bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of electromigration on interfacial reactions in cast Sn/Cu joints
Authors: Chen Sinn-Wen , Wang Chao-Hong
Published: March 2007

The Sn/Cu/Sn/Cu/Sn sandwich-type couples prepared by the casting method are used for examining the effects of electromigration on Sn/Cu interfacial reactions. The samples are reacted at 170 and 180 °C for 24–240 h by passing an electric current with a density of 5000 A/cm2. At the interfaces where electrons flow from the Sn side to the Cu side, uniform layers of Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn are formed. The results are similar to those without passage of an electric current. The relatively thicker Cu6Sn5 layer is attributed to the extra Cu source from the dissolved Cu during the sample preparation. At the interfaces where electrons flow from the Cu side to the Sn side, large and nonplanar Cu6Sn5 phase regions are formed. Formation of large Cu6Sn5 regions is the result of electromigration-enhanced Cu diffusion through the grain boundaries and surfaces.
Calorimetric measurements of structural relaxation and glass transition temperatures in sputtered films of amorphous Te alloys used for phase change recording
Authors: Kalb J.A. , Wuttig M. , Spaepen F.
Published: March 2007

Sputtered amorphous Ge4Sb1Te5, Ge1Sb2Te4, Ge2Sb2Te5, and Ag0.055In0.065Sb0.59Te0.29 thin films were studied by differential scanning calorimetry. Upon continuous heating, heat release due to structural relaxation of the amorphous phase between 0.5 and 1.0 kJ/mol was observed. This value depends on the thermal history of the sample. Preannealing of the amorphous phase revealed the glass transition temperature Tg within 10 K of the crystallization temperature upon continuous heating at 40 K/min.
Preliminary Results of an Intelligibility Measure for English-Speaking Children with Cleft Palate
Authors: Hodge Megan , Gotzke Carrie L.
Published: March 2007

Objective:

This study describes a preliminary evaluation of the construct and concurrent validity of the Speech Intelligibility Probe for Children With Cleft Palate.

Design:

The study used a prospective between-groups design with convenience samples.

Participants:

Participants (ages 39 to 82 months) included 5 children with cleft palate and 10 children with typical speech development and no history of craniofacial abnormalities. All children had age-appropriate language skills.

Interventions:

Each child completed the Speech Intelligibility Probe for Children With Cleft Palate by imitating single words. Each child's word productions were recorded and played back to listeners who completed open-set and closed-set response tasks. Recorded utterances that represented a contiguous 100-word sample of each child's spontaneous speech also were played back to listeners for completion of an open-set word identification task.

Main Outcome Measures:

Measures reported include group means for (1) intelligibility scores for the open-set Speech Intelligibility Probe for Children With Cleft Palate and spontaneous speech sample conditions, and (2) percentage of phonetic contrasts correct and correct-distorted from the Speech Intelligibility Probe for Children With Cleft Palate closed-set response task.

Results:

The group of children with cleft palate had significantly lower intelligibility scores, lower percentage of correct phonetic contrasts, and higher percentage of correct distorted items (construct validity). A strong positive correlation (r = .88, p < .01) was found between intelligibility scores from the Speech Intelligibility Probe for Children With Cleft Palate and the spontaneous sample (concurrent validity).

Conclusions:

The results provide preliminary support for the construct and concurrent validities of the Speech Intelligibility Probe for Children With Cleft Palate as a measure of children's speech intelligibility.
Development of a Microportable Imaging System for Otoscopy and Nasoendoscopy Evaluations
Authors: VanLue Michael , Cox Kenneth M. , Wade James M. , Tapp Kevin , Linville Raymond , Cosmato Charlie , Smith Tom
Published: March 2007

Objective:

Imaging systems for patients with cleft palate typically are not portable, but are essential to obtain an audiovisual record of nasoendoscopy and otoscopy procedures. Practitioners who evaluate patients in rural, remote, or otherwise medically underserved areas are expected to obtain audiovisual recordings of these procedures as part of standard clinical practice. Therefore, patients must travel substantial distances to medical facilities that have standard recording equipment. This project describes the specific components, strengths and weaknesses of an MPEG-4 digital recording system for otoscopy/nasoendoscopy evaluation of patients with cleft palate that is both portable and compatible with store-and-forward telemedicine applications.

