433 research outputs found
Are organic falls bridging reduced environments in the deep sea?: Results from colonization experiments in the Gulf of Cadiz
Organic falls create localised patches of organic enrichment and disturbance where enhanced degradation is mediated by diversified microbial assemblages and specialized fauna. The view of organic falls as âstepping stonesâ for the colonization of deep-sea reducing environments has been often loosely used, but much remains to be proven concerning their capability to bridge dispersal among such environments. Aiming the clarification of this issue, we used an experimental approach to answer the following questions: Are relatively small organic falls in the deep sea capable of sustaining taxonomically and trophically diverse assemblages over demographically relevant temporal scales Are there important depth- or site-related sources of variability for the composition and structure of these assemblages? Is the proximity of other reducing environments influential for their colonization? We analysed the taxonomical and trophic diversity patterns and partitioning (Îą- and β-diversity) of the macrofaunal assemblages recruited in small colonization devices with organic and inorganic substrata after 1-2 years of deployment on mud volcanoes of the Gulf of CĂĄdiz. Our results show that small organic falls can sustain highly diverse and trophically coherent assemblages for time periods allowing growth to reproductive maturity, and successive generations of dominant species. The composition and structure of the assemblages showed variability consistent with their biogeographic and bathymetric contexts. However, the proximity of cold seeps had limited influence on the similarity between the assemblages of these two habitats and organic falls sustained a distinctive fauna with dominant substrate-specific taxa. We conclude that it is unlikely that small organic falls may regularly ensure population connectivity among cold seeps and vents. They may be a recurrent source of evolutionary candidates for the colonization of such ecosystems. However, there may be a critical size of organic fall to create the necessary intense and persistent reducing conditions for sustaining typical chemosymbiotic vent and seep organisms
Biodiversity seen through the perspective of insects: 10 simple rules on methodological choices and experimental design for genomic studies
Massively parallel DNA sequencing opens up opportunities for bridging multiple temporal and spatial dimensions in biodiversity research, thanks to its efficiency to recover millions of nucleotide polymorphisms. Here, we identify the current status, discuss the main challenges, and look into future perspectives on biodiversity genomics focusing on insects, which arguably constitute the most diverse and ecologically important group among all animals. We suggest 10 simple rules that provide a succinct step-by-step guide and best-practices to anyone interested in biodiversity research through the study of insect genomics. To this end, we review relevant literature on biodiversity and evolutionary research in the field of entomology. Our compilation is targeted at researchers and students who may not yet be specialists in entomology or molecular biology. We foresee that the genomic revolution and its application to the study of non-model insect lineages will represent a major leap to our understanding of insect diversity
Use of antipsychotic drugs. A multicentric study of inpatients with acute psychotic disorders
Com o objectivo de caracterizar o padrĂŁo e os determinantes de utilização de fĂĄrmacos antipsicĂłticos por via intra-muscular em indivĂduos hospitalizados por perturbação psicĂłtica aguda, efectuou-se um estudo retrospectivo de 244 indivĂduos, admitidos em sete unidades hospitalares de internamento psiquiĂĄtrico. Foram seleccionados dois grupos, IM (Intra Muscular) e PO (Via Oral), que nos primeiros trĂŞs dias de internamento receberam respectivamente medicação antipsicĂłtica por via intramuscular ou por via oral, tendo-se explorado as eventuais diferenças nas ĂĄreas demogrĂĄfica, clĂnica e terapĂŞutica (com revisĂŁo dos casos aos 6 e 12 meses apĂłs a alta hospitalar). Os dois grupos foram homogĂŠneos quanto Ă idade, raça, sexo, idade do inĂcio da doença e diagnĂłstico, tendo-se verificado um nĂşmero maior de internamentos compulsivos no grupo IM. As perturbaçþes psicĂłticas mais prevalentes em ambos os grupos foram a esquizofrenia e a perturbação bipolar, nĂŁo se tendo encontrado qualquer associação entre os diagnĂłsticos iniciais e a via de administração dos fĂĄrmacos. O tempo de hospitalização foi igual entre grupos, embora nos doentes do grupo IM tivesse sido necessĂĄrio tomar medidas de precaução especiais com maior frequĂŞncia. A medicação ansiolĂtica foi superior no grupo PO nos dias um e dois de hospitalização e igual nos dois grupos no dia trĂŞs e no dia de alta. A terapĂŞutica anticolinĂŠrgica foi semelhante entre os dois grupos. O nĂşmero de novas hospitalizaçþes, bem como a percentagem de doentes a utilizar medicação antipsicĂłtica, ansiolĂtica e anticolinĂŠrgica, foi semelhante nos dois grupos apĂłs 6 e 12 meses de seguimento. Neste estudo, a presença de agitação psicomotora e de comportamentos agressivo/destrutivo na fase inicial do internamento no grupo IM (incluindo o primeiro contacto, maioritariamente feito no serviço de urgĂŞncia) foram os elementos estatisticamente determinantes da utilização da via intramuscular para a administração dos fĂĄrmacos antipsicĂłticos. With the objective of determining the pattern and decision making process in using antipsychotic drugs in patients admitted to hospital for acute psychotic disorder we have made a retrospective analysis in 244 in-patients in 7 hospitals for mental disorders. We have selected two groups, IM and PO, that in the first