bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phosphatase 2A Negatively Regulates Mitotic Exit inSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Wang Yanchang , Ng Tuen-Yung
Published: August 2005

In budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Cdc5 kinase is a component of mitotic exit network (MEN), which inactivates cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) after chromosome segregation. cdc5-1 mutants arrest at telophase at the nonpermissive temperature due to the failure of CDK inactivation. To identify more negative regulators of MEN, we carried out a genetic screen for genes that are toxic to cdc5-1 mutants when overexpressed. Genes that encode the B-regulatory subunit (Cdc55) and the three catalytic subunits (Pph21, Pph22, and Pph3) of phosphatase 2A (PP2A) were isolated. In addition to cdc5-1, overexpression of CDC55, PPH21, or PPH22 is also toxic to other temperature-sensitive mutants that display defects in mitotic exit. Consistently, deletion of CDC55 partially suppresses the temperature sensitivity of these mutants. Moreover, in the presence of spindle damage, PP2A mutants display nuclear localized Cdc14, the key player in MEN pathway, indicative of MEN activation. All the evidence suggests the negative role of PP2A in mitotic exit. Finally, our genetic and biochemical data suggest that PP2A regulates the phosphorylation of Tem1, which acts at the very top of MEN pathway.
Role of Septins and the Exocyst Complex in the Function of Hydrolytic Enzymes Responsible for Fission Yeast Cell Separation
Authors: Martín-Cuadrado Ana Belén , Morrell Jennifer L. , Konomi Mami , An Hanbing , Petit Claudia , Osumi Masako , Balasubramanian Mohan , Gould Kathleen L. , del Rey Francisco , de Aldana Carlos R. Vázquez
Published: August 2005

Cell separation in Schizosaccharomyces pombe is achieved by the concerted action of the Eng1 endo-β-1,3-glucanase and the Agn1 endo-α-1,3-glucanase, which are transported to the septum and localize to a ringlike structure that surrounds the septum. The requirements for the correct localization of both hydrolases as a ring were analyzed using green fluorescent protein fusion proteins. Targeting to the septum required a functional exocyst, because both proteins failed to localize correctly in sec8-1 or exo70Δ mutants, suggesting that Agn1 and Eng1 might be two of the cargo proteins present in the vesicles that accumulate in exocyst mutants. Septins and Mid2 were also required for correct formation of a ring. In their absence, Eng1 and Agn1 were found in a disklike structure that spanned the septum, rather than in a ring. Even though septin and mid2Δ mutants have a cell separation defect, the septum and the distribution of linear β-1,3-glucans were normal in these cells, suggesting that mislocalization of Eng1 and Agn1 might be the reason underlying the failure to separate efficiently. Thus, one of the functions of the septin ring would be to act as a positional marker for the localization of hydrolytic proteins to the medial region.
Regional differentiation of North American Atlantic salmon at allozyme loci
Authors: Verspoor E.
Published: August 2005

Allozyme variation was characterised by starch gel electrophoresis at 23 enzyme coding loci and one regulatory locus in Atlantic salmon from 53 rivers in Eastern Canada, encompassing the majority of the species' North American range. Variation among rivers was highly heterogeneous and eight of the 15 polymorphisms showed regionally restricted distributions. Nearest neighbour joining (NJ) analysis and multi‐dimensional scaling suggest six distinct regional groups; Labrador/Ungava, Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Newfoundland (excluding Gulf rivers), the Atlantic shore/Southern Uplands of Nova Scotia, the inner Bay of Fundy, and the outer Bay of Fundy. Approximately 25% of observed genetic variation was distributed among these regions with a weak though significant overall correlation of genetic and geographic distance (Mantel Test, r = 0·255, P = 0·005). Collectively, the rivers showed consistent divergence from European populations with strong bootstrap support for the two clusters across loci in the NJ analysis. Mean heterozygosity was 0·061 for both continental groups, but the European population showed more than twice the variation among populations. FST values were 0·076 and 0·176 for North America and Europe, respectively, with an overall FST of 0·330.
Genetic evidence for lacustrine spawning of the non‐anadromous Atlantic salmon population of Little Gull Lake, Newfoundland
Authors: Verspoor E. , Cole L. J.
Published: August 2005

Allozyme markers were used to investigate the spatial boundaries of the non‐anadromous Atlantic salmon population of Little Gull Lake, Eastern Canada. Mixed year class samples of juvenile salmon were analysed from inlet streams, upstream lakes, the outlet river and sites downstream. No evidence was found that individuals from the Lake's non‐anadromous population were present in these samples, strongly suggesting that the non‐anadromous population is confined to the lake and has a lacustrine spawning habit.
Genetic variation at enzyme loci in the southernmost European populations of Atlantic salmon
Authors: Morán P. , Pérez J. , Garcia‐Vazquez E.
Published: August 2005