Materials:

Three digital recording configurations (TabletPC, handheld digital video recorder, and an 8-mm digital camcorder) were used to record the audio/ video signal from an analog video scope system.

Results:

The handheld digital video recorder was most effective at capturing audio/video and displaying procedures in real time. The system described was particularly easy to use, because it required no postrecording file capture or compression for later review, transfer, and/or archiving.

Conclusions:

The handheld digital recording system was assembled from commercially available components. The portability and the telemedicine compatibility of the handheld digital video recorder offers a viable solution for the documentation of nasoendosocopy and otoscopy procedures in remote, rural, or other locations where reduced medical access precludes the use of larger component audio/video systems.
The Crown Size and Sexual Dimorphism of Permanent Teeth in Jordanian Cleft Lip and Palate Patients
Authors: Rawashdeh Ma'amon A. , Bakir Ikhlas Fawaz Bani
Published: March 2007

Objective:

To provide a detailed description of crown size dimensions in the permanent dentition of Jordanian cleft lip and palate patients and to compare the findings with those of other populations.

Method:

The mesiodistal crown diameters of the permanent teeth of 47 patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), 25 patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP), and 74 controls were measured.

Results:

The cleft group (UCLP and BCLP patients) generally demonstrated a smaller tooth size for both the maxillary and mandibular arches than did the control group. A sexual dimorphism pattern with males having larger teeth than females was observed for controls and UCLP patients. More males with BCLP had smaller teeth than did females. In the maxilla, the UCLP cleft-side teeth showed the largest percentage (4%) of sexual dimorphism, whereas the BCLP teeth achieved the highest percentage (3.4%) in the mandible. The UCLP cleft-side maxillary lateral incisors (13.2%) and BCLP mandibular canines (6%) displayed greater sexual dimorphism in crown size than did any other tooth class.

Conclusions:

Tooth size reduction occurred across all permanent tooth types and among early and late-forming teeth in cleft patients compared with the controls. This reduction was more pronounced in the maxillary incisor field. Males with UCLP and control males had larger teeth than did females, whereas a reversal of the normal dimorphism pattern was observed in patients with BCLP.
Contraction-Induced Injury to Single Permeabilized Muscle Fibers from Normal and Congenitally-Clefted Goat Palates
Authors: Rader Erik P. , Cederna Paul S. , Weinzweig Jeffrey , Panter Kip E. , Yu Deborah , Buchman Steven R. , Larkin Lisa M. , Faulkner John A.
Published: March 2007

Objective:

Levator veli palatini muscles from normal palates of adult humans and goats are predominantly slow oxidative (type 1) fibers. However, 85% of levator veli palatini fibers from cleft palates of adult goats are physiologically fast (type 2). This fiber composition difference between cleft and normal palates may have implications in palatal function. For limb muscles, type 2 muscle fibers are more susceptible to lengthening contraction-induced injury than are type 1 fibers. We tested the hypothesis that, compared with single permeabilized levator veli palatini muscle fibers from normal palates of adult goats, those from cleft palates are more susceptible to lengthening contraction-induced injury.

Interventions:

Congenital cleft palates were the result of chemically-induced decreased movement of the fetal head and tongue causing obstruction of palatal closure. Each muscle fiber was maximally activated and lengthened.

Outcome Measures:

Fiber type was determined by contractile properties and gel electrophoresis. Susceptibility to injury was assessed by measuring the decrease in maximum force following the lengthening contraction, expressed as a percentage of the initial force.

Results:

Compared with fibers from normal palates that were all type 1 and had force deficits of 23 ± 1%, fibers from cleft palates were all type 2 and sustained twofold greater deficits, 40 ± 1% (p = .001).

