5  Part One: Abstracts

Each of the following represents an abstract - a.k.a., a summary paragraph - for a real published study. For each, briefly answer the following questions. You may not be able to find the answers to every question in every abstract; if it is not explicitly stated, make a guess, such as, “They probably used a placebo.”

5.0.0.1 Effect of thawing conditions and corresponding frying temperature profiles on the formation of acrylamide in French fries

(fries?)

This study attempted to determine the effects of thawing conditions and corresponding frying temperature profiles on the formation of acrylamide in French fries. Frozen par-fried potato strips were thawed under three different conditions, at room temperature, using a chiller, and using a microwave. Unthawed par-fried potato strips were used as the control samples. Thawed (or unthawed) par-fried potato strips were deep-fat fried in palm oil at 180 ± 5 °C for 3.5 min. The temperature drop was monitored every 15 s for a total of 6 min; 3.5 min of frying time plus an additional 2.5 min until the oil temperature returned to 180 °C. The acrylamide content, oil content and colour of the French fries were measured. The frying temperature dropped substantially (more than 30 °C) from the initial temperature in the first 45 s of frying for all thawing conditions. After 90 s of frying, the smallest temperature drops were observed for French fries thawed using a microwave (20%), and the largest temperature drop prior to recovery was seen with the control sample (24%). At the end of the frying period (after 210 s), French fries thawed using a microwave had reached the highest final temperature (154 °C), and the control sample had reached the lowest final temperature (145 °C). The acrylamide contents of the French fries were found to be in the range of 77.4–106 ng/g, whereas the oil contents ranged from 16.4 to 20.5%. The lowest lightness, highest redness and highest yellowness were found for French fries thawed using a microwave. Although the thawing conditions did not significantly affect the formation of acrylamide, microwave thawing was found to be the best thawing method due to the resulting (relatively) low acrylamide and oil contents of the French fries and their desirable colour attributes. The results of this study can be used to recommend that the manufacturers of frozen par-fried potato strips specify the use of a microwave for thawing as part of the frying instruction on the packaging.

5.0.0.2 Habitat Selection of Breeding Birds in an East Tennessee Deciduous Forest

(birdpop?)

Bird populations were sampled between May 30 and July 20, 1972, on twenty—four 0.08—ha plots on Walker Branch Watershed, a primarily deciduous forest located in Anderson County, Tennessee. Univariate analysis of variance was used to test for differences in abundance categories of each bird species with respect to 28 habitat variables. Differences in habitat preferences within major bird families (Picidae, Parulidae, Paridae, and Thraupidae) were apparent from this analysis. Discriminant function analysis was therefore used to order the variables according to their strength in separating abundance categories for 13 of the more abundant bird species. This analysis indicated that some bird species were distributed according to specific habitat variables. For example, Downy Woodpecker abundance was highly correlated with the number of saplings on a plot. Distributions of other species (e.g., the Scarlet Tanager) were not strongly related to any single variable but were related weakly to a large number of variables. The results form a basis for predicting avifaunal composition changes resulting from alteration of habitat structure.

5.0.0.3 Defensive Behavior of Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) toward Humans

(cottonmouth?)

Venomous snakes are often perceived as aggressive antagonists, with the North American cottonmouth having a particularly notorious reputation for such villainy. We designed tests to measure the suite of behavioral responses by free-ranging cottonmouths to encounters with humans. When confronted, 23 (51%) of 45 tested tried to escape, and 28 (78%) of 36 tested used threat displays and other defensive tactics; only 13 of 36 cottonmouths bit an artificial hand used in the tests. Our findings challenge conventional wisdom about aggressive behavior in an animal perceived as more dangerous than it is. Changing irrational negative attitudes about venomous snakes is a necessary step toward quelling the recently documented global decline in reptiles.

5.0.0.4 Computer animations stimulate contagious yawning in chimpanzees

(chimps?)

People empathize with fictional displays of behaviour, including those of cartoons and computer animations, even though the stimuli are obviously artificial. However, the extent to which other animals also may respond empathetically to animations has yet to be determined. Animations provide a potentially useful tool for exploring non-human behaviour, cognition and empathy because computer-generated stimuli offer complete control over variables and the ability to program stimuli that could not be captured on video. Establishing computer animations as a viable tool requires that non-human subjects identify with and respond to animations in a way similar to the way they do to images of actual conspecifics. Contagious yawning has been linked to empathy and poses a good test of involuntary identification and motor mimicry. We presented 24 chimpanzees with three-dimensional computer-animated chimpanzees yawning or displaying control mouth movements. The apes yawned significantly more in response to the yawn animations than to the controls, implying identification with the animations. These results support the phenomenon of contagious yawning in chimpanzees and suggest an empathic response to animations. Understanding how chimpanzees connect with animations, to both empathize and imitate, may help us to understand how humans do the same.

