Comparative behavior of free-ranging blackbirds (Turdus merula) and silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis) with hexose sugars in artificial grapes

In order to detect bird responses to sugar parameters of ripening grapes, artificial grapes containing controlled concentrations of hexose sugars were offered to free-range blackbirds (Turdus merula) and silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis). Time-lapse video was used to observe the two species of birds feeding on grapes presented on a novel two-tier bird-table. The comparative interest displayed by the birds for grapes of varying concentrations of hexose sugars, and the time spent feeding by each species were analyzed statistically, to discover the level of sugar concentration in grapes that is attractive to these birds. Blackbirds exhibited a preference for high sugar concentration, while silvereyes preferred grapes with a lower concentration. Blackbird visits were much shorter than those of silvereyes and they took whole grapes whereas silvereyes pecked. Differences in behavior of the two species are discussed and the assumption that all frugivorous birds are attracted to fruit for similar reasons is challenged. It may be that differences in digestive glucose absorption processes underlie the observed difference in behavioral responses of the two species.     

Influence of Human Food Consumption on the Time Budget of Vervets

In nonhuman primate groups that utilize crop and food-raiding strategies, the inclusion of human food in the diet can have a pervasive impact on the activity budget. Human food is usually of higher quality and energy per unit than wild food. Thus, metabolic demands may be reached sooner on a human food diet, which in turn leads to improved foraging efficiency. In particular, a reduction in time spent feeding is associated with an increase in time spent resting. We investigated changes in time budget in a group of vervets (Chlorocebus aethiops pygerthrus) living in a tourist and cultivated area of Entebbe, Uganda (Zoo group). Saj collected 123 hr of focal observations on 17 individuals. Human food constituted half of the diet of Zoo group. Access to human food resulted in a high proportion of time resting and a low proportion of time feeding. The group had a small average daily range and a small home range in relation to other reports on unprovisioned groups. The time budget differences suggest that the juveniles spent more time moving and feeding and less time resting than adults did, and that adult females were more social than adult males were. These patterns have been observed in both provisioned and unprovisioned vervet groups. In contrast to a report from an unprovisioned group (Harrison, 1983), lactating females in this provisioned situation were able to maintain feeding and activity levels similar to those of other adults. However, adult females spent significantly less time consuming human food than juveniles did. We suggest that the risk associated with human food consumption may explain the low consumption of human food by females with dependent offspring. The differences may also reflect the different nutritional requirements of lactating females or the tendency for juveniles to be more exploratory than other group members.     

Some features of learning in swimming Morris test in rats selected for behavior towards human

Some features of learning in Morris water test were studied in gray rats after a long-term selection for elimination (tame strain) and enhancement (aggressive strain) of aggressiveness towards human. The content of plasma corticosteroids was estimated at different stages of learning. It was shown that tame rats were better in performance of a special Morris task than aggressive ones. The time of search for invisible platform was increased in aggressive rats owing to the fact that they spent more time near the pool walls. Also, time of rearing at the platform was higher in tame rats compared to aggressive animals. In the retention test, rats of both strains spent significantly more time in the target quadrant than they did in other quadrants. Rats of both strains did not differ in time of search for invisible platform when it was replaced to the opposite quadrant. After the first day of learning, the corticosteroid plasma level was lower in tame rats than aggressive animals. During the following days of training, the content of the hormone increased in tame rats and did not differ from aggressive rats. It is supposed that, in tame rats, low emotionality and stress response facilitated learning in Morris water test.     

Daytime rest behavior of the Welsh pony (Equus caballus) mare and foal

Upright and recumbent rest of 15 Welsh pony foals and their mothers was studied over a 2 year period. During their first week of life, the foals spent 32% of the time in recumbent rest. Subsequently, the percentage of time spent in recumbent rest decreased, but was still greater than for the foal's mother by Week 21, when the foals spent 6.5% of their time in recumbent rest. Adults spent little time in recumbent rest. Foals rested upright only 3.5% of the time during their first week of life. Mares rested upright more than foals did to Week 13, at which time peak values for time spent in upright rest occurred for both mares (32.5%) and foals (23%). Subsequently, mares and foals spent equal, but decreasing, amounts of time resting upright. The total time spent resting by the foals decreased gradually, and was characterized by a transition from recumbent rest to upright rest. Foals were more likely to be resting, either recumbent or upright, if their mother was resting upright. During the late spring, summer, and early autumn, mares and foals were most likely to be resting upright between 09:00 and 17:00 h.     

