scholarly journals Repeatability analysis improves the reliability of behavioral data

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliane Rudeck ◽  
Silvia Vogl ◽  
Stefanie Banneke ◽  
Gilbert Schönfelder ◽  
Lars Lewejohann
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Animal Behavior ◽  
Behavioral Data ◽  
Model Framework ◽  
Mixed Effect ◽  
Habituation Period ◽  
Simple Strategy ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Average Activity

AbstractReliability of data has become a major concern in the course of the reproducibility crisis. Especially when studying animal behavior, confounding factors such as novel test apparatus can lead to a wide variability of data. At worst, effects of novelty or stress related behavior can mask treatment effects and the behavioral data may be misinterpreted. Habituation to the test situation is a common practice to circumvent novelty induced increases in variance and to improve the reliability of the respective measurements. However, there is a lack of published empirical knowledge regarding reasonable habituation procedures and a method validation seems to be overdue.This study aimed at setting up a simple strategy to increase reliability of behavioral data. Therefore, exemplary data from mice tested in an Open Field (OF) arena were used to elucidate the potential of habituation and how reliability of measures can be confirmed by means of a repeatability analysis using the software R. On seven consecutive days, male C57BL/6J, BALB/cJ and 129S1/SvImJ mice were tested in an OF arena once daily and individual mouse behavior (distance travelled, average activity) was recorded. A repeatability analysis was conducted in order to estimate the reliability of measured animal behavior with regard to repeated trials of habituation.Our data analysis revealed that monitoring animal behavior during habituation is important to determine when individual differences of the measurements are stable. Here, the mixed effect model framework proved to be a powerful tool for estimating repeatability values. Repeatability values from distance travelled and average activity increased over the habituation period, revealing that around 60 % of the variance of the data can be explained by individual differences between mice. The first day of habituation was statistically significantly different from the following 6 days in terms of distance travelled and average activity. A habituation period of three days appeared to be sufficient in this study. Overall these results emphasize the importance of habituation and in depth analysis of habituation data to define the correct starting point of the experiment for improving the reliability and reproducibility of experimental data.

Tobacco’s Appeal to the Senses and the Early Modern Smoker’s Still Life

2020 ◽  
pp. 123-150
Author(s):  
Julia Saviello
Keyword(s):  
Still Life ◽  
Sense Data ◽  
Complex Image ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Tobacco Pipes ◽  
Five Senses ◽  
The Senses ◽  
Cut Tobacco ◽  
Selection Of

Smell and taste – of the five senses these are the two most strongly stimulated by smoking tobacco. The article presents an in-depth analysis of the reflection of both these forms of sensory perception in textual and visual sources concerning the early consumption of the herb. In a first step, tobacco’s changing reception, first as medicine and then as stimulant, is traced through the years of its increasing distribution in Europe, starting in the middle of the 16th century. As this overview reveals, at that time the still little known substance gave rise to new forms of sense perception. Following recent studies on smell and gustation, which have stressed the need to take into account the interactions between these senses, the article probes the manifold stimulation of the senses by tobacco with reference to allegorical representations and genre scenes addressing the five senses. The smoking of tobacco was thematized in both of these art forms as a means of visualizing either smell or taste. Yet, these depictions show no indication of any deliberate engagement with the exchange of sense data between mouth and nose. The question posed at the end of this paper is whether this holds true also for early smoker’s still lifes. In the so-called toebakjes or rookertjes, a subgenre of stilllife painting that, like tobacco, was still a novelty at the beginning of the 17th century, various smoking paraphernalia – such as rolled or cut tobacco, pipes and tins – are arrayed with various kinds of foods and drinks. Finally, the article addresses a selection of such smoker’s still lifes, using the toebakje by Pieter Claesz., probably the first of its kind, as a starting point and the work by Georg Flegel as a comparative example. Through their selection of objects, both offer a complex image of how tobacco engages different senses.

