Showing papers by "University of Stirling published in 1991"
Book•
23 Dec 1991TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the nature of hazards in the environment, complexity, sustainability, and vulnerability of the environment to disasters, as well as the experience and reduction of hazards.
Abstract: Part One: The Nature of Hazard 1. Hazard in the Environment 2. Dimensions of Disaster 3. Complexity, Sustainability and Vulnerability 4. Risk Assessment and Management 5. Reducing the Impacts of Disaster Part Two: The Experience and Reduction of Hazard 6. Tectonic Hazards - Earthquakes and Tsunamis 7. Tectonic Hazards - Volcanoes 8. Landslide and Avalanche Hazards 9. Severe Storm Hazards 10. Weather Extremes, Disease Epidemics and Wildfires 11. Hydrological Hazards - Floods 12. Hydrological Hazards - Droughts 13. Technological Hazards 14. Environmental Hazards in a Changing World Bibliography Index
876 citations
TL;DR: For instance, this article showed that infants look where someone else is looking in the first 18 months of their life, by extrapolating from the orientation of the mother's head and eyes to the intersection of the line of sight within a relatively precise zone of the infant's own visual space.
Abstract: A series of experiments is reported which show that three successive mechanisms are involved in the first 18 months of life in ‘looking where someone else is looking’. The earliest ‘ecological’ mechanism enables the infant to detect the direction of the adult's visual gaze within the baby's visual field but the mother's signal alone does not allow the precise localization of the target. Joint attention to the same physical object also depends on the intrinsic, attention-capturing properties of the object in the environment. By about 12 months, we have evidence for presence of a new ‘geometric’ mechanism. The infant extrapolates from the orientation of the mother's head and eyes, the intersection of the mother's line of sight within a relatively precise zone of the infant's own visual space. A third ‘representational’ mechanism emerges between 12 and 18 months, with an extension of joint reference to places outside the infant's visual field.
None of these mechanisms require the infant to have a theory that others have minds; rather the perceptual systems of different observers ‘meet’ in encountering the same objects and events in the world. Such a ‘realist’ basis for interpersonal knowledge may offer an alternative starting point for development of intrapersonal knowledge, rather than the view that mental events can only be known by construction of a theory.
825 citations
TL;DR: The prevalence rate of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), defined as enlargement of the prostate gland of equivalent weight greater than 20 g in the presence of symptoms of urinary dysfunction and/or a urinary peak flow rate less than 15 ml/s and without evidence of malignancy, was 253 (95% CI 221-285) per 1000 men in the community.
734 citations
01 Jan 1991
248 citations
TL;DR: The marked dependence on concentration in the "semi-dilute" region was similar to that for other stiff neutral polysaccharide systems, ascribed to "hyper-entanglements", and it is suggested that these may have arisen through a tenuous alignment of stiffened chains.
226 citations
TL;DR: It is established that a diet with a low (n-3)/(n-6) ratio can cause changes in fatty acid metabolism that are deleterious to the health of salmonid fish, especially when subjected to stress.
Abstract: For 16 wk Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) post-smolts were fed practical-type diets that contained either fish oil (FO) or sunflower oil (SO) as the lipid component. Both diets contained adequate (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). All the phospholipids of heart and liver from SO-fed fish had increased levels of 18:2(n-6), 20:2(n-6) and 20:3(n-6); phosphatidyl choline (PC) and phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE) also had increased 20:4(n-6). There was a general decrease in 20:5(n-3) in the phospholipids, reflected in an increase in the 20:4(n-6)/20:5(n-3) ratio, especially in PC and PE. The fatty acid compositions of phospholipids from brain and retina were much less affected by dietary linoleate than those of heart and liver. Fish fed SO developed severe heart lesions that caused thinning of the ventricular wall and muscle necrosis. The fish fed SO also were susceptible to a transportation-induced shock syndrome that caused 30% mortality. These results establish that a diet with a low (n-3)/(n-6) ratio can cause changes in fatty acid metabolism that are deleterious to the health of salmonid fish, especially when subjected to stress.
216 citations
TL;DR: The authors compare the diets of gorillas and chimpanzees and find that gorillas eat more vegetative plant parts than do chimpanzees, but niche separation is most obvious in periods of fruit scarcity when the two species show different strategies that reduce competition for food.
