Niagara Parks Commision Records 1947-1990, n.d. (non-inclusive)

Ontario Editorial Bureau (O.E.B.)

Are Ichthyosporea animals or fungi? Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of elongation factor 1α of Ichthyophonus irregularis

Ichthyosporea is a recently recognized group of morphologically simple eukaryotes, many of which cause disease in aquatic organisms. Ribosomal RNA sequence analyses place Ichthyosporea near the divergence of the animal and fungal lineages, but do not allow resolution of its exact phylogenetic position. Some of the best evidence for a specific grouping of animals and fungi (Opisthokonta) has come from elongation factor 1alpha, not only phylogenetic analysis of sequences but also the presence or absence of short insertions and deletions. We sequenced the EF-1alpha gene from the ichthyosporean parasite Ichthyophonus irregularis and determined its phylogenetic position using neighbor-joining, parsimony and Bayesian methods. We also sequenced EF-1alpha genes from four chytrids to provide broader representation within fungi. Sequence analyses and the presence of a characteristic 12 amino acid insertion strongly indicate that I. irregularis is a member of Opisthokonta, but do not resolve whether I. irregularis is a specific relative of animals or of fungi. However, the EF-1alpha of I. irregularis exhibits a two amino acid deletion heretofore reported only among fungi. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

A novel clade of protistan parasites near the animal-fungal divergence.

Sequences of nuclear-encoded small-subunit rRNA genes have been determined for representatives of the enigmatic genera Dermocystidium, Ichthyophonus, and Psorospermium, protistan parasites of fish and crustaceans. The small-subunit rRNA genes from these parasites and from the "rosette agent" (also a parasite of fish) together form a novel, statistically supported clade. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrate this clade to diverge near the animal-fungal dichotomy, although more precise resolution is problematic. In the most parsimonious and maximally likely phylogenetic frameworks inferred from the most stably aligned sequence regions, the clade constitutes the most basal branch of the metazoa; but within a limited range of model parameters, and in some analyses that incorporate less well-aligned sequence regions, an alternative topology in which it diverges immediately before the animal-fungal dichotomy was recovered. Mitochondrial cristae of Dermocystidium spp. are flat, whereas those of Ichthyophonus hoferi appear tubulovesiculate. These results extend our understanding of the types of organisms from which metazoa and fungi may have evolved.

Equipment serviceability criteria for compressor, reciprocating, air, power driven, high pressure, 4 CFM and up, 1000 PSI and up, group I--four wheel MTD, pneumatic tires, GED, Davey mdl P-4, Joy mdls 15HGPS-MSI and 15HGP9-MSI, Joy mdl WK-80 15H1, Joy mdl 415HGP3-MSI, Ingersoll-Rand mdl P4R 15 G-J, Stewart-Warner mdl 12021A ...

"20 June 1973"--P. 1.

The management of iron deficiency in inflammatory bowel disease--an online tool developed by the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency is a common and undertreated problem in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). AIM: To develop an online tool to support treatment choice at the patient-specific level. METHODS: Using the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method (RUAM), a European expert panel assessed the appropriateness of treatment regimens for a variety of clinical scenarios in patients with non-anaemic iron deficiency (NAID) and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA). Treatment options included adjustment of IBD medication only, oral iron supplementation, high-/low-dose intravenous (IV) regimens, IV iron plus erythropoietin-stimulating agent (ESA), and blood transfusion. The panel process consisted of two individual rating rounds (1148 treatment indications; 9-point scale) and three plenary discussion meetings. RESULTS: The panel reached agreement on 71% of treatment indications. 'No treatment' was never considered appropriate, and repeat treatment after previous failure was generally discouraged. For 98% of scenarios, at least one treatment was appropriate. Adjustment of IBD medication was deemed appropriate in all patients with active disease. Use of oral iron was mainly considered an option in NAID and mildly anaemic patients without disease activity. IV regimens were often judged appropriate, with high-dose IV iron being the preferred option in 77% of IDA scenarios. Blood transfusion and IV+ESA were indicated in exceptional cases only. CONCLUSIONS: The RUAM revealed high agreement amongst experts on the management of iron deficiency in patients with IBD. High-dose IV iron was more often considered appropriate than other options. To facilitate dissemination of the recommendations, panel outcomes were embedded in an online tool, accessible via http://ferroscope.com/.

Jean Calvin, les hommes et les choses de son temps.

Vol.5-7 have imprint: Neuilly-sur Seine,Editions de "la Cause."

UK consensus project on quality in palliative day services: developing a quality indicator set using the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method

Introduction
Evaluating quality of palliative day services is essential for assessing care across diverse settings, and for monitoring quality improvement approaches.

Aim
To develop a set of quality indicators for assessment of all aspects (structure, process and outcome) of care in palliative day services.

Methods
Using a modified version of the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method (Fitch et al., 2001), a multidisciplinary panel of 16 experts independently completed a survey rating the appropriateness of 182 potential quality indicators previously identified during a systematic evidence review. Panel members then attended a one day, face-to-face meeting where indicators were discussed and subsequently re-rated. Panel members were also asked to rate the feasibility and necessity of measuring each indicator.

