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T Short

Publications and source records attributed to T Short.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Joint evaluation of purebreds and crossbreds in swine.

Data from two purebred swine lines A (n = 6,022) and B (n = 24,170), and their reciprocal, cross C (n = 6,135), were used to examine gains in reliability of combined purebred and crossbred evaluation over conventional within-line evaluations using crossbred and pureline models. Random effects in the pureline model included additive, parental dominance, and litter. In the crossbred model, effects were as in the pureline model except traits of each line were treated as separate traits and two additive effects were present. The approximate model was the same as the pureline except it was used for all lines disregarding breed differences. The traits in the evaluation were lifetime daily gain (LDG) and backfat. When separate line evaluations were replaced by evaluations with crossbreds, mean reliabilities of predicted breeding values increased by 2 to 9% for purebreds and by 21 to 72% for crossbreds. Rank correlations between these breeding values were > 0.99 for purebreds but 0.85 to 0.87 for crossbreds. Rank correlations between predicted breeding values obtained from crossbred and approximate models were 0.98 to 0.99 for purebreds and 0.96 to 0.98 for crossbreds. When the number of crossbreds was small in comparison to purebreds, the increase in reliability by using the crossbred data and the crossbred model as opposed to purebred models was small for purebreds but large for crossbreds. The approximate model provided very similar rankings to the crossbred model for purebreds but rankings were less consistent for crossbreds.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Genetic parameter estimates from joint evaluation of purebreds and crossbreds in swine using the crossbred model.

Records on lifetime daily gain and backfat from two purebred lines A (n = 6,022), B (n = 24,170), and their reciprocal crosses C (n = 6,135) were used to estimate genetic parameters using within-line and terminal-cross models. The models that were fitted included fixed (contemporary group and sex), random additive A and(or) random additive B, random dominance, and random litter effects. Model for purebreds included only one additive effect, whereas the model for crossbreds included two additive effects. End weight was included as a covariable for backfat. Heritability estimates for lifetime daily gain were 0.26, 0.28, and 0.23 with within-line models for lines A, B, and C, respectively, and 0.26, 0.30, and 0.27 with the crossbred model, respectively. Heritability estimates for backfat were 0.52, 0.35, and 0.29 with within-line models for lines A, B, and C, respectively, and 0.51, 0.38, and 0.29 with the crossbred model, respectively. The genetic correlations between purebreds and crossbreds (r(pc)) for lifetime daily gain were 0.99 (A-C) and 0.62 (B-C); for backfat the correlations were 0.32 (A-C) and 0.70 (B-C). The amount of dominance variance from the crossbred model expressed as a proportion of phenotypic variance for lifetime daily gain was 0.39, 0.16, and 0.29 for lines A, B, and C respectively. Dominance variance for backfat was estimated as 0. A joint evaluation of purebreds and crossbreds would be most efficient with the crossbred model. The dominance variation should be accounted for lifetime daily gain.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2000

A missense variant of the porcine melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene is associated with fatness, growth, and feed intake traits.

Our knowledge of the genetic factors affecting obesity is increasing, but information about the individual gene effects remains limited in humans as well as in animal models. The melanocortin-4 receptor gene (MC4R) has been implicated in the regulation of feeding behavior and body weight in humans and mice. We have studied MC4R as a candidate gene for the control of economically important growth and performance traits in the pig. A missense mutation was identified in a region highly conserved among melanocortin receptor (MCR) genes. To determine whether there was an association of this MC4R polymorphism with phenotypic variation, we tested the mutation in a large number of individual animals from several different pig lines. Analyses of growth and performance test records showed significant associations of MC4R genotypes with backfat and growth rate in a number of lines as well as feed intake overall. It is probable that the variant amino acid residue of the MC4R mutation (or a closely linked mutation) causes a significant change of the MC4R function. These results support the functional significance of a pig MC4R missense mutation and suggest that comparative genomics based on model species may be equally important for application to farm animals as they are for human medicine.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1999

Propofol-thiopentone admixture-hypnotic dose, pain on injection and effect on blood pressure.

This study examined some pharmacodynamic characteristics of two admixtures of propofol and thiopentone. Ninety unpremedicated ASA 1 or 2 patients were group-randomized to receive, in a double-blinded manner, one of the following mixtures for induction of anaesthesia: Group P50: propofol 1% 10 ml/thiopentone 2.5% 10 ml; Group P75: propofol 1% 15 ml/thiopentone 2.5% 5 ml; Group P100: propofol 1% 20 ml/lignocaine 1% 4 ml. An additional 30 randomized but unblinded patients from the same patient cohort received thiopentone 2.5% to provide predictive dose data for groups P50 and P75. Haemodynamic data were collected pre- and post-induction. The required induction dose of both mixtures of propofol and thiopentone found an additive rather than a synergistic interaction with no significant difference between predicted and observed dose. Thiopentone resulted in significantly more rapid induction of anaesthesia than propofol/lignocaine or propofol/thiopentone. The addition of thiopentone to propofol was found to be as efficacious as the mixing of lignocaine with propofol in reducing pain on injection. The fall in systolic blood pressure was significantly less in group P50 compared with groups P75 or P100. Admixture of thiopentone with propofol results in an additive hypnotic effect, a reduction in pain of injection (comparable with addition of lignocaine) and a reduced hypotensive response compared to propofol injection alone during induction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

The estrogen receptor locus is associated with a major gene influencing litter size in pigs.

