bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A comparative analysis of contemporary nurses’ discontents
Authors: Forsyth Sue , McKenzie Heather 
Published: July 2006

Aim.  This paper reports a study to evaluate and increase understanding of contemporary Registered Nurses’ discontents, and to compare these discontents and their effects with those of nurses 20 years ago.Background.  In 1986, Turner argued that nurses’ discontents were reflected in a discourse or ‘vocabulary of complaint’ that provided a sense of solidarity amongst practising nurses, and defused their frustrations rather than channelling them into demands for workplace reform. In this paper, we revisit Turner's notion of a vocabulary of complaint in the context of a study of nurse retention in the contemporary Australian healthcare workplace.Methods.  This paper draws on the qualitative data from a larger project (completed in 2001) exploring the relationship between job satisfaction and self‐concept in both recently graduated and experienced nurses. Here, we elaborate on thematic analyses of the comments of 146 Australian Registered Nurses with more than 5 years’ nursing experience.Findings.  There is still a high level of discontent amongst contemporary practising nurses, although the focus of their complaints and their responses to them have changed since Turner's study. Conflicting expectations of nurses and managers and lack of opportunity to provide comprehensive care emerged as the most important issues for experienced nurses today. Rather than contributing to a sense of solidarity as in Turner's study, contemporary nurses’ discontents reflect intense personal frustration and underpin individual nurses’ decisions to leave, or plan to leave, the workforce.Conclusion.  There is an urgent need for increasing health service management and community awareness about the relationship between providing comprehensive nursing care and nurses’ job satisfaction. Addressing nurses’ discontents, wider nursing involvement in the international policy arena, and the politicization of nurses worldwide may contribute to alleviating the current global nursing shortage.
Taking stock of evidence‐based medicine: opportunities for its continuing evolution
Authors: Buetow Stephen , Upshur Ross , Miles Andrew , Loughlin Michael 
Published: July 2006

AbstractTough but constructive criticisms of evidence‐based medicine (EBM) have without doubt informed the evolution and serial reconstitutions of this approach to clinical decision making and behaviour. Yet, concerns about EBM persist and as EBM changes in response to reflection and criticism, so too do the criticisms themselves. This paper describes our current understanding of EBM and, to identify opportunities for the continuing evolution of EBM, discusses some key attributes of EBM that still or now cause us concern. Specifically, these attributes are the nature of evidence in EBM; the unknown effectiveness of EBM; the clinician‐centric focus of EBM; and the potential of EBM to harm patients.
The hard art of soft science: Evidence‐Based Medicine, Reasoned Medicine or both?
Authors: Jenicek Milos 
Published: July 2006

AbstractIn the past 14 years, Evidence‐Based Medicine (EBM) has enjoyed unprecedented developments and gained widespread acceptance among health professionals. However, should we be content with producing, critically appraising and using the best evidence available for our understanding of health problems and decision making about them? Are our convictions about EBM’s relevance, our conviction and intellectual satisfaction with its mastery and adoption enough? Should we continue pushing forward along this promising path, or should we further diversify the content and scope of EBM? Is EBM the only way to view medicine in the near future? This paper presents some options to choose from in terms of direction and content as well as questions to answer given the current EBM crossroads. More intensive and extensive EBM combined with ‘other features’‐based medicines may be the preferred strategy to follow in the future to determine the development, use and evaluation of EBM. Argument‐based medicine or Reasoned Medicine is one of the options that can be integrated into the mainstream of medical reasoning and decision making.
Can academic and clinical journals be in financial conflict of interest situations? The case of evidence‐based incorporated
Authors: Upshur Ross , Buetow Stephen , Loughlin Michael , Miles Andrew 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe hypothesis is advanced that scholarly journals can find themselves in conflict of interest positions when they operate business strategies which for commercial reasons may militate against the publication of articles which question the usefulness of the products being sold. It is suggested on the basis of probabilistic reasoning that the more extensive the merchandizing and the greater the commercial profits, the greater is the potential for conflict of interest. The alternative hypothesis is advanced that such a conflict of interest position cannot possibly exist. The current Hypothesis paper is published in order to stimulate debate on the subject of study. The reader is referred to the Editor’s Note p. 395.
Natural selection and climate change: temperature‐linked spatial and temporal trends in gene frequency in Fagus sylvatica
Authors: JUMP ALISTAIR S. , HUNT JENNY M. , MARTÍNEZ‐IZQUIERDO JOSÉ A. , PEÑUELAS JOSEP 
Published: July 2006

