leathery, yellowing, lentigenes, mottled pigmentation, telangiectasia, sebaceous hypertrophy and purpura. There is an apparent difference in clinical features in photoaging among different races, i.e. between Caucasians, African American and Asians that include Japanese. Not only photo skin type but also environmental factors, such as climate, latitude, altitude and their habit of sunbathing, smoking and skin care influence the characteristic development of their photoaging. Racial difference in photoaging Caucasians tend to develop skin laxity and fine wrinkles more than Asians [1]. Asians tend to produce coarser wrinkles than the Caucasians although their development is rather late in life. There is also a difference in the skin color. Pigmentation is an earliest and prominent skin changes in Asians [1] and it increases with age [2]. In contrast, pigmentation is not apparent in the Caucasians although redness probably because of an increase in cutaneous vascularization becomes prominent in middle aged Caucasians [2]. Chung reported that seborrheic keratosis is a major pigmentary lesion in men, whereas hyperpigmented macules are prominent features in women in Koreans [3]. Melanogenesis pigmentation disorders in Japanese Ephelides (freckles) are commonly found in those with photo skin type I who have fair skin and red eyes and blond hair. They are also found in the Japanese. Clinical feature reveals that multiple small pigmentary macules on sun-exposed areas mainly on the mid-portion of the face. These lesions seem to be familial, becoming apparent even in early childhood after sun exposure. Melasma is an acquired pigmentary disorder commonly found in middle aged Japanese women characterized by irregular brown macules and patches on the sun-exposed areas on the face typically as bilaterally present macules on the cheeks. An increase in sex hormones as a result of pregnancy and intake of contraceptive pills is one of the etiological factors to develop melasma. Sun exposure also worsens it. Nevus of Ota is also a common pigmentary disorder found in the Japanese. It is usually unilateral, blue-brown to slate-gray pigmentary macules on the eyelid and cheek that appear in early childhood or in puberty. Acquired dermal melanocytosis is also a pigmentary disorder, in which dermal melanocytes are found as shown in nevus of Ota, characterized by bilateral brown to blue-gray macules on the forehead, temple, eyelid and malar areas in middle aged Japanese women. This tends to be misdiagnosed as melasma. Solar lentigo is an acquired pigmented macule induced by sun exposure. Solar lentigines are usually multiple, circumscribed brown macules. There are two types of solar lentigo. One is a small macular type, characterized by multiple, small brown macules whose diameter is less than 5 mm, being similar to ephelides (freckles). The other type is a large macular type, characterized by a few round to oval, brown macules whose diameter is beyond 1 cm. Some of their surface are hyperkeratotic and become elevated to produce seborrheic keratosis. Again, the early sign of photoaging in Japanese is pigmentated spots and these pigmentation disorders increase with age. Among the pigmentary changes, nevus of Ota, acquired dermal melanocytosis, melasma and large macular type of solar lentigo are characteristic skin changes found in the Japanese in addition to ephelides and small macular type of solar lentigo. Seasonal changes of the various functional properties of the skin including skin color assessed by non-invasive bioengineering techniques [4]. When we consider skin tone, color and melanogenesis, UV light from the sunlight is the most potent environmental stress, although we cannot forget also the important influence of environmental relative humidity affects our skin functions as well as its appearance. We investigated seasonal influences on the various properties of the skin in 39 healthy Japanese females consisting of different age groups. Their skin is thought to be affected by the UV light in summer, and by the exposure to the dry and cold air in winter. Materials and methods Biophysical, non-invasive measurements, including transepidermal water loss (TEWL) as a parameter for the barrier function of the stratum corneum (SC), high frequency conductance as a parameter for the hydration state of the SC, skin color and casual surface lipid levels, were conducted during late summer and winter months. Skin color was determined with a chromameter according to the L*a*b* CIE 1976 system, where L* is an attribute on the luminance scale, a* that on the red versus green scale and b* that on the yellow versus blue scale. All the measurements were conducted in an environment controlled-chamber (21 ± 1 °C room temperature, and 50 ± 3% relative humidity). Results The barrier function of the SC was found to be significantly impaired in winter on the cheek as compared with that measured in summer, whereas no such seasonal change was apparent both in the hydration state