bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and evaluation of an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the determination of the trypanocidal drug homidium in serum of treated cattle
Authors: Murilla  , Eisler  , Peregrine  , Ndung’U  , Holmes
Published: March 2003

Two enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for the determination of homidium in serum of treated cattle have been developed and evaluated. One is a direct competition (Assay 1) and the other an indirect competition assay (Assay 2). Both assays are highly sensitive with a limit of detection of 0.1 ng homidium per mL serum. Homidium levels were measurable in serum of cattle for over 2 months following administration of a single intramuscular (i.m.) dose at 1 mg/kg bodyweight. The level of sensitivity afforded by these assays makes them potentially useful tools in the pharmacokinetic evaluation of homidium and for invetigating drug resistance or causes of drug failure. Assay 2 was chosen as being most suitable for further studies.
Pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of two suxibuzone oral dosage forms in horses
Authors: Jaraiz  , Rodriguez  , San Andres  , Gonzalez  , San Andres
Published: March 2003

A disposition and bioequivalence study with a suxibuzone granulated and a suxibuzone paste oral formulation was performed in horses. Suxibuzone (SBZ) is a nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug, which was administered to horses (n = 6) at a dosage of 19 mg/kg bwt by the oral route (p.o.) in a two period cross‐over design. Suxibuzone is very rapidly transformed into its main active metabolites, phenylbutazone (PBZ) and oxyphenbutazone (OPBZ). Therefore plasma and synovial fluid concentrations of SBZ, PBZ and OPBZ were simultaneously measured by a sensitive and specific high‐performance liquid chromatographic method. The pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by noncompartmental analysis. Suxibuzone could not be detected in any plasma and synovial fluid samples (< 0.04 μg/mL). Plasma PBZ and OPBZ concentrations were detected between 30 min and 72 h after granulate and paste administration. Mean plasma concentration of PBZ peaked at 5 h (34.5 ± 6.7 μg/mL) and at 7 h (38.8 ± 8.4 μg/mL), and mean area under the concentration–time curve (AUC0→LOQ) was 608.0 ± 162.2 μg·h/mL and 656.6 ± 149.7 μg·h/mL after granulate and paste administration, respectively. Mean plasma concentration of OPBZ increased to 5–6.7 μg/mL, with the maximum concentration (Cmax) appearing between 9 and 12 h after administration of both formulations. The AUCs0→LOQ for OPBZ were also similar (141.8 ± 48.3 μg·h/mL granulate vs. 171.4 ± 45.0 μg·h/mL paste). It was concluded that the suxibuzone products were bioequivalent with respect to PBZ. For OPBZ, the 95% confidence intervals of the pharmacokinetic parameters were within the acceptable range of 80–125%. The paste formulation provided greater bioavailability of PBZ and OPBZ.
Response to criticisms of the US FDA parametric approach for withdrawal time estimation: rebuttal and comparison to the nonparametric method proposed by Concordet and Toutain
Authors: Martinez  , Friedlander  , Condon  , Meneses  , O’Rangers  , Weber  , Miller
Published: March 2003

The benefits and drawbacks of using nonparametric methods for estimating product withdrawal times have been debated for many years. This issue was recently revived by Concordet & Toutain (1997a, b) when they described a nonparametric method for withdrawal time estimation. The authors urged the international adoption of this approach, basing their recommendation on three fundamental concerns: (1) the lack of a consistent official procedure for determining a withdrawal time within the European Union (EU); (2) the need to identify a statistical method for improving the international harmonization of withdrawal times for new chemical entities; and (3) a lack of confidence in the robustness of the US Food and Drug Administration/Center for Veterinary Medicine (US FDA) procedure, particularly with respect to minor violations in the underlying parametric assumptions.

Due to the critical nature of these issues, the US FDA considers it vital to respond to these concerns. This paper provides a description of the US FDA parametric procedure. We also examine the statistical concerns expressed by Concordet and Toutain, identifying the reasons for our confidence in the US FDA parametric approach. Finally, using their Monte Carlo simulation models, we generate additional datasets to explore the behaviour of their nonparametric procedure and evaluate its ability to support US FDA regulatory activities.
Clenbuterol in the horse: urinary concentrations determined by ELISA and GC/MS after clinical doses
Authors: Harkins J. D. , Woods W. E. , Lehner A. F. , Fisher M. , Tobin T.
Published: March 2003

