Behavior profiles in children with functional urinary incontinence before and after incontinence treatment

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this work was to analyze prospectively the prevalence of behavioral disorders in children with urinary incontinence because of nonneuropathic bladder-sphincter dysfunction before and after treatment for incontinence. METHODS. A total of 202 children with nonneuropathic bladder-sphincter dysfunction were enrolled in the European Bladder Dysfunction Study, in branches for urge syndrome (branch 1) and dysfunctional voiding (branch 2); 188 filled out Achenbach's Child Behavior Checklist before treatment and 111 after treatment. Child Behavior Checklist scales for total behavior problems were used along with subscales for externalizing problems and internalizing problems. RESULTS. After European Bladder Dysfunction Study treatment, the total behavior problem score dropped from 19% to 11%, the same prevalence as in the normative population; in branch 1 the score dropped from 14% to 13%, and in branch 2 it dropped from 23% to 8%. The prevalence of externalizing problems dropped too, from 12% to 8%: in branch 1 it was unchanged at 10%, and in branch 2 it dropped from 14% to 7%. The decrease in prevalence of internalizing problems after treatment, from 16% to 14%, was not significant. CONCLUSION. More behavioral problems were found in dysfunctional voiding than in urge syndrome, but none of the abnormal scores related to the outcome of European Bladder Dysfunction Study treatment for incontinence. With such treatment, both the total behavior problem score and the score for externalizing problems returned to normal, but the score for internalizing problems did not change. The drops in prevalence are statistically significant only in dysfunctional voiding

Multiple Ornaments—Multiple Signaling Functions? The Importance of Song and UV Plumage Coloration in Female Superb Fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus)

Showy ornaments are considered as outcomes of sexual selection processes. They provide a "badge of status" to impress conspecific rivals or potential mating partners. Single ornaments may signal attractiveness or individual quality, yet many species display multiple ornaments. There are several hypotheses that explain the existence of multiple ornaments, suggesting that different ornaments serve as different information sources. They may provide either additive or redundant information on the same quality traits, or are simply evolutionary leftovers with no further relevant information. Although, females of many species display elaborated traits, most studies regarding multiple ornaments focus on males. However, given that in many species females also display multiple ornaments, the question about their functional significance arises. To understand the existence of female multiple ornaments we investigated ornamental features of female Superb Fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus), focusing on song and variation in plumage characteristics. Female Superb Fairy-wrens produce complex solo songs, for territorial defense, and have bright blue tail feathers. We examined the relationships between song and plumage coloration characteristics in relation to female quality parameters to investigate whether, and to what extent existing hypotheses on multiple ornaments in males may also apply to females. Based on song recordings and spectrometric measurements of UV-coloration of tail feathers, we derived a series of different song and plumage parameters. Our results indicate interrelationships between the song length (total number of elements in female song) and female body size, but not UV-coloration. Interestingly, song complexity (number of different elements in female song) did not correlate with morphological parameters, UV-Chroma and song length, respectively. This suggests that (i) song and plumage characteristics evolved independently and (ii) even within one trait, namely song, multiple signaling should be considered. To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating multiple traits in female songbirds, raising the idea that multiple signaling of sexually selected traits is not restricted to males only

Untersuchungen zum Amphibienbestand eines Feuchtgebietes in Osnabrück : mit 2 Tabellen

Im Rahmen der Projekt-Lehrveranstaltung "Angewandte Biotopforschung" an der Universität Osnabrück wurden im Jahre 1987 in einem kleinen Feuchtgebiet des Osnabrükker Stadtteils Atter Untersuchungen an den dortigen Amphibienbeständen durchgeführt. Dabei konnten 9 Arten nachgewiesen werden: Erdkröte (Bufo bufo), Grasfrosch (Rana temporaria), Moorfrosch (Rana arvalis), Wasserfrosch (Rana esculenta), Laubfrosch (Hyla arborea), Teichmolch (Triturus vulgaris), Fadenmolch (T. helveticus), Bergmolch (T. alpestris) und Kammolch (T. cristatus). 4 der Arten stehen auf der Roten Liste. Bedingt durch das kalte Frühjahr 1987 erfolgten die Wanderungen zu den Laichgewässern sehr spät. Negative Entwicklungen und Einflüsse, die im Gebiet beobachtbar sind, sollten durch die Ausweisung als "Flächenhaftes Naturdenkmal" eingedämmt werden. Über einen Pflege- und Entwicklungsplan wäre das Gelände zu verbessern