Showing papers by "University of Glasgow published in 2004"
TL;DR: The existence of behavioral syndromes focuses the attention of behavioral ecologists on limited (less than optimal) behavioral plasticity and behavioral carryovers across situations, rather than on optimal plasticity in each isolated situation.
Abstract: Recent studies suggest that populations and species often exhibit behavioral syndromes; that is, suites of correlated behaviors across situations. An example is an aggression syndrome where some individuals are more aggressive, whereas others are less aggressive across a range of situations and contexts. The existence of behavioral syndromes focuses the attention of behavioral ecologists on limited (less than optimal) behavioral plasticity and behavioral carryovers across situations, rather than on optimal plasticity in each isolated situation. Behavioral syndromes can explain behaviors that appear strikingly non-adaptive in an isolated context (e.g. inappropriately high activity when predators are present, or excessive sexual cannibalism). Behavioral syndromes can also help to explain the maintenance of individual variation in behavioral types, a phenomenon that is ubiquitous, but often ignored. Recent studies suggest that the behavioral type of an individual, population or species can have important ecological and evolutionary implications, including major effects on species distributions, on the relative tendencies of species to be invasive or to respond well to environmental change, and on speciation rates. Although most studies of behavioral syndromes to date have focused on a few organisms, mainly in the laboratory, further work on other species, particularly in the field, should yield numerous new insights.
2,954 citations
TL;DR: Blood pressure was reduced by both treatments, but the effects of the amlodipine-based regimen were more pronounced, especially in the early period, which emphasise the importance of prompt blood-pressure control in hypertensive patients at high cardiovascular risk.
2,432 citations
TL;DR: The transfer of information encoded as orbital angular momentum states of a light beam is demonstrated, which is resistant to eavesdropping and gives an experimental insight into the effects of aperturing and misalignment of the beam on the OAM measurement and demonstrates the uncertainty relationship for OAM.
Abstract: We demonstrate the transfer of information encoded as orbital angular momentum (OAM) states of a light beam. The transmitter and receiver units are based on spatial light modulators, which prepare or measure a laser beam in one of eight pure OAM states. We show that the information encoded in this way is resistant to eavesdropping in the sense that any attempt to sample the beam away from its axis will be subject to an angular restriction and a lateral offset, both of which result in inherent uncertainty in the measurement. This gives an experimental insight into the effects of aperturing and misalignment of the beam on the OAMmeasurement and demonstrates the uncertainty relationship for OAM.
2,230 citations
TL;DR: A mechanistic account of dialogue, the interactive alignment account, is proposed and used to derive a number of predictions about basic language processes, and the need for a grammatical framework that is designed to deal with language in dialogue rather than monologue is considered.
Abstract: Traditional mechanistic accounts of language processing derive almost entirely from the study of monologue. Yet, the most natural and basic form of language use is dialogue. As a result, these accounts may only offer limited theories of the mechanisms that un- derlie language processing in general. We propose a mechanistic account of dialogue, the interactive alignment account, and use it to de- rive a number of predictions about basic language processes. The account assumes that, in dialogue, the linguistic representations em- ployed by the interlocutors become aligned at many levels, as a result of a largely automatic process. This process greatly simplifies production and comprehension in dialogue. After considering the evidence for the interactive alignment model, we concentrate on three aspects of processing that follow from it. It makes use of a simple interactive inference mechanism, enables the development of local di- alogue routines that greatly simplify language processing, and explains the origins of self-monitoring in production. We consider the need for a grammatical framework that is designed to deal with language in dialogue rather than monologue, and discuss a range of implica- tions of the account.
2,222 citations
Book•
01 Jan 2004TL;DR: In this paper, Bilinearization of soliton equations is discussed and the Backlund transformation is used to transform the soliton equation into a linear combination of determinants and pfaffians.
Abstract: Preface Foreword 1. Bilinearization of soliton equations 2. Determinants and pfaffians 3. Structure of soliton equations 4. Backlund transformations Afterword References Index.
