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Similar Pattern (similar + pattern)
Kinds of Similar Pattern Selected AbstractsThe language-specific nature of grammatical development: evidence from bilingual language learnersDEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2004Virginia A. Marchman The fact that early lexical and grammatical acquisition are strongly correlated has been cited as evidence against the view that the language faculty is composed of dissociable and autonomous modules (Bates & Goodman, 1997). However, previous studies have not yet eliminated the possibility that lexical,grammar associations may be attributable to language-general individual differences (e.g. children who are good at learning words are good at learning grammar). Parent report assessments of toddlers who are simultaneously learning English and Spanish (n = 113) allow an examination of the specificity of lexical,grammar relationships while holding child factors constant. Within-language vocabulary,grammar associations were stronger than cross-language relationships, even after controlling for age, proportion of language exposure, general language skill and reporter bias. Similar patterns were found based on naturalistic language samples (n = 22), ruling out a methodological artifact. These results are consistent with the view that grammar learning is specifically tied to lexical progress in a given language and provide further support for strong lexical,grammatical continuity early in acquisition. [source] Extracellular phosphatase activity of natural plankton studied with ELF97 phosphate: fluorescence quantification and labelling kineticsENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2003í Nedoma Summary ELF®97 phosphate (ELFP) is a phosphatase substrate which produces ELF®97 alcohol (ELFA), a fluorescent water-insoluble product, upon hydrolysis. We studied the kinetics of ELFA precipitation in freshwater samples at levels of total plankton and single phytoplankton cells, and tested the suitability of ELFP for measurement of surface-bound algal extracellular phosphatases. Samples from acidic Ple,né Lake (pH , 5; high phosphatase activity) and eutrophic ,ímov reservoir (pH ,7,10; moderate phosphatase activity) were incubated with ELFP for 5,300 min, fixed with HgCl2 and filtered through polycarbonate filters. Relative fluorescence of filter-retained ELFA precipitates was quantified with image analysis. Time-courses of ELFA formation exhibited lag periods followed by finite periods of linear increase. In Ple,né Lake, lag-times were shorter (1,18 min) and rates of increase in ELFA fluorescence higher (by ,2 orders of magnitude) than in ,ímov reservoir (lag-times 30,200 min). Similar patterns of ELFA formation kinetics were also observed in Ple,né Lake samples in cuvette spectrofluorometer measurements (which failed in ,ímov reservoir). Linear regression of seasonal data on rates of increase in ELFA fluorescence from image cytometry and spectrofluorometry (r2 = 0.65, n = 10) allowed for calibration of image cytometry in terms of amount of cell-associated ELFA. Preliminary measurements of extracellular phosphatase activities of several algae resulted in rates (10,2260 fmol cell,1 h,1) which are comparable to data reported in the literature for algal cultures. [source] Functional subdivision of feline spinal interneurons in reflex pathways from group Ib and II muscle afferents; an updateEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 6 2010Elzbieta Jankowska Abstract A first step towards understanding the operation of a neural network is identification of the populations of neurons that contribute to it. Our aim here is to reassess the basis for subdivision of adult mammalian spinal interneurons that mediate reflex actions from tendon organs (group Ib afferents) and muscle spindle secondary endings (group II afferents) into separate populations. Re-examining the existing experimental data, we find no compelling reasons to consider intermediate zone interneurons with input from group Ib afferents to be distinct from those co-excited by group II afferents. Similar patterns of distributed input have been found in subpopulations that project ipsilaterally, contralaterally or bilaterally, and in both excitatory and inhibitory interneurons; differences in input from group I and II afferents to individual interneurons showed intra- rather than inter-population variation. Patterns of reflex actions evoked from group Ib and II afferents and task-dependent changes in these actions, e.g. during locomotion, may likewise be compatible with mediation by premotor interneurons integrating information from both group I and II afferents. Pathological changes after injuries of the central nervous system in humans and the lineage of different subclasses of embryonic interneurons may therefore be analyzed without need to consider subdivision of adult intermediate zone interneurons into subpopulations with group Ib or group II input. We propose renaming these neurons ,group I/II interneurons'. [source] The creation and consequences of the social world: an interactional analysis of extraversionEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 5 2003Leslie G. Eaton Seventy-six previously unacquainted, opposite-sex pairs of undergraduate participants engaged in a 5,min videotaped interaction, then provided their mutual impressions. Research assistants coded 64 behaviours from the videotapes; these ratings were combined into behavioural factors. Participants provided self-descriptions of personality and were described by two acquaintances. Path analyses indicated that targets extraversion was associated with their behavioural involvement, which in turn was associated with partners subsequent ratings of their personality. Targets interpersonal positive affectivity was associated with their partners extraversion. Similar patterns of behavioural associations were found in relation to self-reported, partner-reported, and acquaintance-reported extraversion. These results demonstrate how extraverts may create a positive social environment through their own positivity and by creating a social press for positivity in return. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Perceptions of Effectiveness of Responses to Sexual Harassment in the US Military, 1988 and 1995GENDER, WORK & ORGANISATION, Issue 1 2003Juanita M. Firestone This analysis compares patterns of response to the harassment experiences that had the greatest effect on the respondents to the ,1988 Department of Defense (DoD) Survey of Sex Roles in the Active-Duty Military' and Form A of the ,1995 Armed Forces Sexual Harassment Survey'. We analyse the respondents' perceptions about effectiveness of their responses, and respondents' opinions about the efforts of senior military leadership, and their own immediate supervisors' efforts to ,make honest and reasonable efforts to stop sexual harassment in the active-duty military' (DoD, 1988; Bastian et al., 1996). Results indicate that while the military has been somewhat successful in attempts to lower actual incidence of sexual harassment, the percentage of those experiencing such uninvited and unwanted behaviours remains high. Similar patterns of responses in both years, with most employing personal solutions and few filing complaints with officials, may reflect the fact that official DoD policy focuses on individual behaviour and does not address the masculine environmental context that promotes such behaviours (see also Harrell and Miller, 1997). Findings also suggest that the ,no tolerance' policies adopted by the military may concentrate on the military image but ignore the wishes of the complainants who fear reprisals. If the rights and wishes of all parties involved are not taken into account, policies are unlikely to be successful (see, for example, Rowe, 1996). [source] Palaeomagnetic records of the Brunhes/Matuyama polarity transition from ODP Leg 124 (Celebes and Sulu seas)GEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2000Hirokuni Oda Palaeomagnetic records of the Brunhes/Matuyama geomagnetic polarity transition were obtained from deep-sea sediments of ODP Leg 124 in the Celebes and Sulu seas. Advanced piston core (APC) samples with high magnetization intensities (2,200 mA m,1,) and high sedimentation rates (8.4,10 cm kyr,1,) were recovered from this cruise. Rock-magnetic measurements revealed the carrier of the remanence to be nearly pure magnetite in the pseudo-single-domain range. Pass-through measurements at intervals of 5 mm on APC cores across the Brunhes/Matuyama polarity transition for Holes 767B, 769A and 769B were deconvolved with the magnetometer sensor response using the ABIC-minimizing method. Discrete samples were also taken from the polarity transition zones and subjected to either thermal or alternating field stepwise demagnetization. The results were generally consistent with the pass-through data after the deconvolution. Results from the three holes are in good agreement, particularly those from the two holes 100 m apart at Site 769. The transitional VGP paths from these two holes show two small loops near New Zealand before the equator is crossed. The VGPs continue to swing eastwards to the North Atlantic and then move to the northeastern margin of the Pacific Ocean. The positions of the VGP loops obtained from Site 769 are different from the VGP clusters obtained from both the known volcanic records and the sediment records at the Boso Peninsula and the North Atlantic sites with high sedimentation rates. Such a difference may imply the predominance of the non-dipole field during the transition. Relatively stable mid-high northern latitude VGPs are recognized on all three cores just after the reversal, lasting about 4000 years. The plot of relative intensity versus VGP latitude for the sediment records from the North Atlantic (DSDP Hole 609B) shows a remarkable similarity with our records. Similar patterns were also obtained for the plot of the palaeointensity versus VGP latitude for the La Palma volcanic lava records. These results may suggest the existence of a metastable state of the geodynamo, producing a zonal component just after the Brunhes/Matuyama boundary, which may have played a role in the change of the field intensity. [source] How long should a trial of escitalopram treatment be in patients with major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder?HUMAN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL, Issue 4 2009An exploration of the randomised controlled trial database Abstract Objective To extend the knowledge of course of improvement in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), social anxiety disorder (SAD) or generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) participating in randomised placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) and to infer the optimal duration of initial escitalopram treatment in clinical practice, after which intervention might be reasonable in case of non-response. Methods Post hoc analysis of pooled clinical trial database for escitalopram in MDD (14 studies), GAD (4 studies) and SAD (2 studies). ,Onset' of action was defined as a 20% or more decrease from baseline score in disorder-specific psychopathological rating scales: ,response' as a 50% or more decrease from baseline score. Results In MDD, the probability of responding at week 8 if no onset was apparent at week 2 was 43%; in patients with an onset of effect the probability was nearly 80%. Similar patterns were observed in GAD and SAD. The chance of responding beyond week 4 in MDD, GAD and SAD was 20% or less if no effect had occurred by week 2. Conclusions The pattern of response in these RCTs suggests that in patients with MDD, GAD or SAD in wider clinical practice, a period of at least 4,weeks is worthwhile before considering further intervention. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Concentration,discharge relationships reflect chemostatic characteristics of US catchmentsHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 13 2009Sarah E. Godsey Abstract Concentration,discharge relationships have been widely used as clues to the hydrochemical processes that control runoff chemistry. Here we examine concentration,discharge relationships for solutes produced primarily by mineral weathering in 59 geochemically diverse US catchments. We show that these catchments exhibit nearly chemostatic behaviour; their stream concentrations of weathering products such as Ca, Mg, Na, and Si typically vary by factors of only 3 to 20 while discharge varies by several orders of magnitude. Similar patterns are observed at the inter-annual time scale. This behaviour implies that solute concentrations in stream water are not determined by simple dilution of a fixed solute flux by a variable flux of water, and that rates of solute production and/or mobilization must be nearly proportional to water fluxes, both on storm and inter-annual timescales. We compared these catchments' concentration,discharge relationships to the predictions of several simple hydrological and geochemical models. Most of these models can be forced to approximately fit the observed concentration,discharge relationships, but often only by assuming unrealistic or internally inconsistent parameter values. We propose a new model that also fits the data and may be more robust. We suggest possible tests of the new model for future studies. The relative stability of concentration under widely varying discharge may help make aquatic environments habitable. It also implies that fluxes of weathering solutes in streams, and thus fluxes of alkalinity to the oceans, are determined primarily by water fluxes. Thus, hydrology may be a major driver of the ocean-alkalinity feedback regulating climate change. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A finite element analysis of ferrule design on restoration resistance and distribution of stress within a rootINTERNATIONAL ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 6 2006I. Ichim Abstract Aim, To analyse the effect of ferrule height upon the mechanical resistance and stress distribution within a root to explain variations in the pattern of root fracture. Methodology, An extracted, intact, caries free, maxillary right central incisor was scanned by laser and then reconstructed on a computer to produce a model of the tooth and associated periodontal ligament. A simulated post/core/crown restoration was constructed on conventional tooth preparations with various ferrules. The crown was loaded with a simulated 500 N force and the simulated displacement of components and the tensile and compressive stress within the tooth structure were recorded. Results, Without a ferrule preparation, the simulated crown tilted to the labial and rotated distally. With increasing ferrule height the displacement and rotation of the crown reduced in conventional and crown-lengthening models with maximum reduction occurring when the ferrule height reached 1.5 mm. In ferrule models, higher levels of tensile stress developed in internal (by a factor of 8) and mid-root palatal (by a factor of 90) dentine at the cervical margin of the preparation. With an increase in ferrule height, the area of tensile stress within the palatal mid-dentine expanded towards the cervical margin. Similar patterns and stress values were recorded for the crown-lengthening models. Conclusion, The study confirms that a ferrule increases the mechanical resistance of a post/core/crown restoration. However a ferrule creates a larger area of palatal dentine under tensile stress that may be a favourable condition for a crack to develop. Crown-lengthening did not alter the levels or pattern of stress within compared with conventional ferrule preparations. [source] The problem of similarity: analysis of repeated patterns of microsculpture on gastropod larval shellsINVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2004Carole S. Hickman Abstract. The problem of similarity is one of explaining the causes of striking resemblances between patterns and architectural themes that recur in organisms at various scales of biological organization. Classical explanations that have considered only the alternatives of homology and analogy overlook similarities of form that are primarily a consequence of fabrication, conveying little information about evolutionary relationships or functional role. When viewed at successively higher magnifications and when mapped onto a phylogeny, patterns of delicate cancellate microsculpture and granular microprotuberances on the surfaces of larval shells of marine gastropods fail to meet the predictions of exclusively historical or exclusively functional explanations, but are shown to be rich in fabricational information. Similar patterns suggest that early biomineralization of the initial organic shell is under weaker biological control than the processes that modulate assembly of the multi-layered, hierarchically-organized composite materials of the adult shell. Some patterns suggest remote biomineralization, without direct influence of living tissue. Scanning electron microscopy of larval shell features reveals previously undetected variation on basic themes that may have implications for the traditional disciplines of systematics, functional morphology, and fabricational morphology. The integration of the approaches of the traditional divisions of biology is required for full explanation of similarity and to generate a unified set of principles for the analysis of form in living and fossil organisms. [source] FGFR1/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is a novel target for antiangiogenic effects of the cancer drug Fumagillin (TNP-470)JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 6 2007Gregory J. Chen Abstract Fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF1), a prototypic member of the FGF family, is a potent angiogenic factor. Although FGF-stimulated angiogenesis has been extensively studied, the molecular mechanisms regulating FGF1-induced angiogenesis are poorly understood in vivo. Fumagillin, an antiangiogenic fungal metabolite, has the ability to inhibit FGF-stimulated angiogenesis in the chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). In the current study, chicken CAMs were transfected with a signal peptide-containing version of the FGF1 gene construct (sp-FGF1). Transfected CAMs were then analyzed in the presence and absence of fumagillin treatment with respect to the mRNA expression levels and protein activity of the FGF1 receptor protein (FGFR1), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and its immediate downstream target, AKT-1 (protein kinase B). Treatment of sp-FGF1-transfected CAMs with fumagillin showed downregulation for both PI3K and AKT-1 proteins in mRNA expression and protein activity. In contrast, no major alterations in FGFR1 mRNA expression level were observed. Similar patterns of mRNA expression for the above three proteins were observed when the CAMs were treated with recombinant FGF1 protein in place of sp-FGF1 gene transfection. Investigation using biotin-labeled fumagillin showed that only the FGF1 receptor protein containing the cytoplasmic domain demonstrated binding to fumagillin. Furthermore, we demonstrated endothelial-specificity of the proposed antiangiogenic signaling cascade using an in vitro system. Based on these findings, we conclude that the binding of fumagillin to the cytoplasmic domain of the FGF1 receptor inhibited FGF1-stimulated angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. J. Cell. Biochem. 101: 1492,1504, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The effect of elevated oocyte triiodothyronine content on development of rainbow trout embryos and expression of mRNA encoding for thyroid hormone receptorsJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2004J. C. Raine The ability of developing rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss embryos to compensate for elevated oocyte triiodothyronine (T3) content and whether elevation of oocyte T3 content within a physiologically meaningful range affects growth rates of the embryo or the expression of genes encoding for thyroid hormone receptors ,(TR,) and ,(TR,) were examined. Oocytes were immersed in ovarian fluid alone (control) or T3 -enriched ovarian fluid prior to fertilization and water hardening, to induce a dose-dependant increase in oocyte T3 content of c. 3 (control), c. 30 (LT3) or c. 110 ng egg,1(HT3). To examine the interaction of embryo somatic growth with altered thyroid state more effectively, the embryos were reared at two ambient temperatures (8·5 and 5·5°C ) to induce different growth rates. A significant decline in whole embryo T3 content was measured in the T3 -treatment groups reared at both water temperatures by 3 weeks post-fertilization (dpf), and may have reflected the action of outer ring monodeiodinase, which was present in microsomes prepared from embryos 23 dpf. Whole embryo T3 levels in the HT3 group, however, remained higher than controls until phase 2 of development [the onset of endogenous thyroid hormone (TH) release]. This suggested that the embryos exerted some control over their response to exogenous TH, but that there was a limit to the level of control exerted by the embryonic tissues. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed the presence of mRNA encoding for the two TR isoforms as early as 26 dpf, and quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qPCR) was used to examine the effect of elevated oocyte T3 content on the expression of these TR genes in embryos raised at 8·5 and 5·5° C, and sampled at similar developmental stages prior to the onset of embryonic TH synthesis, to ensure that the oocyte T3 was the only source of TH exposure to the embryo. There was a suppression of the TR, gene expression in the control 5·5° C group relative to the control 8·5° C group. In addition, both TR, and TR, mRNA accumulation was lower, relative to the controls, in the LT3 treatment group reared at 8·5° C suggesting a suppressive effect of the lower level of T3 treatment on the TR gene expression. Conversely, there were no differences from controls in the HT3 treatment group, possibly indicating that this level of exposure overrides the down-regulating capacity of the embryo. Similar patterns were seen for TR, and TR, mRNA accumulation in embryos reared at 5·5° C, but because of the temperature suppressed level of TR, mRNA in the controls, significant affects of the LT3 treatment were only found for TR,. There were no measurable effects of T3 treatment on oocyte fertility or embryo somatic growth for either temperature treatment group, nor was somatic growth hormone content (measured only in the 8·5° C treatment group) apparently related to in ovo T3 levels. The results suggest that altered in ovo T3 levels, within the ranges used here, do not induce marked affects on embryo development, probably because of the ability of the embryo to maintain the integrity of its TH milieu. [source] Percentage of Body Recovered and Its Effect on Identification Rates and Cause and Manner of Death Determination,JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 3 2007Debra A. Komar Ph.D. ABSTRACT: Anthropologists frequently encounter cases in which only partial human remains are recovered. This study reports how the percentage of the body recovered affects identification (ID) rates and cause and manner of death determination. A total of 773 cases involving anthropology consults were drawn from the New Mexico medical examiner's office (1974,2006). Results indicate a significant correlation between body percent recovered and ID rates, which ranged from 89% for complete bodies to 56% when less than half the body was present. Similar patterns were evident in cause/manner determination, which were the highest (83% and 79%, respectively) in complete bodies but declined to 40% when less than half the body was found. The absence of a skull also negatively impacted ID and ruling rates. Findings are compared with general autopsy ID rates (94,96%) and cause/manner determination rates (96,99%) as well as prior published rates for individual casework and mass death events. [source] Cellular Adaptation to Chronic Ethanol Results in Altered Compartmentalization and Function of the Scaffolding Protein RACK1ALCOHOLISM, Issue 10 2003Alicia J. Vagts Background: Previously, we found that acute ethanol induces the translocation of the scaffolding protein RACK1 to the nucleus. Recently, we found that nuclear RACK1 mediates acute ethanol induction of immediate early gene c-fos expression. Alterations in gene expression are thought to lead to long-term changes that ultimately contribute to the development of alcohol addiction and toxicity. Therefore, we sought to determine the effects of chronic exposure of cells to ethanol on the cellular compartmentalization of RACK1 and on c-fos messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression. Methods: Rat C6 glioma cells were used as the cell culture model. Immunohistochemistry was implemented to visualize the localization of RACK1 and to monitor the protein level of c-fos. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to measure c- fos mRNA levels. The Tat-protein transduction method was used to transduce recombinant Tat-RACK1 into cells as previously described. Results: Chronic exposure of cells to 200 mM ethanol for 24 and 48 hr resulted in the gradual re-distribution of RACK1 out of the nucleus. It is interesting to note that acute ethanol re-challenge immediately after chronic treatment did not result in RACK1 translocation to the nucleus, and nuclear compartmentalization of RACK1 in response to acute ethanol was detected only after 24 hr of withdrawal. Similar patterns were obtained for c-fos expression. Chronic exposure to ethanol did not result in an increase in mRNA or protein levels of c-fos. Furthermore, acute ethanol exposure did not increase c-fos protein levels in cells that were first treated chronically with ethanol. However, transduction of exogenous RACK1 expressed as a Tat-fusion protein was able to rescue c- fos mRNA expression after chronic ethanol exposure. Conclusions: Our data suggest that RACK1 nuclear compartmentalization and ethanol-induced c-fos expression are transient and are desensitized to ethanol during prolonged exposure to high concentrations. The desensitization is temporary, and RACK1 can respond to acute ethanol treatment after a 24-hr withdrawal period. Our data further suggest that the altered compartmentalization of RACK1 leads to differences in c-fos expression upon acute or chronic exposure to ethanol. In summary, RACK1 is an important molecular mediator of the acute and chronic actions of ethanol on the expression of c-fos. These findings could have implications for the molecular signaling pathways leading to pathologic states associated with alcoholism, including toxicity. [source] Quantitative t1, NMR spectroscopy of rat cerebral metabolites in vivo: Effects of global ischemiaMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 5 2004Mikko I. Kettunen Abstract The NMR relaxation times (T1,, T2, and T1) of water, N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), choline-containing compounds (Cho), and lactate (Lac) were quantified in rat brain at 