Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “PERIODICITY”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 505 records · Page 28Linked to original sources

Intermittent transdermal nitrates do not improve ischemia in patients taking beta-blockers or calcium antagonists: potential role of rebound ischemia during the nitrate-free period.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine whether rebound ischemia occurs during nitrate-free periods with intermittent cutaneous nitroglycerin therapy in patients with angina pectoris who are receiving background antianginal therapy. BACKGROUND: Rebound angina has been suggested to be a complication of the nitrate-free period with long-term cutaneous nitroglycerin therapy given intermittently to prevent tolerance. METHODS: Fifty-two patients with stable effort angina taking either a beta-adrenergic blocking agent (n = 25) or diltiazem (n = 22) or their combination (n = 5) completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of cutaneous nitroglycerin patches (50 mg). Active or placebo patches were worn for 1 week, applied at 8 AM and removed at 10 PM to provide a 10-h daily nitrate-free (or placebo-free) period. During the last 48 h of each study phase, a Holter monitor was used to detect ischemia. RESULTS: Only 31 patients experienced ischemia during either phase of the study (23 during the patch-off period). A total of 463 ischemic episodes were recorded: 246 during placebo and 217 during nitroglycerin (p = 0.8, for per patient comparison). The majority (88%) of ischemic episodes were silent. Mean (+/- SEM) duration of ischemia during the total 48-h period was similar during active and placebo phases (35.5 +/- 15.0 min/24 h for active therapy vs. 29.7 +/- 9.8 for placebo, p = 0.8). This was due to an increase in duration of ischemia with active therapy during the patch-off period (46.9 +/- 17.9 min/24 h for active therapy vs. 22.5 +/- 9.2 for placebo, p = 0.07) and a decrease during the patch-on period (27.5 +/- 14.0 min/24 h for active therapy vs. 34.5 +/- 11.0 min/24 h for placebo, p = 0.16). The pattern of diurnal distribution of ischemic episodes differed between active and placebo phases. During placebo there was a nadir in the incidence of ischemia in the overnight patch-off period, with a significantly lower incidence between midnight and 6 AM (25 episodes) compared with the mean number of episodes during the three other 6-h periods (73 episodes, p < 0.001). During the nitroglycerin patch-off period, there was a loss of this overnight nadir, with the same incidence of ischemia between midnight and 6 AM (53 episodes) as the mean number of episodes for the three other 6-h periods (54 episodes). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients taking background antianginal therapy experienced no ischemia during the patch-off period. In the 44% of patients with ischemia during this period, there was a nonsignificant increase in the duration of ischemia with active therapy. Although this result was statistically inconclusive, the change in the distribution of diurnal ischemia offers suggestive evidence that rebound ischemia may be a problem with regard to intermittent cutaneous nitroglycerin.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

DMS photochemistry during the Asian dust-storm period in the Spring of 2001: model simulations vs. field observations.

This study examines the local/regional DMS oxidation chemistry on Jeju Island (33.17 degrees N, 126.10 degrees E) during the Asian dust-storm (ADS) period of April 2001. Three ADS events were observed during the periods of April 10-12, 13-14, and 25-26, respectively. For comparative purposes, a non-Asian-dust-storm (NADS) period was also considered in this study, which represents the entire measurement periods in April except the ADS events. The atmospheric concentrations of DMS and SO2 were measured at a ground station on Jeju Island, Korea, as part of the ACE-Asia intensive operation. DMS (means of 34-52 pptv) and SO2 (means of 0.96-1.14 ppbv) levels measured during the ADS period were higher than those (mean of 0.45 ppbv) during the NADS period. The enhanced DMS levels during the ADS period were likely due to the increase in DMS flux under reduced oxidant levels (OH and NO3). SO2 levels between the two contrasting periods were affected sensitively by some factors such as air mass origins. The diurnal variation patterns of DMS observed during the two periods were largely different from those seen in the background environment (e.g., the marine boundary layer (MBL)). In contrast to the MBL, the maximum DMS value during the ADS period was seen in the late afternoon at about sunset; this reversed pattern appears to be regulated by certain factors (e.g., enhanced NO3 oxidation). The sea-to-air fluxes of DMS between the ADS and NADS periods were calculated based on the mass-balance photochemical-modeling approach; their results were clearly distinguished with the values of 4.4 and 2.4 micromole m(-2) day(-1), respectively. This study confirmed that the contribution of DMS oxidation to observed SO2 levels on Jeju Island was not significant during our study period regardless of ADS or NADS periods.

