Correction: Blair et al. Molecular Phylogenetic Relationships and Unveiling Novel Genetic Diversity among Slow and Pygmy Lorises, including Resurrection of Xanthonycticebus intermedius. Genes 2023, 14, 643

In the original publication [...].

The influence of scale-dependent geodiversity on species distribution models in a biodiversity hotspot

Improving models of species' distributions is essential for conservation, especially in light of global change. Species distribution models (SDMs) often rely on mean environmental conditions, yet species distributions are also a function of environmental heterogeneity and filtering acting at multiple spatial scales. Geodiversity, which we define as the variation of abiotic features and processes of Earth's entire geosphere (inclusive of climate), has potential to improve SDMs and conservation assessments, as they capture multiple abiotic dimensions of species niches, however they have not been sufficiently tested in SDMs. We tested a range of geodiversity variables computed at varying scales using climate and elevation data. We compared predictive performance of MaxEnt SDMs generated using CHELSA bioclimatic variables to those also including geodiversity variables for 31 mammalian species in Colombia. Results show the spatial grain of geodiversity variables affects SDM performance. Some variables consistently exhibited an increasing or decreasing trend in variable importance with spatial grain, showing slight scale-dependence and indicating that some geodiversity variables are more relevant at particular scales for some species. Incorporating geodiversity variables into SDMs, and doing so at the appropriate spatial scales, enhances the ability to model species-environment relationships, thereby contributing to the conservation and management of biodiversity. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Geodiversity for science and society'.

Molecular Phylogenetic Relationships and Unveiling Novel Genetic Diversity among Slow and Pygmy Lorises, including Resurrection of Xanthonycticebus intermedius

Genetic analysis of historical museum collections presents an opportunity to clarify the evolutionary history of understudied primate groups, improve taxonomic inferences, and inform conservation efforts. Among the most understudied primate groups, slow and pygmy lorises (genera Nycticebus and Xanthonycticebus) are nocturnal strepsirrhines found in South and Southeast Asia. Previous molecular studies have supported five species, but studies using morphological data suggest the existence of at least nine species. We sequenced four mitochondrial loci, CO1, cytb, d-loop, and ND4, for a total of 3324 aligned characters per sample from 41 historical museum specimens for the most comprehensive geographic coverage to date for these genera. We then combined these sequences with a larger dataset composed of samples collected in Vietnam as well as previously published sequences (total sample size N = 62). We inferred phylogenetic relationships using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods based on data from each locus and on concatenated sequences. We also inferred divergence dates for the most recent common ancestors of major lineages using a BEAST analysis. Consistent with previous studies, we found support for Xanthonycticebus pygmaeus as a basal taxon to the others in the group. We also confirmed the separation between lineages of X. pygmaeus from northern Vietnam/Laos/China and southern Vietnam/Cambodia and included a taxonomic revision recognizing a second taxon of pygmy loris, X. intermedius. Our results found support for multiple reciprocally monophyletic taxa within Borneo and possibly Java. The study will help inform conservation management of these trade-targeted animals as part of a genetic reference database for determining the taxonomic unit and provenance of slow and pygmy lorises confiscated from illegal wildlife trade activities.

Assessing Ecological and Social Dimensions of Success in a Community-based Sustainable Harvest Program

Community-based conservation and resource management (CBCRM) programs often incorporate the dual goals of poverty alleviation and conservation. However, robust assessments of CBCRM program outcomes are relatively scarce. This study uses a multidisciplinary, systems approach to assess the ecological and social dimensions of success of an internationally acclaimed CBCRM program. This program, located in one of the largest protected areas in the Peruvian Amazon (Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve), strives for the sustainable harvest and trade of a turtle species (Podocnemis unifilis). We used mixed methods analysis, including interviews and population viability modeling, to understand three elements: how local perceptions of changes in the managed population compare to changes inferred by ecological analyses, the indicators stakeholders use to measure success, and the barriers to long-term program success and social-ecological system sustainability. We find that stakeholders perceive a growth trend in the managed turtle population, but this perception may diverge from our ecological understanding of the system under current management. Population viability analyses with a 1:1 sex ratio suggested population size will decline under two of three management scenarios (different degrees of harvest). Yet this and similar studies are plagued by a lack of species- and site-specific population parameters that could improve understanding of the system. Significant vulnerabilities exist for system sustainability, notably the recent decrease in foreign demand for the traded resource. Identifying a sustainable species-specific harvest rate, developing locally-grounded ecological and social indicators, and focusing on data-driven adaptive management will facilitate the identification of key leverage points for future management interventions.