of the SC and sebum levels on the cheek. In the assessment of the skin color on the cheek, a significant increase in a* (redness) and a decrease in b* (yellowness) were observed in winter. In contrast, on the flexor forearm, the values of L* (luminescence) increased in winter, but no seasonal change was noted in the values of a* and b*. In this study, skin changes with aging were also found by the non-invasive bioengineering methods. The value of TEWL on the cheek tended to increase with age, whereas no significant change was observed in the value of TEWL on the forearm. In the assessment of skin color, b* value on the cheek significantly increased with age whereas a* and L* values on the cheek did not show any significant change with age. Summary of this study We think that such an increase in yellowness with aging of the cheek skin is a phenomenon unique to the Japanese (Asians) since an increase in b* value was not observed in Caucasians [2]. The facial skin that is always exposed shows barrier impairment in a dry and cold winter environment and demonstrates increased yellowness in skin color because of a prolonged exposure to the UV light from the sun in the summer season. The non-invasive bioengineering methods are useful to demonstrate even invisible seasonal changes occurring in the same individuals and changes with age occurring in the skin. References 1.,Goh, S.H. The treatment of visible signs of senescence: the Asian experience. Br. J. Dermatol.122, 105,109 (1990). 2.,LeFur, I., Numagami, K., Guinot, C. et al. Age-related reference values of skin color in Caucasian and Japanese healthy women according to skin site. Pigment Cell Res. 7, 67 (1999). 3.,Chung, J.H., Lee, S.H., Youn, C.S. et al. Cutaneous photodamage in Koreans: influence of sex, sun exposure, smoking, and skin color. Arch. Dermatol. 137, 1043,1051 (2001). 4.,Kikuchi, K., Kobayashi, H., Le Fur, I. et al. Winter season affects more severely the facial skin than the forearm skin: comparative biophysical studies conducted in the same Japanese females in later summer and winter. Exog. Dermatol. 1, 32,38 (2002). [source] Diet and Its Relationship with Grip Strength in Community-Dwelling Older Men and Women: The Hertfordshire Cohort StudyJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 1 2008Sian M. Robinson PhD OBJECTIVES: To examine relationships between diet and grip strength in older men and women and to determine whether prenatal growth modifies these relationships. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand nine hundred eighty-three men and women aged 59 to 73 who were born and still living in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. MEASUREMENTS: Weight at birth recorded in Health Visitor ledgers; current food and nutrient intake assessed using an administered food frequency questionnaire; and grip strength measured using a handheld dynamometer. RESULTS: Grip strength was positively associated with height and weight at birth and inversely related to age (all P<.001). Of the dietary factors considered in relation to grip strength, the most important was fatty fish consumption. An increase in grip strength of 0.43 kg (95% confidence interval (CI)=0.13,0.74) in men (P=.005) and 0.48 kg (95% CI=0.24,0.72) in women (P<.001) was observed for each additional portion of fatty fish consumed per week. These relationships were independent of adult height, age, and birth weight, each of which had additive effects on grip strength. There was no evidence of interactive effects of weight at birth and adult diet on grip strength. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that fatty fish consumption can have an important influence on muscle function in older men and women. This raises the possibility that the antiinflammatory actions of omega-3 fatty acids may play a role in the prevention of sarcopenia. [source] Regional variability in secondary remodeling within long bone cortices of catarrhine primates: the influence of bone growth historyJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 3 2008Shannon C. McFarlin Abstract Secondary intracortical remodeling of bone varies considerably among and within vertebrate skeletons. Although prior research has shed important light on its biomechanical significance, factors accounting for this variability remain poorly understood. We examined regional patterning of secondary osteonal bone in an ontogenetic series of wild-collected primates, at the midshaft femur and humerus of Chlorocebus (Cercopithecus) aethiops (n = 32) and Hylobates lar (n = 28), and the midshaft femur of Pan troglodytes (n = 12). Our major objectives were: 1) to determine whether secondary osteonal bone exhibits significant regional patterning across inner, mid-cortical and outer circumferential cortical rings within cross-sections; and if so, 2) to consider the manner in which this regional patterning may reflect the influence of relative tissue age and other circumstances of bone growth. Using same field-of-view