Susceptibility of table grape varieties grown in south‐eastern Italy to Drosophila suzukii

Since 2008, Drosophila suzukii, the spotted wing drosophila, has colonized most of the American and European continents, being able to adapt to very different climates. In Italy, this pest has been captured from northern Alpine to southern Mediterranean regions where it can infest a broad range of fruits, including wine grapes. Studies have shown that oviposition levels and developmental rates of D. suzukii on wine grapes are lower than on other berries, although recent observations indicate that grapes may become a suitable host plant in particular conditions. Here, we report, for the first time, the results of a series of no‐choice oviposition experiments using berries of five table grape varieties sampled in the provinces of Taranto and Bari (Apulia region, south‐eastern Italy) during 2013 from both organic and conventional farming systems. The sugar content (SC) and skin hardness of each sample were analysed to assess the influence of these physiological parameters on the susceptibility of table grapes to D. suzukii infestation. A negative correlation was found between the number of eggs laid and berry skin penetration force, whereas there was a positive one between the number of eggs and Brix values, as well as sampling date. In organic grapes, SC and skin hardness of two varieties (“Crimson” and “Scarlotta”) were measured, respectively, higher and lower than in conventional grapes, thus making them more susceptible to pest infestation. The study hence shows that in laboratory conditions D. suzukii is able to heavily infest and develop on table grapes and that susceptibility to its infestation significantly depends on both variety and farming system.     

Yeasts associated to Malbec grape berries from Mendoza, Argentina

AIMS: The aims of this work were to evaluate different pre-isolation treatments applied to complete yeast extraction from grapes and to identify the yeast microflora associated to Malbec grapes from two vineyards located in Mendoza, Argentina. METHODS AND RESULTS: The pre-isolation treatments evaluated were shaking, jet streaming with pressurized water and grape blending. The overall results clearly indicated that when a more vigorous and disruptive pre-isolation treatment was applied; larger numbers of yeast species were recovered. The yeast population on healthy and ripe Malbec grapes was in the order of 10(5)-10(6) CFU g(-1). Eight different yeast species were isolated from berries, including Kloeckera apiculata, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Pichia membranifaciens, Saccharomycodes ludwigii, Candida species (Candida stellata and Candida raghi), Issatchenkia orientalis and Rhodotorula spp. CONCLUSIONS: Grape blending gave the highest yeast counts. Rainfall near grape harvest time quantitatively and qualitatively modifies the yeast microflora. The yeast species identified on ripe grapes from the Mendoza region, partially match those previously documented in different parts of the world related. S. ludwigii has not been previously reported in grapes. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The report is on yeast microbiota in grapes from Mendoza, Argentina. Saccharomycodes ludwigii was found in high percentage (17%), this species has not been described before on grapes surface. The importance of pre-isolation steps to the recovery of high number of yeasts was shown. Influence of climatic conditions near harvest time on microflora was confirmed.     

Age-specific reproductive behaviours in male roe deerCapreolus capreolus

The behaviour of active male roe deerCapreolus capreolus Linnaeus, 1758 was studied in a wild population on Storfosna island (Norway), during the pre-territorial and territorial seasons (February–August) of 1994. Observed behaviours were grouped in seven categories (mating, aggression, display, marking, vigilance, moving and maintenance), and the proportion of time spent in each behaviour by three age classes (yearlings, subadults and adults) was compared. Time spent in each behaviour varied significantly between months for all male age classes. From February to August, time spent in maintenance decreased, while time spent in vigilance increased. The time spent in mating increased both in adult and subadults but did not vary significantly for yearlings throughout the months. When comparing age classes within a month, there were no significant differences in time spent in each behaviour. Surprisingly, adult territorial males did not invest significantly more time in mating, with respect to yearlings and subadults. This may be consistent with the oligogynous mating system of roe deer, in which the reproductive success is divided amongst several years and their territoriality, which could be a tactic to reduce the competition for mating.     

