bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A systematic review and meta‐analysis of the efficacy and safety of cyclosporin for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in dogs
Authors: STEFFAN JEAN , FAVROT CLAUDE , MUELLER RALF
Published: January 2006

Abstract The efficacy of cyclosporin A (CsA) for the treatment of canine atopic dermatitis was evaluated based on the systematic review of prospective clinical trials published between 2001 and 2005. Ten studies with adequate design characteristics were included. These studies enrolled 799 dogs, 672 (84%) treated with CsA, 160 (20%) with placebo, 74 (9%) with oral glucocorticoids and 23 (3%) with antihistamines. Treatment duration varied from 2 weeks to 6 months. For safety analysis, data were available from 660 dogs. Lesion scores were improved from baseline in the range of 30–52%, 53–84% and 52–69% after 4, 6 and 16 weeks, respectively. The percentage of dogs with only mild pruritus rose from 0–13% at inclusion to 32–59% and 46–90% after 4 and 12 weeks, respectively. In most studies, the frequency of CsA administration could be reduced to every other day in 40% to 50% of patients after 4 weeks and to twice weekly in 20–26% of the dogs after 12–16 weeks. Meta‐analysis confirmed highly significant effects of CsA compared to placebo, but none between oral CsA and glucocorticoids. The initial disease severity, age or body weight of subjects did not influence treatment success. Improvement by more than 50% over baseline of lesion scores was predictive of a better response during treatment maintenance. Vomiting and soft stools/diarrhoea were the most frequent adverse events seen at least once during the studies. These occurred in 25% and 15% of subjects, respectively. The frequency of each other type of adverse events was lower than 2.1%. In summary, the administration of CsA for the treatment of canine AD was found to be as effective as that of glucocorticoids, and adverse effects were minimal.
Generalized alopecic and cystic dermatosis in a cat: a counterpart to the hairless mouse phenotype or a unique congenital dermatosis?
Authors: NEUBER ARIANE E. , VAN DEN BROEK ADRI H. M. , RHIND SUSAN M. , HILL PETER B. , THODAY KEITH L.
Published: January 2006

Abstract  A 2‐year‐old, male neutered, domestic semi‐long‐haired cat was presented with a 1.5‐year history of progressive, initially nonpruritic alopecia and malodorous greasy exudate affecting the distal extremities, trunk and neck but sparing the head and tail. The extensive alopecia and ‘seborrhoea’ were associated with severe thickening of the skin and fold formation on the dorsal head and distal extremities as well as the lateral thorax and abdomen. The hair was easily epilated, numerous milia were seen on the ventral abdomen and the caudal and lateral thighs, and mild paronychia was present. Histopathological examination of skin biopsies revealed marked cystic dilation of hair follicles and sebaceous glands with follicular hypoplasia, infundibular hyperkeratosis and variable associated inflammation. Systemic glucocorticoid therapy in combination with topical washes with chlorhexidine and miconazole resulted in a marked improvement and some hair regrowth, but the cat was subsequently lost to follow‐up. The dermatosis resembles a number of conditions in other species, but it is not clear whether it is a counterpart to the hairless mutant mouse or is a unique dermatosis.
Immediate hypersensitivity to leaf extracts of Callisia fragrans (inch plant) in a dog
Authors: LEE SUSAN E. , MASON KENNETH V.
Published: January 2006

Abstract  Contact with members of the plant family Commelinaceae, which includes wandering jew (Commelina spp. formerly called Tradescantia spp.) and inch plant (Callisia fragrans), can cause cell‐mediated contact dermatitis in dogs. However, reports of canine IgE‐mediated hypersensitivity to these plants have not been published. The purpose of this study was to discover whether IgE antibodies specific for extractable components of C. fragrans could be identified in serum from a dog that had anaphylactic shock after exposure to the plant and after skin patch testing with the sap from a leaf of C. fragrans. Separate aqueous extracts of leaves and flowers of C. fragrans were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) and Western blotting. Serum from a dog with no history or symptoms of any allergies showed no specific IgE antibodies against the leaf extract. Serum from a dog with clinical symptoms of delayed, but not immediate hypersensitivity to leaf sap from C. fragrans, showed only minor IgE recognition of a single 65 k component in sap extracted from leaves harvested in summer but not in winter. However, IgE antibodies to a serum dilution of 1:200 specific for several components of the leaf extract were seen in serum from the dog that had anaphylactic shock after exposure to sap. The molecular weights of these molecules were in the range 51 k to 83 k. The bands on the immunoblots did not match with prominently stained protein bands in the gel, but instead identified molecules in a lightly stained area of the gel with diffuse bands. Testing for glycans indicated that the carbohydrate side chains of glycoproteins contributed significantly to the immunoreactivity of the putative allergens. All three dog sera failed to show any immunoreactivity against the extract from the flowers of C. fragrans.
A retrospective study of cutaneous equine sarcoidosis and its potential infectious aetiological agents
Authors: SPIEGEL IAN B. , WHITE STEPHEN D. , FOLEY JANET E. , DRAZENOVICH NICOLE L. , IHRKE PETER J. , AFFOLTER VERENA K.
Published: January 2006