2,132 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that behavioral syndromes could play a useful role as an integrative bridge between genetics, experience, neuroendocrine mechanisms, evolution, and ecology.
Abstract: A behavioral syndrome is a suite of correlated behaviors expressed either within a given behavioral context (e.g., correlations between foraging behaviors in different habitats) or across different contexts (e.g., correlations among feeding, antipredator, mating, aggressive, and dispersal behaviors). For example, some individuals (and genotypes) might be generally more aggressive, more active or bold, while others are generally less aggressive, active or bold. This phenomenon has been studied in detail in humans, some primates, laboratory rodents, and some domesticated animals, but has rarely been studied in other organisms, and rarely examined from an evolutionary or ecological perspective. Here, we present an integrative overview on the potential importance of behavioral syndromes in evolution and ecology. A central idea is that behavioral correlations generate tradeoffs; for example, an aggressive genotype might do well in situations where high aggression is favored, but might be inappropriate...
1,766 citations
TL;DR: A fuller understanding of patterns of human plasticity in response to early nutrition and other environmental factors will have implications for the administration of public health.
Abstract: Many plants and animals are capable of developing in a variety of ways, forming characteristics that are well adapted to the environments in which they are likely to live. In adverse circumstances, for example, small size and slow metabolism can facilitate survival, whereas larger size and more rapid metabolism have advantages for reproductive success when resources are more abundant. Often these characteristics are induced in early life or are even set by cues to which their parents or grandparents were exposed. Individuals developmentally adapted to one environment may, however, be at risk when exposed to another when they are older. The biological evidence may be relevant to the understanding of human development and susceptibility to disease. As the nutritional state of many human mothers has improved around the world, the characteristics of their offspring--such as body size and metabolism--have also changed. Responsiveness to their mothers' condition before birth may generally prepare individuals so that they are best suited to the environment forecast by cues available in early life. Paradoxically, however, rapid improvements in nutrition and other environmental conditions may have damaging effects on the health of those people whose parents and grandparents lived in impoverished conditions. A fuller understanding of patterns of human plasticity in response to early nutrition and other environmental factors will have implications for the administration of public health.
1,568 citations
TL;DR: An analysis of the physiological function of the identified genes indicates that the RP approach is powerful for identifying biologically relevant expression changes and can lead to a sharp reduction in the number of replicate experiments needed to obtain reproducible results.
1,557 citations
TL;DR: Pulmonary arterial hypertension has a multifactorial pathobiology and recent genetic and pathophysiologic studies have emphasized the relevance of several mediators in this condition, including prostacyclin, nitric oxide, ET-1, angiopoietin- 1, serotonin, cytokines, chemokines, and members of the transforming-growth-factor-beta superfamily.
1,501 citations
TL;DR: Advice on life-style modifications for all people with high blood pressure (BP) and those with borderline or high-normal BP is provided and there are compelling indications and contraindications for specific classes of antihypertensive drugs, and these are specified.
Abstract: Guidelines for management of hypertension: report of the fourth working party of the British Hypertension Society, 2004—BHS IV
1,317 citations
TL;DR: This approach is a potentially powerful method of measuring trophic niche width, particularly if combined with conventional approaches, because it provides a single measure on a continuous axis that is common to all species; it integrates information on only assimilated prey over time; and data production is theoretically fast and testing among populations simple.
Abstract: 1. Although conceptually robust, it has proven difficult to find practical measures of niche width that are simple to obtain, yet provide an adequate descriptor of the ecological position of the population examined. 2. Trophic niche has proven more tractable than other niche dimensions. However, indices used as a proxy for trophic niche width often suffer from the following difficulties. Such indices rarely lie along a single scale making comparisons between populations or species difficult; have difficulty in combining dietary prey diversity and evenness in an ecologically meaningful way; and fail to integrate diet over ecological time-scales thus usually only comprise single snapshots of niche width. 3. We propose an alternative novel method for the comparison of trophic niche width: the use of variance of tissue stable isotope ratios, especially those of nitrogen and carbon. 4. This approach is a potentially powerful method of measuring trophic niche width, particularly if combined with conventional approaches, because: it provides a single measure on a continuous axis that is common to all species; it integrates information on only assimilated prey over time; the integration period changes with choice of tissue sampled; and data production is theoretically fast and testing among populations simple. 5. Empirical studies are now required to test the benefits of using isotopic variance as a measure of niche width, and in doing so help refine this approach.
TL;DR: This work has shown how complexity may be managed and ambiguity resolved through the task-dependent, probabilistic integration of prior object knowledge with image features.
Abstract: We perceive the shapes and material properties of objects quickly and reliably despite the complexity and objective ambiguities of natural images. Typical images are highly complex because they consist of many objects embedded in background clutter. Moreover, the image features of an object are extremely variable and ambiguous owing to the effects of projection, occlusion, background clutter, and illumination. The very success of everyday vision implies neural mechanisms, yet to be understood, that discount irrelevant information and organize ambiguous or noisy local image features into objects and surfaces. Recent work in Bayesian theories of visual perception has shown how complexity may be managed and ambiguity resolved through the task-dependent, probabilistic integration of prior object knowledge with image features.
TL;DR: The reductions in major cardiovascular events with atorvastatin are large, given the short follow-up time, and may have implications for future lipid-lowering guidelines.
Abstract: Background The lowering of cholesterol concentrations in individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease improves outcome. No study, however, has assessed benefits of cholesterol lowering in the primary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) in hypertensive patients who are not conventionally deemed dyslipidaemic.
TL;DR: A state of pre-existing relative hypocortisolaemia might sensitise the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to development of persistent central fatigue after stress.
TL;DR: A comprehensive four-dimensional framework for the holistic content analysis of accounting narratives and a computer assisted methodology for implementing this framework is presented in this paper. But, it does not address the problem of quality measurement.
TL;DR: The lack of standardized operational research diagnostic criteria (RDC) for their definition has, in turn, led to inconsistent research findings for most phenotypes largely due to the variable definitions used for their ascertainment as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Insomnia is a highly prevalent, often debilitating, and economically burdensome form of sleep disturbance caused by various situational, medical, emotional, environmental and behavioral factors. Although several consensually-derived nosologies have described numerous insomnia phenotypes, research concerning these phenotypes has been greatly hampered by a lack of widely accepted operational research diagnostic criteria (RDC) for their definition. The lack of RDC has, in turn, led to inconsistent research findings for most phenotypes largely due to the variable definitions used for their ascertainment. Given this problem, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) commissioned a Work Group (WG) to review the literature and identify those insomnia phenotypes that appear most valid and tenable. In addition, this WG was asked to derive standardized RDC for these phenotypes and recommend assessment procedures for their ascertainment. This report outlines the WG's findings, the insomnia RDC derived, and research assessment procedures the WG recommends for identifying study participants who meet these RDC.
TL;DR: This guideline reinforces the view that doctors should not focus solely on blood pressure but must also formally assess total risk of cardiovascular disease and use multifactorial interventions, including statins and aspirin, to reduce it.
Abstract: Much new evidence has emerged on the importance of blood pressure as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease; the importance of lifestyle measures for the prevention and treatment of hypertension; the efficacy and safety of different drug classes; management of hypertension in groups at higher risk, including people with diabetes; the importance of assessing the total risk of cardiovascular disease; and additional benefits associated with the use of statins.
Concern remains that national surveys continue to show substantial underdiagnosis, undertreatment, and poor rates of blood pressure control in the United Kingdom.1 A key reason for this is the predominant use of monotherapy by most doctors.1 To improve this suboptimal treatment, the British Hypertension Society recommends a treatment algorithm based on the AB/CD rule.2
Treatment of blood pressure alone will leave many hypertensive patients at unacceptably high risk of cardiovascular complications and death. This guideline reinforces the view that doctors should not focus solely on blood pressure but must also formally assess total risk of cardiovascular disease and use multifactorial interventions, including statins and aspirin, to reduce it. Most management of blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease will take place in primary care, and these guidelines are intended for general practitioners, practice nurses, and generalists in hospital practice. Detailed advice on implementation and the implications of the national service frameworks and the general medical services contract are contained in the full document (http://www.bhsoc.org/).3
These guidelines have been prepared by the guidelines working party of the British Hypertension Society on behalf of the society. The working party reviewed new data that have become available since the previous guidelines were published4 and amended the recommendations accordingly. Drafts of the full document were improved by consultation with …
TL;DR: In this article, the state-of-the-art in the emerging field of international entrepreneurship (IE) is assessed to provide insight as to the "state of the art" of IE methodologies.