Results
71 indicators classified as inappropriate during the survey were removed based on median appropriateness ratings and level of agreement. Following the panel discussions, a further 60 were removed based on appropriateness and feasibility ratings, level of agreement and assessment of necessity. Themes identified during the panel discussion and findings of the evidence review were used to translate the remaining 51 indicators into a final set of 27.

Conclusion
The final indicator set included information on rationale and supporting evidence, methods of assessment, risk adjustment, and recommended performance levels. Further implementation work will test the suitability of this ‘toolkit’ for measurement and benchmarking. The final indicator set provides the basis for standardised assessment of quality across services, including care delivered in community and primary care settings.

Reference

• Fitch K, Bernstein SJ, Aguilar MD, et al. The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method User’s Manual. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation; 2001. http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1269

Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor (g-csf) Positive Effects On Muscle Fiber Degeneration And Gait Recovery After Nerve Lesion In Mdx Mice.

G-CSF has been shown to decrease inflammatory processes and to act positively on the process of peripheral nerve regeneration during the course of muscular dystrophy. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of treatment of G-CSF during sciatic nerve regeneration and histological analysis in the soleus muscle in MDX mice. Six-week-old male MDX mice underwent left sciatic nerve crush and were G-CSF treated at 7 days prior to and 21 days after crush. Ten and twenty-one days after surgery, the mice were euthanized, and the sciatic nerves were processed for immunohistochemistry (anti-p75(NTR) and anti-neurofilament) and transmission electron microscopy. The soleus muscles were dissected out and processed for H&E staining and subsequent morphologic analysis. Motor function analyses were performed at 7 days prior to and 21 days after sciatic crush using the CatWalk system and the sciatic nerve index. Both groups treated with G-CSF showed increased p75(NTR) and neurofilament expression after sciatic crush. G-CSF treatment decreased the number of degenerated and regenerated muscle fibers, thereby increasing the number of normal muscle fibers. The reduction in p75(NTR) and neurofilament indicates a decreased regenerative capacity in MDX mice following a lesion to a peripheral nerve. The reduction in motor function in the crushed group compared with the control groups may reflect the cycles of muscle degeneration/regeneration that occur postnatally. Thus, G-CSF treatment increases motor function in MDX mice. Nevertheless, the decrease in baseline motor function in these mice is not reversed completely by G-CSF.

G-quadruplex Formation Enhances Splicing Efficiency Of Pax9 Intron 1.

G-quadruplexes are secondary structures present in DNA and RNA molecules, which are formed by stacking of G-quartets (i.e., interaction of four guanines (G-tracts) bounded by Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding). Human PAX9 intron 1 has a putative G-quadruplex-forming region located near exon 1, which is present in all known sequenced placental mammals. Using circular dichroism (CD) analysis and CD melting, we showed that these sequences are able to form highly stable quadruplex structures. Due to the proximity of the quadruplex structure to exon-intron boundary, we used a validated double-reporter splicing assay and qPCR to analyze its role on splicing efficiency. The human quadruplex was shown to have a key role on splicing efficiency of PAX9 intron 1, as a mutation that abolished quadruplex formation decreased dramatically the splicing efficiency of human PAX9 intron 1. The less stable, rat quadruplex had a less efficient splicing when compared to human sequences. Additionally, the treatment with 360A, a strong ligand that stabilizes quadruplex structures, further increased splicing efficiency of human PAX9 intron 1. Altogether, these results provide evidences that G-quadruplex structures are involved in splicing efficiency of PAX9 intron 1.

Padrões de distribuição geográfica das espécies de Schefflera J. R. Forst. & G. Forst. (Araliaceae) do Brasil extra-amazônico

Uma análise da distribuição geográfica de Schefflera no Brasil extra-amazônico foi realizada com base em mapas atualizados plotando as ocorrências conhecidas das 26 espécies do gênero encontradas nessa grande área: S. angustissima (Marchal) Frodin, S. aurata Fiaschi, S. botumirimensis Fiaschi & Pirani, S. burchellii (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. calva (Cham.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. capixaba Fiaschi, S. cephalantha (Harms) Frodin, S. cordata (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. distractiflora (Harms) Frodin, S. fruticosa Fiaschi & Pirani, S. gardneri (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. glaziovii (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. grandigemma Fiaschi, S. kollmannii Fiaschi, S. longipetiolata (Pohl ex DC.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. lucumoides (Decne. & Planch. ex Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. macrocarpa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin, S. malmei (Harms) Frodin, S. morototoni (Aubl.) Maguire, Steyermark & Frodin, S. racemifera Fiaschi & Frodin, S. ruschiana Fiaschi & Pirani, S. selloi (Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. succinea Frodin & Fiaschi, S. villosissima Fiaschi & Pirani, S. vinosa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin & Fiaschi e S. aff. varisiana Frodin. Dois centros de endemismo associados com áreas de altitude elevada foram reconhecidos: Cadeia do Espinhaço em Minas Gerais e florestas montanas do Estado do Espírito Santo. Os padrões de distribuição geográfica ilustrados são discutidos com base em dados obtidos para outros grupos de angiospermas e em estudos fitogeográficos das principais fitocórias do Brasil extra-amazônico. São apresentadas também hipóteses acerca de prováveis relações filogenéticas entre alguns táxons, visando à busca de possíveis correlações entre estas e a biogeografia do grupo.