Genetic variation was studied at 8 allozyme loci in six severely endangered wild Spanish populations of Salmo salar located at the southernmost geographical limit of European Atlantic salmon. Low levels of variation were detected and no significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium were found.
Consequences of variation in species diversity in a community of root‐feeding herbivores for nematode dynamics and host plant biomass
Authors: Brinkman E. Pernilla , Duyts Henk , Van der Putten Wim H.
Published: August 2005

To date, no study has explicitly addressed effects of variation in species diversity of root‐feeding herbivores on host plant biomass. Root‐feeding nematodes typically occur in multi‐species communities. In a three‐year field experiment, we investigated how variation in species diversity of root‐feeding nematodes affected nematode dynamics and response of the dune grass Ammophila arenaria to root‐feeder activity. This plant species needs regular burial by fresh beach sand to remain vigorous, suggesting that A. arenaria benefits from a temporary escape from root‐feeding soil organisms and that root‐feeders are involved in plant degeneration in stabilized dunes.

We created series of ceased and continued sand burial and added the endoparasitic nematodes Meloidogyne maritima, Heterodera arenaria and Pratylenchus penetrans alone or in combination to A. arenaria. We included treatments with and without the whole soil community, measured plant biomass and quantified numbers of nematodes.

Addition of H. arenaria and P. penetrans decreased numbers of M. maritima juveniles and delayed the first appearance in time of both juveniles and females, while numbers of males only decreased when plants had been buried. Burial with sand and addition of the other two endoparasites affected numbers of H. arenaria juveniles, while numbers of P. penetrans were low and not affected. Shoot biomass of A. arenaria was lower when M. maritima had been added alone than when the three species had been added together. Addition of root zone soil decreased biomass of all plant parts. Burial with sand decreased aboveground shoot biomass, whereas it increased belowground shoot and root biomass.

Our results point at idiosyncratic effects of nematode diversity on A. arenaria biomass. Heterodera arenaria and P. penetrans protected their host by reducing numbers and delaying activity of M. maritima to a later stage in the growth season, when root‐feeding activity was less harmful for plant biomass development.
The influence of consumer diversity and indirect facilitation on trophic level biomass and stability
Authors: Steiner Christopher F. , Darcy‐Hall Tara L. , Dorn Nathan J. , Garcia Erica A. , Mittelbach Gary G. , Wojdak Jeremy M.
Published: August 2005

The relationship between species diversity and the stability and production of trophic levels continues to receive intense scientific interest. Though facilitation is commonly cited as an essential underlying mechanism, few studies have provided evidence of the impact that indirect facilitation may have on diversity–ecosystem functioning relationships. In this laboratory study, we examined the effect of zooplankton species diversity on trophic structure (total algal and zooplankton biomass) and temporal stability of total zooplankton biomass. We utilized four species of pond zooplankton grown in either monoculture or in polyculture. When comparing responses in polycultures with responses averaged across monocultures, a positive effect of diversity on total zooplankton biomass was observed. This occurred as a result of positive facilitative effects among competing zooplankton.Daphnia pulex, a biomass dominant in monoculture, was negatively affected by the presence of interspecific competitors. In contrast,Diaphanosoma brachyurum, a species that performed poorly in monoculture, was strongly and positively affected by the presence of interspecific competitors, driving positive diversity effects on total zooplankton biomass. Positive temporal covariances among zooplankton were detected in several polyculture replicates, increasing temporal variability of total zooplankton biomass. However, this destabilizing effect was weak relative to effects of high biomass yields in polyculture which caused temporal biomass variability (as measured by the coefficient of variation) to be lower in polyculture relative to monocultures. Zooplankton diversity effects on total algal biomass were not detected. However, increased zooplankton diversity significantly altered the size structure of algae, increasing the relative abundance of large, grazer‐resistant algae.
Litter controls plant community composition in a northern fen
Authors: Weltzin Jake F. , Keller Jason K. , Bridgham Scott D. , Pastor J. , Allen P. B. , Chen J.
Published: August 2005

The accumulation of litter or thatch can affect plant community composition by affecting the temperature, nutrient availability, and light availability of the soil environment, thereby forming a potentially important linkage between recent productivity and current ecosystem processes. To investigate the importance of litter on a fen peatland plant community, we conducted a litter addition and removal experiment in a fen in northern Minnesota, USA, between 1998 and 2001. The addition of litter had little effect on fen plant community composition or microenvironmental variables, despite a two‐fold increase in litter mass compared to control plots. However, the removal of litter dramatically increased cover ofRhynchospora fuscaandR. alba, and reduced cover ofCarex exilis. Litter removal also increased availability of light and soil temperature and increased the phosphorus content of aboveground plant biomass. Our results indicate that litter is an important control of plant community composition in this northern fen.
Cost of strepsipteran macroparasitism for immature wasps: does sociality modulate virulence?
Authors: Hughes D. P. , Kathirithamby J.
Published: August 2005

