bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stressors and coping of in‐hospital haemodialysis patients aged 65 years and over
Authors: Logan Susan M. , Pelletier‐Hibbert Maryse , Hodgins Marilyn
Published: September 2006

Aims.  This paper reports a study to identify the types of stressors experienced by in‐hospital haemodialysis patients aged 65 years and older, and the use and perceived helpfulness of coping strategies to manage these stressors.

Background.  Chronic renal failure and its treatments impose a variety of physical and psychosocial stressors, which challenge patients. Although the stressors and coping strategies of patients having dialysis treatment have been investigated, no study has specifically focused on older adults. Such investigation is important as the incidence of chronic kidney disease is increasing in this age group.

Method.  In this descriptive, correlational study, the Haemodialysis Stressor Scale and Jalowiec Coping Scale were used to investigate stressors and coping strategies reported by 50 in‐hospital haemodialysis patients aged 65 years and older. The data were collected in Canada in 2004.

Results.  Similar to previous research, the stressors of fatigue and fluid restrictions ranked highly as stressors in this sample. However, interference with social and recreational activities were stressors unique to this group. Findings challenge some common beliefs about haemodialysis patients. It is commonly believed that these patients ‘get used to’ haemodialysis, and therefore the number and troublesomeness of stressors decrease over time. This belief was not supported because length of time on haemodialysis did not affect participants’ appraisal of stressors. Another major finding was that older participants in this sample reported the use of fewer coping strategies and found them less helpful.

Conclusion.  Further research is needed to investigate factors affecting the stressors and coping responses of older haemodialysis patients and to determine their impact on health outcomes. Such knowledge will assist nurses in developing age‐appropriate strategies for promoting optimum wellness for these patients who will likely spend the remainder of their life adhering to the regimen of haemodialysis.
Hope promoting strategies of Registered Nurses
Authors: Turner De Sales , Stokes Linda
Published: September 2006

Aim. This paper describes self‐reported hope‐promoting strategies used by Registered Nurses whilst providing care for older patients in acute and long‐term care settings.

Background. The literature is replete with claims that Registered Nurses engage in hope facilitation with their patients. However, these claims are largely conjecture, with few studies empirically identifying the extent to which Registered Nurses use hope interventions with their patients. Further, some authors have questioned whether nurses have the necessary skills to undertake this vital aspect of care.

Methods. In this Gadamerian hermeneutic phenomenological study, undertaken in 2003 in Australia, we used in‐depth audiotaped interviews to collect data with 14 Registered Nurses. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using the Turner method.

Findings. Whilst participants clearly reported that they engaged in hope facilitation with older patients, there were differences between the reported strategies used by Registered Nurses in acute and long‐term care settings. Further, the strategies reported were not unique to hope promotion and have been variously described in the literature on caring, presencing, holistic nursing and therapeutic nursing.

Conclusion. It is clear that participants considered hope promotion to be a vital aspect of their care. However, the strategies that they reported were limited and not inclusive of many and varied suggestions emerging from published studies on hope promotion. Therefore, we recommend that nursing curricula, professional development and in‐service education programmes place hope facilitation on their agenda and foster a culture in which promoting hope is seen as a vital aspect of nursing care.
Heterosexual assumptions in verbal and non‐verbal communication in nursing
Authors: Röndahl Gerd , Innala Sune , Carlsson Marianne
Published: September 2006

Aim.  This paper reports a study of what lesbian women and gay men had to say, as patients and as partners, about their experiences of nursing in hospital care, and what they regarded as important to communicate about homosexuality and nursing.

Background.  The social life of heterosexual cultures is based on the assumption that all people are heterosexual, thereby making homosexuality socially invisible. Nurses may assume that all patients and significant others are heterosexual, and these heteronormative assumptions may lead to poor communication that affects nursing quality by leading nurses to ask the wrong questions and make incorrect judgements.

Method.  A qualitative interview study was carried out in the spring of 2004. Seventeen women and 10 men ranging in age from 23 to 65 years from different parts of Sweden participated. They described 46 experiences as patients and 31 as partners.

Findings.  Heteronormativity was communicated in waiting rooms, in patient documents and when registering for admission, and nursing staff sometimes showed perplexity when an informant deviated from this heteronormative assumption. Informants had often met nursing staff who showed fear of behaving incorrectly, which could lead to a sense of insecurity, thereby impeding further communication. As partners of gay patients, informants felt that they had to deal with heterosexual assumptions more than they did when they were patients, and the consequences were feelings of not being accepted as a ‘true’ relative, of exclusion and neglect. Almost all participants offered recommendations about how nursing staff could facilitate communication.

Conclusion.  Heterosexual norms communicated unconsciously by nursing staff contribute to ambivalent attitudes and feelings of insecurity that prevent communication and easily lead to misconceptions. Educational and management interventions, as well as increased communication, could make gay people more visible and thereby encourage openness and awareness by hospital staff of the norms that they communicate through their language and behaviour.
Assessing the accuracy of species distribution models: prevalence, kappa and the true skill statistic (TSS)
Authors: ALLOUCHE OMRI , TSOAR ASAF , KADMON RONEN
Published: September 2006

In recent years the use of species distribution models by ecologists and conservation managers has increased considerably, along with an awareness of the need to provide accuracy assessment for predictions of such models. The kappa statistic is the most widely used measure for the performance of models generating presence–absence predictions, but several studies have criticized it for being inherently dependent on prevalence, and argued that this dependency introduces statistical artefacts to estimates of predictive accuracy. This criticism has been supported recently by computer simulations showing that kappa responds to the prevalence of the modelled species in a unimodal fashion.

