Population genetics of Crassostrea ariakensis in Asia inferred from microsatellite markers

Crassostrea ariakensis is an important aquacultured oyster species in Asia, its native region. During the past decade, consideration was given to introducing C. ariakensis into Chesapeake Bay, in the United States, to help revive the declining native oyster industry and bolster the local ecosystem. Little is known about the ecology and biology of this species in Asia due to confusion with nomenclature and difficulty in accurately identifying the species of wild populations in their natural environment. Even less research has been done on the population genetics of native populations of C. ariakensis in Asia. We examined the magnitude and pattern of genetic differentiation among 10 wild populations of C. ariakensis from its confirmed distribution range using eight polymorphic microsatellite markers. Results showed a small but significant global theta (ST) (0.018), indicating genetic heterogeneity among populations. Eight genetically distinct populations were further distinguished based on population pairwise theta (ST) comparisons, including one in Japan, four in China, and three populations along the coast of South Korea. A significant positive association was detected between genetic and geographic distances among populations, suggesting a genetic pattern of isolation by distance. This research represents a novel observation on wild genetic population structuring in a coastal bivalve species along the coast of the northwest Pacific.

皱纹盘鲍的遗传育种与养殖技术研究

优良的种质是产业发展的重要保证，品种更新和养殖技术的发展已经给世界农业带来了令人瞩目的成就，然而我国水产生物的育种工作刚处于起步阶段，而育种技术的研究则更是滞后。借鉴陆生生物中发展起来的相对成熟的研究方法，可以帮助加快海洋生物遗传育种相关研究的进度。本研究以我国北方海区重要的海洋经济动物－皱纹盘鲍为研究对象，从表型遗传、数量性状遗传等2个方面开展了皱纹盘鲍的遗传育种研究，同时从幼鲍培育密度与分选效应等方面研究了皱纹盘鲍的中间培育技术。 主要结果如下： 1. 皱纹盘鲍的贝壳颜色遗传、食物对贝壳颜色表现型的影响，贝壳颜色与生长速度间的关系 将贝壳颜色为橘红色（O表型）的突变型皱纹盘鲍与贝壳颜色为绿色（G表型）的野生型皱纹盘鲍进行了连续2代的交配实验。结果表明：皱纹盘鲍橘红色的贝壳颜色相对于绿色的贝壳颜色为隐性性状，皱纹盘鲍的贝壳颜色表型受单位点、2个等位基因遗传控制，其中基因型为oo的个体，贝壳颜色的表现型为橘红色（O表型），而基因型为GG或Go的个体，贝壳颜色的表现型为野生型（G表型）。 为探讨食物类型对不同基因型皱纹盘鲍贝壳颜色表现型的影响，对不同贝壳颜色表型的个体投喂不同种类的食物，结果表明，除遗传因素外，皱纹盘鲍的贝壳颜色表现型显著地受食物类型的调控。其中oo基因型的个体，在摄食底栖硅藻（Navicula sp.）和红藻时，贝壳颜色的表型为橘红色；而在摄食褐藻、绿藻和以海带粉为唯一海藻源的人工配合饵料时，贝壳颜色的表型为黄色。GG和Go基因型的个体，在摄食底栖硅藻、红藻时，贝壳颜色的表型为褐红色；在摄食褐藻、绿藻和以海带粉为唯一海藻源的人工配合饵料时，贝壳颜色的表型为绿色。该结果表明，相同基因型的皱纹盘鲍在摄食不同类型的食物时，贝壳表现型不同，即不同类型的食物可以导致2种基因型皱纹盘鲍的贝壳颜色表现型在一定范围内发生转换：oo基因型的个体，贝壳的颜色可以表现为橘红色或者黄色，不会出现野生型皱纹盘鲍的褐红色或绿色；而GG与Go基因型的个体，相应的贝壳颜色表型只能是褐红色或者绿色，不会出现oo基因型可能表现的橘红色或黄色。特定基因型的皱纹盘鲍，在摄食特定类型的食物时贝壳的相应部位可表现出特定的颜色。皱纹盘鲍的这种“食物－贝壳颜色”的相关性可作为一种形态标记，用于标识皱纹盘鲍的个体和群体，该标记技术可用于皱纹盘鲍的养殖技术和遗传学研究。 此外，选用了贝壳颜色遗传学实验中建立的贝壳颜色发生分离的家系为实验材料，以壳长为指标，分析比较了来自相同家系的O表型与G表型个体之间的生长速度。结果表明，在幼鲍发育至412天止的3-5个统计时段内，没有在同一家系来源的2种贝壳颜色表型个体之间检验到生长速度的显著差异。 2. 皱纹盘鲍不同选育群体及杂交群体的贝壳形态参数分析 在皱纹盘鲍的7个群体中（包括已经对生长速度为指标进行了多代人工选育的群体4个、野生群体之间直接杂交繁育的杂交F1群体3个），测量了4-6龄成体样本的壳长（L）、壳宽（W）、壳高（H）和壳重（Sw），并计算了L/（L+W+H）、W/（L+W+H）、H/（L+W+H）和Sw/（L×W×H）等4个壳形态学参数。用方差分析方法（MANOVA、ANOVA）统计并比较了这些壳形态参数在皱纹盘鲍群体间的遗传变异。结果表明，4个壳形态参数在不同群体间变异系数分别为0.34、0.74、2.62和6.54，其中，H/（L+W+H）与Sw/（L×W×H）在各供试群体间均具有较高的多态性且差异达显著水平，表明这2个参数在不同群体间存在较高的遗传变异。由于在活体情况下无法测量壳重（Sw）性状，建议以参数H/（L+W+H）为指标对皱纹盘鲍贝壳形态（如壳型）等进行人工选择。 3. 皱纹盘鲍成体阶段生长性状的遗传参数估计 采用巢式设计，分析了成体阶段不同发育期皱纹盘鲍的壳长与生长速率的遗传力、不同发育期的壳长性状之间的遗传相关、以及不同发育期的生长速率之间的遗传相关，结果表明：（1）壳长遗传力在受精后第70 、130、320、320、380、490与550天的雄性组分估计值分别为0.161 ± 0.075、0.312 ± 0.131、0.326 ± 0.331、0.135 ± 0.228、0.153 ± 0.185和0.180 ± 0.106；雌亲组分估计分别为0.312 ± 0.172、0.699 ± 0.168、0.695 ± 0.168、0.977 ± 0.407、0.427 ± 0.195和0.449 ± 0.027。（2）生长速率遗传力在受精后第320~380天、490 ~ 550天，雄、雌组分估计值分别为0.080 ± 0.120（雄）、 0.210 ± 0.191（雌）以及0.299 ± 0.146（雄）、0.306± 0.148（雌）。雌亲组分的壳长遗传力和生长速率遗传力估计值较大且均达显著水平，表明皱纹盘鲍在成体阶段依然受母性效应的影响。成体阶段生长性状遗传力水平的估计对制定科学的皱纹盘鲍育种方案有指导意义。（3）雄亲组分估计的不同发育期（第390 ~ 550天）壳长间遗传相关为0.597 ~ 1.000，雌亲组分估计为0.589 ~ 1.177。由雄亲、雌亲组分估计，受精后第320~380天与第490 ~ 550天两个发育阶段生长速率间遗传相关均接近于0。雌亲组分估计不同发育期壳长间遗传相关均达显著水平（t0.05, d.f.=13 = 4.33 ~ 11.69，P<0.01），表明壳长性状早期选择有效，即在皱纹盘鲍早期阶段依据壳长性状对个体进行择优或去劣可在后期阶段获得壳长较大的个体。由于使用的雄亲数目少（8个父系半同胞），实验中以雄亲组分估计的遗传参数误差较大。 4. 皱纹盘鲍选育系间的群体杂交 进行了皱纹盘鲍4个人工选育系之间的完全双列杂交实验，以群体交配的方式共建立了16个组合；此外，以大连“98”选群与汕头“S”选群为亲本，以群体交配的方式建立了4个交配组合。对不同方向的杂交组合进行了中亲杂种优势、超亲杂种优势以及配合力等方面的评价。 （1）测量了4个选育群体（R、97、S和J）及其各杂交组合在受精后第9、20和30天时的壳长，统计分析了不同选育系间壳长性状的差异、评价了不同方向杂交组合的中亲与超亲杂种优势、以及配合力。结果如下： 选育系群体内交配繁育的4个组合，在受精后第9、20和30天的壳长均有显著差异，其中，97  97组合在早期发育各阶段均为最小，分别为0.462 ± 0.023mm、0.698 ± 0.057mm和1.476 ± 0.234mm；S  S组合的3次测量值均为最大，分别为0.522 ± 0.023mm、0.824 ± 0.084mm和1.798 ± 0.229mm。 两个方向杂交组合与选育系亲本群体内交配组合的平均值和高亲值比较，得到如下结果：（A）受精后第9天壳长表现正向中亲杂种优势的组合有6个、表现负向中亲杂种优势的组合6个，其中J  97组合的中亲优势率最高，为9.05%；R  S组合最低，为-6.61%。正向高亲杂种优势组合有4个、负向高亲杂种优势组合有8个，其中S  J组合的高亲优势率最高，为5.77%；R  S组合最低，为-7.96%。（B）受精后第20天壳长表现正向中亲杂种优势的组合有7个、表现负向中亲杂种优势的组合5个，其中J  97组合的中亲优势率最高，为12.60%；J  R组合最低，为-8.72%。正向高亲杂种优势组合有3个、负向高亲杂种优势组合有11个，其中J  97组合的高亲优势率最高，为12.20%；J  R组合最低，为-12.67%。（C）受精后第30天壳长表现正向中亲杂种优势的组合有7个、负向中亲杂种优势的组合5个，其中97  S组合的中亲优势率最高，为24.08%；S  97组合最低，为-12.69%。正向高亲杂种优势组合有6个、负向高亲杂种优势组合有6个，其中97  S组合的高亲优势率最高，为15.95%；S  J组合最低，为-19.44%。上述结果表明，皱纹盘鲍不同选育系之间的交配组合，杂种优势率差异很大，因此，通过组配实验，将杂种优势率高的交配组合选择出来应用于生产，可望显著提高目标性状的产量。 对早期发育阶段各生长期壳长性状，亲本一般配合力（GCA）、各杂交组合间特殊配合力（SCA）以及正反交（REC）效应值进行方差分析，结果表明：各亲本GCA差异显著，说明各选育群体存在显著的遗传差异，其中汕头选群“S”在测量的各个生长期均为正值且显著大于其它各亲本；特殊配合力（SCA）以及正反交（REC）效应值较大在各杂交组合间存在显著差异，说明在早期生长发育阶段非加性遗传效应（显性和上位效应）占主导地位。综合各个生长期亲本GCA和杂交组特殊配合力（SCA）以及正反交（REC）效应值，杂交组合97×S在早期生长阶段不仅有较高SCA值而且两个亲本也具有较大的GCA值，表明选育系97和S较适宜作为杂交亲本使用。 （2）大连“98”选群与汕头“S”选群进行2×2因子设计的群体杂交实验，比较了各交配组合早期存活相关性状如受精率、孵化率、变态率以及壳长性状，评价了两个方向杂交组合平均以及不同方向杂交组合的中亲杂种优势率。结果表明早期发育阶段各组合间的受精率无显著差异，而孵化率、变态率等两个杂交方向平均的中亲杂种优势率为5.49%与12.53%，高于壳长性状的优势率（0.936-1.534%）。