Abstract: Comparison of the diets of sympatric gorillas and chimpanzees allows an analysis of niche separation between these two closely related species. Qualitatively, their diets are similar, being dominated by an equally diverse array of fruit species complemented with vegetative plant parts, seeds and insects. Gorillas eat more vegetative plant parts than do chimpanzees, but niche separation is most obvious in periods of fruit scarcity when the two species show different strategies that reduce competition for food. Their abilities to overcome mechanical and physical plant defences appear to differ, as gorillas are able to subsist entirely on abundant vegetative foods. Chimpanzees show social adjustment, foraging alone or in small groups, to reduce intra-specific competition for scarce fruit resources. Thus it seems that subtle physiological differences have far-reaching repercussions, defining potential evolutionary pathways for social organization and allowing sufficient niche separation between species.
203 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the distribution of returns to shareholders of UK companies involved in acquisitions during the period 1977-1986 and found that although there is no net wealth decrease to shareholders in total as a result of takeover activity, shareholders of bidder firms do suffer wealth decreases.
Abstract: The paper investigates the distribution of returns to shareholders of UK companies involved in acquisitions during the period 1977-1986 Three control models were used in the analysis: the market model with parameters identified through OLS regression, a model based on adjusted betas, and finally an index-relative model Abnormal returns were identified around both bid announcement and outcome dates for bidders and targets in completed and abandoned bids Examination was also made of the distribution of wealth changes for bidders and targets separately and for both in combination The results demonstrate that, although there is no net wealth decrease to shareholders in total as a result of takeover activity, shareholders of bidder firms do suffer wealth decreases By contrast, shareholders in target firms obtained significant, positive wealth increases in both completed and abandoned bids
175 citations
TL;DR: Overt parental conflict was found to relate most strongly to children's emotional and behavioural problems and overt parental conflict, covert tension between parents and discrepancy on child-rearing practices was assessed.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the elements of the parental marital relationship which put children at risk for behavioural and emotional problems. Data from 119 families from the general population with a child aged between 9 and 12 years were analysed for the present study. The relationship between children's emotional and behavioural problems and overt parental conflict, covert tension between parents and discrepancy on child-rearing practices was assessed. Overt parental conflict was found to relate most strongly to children's emotional and behavioural problems using mothers', fathers' and children's accounts of the children's symptoms and after controlling for other aspects of marital disharmony. Aspects of the parent-child relationship were hypothesized as mediating variables in the relationship between parental conflict and children's emotional and behavioural problems, but the data did not support this hypothesis.
169 citations
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TL;DR: Of the major egg white proteins, lysozyme is the only one having catalytic activity, but many have specific binding sites, e.g. for vitamins such as biotin, riboflavin and thiamin, or for metal ions such as FeIII.
Abstract: 1. 1. Egg white proteins are the principal solutes present in egg white, making up approximately 10% of its weight. 2. 2. They are globular proteins and most have acidic isoelectric points. 3. 3. Many are glycoproteins with carbohydrate contents ranging from 2 to 58%. 4. 4. Of the major egg white proteins, lysozyme is the only one having catalytic activity, but many have specific binding sites, e.g. for vitamis such as biotin, riboflavin and thiamin, or for metal ions such as FeIII. 5. 5. A major group are those showing proteinase inhibitory activity, and they include ovomucoid, ovoinhibitor, cystatin and ovostatin. 6. 6. The synthesis of egg white protein occurs in the oviduct, and is hormonally controlled either by oestrogens or progesterone. 7. 7. Extensive studies have been carried out in the genes coding for egg white proteins.
160 citations
TL;DR: Greater than 99% of Vibrio alginolyticus were cleared from the haemolymph of Penaeus monodon within 4 h of exposure to the heat-killed bacteria.
TL;DR: The data suggest that the changes observed in the fatty acyl composition of N. oculata are a result of the partitioning of photosynthetically fixed carbon between polar and neutral lipid class biosynthesis and fatty acy desaturation and elongation pathways.
Abstract: Changes in the lipid and fatty acyl compositions of the marine microalga Nannochloropsis oculata Droop were examined during a batch culture growth cycle. During the early phase of batch culture the cellular proportion of triacylglycerols (TAG) increased. This was in addition to the increases in TAG observed in many microalgal species in the stationary-phase. Concomitant increases in the relative proportions of both saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids and decreases in the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids in total lipid were also associated with this phase. The separated individual lipid classes were found to have characteristic fatty acyl compositions. The relative proportion of lipid per cell, the relative proportions of the individual lipid classes and the fatty acyl compositions of the individual classes were all subject to variability during the growth cycle. The changing total lipid fatty acyl composition of N. oculata was found to be determined by the proportion of the total lipid present as TAG. The data suggest that the changes observed in the fatty acyl composition of N. oculata are a result of the partitioning of photosynthetically fixed carbon between polar and neutral lipid class biosynthesis and fatty acyl desaturation and elongation pathways. The effect of such a partitioning of carbon is discussed in relation to the effects of environmental variables and growth phase upon the balance of lipid class and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) synthesis in marine microalgae.