TL;DR: It is argued that conversation is easy because of an interactive processing mechanism that leads to the alignment of linguistic representations between partners that is functionally similar to the automatic links between perception and behaviour.
TL;DR: Preliminary results support the validity and reliability of the CARE measure as a tool for measuring patients' perceptions of relational empathy in the consultation.
Abstract: Background Empathy is a key aspect of the clinical encounter but there is a lack of patient-assessed measures suitable for general clinical settings. Objectives Our aim was to develop a consultation process measure based on a broad definition of empathy, which is meaningful to patients irrespective of their socio-economic background. Methods Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to develop and validate the new measure, which we have called the consultation and relational empathy (CARE) measure. Concurrent validity was assessed by correlational analysis against other validated measures in a series of three pilot studies in general practice (in areas of high or low socio-economic deprivation). Face and content validity was investigated by 43 interviews with patients from both types of areas, and by feedback from GPs and expert researchers in the field. Results The initial version of the new measure (pilot 1; high deprivation practice) correlated strongly (r = 0.85) with the Reynolds empathy measure (RES) and the Barrett-Lennard empathy subscale (BLESS) (r = 0.63), but had a highly skewed distribution (skew -1.879, kurtosis 3.563). Statistical analysis, and feedback from the 20 patients interviewed, the GPs and the expert researchers, led to a number of modifications. The revised, second version of the CARE measure, tested in an area of low deprivation (pilot 2) also correlated strongly with the established empathy measures (r = 0.84 versus RES and r = 0.77 versus BLESS) but had a less skewed distribution (skew -0.634, kurtosis -0.067). Internal reliability of the revised version was high (Cronbach's alpha 0.92). Patient feedback at interview (n = 13) led to only minor modification. The final version of the CARE measure, tested in pilot 3 (high deprivation practice) confirmed the validation with the other empathy measures (r = 0.85 versus RES and r = 0.84 versus BLESS) and the face validity (feedback from 10 patients). Conclusions These preliminary results support the validity and reliability of the CARE measure as a tool for measuring patients' perceptions of relational empathy in the consultation.
TL;DR: In this article, a non-linear least square optimization method was used to determine material parameters in incompressible isotropic elastic strain energy functions on the basis of a nonlinear least squares optimization method by fitting data from the classical experiments of Treloar and Jones on natural rubber.
Abstract: This paper is concerned with determining material parameters in incompressible isotropic elastic strain–energy functions on the basis of a non-linear least squares optimization method by fitting data from the classical experiments of Treloar and Jones and Treloar on natural rubber. We consider three separate forms of strain-energy function, based respectively on use of the principal stretches, the usual principal invariants of the Cauchy-Green deformation tensor and a certain set of ‘orthogonal’ invariants of the logarithmic strain tensor. We highlight, in particular, (a) the relative errors generated in the fitting process and (b) the occurrence of multiple sets of optimal material parameters for the same data sets. This multiplicity can lead to very different numerical solutions for a given boundary-value problem, and this is illustrated for a simple example.
TL;DR: Reaching blood pressure control by 6 months, independent of drug type, was associated with significant benefits for subsequent major outcomes; the blood pressure response after just 1 month of treatment predicted events and survival.
TL;DR: It is proposed that the processes by which a cell enters into, maintains viability in, and exits from quiescence are best viewed as an environmentally triggered cycle: the cell quiescent cycle.
