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Multiple Regression (multiple + regression)
Terms modified by Multiple Regression Selected AbstractsAn Examination of Clothing Issues and Physical Limitations in the Product Development ProcessFAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 1 2010Katherine Carroll The purpose of this study was to explore physical limitations and clothing problems among working women with physical disabilities to determine whether types of physical limitations are linked to specific clothing problems. The sample included 117 working women with a variety of disabilities. Principle Components Factor Analysis and Multiple Regression were used to analyze the data. Three distinct factors emerged to represent clothing problems (called Design, Materials Performance, and Dressing) and four distinct factors emerged to represent physical limitations (called Limbs/Outer Extremities, Central Core/Torso, Central Nervous System, and Intellect, Vision and Hearing). Regression analysis showed that the physical limitations impact each of the three clothing factors. The study extends research by focusing on an underserved market segment and providing the apparel industry with a potential method of addressing the needs of that market. The study also contributes to interdisciplinary research by further developing an Inclusive Design model for apparel product development. [source] Are infants with torticollis at risk of a delay in early motor milestones compared with a control group of healthy infants?DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 7 2009ANNA ÖHMAN PT MSC Recently it has been claimed that infants with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) are at risk of a delay in early motor milestones. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether infants with CMT are indeed at risk in comparison with a control group of healthy infants. A second aim was to investigate whether the time spent in a prone position and plagiocephaly had any influence on motor development. Eighty-two infants with CMT (35 females and 47 males) were compared with 40 healthy infants (18 females and 22 males). Motor development was assessed with the Alberta Infant Motor scale (AIMS). Multiple regression showed that infants in the CMT group had a significantly lower AIMS score than the control group at 2 months (p=0.03) and 6 months of age (p=0.05). Infants who spent at least three occasions daily in a prone position when awake had significantly higher AIMS scores than infants who spent less time prone at 2 months (p=0.001), 6 months (p<0.001), and 10 months of age (p<0.001). The CMT group achieved early motor milestones significantly later than the control group until the age of 10 months, but the risk of delay seems to be more strongly associated with little or no time prone when awake than with CMT. [source] Oviposition habitat selection for a predator refuge and food source in a mosquitoECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2005J. Guillermo Bond Abstract., 1.,The influence of filamentous algae on oviposition habitat selection by the mosquito Anopheles pseudopunctipennis and the consequences of oviposition decisions on the diet, development, body size, and survival of offspring were examined. 2.,A natural population of An. pseudopunctipennis in Chiapas, Mexico, oviposited almost exclusively in containers with filamentous algae. Algae represented 47% of the gut contents of mosquito larvae sampled from the natural population. Mosquito larvae fed on an exclusive diet of algae developed as quickly and achieved the same adult body size (wing length) as their conspecifics fed on a standard laboratory diet. 3.,Multiple regression of survival of mosquito larvae on percentage surface area cover of algae (0,99%) and the density of predatory fish (zero to four fish per container) was best described by a second-order polynomial model. Increasing fish densities resulted in a reduction in mosquito survival in all algal treatments. The highest incidence of survival was observed at intermediate (66%) algal cover in all treatments. 4.,The presence of fish significantly extended larval development times whereas algal cover had no significant effect. The presence of fish resulted in emergence of smaller adults due to reduced feeding opportunities and predator avoidance behaviour. Algal cover also affected mosquito wing length but differently at each fish density. 5.,Oviposition habitat selection improves survival in the presence of predators and feeding opportunities for An. pseudopunctipennis larvae. [source] The effects of alcohol expectancies on drinking behaviour in peer groups: observations in a naturalistic settingADDICTION, Issue 9 2005Sander M. Bot ABSTRACT Aims To study the functionality of alcohol expectancies in predicting drinking behaviour in existing peer groups of young adults in a ,naturalistic' setting. Design and setting Young adults were invited to join an experiment with their peer group in a bar annex laboratory. During a ,break' of 50 minutes in this experiment, their activities, social behaviour and drinking behaviour were observed with digital video and audio equipment. Participants Twenty-eight peer groups were involved in this study. A peer group consisted of seven to nine people, with relationships ranging from intimate relations and close friendships to being acquaintances. A total of 238 participants were involved. Measurements Information of the drinking behaviour from observations and questionnaire data on alcohol expectancies provide the opportunity to look at how and which expectancies are related to actual drinking patterns. Multiple regression and multi-level analyses were applied. Findings Expectancies on the positive and arousing effects of alcohol consumption were related to alcohol consumption in a naturalistic, social drinking situation, in addition to group effects of drinking. Expectancies on the negative and sedative effects of drinking, however, were not related to drinking. Conclusions The findings indicate that among young adults observed in a peer group and