Phylogeography and species limits in the red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus): Characterization of the Northern Florida Suture Zone in birds

The North American red-shouldered hawk, Buteo lineatus, is comprised of two widely allopatric eastern and western populations with an additional well-marked subspecies in the Florida peninsula. The two eastern populations meet in northern Florida, the location of a well-known suture zone in many nonavian organisms. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial ND2 gene and two nuclear introns to investigate its genetic population structure and species status. No mitochondrial haplotypes were shared between the eastern and western populations, and genetic variance among 14 populations was 0.42; almost all of this (0.40) was distributed among the three regions. A clade of haplotypes very common in the Florida peninsula decreased in frequency elsewhere and, when modeled as a hybrid zone, had an estimated width of 1,158 km with a center near Ocala, FL. Ecological niche modeling suggests the western, eastern, and Florida peninsula populations were geographically isolated during the last glacial maximum. We consider these to represent three phylogenetic species. A coalescent analysis incorporating incomplete lineage sorting and gene tree uncertainty also suggested the divergence between the western and eastern populations is consistent with species-level divergence. With the addition of this hawk, four avian species are now known to hybridize along the Gulf Coast of the United States in or near the Northern Florida Suture Zone. The widths of these avian zones vary substantially (176-1,158 km) and appear to reflect magnitude of gene flow, rather than extent of genetic differentiation. None of these birds was suggested as possible exemplars in the original description of the suture zone. Of the six species that were so identified, three have been surveyed to date, but none of those was found to be genetically differentiated.

Monitoring and Treating Metabolic Abnormalities in Patients with Early Psychosis Initiated on Antipsychotic Medications

Antipsychotic medications carry an established lifetime risk of metabolic syndrome. This retrospective chart review evaluated feasibility of a metabolic monitoring clinical decision support tool (CDST) for weight, lipid, blood glucose, and blood pressure management of 163 clients in an early psychosis outpatient clinic over 2 years. Each parameter had at least 98 (60.1%) clients with a recorded value, the most being documented for weight with 112 (68.7%) clients. CDST adherence ranged from at least 54.3-100% for non-pharmacologic interventions (e.g. clinic counseling, referral to health program or primary care) and at least 33.3-100% for pharmacologic interventions (e.g. metformin). Though no baseline cardiometabolic abnormalities were identified, dyslipidemia and obesity were later found in 37 (22.7%) and 35 (21.5%) clients, respectively. Only 14 (8.6%) clients were prescribed medications for cardiometabolic abnormalities by psychiatrists in the clinic. Increasing focus on physical health is needed to better this population's long-term prognosis.

Ecological niche modeling for a cultivated plant species: a case study on taro (Colocasia esculenta) in Hawaii

Under the threat of ongoing and projected climate change, communities in the Pacific Islands face challenges of adapting culture and lifestyle to accommodate a changing landscape. Few models can effectively predict how biocultural livelihoods might be impacted. Here, we examine how environmental and anthropogenic factors influence an ecological niche model (ENM) for the realized niche of cultivated taro (Colocasia esculenta) in Hawaii. We created and tuned two sets of ENMs: one using only environmental variables, and one using both environmental and cultural characteristics of Hawaii. These models were projected under two different Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) for 2070. Models were selected and evaluated using average omission rate and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). We compared optimal model predictions by comparing the percentage of taro plots predicted present and measured ENM overlap using Schoener's D statistic. The model including only environmental variables consisted of 19 Worldclim bioclimatic variables, in addition to slope, altitude, distance to perennial streams, soil evaporation, and soil moisture. The optimal model with environmental variables plus anthropogenic features also included a road density variable (which we assumed as a proxy for urbanization) and a variable indicating agricultural lands of importance to the state of Hawaii. The model including anthropogenic features performed better than the environment-only model based on omission rate, AUC, and review of spatial projections. The two models also differed in spatial projections for taro under anticipated future climate change. Our results demonstrate how ENMs including anthropogenic features can predict which areas might be best suited to plant cultivated species in the future, and how these areas could change under various climate projections. These predictions might inform biocultural conservation priorities and initiatives. In addition, we discuss the incongruences that arise when traditional ENM theory is applied to species whose distribution has been significantly impacted by human intervention, particularly at a fine scale relevant to biocultural conservation initiatives.

