Direct Observation Of Behavior Research Articles

Effects of alternative housing and feeding systems on the behavior and performance of dairy heifer calves

ABSTRACT Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of alternative housing and feeding systems on the behavior and performance of dairy calves. Thirty-four female Holstein calves were housed in hutches in Exp. 1, and 48 female Holstein calves were housed in wire-panel pens in a feed-commodity shed in Exp. 2. All calves were allocated to treatments at birth (ranging from 3 to 9 d of age) and monitored for 9 wk. Treatments were as follows: individual housing and fed with a bucket, individual housing and fed with a bottle, paired housing and fed with a bucket, or paired housing and fed with a bottle. Milk was fed via bucket or bottle twice per day (6 L/d). Direct behavior observations were conducted once per week for all calves in Exp. 1 and video recorded every other week for all calves in Exp. 2; behavior measures took place for 2 h both in the morning and afternoon. Total DMI (grain and milk solids) were similar (P > 0.10) for calves between the housing methods for Exp. 1 and 2. Calves fed with a bottle spent more (P

Assessment of the devolatilization behavior of fuel pellets in fluidized bed

The volatile release or devolatilization is an early stage occurring upon fuel particle feeding in a combustor. For coarse fuel particles, as in the case of fluidized bed (FB) combustion, it is mainly controlled by the thermal properties of the bed and fuel. The direct observation of the particle behavior in fluidized bed is a simple and effective technique for getting information on the devolatilization time and the number of volatile bubbles issuing from the fuel particle. The paper reports on experiments of devolatilization of different fuel particles of similar size, with particular concern on pellets composed by wood and wood/coal. The experimental technique was mainly based on the visual observation of the bed surface, the data-acquisition by a video-camera and the post-process elaboration of the frame sequences. Devolatilization times of dozens of seconds were measured for pelletized fuels, longer than those of normal wood particles. Two kinds of events were observed during devolatilization: i) the eruption of a “hot bubble” produced by bursting a submerged fuel-rich bubble, ii) the generation of “flames” at the bed surface. The number of such events was counted, obtaining values up to 100 per single particle under more critical conditions. A correlation between the number of monitored events and a dimensionless variable – function of FB and fuel properties – was proposed, providing a reasonable dependence on most relevant variables.

The cooperative competitive citizen: What does it take?

Each human group and each society is a complex system of cooperative and competitive relationships. These two relations are intertwined, however, it is not indifferent in what way and to what extent. The present research has aimed at revealing the requirements of cooperative competition which is a competitive process with a high degree of cooperation among the competing parties. The Critical Incident Technique was applied. This procedure is based on the direct observation of human behaviour and was elaborated in order to examine complex interpersonal phenomena and to provide ecological validity. Altogether 483 critical incidents were described by teachers and university students of education. They were instructed to recall competitive relationships that have certain characteristics (e.g. high degree of cooperation among the parties vs no cooperation among the parties; high degree of trust among the parties vs high degree of distrust among the parties, etc.) After the free description of the incident, the participants had to characterize the competitive event along different dimensions on a Likert-scale, for instance intense/not intense competition; rules kept or violated. Applying principal component analysis, four different scales were constructed: the Cooperation Scale (i.e. the relationship among the competitors, cooperation, trust and communication), the Motivation Scale (i.e. motivation, the importance of the goal, development and learning), the Fairness Scale (i.e. rule keeping, no aggression and no manipulation) and the Enjoyment Scale (i.e. enjoyment and positive stress). The correlation analysis of the interrelations among the scales and individual variables has indicated that the high degree of cooperation among the competitors was positively related to fairness, the clarity of rules of competition, enjoyment and motivation. Less cooperation among the competitors was related to higher level stress and more intensive competition among them. If competitive processes are characterized by high degree of cooperation, i.e. they are cooperative competitions that have no detrimental but only beneficial effects, then they combine the constructive aspects of both cooperation and competition.

