Rock partridge (Alectoris graeca graeca) population density and trends in central Greece

The rock partridge is an emblematic species of the Greek avifauna and one of the most important game species in the country. The present study, which combined long term in–situ counts with distance sampling methodology in central Greece, indicated that the species’ population in Greece is the highest within its European distribution, in contrast to all prior considerations. Inter–annual trends suggested a stable rock partridge population both within hunting areas and wildlife refuges, whereas during summer, the species presented significantly higher densities in altitudes of more than 1,000 m, most probably due to the effect of predation at lower zones. The similarity of population structure between wildlife refuges and hunting zones along with the stable population trends demonstrate that rock partridge harvest in the country is sustainable

Analytical and numerical analyses of the micromechanics of soft fibrous connective tissues

State of the art research and treatment of biological tissues require accurate and efficient methods for describing their mechanical properties. Indeed, micromechanics motivated approaches provide a systematic method for elevating relevant data from the microscopic level to the macroscopic one. In this work the mechanical responses of hyperelastic tissues with one and two families of collagen fibers are analyzed by application of a new variational estimate accounting for their histology and the behaviors of their constituents. The resulting, close form expressions, are used to determine the overall response of the wall of a healthy human coronary artery. To demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed method these predictions are compared with corresponding 3-D finite element simulations of a periodic unit cell of the tissue with two families of fibers. Throughout, the analytical predictions for the highly nonlinear and anisotropic tissue are in agreement with the numerical simulations

Effect of calcification on the mechanical stability of plaque based on a three-dimensional carotid bifurcation model

Background: This study characterizes the distribution and components of plaque structure by presenting a three-dimensional blood-vessel modelling with the aim of determining mechanical properties due to the effect of lipid core and calcification within a plaque. Numerical simulation has been used to answer how cap thickness and calcium distribution in lipids influence the biomechanical stress on the plaque.Method: Modelling atherosclerotic plaque based on structural analysis confirms the rationale for plaque mechanical examination and the feasibility of our simulation model. Meaningful validation of predictions from modelled atherosclerotic plaque model typically requires examination of bona fide atherosclerotic lesions. To analyze a more accurate plaque rupture, fluid-structure interaction is applied to three-dimensional blood-vessel carotid bifurcation modelling

Corporate reputation past and future: a review and integration of existing literature and a framework for future research

The concept of corporate reputation is steadily growing in interest among management researchers and practitioners. In this article, we trace key milestones in the development of reputation literature over the past six decades to suggest important research gaps as well as to provide contextual background for a subsequent integration of approaches and future outlook. In particular we explore the need for better categorised outcomes; a wider range of causes; and a deeper understanding of contingencies and moderators to advance the field beyond its current state while also taking account of developments in the macro business environment. The article concludes by presenting a novel reputation framework that integrates insights from reputation theory and studies, outlines gaps in knowledge and offers directions for future research

The Lara Phenomenon: Powerful Female Characters in Video Games

The content of games is an understudied area in social scientific research about video games. The purpose of the present study is to contribute to the understanding of the portrayal of gender and race in games. Previous research on game content has revealed that stereotypical masculine characters dominate video games and that those characters are generally White. Nowadays, quite a few video games have women in leading parts; Tomb Raider's Lara Croft is the prototypical example. In our study we investigated the so-called 'Lara phenomenon,' that is, the appearance of a competent female character in a dominant position. We also studied the portrayal of men and the race of both male and female characters. We did a content analysis on the introductory films of 12 contemporary video games. Our results show that female characters appeared as often in leading parts as male characters did. They were portrayed with a sexualized emphasis on female features. Most game characters belonged to the dominant White race, the heroes exclusively so

Sequential Structural and Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Balloon-Expandable Coronary Stents: A Multivariable Statistical Analysis

Several clinical studies have identified a strong correlation between neointimal hyperplasia following coronary stent deployment and both stent-induced arterial injury and altered vessel hemodynamics. As such, the sequential structural and fluid dynamics analysis of balloon-expandable stent deployment should provide a comprehensive indication of stent performance. Despite this observation, very few numerical studies of balloon-expandable coronary stents have considered both the mechanical and hemodynamic impact of stent deployment. Furthermore, in the few studies that have considered both phenomena, only a small number of stents have been considered. In this study, a sequential structural and fluid dynamics analysis methodology was employed to compare both the mechanical and hemodynamic impact of six balloon-expandable coronary stents. To investigate the relationship between stent design and performance, several common stent design properties were then identified and the dependence between these properties and both the mechanical and hemodynamic variables of interest was evaluated using statistical measures of correlation. Following the completion of the numerical analyses, stent strut thickness was identified as the only common design property that demonstrated a strong dependence with either the mean equivalent stress predicted in the artery wall or the mean relative residence time predicted on the luminal surface of the artery. These results corroborate the findings of the large-scale ISAR-STEREO clinical studies and highlight the crucial role of strut thickness in coronary stent design. The sequential structural and fluid dynamics analysis methodology and the multivariable statistical treatment of the results described in this study should prove useful in the design of future balloon-expandable coronary stents