Factors Influencing Owner Satisfaction With Companion-Dog-Training Facilities

The aim of this study was to survey people currently attending companion-dog-training facilities about their reasons for attending training, their expectations prior to training, their training experiences, and the factors contributing to their satisfaction with these experiences. The 178 participants indicated that they experienced few canine behavioral difficulties prior to attending training, with factors other than dog behavior influencing their decision to attend a particular facility. Features identified as important were characteristics of the instructors and the facility itself, opportunities for the dog caretaker (owner) to develop dog-training skills and knowledge, and specific canine behavior outcomes. Satisfaction was a multidimensional concept: satisfaction with the instructors and facility being dissociable from satisfaction with progress made by the dog and handler. Each of these represented different aspects of the training experience. Training facilities may need to address a wide range of issues to engage additional dog owners in training activities. Identification of these issues is an important first step in this process.     

Factors influencing owner satisfaction with companion-dog-training facilities

The aim of this study was to survey people currently attending companion-dog-training facilities about their reasons for attending training, their expectations prior to training, their training experiences, and the factors contributing to their satisfaction with these experiences. The 178 participants indicated that they experienced few canine behavioral difficulties prior to attending training, with factors other than dog behavior influencing their decision to attend a particular facility. Features identified as important were characteristics of the instructors and the facility itself, opportunities for the dog caretaker (owner) to develop dog-training skills and knowledge, and specific canine behavior outcomes. Satisfaction was a multidimensional concept: satisfaction with the instructors and facility being dissociable from satisfaction with progress made by the dog and handler. Each of these represented different aspects of the training experience. Training facilities may need to address a wide range of issues to engage additional dog owners in training activities. Identification of these issues is an important first step in this process.     

Progress at last

Refinement of protein structures from a correct topology to atomically detailed resolution has proven remarkably difficult. Jian et?al. (in this issue of Structure) illustrate a significant advance in this task by carefully incorporating into the refinement process many body interactions extracted from fragment statistics.     

生物大分子结晶学中的刚体修正方法

刚体修正方法是修正生物大分子初结构的取向和位置的一个很有效的方法.本文简要地介绍了Fourier搜索法,CORELS刚体修正法及TRAREF刚体修正法三种方法,并给出了它们在不同的蛋白质结构测定中应用的结果.     

Measurement of a model of implementation for health care: toward a testable theory

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Greenhalgh et al. used a considerable evidence-base to develop a comprehensive model of implementation of innovations in healthcare organizations [1]. However, these authors did not fully operationalize their model, making it difficult to test formally. The present paper represents a first step in operationalizing Greenhalgh et al.'s model by providing background, rationale, working definitions, and measurement of key constructs. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted for key words representing 53 separate sub-constructs from six of the model's broad constructs. Using an iterative process, we reviewed existing measures and utilized or adapted items. Where no one measure was deemed appropriate, we developed other items to measure the constructs through consensus. RESULTS: The review and iterative process of team consensus identified three types of data that can been used to operationalize the constructs in the model: survey items, interview questions, and administrative data. Specific examples of each of these are reported. CONCLUSION: Despite limitations, the mixed-methods approach to measurement using the survey, interview measure, and administrative data can facilitate research on implementation by providing investigators with a measurement tool that captures most of the constructs identified by the Greenhalgh model. These measures are currently being used to collect data concerning the implementation of two evidence-based psychotherapies disseminated nationally within Department of Veterans Affairs. Testing of psychometric properties and subsequent refinement should enhance the utility of the measures.     

Can local energy minimization refine the PDB structures of different resolution universally?