Abstract Nine horses from ages 5 to 21 years were diagnosed with cutaneous equine sarcoidosis (ES) over an 18‐year period. In addition to skin, the lungs were frequently involved, with other organ systems affected less commonly. A predisposition for thoroughbreds and geldings was noted. Cutaneous lesions and signs included crusts, scales, alopecia and pruritus. These were found at various sites, particularly the legs/thighs/elbows, thorax, neck, face and ventral abdomen. Three horses were euthanized shortly after hospitalization; others survived as long as 12 years. Histopathologic stains, immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction assays on paraffin‐embedded cutaneous specimens from eight horses forMycobacteriumspp.,Coccidioides immitis,Cryptococcus neoformans,Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, andBorrelia burgdorferiwere all negative. The aetiology of ES is unlikely microbial and continues to be a diagnosis of exclusion. ES, when limited to the skin, is associated with a good prognosis, with either partial or complete response to glucocorticoid therapy in all the surviving horses.
Dermatitis in a dog induced by Straelensia cynotis: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: SEIXAS FERNANDA , TRAVASSOS PAULO J. , PINTO MARIA L. , CORREIA JOÃO , PIRES MARIA A.
Published: January 2006

Abstract  This case report describes a highly pruritic, papular and crusted dermatitis affecting the dorsum of a dog and microscopically diagnosed as dermatitis induced by Straelensia cynotis. Histologically, each papule was characterized by a dilated hair follicle with marked pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia, perifollicular mucinosis and an abundant mononuclear infiltration by plasma and mast cells. Each dilated follicle contained a larval mite. A therapy including systemic ivermectins and oral antibiotic therapy was initiated, but the clinical response was poor. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of straelensiosis in Portugal, and the second in Europe.
Pilot investigation of a model for canine atopic dermatitis: environmental house dust mite challenge of high‐IgE–producing beagles, mite hypersensitive dogs with atopic dermatitis and normal dogs
Authors: MARSELLA ROSANNA , OLIVRY THIERRY , NICKLIN CONNIE , LOPEZ JENNIFER
Published: January 2006

Abstract  Although canine atopic dermatitis (cAD) is common, few models are available. The aim of this study was to evaluate high‐IgE beagles epicutaneously sensitized to house dust mite (HDM) as a possible model for cAD. Six high‐IgE beagles were environmentally challenged with HDM using various doses and protocols. Similar challenge protocols were used in positive and negative control dogs: three dogs with naturally occurring cAD and positive intradermal skin test (IDT) to HDM and three normal dogs without history of skin disease and negative IDT to HDM. All high‐IgE beagles and all atopic dogs developed severe cutaneous lesions and pruritus after challenge. Lesions were erythematous papules and macules in contact areas such as face, ears, ventral abdomen, groin, axillae and feet. They were first visible after 6 h and increased in severity over time. No normal dog developed pruritus or lesions. Biopsies of representative lesions in the high‐IgE beagles were taken for histopathology and immunohistochemistry. There was superficial perivascular dermatitis with mononuclear infiltrates and spongiosis. Lymphocytes and eosinophils accumulated in small epidermal micro‐abscesses with hyperplasia of epidermal IgE‐bearing dendritic cells. These findings suggest that this colony of high‐IgE beagles develops a dermatitis that clinically, histopathologically and immunologically resembles the naturally occurring canine disease. It is also concluded that this modality of challenge is not irritating to normal dogs but induces flare‐ups in hypersensitive atopic dogs.
The impact of body site, topical melatonin and brushing on hair regrowth after clipping normal Siberian Husky dogs
Authors: DIAZ SANDRA F. , TORRES SHEILA M. F. , NOGUEIRA SANDRA A. F. , GILBERT SOPHIE , JESSEN CARL R.
Published: January 2006

Abstract  The aims of this study were to determine the impact of body site, vigorous brushing and topical melatonin treatment on hair regrowth after clipping normal dogs. Siberian Husky dogs were randomly assigned to three groups of eight dogs each. All dogs had the lumbosacral region and both lateral thighs clipped. The left thigh and lumbosacral area received no treatment and were compared in all 24 dogs. Eight dogs had the right thigh treated with 0.1% melatonin twice daily for 2 months, and hair regrowth was compared with the left thigh. Eight dogs had the right thigh brushed twice daily for 2 months, and hair regrowth was compared with the left thigh. Eight dogs had neither thigh treated. Hairs were plucked before and 2 months postclipping, and the proportion of hair growth from the original length was calculated and compared as described above. Biopsy samples were collected before and after treatment to determine if brushing induced dermal inflammation and melatonin increased the proportion of anagen follicles. Proportionally, left thigh hairs were significantly longer compared to lumbosacral hairs 2 months postclipping. No significant differences in hair regrowth were noted between the nontreated thigh and the thigh treated with melatonin or brushed. No significant difference in dermal inflammation was noted before and after brushing. No significant differences were observed in the proportion of anagen follicles before and after topical melatonin treatment. Our results showed that the hairs in the lumbosacral region were proportionally shorter than lateral thigh hairs 2 months postclipping. Moreover, topical melatonin and brushing had no impact on hair regrowth after clipping normal dogs.
Immunolocalization of aquaporin‐5 expression in sweat gland cells from normal and anhidrotic horses
Authors: BOVELL DOUGLAS L. , LINDSAY SUSAN L. , CORBETT ALISTAIR D. , STEEL CATHERINE
Published: January 2006

