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Selected AbstractsNursing research in Spain: bibliometrics of references of research papers in the decade 1985,1994JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2001Carmen Pardo Nursing research in Spain: bibliometrics of references of research papers in the decade 1985,1994 Background.,Spain is one of the few European countries to have recently totally incorporated the study of nursing into the university sector. Bibliometric studies may be of a great help for the consolidation of nursing research. Aim of the study.,The aim of this paper is to describe bibliographic references in Spanish nursing research papers and their evolution over a decade. Method.,The method consists of a retrospective bibliometric study of a sample (cluster sampling) of 622 research papers (original papers and review papers), which were contained in the Spanish nursing journals Enfermería Científica, Revista ROL de Enfermería, Enfermería Clínica and Enfermería Integral, and published from 1985 to 1994. The journal Nursing Research was selected for qualitative comparative purposes. A series of classic bibliometric indexes were used. Results.,The mean of references per paper is 10·64 ± 10·42; this increased over time (P < 0·001). Review papers have more references (P < 0·001). Price index (percentage of references published during the last 5 years) is 44% and the Insularity (percentage of references published in same country as the article) is 55%. References to journals predominate (58·6%), with a growing tendency for references to Spanish nursing journals, although they are still scarce (18·1% of the references to journals). Spanish is the language of most of the references (60·3%), the second language being English (36·1%). Conclusions.,Bibliographic references in Spanish nursing research papers are scarce and not very specific: this happens both in regard to Nursing Research and to publications in other national and international science areas. However, there is an increasing tendency of references (including references to nursing journals) in the period analysed. The age of the references places Spanish nursing in an intermediate position between the ,hard' sciences and the humanities; and, according to the type of documentation used, we find it halfway between experimental and natural sciences, and technologies and social sciences. There has been a slight increase in references in English in recent years. [source] Genetic structure of Hypochaeris uniflora (Asteraceae) suggests vicariance in the Carpathians and rapid post-glacial colonization of the Alps from an eastern Alpine refugiumJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 12 2007Patrik Mráz Abstract Aim, The range of the subalpine species Hypochaeris uniflora covers the Alps, Carpathians and Sudetes Mountains. Whilst the genetic structure and post-glacial history of many high-mountain plant taxa of the Alps is relatively well documented, the Carpathian populations have often been neglected in phylogeographical studies. The aim of the present study is to compare the genetic variation of the species in two major European mountain systems , the Alps and the Carpathians. Location, Alps and Carpathians. Methods, The genetic variation of 77 populations, each consisting of three plants, was studied using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Results, Neighbour joining and principal coordinate analyses revealed three well-supported phylogeographical groups of populations corresponding to three disjunct geographical regions , the Alps and the western and south-eastern Carpathians. Moreover, two further clusters could be distinguished within the latter mountain range, one consisting of populations from the eastern Carpathians and the second consisting of populations from the southern Carpathians. Populations from the Apuseni Mountains had an intermediate position between the eastern and southern Carpathians. The genetic clustering of populations into four groups was also supported by an analysis of molecular variance, which showed that most genetic variation (almost 46%) was found among these four groups. By far the highest within-population variation was found in the eastern Carpathians, followed by populations from the southern and western Carpathians. Generally, the populations from the Alps were considerably less variable and displayed substantially fewer region-diagnostic markers than those from the south-eastern Carpathians. Although no clear geographical structure was found within the Alps, based on neighbour joining or principal coordinate analyses, some trends were obvious: populations from the easternmost part were genetically more variable and, together with those from the south-western part, exhibited a higher proportion of rare AFLP fragments than populations in other areas. Moreover, the total number of AFLP fragments per population, the percentage of polymorphic loci and the proportion of rare AFLP fragments significantly decreased from