bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dose‐dependent protective effect of selenium in rat model of Parkinson's disease: neurobehavioral and neurochemical evidences
Authors: Zafar Khan Shoeb , Siddiqui Almas , Sayeed Iqbal , Ahmad Muzamil , Salim Sofian , Islam Fakhrul
Published: March 2003

Normal cellular metabolism produces oxidants that are neutralized within cells by antioxidant enzymes and other antioxidants. An imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant has been postulated to lead the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease. In this study, we examined whether selenium, an antioxidant, can prevent or slowdown neuronal injury in a 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) model of Parkinsonism. Rats were pre‐treated with sodium selenite (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg/kg body weight) for 7 days. On day 8, 2 µL 6‐OHDA (12.5 µg in 0.2% ascorbic acid in normal saline) was infused in the right striatum. Two weeks after 6‐OHDA infusion, rats were tested for neurobehavioral activity, and were killed after 3 weeks of 6‐OHDA infusion for the estimation of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione‐S‐transferase, glutathione reductase, glutathione content, lipid peroxidation, and dopamine and its metabolites. Selenium was found to be successful in upregulating the antioxidant status and lowering the dopamine loss, and functional recovery returned close to the baseline dose‐dependently. This study revealed that selenium, which is an essential part of our diet, may be helpful in slowing down the progression of neurodegeneration in parkinsonism.
Transmitter uptake and release in PC12 cells overexpressing plasma membrane monoamine transporters
Authors: Schonn Jean‐Sébastien , Desnos Claire , Henry Jean‐Pierre , Darchen François
Published: March 2003

Transmitter uptake and exocytosis of secretory vesicles are two essential aspects of neurotransmission. Here we show that transient overexpression of plasma membrane monoamine transporters in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells induced an approximate 20‐fold enhancement of cellular uptake of monoamines. Intravesicular amine concentration was greatly increased, as demonstrated directly by carbon fibre amperometry. However, the amount of stored monoamines diminished over a 5‐h period, unless monoamine oxidase was inhibited, indicating that monoamines leak out from secretory vesicles. This efflux of monoamines accounts for the reported dependence of vesicular monoamine content (the quantal size) on the kinetics of vesicular monoamine uptake. Measuring radiolabelled monoamines release from the cell population provided accurate determination of the secretory activity of the subpopulation (10–20%) of cells transfected with monoamine transporters, since they contained about 95% of the radiolabel. Accordingly, significant modification of the secretory responses was observed, at the cell population level, upon transient expression of the serotonin transporter and of proteins known to interfere with exocytosis, such as botulinum neurotoxin C1, GTPase‐deficient Rab3 proteins, truncated Rabphilin constructs or Rim. The co‐transfection assay described here, based on transient expression of monoamine transporters, should prove useful in functional studies of the secretory machinery.
Ceramide increases mitochondrial free calcium levels via caspase 8 and Bid: role in initiation of cell death
Authors: Darios Frédéric , Lambeng Nathalie , Troadec Jean‐Denis , Michel Patrick P. , Ruberg Merle
Published: March 2003

We investigated how the mitochondrial phase of ceramide‐mediated cell death is initiated in nerve growth factor (NGF)‐differentiated PC12 cells. We distinguished three independent effects of ceramide: free radical production; a transient increase in cytosolic free calcium; and a long‐lasting increase in mitochondrial free calcium. Only the latter led to cell death, which could be prevented by buffering of mitochondrial calcium with the calcium binding protein calbindin D‐28K ectopically expressed in mitochondria. We showed that mitochondrial calcium did not increase as a result of the increase in cytosolic free calcium levels. Rather, it appears to derive from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) since dantrolene, which inhibits release of calcium from ER into cytosol through ryanodine receptors, prevented the increase in cytosolic free calcium but potentiated the increase in mitochondrial free calcium. This suggests that a transfer of calcium occurs directly, or very locally, between the two organelles. This transfer implicated activation of caspase 8 and cleavage of its substrate Bid, a previously unknown function of these cell death intermediaries. The increase in mitochondrial free calcium was also responsible for the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, underlining the critical role it plays in ceramide‐mediated cell death.
Dopamine‐dependent responses to cocaine depend on corticotropin‐releasing factor receptor subtypes
Authors: Lu Lin , Liu Zhiyuan , Huang Mingsheng , Zhang Zhangying
Published: March 2003