Multidisciplinary studies of wildlife trade in primates: Challenges and priorities

Wildlife trade is increasingly recognized as an unsustainable threat to primate populations and informing its management is a growing focus and application of primatological research. However, management policies based on ecological research alone cannot address complex socioeconomic or cultural contexts as drivers of wildlife trade. Multidisciplinary research is required to understand trade complexity and identify sustainable management strategies. Here, we define multidisciplinary research as research that combines more than one academic discipline, and highlight how the articles in this issue combine methods and approaches to fill key gaps and offer a more comprehensive understanding of underlying drivers of wildlife trade including consumer demand, enforcement patterns, source population status, and accessibility of targeted species. These articles also focus on how these drivers interact at different scales, how trade patterns relate to ethics, and the potential effectiveness of different policy interventions in reducing wildlife trade. We propose priorities for future research on primate trade including expanding from multidisciplinary to interdisciplinary research questions and approaches co-created by research teams that integrate across different disciplines such as cultural anthropology, ecology, economics, and public policy. We also discuss challenges that limit the integration of information across disciplines to meet these priorities.

Scale-dependent effects of a heterogeneous landscape on genetic differentiation in the Central American squirrel monkey (Saimiri oerstedii)

Landscape genetic studies offer a fine-scale understanding of how habitat heterogeneity influences population genetic structure. We examined population genetic structure and conducted a landscape genetic analysis for the endangered Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) that lives in the fragmented, human-modified habitats of the Central Pacific region of Costa Rica. We analyzed non-invasively collected fecal samples from 244 individuals from 14 groups for 16 microsatellite markers. We found two geographically separate genetic clusters in the Central Pacific region with evidence of recent gene flow among them. We also found significant differentiation among groups of S. o. citrinellus using pairwise F_ST comparisons. These groups are in fragments of secondary forest separated by unsuitable “matrix” habitats such as cattle pasture, commercial African oil palm plantations, and human residential areas. We used an individual-based landscape genetic approach to measure spatial patterns of genetic variance while taking into account landscape heterogeneity. We found that large, commercial oil palm plantations represent moderate barriers to gene flow between populations, but cattle pastures, rivers, and residential areas do not. However, the influence of oil palm plantations on genetic variance was diminished when we restricted analyses to within population pairs, suggesting that their effect is scale-dependent and manifests during longer dispersal events among populations. We show that when landscape genetic methods are applied rigorously and at the right scale, they are sensitive enough to track population processes even in species with long, overlapping generations such as primates. Thus landscape genetic approaches are extremely valuable for the conservation management of a diverse array of endangered species in heterogeneous, human-modified habitats. Our results also stress the importance of explicitly considering the heterogeneity of matrix habitats in landscape genetic studies, instead of assuming that all matrix habitats have a uniform effect on population genetic processes.

Genetic evidence for dispersal by both sexes in the Central American Squirrel Monkey, Saimiri oerstedii citrinellus

Sex-biased dispersal (SBD) is common in many vertebrates, including primates. However, dispersal patterns in New World primates may vary among closely related taxa or populations in different local environments. Here, we test for SBD in an endangered New World primate, the Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii citrinellus). Previous studies of behavioral ecology suggest predominantly female dispersal in S.o. oerstedii in the Southern Pacific region of Costa Rica. However, our genetic data do not support strongly female-biased dispersal in S.o. citrinellus in the Central Pacific region. Our tests for SBD using microsatellite data including comparisons of isolation-by-distance, AI(c) , and F(ST) values between males and females were not significant. Also, we found greater population genetic structure in mitochondrial markers than in microsatellite markers, indicative of predominantly male dispersal. We conclude that both sexes disperse in S.o. citrinellus, and that males probably disperse over longer distances. We discuss how spatial and temporal variation among local populations should be taken into account when studying dispersal patterns and especially sex bias.

