[DNA marking of some quantitative trait loci in the cultivated edible mushroom Pleurotus ostratus (Fr.) Kumm].

Fungi of the genus Pleurotus, in particular, species Pleurotus ostreatus (common oyster mushroom) are among most cultivated fungi in the world. Due to intense rates of development of studies in this field, efficient breeding programs are highly required in the search for new P. ostreatus strains. The principal traits used worldwide for selecting strains are intensity of fruitbearing, fruit body cap color (for some consumptive markets), and mycelium growth rate. In this connection, the objective of this work was to study these quantitative traits and to find molecular markers, which could be employed to accomplish breeding programs. In general, we found 12 genomic loci (quantitative trait loci, QTLs) controlling mycelium growth rate of oyster and six QTLs responsible for the fruit body cap color. The genetic map of P. ostreatus was constructed, and all markers of quantitative traits found by us were located on this genetic map. The obtained linkage map can be a useful tool for the accomplishment of breeding programs to improve economically important traits of oyster mushroom.

A planning tool for multidisciplinary youth care evaluated: a case study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to gain more insight in whether care programming in health care can be supported by IT and what is needed for successful implementation. We evaluated a case where an organization structured its care processes into care programs and used a planning tool for planning and control of the care programs. The results of this evaluation contribute to existing knowledge about the relation between care processes and IT as well as IT implementation. METHOD: We used multiple data sources to support and complete the results. The evaluation of the case took place by means of face-to-face interviews, a document study and analyses of emails. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The care programs and the planning tool were not compatible and did not achieve the intended goals. The professionals failed to appreciate flexibility of the care programs. The implementation of the planning tool failed because of too little user involvement in the implementation. Moreover, care programs were in general not accepted by the professionals. All this resulted in a non-fit between the care programs and the planning tool. We advise for routine processes as care programs to develop a balance between flexibility and standardization. This is a process of trial and error and requires adaptive information technology and user involvement in development and implementation.

Healthcare system design and parttime working doctors.

More doctors would like to work parttime. Since research on fitting healthcare system design with the structure of parttime jobs is lacking, we studied how parttime work for medical doctors could be enabled from a system design perspective. A theoretical analysis was performed, illustrated by two case studies. We conclude that introducing parttime work can provide the opportunity for improving system design and, therewith, performance. From the case studies it seems that work redesign can enable parttime work, and at the same time improve system performance. Better managing variability in the system contributed to this. The case studies results also showed that systems characterized by different levels of variability fit with different work contracts.

Study of treatment of congenital Toxoplasma gondii infection in rhesus monkeys with pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine.

The efficacy of the combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine for the treatment of congenital Toxoplasma gondii infection in rhesus monkeys was studied. The dosage regimen for pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine was established by pharmacokinetic studies in two monkeys. Those studies showed that the distributions of both drugs followed a one-compartment model. The serum elimination half-lives were found to be 5.2 h for sulfadiazine and 44.4 h for pyrimethamine. Sulfadiazine reached a maximum concentration in serum of 58.7 micrograms/ml, whereas a maximum concentration in serum of 0.22 micrograms/ml was found for pyrimethamine. Ten monkeys were infected intravenously with T. gondii at day 90 of pregnancy, which is comparable to the second trimester of organogenetic development in humans. Treatment was administered to six monkeys, in whose fetuses infection was diagnosed antenatally. From the moment that fetal infection was proven, the monkeys were treated throughout pregnancy with 1 mg of pyrimethamine per kg of body weight per day and 50 mg of sulfadiazine per kg of body weight per day orally. The therapy was supplemented with 3.5 mg of folinic acid once a week. No toxic side effects were found with this drug regimen. The parasite was no longer detectable in the next consecutive amniotic fluid sample, taken 10 to 13 days after treatment was started. Furthermore, T. gondii was also not found in the neonate at birth. The parasite was still present at birth in three of four untreated fetuses that served as controls. Both drugs crossed the placenta very well. Concentrations in fetal serum varied from 0.05 to 0.14 micrograms/ml for pyrimethamine and from 1.0 to 5.4 micrograms/ml for sulfadiazine. In addition, pyrimethamine was found to accumulate in the brain tissue, with concentrations being three to four times higher than the corresponding concentrations in serum. Thirty percent of the sulfadiazine was found to reach the brain tissue when compared with the corresponding serum concentration. when administered early after the onset of infection, the combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine was clearly effective in reducing the number of parasites in the fetus to undetectable levels.

N-oxidation, N-demethylation, and excretion of pefloxacin by the turtle Pseudemys scripta elegans.

Pefloxacin is minimally absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract of the turtle Pseudemys scripta elegans and then N-oxidised and N-demethylated. Pefloxacin is excreted within one hour after being given orally to the turtles.

Influence of protein binding and severity of illness on renal elimination of four cephalosporin drugs in intensive-care patients.

A pharmacokinetic study after a single dose of ceftriaxone, cefoxitin, cefuroxime and ceftazidime was performed to investigate the influence of protein binding and severity of disease on the renal elimination. In intensive-care patients drug-protein binding was substantially less compared to that in volunteers and patients with less complicated diseases. This did not result in increased elimination but, due to increased apparent volumes of distribution, prolonged half-life times were observed. Consequently, in patients with complicated disease states a dosage regimen should be based on pharmacokinetic studies performed in a similar patient group.