The effects on locomotor response to cocaine challenge, acquisition of cocaine conditioned place preference and cocaine‐induced dopamine (DA) release in nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area by the non‐specific corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF) receptors antagonist α‐helical CRF, the selective CRF receptor subtype 1 antagonist CP‐154,526 and the selective CRF receptor subtype 2 antagonist anti‐sauvagine‐30 (AS‐30) were investigated in rats. Both α‐helical CRF (10 µg, i.c.v.) and CP‐154,526 (3 µg, i.c.v.) decreased the cocaine‐induced distance travelled, whereas AS‐30 (3 µg, i.c.v.) did not show such an effect. The CRF receptor antagonists also have significant effects on stereotype counts induced by cocaine injection, in which the α‐helical CRF or CP‐154,526 but not AS‐30 did significantly reduce the stereotype counts. α‐Helical CRF (10 µg) prior to each injection of cocaine blocked cocaine conditioned place preference with no significant difference observed in the time spent in the drug‐paired side between post‐ and pre‐training and both 1 and 3 µg CP‐154,526 also had significant inhibitory effects on cocaine‐induced place preference. However, pre‐treatment with an i.c.v. infusion of AS‐30 (1 or 3 µg) prior to each injection of cocaine did not affect the acquisition of conditioned place preference. The α‐helical CRF and CP‐154,526 reduced extracellular DA levels of nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area in response to the injection of cocaine. However, both α‐helical CRF and CP‐154,526 did not modify extracellular DA levels under basal conditions. In contrast, the i.c.v. infusion of AS‐30 had no effects on either the basal DA or the cocaine‐induced increase in DA release in nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area. These findings demonstrate that activation of the CRF receptor is involved in behavioral and neurochemical effects of cocaine challenge and cocaine reward and that the role of CRF receptor subtypes 1 and 2 in cocaine‐induced locomotion, reward and DA release is not identical. The CRF receptor subtype 1 is largely responsible for the action of the CRF system on cocaine locomotion and reward. These results suggest that the CRF receptor antagonist, particularly the CRF receptor subtype 1 antagonist, might be of some value in the treatment of cocaine addiction and cocaine‐related behavioral disorders.
An education programme for individuals with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Sunvisson Helena , Ekman Sirkka‐Liisa , Hagberg Hjördis , Lökk Johan
Published: March 2003

An education programme for individuals with Parkinson’s disease

People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have to face a lot of ongoing sickness – depending on limitations in daily life and society. Ability for optimal living demands knowledge about the sickness, medications, side‐effects and knowledge about the best way to go on living with PD. In this study, 43 persons with PD participated in an outpatient programme based on the structure of connection model. The programme consisted of two weekly 2‐h sessions for 5 weeks. Each session consisted of 1 h of dialogue and 1 h of physical performance. The two teachers in the programme were registered nurse and registered physiotherapist. The programme was evaluated with focus on participants’ psychosocial situation, mobility and activity in daily living. Participating in the programme gave these individuals an improved psychosocial situation and improved mobility pattern. However, these improvements were not transferred to habitual daily life, which suggests that task‐oriented training provides the best solution.
Struggling to be/show oneself valuable and worthy to get care
Authors: Strandberg Gunilla , Åström Gunilla , Norberg Astrid
Published: March 2003

Struggling to be/show oneself valuable and worthy to get care. One aspect of the meaning of being dependent on care – a study of one patient, his wife and two of his professional nurses

Dependency on care has commonly been described negatively and as a problem that needs to be addressed. From a larger data material, interviews with an old, hospitalized man with a chronic disease, his wife and two of his professional nurses was selected to study. The aim was to illuminate the meaning of being dependent on care, when it appears `negative'. A phenomenological‐hermeneutic approach was used to interpret the material. The interpretation shows that dependency on care is reluctantly shown although it is expected to be expressed and/or respected as it is shown. This makes dependency on care camouflaged and the space to be dependent is limited. The meaning of being dependent on care is understood as a two‐dimensional struggle for existence. One dimension of the struggle is about to be/show oneself worthy to get care, as dependency on care holds a fear to be abandoned. The other dimension of the struggle is about to be/show oneself valuable as a human being, as identity is built upon being able to manage oneself and be strong. The interpretation if reflected on can open up possibilities to improve the quality of life for patients who are dependent on care.
Body mass index, weight loss and energy intake of old Danish nursing home residents and home‐care clients
Authors: Beck Anne Marie , Ovesen Lars
Published: March 2003

Body mass index, weight loss and energy intake of old Danish nursing home residents and home‐care clients

Low body mass index (BMI) and weight loss is common among old home‐care clients and nursing home residents in many countries – often in spite of an apparent sufficient intake of energy. The aim of this study was to assess whether a similar problem exists in Denmark. Information regarding height, body weight, BMI, and energy intake was collected. Besides this, 24 residents were weighed regularly during 1 year.

The study was carried out in five nursing homes and two home‐care districts situated in the area of Copenhagen. A total of 180 residents and 200 clients 65+ years of age participated. Main outcome measures were prevalence of BMI < 20 kg/m2, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2, acute weight loss and median energy intake.

Thirty‐three and thirty per cent of the residents and clients had a BMI < 20 kg/m2 and, 22 and 12% had a BMI < 18.5 kg/m2. Of the residents, who were weighed regularly, 38% had a weight loss above 5%. The median intake of energy was equal to or above the estimated median energy requirement.