Conclusion:

Levator veli palatini muscles from cleft palates of goats contain predominantly type 2 fibers that are highly susceptible to lengthening contraction-induced injury. This finding may have implications regarding palatal function and the incidence of velopharyngeal incompetence.
Assessment of Bone Resorption after Secondary Alveolar Bone Grafting Using Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography: A Three-Year Study
Authors: Feichtinger Matthias , Mossböck Rudolf , Kärcher Hans
Published: March 2007

Objective:

Secondary bone grafting plays an important role in the dental rehabilitation of patients with clefts of the lip, alveolus, and palate. A major complication of this surgical technique is resorption of the grafted bone transplant. Conventional two-dimensional radiographs are often inconclusive and do not demonstrate the true deficit. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the amount and exact location of bone loss on the basis of three-dimensional models over a period of 3 years.

Design:

Twenty-four patients with unilateral cleft palate were included in this prospective study. Axial computed tomography scans of all patients were taken immediately preoperatively, and 1, 2, and 3 years postoperatively. Volumetric analysis was performed on three-dimensional models of the cleft defects and the bone bridges using three-dimensional computed tomography.

Interventions:

All patients were treated by secondary alveolar bone grafting prior to eruption of the permanent canine.

Results:

Extensive bone resorption was found in the bucco-palatal dimension of the alveolar portion of the transplant. The success rate of secondary bone grafting was high in cases of rapid orthodontic gap closures. The mean bone loss in the first year after surgery was 49.5%. The transplants remained almost constant in the following 2 years.

Conclusions:

Radiographic scales based on orthopantomography only evaluate the vertical dimension of the transplants. This study, however, showed that bone resorption in the transversal dimension is clearly underestimated with conventional two-dimensional radiographs.
Evidence that the preovulatory rise in intrafollicular progesterone may not be required for ovulation in cattle
Authors: Li Qinglei , Jimenez-Krassel Fermin , Bettegowda Anilkumar , Ireland James J , Smith George W
Published: March 2007

Despite ample evidence pointing to an obligatory involvement of progesterone in ovulation, the mechanisms responsible for the ovulation promoting effects of intrafollicular progesterone are unclear. The objectives of this study were to determine if ovulation, luteinization and the gonadotropin surge-induced regulation of select extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes and their inhibitors, and mRNAs for prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis and metabolizing enzymes are blocked following suppression of the intrafollicular increase in progesterone. Bovine preovulatory follicles were injected with the 3 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inhibitor trilostane or diluent and collected at 0, 12, and 24 h after GnRH induction of the preovulatory LH surge. Intrafollicular trilostane administration blocked the preovulatory increase in follicular fluid progesterone resulting in concentrations similar to those observed at time 0 post-GnRH injection. The preovulatory increase in follicular fluid PGE2 and PGF2α was reduced in trilostane-treated follicles and accompanied by upregulation of prostaglandin dehydrogenase mRNA in the granulosal and thecal cells. However, follicle rupture was not blocked by inhibition of the preovulatory rise in intrafollicular progesterone, and normal serum progesterone concentrations were observed during subsequent luteal development. Effects of trilostane administration on preovulatory changes in mRNA abundance and protein/activity in preovulatory follicles for most regulators of extracellular matrix remodeling examined were distinct from changes previously observed following the inhibition of intrafollicular prostaglandin synthesis. Results suggest that the preovulatory increase in intrafollicular progesterone may not be obligatory for bovine follicle rupture, luteinization, or regulation of prominent matrix-degrading proteinases and their inhibitors associated with ovulation.
Strain-specific steroidal control of pituitary function
Authors: Lee Sang-Nam , Peng Bonnie , Desjardins Roxane , Pintar John E , Day Robert , Lindberg Iris
Published: March 2007

