A chrysophyte-based quantitative reconstruction of winter severity from varved lake sediments in NE Poland during the past millennium and its relationship to natural climate variability

Chrysophyte cysts are recognized as powerful proxies of cold-season temperatures. In this paper we use the relationship between chrysophyte assemblages and the number of days below 4 °C (DB4 °C) in the epilimnion of a lake in northern Poland to develop a transfer function and to reconstruct winter severity in Poland for the last millennium. DB4 °C is a climate variable related to the length of the winter. Multivariate ordination techniques were used to study the distribution of chrysophytes from sediment traps of 37 low-land lakes distributed along a variety of environmental and climatic gradients in northern Poland. Of all the environmental variables measured, stepwise variable selection and individual Redundancy analyses (RDA) identified DB4 °C as the most important variable for chrysophytes, explaining a portion of variance independent of variables related to water chemistry (conductivity, chlorides, K, sulfates), which were also important. A quantitative transfer function was created to estimate DB4 °C from sedimentary assemblages using partial least square regression (PLS). The two-component model (PLS-2) had a coefficient of determination of View the MathML sourceRcross2 = 0.58, with root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP, based on leave-one-out) of 3.41 days. The resulting transfer function was applied to an annually-varved sediment core from Lake Żabińskie, providing a new sub-decadal quantitative reconstruction of DB4 °C with high chronological accuracy for the period AD 1000–2010. During Medieval Times (AD 1180–1440) winters were generally shorter (warmer) except for a decade with very long and severe winters around AD 1260–1270 (following the AD 1258 volcanic eruption). The 16th and 17th centuries and the beginning of the 19th century experienced very long severe winters. Comparison with other European cold-season reconstructions and atmospheric indices for this region indicates that large parts of the winter variability (reconstructed DB4 °C) is due to the interplay between the oscillations of the zonal flow controlled by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the influence of continental anticyclonic systems (Siberian High, East Atlantic/Western Russia pattern). Differences with other European records are attributed to geographic climatological differences between Poland and Western Europe (Low Countries, Alps). Striking correspondence between the combined volcanic and solar forcing and the DB4 °C reconstruction prior to the 20th century suggests that winter climate in Poland responds mostly to natural forced variability (volcanic and solar) and the influence of unforced variability is low.

Assessing the relationship between obesity and type II diabetes among South Asian Indians in Houston A population based study

Objective: My study aimed at determining the association between obesity and diabetes prevalence in South Asian Indian immigrants in Houston, Texas. To also compare the prevalence odds of diabetes given obesity, using WHO-BMI criteria and recommended Asian ethnic-specific BMI criteria for obesity, as well as using WHO-standard waist circumference criteria and ethnic-specific criteria for abdominal obesity, across gender and age, in this population. ^ Methods: My study was a secondary data analysis based on a cross-sectional study carried out on adult South Asian Indians who attended a local community health fair in Houston, in 2007. They recruited 213 voluntary, eligible, South Asian Indian participants aged between 18 to 79 years. Self reported history of Diabetes was obtained and height, weight, waist and hip circumference were measured. I classified BMI based on WHO-standard and ethnic-specific criteria, according to gender and age groups of 18–35 years, 36–64 years and 65 years and over. Waist circumference was also classified based on WHO-standard NCEP criteria and currently recommended ethnic-specific IDF criteria and analysis was done stratifying by gender and age groups. ^ Results: The prevalence of diabetes in this population was 14.6%, significantly higher in older age groups (25.8%) and males (19.2%). The prevalence of DM was statistically similar in individuals who were overweight/obese compared to those not overweight/obese, however in overweight/obese individuals, there was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of DM between WHO and ethnic-specific criteria for both BMI and waist circumference. In older adults and in males, ethnic-specific criteria identified significantly more as overweight/obese compared to WHO-standard criteria. ^ Conclusions: Ethnic-specific criteria for both BMI and waist circumference give a better estimate for obesity in this South Asian Indian population. Diabetes is highly prevalent in migrant South Asian Indians even at low BMI or waist circumference levels and significantly more in males and older age groups, hence adequate awareness should be created for early prevention and intervention.^