Clenbuterol is a β2 agonist/antagonist bronchodilator marketed as Ventipulmin® and is the only member of this group of drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in horses. Clenbuterol is a class 3 drug in the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) classification system; therefore, its identification in postrace samples may lead to sanctions. Recently, the sensitivity of postrace testing for clenbuterol has been substantially increased. The objective of this study was to determine the ‘detection times’ for clenbuterol after administration of an oral clinical dose (0.8 g/kg, b.i.d.) of Ventipulmin syrup. Five horses received oral clenbuterol (0.8 g/kg, b.i.d.) for 10 days, and urine concentrations of clenbuterol were determined by an enhanced enzyme‐linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) test and gas chromatography/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) analysis by two different methods for 30 days after administration. Twenty‐four hours after the last administration, urine concentrations of apparent clenbuterol, as measured by ELISA, averaged about 500 ng/mL, dropping to about 1 ng/mL by day 5 posttreatment. However, there was a later transient increase in the mean concentrations of apparent clenbuterol in urine, peaking at 7 ng/mL on day 10 postadministration. The urine samples were also analysed using mass spectral quantification of both the trimethylsilyl (TMS) and methane boronic acid (MBA) derivatives of clenbuterol. Analysis using the TMS method showed that, at 24 h after the last administration, the mean concentration of recovered clenbuterol was about 22 ng/mL. Thereafter, clenbuterol concentrations fell below the limit of detection of the TMS‐method by day 5 after administration but became transiently detectable again at day 10, with a mean concentration of about 1 ng/mL. Derivatization with MBA offers significant advantages over TMS for the mass spectral detection of clenbuterol, primarily because MBA derivatization yields a high molecular weight base peak of 243 m/z, which is ideal for quantitative purposes. Therefore, mass spectral analyses of selected urine samples, including the transient peak on day 10, were repeated using MBA derivatization, and comparable results were obtained. The results show that clenbuterol was undetectable in horse urine by day 5 after administration. However, an unexpected secondary peak of clenbuterol was observed at day 10 after administration that averaged ∼1 ng/mL. Because of this secondary peak, the detection time for clenbuterol (0.8 g/kg, b.i.d. × 10 days) is at least 11 days if the threshold for detection is set at 1 ng/mL.
Depletion study of trimethoprim and sulphadiazine in milk and its relationship with mastitis pathogenic bacteria strains minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in dairy cows
Authors: Nuñez B. San Martín , Cañon H. , Iragüen D. , Espinoza S. , Lillo J.
Published: March 2003

Time‐related concentrations in milk of a combination of trimethoprim–sulphadiazine (TMP–SDZ) intramammary formulated infusion and its relationship with pathogenic bacteria strains minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) isolated from clinical mastitis cows were analysed. The MICs study was performed forEscherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcussp. strains. The SDZ concentrations in milk were analysed using high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and TMP using a microbiological assay. Ten lactating cows milked three times daily were used in the time–concentration studies of TMP–SDZ. Milk samples (approximately 20 mL) from the treated mammary quarters were taken at 6, 12, 24, 30 and 36 h after first administration. In order to define the withdrawal time, milk samples from the treated mammary quarters were taken at 24, 36, 48, 72, 84 and 96 h, after finishing the therapy. The MICs fluctuated between 1 and 8 μg/mL. Effective therapeutic concentrations lasted for 36 h when intramammary infusion was repeated three times every 12 h. No TMP was detected in milk for 24 h after finishing therapy. Milk SDZ concentrations were below 0.1 μg/mL in all treated cows after 84 h finishing therapy. At 96 h after finishing therapy, no SDZ milk concentrations were found in six animals, although four animals of the experimental group still had concentrations of 0.07 μg/mL.
Does the rate of fat deposition influence the pharmacokinetic disposition of subcutaneously administered moxidectin and ivermectin in pigs?
Authors: Craven J. , Hennessy D. R. , Friis C.
Published: March 2003

Body condition has been shown to affect the pharmacokinetics of subcutaneously administered macrocyclic lactone anthelmintics but the underlying mechanism is unknown. This study examined the effect of different rates of fat deposition on the pharmacokinetics of moxidectin (MXD) and ivermectin (IVM).

All animals initially received a diet with a high linoleic acid content for 7 weeks. One group of animals then received a normal grower diet while the other half received a maintenance ration. Within each diet group, animals were treated with either IVM (n = 4) or MXD (n = 4) or remained as untreated controls (n = 2).

There was no difference in the proportion of linoleic acid between the drug treated groups and the untreated controls at any time throughout the study. At 4 and 9 weeks after treatment there was a significantly lower proportion of linoleic acid in the pigs fed the normal ration indicating a greater fat deposition in these animals compared with those that received the maintenance diet.

There was an increased persistence of MXD in the plasma of pigs fed the normal ration compared with those fed the maintenance ration. No differences were seen in the kinetic disposition of IVM between pigs fed the maintenance or normal ration.

Reducing the rate of fat deposition influenced the pharmacokinetic disposition of the highly lipophilic MXD but did not influence the pharmacokinetic disposition of the less lipophilic IVM.
Role of immune serum globulins in pregnant women during an epidemic of hepatitis E
Authors: Arankalle V. A. , Chadha M. S. , Dama B. M. , Tsarev S. A. , Purcell R. H. , Banerjee K.
Published: March 2003

The efficacy of an Indian preparation of immune serum globulins (ISG) was evaluated among pregnant women during an epidemic of hepatitis E in Karad, Western India from January to March 1993. Ten of 55 women receiving ISG developed immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies to hepatitis E virus (anti‐HEV) during the 1 month of follow‐up compared with 18 out of 53 control subjects. Although the total number of recent HEV infections was significantly less in the ISG‐treated group, no significant difference could be shown in the proportion of clinical hepatitis E cases because of the very small numbers of patients who developed clinical disease. The observed marginal beneficial effect of ISG might be the result of a low immunoglobulin G (IgG) anti‐HEV IgG titre (1:500) of the ISG preparation used. Preparation and testing of high‐titred ISG should be a high priority for protecting pregnant women during epidemics of hepatitis E.
Hepatitis B envelope protein mutants in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues
Authors: Zhong S. , Chan J. Y. H. , Yeo W. , Tam J. S. , Johnson P. J.
Published: March 2003