We have previously shown that 7B2 null mice on the 129/SvEvTac (129) genetic background die at 5 weeks of age with hypercorticosteronemia due to a Cushing’s-like disease unless they are rescued by adrenalectomy; however, 7B2 nulls on the C57BL/6NTac (B6) background remain healthy, with normal steroid levels. Since background exerts such a profound influence on the phenotype of this mutation, we have evaluated whether these two different mouse strains respond differently to high circulating steroids by chronically treating wild-type 129 and B6 mice with the synthetic steroid dexamethasone (Dex). Dex treatment decreased the dopamine content of the neurointermediate lobes (NIL) of 129 mice, leading to NIL enlargement and increased total D2R mRNA in the 129, but not the B6, NIL. Despite the decrease in this inhibitory transmitter, Dex-treated 129 mice exhibited reduced circulating α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) along with reduced POMC-derived peptides compared with controls, possibly due to reduced POMC content in the NIL. In contrast, Dex-treated B6 mice showed lowered cellular ACTH, unchanged α-MSH and β-endorphin, and increased circulating α-MSH, most likely due to increased cleavage of NIL ACTH by increased PC2. Dex-treated 129 mice exhibited hyperinsulinemia and lowered blood glucose, whereas Dex-treated B6 mice showed slightly increased glucose levels despite their considerably increased insulin levels. Taken together, our results suggest that the endocrinological response of 129 mice to chronic Dex treatment is very different from that of B6 mice. These strain-dependent differences in steroid sensitivity must be taken into account when comparing different lines of transgenic or knockout mice.
Interorganizational Network Structures and Diffusion of Information Through a Health System
Authors: Gibbons Deborah E.
Published: March 2007

Objectives. I used computational models to test the relationship between interorganizational network structures and diffusion of moderate- to high-priority health information throughout a system. I examined diffusion effects of mean and variance in organizational partnering tendencies, arrangement of ties among subgroups of the system, and the diffusing organization’s effective network size.

Methods. I used agent-based models to simulate local information-sharing processes and observe the outcomes of system-level diffusion. Graphs of diffusion curves demonstrated differences among intergroup structures, and regression models were used to test effects of parameterized and emergent network variables on diffusion.

Results. The average tendency of participating organizations to engage in partnerships with other network members influenced diffusion of information, but variance in partnering tendencies had little effect. Fully connected subgroup structures outperformed hierarchical connections among subgroups, and all outperformed group-to-group chains. Introduction of a small proportion of randomness in connections among members of the chain structure improved diffusion without increasing network density. Finally, greater effective size in the diffusing organization’s network increased diffusion of information.

Conclusions. Small interventions that build connecting structures among subgroups within a health system can be particularly effective at facilitating natural dissemination of information.
The Effect of Antidepressant Warnings on Prescribing Trends in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Kurdyak Paul A. , Juurlink David N. , Mamdani Muhammad M.
Published: March 2007

Objectives. We studied whether 5 regulatory agency advisories concerning the possible increased risk of suicidal behavior during antidepressant therapy had an effect on antidepressant prescription trends in Ontario.

Methods. We conducted a population-based, time-series analysis of new monthly antidepressant prescriptions dispensed by the Ontario Drug Benefits program in 3 age groups (younger than 20 years, 20–65 years old, and older than 65 years) over a 7-year period (April 1998 to March 2005). The impact of five advisories about the possible risk of suicide during antidepressant therapy was also analyzed.

Results. The number of new prescriptions for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as a group did not change after any antidepressant warning in any age group. However, the rate of new paroxetine prescriptions in patients younger than 20 years declined by 54% immediately after the first warning for paroxetine was issued in the United Kingdom in June 2003. That same warning had no effect on new paroxetine prescriptions in the other age categories.

Conclusion. The warning about paroxetine use in depressed patients younger than 18 years that was issued in the United Kingdom led to a significant decrease in new paroxetine prescriptions for young patients in this country. By contrast, warnings in North America did not influence new antidepressant prescription rates in any patient group.
Ethics in Public Health Research
Authors: Curtis Valerie A. , Garbrah-Aidoo Nana , Scott Beth
Published: March 2007

Skill in marketing is a scarce resource in public health, especially in developing countries. The Global Public–Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap set out to tap the consumer marketing skills of industry for national handwashing programs.

Lessons learned from commercial marketers included how to (1) understand consumer motivation, (2) employ 1 single unifying idea, (3) plan for effective reach, and (4) ensure effectiveness before national launch. After the first marketing program, 71% of Ghanaian mothers knew the television ad and the reported rates of handwashing with soap increased.