方差分析结果表明不同方向的杂交组合在早期发育阶段存活相关性状以及壳长性状存在显著差异。孵化率、变态率性状，S×98的中亲杂种优势率分别为13.21%与21.10%，均高于98×S的-3.84%与3.85%；而第10和25d壳长性状，S×98的中亲杂种优势率为1.14%与-2.52%，低于98×S的1.93%与4.41%。 为进一步评价“98”选群与“S”选群不同交配组合在不同温度条件下的生长，进行了基因型与环境的互作研究。从“98”选群与“S”选群的4个交配组合中分别取5月龄幼鲍100头，各组合随机分成3组，每组1个重复，分别于12°C、16°C和 22°C温度条件下进行培育，比较各交配组合基因型与温度对幼鲍生长的影响。不同温度条件下，各组合壳长生长的方差分析结果表明，基因型和温度都能够对幼鲍生长以及最终壳长产生极显著的影响（P < 0. 01），它们的交互作用也达到显著水平（P < 0.05）。杂交子代的幼鲍壳长在12°C、16°C和 22°C温度条件下均表现出杂种优势，双向杂交的中亲杂种优势率分别为5.32%、5.55%和0.03%，表明低温条件（12°C），比高温条件（22°C）下有更强的杂种优势。汕头“S”选群的早期孵化率、变态率、生长性状以及低温条件下幼鲍生长性状的单亲杂种优势率分别为16.64%、42.49%、3.42~5.79%和5.73~9.15%，单亲杂种优势率较大，表明可通过杂交手段，显著地改良汕头“S”选群在早期发育阶段的生长速度、存活率以及幼鲍期的生长性状。本研究的结果支持了Lerner（1954）杂种优势的基因与环境互作学说。 5. 皱纹盘鲍幼鲍的中间培育技术研究 （1）对南方越冬方式的评价 目前，每年的11月前后，将6-7月龄幼鲍运往南方的闽东、闽中、闽南沿海越冬，翌年4月至6月再运回到北方（大连、山东半岛）的养殖模式已经普遍应用于皱纹盘鲍的实际生产，为评价南方越冬的幼鲍培育方式，本研究分别以不同幼鲍材料在闽东三都海湾进行了越冬培育实验。 选择生产上壳长分别为18.37 ± 1.28 mm、15.89 ± 1.10 mm、14.55 ± 1.10 mm与10.59 ± 0.84 mm的幼鲍进行了为期6.5个月的越冬培育，实验结束时，存活率分别为95.56 ± 2.21%、90.55 ± 1.96%、83.97 ± 1.63%与63.30 ± 2.79%。回归分析表明，供试幼鲍在实验起始时的壳长与越冬阶段的存活率成正相关（P = 0.018 < 0.05）。该结果表明，提高幼鲍的规格可显著提高皱纹盘鲍的越冬成活率，因此对于实际生产而言，采取适当措施提高皱纹盘鲍越冬苗种的规格将大幅增加生产的收益，而采用生长速率快的品种、品系或提早采苗均可实现该目标。综合各规格组幼鲍，幼鲍在南方开放性水域进行越冬培育的平均存活率较高，可达到91.38±0.01%，从幼鲍南方越冬的存活曲线可以看出，幼鲍的死亡主要集中在从大连运至福建某地后的15天内，出现死亡高峰的原因可能是由于运输过程的胁迫。此外，2月及4月中下旬水温出现显著降低或回升时也有较明显的死亡出现。该部分结果，对皱纹盘鲍幼鲍的养成管理有指导意义，可以通过合理安排越冬时间、避开死亡的敏感期等措施减少苗种越冬阶段的死亡量。 以中国大连野生群体繁育的子一代为亲本（10♀，10♂），以群体交配的方式繁育F2代个体为实验材料，分别于南方海区以及北方室内升温水方式下进行生长、存活比较，结果表明南方越冬培育方式下，幼鲍壳长的日增长率为81.37-108.89 µm•day-1，与北方室内升温培育条件相比，壳长生长提高了1.08 ~ 1.68倍；而存活率无显著差异。皱纹盘鲍幼鲍南方越冬方式的优势主要体现在鲍鱼幼鲍的生长速度加快，同时节约养殖场的能耗 （2）幼鲍培育过程中的养殖密度与分选效应评价 以3种规格皱纹盘鲍幼鲍为材料比较幼鲍在4个培育密度以及分选或混养条件下壳长的平均日生长及特定生长率。在南方越冬培育方式下实验进行106天，多因素方差分析结果表明实验初始幼鲍的壳长以及培育密度对壳长的生长有显著影响，而且密度效应在不同幼鲍起始规格组中有不同表现；分选没有能够提高不同规格组的生长。本研究的结果对皱纹盘鲍幼鲍的越冬培育有一定的指导作用。

