bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Morphology and Development of the Immature Stages ofBrachyufens Osborni(Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), an Egg Parasitoid of Broad-Nosed Weevil Species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: Jacas Josep-Anton , Peña Jorge E , Duncan Rita E
Published: January 2009

The external morphology and development of the immature stages of Brachyufens osborni (Dozier) (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), a Nearctic solitary endoparasitoid of the eggs of Pachnaeus spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), are reported. Under our laboratory conditions (25°C and a photoperiod of 12:12 [L:D] h), B. osborni reared in eggs of Pachnaeus litus (Germar) (Entiminae) had a developmental time of 14.7 d. Egg hatching occurred within 15 h from oviposition and mandible measurements indicated the existence of two instars. First instars were mymariform, whereas second instars were sacciform. Pupation occurred 5–6 d after egg hatching and adults emerged 8 d later. On completion of the preimaginal development, the meconium was expelled and emergence took place by biting a hole in the chorion of the host egg. Both sexes emerged at the same time, and the sex ratio was female biased (3:1).
Ultrastructure of the Digestive Cells in the Midgut of the PredatorBrontocoris Tabidus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) After Different Feeding Periods on Prey and Plants
Authors: Fialho Maria Do Carmo Q , Zanuncio José C , Neves Clóvis A , Ramalho Francisco S , Serrão José Eduardo
Published: January 2009

Brontocoris tabidus (Signoret) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) is an obligate zoophytophagous predator because its population can be maintained in the laboratory when fed on both prey and plants. We evaluated ultrastructural changes in the midgut digestive cells of adult B. tabidus, subjected to different treatments (starvation or feeding on plant material and prey) for different periods. Their midguts were dissected, divided into anterior, medium and posterior sections, processed, and analyzed with light and transmission electron microscopy. The anterior region of the midgut of B. tabidus, starved or fed on eucalyptus leaves, contained no glycogen. B. tabidus fed on plant material showed multivesicular bodies in this region, and spherocrystals after 6 h of feeding on prey. The microvilli of the medium midgut were longer than those of the anterior and posterior midgut. The posterior midgut differed from the other two regions by an abundance of mitochondria, rough endoplasmatic reticulum and double membrane vesicles in the apical region, 6 h after feeding. The ultrastructural features of the digestive cells in the anterior, medium and posterior regions of the midgut suggest that they play a role in digestive enzyme synthesis, ion and nutrient absorption, and storage and excretion of substances.
Morphology of the Head Salivary and Intramandibular Glands of the Stingless BeePlebeia Emerina(Hymenoptera: Meliponini) Workers Associated with Propolis
Authors: Santos Camila Gonçalves Dos , Megiolaro Fernanda Leggerini , Serrão José Eduardo , Blochtein Betina
Published: January 2009

Plebeia emerina (Friese) (Hymenoptera: Meliponini), like other stingless bees, collect large amounts of vegetal resin and store these materials, called propolis, in individualized clusters inside the nest that remain in a viscous state. The development of intramandibular and head salivary glands in P. emerina workers was studied in different life stages, aiming to relate gland functionality with the age in which they work at propolis maceration, biting the propolis clusters with the mandibles. The morphology of intramandibular and head salivary glands from newly emerged, 20–30 d old, and forager bees was analyzed. The greatest size of the head salivary glands occurred in 20–30-d-old worker bees, and the ultrastructure of this gland showed the presence of rough endoplasmic reticulum and lipid droplets. The intramandibular glands were of two types: glandular units (class 3 glands), present throughout the worker bee life span, and the secretory epithelium (class 1 glands), which hypertrophies in 20–30-d-old and forager bees. The development of the head salivary glands and the mandibular epithelium suggest that their products are added to the propolis clusters, supporting the hypothesis that they may serve in maintaining its viscous state.
Population Genetics of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Invading Populations, Using Mitochondrial nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Dehydrogenase Subunit 5 Sequences
Authors: Usmani-Brown Sahar , Cohnstaedt Lee , Munstermann Leonard E
Published: January 2009

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), the Asian tiger mosquito indigenous to Asia, now an invasive species worldwide, is an important vector for several arboviruses. Genetic analysis using the mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5) gene was carried out in populations from Cameroon (n = 50), Hawaii (n = 38), Italy (n = 20), the continental United States, Brazil, and its native range. Data for Brazil, the continental United States, and the native range was obtained from Birungi and Munstermann (2002). Direct sequencing was used to identity unique haplotypes. The limited phylogeographic partitioning of haplotypes with low levels of sequence divergence in both Cameroon and Hawaii was consistent with the population structure of Ae. albopictus in the United States and Brazil. Four new haplotypes were identified from the samples from Cameroon and Hawaii, adding to previously described haplotypes. Hawaii shared a haplotype with Cameroon that was unique to these two regions. Hawaii also had higher overall haplotype diversity than seen in previous continental United States, Brazil, or native range populations. Hawaiian, Cameroon, and Italian populations did not share haplotypes with Brazil, which validates the earlier mitochondrial DNA studies indicating a separate introduction of this species into Brazil.
Distinguishing Between Laboratory-Reared and Greenhouse- and Field-Collected Trichoplusia Ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Using the Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Method
Authors: Franklin Michelle T , Myers Judith H , Ritland Carol E
Published: January 2009