scholarly journals Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serovar Rissen Clusters Detected in Azores Archipelago, Portugal

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonor Silveira ◽  
Miguel Pinto ◽  
Joana Isidro ◽  
Ângela Pista ◽  
Patrícia Themudo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Genetic Relatedness ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Reference Laboratory ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Gastrointestinal Infections ◽  
Azores Archipelago ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Depth Analysis

Gastrointestinal infections caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) remain one of the main causes of foodborne illness worldwide. Within the multiple existing Salmonella enterica serovars, the serovar Rissen is rarely reported, particularly as a cause of human salmonellosis. Between 2015 and 2017, the Portuguese National Reference Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Infections observed an increase in the number of clinical cases caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) S. enterica serovar Rissen, particularly from the Azores archipelago. In the present study, we analyzed by whole genome sequencing (WGS) all clinical, animal, food, and environmental isolates received up to 2017 in the Portuguese Reference Laboratories. As such, through a wgMLST-based gene-by-gene analysis, we aimed to identify potential epidemiological clusters linking clinical and samples from multiple sources, while gaining insight into the genetic diversity of S. enterica serovar Rissen. We also investigated the genetic basis driving the observed multidrug resistance. By integrating 60 novel genomes with all publicly available serovar Rissen genomes, we observed a low degree of genetic diversity within this serovar. Nevertheless, the majority of Portuguese isolates showed high degree of genetic relatedness and a potential link to pork production. An in-depth analysis of these isolates revealed the existence of two major clusters from the Azores archipelago composed of MDR isolates, most of which were resistant to at least five antimicrobials. Considering the well-known spread of MDR between gastrointestinal bacteria, the identification of MDR circulating clones should constitute an alert to public health authorities. Finally, this study constitutes the starting point for the implementation of the “One Health” approach for Salmonella surveillance in Portugal.

Governance of the Chinese Super League

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Ma ◽  
Markus Kurscheidt
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
The Body ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Republic Of China ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
The Government ◽  
Governance Processes ◽  
Super League

Purpose In 2017, the Chinese Super League (CSL), the first professional football division in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), became the highest-spending league in the international players’ transfer market, with a total spending of €377m. Moreover, the government of the PRC is backing the CSL with an ambitious football plan. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the governance of the CSL by questioning the organisational viability of the league. Design/methodology/approach In addition to the relevant international literature, this study is based on 14 recent scholarly articles published in Mandarin from 2013 to 2018 to reflect the national academic debate. Moreover, website research on all CSL clubs has been conducted. The institutional analysis follows the integrative change model of Cunningham (2002) complemented by agency and bureaucracy theory. Findings The CSL still faces substantial governance problems caused by the divergence of goal setting, organisational inefficiencies and compliance issues. The organisational change is notably constrained by internal competitive value commitments and external power dependency. Research limitations/implications The institutional findings on the CSL provide a starting point for empirical studies. The approach contributes to the theory of sport governance processes. Practical implications The material and insights are informative for decision makers to evaluate the competitiveness of the CSL. Originality/value This paper is the first international in-depth analysis of the governance of the CSL using the body of knowledge published in Mandarin.

scholarly journals The role of the genome in experience-dependent plasticity: Extending the analogy of the genomic action potential

2019 ◽  
Vol 117 (38) ◽  
pp. 23252-23260 ◽  
Author(s):  
David F. Clayton ◽  
Ina Anreiter ◽  
Maria Aristizabal ◽  
Paul W. Frankland ◽  
Elisabeth B. Binder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Action Potential ◽  
Neural Circuits ◽  
Early Gene ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Contemporary Work ◽  
Response To Stress ◽  
Dependent Modification ◽  
Past Experiences

