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PubMed2003

Production-related traits of layers reared in different sized flocks: the concept of problematic intermediate group sizes.

Laying hens were reared from 1 d of age in four replicates each of four different group sizes: 15, 30, 60, and 120 birds. To maintain stocking density at a constant 5 birds/m2, they were housed in litter floor pens of 3, 6, 12, and 24 m2, respectively. The allocation of feeder space, drinker nipples, and perch space was also constant per bird, irrespective of group size, as was the arrangement of resources in the pens. Birds were individually weighed at 3, 7, 12, 15, and 18 wk of age, and comb length and height were measured with calipers. At 24 and 39 wk, a sample of 30 eggs from each pen was weighed to determine mean egg weight. Results show a significant effect of group size on BW, with birds in the groups of 30 and 120 being lighter than birds in groups of 15 and 60. Eggs from birds in groups of 30 were significantly smaller than those from birds in the other group sizes. Comb size was unaffected by group size. We propose that these results support the theory that the hierarchical social structure based on individual recognition in small groups breaks down in large groups as birds become less aggressive and more tolerant. The results suggest that this transition occurs at a group size of around 30 birds, and that this 'intermediate' group size presents social problems for birds which, in turn, has consequences for production. The practical implication of this research is to avoid keeping birds in flocks of this size.

Aggression↗

PubMed2002

Scale invariance of incident size distributions in response to sizes of their causes.

Incidents can be defined as low-probability, high-consequence events and lesser events of the same type. Lack of data on extremely large incidents makes it difficult to determine distributions of incident size that reflect such disasters, even though they represent the great majority of total losses. If the form of the incident size distribution can be determined, then predictive Bayesian methods can be used to assess incident risks from limited available information. Moreover, incident size distributions have generally been observed to have scale invariant, or power law, distributions over broad ranges. Scale invariance in the distributions of sizes of outcomes of complex dynamical systems has been explained based on mechanistic models of natural and built systems, such as models of self-organized criticality. In this article, scale invariance is shown to result also as the maximum Shannon entropy distribution of incident sizes arising as the product of arbitrary functions of cause sizes. Entropy is shown by simulation and derivation to be maximized as a result of dependence, diversity, abundance, and entropy of multiplicative cause sizes. The result represents an information-theoretic explanation of invariance, parallel to those of mechanistic models. For example, distributions of incident size resulting from 30 partially dependent causes are shown to be scale invariant over several orders of magnitude. Empirical validation of power law distributions of incident size is reviewed, and the Pareto (power law) distribution is validated against oil spill, hurricane, and insurance data. The applicability of the Pareto distribution, in particular, for assessment of total losses over a planning period is discussed. Results justify the use of an analytical, predictive Bayesian version of the Pareto distribution, derived previously, to assess incident risk from available data.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Covariation between brain size and immunity in birds: implications for brain size evolution.

Parasitism can negatively affect learning and cognition, setting the scene for coevolution between brain and immunity. Greater susceptibility to parasitism by males may impair their cognitive ability, and relatively greater male investment in immunity could compensate for greater susceptibility to parasites, in particular when males have a relatively large brain. We analysed covariation between relative size of immune defence organs and brain in juvenile and adult birds. The relative size of the bursa of Fabricius and the spleen in adults covaried positively with relative brain size across bird species. The relative size of these two immune defence organs covaried with sex differences in relative size of the brain, indicating that the relationship between immune defence and brain size was stronger for males. In contrast, liver and heart size or sexual size dimorphism in size did not covary with immune defence. Thus, species in which males have relatively large brains also have relatively large immune defence organs.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed1984

Size of suspended bacterial cells and association of heterotrophic activity with size fractions of particles in estuarine and coastal waters.

The size of bacteria and the size distribution of heterotrophic activity were examined in estuarine, neritic, and coastal waters. The data indicated the small size of suspended marine bacteria and the predominance of free-living cells in numerical abundance and in the incorporation of dissolved amino acids. The average per-cell volume of suspended marine bacteria in all environments was less than 0.1 mum. Cell volume ranged from 0.072 to 0.096 mum at salinities of 0 to 34.3 per thousand in the Newport River estuary, N.C., and from 0.078 to 0.096 mum in diverse areas of the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, the free-living bacteria were too small to be susceptible to predation by copepods. In the Newport River estuary, ca. 93 to 99% of the total number of cells and 75 to 97% of incorporated tritium (from H-labeled mixed amino acids) retained by a 0.2-mum-pore-size filter passed through a 3.0-mum-pore-size filter. Although the amino acid turnover rate per cell was higher for the bacteria in the >3.0-mum size fraction than in the <3.0-mum size fraction, the small number of bacteria associated with the >3.0-mum size particles resulted in the low relative contribution of attached bacteria to total heterotrophic activity in the estuary. For coastal and neritic samples, collected off the coast of Georgia and northeast Florida and in the plume of the Mississippi River, 56 to 98% of incorporated label passed through a 3.0-mum-pore-size filter. The greatest activity in the >3.0-mum fraction in the Georgia Bight was at nearshore stations and in the bottom samples. Our data were consistent with the hypothesis that resuspension of bottom material is an important factor in influencing the proportion of heterotrophic activity attributable to particle-associated bacteria.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1994

