A pilot study asks whether something can be done, should the researchers proceed with it, and if so, how. However, a pilot study also has a specific design feature; it is conducted on a smaller scale than the main or full-scale study. In other words, the pilot study is important for improvement of the quality and efficiency of the main study. In addition, it is conducted in order to assess the ...

OBJECTIVE To compare the abundance of Anopheles pseudopunctipennis and other anopheline mosquitoes in three different wild areas, modified by human activities, and to verify how environmental differences affect the spatial distribution of these mosquitoes. METHODS Samples were collected monthly from December 2001 to December 2002 in Yungas de Salta, Argentina. CO2 -baited CDC light traps were...

I challenge (1) the assumption that habitat patches are natural units of measurement for species richness, and (2) the assumption of distinct effects of habitat patch size and isolation on species richness. I propose a simpler view of the relationship between habitat distribution and species richness, the ‘habitat amount hypothesis’, and I suggest ways of testing it. The habitat amount hypothes...

The spatial distribution of deposited aerosol particles shows substantial statistical variation. This variation is especially important for sampling techniques having a high spatial resolution, such as laser-based methods, or for experiments involving a small sample size (few identical locations measured) or a short duration. This paper develops a criterion to ensure adequate statistical conver...

The hydrolysed vegetable proteins are acidic or enzymatic hydrolytic product of proteins derived from various sources such as milk, meat or vegetables. The current study was designed to evaluate the impact of biofield energy treatment on the various physicochemical and spectra properties of Hi Veg acid hydrolysate i.e. a hydrolysed vegetable protein. The Hi Veg acid hydrolysate sample was divid...

The assessment of the quantitative and qualitative changes, the result of the impacts imposed by natural factors, and human interventions during specific sampling periods has a substantial influence on nature, management method and tending operation of every region’s forests. The present research was carried out in Golestan province forests (Iran) over an 11- year period and the obtained statis...

in the endemic focus of kala-azar, in meshkin shahr area, dog dirofilariasls is a metazoan infestation with high endemicity. this study was carried out to indicate prevalence of dirofilariasis in dogs in that district. by using cluster sampling method, from 6000 dogs, 300 dogs were selected by cluster sampling and samples were examined for the presence of microfilaria. we examined tick smear la...

Author(s) of this paper may load this reprint on their own web site provided that this cover page is retained. Republication of this article or its storage in electronic databases or the like is not permitted without prior permission in writing from the IUCr. Bragg±Brentano powder diffractometers equipped with ®xed-divergence slits show a loss of intensity at small 2 angles as a result of the o...

Variances in the American Community Survey are estimated using a replicate weight methodology (Fay, 1995). In counties with small sample sizes, the variance estimates of poverty statistics show wide variation as a function of sample size. Generalized Variance Functions (GVF) can be used to smooth out the uncertainty of the design-based variance estimate. We propose incorporating GVFs with small...

Abstract Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to review a sample of the literature relating to Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) and its deployment for modelling purposes in the area of supply chain management (SCM). Design/methodology/approach- The literature is examined from the three perspectives. First, concept of ISM and examines ISM as modelling technique. Second, use of ISM by ...