bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing competency in nursing: a comparison of nurses prepared through degree and diploma programmes
Authors: Clinton Michael , Murrells Trevor , Robinson Sarah 
Published: January 2005

Aims and objectives.  The present study aimed to investigate the competencies of qualifiers from three‐year degree and three‐year diploma courses in England at one, two and three years after qualification.Background.  The provision of three‐year preregistration nursing degrees in the UK has increased in recent years and in many colleges degrees are offered alongside the existing three‐year diploma courses. Yet little is known about the relationship between these different education programmes and the competence of qualifiers.Methods.  A cross‐sectional survey design was employed to make comparisons of both self‐reported and line‐manager‐rated competencies of graduate and diplomate nurses who had qualified up to three years previously.Instruments.  A revised version of the Nursing Competencies Questionnaire was used to measure both overall competence and also eight specific nursing competencies. A shortened version of this scale was also used to assess internal consistency across measures. Two additional competencies, research awareness and policy awareness, were also measured.Results.  Structural equation modelling found very little difference in the overall competence and specific competencies of graduates and diplomates. Where differences were found in the self‐report data, diplomates scored more highly than graduates in the constructs of planning and social participation; however, these differences became non‐significant when background variables were controlled for.Limitations.  The findings are interpreted with caution due to the size of differences, the size of some of the samples of respondents and the developmental stage of the instrument used.Conclusions.  It does not appear that graduates and diplomates in England differ in their level of competence to any great extent as measured by the Nursing Competencies Questionnaire. Areas of further work are discussed in the light of the findings.Relevance to clinical practice.  While this may alleviate concerns about clinical disparities between the two groups, it raises questions about the proposed benefits to nursing of three‐year preregistration degrees in terms of quality of care during the first three years of qualification.
Field validation of sensitivity and specificity of rapid test for detection of Brugia malayi infection
Authors: Jamail M. , Andrew K. , Junaidi D. , Krishnan A. K. , Faizal M. , Rahmah N. 
Published: January 2005