Technical entrepreneurship in the UK:an examination of the relationship between the previous occupational background of the technical entrepreneur and the management of the small technology-based venture

With the growing appreciation of the contribution of small technology-based ventures to a healthy economy, an analysis of the individual who initiates and manages such ventures - the technical entrepreneur - is highly desirable, predominantly because of the influence of such an individual on the management and future strategy of the venture. An examination of recent research has indicated that a study of the previous experience and expertise of the entrepreneur, gained in previous occupations, may be highly relevant in determining the possible success of a new venture. This is particularly true where the specific expertise of the entrepreneur forms the main strategic advantage of the business, as in the case of small technology-based firms. Despite this, there has been very little research which has attempted to examine the relationship between the previous occupational background of the technical entrepreneur, and the management of the small technology-based firm. This thesis will examine this relationship, as well as providing an original contribution to the study of technical entrepreneurship in the UK. Consequently, the exploratory nature of the research prompted an inductive qualitative approach being adopted for the thesis. Through a two stage, multiple-site research approach, an examination was made of technical entrepreneurs heading award-winning technology-based small firms in the UK. The main research questions focused on management within the firm, the novelty and origin of the technology adopted, and the personal characteristics of the entrepreneur under study. The results of this study led to the creation of a specific typology for technical entrepreneurs, based on the individual's role in the development of technology within his previous occupation.

Power industry restructuring and eco-efficiency changes:a new slacks-based model in Malmquist-Luenberger Index measurement

Measuring variations in efficiency and its extension, eco-efficiency, during a restructuring period in different industries has always been a point of interest for regulators and policy makers. This paper assesses the impacts of restructuring of procurement in the Iranian power industry on the performance of power plants. We introduce a new slacks-based model for Malmquist-Luenberger (ML) Index measurement and apply it to the power plants to calculate the efficiency, eco-efficiency, and technological changes over the 8-year period (2003-2010) of restructuring in the power industry. The results reveal that although the restructuring had different effects on the individual power plants, the overall growth in the eco-efficiency of the sector was mainly due to advances in pure technology. We also assess the correlation between efficiency and eco-efficiency of the power plants, which indicates a close relationship between these two steps, thus lending support to the incorporation of environmental factors in efficiency analysis. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Comparative analysis of the relationship between phenological phenomena and meteorological indicators based on insect and plant monitoring

Climate change is one of the biggest environmental problems of the 21st century. The most sensitive indicators of the effects of the climatic changes are phenological processes of the biota. The effects of climate change which were observed the earliest are the remarkable changes in the phenology (i.e. the timing of the phenophases) of the plants and animals, which have been systematically monitored later. In our research we searched for the answer: which meteorological factors show the strongest statistical relationships with phenological phenomena based on some chosen plant and insect species (in case of which large phenological databases are available). Our study was based on two large databases: one of them is the Lepidoptera database of the Hungarian Plant Protection and Forestry Light Trap Network, the other one is the Geophytes Phenology Database of the Botanical Garden of Eötvös Loránd University. In the case of butterflies, statistically defined phenological dates were determined based on the daily collection data, while in the case of plants, observation data on blooming were available. The same meteorological indicators were applied for both groups in our study. On the basis of the data series, analyses of correlation were carried out and a new indicator, the so-called G index was introduced, summing up the number of correlations which were found to be significant on the different levels of significance. In our present study we compare the significant meteorological factors and analyse the differences based on the correlation data on plants and butterflies. Data on butterflies are much more varied regarding the effectiveness of the meteorological factors.