长牡蛎可存活四倍体的诱发机制和异源三倍体的诱发

采用乙酸地衣红染色技术（Acetic orcein staining technique）较系统地研究了长牡蛎 Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg)三倍体产生的卵子在受精且第一极体释放受抑制后的减数分裂过及染色体的分离行为以阐明可存活四倍体的产生体的机制。用浓度为0.5 mg/L的细胞松驰素B （CB）处理受卵以抑制其第一极体的释放。在观察到个别受精卵出现第一极体时开始CB处理，持续至对照组中50％的受精卵出现的第一极体。对处理组和对照组的受精卵从受精后隔5分钟取样一次，用卡诺氏液（Carnoy's fixative, 冰醋酸和甲醇按1：3的体积比充分混合）固家样品。采用0.5%的乙酸－地衣红染料进行受精卵的染色，而后压片观察受精卵染色体行为。长牡蛎三倍体产生的卵子，中期I同源染色体构型呈现单价体（Univalents）,二价体（Bivalents）、三价体（Trivalents）以及大于三价体的多价体（Multivalents）混合出更的特征。在第一极体释放受抑制的受精卵的第二次减数分裂过程中，可确认四种染色体分离类型：三极分离（Tripolar segregation） (54.5%)、联合二极分离（United bipolar segregation） (12%)、独立二级分离（Incomplete united bipolar segregation）(4%)。其余卵子的染色体分离行为（23％）不规律，呈现不同程度的紊乱，但总体看来介于上述四种分离类型之间。此外，某些特定的独立二级也可能是四位体形成的最主要的细胞遗传学体制。此外，某些特定的独立二极分离也可能产生四倍体。轻细胞体驰素B 处理的受精卵的减数分裂过程具有显著的不同步性，表现在三个方面：第一，在两个重复组之间，即两个雌体之间，存在第二次减数分裂的时间进程的不同步性；第二，同一个雌体产生的卵子之间的发育速度不同步性，表现为不同的卵子进入第一次减数分裂的时间不同；第三，同一卵子内的染色体之间，其行为有时存在的不同步性。另外，探讨了中心类在支配第二减数分裂时各种染色体分离行为的可能机制。以长牡蛎二倍体与近江牡蛎二倍体的染交作为对照，探讨了能长牡蛎四倍体与近江牡蛎二倍体杂并诱导异源三倍体的可行性。长牡蛎Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg)四倍体和二倍体与近江牡蛎Crassostrea rivularis (Gould)二倍体的杂交以及相应的对照组共进行了三批重复实验，杂交实验采用高密度的精子。研究结果表明，自交组平均受精率依次为94％（GG）、77％ （RR）,88% （G／GG）和85％ （GG／G）。双方差分析（ANOVA）表明，各自交组之间受精率没有显著差异（F＝3.118, P=0.132）。在杂交组，直接授精后180分钟，尚未观察到受精迹象，因而无法估计受精率。授精后48小时的孵化率各组之间差异很大，并经双方差分析（ANOVA）表明存在显著性差异，（F＝3.188, P=0.018）。其中GGR和RGG组的孵化率相近似，产生的幼虫数量明显少于对照组。在四种类型的杂交实验中，二倍体C. gigas (雌体) ＊ 二倍体 C. rivularis (雌体)（ＧＲ）早最成功的。虽基ＧＲ组幼虫的生长率低于对照组，但其存活率接近于对照组。长牡蛎四倍体与近江牡蛎二倍体杂交组（GR），在授精后两天的孵化率较低，但幼虫的生长状况与对照组接近。另外两个杂交组，即近江牡蛎二倍体与长牡蛎四倍体（RGG），二倍体近江牡蛎江与二倍体长牡蛎（RG），授精后两天的孵化率很低，幼虫生长得缓慢。三个重复组的GR杂交组和一个重复组的GGR杂交组获得稚贝。聚合酶链式反应／限制性酶切片段长度的多态性（PCR／PFLP）检支分析结果证实这些稚贝均是杂交种；流式细胞术分析结果证明GGR获得的稚贝是三倍体，从而证明获得了长牡蛎与近江牡蛎的异源三倍体。有迹象表明三倍体与二倍体杂交种之间（GGR对GR）存在生长上的差异。首先，GGR的眼点幼虫大约比GR组早出现5－7天即仅次于对照组GG，G／GG，和GG／G；第二，尽管仅获得少量GGR幼贝，这些幼贝在授精后90天的大小显著大于GR组的个体。在RGG和RG组中，幼虫没能存活到眼点幼点阶段。细胞学检查结果表明，杂交组的绝大多数卵子发育停滞在第一次减数分裂中期（Metaphase I）,这一过程至少持续到授精后180分钟。仅有2％的GGR 组的卵子在授精后180分钟进入第一次减数分裂后期）（Anaphase I）. 而在此时期，GR，RGG和RG组的卵子中，仍只观察到10第二价体（Bivalents）.