SummaryWe conducted a field study of a rapid test (Brugia Rapid) for detection of Brugia malayi infection to validate its sensitivity and specificity under operational conditions. Seven districts in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia, which are endemic for brugian filariasis, were used to determine the test sensitivity. Determination of specificity was performed in another state in Malaysia (Bachok, Kelantan) which is non‐endemic for filariasis but endemic for soil‐transmitted helminths. In Sarawak both the rapid test and thick blood smear preparation were performed in the field. The rapid test was interpreted on site, whereas blood smears were taken to the district health centres for staining and microscopic examination. Sensitivity of Brugia Rapid dipstick as compared with microscopy of thick blood smears was 87% (20/23; 95% CI: 66.4–97.2) whereas the specificity was 100% (512/512). The lower sensitivity of the test in the field than in laboratory evaluations (≥95%), was probably due to the small number of microfilaraemic individuals, in addition to difficulties in performing the test in remote villages by field personnel. The overall prevalence of brugian filariasis as determined by the dipstick is 9.4% (95% CI: 8.2–0.5) while that determined by microscopy is 0.90% (95% CI: 0.5–1.3) thus the dipstick detected about 10 times more cases than microscopy. Equal percentages of adults and children were found to be positive by the dipstick whereas microscopy showed that the number of infected children was seven times less than infected adults. The rapid dipstick test was useful as a diagnostic tool for mapping and certification phases of the lymphatic filariasis elimination programme in B. malayi‐endemic areas.
Coping with Risks through Mismatches: Domestic and International Financial Contracts for Emerging Economies
Authors: De La Torre Augusto , Schmukler Sergio L. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractWe analyse how short termism, dollarization and foreign jurisdictions are ways of coping with systemic risks prevalent in emerging economies. These are symptoms at least as much as problems. We conclude first that under high systemic risks, the market equilibrium settles in favour of investor protection against price risk (through short‐duration peso and dollar contracts) instead of protection against default risk. Second, the option value to litigate in the event of default, which is higher in dollar and foreign‐jurisdiction contracts, may explain this equilibrium outcome and, more generally, the ‘original sin’. Third, dollar contracts trump short‐duration peso contracts as a risk‐coping device; they are a better hedge against inflation volatility and are superior at mitigating the risk of loss given default. Fourth, according to a conservation principle, the mitigation of risk via the use of a coping mechanism allows additional risk taking in other forms, leaving total risk unchanged.
Methods for evaluation of soybean chilling tolerance at the reproductive stage under artificial climatic conditions
Authors: Funatsuki H. , Matsuba S. , Kawaguchi K. , Murakami T. , Sato Y. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractSeveral evaluation methods for soybean chilling tolerance at the reproductive stage were examined under artificial climatic conditions. Comparisons were made on plants in control and treated plots using three cultivars differing in the level of chilling tolerance. In all methods, plants were grown at 22/17°C (day/night) until first flowering, and then transferred to growth chambers at 24/17°C for control and 15/15°C for chilling treatment, respectively. A method, in which plants were grown at 20/16°C after 4 weeks of the different temperature treatments, proved comparable to the conventional one, in which chilling tolerance at the flowering stage is evaluated using natural and artificial conditions. Another method, in which the plants in chilling treatment plots were grown at 15°C until maturity, also proved usable to evaluate genotypic differences in chilling tolerance independently of maturity time.
Primers amplifying a range of Prunus S‐alleles
Authors: Sutherland B. G. , Robbins T. P. , Tobutt K. R. , Weber W.E. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractAlthough various consensus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers have been reported for identifying Prunus S‐alleles, they have been developed from and optimized on a limited set of alleles, which may limit their applicability to a broader allele range. To develop a primer set for use across the genus, degenerate consensus primers were designed from conserved regions of 27 S‐RNase sequences available from five Prunus species. The primers were tested in 15 previously genotyped cultivars of cherry, almond and apricot, representing alleles S1 to S6 in each crop and also Sc in apricot. Comparisons were made with previously published primers tested in the same 15 cultivars under reported reaction conditions. The new primers generated an amplification product for each of the 19 S‐alleles whereas those previously available amplified no more than 14. The primers will be useful for genotyping and genetic studies in cultivars and wild populations.
Expression of a Triticum turgidum var. dicoccoides source of Fusarium head blight resistance transferred to synthetic hexaploid wheat
Authors: Hartel K. D. , Berzonsky W. A. , Kianian S. F. , Ali S. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractYield and quality reductions caused by Fusarium head blight (FHB) have spurred spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeders to identify and develop new sources of host plant resistance. Four wheat synthetic hexaploids (×Aegilotriticum sp.) were developed, each having a quantitative trait locus (QTL), Qfhs.ndsu‐3AS, providing FHB resistance from Triticum turgidum L. var. dicoccoides chromosome 3A. Synthetics were produced by hybridizing a ‘Langdon’‐T. dicoccoides‐ recombinant chromosome 3A substitution line (2n = 4x = 28, AABB with two accessions of T. tauschii (2n= 2x = 14, DD). Synthetics were inoculated and evaluated for FHB resistance in two separate greenhouse seasons. One synthetic, 01NDSWG‐5, exhibited FHB severity ratings of 36% and 32% in the separate seasons, compared with ratings of 9% and 30% for ‘Alsen’, a FHB‐resistant spring cultivar, and ratings of 70% and 96% for ‘McNeal’, a susceptible spring cultivar, respectively. Synthetic × Alsen backcross‐derived lines were produced to initiate combining different sources of FHB resistance.
Differential response and genes for resistance to Peronospora parasitica (downy mildew) in Brassica juncea (mustard)
Authors: Nashaat N. I. , Heran A. , Awasthi R. P. , Kolte S. J. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractThe response of a wide range of Brassica juncea accessions to 14 isolates of Peronospora parasitica, 12 from India (IP00A, IP02, IP03, IP04, IP04A, IP05, IP05B, IP33 and IP33A were derived from B. juncea; IP09, IP14 and IP13A from B. rapa) and two from B. napus in the UK (R1 and P003), was screened. Sixteen differential host response groups to these isolates (classified as groups A‐P) were identified. Groups‘A’and‘B’expressed the widest resistance profiles to these isolates. Group‘A’was susceptible to isolates IP05 and IP05B, moderately resistant to isolate IP33 and resistant to all other isolates. Group‘B’was susceptible to isolates IP03, IP04 and IP04A, and resistant to the other isolates. Putative homozygous lines resistant to all 14 isolates were selected from the F4 progeny of crosses involving lines RESBJ‐200 from group‘A’(selection from cv. Kranti) and RESBJ‐190 from group‘B’(selection from cv. Krishna). Both selections were selfed and tested for uniformity of reactions to all isolates for three generations. The resistance of RESBJ‐200 to isolates IP00A, IP04A and IP33A seems to be conditioned by single dominant genes. The resistance of RESBJ‐190 to isolates IP00A, IP05B and IP33A was also conditioned by single dominant genes. The gene for resistance to IP00A and IP33A in RESBJ‐200 seems to be independent of the genes for resistance to the same isolates in RESBJ‐190. The new genes for differential resistance to P. parasitica will be of value in future studies of the genetics of the host‐pathogen interaction and for breeding for disease resistance.
Genetics of the timing of vegetative phase transition in a maize population
Authors: Revilla P. , Malvar R. A. , Butrón A. , Tracy W. F. , Abedon B. G. , Ordás A. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractVariability for the timing of transition from juvenile to adult vegetative phases in maize (Zea mays L.) is assumed to be genetically regulated and has been associated with disease and pest tolerance. The objective of this work was to estimate the genetic variances of vegetative phase transition and its correlation with yield and its components. Full‐sib and half‐sib families were developed in a maize synthetic, following the Design I mating system. Progenies were evaluated in randomized complete block design with sets within replications in north‐western Spain for 2 years. Phase transition‐related traits showed significant additive variance, no interaction with environment and high heritability (above 65%). Correlation coefficients indicate that selection for delayed transition should not affect yield or its components. Therefore, selection for delaying phase transition could be used as a indirect selection, without expecting detrimental effects on yield.
Identification of a Brassica juncea‐derived recessive gene conferring resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans in oilseed rape
Authors: Saal B. , Brun H. , Glais I. , Struss D. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractScreening of 212 spring type Brassica napus lines carrying B genome chromosome additions and introgressions from B. nigra, B. juncea and B. carinata resulted in the identification of one line segregating for resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans (anamorph Phoma lingam) at the seedling (cotyledon) stage. This line was derived from an interspecific hybrid containing the B genome of B. juncea. Trypan blue staining of cotyledons from resistant individuals demonstrated a hypersensitive response which is delayed in plants with intermediate lesion size. Genetic analysis supported the hypothesis of a monogenic recessive inheritance of resistance. The resistance gene, termed rjlm2, is effective in spring and winter type oilseed rape backgrounds against all tested virulent pathotypes, including two isolates which have been shown to overcome two dominant (race‐specific) B genome‐derived resistance genes in B. napus.
Elective cesarean section without urethral catheterization
Authors: Senanayake Hemantha 
Published: January 2005