east to west. Main conclusions, Deep infraspecific phylogeographical gaps between the populations from the Alps and the western and south-eastern Carpathians suggest the survival of H. uniflora in three separate refugia during the last glaciation. Our AFLP data provide molecular evidence for a long-term geographical disjunction between the eastern and western Carpathians, previously suggested from the floristic composition at the end of 19th century. It is likely that Alpine populations survived the Last Glacial in the eastern part of the Alps, from where they rapidly colonized the rest of the Alps after the ice sheet retreated. Multiple founder effects may explain a gradual loss of genetic variation during westward colonization of the Alps. [source] Phylogeny and speciation of the eastern Asian cyprinid genus SarcocheilichthysJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008L. Zhang The genus Sarcocheilichthys is a group of small cyprinid fishes comprising 10 species/sub-species widely distributed in East Asia, which represents a valuable model for understanding the speciation of freshwater fishes in East Asia. In the present study, the molecular phylogenetic relationship of the genus Sarcocheilichthys was investigated using a 1140 bp section of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Two different tree-building methods, maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian methods, yielded trees with almost the same topology, yielding high bootstrap values or posterior probabilities. The results showed that the genus Sarcocheilichthys consists of two large clades, clades I and II. Clade I contains Sarcocheilichthys lacustris, Sarcocheilichthys sinensis and Sarcocheilichthys parvus, with S. parvus at a basal position. In clade II, Sarcocheilichthys variegatus microoculus is at a basal position; samples of the widespread species, Sarcocheilichthys nigripinnis, form a large subclade containing another valid species Sarcocheilichthys czerskii. Sarcocheilichthys kiangsiensis is retained at an intermediate position. Since S. czerskii is a valid species in the S. nigripinnis clade, remaining samples of S. nigripinnis form a paraphyly. This speciation process is attributed to geographical isolation and special environmental conditions experienced by S. czerskii and stable environments experienced by the other S. nigripinnis populations. This type of speciation process was suggested to be very common. Samples of Sarcocheilichthys sinensis sinensis and Sarcocheilichthys sinensis fukiensis that did not form their own monophyletic groups suggest an early stage of speciation and support their sub-species status. Molecular clock analysis indicates that the two major lineages of the genus Sarcocheilichthys, clades I and II diverged c. 8·89 million years ago (mya). Sarcocheilichthys v. microoculus from Japan probably diverged 4·78 mya from the Chinese group. The northern,southern clades of S. nigripinnis began to diverge c. 2·12 mya, while one lineage of S. nigripinnis evolved into a new species, S. czerski, c. 0·34 mya. [source] Influence of Cooking Methods on Antioxidant Activity of VegetablesJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 3 2009A. M. Jiménez-Monreal ABSTRACT:, The influence of home cooking methods (boiling, microwaving, pressure-cooking, griddling, frying, and baking) on the antioxidant activity of vegetables has been evaluated in 20 vegetables, using different antioxidant activity assays (lipoperoxyl and hydroxyl radicals scavenging and TEAC). Artichoke was the only vegetable that kept its very high scavenging-lipoperoxyl radical capacity in all the cooking methods. The highest losses of LOO· scavenging capacity were observed in cauliflower after boiling and microwaving, pea after boiling, and zucchini after boiling and frying. Beetroot, green bean, and garlic kept their antioxidant activity after most cooking treatments. Swiss chard and pepper lost OH· scavenging capacity in all the processes. Celery increased its antioxidant capacity in all the cooking methods, except boiling when it lost 14%. Analysis of the ABTS radical scavenging capacity of the different vegetables showed that the highest losses occurred in garlic with all the methods, except microwaving. Among the vegetables that increased their TEAC values were green bean, celery, and carrot after all cooking methods (except green bean after boiling). These 3 types of vegetables showed a low ABTS radical scavenging capacity. ccording to the method of analysis chosen, griddling, microwave cooking, and baking alternately produce the lowest losses, while pressure-cooking and boiling lead to the greatest losses; frying occupies an intermediate position. In short, water is not the cook's best friend when it comes to preparing vegetables. [source] Preference,performance relationship and influence of plant relatedness on host use by Pityogenes chalcographus L.AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Coralie Bertheau Abstract 1Pityogenes chalcographus L. (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) causes damage in European coniferous forests, primarily on Picea abies L. Karst., but is also recorded on other native and exotic Pinaceae species. Estimating the adequacy between adult preference and larval performance of this beetle among its host-range, as well as the influence of plant taxonomic relatedness on these parameters, would provide useful information on the beetle's ability to shift onto novel hosts. 