4.7 T. In control animals, the cerebral T1, figures, as determined with a spin-lock field of 1.0 G, were 575 ± 30 ms, 380 ± 19 ms, 705 ± 53 ms, and 90 ± 1 ms for NAA, Cr, Cho, and water, respectively. The T1, figures were 62,103% longer than their respective T2 values determined by a multiecho method. In global (ischemic) ischemia, T1, of NAA declined by 34%, that of Cr and Cho did not change, and that of water increased by 10%. The T1, of lactate in ischemic brain was 367 ± 44 ms. Similar patterns of changes were observed in the multiecho T2 of these cerebral metabolites. The T1 of water and NAA changed in a fashion similar to that of T1, and T2. These results show differential responses in metabolite and water T1, relaxation times following ischemia, and indicate that metabolite T1, and T2 relaxation times behave similarly in the ischemic brain. The contributions of dipolar and nondipolar effects on T1, relaxation in vivo are discussed in this work. Magn Reson Med 51:875,880, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Respiratory virus induction of alpha-, beta- and lambda-interferons in bronchial epithelial cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cellsALLERGY, Issue 3 2009M. R. Khaitov Background:, Respiratory viruses, predominantly rhinoviruses are the major cause of asthma exacerbations. Impaired production of interferon-, in rhinovirus infected bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) and of the newly discovered interferon-,s in both BECs and bronchoalveolar lavage cells, is implicated in asthma exacerbation pathogenesis. Thus replacement of deficient interferon is a candidate new therapy for asthma exacerbations. Rhinoviruses and other respiratory viruses infect both BECs and macrophages, but their relative capacities for ,-, ,- and ,-interferon production are unknown. Methods:, To provide guidance regarding which interferon type is the best candidate for development for treatment/prevention of asthma exacerbations we investigated respiratory virus induction of ,-, ,- and ,-interferons in BECs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by reverse transferase-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results:, Rhinovirus infection of BEAS-2B BECs induced interferon-, mRNA expression transiently at 8 h and interferon-, later at 24 h while induction of interferon-, was strongly induced at both time points. At 24 h, interferon-, protein was not detected, interferon-, was weakly induced while interferon-, was strongly induced. Similar patterns of mRNA induction were observed in primary BECs, in response to both rhinovirus and influenza A virus infection, though protein levels were below assay detection limits. In PBMCs interferon-,, interferon-, and interferon-, mRNAs were all strongly induced by rhinovirus at both 8 and 24 h and proteins were induced: interferon-,>-,>-,. Thus respiratory viruses induced expression of ,-, ,- and ,-interferons in BECs and PBMCs. In PBMCs interferon-,>-,>-, while in BECs, interferon-,>-,>-,. Conclusions:, We conclude that interferon-,s are likely the principal interferons produced during innate responses to respiratory viruses in BECs and interferon-,s in PBMCs, while interferon-, is produced by both cell types. [source] Heat stress activates phospholipase D and triggers PIP2 accumulation at the plasma membrane and nucleusTHE PLANT JOURNAL, Issue 1 2009Michael Mishkind Summary Heat stress induces an array of physiological adjustments that facilitate continued homeostasis and survival during periods of elevated temperatures. Here, we report that within minutes of a sudden temperature increase, plants deploy specific phospholipids to specific intracellular locations: phospholipase D (PLD) and a phosphatidylinositolphosphate kinase (PIPK) are activated, and phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) rapidly accumulate, with the heat-induced PIP2 localized to the plasma membrane, nuclear envelope, nucleolus and punctate cytoplasmic structures. Increases in the steady-state levels of PA and PIP2 occur within several minutes of temperature increases from ambient levels of 20,25°C to 35°C and above. Similar patterns were observed in heat-stressed Arabidopsis seedlings and rice leaves. The PA that accumulates in response to temperature increases results in large part from the activation of PLD rather than the sequential action of phospholipase C and diacylglycerol kinase, the alternative pathway used to produce this lipid. Pulse-labelling analysis revealed that the PIP2 response is due to the activation of a PIPK rather than inhibition of a lipase or a PIP2 phosphatase. Inhibitor experiments suggest that the PIP2 response requires signalling through a G-protein, as aluminium fluoride blocks heat-induced PIP2 increases. These results are discussed in the context of the diverse cellular roles played by PIP2 and PA, including regulation of ion channels and the cytoskeleton. [source] Intradaily Patterns in the Korean Index Futures MarketASIAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL, Issue 2 2002Laurence Copeland This paper extends the research on intraday patterns in stock and futures exchanges into the Korean market. Similar patterns to those found previously in the heavily investigated Western markets are observed, despite the differing microstructures, institutional framework and time zones between East and West. In addition, we investigate the effect of the Asian financial crisis on intraday variables. In the Korean market, both volume and volatility were found to be consistently higher at the start of the trading day during the crisis, presumably due to a rapid reaction to overnight news. [source] Pigmentary Changes After Alexandrite Laser Hair RemovalDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 4 2003Noah Kawika Weisberg MD Background Postinflammatory pigmentary changes are a frequently encountered problem with numerous dermatologic procedures. Limited literature is available that documents this complication with laser hair removal. Objective It is important for all physicians performing laser hair removal to be aware of this potential complication. We present our experience with postinflammatory pigmentary change and discuss some potential etiologic factors. Methods Seven patients who experienced postinflammatory complications after alexandrite laser hair removal are presented. These are all the patients who developed this complication in our office over the past 2.5 years. Results The patients who we describe in this article all developed a similar pattern of initial hyperpigmented rings, later developing into a thin wafer-like crust followed by hypopigmentation with gradual return to their normal skin color. Conclusion In general, the alexandrite laser is both safe and effective for hair removal in patients of varying skin types. Complication