In this paper we provide a theoretical explanation for the observed dependence of kappa on prevalence, and introduce into ecology an alternative measure of accuracy, the true skill statistic (TSS), which corrects for this dependence while still keeping all the advantages of kappa. We also compare the responses of kappa and TSS to prevalence using empirical data, by modelling distribution patterns of 128 species of woody plant in Israel.

The theoretical analysis shows that kappa responds in a unimodal fashion to variation in prevalence and that the level of prevalence that maximizes kappa depends on the ratio between sensitivity (the proportion of correctly predicted presences) and specificity (the proportion of correctly predicted absences). In contrast, TSS is independent of prevalence.

When the two measures of accuracy were compared using empirical data, kappa showed a unimodal response to prevalence, in agreement with the theoretical analysis. TSS showed a decreasing linear response to prevalence, a result we interpret as reflecting true ecological phenomena rather than a statistical artefact. This interpretation is supported by the fact that a similar pattern was found for the area under the ROC curve, a measure known to be independent of prevalence.

Synthesis and applications. Our results provide theoretical and empirical evidence that kappa, one of the most widely used measures of model performance in ecology, has serious limitations that make it unsuitable for such applications. The alternative we suggest, TSS, compensates for the shortcomings of kappa while keeping all of its advantages. We therefore recommend the TSS as a simple and intuitive measure for the performance of species distribution models when predictions are expressed as presence–absence maps.
A revised model for lipid‐normalizing δ13C values from aquatic organisms, with implications for isotope mixing models
Authors: KILJUNEN MIKKO , GREY JONATHAN , SINISALO TUULA , HARROD CHRIS , IMMONEN HEMMO , JONES ROGER I.
Published: September 2006

Stable isotope analyses coupled with mixing models are being used increasingly to evaluate ecological management issues and questions. Such applications of stable isotope analyses often require simultaneous carbon and nitrogen analyses from the same sample. Correction of the carbon isotope values to take account of the varying content of 13C‐depleted lipids is then frequently achieved by a lipid‐normalization procedure using a model describing the relationship between change in δ13C following lipid removal and the original C:N ratio of a sample.

We evaluated the applicability of two widely used normalization models using empirical data for muscle tissue from a wide range of fish and for aquatic invertebrates. Neither normalization model proved satisfactory, and we present some modifications that greatly improve the fit of one of the models to the fish muscle data. For invertebrates we found no clear relationship between change in δ13C following lipid removal and the original C:N ratio.

We also examined the effect of lipid‐normalization on the output of a mixing model designed to calculate the proportional contribution of prey items to the diet of a consumer. Mixing model output was greatly influenced by whether prey or consumer values alone or together were lipid‐normalized and we urge caution in the interpretation of results from these models pending further experimental evidence.

Synthesis and applications. We describe a revised lipid‐normalization model that should be applicable to a wide range of marine and freshwater fish species in studies applying stable isotope analyses to ecological management issues. However, we strongly advise against applying these kinds of lipid‐normalization models to aquatic invertebrate data. The interpretation of outputs from mixing models is greatly influenced by whether the carbon isotope data have been lipid‐normalized or not.
Proximity to rainforest enhances pollination and fruit set in orchards
Authors: BLANCHE K. ROSALIND , LUDWIG JOHN A. , CUNNINGHAM SAUL A.
Published: September 2006

Tropical rainforests are potential reservoirs of insects that could enhance crop pollination, but only a few instances of the provision of such services by tropical rainforest insects have been reported. Our field study aimed to determine the relative importance of such insects to the pollination of macadamia Macadamia integrifolia and longan Dimocarpus longan crops on the Atherton Tableland, north Queensland, Australia.

We quantified initial fruit set, a measure of pollination success, in treatments designed to assess the relative importance of the possible modes of pollination. The treatments were applied in orchards that varied in distance from rainforest, in order to compare the effects of the contrasting pools of available pollen vectors. We also recorded the insect species present and estimated the number of visits each made to flowers in crops near and far from rainforest.

For both crops there was an interaction between pollination treatment and distance from rainforest. Maximum fruit set was only achieved when pollen vectors had access to flowers and orchards were close to rainforest. Exclusion of pollinators near rainforest reduced initial fruit set to a greater extent than exclusion of pollinators far from rainforest.

We confirmed that pollen transfer in macadamia is by autogamous self‐pollination and by pollen vectors, but our design did not distinguish among pollen vectors. The only abundant insects in macadamia orchards were honeybees Apis mellifera. There were more honeybee visits to macadamia flowers in orchards near rainforest than far from rainforest, but we detected no relationship between honeybee visits and initial macadamia fruit set in our sample of observations on a per raceme basis. More detailed studies are needed to identify the pollen vector responsible for enhanced pollination of macadamia near rainforest.