images of 100-µm-thick cross-sections acquired in brightfield and circularly polarized light microscopy, we quantified the percent area of secondary osteonal bone (%HAV) for whole cross-sections and across the three circumferential rings within cross-sections. We expected bone areas with inner and middle rings to exhibit higher %HAV than the outer cortical ring within cross-sections, the latter comprising tissues of more recent depositional history. Observations of primary bone microstructural development provided an additional context in which to evaluate regional patterning of intracortical remodeling. Results demonstrated significant regional variability in %HAV within all skeletal sites. As predicted,%HAV was usually lowest in the outer cortical ring within cross-sections. However, regional patterning across inner vs. mid-cortical rings showed a more variable pattern across taxa, age classes, and skeletal sites examined. Observations of primary bone microstructure revealed that the distribution of endosteally deposited bone had an important influence on the patterning of secondary osteonal bone across rings. Further, when present, endosteal compacted coarse cancellous bone always exhibited some evidence of intracortical remodeling, even in those skeletal sites exhibiting comparatively low %HAV overall. These results suggest that future studies should consider the local developmental origin of bone regions undergoing secondary remodeling later in life, for an improved understanding of the manner in which developmental and mechanical factors may interact to produce the taxonomic and intraskeletal patterning of secondary bone remodelling in adults. [source] Paste extrusion control and its influence on pore size properties of PTFE membranesADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2007Radium Huang Abstract Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a remarkable membrane material. Owing to its high-melting point, PTFE fine powder cannot be processed using conventional melting processing methods. Instead, techniques such as paste extrusion, rolling, and sintering have to be employed. Each processing step has an important influence on the final pore size quality within the membrane. In this paper, a PID controller (proportional-integral-derivative controller) was used to improve the properties of PTFE paste during the extrusion process and the quality of the PTFE membrane. A range of lubricant content (18, 20, and 22 wt%) was used to monitor the pressure drop at different extrusion speeds (0.5, 1, and 2 mm/s) and reduction ratios (RR = 26.47, 47.06, 80.06). It was found that a higher lubricant content and a higher reduction ratio resulted in a lower pressure drop. It was also found that a higher stretching temperature tends to result in larger pore size and broader pore size distribution at the same stretching rate. At a monitored and controlled constant low-extrusion speed, the porosity of PTFE membrane was increased from 38% to 55% and the mean pore size was decreased from 0.22 to 0.15 ,m because of less migration and more uniform distribution of lubricant during extrusion. Properties and the associated property uniformity of the PTFE extrudate affect the subsequent membrane-forming process and the final pore size and size distribution significantly. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 26:163,172, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20099 [source] Study of the production of hydrogen bubbles at low current densities for electroflotation processesJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2010Carlos Jiménez Abstract BACKGROUND: Flotation processes are widely used in waste-water treatment and it is quite important to have a tool to determine and optimize the size distribution of the bubbles produced. In this work, the electrochemical production of bubbles to enhance the performance of electrocoagulation processes by flotation is studied. To do this, a current density range characteristic of electrocoagulation processes is used to produce microbubbles (<5 mA cm,2), instead of the higher values used in other studies to characterize electroflotation in non-combined processes. RESULTS: Current density and pH were found to influence the process significantly. In the range used, higher current densities allow a larger number of small size bubbles to be obtained, appropriate for use in electroflotation processes. However, at the boundaries of the range, the size of the bubbles was increased advising against use. Neutral pH values also favour the formation of small bubbles, and the presence of possible competing reactions have to be considered because they diminish the gas flow and affect the number of bubbles and their size. The roughness of the surface of the electrode material also has an important influence. CONCLUSIONS: The image acquisition and analysis system developed allows measurement of the size distribution of hydrogen bubbles in the range of current densities studied. Current density and pH seem to be the main parameters affecting the mean diameter of bubbles and the amount of gas produced, and the electrode material may also influence hydrogen production significantly. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Organizational socialization of volunteers: the effect on their intention to remain,JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 5 2009M. Carmen Hidalgo Identifying the factors affecting the retention of volunteers in their activities is one of the main objectives for researchers and volunteer managers. There have been many studies with this aim and many factors affecting sustained volunteerism have been identified. However, one of the limits of these models is the low percentage of explained variance, which indicates that there are other additional factors, yet unidentified, which may have an important influence in the prediction of durability as a volunteer. In our study, we intend to analyze the effect that some factors of organizational socialization of volunteers have on their intention to remain volunteers. In particular, we will focus on the level of integration in the organization, evaluated from five variables: social networks, training, understanding, social support inside the organization, and characteristics of the job they perform. The statistical analysis shows that social networks, organizational support, positive task, and formation are highly significant predictors of the intention to remain a volunteer. These four variables explain 29% of the variability of the dependent variable, while the variables understanding and social support of the volunteers were excluded from the regression equation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Carbon flux from plants to soil: roots are a below-ground source of phenolic secondary compounds in an alpine ecosystemJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Courtney L. Meier Summary 1Phenolics are an important, biologically reactive component of the carbon (C) pool that moves from plants to soil. Once in soil, phenolics can regulate plant,soil feedbacks because of their influence on soil nitrogen biogeochemistry. 2Roots are a largely overlooked potential source of below-ground phenolic C. We examined phenolic fluxes from plants to soil in an alpine ecosystem, where phenolics are associated with slow rates of nutrient cycling. Using a phenolic-rich forb (Acomastylis rossii) and a grass with low tissue phenolics (Deschampsia caespitosa), we asked whether leaves, leaf litter or roots are the dominant source of soil phenolics during the growing season. We also determined whether the composition of root-derived phenolics differed from that of leaf litter. 3Both labile low molecular weight phenolics and tannins disappeared from A. rossii leaf litter over the winter. Evidence from this study and others indicates litter phenolics are not a significant source of labile C for soil microbes throughout the growing season. 4In the field, levels of phenolics were higher under A. rossii canopies than under D. caespitosa canopies throughout the growing season. We also estimated significantly higher phenolic fluxes into soils for A. rossii than for D. caespitosa in the glasshouse. Field and glasshouse results suggest roots are an important source of these compounds. Furthermore, the phenolic chemistry of roots was different from that of leaf litter, indicating that the effects of root phenolics on soil processes and neighbouring plant growth may differ from those associated with leaves. 5Synthesis. Based on our results, labile phenolic inputs from roots are likely to have a more important influence on soil nutrient dynamics during the alpine growing season than phenolic inputs from leaf litter. We suggest that roots may be the dominant input of labile phenolics to soil during the growing season in other ecosystems with seasonal patterns of plant growth and senescence. These observations are critical to our understanding of how phenolic-rich species may interact with soil microbes to influence soil nutrient cycling and shape the soil resource environment. [source] Effects of environmental variables on fish feeding ecology: implications for the performance of baited fishing gear and stock assessmentJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2004A. W. Stoner The effectiveness of baited fishing gear ultimately depends upon behaviour of the target species , activity rhythms, feeding motivation, and sensory and locomotory abilities. While any environmental parameter that mediates feeding or locomotion can have an important influence on the active space presented by the bait and fish catchability, few biologists have considered how such variation in behaviour might affect catch per unit effort (CPUE) and the resultant stock abundance estimates or population parameters. This review reveals that environment-related variation in feeding behaviour can act through four different mechanisms: metabolic processes, sensory