Abstract  Western blot analysis showed that sweat gland cells from freely sweating horses expressed the water channel aquaporin‐5 (AQP‐5). Immunohistochemistry revealed a strong AQP‐5‐like activity reaction at the apical membrane of the glandular secretory cells, which was absent from the surrounding myoepithelium and all other skin structures. In anhidrotic horses, AQP‐5 was also found at the apical membrane of the luminal sweat gland cells, but the level of expression reduced with the length of time that the animal had displayed anhidrosis. The level of AQP‐5 expression was substantially reduced in animals with long‐term anhidrosis, hence implicating water channel impairment as a possible factor in the development of this disorder.
Mouse epidermal development: effects of retinoic acid exposure in utero
Authors: GARCÍA‐FERNÁNDEZ ROSA A. , PÉREZ‐MARTÍNEZ CLAUDIA , ÁLVAREZ JAVIER ESPINOSA , NAVARRETE ALEX J. DURÁN , GARCÍA‐IGLESIAS MARIA J.
Published: January 2006

Abstract  Epidermal morphogenesis was studied in vivo following prenatal exposure to retinoic acid (RA). In pregnant mice, a single oral dose of RA on day 11.5 of gestation failed to induce histological changes in fetal epidermal development except in epidermal thickness. Epidermal thickness increased from 16.5 days post‐coitum (dpc) onwards, and temporal and spatial epidermal modifications in keratins K5 and K14 related to proliferative activity of keratinocytes were observed. An RA effect on cell proliferation was supported by a statistically significant increase in the number of epidermal S‐phase cells, containing BrdU–incorporated DNA in RA‐exposed mice compared with nonexposed animals. The prolonged in utero action of RA on epidermal proliferative activity in fetuses and newborns suggests a long‐term RA effect that may play a role on the development and evolution of diseases in adult skin.
Normal C1 inhibitor mRNA expression level in type I hereditary angioedema patients: newly found C1 inhibitor gene mutations
Authors: Kang H. R. , Yim E. Y. , Oh S. Y. , Chang Y. S. , Kim Y. K. , Cho S. H. , Min K. U. , Kim Y. Y.
Published: January 2006

Background:  C1 esterase inhibitor (C1INH) plays a key role in the classical pathway of the complement cascade. Mutations in this gene cause a decreased level of antigenic (type I hereditary angioedema, HAE) or functional (type II HAE) C1INH.

Objective:  To find novel mutations in C1INH and evaluate the expression of C1INH gene in HAE patients.

Methods:  Direct sequencing mutation analysis was performed for genomic DNA from three unrelated families (14 HAE patients and 18 family members). Genomic DNA from one family was also analyzed for larger genomic rearrangements, using Southern blotting analysis. We used real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to evaluate C1INH mRNA expression level.

Results:  Four mutations in exons (2311 T→C, 14 034 G→A, 16 830 G→A, and 16 979–16 980 G insertion) and four in introns (738 G→A, 8531 A→G, 14 254 A→G, and 14 337–14 378 TT deletion) were found. Interestingly, all of the nine patients in one family share the same mutation of Gly345Arg (14 034 G→A) in the seventh exon. In another family, a single base mutation near the splice site (14 254 A→G) was found in all of the three patients. In the last family, although a significant mutation was not found by direct sequencing, patients showed an abnormal 16 kb fragment in addition to the normal allele (21 kb Bcl I fragment). The C1INH mRNA expression of HAE patients in two families was not significantly different compared with that of normal controls.

Conclusion:  The two novel exonal mutations (G→A and A→G) and one large gene deletion were associated with the clinical phenotypes of HAE. Considering the normal C1INH mRNA levels but below normal protein levels in two families, their phenotypes would be associated with the post‐translational defect.
A double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial of adjunctive donepezil in treatment‐resistant mania
Authors: Eden Evins A. , Demopulos Christina , Nierenberg Andrew , Culhane Melissa A. , Eisner Lori , Sachs Gary
Published: January 2006

Introduction:  Because there is a high rate of partial response to standard thymoleptic medication, novel augmentation strategies for treatment‐resistant bipolar disorder are needed. In an open trial, donepezil augmentation was associated with improvement in manic symptoms in 9 of 11 subjects.

Method:  We conducted a 6‐week, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial of donepezil for treatment‐resistant bipolar mania. Eligible subjects had a Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) score of at least 15 despite two or more weeks of proven therapeutic levels of lithium or valproate. Subjects who completed the trial were eligible for an 8‐week open trial of donepezil. Subjects were started on donepezil 5 mg/day and were eligible for dose increase to 10 mg/day after 4 weeks.

Results:  Twelve subjects were enrolled. Eleven subjects received at least 1 week of study medication and were included in the analysis. No subjects in the donepezil group (0/6) and 60% (3/5) in the placebo group met response criteria of >30% reduction in YMRS score (Fisher's Exact p = 0.061). YMRS scores were higher at trial endpoint in the donepezil group 20.17 (3.66) compared with the placebo group [11.20 (4.60), Z = −2.476, p = 0.01]. There were no differences at trial endpoint in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM‐D) or Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores in either the intent‐to‐treat or the completer analyses.

