Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Useful Resource (useful + resource)
Selected AbstractsThe oral pathology report: submission of specimens and interpretation of resultsDERMATOLOGIC THERAPY, Issue 3 2002Carl M. Allen The most accurate histopathologic interpretation of an oral biopsy specimen is often dependent on a variety of factors that may influence the pathologist's analysis of the disease process. Clinical data are often as important as proper sampling or appropriate handling of the biopsy specimen. The oral and maxillofacial pathology laboratory should be considered a useful resource for the diagnosis of oral lesions, particularly those which seem to be more challenging. [source] Genome-wide expression profiling in the Drosophila eye reveals unexpected repression of notch signaling by the JAK/STAT pathwayDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 9 2009Maria Sol Flaherty Abstract Although the JAK/STAT pathway regulates numerous processes in vertebrates and invertebrates through modulating transcription, its functionally relevant transcriptional targets remain largely unknown. With one jak and one stat (stat92E), Drosophila provides a powerful system for finding new JAK/STAT target genes. Genome-wide expression profiling on eye discs in which Stat92E is hyperactivated, revealed 584 differentially regulated genes, including known targets domeless, socs36E, and wingless. Other differentially regulated genes (chinmo, lama, Mo25, Imp-L2, Serrate, Delta) were validated and may represent new Stat92E targets. Genetic experiments revealed that Stat92E cell-autonomously represses Serrate, which encodes a Notch ligand. Loss of Stat92E led to de-repression of Serrate in the dorsal eye, resulting in ectopic Notch signaling and aberrant eye growth there. Thus, our micro-array documents a new Stat92E target gene and a previously unidentified inhibitory action of Stat92E on Notch signaling. These data suggest that this study will be a useful resource for the identification of additional Stat92E targets. Developmental Dynamics 238:2235,2253, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] RNA expression microarray analysis in mouse prospermatogonia: Identification of candidate epigenetic modifiers,DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 4 2008Christophe Lefèvre Abstract The mammalian totipotent and pluripotent lineage exhibits genome-wide dynamics with respect to DNA methylation content. The first phase of global DNA demethylation and de novo remethylation occurs during preimplantation development and gastrulation, respectively, while the second phase occurs in primordial germ cells and primary oocytes/prospermatogonia, respectively. These dynamics are indicative of a comprehensive epigenetic resetting or reprogramming of the genome in preparation for major differentiation events. To gain further insight into the mechanisms driving DNA methylation dynamics and other types of epigenetic modification, we performed an RNA expression microarray analysis of fetal prospermatogonia at the stage when they are undergoing rapid de novo DNA remethylation. We have identified a number of highly or specifically expressed genes that could be important for determining epigenetic change in prospermatogonia. These data provide a useful resource in the discovery of molecular pathways involved in epigenetic reprogramming in the mammalian germ line. Developmental Dynamics 237:1082,1089, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] An exploratory investigation of the experiences of partners living with people who have bulimia nervosaEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 6 2006Katherine Huke Abstract Objective This study aimed to explore partners' experiences of living as a couple with someone with bulimia nervosa. Method Transcripts of eight exploratory interviews with partners were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results Five superordinate themes emerged: (1) Living with the secrecy and deception; (2) Struggling to understand and find reasons; (3) Discovering your powerlessness; (4) ,It's like growing to live with it'; (5) Experiencing strengths and strains in the relationship. Discussion Living with someone with bulimia presents many challenges for partners. They struggle to understand what is happening, can find the secrecy difficult to live with, and are often left feeling powerless. However, partners also look to find ways of accepting and living with the bulimia. It is suggested that partners could be offered opportunities to access support, and that their perspectives could be a useful resource for therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] The SAAPdb web resource: A large-scale structural analysis of mutant proteins,HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 4 2009Jacob M. Hurst Abstract The Single Amino Acid Polymorphism