Perioperative socialization, care and monitoring of National Institutes of Health miniature swine undergoing ocular surgery and sampling of peripheral blood

Swine are a frequent species of choice for testing new surgical procedures and for transplantation studies. However, information concerning best practice to prepare pigs for surgery and postoperative treatment and monitoring is limited, despite a perception that preoperative socialization is beneficial. Therefore we examined the effect of preoperative visits by project personnel on compliance of 26 National Institutes of Health (NIH) minipigs subject to corneal transplantation. We briefly describe sedation and anaesthesia protocols developed for surgery and multiple postoperative interventions in order to facilitate interpretation of data relating to pig compliance. Preoperative visit variables and measures of preoperative socialization were correlated with postoperative outcome. Principal component analysis (PCA) of postoperative outcome variables identified a factor accounting for 53.5% of the variance that was significantly associated with two factors derived from PCA of preoperative factors (accounting, respectively, for 54.7% and 26.0% of the variance; P = 0.019 for the overall model, P = 0.041 and 0.040 for factors 1 and 2, respectively), such that more time spent with pigs before surgery and higher socialization scores were associated with less postoperative stress and difficulty of eye medication. Moreover, two of the preoperative visit variables, time spent with only one person in the pen and time spent with two or more people in the pen, contributed predominantly to PCA factors 1 and 2, respectively, indicating that they were fulfilling two qualitatively different requirements for socialization. We conclude that NIH minipigs are fully compliant with anaesthetic and postoperative experimental procedures provided they are well-socialized to project personnel before surgery.     

Infant development in two aquarium bottlenose dolphins

The behavioral development of two aquarium bottlenose dolphin calves, one male (born to a primiparous mother) and one female (born to a multiparous mother), was examined. From birth to 9 weeks of age, a total of 558.7 h of nursing and behavioral data were collected using focal sampling methods. Data from both calves revealed a pattern of increasing independence as they aged, but there were significant differences between the two calves. Suckling rates, mean suckles per bout, suckling bout rates, and bout durations for the male calf were higher than those for the female calf throughout the study. These frequencies declined significantly over time in the male's case but not in the female's case. Her suckling durations (lock-on time) were longer than his. The male spent more time in infant position (under the mother) than the female calf and less time swimming in echelon position (alongside the mother). Over time, the male spent less time in infant position, and the female calf spent more time socializing and less time echelon swimming. Both calves decreased the amount of time spent close to their mothers over the 9 week period, and the mothers decreased their role in proximity maintenance over time. We suggest that factors related to maternal primiparity caused the male calf to develop an effective compensatory response of frequent nursing and spending more time in infant position. Both calves survived and were healthy at the end of the observation period. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

湖北石首麋鹿昼间活动时间分配

为探讨性别、年龄和季节对麋鹿(Elaphurus davidianus)行为的影响,2006年9月-2007年10月,作者采用焦点取样法和瞬时记录法,将麋鹿昼间活动归为采食、饮水、运动、休息、警觉、其他行为等六大类型,每月6-8 d对湖北石首麋鹿国家级自然保护区麋鹿种群的昼间活动时间分配进行了跟踪观察.结果表明:麋鹿有晨、昏两个采食高峰和一个午间休息期,各种行为类型所占比例依次是:休息53.40％(±5.59％)、采食22.36(±8.34％)、运动11.23％(±0.63％)、警觉5.03％(±1.76％)、其他行为4.42％(±2.06％),饮水2.65％(±0.74％).不同季节,时间分配变化明显.非参数Kruskal Wallis H检验结果显示(n=120),季节、年龄和性别显著影响麋鹿的活动时间分配.除运动行为(x2=16.856,df=3,P＞0.05)和饮水行为(x2=7.667,df=3,P＞0.05)无显著差异外,采食(x2=15.657,df=3,P＜0.01)、休息(x2=13.173,df=3,P＜0.01)、警觉(x2 =13.887,df=3,P＜0.01)和其他行为(x2=16.317,df=3,P＜0.01)在不同季节所占时间百分比均有极显著差异.对不同性别年龄组的活动时间分配采用两个独立样本的Mann-Whitney U检验,各性别-年龄组间的运动行为所占时间比例有极显著差异(P＜0.01),雄鹿与雌鹿之间的警觉行为有极显著差异(P＜0.01),雄鹿花较多时间用于警觉.幼鹿与成年鹿及亚成年鹿之间的采食行为时间有极显著差异(P＜0.01).不同性别、年龄组在不同季节的昼间活动时间分配的差异采用方差(ANOVA)分析后发现:所有年龄组,夏季与冬季饮水、春季与夏季警觉均存在显著性差异(P＜0.01);成体和亚成体麋鹿,春季与冬季警觉、夏季与冬季运动均存在显著性差异(P＜0.01).     

