Experimental investigations of the evolutionary significance of sexually dimorphic nuptial colouration in Gasterosteus aculeatus (L.): the relationship between male colour and male behaviour

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (7) ◽  
pp. 1778-1782 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. McLennan ◽  
J. D. McPhail

The intensities of red body and blue eye colour in dull (and possibly bright) males reliably signals their behavioural vigour. Males with medium intensity colouration signal that they are more vigorous than their dull conspecifics; however, there is no association between colour and behavioural intensity within this group. A truth in advertising mechanism is thus potentially very powerful at either end of the colour intensity spectrum but is less effective for fish whose colouration is in the central section of the spectrum. Males with medium intensity colouration may be more strongly influenced by stochastic factors such as previous experiences or colour relative to neighbours. The increased importance of personal history introduces a source of disorganization into the mating system that may oppose the directional force of truth in advertising and thereby increase the ambiguity of the male colour signal.

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (7) ◽  
pp. 1767-1777 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. McLennan ◽  
J. D. McPhail

Although classically described as "red," the three-spined stickleback male's nuptial signal is a complex mosaic of at least three colours: blue eyes, black dorsal–lateral body, and red ventral–lateral body. Seven variables (intensity, hue, and distribution of red body colour; intensity and hue of blue eye colour; intensity and distribution of black body colour) were scored for 19 males across an entire breeding cycle. These variables interacted to produce four distinct male colour mosaic signals corresponding with the stage a male had reached in the breeding cycle. No single variable was sufficient for the delineation of all breeding stages: however, the distribution of red body colour reliably distinguished the courting male from nesting and parental males. Variability in signal intensity between courting males was greatest for the red component of the nuptial signal and both intra- and inter-male variability in the overall intensity of red was greatest during courtship. Based upon these results, future investigations of the role of intersexual selection in shaping the male nuptial signal in this species should offer females a choice between males differing in the intensity of red rather than the traditional "red" versus "nonred" dichotomy.


1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 482-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. McLennan ◽  
J. D. McPhail

Cladistic analysis of behavioural interactions during a series of female choice trials revealed three groups of reproductively unsuccessful males in a population of anadromous Gasterosteus aculeatus: inactive losers (losing male did not participate in choice test), active losers (losing male active during choice test), and fighting losers (subgroup of active losers defined by the observation that the female did not immediately follow the first male to approach her). The inactive losers group represents a "no choice" situation. In the remaining two groups, females responded preferentially to the most intensely coloured member of the competing male pair. This preferential response was strongest during the prechoice, captive presentation where the majority of females oriented head-up to, and tracked, the brighter red male. Once released, the female's initial response to the brighter courtship signal was overridden by the behavioural actions of the duller intensity male in 4 out of 12 trials. Although two of these males eventually lost the female to their rival, the remaining two individuals succeeded in spawning. Overall, 10 of 12 females spawned with the brighter red male. Given the brief breeding season and the advantage enjoyed by the most brightly coloured males in mate attraction, a high level of territorial intrusion is one way for an individual to attract a mate if he is surrounded by more intensely coloured neighbours.


1969 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold A. Peterson ◽  
Mary Beth Rieck ◽  
Rita K. Hoff

To test the relationship of adaptation and satiation as hypothesized by Jakobovits, satiation of meaning as a function of repeated readings for adaptation was measured in the performance of 14 male stutterers. The subjects as a group exhibited both satiation and adaptation, but the two phenomena did not occur simultaneously in a significant number of the members of the group. A reduction in meaningfulness, as measured by the semantic differential, was not shown to be a significant factor in the reduction of stuttering frequency for the individuals in the group. Satiation and adaptation were not established as the same phenomenon, although the two may still be related through another factor.


