Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Specific Behaviours (specific + behaviour)
Selected AbstractsLocal hydrologic effects of introducing non-native vegetation in a tropical catchmentECOHYDROLOGY, Issue 1 2008Maite Guardiola-Claramonte Abstract This study investigates the hydrologic implications of land use conversion from native vegetation to rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) in Southeast Asia. The experimental catchment, Nam Ken (69 km2), is located in Xishuangbanna Prefecture (22°N, 101°E), in the south of Yunnan province, in southwestern China. During 2005 and 2006, we collected hourly records of 2 m deep soil moisture profiles in rubber and three native land-covers (tea, secondary forest and grassland), and measured surface radiation above the tea and rubber canopies. Observations show that root water uptake of rubber during the dry season is controlled by day-length, whereas water demand of the native vegetation starts with the arrival of the first monsoon rainfall. The different dynamics of root water uptake in rubber result in distinct depletion of soil moisture in deeper layers. Traditional evapotranspiration and soil moisture models are unable to simulate this specific behaviour. Therefore, a different conceptual model, taking in account vegetation dynamics, is needed to predict hydrologic changes due to land use conversion in the area. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A systematic review of the use of simulated patients and pharmacy practice researchINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE, Issue 2 2006Dr. MC Watson MRC fellow Objective The use of simulated patients to assess current practice, or to derive outcome measures for pharmacy practice research, has received much attention in recent years. A simulated patient is an individual who is trained to visit a pharmacy to enact a scenario testing specific behaviour of the pharmacist or pharmacy staff. The aim of this study was to provide a definitive review of the use of simulated patients as a methodological tool for pharmacy practice research. Method A systematic review was undertaken to identify all pharmacy practice studies that had used simulated patient methodology. The electronic databases searched to identify relevant studies were MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL. Articles fulfilling all the following criteria were considered for inclusion in the review: primary reports of trials conducted in community pharmacy and drug store settings which used simulated patients to derive outcome measures. The review was not restricted by language or by country. The review was restricted to publications from 1976 to May 2005. Key findings In total, 56 full publications were retrieved for further examination, of which 46 studies were included in the review, including: nine randomised controlled trials, three controlled trials, 30 cross-sectional, two time-series and two ,other' studies. Ten publications were excluded: seven reviews, one laboratory-based study, one telephone survey and one study presented only as an abstract. Conclusions There has been steady growth in the use of simulated patient methodology over the past 30 years. Although simulated patients have received negative attention in the pharmaceutical media, they can be a rigorous and robust method of measuring practice if used appropriately. This review demonstrates the range of activities for which this method can be used, including the assessment of counselling and advice provision, the treatment of minor and major illness, and the assessment of the public health activities of pharmacy and drug store staff. Simulated patient methodology has been used in developing countries to a similar, if not greater extent, than the developed world, demonstrating its versatility and applicability to pharmacy practice research globally. [source] Smoking during pregnancy: analysis of influencing factors using the Theory of Planned BehaviourINTERNATIONAL NURSING REVIEW, Issue 3 2010M. Ben Natan phd BEN NATAN M., VIKTORIA G. & SHAMRAI V. (2010) Smoking during pregnancy: analysis of influencing factors using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. International Nursing Review57, 388,394 Aim:, To investigate factors affecting women's intention to smoke during pregnancy. Design:, A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study, employing the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Methods:, A questionnaire that was constructed based on a literature review of research on smoking during pregnancy and on the TPB was administered to 201 Israeli female smokers aged 19,46. Descriptive, correlational and linear regression statistics were calculated. Results:, Behavioural attitudes (women's total appraisal of smoking during pregnancy), subjective norms (women's perception of the opinion of significant others regarding the specific behaviour) and perceived behavioural control (women's total appraisal of their control of the behaviour and perceived ease or difficulty of quitting smoking during pregnancy) were found to predict women's intention to smoke during pregnancy. Conclusions:, Nursing interventions guided by the TPB constructs may help Israeli women