Local energy minimization was statistically tested as the refinement strategy for PDB structure pairs of different resolution. The 13 pairs of structures with the only difference being the resolution were extracted from PDB and represented structures of 11 identical proteins obtained with different x-ray diffraction techniques. The rmsd distribution was calculated for these pairs before and after local energy minimization of each structure. MMFF94 was used for energy calculations and the quasi-Newtonian method was used for local energy minimization. By comparison of these two rmsd distributions, the local energy minimization was proved to statistically increase the structural differences in pairs, so it cannot be used for refinement purposes. To explore the prospects of complex refinement strategies based on energy minimization, randomized structures were obtained by moving the initial PDB structures as far as the minimized structures had been moved in the multidimensional space of atomic coordinates. For these randomized structures the rmsd distribution was calculated and compared with the one for minimized structures. The significant differences in their mean values proved the energy surface of the protein to have only few minima near the conformations of different resolution obtained by x-ray analysis for PDB. Some other results we obtained exploring the energy surface near these conformations are also presented. These results are expected to be useful for the development of new protein refinement strategies based on energy minimization.     

Empirical evaluation of a model-driven approach to enlargement of multi-dimensional questionnaires for assessing adaptability of the sleep–wake cycle

The spherical cube model was earlier proposed for explaining interrelationships between scales of multidimensional questionnaires designed for assessing adaptability of the human sleep–wake cycle. The purpose of this report was to use the model’s predictions for identification of new items associated with yet unassessed sub-traits of the sleep–wake adaptability. The 72-item Sleep–Wake Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SWPAQ) and an initial 320-item list created for a new inventory were administered to 139 respondents. Results of correlating the responses to these items with scores on six SWPAQ’ scales were used for classification of items in accord with the nomenclature proposed by the model and for selection of 120 items for the new inventory that allowed the assessment of the majority (more than 24) of the sleep–wake adaptability sub-traits predicted by the model. Some of these newly assessed sub-traits reflect individual variation in the success of biological adaptation to night and shift work.     

Rigid-body refinement and conformation of α-chitin

The structure of α-chitin has been refined using the rigid body refinement technique. Polysaccharide chitin composed of repeating chitibiose units has been treated as a rigid body. The refinement has been done using group intensity data. Using the Full Matrix Least Square rigid body refinement procedure the structure has been refined to an R-factor of 40.7%. For the refined structure the agreement between the calculated and the observed intensities is reasonably good. The refinement leads to two possible orientations of the CH₂OH group and in both orientations it is not involved in hydrogen bonding. One of the conformations of CH₂OH group in the refined structure is close to that proposed earlier by Carlström (J. Biophys. Biochem, Cytol., 3 (1957) 669) from X-ray and optical data. The other parts of the chain and the packing are very similar to Carlström's proposition. The structure has been examined from a stereochemical point of view and from hydrogen bond energy considerations. The refined structure is found to be free from all short contracts and also to be well stabilised by one intrachain hydrogen bond of the O-H…O type and one interchain hydrogen bond of the N-H…O type. The strength of the hydrogen bond as compared with the best possible ones are discussed. It is believed that the structure obtained is possibly the limit of refinement that can be reached with visually estimated fibre intensity data.     

Measuring hiking specialization and identification of latent profiles of hikers

Previous specialization studies have only measured single items or the sum of responses across dimensions, making it impossible to classify recreationists by their degree of multidimensional specialization. The purpose of the present study is to test a three-dimensional model and its traditional components (i.e., items) of specialization in hikers. Applying a latent profile analysis, the present study examined hikers who shared similar profiles based on multiple dimensions of specialization and classified them based on latent class characteristics and structures. Data from 587 hikers on Namhansanseong Trail in South Korea were analyzed. Four subgroups were identified: novice (32 %), behavior-oriented (18 %), veteran (30 %), and potential veteran (20 %). These groups showed differential patterns in the behavioral and cognitive dimensions of specialization. In particular, the component items of hiking experience and setting experience in the behavioral dimension differed by group.     