Air Pollutants↗

A Scottish postal survey suggested that the prevailing clinical preoccupation with heavy periods does not reflect the epidemiology of reported symptoms and problems.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of self-reported menstrual symptoms and problem periods and explore their relationship with sociodemographic factors, parity, long-standing illness, and hormonal contraceptive use. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Postal questionnaire survey of 4,610 women aged 25-44 registered with 19 general practices in Lothian, Scotland. RESULTS: Among menstruating women, 30% reported heavy periods, a further 5% very heavy periods and 15% severe period pain. Although 39% of women reported either heaviness or pain or both, only 22% reported their periods as a marked or severe problem. Multivariate logistic regression showed that reporting problem periods was associated with long-standing illness, heaviness of bleeding, menstrual pain and inversely associated with hormonal contraceptive use. Reporting problem periods was strongly associated with severe pain (OR = 21, 95% CI = 15-28) and with very heavy loss (OR = 14, 95% CI = 8.0-24). CONCLUSIONS: Reporting heavy or painful periods was common but reporting problem periods was less so. Reporting severe pain was at least as strongly associated with problem periods as very heavy periods and severe pain affected many more women than very heavy periods. Therefore the clinical preoccupation with heavy periods does not reflect the epidemiology of menstrual symptoms or problem.

Adult↗

Effects of sympathetic stimulation on refractory periods of ischemic canine ventricular myocardium.

We studied the difference in effect of sympathetic stimulation on refractory periods of ischemic and non ischemic myocardium in eight dogs, and the effect of sympathetic stimulation on dispersion of refractory periods in ischemic myocardium in seven additional dogs. In the first group of dogs, refractory periods of ischemic sites averaged 164 +/- 2.2 msec (M +/- SEM) and those at non ischemic sites averaged 193 +/- 1.8 msec. Sympathetic stimulation shortened refractory periods at non ischemic sites to an average of 183 +/- 2.0 msec and prolonged refractory periods at ischemic sites to an average of 171 +/- 2.2 msec. As a result of the different effects of sympathetic stimulation on refractory periods of ischemic and non ischemic myocardium, refractory periods between ischemic and non ischemic areas were more uniform during sympathetic stimulation than during coronary occlusion alone. In the second group of dogs in which the effects of sympathetic stimulation on dispersion of refractory periods were studied, pooled variances in refractory periods were calculated. There was no statistically significant difference in the pooled variance of refractory periods during control periods and during sympathetic stimulation alone. Coronary occlusion alone significantly increased the variance in refractory periods, but there was no statistically significant difference in the variance of refractory periods during coronary occlusion alone and during coronary occlusion and sympathetic stimulation. Our findings suggest that at some times during the course of myocardial infarction the effects of high sympathetic tone may be partially protective with respect to arrhythmias by reducing inequalities of recovery between ischemic and non ischemic tissue.

Animals↗

Critical periods for the effects of alcohol exposure on brain weight, body weight, activity and investigation.

Using an animal model of fetal alcohol syndrome - which equates peak blood alcohol concentrations across different developmental periods - critical periods for the effect of alcohol on brain weight, activity and investigative behavior were examined. The periods of alcohol exposure were from gestational day (GD) 1 through 10, GD 11 through 22, postnatal day (PD) 2 through 10, or all three periods combined. The critical period of alcohol exposure for an increase in activity in juveniles was GD 11 through 22. This pattern was not seen in the same animals in adulthood; instead, increases in both activity and investigation were seen in animals exposed from PD 2 through 10 and not seen in animals exposed during all three periods combined. Brain weight was reduced by alcohol exposure from GD 11 through 22, PD 2 through 10 and all three periods combined. The period from PD 2 through 10 was the only period when the brain weight to body weight ratio was reduced. In conclusion, exposure to alcohol during the periods in the latter half of gestation or early postnatal period seem to have the most deleterious effects on the brain, activity and investigation in the rat. In addition, the effects of alcohol exposure over both the prenatal and postnatal period cannot be easily predicted from the effects of shorter periods of exposure.

Animals↗

Normal insulin release during sustained hyperglycaemia in hypokalaemic periodic paralysis: role of the potassium channel opener pinacidil in impaired muscle strength.