quit smoking during pregnancy and reduce the prevalence of smoking during pregnancy. [source] Behavioural phenotype in Börjeson-Forssman-Lehmann syndromeJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 4 2009C. F. De Winter Abstract Background Börjeson-Forssman-Lehmann syndrome (BFLs) is an X-linked inherited disorder characterised by unusual facial features, abnormal fat distribution and intellectual disability. As many genetically determined disorders are characterised not only by physical features but also by specific behaviour, we studied whether a specific behavioural phenotype exists in BFLs. Methods We studied in detail the behaviour of four molecularly proven BFLs patients, and reviewed available literature on BFLs specifically for behavioural characteristics. Results Behaviour in persons with BFLs is in general friendly, but can be challenging with externalising and thrill-seeking features. Social skills are good. However, variation among patients is wide. Three patients from a single family showed expressed hypersexual behaviour. This was not present in other patients. Conclusion In BFLs a specific behavioural phenotype exists and in behaviour general is challenging besides a friendly habit. Within single families more problematic behaviour may occur. Further behavioural and molecular analysis of a larger group of patients is warranted to determine whether a genotype-behavioural phenotype correlation exists. [source] Oral and general health behaviours among Chinese urban adolescentsCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Poul Erik Petersen Abstract,,, Objectives:, The objectives of this study were to measure the association of general and oral health-related behaviours with living conditions and to explore the interrelationships between general and oral health-related behaviours in Chinese urban adolescents. Methods:, A cross-sectional survey of 2662 adolescents was conducted in eight Chinese provincial capitals. The response rate was 92%. The study population was selected through multistage cluster sampling and comprised three age groups: 11, 13 and 15 years. Data on oral and general health, lifestyles as well as living conditions were collected by means of self-administered structured questionnaires. Several additive indices were constructed from answers to the questions on specific behaviour, and participants were categorized according to scores on each component of health-related behaviour for statistical analyses by frequency distributions, regression analyses and factor analyses. Results:, Oral health-related behaviours among adolescents were associated with socioeconomic status of parents, school performance and peer relationships. The odds of a dental visit was 0.63 in adolescents of poorly educated parents and the corresponding figure for regular oral hygiene practices was 0.62. Odds of tobacco use was 3 for adolescents with poor performance in school while odds of consuming sugary foods/drinks was 1.3. Adolescents with high levels of preventive oral health practices also demonstrated general health-promoting behaviours. In factor analysis of general and oral health-related behaviours, three factors were isolated: (a) risk behaviours (loadings 0.48,0.66), (b) health-promoting behaviours (loadings 0.60,0.64) and (c) help-seeking behaviours (loadings 0.56,0.67). Conclusion:, The findings support a multidimensional model of health behaviour. Several approaches and multiple methods should be applied in oral health education in order to modify behaviours that affect oral health. [source] Cortico-cortical connectivity of the human mid-dorsolateral frontal cortex and its modulation by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulationEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 8 2001Abstract Modulation of cortico-cortical connectivity in specific neural circuits might underlie some of the behavioural effects observed following repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the human frontal cortex. This possibility was tested by applying rTMS to the left mid-dorsolateral frontal cortex (MDL-FC) and subsequently measuring functional connectivity of this region with positron emission tomography (PET) and TMS. The results showed a strong rTMS-related modulation of brain activity in the fronto-cingulate circuit. These results were confirmed in a parallel experiment in the rat using electrical stimulation and field-potential recordings. Future studies are needed to provide a direct link between the rTMS-induced modulation of cortical connectivity and its effects on specific behaviours. [source] A review of host finding behaviour in the parasitic sea louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Caligidae: Copepoda)JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES, Issue 1 2009A J Mordue (Luntz) Abstract Ectoparasitic sea lice are the most important parasite problem to date for the salmon farming industry in the northern and southern hemispheres. An understanding of host location in the specialist species, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, the most important louse species in the North Atlantic, is now being realized using behavioural in vitro and in vivo bioassays coupled with chemical