Refinement of F-Actin Model against Fiber Diffraction Data by Long-Range Normal Modes

The atomic model of F-actin was refined against fiber diffraction data using long-range normal modes as adjustable parameters to account for the collective long-range filamentous deformations. To determine the effect of long-range deformations on the refinement, each of the four domains of G-actin was treated as a rigid body. It was found that among all modes, the bending modes make the most significant contributions to the improvement of the refinement. Inclusion of only 7–9 bending modes as adjustable parameters yielded a lowest R-factor of 6.3%. These results demonstrate that employing normal modes as refinement parameters has the advantage of using a small number of adjustable parameters to achieve a good fitting efficiency. Such a refinement procedure may therefore prevent the refinement from overfitting the structural model. More importantly, the results of this study demonstrate that, for any fiber diffraction data, a substantial amount of refinement error is due to long-range deformations, especially the bending, of the filaments. The effects of these intrinsic deformations cannot be easily compensated for by adjusting local structural parameters, and must be properly accounted for in the refinement to achieve improved fit of refined models with experimental diffraction data.     

The molecular signals that regulate activity-dependent synapse refinement in the brain

The formation of appropriate synaptic connections is critical for the proper functioning of the brain. Early in development, neurons form a surplus of immature synapses. To establish efficient, functional neural networks, neurons selectively stabilize active synapses and eliminate less active ones. This process is known as activity-dependent synapse refinement. Defects in this process have been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. Here we review the manner and mechanisms by which synapse elimination is regulated through activity-dependent competition. We propose a theoretical framework for the molecular mechanisms of synapse refinement, in which three types of signals regulate the refinement. We then describe the identity of these signals and discuss how multiple molecular signals interact to achieve appropriate synapse refinement in the brain.     

Three-dimensional structural representation of the sleep-wake adaptability

Various characteristics of the sleep-wake cycle can determine the success or failure of individual adjustment to certain temporal conditions of the today’s society. However, it remains to be explored how many such characteristics can be self-assessed and how they are inter-related one to another. The aim of the present report was to apply a three-dimensional structural representation of the sleep-wake adaptability in the form of “rugby cake” (scalene or triaxial ellipsoid) to explain the results of analysis of the pattern of correlations of the responses to the initial 320-item list of a new inventory with scores on the six scales designed for multidimensional self-assessment of the sleep-wake adaptability (Morning and Evening Lateness, Anytime and Nighttime Sleepability, and Anytime and Daytime Wakeability). The results obtained for sample consisting of 149 respondents were confirmed by the results of similar analysis of earlier collected responses of 139 respondents to the same list of 320 items and responses of 1213 respondents to the 72 items of one of the earlier established questionnaire tools. Empirical evidence was provided in support of the model-driven prediction of the possibility to identify items linked to as many as 36 narrow (6 core and 30 mixed) adaptabilities of the sleep-wake cycle. The results enabled the selection of 168 items for self-assessment of all these adaptabilities predicted by the rugby cake model.     

Benchmarking of structure refinement methods for protein complex models

Protein structure docking is the process in which the quaternary structure of a protein complex is predicted from individual tertiary structures of the protein subunits. Protein docking is typically performed in two main steps. The subunits are first docked while keeping them rigid to form the complex, which is then followed by structure refinement. Structure refinement is crucial for a practical use of computational protein docking models, as it is aimed for correcting conformations of interacting residues and atoms at the interface. Here, we benchmarked the performance of eight existing protein structure refinement methods in refinement of protein complex models. We show that the fraction of native contacts between subunits is by far the most straightforward metric to improve. However, backbone dependent metrics, based on the Root Mean Square Deviation proved more difficult to improve via refinement.     

A novel strategy for NMR resonance assignment and protein structure determination

The quality of protein structures determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is contingent on the number and quality of experimentally-derived resonance assignments, distance and angular restraints. Two key features of protein NMR data have posed challenges for the routine and automated structure determination of small to medium sized proteins; (1) spectral resolution – especially of crowded nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) spectra, and (2) the reliance on a continuous network of weak scalar couplings as part of most common assignment protocols. In order to facilitate NMR structure determination, we developed a semi-automated strategy that utilizes non-uniform sampling (NUS) and multidimensional decomposition (MDD) for optimal data collection and processing of selected, high resolution multidimensional NMR experiments, combined it with an ABACUS protocol for sequential and side chain resonance assignments, and streamlined this procedure to execute structure and refinement calculations in CYANA and CNS, respectively. Two graphical user interfaces (GUIs) were developed to facilitate efficient analysis and compilation of the data and to guide automated structure determination. This integrated method was implemented and refined on over 30 high quality structures of proteins ranging from 5.5 to 16.5 kDa in size.     