AbstractRapid increases in global temperature are likely to impose strong directional selection on many plant populations, which must therefore adapt if they are to survive. Within populations, microgeographic genetic differentiation of individuals with respect to climate suggests that some populations may adapt to changing temperatures in the short‐term through rapid changes in gene frequency. We used a genome scan to identify temperature‐related adaptive differentiation of individuals of the tree species Fagus sylvatica. By combining molecular marker and dendrochronological data we assessed spatial and temporal variation in gene frequency at the locus identified as being under selection. We show that gene frequency at this locus varies predictably with temperature. The probability of the presence of the dominant marker allele shows a declining trend over the latter half of the 20th century, in parallel with rising temperatures in the region. Our results show that F. sylvatica populations may show some capacity for an in situ adaptive response to climate change. However as reported ongoing distributional changes demonstrate, this response is not enough to allow all populations of this species to persist in all of their current locations.
Genetic isolation and divergence in sexual traits: evidence for the northern rockhopper penguinEudyptes moseleyibeing a sibling species
Authors: JOUVENTIN P. , CUTHBERT R. J. , OTTVALL R. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe taxonomic status of populations of rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome) is still enigmatic. Northern populations differ from southern ones in breeding phenology, song characteristics and head ornaments used as mating signals. We conducted a molecular analysis using mitochondrial DNA sequencing to test if there is a gene flow barrier between northern (subtropical) populations and southern (subantarctic) populations in relation to the Subtropical Convergence, a major ecological boundary for marine organisms. Sequences of the control region and the ND2 gene were analysed in rockhopper penguins and in the macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus), a closely related species. Genetic distances and phylogenetic analyses showed a clear split into three clades, two rockhopper clades and the macaroni penguin. Moreover, ΘSTand gene flow estimates also suggested genetic structuring within the northern rockhoppers. Our results add further support to the notion that the two rockhopper penguin taxa, often considered as two subspecies, can be recognized as two speciesE. chrysocomeandE. moseleyi. The divergence in mating signals found between these two taxa seems to have occurred recently and relatively rapidly. Thus, the behavioural changes may have been enough to isolate these taxa without the need for morphological differentiation. The findings have important conservational implications, sinceE. moseleyiis far less abundant thanE. chrysocome, but more populations may warrant an uplisting to endangered status if full species status should be recognized for more subpopulations.
Role of a VPS41 homologue in starvation response, intracellular survival and virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Liu Xiaoguang , Hu Guowu , Panepinto John , Williamson Peter R. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryPrevious studies have demonstrated an important role for the vacuole in the virulence of the fungus Cryptococcus and studies in yeast have implicated the vacuolar protein Vps41 in copper loading of proteins such as iron transporters. However, our studies found that a cryptococcal vps41Δ strain displayed wild‐type growth on media containing iron and copper chelators and normal activity of the copper‐containing virulence factor laccase as well as almost normal growth at 37°C and wild‐type production of the virulence factor capsule. Despite these attributes, the vps41Δ mutant strain showed a dramatic attenuation of virulence in mice and co‐incubation of mutant cells with the macrophage cell line, J774.16, resulted in a dramatic loss in viability of the vps41Δ mutant strain at 10 h compared with wild‐type and complemented strains. Closer examination revealed that the vps41Δ mutant displayed a dramatic loss in viability after nutrient starvation which was traced to a failure to undergo G2 arrest, but there was no defect in the formation of autophagic or proteolytic vesicles. Our results indicate that VPS41 plays a key role in regulating starvation response in this pathogenic organism and that defects in cell cycle arrest are associated with attenuated pathogenic fitness in mammalian hosts.
The type III effectors HsvG and HsvB of gall‐forming Pantoea agglomerans determine host specificity and function as transcriptional activators
Authors: Nissan Gal , Manulis‐Sasson Shulamit , Weinthal Dan , Mor Henia , Sessa Guido , Barash Isaac 
Published: July 2006