Conclusions:  Donepezil does not appear to be an effective adjunctive treatment for refractory manic symptoms. The strength of the conclusion of this trial is limited by the possibility of a false‐negative result due to the small sample.
Stability of estimated IQ across mood state in patients with bipolar disorder
Authors: Lebowitz Brian K , Shear Paula K , Steed Marc A , Strakowski Stephen M
Published: January 2006

Objectives:  The goal of this study was to assess the impact of mania symptoms on the stability of the American version of the National Adult Reading Test (ANART), a measure that provides a putative estimate of premorbid intellectual functioning.

Methods:  The ANART was administered to a sample of 10 inpatients with bipolar disorder who were experiencing an acute episode of mania. During a subsequent follow‐up visit during which these individuals exhibited at most minimal mood symptoms, the ANART was re‐administered.

Results:  ANART estimated intelligence quotient (IQ) scores during mania and affective stability were assessed in the 10 patients using a paired sample t‐test. Within‐subject performance across the two mood states did not significantly differ [t(9) = −1.24, p = 0.25]. Additionally, the greatest individual difference across mood states was only 3.68 points, and the average estimated IQ difference across mood states was 1.66.

Conclusions:  While the results are preliminary and based on a small sample, the highly consistent scores achieved across mood states in this study suggest that the ANART is a reliable indicator of premorbid IQ.
Regional cerebral cortical thinning in bipolar disorder
Authors: Lyoo In Kyoon , Sung Young Hoon , Dager Stephen R , Friedman Seth D , Lee Jun‐Young , Kim Seog Ju , Kim Namkug , Dunner David L , Renshaw Perry F
Published: January 2006

Objective:  This study was conducted to explore differences in cortical thickness between subjects with bipolar disorder and healthy comparison subjects using cortical surface‐based analysis.

Methods:  Brain magnetic resonance images were acquired from 25 subjects with bipolar disorder and 21 healthy comparison subjects. Cortical surface‐based analysis was conducted using the Freesurfer application. Group differences in cortical thickness, defined by the distance from gray/white boundary to the pial surface, were assessed using statistical difference maps.

Results:  Subjects with bipolar disorder exhibited significantly decreased cortical thickness in left cingulate cortex, left middle frontal cortex, left middle occipital cortex, right medial frontal cortex, right angular cortex, right fusiform cortex and bilateral postcentral cortices, relative to healthy comparison subjects (all p < 0.001). Duration of illness in bipolar subjects was inversely correlated with the cortical thickness of the left middle frontal cortex.

Conclusions:  Cortical thinning was present in multiple prefrontal cortices in bipolar disorder. There was also cortical thinning in sensory and sensory association cortices, which has not been reported in previous studies using region‐of‐interest or voxel‐based morphometry methods. Cortical thinning observed in the current study may be related to impairment of emotional, cognitive, and sensory processing in bipolar disorder but longitudinal studies will be necessary to test this hypothesis.
Sociality, age at first reproduction and senescence: comparative analyses of birds
Authors: Møller A. P.
Published: January 2006

Evolutionary theories of senescence suggest that aging evolves as a consequence of early reproduction imposing later viability costs, or as a consequence of weak selection against mutations that act late in life. In addition, highly social species that live in sites that are protected from extrinsic mortality due to predation should senesce at a slower rate than solitary species. Therefore, species that start reproducing late in life should senesce at a slower rate than species that start reproducing early. In addition, social species should senesce more slowly than solitary species. Here I investigate the rate of senescence using an extensive data set on longevity records under natural field conditions to test predictions about the evolution of senescence among 271 species of birds. Longevity records increased with sampling effort and body mass, but once these confounding variables were controlled statistically, there was a strongly positive relationship between relative longevity and relative adult survival rate. Relative longevity after controlling statistically for sampling effort, body mass and adult survival rate, increased with age at first reproduction, but not with degree of breeding sociality. These findings suggest that the evolution of senescence is related to timing of first reproduction, but that the evolution of breeding sociality has played a negligible role in the evolution of senescence.
Anti‐Predator Benefits of Mixed‐Species Groups of Cowtail Stingrays (Pastinachus sephen) and Whiprays (Himantura uarnak) at Rest
Authors: Semeniuk Christina A. D. , Dill Lawrence M.
Published: January 2006