1. Hypokalaemic periodic paralysis is characterized by attacks of muscle weakness. Glucose, insulin and an abnormal regulation of ATP-sensitive potassium channels may be involved in these attacks. We studied the effect of hyperglycaemia and of the potassium channel opener pinacidil on insulin release and muscle strength in patients with hypokalaemic periodic paralysis. 2. Insulin release was assessed on two occasions in four patients with hypokalaemic periodic paralysis and in eight matched control subjects, with and without treatment with 25 mg pinacidil orally, during a hyperglycaemic glucose clamp at a blood glucose level of 10 mmol/l, in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Muscle strength was measured in the hypokalaemic periodic paralysis patients before and during hyperglycaemia using a handheld dynamometer. 3. During the clamp, the mean glucose concentration (10-180 min) in control subjects was 9.9 +/- 0.07 and 10.0 +/- 0.03 mmol/l with and without pinacidil respectively, and in patients with hypokalaemic periodic paralysis was 10.0 +/- 0.04 and 10.1 +/- 0.06 mmol/l respectively (not significantly different). In both groups, the areas under the insulin curve from 0 to 10 min (first-phase insulin release) and from 30 to 180 min (second phase) were not different on the pinacidil study day compared with on the placebo day. The areas under the insulin curve of the first and second phases also did not differ between control subjects and patients with hypokalaemic periodic paralysis (with or without pinacidil). The M/I ratio, a measure of insulin sensitivity, was not different in the two groups. On the placebo day, baseline muscle strength in patients with hypokalaemic periodic paralysis was 165 +/- 16 N for the hip abductors and 168 +/- 19 N for the knee flexors. During the period of hyperglycaemia on the placebo day, muscle strength did not decrease in either muscle group. On the pinacidil study day, an increase in muscle strength was found only in the two hypokalaemic periodic paralysis patients with the lowest mean muscle strength (< 150 N) on the placebo day. The two hypokalaemic periodic paralysis patients with a mean muscle strength on the placebo day > 150 N showed no increase in muscle strength with pinacidil. 4. Insulin secretion and sensitivity were normal in patients with hypokalaemic periodic paralysis. Hyperglycaemia during hyperglycaemic clamping did not provoke paralytic attacks and did not result in a decrease in muscle strength. The potassium channel opener pinacidil had no effect on insulin secretion in hypokalaemic periodic paralysis patients or in normal subjects. Pinacidil may enhance muscle strength in those hypokalaemic periodic paralysis patients who suffer partial paralytic attacks.

Adult↗

Breathing periodicity in intact and carotid body-denervated ponies during normoxia and chronic hypoxia.

Periodic oscillations in pulmonary ventilation (VI), tidal volume (VT), and inspiratory and expiratory times (TI and TE) were studied during normoxia (arterial PO2 = 95 Torr) and 48 h of hypoxia (arterial PO2 = 40-50 Torr) in awake intact (n = 8) and carotid body-denervated (CBD; n = 8) ponies. Periodic oscillations were identified by fast-Fourier transformation of breath-by-breath data and quantitated by determining the power ratio of significant periodic oscillations to total power of data sequence. Periodic oscillations of 0.063-0.500 cycles/breath were observed in all parameters during both normoxia and hypoxia. During normoxia, CBD accentuated periodicity of VT (P < 0.02) and VI (P < 0.01) but did not change TI or TE periodicity (P > 0.05). These findings suggest that carotid chemoreceptors serve to stabilize breathing (i.e., decrease periodicity) during normoxia, conceivably because of their shorter response time compared with that of central chemoreceptors. During certain periods of hypoxia, periodicity of VT and VI was significantly (P < 0.05) increased in intact ponies. The response to hypoxia in CBD ponies was variable, with VI periodicity significantly (P < 0.05) increasing, decreasing, or unchanging. Because some CBD ponies significantly changed their periodicity during hypoxia compared with normoxia, we conclude that carotid chemoreceptors are not requisite for hypoxia-induced changes in periodic breathing. In addition, our observations in both groups of ponies during normoxia and hypoxia suggest that multiple mechanisms may lead to periodic oscillations in breathing.

Animals↗

Epidemiology of IgA nephropathy in central and eastern Kentucky for the period 1975 through 1994. Central Kentucky Region of the Southeastern United States IgA Nephropathy DATABANK Project.