Nucleolar size polymorphisms in commercial layer chickens; determination of incidence, inheritance, and nucleolar sizes.

In the chicken, one chromosome pair encodes the ribosomal (r)RNA genes and two nucleoli are formed in interphase cells. The nucleolus is the site of rRNA synthesis and ribosome biogenesis. Nucleolar size polymorphisms have been detected in research strains of chickens and found to represent heterozygosity for rRNA gene copy number. The objectives of the present study were to determine whether nucleolar size polymorphisms exist in commercial chicken flocks and whether such polymorphisms are under genetic control. The occurrence of nucleolar size polymorphisms was studied in three lines of commercial layer chickens (designated A, B, and C). Nucleolar size polymorphisms were found in all three lines. However, the lines differed in the proportion of individuals exhibiting the polymorphic phenotype of two unequal-sized nucleoli (2P). The 2P phenotype, determined in successive years, was found in 10 to 14% of Line A birds, 18 to 23% of Line B birds, and 41 to 63% of Line C birds. The inheritance pattern of the nucleolar size polymorphism and nucleoli sizes were studied in Line C birds. The 2P phenotype was found to be inherited in Mendelian fashion. The large nucleolus was 1.7x and 1.6x that of the smaller nucleolus in 2P males and females, respectively, and was larger than the nucleoli of 2E birds (2E = nonpolymorphic phenotype of two equal-sized nucleoli). Total nucleolar size was greater in cells of 2P birds than in cells of 2E birds. These data suggest that the genetic basis for the large nucleolus in Line C 2P cells is a "larger than normal" rDNA cluster.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Changes in nucleus, nucleolus and cell size accompanying somatic embryogenesis of Theobroma cacao L. I. Relationship between DNA and total protein content and size of nucleus, nucleolus and cell.

There was a linear relation between an increase in DNA content and size of nuclei, nucleoli and cells in callus and proembryos (Theobroma cacao L.). In callus the increase of DNA content was accompanied by proportional increase in nuclear size whereas in proembryos the increase in nuclear size did not match the increasing amount of DNA. The stimulation of embryogenesis by 10(-2) mg/l 2,4-D was associated with increase in nuclear and nucleolar size and with decrease in cell sizes. Inhibition of embryogenesis by 1.0 mg/l 2,4-D+10% coconut water did not change nuclear size, but increased cell size in relation to the control. The process of embryo formation was accompanied by changes in relationship between nuclear, nucleolar and cell size and the total (DNFB-stained) proteins content. In callus as well as in proembryo the increase in total protein content in nucleus was not equivalent to the increasing sizes of nuclei which leads to the decrease in nuclear protein concentration. Similar situation was observed for nucleoli. Differences were found in the concentration of cytoplasmic proteins between the callus and proembryo cells. The stimulation of embryogenesis by low concentration of 2,4-D resulted in decrease in concentration of total proteins in nuclei and nucleoli and the increase in cytoplasm.

Cacao↗

PubMed1993

Food efficiency in rats following brain lesions which affect target body size: implications on the set point for target size.

Target size, i.e. body size appropriate for age, may be reset by bilateral lesions of several brain areas. The mechanism for control of target body size is unknown, but some of the loci have marked effects on gustatory behavior and/or energy metabolism. We have tested the possibility that a disturbance in energy metabolism may be a common factor in resetting target size. Food efficiency for body weight gain and for metabolic size (the 0.75 power of body weight) was determined in rats that were experimentally stunted by neonatal head-irradiation or by bilateral electrolytic lesions produced soon after weaning in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nuclei (DMH) or the substantia nigra (SN). The irradiations were carried out in males and females; the surgical lesions were produced only in males. Observations were carried out from weaning through early adulthood. Subgroups of irradiated rats and controls were fasted for 48 hours at 40 days of age. Irradiated rats had reduced food efficiency for weight gain and for metabolic size, more marked in males than in females. DMH or SN lesions did not change food efficiency for weight gain. Food efficiency for metabolic size increased after DMH lesions and declined after SN lesions. During refeeding after a fast, irradiated rats showed a normal transient increase in food efficiency for weight gain, but not for metabolic size. The differences in food efficiency following different lesions tend to exclude altered energy metabolism as a common factor in the reset of target body size.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed2000

The size of the visual size cue used for programming manipulative forces during precision grip.

