bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Massage to prevent pressure ulcers: knowledge, beliefs and practice. A cross‐sectional study among nurses in the Netherlands in 1991 and 2003
Authors: Duimel‐Peeters Inge GP , Hulsenboom Mirjam A , Berger Martijn PF , Snoeckx Luc HEH , Halfens Ruud JG 
Published: March 2006

Abstract Background.  Pressure ulcers are a major problem in all areas of health care in the Netherlands. National guidelines for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers were originally developed in 1985 and revised in 1991 and 2002. The value of these guidelines can be questioned because it seems they are not in line with the beliefs and practice of the caregivers and only 5% of them are evidence‐based.Aims and objectives.  To get a better insight into nurses’ current knowledge, beliefs and performed practices relating to massage, a study was designed to assess changes in these three aspects after the publication of the 2002 Dutch national guidelines. The outcome was compared with the situation in 1991, the year in which the previous guidelines were published.Design and method.  A cross‐sectional comparative study was designed using written questionnaires. Questions were formulated regarding knowledge and beliefs about prevention methods and the actual use of these methods in the prevention of pressure ulcers. The 2003‐survey population consisted of nurses working in the Netherlands and was approached at random via subscriptions to Nursing News (i.e. Verpleegkunde Nieuws), a Dutch professional journal or via affiliations to an institution participating in the 2003 National Prevalence Survey of Pressure Ulcers.Results and conclusions.  Compared with the 1991 findings, the 2003 results show an improvement for the topic of pressure ulcers, but a deterioration regarding dehydration. It is obvious that the knowledge of the current CBO‐guidelines on massage is still not widely distributed as it should be. Our overall conclusion is that the differences in responses between 1991 and 2003 are significant and suggest that the nurses were better informed in 2003.Relevance to clinical practice.  For the improvement of health care in the domain of pressure ulcer preventions, we need more than an accurate implementation of new or existing guidelines. Guidelines should also be based on qualitative, methodological well‐designed studies to be evidence‐based.
Psychiatric wards with locked doors – advantages and disadvantages according to nurses and mental health nurse assistants
Authors: Haglund K , Von Knorring L , Von Essen L 
Published: March 2006

Aims and objective.  To describe nurses’ and mental health nurse assistants’ perceptions of advantages and disadvantages about working on a psychiatric ward with a locked entrance door.Background.  Psychiatric staff sometimes needs to protect patients from harming themselves or others. To keep the entrance door locked may help staff to achieve this goal. How locked entrance doors at psychiatric wards are experienced by staff, working on these wards, has been investigated to a very limited extent.Design.  The study was explorative and descriptive.Method.  Audio taped, semi‐structured interviews with open‐ended questions about advantages and disadvantages about working on a psychiatric ward with a locked entrance door, were conducted with 20 nurses and 20 mental health nurse assistants. Data were analyzed with content analysis.Results.  A content analysis revealed eight categories of advantages and 18 categories of disadvantages. Most advantages mentioned by nurses and mental health nurse assistants were categorized as providing staff with control over patients, providing patients with a secure and efficient care and protecting patients and staff against ‘the outside’. Most disadvantages mentioned by nurses were categorized as causing extra work for staff, making patients feel confined, making patients feel dependent and creating a non‐caring environment. Most disadvantages mentioned by mental health nurse assistants were categorized as causing extra work for staff, making patients feel confined, causing emotional problems for patients, making staff's power obvious and forcing patients to adapt to other patients’ needs. Nurses and mental health nurse assistants mentioned more disadvantages than advantages and nurses mentioned more disadvantages than mental health nurse assistants.Conclusion.  Nurses and mental health nurse assistants perceive a number of advantages and disadvantages for themselves, patients and significant others with a locked door at a psychiatric ward. Most of these concern patients’ experiences.Relevance to clinical practice.  It is important for staff working within psychiatric care to reflect upon the fact that a locked entrance door is connected with a range of negative as well as positive perceptions and to minimize patient and own concerns connected to the locked door.
The RNA polymerase‐binding protein RbpA confers basal levels of rifampicin resistance on Streptomyces coelicolor
Authors: Newell Katy V. , Thomas Derek P. , Brekasis Dimitris , Paget Mark S. B. 
Published: March 2006