rates will increase as skin pigment increases and as the power used increases. However, even in light-skinned individuals without recent pretreatment or posttreatment sun exposure, with proper treatment parameters, complications, and side effects can arise. We have found this to be especially true when treating areas other than the face. [source] Absence of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 3 disrupts alveologenesis in the mouseDEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 1 2009Sean E. Gill Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) regulate extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) throughout lung development. We examined lungs from TIMP3 null mice and found significant air space enlargement compared with wild type (WT) animals during a time course spanning early alveologenesis (post-partum days 1, 5, 9 and 14). Trichrome staining revealed a similar pattern of collagen distribution in the walls of nascent alveoli; however, the alveolar walls of TIMP3 mutant mice appeared to be thinner than controls. Assessment of MMP2 and MMP9 activities by gelatin zymography demonstrated a significant elevation in the active form of MMP2 at post-partum days 1 and 5. Treatment of null pregnant dams with a broad spectrum synthetic metalloproteinase inhibitor, GM6001, on embryonic day 16.5 enhanced the formation of primitive alveoli during the saccular stage of lung development as evidenced by a partial, but significant, rescue of alveolar size in post-partum day 1 animals. We propose that increased MMP activity in the absence of TIMP3 enhances ECM proteolysis, upsetting proper formation of primitive alveolar septa during the saccular stage of alveologenesis. Therefore, TIMP3 indirectly regulates alveolar formation in the mouse. To our knowledge, ours is the first study to demonstrate that in utero manipulation of the TIMP/MMP proteolytic axis, to specifically inhibit proteolysis, significantly affects lung development. [source] The evolutionary psychology of left and right: Costs and benefits of lateralizationDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2006Giorgio VallortigaraArticle first published online: 2 AUG 200 Abstract Why do the left and right sides of the vertebrate brain play different functions? Having a lateralized brain, in which each hemisphere carries out different functions, is ubiquitous among vertebrates. The different specialization of the left and right side of the brain may increase brain efficiency,and some evidence for that is reported here. However, lateral biases due to brain lateralization (such as preferences in the use of a limb or, in animals with laterally placed eyes, of a visual hemifield) usually occur at the population level, with most individuals showing similar direction of bias. Individual brain efficiency does not require the alignment of lateralization in the population. Why then are not left- and right-type individuals equally common? Not only humans, but most vertebrates show a similar pattern. For instance, in the paper I report evidence that most toads, chickens, and fish react faster when a predator approaches from the left. I argue that invoking individual brain efficiency (lateralization may increase fitness), evolutionary chance or direct genetic mechanisms cannot explain this widespread pattern. Instead, using concepts from mathematical theory of games, I show that alignment of lateralization at the population level may arise as an "evolutionarily stable strategy" when individually asymmetrical organisms must coordinate their behavior with that of other asymmetrical organisms. Thus, the population structure of lateralization may result from genes specifying the direction of asymmetries which have been selected under "social" pressures. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 48: 418,427, 2006. [source] The early identification of dyslexia: Children with English as an additional languageDYSLEXIA, Issue 3 2004Jane M. Hutchinson Abstract It is generally accepted that dyslexia should be identified early for interventions to have maximum effect. However, when children speak English as an additional language (EAL), diagnosis is more complex and there is concern that these children tend to be under-identified. This paper reports a longitudinal study following the development of phonological awareness skills in relation to progress in learning to read with a cohort of British Asian children learning EAL and their monolingual peers. It also sought to determine the usefulness of a measure of phonological skills for the identification of dyslexic-type difficulties in children learning EAL. Analysis revealed that both cohorts achieved similar levels of reading accuracy in school Years 2, 4 and 6, with higher levels of reading comprehension for the monolingual children and faster reading fluency for children learning EAL in each school year. There was a similar pattern of relationships between the reading measures and measures of phonological awareness for both groups of children. However, monolingual children achieved higher levels of rhyme detection and alliteration fluency whilst the children learning EAL achieved faster number naming times. Overall, a phonological assessment battery was useful in identifying reading accuracy related difficulties in both groups of children. However, concerns are raised about the sensitivity of such measures following the introduction of the Literacy Hour. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The effect of single vegetation elements on wind speed and sediment transport in the Sahelian zone of Burkina FasoEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 10 2007J. K. Leenders Abstract Soil loss caused by wind erosion is a widespread phenomenon in the Sahelian zone of West Africa. According to Sahelian farmers, scattered vegetation standing in amongst the crop has the potential for a wind erosion control strategy. This study was conducted to study the effect of single vegetation elements on the pattern of average wind speed and sediment transport. This was done by two experiments that were carried out during the rainy seasons of 2002 and 2003 in north Burkina Faso, West Africa. Wind speeds were measured using three sonic anemometers, at a sampling frequency of 16 Hz. Sediment transport was determined by calculating the mass fluxes from 17 MWAC catchers. In this study, a shrub was defined as a vegetation element with branches until ground and a tree as a vegetation element with a distinctive trunk below a canopy. Behind shrubs wind speed near the soil surface was reduced up to approximately seven times the height of the shrub. The observed reduction in wind speed in the area where wind speed was reduced was 15 per cent on average. At the sides of the shrub, wind speed was increased, by on average 6 per