Direct Observation Of Behavior Research Articles

Adverse weather conditions impede odor-guided foraging of parasitoids and reduce their host-finding success

Biological pest control depends on the ability of natural enemies to find herbivore-infested plants, which is often guided by herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs). While foraging behavior of natural enemies has been extensively studied under controlled conditions, little is known on how odor-guided foraging behavior is influenced by fluctuating weather conditions in the field.Here we investigated how HIPV-guided foraging of Cotesia glomerata parasitoids is influenced by prevailing weather conditions in the field. C. glomerata females were released in 5 m radius circles of cabbage plants infested with Pieris brassicae caterpillars, and host finding success and direction of foraging activity was assessed by recapturing parasitoids on the host-infested plants. Wind speed and direction, humidity, barometric pressure and temperature was recorded and related to parasitoid foraging activity. Parasitoid foraging behavior was studied in more detail by observing individually released parasitoids in 0.5 m circles with host-infested cabbages.Recapture rates and movement direction of parasitoids was influenced by an interaction between humidity, wind speed, temperature and change in barometric pressure. High humidity and low wind speed was generally positively associated with host finding success. Direct observations of parasitoid flight behavior confirmed the influence of humidity and wind speed. Successful host finding in upwind direction was only observed at wind speeds below 3 m/s.Our study highlights the complex ways in which weather variables moderate parasitoid foraging behavior under field conditions. Since unfavorable weather conditions result in a strong reduction in parasitoid foraging efficiency, weather conditions are an important factor in the effectiveness of parasitoids as biocontrol agents.

Process-induced matrix defects: Post-gelation

Formation of resin matrix defects is common during composites manufacturing. The mechanisms behind these defects depend on the state of the resin at the time of their formation. Process-induced matrix defects are commonly studied in the form of porosity before gelation, or matrix cracking after vitrification. The present study investigates defect formation when the thermoset resin is between gelation and vitrification.After gelation, the resin is in a rubbery state and does not flow. At this state, cure in a constrained geometry leads to internal stress development and potential formation of defects. An experimental setup was used which allowed direct visual observation of the resin behavior after gelation. It was found that post-gelation defect formation is driven by hydrostatic stress and the defect morphology is cure rate-dependent. An analytical approach to avoid post-gelation defects based on comprehensive material characterization and internal stress evolution calculations is proposed, and experimentally validated.

Method for Observing pHysical Activity and Wellbeing (MOHAWk): validation of an observation tool to assess physical activity and other wellbeing behaviours in urban spaces

ABSTRACT Direct observation of behaviour offers an unobtrusive method of assessing physical activity in urban spaces, which reduces biases associated with self-report. However, there are no existing observation tools that: (1) assess other behaviours that are important for people’s wellbeing beyond physical activity; (2) are suitable for urban spaces that typically have lower numbers of users (e.g. amenity green spaces) or that people pass through (e.g. green corridors); and (3) have been validated in Europe. MOHAWk (Method for Observing pHysical Activity and Wellbeing) is a new observation tool for assessing three levels of physical activity (Sedentary, Walking, Vigorous) and two other evidence-based wellbeing behaviours (Connect: social interactions; Take Notice: taking notice of the environment) in urban spaces. Across three studies, we provide evidence that MOHAWk is reliable and valid from 156 hours of observation by six observers in five urban spaces in the UK. MOHAWk can be used in policy or practice (e.g. by local authorities or developers), or in more formal institutional based research projects. This new tool is an inexpensive and easy-to-use method of generating wellbeing impact evidence in relation to the urban physical or social environment. A manual providing detailed instruction on how to use MOHAWk is provided.

Exploring Coach–Teacher Interactions Within a Practice-Based Coaching Partnership

Professional development (PD), which includes coaching, has demonstrated the capacity to affect preschool teachers’ use of evidence-based practices. The present study explored how coaches facilitated conversations within practice-based coaching (PBC) partnerships. A direct behavioral observation coding system was developed to investigate (a) the proportion of time spent in different conversational foci, including who initiated the conversation; (b) coach verbal behaviors; and (c) whether the conversation foci, initiations, and coach verbal behavior changed across three occasions for seven coach–teacher dyads. Results from the present study indicate coaches spent the largest proportion of time engaging in conversations with teachers focused on reflection and feedback, followed by goal setting and action planning. The coaches used verbal behaviors (supportive and constructive feedback, clarifying questions) as required by the coaching protocol across all sampled occasions. Variation in conversation foci, initiations, and coach verbal behavior across three sampled occasions was evident.