Reduced fetal movements and maternal medication - new pregnancy risk factors for neurodevelopmental disability in childhood

A case-control study was undertaken of 471 children on the Nottingham Special Needs Register (SNR) who were born in one of the two maternity units in the city between 1987 and 1993 (inclusive). Controls were selected as the next infant born at the same hospital following each index case. The aim of the study was to identify risk factors on the Nottingham Obstetric Database for a baby subsequently appearing on the SNR. Disability was analysed by both ICD-9 coding and functional assessment. Factors which independently and significantly predicted a child's likelihood of being on the SNR were breech presentation (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 4.0), congenital abnormality (OR=4.9), intrapartum fetal distress (OR=1.7), fetal growth restriction (OR=2.0), socioeconomic deprivation (OR=1.8), prematurity (OR=2.2), reduced fetal movements (OR=2.5) and medication in pregnancy (OR=10.4). To our knowledge the last two factors have not previously been reported as risk predictors for neurodevelopmental disability.

Homocysteine Remethylation in Broilers Fed Surfeit Choline or Betaine and Varying Levels and Sources of Methionine from Eight to Twenty-Two Days of Age

Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of surfeit choline (CHOL) or betaine (BET) on growth performance and homocysteine (HCY) remethylation of young broilers fed graded levels of DL-Met (DLM) or 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid (HMB). In Experiment 1, a corn-peanut meal diet deficient in Met (0.25% digestible) and Cys (0.28% digestible) was fed; treatments were formulated to contain graded levels (0, 0.04, or 0.08%) of Met from DLM or 0.04% HMB (adjusted for 88% purity) that were fed in the presence or absence of surfeit isomethyl CHOL (0.25%) or BET (0.28%). In Experiment 2, identical treatments were used, but an additional level of HMB (0.08%) was fed, and the basal diet was adequate in Cys (0.43% digestible). There was no overall effect of CHOL or BET on growth performance in Experiments 1 and 2 (P > 0.05); a significant improvement (P < 0.05) in weight gain and feed efficiency did occur with CHOL and BET addition to the basal diet in Experiment 2. In both experiments, weight gain increased linearly (P < 0.05) with the addition of DLM or HMB. Slope ratio methodology was used to assess HMB efficacy in Experiment 2. In the presence of adequate Cys, HMB efficacy was 81.3%; addition of surfeit BET or CHOL had minimal effect on efficacy. The stable isotope study revealed that CHOL and BET addition to diets deficient in Met and Cys or Met alone increased HCY remethylation. It also showed that CHOL and BET have greater influence on folate-dependent remethylation of HCY (via Met synthase) than on BET-dependent remethylation (via BET-HCY methyltransferase) and that levels of CHOL and BET and type of S amino acid deficiency effect remethylation and HMB efficacy.

Homocysteine remethylation in young broilers fed varying levels of methionine, choline, and betaine

Methionine is critical in amino acid nutrition for chickens, yet details of the flux of Met metabolites in the avian system are lacking. This study explored the interactions among dietary choline (CHO), betaine (BET), and sulfur amino acid levels on growth and hepatic homocysteine (HCY) remethylation. Graded levels (0, 0.07, 0.11, and 0.24%) of DL-Met were added to diets adequate in CHO and deficient in sulfur amino acids (0.26% digestible Met, 0.26% digestible Cys). Each Met level was tested alone or with the addition of CHO (0.25%) or BET (0.28%). Broilers were reared from 8 to 22 d in raised wire floor battery cages, and the 12 dietary treatments were fed to 3 replicate pens containing 5 birds per pen. Weight gain and feed efficiency were maximized (P < 0.05) with addition of 0.11% supplemental Met, whereas feed intake was maximized (P < 0.05) with addition of 0.07% supplemental Met. Overall, growth parameters were not affected (P > 0.05) by CHO or BET addition. Hepatic tissue primed by the different dietary treatments was subjected to a newly developed stable isotope methodology and HPLC-mass spectrometry to quantify the impact of diet on HCY remethylation. Dietary Met level did not (P > 0.05) affect HCY remethylation, but remethylation through the Met synthase pathway was increased (P < 0.05) by addition of CHO or BET to diets containing deficient or excess levels of Met. Minimal changes in hepatic HCY remethylation through the betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase pathway occurred in response to dietary changes; therefore, data failed to support previous suggestions that BHMT might have a regulatory role when diets containing deficient or excess Met levels are fed. In contrast to previous suppositions based on enzyme activity, under most dietary conditions, the quantity of HCY remethylated by Met synthase appeared to exceed that remethylated by the alternate betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase pathway.

