Curve-linear Relationship Research Articles

Noblesse oblige? Job position and early childhood leadership in China: the moderating role of school type

ABSTRACT This paper addresses the roles of job position in relation to early childhood leadership (ECL) and school type as a potential moderator of this relationship in China. A sample of 918 research participants, including 149 principals/vice-principals, 108 middle leaders and 661 teachers, was investigated. A three-factor model of ECL including staff management and development (SMD), peer learning and support (PLS) and communication with parents (CP) was used. By conducting linear regression analyses, it was found that the higher the job position an individual held, the more ECL practices he or she performed. The interaction terms (job position × school type) were statistically significant related to SMD and CP but not statistically significant related to PLS. In the case of public school type, the relationship between job position and CP became slightly negative. For private school type, however, it showed a curve-linear relationship. This paper indicates that teachers rarely participates in school-level decision-making due to the top-down management structure, especially in public preschools. It also suggests that the traditional preschool management system leads to preschool teachers in China are socialized as followers with no responsibilities outside classrooms.

Establishment and application of quantitative method for 22 organic acids in honey based on SPE-GC–MS

Honey, a natural healthy liquid bee product, is rich in amino acids, vitamins, and other essential nutrients. Different origin honeys also varied in organic acids. The objective of this study is to establish an efficient solid-phase extraction-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPE-GC–MS) method to eliminate interference of sugar and other impurities for accurately estimating 22 organic acids in honey by optimizing extraction, purification, derivatization, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analytical conditions. After being extracted, purified and derivatized, organic acids in honey were qualified and quantified by GC–MS. This method was evaluated experimentally, and the results showed that, within a certain concentration range, the standard curve linear relationship was satisfactory (R2 > 0.9942), and the target organic acid recovery rate was 86.74% ~ 118.68%. Besides, precision (relative standard deviation, RSD = 2.98% ~ 13.42%), detection limit (LOD = 0.002 ~ 0.2 mg kg−1), and quantification limit (LOQ = 0.008 ~ 0.5 mg kg−1) met the target requirements. Also, based on this analytical method, the organic acids in five types of honey (acacia, jujube, vitex, canola and linden honey) were estimated. Notably, they all contained 22 different kinds of organic acids, and significant differences (p < 0.05) in the organic acid content and composition among different honey varieties were observed. PCA analysis showed that the five honeys could be differentiated based on the content of 22 organic acids.

Optimal length of R\u2013R interval segment window for Lorenz plot detection of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation by machine learning

BackgroundHeartbeat interval Lorenz plot (LP) imaging is a promising method for detecting atrial fibrillation (AF) in long-term monitoring, but the optimal segment window length for the LP images is unknown. We examined the performance of AF detection by LP images with different segment window lengths by machine learning with convolutional neural network (CNN). LP images with a 32 × 32-pixel resolution of non-overlapping segments with lengths between 10 and 500 beats were created from R–R intervals of 24-h ECG in 52 patients with chronic AF and 58 non-AF controls as training data and in 53 patients with paroxysmal AF and 52 non-AF controls as test data. For each segment window length, discriminant models were made by fivefold cross-validation subsets of the training data and its classification performance was examined with the test data.ResultsIn machine learning with the training data, the averages of cross-validation scores were 0.995 and 0.999 for 10 and 20-beat LP images, respectively, and > 0.999 for 50 to 500-beat images. The classification of test data showed good performance for all segment window lengths with an accuracy from 0.970 to 0.988. Positive likelihood ratio for detecting AF segments, however, showed a convex parabolic curve linear relationship to log segment window length and peaked at 85 beats, while negative likelihood ratio showed monotonous increase with increasing segment window length.ConclusionsThis study suggests that the optimal segment window length that maximizes the positive likelihood ratio for detecting paroxysmal AF with 32 × 32-pixel LP image is 85 beats.

Interactive Curve-Linear Relationship Between Alteration of Carbohydrate Macromolecular Structure Traits in Hulless Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Grain and Nutrient Utilization, Biodegradation and Bioavailability.