The cooperative, competitive citizen

Each human group and each society is a complex system of cooperative and competitive relationships. These two relations are intertwined, however, it is not indifferent in what way and to what extent. The present research has aimed at revealing the requirements of cooperative competition which is a competitive process with a high degree of cooperation among the competing parties. The Critical Incident Technique was applied. This procedure is based on the direct observation of human behaviour and was elaborated in order to examine complex interpersonal phenomena and to provide ecological validity. Altogether 483 critical incidents were described by teachers and university students of education. They were instructed to recall competitive relationships that have certain characteristics (e.g. high degree of cooperation among the parties vs no cooperation among the parties; high degree of trust among the parties vs high degree of distrust among the parties, etc.) After the free description of the incident, the participants had to characterize the competitive event along different dimensions on a Likert-scale, for instance intense/not intense competition; rules kept or violated. Applying principal component analysis, four different scales were constructed: the Cooperation Scale (i.e. the relationship among the competitors, cooperation, trust and communication), the Motivation Scale (i.e. motivation, the importance of the goal, development and learning), the Fairness Scale (i.e. rule keeping, no aggression and no manipulation) and the Enjoyment Scale (i.e. enjoyment and positive stress). The correlation analysis of the interrelations among the scales and individual variables has indicated that the high degree of cooperation among the competitors was positively related to fairness, the clarity of rules of competition, enjoyment and motivation. Less cooperation among the competitors was related to higher level stress and more intensive competition among them. If competitive processes are characterized by high degree of cooperation, i.e. they are cooperative competitions that have no detrimental but only beneficial effects, then they combine the constructive aspects of both cooperation and competition.

The effectiveness of interventions to manage treatment adherence in adult heart transplant patients: a systematic review protocol

Review question/objective The objective of this review is to assess and synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to manage treatment adherence of adult heart transplant patients. Therefore, the review question is: in adult heart transplant patients, what interventions are the most effective to manage adherence to pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments? Inclusion criteria Types of participants The review will consider patients, 18 years of age or older, regardless of gender, ethnicity, comorbidities, or other treatments, with heart or heart-lung transplantation receiving specific pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. Types of intervention(s) The review will consider interventions for managing treatment adherence of heart transplant patients. We will consider any intervention tailored and applied to maintain heart transplant patients using the prescribed pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment. Examples of such intervention are: a) measures to prepare a patient to safely take prescribed medications/regimens and monitor for their effects (Medication Administration, or Medication Management ); b) measures to “promote behavior acquisition/change” (Behavior Modification ); c) measures to provide “instructions and learning experiences to facilitate voluntary adaptation of behavior conducive to health in individuals, families, or groups” (Health Education ); d) measures to reinforce “self-directed change initiated by the patient to achieve personally important goals” (Self-Modification Assistance); e) measures to encourage “a patient to assume more responsibility for own behavior” (Self-Responsibility Facilitation ); and f) measures to provide “the necessary information, advocacy, and support to facilitate primary patient care by someone other than a health care professional” (Caregiver Support ). Comparator(s) Foreseen comparisons of intervention trials include those between any interventions applied to maintain heart transplant patients using the prescribed pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment versus standard or routine care, or no additional care. Types of outcomes The review will consider studies that assessed, objectively or by self-report using validated instruments, patient adherence to pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment. For this systematic review, patient adherence to pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment is defined as the extent to which a person’s behavior – taking the medication, following a diet plan and/or make changes to their life style, corresponds to the recommendations of a caregiver, regardless of any agreement about following the recommendation because authors do not usually consider this element defined by the WHO. Objective assessment of patient adherence to pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment refers to direct observation of behavior, electronic monitoring, or serum dosage of pharmacological agents.