An important factor modulating parasite virulence is the level of extrinsic mortality experienced by hosts. Where it is high, parasites are expected to grow or reproduce quickly to complete their lifecycle before their host is killed, whereas virulence is expected to be less under low extrinsic mortality, where growth/reproduction can be slower. A prominent example of a low mortality environment for parasites are immature social insects. Here we examined the cost of parasitism, i.e. virulence, experienced by larval and pupal stages of Polistes wasps following infection by endoparasitic Strepsiptera (under starvation conditions). We found that there was no difference in virulence between infected and uninfected individuals for the seven days following infection; either measured as host mortality or mass loss. Likewise, there was no observed cost of parasitism during the first seven days of the pupal stage of the host. Growth of the endoparasitic stages appeared the same between starved laboratory individuals and field caught samples. Strepsipteran parasites apparently enter a lag phase until the later stages of host pupal development, which we speculate reduces the negative impact of parasitism during the hosts’ critical developmental stages. Our results highlight the need for further inquiry into the influence of sociality upon the evolution of parasite virulence.
Do individual plant species show predictable responses to nitrogen addition across multiple experiments?
Authors: Pennings Steven C. , Clark Chris M. , Cleland Elsa E. , Collins Scott L. , Gough Laura , Gross Katherine L. , Milchunas Daniel G. , Suding Katherine N.
Published: August 2005

A number of experiments have addressed how increases in nitrogen availability increase the productivity and decrease the diversity of plant communities. We lack, however, a rigorous mechanistic understanding of how changes in abundance of particular species combine to produce changes in community productivity and diversity. Single experiments cannot provide insight into this issue because each species occurs only once per experiment, and each experiment is conducted in only one location; thus, it is impossible from single experiments to determine whether responses of particular species are consistent across environments or dependent on the particular environmental context in which the experiment was conducted. To address this issue, we assembled a dataset of 20 herbaceous species that were each represented in at least 6 different fertilization experiments and tested whether responses were general across experiments. Of the 20 species, one consistently increased in relative abundance and five consistently decreased across replicate experiments. A partially‐overlapping group of 8 species displayed responses to nitrogen that varied predictably among experiments as a function of geographic location, neighboring species, or a handful of other community characteristics (ANPP, precipitation, species richness, relative abundance of focal species in control plots, and community composition). Thus, despite modest replication and a limited number of predictor variables, we were able to identify consistent patterns in response of 10 out of 20 species across multiple experiments. We conclude that the responses of individual species to nitrogen addition are often predictable, but that in most cases these responses are functions of the abiotic or biotic environment. Thus, a rigorous understanding of how plant species respond to nitrogen addition will have to consider not only the traits of individual plant species, but also aspects of the communities in which those plants live.
A seasonal alternation of coherent and compensatory dynamics occurs in phytoplankton
Authors: Vasseur David A. , Gaedke Ursula , McCann Kevin S.
Published: August 2005

Functional groups with diverse responses to environmental factors sum to produce communities with less temporal variability in their biomass than those lacking this diversity. The detection of these compensatory dynamics can be complicated by a spatio‐temporal alternation in the environmental factors limiting growth (both abiotic and biotic), which restricts the occurrence of compensatory dynamics to certain periods or locations. Hence, resolving the spatio‐temporal scale may uncover important spatial and/or temporal components in community variability. Using long‐term data from Lake Constance (Bodensee), we find that a reduction in grazing pressure and relaxed competition for nutrients during winter and spring generates coherent dynamics among edible and less edible phytoplankton. During summer and fall, when both grazing pressure and nutrient limitation are present, edible and less edible phytoplankton exhibit compensatory dynamics. This study supports recent work suggesting that both abiotic and biotic interactions promote compensatory dynamics and to our knowledge, this is the first example of a system where compensatory and coherent dynamics seasonally alternate.
Predators control post‐fledging mortality in tawny owls,Strix aluco
Authors: Sunde Peter
Published: August 2005

Despite its recognition as an important source of variation in recruitment probability, the ecological processes leading to mortality between fledging and independence are poorly studied. Accordingly, the proximate and ultimate impact of bottom‐up (food limitation) and top‐down factors (predators, pathogens) for individual survival as well as population productivity is largely unknown in most terrestrial birds. Survival and behaviour of 131 radio‐tagged tawny owls (Strix aluco) during the post‐fledging dependency period were studied for each of three years with high food abundance and three years of poor food supply in Danish deciduous woods. To identify the effects of food limitation, 32 young received extra food 2–3 weeks prior to fledging, as opposed to 99 young that were fed by their parents only. Thirty‐six percent of the young from control broods died between fledging and independence, primarily due to predation from raptors and mammals (predominantly foxesVulpes vulpes). Predation by mammals occurred within the first few days after fledging, with young leaving the nest at an early age being at particularly high risk. Young that had received extra food as nestlings were also at higher risk of being preyed upon by mammals, possibly because they were easier to locate on their smell. Total mortality risk (control broods) increased with fledging date from 14% in April to >58% in June due to an increasing raptor predation risk. Individual attributes such as sex, condition, immunocompetence or prevalence of blood parasites did not predict total or cause‐specific mortality risk. Survival during the post‐fledging dependency period was therefore primarily a function of variation in predation pressures, particularly from raptors. Increasing raptor predation of late broods appears to be an important selective agent for early breeding in the tawny owl.
Fecal counts of lungworm larvae and reproductive effort in bighorn sheep,Ovis canadensis
Authors: Pelletier Fanie , Page Karen Ann , Ostiguy Timothée , Festa‐Bianchet Marco
Published: August 2005