The aim of this study was to reveal an interactive curve-linear relationship between altered carbohydrate macromolecular structure traits of hulless barley cultivars and nutrient utilization, biodegradation, as well as bioavailability. The cultivars had different carbohydrate macromolecular traits, including amylose (A), amylopectin (AP), and β-glucan contents, as well as their ratios (A:AP). The parameters assessed included: (1) chemical and nutrient profiles; (2) protein and carbohydrate sub-fractions partitioned by the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS); (3) total digestible nutrients (TDN) and energy values; and (4) in situ rumen degradation kinetics of nutrients and truly absorbed nutrient supply. The hulless barley samples were analyzed for starch (ST), crude protein (CP), total soluble crude protein (SCP), etc. The in situ incubation technique was performed to evaluate the degradation kinetics of the nutrients, as well as the effective degradability (ED) and bypass nutrient (B). Results showed that the carbohydrates (g/kg DM) had a cubic relationship (p < 0.05), with the A:AP ratio and β-glucan level; while the starch level presented a quadratic relationship (p < 0.05), with the A:AP ratio and cubic relationship (p < 0.05), with β-glucan level. The CP and SCP contents had a cubic relationship (p < 0.05) with the A:AP ratio and β-glucan level. The altered carbohydrate macromolecular traits were observed to have strongly curve-linear correlations with protein and carbohydrate fractions partitioned by CNCPS. For the in situ protein degradation kinetics, there was a quadratic effect of A:AP ratio on the rumen undegraded protein (RUP, g/kg DM) and a linear effect of β-glucan on the bypass protein (BCP, g/kg DM). The A:AP ratio and β-glucan levels had quadratic effects (p < 0.05) on BCP and EDCP. For ST degradation kinetics, the ST degradation rate (Kd), BST and EDST showed cubic effects (p < 0.05) with A:AP ratio. The β-glucan level showed a cubic effect on EDST (g/kg DM) and a quadratic effect on BST (g/kg ST or g/kg DM) and EDST (g/kg DM). In conclusion, alteration of carbohydrate macromolecular traits in hulless barley significantly impacted nutrient utilization, metabolic characteristics, biodegradation, and bioavailability. Altered carbohydrate macromolecular traits curve-linearly affected the nutrient profiles, protein and carbohydrate fractions, total digestible nutrient, energy values, and in situ degradation kinetics.

Curve-linear relationship between altered carbohydrate traits with molecular structure and truly absorbed nutrient supply to dairy cattle in new hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

The objective of this study was to investigate the curve-linear relationship between altered carbohydrate (CHO) traits, molecular structures of protein and carbohydrates, and truly absorbed protein supplied to dairy cattle in newly developed hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties. Four hulless barley varieties (CDC Fibar, zero-amylose waxy; CDC Rattan, 5%-amylose waxy; CDC McGwire, normal amylose; HB08302, high-amylose) developed at the Crop Development Centre of the University of Saskatchewan, were used. The four cultivars varied in carbohydrates traits based on amylose (10–400g/kg dry matter (DM)) and β-glucan (50–100g/kg DM) contents. Samples (n=3) of each variety, from three consecutive years were analysed. The results showed that: 1) intestinal (IDP) and total (TDP) digestible protein, intestinal digestible rumen undegraded starch (IDBST), total digestible starch (TDST) and total truly digestible carbohydrates (TDCHO) had a quadratic relationship with the altered amylose to amylopectin (A: AP) ratio and β-glucan contents. Notably, the contents of IDP and TDP decreased with an increases in A: AP ratio from 0.02 to 0.40, and then increased slightly with further increases in the ratio from 0.40 to 0.59. The TDST increased with increases in A: AP ratio from 0.02 to 0.40, and then decreased slightly with further increases in the ratio from 0.40 to 0.59. The content of TDP increased, while the content of TDST decreased with the increase in β-glucan contents from 42.8 to 100g/kg DM. However, the rate of increase of TDP was slower, and the rate of decrease of TDST was much faster from 42.8 to 80g/kg DM. 2) The DVE/OEB and NRC-2001 estimated fermentable organic matter (FOM), truly absorbed microbial protein (AMCP), total truly absorbed rumen undegraded protein (ARUP), total truly digested protein in the small intestine (DVE) and degraded protein balance (OEB) showed a quadratic relationship with the A: AP ratio and β-glucan content. The content of FOM and OEB increased, while the content of ARUP decreased with an increase in the A: AP ratio, with the highest and lowest values being observed at the A: AP ratio of 0.40. The FOM decreased with the increase in β-glucan content up to 80g/kg DM, while ARUP and OEB consistently increased with an increase in the β-glucan content from 42.8 to 100g/kg DM. 3) The advanced molecular spectroscopy (FT/IR) study revealed that protein structures, amide-I area and height, were linearly related to β-glucan content, while the amide-I area was linearly related to the A: AP ratio. The CHO peak-2 area and height showed a linear response to β-glucan content, and the CHO peak-2 area also had quadratic relationship with A: AP. 4) A synchrotron-based molecular spectroscopic study showed that the β-glucan peak area and height were cubically related to A: AP. The peak area of the cellulosic compounds presented a quadratic response to A: AP. In conclusion, the in situ and in vitro studies suggested that alteration of carbohydrate traits in the newly developed hulless barley significantly impacted the inherent molecular structures and showed significant curve-linear relationships with truly absorbed nutrient supply to dairy cows.

