bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Developing nursing and midwifery research capacity in a university department: case study
Authors: Green Barbara , Segrott Jeremy , Hewitt Jeanette 
Published: September 2006

Aim.  This paper reports a case study which examined the selection, implementation and outcomes of one university department's approach to building research capacity in nursing and midwifery.Background.  The literature identifies building nursing research capacity as an important challenge. In countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom it is taking place in the context of the move of nurse education into the university sector. Structural and cultural barriers to building academic nursing research capacity exist. Previous studies highlight the strategies that academic departments adopt to build nursing research capacity.Methods.  Using case study methodology, data were collected using documentary analysis and semi‐structured interviews with a purposive sample of 27 academic and related staff and a focus group with seven staff. The data were collected between 2003 and 2005.Findings.  The department had adopted an inclusive approach to capacity development (allowing all teaching staff to develop their research capability), but is now moving towards a more focused path and the cultivation of ‘leading edge’ research. Neophyte researchers described lacking confidence in undertaking research, and expressed a need for more formal support structures. The importance of effective management of capacity building was highlighted, including transparent communication and mapping of existing capacity. Key external influences included the lack of core research funding, and divergence between the university's emphasis on research and the department's desire to develop an interface between teaching, research and clinical practice.Conclusion.  Academic leadership and educational management should work in tandem. Staff development and the provision of time and support are crucial aspects of research capacity development. The effectiveness of ‘inclusive’ and ‘exclusive’ approaches to research capacity development depends on the nature of each department, and they are not mutually exclusive.
Care of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary health care
Authors: Lundh Lena , Rosenhall Leif , Törnkvist Lena 
Published: September 2006

Aim.  This paper is a report of a study of nurses’ perceptions of caring for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Background.  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a global health problem and the number of patients being treated with this disease in primary healthcare settings is increasing. This places new demands on the nurses involved.Method.  A phenomenographic approach was adopted, using a purposive sample. Data were generated between February and May 2003 from 20 interviews with district nurses and general nurses who cared for patients in primary healthcare settings with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Findings.  In most cases, nurses cared for older people with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They described this care from two overall orientations: task and individual. The nurses’ perceptions of the care of these patients were described as creating commitment and participation by establishing a good relationship with patients and supporting them in their personal care, educating patients by supplying information and knowledge in various ways, co‐operation by co‐operating with or referring to other caregivers, and arranging and implementing clinical examinations and treatments.Conclusion.  The type of care depended on who the patient met: either a task‐oriented nurse or an individual‐oriented nurse. Therefore, nursing programmes should pay special attention to the support and guidance of new and inexperienced and task‐oriented nurses. Healthcare planners should take into consideration the need for individualized care when organizing care and allocating resources for chronically ill people.
Validation and reproducibility of a semi‐quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire for use in elderly Swiss women
Authors: Dumartheray E. Wynn , Krieg M‐A. , Cornuz J. , Whittamore D. R. , Lovell D. P. , Burckhardt P. , Lanham‐New S. A. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractObjective  The principal aim of this study was to develop a Swiss Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) for the elderly population for use in a study to investigate the influence of nutritional factors on bone health. The secondary aim was to assess its validity and both short‐term and long‐term reproducibility.Design  A 4‐day weighed record (4 d WR) was applied to 51 randomly selected women of a mean age of 80.3 years. Subsequently, a detailed FFQ was developed, cross‐validated against a further 44 4‐d WR, and the short‐ (1 month, n = 15) and long‐term (12 months, n = 14) reproducibility examined.Setting  French speaking part of Switzerland.Subjects  The subjects were randomly selected women recruited from the Swiss Evaluation of the Methods of Measurement of Osteoporotic Fracture cohort study.Results  Mean energy intakes by 4‐d WR and FFQ showed no significant difference [1564.9 kcal (SD 351.1); 1641.3 kcal (SD 523.2) respectively]. Mean crude nutrient intakes were also similar (with nonsignifcant P‐values examining the differences in intake) and ranged from 0.13 (potassium) to 0.48 (magnesium). Similar results were found in the reproducibility studies.Conclusion  These findings provide evidence that this FFQ adequately estimates nutrient intakes and can be used to rank individuals within distributions of intake in specific populations.
C‐reactive protein, heart rate variability and prognosis in community subjects with no apparent heart disease
Authors: SAJADIEH A. , NIELSEN O. W. , RASMUSSEN V. , HEIN H. O. , HANSEN J. F. 
Published: September 2006

