bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genetic effects of habitat fragmentation in Viola pubescens (Violaceae), a perennial herb with chasmogamous and cleistogamous flowers
Authors: Culley Theresa M. , Grubb Thomas C. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThe reproductive biology of a plant species is important in the response of populations to habitat fragmentation, especially if plant–pollinator interactions are disrupted. The genetic effects of forest fragmentation were examined in the common understorey herb Viola pubescens, a species that produces self‐pollinated cleistogamous (CL) flowers and potentially outcrossing chasmogamous (CH) flowers. Using allozymes, we measured genetic variation in different sized populations. These were located in woodlots of various sizes (0.5–40.5 ha) and distances from one another (0.3–46 km) within the agricultural landscape of central Ohio in the Midwestern United States. Changes in forest cover of each woodlot within the past 180 years were determined from historical sources and aerial photographs. Woodlot and population sizes were significantly and positively correlated with measures of genetic variation (A, P, HO and HE), with variation highest in populations in the largest woodlot population and lowest in the smallest woodlot population. Most large woodlots resulted from fluctuations in forest cover over the past 60 years, while smaller fragments remained the same size. Overall, populations in Crawford County were genetically differentiated from one another (θ = 0.34), but there was no relationship between genetic and geographical distance. Preliminary evidence for a single year indicated a high rate of outcrossing in most populations. Despite the CH/CL reproductive advantage and apparent outcrossing, populations of V. pubescens in small woodlots remain susceptible to potentially detrimental effects of fragmentation such as genetic drift and reduced levels of genetic variation.
A molecular phylogeography approach to biological invasions of the New World by parthenogenetic Thiarid snails
Authors: Facon B. , Pointier J.‐P. , Glaubrecht M. , Poux C. , Jarne P. , David P. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThe parthenogenetic snail Melanoides tuberculata, present in tropical fresh waters of most of the Old World before 1950, has now invaded the Neotropical area. The phylogeography of this snail was studied to evaluate the pathways and number of such invasions. Because of parthenogenetic reproduction, individuals are structured into genetical clones. Within populations from both the original and invaded areas, several morphologically distinct clones (referred to as morphs) often coexist but the amount of genetic divergence among morphs is unknown. Individuals from 27 morphs and 40 populations world‐wide were sequenced at two mitochondrial genes (12S and 16S). Our phylogenetic reconstruction suggests that (i) most of the morphological variation observed in the New World predates invasion, (ii) at least six independent introductions have occurred, and (iii) invasive clones are found throughout most of the phylogenetic tree and do not come from a particular region of the area of origin. Two ideas are discussed in the light of these results. The first lies with the specificities of parthenogenesis in an invasion context. While in sexual species, independently introduced populations eventually merge into a single invasive population, in a parthenogenetic species independently introduced clones have distinct invasion dynamics and possibly exclude each other. Second, although repeated invasions in Melanoides may have an impact on indigenous molluscan faunas, their most likely effect is the world‐wide homogenization of the invasive taxon itself.
Conservation genetics of the wood ant,Formica lugubris, in a fragmented landscape
Authors: Gyllenstrand N. , Seppä P. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractVarious intrinsic factors connected to the special features of sociality influence the persistence of social insect populations, including low effective population size, reduced amount of genetic variation easily leading to inbreeding depression, and spatially structured populations. In this work, we studied an isolated, small and fragmented population system of the red wood antFormica lugubris, and evaluated the impact of social and genetic population structure on the persistence and conservation of the populations. The effective population size was large in our study population because all nests were polygynous. As a result, and despite the apparent isolation, the amount of nuclear genetic variability was similar to that in a nonisolated population system. Lack of inbreeding, as well as a high level of variability, indirectly suggests that this population does not suffer from inbreeding depression. The spatial distribution of genetic variation between local populations suggests intensive, but strongly male‐biased, nuclear gene flow. Thus, the persistence of this population system does not seem to be threatened by any immediate social or genetic factor, but colonization of new habitat patches may be difficult because of restricted female dispersal.
Recent evolutionary history of the bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) across Eurasia
Authors: Zink Robert M. , Drovetski Sergei V. , Questiau Sophie , Fadeev Igor V. , Nesterov Evgeniy V. , Westberg Michael C. , Rohwer Sievert 
Published: October 2003

