Cardiff University

About: Cardiff University is a education organization based out in Cardiff, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 34188 authors who have published 82643 publications receiving 3046531 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Cardiff & University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Role of Pulse Pressure Amplification in Arterial Hypertension: Experts’ Opinion and Review of the Data

Abstract: Arterial hypertension is a major modifiable cardiovascular (CV) risk factor worldwide based on observational studies of brachial artery blood pressure (BP) In the latest guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension1 for the management of arterial hypertension, aortic stiffness was introduced as an index of target organ damage Three additional cardinal features of BP were also acknowledged: (1) systolic BP and pulse pressure (PP) may differ between the brachial artery and central arteries (ie, the aorta and its proximal branches), (2) the effects of antihypertensive drug treatment on brachial BP does not invariably reflect those seen on central BP, and (3) central BP is significantly related to CV events Moreover, the guidelines acknowledged that noninvasive methods exist for the assessment of central hemodynamic parameters, such as central PP, and highlighted the need for large scale interventional studies that will further confirm the prognostic importance of central BP Two years ago, coincident with the 6th International Workshop on the “Structure and Function of the Vascular System,” in Paris, a consensus document on the role of central BP in arterial hypertension was published2 It concluded that there is “mounting evidence suggesting that central BP and indices correlate more closely with intermediate markers of CV risk than brachial BP” It was also suggested that clinicians and researchers need to become familiarized with the disparity between peripheral and central BPs, ie, the phenomenon of pressure wave amplification The present document is designed to address this need The left ventricle consumes energy by ejecting blood into the arterial system, thereby creating arterial blood flow and pressure This phenomenon is easily conceived as a propagating pulse along the arterial bed In daily clinical practice the arterial pulse, at a distinct site of the arterial tree (eg, at the brachial artery), is quantified as the …

Estimating Parameters in Continuous Univariate Distributions with a Shifted Origin

Abstract: SUMMARY A general method of estimating parameters in continuous univariate distributions is proposed. It is especially suited to cases where one of the parameters is an unknown shifted origin. This occurs, for example, in the three-parameter lognormal, gamma and Weibull models. For such distributions it is known that maximum likelihood (ML) estimation can break down because the likelihood is unbounded and this can lead to inconsistent estimators. Properties of the proposed method are described. In particular it is shown to give consistent estimators with asymptotic efficiency equal to ML estimators when these exist. Moreover it gives consistent, asymptotically efficient estimators in situations where ML fails. Examples are given including numerical ones showing the advantages of the method.

Golden goose or wild goose? The hunt for the green consumer

Abstract: The green consumer has been the central character in the development of green marketing, as businesses attempt to understand and respond to external pressures to improve their environmental performance. Marketing practitioners and academics are attempting to identify and understand green consumers and their needs, and to develop market offerings that meet these needs. So far there is little consensus about the identity and nature of green consumers, except that they have been something of a disappointment to the marketers who have pursued them. These difficulties perhaps reflect the folly of trying to understand green consumption and green marketing by viewing it as simply a variation on conventional marketing. This article proposes some different ways of looking at green consumption and green marketing, which have the potential to prevent the hunt for the green consumer from deteriorating into a wild goose chase. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment

The Life-cycle

Abstract: This chapter is concerned with approaches and techniques used in studying those aspects of parasitoid and predator life cycles that have an important bearing on the major topics covered by other chapters in this book. To illustrate what we mean, consider the female reproductive system of parasitoids which we discuss in some detail (section 2.3). As pointed out by Donaldson and Walter (1988), at least some knowledge of its function/in particular of ovarian dynamics, is crucial to a proper understanding of foraging behaviour in parasitoids. The physiological status of the ovaries may determine: (a) the duration of any preoviposition period following eclosion; (b) the rate of oviposition, (c) the frequency and duration of non-ovipositional activities, e.g. host-feeding; and (d) the insect’s response to external stimuli, e.g. odours, hosts (Collins and Dixon, 1986) (subsection 1.5.1). Note that egg load (defined in subsection 1.2.2) is now being incorporated into foraging models, as it is becoming increasingly clear that certain foraging decisions depend importantly upon the insect’s reproductive state (Jervis and Kidd, 1986; Mangel, 1989a; Chan and Godfray, 1993). It also follows from the above that a female parasitoid’s searching efficiency depends upon the functioning of its reproductive system (subsection 5.3.7), and this may in turn influence parasitoid and host population processes.