Chocolate Consumption and Risk of Heart Failure: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.

Epidemiological studies have shown inconsistent findings on the association between chocolate consumption and risk of heart failure (HF). We, therefore, performed a meta-analysis of prospective studies to determine the role of chocolate intake in the prevention of HF. We searched databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus through December 2016 and scrutinized the reference lists of relevant literatures to identify eligible studies. Study-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were aggregated using random effect models. The dose–response relationship between chocolate consumption and incident HF was also assessed. This meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42017054230. Five prospective studies with 106,109 participants were finally included. Compared to no consumption of chocolate, the pooled HRs (95% CIs) of HF were 0.86 (0.82–0.91) for low-to-moderate consumption (<7 servings/week) and 0.94 (0.80–1.09) for high consumption (≥7 servings/week). In dose–response meta-analysis, we detected a curve linear relationship between chocolate consumption and risk of HF (p for nonlinearity = 0.005). Compared with non-consumption, the HRs (95% CIs) of HF across chocolate consumption levels were 0.92 (0.88–0.97), 0.86 (0.78–0.94), 0.93 (0.85–1.03), and 1.07 (0.92–1.23) for 1, 3, 7, and 10 servings/week, respectively. In conclusion, chocolate consumption in moderation may be associated with a decreased risk of HF.

The importance of physical activity and health for physical therapy

Background: The aims of physical therapy are to develop, maintain, and restore optimal movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan for individuals and populations. Physical activity is a key concept within physical therapy. Objectives: To describe concepts of importance, dose–response relationship between physical activity and health, the scientific background for health-enhancing recommendations, and the measurements for assessing physical activity. Major findings: There is strong evidence for an inverse and curve–linear relationship between physical activity dose, all-cause mortality and chronic disease prevention. The effects of physical activity for disease treatment are also clear. Nonetheless, there is a scarcity of studies determining the dose–response relationship between physical activity and health in relation to disease. Physical activity recommendations are based on current knowledge regarding the dose–response relationship between physical activity and health and are set at an approximate 30% risk reduction for the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases. In order to recommend an optimal physical activity dose, evaluate interventions as well as establish the prevalence of physical activity in the population, it is necessary that physical activity is measured in a reliable and valid way. Conclusions: People with chronic disease or functional limitations are at great risk of being insufficiently active and are therefore in need of physical therapy interventions and support to enhance or maintain their physical activity level. The health benefits of increasing physical activity level among the physically inactive or those active at a very low level are potentially greater than those achieved by increasing activity level among already active individuals.