Frequent use of the microbial insecticide, Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Berliner) (Bt), in commercial vegetable greenhouses has led to the evolution of resistance in cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), populations. Spatial patterns of Bt resistance suggest that resistant moths disperse from greenhouses selected with Bt to neighboring untreated greenhouses. To quantify dispersal patterns in greenhouse and field populations, molecular markers are desired. We developed a DNA isolation procedure and evaluated the utility of the molecular fingerprinting technique, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), to analyze the possible population structure of T. ni by using laboratory-reared populations. We also assessed the ability of AFLP markers to distinguish between laboratory and wild T. ni populations collected from a greenhouse and field in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, Canada. Due to the complexity of the T. ni genome, primer combinations of E+3 and M+4 were required to unambiguously score polymorphic loci. Three of the primer combinations that were examined produced >65 polymorphic bands in laboratory-reared populations, and >90 bands in greenhouse- and field-collected populations. Levels of heterozygosity were higher in wild populations compared with those reared in the laboratory, and AFLP markers reliably distinguished between laboratory and wild populations.
Attraction of Prorops Nasuta (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), a Parasitoid of the Coffee Berry Borer (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), to Host-Associated Olfactory Cues
Authors: Chiu-Alvarado Pilar , Barrera Juan F , Rojas Julio C
Published: January 2009

The parasitoid Prorops nasuta Waterston (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) is a wasp of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). In this study, the attractiveness of different volatiles to P. nasuta was studied in the laboratory using a Y-tube olfactometer. Female wasps were attracted to coffee berry borer-infested coffee berries but not to uninfested or artificially damaged berries. Full-grown larvae and pupae, and dust/frass of H. hampei isolated from infested berries, were attractive to parasitoid females, whereas immature coffee berry borer and dust/frass originating from coffee berry borer reared on an artificial diet were not. Adult coffee berry borer, derived from both infested berries or artificial diet, were not attractive to parasitoids. Females of P. nasuta did not show a preference for volatiles released from unparasitized versus parasitized hosts independent of the time since parasitization. Wasp attraction was influenced by the amount and age of dust/frass but not by the density of immature larvae. These findings show that host searching behavior of P. nasuta is mediated by chemical cues emitted from the coffee berry-H. hampei complex.
Genetic Modification of Host Acceptance by a Seed Beetle, Callosobruchus Maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)
Authors: Messina Frank J , Jones Jake C , Mendenhall Michelle , Muller Amberleigh
Published: January 2009

Successful host shifts by herbivorous insects may require the modification of multiple larval and adult traits. The seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) rarely attacks lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus), which is distantly related to its typical hosts. In a previous study, larval survival in lentil seeds increased from <2 to >85% in fewer than 20 generations of laboratory selection. However, lentil is also a poor oviposition host; lifetime fecundity on lentil was initially less than a third of that on the ancestral host [ mung bean, Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek ] and one fourth of females did not even recognize lentil as a potential host. This study examined the genetic lability of host acceptance. We performed both quasi-natural selection, in which replicate lines switched to lentil were compared with those remaining on mung bean, and artificial selection, in which lines were established using females from the base population that exhibited especially low or high acceptance of lentil during a short-term assay. After only five to eight generations of quasi-natural selection, lifetime fecundity on lentil was 2 to 3 times higher in the lentil lines than in the mung bean lines. Lentil-line females also accepted the novel host sooner after adult emergence. Similarly, a single generation of artificial selection was sufficient to increase oviposition on lentil in the acceptance line. Host acceptance was not genetically correlated with larval survival, which remained <2% in lines artificially selected for either high or low acceptance of lentil seeds. Although modification of oviposition behavior in this study was not nearly as striking as the increase in larval survival reported previously, the C. maculatus population possessed enough standing genetic variation in both larval physiology and adult behavior to permit rapid adaptation to a very poor host.
Calcium-sensing receptor mutations and denaturing high performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Cole David E C , Yun Francisco H J , Wong Betty Y L , Shuen Andrew Y , Booth Ronald A , Scillitani Alfredo , Pidasheva Svetlana , Zhou Xiang , Canaff Lucie , Hendy Geoffrey N
Published: January 2009