database (SAAPdb) is a new resource for the analysis and visualization of the structural effects of mutations. Our analytical approach is to map single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and pathogenic deviations (PDs) to protein structural data held within the Protein Data Bank. By mapping mutations onto protein structures, we can hypothesize whether the mutant residues will have any local structural effect that may "explain" a deleterious phenotype. Our prior work used a similar approach to analyze mutations within a single protein. An analysis of the contents of SAAPdb indicates that there are clear differences in the sequence and structural characteristics of SNPs and PDs, and that PDs are more often explained by our structural analysis. This mapping and analysis is a useful resource for the mutation community and is publicly available at http://www.bioinf.org.uk/saap/db/. Hum Mutat 0, 1,9, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A drought climatology for EuropeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 13 2002Benjamin Lloyd-Hughes Abstract We present a high spatial resolution, multi-temporal climatology for the incidence of 20th century European drought. The climatology provides, for a given location or region, the time series of drought strength, the number, the mean duration, and the maximum duration of droughts of a given intensity, and the trend in drought incidence. The drought climatology is based on monthly standardized precipitation indices (SPIs) calculated on a 0.5° grid over the European region 35,70 °N and 35 °E,10 °W at time scales of 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months for the period 1901,99. The standardized property facilitates the quantitative comparison of drought incidence at different locations and over different time scales. The standardization procedure (probability transformation) has been tested rigorously assuming normal, log,normal, and gamma statistics for precipitation. Near equivalence is demonstrated between the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) and SPIs on time scales of 9 to 12 months. The mean number and duration by grid cell of extreme European drought events (SPI , ,2) on a time scale of 12 months is 6 ± 2 months and 27 ± 8 months respectively. The mean maximum drought duration is 48 ± 17 months. Trends in SPI and PDSI values indicate that the proportion of Europe experiencing extreme and/or moderate drought conditions has changed insignificantly during the 20th century. We hope the climatology will provide a useful resource for assessing both the regional vulnerability to drought and the seasonal predictability of the phenomenon. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] Preparing a large data set for analysis: using the Minimum Data Set to study perineal dermatitisJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 4 2005Kay Savik MS Aim., The aim of this paper is to present a practical example of preparing a large set of Minimum Data Set records for analysis, operationalizing Minimum Data Set items that defined risk factors for perineal dermatitis, our outcome variable. Background., Research with nursing home elders remains a vital need as ,baby boomers' age. Conducting research in nursing homes is a daunting task. The Minimum Data Set is a standardized instrument used to assess many aspects of a nursing home resident's functional capability. United States Federal Regulations require a Minimum Data Set assessment of all nursing home residents. These large data would be a useful resource for research studies, but need to be extensively refined for use in most statistical analyses. Although fairly comprehensive, the Minimum Data Set does not provide direct measures of all clinical outcomes and variables of interest. Method., Perineal dermatitis is not directly measured in the Minimum Data Set. Additional information from prescribers' (physician and nurse) orders was used to identify cases of perineal dermatitis. The following steps were followed to produce Minimum Data Set records appropriate for analysis: (1) identification of a subset of Minimum Data Set records specific to the research, (2) identification of perineal dermatitis cases from the prescribers' orders, (3) merging of the perineal dermatitis cases with the Minimum Data Set data set, (4) identification of Minimum Data Set items used to operationalize the variables in our model of perineal dermatitis, (5) determination of the appropriate way to aggregate individual Minimum Data Set items into composite measures of the variables, (6) refinement of these composites using item analysis and (7) assessment of the distribution of the composite variables and need for transformations to use in statistical analysis. Results., Cases of perineal dermatitis were successfully identified and composites were created that