938 resultados para Effect of the pasture supplementation strategy in the growing period on performance


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We report the results of numerical studies of the impact of asymmetric femtosecond pulses focused in the bulk of the material on the femtosecond modification of fused silica. It is shown that such pulses lead to localisation of absorption in the process of femtosecond modification and to a decrease in the threshold energy of modification. It is found that the optimal asymmetry parameters for reaching the maximum plasma density in the focusing region depend on the pulse energy: at an initial energy of about 100 nJ, it is preferable to use pulses with positive TOD; however, when the energy is increased, it is preferable to use pulses with negative TOD. This is explained by differences in the dynamics of the processes of absorption of energy of a pulse propagating in the material.

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A versenyképes működés elengedhetetlen feltétele a fogyasztói elégedettség, melynek egyik meghatározó eleme az észlelt és elvárt minőség közti kapcsolat. A minőségi elvárások az internettel, mint napjaink egyik meghatározó csatornájával kapcsolatban is megfogalmazódtak már, így kapott jelentős szerepet az online szolgáltatás minőségének meghatározása, illetve ezzel összekapcsolódva az online fogyasztói elégedettségmérés. Jelen tanulmány első része szakirodalmi áttekintést nyújt az online szolgáltatás minőségének fogyasztói érzékelésével, értékelésével kapcsolatos elméletekről, melyek az online fogyasztók elégedettségmérésének alapját képezik. Ezután kerül sor a különböző mérési módszerek bemutatására, kiemelt szerepet szánva a szakirodalomban sokat tárgyalt E-S-QUAL és E-RecS-QUAL skálának. Az áttekintés középpontjában azok az elméletek állnak, melyek az online vásárlást is nyújtó honlapokra vonatkoznak. A cikk további része két empirikus kutatást tartalmaz. Az első az elégedettségmérés hazai helyzetét tárgyalja, a másik pedig a szakirodalomból ismert E-S-QUAL és E-RecS-QUAL skálákat felhasználva részletesen elemzi az elektronikus szolgáltatásminőség dimenziói és a fogyasztói elégedettség közötti fontosabb összefüggéseket, emellett röviden vizsgálja az alkalmazott skálák megbízhatóságát és érvényességét. A kutatás fő célja a gyakorlati szakemberek számára is releváns kapcsolatok feltárása és bemutatása. _______ A company’s competitiveness significantly depends on the satisfaction of its consumers, which is influenced by the relationship between the expected and perceived quality. As over the last decade internet has become a significant channel, in parallel its customers have built some expectation about the quality of different websites and online services. Therefore the marketing literature should focus on the dimensions of e-service quality (e-sq) and online-customer satisfaction. This study first resumes with different concepts of e-sq, which are the principles of the online-customer satisfaction’s measurement. Than the different e-sq measurement methods are reviewed and the dimensions of E-S-QUAL and ERecS- QUAL scales are deeply explained. The study is focusing on concepts relating to web shops. The next part of the article includes two empirical studies. The first is about the situation of satisfaction measurement at Hungarian companies. The other one analyzes the most relevant relationships between the dimension of e-sq and customer satisfaction based on the E-S-QUAL and E-RecS-QUAL scales for measuring e-sq and briefly outlines the reliability and validity of these scales. The main purpose of this empirical research is to summarise the managerial and practical implications.

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Climate change has a great impact on the build and the work of natural ecosystems. Disappearance of some population or growth of the number in some species can be already caused by little change in temperature. A Theoretical Ecosystem Growth Model was investigated in order to examine the effects of various climate patterns on the ecological equilibrium. This paper examines the diversity of a theoretical ecosystem on the grounds of changing in temperature-climate patterns. Simulations were made from the simplest case to the more complex exercise to explain harder questions. Daily temperature values were calculated according to various functions. The effect of existing climate patterns (historical or future daily temperatures) was analysed where temperature values were from various climatic zones. In this paper it is examined what kind of environmental conditions result larger diversity related to the velocity of reproduction.