SummaryRbpA is an RNA polymerase‐binding protein that occurs in the actinomycete family of bacteria and is regulated by the disulphide stress‐response sigma factor, σR, in Streptomyces coelicolor. Here we demonstrate that rbpA null mutants exhibit a slow‐growth phenotype and are particularly sensitive to the transcription inhibitor rifampicin. Strikingly, transcription mapping experiments revealed that rbpA expression is induced upon exposure of S. coelicolor to rifampicin and that this, in part, involves an increase in the activity of σR. In contrast, the ribosomal RNA operon promoter rrnDp3, which is recognized by the vegetative sigma factor σHrdB, was strongly inhibited by rifampicin. Reconstitution of RNAP from an rbpA null mutant with purified RbpA revealed that RbpA stimulates transcription from rrnDp3, even in the presence of rifampicin. The data presented suggest that RbpA confers basal levels of rifampicin resistance and is a novel regulator of rRNA synthesis in S. coelicolor.
Modulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis proliferation by MtrA, an essential two‐component response regulator
Authors: Fol Marek , Chauhan Ashwini , Nair Naveen K. , Maloney Erin , Moomey Meredith , Jagannath Chinnaswamy , Madiraju Murty V. V. S. , Rajagopalan Malini 
Published: March 2006

SummaryPaired two‐component regulatory systems consisting of a sensor kinase and a response regulator are the major means by which bacteria sense and respond to different stimuli. The role of essential response regulator, MtrA, in Mycobacterium tuberculosis proliferation is unknown. We showed that elevating the intracellular levels of MtrA prevented M. tuberculosis from multiplying in macrophages, mice lungs and spleens, but did not affect its growth in broth. Intracellular trafficking analysis revealed that a vast majority of MtrA overproducing merodiploids were associated with lysosomal associated membrane protein (LAMP‐1) positive vacuoles, indicating that intracellular growth attenuation is, in part, due to an impaired ability to block phagosome–lysosome fusion. A merodiploid strain producing elevated levels of phosphorylation‐defective MtrA (MtrAD53N) was partially replicative in macrophages, but was attenuated in mice. Quantitative real‐time PCR analyses revealed that expression of dnaA, an essential replication gene, was sharply upregulated during intramacrophage growth in the MtrA overproducer in a phosphorylation‐dependent manner. Chromatin immunoprecipitation using anti‐MtrA antibodies provided direct evidence that MtrA regulator binds to dnaA promoter in vivo indicating that dnaA promoter is a MtrA target. Simultaneous overexpression of mtrA regulator and its cognate mtrB kinase neither inhibited growth nor sharply increased the expression levels of dnaA in macrophages. We propose that proliferation of M. tuberculosis in vivo depends, in part, on the optimal ratio of phosphorylated to non‐phosphorylated MtrA response regulator.
P159 is a proteolytically processed, surface adhesin ofMycoplasma hyopneumoniae: defined domains of P159 bind heparin and promote adherence to eukaryote cells
Authors: Burnett Tracey A. , Dinkla Katrin , Rohde Manfred , Chhatwal Gursharan S. , Uphoff Cord , Srivastava Mukesh , Cordwell Stuart J. , Geary Steven , Liao Xiaofen , Minion F. Chris , Walker Mark J. , Djordjevic Steven P. 
Published: March 2006

SummaryMycoplasma hyopneumoniae, the causative agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia, colonizes the respiratory cilia of affected swine causing significant economic losses to swine production worldwide. Heparin is known to inhibit adherence ofM. hyopneumoniaeto porcine respiratory epithelial cilia.M. hyopneumoniaecells bind heparin but the identity of the heparin‐binding proteins is limited. Proteomic analysis ofM. hyopneumoniaelysates identified 27 kDa (P27), 110 kDa (P110) and 52 kDa (P52) proteins representing different regions of a 159 kDa (P159) protein derived from mhp494. These cleavage fragments were surface located and present at all growth stages. Following purification of four recombinant proteins spanning P159 (F1P159, F2P159, F3P159and F4P159), only F3P159and F4P159bound heparin in a dose‐dependent manner (Kdvalues 142.37 ± 22.01 nM; 75.37 ± 7.34 nM respectively). Scanning electron microscopic studies showedM. hyopneumoniaebound intimately to porcine kidney epithelial‐like cells (PK15 cells) but these processes were inhibited by excess heparin and F4P159. Similarly, latex beads coated with F2P159and F4P159adhered to and entered PK15 cells, but heparin, F2P159and F4P159was inhibitory. These findings indicate that P159 is a post‐translationally cleaved, glycosaminoglycan‐binding adhesin ofM. hyopneumoniae.
The chromosome partitioning proteins Soj (ParA) and Spo0J (ParB) contribute to accurate chromosome partitioning, separation of replicated sister origins, and regulation of replication initiation in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Lee Philina S. , Grossman Alan D. 
Published: March 2006