Because parasite resistance and reproduction require metabolic resources, life‐history models predict a tradeoff between current reproduction and parasite load. These tradeoffs have been widely studied in birds, but few studies have been conducted on mammals. We monitored lungworm (Protostrongylusspp.) larvae counts in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) over four years to examine how individual differences in fecal output of lungworm larvae (LPG) by yearlings and adults were affected by season, sex, body mass, age and reproductive effort. We also compared lamb mass at six months and LPG. Overall, we found that LPG varies seasonally, peaking in females prior to lambing and in males during the rut. Age had no effect on LPG for either sex. During autumn, we found no effect of age or mass on LPG for sheep one year and older. Lamb body size or sex did not affect LPG. Females that weaned a lamb had higher counts than females that did not produce a lamb or females whose lamb died during summer. For rams, social rank and testosterone levels were not related to LPG but LPG increased with time spent searching for estrous ewes during the rut. Our results suggest a tradeoff between parasite resistance and reproductive effort in bighorn sheep of both sexes.
Breaking traditions: sexual health and ethnicity in nursing research: a literature review
Authors: Serrant‐Green Laura
Published: August 2005

Aim.  The aim of this paper is to explore some reasons for the lack of focus on ethnicity and sexual health in nursing research, and suggest ways to advance the nursing evidence‐base required for practice development.

Background.  The United Kingdom National Strategy for Sexual Health and human immunodeficiency virus published in July 2001 highlighted the continued rise in sexual ill health amongst minority ethnic groups. In order to improve sexual health, research evidence is needed explain why particular ethnic groups appear to be at greater risk of sexual ill health. The Strategy identified nurses as key to bringing about improvements in sexual health. Nursing research includes many studies exploring links between ethnicity and health. However, with the exception of extensive work on human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome as a specific disease, nursing research into ethnicity has not systematically included sexual health.

Methods.  Literature searches were conducted using the BIDS database, World Wide Web and United Kingdom Department of health website between June 2000 and August 2003. Papers written in English incorporating the keywords ‘sexual health’, ‘sexually transmitted infection’ and ‘health and ethnicity’ in the title or abstract were selected for review.

Findings.  Nursing research into the association between sexual health and ethnicity is rare. It has been hampered by a variety of political and social constraints concerning the nature of sexual health practice in nursing, researching sexual health, and researching ethnicity and health. The result is a dearth of research evidence to support the development of sexual health practice and the education of healthcare professionals to underpin care of minority ethnic clients.

Conclusions.  Barriers to researching ethnicity and sexual health by nurses must be addressed through nursing education and practice. Without this, a detailed evidence base will fail to materialize and healthcare practices to implement the priorities to improve sexual health in minority ethnic communities will remain undeveloped.
Fever: a concept analysis
Authors: Thompson Hilaire J
Published: August 2005

Aim.  The purpose of this paper is to critically analyse the current state of the science literature in order to develop an accurate conception of fever.

Rationale.  The measurement of body temperature and treatment of fever have long been considered to be within the domain of nursing practice. What body temperature constitutes ‘fever’, however, is often not clear from nursing protocols or the literature.

Methods.  Literature for this concept analysis was obtained by computerized searches of PubMed, CINAHL and BIOSYS for the years 1980–2004. Additional sources were obtained after reviewing the bibliographies of the literature identified by the initial search. The Wilsonian method of concept analysis provided the framework for the analysis.

Findings.  Fever has characteristically been recognized as a cardinal sign of illness and has traditionally had negative connotations for patient well‐being. Substantive advances over the past 20 years in immunology and neurophysiology have expanded understanding of the process of fever. This new knowledge has shifted the perception of fever as part of the acute‐phase response to one of an adaptive nature. This knowledge has yet to be fully translated into changes in the fever management practices of nurses.

Conclusions.  Consistent usage of terminology in relation to fever should lead to improved and evidence‐based care for patients, and to fever management practices consistent with current research. It is important to use clear language about fever and hyperthermia in discussions and documentation between nurses and among disciplines. By creating clarity in our language, we may help to achieve praxis.
Needlestick and sharps injuries among nursing students
Authors: Smith Derek R. , Leggat Peter A.
Published: August 2005

Aims.  This paper reports the first investigation of the prevalence and nature of needlestick injuries among Australian nursing students.