Conditions for the expansion of such partnerships include a wider appreciation of what consumer marketing is, what it can do for public health, and the potential benefits to industry. Although there are practical and philosophical difficulties, there are many opportunities for such partnerships.
Crisis & Commitment: 150 Years of Service by Los Angeles County Public Hospitals
Authors: Cousineau Michael R. , Tranquada Robert E.
Published: March 2007

The Los Angeles County University of Southern California Medical Center will open soon, replacing the county’s current 74-year-old facility with a modern, although smaller, facility.

Los Angeles County has provided hospital care to the indigent since 1858, during which time, the operation of public hospitals has shifted from a state-mandated welfare responsibility to a preeminent part of the county’s public health mission. As this shift occurred, the financing of Los Angeles County hospitals changed from primarily county support to state and federal government sources, particularly Medicaid.

The success of the new hospital will depend on whether government leaders at all levels provide the reforms needed to help the county and its partners stabilize its funding base.
The Importance of Meaning
Authors: Vaughan Roger D.
Published: March 2007

In the last incarnation of this column, we were reminded of the importance of accuracy, narrowly operationalized as understanding the difference between the population parameter (β) and our estimate of that parameter through regression. Here, we will remind ourselves of the importance of meaning, operationalized as understanding the meaning of the magnitude of the difference in addition to its statistical significance.
Assessing the recreational demand for agricultural land in Finland
Authors: POUTA E. , OVASKAINEN V.
Published: March 2007

It is widely assumed that the scenic attractiveness and other public good aspects of agricultural land can be utilized as a source of livelihood in rural areas in the form of recreation and tourism. In this study we use two approaches to consider whether agricultural landscapes are preferred as a destination for recreation (day trips) and rural tourism (overnight trips). We first analyse the choice of recreation site type based on a model that aggregates sites using the presence of agricultural land as an aggregation variable. Population survey data on recreation trips reveal an association between the respondents living environment, recreational activities and visit characteristics and the probability of choosing a destination with agricultural land. Second, we also estimate the demand functions for trips to agricultural sites and other destination types to consider whether the presence of agricultural land, as opposed to other land use categories, increases the number of trips and the benefits of recreation. The results suggest that agricultural landscapes are inferior to alternative site types in terms of per-trip benefits. However, agricultural landscapes are associated with high annual benefits because of the high rate of visitation.;
Evaluating Habitat Quality for the Dusky Flycatcher
Authors: KROLL A. J. , HAUFLER JONATHAN B.
Published: March 2007

Abstract: We studied the dusky flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri) at 8 sites in central Idaho, USA, in 2002 and 2003 to examine relationships among vegetation cover, density of breeding conspecifics, and indicators of habitat quality. Number of breeding territories and number of fledglings per hectare were positively associated, suggesting that the dusky flycatcher experienced increased reproductive success where it bred at the highest densities. However, the relationships between nesting success, annual reproductive success, number of fledglings per hectare, and amount of understory cover showed substantial annual variation. Nesting success did not differ significantly across sites or between years. Both reproductive success, expressed as young produced per hectare (range: 0.34–3.09 in 2002 and 0.79–3.82 in 2003) and young produced per nesting attempt (range: 0.71–2.78 in 2002 and 1.11–3.10 in 2003), differed across study sites in each year. Mean clutch size did not differ significantly among sites or years. Mean egg weight showed significant variation across some sites within years and was associated negatively with the 3 measures of reproductive success in 2002, although small sample sizes prevented reliable inference about the appropriateness of this measure as an indicator of habitat quality. Mean clutch size and mean egg weight were not associated with vegetation cover variables. Thus, dusky flycatcher reproductive success showed inconsistencies with individual vegetation measurements at the site scale. Forest managers who use vegetation treatments to increase amounts of understory shrub cover (e.g., by removing portions of the overstory conifer canopy) should increase densities of this species and, in turn, increase number of fledglings produced, but these responses appear to be better measured at the territory or nest scales than at the stand or site scales.
Rapid Sustainability Modeling for Raptors by Radiotagging and DNA‐Fingerprinting
Authors: KENWARD ROBERT , KATZNER TODD , WINK MICHAEL , MARCSTRÖM VIDAR , WALLS SEAN , KARLBOM MATS , PFEFFER RALF , BRAGIN EVGENY , HODDER KATHY , LEVIN ANATOLI
Published: March 2007