Refinement: promoting the three Rs in practice

Refinement of scientific procedures carried out on protected animals is an iterative process, which begins with a critical evaluation of practice. The process continues with objective assessment of the impact of the procedures, identification of areas for improvement, selection and implementation of an improvement strategy and evaluation of the results to determine whether there has been the desired effect, completing the refinement loop and resulting in the perpetuation of good practice. Refinements may be science-driven (those which facilitate getting high-quality results) or welfare-driven or may encompass both groups, but whatever the driver, refinements almost always result in benefits to both welfare and science. Refinements can be implemented in all aspects of animal use: improved methodology in invasive techniques, housing and husbandry, and even statistical analyses can all benefit animal welfare and scientific quality. If refinement is not actively sought, outdated and unnecessarily invasive techniques may not be replaced by better methods as they become available, and thus outdated information is passed down to the next generation, causing perpetuation of old-fashioned methods. This leads to a spiral of ignorance, leading ultimately to poor practice, poor animal welfare and poor-quality scientific data. Refinement is a legal and ethical requirement, yet refinements may not always be implemented. There are numerous obstacles to the implementation of refinement, which may be real or perceived. Either way, in order to take refinement forward, it is important to coordinate the approach to refinement, validate the science behind refinement, ensure there is adequate education and training in new techniques, improve liaison between users and make sure there is feedback on suitability of refinements for use. Overall, refinement requires a coordinated ongoing process of critical appraisal of practice and active scrutiny of resources for likely improvements. In the busy world of biomedical research, this process needs help. In order to develop these themes further, a workshop was held at the LASA Winter Meeting 2006, UK, to assist in identifying potential obstacles to refinement, and then to explore and develop strategies for overcoming these obstacles in key areas. A range of strategies appropriate to different circumstances was identified, which should facilitate the implementation of refinements.     

MM-MDS: A Multidimensional Scaling Database with Similarity Ratings for 240 Object Categories from the Massive Memory Picture Database

Cognitive theories in visual attention and perception, categorization, and memory often critically rely on concepts of similarity among objects, and empirically require measures of “sameness” among their stimuli. For instance, a researcher may require similarity estimates among multiple exemplars of a target category in visual search, or targets and lures in recognition memory. Quantifying similarity, however, is challenging when everyday items are the desired stimulus set, particularly when researchers require several different pictures from the same category. In this article, we document a new multidimensional scaling database with similarity ratings for 240 categories, each containing color photographs of 16–17 exemplar objects. We collected similarity ratings using the spatial arrangement method. Reports include: the multidimensional scaling solutions for each category, up to five dimensions, stress and fit measures, coordinate locations for each stimulus, and two new classifications. For each picture, we categorized the item''s prototypicality, indexed by its proximity to other items in the space. We also classified pairs of images along a continuum of similarity, by assessing the overall arrangement of each MDS space. These similarity ratings will be useful to any researcher that wishes to control the similarity of experimental stimuli according to an objective quantification of “sameness.”     

Student-centered introductory biology course: evidence for deep learning

Our interpretative study that was carried out in a science and engineering oriented university examined the ways students in an introductory biology course perceived their learning in the course that was substantially changed to allow student-centered learning. The instructional change was framed by the view of learning as a sociocultural activity as well as a cognitive process that can take place face-to-face or through online interaction. Most of the lectures were substituted with individual learning and project-based, small-group learning that lasted one month. Data were collected through interviews with students and instructors, and through observations. In the paper, we show evidence for deep learning that was associated by the students and the instructors with short-term, meaningful activities in a setting that included collaborative peer learning; and replacing most lectures by small group learning that ended in a mini-conference. Deep learning was evidenced by the ways students reflected on how they organised and applied knowledge using deep learning strategies.     