Behavior of juvenile green turtles in a coastal neritic habitat: Validating time–depth–temperature records using visual observations

There are inherent limitations to inferring green turtle (Chelonia mydas L.) diving behavior from time–depth recorders (TDRs). Validating TDR data with independent observations of turtle behaviors is imperative to derive behavioral inferences from these archival data. Logistic regressions of video observational data and corresponding TDR data from six juvenile green turtles at the Kawai‘nui Marsh Estuary (KME) in Kailua Bay, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, were used to determine the extent to which TDR records capture six specific behaviors recorded using a submersible video camera. While foraging, food searching, hovering, and breathing could be explained using a combination of TDR-derived metrics, the records could not describe swimming and resting. The habitat associations of turtle activity patterns (activities) were also evaluated, with some behaviors being more commonly encountered in specific habitat types, including resting and breathing. Comparison of video-recorded in situ observations of juvenile green turtles to concurrent TDR records indicated that TDR data alone can accurately describe certain turtle behaviors at KME, but are insufficient to describe a turtle's full range of behavior. Therefore, we contend that direct behavioral observations augment TDR deployments by ensuring the full behavioral repertoire of juvenile green turtles is captured. The integration of these disparate datasets can enhance the understanding of juvenile green turtle behaviors, especially within shallow heterogeneous habitats like the Kawai‘nui Marsh Estuary.

Web construction ofLinothele macrothelifera(Araneae: Dipluridae)

Abstract Direct behavioral observations, plus deductions made from studying the lines in recently built webs, showed that Linothele macrothelifera Strand 1908 lays swaths of lines in relatively stereotypic ways that differ during sheet web and tube construction. Sheet construction occurs in brief bursts interspersed with returns to the retreat. The legs are not used to manipulate lines; the spinnerets attach lines to the substrate and are probably used as sense organs. Asymmetrical use of the spinnerets during sheet construction results in an increase in the variety of orientations of lines in the sheet.

Comparison of Parent Education and Functional Assessment-Based Intervention Across 24 Months for Young Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

.Preschool-aged children with or at risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience significant challenges with behavioral, social, and preacademic skills. Kern et al. (2007) examined 12-month intervention outcomes for 135 children, aged 3–5, with or at risk for ADHD. Two interventions, parent education alone and parent education plus functional assessment-based home and school intervention, were compared. Few group differences were found. In the current analysis, an expanded number of outcome measures were examined, including ADHD symptoms, direct observations of child behavior, academic skills, parent variables (e.g., stress), and treatment acceptability. Maintenance of treatment effects across 24 months was also examined. Although no group differences were found, statistically significant improvements for 27 of 46 outcome variables were obtained, indicating that parent education alone was effective. Parents and teachers reported intervention to be moderately acceptable. The findings suggest a tiered approach to intervention may be necessary for optimal outcomes.

Comparing Announced with Unannounced Standardized Patients in Performance Assessment

Accurately assessing how physicians perform in practice remains an unresolved psychometric challenge. Neither chart reviews nor patient surveys indicate when physicians overlook important information, which can result in a missed opportunity for a correct diagnosis and appropriate plan of care. Standardized patient (SP) assessments provide an opportunity for direct observation of clinical behavior and are increasingly used in licensure examinations. (SPs who are sent incognito are termed unannounced standardized patients [USPs].) One study showed that physicians had particular difficulty adapting care to individual patient context ("contextual error"). In a subsequent study with the same actors, SP cases, and outcomes, an intervention was deployed to reduce contextual error among medical students. In an exploratory reanalysis of data from the two studies, clinicians' assessments of SPs and USPs were compared. Participants in the first study were 65 board-certified internists visited by USPs; the 59 participants in the second were fourth-year medical students examining SPs in a clinical performance center. Attending physicians measured with USPs significantly underperformed medical students measured with SPs in the probing of biomedical red flags (odds ratio [OR] = 0.45 [0.30 to 0.67]) and contextual red flags (OR = 0.66 [0.45 to 0.99]) and in planning appropriate care (OR = 0.43 [0.27 to 0.67]). Across these two studies, attending physicians underperformed medical students on the same outcomes, measured with the same patient cases presented by the same actors. Studies that seek to assess elicitation and incorporation of patient information by physicians as measures of individualization of care should weigh the benefits and costs of direct observation by USPs.