2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan J. Troche ◽  
Nina Weber ◽  
Karina Hennigs ◽  
Carl-René Andresen ◽  
Thomas H. Rammsayer

Abstract. The ratio of second to fourth finger length (2D:4D ratio) is sexually dimorphic with women having higher 2D:4D ratio than men. Recent studies on the relationship between 2D:4D ratio and gender-role orientation yielded rather inconsistent results. The present study examines the moderating influence of nationality on the relationship between 2D:4D ratio and gender-role orientation, as assessed with the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, as a possible explanation for these inconsistencies. Participants were 176 female and 171 male university students from Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden ranging in age from 19 to 32 years. Left-hand 2D:4D ratio was significantly lower in men than in women across all nationalities. Right-hand 2D:4D ratio differed only between Swedish males and females indicating that nationality might effectively moderate the sexual dimorphism of 2D:4D ratio. In none of the examined nationalities was a reliable relationship between 2D:4D ratio and gender-role orientation obtained. Thus, the assumption of nationality-related between-population differences does not seem to account for the inconsistent results on the relationship between 2D:4D ratio and gender-role orientation.


GYNECOLOGY ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 48-52
Author(s):  
E N Kravchenko ◽  
R A Morgunov

The aim of the study. Assess the importance of pregravid preparation and outcomes of pregnancy and childbirth, depending on the reproductive attitudes of women in the city of Omsk. Materials and methods. The study included 92 women who were divided into groups: group A (n=43) - women whose pregnancy was planned; group B (n=49) - women whose pregnancy occurred accidentally. Each group was divided into subgroups depending on age: from 18 to 30 and from 31 to 49 years. For each patient included in the study, a specially designed map was filled out. These patients were interviewed at the City Clinical Perinatal Center. Results. Comparative analysis revealed the relationship between the reproductive settings of women of childbearing age and the peculiarity of the course of pregnancy and childbirth in these patients. Summary. The majority of women of fertile age are married: in subgroup AA - 25 (96.2%), AB - 13 (76.5%), BA - 25 (92.6%), BB - 20 (91.0%). The predominant number of women of fertile age have one or more abortions: in subgroup AA - 12 (46.2%), AB - 6 (35.3%), in subgroups of comparison BA - 8 (29.6%), BB - 6 (27.3%). More than half of the women of fertile age surveyed have a history of untreated cervical pathology (from 40.8% to 64.7%). The course of pregnancy in women planning pregnancy in most cases proceeded without complications: in subgroup AA - 13 (50.0%), AB - 11 (64.7%). The most common cause of complicated pregnancy in women whose pregnancy occurred accidentally is the threat of spontaneous miscarriage: in subgroup BA - 15 (55.6%), BB - 16 (72.7%). The uncomplicated course of labor more often [subgroup AA - 19 (73.0%), AB - 12 (70.6%)] was observed in women whose pregnancy was planned and they were motivated to give birth to a healthy child.


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 679
Author(s):  
Gaia Pellegrini ◽  
Marcello Maddalone ◽  
Matteo Malvezzi ◽  
Marilisa Toma ◽  
Massimo Del Fabbro ◽  
...  

Objective: Soluble CD14 (sCD14) plays an important role in the innate immune response of the oral cavity. The investigation of this biomarker for detection of carious lesions is an even more actual procedure due to its non-invasiveness and the ease of withdrawal. The purpose of the present observational case-control study was to evaluate whether the quantification of sCD14 in children and adolescent’s saliva can discriminate healthy subjects from those suffering from tooth decay. Materials and Methods: 164 subjects (6 to 17 years) were selected and divided into 2 groups: those with at least 1 decayed tooth were assigned to group Decayed (n = 82) and those free from dental caries to group Healthy (n = 82). The amount of salivary soluble CD14 was quantified. Results: Mean salivary soluble CD14 was 28.3 ± 10.8 μg/mL in the Healthy group and 22 ± 9.6 μg/mL in the Decayed group. A hurdle model was applied to the data to estimate both the probability of having carious lesions and their number in relation to sCD14 levels. sCD14 was strongly associated (p < 0.01) with an inverse relation to both the probability of having caries and their number (falling rate of 5% per unit CD14 μg/mL). Conclusions: This data confirms the relationship between sCD14 and the presence of dental caries. However, there is no clear cut off level between healthy and unhealthy subjects, so it is currently not possible to use sCD14 as a biomarker to determine the risk of decays.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Samra ◽  
M. Habeb ◽  
R. Nafae