naturalistic drinking setting, positive expectancies about the effects of alcohol and expectancies about the effects of alcohol on arousal are related positively to drinking level. [source] Relationship Quality and Changes in Depressive Symptoms Among Urban, Married African Americans, Hispanics, and WhitesFAMILY RELATIONS, Issue 3 2009Jay Fagan Bivariate analyses showed that continuously married urban African American, non-Hispanic White, and Hispanic fathers and mothers reporting greater marital support and less relational control experienced a decrease in depressive symptoms. Multiple regression showed a stronger association between concurrent marital support and decreased depressive symptoms for mothers than fathers. African American and Hispanic fathers reporting higher levels of spousal relationship support when children were infants reported a larger decrease in depressive symptoms when children were age 3 compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Relationship control at age 3 was positively related to increased depressive symptoms among all groups except African American fathers and White mothers. African American and Hispanic fathers with marital problems may need additional support services. [source] Acculturation and Latino Family Processes: How Cultural Involvement, Biculturalism, and Acculturation Gaps Influence Family Dynamics,FAMILY RELATIONS, Issue 3 2008Paul R. Smokowski Abstract: This study investigated how adolescent and parent acculturation (culture-of-origin and U.S. cultural involvement, biculturalism, acculturation conflicts, and parent-adolescent acculturation gaps) influenced family dynamics (family cohesion, adaptability, familism, and parent-adolescent conflict) in a sample of 402 Latino families from North Carolina and Arizona. Multiple regression and hierarchical linear models suggested that culture-of-origin involvement and biculturalism were cultural assets related to positive outcomes, whereas acculturation conflict was inversely related to positive family dynamics and positively related to parent-adolescent conflict. Parent-adolescent acculturation gaps were inversely associated with family cohesion, adaptability, and familism but were unrelated to parent-adolescent conflict. Limitations and implications for practice are discussed. [source] Assessment of sun reactive skin type with multiple correspondence analysis, hierarchical and tree-structured classification methodsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 4 2002C. Guinot Synopsis The sun reactive skin type classification is based on sunburn susceptibility, tanning ability and phenotypic information. As subjects rarely match all features of a given skin type, the attribution to a class is partially subjective. The aims of the study, were to analyse the contribution of each characteristic to the classification made by the expert, and to establish a classification based on a statistical approach conducted on 212 women living in the Ile-de-France area. Multiple regression was used to construct a formula for each phototype. The coefficients obtained demonstrated that the importance of each characteristic was extremely variable from one phototype to another, suggesting that the phototype determination could be facilitated by adding a weight for every characteristic in the decision. Then, multiple correspondence analysis and clustering analysis methods showed that one phototype could be divided into two more homogenous classes. Résumé La classification du phototype, reflet de la protection naturelle de la peau au soleil, repose sur la susceptibilitéà prendre des coups de soleil, la capacitéà bronzer et trois informations phénotypiques. En pratique, les individus présentant rarement l'ensemble des caractéristiques prévues pour un phototype donné, la décision de l'expert d'attribuer un sujet particulier à une classe repose sur une part de subjectivité. Le but de cette étude, conduite sur 212 femmes volontaires d'Ile-de-France, était d'analyser la contribution de chacune des caractéristiques dans le processus de classification effectué par l'expert pour déterminer le phototype, et de proposer une classification reposant sur une approche statistique. Une équation de régression multiple a été construite pour chacun des phototypes représentés dans l'échantillon. Les coefficients obtenus ont démontré que l'importance accordée en pratique à chaque caractéristique était très variable d'un phototype à l'autre, suggérant que la détermination du phototype pourrait être facilitée par la mise en place d'une pondération des caractéristiques dans la règle de décision. Les méthodes d'analyse factorielle des correspondances multiples et de classification ascendante hiérarchique ont ensuite montré que les sujets de l'un des phototypes pourraient être répartis en deux classes plus homogènes, les autres classes demeurant globalement inchangées par rapport à leur définition originelle. [source] Predictors of Teens' Attitudes Toward Condoms: Gender Differences in the Effects of NormsJOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 7 2000Yuko Mizuno Using data collected from a telephone survey of adolescents aged 15 to 19, we studied predictors of condom attitudes. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 348 sexually active teens. Multiple regression revealed that holding other variables constant being females, African American, perceiving that more of their friends were using condoms (i. e., perceived normative behavior). and stronger perceived normative pressure were significantly associated with favorable condom attitudes. Furthermore, significant interaction effects pointed to gender differences in the association between two types of norms and attitudes toward condoms. Perceived normative behavior had a greater effect on the attitudes of female adolescents. Perceived normative pressure had a greater effect on the attitudes of male adolescents. [source] Maximum size distributions in tropical forest communities: relationships with rainfall and disturbanceJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Lourens Poorter Summary 1The diversity and structure of communities are partly determined by how species partition resource gradients. Plant size is an important indicator of species position along the vertical light gradient in the vegetation. 