Our past experiences shape our current and future behavior. These experiences must leave some enduring imprint on our brains, altering neural circuits that mediate behavior and contributing to our individual differences. As a framework for understanding how experiences might produce lasting changes in neural circuits, Clayton [D. F. Clayton,Neurobiol. Learn. Mem.74, 185–216 (2000)] introduced the concept of the genomic action potential (gAP)—a structured genomic response in the brain to acute experience. Similar to the familiar electrophysiological action potential (eAP), the gAP also provides a means for integrating afferent patterns of activity but on a slower timescale and with longer-lasting effects. We revisit this concept in light of contemporary work on experience-dependent modification of neural circuits. We review the “Immediate Early Gene” (IEG) response, the starting point for understanding the gAP. We discuss evidence for its involvement in the encoding of experience to long-term memory across time and biological levels of organization ranging from individual cells to cell ensembles and whole organisms. We explore distinctions between memory encoding and homeostatic functions and consider the potential for perpetuation of the imprint of experience through epigenetic mechanisms. We describe a specific example of a gAP in humans linked to individual differences in the response to stress. Finally, we identify key objectives and new tools for continuing research in this area.

“How dare you call her a pig, I know several pigs who would be upset if they knew”

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleonora Esposito ◽  
Sole Alba Zollo
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Hate Speech ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Amnesty International ◽  
Representation Of Women ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Discourse Studies ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
Online Misogyny

Abstract On the occasion of the 2017 UK election campaign, Amnesty International conducted a large-scale, sentiment-based analysis of online hate speech against women MPs on Twitter (Dhrodia 2018), identifying the “Top 5” most attacked women MPs as Diane Abbott, Joanna Cherry, Emily Thornberry, Jess Phillips and Anna Soubry. Taking Amnesty International’s results as a starting point, this paper investigates online misogyny against the “Top 5” women MPs, with a specific focus on the video-sharing platform YouΤube, whose loosely censored cyberspace is known as a breeding ground for antagonism, impunity and disinhibition (Pihlaja 2014), and, therefore, merits investigation. By collecting and analysing a corpus of YouTube multimodal data we explore, critique and contextualize online misogyny as a techno-social phenomenon applying a Social Media Critical Discourse Studies (SM-CDS) approach (KhosraviNik and Esposito 2018). Mapping a vast array of discursive strategies, this study offers an in-depth analysis on how technology-facilitated gender-based violence contributes to discursively constructing the political arena as a fundamentally male-oriented space, and reinforces stereotypical and sexist representation of women in politics and beyond.

scholarly journals Measuring Progress toward Urban Sustainability: Do Global Measures Work for Arctic Cities?

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 3708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Berman ◽  
Robert W. Orttung
Keyword(s):  
Urban Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Indicators ◽  
Indigenous Populations ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Underlying Basis ◽  
Characteristic Features ◽  
Sustainability Challenges

The International Organization for Standardization recently responded to a growing global interest in cities by developing an index for measuring urban sustainability (ISO 37120). We address how well this standard applies to Arctic cities, and potential modifications that might improve its performance. After briefly discussing the goals of sustainability indicators, we examine the extent to which Arctic cities’ remote location, cold and changing climate, and thin, largely resource-based economies may create different sustainability challenges. We then critically examine the content of ISO 37120 and the context in which it was created. We place the index within a broader discussion of urban sustainability indicators and examine the extent to which it really addresses sustainability. We then analyze how well the ISO 37120 accounts for the characteristic features of Arctic cities that produce unique sustainability challenges. Our findings show that only half of ISO 37120′s 128 indicators actually measure future-oriented concerns. We suggest that, while the ISO 37120 may be a useful starting point in quantifying Arctic urban sustainability, the index should only be used as a foundation for a more in-depth analysis. To better represent Arctic cities, the ISO 37120 would need to include indicators that situate cities within their regional contexts, addressing both remoteness and the underlying basis of the Arctic city economy. The index should also measure the role of Indigenous populations, and chart the extent to which cities are working to increase levels of sustainability.

scholarly journals Sensor Architectures and Technologies for Upper Limb 3D Surface Reconstruction: A Review