We established for the first time that pollen transfer in longan is by a combination of autogamous self‐pollination, wind and bees. Longan flowers were visited by stingless bees and honeybees but only stingless bees had a positive relationship with initial longan fruit set and higher visitation rates near rainforest than far from rainforest. This suggests that enhanced pollination in longan near rainforest resulted primarily from a more abundant supply of stingless bees from the rainforest.

Synthesis and applications. By demonstrating that tropical rainforest can act as a reservoir of pollen vectors that benefit crops, our study highlights the existence of a largely unrecognized resource available to agriculture. At the same time our results make a significant contribution to the growing database of studies that underscore the importance of tropical rainforest conservation. Policy and management aimed at sustainable use of this resource would satisfy the goals both of agriculturalists, to improve crop yields, and conservationists, to conserve tropical rainforest.
Chronic industrial noise affects pairing success and age structure of ovenbirds Seiurus aurocapilla
Authors: HABIB LUCAS , BAYNE ERIN M. , BOUTIN STAN
Published: September 2006

Anthropogenic noise is rapidly increasing in wilderness areas as a result of industrial expansion. While many road studies have attempted to assess the effects of industrial noise on birds, conflicting factors such as edge effects often inhibit the ability to draw strong conclusions.

We assessed pairing success and age distribution of male ovenbirds Seiurus aurocapilla in the boreal forest of Alberta, Canada, in areas around noise‐generating compressor stations compared with areas around habitat‐disturbed, but noiseless, wellpads. This allowed us to control for edge effects, human visitation and other factors that are not controlled for in studies of noise generated by roads. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to assess the impacts of noise on ovenbird pairing success, age structure and body morphology.

We found a significant reduction in ovenbird pairing success at compressor sites (77%) compared with noiseless wellpads (92%). These differences were apparent regardless of territory quality or individual male quality. Significantly more inexperienced birds breeding for the first time were found near noise‐generating compressor stations than noiseless wellpads (48% vs. 30%).

While there are multiple proximate explanations for these results, the ultimate cause of the changes seems to be noise pollution. We hypothesize that noise interferes with a male's song, such that females may not hear the male's song at greater distances and/or females may perceive males to be of lower quality because of distortion of song characteristics.

Synthesis and applications. This work demonstrates that chronic background noise could be an important factor affecting bird populations. It can impact upon pairing success and age structure of passerines; in boreal Alberta this could pose a problem for certain species as energy development expands rapidly.
Determining factors that have an impact upon effective evidence‐based pain management with older people, following colorectal surgery: an ethnographic study
Authors: Brown Donna , McCormack Brendan
Published: September 2006

Aim. The aim of this project was to examine pain management practices with older people admitted to the colorectal unit of an acute hospital trust.

Background. Although pain assessment and management are judged to be a priority, little research has examined the care older people receive in the acute surgical setting. Thus, pain in older people (65 years and over) can be under recognized and unrelieved. With the number of older people requiring surgery increasing, it is important to identify factors in the practice context that enhance or inhibit effective pain management.

Design. The project drew upon an in‐depth ethnographic approach.

Method. Sixty‐two hours of around the clock, non‐participant observation of nursing practice was completed. Thirty‐nine (78%) nurses and forty‐six (42%) patients were observed. Seven (6%) additional patients participated in pre‐ and postoperative interviews and 35 (90%) nurses completed the Nursing Work Index – Revised Questionnaire.

Findings. Holistic pain assessment for older people was found to be deficient in the acute surgical setting. Nurses appeared unaware of the importance of addressing the particular pain needs of older patients. Inflexible analgesic prescriptions provided the mainstay treatment of pain, with minimal consideration given to non‐pharmacological strategies. Older people wanted to be active participants in their care. However, existing pain management practices disempowered older patients, making them reluctant or unable to discuss their pain with ward staff.

Conclusion. Comprehensive pain assessment, improved documentation and proficient communication, inclusive of older patients, are necessary to improve pain management practices. It is imperative that patients, nurses, doctors and Acute Pain Service work in collaboration to challenge pain management practices and implement change.

Relevance to clinical practice. The project demonstrated some of the multiple and complex factors that affect the older persons’ pain experience and identified three action research cycles for further development work.
Systematics, biogeography and diversification of the Indo‐Australian genusDeliasHübner (Lepidoptera: Pieridae): phylogenetic evidence supports an ‘out‐of‐Australia’ origin
Authors: BRABY MICHAEL F. , PIERCE NAOMI E.
Published: September 2006