Direct observation of liquid-like behavior of a single Au grain boundary

Behavior of matter at the nanoscale differs from that of the bulk due to confinement and surface effects. Here, we report a direct observation of liquid-like behavior of a single grain boundary formed by cold-welding Au nanoparticles, 40 nm in size, by mechanical manipulation in situ TEM. The grain boundary rotates almost freely due to the free surfaces and can rotate about 90 degrees. The grain boundary sustains more stress than the bulk, confirming a strong bonding between the nanoparticles. Moreover, this technique allows the measurement of the surface diffusion coefficient from experimental observations, which we compute for the Au nanoparticles. This methodology can be used for any metal, oxide, semiconductor or combination of them.

Health parameters in tail biters and bitten pigs in a case–control study

Health in relation to tail-biting behaviour was investigated on a problem farm. Quartets (n = 16) of age- and gender-matched fattening pigs including a tail biter (TB, n = 16), a victim (V, n = 16), a control in the same pen (Ctb, n = 10) and a control in a pen where no tail biting was observed (Cno, n = 14) were chosen by direct behavioural observation. Haematological and clinicochemical analyses, autopsy and histological examination of 16 different tissues were carried out. Tail lesion severity was evaluated both macroscopically, on the basis of inspection, and histologically, in the sagittally cut tail. Category effects were tested using Friedman's ANOVA by Ranks, Cochran's Q or a repeated-measure GLM and, if significant, pair-wise tests were conducted using Wilcoxon Signed Ranks or McNemar's Test. The number of received tail bites correlated better with histological than with macroscopic tail lesion scoring because of deep inflammation beneath healthy skin in some cases. Most individuals had mild inflammatory lesions in internal organs suggestive of generalized activation of the immune system, and 30% of the animals were anaemic, possibly because of systemic spread of infectious agents. V had more severe respiratory organ lesions and higher serum protein concentrations than all other categories of pigs. Liver- and muscle-specific enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and creatine kinase) differed between categories. In conclusion, most animals had signs of generalized activation of the immune system, possibly because of systemic spread of infectious agents. V pigs suffered from more severe inflammatory lesions than TB, Ctb or Cno. Deep infections may exist under healthy skin in the tail of bitten pigs.

Intravital imaging of hair-cell development and regeneration in the zebrafish

Direct videomicroscopic visualization of organ formation and regeneration in toto is a powerful strategy to study cellular processes that often cannot be replicated in vitro. Intravital imaging aims at quantifying changes in tissue architecture or subcellular organization over time during organ development, regeneration or degeneration. A general feature of this approach is its reliance on the optical isolation of defined cell types in the whole animals by transgenic expression of fluorescent markers. Here we describe a simple and robust method to analyze sensory hair-cell development and regeneration in the zebrafish lateral line by high-resolution intravital imaging using laser-scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM). The main advantage of studying hair-cell regeneration in the lateral line is that it occurs throughout the life of the animal, which allows its study in the most natural context. We detail protocols to achieve continuous videomicroscopy for up to 68 hours, enabling direct observation of cellular behavior, which can provide a sensitive assay for the quantitative classification of cellular phenotypes and cell-lineage reconstruction. Modifications to this protocol should facilitate pharmacogenetic assays to identify or validate otoprotective or reparative drugs for future clinical strategies aimed at preserving aural function in humans.

Relation between direct observation of relaxation and self-reported mindfulness and relaxation states.