Background.  Needlestick and sharps injuries are the most efficient method of transmitting blood‐borne pathogens between patients and healthcare staff. Although nurses are known to be a high‐risk subgroup for these events, nursing students may be at even greater risk due to their limited clinical experience. Despite this fact, the epidemiology of needlestick and sharps injuries among nursing students has not been clearly elucidated in Australia.

Methods.  A questionnaire‐based methodology adapted from other international investigations was conducted among nursing students. We recruited a complete cross‐section of students from a large university nursing school in North Queensland, Australia, in March 2004, and analysed needlestick and sharps events as a percentage of all students and also as a proportion of all cases. Risk factors were evaluated using logistic regression.

Results.  From a group of 319 students, 274 successfully completed questionnaires were obtained (overall response rate 85·9%). A total of 38 students (13·9%) reported a needlestick or sharps injury during the previous 12 months. By causative item, 6·2% of students had been injured by a normal hollow‐bore syringe needle, 3·6% by a glass item and 3·3% by an insulin syringe needle. Regarding prior usage, 81·6% of all injuring items were unused, 15·8% had been used on a patient and the status of 2·6% was unknown. Most needlestick injuries occurred either in the nursing laboratory (45%) or the teaching hospital (37%). Opening the needle cap was the most common causative event (28% of all cases). A total of 39·5% of needlestick injuries were not reported. The main reason for non‐reporting was that the item was unused (42%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that students in the third year were 14·8 times more likely to have experienced a needlestick injury than their counterparts in other years (odds ratio 14·8, 95% confidence interval 5·2–50·3, P < 0·01). These injury rates were higher among Australian nursing students than in other international studies.

Conclusions.  Although hepatitis B vaccination coverage among the students was excellent, it is important that the principles of infection‐control training and reporting of all needlestick and sharps continue to be emphasized throughout undergraduate nursing education.
Health care worker beliefs about influenza vaccine and reasons for non‐vaccination – a cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Canning Helen Sarah , Phillips Jennifer , Stephen Allsup MD
Published: August 2005

Aims and objectives.  To identify reasons for poor uptake of influenza vaccine in healthcare workers.

Background.  When influenza is circulating in the community, influenza vaccination of healthcare workers may reduce morbidity and sick leave and may also reduce mortality in older hospitalized patients. Despite this, vaccine uptake in healthcare workers remains low.

Design.  Cross‐sectional survey.

Methods.  Self‐completed questionnaires were distributed to 144 nurses and healthcare assistants in two Liverpool hospitals.

Results.  Vaccination uptake in this sample was 7.6%. The main reasons given for not being vaccinated were: did not think it was needed (29%), not aware of the vaccine (18%) and concerned about side‐effects (11%). The main perceived benefits of vaccination were reducing sick leave (44%) and personal protection against influenza (28%).

Conclusion.  In this study, many healthcare workers demonstrated a lack of awareness and understanding of the vaccine, especially in relation to its benefits and side‐effects.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Vaccinating healthcare workers against influenza can reduce staff sickness during times of winter pressure as well as reducing mortality in frail, older hospitalized patients. It is therefore important that hospitals maximize vaccine uptake by increasing awareness and promoting the benefits of influenza vaccine amongst healthcare workers as well as ensuring that all staff have the opportunity to receive the vaccine.
The impact of a nurse‐led support and education programme for spouses of stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Larson Jenny , Franzén‐Dahlin Åsa , Billing Ewa , von Arbin Magnus , Murray Veronica , Wredling Regina
Published: August 2005

Aims and objectives.  The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of a nurse‐led support and education programme for improving the spouses’ perceived general quality of life, life situation, general well‐being and health state.

Background.  Stroke is a disease with great consequences for the patients and their families. The spouses often feel obligated to care for the patient, providing psychological and physical support and having to cope with the patient's physical and cognitive impairments. This might lead to increased problems, as family members struggle to adapt to their new roles and responsibilities.

Design and methods.  Longitudinal, randomized controlled trial. One hundred spouses were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups, 50 in each group. The intervention group participated in a support and education programme, six times during six months, led by stroke specialist nurses. Both groups were followed for 12 months.

Results.  No significant differences were found, between intervention and control groups, over time. In the sub analyses, we found that the group attending 5–6 times had a significant decrease in negative well‐being and increased quality of life over time, while the group attending fewer times had a significant decrease in positive well‐being and health state, similar to the control group, which also had a significant decrease in negative and general well‐being.

Conclusions.  A support and education programme might have a positive effect on spouses’ well‐being, on condition that they attend at least five times.