AbstractTwo alternative hypotheses for the origin of butterflies in the Australian Region, that elements dispersed relatively recently from the Oriental Region into Australia (northern dispersal hypothesis) or descended from ancient stocks in Gondwana (southern vicariance hypothesis), were tested using methods of cladistic vicariance biogeography for theDeliasgroup, a diverse and widespread clade in the Indo‐Australian Region. A phylogenetic hypothesis of the twenty‐four species‐groups recognized currently inDeliasand its sister genusLeuciacriais inferred from molecular characters generated from the nuclear gene elongation factor‐1 alpha (EF‐1α) and the mitochondrial genes cytochrome oxidase subunits I and II (COI/COII) and NADH dehydrogenase 5 (ND5). Phylogenetic analyses based on maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference of the combined dataset (3888 bp, 1014 parsimony informative characters) confirmed the monophyly ofDeliasand recovered eight major lineages within the genus, informally designated thesinghapura,belladonna,hyparete,chrysomelaena,eichhorni,cuningputi,belisamaandnigrinaclades. Species‐group relationships within these clades are, in general, concordant with current systematic arrangements based on morphology. The major discrepancies concern the placement of theaganippe,belisamaandchrysomelaenagroups, as well as several species‐groups endemic to mainland New Guinea. Two species (D. harpalyce(Donovan),D. messalinaArora) of uncertain group status are currently misplaced based on strong evidence of paraphyly, and are accordingly transferred to thenigrinaandkummerigroups, respectively. Based on this phylogeny, a revised systematic classification is presented at the species‐group level. An historical biogeographical analysis of theDeliasgroup revealed that the most parsimonious reconstruction is an origin in the Australian Region, with at least seven dispersal events across Wallacea to the Oriental Region. The eight major clades ofDeliasappear to have diverged rapidly following complete separation of the Australian plate from Gondwana and its collision with the Asian plate in the late Oligocene. Further diversification and dispersal ofDeliasin the Miocene–Pliocene are associated with major geological and climatic changes that occurred in Australia–New Guinea during the late Tertiary. The ‘out‐of‐Australia’ hypothesis for theDeliasgroup supports an origin of the Aporiina in southern Gondwana (southern vicariance hypothesis), which proposes that the ancestor ofDelias+Leuciacriadifferentiated vicariantly on the Australian plate.
Phylogeny of the mayfly family Leptohyphidae (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) in South America
Authors: MOLINERI CARLOS
Published: September 2006

Abstract A cladistic analysis of the South American members of the Ephemeropteran family Leptohyphidae is presented. A matrix of 73 taxa and 124 morphological characters was analysed under two distinct weighting criteria (implied weighting, which weights characters as a whole, and self‐weighted optimization, which differentially weights character state transformations). To assess the monophyly of the Leptohyphidae, representatives of Ephemerellidae, Ephemerythidae, Machadorythidae, Teloganodidae, Tricorythidae, Coryphoridae and Melanemerellidae were also included. Trees were rooted in Ephemerellidae. Conspicuous differences in consensus topology occur when transformation costs among character states are weighted (including asymmetries). The differences in the assessments of character reliability in the two weighting criteria used are discussed. In many cases, self‐weighting, in allowing for asymmetries in transformation costs, considered many of the character state transformations as more reliable (= informative) than implied weights (which needlessly down‐weighted the whole character). The results confirm the monophyly of Leptohyphidae and support its sister‐group relationship with Coryphoridae. The shortest trees do not support the recently proposed division of Leptohyphidae into two subfamilies. Ephemerelloidea higher classification is discussed briefly.
The C‐terminal half of Phytophthora infestans RXLR effector AVR3a is sufficient to trigger R3a‐mediated hypersensitivity and suppress INF1‐induced cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: Bos Jorunn I. B. , Kanneganti Thirumala‐Devi , Young Carolyn , Cakir Cahid , Huitema Edgar , Win Joe , Armstrong Miles R. , Birch Paul R. J. , Kamoun Sophien
Published: September 2006

The RXLR cytoplasmic effector AVR3a of Phytophthora infestans confers avirulence on potato plants carrying the R3a gene. Two alleles of Avr3a encode secreted proteins that differ in only three amino acid residues, two of which are in the mature protein. Avirulent isolates carry the Avr3a allele, which encodes AVR3aKI (containing amino acids C19, K80 and I103), whereas virulent isolates express only the virulence allele avr3a, encoding AVR3aEM (S19, E80 and M103). Only the AVR3aKI protein is recognized inside the plant cytoplasm where it triggers R3a‐mediated hypersensitivity. Similar to other oomycete avirulence proteins, AVR3aKI carries a signal peptide followed by a conserved motif centered on the consensus RXLR sequence that is functionally similar to a host cell‐targeting signal of malaria parasites. The interaction between Avr3a and R3a can be reconstructed by their transient co‐expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. We exploited the N. benthamiana experimental system to further characterize the Avr3a–R3a interaction. R3a activation by AVR3aKI is dependent on the ubiquitin ligase‐associated protein SGT1 and heat‐shock protein HSP90. The AVR3aKI and AVR3aEM proteins are equally stable in planta, suggesting that the difference in R3a‐mediated death cannot be attributed to AVR3aEM protein instability. AVR3aKI is able to suppress cell death induced by the elicitin INF1 of P. infestans, suggesting a possible virulence function for this protein. Structure–function experiments indicated that the 75‐amino acid C‐terminal half of AVR3aKI, which excludes the RXLR region, is sufficient for avirulence and suppression functions, consistent with the view that the N‐terminal region of AVR3aKI and other RXLR effectors is involved in secretion and targeting but is not required for effector activity. We also found that both polymorphic amino acids, K80 and I103, of mature AVR3a contribute to the effector functions.
Modulating the proteinase inhibitory profile of a plant cystatin by single mutations at positively selected amino acid sites
Authors: Kiggundu Andrew , Goulet Marie‐Claire , Goulet Charles , Dubuc Jean‐François , Rivard Daniel , Benchabane Meriem , Pépin Geneviève , Vyver Christell van der , Kunert Karl , Michaud Dominique
Published: September 2006