Forty-four individuals, 18-47 (MN 21.8, SD 5.63) years of age, took part in a study examining the magnitude and direction of the relationship between self-report and direct observation measures of relaxation and mindfulness. The Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS), a valid direct observation measure of relaxation, was used to assess relaxed behavior snd served as the criterion variable. Two self-report measures, the Relaxation Inventory (RI) and the Smith Relaxation State Inventory-Revised (SRSI-R), a measure assessing 15 relaxation-States (R-States) including the R-State Aware, a proxy for mindfulness. Participants were assessed on two occasions, one week apart. Self-report measures were administered in random order immediately after direct observation of relaxed behavior. Correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between measures. Interobserver agreement of relaxed behavior was obtained on 41% of the observations. Data from Time 1 and 2 were combined and a mean score was derived and used in the analysis of relationships. There was no significant relation between the R-State Aware and BRS (r = .10, p = .25). No further analysis of relations between self-report measures was possible due lack to failure to replicate the construct validity of the RI. Results indicate the R-State Aware is not a proxy measure of mindfulness as suggested by Smith (2005). Further research examining the relation between relaxation training and mindfulness is needed.

Direct vs indirect behavioural observations in three Italian chicken breeds

Measuring beahaviour has already been a debated issue. The aim of this paper is to compare direct observations and observations by videotapes in three different Italian chicken breeds (Valdarnese Bianca, Bionda Piemontese, Robusta Maculata), in order to provide indications about the most suitable method in behavioural studies. The three breeds were reared in an experimental poultry house (10 birds=m2, standard intensive broiler production density). Fifty birds/breeds (sex ratio 1:1) were housed in litter floor pens and fed the same diet (ME 11.8MJ=Kg, CP 18%). The comparison between direct and indirect observation showed significant differences for almost each behavioural category. Activity and resting behaviour were generally well visible in both types of observations while feeding and mainly interaction were better identified with the direct observation.

Assessing Preferences of Individuals With Developmental Disabilities: A Survey of Current Practices

Although professionals working with individuals with developmental disabilities have much to gain from using systematic methods of reinforcer identification, practitioner knowledge and use of stimulus preference assessments (SPA) has rarely been examined. The purpose of this survey was to assess awareness and implementation of SPAs among professionals who serve people with developmental disabilities within and outside the field of applied behavior analysis. A total of 406 individuals responded to the survey; 246 respondents were recruited via direct email, and 160 respondents were recruited from Internet postings. Fewer than 60% of respondents across all disciplines (i.e., applied behavior analysis, psychology, and special education) reported knowledge of the term stimulus preference assessment. While nearly 90% of behavior analysts reported using at least one direct method of SPA (i.e., an assessment involving direct observation and measurement of behavior), many reported personal lack of knowledge (18.6%) and lack of time (81.4%) as barriers to conducting these assessments on a regular basis. Survey results are discussed in terms of (1) the need for greater awareness and acceptance of reinforcer identification methods among behavior analysts, educators, and other service providers and (2) barrier-specific solutions to potentially increase the regularity of SPA usage in the education and treatment of individuals with developmental disabilities.

Dorsal aorta formation: Separate origins, lateral‐to‐medial migration, and remodeling

Blood vessel formation is a highly dynamic tissue-remodeling event that can be observed from early development in vertebrate embryos. Dorsal aortae, the first functional intra-embryonic blood vessels, arise as two separate bilateral vessels in the trunk and undergo lateral-to-medial translocation, eventually fusing into a single large vessel at the midline. After this dramatic remodeling, the dorsal aorta generates hematopoietic stem cells. The dorsal aorta is a good model to use to increase our understanding of the mechanisms controlling the establishment and remodeling of larger blood vessels in vivo. Because of the easy accessibility to the developing circulatory system, quail and chick embryos have been widely used for studies on blood vessel formation. In particular, the mapping of endothelial cell origins has been performed using quail-chick chimera analysis, revealing endothelial, vascular smooth muscle, and hematopoietic cell progenitors of the dorsal aorta. The avian embryo model also allows conditional gene activation/inactivation and direct observation of cell behaviors during dorsal aorta formation. This allows a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying specific morphogenetic events during dynamic dorsal aorta formation from a cell behavior perspective.