Memory antibody responses of broiler and leghorn chickens as influenced by dietary vitamin E and route of sheep red blood cell administration

Influences of dietary levels of vitamin E fed to hens and their progeny, and routes of SRBC inoculation on antibody responses of diverse populations of chickens were studied. Populations were a commercial broiler sire line (C), 2 commercial broiler dam lines (A and B), and Leghorn lines selected for high (H) or low (L) antibody response to SRBC. Dams from lines A and B were fed diets supplemented with either 10 or 300 IU/kg of vitamin E, whereas dams from lines H and L received only the diet with 10 IU of vitamin E/kg. Progeny from matings of C males with A and B females as well as H and L females mated to males from their respective lines were hatched on the same day and fed diets supplemented with either 10 or 300 IU/kg of vitamin E. Breeders were the same age and eggs were incubated in the same machine. Chicks were inoculated on d 14 intravenously with 0.1 mL of a 0.5% suspension of SRBC or intramuscularly with 0.1 mL of a 25% suspension of SRBC. Antibody response was measured 6 and 14 d later. Chicks received a booster i.m. inoculation of 0.1 mL of 25% SRBC on d 28. Titers were again measured 6 and 14 d later. Level of vitamin E fed to dams did not affect progeny BW or plasma vitamin E levels. Although titers were higher following i.v. than i.m. inoculation, the degree of difference varied among stocks. Dietary vitamin E level interacted with inoculation route with a greater response to the higher than lower level of vitamin E for i.v., but there was no difference for i.m. There were stock x level of vitamin E and stock x route of inoculation interactions for secondary responses to SRBC inoculation. Stock rankings after the first inoculation were not predictive of the rankings after the second inoculation. The 30-fold increase in dietary level of vitamin E resulted in >12-fold differences in plasma levels of vitamin E. Overall, there was a stock-dependent influence of dietary vitamin E on growth and humoral antibody response.

Variation in how mothers, health visitors and general practitioners use the personal child health record

BACKGROUND

In the UK, a national personal child health record (PCHR) with local adaptations is in widespread use. Previous studies report that parents find the PCHR useful and that health visitors use it more than other health professionals. This study was carried out in Nottingham, where the local PCHR is similar to the national PCHR.

OBJECTIVES

To explore variation in use of the PCHR made by mothers with differing social characteristics, to compare heath visitors' and general practitioners' (GPs') use of the PCHR, and to compare health visitors' and GPs' perceptions of the PCHR with those of mothers for whose children they provide care.

METHODS

Questionnaires to 534 parents registered with 28 general practices and interviews with a health visitor and GP at each practice. A score per mother for perceived usefulness of the PCHR was developed from the questionnaire, and variation in the score was investigated by linear regression adjusted for clustering.

RESULTS

Four hundred and one (75%) questionnaires were returned. Three hundred and twenty-five (82%) mothers thought the PCHR was very good or good. Higher scores for usage of the PCHR were significantly associated with teenage and first-time mothers, but no association was found with mother's social class, education or being a single parent. There was no association between variation in the score and practice, health visitor or GP characteristics. Mothers, health visitors and GPs reported that mothers took the PCHR to baby clinic more frequently than when seeing their GP, and that health visitors wrote in the PCHR more frequently than GPs. Eighteen (67%) health visitors and 20 (71%) GPs said they had difficulty recording information in the PCHR.

CONCLUSION

The PCHR is used by most mothers and is important for providing health promotion material to all families with young children. It may be particularly useful for first-time and teenage mothers.

Assistive technology: what and how for persons with spinal cord injury

Assistive Technology (AT) is used to "increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." (Assistive Technology Act of 1998). This term includes durable medical equipment and rehabilitation technology. More limited definitions of AT sometimes do not consider the broad life areas encountered by people with disabilities. To appropriately assess AT needs, the following questions should be considered: a) what does the patient want to do; b) what are the patient's abilities; and c) what technological features need to be included or provided to enhance the patient's abilities? Each question should be considered in the life areas of home, school, community, and vocation. Agencies and organizations that provide AT information include Assistive Technology Act of 1998 programs in each state and territory, vendors, and local county governments. The overall goal of AT is to help an individual meet independence goals in various life areas affected by disability.