Abstract: Sustainable use of wildlife is crucial to ensuring persistence of natural resources. We used age‐specific survival and breeding data to parameterize a demographic model for a harvested Kazakh saker falcon (Falco cherrug) population by radiotagging juveniles and estimating adult turnover with DNA‐fingerprinting during 1993–1997. We gathered similar data during 1990–1998 to model populations of British buzzards (Buteo buteo), and during 1980–1998 to model populations of Swedish goshawks (Accipiter gentilis). Leg‐bands and implanted microtransponders provided ways to test for bias and to estimate the harvest of sakers for falconry. Despite an estimated minimum first‐year survival of only 23%, the observed productivity of 3.14 young per clutch would sustain a saker population (i.e., λ = 1) with a breeding rate (at laying) of only 0.63 for adults or with a residual juvenile yield of 37% if all adults breed. Higher first‐year survival rates for goshawks and buzzards correlated with juvenile yields of up to 71%, but no more than half as many individuals if adults also were harvested. An annual population decline of 40% for sakers in southern Kazakhstan could be explained by observed productivity of only 0.71 young per clutch if there was also an estimated harvest of 55% of adults. This study shows that demographic models such as these can now be built rapidly if nestlings are fitted with reliable and safe radiotags and adult turnover is estimated from genetic analyses or other techniques.
Seasonal Changes in Fecal Cortisol Metabolites in Pyrenean Chamois
Authors: DALMAU ANTONI , FERRET ALFRED , CHACON GEMA , MANTECA XAVIER
Published: March 2007

Abstract:We studied seasonal changes in fecal Cortisol metabolites (FCM), which have been widely used as indicators of stress, in a population of Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica) in the Cadí Range of northeastern Spain. We collected fecal samples from 2001 to 2003 in 3 particular locations with different altitudes and male or female presence, and we analyzed them for FCM and fecal nitrogen as an indicator of diet quality. We observed a clear seasonal pattern, with the highest FCM in winter, and we obtained correlations between FCM and monthly mean minimum temperatures and fecal nitrogen. We observed no effects of tourism presence, trophy hunting, or rut season on FCM. Analysis of cortisol metabolites in feces can be a good measure of winter stress in Pyrenean chamois.
Impact of Natural and Artificial Barriers to Dispersal on the Population Structure of Bobcats
Authors: MILLIONS DEVIN G. , SWANSON BRADLEY J.
Published: March 2007

Abstract: We investigated population structure and genetic diversity for bobcats (Lynx rufus) in Michigan, USA, which are distributed throughout the upper peninsula (UP) and the northern half of the lower peninsula (LP) of Michigan. Specifically, we assessed the influence of natural and artificial barriers to dispersal on the genetic population structure of the bobcat across Michigan, as well as in each peninsula. We used 5 microsatellite markers and the statistical package STRUCTURE to identify populations and assign individuals to their population of origin. STRUCTURE identified one population in each peninsula, indicating that the UP and LP are genetically isolated by the Straits of Mackinac which divide the UP and LP. Despite a greater density of roads in the LP, we found no evidence that they have led to intra‐peninsular population structure. Our results suggest that, from a genetic standpoint, management agencies do not need to be concerned about the fragmenting effects of roads when producing management plans for bobcats.
Ruffed Grouse Brood Habitat Use in Mixed Softwood‐Hardwood Nordic‐Temperate Forests, Quebec, Canada
Authors: GIROUX WENDY , BLANCHETTE PIERRE , BOURGEOIS JEAN‐CLAUDE , CABANA GILBERT
Published: March 2007