2Choice and no-choice assays were conducted under laboratory conditions. Adult preference and larval performance parameters among two native (Pinus sylvestris L. and Picea abies) and three exotic north American [Pinus contorta Dougl., Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. and Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirbel (Franco)] conifer species were measured. 3Pityogenes chalcographus exhibited a significant positive relationship between preference and performance. Picea abies was both the preferred and the most suitable host species for larval development. The closest relative, P. sitchensis, was the second best choice in terms of preference and performance. Pseudotsuga menziesii occupied an intermediate position for both beetle preference and performance, and Pinus spp. were the least suitable hosts for beetle development. 4Adult preference and larval performance ranking among hosts provides little support to the plant taxonomic relatedness hypothesis. Taxonomic relatedness could play a role on the diet breadth, although only at a limited scale, within the genus Picea. At higher taxonomic levels, other factors such as bark thickness might be decisive. [source] Lawyers of the Right: Networks and OrganizationLAW & SOCIAL INQUIRY, Issue 4 2007Anthony Paik Lawyers for conservative and libertarian causes are active in organizing and mobilizing interest groups within the conservative coalition, and networks of relationships among those lawyers help to maintain and shape the coalition. Using data gathered in interviews with seventy-two such lawyers, this article analyzes characteristics of the lawyers and the structure of their networks. The findings suggest that the networks are divided into segments or blocks that are identified with particular constituencies, but that a distinct set of actors with extensive relationships serves to bridge the constituencies. Measures of centrality and brokerage confirm the structural importance of these actors in the network, and a search of references in news media confirms their prominence or prestige. This "core" set of actors occupies the "structural hole" in the network that separates the business constituency from religious conservatives. Libertarians, located near the core of the network, also occupy an intermediate position. Regression analysis of ties within the network suggests that the Federalist Society plays an important role in bringing the lawyers together. [source] Mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis in SicilyAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2001G. Vona This study reports data on the sequences of the first hypervariable segment of a sample of the Sicilian population from Alia (Palermo, Italy). The results show the presence of 32 different haplotypes in the 49 individuals examined. The average number of pairwise nucleotide differences was 4.04, i.e., 1.17% per nucleotide. The distribution of the nucleotide differences matches the theoretical distribution and indicates only one major episode of expansion that occurred between 20,732 and 59,691 years ago, between the Middle Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic. Compared with the other populations, parameters of the Sicilian sample lie in an intermediate position between the eastern and western Mediterranean populations. This is due to numerous contacts that Sicily has had with the Mediterranean area since prehistoric times. At the same time, the singularity of some of the haplotypes present in the sample studied indicates the persistence of some characteristics caused by genetic drift and isolation that the population has endured in the course of its history. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 13:576,589, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Mitochondrial DNA HVRI variation in Balearic populationsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 1 2005A. Picornell Abstract The Balearic archipelago (Majorca, Minorca, and Ibiza islands and the Chuetas, a small and inbred community of descendants of Sephardic Jews) and Valencia were studied by means of the sequencing of a 404-bp segment of hypervariable region I (HVRI) mtDNA in 231 individuals. In total, 127 different haplotypes defined by 92 variable positions were identified. The incidence of unique haplotypes was very low, especially in Ibiza and the Chuetas. A remarkable observation in the Chueta community was the high frequency (23%) of preHV-1, a Middle Eastern lineage that is closely related, though not identical, to many