Heterospecific grouping can sometimes provide greater antipredator benefits to individuals than grouping with conspecifics. We explored the potential benefits of mixed‐species group resting in the cowtail stingray, Pastinachus sephen, and the reticulate whipray, Himantura uarnak, in Shark Bay, Western Australia. From focal follow data on individual resting choice, we first ascertained that cowtails preferred to rest with heterospecifics, as they chose to settle next to whiprays more often than to pass them (with the opposite trend observed for conspecifics). In addition, we determined from filmed boat transects that cowtails formed larger hetero‐ than monospecific groups despite the low density of whiprays. Possible benefits accrued by the cowtail were investigated in terms of predator protection. Whiprays responded earlier than cowtails to a mock predator (boat), and were most frequently the first to respond when in a mixed group. Thus, cowtails may benefit from grouping with heterospecifics by receiving earlier warning of a predator's approach. A decoy experiment using model whiprays demonstrated that cowtails were more willing to rest with models with relatively longer tails (controlled for body size). Ray tails, which are equipped with a mechanoreceptor capable of detecting predators, may constitute an important secondary means of predator detection aside from early warning. This contention is supported by the observation that stingrays mainly form resting groups when their visual ability is likely to be impaired by environmental conditions, and that tail length is negatively allometric with body size, suggesting its importance in vulnerable early life stages. If the efficacy of the mechanoreceptor increases with tail length, then cowtails may have further improved their likelihood of detecting predators by grouping with longer‐tailed heterospecifics.
True Hermaphroditism in Six Female Littermates After Administration of Synthetic Androgens to a Pregnant Bitch
Authors: de Rooster H , Vercauteren G , Görtz K , Saunders J , Polis I , Rijsselaere T
Published: January 2006

Contents

A pregnant bitch was treated with a synthetic testosterone mixture on approximately day 40. The female offspring (six pups) showed an increased anogenital distance, vaginal enlargement and a variable amount of vaginal discharge. The urinary orifice was found dorsally in the vestibulum, stooled on a protruding phallus‐like structure. All six pups underwent a laparotomy and subsequent spaying and a modified ventral episioplasty technique to lift up the labia to a more vertical position in order to prevent urine accumulation. Histopathological examination of the genital tracts demonstrated the presence of bilateral ovotestis and remnants of the Wolffian duct system in all cases. The finding of true hermaphroditism of the offspring after exogenous androgen administration during gestation of the bitch has not yet been reported elsewhere.
Children walking to school: Parent perceptions of environmental and psychosocial influences
Authors: Ziviani Jenny , Kopeshke Raymond , Wadley David
Published: January 2006

Background and Aims:  Children's declining physical activity has attracted attention from those concerned with the health and well‐being of the young. The present study aims to determine if the extent of walking to and from a school with an active participation program differed from that in another school without a program.

Method and Results:  Data from 21 parents of Grade 7 children from School A, sourced from a previous study, were compared with data from parents of Grade 7 children in School B, collected using the same questionnaire. No significant difference in the mean number of days walked to (t= 0.098, P= 0.92) or from school (t= 0.251, P= 0.80) was identified.

Conclusions:  This small‐scale project suggests that a mélange of variables has the potential to influence children's incidental activity levels.
The effects of contextual relevance and ownership on a reaching and placing task
Authors: Holubar Michelle N. , Rice Martin S.
Published: January 2006

Aim: This study investigated whether a more familiar environment and object ownership would result in enhanced motor performance.

Methods: Thirty‐two women from the community aged 30 to 60 years lifted and placed their mug and a second mug they did not own in their home kitchen and in a laboratory.

Results: Although no differences were found on the factor of location, participants were more efficient (i.e. less movement time) when reaching for their own mug. Additionally, there were fewer movement units with their own mug in the lab than when at home.

Conclusions: Implications are that perceived compatibility between context and ownership may influence the quality of movement. Further research is needed to investigate the role these factors have in the formation of meaning.
Job satisfaction in occupational therapy: a qualitative investigation in urban Australia
Authors: Moore Katherine , Cruickshank Mary , Haas Marion
Published: January 2006

Background:  Job satisfaction has been shown to affect levels of staff retention and work productivity, but few studies have been conducted with occupational therapists in an Australian setting.

Methods:  Using a hermeneutical phenomenological approach, the findings from a study examining the factors that contribute to job satisfaction in occupational therapists working in Australia, are reported.

Results:  Job satisfaction in occupational therapy was derived from the sense of achievement felt when providing effective clinical care. Job dissatisfaction stemmed from the poor profile and status of the profession.

Conclusions:  Based on the study findings, there is an imperative that the profession of occupational therapy continue to use research findings to support clinicians in providing effective health care, and improve the community understanding of occupational therapy.
Conducting case study research in occupational therapy
Authors: Salminen Anna‐Liisa , Harra Toini , Lautamo Tiina
Published: January 2006

Background:  Case study research has been used increasingly in psychology and sociology in recent years. It provides researchers with an opportunity to explore a situation involving one individual or several individuals over time from multiple points of view.

Methods:  This literature review explains case study research as a method and summerises its scientific merit, also providing an example of its use.

Results:  Case study research offers occupational therapists a scientific methodology that can be used to understand and develop occupational therapy practice.

Conclusion:  This paper argues that case study research should be used more extensively by occupational therapists as the method respects the basic principles of occupational therapy.
Proteomic study of plasma proteins in pregnant women with asthma
Authors: MURPHY Vanessa E. , JOHNSON Renee F. , WANG Yung‐Chih , AKINSANYA Karen , GIBSON Peter G. , SMITH Roger , CLIFTON Vicki L.
Published: January 2006

Objective and background:  The course of asthma may be altered during pregnancy with at least one‐third of women experiencing a worsening of asthma and 20% having an exacerbation during pregnancy. This study used the novel proteomic technique, surface‐enhanced laser desorption ionization‐time of flight mass spectrometry to determine if the presence of asthma during pregnancy was associated with alterations in plasma proteins.