Abstract: The cells of organisms as diverse as bacteria and humans can enter stable, nonproliferating quiescent states. Quiescent cells of eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms can survive for long periods without nutrients. This alternative state of cells is still poorly understood, yet much benefit is to be gained by understanding it both scientifically and with reference to human health. Here, we review our knowledge of one “model” quiescent cell population, in cultures of yeast grown to stationary phase in rich media. We outline the importance of understanding quiescence, summarize the properties of quiescent yeast cells, and clarify some definitions of the state. We propose that the processes by which a cell enters into, maintains viability in, and exits from quiescence are best viewed as an environmentally triggered cycle: the cell quiescence cycle. We synthesize what is known about the mechanisms by which yeast cells enter into quiescence, including the possible roles of the protein kinase A, TOR, protein kinase C, and Snf1p pathways. We also discuss selected mechanisms by which quiescent cells maintain viability, including metabolism, protein modification, and redox homeostasis. Finally, we outline what is known about the process by which cells exit from quiescence when nutrients again become available.
TL;DR: The cytotoxicity profile of the nanoparticles on human dermal fibroblasts as measured by standard 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2-5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay showed that the particles are nontoxic and may be useful for various in vivo and in vitro biomedical applications.
Abstract: Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have been used for many years as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents or in drug delivery applications. In this study, a novel approach to prepare magnetic polymeric nanoparticles with magnetic core and polymeric shell using inverse microemulsion polymerization process is reported. Poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG)-modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with specific shape and size have been prepared inside the aqueous cores of AOT/n-Hexane reverse micelles and characterized by various physicochemical means such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy. The inverse microemulsion polymerization of a polymerizable derivative of PEG and a cross-linking agent resulted in a stable hydrophilic polymeric shell of the nanoparticles. The results taken together from TEM and AFM studies showed that the particles are spherical in shape with core-shell structure. The average size of the PEG-modified nanoparticles was found to be around 40-50 nm with narrow size distribution. The magnetic measurement studies revealed the superparamagnetic behavior of the nanoparticles with saturation magnetization values between 45-50 electromagnetic units per gram. The cytotoxicity profile of the nanoparticles on human dermal fibroblasts as measured by standard 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay showed that the particles are nontoxic and may be useful for various in vivo and in vitro biomedical applications.
TL;DR: An overview of the experience of the opening two years of an institution-wide project in introducing electronic voting equipment for lectures is presented, and various empirical indications support the theoretical view that learning benefits depend upon putting the pedagogy at the focus of attention in each use.
Abstract: An overview of the experience of the opening two years of an institution-wide project in introducing electronic voting equipment for lectures is presented. Eight different departments and a wide range of group size (up to 300) saw some use. An important aspect of this is the organizational one of addressing the whole institution, rather than a narrower disciplinary base. The mobility of the equipment, the generality of the educational analysis, and the technical support provided contributed to this. Evaluations of each use identified (formatively) the weakest spots and the most common benefits, and also (summatively) showed that learners almost always saw this as providing a net benefit to them. Various empirical indications support the theoretical view that learning benefits depend upon putting the pedagogy (not the technology) at the focus of attention in each use. Perceived benefits tended to increase as lecturers became more experienced in exploiting the approach. The most promising pedagogical approaches appear to be Interactive Engagement (launching peer discussions), and Contingent Teaching ‐ designing sessions not as fixed scripts but to zero in on using diagnostic questions on the points that the particular audience most needs on this occasion.
01 Jan 2004
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe a new form of tactile output, called tactile icons, which can be used to communicate messages non-visually, and describe the parameters used to construct them and some possible ways to design them.
Abstract: Tactile displays are now becoming available in a form that can be easily used in a user interface. This paper describes a new form of tactile output. Tactons, or tactile icons, are structured, abstract messages that can be used to communicate messages non-visually. A range of different parameters can be used for Tacton construction including: frequency, amplitude and duration of a tactile pulse, plus other parameters such as rhythm and location. Tactons have the potential to improve interaction in a range of different areas, particularly where the visual display is overloaded, limited in size or not available, such as interfaces for blind people or in mobile and wearable devices. This paper describes Tactons, the parameters used to construct them and some possible ways to design them. Examples of where Tactons might prove useful in user interfaces are given.
