Abstract Background The emotional impact of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is well documented. Patients describe distress, anxiety, depression and relationship difficulties, (including with healthcare staff). Nurses working with IBD patients report being emotionally affected, with fears of ‘burnout’, feeling unable to respond helpfully to patients and feelings of guilt, frustration, sadness and anger. Understanding and managing the emotional impact of the work for IBD nurses is an area underrepresented in either research or nursing literature. Methods A collaborative project with IBD nurses and nursing and psychotherapy colleagues from the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust developed a one-day event for IBD nurses in the UK. Attendees were self-selecting and the event was supported by Pharma. The conference had three aims: To provide an opportunity to recognise and understand the emotional impact on nurses working with IBD patients, to provide a networking opportunity, and to use information gathered before, during and after the conference to develop a clearer understanding of nurses’ experiences and needs. A pre-conference questionnaire was sent to attendees, observations were made during the conference (noting themes and dilemmas) and an evaluation form was provided. Results 89% agreed/strongly agreed the event provided understanding of how IBD can have an emotional and psychological impact on patients. 89% agreed/strongly agreed the event provided understanding of the emotional impact on nurses working with IBD patients. Eighty-nine per cent agreed/strongly agreed the event provided understanding of ways in which the emotional impact can influence provision of care and decision making in patients with IBD. Ninety-three per cent agreed/strongly agreed the event provided them with ideas for establishing and managing reflective learning opportunities. Seventy-five per cent agreed/strongly agreed the event enabled them to identify different ways of responding to patients they work with. Conclusion Feedback from attendees identified a need and an expressed wish by IBD nurses to understand and explore how they are affected by their work, in relation to maintaining therapeutic and safe relationships with patients and maintaining their own well-being and job satisfaction. Learning needs relating to training in supervision, developing skills in responding to patients’ emotional states, tools for looking after one’s self and opportunities for group discussions and learning were identified. There is an opportunity to develop further learning and training events in relation to these identified needs. Further exploration of accessibility, funding and evaluation would be beneficial in identifying the impact, if any, of further training.

The purpose of this present study is to prepare NF-κB/p65 antisense oligonucleotide loaded chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) and evaluate their physicochemical characterization and antisense effects in RAW264.7 macrophages. Condensed nanoparticles with mean particle size of 128 ± 16 nm, average Zeta potential of 19.6 ± 6.3 mV and high entrapment efficiency (EE) of 98.6 ± 0.11% were formed between NF-κB/p65 antisense gene (NAG) and chitosan by complex coacervation method. Trypan blue staining and MTT tests showed that NAG chitosan NPs had no toxic effect on RAW264.7 macrophages when the dose was no more than 20 μg/mL. Confocal microscopy images showed that NAG chitosan NPs were capable to deliver NAG into cytoplasm of RAW264.7 macrophages and finally into nucleus. Real-time PCR tests verified that NAG chitosan NPs could significantly decrease the mRNA expression level of NF-κB/p65 and inflammatory cytokines including TNF-ɑ, IL-1 and IL-6. Accordingly, western blot study showed that NAG NPs uptaken in the cells could efficiently reversed the expression of NF-κB/p65 protein induced by LPS. At last, downstream release level of inflammatory factors including TNF-ɑ, IL-1 and IL-6 in LPS stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages was significantly decreased after treated by NAG chitosan NPs. It could be concluded that chitosan NPs were excellent delivery vectors to ferry the NAG into the cytoplasm and nucleus of macrophages. The NAG chitosan NPs might be a novel therapeutic apparatus for the treatment of LPS induced sepsis by inhibiting NF-κB-related pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion.

AbstractAttitudes and motivations of white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) hunters are important for state wildlife agencies to consider when they are trying to meet harvest goals for the species. In recent years, interest in quality deer management (QDM) has grown, but little is known about hunter support for QDM. We surveyed hunters on private hunting clubs and Wildlife Management Areas where QDM was practiced, as well as statewide sportsman license holders in Tennessee, USA, following the 2004–2005 deer‐hunting season to identify characteristics, attitudes, and motivations of these hunter groups. Respondents in all 3 hunter groups identified QDM as a “sensible management strategy for white‐tailed deer” and a majority (>76%) of the hunters preferred hunting areas managed under QDM guidelines. Hunter groups varied in their responses related to specific QDM guidelines and implementation. Nonetheless, all 3 hunter groups were primarily interested in herd health and buck quality, wanted a reduction in the buck bag limit, and supported harvest of antlerless deer. Motivations to hunt varied by hunter group, but respondents in all 3 groups indicated that experiencing nature was the number one reason for hunting. Our survey results suggest that though opinions may vary on how QDM might be implemented, the general deer‐hunting public in Tennessee has moved away from the traditional deer‐management philosophy that allowed buck harvest without age restrictions and restricted antlerless harvest. Using biological justification along with hunter opinion, we recommend that state wildlife agencies consider providing QDM opportunities where appropriate and offer annual education programs to improve hunters' understanding of deer‐management strategies. This should help ensure hunter satisfaction and will help state wildlife agencies meet deer‐management objectives. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.