Relevance to clinical practice.  To facilitate the spouses’ role as informal caregivers to the stroke patients, further development of the support and education programme used in the present study is needed, including empowerment approach and implementation of coping strategies.
‘Airplanes are flying nursing homes’: geographies in the concepts and locales of gerontological nursing practice
Authors: Andrews Gavin J. , Holmes Dave , Poland Blake , Lehoux Pascale , Miller Karen‐Lee , Pringle Dorothy , McGilton Katherine S.
Published: August 2005

With the geographical literatures and issues outlined in the first paper very much in mind, this paper focuses specifically on the places in the concepts and locales of gerontological nursing practice. Particular attention is paid to the role of nurses in the making of long‐term care institutions and to some fundamental priorities of care. Consideration is also given to some broader impacts of neighbourhood and community as an important spatial context to nursing practice based both in institutions and the community. In the final section, the paper makes some observations on how place‐sensitive practice and research might contribute to the uptake of evidence for practice. These discussions set the scene for the final paper in this special section focused on the future research agenda for place and older people nursing.
Older people's views of prioritization in health care. The applicability of an interview study
Authors: Werntoft Elisabet , Edberg Anna‐Karin , Rooke Liselotte , Hermerén Göran , Elmståhl Sölve , Hallberg Ingalill Rahm
Published: August 2005

Aim.  Older people's views of prioritization in health care. The applicability of an interview study. Old age has been stated as a criterion for prioritization in health care, although older people are seldom asked for their opinions. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the applicability of a questionnaire as a base for an interview study to explore older people's experiences and views of prioritization in health care.

Design.  Descriptive, with a qualitative and quantitative approach. Fifty‐four persons, 32 women and 22 men (aged 60–93 years), were asked to participate in a structured, tape‐recorded interview covering their experience and views of the priorities applied in health care.

Results.  The questions in the interview manual appeared to be applicable for collecting data concerning views of prioritization, but the analysis revealed that certain questions, particularly on economic matters, were missing. The procedure, a personal structured interview had advantages, for example, in capturing the respondents’ reflections on the questions. The respondents emphasized the equal value of all human beings and that age is not a basis for prioritization within health care. The respondents also showed an unwillingness to precede anyone in rank.

Implications.  The questions used proved to be adequate but to be really complete further questions need to be added. This pilot study indicates that older people's views on priorities in health care differ from those expressed by the younger population. The study therefore needs to be replicated in a larger sample to be fully able to understand older people's views of prioritization, which will require exploring gender and age differences as well as other aspects that may explain variations.
The content of morning time conversations between nursing home staff and residents
Authors: Wadensten Barbro
Published: August 2005

Aim.  The aim of this paper was to investigate what nursing home staff and residents converse about when they first meet each other in the morning and to investigate who starts the conversation. It is a pilot project about communication in a nursing home in Sweden and a basis for a practice development programme.

Background.  Studies in Sweden have shown that nurse assistants working in care of the older people felt they had too little training in how to communicate. Communicative behaviour influences patients, but little is known about the content of morning time communication in nursing homes.

Method.  Non‐participant observation of 18 staff was carried out using an observation schema. Content analysis was performed.

Results.  The findings were that it was the staff who initiated conversation and chose the content of conversation. The most common topic in morning time conversation was residents’ health and sickness.

Conclusion.  Staff in nursing homes, both nurses and nurse assistants need to reflect on their interaction with residents and be conscious of their important role because they create the climate on the ward through conversation. Further studies are needed in order to explore residents’ opinions of what the content of a good communication could be and also to find out how nurses and other staff members’ communication with residents could be improved.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Staff need more training and knowledge about how to communicate with older people.
Evaluation of an automated high‐volume extraction method for viral nucleic acids in comparison to a manual procedure with preceding enrichment
Authors: Hourfar M. K. , Schmidt M. , Seifried E. , Roth W. K.
Published: August 2005

Background and Objectives  Nucleic acid extraction still harbours the potential for improvements in automation and sensitivity of nucleic acid amplification technology (NAT) testing. This study evaluates the feasibility of a novel automated high‐volume extraction protocol for NAT minipool testing in a blood bank setting.

Materials and Methods  The chemagic Viral DNA/RNA Kit special for automated purification of viral nucleic acids from 9·6 ml of plasma by using the chemagic Magnetic Separation Module I was investigated. Analytical sensitivity for hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus‐1 (HIV‐1), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis A virus (HAV) and parvovirus B19 (B19) was compared to our present manual procedure that involves virus enrichment by centrifugation.

Results  Chemagic technology allows automation of the viral DNA/RNA extraction process. Viral nucleic acids were bound directly to magnetic beads from 9·6‐ml minipools. By combining the automated magnetic beads‐based extraction technology with our in‐house TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, 95% detection limits were 280 IU/ml for HCV, 4955 IU/ml for HIV‐1, 249 IU/ml for HBV, 462 IU/ml for HAV and 460 IU/ml for B19, calculated for an individual donation in a pool of 96 donors. The detection limits of our present method were 460 IU/ml for HCV, 879 IU/ml for HIV‐1, 90 IU/ml for HBV, 203 IU/ml for HAV and 314 IU/ml for B19.