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This study examined the effects of computer assisted instruction (CAI) 1 hour per week for 18 weeks on changes in computational scores and attitudes of developmental mathematics students at schools with predominantly Black enrollment. Comparisons were made between students using CAI with differing software--PLATO, CSR or both together--and students using traditional instruction (TI) only.^ This study was conducted in the Dade County Public School System from February through June 1991, at two senior high schools. The dependent variables, the State Student Assessment Test (SSAT), and the School Subjects Attitude Scales (SSAS), measured students' computational scores and attitudes toward mathematics in 3 categories: interest, usefulness, and difficulty, respectively.^ Univariate analyses of variance were performed on the least squares mean differences from pretest to posttest for testing main effects and interactions. A t-test measured significant main effects and interactions. Results were interpreted at the.01 level of significance.^ Null hypotheses 1, 2, and 3 compared versions of CAI with the control group, for changes in mathematical computation scores measured with the SSAT. It could not be concluded that changes in standardized mathematics test scores of students using CAI with differing software 1 hour per week for 18 class hours combined with TI were significantly higher than changes in test scores for students receiving TI only.^ Null hypotheses 4, 5, and 6 tested the effects of CAI for attitudes toward mathematics for experimental groups against control groups measured with the SSAS. Changes in attitudes toward mathematics of students using CAI with differing software 1 hour per week for 18 class hours combined with TI were not significantly higher than attitude changes for students receiving TI only.^ Teacher effect on students' computational scores was a more influential variable than CAI. No interaction was found between gender and learning method on standardized mathematics test scores (null hypothesis 7). ^

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The purpose of this research study was to determine if the Advanced Placement program as it is recognized by the universities in the Florida State University System (SUS) truly serves as an acceleration mechanism for those students who enter an SUS institution with passing AP scores. Despite mandates which attempt to control uniformity of policy, each public university in Florida determines which courses will be exempted and the number of credits they will grant for passing Advanced Placement courses.^ This is a descriptive study in which the AP policies of each of the SUS institutions were compared. Additionally, the college attendance and graduation data on members of a cohort of 593 Broward County high school graduates of the class of June, 1992 were compared. Approximately 28% of the cohort members entered university with passing Advanced Placement scores.^ The rate of early and on time graduation was significantly dependent on the Advanced Placement standing of the students in the cohort. Given the financial and human cost involved, it is recommended that all state universities bring their Advanced Placement policies into line with each other and implement a uniform Advanced Placement policy. It is also recommended that a follow-up study be conducted with a new cohort bound under the current 120 credit limitation for graduation. ^

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The purpose of this research was to explore the effects of a reform that took place in an elementary school during 2000/2001 as a result of a failure rating on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test on the structure and the personnel of the organization. ^ The exploration took place over a period of 10 months starting in August 2000 until June 2001. It focused on the effect of the failure rating on the: (a) structure and operation of the school; (b) morale, beliefs, behaviors, and daily lives of teachers and the principal; and (c) the effect of the reform effort on the leadership style of the principal, whether she became a transactional or a transformative leader. ^ The researcher assumed the role of a participant observer. Data sources were her personal recollections of major events that took place during the year of the reform, interviews, observations, and school documents. The sample included 15 teachers present during the time of the reform. Ten taught second through fifth grade. The remaining five participants were the music teacher, the counselor, and the writing, reading and technology specialists. Together they represented the instructional team or represented special education areas. ^ The findings indicated that the reform effort had an effect on the structure and the operation of the school. The changes included reorganization of the physical set up, changes in curriculum and instruction, changes in the means of communication among the staff, and the addition of new staff members including an official agent of change. The reform had a greater effect on the daily lives of teachers and their morale than on their beliefs and behaviors. Teachers reported that during the effort their daily lives were stressful and their morale very low due to the enormous expectations that they had to meet. On the other hand, the reform effort had a positive effect on the daily life, morale, beliefs, and behaviors of the principal. It energized her. She spoke positively about the change. She functioned as an effective, positive, resilient transactional leader who did what was necessary in order to enable the teachers to cope with the complex situation. ^