2Here, we compared the size distribution of tree species in 44 Ghanaian tropical forest communities, using data from 880 one-hectare plots and over 118 000 trees belonging to more than 210 species. 3The size distribution of forest species showed a continuous normal or log-normal distribution, with many canopy species and a few large species, and varied from community to community. Multiple regression showed that this variation is related to rainfall and to disturbance. 4Size distributions in wet forests were less skewed than those in dry forests, with a smaller proportion of big species and a smaller size range. At the same time they exhibited tighter species packing, resulting in higher species richness. Communities with high disturbance have less species packing and lower species richness. 5Synthesis. We conclude that the factors that constrain organism size and species coexistence in these tropical forest tree communities differ from those known to operate on a number of well-studied animal communities. [source] Agreement on Perceptions of Quality of Life in Couples Dealing With InfertilityJOURNAL OF OBSTETRIC, GYNECOLOGIC & NEONATAL NURSING, Issue 5 2010Juliana Rigol Chachamovich ABSTRACT Objective: To examine the extent to which men and women seeking treatment for infertility were able to accurately perceive their partners' ratings of their quality of life (QOL). Design: Cross-sectional prospective study. Quality of life was measured as a multidimensional construct. Setting: Assisted reproduction clinic of a university hospital. Participants: One hundred and sixty-two couples participated. The men's and women's mean ages were 36.1 and 32.1 years, respectively. Most participants had no children, and no previous assisted reproduction attempts. Methods: Men and women completed the World Health Organization-Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-Brief) and the Beck Depression Inventory independently. Paired t tests were used to explore men's perceptions of their wives' QOL ratings and wives' perceptions of their husbands' ratings. Multiple regression and repeated-measures ANCOVA were used to examine the role of depression. Results: Proxy assessments were consistently lower than self-reports on the domains of QOL. The influence of depression on agreement was minimal, and no gender effect was observed. Conclusion: Findings indicated little agreement in perceptions of the partner's QOL, with each partner tending to underrate the other's view. Practitioners need to consider the differences between partners to enable partners to better understand and support each other. [source] Coping with technological disaster: An application of the conservation of resources model to the Exxon Valdez oil spillJOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 1 2000Catalina M. Arata Abstract One hundred twenty-five commercial fishers in Cordova, Alaska, completed a mailed survey regarding current mental health functioning 6 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Economic and social impacts of the oil spill and coping and psychological functioning (modified Coping Strategies Scales, Symptom Checklist 90-R) were measured. Multiple regression was used to test the utility of the Conservation of Resources stress model for explaining observed psychological symptoms. Current symptoms of depression, anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder were associated with conditions resource loss and avoidant coping strategies. The Conservation of Resources model provided a framework for explaining psychological impacts of the oil spill. Future research is needed to identify factors related to recovery. [source] When does a reproducing female viper (Vipera aspis) ,decide' on her litter size?JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, Issue 2 2003Olivier Lourdais Abstract Some organisms rely on stored energy to fuel reproductive expenditure (capital breeders) whereas others use energy gained during the reproductive bout itself (income breeders). Most species occupy intermediate positions on this continuum, but few experimental data are available on the timescale over which food intake can affect fecundity. Mark,recapture studies of free-ranging female aspic vipers Vipera aspis have suggested that reproductive output relies not only on the energy in fat bodies accumulated in previous years, but also on food intake immediately before ovulation. A simple experiment was conducted to test this hypothesis, maintaining female snakes in captivity throughout the vitellogenic period and controlling their food intake. The energy input of a female strongly influenced the amount of mass that she gained and the number of ova that she ovulated. Multiple regression showed that litter size in these snakes was affected both by maternal body condition in early spring (an indicator of foraging success over previous years) and by food intake in the spring before ovulation. Our experimental data thus reinforce the results of descriptive studies on free-ranging snakes, and emphasize the flexibility of energy allocation patterns among vipers. Reproducing female vipers may combine energy from ,capital' and ,income' to maximize their litter sizes in the face of fluctuating levels of prey abundance. [source] Predicting doctor performance outcomes of curriculum interventions: problem-based learning and continuing competenceMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 8 2008Geoffrey R Norman Context, Problem-based learning (PBL) is an educational strategy designed to enhance self-assessment, self-directed learning and lifelong learning. The present study examines a peer review programme to determine whether the impact of PBL on continuing competence can be detected in practice. Objectives, This study aimed to establish whether McMaster graduates who graduated between 1972 and 1991 were any less likely to be identified