operationalized a model of perineal dermatitis. Conclusion., Following these steps resulted in a data set where data analysis could be pursued with confidence. Incorporating other sources of data, such as prescribers' orders, extends the usefulness of the Minimum Data Set for research use. [source] Resources Used by General Practitioners for Advising Travelers from New ZealandJOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2000Peter A. Leggat Background: The risks of the destination and any specific requirements for travel health advice may be obtained from a variety of resources. This study was designed to investigate the usefulness of various resources available in New Zealand for providing travel health advice and the extent to which GPs used these resources in providing travel health advice. Methods: Four hundred GPs (400/2830) were randomly selected from the register of the New Zealand Medical Council and sent self-administered questionnaires. Two reminders were sent. Results: Three hundred and thirty-two (332/400, 83%) GPs responded. The usefulness of various resources was reported, including Health Advice for Overseas Travellers (277/289, 96%), New Ethicals (256/278, 92%), New Zealand Public Health Report (79/164, 48%), International Travel and Health (41/144, 28%), computerized databases (6/122, 5%), journals (14/130, 11%), and other resources (44/139, 32%). Health Advice for Overseas Travellers was regarded as significantly more useful than International Travel and Health (x2= 4,68, df = 1, p < .05). Only 23% (70/309) of respondents indicated that they always used these resources in their practice of travel medicine. Fifty percent (154/309) of respondents indicated that they usually used these resources, while 27% (83/309) of respondents indicated that they used these resources sometimes. Only 1% (2/309) of GPs did not use resources at all for their practice of travel medicine. Conclusion: The most useful resource was Health Advice for Overseas Travellers, which outlines the New Zealand recommendations for medical practitioners providing travel health advice. It may be useful for GPs to gain access to and training in association with a greater range of specialist resources to use in conjunction with the provision of travel health advice. These might include international guidelines, journals, and access to computerized databases and the internet. With the recent introduction of a widely accessible computerized database in New Zealand, follow-up studies could be instituted to determine if GPs' use of computerized databases becomes more widespread and whether access to and use of these computerized databases influences the provision of travel health advice by GPs. Further studies are needed to examine the appropriateness of the advice provided by the various resources used by GPs in New Zealand. [source] International prevalence of physical activity in youth and adultsOBESITY REVIEWS, Issue 6 2008S. B. Sisson Summary Understanding population prevalences of physical activity is important to develop benchmarks for current baseline levels to monitor future changes, and for making country/regional comparisons. The purpose was to review the global prevalence of physical activity levels among youth and adults. Standardized literature searches for articles about national prevalences of physical activity were conducted in PubMed. A total of 34 studies in adults and 28 studies in youth were deemed contemporary (1996 , present) and met the inclusion criteria for this review. Wide variability was present between countries in the prevalence of physical activity (as measured and defined by individual studies). Studies with the highest reported prevalences of physical activity were for men in Sweden (77%), women in Denmark (81%), 12- to 15-year-old boys in Australia (74%) and <12-year-old girls (75%) in China. The countries with the lowest reported prevalences of physical activity were men in Brazil (4%), women in Saudi Arabia (2%) and Thailand (2%), and 17- to 18-year-old boys (0%) and 17- to18-year-old girls (0%) in Russia. The ranges of prevalence of physical activity, mode of data collection, and determination of meeting the physical activity threshold vary greatly between countries. However, the aggregation of these data can be a useful resource to practitioners, interventionists and epidemiologists. [source] Out-of-hospital medication errors: a 6-year analysis of the national poison data systemPHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 11 2009Kanan Shah PharmD Abstract Purpose Previous research and reporting has focused on the incidence and prevention of medication errors in the hospital setting; however, no previous study has reported the frequencies, characteristics and outcomes of out-of-hospital medication (OHME) errors. Method Data from the National Poison Data System (NPDS) was collected for 