The relationship between alkaloid-based chemical defenses and diet in dendrobatid poison frogs

Chemical defenses are common among organisms and represent some of the most complex adaptations for avoiding predation, yet our understanding of the ecological nature of these systems remains incomplete. Poison frogs are a group of chemically defended organisms that are dependent entirely on diet for chemical defense. In this study, I identified the dietary arthropods responsible for chemical defense in poison frogs, described spatial and temporal patterns in alkaloid composition of poison frogs, and established links between patterns of variation in alkaloid defense and arthropod diet in poison frogs. Identifying dietary sources and studying patterns of variation in alkaloid composition is fundamental to understanding the ecology and evolution of chemical defense in poison frogs. ^ The dendrobatid poison frog Oophaga pumilio shares many alkaloids in common with other poison frogs and is known to vary in alkaloid composition throughout its geographic range. I designed my dissertation to take advantage of these characteristics and use O. pumilio as a model species for the study of chemical defense in poison frogs. Here, I identified siphonotid millipedes as a source for spiropyrrolizidine alkaloids, formicine ants as a source for pumiliotoxin alkaloids, and oribatid mites as dietary sources for the majority of alkaloids found in poison frogs. I found that alkaloid composition varied spatially and temporally, on both small and large scales, within and among populations of O. pumilio. Alkaloid variation between populations was related to geographic distance, and closer populations tended to have alkaloid compositions more similar to each other than to distant populations. ^ The findings of my study suggest that oribatid mites are the most important dietary source of alkaloids in poison frogs. However, overall alkaloid defense in poison frogs is based on a combination of dietary arthropods, including mites, ants, millipedes, and beetles. Variation in chemical defenses of poison frogs is due to (1) spatial and temporal differences in the presence of alkaloids in certain arthropods and (2) differences in the availability of certain alkaloid-containing arthropods, which are likely the result of differences as well as successional changes in forest structure among locations and through time. ^

The relationship between faculty perceptions and implementation of elements of transactional distance theory and online web-based course completion rates

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between faculty perceptions, selected demographics, implementation of elements of transactional distance theory and online web-based course completion rates. This theory posits that the high transactional distance of online courses makes it difficult for students to complete these courses successfully; too often this is associated with low completion rates. Faculty members play an indispensable role in course design, whether online or face-to-face. They also influence course delivery format from design through implementation and ultimately to how students will experience the course. This study used transactional distance theory as the conceptual framework to examine the relationship between teaching and learning strategies used by faculty members to help students complete online courses. Faculty members' sex, number of years teaching online at the college, and their online course completion rates were considered. A researcher-developed survey was used to collect data from 348 faculty members who teach online at two prominent colleges in the southeastern part of United States. An exploratory factor analysis resulted in six factors related to transactional distance theory. The factors accounted for slightly over 65% of the variance of transactional distance scores as measured by the survey instrument. Results provided support for Moore's (1993) theory of transactional distance. Female faculty members scored higher in all the factors of transactional distance theory when compared to men. Faculty number of years teaching online at the college level correlated significantly with all the elements of transactional distance theory. Regression analysis was used to determine that two of the factors, instructor interface and instructor-learner interaction, accounted for 12% of the variance in student online course completion rates. In conclusion, of the six factors found, the two with the highest percentage scores were instructor interface and instructor-learner interaction. This finding, while in alignment with the literature concerning the dialogue element of transactional distance theory, brings a special interest to the importance of instructor interface as a factor. Surprisingly, based on the reviewed literature on transactional distance theory, faculty perceptions concerning learner-learner interaction was not an important factor and there was no learner-content interaction factor.

The relationship of aptitude, course grades, and program length, to performance on a standards based test (NCLEX -RN)

The purpose of this study was threefold: first, to investigate variables associated with learning, and performance as measured by the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The second purpose was to validate the predictive value of the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) achievement exit exam, and lastly, to provide a model that could be used to predict performance on the NCLEX-RN, with implications for admission and curriculum development. The study was based on school learning theory, which implies that acquisition in school learning is a function of aptitude (pre-admission measures), opportunity to learn, and quality of instruction (program measures). Data utilized were from 298 graduates of an associate degree nursing program in the Southeastern United States. Of the 298 graduates, 142 were Hispanic, 87 were Black, non-Hispanic, 54 White, non-Hispanic, and 15 reported as Others. The graduates took the NCLEX-RN for the first time during the years 2003–2005. This study was a predictive, correlational design that relied upon retrospective data. Point biserial correlations, and chi-square analyses were used to investigate relationships between 19 selected predictor variables and the dichotomous criterion variable, NCLEX-RN. The correlation and chi square findings indicated that men did better on the NCLEX-RN than women; Blacks had the highest failure rates, followed by Hispanics; older students were more likely to pass the exam than younger students; and students who passed the exam started and completed the nursing program with a higher grade point average, than those who failed the exam. Using logistic regression, five statistical models that used variables associated with learning and student performance on the NCLEX-RN were tested with a model adapted from Bloom's (1976) and Carroll's (1963) school learning theories. The derived model included: NCLEX-RNsuccess = f (Nurse Entrance Test and advanced medical-surgical nursing course grade achieved). The model demonstrates that student performance on the NCLEX-RN can be predicted by one pre-admission measure, and a program measure. The Assessment Technologies Institute achievement exit exam (an outcome measure) had no predictive value for student performance on the NCLEX-RN. The model developed accurately predicted 94% of the student's successful performance on the NCLEX-RN.