Abstract.Objectives.  Increased C‐reactive protein (CRP) and reduced heart rate variability (HRV) both indicate poor prognosis. An inverse association between HRV and CRP has been reported, suggesting an interaction between inflammatory and autonomic systems. However, the prognostic impact of this interaction has not been studied. We thus investigated the prognostic impact of CRP, HRV and their combinations.Design.  Population‐based study.Subjects.  A total of 638 middle‐aged and elderly subjects with no apparent heart disease from community.Methods.  All were studied by clinical and laboratory examinations, and 24‐h Holter monitoring. Four time domain measures of HRV were studied. All were prospectively followed for up to 5 years.Results.  Mean age was 64 years (55–75). During the follow‐up, 46 total deaths and 11 cases of definite acute myocardial infarction were observed. Both CRP and three of four HRV measures were significantly associated with increased rate of death or myocardial infarction. In a Cox model with CRP ≥2.5 μg mL−1, standard deviation for the mean value of the time between normal complexes ≤100 ms, and their combination, hazard ratio and 95% CI for subjects with both abnormalities was 3.20 (1.55–6.56), P = 0.0016, and for subjects with either abnormality 1.63(0.83–3.20), P = 0.15, after adjustment for conventional risk factors. The combination of CRP and other measures of HRV gave similar results. This indicates an interaction between CRP and HRV with a synergistic effect.Conclusions.  The combination of CRP and HRV or heart rate (HR) predicts death and myocardial infarction with synergism, indicating interaction between inflammatory and autonomic systems with a prognostic significance.
The Parkes Multibeam Pulsar Survey – VI. Discovery and timing of 142 pulsars and a Galactic population analysis
Authors: Lorimer D. R. , Faulkner A. J. , Lyne A. G. , Manchester R. N. , Kramer M. , McLaughlin M. A. , Hobbs G. , Possenti A. , Stairs I. H. , Camilo F. , Burgay M. , D'Amico N. , Corongiu A. , Crawford F. 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
We present the discovery and follow-up observations of 142 pulsars found in the Parkes 20-cm multibeam pulsar survey of the Galactic plane. These new discoveries bring the total number of pulsars found by the survey to 742. In addition to tabulating spin and astrometric parameters, along with pulse width and flux density information, we present orbital characteristics for 13 binary pulsars which form part of the new sample. Combining these results from another recent Parkes multibeam survey at high Galactic latitudes, we have a sample of 1008 normal pulsars which we use to carry out a determination of their Galactic distribution and birth rate. We infer a total Galactic population of 30 000 ± 1100 potentially detectable pulsars (i.e. those beaming towards us) having 1.4-GHz luminosities above 0.1 mJy kpc2. Adopting the Tauris & Manchester beaming model, this translates to a total of 155 000 ± 6000 active radio pulsars in the Galaxy above this luminosity limit. Using a pulsar current analysis, we derive the birth rate of this population to be 1.4 ± 0.2 pulsars per century. An important conclusion from our work is that the inferred radial density function of pulsars depends strongly on the assumed distribution of free electrons in the Galaxy. As a result, any analyses using the most recent electron model of Cordes & Lazio predict a dearth of pulsars in the inner Galaxy. We show that this model can also bias the inferred pulsar scaleheight with respect to the Galactic plane. Combining our results with other Parkes multibeam surveys we find that the population is best described by an exponential distribution with a scaleheight of 330 pc. Surveys underway at Parkes and Arecibo are expected to improve the knowledge of the radial distribution outside the solar circle, and to discover several hundred new pulsars in the inner Galaxy.
Flow cytometric quantification of antigen D sites on red blood cells of partial D and weak D variants in India
Authors: Kulkarni S. , Mohanty D. , Gupte S. , Vasantha K. , Joshi S. 
Published: September 2006