2000,2005 and information regarding out-of-hospital medication errors reported to Poison Control Centers (PCC) was collected by a trained investigator. Results From 2000,2005 there were 1,166,116 OHME reported to PCC. Of these patients, 88,451 (7.5%) received medical evaluation by a healthcare provided and 229 (0.01%) deaths reported. The most common drug classes involved included cough/cold medications, analgesics, cardiovascular agents, antihistamines, antidepressants and antimicrobial agents. The most common error reported in both children and adults was taking or giving medication twice. Conclusions OHME occur frequently and the NPDS may be a useful resource for data collection and evaluation in this previously overlooked population. The majority of OHME reported did not result in any significant morbidity or mortality and were managed at home without need for healthcare referrral. Further study of OHME is needed, and in particular whether healthcare professionals can target educational instruction to patients so as to effectively reduce the frequency of the most common or injurious errors. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Quantitative trait loci and epistatic interactions in barley conferring resistance to net type net blotch (Pyrenophora teres f. teres) isolatesPLANT BREEDING, Issue 4 2010S. Gupta With 2 figures and 5 tables Abstract Net type net blotch (NTNB) is an important barley disease in Australia and elsewhere, with significant yield reduction. This trait is important in selection along with other traits of quality and agronomic value. Two-hundred doubled-haploid lines were generated through anther culture from a cross between ,Pompadour' and ,Stirling'. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified against five isolates of Pyrenophora teres f. teres, which represent virulences across Australia. QTL were mapped on chromosomes 3H and 6H using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The resistance locus on 6H was detected with all isolates while the 3H locus was detected with two isolates. The 6H QTL from ,Pompadour' contributed resistance to isolates 97NB1, 95NB100 and NB81, whereas 6H QTL from ,Stirling' contributed resistance to isolates NB50 and NB52B. The 3H QTL from ,Pompadour' contributed resistance to NB50 and NB52B. Significant epistatic interactions were detected between QTL on 3H and 6H. These resistance QTL are a useful resource and identifying closely linked SSR markers with allelic combinations will facilitate in marker-assisted selection to develop NTNB resistant breeding lines. [source] Toward a comprehensive quantitative proteome database: protein expression map of lymphoid neoplasms by 2-D DIGE and MSPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 17 2006Kazuyasu Fujii Abstract Using 2-D DIGE, we constructed a quantitative 2-D database including 309 proteins corresponding to 389 protein spots across 42 lymphoid neoplasm cell lines. The proteins separated by 2-D PAGE were identified by MS and assigned to the expression data obtained by 2-D DIGE. The cell lines were categorized into four groups: those from Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) (4 cell lines), B cell malignancies (19 cell lines), T cell malignancies (16 cell lines), and natural killer (NK) cell malignancies (3 cell lines). We characterized the proteins in the database by classifying them according to their expression level. We found 28 proteins with more than a 2-fold difference between the cell line groups. We also noted the proteins that allowed multidimensional separation to be achieved (1) between HL cells and other cells, (2) between the cells derived from B cells, T cells and NK cells, and (3) between HL cells and anaplastic large cell lymphoma cells. Decision tree classification identified five proteins that could be used to classify the 42 cell lines according to differentiation. These results suggest that the quantitative 2-D database using 2-D DIGE will be a useful resource for studying the mechanisms underlying the differentiation phenotypes of lymphoid neoplasms. [source] Effects of Written Information Material on Help-Seeking Behavior in Patients with Erectile Dysfunction: A Longitudinal StudyTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2008Michael M. Berner MD ABSTRACT Introduction., Neither men with erectile dysfunction (ED) nor their physicians are willing to discuss sexual problem sufficiently. Written information material could facilitate a dialogue and encourage men to seek treatment. Aim., The central task of this article was to determine the effectiveness and acceptance of patient information material for sexual dysfunction. Methods., Through an information campaign, men received informational material. Eight thousand men also received a first survey, which asked about the intention to seek treatment and to discuss the sexual