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) envelope mutants in the region encoding the highly immunogenic major hydrophilic region (MHR) of surface antigen (HBsAg) have been associated with vaccine failure and chronic infection. To determine if these mutants are associated with the development of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we measured the frequency and nature of such mutants in 23 HBV‐associated HCC and various control tissues by performing Southern blot analysis, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing. The HBV genome was present mainly in an integrated form and, in most of the samples, the envelope gene was intact. Amino acid substitutions, involving the MHR region in the HCC tissues, were analysed in 11 (61.1%) of 18 patients with HCC. The mutation Gly145Arg, which has been reported to be associated with immunoevasion, was found in seven of the 18 HCC tissues. A significantly higher frequency of mutations was found in HCC tissues (11 of 18) than in the corresponding non‐tumorous tissue of the same patients (one of eight), and in samples from patients with acute (one of 19) or chronic (three of 31) HBV infection (P < 0.001, Fisher’s exact test). The accumulation of these envelope mutants in the HCC tissue suggests that such envelope protein mutations may play a role in the process of oncogenesis and that specific vaccines may need to be developed to prevent the occurrence of mutant HBV‐associated HCC. Alternatively, the progressive accumulation of mutants in patients with acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis and HCC may reflect the increased length of duration of HBV infection in these groups of liver lesions.
Properties of the hepatitis C virus core protein: a structural protein that modulates cellular processes
Authors: McLauchlan
Published: March 2003

The core protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is believed to form the capsid shell of virus particles. Maturation of the protein is achieved through cleavage by host cell proteases to give a product of 21 000 MW, which is found in tissue culture systems and sera from infected individuals. However, efficient propagation of the virus is not possible at present in tissue culture. Hence, studies have focused on the properties of the core protein and its possible role in pathologies associated with HCV infection. This review describes key features of the polypeptide and the status of current knowledge on its ability to influence several cellular processes.
Assessment of hepatitis C virus RNA and genotype from 6807 patients with chronic hepatitis C in the United States
Authors: Blatt  , Mutchnick  , Tong  , Klion  , Lebovics  , Freilich  , Bach  , Smith  , Herrera  , Tobias  , Conrad  , Schmid  , McHutchison
Published: March 2003

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA status and HCV genotype have become important tools in the diagnosis and monitoring of therapy in chronic HCV infection. To establish a database with respect to HCV genotype and serum HCV RNA concentrations in chronic hepatitis C patients in the United States, we analysed 6807 chronic hepatitis C patients who had HCV RNA and HCV genotype tests conducted at a central laboratory. The HCV RNA concentration cut‐off for the lower 25th percentile of this population (low titre) was 0.9 × 106 copies ml–1. The median HCV RNA concentration was 3.5 × 106 copies ml–1 and the cut‐off for the upper 25th percentile (high titre) was 5 × 106 copies ml–1.  Male patients had a median HCV RNA concentration of 3.9 × 106 copies ml–1, which was significantly higher than the median HCV RNA level for females (2.75 × 106 copies ml–1; P < 0.001). HCV genotype 1 was detected in 73% of patients; genotype 2 in 14%; genotype 3 in 8%; mixed genotype in 4%; and genotypes 4, 5 and 6 with a frequency of < 1%. Patients from the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest had significantly (P < 0.001) more infections with genotype 1 than patients from the Western and Southern regions. African–American patients were more likely to be infected with genotype 1 when compared with Caucasian, Hispanic or Asian Pacific Islanders (P < 0.001). Patients infected with HCV genotype 1 and mixed HCV genotypes had significantly higher serum HCV RNA concentrations when compared with HCV genotypes 2 and 3 (P < 0.001 for all comparisons).
Stability of HCV‐RNA level and its lack of correlation with disease severity in asymptomatic chronic hepatitis C virus carriers
Authors: Yeo A. E. T. , Ghany M. , Conry‐Cantilena C. , Melpolder J. C. , Kleiner D. E. , Shih J. W. K. , Hoofnagle J. H. , Alter H. J.
Published: March 2003

This study examines the relationship between HCV‐RNA levels and disease severity in 60 individuals with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. HCV‐RNA levels were quantified by the branched DNA (bDNA) assay in 445 samples (median: eight samples per patient) obtained over a median of 40.4 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 37.0–42.5). The median log HCV‐RNA level was 6.77 (95% CI: 6.62–6.92) molecular equivalents/mL (MEQ/mL). The median log range of HCV‐RNA levels in individual patients over the course of the study was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.69–1.16). HCV‐RNA level varied over time by less than one log in 62% of patients, by 1–1.5 logs in 22% and by greater than 1.5 logs in only 17%. Univariate analysis, revealed an inverse association between HCV‐RNA levels and ALT levels (P=0.037). Univariate and logistic regression analysis showed no significant association between HCV‐RNA levels and either the degree of inflammation or fibrosis. In contrast, there was a significant positive association between alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and histological activity especially in individuals with ALTs>  100 IU/L. Hence, HCV‐RNA levels: (i) almost always fell within the dynamic range of the bDNA assay; (ii) were stable in asymptomatic chronically infected patients, with only a small proportion of patients exceeding a range of 1.5 logs; (iii) did not correlate with either the extent of inflammation or degree of fibrosis. In contrast, there was a strong association between ALT level and the histological severity of liver disease.
Clinical significance of elevated serum interferon‐ inducible protein‐10 levels in hepatitis C virus carriers with persistently normal serum transaminase levels
Authors: Itoh Y. , Morita A. , Nishioji K. , Narumi S. , Toyama T. , Daimon Y. , Nakamura H. , Kirishima T. , Okanoue T.
Published: March 2003