limitations, social interactions and direct impacts. Water temperature, light level, current velocity and ambient prey density are likely to have largest effects on fish catchability, potentially affecting variation in CPUE by a factor of ten. Feeding behaviour is also density-dependent, with both positive and negative effects. Over time and geographic space a target species can occupy wide ranges of environmental conditions, and in certain cases, spatial and temporal variation in feeding biology could have a larger impact on CPUE than patterns of abundance. Temperature, light and current can be measured with relative facility and corrections to stock assessment models are feasible. Making corrections for biological variables such as prey density and bait competitors will be more difficult because the measurements are often not practical and relationships to feeding catchability are more complex and poorly understood. There is a critical need for greater understanding of how environmental variables affect feeding-related performance of baited fishing gear. A combination of field observations and laboratory experiments will be necessary to parameterize stock assessment models that are improved to accommodate variation in fish behaviour. Otherwise, survey data could reveal more about variation in behaviour than abundance trends. [source] 84 Linking environmental forcing, kelp forest habitat dynamics, and community structure in the northeast pacificJOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 2003B.P. Kinlan Habitat-forming species of large brown macroalgae (e.g., kelps) often differ from associated benthic species in resource requirements, sources of disturbance, and dispersal ability. Differences in environmental drivers and demographic processes may cause these habitats to fluctuate at spatial and temporal scales that differ from the "optimal" scale that would promote maximum abundance of any particular associate species. As a result, the spatiotemporal dynamics of habitat may exert important effects on benthic community structure and composition. To quantify the spatial and temporal dynamics of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), a key habitat-former in the NE Pacific, I analyzed a 34-year monthly time series of estimated canopy biomass spanning ,1500 km of coastline (7° of latitude) and digital maps of annual maximum canopy cover. Canopy biomass varied interannually at dominant periods of 4,5 y, 11,13 y and ,20 y, and spatial scales ranging from local (,30 km) to mesoscale (,100,150 km) and regional (,330 km). Temporal dynamics were strongly related to basin-scale climate fluctuations (El Niño-Southern Oscillation, Pacific Decadal Oscillation) and spatial patterns were correlated with coastline geomorphology. Digital canopy maps reveal that changes in biomass are associated with shifts in the spatial structure of the kelp habitat. Long-term subtidal community monitoring data from areas with markedly different spatial and temporal scales of kelp forest habitat structure reveal a complex but important influence of habitat dynamics on the distribution of life histories within kelp-associated communities. Future changes in the dynamics of Pacific climate fluctuations may have important implications for kelp forest community structure. [source] Individual and group meaning-making in an urban third grade classroom: Red fog, cold cans, and seeping vaporJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 9 2005Sherry Southerland We examined third graders' understandings of condensation using an expanded notion of the Emergent Perspective, a reflexive consideration of individual and group meaning-making situated in the culture of the classroom. Data were collected from two small groups of students in an inquiry-based, urban classroom during a unit on the water cycle. Measures included conceptual pre-/posttests, interviews, written work, and discourse analyses of a science lesson. Although we identified the supportive role of the teacher's explicit assessments of children's ideas, within the small groups, the force that most potently shaped meaning-making was students' persuasive power, which was in part influenced by the rhetorical moves employed. Specifically, students' evaluative comments (a type of rhetorical move) about contributions of other group members seemed to be particularly persuasive in these groups. Evaluative comments, apart from students' academic status, were shown to be an important influence in not only social knowledge production but also in individual internalization. Our explanation focuses on the particular discursive practices as intellectual resources of urban students, but we are also mindful of the cognitive complexity of the material and the developmental abilities of the students. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 42: 1032,1061, 2005 [source] THE IMPACT OF HOMOGENIZATION AND MICROFILTRATION ON RENNET-INDUCED GEL FORMATIONJOURNAL OF TEXTURE STUDIES, Issue 4 2008STEPHAN THOMANN ABSTRACT The effects of the independent variables, milk homogenization pressure (p1), concentration factor of milk microfiltration (i) and pH on the rheological properties of rennet milk gels were studied. Nondestructive oscillatory rheometry was used to determine rennet coagulation time (RCT), curd firming rate (CFR) and cutting time (CT). A central composite design, comprising two levels of i (1 and 2), pH (6.4 and 6.6) and p1 (0 and 8 MPa), was applied. Second-order polynomial models successfully described (R2 > 0.92) the relationship between processing parameters and rheological properties of the gels. pH had the most important influence on RCT, while CFR and CT were strongly influenced by i, pH and the interaction of i and pH. In contradiction to studies on active filler interactions for acid milk gels, a discrepancy was observed between results obtained by compression test and rheometry. Rennet gel firmness strongly decreased with a rise in p1 when measured using the compression test, whereby CFR increased with an increase in p1 when measured using rheometry. The latter result corresponds to higher storage modulus values after a certain time indicating higher gel stiffness. This effect was stronger for concentrated milk than for unconcentrated milk. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The use of microfiltration (MF) and homogenization may reduce raw material and processing time in conventional cheese manufacture. However, MF markedly influences milk composition, and homogenization alters the particle size distribution of fat globules. Hence, both technologies may influence rennet-induced gel formation, syneresis, cheese composition and quality. Curd firmness of homogenized milk is often too weak to resist the extensive curd treatment applied in semi-hard cheese manufacture which causes loss of curd fines during the syneresis process and finally decreases cheese yield. MF leads to high curd firmness if cutting is not performed at the appropriate time, which unnecessarily extends processing time. The study of the effect of the individual treatments, as well as of the combination of both on rennet-induced gel formation, is the first important step to evaluate their impact on further processing steps in cheese making. The combination of both technologies may overcome the antagonistic effect of the individual technology as low curd firmness due to homogenization can be compensated by MF that increases curd firmness and vice versa. [source] Relationship of Light to Moderate Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Hypertension in Japanese Male Office WorkersALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2002Noriyuki Nakanishi Background A close relationship between alcohol consumption and hypertension has been established, but the effect of light to moderate alcohol consumption on blood pressure (BP) remains unclear. Methods A total of 5275 Japanese male office workers aged 23 to 59 years partook in a survey. Subjects were classified as nondrinkers or current drinkers who averaged less than 12, 12 to 22, 23 to 45, or ,46 g/day of ethanol. BPs were measured at annual health examinations from May 1996 through May 2000. A total of 3784 hypertension-free (systolic BP <140 mm Hg, diastolic BP <90 mm Hg, no medication for hypertension, and no history of hypertension) men were observed for 4 years. Men in whom hypertension (systolic BP ,140 mm Hg, diastolic BP ,90 mm Hg, or both or receipt of antihypertensive medication) was found during repeated surveys were defined as incident cases of hypertension. Results After controlling for potential predictors of hypertension, systolic and diastolic BP levels and the incidence of hypertension were lowest in nondrinkers in all three age ranges (23,35, 36,47, and 45,59 years) and increased in a dose-dependent manner as alcohol consumption increased. For individuals aged 23 to 35 years, systolic and diastolic BP levels and the incidence of hypertension were significantly higher among those who drank an average of ,23 g/day of ethanol than among nondrinkers. For those aged 36 to 59, the diastolic BP level was significantly higher among those who drank any alcohol at all than among nondrinkers, and the systolic BP level and the incidence of hypertension were significantly higher among those who drank an average of ,12 g/day of ethanol than among nondrinkers. Conclusions Light to moderate alcohol consumption seems to have an important influence on BP in both young and middle-aged Japanese men. [source] Rheological properties of three different vitamin D ointments and their clinical perception by patients with mild to moderate psoriasisJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 2005JP Marty ABSTRACT Background, Ointments, classically used for the treatment of dermatological diseases, are monophasic viscous semisolid formulations. According to the proportion of their compounds, they have physicochemical and organoleptic properties and