Memory-Based Attentional Guidance: A Window to the Relationship between Working Memory and Attention

Attention, the cognitive means by which we prioritize the processing of a subset of information, is necessary for operating efficiently and effectively in the world. Thus, a critical theoretical question is how information is selected. In the visual domain, working memory (WM)—which refers to the short-term maintenance and manipulation of information that is no longer accessible by the senses—has been highlighted as an important determinant of what is selected by visual attention. Furthermore, although WM and attention have traditionally been conceived as separate cognitive constructs, an abundance of behavioral and neural evidence indicates that these two domains are in fact intertwined and overlapping. The aim of this dissertation is to better understand the nature of WM and attention, primarily through the phenomenon of memory-based attentional guidance, whereby the active maintenance of items in visual WM reliably biases the deployment of attention to memory-matching items in the visual environment. The research presented here employs a combination of behavioral, functional imaging, and computational modeling techniques that address: (1) WM guidance effects with respect to the traditional dichotomy of top-down versus bottom-up attentional control; (2) under what circumstances the contents of WM impact visual attention; and (3) the broader hypothesis of a predictive and competitive interaction between WM and attention. Collectively, these empirical findings reveal the importance of WM as a distinct factor in attentional control and support current models of multiple-state WM, which may have broader implications for how we select and maintain information.

The changing epidemiology of Ebstein's anomaly and its relationship with maternal mental health conditions: a European registry-based study

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of Ebstein's anomaly in Europe and its association with maternal health and medication exposure during pregnancy.

DESIGN: We carried out a descriptive epidemiological analysis of population-based data.

SETTING: We included data from 15 European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies Congenital Anomaly Registries in 12 European countries, with a population of 5.6 million births during 1982-2011. Participants Cases included live births, fetal deaths from 20 weeks gestation, and terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomaly. Main outcome measures We estimated total prevalence per 10,000 births. Odds ratios for exposure to maternal illnesses/medications in the first trimester of pregnancy were calculated by comparing Ebstein's anomaly cases with cardiac and non-cardiac malformed controls, excluding cases with genetic syndromes and adjusting for time period and country.

RESULTS: In total, 264 Ebstein's anomaly cases were recorded; 81% were live births, 2% of which were diagnosed after the 1st year of life; 54% of cases with Ebstein's anomaly or a co-existing congenital anomaly were prenatally diagnosed. Total prevalence rose over time from 0.29 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20-0.41) to 0.48 (95% CI 0.40-0.57) (p<0.01). In all, nine cases were exposed to maternal mental health conditions/medications (adjusted odds ratio (adjOR) 2.64, 95% CI 1.33-5.21) compared with cardiac controls. Cases were more likely to be exposed to maternal β-thalassemia (adjOR 10.5, 95% CI 3.13-35.3, n=3) and haemorrhage in early pregnancy (adjOR 1.77, 95% CI 0.93-3.38, n=11) compared with cardiac controls.

CONCLUSIONS: The increasing prevalence of Ebstein's anomaly may be related to better and earlier diagnosis. Our data suggest that Ebstein's anomaly is associated with maternal mental health problems generally rather than lithium or benzodiazepines specifically; therefore, changing or stopping medications may not be preventative. We found new associations requiring confirmation.