The effect of urban and rural habitats and resource type on activity budgets of commensal rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in Bangladesh

Macaques are characterized by their wide distribution and ability to adapt to a variety of habitats. Activity budgets are affected by habitat type, season, and food availability in relation to differing age–sex class and individual requirements. We conducted a comparative study on two commensal rhesus groups, one living in a rural village and the other in the center of urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study was conducted in three different seasons between 2007 and 2009 in order to evaluate how habitat type and season affects their behavioral activities. Differences in food type and its availability between these two habitats were mainly responsible for the variations in activity budgets between groups. Feeding time in the rural group was significantly longer than that in the urban group. In contrast, grooming and object manipulation/play were significantly greater in the urban than the rural group. Seasonal variations in all major behaviors were significantly affected by group, with more time spent feeding in summer than in winter/dry season, and more time spent grooming and moving in winter/dry season than summer in the rural group. In contrast, time spent resting was greater in the monsoon and summer seasons than the winter/dry season in the urban group. Grooming time was greater in the winter/dry season than the monsoon and summer seasons. In both groups, immature of both sexes spent significantly more time on feeding and object manipulation/playing and less time resting than adults. Adult females spent more time grooming than males and immatures, of both sexes, in both groups. Moreover, the rural group spent most of their time feeding on garden/crop produce and wild plant food resources, while the urban group spent more time feeding on provisioned foods. These results showed that differences in the activity budgets of rural and urban dwelling macaques were due largely to the differences in available food resources. Commensal rhesus macaques show a high degree of behavioral flexibility in response to habitat and resource variability, and knowledge of these differences is important for the conservation and management of highly commensal primates.     

Ontogeny of behavior of hand-reared and hen-reared captive houbara bustards

The ontogeny of behavior of hand-reared and hen-reared captive houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata) was recorded between hatching and fledging and compared to determine ways to improve the behavioral and physiological health of individuals destined for release into the wild. Chicks from both groups were able to walk and run on the first day after hatching, although they were least active during the first 5 days. Thereafter, time spent prone with the head down, in a half-crouch position (resting on the tarsi) or being brooded during the day (in the case of hen-reared chicks), decreased quickly, and time spent walking and standing increased. Pecking and some preening and comfort behaviors were expressed from the first day in both groups, but increased after ˜15 days. Simple threat displays were first expressed at 6 days in both groups, but developed into more complete displays with age. The only differences found between the two rearing techniques were in time spent walking and in the half-crouch position: hen-reared chicks spent more time walking and less time in a half-crouch position than hand-reared chicks, because the hen stimulates the chicks to move. Lack of exercise during growth may result in poor development of locomotive structures, which may compromise the survival of chicks destined to be released to the wild. However, hand-reared juveniles were equally likely to survive as hen-reared juveniles after being released, suggesting that hen- rearing by captive-bred birds in a confined and artificial environment did not confer appreciable advantages. Zoo Biol 17:245–255, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