不同土壤水分含量下高寒草地CH4释放的比较研究

2003年6月30日～9月4日,利用密闭箱-气相色谱法,对发育于不同水分状况下的灌丛草甸(GC)、矮嵩草草甸(AC)、藏嵩草草甸(ZC)和季节性湿地(SD)的CH4释放速率进行了比较研究.结果表明,观测期间,季节性湿地处于淹水状态,其它三种土壤平均水分含量分别为39.6%(GC)、38.4%(AC)、65.9%(ZC),而CH4平均释放速率分别为-0.031±0.030(GC)、-0.026±0.018(AC)、1.103±0.240(ZC)和6.922±4.598 mg•m-2•h-1(SD),随着土壤水分含量的增加,高寒草地土壤CH4释放由吸收转为排放,表现出与土壤湿度很好的一致性.矮嵩草草甸不同处理CH4吸收强度AC＜AJ＜AL,它们之间的差异除与土壤水分有关,还可能与处理引起的CH4传输途径不同有关.实验期间,矮嵩草草甸和灌丛草甸土壤-植物系统分别吸收CH438.69和46.13 mg•m-2,是大气温室气体CH4的弱汇,藏嵩草草甸和季节性湿地则是大气温室气体CH4的源,分别排放CH4 1.641和10.30 g•m-2.

The Role of Programming in the Formulation of Ideas

Classical mechanics is deceptively simple. It is surprisingly easy to get the right answer with fallacious reasoning or without real understanding. To address this problem we use computational techniques to communicate a deeper understanding of Classical Mechanics. Computational algorithms are used to express the methods used in the analysis of dynamical phenomena. Expressing the methods in a computer language forces them to be unambiguous and computationally effective. The task of formulating a method as a computer-executable program and debugging that program is a powerful exercise in the learning process. Also, once formalized procedurally, a mathematical idea becomes a tool that can be used directly to compute results.

The use of transvaginal synthetic mesh for anterior vaginal wall prolapse repair: a randomized controlled trial