as having issues of competence by a systematic peer review programme than graduates of other Ontario medical schools. Methods, We identified a total of 1166 doctors who had graduated after 1972 and had completed a mandated peer review programme. Of these, 108 had graduated from McMaster and 857 from other Canadian schools. School of graduation was cross-tabulated against peer rating. A secondary analysis examined predictors of ratings using multiple regression. Results, We found that 4% of McMaster graduates and 5% of other graduates were deemed to demonstrate cause for concern or serious concern, and that 24% of McMaster doctors and 28% of other doctors were rated as excellent. These differences were not significant. Multiple regression indicated that certification by family medicine or a specialty, female gender and younger age were all predictors of practice outcomes, but school of graduation was not. Conclusions, There is no evidence from this study that PBL graduates are better able to maintain competence than graduates of conventional schools. The study highlights potential problems in attempting to link undergraduate educational interventions to doctor performance outcomes. [source] ,Insistence on recovery' as a positive prognostic factor in Japanese stroke patientsPSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES, Issue 4 2008Seiji Hama Aim:, The present study used two-step analyses to examine the effect of acceptance of disability or ,insistence on recovery' in Japanese stroke patients: first on their functional improvement and second, on their psychological symptoms. Methods:, Disability was assessed using functional independence measurements (FIM), examining the stage of acceptance of disability by observation using Fink's theory (from shock to defensive retreat, acknowledgement, and acceptance/change stage), and estimation of insistence on recovery (on a scale of 1,4) by observation. The differences over time and the effects on the improvement in their FIM were then assessed. Depression was measured using the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS); apathy was measured using the Apathy Scale (AS), and the correlation with the acceptance stage or insistence on recovery was analyzed. Results:, The acceptance stage and functional improvement progressed significantly, but insistence on recovery did not change significantly during hospitalization. Multiple regression indicated that the insistence on recovery score (but not the acceptance stage) was a good predictor of the degree of improvement in FIM (FIM gain per week) in the elderly group. Post-hoc testing showed that the SDS or AS score decreased from the first stage to the fourth stage (but increased at the third stage) of acceptance; whereas for insistence on recovery score, the SDS and AS scores decreased as insistence on recovery score changed from 1 to 3, and then increased as insistence on recovery score changed from 3 to 4. Conclusions:, The appropriate level of insistence on recovery reduced depression and apathy, resulting in enhanced improvement of disability after a stroke in elderly stroke patients. [source] Unequal Pay: The Role of GenderPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW, Issue 6 2006Mohamad G. Alkadry Pay disparities between men and women persist in the U.S. workforce despite comparable pay legislation, advocacy, and social change. This article discusses theories of gender pay disparities, such as the glass ceiling, position segregation, agency segregation, and human capital. Using an online national survey, 1,600 responses were collected for four groups of public procurement professionals. The gender wage gap ranged from $5,035 to $9,577. Multiple regression of the data show that gender continues to play a major role in predicting the salaries of public officials in similar positions. Gender and human capital variables predicted between 36.5 percent and 53.9 percent of the variance in pay. [source] Gender and Emotional Labor in Public Organizations: An Empirical Examination of the Link to PerformancePUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW, Issue 6 2006Kenneth J. Meier Scholars of public organizations have begun to emphasize emotional labor in studies of gender in the workplace, finding that the skills women bring to organizations are often overlooked and undercompensated even though they play a vital role in the organization. Emotional labor is an individual's effort to present emotions in a way that is desired by the organization. The authors hypothesize that employers with greater emotional labor expectations of their employees will have more effective interactions with clients, better internal relationships, and superior program performance. This article tests the effects of emotional labor in a bureaucratic workforce over time. Multiple regression results show that organizations with more women at the street level have higher overall organizational performance. Additionally, emotional labor contributes to organizational productivity over and above its role in employee turnover and client satisfaction. [source] Factors Controlling the Abundance and Size Distribution of the Phototrophic Ciliate Myrionecta rubra in Open Waters of the North AtlanticTHE JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008DAVID J. S. MONTAGNES ABSTRACT. Myrionecta rubra, a ubiquitous planktonic ciliate, has received much attention due to its wide distribution, occurrence as a red tide organism, and unusual cryptophyte endosymbiont. Although well studied in coastal waters, M. rubra is poorly examined in the open ocean. In the Irminger Basin, North Atlantic, the abundance of M. rubra was 0,5 cells/ml, which is low compared with that found in coastal areas. Distinct patchiness (100 km) was revealed by geostatistical analysis. Multiple regression indicated there was little relationship between M. rubra abundance and a number of environmental factors, with the exception of temperature and phytoplankton biomass, which influenced abundance in the spring. We also improve on studies that indicate distinct size classes