Assessing the quality of preschool child health surveillance in primary care: a pilot study in one health district

OBJECTIVE

To develop a framework for measuring the quality of preschool child health surveillance acceptable to primary health care teams and measurable at individual primary health care team level.

DESIGN

Published research evidence was identified and criteria developed by a local multidisciplinary expert group. The criteria were discussed with primary health care teams. How well they were achieved was assessed.

SETTING

Twenty-eight general practices in one health authority area.

METHODS

Data collection included observation of baby clinics, interviews with health visitors and general practitioners (GPs), questionnaires to parents, collation of child health surveillance reviews recorded in personal child health records and immunization rates.

RESULTS

The criteria for assessing preschool child health surveillance were thought to be acceptable and achievable by primary health care teams. Fifteen of the 22 criteria used to assess baby clinics were met by over 90 of practices. Almost all practices completed child health surveillance reviews within a standard time and achieved 90 coverage for primary immunizations. At many practices, less than 90 of parents felt welcome at the baby clinic, usually had enough time to talk to their health visitor or had the purpose or results of the 6 to 8 week child health surveillance review explained to them. GPs were less likely than health visitors to discuss health promotion at child health surveillance reviews (chi(2) 11.52, P = 0.0007). Few practices had a call-up and recall system for all reviews.

CONCLUSION

The framework that we developed for assessing preschool child health surveillance was acceptable and achievable by primary health care teams.

Community paediatrics moves on--an analysis of changing work patterns 1994-97

OBJECTIVES

To describe the current clinical workload of the modern community paediatrician; to outline the changes in this role over recent years and examine the reasons for these.

DESIGN AND SETTING

The design is a retrospective analysis of data routinely collected for contracting purposes. Nottingham community paediatric service 1994-97 is the setting.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

These are the characteristics of patients seen, sources of referral, locations of clinical contact, referral rates by area.

RESULTS

36,710 appointments were offered over the time period studied. The non-attendance rate was 17%. Pre-school children made up the largest group seen. Most referrals were from health visitors (23%) and school nurses (29%). There has been a small but significant increase in the numbers of children seen who have developmental problems and disability, and due to child protection issues between the time periods. There has been a shift in the proportions of children seen in a local health centre referral clinic (9.8% increase during 1994-97) rather than in a school setting. Twice as many children are referred to the community paediatrician from inner city areas than from the surrounding county areas.

CONCLUSION

The transfer of child health surveillance to the primary health care team and the increased training of community paediatricians, has resulted in community paediatricians developing an increasingly specialised role particularly in the areas of child growth and development, disability, social and behavioural paediatrics.

Are child health surveillance reviews just routine examinations of normal children?

BACKGROUND

The provision and content of child health surveillance (CHS) has changed greatly since 1990. However, its value continues to be questioned. The introduction of the personal child health record (PCHR) has provided a new means of collecting data about CHS.

AIM

To identify what problems are recorded at CHS reviews in the PCHR during the first year of life, and what follow-up/referrals result directly from these reviews.

METHOD

A total of 28 practices were recruited from one health authority. All babies born to mothers registered with study practices during one year were followed up. Health visitors returned copies of CHS reviews recorded in children's PCHRs. Written comments on returned reviews were analysed.

RESULTS

In all, 2308 babies were entered into the study and 2001 (87%) were followed up for one year. A total of 7848 (78%) CHS reviews were returned. Physical problems were recorded in 58% of children at the 10-14 day, 35% at the six to eight week, and 39% at the six to nine month review. Of physical problems recorded at CHS reviews, 30% required follow-up in primary care and 7% required referral to hospital. Other problems were recorded less frequently and health promotion was recorded at only 7.5% of CHS reviews.

CONCLUSION

Child health surveillance provides important opportunities to discuss problems that may cause parental concern and to identify children requiring treatment or follow-up. The design and use of the PCHR needs to change to reflect increasing emphasis on health promotion.

Carbon monoxide--does fetal exposure cause sudden infant death syndrome?

The epidemiological features of sudden infant death syndrome (cot death) include a peak incidence between 8 and 13 weeks of age, a time of death or conception occurring during the winter months and an excess of deaths in infants born to young multiparous women of low socioeconomic status who smoke. We suggest that, through hypoxia, carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke and in the home exerts a noxious effect on the developing central respiratory control mechanism of the fetal brain which then remains particularly susceptible to further insults in the early postnatal period from infection and hyperthermia, resulting in death from central respiratory dysfunction.

