bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How prey size, type and abundance affects foraging decisions by the regular echinoid Psammechinus miliaris
Authors: Otero-Villanueva Maria del Mar , Kelly Maeve S. , Burnell Gavin 
Published: June 2006

The influence of size and density of the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis and the common barnacle, Semibalanus balanoides on the foraging behaviour of the sea urchin Psammechinus miliaris was examined in laboratory studies. Urchins of two size-classes offered six size-categories of barnacles exhibited a constant preference for the smallest category ([les ]7.5 mm plate length). Ingestion rates were independent of the size–frequency distribution of mussels presented to large urchins of 38–46 mm test diameter, which showed a preference for small–medium sizes (>13.4–17.8 mm shell length). Large urchins ingested a maximum of six mussels a day and increased their consumption in a density dependent manner until reaching a plateau once more than ten mussels were offered. In most cases, the rate of successful attacks decreased with mussel size.Pairwise comparison experiments to determine the ingestion rate of fronds of the algae Laminaria saccharina showed that P. miliaris had no preference for old fronds with or without epifauna, but young fronds of the algae were frequently rejected. These results highlight the omnivorous nature and semi-selective behaviour of this urchin and demonstrate the potential for it to have an important role in structuring algal and epifaunal communities.
Nurse intention to remain employed: understanding and strengthening determinants
Authors: Tourangeau Ann E. , Cranley Lisa A. 
Published: June 2006

Aim.  This paper reports a study testing a hypothesized model of the determinants of nurse intention to remain employed in current hospitals of employment.Background.  Previous research has shown that stronger nurse intention to remain employed is associated with higher job satisfaction, higher organizational commitment, higher perceived manager support, lower burnout, higher work group cohesion, being older, having more years of nursing experience and having lower levels of education.Methods.  A descriptive survey design was adopted. Over 13,000 Ontario, Canada nurses were invited to complete a mailed survey between February and May 2003. The Ontario Nurse Survey includes instruments and items measuring job satisfaction, burnout, professional nursing practice environment, demographic characteristics of nurse respondents and items about intention to remain employed. Two multiple regression models, one including all variables and the other using a stepwise method, were used to test the proposed model.Results.  Regression models explained 34% of variance in nurse intention to remain employed. The strongest predictors were nurse age, overall nurse job satisfaction and years of employment in the current hospital. Although the proposed model hypothesized six categories of predictors of intention to remain employed, only four of these were statistically significant determinants of nurse intention to remain: job satisfaction, personal characteristics of nurses, work group cohesion and collaboration, and organizational commitment of nurses. The other two categories of predictors, nurse burnout and nurse manager ability and support, may be predictors of job satisfaction and have indirect effects on intention to remain employed that are mediated through job satisfaction.Conclusion.  Possible strategies to strengthen predictors of intention to remain employed include employment practices that reflect moral integrity, incorporate clear communication systems, maximize employee involvement in decision‐making, promote praise and recognition, and establish a shared vision and goals.
Effectiveness of continuing education programmes in nursing: literature review
Authors: Griscti Odette , Jacono John 
Published: June 2006

Aim. The aim of this paper is to review the literature on what facilitates or inhibits continuing education in nursing and to identify ways to make continuing education more effective.Background. Healthcare professionals have always been encouraged to update their knowledge and maintain clinical competence. The rapid changes currently taking place within healthcare systems have increased the pressure from direct care providers, professional bodies and the general public for nurses to engage in continuing education programmes. Despite a growing body of empirical research on this topic, the effectiveness and impact of continuing education remains underexplored.Method. A literature search was conducted in January 2005 using CINAHL, Medline, the Cochrane databases and the Internet. Keywords used were: ‘continuing education’, ‘professional development’, ‘viability of continuing education/professional development programmes’, ‘evaluation of continuing education/professional development programmes’ and ‘effectiveness of continuing education/professional development programmes’. No date restrictions were imposed.Results. Factors that facilitate the implementation of continuing education in nursing arise from individual, professional and organizational perspectives. While the philosophy behind continuing education is to encourage nurses to become lifelong learners, the learning method chosen for such programmes is often didactic in nature, as opposed to encouraging nurses to take initiative and direct their own learning. Continuing education is intended to ensure healthcare practitioners’ knowledge is current, but it is difficult to determine if those who attend these courses are implementing what they have learnt.Conclusion. To make continuing education programmes more effective, nurses need to have a more participatory role in their learning. A concerted effort should be made to make continuing education attainable and realistic.
Predictors of maternal sensitivity during the early postpartum period
Authors: Shin Hyunjeong , Park Young‐Joo , Kim Mi Ja 
Published: June 2006