of M. rubra; we statistically recognise four significantly distinct width classes (5,16, 12,23, 18,27, 21,33 ,m), which decrease in abundance with increasing size. A multinomial logistic regression revealed the main variable correlated with this size distribution was ambient nitrate concentration. Finally, we propose a hypothesis for the distribution of sizes, involving nutrients, feeding, and dividing of the endosymbiont. [source] Quantitative computed tomography of the lumbar spine, not dual x-ray absorptiometry, is an independent predictor of prevalent vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteopenia receiving long-term glucocorticoid and hormone-replacement therapyARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 5 2002Q. Rehman Objective To determine which measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) predicts vertebral fractures in a cohort of postmenopausal women with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. Methods We recruited 114 subjects into the study. All had osteopenia of the lumbar spine or hip, as demonstrated by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and were receiving long-term glucocorticoids and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Measurements of BMD by DXA of the lumbar spine, hip (and subregions), and forearm (and subregions), quantitative computed tomography (QCT) of the spine and hip (n = 59), and radiographs of the thoracolumbar spine were performed on all subjects to assess prevalent vertebral fractures. Vertebral fracture prevalence, as determined by morphometry, required a ,20% (or ,4-mm) loss of vertebral body height. Demographic information was obtained by questionnaire. Multiple regression and classification and regression trees (CART) analyses were used to assess predictors of vertebral fracture. Results Twenty-six percent of the study subjects had prevalent fractures. BMD of the lumbar spine, total hip and hip subregions, as measured by QCT, but only the lumbar spine and total hip, as measured by DXA, were significantly associated with prevalent vertebral fractures. However, only lumbar spine BMD as measured by QCT was a significant predictor of vertebral fractures. CART analysis showed that a BMD value <0.065 gm/cm3 was associated with a 7-fold higher risk of fracture than a BMD value ,0.065 gm/cm3. Conclusion In postmenopausal women with osteoporosis induced by long-term glucocorticoid treatment who are also receiving HRT, BMD of the lumbar spine as measured by QCT, but not DXA, is an independent predictor of vertebral fractures. [source] First year growth among very low birth weight infantsACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 4 2010Ane C. Westerberg Abstract Aim:, The aim of this study was to describe first-year growth among very low birth weight infants and the effect of growth restriction at hospital discharge on first year growth. Method:, Anthropometric measures and background information for 118 very low birth weight infants were collected from medical records. Z-scores were calculated based on recent Norwegian growth references. Results:, Significant catch-up growth for weight and length was observed during the first year with mean z-score change (SD) of 0.40 (1.05) and 1.01 (1.25) respectively. However, the very low birth weight infants remained lighter and shorter than full-term peers until 12 months corrected age with mean z-score of ,0.93 (1.09) and ,0.48 (1.06) respectively. Head circumference followed a normal growth pattern after 2 months. Infants discharged from hospital as growth restricted had increased catch-up in weight and length, but remained smaller than infants not subjected to early growth restriction and full-term peers. Multiple regression showed that weight below the 10th percentile at discharge is important for weight and length during the first year of life. Conclusion:, Very low birth weight infants showed catch-up growth during the first year, but their weight and length remained less than full-term peers. Growth deficiencies were more pronounced among infants subjected to early growth restriction, despite increased catch-up growth. [source] Climatic variables are associated with seasonal acute asthma admissions to accident and emergency room facilities in Trinidad, West IndiesCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 11 2003M. A. Ivey Summary Objectives To determine if there is seasonal variation in acute asthmatic visits to accident and emergency (A&E) facilities in Trinidad and to identify the climatic variables associated with such visits. Design and methods A retrospective census of patients with asthma, defined as those who required emergency bronchodilator nebulization, was taken at two A&E facilities in Trinidad from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 1999. The study included patients aged 64 years and under. Patient demographic data were obtained from the A&E records. Climate variables were taken from the island's sole Meteorological Office. Multiple regression was used to identify climate variables that were independent predictors of A&E asthma visits. Results There were a total of 45 842 asthma admissions to the two facilities during the study period. Visits exhibited a cyclic pattern over the 3 years that varied according to the island's dry (January,May) and wet (June,December) seasons. There were more visits during the wet season than the dry (40 [SD=2] vs. 32 [SD=2] visits/day; P<0.001). The results of multiple regression indicated that season (P<0.001), barometric pressure (P<0.001), temperature difference (P<0.001), minimum temperature2 (P<0.001) and wind speed2 (P=0.032) were predictors of paediatric visits. Independent predictors of adult visits were season (P<0.001), relative humidity (P<0.001), minimum temperature (P=0.01), temperature difference2 (P<0.001) and minimum temperature2 (P=0.004). Season and climatic variables explained 18% of the variance of the total A&E asthma admissions. Conclusion There is seasonal variation in acute asthma visits to A&E facilities in Trinidad, which remains significant after controlling for climate