Cysteine proteinase inhibitors of the cystatin superfamily have several important functions in plants, including the inhibition of exogenous cysteine proteinases during herbivory or infection. Here we used a maximum‐likelihood approach to assess whether plant cystatins, like other proteins implicated in host–pest interactions, have been subject to positive selection during the course of their evolution. Several amino acid sites were identified as being positively selected in cystatins from either Poaceae (monocots) and Solanaceae (dicots). These hypervariable sites were located at strategic positions on the protein: on each side of the conserved glycine residues in the N‐terminal trunk, within the first and second inhibitory loops entering the active site of target enzymes, and surrounding the larfav motif, a sequence of unknown function conserved among plant cystatins. Supporting the assumption that positively selected, hypervariable sites are indicative of amino acid sites implicated in functional diversity, mutants of the 8th cystatin unit of tomato multicystatin including alternative residues at positively selected sites in the N‐terminal trunk exhibited highly variable affinities for the cysteine proteases papain, cathepsin B and cathepsin H. Overall, these observations support the hypothesis that plant cystatins have been under selective pressure to evolve in response to predatory challenges by herbivorous enemies. They also indicate the potential of site‐directed mutagenesis at positively selected sites for the generation of cystatins with improved binding properties.
Successful treatment of disseminated Nocardia farcinica infection in a living‐donor liver transplantation recipient
Authors: Shin N. , Sugawara Y. , Tsukada K. , Tamura S. , Akamatsu N. , Okugawa S. , Koike K. , Kikuchi K. , Makuuchi M.
Published: September 2006

Abstract: Nocardiosis is a serious infection with high mortality. We report a case of subcutaneous and neural lesions due to Nocardia farcinica infection after living‐donor liver transplantation. The neural lesion was cured with antibiotics without drainage.
Antifungal prophylaxis following reduced‐intensity stem cell transplantation
Authors: Kami M. , Murashige N. , Tanaka Y. , Narimatsu H.
Published: September 2006

Abstract: Reduced‐intensity stem cell transplantation (RIST) has been developed to be a novel curative option for advanced hematologic diseases. Its minimal toxicity allows for transplantation in patients with advanced age or with organ dysfunction. Young patients without comorbidity can undergo RIST as outpatients. However, fungal infection remains an important complication in RIST. Given the poor prognosis of fungal infection, prophylaxis is critical in its management. The prophylactic strategy is recently changing with the development of RIST. Hospital equipment is important for fungal prophylaxis; however, the median day for the development of fungal infection is day 100, when most RIST patients are followed as outpatients. The focus of fungal management after RIST needs to shift from in‐hospital equipment to oral antifungals. Various antifungals have recently been developed and introduced for clinical use. A major change in antifungal management will probably occur within several years.
Variation in antifungal prophylaxis strategies in lung transplantation
Authors: Husain S. , Zaldonis D. , Kusne S. , Kwak E.J. , Paterson D.L. , McCurry K.R.
Published: September 2006

Abstract: We conducted a survey of 50 lung transplant centers across the world to evaluate the variation in antifungal prophylaxis practices. These 50 centers performed 63% of the world's lung transplants reported in 2001. Eighty‐six percent (43/50) of the centers responded to the survey. Sixty‐nine percent (30/43) of centers used universal antifungal prophylaxis. Aerosolized amphotericin B deoxycholate (AmBd) alone or in combination with itraconazole was used at 56% (24/43) of centers. The median duration of prophylaxis with aerosolized AmBd and itraconazole was 30 and 90 days, respectively. Seventy‐four percent of the centers surveyed agreed to participate in future research prophylaxis protocols, which they felt should include both diagnostic and therapeutic arms. Our survey is the first documentation of the international variation in antifungal prophylactic strategies in lung transplant recipients, and underscores the need for multicenter, randomized trials of antifungal prophylaxis in lung transplant recipients.
Effect of Copper Deficiency on Blood Lipid Profile and Haematological Parameters in Broilers
Authors: Kaya A. , Altıner A. , ÖZpınar A.
Published: September 2006

The aim of the study was to observe the changes in haematological parameters and blood lipid profile through copper (Cu) deficiency. Eighty broiler chicks were used in the study. The chicks were separated into two equal groups (n = 40), feed treatment according to the groups started on day 7. The animals in the control group were fed with normal feed. Those in the Cu‐deficient group were fed with feed that did not contain supplemental Cu. Blood samples were taken from all the animals on days 7, 21 and 49. Fibrinogen and prothrombin time were assayed in plasma; total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐cholesterol), triglyceride and ceruloplasmin were assayed in sera; and haematocrit and thrombocyte levels were assayed in the blood samples. Total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL‐cholesterol levels were significantly higher in the Cu‐deficient group than in the control group. Serum ceruloplasmin levels were lower in the Cu‐deficient group than in the control group. Prothrombin time was higher in the Cu‐deficient group than in the control group. Haematocrit levels were lower in the Cu‐deficient group than in the control group. It was concluded that Cu deficiency created hypertriglyceridaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, insufficient growth and anaemia in broilers.
Influence of Anaesthesia on Canine Hip Dysplasia Score*
Authors: Genevois J‐P. , Chanoit G. , Carozzo C. , Remy D. , Fau D. , Viguier E.
Published: September 2006

Hip dysplasia (HD) scores, based on the five grades, as defined by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, were compared between anaesthetized (group 1,n = 3839) and non‐sedated non‐anaesthetized dogs (group 2,n = 1517). Each dog was radiographed in the standard ventro‐dorsal hip joint extended position. Each radiograph was evaluated by the same reader blinded regarding the dog's status of anaesthesia. Results showed that there was a significant difference in hip dysplasia prevalence between group 1 (22%) compared with group 2 (9%) (P < 0.005). This difference was the result of a lower rate of hip‐joint laxity assessment and the measurement of Norberg–Olsson angle <105° in group 2 compared with group 1. The acetabular and femoral morphologies were not significantly different between the groups. The data confirm that the scoring of dogs for HD on standard radiographs with the hip joints extended is influenced by anaesthesia.
Influence ofEscherichia coliEndotoxin‐Induced Endotoxaemia on the Pharmacokinetics of Enrofloxacin after Intravenous Administration in Rabbits
Authors: Elmas M. , Yazar E. , Uney K. , Er (Karabacak) A.
Published: September 2006

The main goal of present study was to determine the effects of anEscherichia coliendotoxin‐induced endotoxaemic status on disposition of enrofloxacin after a single intravenous dose (5 mg/kg) in rabbits. Septic shock was induced by the i.v. bolus administration at a single dose ofE. colilipopolysaccharide. Six adult New Zealand White rabbits were used. Concentrations of drug in plasma were determined by HPLC. The plasma pharmacokinetic values for enrofloxacin were best represented using a two‐compartment open model. Total plasma clearance (ClT) decreased from 2.11 (l/h/kg) in healthy animals to 1.50 (l/h/kg) in rabbits with septic shock, which is related to an increase in the AUC0→∞. In endotoxaemic rabbits, volume of distribution at steady state (Vdss = 3.61 l/kg) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in healthy animals (Vdss = 4.97 l/kg). However, the elimination half‐life of enrofloxacin was not affected by lipopolysaccharide administration.
Pathology ofTrichuris suisInfection in Pigs Fed an Inulin‐ and a Non‐inulin‐containing Diet
Authors: Krag L. , Thomsen L. E. , Iburg T.
Published: September 2006

Pathology of the colon in pigs infected withTrichuris suisand fed an inulin and a non‐inulin containing diet was studied to investigate the inflammatory response induced and the influence of inulin on this. Twenty‐nine pigs were allocated into four groups (N‐7, I‐7, N‐9 and N/I‐9). Groups N‐7, N‐9 and N/I‐9 were given a diet with non‐fermentable carbohydrates, and group I‐7 was fed a diet including fermentable carbohydrates (inulin). After 2 weeks, all pigs were inoculated with 2000T. suiseggs. Seven weeks post‐infection (p.i.), groups N‐7 and I‐7 were killed and group N/I‐9 changed to inulin diet to study the influence of inulin on already establishedT. suis. Nine weeks p.i., groups N‐9 and N/I‐9 were killed.Trichuris suiswere collected from the colon for enumeration. Tissues from the colon of each pig were taken for histological and immunohistochemical quantitative and semi‐quantitative evaluations of heterophils, eosinophils, mast cells, IgA+, IgG+, IgM+and CD3+cells. The findings were compared with tissues from seven uninfected pigs of the same age. Pigs fed inulin had significantly fewer worms compared with pigs on the non‐fermentable carbohydrate diet. The number of inflammatory cells in the colonic mucosa was increased in allT. suis‐infected pigs compared with uninfected controls. The numbers of eosinophils, mast cells, IgA+, IgG+and CD3+cells were significantly lower in pigs fed inulin than pigs fed non‐fermentable carbohydrate. Whether this is a direct effect of inulin or a secondary effect due to the lower parasitic burden in inulin fed pigs is not known.
Gliomatosis Cerebri in a Dog
Authors: Gruber A. , Leschnik M. , Kneissl S. , Schmidt P.
Published: September 2006

Gliomatosis cerebri is a rare tumourous disease of the central nervous system consisting of glial cells characterized by diffuse widespread infiltration and preservation of preformed brain structures. This report describes a case of gliomatosis cerebri in a 9‐year‐old, male, flat‐coated retriever dog with central nervous symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated ill‐defined hyperintense zones of paramedian white matter within the right cerebral hemisphere, brainstem and cerebellum. Histological examination showed a proliferation of tumour cells in the brain structures mentioned. Glial fibrillary acidic protein‐immunohistochemistry revealed a lot of fibres positively stained. Based on these findings, the alteration was diagnosed as gliomatosis cerebri.
EcoTILLING for the identification of allelic variation in the powdery mildew resistance genes mlo and Mla of barley
Authors: Mejlhede N. , Kyjovska Z. , Backes G. , Burhenne K. , Rasmussen S. K. , Jahoor A.
Published: September 2006