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Sexually-selected communication signals can be used by competing males to settle contests without incurring the costs of fighting. The ability to dynamically regulate the signal in a context-dependent manner can further minimize the costs of male aggressive interactions. Such is the case in the gymnotiform fish Brachyhypopomus gauderio, which, by coupling its electric organ discharge (EOD) waveform to endocrine systems with circadian, seasonal, and behavioral drivers, can regulate its signal to derive the greatest reproductive benefit. My dissertation research examined the functional role of the EOD plasticity observed in male B. gauderio and the physiological mechanisms that regulate the enhanced male EOD. To evaluate whether social competition drives the EOD changes observed during male-male interactions, I manipulated the number of males in breeding groups to create conditions that exemplified low and high competition and measured their EOD and steroid hormone levels. My results showed that social competition drives the enhancement of the EOD amplitude of male B. gauderio. In addition, changes in the EOD of males due to changes in their social environment were paralleled by changes in the levels of androgens and cortisol. I also examined the relationship between body size asymmetry, EOD waveform parameters, and aggressive physical behaviors during male-male interactions in B. gauderio, in order to understand more fully the role of EOD waveforms as reliable signals. While body size was the best determinant of dominance in male B. gauderio, EOD amplitude reliably predicted body condition, a composite of length and weight, for fish in good body condition. To further characterize the mechanisms underlying the relationship between male-male interactions and EOD plasticity, I identified the expression of the serotonin receptor 1A, a key player in the regulation of aggressive behavior, in the brains of B. gauderio. I also identified putative regulatory regions in this receptor in B. gauderio and other teleost fish, highlighting the presence of additional plasticity. In conclusion, male-male competition seems to be a strong selective driver in the evolution of the male EOD plasticity in B. gauderio via the regulatory control of steroid hormones and the serotonergic system.

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Factors associated with and barriers to participation in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the effect participation has on food security, nutrition status, disease status and quality of life was investigated in a cross-sectional study including 175 HIV infected individuals. In addition, the effect of a targeted nutrition education on nutrition knowledge, readiness to dietary behavior change, nutrition status, disease status and quality of life was also investigated among a subset of the population (N = 45) in a randomized clinical control trial. ^ SNAP participation rate was 70.3%, similar to the State of Florida and national participation rates. SNAP participation was positively and independently associated with being born in the US (P < 0.001), having monthly income less than $1000 (P = 0.006), and receiving antiretroviral treatment (P < 0.001). Participation barriers include denial of participation by program, recent incarceration, living in a shelter where participation is not allowed and unawareness of eligibility status. In regression analyses, SNAP participation was not significantly associated with improved food security, nutrition status, disease status and health related quality of life (HRQOL). Over half (56%) of the population experienced food insecurity and had inadequate intakes of half of the nutrients assessed. Illicit drug, alcohol and cigarette use were high in this population (31%, 55% and 63% respectively), and affected food security, nutrients intake, disease status and HRQOL. The nutrition education intervention resulted in a trend towards improvements nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy, and readiness to change without impacting nutrition status, disease state and quality of life. ^ Food insecurity and other nutrition related issues, with implications for treatment, management and cost of HIV disease, continue to plague infected individuals living in poverty. More resources, including food and nutrition programs, specifically targeted towards this population are needed to address these issues.^