analysis of fish conditioned waters. Both physical and chemical cues are important in host location. Responses of sea lice to physical cues such as light and salinity may enable them to gather in areas where host fish are likely to be found. Mechanoreception is an important sensory modality in host location and acts by switching on specific behaviours that enable landing on a fish. Chemoreception plays a defining role in host location and recognition. The detection of host kairomones switches on ,host search' behavioural patterns and also induces landing responses whereas non-host kairomones fail to induce attraction or significant landing behaviour. Semiochemicals derived from salmon and also non-host fish have been identified, and may prove useful for the development of integrated pest management strategies, by the introduction of odour traps for monitoring lice numbers, and by the use of stimulo-deterrent diversionary (push:pull) strategies in their control. [source] From marine ecology to crime analysis: Improving the detection of serial sexual offences using a taxonomic similarity measureJOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND OFFENDER PROFILING, Issue 1 2007Jessica Woodhams Abstract Jaccard has been the choice similarity metric in ecology and forensic psychology for comparison of sites or offences, by species or behaviour. This paper applies a more powerful hierarchical measure,taxonomic similarity (,s), recently developed in marine ecology,to the task of behaviourally linking serial crime. Forensic case linkage attempts to identify behaviourally similar offences committed by the same unknown perpetrator (called linked offences). ,s considers progressively higher-level taxa, such that two sites show some similarity even without shared species. We apply this index by analysing 55 specific offence behaviours classified hierarchically. The behaviours are taken from 16 sexual offences by seven juveniles where each offender committed two or more offences. We demonstrate that both Jaccard and ,s show linked offences to be significantly more similar than unlinked offences. With up to 20% of the specific behaviours removed in simulations, ,s is equally or more effective at distinguishing linked offences than where Jaccard uses a full data set. Moreover, ,s retains significant difference between linked and unlinked pairs, with up to 50% of the specific behaviours removed. As police decision-making often depends upon incomplete data, ,s has clear advantages and its application may extend to other crime types. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Scope of Criminal Law and Criminal Sanctions: An Economic View and Policy ImplicationsJOURNAL OF LAW AND SOCIETY, Issue 3 2008Roger Bowles This paper considers why some harm-generating activities are controlled by criminal law and criminal sanctions while others are subject to some other mechanism such as civil law, administrative law, regulation or the tax system. It looks at the question from the perspective of the law and economics approach. We seek to identify the comparative benefits of using the criminal law relative to other enforcement mechanisms and , more broadly , why certain specific behaviours are criminalized. The paper argues that an economic approach emphasizing the relative merits of alternative legal instruments for bringing about harm reduction can provide an explanation for a number of recent legal developments. It argues also that the willingness of legislators to combine the use of sanctions traditionally used in one area of the law with sanctions from other areas is more readily explicable in economic terms than in other terms. [source] Sexual Differentiation of Behaviour in Monkeys: Role of Prenatal HormonesJOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 4 2009K. Wallen The theoretical debate over the relative contributions of nature and nurture to the sexual differentiation of behaviour has increasingly moved towards an interactionist explanation that requires both influences. In practice, however, nature and nurture have often been seen as separable, influencing human clinical sex assignment decisions, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Decisions about the sex assignment of children born with intersex conditions have been based almost exclusively on the appearance of the genitals and how other's reactions to the gender role of the assigned sex affect individual gender socialisation. Effects of the social environment and gender expectations in human cultures are ubiquitous, overshadowing the potential underlying biological contributions in favour of the more observable social influences. Recent work in nonhuman primates showing behavioural sex differences paralleling human sex differences, including toy preferences, suggests that less easily observed biological factors also influence behavioural sexual differentiation in both monkeys and humans. We review research, including Robert W. Goy's pioneering work with rhesus monkeys, which manipulated prenatal hormones at different gestation times and demonstrated that genital anatomy and specific behaviours are independently sexually differentiated. Such studies demonstrate that, for a variety of behaviours, including juvenile mounting and rough play, individuals can have the genitals of one sex but show the behaviour more typical of the other sex. We describe another case, infant distress vocalisations, where maternal responsiveness is best accounted for by the mother's response to the genital appearance of her offspring. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that sexual differentiation arises from complex interactions where anatomical and behavioural biases, produced by hormonal and other biological processes, are shaped by social experience into the behavioural sex differences that distinguish males and females. [source] Conservation of the Eurasian beaver Castor fiber: an olfactory perspectiveMAMMAL REVIEW, Issue 4 2010Róisín CAMPBELL-PALMER ABSTRACT 1Chemical communication in mammals includes an array of specific behaviours that are often ignored in terms of their potential relevance to conservation. Often used during territorial or social interactions between animals, chemical communication can also be used as a tool in reintroduction programmes. Reintroductions still exhibit high failure rates and methods to improve success should be investigated. The Eurasian beaver Castor fiber has been widely reintroduced across Europe after its near extinction in the 19th century. 2Using olfactory studies in the beaver, we aim to demonstrate how scent transfers a range of information about the sender which can be used to monitor social and territorial behaviour along with general well-being. Scent manipulation can be used to reduce human,beaver conflicts, and aid reintroduction success through reducing stress and territorial conflicts, and by influencing dispersal and settlement. 3Two species of beavers, the Eurasian beaver and the North American beaver Castor canadensis, occupy freshwater habitats throughout North America and in parts of South America, most of Europe and parts of Asia. Most of the reviewed literature concerns the wild Eurasian beaver, its chemical communication and conservation; however, captive studies and those addressing North American beavers are also included. 4Chemical communication is advanced and has been well documented in this highly territorial species. However, few studies directly link olfaction with conservation practices. 5Olfactory studies in beavers can provide non-invasive methods to monitor translocated animals and indicators of health. We conclude that chemical analysis, olfactory studies and behavioural manipulations involving semiochemicals have important impacts on conservation and can generate practical solutions to conservation problems including aiding animal capture, captive stress reduction, breeding pair formation and release site fidelity. [source] Animal colour vision , behavioural tests and physiological conceptsBIOLOGICAL REVIEWS, Issue 1 2003ALMUT KELBER ABSTRACT Over a century ago workers such as J. Lubbock and K. von Frisch developed behavioural criteria for establishing that non-human animals see colour. Many animals in most phyla have since then been shown to have colour vision. Colour is used for specific behaviours, such as phototaxis and object recognition, while other behaviours such as motion detection are colour blind. Having established the existence of colour vision, research focussed on the question of how many spectral types of photoreceptors are involved. Recently, data on photoreceptor spectral sensitivities have been combined with behavioural experiments and physiological models to study systematically the next logical question: ,what neural interactions underlie colour vision ?,This review gives an overview of the methods used to study animal colour vision, and discusses how quantitative modelling can suggest how photoreceptor signals are combined and compared to allow for the discrimination of biologically relevant stimuli. [source] What helps when it hurts: children's views on pain reliefCHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2008L. S. Franck Abstract Background Previous studies have focused on children's views of sources of pain and only secondarily explored their views on pain-relief strategies. Methods An exploratory cross-sectional descriptive design and ,draw and write' technique were used to investigate what children think helps them when they have pain. Results The sample (n = 71) was comprised of 33% boys and 67% girls, with an age range of 4,16 years (mean ± SD: 9.25 ± 3.04). Four overarching themes were derived that were common to both the texts and drawings: ,People who help', ,What I do that helps', ,What other people do that helps' and ,Things that help'. Children also described their emotional reactions to pain or pain relief. Multiple themes were represented in most of the texts and drawings. There were few differences in the themes present in the children's texts and drawings based on developmental age and no differences based on gender. Conclusions Children across the three developmental age groups view themselves as active agents in pain relief. Although less than half of the children described specific behaviours they had taken, almost all children indicated their active role as the central figure in relation to use of objects or the actions of others. [source] | ||||||||||||||||