A new method for direct observation of microscale multielemental behavior in waterlogged soil: μXRF-μXAFS combined live soil imaging chamber (LOACH)

In this study, we developed a novel non-destructive method, a combined μXRF–μXAFS live soil imaging chamber method, to directly observe the local behavior of metal(loid)s in the oxidative–reductive layer typically found in waterlogged soil such as flooded paddy soil. The newly-designed soil chamber was made of titanium plate and glass with low gas permeability and high corrosion resistance, and thus specializes in the experiment of the waterlogged soil with anoxic environment. The soil chamber can be mounted directly in the synchrotron μXRF–μXAFS beamline. Hence, by using this method, we can observe the intact paddy soil without physical and chemical disturbances. The application of μXRF-μXAFS analysis allows us to analyze the elemental abundances and chemical speciation of soil elements at a microscale. In addition, since the μXRF–μXAFS has both and high elemental selectivity and high applicability for various elements, we can investigate the behavior of target element as well as its relationships with related elements. In this study, we applied the new method to examine the behavior of arsenic (As) in the oxidative–reductive layer formed at the surface of flooded paddy soil. The μXRF imaging of As-contaminated paddy soil newly showed that As in the soil was strongly accumulated in the topsoil layer in a millimeter scale by 1 month incubation under flooded condition. Moreover, the μXAFS analysis of As and related metals indicated that the As accumulation was closely attributed to the change in the oxidation state of As with soil depth and the coexistence of the most favored sorbent (Fe(III) hydroxides) in the oxidative–reductive layer of the paddy soil.

Direct At-Sea Observations of Elephant Seals (Mirounga spp.) to Help Interpret Digital Bio-logging Data

Background: A key short-fall with animal-borne bio-logging instruments, which collect digital time-series data regarding the foraging behaviours of cryptic marine mammal species, is validating those data against in situ behaviours. Objective: To collate direct observations of elephant seal feeding behaviour to help interpret foraging behaviours inferred from Time-Depth Recorder (TDR) data. Methods: Direct observations of elephant seal foraging behaviour were collated from the published literature using a search of the world-wide-web. Those observations were supplemented with an unpublished record. Results: Two deep-sea video recordings and six surface sightings of elephant seals ingesting prey were collated. Each observation either supported or suggested an alternative to behaviours derived from digital time-depth profiles. The tendency for elephant seals to surface following the capture of large prey suggests precipitous drops in stomach temperature at the sea-surface, which have been recorded and interpreted as drinking events, more likely represent the ingestion of large prey items. Conclusion: Direct observations of marine mammal foraging behaviours are rare, yet they provide a means to continuously evaluate and interpret outcomes of bio-logging instruments.

Classroom Behavior of Students With or At Risk of EBD: Student Gender Affects Teacher Ratings But Not Direct Observations

As the field moves toward adaptive and individualized behavior intervention, it is important to identify and consider relevant student characteristics as potential levers (i.e., critical factors) for improving intervention effectiveness. Motivated by previous findings suggesting that behavioral profiles and teachers’ perceptions of students with problem behavior vary by student gender, we evaluated gender differences in teacher ratings and direct observations of classroom problem behavior for elementary students with or at risk of emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD; N = 352). We found significant gender differences for teacher ratings of problem behavior, social skills, and academic competence. However, we did not find significant differences between male and female students on direct observation measures of behavior or reading skills. These findings provide evidence suggesting that student gender may be a critical factor in addressing classroom problem behavior. Future work in this area will help guide researchers and practitioners in considering how student gender and related teachers’ perceptions may inform intervention selection and implementation for students with or at risk of EBD.

Experimental Approach to Matte–Slag Reactions in the Flash Smelting Process

ABSTRACT Improving metal–slag separation in pyrometallurgical processes is increasingly important. Due to the harsh conditions, direct observations of the molten phases behavior in the settler of the Outotec Flash Smelting Furnace (FSF) are not possible and the ways to improve metal settling can only be studied by simulation and modeling. This study focuses on kinetics and mechanisms of the chemical reactions between matte droplets and slag, which were investigated in laboratory-scale heat-quench equipment at a typical smelting temperature of 1300°C as a function of time in both air and argon atmosphere. The reaction mechanism in the FSF settler was formulated and results in argon atmosphere also indicate that the oxidation of cuprous sulfide by ferric ions in the slag contributes strongly to the copper losses in the slag.