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (22) ◽  
pp. 6584
Author(s):  
Alessandro Paoli ◽  
Paolo Neri ◽  
Armando V. Razionale ◽  
Francesco Tamburrino ◽  
Sandro Barone
Keyword(s):  
Surface Reconstruction ◽  
Upper Limb ◽  
Computer Aided Design ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Optical Scanning ◽  
Time Scanning ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Processing Effort ◽  
Aided Design

3D digital models of the upper limb anatomy represent the starting point for the design process of bespoke devices, such as orthoses and prostheses, which can be modeled on the actual patient’s anatomy by using CAD (Computer Aided Design) tools. The ongoing research on optical scanning methodologies has allowed the development of technologies that allow the surface reconstruction of the upper limb anatomy through procedures characterized by minimum discomfort for the patient. However, the 3D optical scanning of upper limbs is a complex task that requires solving problematic aspects, such as the difficulty of keeping the hand in a stable position and the presence of artefacts due to involuntary movements. Scientific literature, indeed, investigated different approaches in this regard by either integrating commercial devices, to create customized sensor architectures, or by developing innovative 3D acquisition techniques. The present work is aimed at presenting an overview of the state of the art of optical technologies and sensor architectures for the surface acquisition of upper limb anatomies. The review analyzes the working principles at the basis of existing devices and proposes a categorization of the approaches based on handling, pre/post-processing effort, and potentialities in real-time scanning. An in-depth analysis of strengths and weaknesses of the approaches proposed by the research community is also provided to give valuable support in selecting the most appropriate solution for the specific application to be addressed.

Introducing Enterprise Architecture Framework in Statistics Poland

2016 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
pp. 23-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janusz Dygaszewicz ◽  
Bolesław Szafrański
Keyword(s):  
Enterprise Architecture ◽  
Object Oriented ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Modeling Tools ◽  
Technical Requirements ◽  
Architecture Framework ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Architectural Framework ◽  
Enterprise Architecture Framework

Article is devoted to the modernization of the statistical production process. The starting point for formulating the principles and methods of the modernization is to establish a framework architecture. An in-depth analysis of all relevant aspects arising from the holistic approach to the production of statistics is essential to extract the key business issues. Business needs are the foundation for the formulation of a coherent and transparent guidelines, demands, legal and technical requirements, both domestic and international which are the basis for the construction of the enterprise architecture framework and the development of solutions used to carry out the tasks of public statistics. The process of constructing architectural framework requires the use of models and methods used in scientific research, in particular arising from the achievements of enterprise architecture and modeling tools for object-oriented computing.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF ”FOLIA TURISTICA” TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH AND THE POPULARISATION OF HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC OF TOURISM

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
pp. 19-20
Author(s):  
Ewa Roszkowska
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Culture Method ◽  
Physical Culture ◽  
Historical Knowledge ◽  
Current State ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
History Of ◽  
Fact Finding

Purpose. The main objective of the work is not only to evaluate historical articles published in the "Folia Turistica" journal in 1990-2018, but also the opinion on the importance of the journal in the development and popularisation of historical knowledge on tourism, or more broadly, physical culture. Method. In the research applied, the method of direct fact finding, external and internal criticism of the published publications and the content analysis technique were used. Results. Research allowed identification and evaluation of historical articles published in the journal "Folia Turistica". They have been presented in comparison to the current state of knowledge, which allowed us to state that they are original in nature, in some cases, filling the gap in current knowledge or constituting a basic starting point for further research and historical studies on tourism. Research and conclusions limitations. The source database is limited to publications in the "Folia Turistica" journal. The conclusions were broadened thanks to referring the content of these articles to the current state of historical knowledge on the history of tourism. Practical implications. In the article, analysing publications dealing with research on the history of tourism, the possibility of undertaking further historical research in this field is indicated. Originality. Both the content and the nature of historical publications in the journal have not been subject to in-depth analysis. The article is the first study of this type. Type of work: The article is a review.

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