cent. As the area of increase in wind speed is one-third of the area of decrease in wind speed, the net effect of a shrub is a reduction in wind speed. A similar pattern was visible for the pattern of sediment transport around a shrub. Downwind of a shrub, sediment transport was diminished up to seven times the height of the shrub. Probably most of this material was trapped by the shrub. Trees showed a local increase of wind around the trunk, which is expected to relate to an increase in sediment transport around the trunk. Mass flux measurements of sediment transport were not made, but visual observations in the field substantiate this. Behind the canopy of a tree, a tree acts similarly to a shrub regarding its effects on average wind speed, but as a tree is generally a larger obstacle than a shrub the extent of this effect is larger than for shrubs. Thus, whereas shrubs are more effective than trees regarding their direct effect on soil loss by trapping sand particles near the soil surface, trees are more effective in affecting soil loss indirectly by reducing the wind speed downwind more effectively than shrubs. Therefore, to reduce soil loss in an area, the presence of both trees and shrubs is crucial. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Exotic plant species invade diversity hot spots: the alien flora of northwestern KenyaECOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2000J. Stadler We analysed the distribution of native and alien plant species across 20 ecogeographic zones of northwestern Kenya. The source pool for the majority of aliens was Europe and America. Thus, the source pool has a biogeographic bias which explains the low proportion of aliens in the tropics: most species in the European or American source pool are not well adapted to tropical conditions. As expected, native and alien plant species showed an area effect. Correcting for this area effect. species rich zones showed a higher proportion of alien plant species in their flora. At the analysed scale, species richness of native plant communities does not increase the resistance to invasions and alien plant species invade diversity hotspots. Compared to the other ecogeographic zone, the urban area around Nairobi showed an increased richness in alien and native plant species. This is very similar to findings in Europe, although the history of urbanisation is much shorter in Kenya. The species turnover between zones (,-diversity) shows a similar pattern in native and alien plant species. Within a very short time scale the alien plant species mapped the biogeographic patterns of natives, although the geography of human activities influences the propagule pressure. [source] Strategic Experimentation with Exponential BanditsECONOMETRICA, Issue 1 2005Godfrey Keller We analyze a game of strategic experimentation with two-armed bandits whose risky arm might yield payoffs after exponentially distributed random times. Free-riding causes an inefficiently low level of experimentation in any equilibrium where the players use stationary Markovian strategies with beliefs as the state variable. We construct the unique symmetric Markovian equilibrium of the game, followed by various asymmetric ones. There is no equilibrium where all players use simple cut-off strategies. Equilibria where players switch finitely often between experimenting and free-riding all yield a similar pattern of information acquisition, greater efficiency being achieved when the players share the burden of experimentation more equitably. When players switch roles infinitely often, they can acquire an approximately efficient amount of information, but still at an inefficient rate. In terms of aggregate payoffs, all these asymmetric equilibria dominate the symmetric one wherever the latter prescribes simultaneous use of both arms. [source] Overweight and perception of overweight as predictors of smokeless tobacco use and of cigarette smoking in a cohort of Swedish adolescentsADDICTION, Issue 4 2009Maria Paola Caria ABSTRACT Aims To study the association between measured or perceived overweight in adolescence and subsequent uptake of cigarette smoking and of the Swedish smokeless tobacco ,snus' (oral moist snuff). Design Population-based prospective cohort study with 7 years' follow-up. Setting Self-administered questionnaires and school nurses' visits. Participants A total of 2922 children of both sexes and mean age 11.6 years at recruitment, resident in the Stockholm region, Sweden. Measurements Tobacco use was self-reported at baseline and on six subsequent surveys. Subjects' height and weight were measured by school nurses during the first 4 years, self-reported thereafter. Overweight perception was self-reported at the age of 15 years. Findings Overweight and perception of overweight were not associated with subsequent uptake of either smoking or snus among males. Among females, overweight at baseline was associated with uptake of smoking [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09,1.63], but not of snus. A similar pattern was found with overweight status during follow-up. Among girls with low-educated parents, overweight at baseline predicted the uptake of both snus and smoking. Among 15-year-old females who never used tobacco perceived overweight was associated with subsequent uptake of smoking (adjusted HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.20,2.46), but not of snus. Conclusions In Sweden, adolescent girls with actual or perceived overweight are at increased risk to start smoking, while indications that this increased risk applies to smokeless tobacco (snus) are limited to girls of low socio-economic status. [source] Geographic variation in the field response of male European pine sawflies, Neodiprion sertifer, to different pheromone stereoisomers and estersENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA, Issue 3 2000O. Anderbrant Abstract The European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Geoffroy) (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae), is a widespread and economically important forest insect. The sex pheromone communication system of this species has been previously investigated in North America, Japan and Europe, with the acetate or propionate of the alcohol (2S,3S,7S)-3,7-dimethyl-2-pentadecanol (diprionol) shown to be the main pheromone component. In some locations, male attraction either increased or decreased by the addition of the (2S,3R,7R)-diprionyl acetate isomer. However, these studies were made with different batches of synthetic pheromones, with different types of traps and according to different procedures, so the observed differences might not reflect true geographic variation. Here we investigate the geographic pattern of male sawfly response by using identical chemicals, traps and experimental procedures at eight field