AbstractWe analysed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences from 154 bluethroats (Luscinia svecica) sampled at 21 sites throughout much of their Eurasian range. A previously reported, single base‐pair mtDNA difference between L. s. svecica and L. s. namnetum was inconsistent upon expanded geographical sampling. A significant FST value (0.29) and an isolation‐by‐distance effect show the existence of geographical differentiation. Phylogenetic analysis of haplotypes revealed northern and southern groups, although lineage sorting is incomplete. There was no geographical structure to the haplotype tree within groups, and currently recognized subspecies were not supported. A minimum evolution tree based on pairwise mtDNA genetic distances among average samples showed the same two broadly distributed northern and southern groups. These groups abut in the centre of the latitudinal range, and were possibly isolated by forest that developed and spread westward over the last 15 000 years. Pairwise FST values averaged 0.16 in the southern group, 0.04 in the northern group, and 0.42 between groups. Mismatch distributions suggested population growth in each group, with that in the south being more recent. In the northern group, the geographical pattern in tau suggested northward and eastward expansion. Analysis of nucleotide diversity suggested westward expansion in the southern group. The northern group had higher nucleotide diversity than the southern group, consistent with a larger current population size in the north. Given the significant FST, incompletely sorted haplotype tree, and broadly patterned minimum evolution tree, L. svevica appears to represent a species at an intermediate stage of differentiation between panmixia and reciprocal monophyly.
A cyclophilin gene marker confirming geographical differentiation of Norway spruce populations and indicating viability response on excess soil‐born salinity
Authors: Bozhko M. , Riegel R. , Schubert R. , Müller‐Starck G. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractA newly identified cyclophilin‐encoding cDNA clone was used to design a codominant inherited EST‐PCR marker in Norway spruce. The study of the current minor polymorphism revealed a geographically structured differentiation pattern across 17 test populations, showing a slight clinal variation south‐north through Europe. Based on the frequency of alleles, isolation‐by‐distance analysis and the Ewens‐Watterson test, we conclude that a selectively neutral random‐drift mutation recently occurred within the Alpine population group, thus being responsible for the genetic variation detected. Analysis of tolerant and susceptible subsets of two adjacent Bavarian spruce populations affected by soil‐born NaCl pollution, revealed that the cyclophilin marker locus also confirms biased genotype frequencies. Considering an unlinked PCR marker of a ribosomal protein‐encoding EST clone, deviations between pooled tolerant subsets and pooled sensitive subsets were proven to be more significant for two‐locus homozygous genotypes than for each locus alone. We suggest that both loci are linked to adaptive genomic regions. Their potential to test the feasibility of marker‐assisted selection of both NaCl‐tolerant and drought resistant tree populations is discussed.
Estimating effective paternity number in social insects and the effective number of alleles in a population
Authors: Nielsen Rasmus , Tarpy David R. , Reeve H. Kern 
Published: October 2003

AbstractEstimating paternity and genetic relatedness is central to many empirical and theoretical studies of social insects. The two important measures of a queen's mating number are her actual number of mates and her effective number of mates. Estimating the effective number of mates is mathematically identical to the problem of estimating the effective number of alleles in population genetics, a common measure of genetic variability introduced byKimura & Crow (1964). We derive a new bias‐corrected estimator of effective number of types (mates or alleles) and compare this new method to previous methods for estimating true and effective numbers of types using Monte Carlo simulations. Our simulation results suggest that the examined estimators of the true number of types have very similar statistical properties, whereas the estimators of effective number of types have quite different statistical properties. Moreover, our new proposed estimator of effective number of types is approximately unbiased, and has considerably lower variance than the original estimator. Our new method will help researchers more accurately estimate intracolony genetic relatedness of social insects, which is an important measure in understanding their ecology and social behaviour. It should also be of use in population genetic studies in which the effective number of alleles is of interest.
Urine‐based enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of Helicobacter pylori antibodies in children
Authors: Shimizu T , Yarita Y , Haruna H , Kaneko K , Yamashiro Y , Gupta R , Anazawa A , Suzuki K 
Published: October 2003

Objective:  Recent studies of urine‐based enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for detection of antibody to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) have already shown high sensitivity and specificity in adults. The diagnostic accuracy of these assays in children was investigated.Methods:  The results of serum and urine‐based ELISAs were compared with those of 13C‐urea breath tests (13C‐UBT) and/or detection of faecal H. pylori antigen in 68 children. The effect of urine total immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels on the ELISA results for anti‐H. pylori antibodies in urine was also examined.Results:  The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the serum ELISA were 72.7%, 96.3%, and 92.3% respectively, while those of the urine‐based ELISA were 92.3%, 76.4%, and 79.4% respectively. The level of urine total IgG in children with false‐positive results in the urine‐based ELISA, was significantly higher than that in children who showed negative results in both the urine‐based ELISA and the 13C‐UBT and/or faecal H. pylori antigen tests. Human γ‐globulin affected the urine‐based ELISA results at final concentrations of 2.0 mg/dL, 3.0 mg/dL, and 4.0 mg/dL; the anti‐H. pylori antibody values were significantly higher than the ELISA values without the addition of human γ‐globulin.Conclusion:  The findings suggested that the specificity of urine‐based ELISA for detection of H. pylori antibodies is low in children, since high urinary levels of total IgG increase the likelihood of false‐positive results.
How well do diagnosis‐related groups perform in the case of extremely low birthweight neonates?
Authors: Beeby PJ 
Published: October 2003