Rapid and repeated origin of insular gigantism and dwarfism in Australian tiger snakes

It is a well-known phenomenon that islands can support populations of gigantic or dwarf forms of mainland conspecifics, but the variety of explanatory hypotheses for this phenomenon have been difficult to disentangle. The highly venomous Australian tiger snakes (genus Notechis) represent a well-known and extreme example of insular body size variation. They are of special interest because there are multiple populations of dwarfs and giants and the age of the islands and thus the age of the tiger snake populations are known from detailed sea level studies. Most are 5000-7000 years old and all are less than 10,000 years old. Here we discriminate between two competing hypotheses with a molecular phylogeography dataset comprising approximately 4800 bp of mtDNA and demonstrate that populations of island dwarfs and giants have evolved five times independently. In each case the closest relatives of the giant or dwarf populations are mainland tiger snakes, and in four of the five cases, the closest relatives are also the most geographically proximate mainland tiger snakes. Moreover, these body size shifts have evolved extremely rapidly and this is reflected in the genetic divergence between island body size variants and mainland snakes. Within south eastern Australia, where populations of island giants, populations of island dwarfs, and mainland tiger snakes all occur, the maximum genetic divergence is only 0.38%. Dwarf tiger snakes are restricted to prey items that are much smaller than the prey items of mainland tiger snakes and giant tiger snakes are restricted to seasonally available prey items that are up three times larger than the prey items of mainland tiger snakes. We support the hypotheses that these body size shifts are due to strong selection imposed by the size of available prey items, rather than shared evolutionary history, and our results are consistent with the notion that adaptive plasticity also has played an important role in body size shifts. We suggest that plasticity displayed early on in the occupation of these new islands provided the flexibility necessary as the island's available prey items became more depauperate, but once the size range of available prey items was reduced, strong natural selection followed by genetic assimilation worked to optimize snake body size. The rate of body size divergence in haldanes is similar for dwarfs (h(g) = 0.0010) and giants (h(g) = 0.0020-0.0025) and is in line with other studies of rapid evolution. Our data provide strong evidence for rapid and repeated morphological divergence in the wild due to similar selective pressures acting in different directions.     

Variation of food spectra of tube-nosed goby <Emphasis Type="Italic">Proterorhinus marmoratus</Emphasis> (Perciformes,Gobiidae)—a new species in the Rybinsk Reservoir

Size-age structure and food composition of tube-nosed goby Proterorhinus marmoratus in the Rybinsk Reservoir have been studied. It was shown that food spectra changed in the process of dispersal of this species over the water body and considerably vary during the season. In the period of naturalization, feeding of the tube-nosed goby is characterized by group specialization; the object of specialization is Gmelinoides. Having dispersed over the water body and naturalized, it manifested itself as a generalist; its food composition became diverse and was determined by the seasonal dynamics of the population and biomass of food items.     

Biomarkers of mild hyperthermia related to flashover training in firefighters

Flashover phenomenon occurs when surfaces exposed to thermal radiation reach the ignition temperature, and the fire rapidly spreads in enclosed area. Flashover training (FOT) performed by firefighters is a simulation of flashover phenomenon under controlled conditions. The study aimed to test thermal and physical strain in male firefighters and instructors attending FOT and its influence on DNA damage, exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH, and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). DNA damage markers were analyzed in 51 attendees and 7 instructors, and EBC pH and FeNO in 40 respiratory healthy non-smoking subjects (34 attendees and 6 instructors).The average body temperature and pulse increase was 1.1 °C and 30 beats per minute, respectively. A prominent increase in the alkali-labile sites' level has been observed in instructors' peripheral leukocytes compared to first-time attendees (tail length p=0.050, % of DNA in tail p=0.005). FOT was related only to physiological FVC and FEV₁ increase (by 4% and 2.7% on average), and FeNO dropped after the exercise by 2 ppb in comparison with basal values (P=0.034). EBC pH did not change during FOT, but FeNO was inversely correlated to EBC pH after the exercise (Spearman's rho=−0.66, P=0.013). With respect to the thermal and physical strain, FOT is considered to be a safe training procedure for healthy firefighters. The increase rate in primary DNA damage found in the instructors' peripheral leukocytes requires further examination in a larger sample size.