Hence, the prevalence of low BMI and weight loss among old Danish nursing home residents and home‐care clients is high and similar to that found in other countries. There is a need for increased focus on nutritional state and risk factors in these settings.
Life experience of Taiwanese adolescents with cancer
Authors: Yeh Chao‐Hsing
Published: March 2003

Life experiences of Taiwanese adolescents with cancer

This grounded theory study aimed to develop a conceptual framework of the life experience of Taiwanese adolescents with cancer. Sixteen adolescents (nine males and seven females) with cancer at all stages of the illness (i.e. diagnosisthrough terminal stage) were interviewed. Data were collected through in‐depth interview with patients and primary caregiver, observations, medical chart reviews, nurses' notes, and researcher's reflexive journals. An unsettled state of mind emerged as the core category representing the life experience of adolescents with cancer. This multifaceted, dynamic process was elicited by the diagnosis of cancer or a change in clinical status. Five distinct subcategories of the life experience, in order of importance reported by participants emerged: physical and psychological, cognitive, social and future orientation aspects.
Indwelling catheter treatment and health‐related quality of life in men with prostate cancer in comparison with men with benign prostatic hyperplasia
Authors: Jakobsson Liselotte
Published: March 2003

Indwelling catheter treatment and health‐related quality of life in men with prostate cancer in comparison with men with benign prostatic hyperplasia

Experiences from indwelling urinary catheter treatment periods were studied. Little is known of what is felt from a male perspective although catheter treatment is a common pre‐ and postoperative measure for men with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Also studied were health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) and sense of coherence (SOC). Men with catheter experience (prostate cancer n = 71, BPH n = 37) were selected from a larger questionnaire study. Assessment was made with study‐specific questions together with the QLQ C‐30 assessing HRQOL and the SOC questionnaire measuring sense of coherence. Data reduction method was applied to study specific variables to determine problem patterns. Correlation between HRQOL and SOC was determined. Results showed similar problem patterns in men with prostate cancer and BPH: discomfort in wearing catheter (e.g. uneasiness 48.2%), practical and psychosocial difficulties in handling and wearing catheter (e.g. attaching catheter 32.4%) and discomfort at installation (e.g. pain 29.7%). There was lack of knowledge about wearing and practical handling of the catheter. Having a cancer diagnosis did not add to uneasiness or practical problems. Life quality was correlated to SOC (p ≤ 0.001).
Identification and characterization of microsatellite loci in the common fig (Ficus carica L.) and representative species of the genus Ficus
Authors: Khadari B. , Hochu I. , Santoni S. , Kjellberg F.
Published: March 2003

We developed microsatellites in fig (Ficus carica L.). A TC and TG‐enriched genomic library was screened, and after sequencing, primers were designed for 20 microsatellites. Eight primer pairs produced amplification products that were both interpretable and polymorphic in 14 fig cultivars and two French wild‐growing populations of F. carica (n1 = 9 and n2 = 10). Number of alleles per locus ranged from three to six. Except for one microsatellite locus, the observed heterozygosity was higher than the expected value. The F. carica microsatellites gave amplification products in 17 other Ficus species in 86% of the cases.
Novel molecular markers differentiate Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout and steelhead) and the O. clarki (cutthroat trout) subspecies
Authors: Ostberg C. O. , Rodriguez R. J.
Published: March 2003

A suite of 26 PCR‐based markers was developed that differentiates rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and coastal cutthroat trout (O. clarki clarki). The markers also differentiated rainbow from other cutthroat trout subspecies (O. clarki), and several of the markers differentiated between cutthroat trout subspecies. This system has numerous positive attributes, including: nonlethal sampling, high species‐specificity and products that are easily identified and scored using agarose gel electrophoresis. The methodology described for developing the markers can be applied to virtually any system in which numerous markers are desired for identifying or differentiating species or subspecies.
Citrullus simple sequence repeats markers from sequence databases
Authors: Guerra‐Sanz J. M.
Published: March 2003

Publically available cDNA sequence data of Citrullus lanatus were searched for simple sequence repeats (SSRs). Nineteen microsatellites were identified and primer pairs were designed to amplify those loci. Primers were evaluated for their ability to detect polymorphisms within a set of several watermelon varieties and local landraces, C. colocynthis, and interspecific hybrids. Eighteen polymorphic SSR loci were identified. These polymorphic loci can be used for varietal identification and other uses.
Development and use of simple sequence repeat SSR markers in Rubus species
Authors: Graham J. , Smith K. , Woodhead M. , Russell J.
Published: March 2003

The isolation of polymorphic codominant microsatellite markers in Rubus and in particular red raspberry will provide a tool to investigate gene flow between cultivated and wild raspberries. Microsatellite loci were isolated by screening a PstI size selected genomic library with AC(13) and AG(13). Positive clones were sequenced and primer pairs designed to the sequences flanking identified SSRs. One primer of each pair was fluorescently labelled to facilitate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product identification on an automated DNA sequencer. We describe 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci developed and demonstrate their usefulness in different Rubus species.
Development of microsatellite markers in white birch (Betula platyphylla var. japonica)
Authors: Wu B. , Lian C. , Hogetsu T.
Published: March 2003