Population-based incidence data for IgA nephropathy (IgAN) are available for some countries but not for the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of IgAN in central and eastern Kentucky for 5- and 10-yr periods between 1975 and 1994 and to examine differences among patient groups between those periods. The incidence of IgAN was 5.4 cases per one million population per year (MPPY) for period 1A (1975 through 1979), increasing to 12.4 cases per MPPY for period 2B (1990 through 1994) (P < 0.001). Males had a 2.7 times higher incidence than females for period 1 (1975 through 1984) and 2.2 times higher for period 2 (1985 through 1994). For period 1A, the incidence for Fayette County, which includes the city of Lexington, was lower than that of the rest of the study area (P=0.26), whereas for period 2 the incidence was higher for Fayette County (P=0.052). During period 1, the highest incidence of IgAN for any age and gender group was 24.3 cases per MPPY for males ages 30 through 39. For period 2, the incidence for males was similar for each decade between ages 20 and 59 (approximately 19 cases per MPPY). No African-American was diagnosed during period 1, but in period 2 incidences for blacks and whites were similar (10.7 and 10.2 cases per MPPY, respectively). For the last 5 yr of the study (1990 through 1994), the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to IgAN was 5.5 cases per MPPY: 8.4 for males and 2.7 for females. The incidence of IgAN in Kentucky for period 2B was still much lower than that in European studies, but the incidence of ESRD due to IgAN may be similar. Thus, IgAN may be as important a condition with respect to ESRD in Kentucky as it is in other regions of the world.

Adolescent↗

An ultrashort clock mutation at the period locus of Drosophila melanogaster that reveals some new features of the fly's circadian system.

A rhythm mutant of Drosophila melanogaster was induced by chemical mutagenesis and isolated by testing for locomotor activity rhythms, which in the new variant had periods of approximately 16 hr. The sex-linked mutation responsible for this ultrashort period causes 20-hr rhythms when heterozygous with a normal X. This semidominance notwithstanding, the new mutation was revealed to be an allele of the period (per) gene by noncomplementation with per-null variants, in the sense that females heterozygous for perT (as the ultrafast-clock allele is called) and per- exhibited periods that were much shorter than in the case of perT/+. These tests also revealed in a clearer manner than in previous cases that two "doses" of a fast-clock per mutation lead to appreciably shorter periods than those exhibited by one-dose females whose other per allele is a loss-of-function variant. In light-dark cycles (LD 12:12), flies carrying perT in a genotypic condition leading to free-running periods that are 8 hr faster than normal nevertheless entrained, by phase-shifting that large number of hours each day; the evening peak of locomotor activity was, however, many hours earlier than normal. The use of a newly developed device for monitoring Drosophila eclosion automatically showed that perT exhibits a very marginal emergence rhythm at 25 degrees C, but periodicity of ca. 17-18 hr at 19 degrees. Staining of the per-encoded protein (PER) in sections of perT versus normal pharate adults revealed for the first time that the immunohistochemically detected signal cycles in its intensity in wild-type, in a manner that is similar to the PER rhythm previously demonstrated in adults. The staining cycle in pharate adults expressing perT differed from that of wild-type. Temperature compensation of the adult activity rhythm of perT was found to be faulty, in that periods became appreciably shorter as the flies were heated. However, the mutant exhibited a normal degree of period lengthening when its locomotor activity was monitored in the presence of heavy water. The perT mutation interacted with the long-period Andante allele of the dusky locus in a manner that was anomalous (in comparison to dyAnd interactions with per+ or another short-period per mutation). This and other unique features of perT are discussed from the standpoint of the new mutation's heuristic value, including that which may stimulate a deeper understanding of the period gene's action at the molecular level.

Activity Cycles↗

The relationship between number of striae of Retzius and their periodicity in imbricational enamel formation.

