ANNA: A new prediction method for bioassessment programs

1. Cluster analysis of reference sites with similar biota is the initial step in creating River Invertebrate Prediction and Classification System (RIVPACS) and similar river bioassessment models such as Australian River Assessment System (AUSRIVAS). This paper describes and tests an alternative prediction method, Assessment by Nearest Neighbour Analysis (ANNA), based on the same philosophy as RIVPACS and AUSRIVAS but without the grouping step that some people view as artificial. 2. The steps in creating ANNA models are: (i) weighting the predictor variables using a multivariate approach analogous to principal axis correlations, (ii) calculating the weighted Euclidian distance from a test site to the reference sites based on the environmental predictors, (iii) predicting the faunal composition based on the nearest reference sites and (iv) calculating an observed/expected (O/E) analogous to RIVPACS/AUSRIVAS. 3. The paper compares AUSRIVAS and ANNA models on 17 datasets representing a variety of habitats and seasons. First, it examines each model's regressions for Observed versus Expected number of taxa, including the r(2), intercept and slope. Second, the two models' assessments of 79 test sites in New Zealand are compared. Third, the models are compared on test and presumed reference sites along a known trace metal gradient. Fourth, ANNA models are evaluated for western Australia, a geographically distinct region of Australia. The comparisons demonstrate that ANNA and AUSRIVAS are generally equivalent in performance, although ANNA turns out to be potentially more robust for the O versus E regressions and is potentially more accurate on the trace metal gradient sites. 4. The ANNA method is recommended for use in bioassessment of rivers, at least for corroborating the results of the well established AUSRIVAS- and RIVPACS-type models, if not to replace them.

Etiological and Clinical Features of Childhood Psychotic Symptoms Results From a Birth Cohort

Context: It has been reported that childhood psychotic symptoms are common in the general population and may signal neurodevelopmental processes that lead to schizophrenia. However, it is not clear whether these symptoms are associated with the same extensive risk factors established for adult schizophrenia. Objective: To examine the construct validity of children`s self-reported psychotic symptoms by testing whether these symptoms share the risk factors and clinical features of adult schizophrenia. Design: Prospective, longitudinal cohort study of a nationally representative birth cohort in Great Britain. Participants: A total of 2232 twelve-year-old children followed up since age 5 years ( retention, 96%). Main Outcome Measure: Children`s self-reported hallucinations and delusions. Results: Children`s psychotic symptoms are familial and heritable and are associated with social risk factors (eg, urbanicity); cognitive impairments at age 5; home-rearing risk factors ( eg, maternal expressed emotion); behavioral, emotional, and educational problems at age 5; and comorbid conditions, including self-harm. Conclusions: The results provide a comprehensive picture of the construct validity of children`s self-reported psychotic symptoms. For researchers, the findings indicate that children who have psychotic symptoms can be recruited for neuroscience research to determine the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. For clinicians, the findings indicate that psychotic symptoms in childhood are often a marker of an impaired developmental process and should be actively assessed.

Syndromic and non-syndromic aneurysms of the human ascending aorta share activation of the Smad2 pathway

Common features such as elastic fibre destruction, mucoid accumulation, and smooth muscle cell apoptosis are co-localized in aneurysms of the ascending aorta of various aetiologies. Recent experimental studies reported an activation of TGF-beta in aneurysms related to Marfan (and Loeys-Dietz) syndrome. Here we investigate TGF-beta signalling in normal and pathological human ascending aortic wall in syndromic and non-syndromic aneurysmal disease. Aneurysmal ascending aortic specimens, classified according to aetiology: syndromic MFS (n = 15, including two mutations in TGFBR2), associated with BAV (n = 15) or degenerative forms (n = 19), were examined. We show that the amounts of TGF-beta 1 protein retained within and released by aneurysmal tissue were greater than for control aortic tissue, whatever the aetiology, contrasting with an unchanged TGF-beta 1 mRNA level. The increase in stored TGF-beta 1 was associated with enhanced LTBP-I protein and mRNA levels. These dysiregulations of the extracellular ligand are associated with higher phosphorylated Smad2 and Smad2 mRNA levels in the ascending aortic wall from all types of aneurysm. This activation correlated with the degree of elastic fibre fragmentation. Surprisingly, there was no consistent association between the nuclear location of pSmad2 and extracellular TGF-beta 1 and LTBP-I staining and between their respective mRNA expressions. In parallel, decorin. was focally increased in aneurysmal media, whereas biglycan was globally decreased in aneurysmal aortas. In conclusion, this study highlights independent dysregulations of TGF-beta retention and Smad2 signalling in syndromic and non-syndromic aneurysms of the ascending aorta. Copyright (C) 2009 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Molecular Epidemiology of Avian Infectious Bronchitis in Brazil from 2007 to 2008 in Breeders, Broilers, and Layers