Aim.  This paper reports a study examining the relationship of maternal sensitivity to maternal identity, social support, maternal–fetal attachment and demographic variables.Background.  Maternal sensitivity is a mother's ability to perceive and interpret accurately her infant's signals and communications, and then respond appropriately. It is one of the major influencing factors of mother–infant attachment, and needs to be promoted for effective mother–infant interaction. However, limited information is available on the factors that influence postpartum maternal sensitivity. The study was guided by Roy's adaptation model.Methods.  A cross‐sectional, descriptive design was used. A convenience sample of 196 Korean mothers within 6 weeks of delivery were recruited during July–November 2003 and completed a self‐report questionnaire. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression analysis.Results.  We found that maternal–fetal attachment, self‐identity as a mother, mother's employment status, identification with her baby, support from others, and infant's gestational age at birth were statistically significant predictors of maternal sensitivity postpartum. These variables explained 60% of the variance in maternal sensitivity.Conclusion.  Providing social support, enhancing maternal identity, and facilitating maternal–fetal attachment in the antepartum period are recommended to improve postpartum maternal sensitivity. Also, in future research, a path‐type model or structural equation model including other variables, such as postnatal depression, needs to be developed and tested for optimal adaptation to becoming a mother.
Putting a puzzle together: making spirituality meaningful for nursing using an evolving theoretical framework
Authors: Miner‐Williams Denise 
Published: June 2006

Aims and objectives.  This paper addresses the need for a practical understanding of spirituality in nursing by means of a generic definition of spirituality, an emerging theoretical framework, and some general practice guidelines.Background.  Spirituality is being addressed more frequently in nursing literature, but there is still lacking a professional understanding of the phenomenon that is useful as a basis for practice and research.Conclusion.  The history of spirituality in nursing is recognized, and then its role in peoples’ and patients’ lives, health and healing is examined. Spirituality is clarified through its various definitions in the literature, and identification of component concepts: connectedness, meaning, transcendence, values and beliefs, energy and emotion. A working definition and the concepts are brought together into a framework. Guidelines for how to incorporate spirituality into practice are presented.Relevance to clinical practice.  With this understanding of spirituality by means of a clarifying definition, a theoretical framework and six general guidelines, nurses may be better equipped to incorporate spirituality into their practice. This will fulfil professional and accrediting mandates and, more importantly, provide more holistic, ethical and balanced care for patients.
Death the great leveller? Towards a transcultural spirituality of dying and bereavement
Authors: Holloway Margaret 
Published: June 2006

Aims and objectives.  This paper aims to provide a critical engagement with the subject of transcultural spirituality and nursing practice in the context of dying and bereavement.Background.  There has been considerable interest in the subject of spirituality over the past decade, and a particular association between the study of death and the study of spirituality. The nursing literature has been at the forefront of these developments amongst health and social care professionals. Some of this literature has begun to address the issues raised for culturally competent practice and the significance of patients’ belief systems in the diverse cultural contexts with which nurses must engage in contemporary health care. However, the author argues that understanding of the range of contemporary spiritualities and transcultural practice is at an early stage.Methods.  Transcultural spirituality is explored through a critical review of the literature, including the author's own published research on spiritual and philosophical issues in death, dying and bereavement.Conclusion.  The conclusion is drawn that some common themes and approaches can be found which offer a framework to guide nursing practice with the individual patient and family.Relevance to clinical practice.  In the absence of guidance, nurses struggle with implementing spiritual care in the fluid and complex context of contemporary spiritualities and frequently resort to broad categorizations. This paper opens up a way of connecting with the unique spiritual position of each patient.
What are the professional and logistic demands to appropriately follow patients with an implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator?
Authors: SCHAER B. A. , STICHERLING C. , OSSWALD S. 
Published: June 2006