Summary Pantoea agglomerans pv. gypsophilae (Pag) elicits galls on gypsophila and a hypersensitive response on beet, whereas P. agglomerans pv. betae (Pab) induces galls on both beet and gypsophila. The pathogenicity of both pathovars is dependent on the presence of a plasmid harbouring type III secretion system (TTSS) components and effectors. The HsvG TTSS effectors of Pag (HsvG‐Pag) and Pab (HsvG‐Pab) determine the host specificity of both pathovars on gypsophila. Here we describe a novel HsvG homologue, HsvB, which determines the host specificity of Pag and Pab on beet. HsvG requires two direct amino acid repeats for pathogenicity on gypsophila, whereas one repeat in HsvB is sufficient for pathogenicity on beet. Exchanging repeats between HsvG‐Pag and HsvB‐Pab resulted in a switch of host specificities. Transient expression of GFP–HsvG or GFP–HsvB fusions in gypsophila, beet or melon leaves showed that HsvG and HsvB were localized to the nuclei of host and non‐host plants. A yeast one‐hybrid assay revealed that a single repeat of HsvG or HsvB was sufficient to activate transcription. By employing random binding‐site selection and gel‐shift assay HsvG was demonstrated to be a double‐stranded DNA‐binding protein with an ACACC/aAA consensus binding site. These results suggest that HsvG and HsvB are host‐specificity determinants and bear the potential to affect the host transcriptional machinery.
A glutamic acid 3‐methyltransferase encoded by an accessory gene locus important for daptomycin biosynthesis in Streptomyces roseosporus
Authors: Nguyen Kien T. , Kau David , Gu Jian‐Qiao , Brian Paul , Wrigley Stephen K. , Baltz Richard H. , Miao Vivian 
Published: July 2006

SummaryIn many peptide antibiotics, modified amino acids are important for biological activity. The amino acid 3‐methyl‐glutamic acid (3mGlu) has been found only in three cyclic lipopeptide antibiotics: daptomycin and the A21978C family produced by Streptomyces roseosporus, calcium‐dependent antibiotic produced by Streptomyces coelicolor and A54145 produced by Streptomyces fradiae. We studied the non‐ribosomal peptide synthetase genes involved in A21978C biosynthesis and the downstream genes, dptG, dptH, dptI and dptJ predicted to encode a conserved protein of unknown function, a thioesterase, a methyltransferase (MTase) and a tryptophan 2,3‐dioxygenase respectively. Deletion of dptGHIJ reduced overall lipopeptide yield and led to production of a series of novel A21978C analogues containing Glu12 instead of 3mGlu12. Complementation by only dptI, or its S. coelicolor homologue, glmT, restored the biosynthesis of the 3mGlu‐containing compounds in the mutant. Compared with A21978C, the Glu12‐containing derivatives were less active against Staphylococcus aureus. Further genetic analyses showed that members of the dptGHIJ locus cooperatively contributed to optimal A21978C production; deletion of dptH, dptI or dptJ genes reduced the yield significantly, while expression of dptIJ or dptGHIJ from the strong ermEp* promoter substantially increased lipopeptide production. The results indicate that these genes play important roles in the biosynthesis of daptomycin, and that dptI encodes a Glu MTase.
Fluctuating asymmetry and developmental instability in evolutionary biology: past, present and future
Authors: Dongen S. V. 
Published: July 2006