The calcium-sensing receptor (CASR), a plasma membrane G-protein-coupled receptor, is expressed in parathyroid gland and kidney, and controls systemic calcium homeostasis. Inactivating CASR mutations are associated with familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) and neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism, and activating mutations cause autosomal dominant hypocalcemia (ADH). CASR mutation identification plays an important role in the clinical management of mineral metabolism disorders. We describe here a high-throughput method using screening with denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) to initially interrogate 12 amplicons covering translated exons and exon/intron boundaries, followed by sequencing of any amplicon with a modified melting curve relative to wild type, and direct sequencing of a 13th amplicon encoding the COOH-terminal tail to distinguish causative mutations from three common missense single nucleotide polymorphisms. A blinded analysis of 32 positive controls representing mutations throughout the CASR sequence, as well as 22 negative controls, yielded a concordance rate of 100%. We report eight novel and five recurrent FHH mutations, along with six novel and two recurrent ADH mutations. Thus, DHPLC provides a rapid and effective means to screen for CASR mutations.
Identification of nonregulated pollutants in north sea-produced water discharges
Authors: Balaam Jan L. , Chan-Man Yin , Roberts Paul H. , Thomas Kevin V.
Published: January 2009

Produced water collected from oil and gas platforms on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf was characterized for nonregulated pollutants through an effects-directed analysis procedure. Produced water samples were characterized for the presence of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and estrogen receptor (ER) agonists using the dioxin-responsive, chemical-activated luciferase gene expression assay (DR-CALUX®) and yeast estrogen screen (YES) bioassays. The AhR and ER agonists were then isolated by normal-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography and identified using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry in a number of formats. The identified compounds were cross-referenced with those compounds routinely analyzed and regarded by the Oslo and Paris (OSPAR) Commission for the North East Atlantic as priority hazardous substances. The occurrence in produced water of a number of nonregulated compounds with demonstrable potential environmental effects is presented, to our knowledge for the first time. These include persistent organic contaminants, such as hexachlorobenzene, decachlorobiphenyl, and octachlorodibenzofuran.
Trends in the Distribution of Health Care Financing Across Developed Countries: The Role of Political Economy of States
Authors: Calikoglu Sule
Published: January 2009

Since the 1980s, major health care reforms in many countries have focused on redefining the boundaries of government through increasing emphasis on private sources of finance and delivery of health care. Apart from managerial and financial choices, the reliance on private sources reflects the political character of a country. This article explores whether the public-private mix of health care financing differs according to political traditions in a sample of 18 industrialized countries, analyzing a 30-year period. The results indicate that despite common trends in all four political traditions during the study period, the overall levels of expenditure and the rates of growth in public and private expenditures were different. Christian democratic countries had public expenditure levels as high as those in social democracies, but high levels of private expenditure differentiated them from the social democracies. Christian democratic countries also relied on both private insurance and out-of-pocket payments, while private insurance expenditures were very limited in social democratic countries. The level of public spending increased at much higher rates among ex-authoritarian countries over the 30 years, bringing these countries to the level of liberal countries by 2000.
Barrio Adentro and the Reduction of Health Inequalities in Venezuela: An Appraisal of the First Years
Authors: Armada Francisco , Muntaner Carles , Chung Haejoo , Williams-Brennan Leslie , Benach Joan
Published: January 2009

This article presents an update on the characteristics and performance of Venezuela's Bolivarian health care system, Barrio Adentro (Inside the Neighborhood). During its first five years of existence, Barrio Adentro has improved access and utilization of health services by reaching approximately 17 million impoverished and middle-class citizens all over Venezuela. This was achieved in approximately two years and provides an example of an immense “South-South” cooperation and participatory democracy in health care. Popular participation was achieved with the Comités de Salud (health committees) and more recently with the Consejos Comunales (community councils), while mostly Cuban physicians provided medical care. Examination of a few epidemiological indicators for the years 2004 and 2005 of Barrio Adentro reveals the positive impact of this health care program, in particular its primary care component, Barrio Adentro I. Continued political commitment and realistic evaluations are needed to sustain and improve Barrio Adentro, especially its primary care services.
Users and Suppliers of Physician Services: A Tale of Two Populations
Authors: Denton Frank T. , Gafni Amiram , Spencer Byron G.
Published: January 2009

Physician shortages and their implications for required increases in the physician population are matters of considerable interest in many health care systems, especially in the light of the widespread phenomenon of population aging. To determine the extent to which shortages exist, one needs to study the population of users of physician services as well as that of the physicians themselves. The authors study both, using the province of Ontario, Canada, as an example. The user population is projected and the implications for requirements calculated, conditional on given utilization rates. On the supplier side, the age and other characteristics of the (active) physician population are examined and patterns of withdrawal investigated. The necessary future growth of supply is calculated, assuming alternative levels of present shortages. The effects of population change on requirements are found to be smaller in the future than in the decade 1981–1991, in the aggregate, not far from the effects in 1991–2001, but highly variable among different categories of physicians.
To What Extent Should Labor and Environmental Standards Be Linked to Trade?
Authors: Shahin Magda
Published: January 2009