summary The D antigenic sites are diminished in weak D and partial D variants. The aim of this study was to estimate D antigen on RBC in weak D and partial D variants in Indian population by using flow cytometric method.Blood samples of 42 cases of partial D, eight cases of weak D and 123 normal Rh phenotypes identified by serological methods were used in the study. An indirect immunofluorescence method was employed using 29 monoclonal anti‐D as primary antibody. The D antigenic sites were calculated using control RBC as internal standard.The D antigenic sites in weak D and partial D variants are less than that found in normal Rh phenotypes. In weak D, the D antigenic sites were between 1500 and 7000 D antigens per cell. Among partial D variants, DVI had minimum and DVa had maximum number of D sites.Flow cytometry is a very good tool for demonstrating minor variation in D antigen when serological methods are inconclusive. The D antigenic sites per RBC in partial D variants identified in Indian population are reported for the first time.
SI25 The Capillary Haemoglobin Level is a More Physiological Measure than the Venous Level and is Less Susceptible to Seasonal Fluctuation When the Donor Haemoglobin Level is Close to the Regulatory Cut‐Off
Authors: Darragh E. , McSweeney E. , Ekin C. , Kinsella A. , Murphy W. G. 
Published: September 2006

Introduction We set out to show that at levels of venous haemoglobin in blood donors that were close to the regulatory limits of 13.5 g dL−1 for males and 12.5 g dL−1 for females, capillary haemoglobin levels of 0.5 g less (13.0 g dL−1 for males, 12.0 g dL−1 for females) were biologically equivalent; that is, setting a capillary haemoglobin cut‐off for donations at 13.0/12.0 g dL−1 is in compliance with a regulatory requirement of 13.5/12.5 g dL−1 for venous haemoglobin levels. At the same time we compared seasonal variations in venous haemoglobin levels with capillary haemoglobin levels at levels close to the regulatory cut‐off points.Methods Male and female donors with capillary haemoglobin levels of 13.0–13.4 for males and 12.0–12.4 g dL−1 for females as measured by HemoCue (Angelholm, Sweden) were accepted for donation, and a venous haemoglobin level using the CellDyn 4000 instrument (Abbott Diagnostics, Mount View, CA, USA) was measured on the routine EDTA sample taken at donation from the diversion pouch. All donations meeting these criteria were compared for the two haemoglobin levels over a period of one calendar year (May 2004–April 2005). Differences were tested for statistical significance using Pearson coefficient, Student's t‐test, and confidence interval analysis.Results A total of 11, 991 donations were analysed (8341 females, 3650 males). Mean capillary haemoglobin levels were 13.1 (SD 0.2) g dL−1 for males, and 12.1 (SD 0.2) g dL−1 for females, as expected for the conditions. Mean monthly capillary haemoglobin levels varied between 13.0–13.2 (SD 0.2) g dL−1 for males, and 12.0–12.2 (SD 0.2) g dL−1 for females. Mean venous haemoglobin levels were 14.1 (SD 0.7) for males and 12.8 (SD 0.6) for females. Mean monthly venous haemoglobin levels showed a wider month‐to‐month variation, from 13.8 to 14.3 for males and 12.5 to 12.9 for females. The monthly variation for August was significantly different from other months for both males and females, and the venous haemoglobin in this population was significantly correlated with average monthly temperature (P = 0.01).Conclusions (i) A cut‐off for capillary haemoglobin of 12.0 g dL−1 for females and 13.0 g dL−1 for males equates to a venous haemoglobin level that meets regulatory requirements, and is less sensitive to seasonal fluctuations than venous haemoglobin levels; and (ii) Venous haemoglobin levels fluctuate in healthy populations at the expense of maintaining capillary haemoglobin levels, consistent with the presence of a physiological mechanism to preserve steady‐state tissue oxygenation in healthy humans in the presence of modest temperature fluctuations. This requires further study, especially in relation to determining optimum capillary haemoglobin levels in stressed states.
P39 The Second Example of LU:‐4: a Serological and Molecular Study
Authors: Karamatic Crew V. , Warke N. , Ahrens N. , Poole J. , Daniels G. 
Published: September 2006