TL;DR: Age was confirmed to be the major determinant of VPT levels at all sites and height was a significant factor for toes and ankles but not thumbs, and sex had no overall effect at toe or thumb but there were differences regarding ankle VPT.
Abstract: Vibration perception threshold (VPT) is increasingly used as a measure of large nerve fibre function in studies of patients with diabetes and in other disorders. In order to establish the influence of age, height, sex, and smoking on VPT values in the normal population and to allow the calculation of accurate age-related percentile charts, 1365 healthy volunteers were studied using a biothesiometer. Measurements were made bilaterally on thumbs, great toes, and over medial malleoli. Multivariate regression analysis confirmed age to be the major determinant of VPT levels at all sites (p less than 0.001). Height was a significant factor for toes and ankles (p less than 0.001) but not thumbs. Sex had no overall effect at toe or thumb but there were differences regarding ankle VPT (p less than 0.01). Log transformation of VPT data produced a linear relationship with age at all sites except at the thumbs in elderly females where there was significant deviation from this model (p less than 0.001) and inverse square root transformation was more appropriate. Smoking had no effect on VPT levels. Age-related centile charts were produced for each site and an easy-to-use computer program was developed to calculate centile values based on raw VPT data, age, height, and sex.
TL;DR: The mechanism of epithelial cell death is proposed as a general mechanism of aluminium-induced accelerated cell death and is shown to be bipartite.
TL;DR: The authors explored the extent to which there are material quantitative differences in profits reported under US GAAP compared to profits reported in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Abstract: This paper explores the extent to which there are material quantitative differences in profits reported under US GAAP compared to profits reported in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands. From an analysis of Form 20-F reports filed with the SEC in the USA, there is support for the hypothesis that UK GAAP are significantly less conservative than US GAAP. On the basis of a case study approach, it seems that Swedish GAAP tend to be more conservative than US GAAP, particularly when the transfers to reserves are analysed, but there is insufficient evidence to establish a systematic pattern. In the Netherlands, on the other hand, there is evidence to suggest that Dutch GAAP are at the less conservative end of the spectrum of financial reporting measurement practices, in a position relatively similar to that of UK GAAP, although again the evidence is insufficient to establish a systematic pattern.
TL;DR: The authors examined the movement of young people in and out of self-employment using comparable longitudinal data from Australia and the United States and found that the forces that influence whether a person becomes self-employed are broadly similar: skilled manual workers, males and older workers were particularly likely to move to self employment.
Abstract: This paper examines the pattern of self-employment in Australia and the United States. We particularly focus on the movement of young people in and out of self-employment using comparable longitudinal data from the two countries. We find that the forces that influence whether a person becomes self-employed are broadly similar: in both countries skilled manual workers, males and older workers were particularly likely to move to self-employment. We also find that previous firm size, previous union status and previous earnings are important determinants if transition to self-employment. The main difference we observe is that additional years of schooling had a positive impact on the probability of being self-employed in the US but were not a significant influence in Australia. However, the factors influencing the probability of leaving self-employment are different across the two countries. The only similarity is that in both countries younger individuals are more likely to leave.
TL;DR: Analysis of sources of relevance for Pan, Gorilla, Pongo, and Hylobates found that most studies focused on hand use rather than other organs, and such issues as population-level handedness versus individual hand preferences remain unresolved.
TL;DR: The mean increase in African catfish weight with time over the entire larval period can be approximated by a cubic or exponential growth model, but the growth rate indices specific growth rate (k) and the regression coefficient of a cube root transformation of the weight data (b), both vary significantly when measured over successive short intervals from first feeding.
Abstract: . The mean increase in African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell), weight with time over the entire larval period can be approximated by a cubic or exponential growth model. However, the growth rate indices specific growth rate (k) and the regression coefficient of a cube root transformation of the weight data (b), both vary significantly when measured over successive short intervals from first feeding. In particular, the onset of air breathing is associated with a significant depression in growth rate. The variation in specific growth rate (k) with larval age closely approximates the relationship between mean % increase in body weight per day and larval age; however, the cube root regression coefficient does not share this property. In addition to the effect of larval age the growth rate of African catfish larvae is significantly affected by the initial density at which they are stocked (between 25 and 250 larvae/1) and interactions between age and stocking density. Survival over the larval period, of 80% or more, is apparently unaffected by initial stocking density (between 50 and 250larvae/I); however, the onset of air breathing in particular is associated with an increase in fish deaths.
TL;DR: Electivity was found to be low in most instances, although the low productivity of the ponds may have had some influence, and dietary overlap was greatest between catla and silver carp.