We used a perturbation technique to quantify the contribution of visual size cues to the programming of target force when lifting an object. Our results indicate that the nervous system attaches a reasonable weight to visual size cues when programming the target grip force for a novel object. In a subsequent lift of the same object, however, the confidence attached to the visual size cue fell dramatically. It is not clear whether the decrease in the use of size information was accelerated by the presence of a cue conflict or whether the fall represents the normal shift towards the use of a memory-based representation for programming grip force. In a second experiment, we used the "size-weight illusion" to explore the relationship between the verbal report of an object's weight and the programming of the grip and load force. We found that erroneous motor programming (as indexed by a number of measures) was neither necessary nor sufficient for the size-weight illusion to occur. These findings call for a re-evaluation of a previous explanation for the size-weight illusion. We suggest that the illusion arises because the cognitive system attempts to rationalise the fact that objects of apparently equal density but different size feel as if they have the same weight.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Size constancy at birth: newborn infants' responses to retinal and real size.

Two experiments are described whose aim was to investigate whether perception of size at birth is determined solely by proximal (retinal) stimulation, or whether newborn babies have the ability to perceive an object's real size across changes in distance. In Experiment 1, preferential looking between pairs of stimuli which varied in real size and viewing distance was found to be solely determined by retinal size, suggesting that changes to proximal stimulation can have profound effects on newborns' looking behavior. However, in Experiment 2 newborns were desensitized to changes in distance (and retinal size) during familiarization trials, and subsequently strongly preferred a different sized object to the familiar one, suggesting that the real size had been perceived as constant across the familiarization trials. These results confirm Granrud's (1987) findings that size constancy is present at birth.

Attention↗

PubMed1999

Suppression of agglomeration in fluidized bed coating. II. Measurement of mist size in a fluidized bed chamber and effect of sodium chloride addition on mist size.

It has been reported that the degree of particle agglomeration in fluidized bed coating is greatly affected by the spray mist size of coating solution. However, the mist size has generally been measured in open air, and few reports have described the measurement of the mist size in a chamber of the fluidized bed, in which actual coating is carried out. Therefore, using hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) aqueous solution as a coating solution, the spray mist size of the coating solution in a chamber of the fluidized bed was measured under various coating conditions, such as the distance from the spray nozzle, fluidization air volume, inlet air temperature and addition of sodium chloride (NaCl) into the coating solution. The mist size in the fluidized bed was compared with that in open air at various distances from the spray nozzle. Further, the relationship between the spray mist size and the degree of suppression of agglomeration at various NaCl concentrations during fluidized bed coating was studied. The mist size distribution showed a logarithmic normal distribution in both cases of the fluidized bed and open air. The number-basis median diameter of spray mist (D50) in the fluidized bed was smaller compared with that in open air. D50 increased with the increasing distance from the spray nozzle in both cases. In the fluidized bed, D50 decreased with the increasing fluidization air volume and inlet air temperature. The effect of NaCl concentration on the mist size was hardly observed, but the degree of suppression of agglomeration during coating increased with the increasing NaCl concentration in the coating solution.

Chemistry, Pharmaceutical↗

PubMed1990

Sizing of lecithin-bile salt mixed micelles by size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography.

Size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography with a TSK 5000 PW column was shown to be a fast and relatively inexpensive method for the size determination of lecithin-bile salt mixed micelles. Perturbation of the equilibrium between aqueous soluble and micellar bile salts during elution was avoided by preequilibration of the column with buffer containing the aqueous soluble concentration of the bile salt. Elution volumes were converted to size dimensions from a calibration curve produced from the elution volumes of proteins and small unilamellar vesicles of known size. Micelle sizes determined for several different lecithin-bile salt mixtures were consistent with those obtained by other techniques. The well-known hyperbolic increase in mixed micelle size as the lecithin to bile salt ratio approaches the micellar-vesicle phase limit was reproduced with this chromatographic technique. On the basis of these data and the recent observation by small-angle neutron scattering that lecithin-bile salt micelles increase in size by the elongation of constant-diameter rods [Hjelm et al. (1988) J. Appl. Crystallogr. 21, 858-863], a new model for the mixed micelle structure is proposed. According to this model, separation of the lecithin head groups by bile salts inserted along the rod surface produces a radial orientation of lecithin molecules along the length of the rod. Each end of the rod is sealed off by a lecithin-bile salt configuration that is richer in bile salts than the rod portion of the micelle. A simple mathematical description of this model predicts the observed changes in micellar size as a function of the lecithin-bile salt ratio with parameters that are consistent with lecithin and bile salt molecular dimensions.