Reduction in the attraction of males to females after mating in the rice leaf bug Trigonotylus caelestialium

AbstractThe influence of mating on the extent to which males are attracted to females in Trigonotylus caelestialium (Heteroptera: Miridae) was examined. No differences in attraction of males to mated and virgin females were observed within 3–5 h of mating, but males became less attracted to females 1 to 2 days after the first mating. The difference in male attraction to mated vs virgin females disappeared at 4 days after mating. These results indicate that reduced attraction of males to mated females occurs after a certain time interval, and persists for a few days. Furthermore, males were less attracted to females that had mated with virgin vs recently mated males, i.e. males that had just mated with another female at 1 and 2 days after mating. The ejaculate expenditure of recently mated males was less than that of virgin males. Hence, the amount of male ejaculate transferred to females during mating, rather than the act of mating, might influence the attraction of males to females. The results demonstrate that mating reduces the attraction of males to females in T. caelestialium on the basis of direct observation of male behavior.

Positive Family Intervention for Severe Challenging Behavior I

The present study was a multisite randomized clinical trial assessing the effects of adding a cognitive-behavioral intervention to positive behavior support (PBS). Fifty-four families who met the criteria of (a) having a child with a developmental disability, (b) whose child displayed serious challenging behavior (e.g., aggression, self-injury, tantrums), and (c) who scored high on a measure of parental pessimism were randomly assigned to either PBS intervention or a combination of PBS and optimism training for parents (positive family intervention [PFI]). A manualized approach to both interventions was used for eight weekly individual sessions. Both groups improved in scores of parental pessimism as well as on standardized measures and direct observations of child challenging behavior. The PFI intervention resulted in significantly improved scores on the General Maladaptive Index of the Scales of Independent Behavior–Revised when compared with the PBS alone group. No differences in attrition were observed across the two different approaches. Importantly, significant improvements in child behavior at home were achieved through a clinic-based approach. Implications for working with families who may be less likely to benefit from parent training are discussed.

BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT FOR PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLING IN PERSONS WITH ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY

The present investigation examined a behavior-analytic clinical treatment package designed to reduce the pathological gambling of 3 individuals with acquired brain injury. A prior history of pathological gambling of each patient was assessed via caregiver report, psychological testing, and direct observation of gambling behavior. Using an 8-week one-on-one client-patient format, a treatment program was developed in which the patient learned about the antecedents, consequences, and motivating operations that controlled the emission of gambling behavior. Data were collected on both self-report of gambling urges and behavior following therapy and during in situ gambling opportunities. The therapy program reduced urges to gamble and actual gambling for all patients. The potential of behavior-analytic therapy for reducing the pathological gambling of patients with and without brain injury is discussed.

Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Extremely Preterm Infants

Extremely preterm (EP) infants screen positive for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) at high rates. However, it is not clear whether this is because of high rates of ASD in EPs or to high rates of false-positive screens for ASD in children with a high rate of underlying neurodevelopmental impairments. Combining a parent questionnaire designed to distinguish developmental delay from ASD with direct observation of infant behavior may more accurately screen for ASD in EPs. To determine rates of positive screen for ASD at 18 to 22 months(m) in EPs using 3 screens; to determine factors associated with a positive screen. Five hundred fifty-four infants born <27 weeks were screened at 18 to 22 m using the Pervasive Developmental Disorders Screening test, second edition Stage 2, and the response to name and response to joint attention items from the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Infants with severe cerebral palsy, deafness, and blindness were excluded. Associations between positive screen and neonatal/ infant characteristics were determined. Of 554 infants, 113 (20%) had ≥ 1 positive screen. 10% had a positive Pervasive Developmental Disorders Screening test, second edition, 6% response to name, 9% response to joint attention; in only 1 % all 3 screens were positive. Positive screen was associated with male gender, more hospital days, white race, lower maternal education, abnormal behavioral scores, and cognitive/ language delay. The use of 3 screens for ASD in EPs results in higher screen positive rates than use of 1 screen alone. Diagnostic confirmation is needed before true rates of ASD in EPs are known.