Abstract.Objectives.  To determine events during follow‐up of patients with implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators (ICD) and the specific experience cardiologists need for trouble‐shooting.Design.  Prospective evaluation of all patient visits in an outpatient clinic.Setting.  University hospital, single centre performing ICD controls in a region of 1.5 Mio inhabitants.Subjects.  A total of 351 patients with 1118 consecutive visits during 14 months.Interventions.  Classification of events according to predefined training levels.Main outcome measurements.  Skill levels A: simple visit, e.g. for switching the device ‘off’. B: normal visit, no further measures taken (no device reprogramming), even though the patient might have experienced ICD interventions. C: complex visit, electrophysiologist actively involved. Correlation of these levels with timing (routine, emergency on/off office hours) and reason of visits.Results.  Seventy‐six per cent of visits were scheduled routine visits, 5% performed within 24 h because of shocks, 19% performed for other reasons (shock tests; switching the device ‘off/on’; reported dizziness, syncope, palpitations without ICD interventions). Required skill levels were A in 44 (4%), B in 796 (71%) and C in 278 (25%) visits. Emergency visits were more often classified as level C (60%) than regular visits (20%), Skill level C was more often encountered during emergency (30%) than during regular visits (6%) (both P = 0.001).Conclusions.  Our study suggests that for standard follow‐up in patients without obvious problems, a cardiologist might be sufficient, whereas presentations due to/with clinical problems most likely will need the expertise of an electrophysiologist.
Predicting leaf‐level fluxes of O3 and NO2: the relative roles of diffusion and biochemical processes
Authors: ELLER ALLYSON S. D. , SPARKS JED P. 
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACTPollutants like O3 and NO2 enter leaves through the stomata and cause damage during reactions with components of biological cell membranes. The steady‐state flux rates of these gases into the leaf are determined by a series of physical and biochemical resistances including stomatal aperture, reactions occurring within the cell wall and the ability of the leaf to remove the products of apoplastic reactions. In the present study, multiple regression models incorporating stomatal conductance, apoplastic and symplastic ascorbate concentrations, and nitrate reductase (NR) activities were generated to explain the observed variations in leaf‐level flux rates of O3 and NO2. These measurements were made on the plant Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle). The best‐fit model explaining NO2 flux included stomatal conductance, apoplastic ascorbate and NR activity. This model explained 89% of the variation in observed leaf fluxes and suggested physical resistances, reaction between NO2 and apoplastic ascorbate, and the removal rate of nitrate (generated by reactions of NO2 and water) from the apoplast all play controlling roles in NO2 flux to leaves. O3 flux was best explained by stomatal conductance and symplastic ascorbate explaining 66% of the total variation in leaf flux. Both models demonstrate the importance of measuring processes other than stomatal conductance to explain steady‐state leaf‐level fluxes of pollutant gases.
Steroid‐sparing effect of subcutaneous SQ‐standardised specific immunotherapy in moderate and severe house dust mite allergic asthmatics
Authors: Blumberga G. , Groes L. , Haugaard L. , Dahl R. 
Published: June 2006

Background:  The present study evaluated the steroid‐sparing effect of subcutaneous SQ‐standardized specific immunotherapy (SIT) in moderate and severe house dust mite (HDM) allergic asthmatics.Methods:  Fifty‐four adult asthmatics allergic to HDM requiring at least inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) doses equivalent to 500 μg fluticasone propionate daily were randomized to subcutaneous SIT or placebo injections for a period of 3 years. The minimum required ICS dose, 4 week diary of asthma symptom score, use of rescue medication, peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements and visual analog scale for asthma symptoms were assessed before start of treatment and after 1, 2 and 3 years of treatment.Results:  In patients with moderate and severe asthma, the reduction in ICS was statistical significant after 2 years of treatment (P = 0.03) but not after 3 years. The median reductions were 82% and 42% after the third year for active and placebo respectively. In patients with moderate persistent asthma the reduction was statistical significant larger for those treated with SIT compared with placebo after year 2 and year 3. The median reductions after 3 years were 90% for SIT and 42% for placebo (P = 0.04). Despite significant steroid reduction, there was no difference in asthma assessments between the two groups. No serious reactions related to SIT injections were seen.Conclusion:  This study shows that SIT with a SQ‐standardized HDM extract is safe. An ICS sparing effect was evident in patients with moderate persistent asthma.
Common vaccine antigens inhibit allergen‐induced sensitization and airway hyperresponsiveness in a murine model
Authors: Grüber C. , Gerhold K. , Von Stuckrad S. L. , Avagyan A. , Quarcoo D. , Ahrens B. , Wahn U. , Hamelmann E. 
Published: June 2006