Evaluation of the Adoption and the Validity and Reliability of the Dementia Observation System (DObs) Web Application in Long-Term Care

Most behaviour assessment tools used in long-term care (LTC) involve retrospective reports. These assessments are prone to errors in recall and provide little opportunity to identify the context of behaviours. Furthermore, these assessments are often underused, prone to incomplete and inaccurate data collection, and the results can be difficult to analyze. To address these problems, we developed a Dementia Observations (DObs) mobile application for direct observation of behaviour symptoms. Direct observation of behaviour provides more detail about the frequency, duration, precipitants, and patterns. This study aimed to evaluate the adoption, the validity, and the reliability of DObs in the LTC setting.

In situ observation of a record-sized squid prey consumed by a Gentoo penguin

Diet studies of marine predators provide insights into the functioning and structure of marine ecosystems. Such studies have been greatly enhanced in recent years with technology enabling direct observation of feeding behaviour in the marine environment. We here report on observations of an interesting predation event involving Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) at sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Through the deployment of an animal-borne miniaturised video data logger, we were able to document what is to our knowledge the largest recorded prey species consumed by a Gentoo penguin. A squid (probably Greater hooked squid, Onykia ingens) with an estimated mantle length of 240 mm was consumed whole after a period of competition over the prey item with another foraging Gentoo penguin.

Direct Observation of Single Biomolecule Hidden Behaviors by an Electro-Optical Nanopore

Nanopores act as excellent single-molecule sensors which are capable of rapidly acquiring information of single molecules from the significant statistics. Plenty of pervious experimental and theoretical nanopore researches illustrated diverse single molecules motions and behaviours based statistical analysis and modelling. However, the challenge still remains in resolving and classification of each single molecules signals to uncover the precise motion behind the electrical response. Here, we employ a simultaneous electro-optical readout approach to interrogate each single molecule behaviours in confined spaces.

Autism Heterogeneity in a Densely Sampled U.S. Population: Results From the First 1,000 Participants in the RI-CART Study.

The objective of this study was to establish a large, densely sampled, U.S. population-based cohort of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Rhode Island Consortium for Autism Research and Treatment (RI-CART) represents a unique public-private-academic collaboration involving all major points of service for families in Rhode Island affected by ASD. Diagnosis was based on direct behavioral observation via the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition. For the first 1,000 participants, ages ranged from 21 months to 64 years. Using Geographic Information System and published prevalence rates, the overall cohort is estimated to represent between 20% and 49% of pediatric age persons in Rhode Island with ASD, with demographics representative of U.S. Census. We observed a high rate of co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions in affected individuals. Among the most prominent findings of immediate clinical importance, we found that females received a first diagnosis of ASD at a later age than males, potentially due to more advanced language abilities in females with ASD. In summary, this is the first analysis of a large, population-based U.S. cohort with ASD. Given the depth of sampling, the RI-CART study reflects an important new resource for studying ASD in a representative U.S. population. Psychiatric and medical comorbidities in ASD constitute a substantial burden and warrant adequate attention as part of overall treatment. Our study also suggests that new strategies for earlier diagnosis of ASD in females may be warranted. Autism Res 2020, 13: 474-488. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: The Rhode Island Consortium for Autism Research and Treatment (RI-CART) represents a unique public-private-academic collaboration involving all major points of service for families in Rhode Island affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this article, we provide results from the first 1,000 participants, estimated to represent >20% of affected families in the state. Importantly, we find a later age at first diagnosis of ASD in females, which potentially calls attention to the need for improved early diagnosis in girls. Also, we report a high rate of co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions in affected individuals.

Measuring Light-Switching Behavior Using an Occupancy and Light Data Logger

Due to discrepancies between self-reported and observed pro-environmental behavior, researchers suggest the use of more direct measures of behavior. Although direct behavioral observation may increase the external validity and generalizability of a study, it may be time-consuming and be subject to experimenter or observer bias. To address these issues, the use of data loggers as an alternative to natural observation can allow researchers to conduct broad studies without interrupting the participants' naturally occurring behaviors. This article describes one of such tools-the occupancy and light data logger-with its technical description, deployment protocol, and information about its possible applications in psychological experiments. The results of testing the reliability of the logger in comparison to human observation is provided alongside an example of the gathered data during a 15-day measurement in public restroom (N = 1,148) that includes: 1) room occupancy changes; 2) indoor light changes; and 3) room occupancy time.