Abstract
The role of developmental instability (DI), as measured by fluctuating asymmetry (FA), in evolutionary biology has been the focus of a wealth of research for more than half a century. In spite of this long period and many published papers, our current state of knowledge reviewed here only allows us to conclude that patterns are heterogeneous and that very little is known about the underlying causes of this heterogeneity. In addition, the statistical properties of FA as a measure of DI are only poorly grasped because of a general lack of understanding of the underlying mechanisms that drive DI. If we want to avoid that this area of research becomes abandoned, more efforts should be made to understand the observed heterogeneity, and attempts should be made to develop a unifying statistical protocol. More specifically, and perhaps most importantly, it is argued here that more attention should be paid to the usefulness of FA as a measure of DI since many factors might blur this relationship. Furthermore, the genetic architecture, associations with fitness and the importance of compensatory growth should be investigated under a variety of stress situations. In addition, more focus should be directed to the underlying mechanisms of DI as well as how these processes map to the observable phenotype. These insights could yield more efficient statistical models and a unified approach to the analysis of patterns in FA and DI. The study of both DI and canalization is indispensable to obtain better insights in their possible common origin, especially because both have been suggested to play a role in both micro- and macro-evolutionary processes.
Prolonged storage of red blood cells affects aminophospholipid translocase activity
Authors: Verhoeven A. J. , Hilarius P. M. , Dekkers D. W. C. , Lagerberg J. W. M. , De Korte D. 
Published: July 2006

Background and Objectives  Loss of phospholipid asymmetry in the membrane of red blood cells (RBC) results in exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) and to subsequent removal from the circulation. In this study, we investigated the effect of long‐term storage of RBCs on two activities affecting phospholipid asymmetry: the ATP‐dependent aminophospholipid translocase (or flippase, transporting PS from the outer to the inner leaflet) and phospholipid scrambling (which will move PS from the inner to the outer leaflet).Materials and Methods  Standard leukodepleted RBC concentrates were stored in saline‐adenine‐glucose‐mannitol (SAGM) at 4 °C for up to 7 weeks. PS exposure was determined by measurement of AnnexinV‐FITC binding to the cells, flippase activity by measurement of the inward translocation of NBD‐labelled PS. Scrambling activity was determined by following the inward translocation of fluorescent NBD‐phosphatidylcholine. In parallel, intracellular ATP levels were determined.Results  PS exposure amounted to only 1·5 ± 0·3% positive cells (n = 8) after 5 weeks of storage, which slightly increased to 3·5 ± 0·7% (n = 8) after 7 weeks of storage. Flippase activity started to decrease after 21 days of storage and reached 81 ± 5% of the control value after 5 weeks of storage (n = 6) and 59 ± 6% (n = 6) after 7 weeks. Also in RBC obtained by apheresis, flippase activity decreased upon storage. Scrambling activity remained virtually absent during storage, explaining the low PS exposure despite the decrease in flippase activity. Rejuvenation of RBC after 7 weeks to increase ATP levels only partially restored flippase activity, but in combination with a correction of the intracellular pH to that of fresh cells, almost complete restoration was achieved. The decrease in flippase activity after prolonged storage did make the RBCs more prone to PS exposure after activation of phospholipid scrambling.Conclusion  This study shows that, although PS exposure remains low, prolonged storage does compromise the RBC membrane by affecting flippase activity. When the metabolic changes induced by storage are corrected, flippase activity can be restored.
Incidence of Kawasaki disease in Japan: the nationwide surveys of 1999–2002
Authors: YANAGAWA HIROSHI , NAKAMURA YOSIKAZU , YASHIRO MAYUMI , UEHARA RITEI , OKI IZUMI , KAYABA KAZUNORI 
Published: July 2006