Betula platyphylla
var.
japonica is a typical pioneer tree species in the secondary succession in northern Japan. We describe the cloning and characterization of 13 polymorphic, codominant microsatellite loci isolated from this species. These polymorphic loci had 2–8 alleles per locus and a range of expected heterozygosities from 0.050 to 0.808.
A set of primers for amplification of mitochondrial DNA in Picea abies and other conifer species
Authors: Jeandroz S. , Bastien D. , Chandelier A. , Du Jardin P. , Favre J. M.
Published: March 2003

Thirteen primer pairs generating intraspecific length and/or presence‐absence polymorphism in Picea abies have been obtained from a P. abies mtDNA library, using different methodologies (agarose gel electrophoresis, polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP), single‐strand conformation (SSCP). Poly‐morphism tests were extended successfully to other Picea species (P. omorika, P. engelmanii and P. glauca) and species belonging to other conifer genera (Abies alba, Larix laricina and Pinus pinaster). This set of PCR‐based mitochondrial markers can provide promising tools for studying phylogeography or phylogeny in P. abies and other conifer species in which the mt genome is generally the only one to be transmitted via the female gamete.
Isolation and characterization of 10 polymorphic dinucleotide microsatellite markers for llama and guanaco
Authors: Bustamante A. V. , Maté M. L. , Zambelli A. , Vidal‐Rioja L.
Published: March 2003

We isolated and characterized five polymorphic dinucleotide microsatellite markers from llama (Lama glama) and five from guanaco (Lama guanicoe). All loci were assayed on wild llamas and guanacos from Argentina, as all of the primers were able to amplify in both species.
Polymorphic microsatellite loci for the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and some remarks on their isolation
Authors: Ji Y.‐J. , Zhang . D.‐X. , Hewitt G. M. , Kang L. , Li D.‐M.
Published: March 2003

Five polymorphic tri‐ and tetranucleotide microsatellite loci suitable for population genetic analysis were identified in the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera from two partial phagemid genomic libraries enriched for microsatellite inserts. The overall microsatellite‐cloning efficiency in H. armigera is 2.5%, which is approximately eightfold lower than that for the gadoid fishes (20%) employing the same enrichment protocol, supporting the notion of a relative low frequency of microsatellite sequences in lepidopteran genomes. In addition, a large proportion of cloned microsatellite sequences turned out to be repetitive DNA, thus further increasing the difficulty of developing such markers in butterflies and moths.
The body as art
Authors: Barker D J , Barker M J
Published: March 2003

Summary For millennia people have altered the appearance of their bodies with cosmetics, jewellery, tattoos, piercings, and other surgical procedures. It would appear that they wish to conform to a perceived ‘ideal body’, although the actual appearance of such a body is subject to temporal, cultural and geographical change. In contemporary society the media are largely responsible for providing the yardsticks against which individual body shape is measured. Today the desired form is generally young, slim, tanned and blemish‐free. Sadly, dissatisfaction with body image can be the source of great unhappiness and may even lead to suicide.

Interested scholars have debated the meaning of beauty for centuries but it seems that every human society has its own standards. At the simplest it would appear that youth and symmetry are the most highly prized ingredients. There is no doubt that those who fit the conventional standards of attractiveness are treated better by society. Individuals have an inalienable right to their own body appearance, and to alter it as they see fit, however such modifications may not always be in their own best interests. Practitioners of cosmetic procedures must be alert to clients with histories of weight fluctuation, unrealistic body image, or low self‐esteem. Psychological disorders may present with dysmorphophobic symptoms. Doctors providing cosmetic services need to be adept at diagnosing psychological illness.
Interdisciplinary health professional education in rural New Mexico: a 10 year experience
Authors: Geller Zina D. , Rhyne Robert L. , Clark Hansbarger L. , Borrego Matthew E. , VanLeit Betsy J. , Scaletti Joseph V.
Published: March 2003

The New Mexico Rural Health Interdisciplinary Program was initiated in 1990 to meet the need for interdisciplinary health professional student training and to advance the recruitment and retention of health professionals in rural healthcare shortage areas. This paper describes the New Mexico programme, including its interdisciplinary problem‐based learning format and mechanisms for generating community involvement, and reports the evaluation findings and lessons learned from 10 years of programme experience. The New Mexico programme utilizes student‐centred, problem‐based learning (PBL) as an educational format and currently involves 12 healthcare disciplines in six communities throughout the state. Evaluation has focused on differences in student attitudes about and confidence in interdisciplinary and rural practice prior to and upon completion of the programme, as well as change in student expectations of consulting with other health professionals. A pre‐test/post‐test survey was used to assess change. The growth of the programme provides some evidence of its success. Results indicate a consistent change in attitude of participants towards greater confidence to work in rural settings and with interdisciplinary teams and an increased expectation to consult with other healthcare professionals. The lessons of this 10 year training experience include the compatibility of PBL to an interdisciplinary training model, the importance of scheduling to facilitate optimal participation, the need for a dedicated core faculty, the worth of informal as well as formal interdisciplinary student interaction, the need to cultivate community relationships and support and the challenge of programme evaluation.
Capturing expertise in the development of practice: methodology and approaches
Authors: Fessey Christine A.
Published: March 2003