SummarySoj (ParA) and Spo0J (ParB) of Bacillus subtilis belong to a conserved family of proteins required for efficient plasmid and chromosome partitioning in many bacterial species. Unlike most Par systems, for which intact copies of both parA and parB are required for the Par system to function, inactivating soj does not cause a detectable chromosome partitioning phenotype whereas inactivating spo0J leads to a 100‐fold increase in the production of anucleate cells. This suggested either that Soj does not function like other ParA homologues, or that a cellular factor might compensate for the absence of soj. We found that inactivating smc, the gene encoding the structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) protein, unmasked a role for Soj in chromosome partitioning. A soj null mutation dramatically enhanced production of anucleate cells in an smc null mutant. To look for effects of a soj null on other phenotypes perturbed in a spo0J null mutant, we analysed replication initiation and origin positioning in (soj‐spo0J)+, Δsoj, Δspo0J and Δ(soj‐spo0J) cells. All of the mutations caused increased initiation of replication and, to varying extents, affected origin positioning. Using a new assay to measure separation of the chromosomal origins, we found that inactivating soj, spo0J or both led to a significant defect in separating replicated sister origins, such that the origins remain too close to be spatially resolved. Separation of a region outside the origin was not affected. These results indicate that there are probably factors helping to pair sister origin regions for part of the replication cycle, and that Soj and Spo0J may antagonize this pairing to contribute to timely separation of replicated origins. The effects of Δsoj, Δspo0J and Δ(soj‐spo0J) mutations on origin positioning, chromosome partitioning and replication initiation may be a secondary consequence of a defect in separating replicated origins.
The characteristics of Ca++‐activated Cl–channels of the salt‐tolerant charophyteLamprothamnium
Authors: BEILBY MARY J. , SHEPHERD VIRGINIA A. 
Published: March 2006

ABSTRACTThe dependence of the Ca++‐activated Cl–channels on potential difference (PD) was extracted from current–voltage (I/V) profiles recorded at the time of hypotonic regulation while the large conductance (G) K+channels were blocked by tetraethylammonium (TEA). The total clamp current (I) was dominated by the Cl–I,iCl, with small contribution from the backgroundI(ibackground). TheiClwas fitted by the Goldman–Hodgkin–Katz (GHK) model with enhanced PD dependence simulated by Boltzmann probability distributions. Theibackgroundwas modelled by an empirical equation. TheiClresponded to PD changes within tens of milliseconds. TheGmaxima were located between −20 and −150 mV. The Cl–channel number and channel permeability parameter,NClPCl, decreased as a function of time in a hypotonic medium (from 0.45 × 10−7to 0.17 × 10−7 ms−1in 19 min), with the positive half activation PD,V50+, shifting from +35 to −65 mV, and the negative half activation PD,V50–, shifting from −134 to −310 mV. The fitted Cl–concentration [Cl–]cytat the time of hypotonic regulation indicated rapid equalization of vacuolar and cytoplasmic concentrations. Excellent data obtained under similar experimental conditions in a previous study enabled us to infer [Ca++]cytinfluences on the Cl–channel characteristics. Thick sulphated polysaccharide mucilage, found onLamprothamniumcells acclimated to more saline media, eliminated the activation of theiClat the time of the hypotonic regulation. This effect was reversed by the application of the enzyme heparinase. The characteristics of theiClwere found to be consistent with a component of the excitationIs at the time of the action potential (AP). The short duration of the excitation transients was contrasted with that of the hypotonic regulation. The mechanisms for Cl–channel activation (and hence the Ca++channel activation) were considered.
An apparatus for collecting total conidia of Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei from leaf colonies using electrostatic attraction
Authors: Moriura N. , Matsuda Y. , Oichi W. , Nakashima S. , Hirai T. , Nonomura T. , Kakutani K. , Kusakari S. , Higashi K. , Toyoda H. 
Published: March 2006