Abstract: . The fry of four species of planktivorous carp, silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes), bighead carp, Aristichthys nobilis (Richardson), rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton), and catla, Catla catla (Hamilton), were grown in monoculture in ponds in Mymensingh, Bangladesh in order to determine electivity and the extent of dietary overlap. Other than an avoidance for Cyanobacteria, electivity was found to be low in most instances, although the low productivity of the ponds may have had some influence. Dietary overlap was greatest between catla and silver carp (0–52) and between catla and bighead carp (0–48).
TL;DR: The results confirm the limited capacity of turbot to convert 18C PUFA to longer chain PUFA but demonstrate their ability to synthesize 22CPUFA from 20C PU FA and suggest a small but specific requirement for 20:4(n-6).
Abstract: The ability of juvenile turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (L.), to elongate and desaturate various polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was examined in relation to their lipid composition. Triacylglycerols were the most abundant lipid class present in the fish and phosphatidylcholine was the predominant phospholipid. In all lipid classes examined the levels of (n-3) PUFA exceeded that of (n-6) PUFA. 18C PUFA were minor components in comparison with 20:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3). 20:4(n-6) was present in highest concentration in phosphatidylinositol in which it accounted for 16.9% of the fatty acids. When the fish were injected with either 14C-labelled 18:2(n-6), 18:3(n-3), 20:4(n-6), 20:5(n-3) or 22:6(n-3) the highest percentage recovery of radioactivity (69%) in body lipid was observed with 22:6(n-3). With all labelled substrates free fatty acids contained only a small proportion of the total recovered radioactivity whereas triacylglycerols were highly labelled. Phosphatidylcholine/sphingomyelin was the most highly labelled polar lipid fraction. With 14C-20:4(n-6) as injected substrate, 23.2% of the radioactivity recovered in total lipid was present in phosphatidylinositol in comparison with less than 6% with the other substrates. Only small proportions of radioactivity from 14C-18:2(n-6) and 14C-18:3(n-3) were recovered in the 20 and 22C fatty acids of triacylglycerols and total polar lipid. With 14C-20:5(n-3) as substrate, 27 and 33% of the total radioactivity recovered in the fatty acids of triacylglycerols and polar lipids respectively was present in 22C fatty acids. The corresponding values for l4C-20:4(n-6) as substrate were 19 and 18%. The results confirm the limited capacity of turbot to convert 18C PUFA to longer chain PUFA but demonstrate their ability to synthesize 22C PUFA from 20C PUFA. They also suggest a small but specific requirement for 20:4(n-6).
TL;DR: In this paper, an empirical study of wilderness management in the "Flow Country" of northern Scotland is presented. And the economic efficiency of continued planting in the area is tested for using the Krutilla-Fisher model.
TL;DR: A study was undertaken of the settlement and attachment of larvae of Lepeophtheirus salmonis on a salmonid host Salmo salar Linnaeus, 1758 and the filament used for subsequent attachment was found to comprise three distinct regions; basal plate, stem and external lamina.
Abstract: A study was undertaken of the settlement and attachment of larvae of Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Kroyer, 1837) on a salmonid host Salmo salar Linnaeus, 1758. Preferred settlement sites were the fins and other protected areas. Initial, reversible settlement was followed by attachment with the hooked second antennae. The filament used for subsequent attachment was found to comprise three distinct regions; basal plate, stem and external lamina. The filament was secured to the epithelial basement membrane by the basal plate which was formed by secretion down the axial duct from the posterior A-group of cells. The stem was fibrous and carried the axial duct along its length. A thin external lamina covered the stem and was apparently continuous with the chalimus cuticle. A number of filament-associated organs are also described, comprising cell groups A-C although only the function of A was characterized.
TL;DR: A neural net method is used to extract principal components from real-world images and two of the components are ‘bar-detectors’, which are similar to that suggested by Foster & Ward to account for brief-exposure psychophysical data.
Abstract: A neural net method is used to extract principal components from real-world images. The initial components are a Gaussian followed by horizontal and vertical operators, starting with the first derivative and moving to successively higher orders. Two of the components are 'bar-detectors'. Their measured orientation selectivity is similar to that suggested by Foster & Ward (Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 243, 75 (1991] to account for brief-exposure psychophysical data. In tests with noise images, the ratio of sensitivity between the two components is controlled by the degree of anisotropy in the image.
TL;DR: The spontaneous production and release of morphologically typical C-type retrovirus particles from four cell lines derived from three species of warmwater fish have been identified and induced a cytolytic infection of a bluegill fry cell line.