5.0.0.5 A Controlled Trial of Arthroscopic Surgery for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

(knee?)

BACKGROUND

Many patients report symptomatic relief after undergoing arthroscopy of the knee for osteoarthritis, but it is unclear how the procedure achieves this result. We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of arthroscopy for osteoarthritis of the knee.

METHODS

A total of 180 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee were randomly assigned to receive arthroscopic débridement, arthroscopic lavage, or placebo surgery. Patients in the placebo group received skin incisions and underwent a simulated débridement without insertion of the arthroscope. Patients and assessors of outcome were blinded to the treatment-group assignment. Outcomes were assessed at multiple points over a 24-month period with the use of five self-reported scores — three on scales for pain and two on scales for function — and one objective test of walking and stair climbing. A total of 165 patients completed the trial.

RESULTS

At no point did either of the intervention groups report less pain or better function than the placebo group. For example, mean (±SD) scores on the Knee-Specific Pain Scale (range, 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more severe pain) were similar in the placebo, lavage, and débridement groups: 48.9±21.9, 54.8±19.8, and 51.7±22.4, respectively, at one year (P=0.14 for the comparison between placebo and lavage; P=0.51 for the comparison between placebo and débridement) and 51.6±23.7, 53.7±23.7, and 51.4±23.2, respectively, at two years (P=0.64 and P=0.96, respectively). Furthermore, the 95 percent confidence intervals for the differences between the placebo group and the intervention groups exclude any clinically meaningful difference.

CONCLUSIONS

In this controlled trial involving patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, the outcomes after arthroscopic lavage or arthroscopic débridement were no better than those after a placebo procedure.

5.0.0.6 Stream buffers ameliorate the effects of timber harvest on amphibians in the Cascade Range of Southern Washington, USA

(stream-buffers?)

We addressed the efficacy of stream-side buffers in ameliorating the effects of clearcut timber harvest on Cascade torrent salamanders (Rhyacotriton cascadae), coastal/Cope’s giant salamanders (Dicamptodon tenebrosus/D. copei), coastal tailed frogs (Ascaphus truei), and water temperature regimes in the Cascade Range in southern Washington. Forty-one streams in 4 categories were sampled; streams in clearcuts with and without buffers, streams in 35+ year old second-growth forest, and streams in unharvested forest (150+ years old). Tailed frog and Cascade torrent salamander densities were 2–7-fold lower (P < 0.05), respectively, in streams in managed forests than in streams in unharvested forest. In addition, both these species were less abundant (P < 0.05) in unbuffered streams than streams with buffers or in second-growth forest. In contrast, giant salamander densities were 5–50% greater (P > 0.05) in managed streams than unharvested, being greatest in unbuffered and second-growth streams. We used the differences in density estimates of unbuffered streams and unharvested streams to define an ecologically important effect size for each species and then compared the mean effect size and 95% confidence intervals of contrasts between managed stream categories to assess buffer effectiveness. Buffers had a positive ecologically important effect on the density of torrent salamanders and tailed frogs, but had an ecologically negative effect on giant salamanders. Water temperatures were similar among stream categories. However, Cascade torrent salamanders were nearly absent from streams where temperatures were ≥14 °C for ≥35 consecutive hours. Issues that need further study include effective buffer width and longitudinal extent, and confirmation of the water temperature threshold we identified.

Research highlights

This study found that stream buffers were effective in reducing the impact of clearcut harvest on 2 species of stream-associated amphibians in Washington. However, 1 species was more abundant in streams without buffers. We also identified a stream temperature regime that influenced stream occupancy by 1 species in terms of maximum temperature and duration, which has not been previously identified.

5.1 Part Two: Ethics

Below, you will find links to articles about famous experiments or

studies in history that are considered to be highly unethical.

For each, answer the following:

  • Were any participants unable to consent in their participation?

  • Did any of the subjects have their privacy violated?

  • Who was harmed by the study?

  • Who funded the study, and what did they gain from it?

  • Who designed and/or performed the study and analysis, and what did they gain from it?

  • Besides those involved in the study, who has benefitted from the results?

*Note: You should not have to read more than the first couple paragraphs of the

article to be able to answer these questions. However, feel free to read more -

they are fascinating parts of scientific history!*

  1. The Tuskeegee Syphillus Study: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Syphilis_Study

  2. The Stanford Prison Experiment: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment

  3. The Milgram Experiment: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment

  4. Facebook’s User Emotions Experiment: (Choose any of these articles)

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/06/everything-we-know-about-facebooks-secret-mood-manipulation-experiment/373648/

https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2014/06/30/326929138/facebook-manipulates-our-moods-for-science-and-commerce-a-roundup

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/06/28/facebook-manipulated-689003-users-emotions-for-science/

5.1.0.1 References