Non-Interest Income and Bank Efficiency in Ghana: A Two-Stage DEA Bootstrapping Approach

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the effect of the inclusion of non-interest income on efficiency and economies of scale of Ghanaian banks in a two-stage analysis. The data envelopment analysis technique is employed to estimate efficiency scores with and without non-interest income of 26 Ghanaian banks from 2003 to 2011 in the first-stage analysis. In the second stage, a truncated bootstrapped regression is estimated to examine the effect of contextual variables on bootstrapped efficiency scores. The findings indicate that the exclusion of non-interest income as output variable leads to the under-estimation of efficiency scores. From the second-stage regression analysis, we find a curve-linear relationship between bank size and efficiency to suggest that bank efficiency increases as size also increase due to economies of scale but only up to an optimal point after which inefficiency sets. Market concentration, leverage, and loan loss provisions are also identified as the other significant determinants of efficiency. Policy implications for improving bank efficiency are discussed.

Sleep duration and risk of stroke events and stroke mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

BackgroundNumerous studies have suggested the relationship between sleep duration and risks of stroke mortality and morbidity, however, the effect estimates varied substantially across studies and it remains unknown how many hours of habitual sleep are associated with the lowest risk of stroke outcomes. Therefore, we performed a dose–response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to evaluate the relation of sleep duration with risk of total mortality and stroke events. MethodsPubMed and Embase databases were searched through January 2016, and multivariate-adjusted relative risks were pooled by using fixed-effects models. Semiparametric and dose–response methods were used to assess the relationship of sleep duration and risk of stroke and stroke mortality. ResultsEleven articles with 16 independent reports were included in our meta-analysis. An approximate J-shaped relationship was detected between sleep duration and risk of stroke and stroke mortality. No evidence of a curve linear relationship was seen between sleep duration and risk of stroke or stroke mortality. Compared with 7-h sleep duration per day, the pooled relative risks for stroke events were 1.07 (95% CI 1.02–1.12) for each 1-h shorter sleep duration among individuals who slept <7h per day and 1.17 (1.14–1.20) for each 1-h increase of sleep duration among individuals with longer sleep duration and the pooled RR for stroke mortality was 1.17 (95% CI 1.13–1.20) per 1-h increase of sleep duration. ConclusionsBoth short and long duration of sleep are predictors of stroke outcomes, and long sleep duration is significant marker of stroke mortality.

Political and Economic Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emissions – a Quantitative Study

AbstractThis study examines whether there is a curve linear relationship between economic development and greenhouse gas emissions, where poor and rich countries have low emissions while middle-income countries have high emissions. This is a controversial argument that suggests that persistent economic growth is the best means for achieving considerable emission reductions. The study contributes with new knowledge about the causes of variations in greenhouse gas emissions, by analyzing data for greenhouse gas emissions and testing economic explanations in relation to a broad array of political explanations. As the study demonstrates, there is a curve linear relationship between the level of economic development and greenhouse gas emissions, but the turning point – where a higher level of economic development starts to produce lower rather than higher emission levels – is far higher than previously thought. Among the study’s sample of countries, only the Scandinavian countries and Switzerland have experienced a sufficiently high level of economic development in order for increased wealth to result in lower emissions. Among the political impacts on greenhouse gas emissions, the study indicates that countries with consensual political systems produce lower emission levels than countries where the separation of powers is more centralized. A more robust “green” civil society leads to lower emissions in countries where the democratic system is functioning well, and ambitious targets regarding reduction of emissions in the Kyoto Protocol also seems to lower emissions.

Changes in subcutaneous fat cell volume and insulin sensitivity after weight loss.

Large subcutaneous fat cells associate with insulin resistance and high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We investigated if changes in fat cell volume and fat mass correlate with improvements in the metabolic risk profile after bariatric surgery in obese patients. Fat cell volume and number were measured in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue in 62 obese women before and 2 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Regional body fat mass by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; insulin sensitivity by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp; and plasma glucose, insulin, and lipid profile were assessed. RYGB decreased body weight by 33%, which was accompanied by decreased adipocyte volume but not number. Fat mass in the measured regions decreased and all metabolic parameters were improved after RYGB (P < 0.0001). Whereas reduced subcutaneous fat cell size correlated strongly with improved insulin sensitivity (P = 0.0057), regional changes in fat mass did not, except for a weak correlation between changes in visceral fat mass and insulin sensitivity and triglycerides. The curve-linear relationship between fat cell size and fat mass was altered after weight loss (P = 0.03). After bariatric surgery in obese women, a reduction in subcutaneous fat cell volume associates more strongly with improvement of insulin sensitivity than fat mass reduction per se. An altered relationship between adipocyte size and fat mass may be important for improving insulin sensitivity after weight loss. Fat cell size reduction could constitute a target to improve insulin sensitivity.