AbstractAim: To determine the feasibility and safety of carrying out elective lower‐segment cesarean section without urethral catheterization.Methods: A prospective comparative study was carried out at a private hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka. A pilot study involving 50 women was carried out to measure the volume of urine obtained at the beginning and at the end of cesarean section, using an indwelling catheter. In the main study, surgery was carried out without urethral catheterization on 344 women who had voided within the previous hour.Results: The mean volume of urine collected at the beginning and at the end of surgery was 25.5 and 42.8 mL, respectively. This volume was calculated to be accommodated in spheres of 4.0 and 4.6 cm in diameter, respectively. In the main study, 73% had the bladder distended to a level <3 cm from the lower cut edge of the rectus sheath. In the remaining 27% it was above this level, but covered completely by Doyen's retractor. There were no cases of accidental cystotomy. The difference in the mean time taken for surgery in the two groups was not significant (P = 0.30). Distress catheterization was required in two (0.58%). The rest voided after a mean of 8.76 h (SD = 2.37). The majority (68.2%) voided in the toilet. The difference in the urinary infection rates between the two groups (6%vs 0.58%) was statistically significant (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Cesarean section without urethral catheterization does not compromise the safety or ease of surgery. It reduces the risk of urinary infection.
Outcome of the use of tension‐free vaginal tape in women with mixed urinary incontinence, previous failed surgery, or low valsalva pressure
Authors: Abdel‐Hady El‐Said , Constantine Glyn 
Published: January 2005