others found at high frequencies in different Jewish populations. The presence of this haplogroup convincingly supported the Jewish origin of the Chueta community. The studied populations showed a reduced African contribution, and no individuals were detected with North African haplogroup U6, indicating a lack of maternal contribution from the Moslem settlement to these populations. Only Ibiza showed a lower diversity, indicating a possible genetic drift effect, also supported by the historical information known about this island. The variability in the sequence of mtDNA hypervariable region I correlated well with the existing information from the populations, with the exception of that of the Y-chromosome, which could indicate a differential contribution of the maternal and paternal lineages to the genetic pool of the Balearic Islands. The phylogenetic trees showed the intermediate position of the Chueta population between the Middle Eastern and Majorcan samples, confirming the Jewish origin of this population and their Spanish admixture. Am J Phys Anthropol 128:119-130, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Auditory P300 Event-Related Potentials and Neurocognitive Functions in Opioid Dependent Men and Their BrothersTHE AMERICAN JOURNAL ON ADDICTIONS, Issue 3 2009Shubh Mohan Singh MD Event-related-potentials (especially P300) and cognitive functioning as potential endophenotypes have not been studied in opioid dependence. We compared auditory P300 and cognitive functions in opioid-dependent men, their brothers and normal controls in an exploratory study with a view to find shared genetic factors in the development of opioid dependence. Twenty abstinent opioid-dependent males, their brothers and twenty matched controls were administered Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), digit span test, trail making test-B, and auditory event-related potentials (P300) from an oddball task were recorded. The opioid dependent group performed the worst, the brothers group was intermediate, and the control group performed the best on tests of WCST, digit span and trail making test-B. The opioid dependent group had the smallest amplitudes and longest latencies of P300, and was followed by the brothers group who had an intermediate position and the control group who had the largest amplitudes and the shortest latencies. P300 and executive neurocognitive functions can be considered endophenotypes for the genetic study of vulnerability to opioid dependence. These are reflective of executive dysfunction and disrupted behavioral inhibition and the intermediate position of brothers suggests a common genetic substrate as a component of the etiology. [source] The Complex and Diversified Mitochondrial Gene Pool of Berber PopulationsANNALS OF HUMAN GENETICS, Issue 2 2009C. Coudray Summary The mitochondrial DNA variation of 295 Berber-speakers from Morocco (Asni, Bouhria and Figuig) and the Egyptian oasis of Siwa was evaluated by sequencing a portion of the control region (including HVS-I and part of HVS-II) and surveying haplogroup-specific coding region markers. Our findings show that the Berber mitochondrial pool is characterized by an overall high frequency of Western Eurasian haplogroups, a somehow lower frequency of sub-Saharan L lineages, and a significant (but differential) presence of North African haplogroups U6 and M1, thus occupying an intermediate position between European and sub-Saharan populations in PCA analysis. A clear and significant genetic differentiation between the Berbers from Maghreb and Egyptian Berbers was also observed. The first are related to European populations as shown by haplogroup H1 and V frequencies, whereas the latter share more affinities with East African and Nile Valley populations as indicated by the high frequency of M1 and the presence of L0a1, L3i, L4*, and L4b2 lineages. Moreover, haplogroup U6 was not observed in Siwa. We conclude that the origins and maternal diversity of Berber populations are old and complex, and these communities bear genetic characteristics resulting from various events of gene flow with surrounding and migrating populations. [source] Low Pay in the UK: The Case for a Three Sector Comparative ApproachANNALS OF PUBLIC AND COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2001Stephen Almond This paper represents a first attempt to examine empirically the comparative extensiveness of low pay in the third sector against the theoretical backdrop of both the generic labour market literature and the newly emerging specialist third sector literature. It shows that the third sector occupies an intermediate position between relatively high concentrations of low pay in the private sector and low concentrations in the public sector. These differences do not emerge simply because the categories of vulnerable workers identified in the generic labour market literature are less likely to be found in the third sector. Nor do they reflect differences in sectoral industry and occupation composition. Theoretical