The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of transvaginal trocar-guided polypropylene mesh insertion with traditional colporrhaphy for treatment of anterior vaginal wall prolapse.This is a randomized controlled trial in which women with advanced anterior vaginal wall prolapse, at least stage II with Ba a parts per thousand yenaEuro parts per thousand+1 cm according to the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) classification, were randomly assigned to have either anterior colporrhaphy (n = 39) or repair using trocar-guided transvaginal mesh (n = 40). the primary outcome was objective cure rate of the anterior compartment (point Ba) assessed at the 12-month follow-up visit, with stages 0 and I defined as anatomical success. Secondary outcomes included quantification of other vaginal compartments (POP-Q points), comparison of quality of life by the prolapse quality of life (P-QOL) questionnaire, and complication rate between the groups after 1 year. Study power was fixed as 80 % with 5 % cutoff point (p < 0.05) for statistical significance.The groups were similar regarding demographic and clinical preoperative parameters. Anatomical success rates for colporrhaphy and repair with mesh placement groups were 56.4 vs 82.5 % (95 % confidence interval 0.068-0.54), respectively, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (p = 0.018). Similar total complication rates were observed in both groups, with tape exposure observed in 5 % of the patients. There was a significant improvement in all P-QOL domains as a result of both procedures (p < 0.001), but they were not distinct between groups (p > 0.05).Trocar-guided transvaginal synthetic mesh for advanced anterior POP repair is associated with a higher anatomical success rate for the anterior compartment compared with traditional colporrhaphy. Quality of life equally improved after both techniques. However, the trial failed to detect differences in P-QOL scores and complication rates between the groups.

Reflective writing: The student nurse's perspective on reflective writing and poetry writing.

Summary Background Reflective writing is a mandatory part of nurse education but how students develop their skills and use reflection as part of their experiential learning remains relatively unknown. Understanding reflective writing in all forms from the perspective of a student nurse is therefore important. Objectives To explore the use of reflective writing and the use of poetry in pre-registered nursing students. Design A qualitative design was employed to explore reflective writing in pre-registered nursing students. Setting A small university in Scotland. Participants BSc (Hons) Adult and Mental Health Pre-registration Student Nurses. Methods Two focus groups were conducted with 10 student nurses during March 2012. Data was analysed thematically using the framework of McCarthy (1999). Results Students found the process of reflective writing daunting but valued it over time. Current educational methods, such as assessing reflective accounts, often lead to the ‘narrative’ being watered down and the student feeling judged. Despite this, reflection made students feel responsible for their own learning and research on the topic. Some students felt the use of models of reflection constricting, whilst poetry freed up their expression allowing them to demonstrate the compassion for their patient under their care. Conclusions Poetry writing gives students the opportunity for freedom of expression, personal satisfaction and a closer connection with their patients, which the more formal approach to reflective writing did not offer. There is a need for students to have a safe and supportive forum in which to express and have their experiences acknowledged without the fear of being judged.

Algorithmic derivation of isochronicity conditions

Hill, Joe M., Lloyd, Noel G., Pearson, Jane M., 'Algorithmic derivation of isochronicity conditions', Nonlinear Analysis (2007) 67, 52-69.

Estudo da prevalência da discrepância anterior de Bolton numa população ortodôntica portuguesa

Projeto de Pós-Graduação/Dissertação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Medicina Dentária

A General Theory of Semi-Unification

Various restrictions on the terms allowed for substitution give rise to different cases of semi-unification. Semi-unification on finite and regular terms has already been considered in the literature. We introduce a general case of semi-unification where substitutions are allowed on non-regular terms, and we prove the equivalence of this general case to a well-known undecidable data base dependency problem, thus establishing the undecidability of general semi-unification. We present a unified way of looking at the various problems of semi-unification. We give some properties that are common to all the cases of semi-unification. We also the principality property and the solution set for those problems. We prove that semi-unification on general terms has the principality property. Finally, we present a recursive inseparability result between semi-unification on regular terms and semi-unification on general terms.

Segmenting Foreground Objects from a Dynamic Textured Background via a Robust Kalman Filter

The algorithm presented in this paper aims to segment the foreground objects in video (e.g., people) given time-varying, textured backgrounds. Examples of time-varying backgrounds include waves on water, clouds moving, trees waving in the wind, automobile traffic, moving crowds, escalators, etc. We have developed a novel foreground-background segmentation algorithm that explicitly accounts for the non-stationary nature and clutter-like appearance of many dynamic textures. The dynamic texture is modeled by an Autoregressive Moving Average Model (ARMA). A robust Kalman filter algorithm iteratively estimates the intrinsic appearance of the dynamic texture, as well as the regions of the foreground objects. Preliminary experiments with this method have demonstrated promising results.