variables. However, while climate has a role, there are other factors that may also be responsible for increased visits during the wet season. More research is needed to identify these factors. [source] Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in amphipods (Gammarus lacustris) along an elevation gradient in mountain lakes of western CanadaENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2003Jules M. Blais Abstract Populations of the amphipod Gammarus lacustris were examined for their concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from seven lakes spanning a 1,300-m elevation gradient in Alberta, Canada. The concentrations of several of the semivolatile organochlorine compounds ([SVOCs], vapor pressure > 0.03 Pa at 20°C) increased at higher altitudes. This pattern was generally not observed among the less volatile organochlorines ([LVOCs], vapor pressure < 0.03 Pa at 20°C). These same SVOC compounds have been previously shown to increase at high latitudes as a result of their long-range transport and preferential deposition in cold climates. We also show that populations of G. lacustris at high elevations have slower growth rates and store more lipids than populations at lower elevations. To resolve the colinearity of independent variables, we used multiple regression to identify patterns of contaminant concentrations in this data set. Multiple regressions showed that the effect of elevation, lipid content, and temperature on contaminant concentrations was no longer significant once the growth rate of Gammarus was included as an independent variable. This study shows that enrichment of SVOCs occurs in Gammarus at high altitudes in Alberta, Canada, and that growth rate (biodilution) appears to be the primary influence. Because Gammarus is an important trophic link in aquatic foodwebs in these environments, enhanced concentrations of toxicants in prey may increase their biomagnification in top predators of high-altitude lakes. [source] Developmental Stages of Age and Moral Reasoning as Predictors of Juvenile Delinquents' Behavioral Intention to Steal ClothingFAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 2 2005William Scott Forney This study explored juvenile delinquents' moral reasoning and behavioral intention to steal clothing using age group and the aligned theories of planned behavior and cognitive developmental moralization. Participants (n = 100) were preteen and teen first-time theft/shoplifting offenders participating in a diversion program aimed at preventing future offenses. Factor analysis revealed three strongly correlated dimensions of moral reasoning: risk and need (preconventional ethics), and peers (conventional ethics). Multiple regressions predicted positive moral reasoning that justified stealing clothing for risk, need, and peers by preteens but not teens. Risk and need, but not peers or age group, predicted behavioral intention to steal clothing. Adevelopmental shift existed from preteens to teens in their moral reasoning to steal clothing. Juvenile delinquents that identified with preconventional ethics exhibited behavioral intention to steal clothing. [source] The relationship between local and regional diatom richness is mediated by the local and regional environmentGLOBAL ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Sophia I. Passy ABSTRACT Aim, In this continental study, species richness at local (LSR) and regional (RSR) scales was correlated and examined as a function of stream (local) and watershed (regional) environment in an effort to elucidate what factors control diatom biodiversity across scales. Location, Conterminous United States. Methods, Data on diatom richness, stream conditions and watershed properties were generated by the US Geological Survey. In the present investigation, RSR was estimated as the total diatom richness in a hydrologic study unit and, together with stream and watershed characteristics, was included in stepwise multiple regressions of LSR. The unique and shared contributions of RSR, stream and watershed environment to the explained variance in LSR were determined by variance partitioning. RSR was regressed against stream and basin features averaged per study unit. Results, LSR responded most strongly to variability in stream manganese concentration and RSR. Other predictors included stream discharge and iron concentration, soil organic matter content and fertilization, and proportions of open water, barren land and forest in the watershed. Variance partitioning revealed that RSR had the lowest independent contribution to explained variance in LSR. Multiple regressions identified average stream iron concentration as the most important predictor of RSR. Main conclusions, Local micronutrient concentration was the major predictor of LSR, followed by RSR. Since average micronutrient supply in the region was the chief determinant of RSR, it is proposed that micronutrients had both a direct effect on LSR and an indirect effect through RSR. The same argument is extended to watershed features with an impact on stream trophic status, because of their substantial contributions to the explained variance in both LSR and RSR. Considering that the major proportion of LSR variance explained by RSR originated from the covariance of RSR with stream and watershed properties, it is concluded that the LSR,RSR relationship was mediated by the local and regional environment. [source] Evaluating interactions between soil drainage and seedling performance in a restoration of Pinus sylvestris woodland, ScotlandGLOBAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2001M. D. Crowell Abstract 1,This paper evaluates the role of soil drainage in tree seedling performance at a site being restored from Calluna vulgaris moorland to Pinus sylvestris woodland, in Glen Affric, Scotland. The investigation focuses on the relationships between height of planted seedlings, type of ground vegetation and drainage conditions. 