problem with a physician or partner. A second follow-up questionnaire, 3,6 months after the first one, asked for the implementation of these intentions. Descriptive and regression-based analyses were applied. Main Outcome Measures., Help-seeking behavior, subjective assessment of change in disease severity and partnership quality, satisfaction. Results., Four hundred forty-three men participated in both surveys. Nearly 90% of them became active after reading the information material. More than half talked with their partner (57.8%) and a physician (65%), and one-third sought treatment (31.8%). Especially discussing the problem with the partner and receiving treatment improved erectile functioning and led to an increase in the quality of partnership (P , 0.05). The initial intention to become active was a good predictor for completing an action. The main reasons for not becoming active were inhibitions to talk about ED (46.8%) and fear of a medical examination (27.7%). Conclusions., Overall, the results demonstrate that written information material is a useful resource for men with ED, because it evokes a high help-seeking behavior. It was perceived both to improve the sexual problem as well as to increase the quality of partnership. Providing such material in the medical practice may be an appropriate way to overcome inhibitions and to initiate dialogue with affected men. However, the results must be interpreted with caution because of possible motivationally driven self-selection bias. Berner MM, Leiber C, Kriston L, Stodden V, and Günzler C. Effects of written information material on help-seeking behavior in patients with erectile dysfunction: A longitudinal study. J Sex Med 2008;5:436,447. [source] A collection of 11 800 single-copy Ds transposon insertion lines in ArabidopsisTHE PLANT JOURNAL, Issue 6 2004Takashi Kuromori Summary More than 10 000 transposon-tagged lines were constructed by using the Activator (Ac)/Dissociation (Ds) system in order to collect insertional mutants as a useful resource for functional genomics of Arabidopsis. The flanking sequences of the Ds element in the 11 800 independent lines were determined by high-throughput analysis using a semi-automated method. The sequence data allowed us to map the unique insertion site on the Arabidopsis genome in each line. The Ds element of 7566 lines is inserted in or close to coding regions, potentially affecting the function of 5031 of 25 000 Arabidopsis genes. Half of the lines have Ds insertions on chromosome 1 (Chr. 1), in which donor lines have a donor site. In the other half, the Ds insertions are distributed throughout the other four chromosomes. The intrachromosomal distribution of Ds insertions varies with the donor lines. We found that there are hot spots for Ds transposition near the ends of every chromosome, and we found some statistical preference for Ds insertion targets at the nucleotide level. On the basis of systematic analysis of the Ds insertion sites in the 11 800 lines, we propose the use of Ds -tagged lines with a single insertion in annotated genes for systematic analysis of phenotypes (phenome analysis) in functional genomics. We have opened a searchable database of the insertion-site sequences and mutated genes (http://rarge.gsc.riken.go.jp/) and are depositing these lines in the RIKEN BioResource Center as available resources (http://www.brc.riken.go.jp/Eng/). [source] Discovery, validation and characterization of 1039 cattle single nucleotide polymorphismsANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 4 2010R. Donthu Summary We identified ,13 000 putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by comparison of repeat-masked BAC-end sequences from the cattle RPCI-42 BAC library with whole-genome shotgun contigs of cattle genome assembly Btau 1.0. Genotyping of a subset of these SNPs was performed on a panel containing 186 DNA samples from 18 cattle breeds including 43 trios. Of 1039 SNPs confirmed as polymorphic in the panel, 998 had minor allele frequency ,0.25 among unrelated individuals of at least one breed. When Btau 4.0 became available, 974 of these validated SNPs were assigned in silico to known cattle chromosomes, while 41 SNPs were mapped to unassigned sequence scaffolds, yielding one SNP every ,3 Mbp on average. Twenty-four SNPs identified in Btau 1.0 were not mapped to Btau 4.0. Of the 1015 SNPs mapped to Btau 4.0, 959 SNPs had nucleotide bases identical in Btau 4.0 and Btau 1.0 contigs, whereas 56 bases were changed, resulting in the loss of the in silico SNP in Btau 4.0. Because these 1039 SNPs were all directly confirmed by genotyping on the multi-breed panel, it is likely that the original polymorphisms were correctly identified. The 1039 validated SNPs identified in this study represent a new and useful resource for genome-wide association studies and applications in animal breeding. [source] Mitochondrial