The re-emergence of the ever-lingering trade linkage debate, falling between the prevailing financial crisis unprecedented in its worldwide implications and the persistent failure of the negotiations of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA), underscores the contentiousness of incorporating non-trade values on labor and the environment as standards in the rules-based trading system. Is the World Trade Organization (WTO) ready and well disposed to enter into full-fledged negotiations to devise additional rules to deal with labor and the environment? Is the timing ripe to add new obligations onto member states when they are struggling with the "development round" and there is hardly an end in sight?This paper assesses the `real possibility' and the `extent' to which social and environmental standards should be incorporated in the rules-based trading system. The paper argues that at present there is no need for elaboration or the explicit accommodation of particular environmental or labor standards within WTO agreements. Nor is there any indication that consensus on the content of such standards could be achieved. The constructive ambiguity which is so characteristic to multilateralism at play, and the provisions in existing WTO agreements, in particular General Exceptions Article XX, already provide sufficient and flexible accommodation for these key values. The inclusion of specific and rigid standards governing non-trade matters in the WTO would be opening a Pandora's Box and if hastily addressed could have long-term and dangerous implications for the system as a whole, and its developing country members in particular.
The Demand for Financial Statements in an Unregulated Environment: An Examination of the Production and Use of Financial Statements by Privately Held Small Businesses
Authors: Allee Kristian D. , Yohn Teri Lombardi
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT: We examine the financial reporting practices of small privately held businesses that are not subject to SEC regulation. Specifically, we determine the factors associated with the production and use of financial statements for firms that have discretion in the preparation of financial statements and do not face the demands of public equity markets. In addition, for firms that prepare financial statements, we determine the factors associated with the sophistication of the financial statements in terms of whether the financials are compiled, reviewed, and/or audited by a professional accountant and whether the firm produces accrual-based financial statements. Finally, we examine the potential benefits afforded firms producing financial statements, having audited financial statements, and having accrual-based financial statements. We find that firms with audited financial statements benefit in the form of greater access to credit and that firms with accrual-based financial statements benefit in the form of a lower cost of credit.
The Information Content of Business Combination Disclosure Level
Authors: Shalev Ron
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT: This study explores causes and effects of business combinations disclosure level. Investigating the association between disclosure level on business combination and acquirers' future performance, I find that acquirers' future performance as measured by the change in ROA and by abnormal stock returns increases with abnormal levels of disclosure on business combinations. Investigating the determinants of business combination disclosure, I find that the disclosure level on business combinations decreases with abnormal levels of the purchase price allocated to goodwill. Both results provide evidence consistent with disclosure theory and suggest that acquirers tend to provide less forthcoming disclosure on less favorable acquisitions (“bad news”). I also provide evidence consistent with investors failing to immediately incorporate the information content of business combination disclosure level into their information set and evidence that investors are quicker to react to firms with negative abnormal disclosure.
Financial Statement and Projection Preparation in Start-Up Ventures
Authors: Cassar Gavin
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT: Using a representative sample of entrepreneurs who are in the process of starting a business, this study investigates the determinants of the preparation of financial statements and projections in start-up ventures. Consistent with predictions from information economics and contracting, I find that the use of outside funding, level of competition, and venture scale are positively associated with the intended frequency of financial statement preparation. However, comparing the economic significance of alternative influences suggests that the benefit of reducing competitive and fundamental uncertainty is more influential in explaining variations in intentions to prepare financial statements. Further, I find the determinants of preparation frequency vary among different financial statements; for instance, cash statements are more important for start-ups with products in earlier stages of development and with greater competition. In contrast to financial statements, the preparation of projections such as formal financial projections and regular sales forecasts by start-ups is positively associated with the importance of intangible investments such as patents, research and development, and with start-ups in high-tech industries.
Cross-Listing, Information Environment, and Market Value: Evidence from U.S. Firms that List on Foreign Stock Exchanges
Authors: Eng Li Li , Nabar Sandeep , Mian G. Mujtaba
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT: This paper examines how cross-listing impacts analyst coverage and forecast accuracy for U.S. firms that cross-list on foreign exchanges. By focusing on U.S. firms cross-listing abroad, we are able to discriminate between two competing explanations for the improvements in information intermediation experienced by foreign firms cross-listing in the U.S. (Lang, Lins, and Miller 2003); that is, whether the improvements are driven by generic cross-listing effects or by the strict disclosure and regulatory requirements specific to the U.S. markets. Our cross-sectional analysis indicates that cross-listing is negatively associated with analyst coverage, and our time-series analysis yields only marginal evidence of post-cross-listing improvement in forecast accuracy. Thus the cross-listing benefits documented in prior research for foreign firms cross-listing in the U.S. are not generalizable to all cross-listings and may be attributable to the strong disclosure and regulatory environment prevalent in the United States.
The Impact of the Asian Financial Crisis on Auditors' Conservatism
Authors: Herrmann Donald R. , Pornupatham Sompong , Vichitsarawong Thanyaluk
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT: We examine differences in conservatism between companies audited by Big 4 and non-Big 4 auditors during the financial crisis and post-crisis periods in Thailand. The results indicate a significant increase in conservatism following the Asian financial crisis. Moreover, Big 4 audit clients were more sensitive to bad news than non-Big 4 audit clients, particularly during the crisis period. In the post-crisis period, both Big 4 and non-Big 4 audit clients reported more conservative earnings. Interestingly, we found no significant difference in conservatism between Big 4 and non-Big 4 auditors in the post-crisis period, possibly due to the conscientious adoption of International Accounting Standards, more stringent control by regulatory bodies, and improvements in corporate governance in Thailand.
Actin regulators take the reins in Drosophila myoblast fusion
Authors: Önel Susanne-Filiz
Published: January 2009