Abstract: The spontaneous production and release of morphologically typical, 85 to 90 nm diameter C-type retrovirus particles from four cell lines derived from three species of warmwater fish have been identified. Virus pellets from cell culture supernatants showed high levels of Mn2+-dependent reverse transcriptase activity at 24 °C. Peak enzyme activity was associated with a 1.16 g/ml sucrose gradient fraction. All four isolates induced a cytolytic infection of a bluegill fry cell line within 6 to 10 days.
Patent•
31 May 1991TL;DR: In this paper, a crimpless coaxial cable connector is provided which can be secured to a cable simply by pushing the cable into the connector and subsequently pulling it back, and the body of the connector has a bushing mounted within it near the cable receiving end having a diameter to closely receive the cable.
Abstract: A crimpless coaxial cable connector is provided which can be secured to a cable simply by pushing the cable into the connector and subsequently pulling it back. The body of the connector has a bushing mounted within it near the cable receiving end having a diameter to closely receive the cable. The body of the connector also has within it an annular mandrel having a bore to receive the stripped core of the cable, and having a sleeve adapted to engage the cable beneath the jacket by pushing the cable and the mandrel together. This stretches the jacket of the cable to a diameter greater than the internal diameter of the bushing. The mandrel is movable from a position in which the sleeve is not surrounded by the bushing in which the sleeve may be engaged to the cable, to a position in which the sleeve is at least partially within the bushing in which the jacket in frictionally engaged by the bushing, by pulling the cable away from the connector after it has been pushed onto the mandrel sleeve. Preferably, the mandrel is displaced to further tighten the frictional engagement of the jacket by the bushing by screwing the connector onto a threaded coupling unit.
TL;DR: High levels of mortalities have been experienced in farmed coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisuteh (Walbaum), in the Gulf of Ancud, southern Chile, and basophilic granules were thought to be the main aetiological agent, and are likely to be a rickettsia-like organism.
Abstract: . High levels of mortalities have been experienced in farmed coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisuteh (Walbaum), in the Gulf of Ancud, southern Chile. Most affected fish had similar skin lesions ranging from small areas of raised scales through white raised plaques to shallow ulcers. The fish were also generally dark, lethargic and anorexic. However, some affected fish appeared grossly normal with no skin lesions. Internal pathology consisted of varying degrees of ascites, peritonitis and general pallor. Spleens were generally enlarged. Kidneys and livers were swollen and grey in colour, often with pale focal lesions. Extensive histopathology was present in affected fish with tissue necrosis, intravascular necrotic thrombi, large basophilic cells and basophilic granules, some free in the tissues, some contained within cells. The basophilic granules, known locally as the ‘UA’, or unidentified agent, were thought to be the main aetiological agent, and are likely to be a rickettsia-like organism.
TL;DR: The extent to which these findings may be generalised to other rivers is discussed in relation to the unique character of the River Polla and particularly the presence of a smolt unit on its lower reaches.
TL;DR: The identification of these threatened fishes and important freshwater sites provides a foundation for a review of existing protection in the British Isles and a major fish conservation management programme.
Abstract: 1. The objective of this paper is to review the status of all freshwater fishes in the British Isles and to identify theatened species, races and communities which are in need of conservation.
2. Using objective criteria to assess the degree of threat, two of the 55 freshwater species known in the British Isles are thought to be extinct here and eight are believed to be under significant threat.
3. The biology of these ten species is reviewed. They are: Sturgeon Acipenser sturio, Allis Shad Alosa alosa, Twaite Shad Alosa fallax, Arctic Charr Salvelinus alpinus, Houting Coregonus oxyrinchus (extinct), Powan Coregonus lavaretus, Pollan Coregonus autumnalis, Vendace Coregonus albula, Smelt Osmerus eperlanus and Burbot Lota lota (extinct).
4. In addition, there are several races of commoner species which are believed to be worthy of special conservation measures. These fish include the purely freshwater race of River Lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis in Loch Lomond, dwarf Brook Lampreys Lampetra planeri in the Inner Hebrides, spineless Three-spined Sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus in the Outer Hebrides and a number of important races of Brown Trout Salmo trutta in various waters in Ireland and Scotland.
5. There is also a range of fish communities in individual rivers and lakes which merit conservation attention. These are important for a variety of reasons, including high (and very low) diversity, unique assemblages, pristine stocks and highly characteristic communities.
6. The major threats to these species and communities include industrial and domestic pollution, acidification, land use changes, river barriers, drainage, fish farming, fishery management and the introduction of new species.
7. The identification of these threatened fishes and important freshwater sites provides a foundation for a review of existing protection in the British Isles and a major fish conservation management programme. These will be described in subsequent papers.