Objective:  To determine how well diagnosis related groups (DRG) perform for extremely low birthweight neonates, by examining length of stay (LOS) data for babies with birthweight of 750−999 g and managed in the seven New South Wales maternity hospital neonatal intensive care units (NICU).Methodology:  Neonates with an admission weight of 750−999 g and admitted to one of the seven NICU were studied. Those who died or were transferred in the first 5 days were excluded, leaving the group of neonates defined by DRG P62Z. In order to allow comparisons between the different NICU, neonates whose care was split between two or more NICU were also excluded, leaving those who either died, were transferred to a nursery closer to their home or were discharged directly to their home. The relationship between LOS and a number of perinatal factors was studied for the total group, and LOS data were compared for individual hospitals.Results:  Length of stay was most strongly associated with mode of separation. It was also significantly associated with gestational age, time ventilated, oxygen need at 36 weeks postconceptual age, and retinopathy of prematurity. Neonatal intensive care units with the highest proportion of neonates being transferred had the lowest average LOS, and vice versa.Conclusions:  The LOS of neonates in DRG P62Z is more strongly related to mode of separation (died, transferred or discharged home) than to factors that reflect best practice. A funding model that rewards NICU for a short LOS may unfairly disadvantage some units while favouring others.
Pilot study of a pain assessment tool in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Marceau J 
Published: October 2003

Objectives:  To develop and validate a pain assessment tool to assess procedural pain experienced by mechanically ventilated neonates.Methods:  Assessment of ventilated infants, before, during and after a known routine traumatic procedure using the Nepean Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Pain Assessment Tool (NNICUPAT). This tool scores physiological and behavioural responses to pain. Variables used in the NNICUPAT included facial expression, body movement, skin colour, saturation, respiratory rate, heart rate and nurses’ perception of pain. To test the validity of the NNICUPAT, it was compared to a visual analogue scale (VAS), which is a unidimesional observation measure, where zero equals no pain and 10 equals severe pain.Results:  Thirty ventilated neonates (mean gestation 28 ± 3.3 standard deviation (SD)) weeks) were enrolled in the pilot study over a 9‐month period. The total score before the procedure was: 0.26 ± 0.14 (mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM)) range 0−3; total score during the procedure 5.1 ± 2.2 (mean ± SD) range 1−10; and the total score after the procedure was 0.26 ± 0.15 (mean ± SEM) range 0−3. There was a significant correlation between the NNICUPAT and the VAS during the procedure (r = 0.825, P = < 0.01) and after the procedure (r = 0.375, P = < 0.05). Inter‐rater reliability was calculated between the principle coder and other coders (using the NNICUPAT) and showed a significant correlation before (r = 0.88, P < 0.01) and during (r = 0.88, P < 0.01) the procedure.Conclusions:  The NNICUPAT does show validity in the assessment of procedural pain in the ventilated neonate. Further  evaluation of both inter‐ and intra‐rater reliability will be necessary to establish the ongoing validity of the NNICUPAT.
Primary compliance with medication prescribed for paediatric patients discharged from a regional hospital
Authors: Wright H , Forbes D , Graham H 
Published: October 2003

Objective:  To establish the rate of primary compliance with medication of children discharged from the paediatric ward of a regional hospital.Methods:  All paediatric admissions to a regional hospital for a 14‐week period from April to July 2000 were studied. Patient data were collected for those paediatric inpatients discharged on medication. Written prescriptions kept by the local Aboriginal Medical Service and computerized data from local pharmacies were collected and the numbers filled were compared to ward discharge prescriptions.Results:  There were 160 medical paediatric admissions. The median admission age was 19 months. There was no difference in patient sex, number of drugs prescribed, diagnosis of infection, mean age or the proportion of children under 2 years, between filled and unfilled prescriptions. In total, 49 prescriptions were filled from a total of 65 written (75%). This figure compares unfavourably with that of the metropolitan tertiary referral centre.Conclusions : Primary compliance was suboptimal, with the majority of unfilled prescriptions being for antibiotics. These findings suggest that a remediable cause of treatment failure may be primary non‐compliance with medication in regional settings.
Oral sucrose for procedural pain in sick hospitalized infants: A randomized‐controlled trial
Authors: Harrison D , Johnston L , Loughnan P 
Published: October 2003

