Directional selection effects on patterns of phenotypic (co)variation in wild populations.

Phenotypic (co)variation is a prerequisite for evolutionary change, and understanding how (co)variation evolves is of crucial importance to the biological sciences. Theoretical models predict that under directional selection, phenotypic (co)variation should evolve in step with the underlying adaptive landscape, increasing the degree of correlation among co-selected traits as well as the amount of genetic variance in the direction of selection. Whether either of these outcomes occurs in natural populations is an open question and thus an important gap in evolutionary theory. Here, we documented changes in the phenotypic (co)variation structure in two separate natural populations in each of two chipmunk species (Tamias alpinus and T. speciosus) undergoing directional selection. In populations where selection was strongest (those of T. alpinus), we observed changes, at least for one population, in phenotypic (co)variation that matched theoretical expectations, namely an increase of both phenotypic integration and (co)variance in the direction of selection and a re-alignment of the major axis of variation with the selection gradient

Frequency versus relaxation oscillations in a semiconductor laser with coherent filtered optical feedback

We investigate the dynamics of a semiconductor laser subject to coherent delayed filtered optical feedback. A systematic bifurcation analysis reveals that this system supports two fundamentally different types of oscillations, namely relaxation oscillations and external roundtrip oscillations. Both occur stably in large domains under variation of the feedback conditions, where the feedback phase is identified as a key quantity for controlling this dynamical complexity. We identify two separate parameter regions of stable roundtrip oscillations, which occur throughout in the form of pure frequency oscillations

Ottimizzazione aerodinamica di soffiaggi sul fondo di un'autovettura ad elevate prestazioni

In tale lavoro di tesi viene implementata una procedura di ottimizzazione per lo studio del soffiaggio sul fondo di un'autovettura ad elevate prestazioni al fine di incrementarne il carico aerodinamico. Inoltre sono stati analizzati i risultati ottenuti con lo scopo di compredere la fisica di base del problema in esame. I software utilizzati nella procedura di ottimizzazione sono modeFrontier®, Matlab®, Catia®, Gambit® e Ansys-Fluent®

Valproic acid induced hyperammonemic encephalopathy: A case report

Valproic acid (VPA) is commonly used drug to treat variety of anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer in psychiatric and neurologic cases. It is thought to be a safe drug with a large therapeutic aspect..Uncommonly, hyperammonemia can be progressed by the usage of valproate and VPA induced hyperammonemia delirium-like condition by extrahepatic origin can be constituted. Being unrecognized of this situation in a timely manner can result in encephalopathy and even death. The measurement of the level of ammonia is important to establish a potentially lethal but reversible situation. In this case study, it is aimed that to present hyperammonemia related to the use of psychotropic drugs and to present a patient with hyperammonemia during VPA and antipsychotic use without a medical disease except bipolar disorder in the past. © 2018 ANP Publishing. All rights reserved

The portuguese version of the eating disorders inventory : evaluation of its psychometric properties

The objective of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI; Garner et al., 1983). Three groups participated in the current study: 274 female and 67 male non-patients, and 83 females with a diagnosis of eating disorder. Results clearly support the reliability and the factor structure of the EDI in a Portuguese sample. In addition non-patient and eating disordered participants' score significantly differently in all EDI scales, emphasizing the clinical usefulness of the measure.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia - PRAXIS/PCSH/P/PSI/85/96

Exploration of a cognitive model to predict post-traumatic stress symptoms following childbirth

Women can suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth. This study investigated the application of a cognitive model to PTS symptoms following childbirth and explored the addition of social support to the model. Methods: Women (N=138) completed questionnaires in pregnancy, three-weeks and three-months after birth, measuring prior trauma, beliefs, and coping in pregnancy; and birth interventions, social support, post-traumatic cognitions, and PTS symptoms post-birth. Results: Using structural equation modeling, a cognitive model explained 23% of the variance in PTS symptoms three-weeks postpartum. Three-months postpartum, the model explained only 9% of the variance in PTS symptoms. The addition of social support, partially mediated by post-traumatic cognitions, increased the variance to 16%. Discussion: Results suggest that a cognitive model accounts for early PTS symptoms after birth. Social support after birth increases the explanatory power of the model at three months. A test of the model on a larger sample is warranted

Shirt sponsorship by gambling companies in the English and Scottish Premier Leagues: global reach and public health concerns

While the nature of gambling practices is contested, a strong evidence base demonstrates that gambling can become a serious disorder and have a range of detrimental effects for individuals, communities and societies. Over the last decade, football in the UK has become visibly entwined with gambling marketing. To explore this apparent trend, we tracked shirt sponsors in both the English and Scottish Premier Leagues since 1992 and found a pronounced increase in the presence of sponsorship by gambling companies. This increase occurred at the same time the Gambling Act 2005, which liberalized rules, was introduced. We argue that current levels of gambling sponsorship in UK football, and the global visibility it provides to gambling brands, is a public health concern that needs to be debated and addressed. We recommend that legislators revisit the relationship between football in the UK and the sponsorship it receives from the gambling industry

Whole-family approach to agricultural market success

This brief describes how Women in Business Development Incorporated (WIBDI), a non-profit organisation in Samoa, works with farming families to produce highvalue products for local and global markets. Shifting away from a women-focused approach, WIBDI now uses an approach that involves the whole family, keeping all family members on board. It has also invested in digital applications and resources to increase the efficiency of operations, profile the producers and their products, and facilitate engagement with markets and customers

Travelling with a Stoma: A literature Review

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Gastrointestinal Nursing, copyright © MA Healthcare, after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see http://www.magonlinelibrary.com/toc/gasn/currentGiven the daily challenges that unfamiliar environments, food and culture bring, many ostomates find the prospect of travelling with a stoma stressful. Yet with good advice, international travel can be enjoyed, whether experienced for leisure or work purposes. To practice safely, nurses require knowledge of research evidence, combined with a wealth of practical knowledge, derived from patient experience. This article examines how these types of knowledge can be brought together to ensure that people with a stoma are able to anticipate travel in a more positive way.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio