bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pathological features of colorectal carcinomas in MYH‐associated polyposis
Authors: O’Shea A M , Cleary S P , Croitoru M A , Kim H , Berk T , Monga N , Riddell R H , Pollett A , Gallinger S
Published: June 2008

Aims:  MYH is a DNA glycosylase in the base excision repair pathway. Germ‐line biallelic mutations in the MYH gene are associated with the development of multiple colorectal adenomas and colorectal carcinoma (CRC). A slightly increased risk of CRC is suggested in monoallelic MYH mutation carriers. The aim was to characterize the histopathological features of carcinomas from biallelics and monoallelics.

Methods and results:  Clinicopathological features of 57 colorectal carcinomas from 50 patients identified in familial CRC registries were recorded. These included 16 cancers from 14 MYH biallelics; 25 cancers from 22 MYH monoallelics; and 16 cancers from 14 controls. Carcinomas in biallelics demonstrated tubular, papillary or cribriform patterns as the predominant histological subtype, and main histological groups differed according to mutation status (P = 0.0053). All biallelic cancers were low grade, with high‐grade tumours more common in monoallelics and controls (P = 0.002). Synchronous polyps were observed in 75% of biallelics, 33% of monoallelics and 43% of controls (P = 0.035). Serrated carcinoma was the predominant type in 12% (3/25) of the monoallelics but in none of the biallelics or controls. MYH immunohistochemistry failed to distinguish between groups.

Conclusions:  Neither pathological features nor immunohistochemistry could predict the MYH mutation status of CRCs in this study.
Expression profiles of matrix metalloproteinase 9 in teleost fish provide evidence for its active role in initiation and resolution of inflammation
Authors: Chadzinska Magdalena , Baginski Pawel , Kolaczkowska Elzbieta , Savelkoul Huub F. J. , Lidy Verburg‐van Kemenade B. M.
Published: June 2008

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP‐9) belongs to a family of zinc‐dependent endopeptidases. As a consequence of its ability to cleave structural extracellular matrix molecules, mammalian MMP‐9 is associated with vital inflammatory processes such as leucocyte migration and tissue remodelling and regeneration. Interestingly, MMP‐9 genes have been identified in fish, but functional data are still limited and focus on the involvement of MMP‐9 in embryonic development, reproduction and post‐mortem tenderization. Here, we describe the involvement of MMP‐9 in the innate immunity of carp. In carp, MMP‐9 was most notably expressed in classical fish immune organs and in peritoneal and peripheral blood leucocytes, indicating a role of MMP‐9 in immune responses. In our well‐characterized zymosan‐induced peritonitis model for carp, we analysed expression of the MMP‐9 gene and the gelatinolytic levels of both pro‐ and activated forms of MMP‐9. The biphasic profile of MMP‐9 mRNA expression indicated involvement during the initial phase of inflammation and during the later phase of tissue remodelling. Also, in vitro stimulation of carp phagocytes with lipopolysaccharide or concanavalin A increased MMP‐9 gene expression, with a peak at 24 hr. The increase of MMP‐9 mRNA correlated with the peak of MMP‐9 gelatinolytic level in culture supernatants. These results provide evidence for an evolutionarily conserved and relevant role of MMP‐9 in the innate immune response.
Depletion of CD8+ T cells enhances airway remodelling in a rodent model of asthma
Authors: Tsuchiya Kimitake , Isogai Susumu , Tamaoka Meiyo , Inase Naohiko , Akashi Takumi , Martin James G. , Yoshizawa Yasuyuki
Published: June 2008

Airway remodelling is induced by persistent airway inflammation and may lead to severe asthma. T cells play a pivotal role in asthmatic airway inflammation but their role in remodelling is poorly understood. Although previous studies have revealed that CD8+ T cells inhibit the late airway response and airway inflammation in a rat model of asthma, their effects on airway remodelling have not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to examine the role of CD8+ T cells in airway remodelling. Brown Norway rats were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) on day 0. CD8+ T cells in rats were depleted during the repeated challenges by treating them with a CD8α monoclonal antibody (OX‐8). Control rats were treated with mouse ascites. Sensitized rats were challenged with OVA on days 14, 19 and 24 or were sham challenged with phosphate‐buffered saline. On day 29, bronchoalveolar lavage and lung tissues were harvested. Repeated OVA inhalations evoked significant increases in the numbers of periodic acid–Schiff‐positive epithelial cells and proliferating cell nuclear antigen‐positive epithelial cells, and in airway smooth muscle mass compared to the control group. CD8‐depleted rats had significant enhancement of these changes, principally affecting the large airways. These results suggest that endogenous CD8+ T cells have inhibitory effects on airway remodelling in this model of asthma.
Targeting the chemotactic function of CD147 reduces collagen‐induced arthritis
Authors: Damsker Jesse M. , Okwumabua Ifeanyi , Pushkarsky Tatiana , Arora Kamalpreet , Bukrinsky Michael I. , Constant Stephanie L.
Published: June 2008

CD147 is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on a wide variety of cell types, including all leucocytes. While CD147 is best known as a potent inducer of matrix metalloproteinases, it can also function as a regulator of leucocyte migration through its cell surface interaction with chemotactic extracellular cyclophilins. A potential role for CD147–cyclophilin interactions during inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is suggested from several studies. For example, CD147 expression is increased on reactive leucocytes in the synovial fluid and tissues of patients with arthritis. In addition, the synovial fluid of patients with RA contains high levels of extracellular cyclophilin A. In the current studies we investigated the contribution of the chemotactic function of CD147–cyclophilin interactions to joint inflammation using the mouse model of collagen‐induced arthritis. Our data demonstrate that proinflammatory leucocytes, specifically neutrophils, monocytes and activated CD4+ T cells, lose their ability to migrate in response to cyclophilin A in vitro when treated with anti‐CD147 monoclonal antibody. Furthermore, in vivo treatment with anti‐CD147 monoclonal antibody can reduce the development of collagen‐induced arthritis in mice by > 75%. Such findings suggest that CD147–cyclophilin interactions might contribute to the pathogenesis of RA by promoting the recruitment of leucocytes into joint tissues.
Span of management: concept analysis
Authors: Meyer Raquel M.
Published: June 2008

Title.  Span of management: concept analysis

Aim.  This paper is a report of a concept analysis of span of management.

Background.  Span of management is an important structural variable in evaluating the contributions of nursing managers to healthcare systems. Span of management is typically measured as a ratio. A wide variety of operational definitions have been applied and these differences have not been reconciled.

Data sources.  A search of CINAHL, PsychINFO and Business Source Premier was completed in 2007 using the terms span of management, span of control, organizational structure, hierarchy, supervisory ratio and work group size. Key publications (1975–2007) and seminal works were included.

Review methods.  Morse’s concept analysis approach was used to determine the pragmatic utility of the concept. A critical appraisal of the literature assessed the use of the concept across disciplines, identified inconsistencies within the concept, and uncovered assumptions and conceptual gaps.

Findings.  At the organizational level, span represents supervisory capability. At the level of the manager, span may reflect reporting structure, closeness of contact, or scope of the role. At the work group level, span quantifies work group size. At the employee level, span represents employee support. These measures are influenced by units of measurement and by context.

Conclusion.  A systematic understanding of span of management concepts, measures and determinants will assist nurse executives in selecting parameters to quantify the allocation of managerial resources. Researchers can incorporate these parameters in comparisons across studies and in advancing the science of nursing management.
Determinants of early retirement intentions among Belgian nurses
Authors: Boumans Nicolle P.G. , De Jong Ad H.J. , Vanderlinden Liesbeth
Published: June 2008

Title.  Determinants of early retirement intentions among Belgian nurses

Aim.  This paper is a report of a study to gain insight into older nurses’ retirement intentions and to establish factors determining early retirement intention in these individuals.

Background.  In many developed countries, the working population is ageing. This will lead to a structural labour shortage in the near future. In nursing, this is already taking place. To retain nurses in employment, information on the determinants of their early retirement intentions are imperative.

Method.  A cross‐sectional study was carried out in 2005 in one Belgian hospital. Data were collected by questionnaire with 100 nurses aged 45 or older. The response rate was 69·9%.

Findings.  No fewer than 77% of the nurses wanted to stop working before the age of 65 years. The following individual, work‐related, and organizational factors contributed to older nurses’ intention to retire early: perceived health, marital status, gender, opportunities for change and development, workload, and negative stereotyping of older employees.

Conclusion.  Our findings offer insight regarding the influencing factors of early retirement intentions in nurses. This information may be useful to human resource managers and may enable them to successfully prevent early retirement in nurses. More research on this topic is needed as this will enable the development, implementation and evaluation of well‐founded measures for retaining older nurses in the workplace.
Predictors of health‐related quality of life in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea
Authors: Ye Lichuan , Liang Zong‐an , Weaver Terri E.
Published: June 2008

Title.  Predictors of health‐related quality of life in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea

Aim.  This paper is a report of a study to identify the common symptoms and demographic and physiological factors of obstructive sleep apnoea that are predictive of health‐related quality of life in a Chinese population.

Background.  Health‐related quality of life impairment in obstructive sleep apnoea is an increasingly important consideration, but little is known about the factors that influence quality of life in this population.

Method.  A total of 108 Chinese patients with newly diagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea were recruited in 2003 and assessed for health‐related quality of life, daytime sleepiness, depression and anxiety. Associations between symptoms, demographic and physiological factors and quality of life were examined by Pearson linear correlation. Hierarchical multiple regression were used to determine predictors of overall quality of life and its dimensions.

Results.  Forty‐six patients (42·6%) had depressed mood and 21 (19·4%) were anxious. Fifty‐nine (54·6%) were hypersomnolent. The severity of symptoms of sleepiness, depression, and anxiety was statistically significantly inversely correlated with each domain and the total score for health‐related quality of life. No statistically significant correlation was observed between disease severity and quality of life. Controlling for age and gender, anxiety and sleepiness predicted 45·2% of the variance of overall quality of life (R2 = 0·452, P < 0·001). Anxiety was the strongest predictor of overall and each domain of health‐related quality of life.

Conclusion.  Assessment of mood in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea should be an essential part of nursing practice. Comprehensive evaluation of symptoms, especially mood disturbance, is important for improving quality of life for these patients.
Non‐technical skills of the operating theatre scrub nurse: literature review
Authors: Mitchell Lucy , Flin Rhona
Published: June 2008

Title.  Non‐technical skills of the operating theatre scrub nurse: literature review.

Aim.  This paper is a report of a review to identify the non‐technical (cognitive and social) skills used by scrub nurses.

Background.  Recognition that failures in non‐technical skills contributed to accidents in high‐risk industries led to the development of research programmes to study the role of cognition and social interactions in operational safety. Recently, psychological research in operating theatres has revealed the importance of non‐technical skills in safe and efficient performance. Most of the studies to date have focused on anaesthetists and surgeons.

Data sources.  On‐line sources and university library catalogues, publications of the Association for Perioperative Practice, National Association of Theatre Nurses and Association of Peri‐Operative Registered Nurses were searched in 2007.

Review methods.  Studies were included in the review if they presented data from scrub nurses on one or more of their non‐technical skills. These findings were examined in relation to an existing medical non‐technical skills framework with categories of communication, teamwork, leadership, situation awareness and decision‐making.

Results.  Of 424 publications retrieved, 13 were reviewed in detail. Ten concerned communication and eight of those also had data on teamwork. In 11 papers teamwork was examined, and one focused on nurses’ situation awareness, teamwork and communication. None of the papers we reviewed examined leadership or decision‐making by scrub nurses.

Conclusion.  Further work is needed to identify formally the non‐technical skills which are important to the role of scrub nurse and then to design training in the identified non‐technical skills during the education and development of scrub nurses.
Changes and challenges to patients’ lifestyle patterns following treatment for head and neck cancer
Authors: Semple Cherith Jane , Dunwoody Lynn , George Kernohan William , McCaughan Eilis , Sullivan Kate
Published: June 2008

Title.  Changes and challenges to patients’ lifestyle patterns following treatment for head and neck cancer.

Aim.  This paper is a report of a study to explore the changes and challenges to patients’ lifestyles following treatment for head and neck cancer.

Background.  Head and neck cancer affects some of the most basic aspects of daily functioning, such as eating and speaking. There has been a rapid increase in the number of studies on the quality of life for people with head and neck cancer, but most studies have used quantitative methodology.

Methods.  Using a qualitative approach, data were collected in 2004 using semi‐structured interviews with a purposive sample of 10 participants who had completed treatment 6–12 months earlier for head and neck cancer. A thematic analysis was employed to interpret the findings.

Findings.  Following thematic analysis seven broad themes were identified, five of which covered areas of changes and challenges to participants’ lifestyles following treatment. These were: physical changes, concerns about cancer, work and day‐to‐day tasks, interpersonal relationships and social functioning. The concerns and challenges experienced following treatment were not limited to one aspect of an individual’s lifestyle but spanned a number of the themes identified, highlighting the complexity of needs following treatment for head and neck cancer. The other two themes concerned personal attributes that facilitated or inhibited posttreatment coping and specific information needs in the posttreatment period.

Conclusion.  Specific posttreatment concerns and challenges cannot be viewed as unitary or discrete aspects of life, but should be considered within a biopsychosocial context, to address patients’ needs holistically.
Profiles and cognitive predictors of motor functions among early school‐age children with mild intellectual disabilities
Authors: Wuang Y.‐P. , Wang C.‐C. , Huang M.‐H. , Su C.‐Y.
Published: June 2008

Background  The purpose of the study was to describe sensorimotor profile in children with mild intellectual disability (ID), and to examine the association between cognitive and motor function.

Methods  A total of 233 children with mild ID aged 7 to 8 years were evaluated with measures of cognitive, motor and sensory integrative functioning.

Results  Children with mild ID performed significantly less well on all test measures. 44.2% of children scored in the impaired range on seven out of 22 sensorimotor measures. They had weaker fine motor skills than gross motor skills. Sensory integrative functions were only mildly impaired. Total IQ substantially predicted overall performance on each motor test. Specifically, verbal comprehension and processing speed indexes were significant predictors of gross and fine motor function.

Conclusions  Sensorimotor dysfunctions were found to be very frequent in children with mild ID. Early identification of sensorimtor impairments is essential to prompt early intervention and facilitate better integration into regular school settings.
Pharmacological management of inappropriate sexual behaviours: a review of its evidence, rationale and scope in relation to men with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Sajith S. G. , Morgan C. , Clarke D.
Published: June 2008

Background  The management of inappropriate sexual behaviours (ISB) including sexual offending is difficult, especially when the person treated has intellectual disabilities (ID). Psychological therapies are the accepted first line of treatment. Pharmacological treatments have also been advocated, particularly for people who have committed serious sexual offences. There is limited information on available drugs and evidence of their efficacy in the treatment of ISBs, in particular for people with ID.

Methods  A literature search of electronic databases was undertaken. Pharmaceutical companies were contacted for unpublished information. Trials that included people with ID were systematically reviewed for the benefits and outcome in that population.

Results  Androgen depleting drugs (cyproterone acetate, medroxyprogesterone acetate and luteinising hormone releasing hormone agonists) and psychotropic drugs (serotonin specific reuptake inhibitors and antipsychotics) are the two major categories of medications used in the treatment of ISBs. The majority of studies identified were open trials and most relied on self‐report measures. Trials that included people with ID were few in number. Most trials indicated beneficial effects including reduction in sexually deviant fantasies and behaviours.

Conclusion  The quality of evidence base for the use of pharmacological agents in the treatment of ISBs is inadequate to justify their use in routine clinical practice. If used, they should only be a part of a comprehensive treatment programme and closely monitored. In addition, there are several clinical, ethical and legal issues to be addressed before considering pharmacological treatment of ISBs in people with ID.
Identification of personal factors that determine work outcome for adults with intellectual disability
Authors: Martorell A. , Gutierrez‐Recacha P. , Pereda A. , Ayuso‐Mateos J. L.
Published: June 2008

Background Access to employment for people with intellectual disability (ID) has become a social priority. The aim of the present study is to try to determine which variables [sociodemographic variables, intelligence quotient (IQ), presence or absence of a psychiatric disorder, functioning, self‐determination, and behavioural problems] could most reliably account for access to remunerated employment of people with ID.

Methods Two groups of people with ID participated in this study: (1) 69 workers in a sheltered‐employment programme; and (2) 110 clients of programmes in sheltered workshops. Both programmes were run by the Pardo‐Valcarce Foundation in Madrid (Spain). The following variables were assessed for every participant: IQ, functioning, behavioural problems, self‐determination and presence of psychiatric symptoms. A binary logistic regression analysis was carried out in order to identify the variables that best explained work outcome (sheltered workshop programme vs. sheltered employment programme).

Results Although IQ showed no significant differences between the two groups of participants, the remaining variables did: behavioural problems, functioning, psychiatric symptoms and self‐determination significantly explained work outcome. As for sociodemographic variables, whereas gender did not show any significant relationship with the labour status of the participants, significant differences were found when considering variables such as age and pension benefits.

Conclusions All the main variables considered, except IQ, turned out to be significant. Our findings should be considered encouraging, as they apparently show that both personal and social efforts can help individuals to overcome their low intellectual functioning in order to achieve access to employment. Such study highlights the importance of a prior psychopathological evaluation and efforts to enhance self‐determination in order to improve work inclusion for people with ID.
The Tissue‐Specific Processing of Pro‐Opiomelanocortin
Authors: Bicknell A. B.
Published: June 2008

It is just over 30 years since the definitive identification of the adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) precursor, pro‐opiomelanocotin (POMC). Although first characterised in the anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary, POMC is also expressed in a number of both central and peripheral tissues including the skin, central nervous tissue and placenta. Following synthesis, POMC undergoes extensive post‐translational processing producing not only ACTH, but also a number of other biologically active peptides. The extent and pattern of this processing is tissue‐specific, the end result being the tissue dependent production of different combinations of peptides from the same precursor. These peptides have a diverse range of biological roles ranging from pigmentation to adrenal function to the regulation of feeding. This level of complexity has resulted in POMC becoming the archetypal model for prohormone processing, illustrating how a single protein combined with post‐translational modification can have a diverse number of roles.
Dendritic Transmitter Release: A Comparison of Two Model Systems
Authors: Bergquist F. , Ludwig M.
Published: June 2008

Information flow through neurones was historically considered to be linear, with dendrites receiving information from incoming synaptic terminals, the soma processing the information and the axon carrying it to the terminal that synapses upon another cell or end organ. However, recent studies have shown that dendrites can release transmitters themselves, and thereby communicate with neighbouring structures, whether these are adjacent neurones or incoming synapses. Due to their anatomical features, the magnocellular vasopressin and oxytocin containing neurones of the hypothalamic supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei and the dopamine neurones of the substantia nigra have revealed important aspects of dendritic function including mechanisms of dendritic transmitter release.
Novel Aspects of Glutamatergic Signalling in the Neuroendocrine System
Authors: Hrabovszky E. , Liposits Z.
Published: June 2008

l‐glutamate, the main excitatory neurotransmitter, influences virtually all neurones of the neuroendocrine hypothalamus via synaptic mechanisms. Vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUT1–3), which selectively accumulatel‐glutamate into synaptic vesicles, provide markers with which to visualise glutamatergic neurones in histological preparations; excitatory neurones in the endocrine hypothalamus synthesise the VGLUT2 isoform. Results of recent dual‐labelin situhybridisation studies indicate that glutamatergic neurones in the preoptic area and the hypothalamic paraventricular, supraoptic and periventricular nuclei include parvocellular and magnocellular neurosecretory neurones which secrete peptide neurohormones into the bloodstream to regulate endocrine functions. Neurosecretory terminals of GnRH, TRH, CRF‐, somatostatin‐, oxytocin‐ and vasopressin‐secreting neurones contain VGLUT2 immunoreactivity, suggesting the co‐release of glutamate with hypophysiotrophic peptides. The presence of VGLUT2 also indicates glutamate secretion from non‐neuronal endocrine cells, including gonadotrophs and thyrotrophs of the anterior pituitary. Results ofin vitrostudies show that ionotropic glutamate receptor analogues can elicit hormone secretion at neuroendocrine/endocrine release sites. Structural constituents of the median eminence, adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis contain elements of glutamatergic transmission, including glutamate receptors and enzymes of the glutamate/glutamine cycle. The synthesis of VGLUT2 exhibits robust up‐regulation in response to certain endocrine challenges, indicating that altered glutamatergic signalling may represent an important adaptive mechanism. This review article discusses the newly emerged non‐synaptic role of glutamate in neuroendocrine and endocrine communication.
Brain Oxytocin: A Key Regulator of Emotional and Social Behaviours in Both Females and Males
Authors: Neumann I. D.
Published: June 2008

In addition to various reproductive stimuli, the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) is released both from the neurohypophysial terminal into the blood stream and within distinct brain regions in response to stressful or social stimuli. Brain OXT receptor‐mediated actions were shown to be significantly involved in the regulation of a variety of behaviours. Here, complementary methodological approaches are discussed which were utilised to reveal, for example, anxiolytic and anti‐stress effects of OXT, both in females and in males, effects that were localised within the central amygdala and the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. Also, in male rats, activation of the brain OXT system is essential for the regulation of sexual behaviour, and increased OXT system activity during mating is directly linked to an attenuated anxiety‐related behaviour. Moreover, in late pregnancy and during lactation, central OXT is involved in the establishment and fine‐tuned maintenance of maternal care and maternal aggression. In monogamous prairie voles, brain OXT is important for mating‐induced pair bonding, especially in females. Another example of behavioural actions of intracerebral OXT is the promotion of social memory processes and recognition of con‐specifics, as revealed in rats, mice, sheep and voles. Experimental evidence suggests that, in humans, brain OXT exerts similar behavioural effects. Thus, the brain OXT system seems to be a potential target for the development of therapeutics to treat anxiety‐ and depression‐related diseases or abnormal social behaviours including autism.
Pharmacokinetics of a controlled‐release liposome‐encapsulated hydromorphone administered to healthy dogs
Authors: SMITH L. J. , KuKANICH B. , HOGAN B. K. , BROWN C. , HEATH T. D. , KRUGNER‐HIGBY L. A.
Published: June 2008

The purpose of the study was to assess the pharmacokinetics of liposome‐encapsulated (DPPC‐C) hydromorphone administered intravenously (IV) or subcutaneously (SC) to dogs. A total of eight healthy Beagles aged 12.13 ± 1.2 months and weighing 11.72 ± 1.10 kg were used. Dogs randomly received liposome encapsulated hydromorphone, 0.5 mg/kg IV (n = 6), 1.0 mg/kg (n = 6), 2.0 mg/kg (n = 6), or 3.0 mg/kg (n = 7) SC with a 14–28 day washout between trials. Blood was sampled at serial intervals after drug administration. Serum hydromorphone concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Serum concentrations of hydromorphone decreased rapidly after IV administration of the DPPC‐C formulation (half‐life = 0.52 h, volume of distribution = 12.47 L/kg, serum clearance = 128.97 mL/min/kg). The half‐life of hydromorphone after SC administration of DPPC‐C formulation at 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mg/kg was 5.22, 31.48, and 24.05 h, respectively. The maximum serum concentration normalized for dose (CMAX/D) ranged between 19.41–24.96 ng/mL occurring at 0.18–0.27 h. Serum hydromorphone concentrations fluctuated around 4.0 ng/mL from 6–72 h after 2.0 mg/kg and mean concentrations remained above 4 ng/mL for 96 h after 3.0 mg/kg DPPC‐C hydromorphone. Liposome‐encapsulated hydromorphone (DPPC‐C) administered SC to healthy dogs provided a sustained duration of serum hydromorphone concentrations.
Enantioselective pharmacokinetics of racemic carprofen in New Zealand white rabbits
Authors: HAWKINS M. G. , TAYLOR I. T. , CRAIGMILL A. L. , TELL L. A.
Published: June 2008

The enantioselective pharmacokinetics of single dose (2 mg/kg) racemic carprofen (CPF) were evaluated in adult New Zealand white rabbits after intravenous (i.v.) and subcutaneous (s.c.) dose. Six rabbits were utilized in a two‐way randomized crossover study and serial blood samples were collected. Plasma CPF concentrations were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography. After i.v. and s.c. racemic CPF administration, plasma concentration–time curves were best described by a two‐compartment open model and a one‐compartment model, respectively. TheS(+) CPF enantiomer predominated in plasma following both routes of administration. Mean observed clearance ofR(−)‐CPF (82.17 ± 13.70 mL/h·kg) was more rapid than forS(+)‐CPF (27.92 ± 7.07 mL/h·kg;P < 0.001). T1/2λz was shorter forR(−)‐CPF thanS(+)‐CPF after both i.v. (1.03 and 2.99 h, respectively) and s.c. (1.94 and 4.14 h, respectively) dosing. MeanAUC0→∞ratios forR(−):S(+)‐CPF were approximately 1:3 for both routes of administration. Mean residence time ofR(−)‐CPF was shorter than ofS(+)‐CPF (1.06 ± 0.29 h, 3.45 ± 0.50 h;P < 0.001) andR(−)‐ andS(+)‐CPF volumes of distribution at steady state were 85.00 ± 14.42 and 94.39 ± 18.66 mL/kg, respectively after i.v. administration. The mean s.c. bioavailability [F(%)] for bothR(−)‐ andS(+)‐CPF was high, 94.4 ± 22.8 and 91.0 ± 35.7%, respectively.
Efficacy of metaphylactic florfenicol therapy during natural outbreaks of bovine respiratory disease
Authors: CATRY B. , DUCHATEAU L. , VAN DE VEN J. , LAEVENS H. , OPSOMER G. , HAESEBROUCK F. , DE KRUIF A.
Published: June 2008

The efficacy of an injectable formulation of florfenicol (300 mg/mL) as metaphylactic control of naturally occurring bovine respiratory disease (BRD) was evaluated in two double‐blind randomly controlled field studies on two Dutch veal calf herds (A and B). Cattle aged not older than 3 months and in the direct presence of calves with clinical respiratory disease were randomly allocated to treatment with 40 mg/kg florfenicol subcutaneously (s.c.) a positive control treatment (12.5 mg/kg tilmicosin p.o. twice daily for five consecutive days in herd A, and 12.5 mg/kg doxycycline p.o. twice daily for five consecutive days in herd B), or a negative control (one placebo saline s.c. administration on D0). The predominant respiratory pathogens present in pretreatment respiratory samples from affected animals wereMycoplasma bovisandPasteurella multocidain outbreaks A and B, respectively. Metaphylactic administration of florfenicol resulted in a statistically significant weight gain, decreased rectal temperature for five consecutive days after treatment and decreased metaphylactic failure percentages compared with both positive and negative control groups. In summary, these studies demonstrated that a single s.c. injection of florfenicol is effective and practical for control of the bacterial component of BRD in veal calves.
Characterization of the pharmacokinetic disposition of levofloxacin in stallions after intravenous and intramuscular administration
Authors: GOUDAH A. , ABO EL‐SOOUD K. , SHIM J.‐H. , SHIN H.‐C. , ABD EL‐ATY A. M.
Published: June 2008

The target of the present study was to investigate the plasma disposition kinetics of levofloxacin in stallions (n = 6) following a single intravenous (i.v.) bolus or intramuscular (i.m.) injection at a dose rate of 4 mg/kg bwt, using a two‐phase crossover design with 15 days as an interval period. Plasma samples were collected at appropriate times during a 48‐h administration interval, and were analyzed using a microbiological assay method. The plasma levofloxacin disposition was best fitted to a two‐compartment open model after i.v. dosing. The half‐lives of distribution and elimination were 0.21 ± 0.13 and 2.58 ± 0.51 h, respectively. The volume of distribution at steady‐state was 0.81 ± 0.26 L/kg, the total body clearance (Cltot) was 0.21 ± 0.18 L/h/kg, and the areas under the concentration–time curves (AUCs) were 18.79 ± 4.57 μg.h/mL. Following i.m. administration, the meant1/2elandAUCvalues were 2.94 ± 0.78 h and 17.21 ± 4.36 μg.h/mL. The bioavailability was high (91.76% ± 12.68%), with a peak plasma mean concentration (Cmax) of 2.85 ± 0.89 μg/mL attained at 1.56 ± 0.71 h (Tmax). Thein vitroprotein binding percentage was 27.84%. Calculation of efficacy predictors showed that levofloxacin might have a good therapeutic profile against Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria, with anMIC ≤ 0.1 μg/mL.
Genetic structure of an expanding Armillaria root rot fungus (Armillaria ostoyae) population in a managed pine forest in southwestern France
Authors: PROSPERO S. , LUNG‐ESCARMANT B. , DUTECH C.
Published: June 2008

The Landes de Gascogne forest (southwestern France) is the largest maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) plantation in Europe. Armillaria root disease (Armillaria ostoyae) has been reported since the early 1920s in the coastal area (western sector), but its incidence over the last 20 years has increased in the eastern sector. We investigated the genetic structure of the A. ostoyae population in this forest, focusing particularly on geographical differentiation potentially indicative of disease expansion in this area. In total, 531 isolates obtained from mycelial fans on symptomatic trees or undecayed stumps in 31 different disease foci were genotyped at five microsatellite loci. In 20 of these disease foci, a single genotype dominated, reflecting a predominantly clonal local spread of A. ostoyae. By contrast, at the regional scale, A. ostoyae probably spreads mostly via basidiospores (sexual spores), as no genotype common to several disease foci was identified. The absence of a clear pattern of isolation by distance may indicate either substantial gene flow or stochastic colonisation independent of spatial distance. The gradient of genetic diversity from the coast inwards and the greater genetic divergence of the eastern disease foci are consistent with the expansion of the A. ostoyae population from the coast eastwards.
Pollen flow in the wildservice tree, Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz. IV. Whole interindividual variance of male fecundity estimated jointly with the dispersal kernel
Authors: KLEIN E. K. , DESASSIS N. , ODDOU‐MURATORIO S.
Published: June 2008

Interindividual variance of male reproductive success (MRS) contributes to genetic drift, which in turn interacts with selection and migration to determine the short‐term response of populations to rapid changes in their environment. Individual relative MRS can be estimated through paternity analysis and can be further dissected into fecundity and spatial components. Existing methods to achieve this decomposition either rely on the strong assumption of a random distribution of pollen donors (TwoGener) or estimate only the part of the variance of male fecundity that is explained by few covariates. We developed here a method to estimate jointly the whole variance of male fecundity and the pollen dispersal curve from the genotypic information of sampled seeds and their putative fathers and geographical information of all individuals in the study area. We modelled the relative individual fecundities as a log‐normally distributed random effect. We used a Bayesian approach, well suited to the hierarchical nature of the model, to estimate these fecundities. When applied to Sorbus torminalis, the estimated variance of male fecundity corresponded to an effective density of trees 13 times lower than the observed density (dobs/dep ~ 13). This value is between the value (~2) estimated with a classical mating model including three covariates (neighbourhood density, diameter, flowering intensity) that affect fecundity and the value (~30) estimated with TwoGener. The estimated dispersal kernel was close to previous results. This approach allows fine monitoring of ongoing genetic drift in natural populations, and quantitative dissection of the processes contributing to drift, including human actions.
Diversification in the northern neotropics: mitochondrial and nuclear DNA phylogeography of the iguana Ctenosaura pectinata and related species
Authors: ZARZA EUGENIA , REYNOSO VICTOR H. , EMERSON BRENT C.
Published: June 2008

While Quaternary climatic changes are considered by some to have been a major factor promoting speciation within the neotropics, others suggest that much of the neotropical species diversity originated before the Pleistocene. Using mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data, we evaluate the relative importance of Pleistocene and pre‐Pleistocene events within the evolutionary history of the Mexican iguana Ctenosaura pectinata, and related species. Results support the existence of cryptic lineages with strong mitochondrial divergence (> 4%) among them. Some of these lineages form zones of secondary contact, with one of them hybridizing with C. hemilopha. Evolutionary network analyses reveal the oldest populations of C. pectinata to be those of the northern and southern Mexican coastal regions. Inland and mid‐latitudinal coastal populations are younger in age as a consequence of a history of local extinction within these regions followed by re‐colonization. Estimated divergence times suggest that C. pectinata originated during the Pliocene, whereas geographically distinct mitochondrial DNA lineages first started to diverge during the Pliocene, with subsequent divergence continuing through the Pleistocene. Our results highlight the influence of both Pliocene and Pleistocene events in shaping the geographical distribution of genetic variation within neotropical lowland organisms. Areas of high genetic diversity in southern Mexico were detected, this finding plus the high levels of genetic diversity within C. pectinata, have implications for the conservation of this threatened species.
Glacial bottleneck and postglacial recolonization of a seed parasitic weevil, Curculio hilgendorfi, inferred from mitochondrial DNA variation
Authors: AOKI K. , KATO M. , MURAKAMI N.
Published: June 2008

Climatic changes during glacial periods have had a major influence on the recent evolutionary history of living organisms, even in the warm temperate zone. We investigated phylogeographical patterns of a weevil Curculio hilgendorfi (Curculionidae), a host‐specific seed predator of Castanopsis (Fagaceae) growing in the broadleaved evergreen forests in Japan. We examined 2709 bp of mitochondrial DNA for 204 individuals collected from 62 populations of the weevil. Four major haplogroups were detected, in southwestern and northeastern parts of the main islands and in central and southern parts of the Ryukyu Islands. The demographic population expansion was detected for the two groups in the main islands but not for the Ryukyu groups. The beginning time of the expansion was dated to 39 000–59 000 years ago, which is consistent with the end of the last glacial period. Our data also demonstrated that the southwestern population of the main islands has experienced a more severe bottleneck and more rapid population growth after glacial ages than the northeastern population. At least three refugial areas in the main islands were likely to have existed during the last glacial periods, one of which had not previously been recognized by analyses of intraspecific chloroplast DNA variation of several plant species growing in the broadleaved evergreen forests. Our results represent the first phylogeographical and population demographic analysis of an insect species associated with the broadleaved evergreen forests in Japan, and reveal more detailed postglacial history of the forests.
Origin and post‐colonization evolution of the Chatham Islands skink (Oligosoma nigriplantare nigriplantare)
Authors: LIGGINS LIBBY , CHAPPLE DAVID G. , DAUGHERTY CHARLES H. , RITCHIE PETER A.
Published: June 2008

Island ecosystems provide an opportunity to examine a range of evolutionary and ecological processes. The Chatham Islands are an isolated archipelago situated approximately 800 km east of New Zealand. Geological evidence indicates that the Chatham Islands re‐emerged within the last 1–4 million years, following a prolonged period of marine inundation, and therefore the resident flora and fauna is the result of long‐distance overwater dispersal. We examine the origin and post‐colonization evolution of the Chatham Islands skink, Oligosoma nigriplantare nigriplantare, the sole reptile species occurring on the archipelago. We sampled O. n. nigriplantare from across nine islands within the Chatham Islands group, and representative samples from across the range of its closest relative, the New Zealand mainland common skink (Oligosoma nigriplantare polychroma). Our mitochondrial sequence data indicate that O. n. nigriplantare diverged from O. n. polychroma 5.86–7.29 million years ago. This pre‐dates the emergence date for the Chatham Islands, but indicates that O. n. nigriplantare colonized the Chatham Islands via overwater dispersal on a single occasion. Despite the substantial morphological variability evident in O. n. nigriplantare, only relatively shallow genetic divergences (maximum divergence ~2%) were found across the Chatham Islands. Our analyses (haplotypic diversity, ΦST, analysis of molecular variance, and nested clade phylogeographical analysis) indicated restricted gene flow in O. n. nigriplantare resulting in strong differentiation between islands. However, the restrictions to gene flow might have only arisen recently as there was also a significant pattern of isolation by distance, possibly from when the Chatham Islands were a single landmass during Pleistocene glacial maxima when sea levels were lower. The level of genetic and morphological divergence between O. n. nigriplantare and O. n. polychroma might warrant their recognition as distinct species.
A genetic assessment of polyandry and breeding‐site fidelity in lemon sharks
Authors: DiBATTISTA JOSEPH D. , FELDHEIM KEVIN A. , THIBERT‐PLANTE XAVIER , GRUBER SAMUEL H. , HENDRY ANDREW P.
Published: June 2008

We here employ 11 microsatellite markers and recently developed litter reconstruction methods to infer mating system parameters (i.e. polyandry and breeding‐site fidelity) at a lemon shark nursery site in Marquesas Key, Florida. Four hundred and eight juvenile or subadult sharks were genotyped over eight complete breeding seasons. Using this information, we were able to infer family structure, as well as fully or partially reconstruct genotypes of 46 mothers and 163 fathers. Multiple litter reconstruction methods were used, and novel simulations helped define apparent bias and precision of at least some mating system parameters. For Marquesas Key, we find that adult female lemon sharks display high levels of polyandry (81% of all litters sampled) and stronger fidelity to the nursery site than do males. Indeed, few male sharks sired offspring from more than one litter during the course of the study. These findings were quite similar to previous results from another lemon shark nursery site (Bimini, Bahamas), suggesting conserved mating system parameters despite significant variation in early life‐history traits (i.e. body size and growth) among sites. The finding of at least some site fidelity in females also supports the need for careful conservation of each nursery.
Scent and the single male: ring‐tailed lemurs produce honest signals
Authors: ASA CHERYL S
Published: June 2008

In mating systems that involve competing males and choosy females, males are expected to advertise their genetic quality to discriminating females. Most examples have focused on visual or acoustic signals, such as ornamentation or song; yet arguably, olfactory communication may be more important to the majority of vertebrates with the possible exception of birds. Fortunately, attention has begun to shift to the role of odours in mate choice, with most of that attention being directed at the major histocompatibility complex or more recently at the major urinary proteins. The study of male ring‐tailed lemurs presented by Charpentier and colleagues in this issue adds a new dimension to investigations of the influence of genes on mate choice via odour production. By comparing genetic heterozygosity to the production of semiochemicals in the scrotal scent gland, they provide a link between genetic composition and scent‐marking behaviour as a potential advertisement of male quality.
Genetic variation of Eryngium campestre L. (Apiaceae) in Central Europe
Authors: BYLEBYL KATHRIN , POSCHLOD PETER , REISCH CHRISTOPH
Published: June 2008

In Germany, Eryngium campestre is restricted to dry habitats along the rivers Rhine and Elbe and to a few areas in Central Germany. This distribution pattern is usually regarded as a typical pattern of postglacial immigration. In the present study, we investigated whether these two geographically distinct distribution areas are genetically differentiated and whether conclusions can be drawn regarding colonization history. To analyse the phylogeographic structure of E. campestre in Central Europe, 278 individuals from 29 populations within Germany and from further reference populations within Europe were analysed. We applied amplified fragment length polymorphisms to examine their genetic relatedness. Our analyses revealed three groups: a Mediterranean group additionally including two Rhine populations; a Rhine–Main group which further includes the westernmost population from the central German dry area; and one group which includes all eastern populations. Our results show that the two geographically distinct areas are genetically differentiated. As genetic diversity within the Elbe populations is very low, we conclude that this area, which was strongly affected through the late glacial maximum, was colonized relatively recently. High genetic diversity in the Rhine populations indicates a contact zone where lineages of different origin met. This would imply that today's patterns of genetic variation were caused through glacial range contractions and expansions. The present study is one of the first studies that deal with the postglacial distribution pattern of a dry grassland plant species in Central Europe and the results suggest that a survival of E. campestre at least during the Dryas cold stage might be possible.