Introduction  The Lutheran (LU) blood group system consists of 19 antigens numbered 1–21 (LU10, LU15 designated obsolete). There are four pairs of allelic and polymorphic antigens; Lua/Lub(LU1/LU2), LU6/LU9, LU8/LU14 and Aua/Aub(LU18/LU19). The remaining 11 are all antigens of high frequency. For the majority of Lutheran antigens the molecular bases have been determined and their expression is nearly always associated with a single amino acid change in the Lu‐glycoprotein. Lutheran antigens are carried on two red cell membrane glycoproteins, Lu‐glycoprotein and epithelial cancer antigen. The two isoforms are encoded by a single gene LU located on chromosome 19q13.2 and organised into 15 exons.Case Study and Methods  We investigated a case of a prenatal patient with no known history of transfusion or previous pregnancies, whose serum contained an antibody giving positive reactions with all donor cells tested. Serological tests were performed by standard agglutination techniques. Genomic DNA was isolated from whole blood of the patient, all the exons of the LU gene were amplified by PCR and directly sequenced.Results  Serological tests confirmed the presence of a Lutheran antibody in the patient's serum. All tested cells were incompatible with the patient's serum, except several examples of Lu(a‐b‐) cells of both the dominant and recessive phenotype. Her red cells were tested with antibodies to high frequency Lutheran antigens and failed to react with anti‐Lu4. Sequencing of the LU gene revealed a novel homozygous mutation in exon 5 524G>T, causing an amino acid change Arg175Leu in the protein. This novel mutation was found in the same codon (523CGG) in LU exon 5 as the only other known example of LU:‐4, where the change at the same nucleotide was 524G>A, leading to Arg175Gln substitution.Conclusion  We report the second individual with the rare LU:‐4 phenotype. We have confirmed the patient's serum contained an anti‐Lu4 antibody. This phenotype results from a single point mutation in LU leading to an Arg175Leu amino acid change in the protein. This new point mutation occurred at the same nucleotide as the mutation in the only other known example of LU:‐4. However, it caused a different amino acid substitution than in the original example, indicating a potential hot spot for mutations in LU.
Seed dormancy and germination in the summer annual Galeopsis speciosa
Authors: KARLSSON LM , ERICSSON JAL , MILBERG P 
Published: September 2006

SummaryThis study examined germination and dormancy in Galeopsis speciosa (Lamiaceae), a common summer annual weed in cold‐temperate areas. Seeds collected in southern Sweden were subjected to several experiments. The seeds were dormant at maturity. Seeds sown outdoors after collection produced a small number of seedlings that emerged early in the spring. After long cold stratification or stratification outdoors over two winters, the maximum germination was 40–50%; germination occurring over a wide range of temperatures. Warm stratification preceding cold stratification had no effect on germination, but repeated warm and cold periods seemed to promote germination. Gibberellic acid (GA) stimulated germination, but full germination was only achieved after more than 2 months of incubation at the most suitable temperature regime tested. Excised embryos grew and developed into normal seedlings. With these results, the species does not fit into the currently used system for seed dormancy classifications. The response to GA and the growth of excised embryos indicate non‐deep or intermediate physiological dormancy, but dormancy alleviation by stratification was not in line with the guiding principles for these classifications. Galeopsis speciosa has a strong dormancy that is sufficiently alleviated during the winter to allow germination of only part of a seed batch each year; hence a stepwise germination pattern occurs over a period of several years.
Ranking of invasive woody plant species for management on Réunion Island
Authors: TASSIN J , RIVIÈRE J‐N , CAZANOVE M , BRUZZESE E 
Published: September 2006

SummaryThe native flora of Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean is threatened by invasive woody plants introduced for agriculture, forestry or as ornamentals. We reviewed archives to identify woody plants introduced since colonisation and ranked the biological impact of the main non‐indigenous species on native vegetation. The relationship between cumulative number of non‐indigenous plants and population follows an s‐shaped curve, but the rate of introduction was mainly determined by historical periods with five main introduction phases identified. A total of 318 introduced woody species were recorded with 132 identified as naturalized in natural ecosystems. Of these, 26 of the more serious invasive species (i.e. having a large biological impact on the new environment) were selected and ranked by biological impact to native ecosystems. Hiptage benghalensis, Ligustrum robustum var. walkeri, Acacia mearnsii, Ulex europaeus and Psidium cattleianum were identified as having the highest invasiveness capacity and the greatest impacts on succession and utilization of resources in natural areas. A strategy is required to manage high‐priority invasive species and reduce the rate of non‐indigenous plant introductions to the island.
A target‐site mutation is present in a glyphosate‐resistant Lolium rigidum population
Authors: WAKELIN AM , PRESTON C 
Published: September 2006