when applied on skin show a specific behaviour allowing to be spread more or less easily. Objective, To measure in vitro rheological characteristics of three vitamin D derivative ointments prescribed for the treatment of psoriasis, and to compare their viscosity and clinical acceptability when applied on the diseased skin. Methods, Rheological characteristics of tacalcitol 4 µg/g, calcipotriol 50 µg/g and calcitriol 3 µg/g ointments were assessed by measuring the oscillatory viscoelastic parameters and the permanent flow analysis. Clinical acceptability was studied in 20 psoriatic male or female subjects, aged 18 years or older. A survey evaluated the acceptability of calcitriol vs. tacalcitol and calcipotriol. Questions included information about fluidity, spreading capacity and stickiness after application. Results, We demonstrated that viscoelastic parameters were four times higher for ointment tacalcitol than for calcipotriol and calcitriol, corresponding to a higher consistency of ointment tacalcitol compared to calcipotriol and calcitriol showing both similar results; better fluidity was demonstrated by calcitriol than by tacalcitol and calcipotriol. Comparable results were obtained for the quality to be spread. The sensation of stickiness, significantly different between tacalcitol and calcitriol, was not different between calcipotriol and calcitriol. Conclusion, The above results confirm the relationship between rheological in vitro and sensorial in vivo results: variations between different formulations may have an important influence on non-adherence and treatment failure. [source] Minding experience: An exploration of the concept of "experience" in the early French anthropology of Durkheim, Lévy-Bruhl, and Lévi-StraussJOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, Issue 4 2003C. Jason Throop In line with the growing concern with the unexamined reliance upon the concept of "experience" in anthropology, this article explores in some detail the various usages and definitions of the concept in the work of three of early French anthropology's most influential theorists: Émile Durkheim (1858,1918), Lucien Lévy-Bruhl (1857,1939), and Claude Lévi-Strauss (1908,). With its important influence on both British and American anthropology, the early French anthropological tradition, as epitomized in the writings of these three thinkers, has indeed played a pivotal role in shaping many current taken-for-granted understandings of the concept of experience in the discipline of anthropology as a whole. In the process of exploring how experience is viewed by these three scholars, this paper will thus take some initial steps toward the historical contextualization of many of the unquestioned assumptions underpinning current understandings of experience in the discipline of anthropology and the social sciences more generally. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Heritability of plasma concentrations of clotting factors and measures of a prethrombotic state in a protein C-deficient familyJOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 2 2004C. Y. Vossen Summary.,Background:,Earlier studies found strong support for a genetic basis for regulation of coagulation factor levels and measures of a prethrombotic state (d -dimer, prothrombin fragment 1.2). Objectives:,Estimation of how much of the variation in the levels of coagulation factors and measures of a prethrombotic state, including measures of protein C activation and inactivation, could be attributed to heritability and household effect. Patients and methods:,Blood samples were collected from 330 members of a large kindred of French-Canadian origin with type I protein C deficiency. Heritability and common household effect were estimated for plasma concentrations of prothrombin, factor (F)V, factor VIII, factor (F)IX, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor (VWF), antithrombin, protein C, protein S, protein Z, protein Z-dependent protease inhibitor (ZPI), fibrinopeptide A (FPA), protein C activation peptide (PCP), activated protein C,protein C inhibitor complex (APC,PCI), activated protein C,,1 -antitrypsin complex (APC,,1AT), prothrombin fragment 1.2 (F1.2) and d -dimer, using the variance component method in sequential oligo-genic linkage analysis routines (SOLAR). Results:,The highest heritability was found for measures of thrombin activity (PCP and FPA). High estimates were also found for prothrombin, FV, FIX, protein C, protein Z, ZPI, APC,PCI and APC,,1AT. An important influence of shared household effect on phenotypic variation was found for VWF, antithrombin, protein S and F1.2. Conclusions:,We found strong evidence for the heritability of single coagulation factors and measures of a prethrombotic state. Hemostatic markers with statistically significant heritability constitute potential targets for the identification of novel genes involved in the control of quantitative trait loci. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||