DNA-based analysis of genetic variation and relatedness among Sri Lankan indigenous chickens and the Ceylon junglefowl (Gallus lafayetti)ANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 1 2009P. Silva Summary Indigenous chickens (IC) in developing countries provide a useful resource to detect novel genes in mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Here, we investigated the level of genetic diversity in IC from five distinct regions of Sri Lanka using a PCR-based resequencing method. In addition, we investigated the relatedness of IC to different species of junglefowls including Ceylon (CJF; Gallus lafayetti), a subspecies that is endemic to Sri Lanka, green (Gallus varius), grey (Gallus sonneratii) and red (Gallus gallus) junglefowls. A total of 140 birds including eight CJF were used to screen the control region of the mitochondrial DNA sequence for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and other variants. We detected and validated 44 SNPs, which formed 42 haplotypes and six haplogroups in IC. The SNPs observed in the CJF were distinct and the D-loop appeared to be missing a 62-bp segment found in IC and the red junglefowl. Among the six haplogroups of IC, only one was region-specific. Estimates of haplotype and nucleotide diversities ranged from 0.901 to 0.965 and from 0.011 to 0.013 respectively, and genetic divergence was generally low. Further, variation among individuals within regions accounted for 92% of the total molecular variation among birds. The Sri Lankan IC were more closely related to red and grey junglefowls than to CJF, indicating multiple origins. The molecular information on genetic diversity revealed in our study may be useful in developing genetic improvement and conservation strategies to better utilize indigenous Sri Lankan chicken resources. [source] A 2.5-Mb contig constructed from Angus, Longhorn and horned Hereford DNA spanning the polled interval on bovine chromosome 1ANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 6 2006K. R. Wunderlich Summary The polled locus has been mapped by genetic linkage analysis to the proximal region of bovine chromosome 1. As an intermediate step in our efforts to identify the polled locus and the underlying causative mutation for the polled phenotype, we have constructed a BAC-based physical map of the interval containing the polled locus. Clones containing genes and markers in the critical interval were isolated from the TAMBT (constructed from Angus and Longhorn genomic DNA) and CHORI-240 (constructed from horned Hereford genomic DNA) BAC libraries and ordered based on fingerprinting and the presence or absence of 80 STS markers. A single contig spanning 2.5 Mb was assembled. Comparison of the physical order of STSs to the corresponding region of human chromosome 21 revealed the same order of genes within the polled critical interval. This contig of overlapping BAC clones from horned and polled breeds is a useful resource for SNP discovery and characterization of positional candidate genes. [source] Exploring the interactions between flood defence maintenance works and river habitats: the use of River Habitat Survey dataAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 6 2009Gemma L. Harvey Abstract 1.More extensive physical management of rivers in response to increasing flood risk, and action to improve the ecological quality of rivers represent two major, and potentially conflicting, challenges. 2.Improved understanding of the interactions between flood defence works and habitat structure must be achieved in order to satisfy both of these demands in the context of flood risk management and habitat improvement. 3.This paper examines the ,extensive' and ,intensive' use of data derived from a standardized method of assessing habitat character to explore the effects of flood risk maintenance works on river habitat quality. 4.Analysis of the UK River Habitat Survey (RHS) data set reveals some broad trends towards reduced habitat heterogeneity associated with recent flood defence works such as dredging and weed-cutting. 5.These observations correspond with published localized experimental work and suggest that the RHS database can be a useful resource for identifying relationships at relatively broad scales. 6.Applying the RHS methodology at finer spatial scales for sites experiencing continuing maintenance reveals contrasting results and highlights some key methodological issues; these include the availability and selection of high quality benchmark conditions, the legacy of past management, lag times associated with maintenance and recovery, and recording of marginal habitat features. 7.Small modifications to the RHS method could enable calculation of more detailed habitat indices while maintaining comparability with the national dataset. 