2,Slope, aspect, and soil depth were assessed as potential surrogates for direct measures of soil drainage, all of which were derived from digital terrain data. 3,Six variables related to drainage were recorded at 58 seedling locations and used in a factor analysis to understand links between soil moisture conditions, topographic variables and soil depth characteristics. 4,Factor analysis generated two factors that accounted for 70.5% of the variance in the correlation matrix of these variables: Factor 1 correlated strongly with variables that controlled peat accumulation and Factor 2 correlated strongly with topographic controls upon drainage patterns. 5,These two factors explained a significant amount of the variance in height of the Pinus seedlings planted at these locations. Significant differences were found between the factor scores associated with different types of ground vegetation, as well as between the seedling heights observed at locations with different vegetation types. 6,Multiple regressions were developed that indicated that slope, aspect, and soil depth were significant as independent variables in models where soil moisture content and aerobic soil depth were the dependent variables. [source] Soil phosphorus and disturbance influence liana communities in a subtropical montane forestJOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010Agustina Malizia Abstract Questions: What are the effects of soil, topography, treefall gaps, tree species composition, and tree density on liana species composition and total liana abundance? Location: A 6-ha permanent plot in a subtropical montane forest in northwest Argentina. Methods: Multiple regressions were used to quantify associations of liana species composition and total liana abundance with edaphic, disturbance and tree community variables. Gradients in liana and tree species composition were quantified using principal components analysis (PCA). Results: Liana species composition was correlated most strongly with soil phosphorus concentration (R2=0.55). Total liana aanased with phosphorus and the density of recent treefall gaps (R2=0.60). Conclusions: In our study area, liana composition and abundance are most strongly correlated with features of the physical environment, rather than host tree characteristics. Our results support the hypothesis that recent increases in liana abundance in mature tropical forests may be related to increased rates of gap formation. [source] Developmental outcomes of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: Comparison with other medically fragile infantsRESEARCH IN NURSING & HEALTH, Issue 3 2001Diane Holditch-Davis Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare the developmental outcomes and mother,infant interactions of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and those of other medically fragile infants. One-hour behavioral observations were made of the interactions of mothers with two groups of infants (23 with BPD, 39 medically fragile without BPD or neurological problems) at enrollment, every 2 months during hospitalization, 1 month after discharge, and at 6 months' and 12 months' corrected age. Assessment of the home environment also was done at 6 and 12 months. Multiple regressions were calculated separately for child mental, adaptive, language, and motor outcomes. Predictors were: home environment assessment, measures of maternal interactive behaviors (positive attention, expression of negative affect, medicalized caregiving), infant group membership, and presence of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in the infant. There were no significant differences between the two groups in any of the developmental outcomes or interactive variables, and the presence of IVH had no effect on these variables. Maternal positive attention and the home environment were correlated with mental development, and mother negative affect was related to adaptive behavior for both groups. Differences in developmental and interactive behaviors between infants with BPD and other prematurely born infants found in other studies appear to be a result of chronic health problems and, thus, are not unique to infants with BPD. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Res Nurs Health 24: 181,193, 2001 [source] Prospective effects of violence exposure across multiple contexts on early adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problemsTHE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 8 2010Sylvie Mrug Background:, Violence exposure within each setting of community, school, or home has been linked with internalizing and externalizing problems. Although many children experience violence in multiple contexts, the effects of such cross-contextual exposure have not been studied. This study addresses this gap by examining independent and interactive effects of witnessing violence and victimization in the community, home, and school on subsequent internalizing and externalizing problems in early adolescence. Methods:, A community sample of 603 boys and girls (78% African American, 20% Caucasian) participated in a longitudinal study of youth violence. During two assessments 16 months apart, adolescents reported on witnessing violence and victimization in the community, school, and home, and their internalizing and externalizing problems. Results:, Multiple regressions tested the independent and interactive effects of witnessing violence or victimization across contexts on subsequent adjustment, after controlling for initial levels of internalizing and externalizing problems and demographic covariates. Witnessing violence at school predicted anxiety and depression; witnessing at home was related to anxiety and aggression; and witnessing community violence predicted delinquency. Victimization at home was related to subsequent anxiety, depression, and aggression; victimization at school predicted anxiety; and victimization in the community was not independently related to any outcomes. Finally, witnessing violence at home was associated with more anxiety, delinquency, and aggression only if adolescents reported no exposure to community violence. Conclusions:, Violence exposure at home and school had the strongest independent effects on internalizing and