AbstractAim: To assess the safety and efficacy of the use of tension‐free vaginal tape (TVT) for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women with mixed incontinence, previous failed incontinence surgery or low valsalva leak point pressure (VLPP).Methods: Six hundred and fifty‐eight women with SUI underwent the TVT procedure. These included women with mixed stress and urge incontinence (n = 128), previous surgery for SUI (n = 118), low VLPP (n = 80), and those over 70 years old (n = 68). The procedure was carried out under spinal anesthetic and operative and immediate postoperative data was collected for all women. Six‐month follow‐up data was available on 454 women, with the first 300 women completing a quality of life (QOL) questionnaire before and after surgery.Results: The overall subjective cure rate at 6 months was 91%, with 8% of women reporting significant (>50%) improvement in their symptoms. Subgroups with a body mass index > 30, age > 70 years, coexisting instability, previous failed surgery, and low VLPP showed cure rates of 81–89%. QOL improvements for all groups were highly significant. Significant complications included voiding difficulties in 29 women (4.4%), retropubic hematomas in four (0.6%), and thromboembolic episodes in three (0.5%).Conclusion: The simplicity and high efficacy of the TVT makes it the first choice for the treatment of women with SUI, including those with more complex problems or coexisting risk factors.
Management of bilateral fallopian tube carcinoma coexistent with tuberculous salpingitis
Authors: Ingec Metin , Erdogan Fazli , Kumtepe Yakup , Isaoglu Unal , Gundogdu Cemal , Kadanali Sedat 
Published: January 2005

AbstractPrimary carcinoma of the fallopian tube is a rare gynecologic malignancy. Chronic tubal inflammation is associated with primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube. There are only a few reports on primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube coexisting with tuberculous salpingitis. We are reporting a patient with both the primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube and tuberculous salpingitis, which were detected in bilateral fallopian tubes. The histologic type was serous adenocarcinoma. The patient was treated with total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy, infracolic omentectomy, and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy followed by chemotherapy consisting of paclitaxel and cisplatin. She has been alive without evidence of disease for 18 months.
Reference birth‐length range for multiple‐birth neonates in Japan
Authors: Kato Noriko , Uchiyama Yuko 
Published: January 2005

AbstractAim: To clarify the birth length of twins according to gestational age.Methods: We studied a total of 51 910 live‐birth–live‐birth pairs of twins, 4561 triplet live births and 256 quadruplet live births, using data obtained from corresponding birth certificates. The birth length of twins was analyzed according to gestational age.Results: Compared to singleton neonates, the median birth length of twins was approximately 0.5 cm smaller after the gestational age of 34 weeks, increasing to approximately 2.0 cm at 42 weeks of gestation. The median birth length according to gestational age was found to be the greatest in twins, lower in triplets and the lowest in quadruplets, in which the difference was <2.0 cm.Conclusion: The birth length of twins was smaller than that of singletons, but the difference was smaller than the difference in birthweight between twins and singletons.
Fatigue crack growth prediction accounting for the damage zone
Authors: MRÓZ Z. , SEWERYN A. , TOMCZYK A. 
Published: January 2005

ABSTRACTThe present paper is concerned with modelling of fatigue crack initiation and propagation by applying the non‐local critical plane model, proposed by Seweryn and Mróz. Using the linear elastic stress field at the front of a crack or sharp notch the damage growth on a physical plane is specified in terms of mean values of stress and strength functions. When the damage zone reaches a critical length, crack growth accompanies damage evolution. The model is applied to study crack propagation under cyclically varying tension compression and the predictions are compared with experimental data. The evolution of the damage zone and crack propagation in the biaxial case is considered next.
Fatigue crack paths in coarse‐grained magnesium
Authors: NICOLETTO G. , KONEČNÁ R. , PIRONDI A. 
Published: January 2005