Bile Acids and Salts↗

PubMed2006

Size constancy in infants: 4-month-olds' responses to physical versus retinal image size.

This study tested whether 4-month-old infants respond primarily to objects' physical or retinal image sizes. In the study's main experiment, infants were habituated to either a 6-cm-diameter disk at a distance of 18 cm or a 10-cm disk at 50 cm. They were then given 2 test trials in which the 6- and 10-cm disks were presented side by side at a distance of 30 cm. For each infant, one test object had a novel physical size but a familiar retinal image size, and the other had a familiar physical size but a novel retinal image size. The infants exhibited a significant looking preference for the object that had a novel physical size. A preliminary experiment found that 4-month-olds' looking preferences are based on novelty, not familiarity, under the conditions of this study. Given this finding, the results suggest that 4-month-old infants attend and respond primarily to physical size, not to retinal image size.

Attention↗

PubMed2001

Efficient search for size targets on a background texture gradient: is detection guided by discontinuities in the retinal-size gradient of items?

Six visual search experiments were carried out to investigate the processing of size information in early vision. The apparent size of display items was manipulated independently of their retinal size by placing items on a textured surface which altered the perceived distance in depth of the items. Overall, these experiments demonstrate that a target item differing from non-target items in terms of apparent size can be detected efficiently. However, the pattern of results indicates that, rather than deriving apparent-size information, target detection is guided by discontinuities in the 'retinal-size gradient' of items, in particular between items at the same 'depth'. Although the arrangement of items on the texture surface strongly influenced search, this was largely due to the retinal size of items and the retinal separation between items. The implications of these experiments for the nature of the pre-attentive representation of size are discussed.

Depth Perception↗

PubMed1999

Computerized measurement of LDL particle size in human serum. Reproducibility studies and evaluation of LDL particle size in relation to metabolic variables and the occurrence of atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: The main aims of the present research project were to develop and evaluate a new software program for evaluation of LDL particle size applied to the gradient gel electrophoresis methodology without the use of previous ultracentrifugation, and to investigate the relationships among LDL particle size, metabolic variables and atherosclerosis, as measured by ultrasound, in subjects with different degrees of insulin resistance. METHODS: LDL particle size was determined by polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: Coefficient of variation for between-assay experiments was 0.3% (r = 0.99) for measurement of LDL peak particle size. LDL peak particle size was negatively correlated to serum triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, fasting insulin, BMI and diastolic blood pressure and positively correlated to HDL. Furthermore, subjects with moderate to large plaques in the carotid artery had smaller LDL particles compared to subjects without plaques. CONCLUSIONS: This project resulted in a highly reproducible, computerized method for the analysis of LDL particle size. The data suggest that it is possible to assess LDL particle size in serum without the use of previous ultra-centrifugation. LDL particle size was associated with metabolic variables and the occurrence of moderate to large plaques in the carotid artery.

Apolipoproteins B↗

PubMed2003

Use of a fluidized bed hammer mill for size reduction and classification: effects of process variables and starting materials on the particle size distribution of milled lactose batches.

The process capability of a fluidized bed hammer mill was investigated with respect to four process variables, namely, rotational speeds of beater system and classifier wheel, airflow rates and length of grinding zones, as well as the particle size and flow property of the starting materials. The size distributions of all the milled lactose batches could be fitted to the Rosin Rammler distribution (RRD) function. The characteristic particle size (De) and uniform coefficient (n), which were derived from the RRD function, complemented the size at the 99th percentile of the cumulative undersize distribution (D99) to characterize the lactose batches. Lower De and D99 values indicate a finer powder while a higher n value indicates a narrower size distribution. The beater speed played a critical role. Increasing the beater speed from 12000 to 21000 rpm generally resulted in an increase in n and a decrease in D99 values due to the greater amount of milling energy supplied. The particle size and flow property of the starting material also played an important role at beater speed of 12000 rpm, where the lowest amount of milling energy was supplied. When a higher amount of milling energy was provided, the effect of particle size of the starting material was less significant. The other process variables exerted varying effects. Increasing the classifier wheel speed from 5000 to 15000 rpm decreased the De and D99 and increased the n values of the milled lactose batches, provided sufficient milling energy was supplied to the lactose particles. Changing airflow rates from 80 to 90 m3/h generally resulted in larger De and D99 values and lower n values as the higher airflow rate provided greater airflow-induced kinetic energy that facilitated the passage of lactose through the classifier wheel. However, changing the long grinding zone to a short one did not significantly affect the De, D99 and n values of the milled lactose batches produced. Small lactose particles of narrow size distribution could be obtained using the fluidized bed hammer mill upon gaining a better understanding of the milling process.