In this investigation the successful implementation of a CEL I‐based mutation detection technique for the discovery and detection of DNA polymorphism in the genes mlo and Mla of barley is described. The technique is called EcoTILLING, which is a high‐throughput method to detect and discover new point mutations and small insertions/deletions in DNA. That the method not only reveals polymorphism between different alleles but can also be used as a powerful genetic marker is demonstrated. The genes mlo and Mla are involved in the defence of barley against the fungal pathogen powdery mildew. The powdery mildew resistance gene mlo is a single copy gene, whereas multiple alleles exist at the Mla locus. With EcoTILLING it was possible to identify point mutations and deletions in each of the 11 mlo mutants tested. For Mla 25 natural barley variants were tested, and although the identification was complex due to the presence of highly similar paralogues of Mla, most of the recently identified alleles from Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum were identified. This method offers the possibility to combine different mlo alleles with different Mla alleles from wild barley to obtain cultivars with more durable resistance.
Potential for effective marker‐assisted selection of three quantitative trait loci conferring adult plant resistance to powdery mildew in elite wheat breeding populations
Authors: Tucker D. M. , Griffey C. A. , Liu S. , Saghai Maroof M. A.
Published: September 2006

Three quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with adult plant resistance (APR) to powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis) in wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivar ‘Massey’ were mapped in a previous study. The three QTL were located on chromosomes 2A, 2B and 1B, and explained 50% of the total phenotypic variation. A 293 recombinant inbred line (RIL) breeding population (UJ) derived from the cross of ‘USG 3209’, a derivative of ‘Massey’, and ‘Jaypee’ was used to evaluate the potential effectiveness of marker‐assisted selection (MAS) for APR. Powdery mildew severities of the 293 UJ RILs were evaluated in 2002 (F5 : 6) and 2003 (F6 : 7) under natural disease pressure in the field. The 293 RILs were also evaluated for disease severity in a 2004 (F7 : 8) greenhouse experiment using a composite of five different isolates of B. graminis. Selection of RILs possessing the QTL on chromosome 2A, and to a lesser extent, the one on chromosome 1B was effective in identifying powdery mildew resistance in both greenhouse and field experiments. Overall, selecting RILs with QTL on chromosomes 2A and 2B was most successful in identifying highly resistant RILs, which had mean mildew severities of 4.4% and 3.2% in 2002 and 2003 field experiments, respectively. Breeders implementing MAS programs for APR to powdery mildew via selection of RILs containing the two QTL on chromosomes 2A and 2B likely will obtain RILs having high levels of resistance in the field, however combining all three QTL may ensure greater durability.
QTL mapping of resistance in lentil (Lens culinarisssp.culinaris) to ascochyta blight (Ascochyta lentis)
Authors: Rubeena  , Taylor P. W. J. , Ades P. K. , Ford R.
Published: September 2006

Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of ascochyta blight resistance in lentil was conducted using genomic maps developed from two F2populations, viz. ILL5588/ILL7537 and ILL7537/ILL6002. Five QTLs for ascochyta blight resistance were identified by composite interval mapping (CIM) across four linkage groups (LG) in population ILL5588/ILL7537. Three QTLs were identified by CIM in population ILL7537/ILL6002 (two in close proximity on LGI and one on LGII). Two of these coincided with regions identified using multiple interval mapping (MIM) and were shown to be conditioned by dominant and partial dominant gene action. Together, they accounted for approximately 50% of the phenotypic variance of disease severity. Comparison between the two populations revealed a potentially common QTL and several common regions that contained markers significantly associated with resistance. This study demonstrated the transferability of QTLs among populations and identified markers closely linked to the major QTL that may be useful for future marker‐assisted selection for disease resistance.
Characterization of the MIPS gene family in Glycine max
Authors: Chappell A. S. , Scaboo A. M. , Wu X. , Nguyen H. , Pantalone V. R. , Bilyeu K. D.
Published: September 2006

Phytic acid (myo‐inositol‐1,2,3,4,5,6‐hexakisphosphate) is the primary storage component of phosphorus in plant seeds. The first step in phytic acid biosynthesis is the de novo synthesis of myo‐inositol, which is catalyzed by the enzyme D‐myo‐inositol 3‐phosphate synthase (MIPS EC 5.5.1.4). Previous work detected four MIPS genes in soybean (Glycine max). However, only a limited amount of data were available for the MIPS gene family and some of the data were conflicting. The work described here clears up these data and characterizes the MIPS gene family for the purposes of reverse genetic technologies. The complete genomic sequence of all four genes was determined and their expression profile was examined by quantitative real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. Our results indicate that the four MIPS genes are highly conserved and temporally and spatially expressed. The MIPS gene family in the low phytic acid soybean line, CX1834, was also characterized since this line displays a phenotype similar to previously characterized MIPS mutants. These data demonstrate that mutations in MIPS genes are not the cause of the low phytic acid phenotype.
On the use of multiple lattice designs and α‐designs in plant breeding trials
Authors: Piepho H. P. , Büchse A. , Truberg B.
Published: September 2006