Imbricational crown formation times (ICFTs) estimated from the number of perikymata on tooth surfaces are error-prone because the number of days between adjacent perikymata varies across individuals and species, and is only visible within tooth microstructure. We investigated striae of Retzius (SR) numbers (analogous to perikymata numbers), SR periodicities (days between SR or perikymata), and ICFTs for a mandibular canine sample (n=49) from medieval Denmark. We tested the relationship between SR number and periodicity to determine whether regression formulae could be produced that would allow periodicity (and ICFTs) to be determined from surface perikymata numbers. Periodicities (range=7-11 days, mode=8) and SR numbers (range=142-257, mean=190.3, s.d.=27.5) were normally distributed; ICFTs were non-normal (mean=1,594 days, s.d.=65.7). We tested periodicity as a quadratic, linear, and log-log transform linear function of SR number and found an inverse relationship (quadratic: R2=0.9504; linear: R2=0.9138; log-log transform: R2=0.9418; all p<0.001) that allowed estimation of periodicity from SR or perikymata numbers in this population and tooth type. If periodicity and SR number are inversely related in other hominin taxa, studies that have estimated ICFT by multiplying perikymata number by a human modal periodicity value or made inferences about development based only on perikymata numbers may have introduced substantial error into their ICFT estimates and life history inferences. The inverse relationship is similar to that predicted by a model of SR formation in which the ICFT for a given tooth type and population is held constant and all combinations of periodicity and SR number result in the same ICFT. However, we found that lower periodicities had longer ICFTs and higher periodicities had shorter ICFTs than the model predicted, suggesting that the model may not reflect the real process, or that there are other factors (e.g., sample size, misclassification, sexual dimorphism) also affecting the relationship between periodicity and SR number.

Adolescent↗

What have we achieved in ovarian cancer? A comparison of survivals and resources in two different periods.

In a geographically well-defined region in Denmark, survival and resource spending for strictly defined epithelial ovarian cancer patients treated during the periods 1973-1978 and 1981-1986 were compared. Almost all epithelial ovarian cancer patients diagnosed during the periods involved were identified; in both periods 206 patients were found. The number of patients was cross-checked with the Danish Cancer Registry. Treatment strategy was totally different in the two periods. In the first period debulking surgery was not routine and postoperative treatment consisted of pelvic irradiation and alkylating agents. In the second period the patients were treated according to national protocols prescribing debulking surgery, second-look laparotomy, and allocation to randomized trials. Advanced ovarian cancer patients were treated with combination chemotherapy with cisplatinum. Median survival was superior for the period 1981-1986, but long-term survival was similar in the two periods, 5-year survival being 27.5% for the period 1973-1978 and 26.9% for the period 1981-1986. The resources spent on ovarian cancer patients were calculated for the two periods, expressed as 'bed-days' spent on ovarian cancer. An estimate of the price of the extra resources used was made; in the second period $1.18 million $US more were spent on ovarian cancer. The costs were correlated with survival and the cost per gained year of life was estimated as $36 493. In conclusion, the study shows that for all stages of ovarian cancer an improvement of median survival was found, but not of long-term survival. The survival gain was associated with extra resource spending.

Journal Article↗

Evaluation of trickle-bed air biofilter performance under periodic stressed operating conditions as a function of styrene loading.

Trickle-bed air biofilters (TBABs) are suitable for treating volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at a significantly high practical loading because of their controlled environmental conditions. The application of TBAB for treating styrene-contaminated air under periodic backwashing and cyclical nonuse periods at a styrene loading of 0.64-3.17 kg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/m3 x day was the main focus of this study. Consistent long-term efficient performance of TBAB strongly depended on biomass control. A periodic in situ upflow with nutrient solution under media fluidization, that is, backwashing, was approached in this study. Two different nonuse periods were employed to simulate a shutdown for equipment repair or during weekends and holidays. The first is a starvation period without styrene loading, and the second is a stagnant period, which reflects no flow passing through the biofilter. For styrene loadings up to 1.9 kg COD/m3 x day, removal efficiencies consistently above 99% were achieved by conducting a coordinated biomass control strategy, that is, backwashing for 1 hr once per week. Under cyclical nonuse periods for styrene loadings up to 1.27 kg COD/m3 x day, stable long-term performance of the biofilter was maintained at more than 99% removal without employing backwashing. No substantial impact of nonuse periods on the biofilter performance was revealed. However, a coordinated biomass control by backwashing subsequently was unavoidable for attaining consistently high removal efficiency at a styrene loading of 3.17 kg COD/m3 x day. As styrene loading was increased, reacclimation of the biofilter to reach the 99% removal efficiency following backwashing or the nonuse periods was delayed. After the non-use periods, the response of the biofilter was a strong function of the biomass in the bed. No significant difference between the effects of the two different nonuse periods on TBAB performance was observed during the study period.

Air Movements↗

Latent sequence periodicity of some oncogenes and DNA-binding protein genes.