Background:  Co‐vaccination with cellular pertussis vaccine down‐regulates allergic sensitization to diphtheria and tetanus antigens. Using a murine model, we investigated whether vaccination with diphtheria/tetanus toxoids, administered separately or simultaneously with the whole cell vaccine of Bordetella pertussis, inhibits subsequent allergen‐induced immune and inflammatory responses.Methods:  BALB/c‐mice were vaccinated intracutaneously with a combination of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids or a combination of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids with a whole cell vaccine of B. pertussis (three times, days −21 to −7) prior to systemic sensitization (days 1–14) and repeated airway challenges (days 28–30) with ovalbumin.Results:  Compared with negative controls, systemic sensitization and airway allergen challenges induced high serum levels of allergen‐specific IgE, predominant Th2‐type cytokine production, airway inflammation and development of in vivo airway hyperreactivity. Vaccination with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids prior to sensitization suppressed IgE formation and development of eosinophilic airway inflammation. Co‐vaccination with a whole cell pertussis vaccine inhibited allergen sensitization, airway inflammation and development of in vivo airway hyperreactivity. Prevention was due to an allergen‐specific and general shift from a predominant Th2 towards a predominant Th1 immune response.Conclusion:  Vaccination with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids alone or in combination with whole cell pertussis vaccine prior to allergen sensitization prevented allergen‐induced Th2 immune responses. Vaccine antigens may down‐regulate allergic responses to a range of common allergens.
Beacon‐Like Immunoreactivity in the Hypothalamus of Domestic Chick
Authors: Esposito V. , De Girolamo P. , Gargiulo G. , Dun N. J. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBeacon‐immunoreactive (B‐ir) fibres and neurons in the hypothalamus of the domestic chick (Gallus domesticus) were studied using an immunohistochemical technique in order to verify the presence and elucidate the pattern of distribution of this novel peptide in an avian brain. B‐ir neurons were seen in the n. supraopticus, pars ventralis and pars externus; n. magnocellularis preopticus, pars dorsalis, medialis and ventralis; n. preopticus periventricularis; n. suprachiasmaticus, pars medialis; n. ventrolateralis thalami. Only few B‐ir cells were scattered in the most anterior part of the lateral hypothalamic area. B‐ir fibres, appearing as thin punctuate structures, were seen mainly along the walls of the third ventricle and in the ventromedial hypothalamus. Labelled fibres and terminals were located in the external and internal zones of the anterior and posterior median eminence. In particular, fibre terminals were seen close to the capillary loops of the hypothalamo‐hypophysial portal system. The anatomical data of the present study regarding the distribution of B‐ir in the chick hypothalamus suggest that beacon may play a key role in the regulation of the neuroendocrine system by acting as a neuromodulator and/or neurotransmitter.
Age‐related Changes in the Number of Mast Cells in the Avian Lymphoid Organs
Authors: Karaca T. , Yörük M. , Uslu S. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryThe distribution of mast cells (MCs) was studied in the lymphoid organs (thymus, bursa of Fabricius and spleen) of 0‐, 7‐, 21‐, 30‐ and 120‐day‐old chickens, using light microscopic histochemical techniques. Tissues samples were obtained under deep anaesthesia from animals in five groups. Tissues were fixed in Mota's fixative (basic lead acetate) for 24 h and embedded in paraffin. Six‐micrometre‐thick sections were stained with toluidine blue in 0.5% aqueous solution at pH 1.0 for 5 min and Alcian blue/Safranine at pH 1.42 for 30 min. MCs were found in the organs, mostly associated with sinuses and blood vessels. A large increase in MCs was observed in both thymus and spleen of 21‐day‐old chickens compared with 0‐, 7‐, 30‐ and 120‐day‐old chickens. However, in the bursa of Fabricius, numbers of MCs were significantly higher in the 7‐day‐old group compared with other age groups. Safranine‐positive MCs were not observed in all organs and age groups. These results showed age‐related changes in the number of MCs in avian lymphoid tissues.
Egg Coloration and Recognition of Conspecific Brood Parasitism in Eastern Bluebirds
Authors: Siefferman Lynn 
Published: June 2006

AbstractIndividual eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) females produce clutches of eggs with unique coloration and older females and females in better body condition lay more pigmented blue‐green eggs. Conspecific brood parasitism in this species is not uncommon and bluebirds occasionally reject what appear to be normal eggs by moving them to the periphery of the nest. I used UV‐visual reflectance spectrometry to objectively measure coloration of eggs and nest material. To estimate the conspicuousness of the trait, I calculated the contrast between eggs and background nest material. I found high achromatic and chromatic contrast between the coloration of eggs and of the nests, suggesting that bluebird eggs are highly conspicuous. To test the hypothesis that expression of blue‐green coloration eggs facilitates recognition of eggs laid by conspecific brood parasites, I cross‐fostered individual eggs into host nests during egg laying and monitored the fate of those eggs. I found no support, however, for the hypothesis that egg coloration facilitates discrimination of parasitic eggs from host eggs.
Adult Richardson's Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus richardsonii) Ignore Rate Changes in Juvenile Alarm Calls: Age‐Differential Response Urgency Perception?
Authors: Sloan Jennifer L. , Hare James F. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractJuvenile Richardson's ground squirrels (RGS; Spermophilus richardsonii) communicate response urgency by modulating the rate of syllable production in repetitive alarm calls, although longer call bouts do not promote more pronounced or longer‐lasting (tonic) vigilance in juvenile call recipients. We exposed free‐living adult RGS to playbacks of alarm calls differing in rate and length to determine whether adult receivers respond to the same alarm parameters as juveniles. Adult squirrels did not respond differentially to differences in call rate or length, suggesting that adult RGS do not attend to call rate as do juveniles. This difference in response may be attributable to a developmental change in the perceptual mechanisms by which individuals extract information regarding response urgency, but could also be a product of adult receivers devaluing information encoded in alarm calls emitted by relatively inexperienced juvenile signalers.