Deterministic Computations Whose History Is Independent of the Order of Asynchronous Updating

Consider a network of processors (sites) in which each site x has a finite set N(x) of neighbors. There is a transition function f that for each site x computes the next state ξ(x) from the states in N(x). But these transitions (updates) are applied in arbitrary order, one or many at a time. If the state of site x at time t is η(x; t) then let us define the sequence ζ(x; 0); ζ(x; 1), ... by taking the sequence η(x; 0),η(x; 1), ... , and deleting each repetition, i.e. each element equal to the preceding one. The function f is said to have invariant histories if the sequence ζ(x; i), (while it lasts, in case it is finite) depends only on the initial configuration, not on the order of updates. This paper shows that though the invariant history property is typically undecidable, there is a useful simple sufficient condition, called commutativity: For any configuration, for any pair x; y of neighbors, if the updating would change both ξ(x) and ξ(y) then the result of updating first x and then y is the same as the result of doing this in the reverse order. This fact is derivable from known results on the confluence of term-rewriting systems but the self-contained proof given here may be justifiable.

Performance Analysis of a WWW Server

This paper addresses the problem of analyzing performance of WWW servers. The web has experienced a phenomenal growth and has become the most popular Internet application. As a consequence of its large popularity, the Internet has suffered from various performance problems, such as network congestion and overloaded servers. These days, it is not uncommon to find servers refusing connections because they are overloaded. Performance has always been a key issue in the design and operation of on-line systems. With regard to Internet, performance is also critical, because users want fast and easy access to all objects (i.e., documents, pictures, audio, and video) available on the net. Thus, it is important to understand WWW performance issues. This paper focuses on the performance analysis of a Web server. Using a synthetic benchmark (WebStone), we analyze three different Web server software running on top of a Windows NT platform and performing some typical WWW tasks.

Task Assignment in a Distributed System: Improving Performance by Unbalancing Load

We consider the problem of task assignment in a distributed system (such as a distributed Web server) in which task sizes are drawn from a heavy-tailed distribution. Many task assignment algorithms are based on the heuristic that balancing the load at the server hosts will result in optimal performance. We show this conventional wisdom is less true when the task size distribution is heavy-tailed (as is the case for Web file sizes). We introduce a new task assignment policy, called Size Interval Task Assignment with Variable Load (SITA-V). SITA-V purposely operates the server hosts at different loads, and directs smaller tasks to the lighter-loaded hosts. The result is that SITA-V provably decreases the mean task slowdown by significant factors (up to 1000 or more) where the more heavy-tailed the workload, the greater the improvement factor. We evaluate the tradeoff between improvement in slowdown and increase in waiting time in a system using SITA-V, and show conditions under which SITA-V represents a particularly appealing policy. We conclude with a discussion of the use of SITA-V in a distributed Web server, and show that it is attractive because it has a simple implementation which requires no communication from the server hosts back to the task router.

STAIR: Practical AIMD Multirate Congestion Control

Existing approaches for multirate multicast congestion control are either friendly to TCP only over large time scales or introduce unfortunate side effects, such as significant control traffic, wasted bandwidth, or the need for modifications to existing routers. We advocate a layered multicast approach in which steady-state receiver reception rates emulate the classical TCP sawtooth derived from additive-increase, multiplicative decrease (AIMD) principles. Our approach introduces the concept of dynamic stair layers to simulate various rates of additive increase for receivers with heterogeneous round-trip times (RTTs), facilitated by a minimal amount of IGMP control traffic. We employ a mix of cumulative and non-cumulative layering to minimize the amount of excess bandwidth consumed by receivers operating asynchronously behind a shared bottleneck. We integrate these techniques together into a congestion control scheme called STAIR which is amenable to those multicast applications which can make effective use of arbitrary and time-varying subscription levels.