Plant breeders in Germany often use multiple lattice designs to test a large number of entries that are to be directly compared for selection. Comparison among entries from different lattices is accommodated by the use of checks. While this design has some practical merits, it is statistically expected to be less efficient than alternative designs for a large number of entries. In this note a study is made of the gain in efficiency by using a single large α‐design in place of multiple lattices. The comparison for a number of settings shows that the efficiency gain in terms of sample size or variance may be appreciable. It is concluded that plant breeders should seriously consider using α‐designs in place of multiple lattices. A simple method is described which allows breeders to study the potential gain for their particular design. Practical considerations leading to a preference of multiple lattices are critically discussed.
Identification and characterization of genomic DNA sequences of the S‐ribonuclease gene associated with self‐incompatibility allelesS1toS5in European pear
Authors: Sanzol J. , Sutherland B. G. , Robbins T. P.
Published: September 2006

The stylar products of the S‐locus for the gametophytic self‐incompatibility (GSI) system in theRosaceaeare ribonucleases (S‐RNases). Recently, sequences for 13 pearS‐RNase alleles have been published and named following a letter–symbol nomenclature (SatoSdandShtoSp). To establish the correspondence between these sequences and the self‐incompatibility alleles we have described previously (S1toS5), we have amplified genomic DNA with consensus primers from the cultivars, ‘Williams’ (S1S2), ‘Coscia’ (S3S4), ‘Butirra Precoce Morettini’ (S1S3), ‘Santa Maria Morettini’ (S2S3) and ‘Doyenne du Comice’ (S4S5) and identified PCR products specifically associated with eachSallele. Cloning and sequencing of the amplification products has revealed that they correspond to European pear sequences already deposited in the database. This allowed us to linkS‐RNase sequences withSallele phenotypes and to determine a correspondence between the symbol–letter nomenclature used to nameS‐RNase sequences and the number‐based nomenclature used to nameSalleles. Based on this result the prediction of new cross‐incompatibilities among pear cultivars is discussed. Finally, we propose a unified number‐based nomenclature to avoid future confusion denominatingSalleles in pear.
Variation of the genomic proportion of the recurrent parent in BC1 and its relation to yield performance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) breeding for low‐input conditions
Authors: Uptmoor R. , Wenzel W. , Ayisi K. , Donaldson G. , Gehringer A. , Friedt W. , Ordon F.
Published: September 2006

In order to define the variation of the genomic proportion of the recurrent parent [G(RP)] and its relation to yield, G(RP) of individual BC1 plants of two sorghum populations composed of a high‐yielding cultivar as recurrent parent (RP) and a donor with superior drought resistance or grain quality, respectively, was estimated using AFLPs and SSRs. G(RP) in BC1 ranged from 0.53 to 0.95 and averaged to 0.76 in the population (NP4453 × ‘SV‐2’) × ‘SV‐2’. G(RP) varied between 0.60 and 0.86 and averaged to 0.74 in the BC1 of (ICV‐219 × ‘SV‐2’) × ‘SV‐2’. Results show that plants with a G(RP) equivalent to BC2 (0.875) or BC3 (0.938), respectively, can be selected from BC1. Yield performance of BC1S1 families was tested in field trials carried out in South Africa. The correlation between yield and G(RP) in BC1 was low. Selection according to G(RP) did not result in an effective preselection for yield.
Generation means analysis of plant architectural traits and fruit yield in melon
Authors: Zalapa J. E. , Staub J. E. , McCreight J. D.
Published: September 2006

Unique architectural phenotypes have the potential for increasing yield in commercial melon (Cucumis melo L.). Therefore, a generation means analysis was conducted to investigate the inheritance of architectural traits (days to anthesis, primary branch number, fruit number and weight, and average weight per fruit). Progeny (F1, F2, BC1P1 and BC1P2) from a cross between US Department of Agriculture (USDA) line, USDA 846‐1 (P1) and ‘TopMark’ (P2) were evaluated at Arlington (AR) and Hancock (HCK), Wisconsin in 2001. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) environment effects and genotype × environment interactions (G × E) analyses necessitated analysis by location. Significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) among parents and generations were observed for all traits, and the two parental lines differed significantly for primary branch number, fruit number and average weight per fruit. Additive gene effects were most important in governing primary branch number and fruit number per plant, while dominance and epistatic genetic effects mainly controlled days to anthesis, fruit weight per plant and average weight per fruit. Narrow‐sense heritabilities were 0.62 (AR) for days to anthesis, 0.71 (AR) and 0.76 (HCK) for primary branch number, 0.68 (AR) and 0.70 (HCK) for fruit weight per plant, 0.33 (AR) and 0.45 (HCK) for fruit weight per plant, and 0.06 (AR) and 0.79 (HCK) for average weight per fruit. Estimations of the least number of effective factors for primary branch number were relatively consistent at both AR (approx. 4) and HCK (approx. 2). Results suggest that introgression of yield‐related genes from highly branched melon types (e.g. USDA 846‐1) into US Western Shipping germplasm may aid in the development of high‐yielding cultivars with concentrated fruit set suitable for machine and/or hand‐harvesting operations.