Identification of individual major genes affecting quantitative traits in livestock species has been limited to date. By using a candidate gene approach and a divergent breed cross involving the Chinese Meishan pig, we have shown that a specific allele of the estrogen receptor (ER) locus is associated with increased litter size. Female pigs from synthetic lines with a 50% Meishan background that were homozygous for this beneficial allele produced 2.3 more pigs in first parities and 1.5 more pigs averaged over all parities than females from the same synthetic lines and homozygous for the undesirable allele. This beneficial ER allele was also found in pigs with Large White breed ancestory. Analysis of females with Large White breed background showed an advantage for females homozygous for the beneficial allele as compared to females homozygous for the other allele of more than 1 total pig born. Analyses of growth performance test records detected no significant unfavorable associations of the beneficial allele with growth and developmental traits. Mapping of the ER gene demonstrated that the closest known genes or markers were 3 centimorgans from ER. To our knowledge, one of these, superoxide dismutase gene (SOD2), was mapped for the first time in the pig. Analysis of ER and these linked markers indicated that ER is the best predictor of litter size differences. Introgression of the beneficial allele into commercial pig breeding lines, in which the allele was not present, and marker-assisted selection for the beneficial allele in lines with Meishan and Large White background have begun.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Patient literacy and the readability of written cancer educational materials.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the reading level of educational materials for patients with cancer corresponds to the reading abilities of a sample of patients. A secondary aim was to describe what type of educational materials patients with cancer report as most helpful. DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional. SETTING: Outpatient oncology clinics at an urban Veterans Affairs Medical Center. SAMPLE: A convenience sample of 63 outpatients with cancer. METHODS: Investigators used the Word Recognition Achievement Test-Revised Level (WRAT-R2) to measure patients' reading levels. They used the Flesch Index to analyze the reading levels of the booklets that the patients used (14 booklets developed by the American Cancer Society and 16 developed by the National Cancer Institute). Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and a Wilcoxon signed rank test. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Patient and booklet reading levels. FINDINGS: The reading level of 27% of the sample was less than that of all 30 pamphlets (less than a sixth-grade reading level). Seventeen percent of the patients had a reading level between sixth and eighth grades (representing 47% of the pamphlets). Twenty-nine percent of the sample had WRAT scores between 9th and 12th grades (representing 80% of the pamphlets). Only 27% had WRAT scores of the 13th grade and above. Twenty-six percent of the patients preferred written educational materials alone, while 57% of patients desired more than one method of instruction. CONCLUSION: Written materials for the education of patients with cancer must be carefully matched to patient reading levels. Written materials may not be the only desirable mode of instruction. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Given the increasing complexity of cancer care, shorter hospital stays, and a shift toward busy ambulatory care centers, nurses need to develop creative, innovative, and comprehensive patient education programs that are understandable to patients and that use multiple types of instruction.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Oral midazolam is an effective premedication for children having day-stay anaesthesia.

The effect of oral premedication was studied in a double-blind, randomised trial of 200 children undergoing day-stay anaesthesia. Midazolam 0.25 mg/kg, midazolam 0.5 mg/kg, diazepam 0.5 mg/kg or a placebo was given orally one hour prior to anaesthesia. Patient state was assessed at nine stages, from administration of the premedication up to and including induction of anaesthesia, using a four-point behavioural scale. Patient state was also assessed postoperatively in the recovery area and the day-stay ward. There was no difference between the four groups until induction of anaesthesia. At this stage 82% of children were either asleep or awake and calm. Patients who received midazolam 0.5 mg/kg were more likely to be asleep or awake and calm at induction rather than other groups (P = 0.05). Children receiving midazolam 0.5 mg/kg or diazepam 0.5 mg/kg slept longest in the post anaesthetic recovery room (P less than 0.005), and spent most time there (P less than .005). There was no difference between groups in the length of time spent in the day-stay ward or in the number of overnight admissions. The study shows that a high proportion of unsedated children are calm at induction of anaesthesia and that oral midazolam is an effective premedication in children for day-stay anaesthesia.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1987

Redistribution of revenues under a prototypical prospective payment system: characteristics of winners and losers.

A variety of prospective payment programs have been implemented over the past decade in attempts to contain the rapidly escalating costs of providing hospital care. Eventually the hospital bills of most Americans are likely to be reimbursed on the basis of preset prices. In this simulation study the most important of the existing cost-containment programs, Medicare's Prospective Payment System, is extended to all hospital patients in order to estimate the revenue redistributions likely to take place as more and more comprehensive prospective rate-setting programs are enacted. After discussion of the methodology and results of the empirical section, the study considers several major policy issues facing the hospital industry and the likely responses by the industry.

Data Collection↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Continuous quality improvement efforts increase operating room efficiency.

The surgical service at the Philadelphia Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center has been making a continuous effort toward improving efficiency in the operating room. A multidisciplinary task force was created in May 1994 to look at delays in operating room start times for the first case of the day. This article identifies problems that contributed to the delays and the changes implemented, along with a statistical analysis of the data collected. The team discovered that delays were related to system problems in the perioperative process and were not caused by any specific problem. Many of these problems proved correctable, as the statistical analysis shows, and the result was significant improvement in operating room efficiency.

Appointments and Schedules↗