Skeletal muscle formation, growth and repair depend on myoblast fusion events. Therefore, in-depth understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms controlling these events that ultimately lead to skeletal muscle formation may be fundamental for developing new therapies for tissue repair. To this end, the greatest advances in furthering understanding myoblast fusion has been made in Drosophila. Recent studies have shown that transient F-actin structures, so-called actin plugs or foci, are known to form at the site of contacting myoblasts. Indeed, actin regulators of the WASP family that control the activation of the Arp2/3 complex and thereby branched F-actin formation have been demonstrated to be crucial for myoblast fusion. Myoblast-specific cell adhesion molecules seem to be involved in the recruitment of WASP family members to the site of myoblast fusion and form a Fusion-Restricted Myogenic-Adhesive Structure (FuRMAS). Currently, the exact role of the FuRMAS is not completely understood. However, recent studies indicate that WASP-dependent F-actin regulation is required for fusion pore formation as well as for the correct integration of fusing myoblasts into the growing muscle. In this review, I discuss latest cellular studies, and recent genetic and biochemical analyses on actin regulation during myoblast fusion.
Functional discrimination of sea anemone neurotoxins using 3D-plotting
Authors: Morales Ludis , Acevedo Orlando , Martínez María , Gokhman Dmitry , Corredor Carlos
Published: January 2009

One of the most important goals in structural biology is the identification of functional relationships among the structure of proteins and peptides. The purpose of this study was to (1) generate a model based on theoretical and computational considerations among amino acid sequences within select neurotoxin peptides, and (2) compare the relationship these values have to the various toxins tested. We employed isolated neurotoxins from sea anemones with established specific potential to act on voltage-dependent sodium and potassium channel activity as our model. Values were assigned to each amino acid in the peptide sequence of the neurotoxins tested using the Number of Lareo and Acevedo algorithm (NULA). Once the NULA number was obtained, it was then plotted using three dimensional space coordinates. The results of this study allow us to report, for the first time, that there is a different numerical and functional relationship between the sequences of amino acids from sea anemone neurotoxins, and the resulting numerical relationship for each peptide, or NULA number, has a unique location in three-dimensional space.
Factors That Influence the Clinical Decision Making of Physical Therapists in Choosing a Balance Assessment Approach
Authors: McGinnis Patricia Q , Hack Laurita M , Nixon-Cave Kim , Michlovitz Susan L
Published: January 2009

Background

Many methods for examining patients with balance deficits are supported by the literature. How or why therapists choose specific balance assessment methods during examination of patients remains unclear.

Objectives

The aims of this study were: (1) to explore decision making during examination of patients with balance deficits, (2) to understand the selection and use of assessment methods from the clinician's perspective, and (3) to explore why specific methods were selected.

Design

A qualitative design using a grounded theory approach permitted exploration of clinical decision making.

Methods

Eleven therapists were purposefully selected (6 from outpatient offices, 5 from inpatient rehabilitation settings) to participate in repeated interviews. Credibility of the findings was established through low-inference data, member check, and triangulation among participants and multiple data sources.

Results

A highly individualized approach to patient examination based on therapists’ practical knowledge emerged from the data, with limited influence of the literature. Movement observation was the primary assessment and diagnostic tool. When selecting assessment approaches for specific patients, the perceived value of information gathered mattered more than testing time. A 3-stage model of assessment decision making portrayed both the process and reasons influencing therapists’ choices.

Conclusions

In the context of the complex and busy nature of clinical practice, therapists gathered data that they considered meaningful during patient examination. The findings provide insight into factors influencing assessment decisions and suggest mechanisms to foster translation of research into clinical practice.
Clinical and Bacteriological Profiles of Blood Culture Positive Sepsis in Newborns
Authors: Shrestha P , Das BK , Bhatta NK , Jha DK , Das B , Setia A , Tiwari A
Published: January 2009