three days of internment have received either intravenous antipsychotic medication or oral medication; the demographical, clinical and therapeutical differences have been considered (with a review of the cases at 6 and 12 months after discharge from hospital). Homogeneity was considered regarding age, race, gender, age at the onset of the disease and diagnosis; in the IM group there were a larger number of compulsive admissions. The most prevalent psychotic disorders in both groups were schizophrenia and bipolar disorder; with no association being made between the initial diagnosis and drug administration. The hospitalization period was the same for both groups, although in the patients in the IM group the need for special precautions was more frequent. Medication with anxiolytics was higher in the PO group on day 1 and 2 of the hospitalization and the same for the two groups on day 3 and on discharge. The number of new admissions, as well as the percentage of patients taking antipsychotic, anxiolytic and anticholinergic medication was similar in both groups after a period of 6 and 12 months follow-up. In this study, agitation and aggressive/destructive behaviours in the initial phase of hospitalization in the IM group (including the first contact, most of the times on admission at the ER) were statistically significant factors for the use of intramuscular administration of antipsychotic drugs.publishersversionpublishe
The factor structure of the Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale in thirteen distinct populations
There is considerable evidence that self-criticism plays a major role in the vulnerability to and recovery from psychopathology. Methods to measure this process, and its change over time, are therefore important for research in psychopathology and well-being. This study examined the factor structure of a widely used measure, the Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale in thirteen nonclinical samples (Nâ=â7510) from twelve different countries: Australia (Nâ= 319), Canada (Nâ= 383), Switzerland (Nâ= 230), Israel (Nâ=â476), Italy (Nâ=â389), Japan (Nâ=â264), the Netherlands (Nâ=â360), Portugal (Nâ=â764), Slovakia (Nâ=â1326), Taiwan (Nâ=â417), the United Kingdom 1 (Nâ=â1570), the United Kingdom 2 (Nâ=â883), and USA (Nâ=â331). This study used more advanced analyses than prior reports: a bifactor item-response theory model, a two-tier item-response theory model, and a non-parametric item-response theory (Mokken) scale analysis. Although the original three-factor solution for the FSCRS (distinguishing between Inadequate-Self, Hated-Self, and Reassured-Self) had an acceptable fit, two-tier models, with two general factors (Self-criticism and Self-reassurance) demonstrated the best fit across all samples. This study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that this two-factor structure can be used in a range of nonclinical contexts across countries and cultures. Inadequate-Self and Hated-Self might not by distinct factors in nonclinical samples. Future work may benefit from distinguishing between self-correction versus shame-based self-criticism.Peer reviewe
Performance of CMS muon reconstruction in pp collision events at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV
The performance of muon reconstruction, identification, and triggering in CMS
has been studied using 40 inverse picobarns of data collected in pp collisions
at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the LHC in 2010. A few benchmark sets of selection
criteria covering a wide range of physics analysis needs have been examined.
For all considered selections, the efficiency to reconstruct and identify a
muon with a transverse momentum pT larger than a few GeV is above 95% over the
whole region of pseudorapidity covered by the CMS muon system, abs(eta) < 2.4,
while the probability to misidentify a hadron as a muon is well below 1%. The
efficiency to trigger on single muons with pT above a few GeV is higher than
90% over the full eta range, and typically substantially better. The overall
momentum scale is measured to a precision of 0.2% with muons from Z decays. The
transverse momentum resolution varies from 1% to 6% depending on pseudorapidity
for muons with pT below 100 GeV and, using cosmic rays, it is shown to be
better than 10% in the central region up to pT = 1 TeV. Observed distributions
of all quantities are well reproduced by the Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO
Performance of CMS muon reconstruction in pp collision events at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV
The performance of muon reconstruction, identification, and triggering in CMS
has been studied using 40 inverse picobarns of data collected in pp collisions
at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the LHC in 2010. A few benchmark sets of selection
criteria covering a wide range of physics analysis needs have been examined.
For all considered selections, the efficiency to reconstruct and identify a
muon with a transverse momentum pT larger than a few GeV is above 95% over the
whole region of pseudorapidity covered by the CMS muon system, abs(eta) < 2.4,
while the probability to misidentify a hadron as a muon is well below 1%. The
efficiency to trigger on single muons with pT above a few GeV is higher than
90% over the full eta range, and typically substantially better. The overall
momentum scale is measured to a precision of 0.2% with muons from Z decays. The
transverse momentum resolution varies from 1% to 6% depending on pseudorapidity
for muons with pT below 100 GeV and, using cosmic rays, it is shown to be
better than 10% in the central region up to pT = 1 TeV. Observed distributions
of all quantities are well reproduced by the Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO
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