AbstractObjective: The purpose of the present study was to describe the results of nationwide epidemiologic surveys of Kawasaki disease for the 4 year period 1999–2002.Methods: The design is a retrospective incidence survey. The patients reported in these two surveys are all new patients who were reported during the two study periods (1999–2000 and 2001–2002), although the data were collected retrospectively. A questionnaire was sent to all pediatric departments of hospitals with 100 beds or more throughout Japan, requesting data on patients with Kawasaki disease, such as sex, age, date of first hospital visit, recurrence, and cardiac lesions.Results: The total number of patients reported in the 4 year period 1999–2002 was 32 266 (18 604 male, 13 662 female), with an average annual incidence of 137.7 per 100 000 children younger than 5 years old. The male/female ratio was 1.30. The incidence peaked at 9–11 months of age, and the proportion of patients under 1 year of age was 26%. The monthly distribution had a high peak in January and a gradual increase in summer. Geographically, the high‐incidence areas were limited to certain prefectures and moved from year to year. The cardiac lesions at acute stage and cardiac sequelae occurred more in children under 1 year and older than 4 years. Among the principal symptoms, fever persisting ≥5 days occurred most commonly, followed by conjunctival congestion, changes in lips and oral cavity, polymorphous exanthema, and changes of extremities. Cervical lymphadenopathy occurred less.Conclusion: More than 32 000 patients with Kawasaki disease during the 4 year period 1999–2002 were reported to the nationwide incidence surveys. The number of patients is steadily increasing despite the decrease of children. The seasonal variation, geographical distribution, and age‐specific distribution support the infection theory for the etiology of Kawasaki disease.
Results of clinical surveillance during the Japanese first palivizumab season in 2002–2003
Authors: KUSUDA SATOSHI , KOIZUMI TAKENOBU , SAKAI TAKEO , FUJIMURA MASANORI , NISHIDA HIROSHI , TOGARI HAJIME 
Published: July 2006

AbstractBackground: In Japan, palivizumab was approved in 2002 for prophylaxis of severe respiratory syncytial virus disease in high‐risk infants. In order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this drug, a questionnaire survey was conducted.Methods: A questionnaire was sent to member institutions of the Japan Neonatologist Association. The subjects were premature infants who were considered possible candidates for treatment with palivizumab.Results: A total of 6302 case reports, including those of 2806 infants receiving palivizumab (group P) and 3496 infants not receiving palivizumab (group NP), respectively, were retrieved. Background characteristics revealed significant lower gestational age (GA) and birthweight for group P (P < 0.0001). Sex ratio did not differ significantly, while use of oxygen and mechanical ventilation in the neonatal intensive care unit, and presence of chronic lung disease were significantly higher for infants in group P (P < 0.0001). When comparison of hospitalization rate for respiratory symptoms was performed with stratification by eligibility criteria, in the group of infants born at 29–35 weeks GA the hospitalization rate was 4.0% and 5.7% in groups P and NP, respectively (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis also showed that prophylaxis with palivizumab was the only variable that significantly decreased rate of hospitalization (odds ratio 0.630, P= 0.0053). The incidence of adverse events associated with the administration of palivizumab was low.Conclusion: In this non‐randomized questionnaire survey, multivariate analysis showed that palivizumab significantly decreased the rate of hospitalization due to respiratory symptoms for infants born prematurely at 29–35 weeks GA. These data confirmed the efficacy and safety of palivizumab.
Topical treatment of molluscum contagiosum with imiquimod 5% cream in Turkish children
Authors: ARICAN OZER 
Published: July 2006

AbstractBackground: Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is caused by a poxvirus which produces cutaneous lesions appearing as small, firm, umblicated papules. Lesions of MC are most commonly seen in young children. Transmission is through viral particules, which remain on surfaces, autoinoculation, or from contact with open lesions. There are many options for treatment of MC and these may be broadly subdivided into destructive, immunological and antiviral therapies. An alternative treatment would be desirable in pediatric patients. Imiquimod (IQ) is a member of immune response modifiers.Methods: Here, the results of 12 Turkish pediatric patients with MC who used IQ 5% cream (aged between 3–13 years; six boys, six girls) are given. The cream was applied by the mothers in the evening, three times per week every other day up to 16 weeks.Results: One of the patients gave up the treatment because of Influenza‐like symptoms, and two of them because of the progress in the lesions continued. In seven of the remaining nine patients, total recovery was achieved. Local side‐effects in patients were well tolerated.Conclusion: When all the patients affected with MC who exclusively used IQ 5% cream as mentioned in the literature were studied, 35 of 83 patients (42.2%) had complete clearance. These have differences in the form and duration of application. IQ 5% cream can be preferred in the treatment of children with MC because of its applicability at home, easy application and good tolerability. However, different application methods and suitable treatment methods should be determined.