T-Pattern Detection and Analysis (TPA) With THEMETM: A Mixed Methods Approach.

This work, which was started in the early 1970s, was inspired by social interaction analysis based on direct observation and careful coding of behaviors according to a list of behavioral (mostly ethological) categories, especially the ethological work of N. Tinbergen, K. Lorenz, and K. von Frisch, for which they shared a Nobel Prize in 1973 in Medicine or Physiology but also H. Montagner’s ethological analyses of interactions in social insects and children. S. Duncan’s psychological and linguistic research on turn-taking in human interactions provided great inspiration, and so did Chomsky’s work on syntactic structure and Skinner’s probabilistic real-time functional analysis and their consequent debate. A hypothesis concerning numerous kinds of temporal and spatial natural and especially biological structures, the T-pattern is a hierarchical self-similar fractal-like structure that recurs with significant translational symmetry on a single discrete dimension, initially real time. It also points to profound self-similarity across many levels of biological spatio-temporal organization, as it seems characteristic of molecular structures such as genes and a multitude of recurrent motives on DNA and its 3D generalization corresponding to (3D) folded proteins. Developed initially to facilitate empirical analysis, the T-pattern and its detection algorithms were first presented in AI (Magnusson, 1981) and Applied Statistics (Magnusson, 1983) through THEME (3 k Fortran IV) software using an evolution algorithm. It is now over 300 k lines of code, runs under Windows, and, more recently, uses parallel processing for increased speed. This has allowed abundant detection of hidden structure in numerous kinds of biological phenomena at highly varied scales, from human behavior at timescales of days (Hirschenhauser et al., 2002; Hirschenhauser and Frigerio, 2005) to interactions of many individual neurons simultaneously registered at a temporal resolution of 10–6 s in neuronal networks in rat brains to ongoing work on T-patterns in DNA molecules at a spatial nano-scale. T-pattern detection and analysis (TPA) thus mix qualitative and quantitative analyses, as T-patterns themselves are artificial categories composed of recurring coding categories with special real-scale statistical relations between their instances. After their detection, T-patterns are thus analyzed much as are other behavioral categories.

Direct observation of the attachment behavior of hydrophobic colloidal particles onto a bubble surface.

The attachment of solid particles to the surface of immersed gas bubbles plays a fundamental role in surface science, and hence plays key roles in various engineering fields ranging from industrial separation processes to the fabrication of functional materials. However, detailed investigation from a microscopic view on how a single particle attaches to a bubble surface and how the particle properties affect the attachment behavior has been so far scarcely addressed. Here, we observed the attachment of a single particle to a bubble surface using a high-speed camera and systematically investigated the effects of the wettability and shape of particles. We found that hydrophobic particles abruptly "jumped into" the bubble while sliding down the bubble surface to eventually satisfy their static contact angles, the behavior of which induced a much stronger attachment to the bubble surface. Interestingly, the determinant factor for the attachment efficiency of spherical particles was not the wettability of the spherical particles but the location of the initial collision with the bubble surface. In contrast, the attachment efficiency of anisotropically-shaped particles was found to increase with the hydrophobicity caused by a larger contact area to the bubble surface. Last but not least, a simple formulation is suggested to recover the contact angle based on the jump-in behavior.

Elucidation of bubble evolution and defect formation in directed energy deposition based on direct observation

Surface pore defects are always formed during directed energy deposition processes, which may stem from entrapped gas bubbles. Such defects have detrimental effects on the build quality and performance of safety-critical metal parts. Despite previous experimental and theoretical studies devoted to this subject, direct observations of the dynamic behavior of gas bubbles and elucidation of how they form surface pore defects have not yet been achieved. In this work, the relationships between surface pore defects and the bubbles originating on the melt pool surface were carefully studied using high-speed photography at up to 20,000 frames per second. This allowed us to observe the presence of two types of bubble evolution, namely bubble retention and explosion. The appearance of surface pores was a result of dynamic competition between bubble explosion and solidification of the surrounding melt, where the final location of the surface pores is determined by the melt convection and the boundary motion of the melt pool. In the case of single-track deposition, complex thermocapillary convection drives gas bubble diffusion, and pore defects cluster along the lateral edge. In the case of multi-track deposition, surface pore defects were more likely to occur on the last track due to the gravity-driven flow effect that is determined by the track path and overlap.