The aim of this study was to assess the immuno‐ logical profile in hepatitis C virus carriers with persistently normal serum transaminase levels. Forty‐two serum HCV RNA positive patients with persistently normal serum transaminase levels (22 natural ‘asymptomatic HCV carriers’ and 20 biochemical responders to IFN therapy) and 23 complete responders to IFN therapy were enrolled. The HCV genotypes and serum HCV RNA levels were determined before IFN therapy in treatment responders, and at entry in the others. The serum levels of IFN‐inducible protein‐10 (IP‐10) (a protein mainly induced by IFN‐γ), interleukin (IL)‐10, and IL‐4 were measured in all patients while the serum transaminase levels were normal. The serum transaminase levels and platelet counts were then monitored for the next 4 years and the changes in liver fibrosis were assessed. The serum levels of IP‐10 in infected and biochemically normal patients were significantly higher than the levels in complete responders to therapy, whereas the serum levels of IL‐10 and IL‐4 did not vary significantly among the different groups. During the 4‐year follow‐up period, 10/20 (50%) biochemical responders and 12/22 (55%) asymptomatic carriers had an elevation of the serum transaminase levels. A significant (P=0.0370) increase in platelet count after 4 years and improvement in liver fibrosis were noted in treatment responders but not in infected patients. The weak but significant residual immune response as reflected by the increased serum IP‐10 level may underlie the outcome of HCV carriers with persistently normal serum transaminase levels.
Inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in chronic viral hepatitis and its relation with histological severity of disease
Authors: Kandemir Ö. , Polat A. , Kaya A.
Published: March 2003

summary. The role of nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of chronic viral hepatitis is not known. Elevated nitric oxide production is assumed to be responsible for the pathological changes in many inflammatory conditions, mainly via peroxynitrite, a potential oxidant that is produced by the reduction of superoxide anion with nitric oxide. The intensity and the distribution of the immunohistochemical staining of intrahepatic inducible nitric oxide synthase were studied in the biopsy specimens obtained from 63 patients with viral hepatitis and 13 patients with elevated transaminase levels of various aetiologies. Hepatic inducible nitric oxide synthase staining was significantly more intense in the viral hepatitis group (P = 0.000). Inducible nitric oxide synthase staining levels correlated well with the severity of the viral hepatitis using the Knodell's liver histological activity index (r = 0.393, P = 0.002) Among the viral hepatitis group, the pathological distribution of the inducible nitric oxide synthase staining favoured the periportal hepatocytes (zone 1) whereas less staining was observed in parenchymal hepatocytes zone of 2 and 3 and bile duct epithelium. As nitric oxide mediated nitration of hepatocellular proteins is elevated in inflamed hepatic tissues and is correlated with the severity of the disease, we suggest that inducible nitric oxide synthase can possibly have a critical role in the pathogenesis of chronic viral hepatitis.
TT virus has a ubiquitous diffusion in human body tissues: analyses of paired serum and tissue samples
Authors: Pollicino T. , Raffa G. , Squadrito G. , Costantino L. , Cacciola I. , Brancatelli S. , Alafaci C. , Florio M. G. , Raimondo G
Published: March 2003

summary. The tissue tropism and possible correlation with liver disease of the TT virus (TTV) as well as its prevalence and genotype distribution remain undefined. TTV‐DNA was investigated in paired sera and tissue samples from 144 patients, and sera and cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) from additional six subjects. Of the 144 tissue samples, 128 were liver biopsy specimens from subjects with hepatic disease while 16 were surgically obtained nonliver specimens from patients with extrahepatic disease. TTV cloning, sequencing and genotype analyses were performed on isolates from sera, tissue specimens and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of two patients with hepatic and four patients with extrahepatic pathologies, as well as from sera and CSFs of two subjects. TTV was found in 100% of the examined tissues and in 60.1 and 50% of sera from patients with hepatic and extrahepatic pathologies, respectively. Moreover, TTV was detected in four of the six CSFs analysed but only in two correspondent sera. Genotyping revealed the coexistence of multiple TTV genotypes and genetic variants in each infected individual, and the analysis of TTV mRNA showed the presence of transcripts in all the six different tissues studied. These results indicate that the entire adult population in our area is more likely infected by TTV, although several subjects are not viraemic and that TTV infects many different human tissues and is able to invade the central nervous system.
Mammal distributions in the western Mediterranean: the role of human intervention
Authors: Dobson M.
Published: March 2003