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Sexually-selected communication signals can be used by competing males to settle contests without incurring the costs of fighting. The ability to dynamically regulate the signal in a context-dependent manner can further minimize the costs of male aggressive interactions. Such is the case in the gymnotiform fish Brachyhypopomus gauderio, which, by coupling its electric organ discharge (EOD) waveform to endocrine systems with circadian, seasonal, and behavioral drivers, can regulate its signal to derive the greatest reproductive benefit. My dissertation research examined the functional role of the EOD plasticity observed in male B. gauderio and the physiological mechanisms that regulate the enhanced male EOD. To evaluate whether social competition drives the EOD changes observed during male-male interactions, I manipulated the number of males in breeding groups to create conditions that exemplified low and high competition and measured their EOD and steroid hormone levels. My results showed that social competition drives the enhancement of the EOD amplitude of male B. gauderio. In addition, changes in the EOD of males due to changes in their social environment were paralleled by changes in the levels of androgens and cortisol. I also examined the relationship between body size asymmetry, EOD waveform parameters, and aggressive physical behaviors during male-male interactions in B. gauderio, in order to understand more fully the role of EOD waveforms as reliable signals. While body size was the best determinant of dominance in male B. gauderio, EOD amplitude reliably predicted body condition, a composite of length and weight, for fish in good body condition. To further characterize the mechanisms underlying the relationship between male-male interactions and EOD plasticity, I identified the expression of the serotonin receptor 1A, a key player in the regulation of aggressive behavior, in the brains of B. gauderio. I also identified putative regulatory regions in this receptor in B. gauderio and other teleost fish, highlighting the presence of additional plasticity. In conclusion, male-male competition seems to be a strong selective driver in the evolution of the male EOD plasticity in B. gauderio via the regulatory control of steroid hormones and the serotonergic system.

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The purpose of this research was to explore the effects of a reform that took place in an elementary school during 2000/2001 as a result of a failure rating on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test on the structure and the personnel of the organization. The exploration took place over a period of 10 months starting in August 2000 until June 2001. It focused on the effect of the failure rating on the: (a) structure and operation of the school; (b) morale, beliefs, behaviors, and daily lives of teachers and the principal; and (c) the effect of the reform effort on the leadership style of the principal, whether she became a transactional or a transformative leader. The researcher assumed the role of a participant observer. Data sources were her personal recollections of major events that took place during the year of the reform, interviews, observations, and school documents. The sample included 15 teachers present during the time of the reform. Ten taught second through fifth grade. The remaining five participants were the music teacher, the counselor, and the writing, reading and technology specialists. Together they represented the instructional team or represented special education areas. The findings indicated that the reform effort had an effect on the structure and the operation of the school. The changes included reorganization of the physical set up, changes in curriculum and instruction, changes in the means of communication among the staff, and the addition of new staff members including an official agent of change. The reform had a greater effect on the daily lives of teachers and their morale than on their beliefs and behaviors. Teachers reported that during the effort their daily lives were stressful and their morale very low due to the enormous expectations that they had to meet. On the other hand, the reform effort had a positive effect on the daily life, morale, beliefs, and behaviors of the principal. It energized her. She spoke positively about the change. She functioned as an effective, positive, resilient transactional leader who did what was necessary in order to enable the teachers to cope with the complex situation.

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The condition and quality of cultured blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) are affected by various environmental characteristics including temperature, salinity, food concentration, composition and year-to-year variability, waves, tides, and currents. Mussels are a keystone species in the ecosystem, affecting the surrounding environment through filtration, biodeposition and nutrient recycling. This study evaluated the effects of culture depth and post-harvest handling on cultured blue mussels in Newfoundland, Canada. Depth was examined over two years; three shallow water (5 m depth) and three deep water sites (15 m depth) were compared for environmental characteristics, mussel physiological stress response, growth, and biochemical composition. The area examined presented complex hydrodynamic characteristics; deep water sites appeared to be located more often near or within the pycnocline than shallow water sites. Deep water sites presented lower temperatures than shallow sites from spring to fall. Physiological stress response varied seasonally, but was unaffected by culture depth. In Year 1 shallow and deep water mussels presented similar growth, while in Year 2 deep water mussels showed better final condition. Lipid and glycogen showed seasonal variation, but no significant differences between shallow and deep water were noted. Fatty acid profiles showed a higher content of omega-3s PUFA in deep water sites at the end of Year 2. Under extreme weather conditions, deep water appeared to provide a more stable environment for mussel growth than shallow water. Harvested mussels were kept under ambient live-holding conditions for one month during the fall, winter, and spring seasons. They were compared to freshly harvested mussels for condition, biochemical profile and palatability. A progressive loss of dry tissue weight and an increase in water content were shown over the holding period during the fall and spring seasons, when compared to field controls. The biochemical analysis suggested seasonal changes; differences in triacylglycerol content were found in the spring season when compared with controls. The palatability data indicated that the panellists were unable to determine a difference between mussels kept in holding and those freshly harvested from the site. This study presents new knowledge for mussel farming, especially in terms of environmental interactions and deep water culture.