Neonatal infections currently cause about 1.6 million deaths annually in developing countries. Sepsis and meningitis is responsible for most of these deaths. This study was undertaken to determine the clinical presentations, bacteriological profiles and antibiotic sensitivity patterns of isolates from blood cultures of neonates admitted in a tertiary care hospital in Eastern Nepal. All blood culture reports (n=103) during January 2006 - February 2007 from newborns admitted in neonatal division at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal were analyzed and antibiotic sensitivity patterns were studied. The positive blood culture was 20% (103/513). Most (97.1%) of the sepsis was caused by single organism, while polymicrobial aetiology was observed in 2.9% cases. Meningitis was documented in 9(8.7%) cases. Staphylococcus aureus (38.8%) and coagulase negative staphylococcus (CONS) (21.3%) are the commonest isolates in blood culture. Among gram-negative organisms, Klebsiella species (11.6%) and Enterobacter species (9.7%) were the leading cause of neonatal sepsis. Majority of newborns with neonatal sepsis presented with refusal to feeds (42.7%), fever (41.7%) and jaundice (41.7%). Most of the organisms showed sensitivity with amino glycosides (gentamicin and amikacin) and third generation cephalosporins. It is concluded that Staphylococcus aureus, CONS, and Klebsiella species remain the principal organisms causing neonatal sepsis and first line antibiotics like amino glycosides should be first choice of drugs. Key words: Blood culture, neonatal sepsis, antibiotic sensitivity. doi:10.3126/jnps.v27i2.1411   J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.27(2) p.64-67
Role of Serum Alanine Aminotransferase Aspartate Aminotransferase and Alkaline Phosphatase in Early Detection of Protein Energy Malnutrition
Authors: Karmacharya K , Islam MN
Published: January 2009

Objective: Although Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) has been studied extensively; the best criteria for its detection in early stages have not been established. This study was carried out to observe the change in transaminases, alkaline phosphatase levels when compared with control and also to see their relationships with various grades of PEM. Then to see if certain biochemical parameters could be used to detect malnutrition in early stage. Methods: Cross sectional study between Jan 1999-Dec 2000,124 children from 5 months to 5 years were included in the study. Out of 124 children 98 (79%) were cases and 26 (21%) normal age matched healthy controls. Cases were divided into groups as per Gomez classification (Group 1-Grade I PEM, 37;Group 2- Grade II PEM, 34; Group 3- Grade III PEM27; and Group 4 26 Healthy controls). Three serum enzymes, Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) was analyzed and for statistical analysis student's "t" test was used. Results: The mean serum values +SD of ALT (Grade I PEM-41.40 +13.25,Grade II PEM-31.53+10.6,GradeIIIPEM-33.77+12.45,Control-23.11+8.73) and Aspartate aminotransferase (Grade I PEM-42.8+11.06,Grade II PEM 31.47+8.32,GradeIII PEM 35.00+10.86, Control-25.42+8.77) in patients with PEM were significantly (p
An Overview of Renal Diseases in Children in Pokhara
Authors: Malla T , Malla KK , Thapalial A , Sharma MS
Published: January 2009

Objective: To determine the current pattern and prevalence of renal diseases in childhood in this region of Nepal. Material and Methods: A retrospective study of the renal diseases in children attending the Pediatric OPD and those hospitalised in Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara was done over a period of 6 years (September 2000- September 2006). A detailed clinical and laboratory evaluation was performed at baseline. The children were managed according to disease diagnosed. These cases are under follow up and some have undergone surgical treatment. Results: 228 children (123 boys & 105girls) were diagnosed to have renal disease. Among them 39.5% had urinary tract infection (UTI), 30.7 % were suffering from acute glomerulonephritis (AGN), 17.5% were cases of nephrotic syndrome (NS) and 12 % had some other problems for example, 6.14% had genetic defects, 2.63% had renal Stone, 2.2% had pre-renal acute renal failure, unexplained recurrent hematuria in 1.3%. All the cases of UTI underwent through investigation and were treated accordingly. All cases of AGN are planned for follow up for 1½ yrs and among them 3 required biopsy till date. All cases of NS are under regular follow-ups and 2 have undergone biopsy. Renal stone was operated successfully. All cases of acute and chronic renal failures had required dialysis. Out of 5 (2.5%) chronic renal failures, 2 with end stage renal disease expired after repeated hemodialysis and three are still requiring dialysis. Among the obstructive uropathies, 43 % had renal stone, 36 % had posterior urethral valve and 21% VUR. Conclusion: It can be concluded that renal disease is not uncommon in children. It can be completely cured with proper and adequate treatment. Sometimes it has a bad prognosis when it reaches end stage renal disease. Early recognition, timely treatment and regular follow up are mandatory in management of children with renal diseases. Key words: Renal disease pattern, UTI, AGN, NS, Obstructive Uropathy, Renal failure   doi:10.3126/jnps.v27i2.1414 J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.27(2) p.75-78
A Study of Early Neonatal Deaths at Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital
Authors: Shrestha M , Bajracharya BL , Manandhar DS
Published: January 2009