The natural distribution of the 17 non‐flying mammal species occurring wild in both the Maghreb (north‐west Africa) and Iberia (south‐west Europe) is considered. It is concluded that only four species – Red Fox Vulpes vulpes, Wild Boar Sus scrofa, Wild Cat Felis silvestris and Otter Lutra lutra – are native to both regions, while another three – Red Deer Cervus elaphus, Brown Bear Ursus arctos and Aurochs Bos primigenius – were native to North Africa until the mid‐Holocene but have probably died out naturally. Algerian Hedgehog Atelerix algirus, Barbary Ape Macaca sylvanus, Genet Genetta genetta and Egyptian Mongoose Herpestes ichneumon are widely accepted as introductions to Europe from North Africa. The remaining six species, and Red Deer now found in Africa, were also probably introduced – Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, Weasel Mustela nivalis, Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus and Lesser White‐toothed Shrew Crocidura russula from Europe to Africa; Algerian Mouse Mus spretus from Africa to Europe; Savi’s Pygmy Shrew Suncus etruscus perhaps from the eastern Mediterranean to both Iberia and the Maghreb.

There are two Maghrebi species which, although not found in Europe, are more closely related to Palaearctic than to Afrotropical species: Garden Dormouse Eliomys melanurus, probably native to north‐west Africa, although possible augmentation of the natural population cannot be ruled out, and Whitaker’s Shrew Crocidura whitakeri, a North African endemic.

Removal of so many species of European provenance from the list of mammals native to north‐west Africa should not be considered to weaken its position as part of the Palaearctic zoogeographical region. Bats and other, non‐mammalian, taxa illustrate the clear faunal relationship between the Maghreb and south‐west Europe, whilst emphasizing its distinction from subsaharan Africa.
Mustelid scent‐marking in managed ecosystems: implications for population management
Authors: Hutchings Michael R. , White Piran C. L.
Published: March 2003

Scent‐marking is the primary form of communication for mustelids and is important in understanding their sociobiology. In addition, mustelids interact with managed ecosystems or may themselves be managed. However, little is known about the scent‐marking behaviour of most mustelids or the impact of management on this behaviour. Mustelids have a number of different scent mark types that can be used for several possible functions, creating a flexible system of varied scent‐marking strategies both across and within species. We review the types of scent marks used by European mustelids in relation to their social systems and consider the various hypotheses proposed for their function. Scent‐marking behaviour is not fixed for each species, but varies with habitat and population density. We use Badgers (Meles meles) as an example of mustelids acting as reservoirs of disease and Otters (Lutra lutra) as an example of a key conservation species, to demonstrate the applied importance of understanding natural patterns of mustelid scent‐marking strategies and the impact of habitat and population management on them.
Suppression of the blowflyLucilia sericatausing odour‐baited triflumuron‐impregnated targets
Authors: Smith K. E. , Wall R.
Published: March 2003

Abstract.Field trials were carried out in 1995 and 1996 on farms in the south‐west of England to assess the extent to which odour‐baited targets could be used to suppress populations of the ectoparasitic blowfly, Lucilia sericata, in sheep pastures. Targets were constructed from 41 × 41 cm squares of aluminium sheet, covered by white cloth which had been dipped in a mixture of sucrose solution (50% w/v) and the chitin synthesis inhibitor triflumuron (10% suspension concentrate). Each target was baited with ≈ 300 g of liver and sodium sulphide solution (10%). Three matched sheep farms were used in the trials. In 1995, triflumuron‐impregnated targets were placed around the periphery of sheep pastures at one of the farms in late June, at approximately one target per hectare. In 1996, triflumuron‐impregnated targets were placed around the periphery of sheep pastures of a second of the farms in early May, at approximately five targets per hectare. Each year, five sticky targets, used to monitor the L. sericata populations, were also placed in fields at the experimental and the other two farms, which acted as controls. In 1995, the results provided some, although inconclusive, evidence that the triflumuron‐impregnated targets had reduced the numbers of L. sericata relative to the populations on the two control farms. In 1996, however, the density of L. sericata on the experimental farm was reduced to almost zero and remained significantly lower than on two control farms throughout the period during which the triflumuron‐impregnated targets remained in the field. The results are discussed in relation to the use of triflumuron‐treated targets as a practical means of controlling L. sericata and sheep blowfly strike.
Exogenous Juvenile Hormone and methoprene, but not male accessory gland substances or ovariectomy, affect the blood/nectar choice of female Culex nigripalpus mosquitoes
Authors: Hancock R. G. , Foster W. A.
Published: March 2003

When newly emerged females of the mosquito Culex nigripalpus Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae) take a sugar meal, they develop both a propensity to seek a host and resting‐stage ovarian follicles. As follicle growth is indicative of Juvenile Hormone (JH) activity, we searched for possible roles of JH in the behavioural shift from nectar to blood‐host odour preference by Cx. nigripalpus after emergence, using an olfactometer‐choice assay. Topically applied or injected methoprene (a JH analogue) resulted in a behavioural shift and follicular growth in unfed females that increased with increasing dosages. Topical methoprene 500 ng and 4 μg resulted in a switch to bird‐odour preference. JH III injection resulted in a lesser shift from honey responses to bird responses. Methoprene application caused no detectable changes in glycogen, total sugars or total lipid when assayed 24 h after treatment. Additionally, as male accessory glands (MAG) have been shown to synthesize JH, we implanted intact paired MAGs from either conspecific or Aedes aegypti (L.) donors, or injected 1/3 gland pair equivalents of conspecific MAG homogenate into unfed newly emerged females. All MAG treatments failed to induce behavioural or ovarian modifications. Ovariectomy had no effect on the sugar‐induced shift from nectar to host preference in the olfactometer. Thus JH, but not MAG, mimicked the effects of a sugar meal by causing both follicular growth and the shift to preference for a host.
Larvicidal activity of endectocides against pest flies in the dung of treated cattle
Authors: Floate K. D. , Spooner R. W. , Colwell D. D.
Published: March 2003

