Behavioural syndrome in a solitary predator is independent of body size and growth rate.

Models explaining behavioural syndromes often focus on state-dependency, linking behavioural variation to individual differences in other phenotypic features. Empirical studies are, however, rare. Here, we tested for a size and growth-dependent stable behavioural syndrome in the juvenile-stages of a solitary apex predator (pike, Esox lucius), shown as repeatable foraging behaviour across risk. Pike swimming activity, latency to prey attack, number of successful and unsuccessful prey attacks was measured during the presence/absence of visual contact with a competitor or predator. Foraging behaviour across risks was considered an appropriate indicator of boldness in this solitary predator where a trade-off between foraging behaviour and threat avoidance has been reported. Support was found for a behavioural syndrome, where the rank order differences in the foraging behaviour between individuals were maintained across time and risk situation. However, individual behaviour was independent of body size and growth in conditions of high food availability, showing no evidence to support the state-dependent personality hypothesis. The importance of a combination of spatial and temporal environmental variation for generating growth differences is highlighted

Men and Women Exhibit a Differential Bias for Processing Movement versus Objects

Sex differences in many spatial and verbal tasks appear to reflect an inherent low-level processing bias for movement in males and objects in females. We explored this potential movement/object bias in men and women using a computer task that measured targeting performance and/or color recognition. The targeting task showed a ball moving vertically towards a horizontal line. Before reaching the line, the ball disappeared behind a masking screen, requiring the participant to imagine the movement vector and identify the intersection point. For the color recognition task, the ball briefly changed color before disappearing beneath the mask and participants were required only to identify the color shade. Results showed that targeting accuracy for slow and fast moving balls was significantly better in males compared to females. No sex difference was observed for color shade recognition. We also studied a third, dual attention task comprised of the first two, where the moving ball briefly changed color randomly just before passing beneath the masking screen. When the ball changed color, participants were required only to identify the color shade. If the ball didn't change color, participants estimated the intersection point. Participants in this dual attention condition were first tested with the targeting and color tasks alone and showed results that were similar to the previous groups tested on a single task. However, under the dual attention condition, male accuracy in targeting, as well as color shade recognition, declined significantly compared to their performance when the tasks were tested alone. No significant changes were found in female performance. Finally, reaction times for targeting and color choices in both sexes correlated highly with ball speed, but not accuracy. Overall, these results provide evidence of a sex-related bias in processing objects versus movement, which may reflect sex differences in bottom up versus top-down analytical strategies

What Do We Know About Neuropsychological Aspects Of Schizophrenia?

Application of a neuropsychological perspective to the study of schizophrenia has established a number of important facts about this disorder. Some of the key findings from the existing literature are that, while neurocognitive impairment is present in most, if not all, persons with schizophrenia, there is both substantial interpatient heterogeneity and remarkable within-patient stability of cognitive function over the long-term course of the illness. Such findings have contributed to the firm establishment of neurobiologic models of schizophrenia, and thereby help to reduce the social stigma that was sometimes associated with purely psychogenic models popular during parts of the 20th century. Neuropsychological studies in recent decades have established the primacy of cognitive functions over psychopathologic symptoms as determinants of functional capacity and independence in everyday functioning. Although the cognitive benefits of both conventional and even second generation antipsychotic medications appear marginal at best, recognition of the primacy of cognitive deficits as determinants of functional disability in schizophrenia has catalyzed recent efforts to develop targeted treatments for the cognitive deficits of this disorder. Despite these accomplishments, however, some issues remain to be resolved. Efforts to firmly establish the specific neurocognitive/neuropathologic systems responsible for schizophrenia remain elusive, as do efforts to definitively demonstrate the specific cognitive deficits underlying specific forms of functional impairment. Further progress may be fostered by recent initiatives to integrate neuropsychological studies with experimental neuroscience, perhaps leading to measures of deficits in cognitive processes more clearly associated with specific, identifiable brain systems

Piezoelectric Pressure Transducer with Acoustic Absorbing Rod

A piezoelectric pressure transducer has been designed, using readily available, inexpensive materials, which is capable of measuring sidewall pressures over a wide frequency range without serious distortion of the signal due to spurious elastic waves in the sensing element. The rise time is limited primarily by the transit time across the surface of the sensing element. The response of the gauge to a Mach 3.2 shock, gaseous detonations at pressure levels of 11 and 34 atm, respectively, is presented.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/70546/2/RSINAK-38-6-740-1.pd

Long-term outcomes among African-American and white women with breast cancer: what is the impact of comorbidity?

ObjectivesWe examined the association between comorbidity and long-term mortality from breast cancer and other causes among African-American and white women with breast cancer.MethodsA total of 170 African-American and 829 white women aged 40-84years were followed for up to 28years with median follow-up of 11.3years in the Health and Functioning in Women (HFW) study. The impact of the Charlson Comorbidity Score (CCS) in the first few months following breast cancer diagnosis on the risk of mortality from breast cancer and other causes was examined using extended Cox models.ResultsMedian follow-up was significantly shorter for African-American women than their white counterparts (median 8.5years vs. 12.3years). Compared to white women, African-American women had significantly fewer years of education, greater body mass index, were more likely to have functional limitations and later stage at breast cancer diagnosis, and fewer had adequate financial resources (all P<0.05). Proportionately more African-American women died of breast cancer than white women (37.1% vs. 31.4%, P=0.15). A positive and statistically significant time-varying effect of the Charlson Comorbidity Score (CCS) on other-cause mortality persisted throughout the first 5years of follow-up (P<0.001) but not for its remainder.ConclusionsHigher CCS was associated with increased risk of other-cause mortality, but not breast cancer specific mortality; the association did not differ among African-American and white women