Over 9 million deaths occur each year in the perinatal and neonatal periods globally. 98% of these deaths take place in the developing world. Nepal has a high neonatal mortality rate (NMR) of 38.6 per 1000 live births (2001). Two thirds of the newborn deaths usually occur in the first week of life (early neonatal death). Newborn survival has become an important issue to improve the overall health status and for achieving the millennium developmental goals of a developing country like Nepal. Aims and Objectives: This study was carried out to determine the causes of early neonatal deaths (ENND) at KMCTH in the two-year period from November 2003 to October2005 (Kartik 2060 B.S. to Ashoj 2062). Methodology: This is a prospective study of all the early neonatal deaths in KMCTH during the two-year study period. Details of each early neonatal death were filled in the standard perinatal death audit forms of the Department. Results: Out of the 1517 total births in the two-year period, there were 10 early neonatal deaths (ENND). Early neonatal death rate during the study period was 6.7 per 1000 live births and early neonatal death rate (excluding less than 1 kg) was 6.1 per 1000 live births The important causes of early neonatal deaths were extreme prematurity, birth asphyxia, congenital anomalies and septicaemia. During the study period, there was no survival of babies with a birth weight of less than 1 kg. Among the maternal characteristics, 80% of the mothers of early neonatal deaths were aged between 20-35 years. 50% of the mothers were primigravida. 50% of the mothers of ENNDs had delivered their babies by caesarean section.Discussion: Most of the early neonatal deaths were due to extreme prematurity. Birth asphyxia was the second most important cause of early neonatal deaths. 70% of ENNDs were among LBW babies. Prevention of premature delivery, proper management of very low birth weight babies and early detection and appropriate management of perinatal hypoxia have become important interventional strategies in reducing early neonatal deaths in KMCTH.Conclusion: Early neonatal mortality at KMCTH is fairly low. Good care during pregnancy, labour and after the birth of the baby has helped to achieve these results. Low cost locally made equipments were used to manage the sick newborns. Reduction of early neonatal deaths require more intensive care including use of ventilators, surfactant and parenteral nutrition and prevention of preterm births Key words: Early neonatal death (ENND), neonatal mortality   doi:10.3126/jnps.v27i2.1584 J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol 27(2), p.79-82
A Case of Acute Flaccid Paralysis: An Uncommon Presentation of a Common Disease
Authors: Shrestha S , Regmi Subodh Kr
Published: January 2009

doi:10.3126/jnps.v27i2.1585 J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.27(2) p.83
Intussusception- A Case Report
Authors: Gurubacharya SM , Gurubacharya RL
Published: January 2009

Intussusception, the invagination of a portion of the intestine into itself, is one of the emergencies in infancy and childhood. The etiology may be idiopathic or secondary to some pathology within the wall of the bowel. Most cases (90%) are idiopathic with no identifiable lesion acting as the lead point or pathological apex of the intussusceptum Children may present at any age but this occurs most commonly in the first year. The mode of presentation may vary depending upon the time of presentation. A case of intussusception confirmed with the help of an abdominal ultrasound in 10 month old infant who presented with only persistent vomiting but in the absence of classic features is reported with brief review of literature. Key words: vomiting, USG, classic triad   doi:10.3126/jnps.v27i2.1586 J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.27(2) p.84-86
Myelofibrosis in a Child with Tuberculosis: A Case Report
Authors: Malla K , Malla T , Thaplial A
Published: January 2009

Myelofibrosis (MF), or fibrosis of the bone marrow, is an uncommon condition in children. Fewer than 100 cases have been described in the medical literature. Most cases in children arise secondary to other disease processes. We present a case of Myelofibrosis in a 12-year-old girl. The purpose of reporting this case is that this child had a diagnostic dilemma and was sent home with poor prognosis but with proper diagnosis and treatment she improved and may have a complete cure, as the myelofibrosis was secondary to tuberculosis. Key words: myelofibrosis, tuberculosis, acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL)   doi:10.3126/jnps.v27i2.1588 J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.27(2) p.90-92
Getting the JNPS Indexed
Authors: Editor The
Published: January 2009

doi:10.3126/jnps.v29i1.1591 J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.29(1) p.1-2
Kangaroo Mother Care for Low Birth Weight Babies: A prospective Observational Study
Authors: Subedi K , Aryal DR , Gurubacharya SM
Published: January 2009

Introduction: Kangaroo Mother Care is the low cost, humane technique for caring low birth weight babies by direct skin to contact with the mother. Objective: The Prospective observational study was done to see the effect of KMC especially on weight gain on low birth weight babies weighing 2000 grams or less at Special Care Baby Unit of Paropakar Maternity and Women's hospital, Kathmandu. Method: The study was conducted in Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital over 7 months period May 2007 to Nov. 2008 (from Baishakh 2064 to Kartik 2065). The method of care consisted of skin to skin contact between the mother and the infant. Result: It was observed that babies had good weight gain of average 30gms/day and had short duration of hospital stay of average 9 days. Babies had less morbidities like hypothermia, apnea, skin infections and oral thrush. 100% babies had exclusive breast feeding and KMC was acceptable to mothers. Conclusion: Kangaroo Mother Care shows early and good weight gain in low birth weight babies. It is simple, low cost technique and well acceptable by mother and family and can be continued at home. Key words: Kangaroo mother   doi:10.3126/jnps.v29i1.1593 J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.29(1) p.6-9
Emperical Oral Antibiotic Therapy for Children with Low Risk Febrile Neutropenia during Cancer Chemotherapy
Authors: Shrestha PN , Sah K , Rana R
Published: January 2009