8.If the issues identified in this paper can be addressed or accounted for, RHS could be an important tool for assessing the relationship between flood defence management and new statutory obligations for ecological improvement. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Heritable genetic variation and potential for adaptive evolution in asexual aphids (Aphidoidea)BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 1 2003ALEX C. C. WILSON Aphid life cycles can encompass cyclical parthenogenesis, obligate parthenogenesis, obligate parthenogenesis with male production and an intermediate ,bet-hedging' strategy where an aphid genotype will over-winter by continuing to reproduce by parthenogenesis and by investment in sexually produced eggs. In this paper, we focus on aphid lineages that reproduce entirely parthenogenetically (asexual aphids), in contrast to those that have any sexual forms in the annual cycle. Using modern molecular techniques, aphid biologists have made many empirical observations showing that asexual lineages are widespread both geographically and temporally. Indeed, we are collectively beginning to gather data on the evolution and persistence of these lineages through time. Here we review aphid karyology and parthenogenesis, both essential for interpretation of the molecular and ecological evolution of aphid asexual lineages. We describe the growing list of studies that have identified aphid genotypes that are both temporally and geographically widespread. We then collate examples of molecular and chromosomal evolution in asexual aphids and review the literature pertaining to phenotypic evolution and ecological diversification of asexual aphid lineages. In addition, we briefly discuss the potential of bacterial endosymbionts and epigenetic effects to influence the evolution of asexual aphid lineages. Lastly we provide a list of aphid taxa believed to be obligately asexual. This will be a useful resource for those seeking parthenogenetic animals as study systems. In conclusion, we present guidelines for the use of the term clone in aphid biology and stress the need for well-designed and well-executed studies examining the potential of asexual aphid lineages for adaptive evolution. © 2003 The Linnean Society of London. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2003, 79, 115,135. [source] Subcritical Water Reaction Behavior of D -Glucose as a Model Compound for Biomass Using Two Different Continuous-Flow Reactor ConfigurationsCHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY (CET), Issue 4 2009T. Saito Abstract Recently, cellulosic materials have been considered as a useful resource for the recovery of valuable chemicals and liquid fuels, etc. Cellulose is a homopolymer of D -glucose, which is often used as a model compound for biomass. Reactions of D -glucose in subcritical water as the reaction solvent were conducted using a single-flow-type reactor (S1) and an admixture-type reactor with feed and preheated-water flow (S2) at temperatures from 200 to 240,°C, pressures from 15 to 20 MPa, residence times from 40 to 120 s, and initial feed concentrations of 1.5,10 wt %. D -Glucose was converted into aldehydes, organic acids and furans, with mainly organic acids obtained at 240,°C. D -Glucose decomposition using reactors S1 and S2 revealed that the conversion rate of D -glucose was promoted more using S2 than by S1. The yield of furans with S1 was higher than with S2, while the yield of organic acids from S1 was lower than that from S2. [source] New methodologies in teaching e-structural mechanics using WWW,COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION, Issue 3 2008Carmelo Maiorana Abstract A recently initiated phase of experimentation and research in the online Distance Learning (DL) is here described. The project has been developed by the Department of Construction and Transportation Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Padua along with the well-established e-learning experience of the SSIS Veneto (Institute for the Formation of Secondary School's Teachers) of Cà Foscari,University of Venice, in collaboration with the webmaster management of TCN-EnginSoft of Padua. The work deals with teaching methodologies supported by the net, computer communication and information technologies, finalized to give both widespread access to useful resources and to create a more flexible exchange due to net communication. The experimentation of using web-based technologies to support traditional teaching for working students is described; in fact, Internet-based innovations offer opportunities for a curriculum improvement to those categories of students who could be considered at a disadvantage, like worker students or students with ear or motion deafness. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 16: 189,210, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae20167 [source] Construction and Application of Efficient Ac-Ds Transposon Tagging Vectors in RiceJOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 11 2009Shaohong Qu Abstract Transposons are effective mutagens alternative to T-DNA for the generation of insertional mutants in many plant species including those whose transformation is inefficient. The current strategies of transposon tagging are usually slow and labor-intensive and yield low frequency of tagged lines. We have constructed a series of transposon tagging vectors based on three approaches: (i) AcTPase controlled by glucocorticoid binding domain/VP16 acidic activation domain/Gal4 DNA-binding domain (GVG) chemical-inducible expression system; (ii) deletion of AcTPase via Cre- lox site-specific recombination that was initially triggered by Ds excision; and (iii) suppression of early transposition events in transformed rice callus through a dual-functional hygromycin resistance gene in a novel Ds element (HPT-Ds). We tested these vectors in transgenic rice and characterized the transposition events. Our results showed that these vectors are useful resources for functional genomics of rice and other crop plants. The vectors are freely available for the community. [source] Policy on Acute Toxic Ingestion or Dermal or Inhalation ExposureJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 7 2003ANP-C FAANP, Mary Jo Goolsby EdD ABSTRACT Many nurse practitioners (NPs) practice in emergency and urgent-care settings, and fir more practical remote settings. NPs in each of these settings should be familiar with the assessment, stabilization, and treatment of patients who seek treatment for suspected intentional or accidental poisoning. This month's Clinical practice guideline (CPG) column reviews the "Clinical Policy for the Initial Approach to Patients Presenting With Acute Toxic Ingestion or Dermal or Inhalation Exposure." SUMMARY The ACEP "Clinical Policy for the Initial Approach to Patients Presenting With Acute Toxic Ingestion or Dermal or Inhalation Exposure" includes several helpful resources. In addition to recommending specific clinical actions in response to patient variables, the document includes a table identifying the antidote for many of the most commonly ingested drugs. These include digoxin, iron, opioids, salicylates, acetaminophen, and tricyclic antidepressants. The table also includes both the adult and pediatric dose of each listed antidote. A quick reference is included. This form can be used to guide the history, physical examination, and subsequent actions for treating patients with acute toxic ingestion or dermal or inhalation exposure. Finally, there is a quality assurance form to guide chart reviews. Many of the attributes of a well-developed guideline are identified in the report. The authors clearly identify the situations for which the recommendations are intended as well as those in which they do not apply. For instance, the guidance is not intended for use when patients are unstable and stabilization is the primary focus. It is also not intended for cases of radiation, parenteral, or eye exposure or of food poisoning. The authors describe the process used to develop the recommendations and identify the strength of the evidence on which each recommendation is based. The role of provider judgment in application of the guidance is addressed. Prior to its dissemination, the CPG was subjected to external review by dinical experts. This ACEP policy has applicability for the growing number of NPs working in emergency and urgent cafe settings as well as for those who must provide front line emergency care in remote settings. It provides a framework for responding to acute toxic exposures and provides several useful resources to assist the clinician in responding to situations in which accidental or intentional poisoning is suspected. [source] Twenty-eight new microsatellite loci in chicken and their cross-species amplification in Japanese quail and helmeted guinea fowlANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 4 2003Boniface Baboreka KAYANG ABSTRACT Twenty-eight original chicken microsatellite markers were isolated and characterized to determine their utility as cross-reactive markers for comparative genetic mapping in the order Galliformes. Primer pairs were typed in 12 unrelated chickens and also tested on Japanese quail and helmeted guinea fowl deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Polymorphism was observed in 23 (82.1%) of the markers and the average number of alleles per locus was 2.9 while the mean heterozygosity was 0.19. Eleven (39.3%) of the chicken markers cross-reacted with Japanese quail DNA and 2 (7.1%) with helmeted guinea fowl DNA. The cross-reactive markers described would serve as useful resources for comparative genetic mapping in poultry species belonging to the order Galliformes. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||