Conidia from living conidiophores of barley powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei) on host leaves were collected consecutively using an electrostatic spore collector. The collector consisted of an electrical conductor plate linked to an electrostatic voltage generator and insulator plates placed abreast on a timed conveyer. The conductor plate was negatively charged by the potential supplied from the voltage generator. The negatively charged conductor plate caused dielectric polarization of the insulator plate, and the surface charge on the insulator plate attracted mature conidia abstricted from conidiophores on colonies growing on leaves placed 2 cm from the insulator plate. The surface charge on the insulator plate was proportional to the voltage applied to the conductor plate. Under optimized conditions, abstricted conidia were attracted to the electrostatically activated insulator plates without any detriment to their survival. During a colony's life span of c. 460 h, conidia were released throughout the day and c. 12 × 104 conidia were collected during the lifetime of the colony. This is the first report on the direct quantification of progeny conidia produced by powdery mildew infecting host leaves.
Ontogenic sources of variation in sexual size dimorphism in a viviparous lizard
Authors: Le Galliard J.-F. , Massot M. , Landys M. M. , Meylan S. , Clobert J. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractTo elucidate the developmental aspects of the evolution of sexual size dimorphism (SSD), an understanding of the sex-specific ontogeny of body size is critical. Here, we evaluate the relative importance of genetic and environmental determinants of SSD in juvenile common lizards (Lacerta vivipara). We examined the prenatal and post-natal effects of population density and habitat humidity on SSD, as well as the maternal effects of food availability, corticosterone level, humidity and heat regime during gestation. Analyses indicated strong prenatal and post-natal plasticity in body size per se and yielded three main results with respect to SSD. First, SSD in juvenile common lizards matches qualitatively the SSD observed in adults. Secondly, SSD was influenced by none of the prenatal factors investigated here, suggesting poor sex-biased maternal effects on offspring size. Thirdly, SSD was sensitive to post-natal habitat humidity, which positively affected growth rate more strongly in females than in males. Thus, natural variation in SSD in juvenile common lizards appears to be primarily determined by a combination of sex-biased genetic factors and post-natal conditions. We discuss the possibility that viviparity may constrain the evolution of sex-biased maternal effects on offspring size.
Limb disparity and wing shape in pterosaurs
Authors: Dyke G. J. , Nudds R. L. , Rayner J. M. V. 
Published: March 2006

Abstract
The limb proportions of the extinct flying pterosaurs were clearly distinct from their living counterparts, birds and bats. Within pterosaurs, however, we show that further differences in limb proportions exist between the two main groups: the clade of short-tailed Pterodactyloidea and the paraphyletic clades of long-tailed rhamphorhynchoids. The hindlimb to forelimb ratios of rhamphorhynchoid pterosaurs are similar to that seen in bats, whereas those of pterodactyloids are much higher. Such a clear difference in limb ratios indicates that the extent of the wing membrane in rhamphorhynchoids and pterodactyloids may also have differed; this is borne out by simple ternary analyses. Further, analyses also indicate that the limbs of Sordes pilosus, a well-preserved small taxon used as key evidence for inferring the extent and shape of the wing membrane in all pterosaurs, are not typical even of its closest relatives, other rhamphorhynchoids. Thus, a bat-like extensive hindlimb flight membrane, integrated with the feet and tail may be applicable only to a small subset of pterosaur diversity. The range of flight morphologies seen in these extinct reptiles may prove much broader than previously thought.
Role of sexual and natural selection in evolution of body size and shape: a phylogenetic study of morphological radiation in grouse
Authors: Drovetski S. V. , Rohwer S. , Mode N. A. 
Published: March 2006