sites ranging from Japan in the east to Canada in the west. We found an increased inhibitory effect of the (2S,3R,7R)-isomer from Japan and Siberia to Europe. At the eastern sites, increasing amounts of the (2S,3R,7R)-isomer up to and equal to the amount of the (2S,3S,7S )-isomer, did not influence the trap catch, whereas at sites in Europe, as little as 1% of the (2S,3R,7R)-isomer almost completely inhibited the attraction. The response of the North American population was intermediate. The only site in which the (2S,3R,7R)-isomer was essential for the attraction of males was in Siberia. A similar pattern was found for the (2S,3R,7S)-isomer. Both the acetate and the propionate form of the (2S,3S,7S)-isomer were attractive by themselves in Japan, Europe and North America, and neither the (2S,3R,7S)-isomer nor the (2S,3R,7R)-isomer alone were attractive, in the acetate or propionate form. We discuss the significance of our findings for the development of more efficient monitoring schemes and for the causes of population divergence and speciation in the European pine sawfly. [source] Comparative toxicity of cadmium, zinc, and mixtures of cadmium and zinc to daphnidsENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2006Joseph R. Shaw Abstract Investigations were conducted to determine acute (48-h) effects of cadmium and zinc presented individually and in combination on Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia magna, Daphnia ambigua, and Daphnia pulex. Toxicity tests were conducted with single metals to determine lethal effects concentrations (lethal concentrations predicted for a given percent [x] of a population, LCx value). These were used to derive metal combinations that spanned a range of effects and included mixtures of LC15, LC50, and LC85 values calculated for each metal and species. In single-metal tests, 48-h LC50 values ranged from 0.09 to 0.9 ,mol/L and 4 to 12.54 ,mol/L for cadmium and zinc, respectively. For each metal, D. magna was most tolerant and showed a different pattern of response from all others as determined by slope of concentration,response curves. In the combined metal treatments, all daphnids showed a similar pattern of response when LC15 concentrations were combined. This trend continued with few exceptions when LC15 concentrations of cadmium were combined with LC50 or LC85 values for zinc. However, when this treatment was reversed (LC15, zinc + LC50 or LC85, cadmium), responses of all species except D. magna indicated less-than-additive effects. For C. dubia, a near complete reduction in toxicity was observed when the LC15 for zinc was combined with LC85 for cadmium. Multimetal tests with D. magna did not differ from additive. Collectively, these studies suggest that D. magna may not be representative of other cladocerans. [source] Sociodemographic disparities in epilepsy care: Results from the Houston/New York City health care use and outcomes studyEPILEPSIA, Issue 5 2009Charles E. Begley Summary Purpose:, The purpose of this study was to identify sociodemographic disparities in health care use among epilepsy patients receiving care at different sites and the extent to which the disparities persisted after adjusting for patient characteristics and site of care. Methods:, Three months of health care use data were obtained from baseline interviews of approximately 560 patients at four sites. One-half of the patients were from a Houston site and two NYC sites that serve predominantly low-income, minority, publicly insured, or uninsured patients. The other half were at the remaining site in Houston that serves a more balanced racial/ethnic and higher sociodemographic population. Differences in general and specialist visits, hospital emergency room (ER) care, and hospitalizations were associated with race/ethnicity, income, and coverage. Logistic regression was used to assess the extent to which the differences persisted when adjusting for individual patient characteristics and site of care. Results:, Compared to whites, blacks and Hispanics had higher rates of generalist visits [odds ratio (OR) = 5.3 and 4.9, p < 0.05), ER care (OR = 3.1 and 2.9, p < 0.05) and hospitalizations (OR = 5.4 and 6.2, p < 0.05), and lower rates of specialist visits (OR = 0.3 and 0.4, p < 0.05). A similar pattern was found related to patient income and coverage. The magnitude and significance of the disparities persisted when adjusting for individual characteristics but decreased substantially or were eliminated when site of care was added to the model. Discussion:, There are sociodemographic disparities in health care for people with epilepsy that are largely explained by differences in where patients receive care. [source] Organisation of proficiency testing for plant health diagnostic tests: the experience of FAPAS®EPPO BULLETIN, Issue 1 2010A. Reynolds Proficiency testing (PT) is an established quality assurance measure and is based on the comparison of laboratories' results in an inter-laboratory trial. It highlights problems in laboratory analysis and is an educational tool to help improve data quality. This article describes how PT is organised by FAPAS®. FAPAS® is an international PT provider (external quality assessments) for food chemistry, food microbiology, genetically modified material and water/environmental samples. Since 2007, FAPAS® have organized plant health proficiency tests in conjunction with the Plant Pest and Disease Identification Programme at the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera). Up until 2009, FAPAS® has organised seven plant health proficiency tests that covered the identification of lyophilised bacteria, viruses in leaves and fungi in agar plugs. In 2009, FAPAS® organized over 10 plant health proficiency tests under the banner of ,PhytoPAS', including Potato spindle tuber viroid, Phytophthora ramorum, Thrips palmi, Erwinia amylovora, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus, etc. DNA extracts, cyst nematodes (Globodera pallida) and slides/immunofluorescence (IF) slides have been added to the programme. The organization of the plant health proficiency tests follows a similar pattern. Suitable test materials are prepared and tested for quality before distribution to requesting participants. Laboratories usually have 1,2 months to analyze their samples and return their results. A report is then compiled for issue to laboratories and these contain all results in an anonymous form, so that laboratories can compare their results with those of other participants. If a laboratory's performance is unsatisfactory then it is up to them to investigate the situation. Thus, the primary purpose of PT is the detection of inaccuracy in a laboratory's results, so that they can investigate the problems and initiate corrective procedures. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||