Estimation of rice growth and nitrogen nutrition status using color digital camera image analysis

Non-destructive characterization of crop canopy is important to acquire timely and inexpensive information for crop management and yield prediction. The objective of the present study was to construct a non-destructive method for monitoring crop growth and nitrogen (N) nutrition status with digital camera image analysis. Digital images of rice canopies grown with four cultivars under various nitrogen treatments were captured by a digital camera periodically before heading stage and at the same time rice plants were sampled to measure LAI, shoot dry weight, and shoot N accumulation in 2006, 2007, and 2009. Canopy cover (CC) and ten color indices were calculated from digital camera images using image analysis program developed in Visual Basic version 6.0. More than eight color indices and CC showed significant correlations with growth and N nutrition parameters like LAI, shoot dry weight, and shoot N accumulation. CC revealed the highest correlations with all of them. CC expressed a curve-linear relationship with LAI, shoot dry weight, and shoot N accumulation (X‘s), being well fitted to a negative exponential function: CC=CCmax {1−EXP (−k X)} with asymptote (CCmax) of unity. However, the nonlinear relationship of CC with LAI and shoot N accumulation except shoot dry weight was statistically different among rice cultivars. The statistically different relationships of CC with all the three parameters were found among N fertilization levels as k values increase with the increase of N fertilization level. To compensate the effects of rice cultivar and N level, stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR) models including nonlinear relationship of CC and color indices were calibrated and validated. The selected SMLR models for LAI, shoot dry weight, and shoot N accumulation showed better performance than the models using only CC as a predictor variable. The selected SMLR models for LAI, shoot dry weight, and shoot N accumulation showed acceptable precision and its accuracy, indicating that conventional color digital camera could be employed for characterizing the growth and N nutrition status of rice non-destructively.

Development of a new method for the determination of residues of the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid in juvenile chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) using ELISA detection

The neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid (IMI) has been proposed as an alternative to carbaryl for controlling indigenous burrowing shrimp on commercial oyster beds in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor, Washington. A focus of concern over the use of this insecticide in an aquatic environment is the potential for adverse effects from exposure to non-target species residing in the Bay, such as juvenile Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and cutthroat trout (O. clarki). Federal registration and State permiting approval for the use of IMI will require confirmation that the compound does not adversely impact these salmonids following field applications. This will necessitate an environmental monitoring program for evaluating exposure in salmonids following the treatment of beds. Quantification of IMI residues in tissue can be used for determining salmonid exposure to the insecticide. Refinement of an existing protocol using liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) detection would provide the low limits of quantification, given the relatively small tissue sample sizes, necessary for determining exposure in individual fish. Such an approach would not be viable for the environmental monitoring effort in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor due to the high costs associated with running multiple analyses, however. A new sample preparation protocol was developed for use with a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the quantification of IMI, thereby providing a low-cost alternative to LC-MS for environmental monitoring in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. Extraction of the analyte from the salmonid brain tissue was achieved by Dounce homogenization in 4.0 mL of 20.0 mM Triton X-100, followed by a 6 h incubation at 50-55 °C. Centrifugal ultrafiltration and reversed phase solid phase extraction were used for sample cleanup. The limit of quantification for an average 77.0 mg whole brain sample was calculated at 18.2 μg kg(-1) (ppb) with an average recovery of 79%. This relatively low limit of quantification allows for the analysis of individual fish. Using controlled laboratory studies, a curvelinear relationship was found between the measured IMI residue concentrations in brain tissue and exposure concentrations in seawater. Additonally, a range of IMI brain residue concentrations was associated with an overt effect; illustrating the utility of the IMI tissue residue quantification approach for linking exposure with defined effects.