This study employed two distinct methodologies: 18 months of participant observation whilst working as a nurse and invited observations of episodes of skilled behaviour followed by knowledge interviews using heuristic devices as mediating artefacts. Access to the ward and invitations to observe (with patient consent) were granted in return for free labour between episodes and whenever the ward was exceptionally busy. The ethnographic data was analysed using Strauss’s paradigm analysis; the resultant accounts of ward activities, culture and performance were checked by participants. Two forms of mediating artefact were used to facilitate knowledge elicitation interviews and the co‐construction with practitioners of representations of their expertise. The first was a small knowledge map linking scientific knowledge to nursing interventions and processes, sketched immediately after observation; this followed the format developed by Eraut. The second was a sequence of digital photographs taken during the episode itself, subject to immediate censorship by the patient. Post‐interview accounts of the episode, supplemented by revised maps and relevant photographs, were checked by the practitioner on the following day. The 52 accounts were then analysed according to type of task, degree of fluency, use of deliberation, nurse’s levels of experience, situational recognition and degree of guidance provided by anticipated outcomes. The dual methodology provides a unique perspective on factors affecting access to learning opportunities and the relationship between individuals learning and transactions within the context of everyday practice. Subsequent publications will further discuss the progressive development of nursing expertise, illustrating the following: the role of disposition towards learning of capable practitioners; whether learning was facilitated or constrained by the system of work allocation on the ward; learning and individual dispositions towards the constraints of context, and the role of historical camps, loyalties and allegiances in promoting domain traditions in nursing work.
Breeding success in a Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis [undulata] macqueenii population on the eastern fringe of the Jungar Basin, People’s Republic of China
Authors: Combreau O. , Qiao J. , Lawrence M. , Gao X. , Yao J. , Yang W. , Launay F.
Published: March 2003

Nesting success and chick survival of a migratory population of Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis [undulata] macqueenii were studied during three consecutive years (1998–2000) in the Xinjiang province of north‐west China. A total of 45 nests was monitored and 85 broods comprising 227 chicks were captured, of which 82 chicks were radio‐tracked. Start of laying varied between 6 and 17 April between years but the laying mode fell consistently between 26 and 30 April. Mean clutch size was 4.0 (sd = 0.8) (range 2–6) for early clutches and 3.3 (sd = 1.1) for late clutches (range 2–5). The average nesting success was 0.588 (sd = 0.270) but great variations were observed between years –0.882 in 1998, 0.530 in 1999 and 0.351 in 2000. This was related to increased predation in 1999 and 2000, which is reflected by increased predator density (chiefly Corsac Fox Vulpes corsac and Long‐legged Buzzards Buteo rufinus). The overall hatchability, defined as the proportion of eggs hatched in successful nests was 0.839 sd = 0.238). The average brood size at hatching varied from 2.9 (sd = 0.8) to 3.3 (sd = 0.9) according to years, and no significant decrease in brood size was observed in the first 5 days post‐hatching. In 1999 and 2000 the brood size diminished sharply (14% and 27%, respectively) in prefledging chicks. A further severe decrease (37%) was observed in fledglings in 2000, probably due to predation by raptors. For the 3 years of the study, a successful female Houbara would bring on average 2.3 (sd = 0.9) chicks to fledging and would have lost 30.2% (sd = 14.9%) of its brood to adversity during the rearing process. The proportion of females that lost their entire brood was 0.181 in 1998, 0.708 in 1999 and 0.453 in 2000. For the 3 years of the study, only 55.3% (sd = 26.3%) of the females hatching eggs brought chicks to fledging. The overall chick production was 0.827 per breeding female per year and the probability of an egg laid producing a fledgling of 8 weeks old was 0.190.
Feeding ecology of wintering terns in Guinea‐Bissau
Authors: Brenninkmeijer Alex , Stienen Eric W. M. , Klaassen Marcel , Kersten Marcel
Published: March 2003