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Background - Specific language impairment (SLI) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder, observed in 5–10 % of children. Family and twin studies suggest a strong genetic component, but relatively few candidate genes have been reported to date. A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) described the first statistically significant association specifically for a SLI cohort between a missense variant (rs4280164) in the NOP9 gene and language-related phenotypes under a parent-of-origin model. Replications of these findings are particularly challenging because the availability of parental DNA is required. Methods - We used two independent family-based cohorts characterised with reading- and language-related traits: a longitudinal cohort (n = 106 informative families) including children with language and reading difficulties and a nuclear family cohort (n = 264 families) selected for dyslexia. Results - We observed association with language-related measures when modelling for parent-of-origin effects at the NOP9 locus in both cohorts: minimum P = 0.001 for phonological awareness with a paternal effect in the first cohort and minimum P = 0.0004 for irregular word reading with a maternal effect in the second cohort. Allelic and parental trends were not consistent when compared to the original study. Conclusions - A parent-of-origin effect at this locus was detected in both cohorts, albeit with different trends. These findings contribute in interpreting the original GWAS report and support further investigations of the NOP9 locus and its role in language-related traits. A systematic evaluation of parent-of-origin effects in genetic association studies has the potential to reveal novel mechanisms underlying complex traits.

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Abstract : Many individuals that had a stroke have motor impairments such as timing deficits that hinder their ability to complete daily activities like getting dressed. Robotic rehabilitation is an increasingly popular therapeutic avenue in order to improve motor recovery among this population. Yet, most studies have focused on improving the spatial aspect of movement (e.g. reaching), and not the temporal one (e.g. timing). Hence, the main aim of this study was to compare two types of robotic rehabilitation on the immediate improvement of timing accuracy: haptic guidance (HG), which consists of guiding the person to make the correct movement, and thus decreasing his or her movement errors, and error amplification (EA), which consists of increasing the person’s movement errors. The secondary objective consisted of exploring whether the side of the stroke lesion had an effect on timing accuracy following HG and EA training. Thirty-four persons that had a stroke (average age 67 ± 7 years) participated in a single training session of a timing-based task (simulated pinball-like task), where they had to activate a robot at the correct moment to successfully hit targets that were presented a random on a computer screen. Participants were randomly divided into two groups, receiving either HG or EA. During the same session, a baseline phase and a retention phase were given before and after each training, and these phases were compared in order to evaluate and compare the immediate impact of HG and EA on movement timing accuracy. The results showed that HG helped improve the immediate timing accuracy (p=0.03), but not EA (p=0.45). After comparing both trainings, HG was revealed to be superior to EA at improving timing (p=0.04). Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between the side of stroke lesion and the change in timing accuracy following EA (r[subscript pb]=0.7, p=0.001), but not HG (r[subscript pb]=0.18, p=0.24). In other words, a deterioration in timing accuracy was found for participants with a lesion in the left hemisphere that had trained with EA. On the other hand, for the participants having a right-sided stroke lesion, an improvement in timing accuracy was noted following EA. In sum, it seems that HG helps improve the immediate timing accuracy for individuals that had a stroke. Still, the side of the stroke lesion seems to play a part in the participants’ response to training. This remains to be further explored, in addition to the impact of providing more training sessions in order to assess any long-term benefits of HG or EA.