Forage production for white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus is often limited in closed-canopy forests. We measured browse production and nutritional carrying capacity after prescribed burning and understory fertilization in closed-canopy hardwood stands one growing season after treatment in two physiographic regions of Tennessee. Nutritional carrying capacity estimates for prescribed burning, fertilization, and prescribed burning with fertilization were greater than in controls on the Cumberland Plateau. However, the cost per pound of forage produced after fertilization exceeded US$26. In the Coastal Plain, fertilization did not affect nutritional carrying capacity, and prescribed burning and prescribed burning with fertilization lowered nutritional carrying capacity from controls. At both sites, prescribed fire had minimal effect on soil pH or soil phosphate and potash levels. Our results suggest prescribed fire and fertilization are of limited utility for increasing browse production in closed-canopy hardwood forests.

ABSTRACT The requirement for multiple mutations for protease inhibitor (PI) resistance necessitates a better understanding of the molecular basis of resistance development. The novel bioinformatics resistance determination approach presented here elaborates on genetic profiles observed in clinical human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates. Synthetic protease sequences were cloned in a wild-type HIV-1 background to generate a large number of close variants, covering 69 mutation clusters between multi-PI-resistant viruses and their corresponding genetically closely related, but PI-susceptible, counterparts. The vast number of mutants generated facilitates a profound and broad analysis of the influence of the background on the effect of individual PI resistance-associated mutations (PI-RAMs) on PI susceptibility. Within a set of viruses, all PI-RAMs that differed between susceptible and resistant viruses were varied while maintaining the background sequence from the resistant virus. The PI darunavir was used to evaluate PI susceptibility. Single sets allowed delineation of the impact of individual mutations on PI susceptibility, as well as the influence of PI-RAMs on one another. Comparing across sets, it could be inferred how the background influenced the interaction between two mutations, in some cases even changing antagonistic relationships into synergistic ones or vice versa. The approach elaborates on patient data and demonstrates how the specific mutational background greatly influences the impact of individual mutations on PI susceptibility in clinical patterns.

Quality deer management (QDM) is increasingly promoted and practiced throughout the range of white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus. However, published data evaluating the effects of this management strategy are few. We compared harvest characteristics of one private property (Ames Plantation) and three Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in Tennessee before and after implementation of selective harvest restrictions and recom - mendations to determine effects on buck harvest rates as well as harvest age structure and sex ratio. Annual buck harvest following selective restrictions decreased on the WMAs, but was not different at Ames Plantation. Mature buck ( >3.5 years) harvest increased at Ames Plantation and Catoosa WMA, but did not change at Oak Ridge or Yuchi WMAs. Annual doe and buck fawn harvests did not change at any area, but the percentage of does in the harvest increased at Ames Plantation and Oak Ridge WMA. Percentage of buck fawns in the antlerless harvest was similar before and after implemen - tation of selective harvest restrictions and recommendations and exceeded 10% for all areas. We recommend wildlife managers implementing QDM use an age restriction in conjunction with an antler restriction (based on characteristics by age class in a particular area) to ensure adequate protection of young (<2.5 years old) bucks. This will ensure hunters are not penalized when a buck reaches harvestable age, even if antler size does not exceed the minimum antler restriction. Educational efforts to help hunters estimate the age of live deer and identify buck fawns are needed wherever QDM is practiced.

Several properties within Tennessee were managed under a quality deer management (QDM) philosophy from 1998 to 2006. Harvest characteristics of three private properties and three Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) were compared to determine effects on buck harvest rates and the age structure and sex ratio of the harvest. Average annual buck harvest decreased at most areas following antler restrictions and ranged from 55 to 68% of pre-QDM levels because younger bucks were protected. Although the raw numbers showed an increase in older-aged bucks harvested following antler restrictions, when calculated on a per hunter or per permit issued basis, statistical increases were not observed at all study areas. Regardless, hunters at each area felt QDM restrictions were working toward their goal and planned to apply to hunt that area the following season. Most hunters regarded themselves “somewhat knowledgeable” with QDM and considered it a sensible management philosophy. The majority of club hunters (55.5%) and plurality of sportsman license holders (36.9%) and WMA hunters (34.7%) favored a statewide limit of two bucks, and the majority of all hunters favored including does in the harvest and protecting young bucks from harvest. The production and nutritional quality of twenty forages used in food plots and the effects of prescribed burning and understory fertilization on browse production in closed-canopy hardwoods one growing season after treatment were also evaluated. Crimson clover and a cool-season grain (wheat or oats) are recommended to address the mid-late winter stress period, and can be planted with arrowleaf clover to further extend forage availability in the spring. Warm-season annual forages (cowpeas, lablab, and soybeans) supplied forage during the late summer stress period when natural forage quality is low. Ladino clover and chicory supplement production gaps of annual forages. Because of variable results among two sites and because the cost per pound of forage produced following fertilization exceeded $26 per pound, understory fertilization and prescribed fire in closed-canopy hardwood stands are not recommended for increased deer browse. Treatments providing increased sunlight through a reduction in percent canopy cover are much more effective and efficient in providing increased browse.

Internet-based information technology enables impromptu, virtually anonymous interactions between geographically dispersed, diverse others that is an order of magnitude larger than any preceding information technology. With this increased networking capability comes increased risk and uncertainty. We conducted a content analysis to identify what trustors in peer-to-peer computer-mediated transactions communicate to other trustors regarding the trustworthiness of a trustee with whom they have interacted. In our study, 61% of all feedback comments made reference to the trustworthiness of the trustee. Nearly half of all comments referred to the ability of the trustee while nearly a quarter referred to the trustee's integrity. Very few references to benevolence were observed. The relevance of this study is that it informs the process of designing and developing systems that reduce the risk and uncertainty engendered by this new form of connectivity and interaction.