Methods:  Plasma collected from healthy (n = 23) and asthmatic (n = 27) pregnant women at 18 and 30 weeks gestation was applied to strong anion exchange (SAX2), weak cation exchange (WCX2) and immobilized metal affinity capture (IMAC‐Cu2+) chips. Mass analysis was conducted using Ciphergen Protein Biology System IIc and significant differences in individual peak intensities between groups determined.

Results:  At 18 weeks gestation, 91 peaks were significantly different between pregnant women with and without asthma, representing 28% of the total peaks identified. At 30 weeks gestation, 51 peaks were significantly different. There were two peaks that were significantly different between groups at both 18 and 30 weeks gestation and expressed at a similar level at both time points. One was increased in asthmatics (MW = 6444 Da) whereas the other decreased in asthmatics compared with non‐asthmatic women (MW = 1846 Da).

Conclusions:  This study demonstrated that there are differences in protein patterns between pregnant women with and without asthma. Other techniques are needed to define the molecular species and classify pathophysiological significance. Surface‐enhanced laser desorption ionization‐time of flight mass spectrometry has potential as a tool to monitor disease progression in situations such as pregnancy.
Efficacy and safety of iodopovidone pleurodesis through tube thoracostomy
Authors: AGARWAL Ritesh , AGGARWAL Ashutosh N. , GUPTA Dheeraj
Published: January 2006

Objective:  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of iodopovidone as an agent for pleurodesis through tube thoracostomy in patients with recurrent pleural effusions and pneumothorax.

Methods:  This was a prospective study in which pleurodesis was performed with a solution of 20 mL 10% iodopovidone and 80 mL normal saline solution infused through a tube thoracostomy and left in the pleural cavity for 4 h.

Results:  A total of 64 patients (34 men) with a mean (±SD) age of 47.1 ± 15.4 years were included. There were 37 cases of pleural effusion and 27 of pneumothorax. A complete response (neither reaccumulation of fluid nor recurrence of pneumothorax) was obtained in 32 (86.5%) patients with pleural effusion and 25 (92.6%) patients with pneumothorax. A second procedure (i.e. repeated pleurodesis) was attempted successfully in four patients in the pleural effusion group. All patients experienced chest pain to a varying degree as recorded on a Visual Analogue Scale (median 50.5, range 10–95). Seven patients developed fever and one immunocompromised patient developed empyema following the procedure. There were no recurrences at a median follow up of 5 months (range 3–15 months) in the pleural effusion group, and 13 months (range 6–24 months) in the pneumothorax group.

Conclusions:  Iodopovidone can be used as an effective and safe agent for (chemical) pleurodesis (through tube thoracostomy), which is inexpensive and readily available.
Genes and transcriptional programs regulating alveolar homeostasis
Authors: WHITSETT Jeffrey A.
Published: January 2006

Abstract:  Lung formation and homeostasis are regulated by transcriptional programs that are precisely influenced by signaling among various cell types. Alveolar formation and function are dependent upon transcription factors and programs directed by TTF‐1, Foxa family members, Stat‐3, β‐catenin, and others. These nuclear factors determine the behavior of cells during lung morphogenesis, and are used later in development to maintain alveolar homeostasis and pulmonary integrity. Gene mutations (deletion studies) in the mouse, have been used to discern the roles and to identify the target genes of these critical nuclear transcription factors. TTF‐1, Foxa2, and β‐catenin play distinct and overlapping roles during the formation of the mammalian lung, and are required at precise developmental periods for commitment of endodermal cell lineages, sacculation, and alveolarization, and for maintenance of lung function and homeostasis in the postnatal period. These master regulatory genes are required for the expression of surfactant proteins, lipids and host defense molecules. Mutations in their target genes (e.g. ABCA3 transporter, SP‐C and SP‐B genes) cause acute and chronic pulmonary diseases in newborns and in older individuals. Mutations in these genes cause interstitial lung disease and acute respiratory failure. In a like manner, disruption of signaling via granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) blocks the expression of PU.1, a member of the Ets transcription factor family of proteins that is required for the regulation of alveolar macrophage differentiation and function. Impairment of GM‐CSF signaling results in accumulation of pulmonary surfactant in the alveolar spaces and underlies the human disorder, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. It is hoped that the elucidation of mechanisms by which transcription regulates lung function and homeostasis will provide insight into the pathogenesis of chronic and acute pulmonary diseases in humans.
Contribution of paddock trees to the conservation of terrestrial invertebrate biodiversity within grazed native pastures
Authors: OLIVER IAN , PEARCE SARINA , GREENSLADE PENELOPE J. M. , BRITTON DAVID R.
Published: January 2006