Air Movements↗

PubMed2005

Nano-sized fluorescent particles as new tracers for sentinel node detection: experimental model for decision of appropriate size and wavelength.

The concepts of made-to-order and low-invasiveness medicines are becoming widely accepted. A treatment for cancer, with minimum invasive surgery and without lymph nodes dissection based on sentinel lymph node (SN) navigation surgery, would adhere to these concepts. Dyes and/or radioisotopes are employed for SN detection in standard methods, however, each detection method has advantages and disadvantages. To make up for the disadvantages, we aimed at developing a new non-invasive method using fluorescent beads of uniform nano-size that could efficiently visualize SN from outside the body, and conducted experiments to determine the appropriate size and fluorescent wavelength. We examined various bead sizes and fluorescent wavelengths. The sizes were 20, 40, 100 and 200 nm. The fluorescent peak wavelengths of the beads were yellow-green (515 nm), dark red (680 nm), far red (720 nm) and infrared (755 nm). The beads were subcutaneously injected into the foot pad of the hind leg of a rat, and followed by laser scanning of the inguinal area for fluorescence observation. The beads exhibited different times for the fluorescence detection according to their sizes and wavelength. The 40 nm beads were considered to be the most appropriate size for SN detection in rats. The wavelength of near infrared was effective for avoiding attenuation by the tissue. In conclusion, we confirmed that uniformly nano-sized fluorescent beads have the potential to be an alternative to existing tracers in the detection of the SN in animal experiments if we select the appropriate particle size and wavelength.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

The effect of practical portion size measurement aids on the accuracy of portion size estimates made by young adults.

A barrier to controlling the amount of food consumed may be the difficulty consumers have in accurately estimating portion sizes. Although portion size measurement aids (PSMAs) can improve estimation accuracy, their bulk and/or cost tends to make them impractical for regular use. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect on portion size estimation accuracy of two practical PSMAs: a 2-D PSMA (life size picture of tennis and golf balls) and 3-D PSMAs (tennis and golf balls). Young adults were randomly assigned to one of two groups and estimated the portion sizes of 36 foods divided into three equal sets. PSMAs were not used to estimate portion sizes in Food Set 1. Study group 1 (n = 57) used the 2-D PSMA and study group 2 (n = 56) used the 3-D PSMAs to estimate the portion sizes in Food Set 2. Neither group used PSMAs to estimate portion sizes in Food Set 3. Repeated measures anova indicated that both groups significantly improved estimation accuracy between Food Sets 1 and 2 and between Foods Sets 1 and 3. Thus, even short-term exposure to practical PSMAs may improve estimation accuracy and these improvements persist when the PSMA is no longer available. However, the accuracy rate for Food Set 2 was only about 60% indicating that a great deal of estimation error remains.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Size effects in visual recognition memory are determined by perceived size.

Recognition memory for shapes has been shown to depend on differences between the size of shapes at the time of encoding and at the time of the memory test (Jolicoeur, 1987). Experiment 1 of the present paper replicates this effect and establishes a set of parameters used in the subsequent experiments. Experiment 2 considers the results of Experiment 1 in light of the distinction between "perceived" size, which, under normal viewing conditions, varies minimally with changes in distance between the observer and object, and "retinal" size, which varies proportionally with viewing distance as an object is moved closer to or farther from an observer. Subjects studied novel shapes and performed a recognition memory test in which the distance from the subject to the viewing screen at the time of testing was different from that at the time of encoding. The viewing distance and the size of the shapes were manipulated such that perceived and retinal sizes were dissociated. The results suggest that the size-congruency effect in memory for visual shape occurs as a result of changes in the perceived size of shapes between the encoding and the testing phases, with little or no contribution of retinal size per se.

Distance Perception↗