Walking and Running Economy

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that V˙O2peak is positively correlated with the regression coefficients of the curve-linear relationship between V˙O2 and speed during a protocol consisting of submaximal walking and running. Nineteen healthy men (mean ± SD: age = 26.4 ± 6.4 yr, height = 179.9 ± 7.2 cm, weight = 77.7 ± 8.7 kg, % fat = 16.3 ± 7.3) and 21 healthy women (age = 25.6 ± 4.9 yr, height = 167.2 ± 5.4 cm, weight = 61.6 ± 7.7 kg, % fat = 24.0 ± 6.8) underwent an incremental treadmill test to determine VO2peak and on two separate days performed an exercise protocol consisting of treadmill walking on a level grade at 2.0 mph (54 m·min−¹), 3.0 mph (80 m·min−¹), and 4.0 mph (107 m·min−¹) and running at 6.0 mph (161 m·min−¹). Subjects exercised for 5 min at each velocity, with 3 min of rest in between each exercise bout. Pulmonary ventilation (VE) and gas exchange were measured breath-by-breath each minute. The average of VO2 values obtained during the last 2 min of exercise for both exercise sessions was used in polynomial random coefficient regression analysis. In the polynomial random coefficient regression analysis for walking speeds only, both linear (r = 0.31, P = 0.053) and quadratic (r = 0.35, P = 0.029) coefficients were modestly correlated with VO2peak. Steady-state VO2 during walking at 3.0 and 4.0 mph and running at 6.0 mph was also modestly correlated with VO2peak (r = 0.30-0.48). The results confirm our hypothesis and suggest that, as walking speed increases, the increase in VO2 is positively correlated with the VO2peak. Our findings are consistent with the notion that cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise economy are inversely related.

Reduced sexual maturation in male post-smolt 1+ Atlantic salmon (Salmo salarL.) by dietary tetradecylthioacetic acid

In the present study, the possible effect of dietary treatment on early sexual maturation in post-smolt Atlantic salmon, without any negative effect regarding growth, was investigated. The experiment was performed using 4400 individually marked (Pit tag) 1+ salmon, fed either a control diet or a diet supplemented with 0.5% tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA) in duplicates for 3, 6 or 12 weeks after sea transfer. Compared with the control, dietary supplementation of TTA resulted in a threefold reduction in incidence of sexual mature males (0.6% vs. 1.8%). A curve-linear relationship between relative reduction in maturation and weeks of feeding TTA was found, indicating that the effect is most marked as a result of the first weeks of feeding and then levelling off. No negative dietary impact on growth was observed. As the level of fat in the muscle was reduced by dietary TTA, it seems that post-smolt supplemented dietary TTA do not accumulate high enough energy stores to start the maturation process, whereas the energy-enhancing effect of TTA due to increased fatty acid oxidation capacity may maintain the growth potential. Compared with immature salmon, sexually maturing fish revealed increased spring growth before the onset of maturation.

Haemoglobin predicts total mortality in a general young and middle‐aged male population. The Tromsø Study

Objective. The prognostic value of haemoglobin within normal references is seldom emphasized. The relationship between haemoglobin and mortality has been questioned because of the possible confounding of other risk factors. We investigated whether there was a curve linear relationship between haemoglobin and total mortality, and evaluated the possible modifying effects of smoking, body mass index, total cholesterol and systolic blood pressure. Materials and methods. In all, 6541 men aged between 20 and 49 years were examined in 1974 in a prospective, population‐based study from the municipality of Tromsø, Northern Norway. During 20 years of follow‐up (127 120 person‐years), 495 deaths were identified. Results. We found a U‐shaped relationship between quintiles of haemoglobin and total mortality. Among the 35–49 years group, the multiple adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) were 1.83 (1.31–2.57) in quintile 1 and 1.72 (1.23–2.41) in quintile 5, compared to quintile 3 of haemoglobin. Compared to the age‐adjusted hazard ratios, the multiple adjustments tended to non‐significantly enhance the association in the lowest quintiles and non‐significantly attenuate the association in the highest quintiles. The relationship was most pronounced in smokers in a dose–response manner, but also present in non‐smokers. Conclusions. High and low haemoglobin levels have an independent prognostic effect on mortality, although a possible effect of residual confounding cannot be ruled out. Smokers in quintile 1 and quintile 5 of haemoglobin were at increased risk of dying.