Conclusions  The 95% detection limits obtained by using the chemagic method were within the regulatory requirements for blood donor screening. The sensitivities detected for HCV, HBV, HAV and B19 were found to be in a range similar to that of the manual purification method. Sensitivity for HIV‐1, however, was found to be inferior for the chemagic method in this study.
The use of a World Health Organization Transfusion Basic Information Sheet to evaluate transfusion practice in Croatia
Authors: Skodlar J. , Štimac D. , Majerić‐Kogler V. , Doughty H. , Sibinga C. S.
Published: August 2005

Background and Objectives  To assess the feasibility of using the World Health Organization (WHO) Transfusion Basic Information Sheet as a bedside tool for data collection and assessing transfusion practice.

Materials and Methods  A prospective 6‐month audit of all transfusion episodes using the tool.

Results  Eight hundred and twenty‐two forms were completed, capturing data on 59·7% of transfusion episodes. Completion of data fields was > 80%, except for the clinician's transfusion targets that were documented in only 58·5% of cases. Twenty per cent of patients received single red cell unit transfusions.

Conclusions  The Basic Information Sheet can be incorporated into bedside clinical practice. We have identified the need to encourage clinicians to determine and document their transfusion targets before prescribing blood components.
Transfusion practice in massively bleeding patients: time for a change?
Authors: Johansson P. I. , Hansen M. B. , Sørensen H.
Published: August 2005

Background and Objectives  We identified some fatal cases where massively bleeding patients received inadequate transfusion therapy. The aim of this study was to review and evaluate the transfusion practice in acutely multitransfused patients.

Materials and Methods  Patients receiving > 10 units of red blood cells (RBC) within 24 h of admission and  30 blood components within 7 days of admission were reviewed.

Results  Thirty‐nine patients were identified, 13 of whom were inadequately transfused (IT) and had a higher mortality (12/13) than adequately transfused (AT) patients 13/26 (P = 0·013). Ten of 13 IT patients developed a microvascular bleed compared to four of 26 in the AT group (P = 0·001) and had a lower platelet count upon arrival at the intensive care unit (40 × 109/l vs. 80 × 109/l, P = 0·024).

Conclusions  An early balanced transfusion therapy is vital in massively bleeding patients, and a pro‐active approach from the blood bank is warranted. We have introduced an acute transfusion package (ATP) consisting of 5 RBC, 5 FFP and 2 PC units, indicated in massively bleeding patients, securing a balanced transfusion therapy.
Beyond dichotomies of health and illness: life after breast cancer
Authors: Thomas‐MacLean Roanne
Published: August 2005

While there has been a vast amount of research on breast cancer in recent years, areas within this domain remain unexplored. For instance, there have been few attempts to marry an understanding of the social context in which breast cancer occurs with an understanding of subjective experiences of this condition. The purpose of this study was to explore women's experiences of embodiment after breast cancer, utilizing a phenomenological approach rooted in a feminist perspective. The focus of this article is upon the changes to embodiment that are long‐term. Twelve women were interviewed on two occasions each and were asked to talk about changes to their bodies that occurred as a result of breast cancer. Three key themes were identified: (1) how it feels (e.g. sensation and breast loss); (2) managing appearances (e.g. wearing prostheses); and (3) treatments without end (e.g. menopause). The findings of this study show that women with breast cancer are a diverse group and that survivorship is a dynamic, life‐long process, which suggests that health professionals can play an important role in establishing interdisciplinary approaches to caring, beyond the conclusion of acute treatment.
Nurse migration from Zimbabwe: analysis of recent trends and impacts
Authors: Chikanda Abel
Published: August 2005

The migration of nursing professionals from developing countries such as Zimbabwe to industrialised countries is taking place at an alarming rate, with little signs of slowing down. In Africa, nurses form the backbone of the healthcare delivery system and their migration has a huge negative impact on health service provision. Drawing on evidence from selected health institutions, the paper shows the magnitude of migration of nurses from Zimbabwe. The paper also shows that public to private health sector migration of nurses is occurring at a significant rate. The effects of such movements are examined in detail. For instance, at the health institution level, nurse migration has led to staff shortages, and health institutions located in the disadvantaged areas have been the worst affected. The paper calls for the adoption of an integrated approach in managing and addressing the concerns of the nursing professionals.
Risk bodies: rehabilitation of sports patients in the physiotherapy clinic
Authors: Thing Lone Friis
Published: August 2005