We studied the feeding ecology of Little Terns Sterna albifrons, Sandwich Terns S. sandvicensis and Royal Terns S. maxima in the Archipélago dos Bijagós (11°40′N, 15°45′W) in Guinea‐Bissau (West Africa) during the winter of 1992/1993. More than 95% of all prey taken by these terns were roundfish, ranging in weight from 0.3 to 40 g. Birds usually fed alone, but sometimes they were observed feeding in mixed‐species flocks consisting of 15–200 individuals. Capture rate (n fish per hour foraging) in these flocks was higher than that of solitary birds. However, smaller fish were caught by birds foraging in flocks, so food intake rate (g/h) did not differ between solitary and flock‐feeding birds. The relationships between foraging behaviour of the three tern species and abiotic factors, such as time, tide and water clarity, have been investigated. Capture rate of Royal Terns increased with water clarity. For Little Terns and Sandwich Terns, food intake rate was lower in the most turbid waters compared to clearer waters. There was very little foraging activity during high tide. For Little Terns and Royal Terns, food intake rate was about twice as high during receding and low tides as during an incoming tide. Food intake rate averaged 8 g/h in Little Terns, 60 g/h in Sandwich Terns and 45 g/h in Royal Terns. With a rough model, we estimate the maximum rate of daily energy expenditure of terns wintering in the tropics at 3 × BMR (defined as energy expenditure of inactive bird at thermoneutrality in a post‐absorptive state during the resting phase of the daily cycle). From an energetic viewpoint, wintering Sandwich Terns in Guinea‐Bissau seem to have an easy living.
Taxonomic recommendations for British birds†
Authors: Knox Alan G. , Collinson Martin , Helbig Andreas J. , Parkin David T. , Sangster George
Published: March 2003

These recommendations of the Taxonomic Sub‐committee of the BOU Records Committee will take effect immediately for the purposes of the British List. A paper outlining the approach of the Sub‐committee to species‐level decisions has recently been published (Helbig et al. 2002. Guidelines for assigning species rank. Ibis144: 518–525).
The constraint on habitat use in wing‐moulting Greylag Geese Anser anser caused by anti‐predator displacements
Authors: Kahlert Johnny
Published: March 2003

During the flightless period of wing‐moult, terrestrial feeding waterbirds tend to forage close to water. Wing‐moulting Greylag Geese Anser anser feeding in a Danish saltmarsh were no exception to this pattern as none fed more than 175 m from the sea. An individual‐based stochastic model of goose feeding distribution derived from empirical data showed that requirements for drinking water could not explain the coastal feeding distribution as the model predicted that 57% of all goose observations would be more than 175 m from the sea. The availability of Common Saltmarsh Grass Puccinellia maritima, the preferred food item, could partly explain the exploitation pattern of geese but not the absence of geese from inland feeding areas. Furthermore, the results did not support the hypothesis that geese actively avoided inland feeding areas because of elevated costs from vigilance. The frequency of anti‐predator displacement to the sea was the most likely explanation of the feeding pattern. A model that included such displacements predicted that 99% of all geese would feed less than 175 m from the sea. As anti‐predator displacement put the most severe constraints on the feeding distribution, predation risk and level of disturbance were suggested to be the overall factors, which determine the choice of moult site in wing‐moulting geese.
Reliability of the Non‐Contact Corneal Aesthesiometer and its comparison with the Cochet–Bonnet aesthesiometer
Authors: Murphy Paul J. , Lawrenson John G. , Patel Sudi , Marshall John
Published: March 2003

Aims‐: To determine the repeatability of measurement of the corneal sensation threshold using the Non‐Contact Corneal Aesthesiometer (NCCA); to evaluate the effect of the air‐jet diameter and stimulus duration on the threshold; and to compare the sensation thresholds found with the NCCA and with the Cochet–Bonnet Aesthesiometer (C–BA), on the same group of normal, human subjects.

Methods‐: For all experiments, only the central corneal sensation thresholds were measured. (1) NCCA Repeatability; 17 subjects tested at the same time on five separate days. (2) NCCA Air‐Jet Diameter; 15 subjects tested using four different air‐jets: 0.35, 0.5, 1 and 2 mm. (3) NCCA Stimulus Duration; 15 subjects tested using three stimulus durations: 0.5, 0.9 and 1.5 sec. (4) NCCA and C–BA; 43 subjects tested using each instrument in turn.

Results‐: (1) No significant differences in mean sensation threshold were detected across the five days of testing, or between individual days. (2) 0.5 and 1 mm air‐jets produce least variability in mean sensation threshold. (3) No significant difference in mean sensation thresholds was found between the three test durations. (4) For each subject, there was no correlation between each instrument's mean sensation threshold.

Conclusions‐: (1) The NCCA was able to assess the corneal sensation threshold in an accurate and repeatable manner. (2) The optimum test parameters were found using the 0.5 mm air‐jet, over a stimulus duration of 0.9 sec. (3) The C–BA has serious deficiencies in its design which limit its ability to accurately measure corneal sensitivity at low stimulus thresholds.
Ocular components values and their intercorrelations in Saudi Arabians
Authors: Osuobeni Ebi Peter
Published: March 2003