Association of mineral composition of neonatal intravenous feeding solutions and metabolic bone disease of prematurity

To assess the effects of increasing the mineral content of parenteral nutrition solutions on the biochemical and radiological indicators of metabolic bone disease of prematurity 27 neonates who required parenteral nutrition were sequentially allocated to receive either a standard solution (group 1) or one with an increased mineral content (group 2). The 13 patients in group 1 received 0.68 mmol/kg/day of calcium and 0.61 mmol/kg/day of phosphorus, and the 14 in group 2 received 1.25 and 1.20 mmol/kg/day, respectively. The two groups did not differ significantly in the severity of their illness measured by birth weight, gestational age, duration of parenteral nutrition or ventilation, or the amount of supplementary oxygen required. In patients in group 2 the median plasma phosphate concentration was higher, the plasma alkaline phosphatase activity was lower, and there was less radiological evidence of rickets. There were no complications caused by excess calcium and phosphorus, and the rate of growth was similar in both groups. We conclude that an increased mineral content in parenteral nutrition solutions reduces the severity of metabolic bone disease in sick infants who require this form of nutrition.

Effects of dietary protein and added fat on turkeys varying in strain, sex, and age. 2. Carcass characteristics

The effects of dietary protein and added fat on carcass characteristics were determined at various ages for female and male turkeys and from three strains: Nicholas Large White (N), Jaindl Large White (JL), and Jaindl Medium White (JM). A total of 1,350 turkeys was divided into 36 pens and fed diets containing 0, 5, or 10% added fat and standard or high protein levels from 8 wk of age to time of processing. One-fourth of the females and one-third of the males from each pen were processed at 16, 20, 24, or 28 wk and at 20, 24, or 28 wk, respectively. Breast meat weight, expressed as a percentage of carcass weight, was greater for JM and JL turkeys than for N turkeys (34.6, 33.9, and 31.7%, respectively), increased with age (31.9, 34.1, and 34.2% at 20, 24, and 28 wk of age, respectively), was greater for females than for males (34.2 and 32.6%, respectively), decreased with added fat (33.7, 33.4, and 33.1% for 0, 5, and 10% fat, respectively) and increased with a 3% addition of dietary protein (33.2 and 33.6%, respectively).

Effects of dietary protein and added fat on turkeys varying in strain, sex, and age. 1. Live characteristics

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary protein and added fat on body weight, feed consumption, and feed efficiency of male and female Nicholas Large White (N), Jaindl Large White (JL), and Jaindl Medium White (JM) turkeys at various ages. At 8 wk of age, 162 males and 288 females from each strain were divided equally into six pens of males and six pens of females per strain. Each of 6 pelleted diets containing standard or high protein and 0, 5, or 10% added fat was fed to one pen of each sex and strain of turkeys. At 20 wk of age, N, JL, and JM males weighed 14.77, 11.56, and 9.00 kg, respectively, and females weighed 8.97, 7.49, and 5.75 kg, respectively. At 28 wk of age, N, JL, and JM males weighed 18.32, 15.10, and 11.65 kg, respectively, and females weighed 10.35, 9.12, and 7.04 kg, respectively. The feeding of diets containing 10% rather than 0% added fat from 8 to 20 wk of age decreased feed consumption 11.1 and 13.1% and increased feed efficiency 16.3 and 16.4% in males and females, respectively. Feeding high protein diets significantly increased body weight gains. The apparent smaller increase than previously experienced in feed efficiency from dietary added fat may be associated with the use of pelleted feed in this experiment.