Abstract Background A few people infected by the coronavirus become seriously ill, while others show little to no signs of the symptoms, or are asymptomatic. Recent researches are pointing to the fact that the ABO blood group might play an important role in a person’s susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 infection. Aim of the study: try to understand the relationship between ABO groups and COVID-19 (susceptibility and severity). Results A total of (507) patients were included in this study. The study population was divided based on the ABO blood group into types A+, A−, B+, AB, O+, and O−. Blood group A was associated with high susceptibility of infection: group A, 381 (75.1%); and less common in group O, 97 (19.2%), group B, 18 (3.5%), and group AB, 11 (2.2%). The severity of COVID-19 infection was common in non-blood group O where (20 (7.1%), 4 (26.7%), 2 (11%), and 1 (9%) in type A+, A−, B+, and AB, respectively), while in type O 3.1%. And mechanically ventilated patients were 22 (5.9%), 2 (13.4%), 2 (11.1%), and 1 (1%). Mortality was high in blood groups A and B, 16 (4.37%) and 1 (5.5%), respectively, while in blood group O, it was 1%. Conclusion The incidence, severity, and mortality of COVID-19 were common in non-blood group O. While blood group O was protected against COVID-19.


Author(s):  
P Yazdabadi ◽  
A J Griffiths ◽  
N Syred

Experimental investigations have been carried out to examine the effect of downstream pipework configurations on the precessing vortex core (PVC) generated within the exhaust region of a cyclone dust separator. Characterization of the PVC using a non-dimensionalized frequency parameter (NDFP) was used to determine the relationship between Reynolds number and geometrical swirl number of the cyclone. The results show that the NDFP tends towards an asymptotic value for Reynolds numbers of about 50 000 and high swirl numbers (> 3.043). This value is reached earlier with lower swirl numbers. It was concluded that any exhaust pipework configuration produced a significant drop in the PVC frequency, and certain configurations either delayed or promoted the development of the PVC.


2008 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 709-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. I. I. van der Kooi ◽  
M. Koningstein ◽  
A. Lindemans ◽  
D. W. Notermans ◽  
E. Kuijper ◽  
...  

The first Dutch outbreak due to Clostridium difficile ribotype 027 was observed in mid-2005; by the end of that year, eight hospitals were affected. To study the relationship between hospital-wide antibiotic use and the incidence of 027-linked C. difficile-associated disease (CDAD) three study groups were made: group A, all eight hospitals with an 027-associated epidemic; group B, five of a total of six hospitals with occasional 027 cases, without an increase in CDAD; and group C, ten randomly selected hospitals with no reported 027 epidemics or isolated 027 cases. Quarterly data on CDAD incidences, hygiene measures and the use of fluoroquinolones, second- and third-generation cephalosporins, extended-spectrum penicillins, penicillins with beta-lactamase inhibitors, carbapenems, lincomycins and macrolides were collected for 2004 and 2005, and divided into pre-epidemic and epidemic periods. Using a multilevel Poisson regression analysis, CDAD incidence was linked to antibiotic use in the previous quarter and to certain hygiene measures. In the pre-epidemic period, the total use of the studied antibiotics was comparable between affected and unaffected hospitals. Higher use of second-generation cephalosporins, macrolides and all of the studied antibiotics were independently associated with a small increase in CDAD incidence [relative risk (95 % confidence interval): 1.14 per increase of 100 defined daily doses per 10 000 bed days (1.06–1.23), 1.10 (1.01–1.19) and 1.02 (1.01–1.03), respectively]. However the effect was too small to predict which hospitals might be more prone to 027-associated outbreaks.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao-Yuan Cheng ◽  
Nai-Ying Chang

<p>This study investigated whether learning strategies had made any impact on learners’ achievement and explored whether learning motivation was correlated with learning strategies. The participants of this study were the students from the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) intermediate level course at a college in Taiwan. The students were given a pretest and a posttest. The mean scores of these tests were compared with a SILL survey (Strategies Inventory for Language Learning) at the end of the investigation. The participants’ course performance was compared with their use of learning strategies. The assumption of the relationship between learning strategies and motivation is that motivated learners have a greater desire to seek out solutions or support from others and employ more strategies to process the new information. The results of this investigation revealed that only the memory strategies had a significant difference in the posttest of Group A on the independent sample t-test analysis.</p>


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