Abstract:  Paddock trees are a common feature in the agricultural landscapes of Australia. Recent studies have demonstrated the value of scattered paddock trees for soil fertility, native pasture plants and arboreal faunas; however, the degree to which scattered paddock trees contribute to the conservation of terrestrial invertebrate biodiversity within grazed landscapes remains unknown. We ask three questions: (i) Is there a difference between the terrestrial invertebrate assemblages found under paddock trees compared with surrounding grazed native pastures? (ii) Can gradients in soil and litter variables from the base of trees explain patterns in invertebrate assemblages? and (iii) Does the presence of scattered paddock trees have implications for the conservation of terrestrial invertebrate biodiversity within grazed native pastures? We used pitfall trapping and extraction from soil cores to sample the invertebrate assemblages under six New England Peppermint trees (Eucalyptus nova‐anglica Deane and Maiden) and compared them with assemblages sampled from the open paddock. Formicidae and Collembola univariate and multivariate data were analysed along with a range of soil and litter variables. We found (i) significant differences in the assemblages of invertebrates under trees compared with surrounding grazed pastures; (ii) that most soil and litter variables revealed gradients away from tree bases and these variables explained significant variation in invertebrate assemblages; and (iii) more native invertebrates and more species of invertebrates were found under trees compared with the surrounding pastures. We discuss the relationships between paddock trees, the ground and soil environments and the invertebrate communities that inhabit these environments, and conclude with a discussion of the future for paddock trees and the biota supported by them.
Mating success of the endemic Des Murs’ Wiretail (Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii, Furnariidae) in fragmented Chilean rainforests
Authors: DÍAZ IVÁN A. , ARMESTO JUAN J. , WILLSON MARY F.
Published: January 2006

Abstract:  We studied the effects of fragment size, vegetation structure and presence of habitat corridors on the reproductive success of the Des Murs’ Wiretail (Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii Des Murs, Furnariidae), a small (10 g) understorey bird, endemic to South American forests. In a rural landscape of Chiloé Island, southern Chile (42°S; 70°W), we determined the mating and nesting success of wiretails in 28 territories distributed in seven small (1–20 ha) and two large (>300 ha) forest fragments during the 1997–1998 breeding season. Wiretails inhabited dense bamboo thickets in the understorey of forest patches, dense shrublands covering old fields, and dense early successional forest vegetation. Wiretails avoided open pastures. Reproductive success depended solely on the probability of finding mates, and the main factor affecting mating success was the presence of corridors. Mated individuals occupied 72% of the territories in forest patches <20 ha connected by corridors, 73% of the territories in large (>300 ha) fragments, but only 20% of territories in isolated fragments surrounded by pastures. Because of the rapid expansion of pastures in southern Chile, the conservation of wiretails and other understorey birds will depend on the maintenance of travel corridors with dense understorey vegetation between forest fragments.
Detecting climate change induced range shifts: Where and how should we be looking?
Authors: SHOO LUKE P. , WILLIAMS STEPHEN E. , HERO JEAN‐MARC
Published: January 2006

Abstract:  Global climate warming is expected to cause systematic shifts in the distribution of species and consequently increase extinction risk. Conservation managers must be able to detect, measure and accurately predict range shifts in order to mitigate impacts on biodiversity. However, important responses to climate change may go unnoticed or be dismissed if we fail to collect sufficient baseline data and apply the most sensitive analytical tests. Here we use randomizations of a contemporary data set on rainforest birds of north‐eastern Australia to quantify the sensitivity of three measures for assessing range shifts along altitudinal gradients. We find that smaller range shifts are detectable by analysing change in the mean altitude of presence records rather than upper or lower range boundaries. For a moderate survey effort of 96 surveys, measurements of change in the mean altitude of 34 species have the capacity to provide strong inference for a mean altitudinal range shift as small as 40 m across the species assemblage. We also show that range shifts measured at range boundaries can be potentially misleading when differences in sampling effort between contemporary and historical data sets are not taken into account.
Rain, rats and pythons: Climate‐driven population dynamics of predators and prey in tropical Australia
Authors: MADSEN THOMAS , UJVARI BEATA , SHINE RICHARD , OLSSON MATS
Published: January 2006

Abstract:  All natural populations fluctuate in abundance and age structure through time; understanding why they do so is a critical step towards their effective management and conservation. However, the long‐term data sets needed for such an understanding are rarely available, especially for tropical organisms. A 17‐year capture‐mark–recapture study yielded detailed information on the demography of water pythons (Liasis fuscus) and their main prey, the dusky rat (Rattus colletti), on the Adelaide River flood plain in tropical Australia. The link between annual rainfall patterns and rat demography was highly non‐linear. Rat numbers were low during years with low and high rainfall at the end of the wet season (April). Numbers of both predators and prey fluctuated considerably among years. Annual fluctuations in rat numbers generated a corresponding variation in rates of female python reproduction, python body condition and survival. Although variation in recruitment, survival and prey abundance all had a significant impact on annual fluctuations in python numbers, our analyses suggest that recruitment constituted the main determinant in driving the population dynamics of these large tropical predators. In combination with our other studies on this system, the data show that population dynamics of the water python population is ultimately driven by annual variation in rainfall, mediated via shifts in prey availability. The water pythons and the dusky rats of the Adelaide River flood plain thus demonstrate an unusually clear and direct link between an abiotic factor (rainfall) and predator–prey population dynamics.
Role of mixed‐species flocks in the use of adjacent savannas by forest birds in the central Cerrado, Brazil
Authors: TUBELIS DÁRIUS P. , COWLING ANN , DONNELLY CHRISTINE
Published: January 2006