A method of latent periodicity search is developed. We use mutual information to reveal the latent periodicity of mRNA sequences. The latent periodicity of an mRNA sequence is a periodicity with a low level of similarity between any two periods inside the mRNA sequence. The mutual information between an artificial numerical sequence and an mRNA sequence is calculated. The length of the artificial sequence period is varied from 2 to 150. The high level of the mutual information between artificial and mRNA sequences allows us to find any type of latent periodicity of mRNA sequence. The latent periodicity of many mRNA coding regions has been found. For example, the retinoblastoma gene of HSRBS clone contains a region with a latent period equal to 45 bases. The A-RAF oncogene of HSARAFIR clone contains a region with a latent period equal to 84 bases. Integrated sequences for the regions with latent periodicity are determined. The potential significance of latent periodicity is discussed.

Animals↗

Effect of paced cycle length on sinus node effective refractory period before and after autonomic blockade in patients with sick sinus syndrome.

Effect of basic paced cycle length on sinus node effective refractory period was studied in 22 patients with sick sinus syndrome. Sinus node effective refractory period was measured using three different paced cycle lengths before and after pharmacologic autonomic blockade. Sinus node effective refractory period could be measured at one cycle length, at least, in 59% of the patients before blockade, however, it could be measured at two or more cycle lengths in only 18% of patients because of the chaotic response of sinus node against premature stimuli. It could be measured after pharmacologic autonomic blockade in 68% of the patients at two or more paced cycle lengths. On the other hand, the rest of the patients showed no measurable sinus node effective refractory period at any cycle length, for their sinus node effective refractory periods were shorter than their right atrial effective refractory periods. The comparison of sinus node effective refractory period at different paced cycle lengths was unsuccessful before pharmacologic autonomic blockade, while the refractory period was significantly prolonged as cycle length was shortened after blockade. We concluded that (1) sinus node effective refractory period in humans is prolonged as paced cycle length decreases, (2) the autonomic reflex is the major disturbing factor in measuring sinus node effective refractory period, and pharmacologic autonomic blockade can be usefully employed to eliminate a chaotic sinus nodal response, (3) when sinus node effective refractory period is shorter than right atrial effective refractory period, a shorter paced cycle length should be used for definite measurement of the former.

Adolescent↗

Influence of selection for increased body weight, egg production, and shank width on the length of the incubation period of turkeys.

An experiment was designed to study the influence of selection for increased 16-wk BW (F line), egg production (E line), and shank width (FL line) in turkeys on length of the incubation period and to estimate the influence of adult BW (BW50) and egg weight on the incubation period. The base populations for the F, FL, and E lines were randombred control (RBC)2, F, and RBC1, respectively. An additional RBC (RBC3) was also included in the study. The experimental turkey lines differed in length of the incubation period in all trials, indicating genetic differences exist. The E line, in general, had a longer incubation period than the RBC1 line, due to an increase in the time required for external pipping. The FL line had a longer period of incubation than the F line. Differences in the length of the incubation period between the F and RBC2 lines were inconsistent. The F line had a shorter incubation period than the RBC2 line in Trial 1, whereas there was no difference between lines in Trial 2. In Trial 3, the comparison of the F and RBC2 lines was influenced by treatment of the eggs prior to setting. When the eggs were held at room temperature for 29 h prior to setting, the F line had a longer incubation period than the RBC2 line, whereas when the eggs were set directly from the egg cooler, there was no line difference. The line differences in length of the incubation period could not be explained by line differences in egg weight based on a comparison of line means for these traits. Within lines, the regression of length of the incubation period on egg weight was positive and significantly different from zero in three of the six lines. Overall regression of hatching time on egg weight and BW50 was positive for egg weight and negative for BW50. However, only 4% of the variation in the length of the incubation period could be explained by variation in egg weight and BW50. Within lines, the regression coefficient of length of the incubation period on BW50 was not significantly different from zero in any line but the sign was negative in five of six lines.

Animals↗

Effects of continuous feeding of low-phosphorus diets with and without phytase during the growing and laying periods on performance of two strains of Leghorns.