explanations for these differences are to be found in the third sector literature. [source] Hypertension during pregnancy in South Australia, Part 2: Risk factors for adverse maternal and/or perinatal outcome , results of multivariable analysisAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 5 2004Sophie A. VREEBURG Abstract Objective:, To identify factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes among women with hypertension during pregnancy Design:, A population-based retrospective multivariable analysis using the South Australian perinatal data collection. Methods:, Perinatal data on 70 386 singleton births in 1998,2001 were used in multivariable analyses on three groups: all women combined, all hypertensive women and women with pregnancy hypertension only, in order to identify independent risk factors for requirement for level II/III care, preterm birth, small for gestational age (SGA) birth and maternal length of stay greater than 7 days. Results:, The risks for the four morbidities were all increased among women with hypertension compared with normotensive women. Those with pre-existing hypertension had the lowest risk (with odds ratios (OR) 1.26,2.90). Pregnancy hypertension held the intermediate position (OR 1.52,5.70), while superimposed pre-eclampsia was associated with the highest risk (OR 2.00,8.75). Among women with hypertension, Aboriginality, older maternal age, nulliparity and pre-existing or gestational diabetes increased the risk for level II/III nursery care, preterm birth and prolonged hospital stay. Smokers had shorter stays, which may be related to their decreased risk of having a Caesarean section or operative vaginal delivery. Asian women, Aboriginal women, smokers and unemployed women had an increased risk for having an SGA baby, while women with pre-existing or gestational diabetes had a reduced risk. Conclusions:, Among hypertensive pregnant women, nulliparity, older maternal age, Aboriginality, unemployment and diabetes are independent risk factors for one or more major adverse pregnancy outcomes. Smoking does not always worsen the outcome for hypertensive women except for SGA births. [source] Lateglacial landform associations at Jæren (SW Norway) and their glaci-dynamic implicationsBOREAS, Issue 3 2003STÅLE RAUNHOLM The Jæren lowland is located on the southwestern coast of Norway between a mountainous region in the east and the offshore Norwegian Channel in the west. During the Last Glacial Maximum, Jæren was in an intermediate position between an ice stream following the Norwegian Channel northwards, and westward flowing inland ice. The dynamic behaviour of the inland ice and the interaction with the ice stream are examined by means of geomorphological analysis of digital terrain models and sedimentological investigations. SW-trending drumlins were formed at Jæren below tributary ice from the inland, feeding into the Norwegian Channel Ice Stream. The presence of Rogen moraine in the central part of Jæren indicates a frozen substratum prior to their formation, and this suggests a transition to cold-based ice between the tributaries. The deglaciation of the Norwegian Channel at about 15 ka BP resulted in an unstable ice front for the inland ice sheet. The formation of Rogen moraine may be explained by a dynamic advance resulting in extensional flow and fracturing of the frozen substratum between the tributaries. The dynamic advance was followed by an early deglaciation of the coastal areas as evidenced by shallow marine sediments. Deformation of the shallow marine sand indicates a glacial readvance through the valleys formerly acting as tributaries to the ice stream. [source] Prostanoid receptor antagonists: development strategies and therapeutic applicationsBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 1 2009RL Jones Identification of the primary products of cyclo-oxygenase (COX)/prostaglandin synthase(s), which occurred between 1958 and 1976, was followed by a classification system for prostanoid receptors (DP, EP1, EP2 ,) based mainly on the pharmacological actions of natural and synthetic agonists and a few antagonists. The design of potent selective antagonists was rapid for certain prostanoid receptors (EP1, TP), slow for others (FP, IP) and has yet to be achieved in certain cases (EP2). While some antagonists are structurally related to the natural agonist, most recent compounds are ,non-prostanoid' (often acyl-sulphonamides) and have emerged from high-throughput screening of compound libraries, made possible by the development of (functional) assays involving single recombinant prostanoid receptors. Selective antagonists have been crucial to defining the roles of PGD2 (acting on DP1 and DP2 receptors) and PGE2 (on EP1 and EP4 receptors) in various inflammatory conditions; there are clear opportunities for therapeutic intervention. The vast endeavour on TP (thromboxane) antagonists is considered in relation to their limited pharmaceutical success in the cardiovascular area. Correspondingly, the