Cattle were treated with topical formulations of endectocides to assess the larvicidal activity of faecal residues against horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), house fly, Musca domestica L., and stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae). In laboratory bioassays, doramectin, eprinomectin and ivermectin suppressed horn fly in dung of cattle treated at least 4 weeks previously and suppressed house fly and stable fly in dung of cattle treated 1–5 weeks previously. Moxidectin suppressed horn fly in dung from cattle treated no more than one week previously and did not suppress house fly and stable fly. Results combined for the three species across two experiments suggested that, ranked in descending order of larvicidal activity, doramectin > ivermectin ≈ eprinomectin » moxidectin.
Comparative fecundity and survival rates of Phlebotomus papatasi sandflies membrane fed on blood from eight mammal species
Authors: Harre J. G. , Dorsey K. M. , Armstrong K. L. , Burge J. R. , Kinnamon K. E.
Published: March 2003

Female sandflies, Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) (Diptera: Psychodidae), were fed via chicken membrane on heparinized blood from eight species of mammal (human, horse, cow, pig, dog, rabbit, guinea‐pig, hamster) and their reproductive success rates were compared. No appreciable differences between those fed on human and animal blood were detected with respect to the proportion of flies that fed successfully, mortality‐rate within 24 h, number of eggs laid per blood‐fed female or egg viability. When mass‐rearing sandflies for research purposes, membrane‐feeding avoids practical difficulties encountered if sandflies are allowed to feed on live hosts (i.e. anaesthesia, distress from handling and postfeeding inflammation) and reduction of sandfly fecundity due to host antibody interference. Use of animal blood also eliminates risks of accidental transmission of human blood‐borne pathogens, e.g. hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and is less expensive than maintenance of animals and their preparation for sandfly feeding.
Rhesus monkey model for Leishmania major transmitted by Phlebotomus papatasi sandfly bites
Authors: Probst R. J. , Wellde B. T. , Lawyer P. G. , Stiteler J. S. , Rowton E. D.
Published: March 2003

Leishmaniasis research needs a near‐human model for investigations of natural infection processes, immunological responses and evaluation of treatments. Therefore, we developed a reproducible system using Leishmania major Yakimoff & Schokhor (Trypanosomatidae: Kinetoplastida), the cause of Old World zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL), transmitted to rhesus monkeys Macaca mulatta (Zimmerman) (Primates: Cercopithecidae) by sandfly bites of experimentally infected Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) (Diptera: Psychodidae). Eight monkeys of presumed Indian origin (Leishmania naïve) were exposed to bites of female sandflies that had been infected with L. major by membrane‐feeding on human blood seeded with amastigotes isolated from hamster footpad lesions. Infection rates of membrane‐fed sandflies averaged > 85% seven days after the infective feed, with uniformly high numbers of promastigotes in the stomodaeal valve region of the sandfly gut. Nodules and ulcerating dermal lesions developed on 7/8 monkeys 2–4 weeks post‐bite and persisted for 3–7 months. Monkeys also developed satellite lesions beyond the area of sandfly bites on the head, but not on the chest. Three re‐challenged monkeys developed lesions that healed faster than lesions from their primary challenges. After infection, monkeys developed delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses to a panel of Leishmania skin test antigens (LSTA) and, when tested by ELISA and IFA, showed significant post‐infection antibody titres which typically rose for ∼170 days and then gradually receded during the next 100 days following the first challenge. After the second challenge, antibody titres spiked higher within ∼50 days and receded more rapidly. In contrast, four rhesus macaques of Chinese origin developed no lesions following infected sandfly bites, although they raised antibodies and LSTA reactions, indicating subclinical infection.
Influence of a novel object in the home range of the cockroach,Blattella germanica
Authors: Durier V. , Rivault C.
Published: March 2003

AbstractWe investigated whether exploratory behaviour of the cockroach,Blattella germanica(L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae), was modified by the introduction of a novel object, such as a bait station, into their familiar home range. In particular, we measured the attractiveness of boxes, as novel objects, in relation to their complexity and to their contents. The presence of a novel object induced an increase of exploratory behaviour on and inside the object and its environs. Time spent around the object depended on the complexity of the object (closed box or with holes). The more complex the object, the longer cockroaches spent exploring it. When the object contained food, its attractiveness was greatly increased and it affected cockroaches from further away.
Auscultation of the heart: a trial of classroom teaching versus computer‐based independent learning
Authors: Finley  , Sharratt  , Nanton  , Chen  , Roy  , Paterson
Published: March 2003