This paper describes how body regimes are effectuated in the prevailing treatment strategy of physiotherapy. The process of self‐mastering in the context of sports‐related injuries is highlighted. Through a Foucauldian perspective on body regimes the aim is to shed light on the process of individualization and self‐mastery in rehabilitation. The treatment of illness in the physiotherapy clinic does not characterize the patient as sick, and exempt the patient from daily duties and expectations. The empirical data include 17 qualitative illness narratives and several years of fieldwork observing patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in a physiotherapy clinic. The study demonstrates how the expectation that the patients be active and self‐mastering permeates the total process of treatment. The individual responsibility for personal well‐being is a recurrent phenomenon in public health services in general, and specifically prominent in the rehabilitation of sports injuries.
Mother–Child Conversations of Emotionally Salient Events: Exploring the Functions of Emotional Reminiscing in European‐American and Chinese Families
Authors: Wang Qi , Fivush Robyn
Published: August 2005

This study explores the functional variations in mother–child conversations of emotionally salient events in European‐American and Chinese families. Thirty Chinese and 31 European‐American 3‐year‐old children and their mothers participated. Mothers were asked to discuss with their children at home two specific one‐point‐in‐time events in which they both participated. One event was extremely positive to the child, one extremely stressful. American mothers initiated more interactive and elaborative conversations that focused on the child's roles and predilections in the story, and they employed a ‘cognitive approach’ to emotional regulation by providing explanations for the cause of children's feeling states. Chinese mothers took a directive role in posing and repeating memory questions and focusing on social interaction, and they used a ‘behavioral approach’ to emotional regulation by emphasizing discipline and proper conduct to their children. Findings are discussed in light of cultural influences on the functions of emotional reminiscing for self and relationship construction and emotional regulation.
Dissociations between serial position and number of letters effects in lateralised visual word recognition
Authors: Lavidor Michal , Bailey Peter J.
Published: August 2005

Some previous studies of visual word recognition have reported an interaction between visual field and word length (measured by number of letters), such that recognition is affected more by word length for words presented in the left than for words presented in the right visual field. However, when manipulating serial position of letters in words to measure length effects, there are also reports of symmetrical word length effects in the two visual fields. Here we report two experiments, presenting four‐ and seven‐letter words, suggesting that the serial position and length effects in the hemispheres are separable and task dependent. For tasks that rely more heavily on letter‐level processing such as letter search (Experiment 1), performance in both hemifields showed similar effects of serial position; however, when comparing four‐ and seven‐letter words, an effect of word length was evident only in the left visual field, in line with the well‐established interaction between word length and hemifield. An interaction between word length and hemifield was confirmed for the same stimuli when they were employed in a lexical decision task, which forced whole‐word processing (Experiment 2). We conclude that the effects of serial position and number of letters in the two visual fields are separable, and are selectively affected by task type.
The word shape hypothesis re‐examined: evidence for an external feature advantage in visual word recognition
Authors: Beech John R. , Mayall Kate A.
Published: August 2005

This study investigates the relative roles of internal and external letter features in word recognition. In Experiment 1 the efficacy of outer word fragments (words with all their horizontal internal features removed) was compared with inner word fragments (words with their outer features removed) as primes in a forward masking paradigm. These forward masked primes were followed by a word to be read aloud. Outer word primes presented for longer durations produced significantly faster naming responses than inner primes. Outer parts of words appear to provide more relevant information for lexical access at an earlier stage than inner fragments. In Experiment 2 words with only external features were named correctly on 96% of occasions compared with 52% of words with only their inner features presented. This indicates much greater information content in the periphery of a word (despite having a reduced area of print available: 45% compared to 55%). Multiple regression analyses controlling for ‘guessability’ (from data in Experiment 2) still produced significantly faster reaction times in the outer relative to the inner priming condition for longer prime durations. These experiments demonstrate that first, the most informative letter features are concentrated in the peripheral region of words; and second, even controlling for this effect, readers appear to have a bias towards analysing outer features of a word before inner features.
The effect of print size on reading speed in dyslexia
Authors: O'Brien Beth A. , Mansfield J. Stephen , Legge Gordon E.
Published: August 2005

This article details a study which predicted that across a wide range of print sizes dyslexic reading would follow the same curve shape as skilled reading, with constant reading rates across large print sizes and a sharp decline in reading rates below a critical print size. It also predicted that dyslexic readers would require larger critical print sizes to attain their maximum reading speeds, following the letter position coding deficit hypothesis. Reading speed was measured across twelve print sizes ranging from Snellen equivalents of 20/12 to 20/200 letter sizes for a group of dyslexic readers in Grades 2 to 4 (aged 7 to 10 years), and for non‐dyslexic readers in Grades 1 to 3 (aged 6 to 8 years). The groups were equated for word reading ability. Results confirmed that reading rate‐by‐print size curves followed the same two‐limbed shape for dyslexic and non‐dyslexic readers. Dyslexic reading curves showed higher critical print sizes and shallower reading rate‐by‐print size slopes below the critical print size, consistent with the hypothesis of a letter‐position coding deficit. Non‐dyslexic reading curves also showed a decrease of critical print size with age. A developmental lag model of dyslexic reading does not account for the results, since the regression of critical print size on maximum reading rate differed between groups.