clinical utility of IP (prostacyclin) antagonists is assessed in relation to the cloud hanging over the long-term safety of selective COX-2 inhibitors. Aspirin apart, COX inhibitors broadly suppress all prostanoid pathways, while high selectivity has been a major goal in receptor antagonist development; more targeted therapy may require an intermediate position with defined antagonist selectivity profiles. This review is intended to provide overviews of each antagonist class (including prostamide antagonists), covering major development strategies and current and potential clinical usage. [source] Parents, siblings and grandparents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit A survey of policies in eight European countriesACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 11 2009Gorm Greisen Abstract Objective:, To describe policies towards family visiting in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and compare findings with those of a survey carried out 10 years earlier. Methods:, A questionnaire on early developmental care practices was mailed to 362 units in eight European countries (Sweden, Denmark, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain and Italy). Of them 78% responded, and among those responded, 175 reported caring for at least 50 very low birth weight infants every year and their responses were analysed further. Results:, A majority of all units allowed access at any time for both parents. This was almost universal in northern Europe and the UK, whereas it was the policy of less than one-third of NICU in Spain and Italy, with France in an intermediate position. Restrictions on visiting of grandparents, siblings and friends, as well as restricting parents' presence during medical rounds and procedures followed the same pattern. A composite visiting score was computed using all the variables related to family visiting. Lower median values and larger variability were obtained for the southern countries, indicating more restrictive attitudes and lack of national policy. Conclusions:, The presence of parents and other family members in European NICUs has improved over a 10-year period. Several barriers, however, are still in place, particularly in the South European countries. [source] Experimental studies of sequential selection and assignment with relative ranksJOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING, Issue 3 2006J. Neil Bearden Abstract We study a class of sequential selection and assignment problems in which a decision maker (DM) must sequentially assign applicants to positions with the objective of minimizing expected cost. In modeling this class of problems, we assume that on each period the DM is only informed of the rank of the present applicant relative to the applicants that she previously observed and assigned. We first present the optimal decision policy that we subsequently use as a normative benchmark, and then report results from three experiments designed to study sequential assignment behavior. In comparing the aggregate results from all three experiments to the optimal decision policy, we identify a systematic bias, called the middleness bias, to over-assign applicants to intermediate positions. The results also reveal a strong bias for early applicants to be over-assigned to important positions. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] When does a reproducing female viper (Vipera aspis) ,decide' on her litter size?JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, Issue 2 2003Olivier Lourdais Abstract Some organisms rely on stored energy to fuel reproductive expenditure (capital breeders) whereas others use energy gained during the reproductive bout itself (income breeders). Most species occupy intermediate positions on this continuum, but few experimental data are available on the timescale over which food intake can affect fecundity. Mark,recapture studies of free-ranging female aspic vipers Vipera aspis have suggested that reproductive output relies not only on the energy in fat bodies accumulated in previous years, but also on food intake immediately before ovulation. A simple experiment was conducted to test this hypothesis, maintaining female snakes in captivity throughout the vitellogenic period and controlling their food intake. The energy input of a female strongly influenced the amount of mass that she gained and the number of ova that she ovulated. Multiple regression showed that litter size in these snakes was affected both by maternal body condition in early spring (an indicator of foraging success over previous years) and by food intake in the spring before ovulation. Our experimental data thus reinforce the results of descriptive studies on free-ranging snakes, and emphasize the flexibility of energy allocation patterns among vipers. Reproducing female vipers may combine energy from ,capital' and ,income' to maximize their litter sizes in the face of fluctuating levels of prey abundance. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||