Introduction: In patient with fever and neutropenia during cancer chemotherapy who have a low risk of complications, oral antibiotic may be an acceptable alternative to intravenous antibiotics. Methods: We conducted a prospective hospital based study to the patients who had fever and neutropenia during caner chemotherapy. Only low risk patients i.e. neutropenia of less than seven days, ANC >250/cmm, without any signs of shock were included in the study. All the patients were hospitalized and given oral antibiotics Ofloxacin and Amoxy-Clav and were closely observed until fever subsided for more than 48 hours and improved from neutropenia. Results: A total of 54 cases were enrolled in the study. Out of 54 patients two patients were lost, 8 needed IV antibiotics for different reasons and 44 patients (81%) improved well with oral antibiotics only. Conclusion: In hospitalized low risk patients who have fever and neutropenia, empirical therapy with oral ofloxacin and amoxy-clav may be a safe alternative to IV antibiotics. Key words: Febrile Neutropenia, Cancer Chemotherapy, ANC.   doi:10.3126/jnps.v29i1.1596 J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.29(1) p.22-25
A 14-year-old boy with Isolated Tuberculous Orchitis
Authors: Gurubacharya RL , Gurubacharya SM
Published: January 2009

The genitourinary tract is the most common extrapulmonary site affected by tuberculosis. The male genital organs are involved in more than 50% of patients. The epididymis is the commonest structure to be involved, followed by the seminal vesicles, prostate, testis, and the vas deferens. An isolated tuberculous orchitis without epididymal involvement is rare. This case report describes extra pulmonary tuberculosis with exclusively testicular presentation. The confirmatory diagnosis of which was made by FNAC of the testis. It provides a successful diagnosis, thereby preventing unnecessary orchidectomy. Key words: genitourinary tuberculosis, testis, USG, FNAC   doi:10.3126/jnps.v29i1.1598 J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.29(1) p.30-32
Thanatophoric Dysplasia
Authors: Gurubacharya SM , Subedi K , Aryal DR
Published: January 2009

doi:10.3126/jnps.v29i1.1599J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.29(1) p.33-34
Epidemiology of Japanese Encephalitis in Nepal
Authors: Pant SD
Published: January 2009

doi:10.3126/jnps.v29i1.1600J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.29(1) p.35-37
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Authors: Editor The
Published: January 2009

doi:10.3126/jnps.v29i1.1601J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.29(1) p.38-48
Synge's Playboy and the Eugenics of Language
Authors: Crawford Nicholas
Published: January 2009

While much criticism of The Playboy of the Western World has focused on Christy's self-actualization through language, this essay asserts that Synge's imaginatively hybrid diction constitutes a critique of the discourses of heritage contemporaneous with the play's debut – biological and cultural, eugenic and evolutionary, as well as the projects of cultural and literary recuperation so central to the Irish Literary Revival. The drama's eugenic component reveals itself in the overarching objective of the main character, which is to kill his father and reinvigorate his lineage by marrying the beautiful and vital Pegeen Mike. The drama's cultural work is embedded in its linguistic negotiation between the colonizers' English and the land's native Gaelic. The inexorable force of unwanted heritage (biological, cultural, theatrical, linguistic) is subverted only through an imaginative act that both acknowledges and transforms the authority of the past.
Resonating Bodies and the Poetics of Aurality; Or, Gertrude Stein's Theatre
Authors: Frank Johanna
Published: January 2009

This essay considers theories of performance, modernism, and theatricality, as well as Gertrude Stein's critical writing, creative work, and correspondence on the topics of portraits, drama, staging, and theatre. By focusing on aurality and assuming Stein's plays anticipate the physical and temporal registers of theatre, we might understand the shift from her portraits to her plays as an exploration of how knowledge evolves from sensory perception to establish a relationship between producers and receivers of sounds. Her plays deploy voice as a means to accomplish what her portraits could not: the performance of embodiment. Performance becomes a mode of encounter, an aesthetic experience that involves perceptual engagement and transaction. Even as actors' bodies may stand in for voices, appearing to “embody” the voices conventionally, we gain access to entities only through the word-sounds they utter as a mosaic of fragments that elide referential signification. The implication of this mode, in terms of how we understand and conceive of embodiment, suggests that embodiment is a sensory experience defined by both absence and presence.
An Experiment in Modern Vaudeville: Archiving the Wretched Refuse in John Howard Lawson's Processional
Authors: Jerving Ryan
Published: January 2009

John Howard Lawson's Processional: A Jazz Symphony of American Life (1925) was an experiment in putting mass cultural forms to leftist avant-garde uses. But as the play negotiates the conflict between two basic principles for organizing mass culture's stock materials – between vaudeville and the symphony – it stages a basic tension between an item-level approach to collecting “acts” and a collection-level imposition of structure on atomized parts. Lawson's play staggers between an impulse to present a found poem of American popular, national, and industrial culture, warts and all, and an impulse to submit that culture to the kind of focused critique that could extricate the play from the vaudeville logic of the commodity fetish. This unstable but productive archival détente would give way in Processional's afterlife, when its vaudeville excesses, particularly its representation of stereotyped ethnic difference within the national collection, proved subject to a history of reappraisal and de-accessioning.