TL;DR: It is shown that the membrane-bound form of ST2 negatively regulated type I interleukin 1 receptor (IL-1RI) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) but not TLR3 signaling by sequestrating the adaptors MyD88 and Mal.
Abstract: The Toll-interleukin 1 receptor (TIR) superfamily, defined by the presence of an intracellular TIR domain, initiates innate immunity through activation of the transcription factor NF-kappa B, leading to the production of proinflammatory cytokines. ST2 is a member of the TIR family that does not activate NF-kappa B and has been suggested as an important effector molecule of T helper type 2 (T(H)2) responses. We show here that the membrane-bound form of ST2 negatively regulated type I interleukin 1 receptor (IL-1RI) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) but not TLR3 signaling by sequestrating the adaptors MyD88 and Mal. In contrast to wild-type mice, ST2-deficient mice failed to develop endotoxin tolerance. Thus, these results provide a molecular explanation for the function of ST2 in T(H)2 responses, as inhibition of TLRs promotes a T(H)2 response, and also identify ST2 as a key regulator of endotoxin tolerance.
TL;DR: Every effort should be made to encourage asthmatics who smoke to stop, although the effects of smoking cessation upon reversing the adverse effects of tobacco smoke on asthma control, therapeutic response to corticosteroids and airway pathology have yet to be fully elucidated.
Abstract: In most developed countries approximately 25% of adults with asthma are current cigarette smokers. Asthma and active cigarette smoking interact to cause more severe symptoms, accelerated decline in lung function, and impaired short-term therapeutic response to corticosteroids. Cigarette smoking may modify inflammation that is associated with asthma, although there is limited published data on airway pathology in smokers with asthma. To date, the evidence points towards a combination of both heightened and suppressed inflammatory responses in smokers compared with nonsmokers with asthma. The mechanisms of corticosteroid resistance in asthmatic smokers are unexplained, but could be as a result of alterations in airway inflammatory cell phenotypes (e.g. increased neutrophils or reduced eosinophils), changes in the glucocorticoid receptor-alpha to -beta ratio (e.g. overexpression of glucocorticoid receptor beta), and increased activation of pro-inflammatory transcription factors (e.g. nuclear factor-kappaB) or reduced histone deacetylase activity. In conclusion, every effort should be made to encourage asthmatics who smoke to stop, although the effects of smoking cessation upon reversing the adverse effects of tobacco smoke on asthma control, therapeutic response to corticosteroids and airway pathology have yet to be fully elucidated. Alternative or additional therapies to inhaled corticosteroids are needed for asthmatic patients who are unable to quit smoking.
TL;DR: This model examines the relationship between coextinction levels (proportion of species extinct) of affiliates and their hosts across a wide range of coevolved interspecific systems and estimates that 6300 affiliate species are “coendangered” with host species currently listed as endangered.
Abstract: To assess the coextinction of species (the loss of a species upon the loss of another), we present a probabilistic model, scaled with empirical data. The model examines the relationship between coextinction levels (proportion of species extinct) of affiliates and their hosts across a wide range of coevolved interspecific systems: pollinating Ficus wasps and Ficus, parasites and their hosts, butterflies and their larval host plants, and ant butterflies and their host ants. Applying a nomographic method based on mean host specificity (number of host species per affiliate species), we estimate that 6300 affiliate species are “coendangered” with host species currently listed as endangered. Current extinction estimates need to be recalibrated by taking species coextinctions into account.
Book•
01 Jan 2004TL;DR: The geometry of IR is studied through the lens of linear algebra, quantum mechanics, and vector and Hilbert spaces, with a focus on linear transformations, operators and matrices.
Abstract: Preface Prologue 1. Introduction 2. On sets and kinds in IR 3. Vector and Hilbert spaces 4. Linear transformations, operators and matrices 5. Conditional logic in IR 6. The geometry of IR Appendix I. Linear algebra Appendix II. Quantum mechanics Appendix III. Probability Bibliography Index.