ABSTRACTThis paper examines fatigue crack paths in coarse‐grained magnesium alloys. Visualization of the microstructure by etching and continuous crack monitoring with a microscope provide evidence of the crack‐grain interaction at different fatigue crack growth regimes. Near‐threshold fatigue crack growth promotes the development of rough surfaces by the activation of single slip mechanisms and crack deflection. The R‐ratio effect on near‐threshold results is discussed in the light of the partial crack‐closure model. The role of grain boundaries and grain‐to‐grain crack deflections on fatigue crack growth rates is discussed.
Shear lips on fatigue fracture surfaces of aluminum alloys
Authors: ZUIDEMA J. , VEER F. , VAN KRANENBURG C. 
Published: January 2005

ABSTRACTA fatigue crack normally grows in so‐called mode I, with a flat fracture surface perpendicular to the loading direction. Sometimes the crack front becomes slanted, at about 45° with the loading direction. In that case it is possible that the original crack growth direction is maintained, but also a deviated growth direction can be found. The paper describes various effects related to the occurrence of slant growth due to shear lips on fatigue fracture surfaces in (thin) sheets. After a general introduction the attention is focused on the relations between shear lips and fatigue crack growth. Questions about why shear lips develop and about other aspects of shear lip behaviour will be answered.
Cyclic crack propagation at corners and holes
Authors: DHONDT G. 
Published: January 2005

ABSTRACTCracks frequently change their shape at geometric discontinuities such as corners or holes. Using the MTU automatic fatigue crack propagation software CRACKTRACER, this phenomenon is investigated for a simple specimen with square cross section and a drilling hole. The analysis shows that a change in crack shape takes place as soon as a discontinuity is reached and can be interpreted as being triggered by the resulting change of intersection angle with the free boundary. This leads to a violation of the previously existing equilibrium conditions and a sharp increase in the local stress intensity factors (K factors). Thereupon, the crack rapidly converges towards a new equilibrium configuration.
Influence of sintered stainless steel microstructure on fatigue crack paths
Authors: IACOVIELLO F. , DI COCCO V. , CAVALLINI M. , MARCU T. , MOLINARI A. 
Published: January 2005

ABSTRACTStainless steels are attractive materials for many applications (e.g. petrochemical industry, chemical and nuclear plants, marine environment, desalination, etc.). They are sometimes characterized by considerable difficulties from the manufacturing point of view, and powder metallurgy offers an excellent alternative to produce these steels. Sintered stainless steels are characterized by the presence of micropores and by different microstructures that depend on the sintering procedures (powders, sintering temperature and duration, etc.).In the present work we consider five different sintered stainless steels, characterized by different microstructures: fully ferritic, fully austenitic, ferritic–austenitic, ferritic–austenitic–martensitic (two different volume fractions). Their fatigue crack propagation resistance is investigated by means of fatigue crack growth tests according to ASTM E647 standard, considering a stress ratio value (R=Kmin/Kmax) equal to 0.1. Crack propagation micromechanisms are examined through both fracture surface analyses (by means of a scanning electron microscope) and crack path profile analyses (by means of an optical microscope).
Fatigue crack initiation and growth in a 35CrMo4 steel investigated by infrared thermography
Authors: PLEKHOV O. , PALIN‐LUC T. , SAINTIER N. , UVAROV S. , NAIMARK O. 
Published: January 2005

ABSTRACTThe present work is devoted to the investigation of fatigue crack initiation and growth in middle‐cycle fatigue (∼105 cycles). Smooth specimens made of 35CrMo4 quenched and tempered steel were loaded in fully reversed plane bending. Temperature field evolution in time was recorded with an infrared camera. The experimental results show that the local heating of metal under fatigue loading is a sensitive and accurate enough manifestation of small fatigue crack initiation. It is shown that the time evolution of the spatial standard deviation of the temperature field can be used to investigate the damage localization and to monitor both the crack initiation and the current location of the fatigue crack tip. This should help to investigate the behaviour of defect during cyclic loading.