Subtle emotional expressions of synthetic characters

This study examines the influence of the geometrical intensity of an emotional facial expression on the perceived intensity and the recognition accuracy. The stimuli consisted of synthetic faces at ten geometrical intensity levels in each of the five emotional categories. A curve–linear relationship was found between geometrical and perceived intensity. Steps of 20% geometrical intensity appear to be appropriate to enable the participants to distinguish the intensity levels. At about 30% geometrical intensity the recognition accuracy reached a level that was not significantly different from each emotions maximum recognition accuracy. This point indicates a categorical perception of the facial expressions. The results of this study are of particular importance for the developers of synthetic characters and might help them to create more subtle characters.

Effect of sample composition on electrophoretic migration: Application to hemoglobin analysis by capillary electrophoresis and agarose electrophoresis

The electrophoretic migration, in routine analysis, is crucial for compound identification especially when multiple components are present in the sample. In complex or crude samples, such as those obtained from biological fluids, electrophoretic migration often does not correspond well to that of a pure standard compound. Several factors, related to the sample itself, have been identified as modulating the electrophoretic migration in zone electrophoresis both in gel and capillary electrophoresis (CE): solute mobility and concentrations, salt content, and protein interaction in the sample. Peak shape asymmetry often signals changes in migration especially when comparing samples with wide differences in concentration or those containing high ionic strength. Also, the migration of a protein can be influenced by the presence of a high concentration of another slowly migrating protein in the sample. A weak interaction during the separation between the two proteins which lead to a decreased velocity has been postulated. This was confirmed by finding a curve–linear relationship between the ratio of the two hemoglobin (Hb) variants, hemoglobin F (Hb F) and hemoglobin S (Hb S), and the distance between the two in gel electrophoresis (GE); and also by the observation of formation of a new small peak based on the analysis of hemoglobin F by capillary electrophoresis upon the addition of Hb S to the separation buffer. These factors when present together have an additive effect on the migration. As an example, Hb F, present in low but variable concentration in patients with sickle cell disease (Hb S), migrates in gel electrophoresis slightly slower than it is expected; enough to be confused with other unknown variants. However, the small peaks with different migration distances between Hb S and the adult Hb (Hb A) correlated well ( r=0.98) with Hb F performed by an alkali-denaturing assay indicating that these peaks are indeed Hb F in spite of the difference in their migration.

The Curvelinear Correlations Between the Total Testosterone Levels and Fluid Intelligence in Men and Women

The relationship between serum total testosterone (T) level and the fluid intelligence (Cattell's Culture Fair Intelligence Test) was studied in men and women. There was no significant difference between IQs of men and women. There was an inverse curvelinear relationship between IQ and T in women. The same was found also in men, but the declining part of the regression line at high T levels was not as pronounced as in women. It is concluded that T may be related to IQ, even in subjects exhibiting no sex difference in IQ tests; too low or too high T levels may be disadvantageous for the fluid intelligence, especially in women.

Blood glucose control and microvascular and macrovascular complications in diabetes.

High blood glucose levels for several years is the major factor in the development and progression of microvascular complications in IDDM. Reducing mean blood glucose reduces the risk of progression of diabetic microvascular complications substantially. A curve-linear relationship exists between HbA1c levels and progression of diabetic retinopathy. Recent evidence also points to a close relationship between high blood glucose levels and progression of microvascular complications in NIDDM. The relationship between mean blood glucose and cardiovascular disease in diabetes has been unclear. Recent population-based studies give evidence for a linear association of glycemic control with the risk for cardiovascular disease in patients with NIDDM. However, randomized studies comparing different degrees of glycemic control in NIDDM and their impact on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are urgently needed.