SummaryAnnual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) is the only weed species to have evolved resistance to the broad‐spectrum herbicide glyphosate in Australia. A population that had failed to be controlled by glyphosate was collected from a vineyard in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia. Dose–response experiments on this population (SLR 77) showed that it was glyphosate resistant, with an LD50 that was 1.9–3.4 times higher than that of a susceptible population (VLR 1). The movement of radiolabelled glyphosate within SLR 77 plants showed that this population did not have the differential glyphosate translocation mechanism of resistance common to several other Australian glyphosate‐resistant populations. Subsequent analysis of shikimic acid accumulation within the plant after glyphosate treatment showed that this population accumulated significantly less shikimic acid than a susceptible population, but more than a glyphosate‐resistant population with the translocation mechanism, indicating the possible involvement of another mechanism of resistance. Sequencing of a portion of the SLR 77 5‐enolpyruvylshikimate‐3‐phosphate synthase gene was carried out and a mutation causing an amino acid change at position 106 from proline to threonine was identified. This mutation is likely to be responsible for glyphosate resistance in this population, as mutations in this position have been found to be responsible for glyphosate resistance in goosegrass (Eleusine indica) from Malaysia. This paper represents the first report of target‐site glyphosate resistance in L. rigidum and provides evidence that this species has at least two mechanisms of glyphosate resistance present in Australia.
Analysis of genetic diversity and the determination of relationships among western Mediterranean horse breeds using microsatellite markers
Authors: Marletta D. , Tupac‐Yupanqui I. , Bordonaro S. , García D. , Guastella A. M. , Criscione A. , Cañón J. , Dunner S. 
Published: September 2006

SummaryThe distribution of genetic diversity and the genetic relationships among western Mediterranean horse breeds were investigated using microsatellite markers. The examined sample included seven Spanish and three Italian local horse breeds and populations, plus a Spanish Thoroughbred outgroup. The total number of animals examined was 682 (on average 62 animals per breed; range 20–122). The microsatellite marker set analysed provided 128 alleles (10.7 alleles per locus). Within‐breed genetic diversity was always high (>0.70), with breeds contributing about 8% of the total genetic variability. The mean molecular coancestry of the entire population examined was 0.205, Losino being the breed that contributed most. In addition to Nei's standard and Reynolds’ genetic distances, pair‐wise kinship distance and molecular coancestry were estimated. Remarkably similar breed rankings were obtained with all methods. Clustering analysis provided an accurate representation of the current genetic relationships among the breeds. Determining coancestry is useful for analysing genetic diversity distribution between and within breeds and provides a good framework for jointly analysing molecular markers and pedigree information. An integrated analysis was undertaken to obtain information on the population dynamics in western Mediterranean native horse populations, and to better determine conservation priorities.
FISH mapping of 10 canine BAC clones harbouring genes and microsatellites in the arctic fox and the Chinese raccoon dog genomes
Authors: Szczerbal I. , Klukowska‐Roetzler J. , Dolf G. , Schelling C. , Switonski M. 
Published: September 2006

SummaryCytogenetic mapping of the arctic fox and the Chinese raccoon dog were performed using a set of canine probes derived from the Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) library. Altogether, 10 BAC clones containing sequences of selected genes (PAX3, HBB, ATP2A2, TECTA, PIT1, ABCA4, ESR2, TPH1, HTR2A, MAOA) and microsatellites were mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) experiments to chromosomes of the canids studied. At present, the cytogenetic map on the arctic fox and Chinese raccoon dog consists of 45 loci each. Chromosomal localization of the BAC clones was in agreement with data obtained by earlier independent comparative chromosome painting. However, two events of telomere‐to‐centromere inversions were tentatively identified while compared with assignments in the dog karyotype.