Effects of varying fat and protein in diets of growing large white turkeys. 1. Body weights and feed efficiencies

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of varying levels of dietary fat and protein in corn-soybean meal diets on body weight gain, feed consumption, and feed efficiency (gain:feed ratio) of Nicholas Large White male turkeys between 8 and 22 wk of age. Diets containing 0, 5, 10, or 15% added fat from one of three sources and 18, 21, or 24% protein were fed. At 12 and 16 wk of age, protein levels of all diets were decreased by 2%. A total of 917 turkeys in 36 pens was used. Additions of 5, 10, and 15% fat increased body weight gains 3.3, 7.5, and 6.0%, respectively. Feed consumption decreased 1.3% and feed efficiency increased 2.1% for each 1% fat added to the standard and high protein diets. The fat containing 15% free fatty acids and 1.5% moisture, impurities, and unsaponifiables (MIU) decreased feed consumption 1.5% and increased feed efficiency 2.3% for each 1% added fat, and the two fat sources containing 48% free fatty acids and 5% MIU decreased feed consumption 1.2 or 1.1% and increased feed efficiency 2.1 or 2.0% for each 1% added fat. The former fat source was estimated to contain 7.7% more metabolizable energy than the average of the latter two fat sources. Cumulative body weight gain, feed consumption, and feed efficiency decreased 13.2, 5.7, and 8.1%, respectively, from feeding low protein diets in comparison with results of feeding standard and high protein diets. Maximum increases in body weight gains were obtained with 10% added fat at all levels of protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Arthroscopic subacromial decompression. An anatomical study

Anterior acromioplasty as described by Neer has been an effective procedure for shoulder impingement syndrome. Recent presentations by Ellman suggest that an effective acromioplasty may be performed arthroscopically. These clinical reports have not been supported by any laboratory experience. The purpose of our study was to examine the feasibility and attempt to quantitate the results of arthroscopic subacromial decompressions. Six acromioplasties were performed according to the recommended technique of Dr. Neer to create a standard for comparison. Fourteen fresh postmortem specimens were studied. In seven shoulders a standard acromioplasty was performed with an osteotome. In seven shoulders an acromioplasty was performed using standard arthroscopic approaches and motorized instruments. In five shoulders an isolated division of the coracoacromial ligament was performed arthroscopically. The coracoacromial ligament was completely divided in all five cases. In the osteotome group adequate bone was resected in 75% (21/28) measured locations. In the arthroscopic group adequate bone was removed at 86% (24/28) location. This difference is not statistically significant. In the cadaver, anterior acromioplasty was performed effectively and predictably with arthroscopic instruments. This compared favorably to a conventional osteotome acromioplasty. It was concluded that coracoacromial ligament division can be accomplished.

Deficient amino acids in protein of dehulled soybean meal for young turkeys

Two 12-day experiments were conducted with Large White turkeys to determine which amino acids are deficient in a diet containing dehulled soybean meal as the sole source of protein. A 22% protein basal diet composed of 43.3% glucose monohydrate, 45.4% dehulled soybean meal, .5% DL-methionine, 6% stabilized fat, and added minerals and vitamins served as the negative control. Two positive control diets were formed by substituting either 16.5% dehulled soybean meal or a mixture containing amounts of essential amino acids equivalent to those in the added dehulled soybean meal in place of an equal amount of glucose monohydrate in the basal diet. Nine additional diets were formed by removing one or more amino acids from the mixture. Each of the 12 diets in a block design was fed to two pens of males and two pens of females with 8 birds per pen from 7 to 19 days of age in each experiment. Average body weight gain of poults fed the 22% protein diet with added amino acids approached that of poults fed the 30% protein diet (288 vs. 300 g, respectively). Removal of the amino acid mixture from the 22% protein diet depressed body weight gain by 19.0%. Depressions of 19, 16, 11, 7, and 6% in body weight gains resulted from the removal of valine, threonine, lysine, phenylalanine (or tyrosine or glycine), and isoleucine, respectively. A decrease of 5% was required for significance (P less than or equal to .05). When evaluated by this deletion technique, effects of valine and threonine deficiency were more pronounced than effects of lysine deficiency in dehulled soybean meal for young turkeys.

Salinomycin toxicity in turkeys

Five 7-day trials using 336, 24, 24, 40, and 40 Large White male turkeys when 7, 11, 15, 27, and 32 weeks of age, respectively, were conducted to determine the toxic effects of salinomycin. Salinomycin became more toxic as the age of the turkeys increased. When 7-week-old turkeys were fed diets containing 44 or 66 ppm salinomycin, only 1 of 84 died; when turkeys 27 or 32 weeks of age were fed those amounts, 13 of 20 died. Salinomycin at 22 ppm tended to depress rate of growth at young ages and to prevent or decrease growth and to increase mortality at older ages. Caution should be exercised to avoid salinomycin contamination of turkey diets.