年龄、集群、生境及天气对鄱阳湖白鹤越冬期日间行为模式的影响

于2012年1—3月和2012年12—2013年3月,采用瞬时扫描法研究了鄱阳湖国家级自然保护区越冬白鹤(Grusleucogeranus)的昼间时间分配模式和日活动节律,分析了年龄、集群大小、生境类型和天气对白鹤越冬行为的影响。结果表明,白鹤越冬期的主要行为有觅食、警戒、理羽、游走、休息和争斗。其中,觅食是鄱阳湖越冬白鹤主要行为,占其昼间活动时间的82.94%;警戒占11.94%,理羽占3.52%,游走占1.88%,休息占0.15%,争斗占0.02%。白鹤在越冬期间的觅食、游走、休息和争斗行为存在明显的昼间节律性,其中游走、觅食和争斗行为在每天的上午和下午各存在1个高峰,休息行为在中午出现一个高峰;警戒和理羽行为则没有显著的昼间节律变化。年龄、集群大小、天气和生境对白鹤的越冬行为具有显著的影响:幼鹤取食的时间显著多于成鹤,而警戒时间则显著的小于成鹤;与家庭群中的个体相比,集体群中的个体取食和争斗时间显著增加,警戒时间显著减少;在天气晴朗时,白鹤的警戒时间显著大于阴天的警戒时间,取食时间则显著少于阴天时白鹤的取食时间;白鹤在大风天气显著增加理羽行为;在有雾的天气会显著增加取食时间,减少警戒时间。在草洲和浅水两种生境中,白鹤的游走和理羽行为存在显著差异,而觅食和警戒行为没有显著的差异,这可能源于草洲和浅水生境相互毗邻,并且具有相同程度的人为干扰。GLM分析结果表明,年龄和集群大小、年龄和生境、集群大小和天气、集群大小和生境、天气和生境对白鹤昼间时间分配模式的影响存在显著交互效应。     

The effect of hypoxia on the vulnerability of guppies (Poecilia reticulata,Poeciliidae) to an aquatic predator (Astronotus ocellatus,Cichlidae)

Synopsis When dissolved oxygen concentration was near saturation in a laboratory experiment, guppies that spent (a) more time at the surface and (b) more time moving had a higher probability of being captured by a predatory cichlid fish. With decreasing oxygen concentration surface time and percent time moving increased, but prey risk decreased. In addition, the qualitative correlates of risk changed; under hypoxic conditions, predation risk was lower for prey which spent more time at the surface and in motion. Thus, dissolved oxygen concentration influences both quantitative and qualitative aspects of risk from water-breathing predators.Author to whom reprint requests should be addressed.     

Specific detection of Aspergillus carbonarius by SYBR® Green and TaqMan® quantitative PCR assays based on the multicopy ITS2 region of the rRNA gene

Agroproducts contaminated by ochratoxin A (OTA) represent a risk for human and animal health and, therefore, maximum limits have been established by Food Safety Authorities. Reduction of OTA contamination may be accomplished by early detection of OTA-producing fungal species using rapid, specific and sensitive detection and quantification by PCR-based methods. Aspergillus carbonarius is one of the most important OTA-producing species, in particular in grapes and derivatives from Mediterranean regions. In this work, highly efficient quantitative PCR assays using SYBR Green I and TaqMan methods were developed for specific detection of A. carbonarius to be used in grapes. The primers and the TaqMan probe were based on the internal transcribed region 2 multicopy region (internal 2 sequence of the rRNA gene). The specificity and sensitivity of both assays were tested on genomic DNA mixtures of several A. carbonarius strains and other fungal species frequently present in grapes. Both methods were also compared using grapes inoculated with different spore concentrations of A. carbonarius , detecting up to 0.4 pg DNA g⁻¹ grape berries. The efficiency and sensitivity of both methods were comparable and only the lower cost of SYBR Green might favour its use in routine screenings.     

Daily time budgets of long-distance commuting workers in Tokyo megalopolis

In Tokyo Megalopolis, long-distance commuting between residences in the suburbs and work places in the centre of the city was examined. Using a questionnaire, heads of household in two suburbs were asked about the influences of long commuting hours on their daily time budgets. The results showed that on workdays, the workers who spent longer commuting rose and left home for work earlier, and came back home and retired later; accordingly, both time spent on in-home activities on workdays and hours slept on the day before a workday were shorter. Comparison of time budgets between the subjects who work 5 and 6 days per week revealed more vulnerable influences of long commuting hours in the former than the latter. The expected health consequences of these findings are discussed from a biosocial/human ecological viewpoint.     

Workload of general practitioners before and after the new contract.