externalizing outcomes. Witnessing community violence attenuated the effects of witnessing home violence on anxiety and externalizing problems, perhaps due to desensitization or different norms or expectations regarding violence. However, no comparable attenuation effects were observed for victimization across contexts. [source] Environmental controls and patterns of cumulative radial increment of evergreen tree species in montane, temperate rainforests of Chiloé Island, southern ChileAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2009CECILIA A. PÉREZ Abstract We investigated the local environmental controls on daily fluctuations of cumulative radial increment and cambial hydration of three dominant, evergreen tree species from montane, Coastal rainforests of Chiloé Island, Chile (42° 22, S). During 2 years (1997,1998 and 1998,1999) we recorded hourly cumulative radial increments using electronic band dendrometers in the long-lived conifer Fitzroya cupressoides (Cupressaceae), the evergreen broad-leaved Nothofagus nitida (Nothofagaceae), and the narrow-leaved conifer Podocarpus nubigena (Podocarpaceae). We also measured soil and cambial tissue hydration using capacitance sensors, together with air and soil temperature and rainfall during the period of the study. In addition, we collected cores of these tree species to evaluate how dendrometer measurements reflect annual tree ring width. One-year long daily time series of cumulative radial increments suggests that radial growth of Fitzroya cupressoides was initiated slowly in early spring, with a maximum in early summer. Multiple regressions showed positive relations between daily precipitation and radial index (i.e. the difference in cumulative radial increment of two consecutive days) in the three species. According to path analysis there was a significant direct effect of changes in tree hydration on radial index of the three focal species. In emergent, pioneer species such as Nothofagus and Fitzroya, radial index was negatively affected by changes in maximum air temperature and photosynthetically active radiation, probably because of high evapotranspiration demand on warm sunny days. The shade-tolerant species Podocarpus nubigena was positively affected by photosynthetically active radiation. Our diel scale findings support the use of tree ring widths for reconstructing past climate in these southern temperate forests and provide evidence that rainforest trees may be highly sensitive to future declines in rainfall and temperature increases during summer. [source] Some benefits of dichotomization in psychiatric and criminological researchCRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 2 2000Professor David P. Farrington PhD FBA Background The product-moment correlation r is widely used in criminology and psychiatry to measure strength of association. However, most criminological and psychiatric variables contravene its underlying assumptions. Aim To compare statistical measures of association based on dichotomous variables with the use of r. Method Explanatory variables for delinquency are investigated in the Pittsburgh Youth Study using a sample of 506 boys aged 13,14. Results Dichotomization does not necessarily cause a decrease in measured strength of associations. Conclusions about the most important explanatory variables for delinquency were not greatly affected by using dichotomous as opposed to continuous variables, by different dichotomization splits, or by using logistic versus OLS multiple regression. Non-linear relationships, interaction effects and multiple risk factor individuals were easily studied using dichotomous data. Conclusions Dichotomization produces meaningful findings that are easily understandable to a wide audience. Measures of association for dichotomous variables, such as the odds ratio, have many advantages and are often more realistic and meaningful measures of strength of relationship than the product-moment correlation r. Copyright © 2000 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Depressive symptoms in the first year from diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes: results from the DESMOND trialDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 8 2010T. C. Skinner Diabet. Med. 27, 965,967 (2010) Abstract Aims, To describe the course of depressive symptoms during the first year after diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Methods,Post hoc analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of self-management education for 824 individuals newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Participants completed the Depression scale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale after diagnosis and at 4, 8 and 12 months follow-up. Participants also completed the Problem Areas in Diabetes scale at 8 and 12 months follow-up. We present descriptive statistics on prevalence and persistence of depressive symptoms. Logistic regression is used to predict possible depression cases, and multiple regression to predict depressive symptomatology. Results, The prevalence of depressive symptoms in individuals recently diagnosed with diabetes (18,22% over the year) was not significantly different from normative data for the general population (12%) in the UK. Over 20% of participants indicated some degrees of depressive symptoms over the first year of living with Type 2 diabetes; these were mostly transient episodes, with 5% (1% severe) reporting having depressive symptoms throughout the year. At 12 months post diagnosis, after controlling for baseline depressive symptoms, diabetes-specific emotional distress was predictive of depressive symptomatology. Conclusions, The increased prevalence of depressive symptoms in diabetes is not manifest until at least 1 year post diagnosis in this cohort. However, there are a significant number of people with persistent depressive symptoms in the early stages of diabetes, and diabetes-specific distress may be contributing to subsequent development of depressive symptoms in people with Type 2 diabetes. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||