An experiment was conducted to determine the minimum levels of nonphytate P (NPP) with and without phytase that can be continuously and safely used during the growing and laying periods for diminishing P excretion to the environment. The experiment consisted of a 2 x 8 factorial arrangement of the treatments with two strains (Babcock B-300 and Hy-Line W-98) and eight diets. The birds of the control group (T1) were fed a determined NPP regimen of 0.34-0.30-0.23% for the periods of 0 to 6 wk (0.34%), 6 to 12 wk (0.30%), and 12 to 18 wk (0.23%) of age and 0.39% determined NPP during the laying period (18 to 26 wk of age). The dietary NPP regimens during the growing and laying periods for T2 to T5 were as follows: T2, 0.25-0.20-0.16 and 0.29%; T3, 0.15-0.10-0.08 and 0.18%; T4, 0.12-0.07-0.08 and 0.12%; and T5, 0.08-0.07-0.08, and 0.08%. The birds of T6 to T8 were fed diets similar to T3 to T3 plus 300 U phytase/kg of diet. The growth parameters and egg production performance of birds of T2, which were fed the NPP regimen of 0.25-0.20-0.16% during the growing period and 0.29% NPP during the laying period, and those of T6, which were fed a NPP regimen of 0.15-0.10-0.08% plus phytase during the growing period and 0.18% NPP plus phytase during the laying period were similar to the control group. However, their total P intakes were 16.1 and 44% lower, respectively, and their NPP intakes were 29.7 and 64.1% lower, respectively, than the control group during the entire growing period. During the digestion trial (wk 16), daily total P excretion of these two groups (T2 and T6) were 21.2 and 43.1%, respectively, lower than the control groups. The birds fed T3, T4, and T5 regimens had consistently inferior performance than the controls both during the growing and laying periods. Phytase completely alleviated the adverse effect of the low-NPP levels fed to T3 during the growing and laying periods and partially alleviated the adverse effects of low-NPP regimens fed to birds of T4 and T5 during the growing and laying periods. Additional experiments involving longer laying cycles are warranted prior to making practical recommendations.

6-Phytase↗

Analysis of twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring: what time period to assess blood pressures during waking and sleeping?

OBJECTIVE: To study whether two widely used methods of analysis of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), which calculate means for fixed periods, provide accurate estimates of blood pressure during the true waking and sleeping periods. DESIGN AND METHODS: Ninety-five ABPM recordings were retrospectively analysed. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures during waking and sleeping were calculated in three ways: the waking and sleeping period according to the diary of the patient (diary method); the waking period from 0700 to 2200 h and the sleeping period from 2200 to 0700 h (9 h); and the waking period form 1000 to 2300 h and the sleeping period from 0100 to 0700 h (6 h). RESULTS: Systolic and diastolic blood pressures during the waking period were not different among the three methods of analysis. Compared with the diary method, the 9 h sleeping period method overestimated systolic blood pressure during sleep by 3.74 mmHg [99% confidence interval (CI) 2.70-4.77] and diastolic blood pressure by 2.44 mmHg (99% CI 1.75-3.14). In contrast, there was no significant difference between the diary method and the 6 h sleeping period method. CONCLUSIONS: The 6 h sleeping period method gave accurate estimates of blood pressure during sleep. The use of the long (9 h) sleeping period method should be avoided in studies in which sleeping-waking differences will be part of the analysis.

Activity Cycles↗

Analysis of linkage between scrapie incubation period and the prion protein gene in mice.

A single gene is known to have a predominant influence on scrapie incubation period in mice. In crosses between strains that give a short incubation period, such as NZW mice, and those which give a long incubation period, such as I/LnJ mice, long incubation period was dominant using a Chandler scrapie agent isolate. Recently a close linkage was found between the incubation period gene and the prion protein (PrP) structural gene in I/LnJ mice crossed to NZW mice. Because this linkage suggested an important role for PrP in the pathogenesis of scrapie we sought to verify the linkage between these genes and extended the analysis to three additional mouse strains. All four of the mouse strains that we evaluated, I/LnJ, P/J, MA/MyJ, and RIIIS/J, had incubation periods longer than those of the NZW mice to which they were crossed. In addition, all four strains shared an XbaI restriction enzyme polymorphism, which suggested that all four strains might also exhibit linkage between the incubation period and the PrP structural gene. Very strong linkage between PrP and incubation period was found in I/LnJ and P/J mice crossed to NZW mice, whereas less obvious linkage was demonstrated for MA/MyJ mice crossed to NZW mice. In MA/MyJ mice genes other than PrP also had an obvious influence on incubation period. In RIIIS/J mice no linkage was shown. Although linkage between PrP and incubation period was very significant in I/LnJ and P/J mice, a few animals were identified in both crosses that represented potential recombinants in which PrP and incubation period did not segregate together. Therefore, although these phenotypes are certainly linked in I/LnJ and P/J mice, it is possible that PrP and incubation period are controlled by separate genes.

Animals↗