Abstract: We examined the role of mixed‐species flocks for forest birds during their breeding and non‐breeding seasons in the use of savannas adjacent to forests in central Cerrado, Brazil. Transect surveys (n = 64) were conducted in eight savanna patches. Distances of birds from forests were estimated. Recorded birds were classified as members or not of mixed‐species flocks. About half of the bird species recorded in savannas were found in at least one mixed‐species flock. As distance from the forest increased, the number of species in mixed‐species flocks tended not to vary, while the number of species foraging alone or in mono‐specific groups decreased. Thus, for some forest species, participation in mixed‐species flocks allowed a greater use of more distant savannas. This tendency of being in mixed‐species flocks at greater distances from forests also can be interpreted as a reluctance to forage alone or in mono‐specific groups due to higher predation risk in less protective vegetation distant from cover. There was strong seasonal variation in the participation of bird species in mixed‐species flocks. There were significantly more species in mixed‐species flocks than out of these associations in the non‐breeding season, while differences in the breeding season were not significant. These patterns occurred, in part because mixed‐species flocks tended to be more frequent, to have more species and to forage at greater distances from forests during the early non‐breeding season than in other periods. This study suggests that the formation of mixed‐species flocks plays an important role in promoting the use of adjacent savannas by forest birds at forest/savanna boundaries in Cerrado. It also pointed out a novel advantage gained by birds with participation in mixed‐species flocks – greater use of adjacent vegetation patches.
Butterfly, seedling, sapling and tree diversity and composition in a fire‐affected Bornean rainforest
Authors: CLEARY DANIEL F. R. , PRIADJATI ALDRIANTO , SURYOKUSUMO BAMBANG K. , MENKEN STEPH B. J.
Published: January 2006

Abstract:  Fire‐affected forests are becoming an increasingly important component of tropical landscapes. The impact of wildfires on rainforest communities is, however, poorly understood. In this study the density, species richness and community composition of seedlings, saplings, trees and butterflies were assessed in unburned and burned forest following the 1997/98 El Niño Southern Oscillation burn event in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. More than half a year after the fires, sapling and tree densities in the burned forest were only 2.5% and 38.8%, respectively, of those in adjacent unburned forest. Rarefied species richness and Shannon's H’ were higher in unburned forest than burned forest for all groups but only significantly so for seedlings. There were no significant differences in evenness between unburned and burned forest. Matrix regression and Akaike's information criterion (AIC) revealed that the best explanatory models of similarity included both burning and the distance between sample plots indicating that both deterministic processes (related to burning) and dispersal driven stochastic processes structure post‐disturbance rainforest assemblages. Burning though explained substantially more variation in seedling assemblage structure whereas distance was a more important explanatory variable for trees and butterflies. The results indicate that butterfly assemblages in burned forest were primarily derived from adjacent unburned rainforest, exceptions being species of grass‐feeders such as Orsotriaena medus that are normally found in open, disturbed areas, whereas burned forest seedling assemblages were dominated by typical pioneer genera, such as various Macaranga species that were absent or rare in unburned forest. Tree assemblages in the burned forest were represented by a subset of fire‐resistant species, such as Eusideroxylon zwageri and remnant dominant species from the unburned forest.
Does rock disturbance by superb lyrebirds (Menura novaehollandiae) influence habitat selection by juvenile snakes?
Authors: WEBB JONATHAN K. , WHITING MARTIN J.
Published: January 2006

Abstract:  Vertebrates that destroy or disturb habitats used by other animals may influence habitat selection by sympatric taxa. In south‐east Australian forests, superb lyrebirds (Menura novaehollandiae) displace soil, leaf litter and rocks during their daily foraging activities. We investigated whether superb lyrebirds disturb small sandstone rocks that endangered broad‐headed snakes Hoplocephalus bungaroides and common small‐eyed snakes Cryptophis nigrescens use as diurnal thermoregulatory sites. To estimate the frequency of lyrebird rock disturbance, and to assess whether lyrebirds also attack small snakes, we placed 900 plasticine snake replicas under stones on rock and soil substrates along transects on three sandstone plateaux. Because juvenile snakes must select retreat sites that simultaneously allow them to thermoregulate and minimize predation risk, we quantified the thermal environments underneath stones on rock and soil substrates. During the 6‐week experiment, animals disturbed rocks on soil substrates twice as often (16.9%) as rocks lying on rock substrates (8.2%). Disturbed rocks were significantly smaller and lighter than undisturbed rocks on both substrates. Lyrebirds were the major agents of disturbance, and attacked 40% of snake models under disturbed rocks. Rocks on soil substrates conferred the greatest thermal benefits to snakes, but both species of snake avoided these microhabitats in the field. Instead, juvenile snakes selected rocks on rock substrates, and sheltered under stones that were too heavy for superb lyrebirds to disturb. By disturbing rocks over millennia, superb lyrebirds not only have shaped the physical landscape, but also may have exerted strong selection on habitat selection by sympatric snakes.