OBJECTIVE--To assess changes in general practitioners'' workload associated with the new contract introduced in April 1990. DESIGN--Weekly workload diary completed during four weeks in February-March 1990 and during the same period in 1991. SETTING--Sheffield, United Kingdom. SUBJECTS--All 300 general practitioners on Sheffield Family Health Services Authority list as principals in 1990 and 1991. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Mean number of hours worked per week, number of patients seen each week, and mean time spent per patient. RESULTS--181 (60%) general practitioners responded in 1990 and 163 (54%) in 1991. Of these, 18 (10%) were not working in 1990 and 14 (7%) in 1991. General medical service work increased during a "normal working week" from a mean of 38.6 hours a week in 1990 to 40.6 hours in 1991, and non-general medical service work decreased from 5.4 hours a week to 4.5 hours. Hours spent on call were similar before and after the contract. For the 99 general practitioners who responded in both years, time spent on general medical service duties increased significantly (40.5 h in 1990 v 42.5 h [corrected] in 1991; p = 0.033), mainly due to more time being spent in clinics. Significantly more patients were being seen in clinics (9 v 14; p = 0.001); the average time spent per patient remained at about 8 1/2 minutes during surgeries and 16 minutes for a home visit, and rose from 13 to 14 minutes for patients seen in clinics. The time spent on practice administration fell but not significantly. CONCLUSION--Since the new contract there has been a significant increase in general medical services work, mainly due to more patients being seen in clinics, with no reduction in the time spent per patient.     

MORTALITY OF RINGED YELLOW-BILLED DUCK

Davenport, L.B.Jr. &; Urban, E.K. 2000. Time budgets for Captive Wattled Cranes Bugeranus carunculatus. Ostrich 71 (1 &; 2):136-138.

Time budgets for six pairs of captive Wattled Cranes were recorded in the years 1989–1991 at St. Catherine's Island, Georgia, U.S.A., using instantaneous sampling at 30 s intervals. Data were obtained to cover one complete day, from earliest light to obscuring dusk, for each month of the year. When not nesting, these cranes spent slightly more than half of their time standing, preening, and/or walking, and most of the rest of their time eating, searching, or sleeping. When nesting, both sexes engaged equally in nest building, egg turning, and arranging nest material with the female devoting 45% of her time to incubating, the male about 40%. Males spent about 13% and females 8% of their time during the nesting period confronting neighboring cranes or other large species such as Great Blue Herons. It is concluded that instantaneous sampling at 30 s intervals with one person watching and another recording one or two individual cranes is a reasonably satisfactory method for recording time budgets in captive and probably wild populations of Wattled Cranes.     

Time budget of caged rhesus monkeys exposed to a companion,a PVC perch,and a piece of wood for an extended time

The present investigation assesses the percentage of time that rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) are kept occupied by a more complex cage environment. Sixty animals were continuously exposed for at least 1.5 years to a compatible companion for social interaction, a suspended plastic pipe for perching, and a branch segment for gnawing. The behavior of the partners of each pair was recorded for 60 minutes when the animals were not distracted by human activities. Individuals spent an average of 23.5% of the time interacting with the companion, but only 10.4% with the plastic pipe and 4.8% with the branch segment. Differences were statistically significant. Females were socially more active than males. Subadult animals (3.5–4 years) used both inanimate objects significantly more than did adult animals (9–30 years). It was concluded that (1) a compatible companion, a suspended plastic pipe, and a loose branch segment remain effective stimuli for caged rhesus monkeys after more than 1 year of exposure and (2) a compatible companion is of greater stimulatory value–particularly for adults–than are inanimate objects.     

Evaluation of a decision support system for initiation and control of oral anticoagulation in a randomised trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a computerised decision support system for initiation and control of oral anticoagulant treatment improves quality of anticoagulant control achieved by trainee doctors. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: District general hospital in North London. SUBJECTS: 148 inpatients requiring start of warfarin treatment. INTERVENTIONS: Management by trainee doctors (to achieve therapeutic range of international normalised ratio of 2 to 3) with indirect assistance from computerised decision support system (intervention group) or without such assistance (control group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Median time to therapeutic range, stable dose, and first pseudoevent (excessive international normalised ratio after therapeutic range has been reached) and person time spent in the therapeutic range. RESULTS: 72 patients were randomised to the intervention group and 76 to control group. Median time to reach international normalised ratio of > or = 2 was not significantly different in the two groups (3 days). Median time to achieve a stable dose was significantly lower in intervention group than in controls (7 days v 9 days, P = 0.01) without excessive overtreatment or undertreatment with anticoagulant. Patients in intervention group spent greater proportion of time in therapeutic range, both as inpatients (59% v 52%) and outpatients (64% v 51%). CONCLUSION: The computerised decision support system was safe and effective and improved the quality of initiation and control of warfarin treatment by trainee doctors.