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Coral reefs worldwide are affected by increasing dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and organic carbon (DOC) concentrations due to ocean acidification (OA) and coastal eutrophication. These two stressors can occur simultaneously, particularly in near-shore reef environments with increasing anthropogenic pressure. However, experimental studies on how elevated DIC and DOC interact are scarce and fundamental to understanding potential synergistic effects and foreseeing future changes in coral reef function. Using an open mesocosm experiment, the present study investigated the impact of elevated DIC (pHNBS: 8.2 and 7.8; pCO2: 377 and 1076 μatm) and DOC (added as 833 μmol L-1 of glucose) on calcification and photosynthesis rates of two common calcifying green algae, Halimeda incrassata and Udotea flabellum, in a shallow reef environment. Our results revealed that under elevated DIC, algal photosynthesis decreased similarly for both species, but calcification was more affected in H. incrassata, which also showed carbonate dissolution rates. Elevated DOC reduced photosynthesis and calcification rates in H. incrassata, while in U. flabellum photosynthesis was unaffected and thalus calcification was severely impaired. The combined treatment showed an antagonistic effect of elevated DIC and DOC on the photosynthesis and calcification rates of H. incrassata, and an additive effect in U. flabellum. We conclude that the dominant sand dweller H. incrassata is more negatively affected by both DIC and DOC enrichments, but that their impact could be mitigated when they occur simultaneously. In contrast, U. flabellum can be less affected in coastal eutrophic waters by elevated DIC, but its contribution to reef carbonate sediment production could be further reduced. Accordingly, while the capacity of environmental eutrophication to exacerbate the impact of OA on algal-derived carbonate sand production seems to be species-specific, significant reductions can be expected under future OA scenarios, with important consequences for beach erosion and coastal sediment dynamics.

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Campylobacter is a major cause of acute bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, with the highest number of infections being attributed to Campylobacter jejuni. C. jejuni is a Gram negative, spiral, motile bacterium that belongs to the campylobacterales order and is related to both Helicobacter spp. and Wolinella sp.. It has long been established that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and other benzimidazole derivatives display anti-Helicobacter activity in vitro. PPIs have in the past been shown to affect Helicobacter pylori growth, survival, motility, morphology, adhesion/invasion potential and susceptibility to conventional antibiotics. PPIs are highly effective drugs that are well tolerated, safe for prolonged daily use and are therefore in high demand. Both the PPIs omeprazole and lansoprazole featured in the top ten drugs prescribed in England in 2014. In 2014 Campylobacter was also the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal infection in Scotland, in England and Wales and also in Europe. It has previously been generally accepted that patients who are being treated with PPIs are more susceptible to enteric infections such as Campylobacter than people not taking PPIs. The effect of PPI exposure on H. pylori has been investigated rigorously in the past. A single previous study has hinted that PPIs may also be capable of affecting the related organism C. jejuni,but investigations have been extremely limited in comparison to those investigating the effect of PPIs on H. pylori. This study has investigated the in vitro effects of direct contact with PPIs on the biology ofC. jejuni. Exposure to the PPI pantoprazole was found to affect C. jejuni growth/survival, motility, morphology, biofilm formation, invasion potential and susceptibility to some conventional antibiotics. Microarray studies showed that the cmeA and Cj0561c genes were significantly up-regulated in response to pantoprazole exposure and a CmeABC deficient mutant was found to be significantly more susceptible to killing by pantoprazole than was the parent strain. Proteomic analysis indicated that the oxidative stress response of C. jejuni was induced following exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of pantoprazole. C. jejuni gene expression was assessed using qRT-PCR and the genes encoding for thiol peroxidase and GroEL co-chaperonin (both involved in the C. jejuni oxidative stress response) were found to be around four times higher in response to exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of pantoprazole. Experiments using the oxidative stress inhibitors thiourea (a hydroxyl radical quencher) and bipyridyl (a ferrous iron chelator) showed that killing by pantoprazole was not mediated by hydroxyl radical production.