Method for Classifying Behavior of Livestock on Fenced Temperate Rangeland in Northern China

Different livestock behaviors have distinct effects on grassland degradation. However, because direct observation of livestock behavior is time- and labor-intensive, an automated methodology to classify livestock behavior according to animal position and posture is necessary. We applied the Random Forest algorithm to predict livestock behaviors in the Horqin Sand Land by using Global Positioning System (GPS) and tri-axis accelerometer data and then confirmed the results through field observations. The overall accuracy of GPS models was 85% to 90% when the time interval was greater than 300–800 s, which was approximated to the tri-axis model (96%) and GPS-tri models (96%). In the GPS model, the linear backward or forward distance were the most important determinants of behavior classification, and nongrazing was less than 30% when livestock travelled more than 30–50 m over a 5-min interval. For the tri-axis accelerometer model, the anteroposterior acceleration (–3 m/s2) of neck movement was the most accurate determinant of livestock behavior classification. Using instantaneous acceleration of livestock body movement more precisely classified livestock behaviors than did GPS location-based distance metrics. When a tri-axis model is unavailable, GPS models will yield sufficiently reliable classification accuracy when an appropriate time interval is defined.

A comparison of fecal sampling and direct feeding observations for quantifying the diet of a frugivorous primate.

Both observational and indirect evidence are widely used to determine the diets of wild animals. Direct observations are often assumed to provide the most comprehensive reflection of diet, but many wild animals are logistically challenging to observe. Despite the regular use of observational and indirect methods for inferring diet in wild animals, they have rarely been compared in detail for the same study population. Over 12 months this study assessed the congruence of methods in estimating the diet of a montane community of eastern chimpanzees Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda using observational scan samples and macroscopic fecal inspection. The assessment of the number of food species consumed each month was comparable between methods, but the estimation of the composition of items in the diet differed significantly. Most notably, the fecal samples significantly underestimated the consumption of flowers, and certain fruit species, which based on direct behavioral observations were seasonally consumed at very high rates. Conversely, direct observations underestimated the consumption of leaves and pith in comparison to results present in the fecal samples. These results suggest that combining methods where possible is most useful for accurate monitoring of dietary trends, particularly for species that experience significant seasonal shifts in their diet.

Milk Emulsions: Structure and Stability.

The main aim of this research is to investigate the characteristics of milk and milk proteins as natural emulsifiers. It is still largely unclear how the two main fractions of the milk proteins behave as emulsifier in highly concentrated emulsions. The surface-active effect of these is determined experimentally for emulsions with a high oil content (φ > 0.7), in this case fully refined rapeseed oil. Recent publications have not yet sufficiently investigated how proteins from native milk behave in emulsions in which a jamming transition is observed. In addition, scientific measurements comparing fresh milk emulsions and emulsions of dried milk protein powders based on rheological and thermal properties are pending and unexamined. The emulsions, prepared with a rotor-stator disperser, are investigated by their particle size and analysed by microscopy, characterised by their rheological properties. The behaviour under shear is directly observed by rheo-optical methods, which enables the direct observation of the dynamic behaviour of the oil droplets undergoing a size selective jamming transition. For a better understanding of the contributions of the different emulsifying proteins, oil-in-water emulsions have been prepared by using whey protein isolates and sodium casinates. Their different role (and function) on the interface activity can be assigned to the droplet sizes and mechanical behaviour during increasing shear deformation. In addition, solid (gelled) emulsions are prepared by heating. It is shown that the cysteine-containing whey proteins are mainly responsible for the sol–gel transition in the continuous water phase and the formation of soft solids.

Mixed-methods and Repeated Measures in Substance Use Research: Implications for Informant Accuracy

Informant accuracy is a pervasive issue in the social sciences and persists through the ongoing use of self-report measures of behaviors that are subject to recall errors. The current study reports findings from methods we used to measure substance use among adolescents in South India. We used a repeated-measures, mixed-methods design that began with semistructured interviews ( N = 60) to determine the substances used by adolescents. Next, adolescents were recruited to participate in a four-week study that assessed self-reported substance use at three time points and urinary cotinine, a nicotine metabolite, at two time points. Fifty-six participants completed the study protocol. Findings revealed that during the last phase of the study, participants were more willing to admit using substances. Our results add to existing literature that demonstrates the need to move beyond self-reported data of consumption, and to consider using repeated measures, direct observation of behavior, and biometric markers of behavior to ensure more accurate assessments of sensitive topics.