Declining skills in auscultation of the heart prompted an evaluation of teaching methods for medical students. A comparison of classroom teaching and computer‐aided independent learning of auscultation was carried out with two groups of approximately 20 second‐year medical students. Both groups used approximately 20 recorded normal and abnormal heart sounds and murmurs, chosen to illustrate learning issues. For the classroom group a cardiologist presented each case through multiple stethophones and led the discussion. The individual study group used a new CD‐ROM collection of cases and recordings in quiz format, with a hypertext link to a comprehensive text on auscultation and additional recordings. Students were tested with 16 multiple choice and 5 open questions on eight selected recordings, and evaluated the teaching by questionnaire. The classroom‐taught students scored higher on open questions than the CD‐ROM‐taught group, but in general performance by both groups was satisfactory and equivalent. Students of both groups repeatedly had difficulty classifying regurgitant and ejection murmurs and identifying characteristics of the second heart sound. Both CD‐ROM and classroom teaching methods were highly rated by students but most students preferred a combination.
Clinical teachers' perceptions of medical students' English language proficiency
Authors: Chur‐Hansen  , Vernon‐Roberts
Published: March 2003

Medical educators from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Adelaide, South Australia, have expressed reservations about the adequacy of some undergraduate medical students' English language proficiency for satisfactory academic and clinical performance. This study explores the occurrence and nature of the comments made in writing by clinical teachers about the English language proficiency of 568 students over a period of 4 years. The frequency and nature of the comments made by clinicians have important implications for the planning and implementation of pedagogical strategies to support non‐English‐speaking background medical students experiencing difficulties with their course due to language. Although the University of Adelaide has introduced initiatives in response to some of the problems that have been identified, it is recommended that any teaching interventions require careful evaluation through a longitudinal research design to ensure that their aims are being achieved.
Hospital doctors, general practitioners and dentists learning together
Authors: Snadden David , Bain John
Published: March 2003

The design, implementation and evaluation of an innovative course on education for a group of hospital doctors, general practitioners and dentists is described. It took place over five 2‐day modules spread over 21 months. There were 33 participants and several tutors and external resources. The course was designed around group work and used a learner‐centred agenda. Evaluation was by use of the nominal group technique during the course and by open questionnaires after 18 months. The course was successful in stimulating a number of activities and in developing the skills and confidence of the participants. Problem areas centred around the tension between the learner‐centred agenda and the participants' need for structure. Courses such as this require good administration, a cohesive and supportive tutors' group, a clear statement of aims, even within a learner‐centred framework, and the establishment of clear ground rules to allow the participants to feel safe. Without safety it is arguable that less challenging learning will occur.
Faculty mentoring programme – ways of reducing anonymity
Authors: Woessner  , Honold  , Stehle  , Stehr  , Steudel
Published: March 2003

Increasing anonymity and the lack of personal contact between professor and student due to high enrolment is one of the major problems at German universities. Therefore, the Faculty of Medicine of the University of the Saarland started a pilot project in 1995. The intention was to reduce anonymity within the faculty by introducing a faculty mentoring programme (Studientutorium). A group of up to 12 students from different years is allocated a faculty member on a personal basis. The member responds to questions and problems concerning such areas as the curriculum, career planning or doctoral thesis as well as to personal problems. After 2 years participants were interviewed about the programme for the first time and the acceptance turned out to be high.
Gender differences in medical graduates' assessment of their personal attributes
Authors: Clack Gillian B , Head John O
Published: March 2003

Context

As part of the planning process for a new undergraduate curriculum for King's, a profile of the type of doctor which the Medical School wishes to produce was defined.

Objective

To investigate, in a sample of medical graduates, their perceptions of the personal attributes they had developed by the time of qualification which the Curriculum Steering Group had identified as being `desirable' in a doctor.

Subjects

Five cohorts of doctors who had qualified from the King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry between 1985/86 and 1989/90 (n = 478).

Method

Postal questionnaire survey.

Results

371 replied, a response rate of 78%. In most cases the respondents felt they had acquired the attributes at least partially, by qualification. Gender differences in responses were found for nine of the sixteen attributes. The men felt better equipped with `leadership potential', `spirit of curiosity', `tolerance of ambiguity and uncertainty' compared to the women who felt more confident in their `ability to inspire confidence in others', `ability to listen', `ability to work in a team', `caring and compassionate nature', `motivation' and `satisfactory at interpersonal relationships in professional life'. There were no significant differences for `ability to recognize own limitations and strengths', `capacity for self‐audit', `excitement with the subject of medicine', `open‐mindedness' and `perseverance'. Most graduates agreed these attributes were `desirable' in a doctor, the women feeling more strongly than the men about `open‐mindedness'.