There are no previous studies on the dimensions of ocular components and their intercorrelations in adult Saudi Arabians. In this study ocular components were measured by ultrasonography and keratometry in 152 adult Saudis. Their ages ranged from 16 to 50 years. The males had significantly longer anterior chamber depth (ACD), vitreous chamber depth (VCD), axial length (AL) and axial length/corneal radius ratio (AL/CR) than females. However, females had non‐significantly steeper corneas than males. The AL/CR ratio had the highest correlation with refractive error. Corneal radius of curvature was positively correlated with VCD and AL. Lens thickness was negatively correlated with the VCD, AL and AL/CR ratio. Myopes had significantly deeper ACD, VCD, and higher AL/CR ratio than nonmyopes. Myopes had significantly thinner lenses than hyperopes. The average values of the optical components and their intercorrelations are similar to reported values obtained from subjects of other races but with comparable refractive errors.
Gender‐related optical aspects of the onset of presbyopia
Authors: Pointer Jonathan S.
Published: March 2003

Evidence is presented which substantiates the frequent clinical impression that female optometric patients require their first reading prescription at a slightly earlier age than males. Furthermore newly presbyopic females require an initial add of slightly greater magnitude than age‐matched males. A high (>+1.50 D) first add requirement is revealed as a predominantly male characteristic, an outcome attributable essentially to their often relatively later age of presentation for an initial presbyopic refractive examination.
Differential refractive susceptibility to sustained nearwork
Authors: Ciuffreda Kenneth J. , Lee Melissa
Published: March 2003

Abstract Purpose: A possible role for nearwork‐induced transient myopia (NITM) (i.e. transient myopia at distance following sustained nearwork) in the development and/or progression of permanent myopia has been suggested. If certain refractive groups are more susceptible to NITM than others, then measures may be implemented to prevent or retard the occurrence of myopia in these individuals. In a recent study (Ciuffreda and Wallis, 1998), it was found that young‐adult late‐onset myopes (LOM) and early‐onset myopes (EOM) were highly susceptible to this NITM accommodative after‐effect, while emmetropes (EMMs) were only moderately susceptible, and hyperopes (HYP) were particularly insusceptible, following short periods (10 min) of sustained nearwork at a very close distance (20 cm, 5 D). In the current study, this was extended to encompass a much longer period of nearwork under more naturalistic conditions.

Methods: Young‐adult subjects (n = 16) performed a reading task for a continuous period of 4 h at their habitual working distance under naturalistic conditions, i.e. binocular viewing with blur‐related visual feedback present. Distance refractive state (binocular viewing) was assessed objectively using a Canon R‐1 autorefractor immediately before (pre‐task), every hour during the task, and immediately after (post‐task) to assess NITM and its subsequent decay to pre‐task refractive levels. Subjects were divided into the four refractive subgroups as above, which were each of equal size (n = 4).

Results: The NITM was induced in all subjects, except for the hyperopes in which there was a hyperopic refractive shift. The LOMs (0.12 D) and EOMs (0.13 D) were highly susceptible, while the HYPs were especially insusceptible (0.44 D hyperopia), and the EMMs were only moderately susceptible (0.09 D).

Conclusions: The present study extended our earlier investigation by demonstrating the differential refractive susceptibility over a longer period of sustained nearwork, which may be the result of reduced sympathetic activation. It has been speculated that NITM may be a factor in myopigenesis, with a possible mechanism being time‐integrated increased retinal defocus from NITM at both distance and near, in conjunction with the normal lag of accommodation during sustained nearwork, thereby causing axial elongation. Hence, a future longitudinal investigation specifically targeting this retinal defocus hypothesis is warranted.
Type 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND EXERCISE
Authors: Castaneda Carmen
Published: March 2003

Several epidemiologic and clinical studies have clearly shown that regular physical activity and exercise are important therapeutic modalities for patients with, or at risk for, diabetes. Despite our lack of understanding of the mechanisms by which exercise exerts its effects, potential benefits of a physically active lifestyle include better glycemic control via improved glucose disposal and insulin sensitivity, which leads to reduced hyperinsulinemia, and lowered need for pharmacological treatment. Exercise may also result in the prevention or control of cardiovascular disease through its effects on some of the factors associated with the metabolic syndrome, including central obesity, hypertension, low HDL, high LDL, hypertriglyceridemia and elevated free‐fatty acids, and fibrinogen levels. Regular exercise will also improve functional capacity and quality of life among this patient population. Most people with diabetes, like their counterparts without diabetes, fail to meet national physical activity goals. Sedentary lifestyles have been linked to 23% of deaths from the leading chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. Given the epidemic nature of diabetes in the world during the 21st century, diabetes management through physical activity should be a major therapeutic goal and public health priority. Understanding the beneficial effects of exercise, as well as the mechanisms for adopting a physically active lifestyle, is important for the management of diabetes mellitus. Despite the well‐known benefits of exercise, patient education, paired with the implementation and promotion of safe habits of physical activity for individuals with diabetes, is still inadequate.
Fad Diets: A Review for the Primary Care Provider
Authors: Saltzman Edward , Thomason Phyllis , Roberts Susan B.
Published: March 2003