Objective:  To determine the efficacy of 25% oral sucrose in the reduction of pain during a heel lance procedure in sick hospitalized infants.Methodology:  In a blinded randomized‐ controlled trial, hospitalized infants were given either 1 mL 25% sucrose or 1 mL water 2 min prior to a heel lance procedure. Pain assessment comprised a four‐point facial expression score, incidence and duration of crying, heart rate and oxygen saturation changes.Results:  A total of 128 infants were included. Facial scores immediately upon heel lance, and at 1 and 2 min in the recovery period were reduced in the treatment (sucrose) group compared to the placebo (water) group (P < 0.05). At other observation points, the differences in facial scores between the two groups of infants did not reach statistical significance. Neither incidence nor duration of crying whilst the blood collection was in progress was significantly reduced by sucrose. In  the 3‐min recovery period following completion of the blood collection, incidence and duration of crying were significantly less in the treatment group of infants (P < 0.05). Physiological responses of heart rate and oxygen saturation were not attenuated by sucrose at any time point during or following the blood collection.Conclusion:  Oral sucrose was effective in reducing behavioural responses to pain upon heel lance and in the period following completion of a heel lance procedure in this group of sick hospitalized infants. This simple strategy can be promoted in institutions caring for sick babies, as a method of reducing behavioural responses to procedural pain.
Evaluation of standardized versus individualized total parenteral nutrition regime for neonates less than 33 weeks gestation
Authors: Yeung MY , Smyth JP , Maheshwari R , Shah S 
Published: October 2003

Objective:  To evaluate the difference in nutrient intakes and biochemical responses in newborn infants <33 weeks gestation who received standardized versus individualized total parenteral nutrition (TPN) regimes.Method:  Comparison of nutrient intakes and daily biochemical responses in newborn infants <33 weeks gestation who received standardized regime versus those who received individualized TPN regimes from day 2 to day 7 of life.Results:  Twenty‐seven infants in the standardized TPN group and 31 infants in the individualized TPN group were compared. There were no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) between the two groups in gestation, birthweight, Clinical Risk Index for Babies scores, daily TPN volume intake and biochemical responses. Infants in the standardized TPN group received less sodium (P < 0.01) and no potassium on day 2 as required, more protein (P < 0.02) every day, and more calcium and phosphate (P < 0.02 from day 4).Conclusion:  There were no significant clinical and statistical differences in biochemical responses in newborn infants <33 weeks gestation who received standardized versus individualized TPN regimes during the first week of life. The economic cost of TPN provision using standardized TPN formulation was approximately 30% lower.
Estimation of the efficiency of the biconical trap for Glossina fuscipes fuscipes along the lake Victoria shore, Kenya
Authors: Odulaja Adedapo , Mohamed‐Ahmed Mohamed M. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractPrior to estimating the efficiency of the unbaited biconical trap for Glossina fuscipes fuscipes Newstead (Diptera:Glossinidae) the flying height of the insects was estimated using 1 m2 electrified nets placed at 0 and 4 m above the ground level. The degree of avoidance of these nets by the flies was determined by comparing catches in traps surrounded and those not surrounded by incomplete rings of nets. On the basis of the catches in traps surrounded by nets, the expected catches on both sides of the nets were computed and compared with the observed catches, to further estimate this degree of avoidance. About 48% of males and 35% of females were captured above one metre. An average of 61% of males and 40% of females appeared to avoid the nets. Between 18% and 40% fewer tsetse were caught in traps surrounded by an incomplete ring of nets of respectively 1 m and 2 m radius than in traps not surrounded. After corrections for net avoidance and flying height, it appeared important to determine the optimum radius for the incomplete ring of nets for a reliable efficiency estimate.
Variation in defences of the plant Barbarea vulgaris and in counteradaptations by the flea beetle Phyllotreta nemorum
Authors: Nielsen Jens Kvist 
Published: October 2003

AbstractSeveral sorts of variation in the interaction between the insect, Phyllotreta nemorum L. (Coleoptera:Chrysomelidae:Alticinae), and the plant, Barbarea vulgaris R.Br. (Brassicaceae), have been discovered: 1) genetic differences in the levels of defences in the plant, 2) genetic differences in the ability of insects to cope with the plant defences, 3) seasonal variation in levels of defences in the plant, and 4) differences between leaf types in levels of defences.Two plant accessions were suitable for larval development throughout the season while the remaining nine accessions were more or less unsuitable for larvae from the ‘susceptible’ T‐population at least at certain times of the year. All accessions were suitable for the ‘resistant’ E‐population throughout the year. There was a seasonal variation in levels of defences in some accessions which were unsuitable for the T‐population during the summer period when beetles were present, but not during autumn and spring when the beetle were hibernating. Upper (younger) cauline leaves of these accessions had higher levels of defences than lower (older) cauline leaves. The resistant E‐population used B. vulgaris as a natural host plant while the susceptible T‐population did not. The use of B. vulgaris as a natural host plant by the E‐population of P. nemorum seems to be an extension of the host plant range of the species. Variation in plant defences may have facilitated the switch in host plant use by the resistant flea beetle population.