Conclusions

The findings are consistent with current theories which relate to personality differences between men and women and socialization during early upbringing.
Population genetic structure of North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea and Sea of Cortez fin whales, Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus 1758): analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear loci
Authors: BÉRUBÉ M. , AGUILAR A. , DENDANTO D. , LARSEN F. , NOTARBARTOLO DI SCIARA G. , SEARS R. , SIGURJÓNSSON J. , URBAN‐R J. , PALSBØLL P. J.
Published: March 2003

Samples were collected from 407 fin whales, Balaenoptera physalus, at four North Atlantic and one Mediterranean Sea summer feeding area as well as the Sea of Cortez in the Pacific Ocean. For each sample, the sex, the sequence of the first 288 nucleotides of the mitochondrial (mt) control region and the genotype at six microsatellite loci were determined. A significant degree of divergence was detected at all nuclear and mt loci between North Atlantic/Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Cortez. However, the divergence time estimated from the mt sequences was substantially lower than the time elapsed since the rise of the Panama Isthmus, suggesting occasional gene flow between the North Pacific and North Atlantic ocean after the separation of the two oceans. Within the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, significant levels of heterogeneity were observed in the mtDNA between the Mediterranean Sea, the eastern (Spain) and the western (the Gulf of Maine and the Gulf of St Lawrence) North Atlantic. Samples collected off West Greenland and Iceland could not be unequivocally assigned to either of the two areas. The homogeneity tests performed using the nuclear data revealed significant levels of divergence only between the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of St Lawrence or West Greenland. In conclusion, our results suggest the existence of several recently diverged populations in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, possibly with some limited gene flow between adjacent populations, a population structure which is consistent with earlier population models proposed by Kellogg, Ingebrigtsen, and Sergeant.
Male mating success in an aquatically mating pinniped, the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina), assessed by microsatellite DNA markers
Authors: COLTMAN D. W. , BOWEN W. D. , WRIGHT J. M.
Published: March 2003

Similar to many other pinniped species, harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) mate exclusively at sea. Here we present the first attempt to measure male mating success in an aquatically mating pinniped. Male mating success was estimated by paternity analysis in two cohorts of pups born at Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, using microsatellite DNA markers. The genotypes of 275 pups born in 1994 and 1995 were compared to those of 90 candidate males at six microsatellite loci using a likelihood approach to resolve paternity. Paternity could be assigned for two, 22, 40 and 85 pups at confidence levels of 95, 80, 65 and 50%, respectively. Most successful males were assigned the paternity of a single offspring, suggesting a low variance in male mating success relative to most pinniped species. The proportion of paternal half sibs within cohorts and between maternally related sibs estimated by maximum likelihood were not significantly different from zero. It is thus unlikely that most offspring were sired by a small number of highly successful unsampled males, and that female harbour seals do not usually exhibit fidelity to the same male in sequential breeding seasons. A low level of polygyny in Sable Island harbour seals is consistent with predictions based on their breeding ecology, as females are highly mobile and widely dispersed in the aquatic mating environment at Sable Island.
Molecular genetic identification of southern hemisphere beaked whales (Cetacea: Ziphiidae)
Authors: DALEBOUT M. L. , VAN HELDEN A. , VAN WAEREBEEK K. , BAKER C. S.
Published: March 2003

To assist in the species‐level identification of stranded and hunted beaked whales, we compiled a database of ‘reference’ sequences from the mitochondrial DNA control region for 15 of the 20 described ziphiid species. Reference samples for eight species were obtained from stranded animals in New Zealand and South Australia. Sequences for a further seven species were obtained from a previously published report. This database was used to identify 20 ‘test’ samples obtained from incompletely documented strandings around New Zealand. Analyses showed that four of these ‘test’ specimens (20%) had initially been misidentified. These included two animals of particular interest: (i) a Blainville’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris), the first record of this species in New Zealand waters; and, (ii) a juvenile Andrews′ beaked whale (Mesoplodon bowdoini), a species known from just over 20 strandings worldwide. A published sequence from a beaked whale product purchased in the Republic of Korea was identified as a Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris). Levels of intra‐ and interspecific variation were compared to determine the potential for misidentification when the database or taxonomy is incomplete. Intraspecific variation was generally <2%, and interspecific divergence was generally >4.7%. Exceptions were within‐species variation in Hyperoodon planifrons, southern bottlenosed whale (4.12%), which exceeded the variation between the two species of Berardius (3.78%), and variation between the two specimens assigned to M. hectori, Hector’s beaked whale (7.14%). The latter case appears to be an error in species identification, and could represent the discovery of a new species of beaked whale.
Genetic variation and population structure of the Japanese sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Hokkaido Island, based on mitochondrial D‐loop sequences
Authors: NAGATA J. , MASUDA R. , KAJI K. , KANEKO M. , YOSHIDA M. C.
Published: March 2003

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D‐loop region sequences (602 bp) from 141 samples of the sika deer Cervus nippon collected from Hokkaido Island of Japan were investigated to elucidate population genetic structure. All animals possessed seven repeat units (38 or 39 bp each) in the sequences. Comparison of the 602‐bp sequences showed four sites of transitional mutations (A↔G or C↔T). Based on combination of the substitutions, six D‐loop haplotypes (a–f types) were identified in the Hokkaido population, suggesting the occurrence of at least six maternal lineages. Distribution maps of the haplotypes constructed using the Geographic Information System showed that the distribution patterns differed from haplotype to haplotype. In particular, distribution of the major three types (a‐, b‐, and c‐types) almost overlapped with three main areas of coniferous forests in Hokkaido. These results suggest that expansion of the sika deer population could have occurred through the habitat of coniferous forests after the historical bottleneck in Hokkaido.