Today's high prevalence of obesity, combined with less than satisfactory results using traditional weight‐control methods, has helped foster the popularity of fad diets. Popular fad diets currently range from very low carbohydrate to very low fat, and from well‐circumscribed eating patterns to grazing. This paper reviews the spectrum of fad diets in terms of rationale, claims, efficacy, and risks. Menus based on author's recommendations were compiled and assessed for macronutrients. To date, researchers have failed to reach a consensus on the potential benefits of these diets for weight loss, for preserving lean body mass during weight loss, for improving compliance with a hypocaloric diet, for preventing or treating disease, or for sustaining long‐term maintenance of lost weight.
Black Cohosh: An Alternative Therapy for Menopause?
Authors: Mahady Gail B. , Fabricant Daniel , Chadwick Lucas R. , Dietz Birgit
Published: March 2003

Due to the long‐term health risks now associated with hormone replacement therapy, many menopausal women are actively seeking alternative treatments. One such alternative is black cohosh (Actaea racemosa, syn. Cimicifuga racemosa), which has been used in the United States for the treatment of gynecologic complaints for more than 100 years. Review of the published clinical data suggests that black cohosh may be useful for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, profuse sweating, insomnia, and anxiety. Results from the most recently published trial, however, indicate that black cohosh is not effective for the treatment of menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors being treated with tamoxifen. Because the overall quality of the published clinical trials is low, two new randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trials are currently underway in the United States. To date, only one standardized black cohosh extract has been tested clinically; the current recommended dose is 40–80 mg per day. At least 4–12 weeks of treatment may be required before any therapeutic benefits may be apparent. Adverse reactions such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, mastalgia, and weight gain have been observed in clinical trials. No drug interactions are reported in the medical literature. The estrogenic effects of black cohosh are controversial, and the more recent data indicate that black cohosh extracts may have an anti‐estrogenic activity. Owing to potential effects on sex hormones, however, black cohosh should not be administered to children or during pregnancy and lactation.
Regeneration of skeletal and cardiac muscle in mammals: do nonprimate models resemble human pathology?
Authors: Borisov Andrei B
Published: March 2003

Most of the available information regarding the regenerative potential and compensatory remodeling of mammalian tissues has been obtained from nonprimate animals, mainly rodent experimental models. The increasing use of transgenic mice for studies of the mechanisms controlling organogenesis and regeneration also requires a clear understanding of their applicability as experimental models for studies of similar processes in humans and other mammals. Application of modern cell biology methods to studies of regenerative processes has provided new insights into similarity and differences in cellular responses to injury in the tissues of different mammalian species. During more than 200‐million years of progressive divergent evolution of mammals, cellular mechanisms of tissue regeneration and compensatory remodeling evolved together with increasingly adaptive functional specialization and structural complexity of mammalian tissues and organs. Rodents represent a phylogenetically ancient order of mammals that has conservatively retained a number of morphofunctional characteristics of early representatives of this class, which include enhanced regenerative capacity of tissues. A comparative analysis of regenerative processes in skeletal and cardiac muscle, as well as in several other mammalian tissues, shows that time courses and intensities of regeneration in response to the same type of injury vary even within taxonomically related species (e.g., rat, mouse, and hamster). The warm bloodedness of mammals facilitated the development of more complex mechanisms of metabolic, immune, and neurohumoral regulation, which resulted in a stronger dependence of regenerative processes on vascularization and innervation. For this reason, interspecies modifications of regenerative responses are limited by the capacity of the animal to resorb rapidly the foci of necrosis and to revascularize and reinnervate the volume of the regenerating tissue. These differences, among other factors, result in significantly lower rates of reparative regeneration in mammals possessing larger body sizes than rodents. A review of these data strongly indicates that the phylogenetic age and biological differences between different species should be taken into account before extrapolation of regenerative properties of nonprimate tissues on the regenerative responses in the primates. (WOUND REP REG 1999;7:26–35)
Effect of electrical stimulation on chronic wound healing: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Gardner Sue E. , Frantz Rita A. , Schmidt Frank L.
Published: March 2003

The purpose of this meta‐analysis was to quantify the effect of electrical stimulation on chronic wound healing. Fifteen studies, which included 24 electrical stimulation samples and 15 control samples, were analyzed. The average rate of healing per week was calculated for the electrical stimulation and control samples. Ninety‐five percentage confidence intervals were also calculated. The samples were then grouped by type of electrical stimulation device and chronic wound and reanalyzed. Rate of healing per week was 22% for electrical stimulation samples and 9% for control samples. The net effect of electrical stimulation was 13% per week, an increase of 144% over the control rate. The 95% confidence intervals of the electrical stimulation (18–26%) and control samples (3.8–14%) did not overlap. Electrical stimulation was most effective on pressure ulcers (net effect = 13%). Findings regarding the relative effectiveness of different types of electrical stimulation device were inconclusive. Although electrical stimulation produces a substantial improvement in the healing of chronic wounds, further research is needed to identify which electrical stimulation devices are most effective and which wounds respond best to this treatment.