Abstract
We use standardized independent contrasts (SICs) to elucidate the effect of ecology and mating systems on morphological radiation in grouse. The analysis of SICs for 38 skeletal measurements from 20 taxa, showed that changes in mating system had a significant effect on body size of both sexes. Sexual size dimorphism in grouse is consistent with Rensch's rule; the slope of the regression of male vs. female size SICs was 1.4, significantly &gt;1. Changes in habitat were associated with accelerated rates of evolution of body proportions. SICs for male and female scores of size independent factors were directly proportional to each other (slope = 1), indicating extreme similarities between male and female ecology. Females, however, were better adapted to longer, more energy efficient flight than males. Size independent morphological differences among grouse are adaptive and are related to the differences in habitat and foraging behaviour among the species.
Evolutionary aspects of population structure for molecular and quantitative traits in the freshwater snail Radix balthica
Authors: Evanno G. , Castella E. , Goudet J. 
Published: March 2006

Abstract
Detecting the action of selection in natural populations can be achieved using the QST–FST comparison that relies on the estimation of FST with neutral markers, and QST using quantitative traits potentially under selection. QST higher than FST suggests the action of directional selection and thus potential local adaptation. In this article, we apply the QST–FST comparison to four populations of the hermaphroditic freshwater snail Radix balthica located in a floodplain habitat. In contrast to most studies published so far, we did not detect evidence of directional selection for local optima for any of the traits we measured: QST calculated using three different methods was never higher than FST. A strong inbreeding depression was also detected, indicating that outcrossing is probably predominant over selfing in the studied populations. Our results suggest that in this floodplain habitat, local adaptation of R. balthica populations may be hindered by genetic drift, and possibly altered by uneven gene flow linked to flood frequency.
Whole‐metagenome amplification of a microbial community associated with scleractinian coral by multiple displacement amplification using ϕ29 polymerase
Authors: Yokouchi Hiroko , Fukuoka Yayoi , Mukoyama Daikichi , Calugay Ronie , Takeyama Haruko , Matsunaga Tadashi 
Published: March 2006

SummaryLimitations in obtaining sufficient specimens and difficulties in extracting high quality DNA from environmental samples have impeded understanding of the structure of microbial communities. In this study, multiple displacement amplification (MDA) using ϕ29 polymerase was applied to overcome these hindrances. Optimization of the reaction conditions for amplification of the bacterial genome and evaluation of the MDA product were performed using cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803. An 8‐h MDA reaction yielded a sufficient quantity of DNA from an initial amount of 0.4 ng, which is equivalent to approximately 105 cells. Uniform amplification of genes randomly selected from the cyanobacterial genome was confirmed by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The metagenome from bacteria associated with scleractinian corals was used for whole‐genome amplification using ϕ29 polymerase to analyse the microbial diversity. Unidentified bacteria with less than 93% identity to the closest 16S rDNA sequences deposited in DNA Bata Bank of Japan were predominantly detected from the coral‐associated bacterial community before and after the MDA procedures. Sequencing analysis indicated that α‐Proteobacteria was the dominant group in Pocillopora damicornis. This study demonstrates that MDA techniques are efficient for genome wide investigation to understand the actual microbial diversity in limited bacterial samples.
Perkinsoide chabelardi n. gen., a protozoan parasite with an intermediate evolutionary position: possible cause of the decrease of sardine fisheries?
Authors: Gestal Camino , Novoa Beatriz , Posada David , Figueras Antonio , Azevedo Carlos 
Published: March 2006

SummaryPhenotypic scrutiny on the life cycle of Icthyodinium chabelardi (Perkinsoide chabelardi n. gen.) based on ultrastructural techniques, and molecular phylogenetic analysis of RNA gene sequences, were carried out in order to elucidate the taxonomic position of this parasite. The absence of plastid, presence of trichocysts, and chromosomes or chromatin condensed and low in number, suggested that this protozoan could be considered a dinoflagellate syndinial parasite. However, the life cycle, schizogonic divisions and structure of schizonts inside the host, the nuclei without the typical dinoflagellate appearance, presence of rhoptrias‐like structures, a possible pseudo‐conoid, and the biflagellated spore, resembled those of the genus Perkinsus. Phylogenetic analysis of genes transcribing for the RNA forming the small subunit and the large subunit suggests that this parasite has an ambiguous evolutionary position within the group formed by dinoflagellates, perkinsids and syndinials. Because of differences with dinoflagellates and similarities with perkinsids, we propose to change the generic name to P. chabelardi n. gen. High stationary infection prevalence on Sardina pilchardus eggs was observed. This protozoan parasite caused the death of all the infected sardine eggs, and therefore a high impact in the recruitment of this fishery in the Atlantic coast is expected.