Multiple lineages of Brazilian strains from 2007 to 2008 of avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were detected in flocks of breeders, broilers, and layers. Organs samples from 20 IBV-positive flocks with variable clinical signs were submitted to the partial amplification of S gene (nucleotides 726-1071) of IBV. Fifteen of the 20 sequenced strains segregated in a unique Brazilian cluster subdivided in three subclusters (Brazil 01, 02, and 03). Whereas three strains could be classified as Massachusetts (Mass) genotype, the remaining two strains, originating from flocks with reproductive and respiratory disorders, grouped within the 4/91-793B genotype, a genotype that has not been detected before in Brazil. The potential relevance of the findings to the poultry industry is discussed because the low level of identity of the sequenced part of the S gene from 17 of 20 detected field strains and the vaccines of the Massachusetts serotype used suggest that the level of cross-protection by the Massachusetts vaccines might be low.

Cross-national comparison of internal migration: issues and measures

Our objectives are to identify the issues that researchers encounter when measuring internal migration in different countries and to propose key indicators that analysts can use to compare internal migration at the 'national' level. We establish the benefits to be gained by a rigorous approach to cross-national comparisons of internal migration and discuss issues that affect such comparisons. We then distinguish four dimensions of internal migration on which countries can be compared and, for each dimension, identify a series of summary measures. We illustrate the issues and measures proposed by comparing migration in Australia and Great Britain.

Selling Queensland at the Glasgow international exhibition of 1901

Queensland was one of two states of the newly-federated Australia to mount official courts at the Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901, the largest world expo held in Great Britain to that date. In exhibiting at Glasgow, then the second city of the British Empire, Queensland sought to draw emigrants and investment from Britain. The court, funded by the Queensland Department of Mines, was mostly a display of mineral wealth, and the state's agricultural and pastoral resources were poorly represented. The 'prettily designed' court presented a rose-coloured view of a land endowed with boundless wealth and resources. This in no way reflected the realities of life back home, in a year of environmental and economic disaster, and of political and social upheaval. Though the exhibit failed to bring tangible benefits, it is an important record of Queensland aspirations and concerns at the time of Federation. It has special interest as the last occasion when Queensland exhibited in its own right, rather than as part of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Motivations in volunteer work

The objective of this paper is to review and discuss the literature about volunteers’ motivations to donate their time to NGOs (Non Governmental Organisations). According to Parboteeah, Cullenb & Lim (2004) management research has not paid much attention to voluntarism, however, voluntarism is a substantial part of productive work for many societies. Wilson & Pimm (1996) show that in Great Britain about 39% of the adult population has been involved in some volunteer activity for some period of time. In the U.S.A. these values reach 50% (Wilson & Pimm, 1996). Considering the benefits that voluntarism can bring to an organisation, we understand that more attention must be devoted to this phenomenon. The more an organisation knows volunteers, the better this organisation will be able to meet the needs and expectations of these individuals. We present a literature review that illustrates and compares the different motivations associated with volunteer work. The paper includes a bibliographical databases search in specialised journals. The search used the key words “motivations” and “voluntarism” (in the heading and text body) and covered all numbers between 2000 and 2007. We identify the existence of repeated motivations (Holmberg & Söderlung, 2005; Prouteau & Wolff, 2008; Soupourmas & Ironmonger, 2001; Yavas & Riecken, 1997), which allow the establishment of a typology of volunteers’ motivations, based on four categories: altruism, social needs, self-esteem, learning and self-development. Finally we identify three main gaps in the literature that justify further research. First, research focusing on the differences between motivations related to volunteers’ "Attraction" versus "Retention" in NGO’s is nil. Second, the great majority of the studies rely on north American (USA and Canada) and Australian context, which demands for further research in European countries. Third, the majority of NGOs researched are related to sport, art or the environment, and it would be interesting to explore the relationship between motivation and NGO type. These questions may obtain interesting answers for NGO management, in particular with regard to volunteer attraction and retention.

InovCity – structure of trials evaluation

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Inovcity- Structure of trials evaluation

In 2007, the UK government commissioned the Energy Demand Research Project to conduct a large scale experiment of smart metering technologies to test the impacts from many different forms of feedback to residential consumers. A full evaluation of the results was completed in 2011. In Portugal, EDP is also conducting smart meter trials in a project called InovCity in the city of Évora whose results will be evaluated during 2012. In this work, the case of Great Britain is studied as a reference on how an evaluation of trial results should be conducted. I also discuss potential limitations of the experiments, implications for national roll-out decisions, and finally draw some lessons that can be applied to the Portuguese case.

A systematic arrangement of British plants :with an easy introduction to the study of botany.

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A systematic arrangement of British plants :with an easy introduction to the study of botany.

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A systematic arrangement of British plants :with an easy introduction to the study of botany.

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The Botanical register :consisting of coloured figures of ...

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