Abstract: Adequate cover is a critical component of ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) habitat during the brood‐rearing period when chick mortality is high. We assessed habitat use by ruffed grouse during the brood‐rearing period by comparing characteristics of tree, shrub, and ground layers at ruffed grouse brood and random locations. We captured and radiomarked 29 females with broods in 2 forest settings of the Réserve faunique de Portneuf, Quebec, Canada. We described grouse habitat using ground surveys and forest maps, and we identified the used habitat characteristics using analysis of variance and logistic regression. Females with broods used mixed and regenerated clearcut stands that were 1.5–7 m tall and 11–20 years old. Compared with random locations, grouse locations had higher lateral obstruction (76% vs. 68%), higher small‐stem density (29,085 stems/ha vs. 19,340 stems/ha), and were closer to roads and trails. Percentage of coverage by ground vegetation was not higher at grouse locations as often reported in previous studies. Results from this study will help orient ruffed grouse habitat management on Quebec public land and elsewhere in nordic—temperate mixed hardwood—softwood forests to maintain suitable brood habitat after logging operations. Forest management should promote growth of young mixed stands with high horizontal and vertical cover provided by high small‐stem density, which offers protection against aerial and terrestrial predation. Edges such as roadsides are also important in brood habitat as they provide food and cover.
Influence of Natal Experience on Nest‐Site Selection by Urban‐Nesting Cooper's Hawks
Authors: MANNAN R. WILLIAM , MANNAN R. NICHOLAS , SCHMIDT CECILIA A. , ESTES‐ZUMPF WENDY A. , BOAL CLINT W.
Published: March 2007

Abstract:Exposure to environmental features early in life potentially can influence the kinds of places animals select to live later in life. We examined whether there is evidence that Cooper's hawks (Accipiter cooperii) hatched in an urban environment choose sites with features similar to their natal areas when they nest for the first time. The features we examined were the nest tree species and the level of development surrounding the nest tree. We banded nestling and fledgling Cooper's hawks in Tucson, Arizona, USA, from 1994 to 2004. We then monitored nests in Tucson to identify hawks that had been hatched in the city and eventually secured a breeding site. Percent cover of buildings around first breeding nests was not related to percent cover of buildings around natal nests for either sex. There was some evidence that being hatched in a particular tree species influenced choice of tree species at first breeding sites for males, but the influence was weak. In contrast, tree species in which first‐time breeders built their nests, and the sites where the trees were located relative to development, were proportional to what was available in the Tucson metropolitan area. Our data suggest that natal experience played a limited role in nest‐site selection by Cooper's hawks in Tucson for the features we examined. If learning occurred, it could have been for the general structure of natal sites. Thus, any small grove of large trees planted in Tucson could be used as a nest site by Cooper's hawks regardless of the level of development surrounding the nest.
Dispersal of Yearling Pronghorns in Western South Dakota
Authors: JACQUES CHRISTOPHER N. , JENKS JONATHAN A.
Published: March 2007

Abstract: We captured and radiocollared 57 pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) fawns in western South Dakota, USA, during May 2002–2003 and radiotracked them through 15 months of age, by which time all surviving individuals had established a permanent home range. We classified 56% (n = 19) of fawns as dispersers and 44% (n = 15) as residents. Eighty‐four percent (n = 16) of dispersers departed natal home ranges in late October and occupied winter home ranges for 102–209 days before dispersing to permanent home ranges during April 2003 and 2004. Dispersal distances from natal ranges to permanent home ranges varied from 6.2–267.0 km. Winter home‐range sizes for all individual pronghorns varied from 39.4–509.6 km. Permanent home‐range size for all individuals varied from 15.5–166.1 km2. Mean 95% permanent home‐range size differed (P = 0.06) between residents (x̄ = 97.3 ± 15.1 km2) and dispersers (x̄ = 48.6 ± 16.0 km2), but was similar (P = 0.97) among sexes. Mean dispersal distance from natal to permanent home ranges was similar (P = 0.35) for males (x̄ = 54.2 ± 21.0 km) and females (x̄ = 26.3 ± 19.9 km). We suggest that habitat quality (i.e., patchiness) and pronghorn density, in part, stimulated dispersal. We hypothesize that as habitat patch size decreases, home range sizes and distance traveled during predispersal and dispersal movements by pronghorns will increase.
Detection Probability and Sources of Variation in White‐Tailed Deer Spotlight Surveys
Authors: COLLIER BRET A. , DITCHKOFF STEPHEN S. , RAGLIN JOSHUA B. , SMITH JORDAN M.
Published: March 2007

Abstract:As a first step in understanding structure and dynamics of white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations, managers require knowledge of population size. Spotlight counts are widely used to index deer abundance; however, detection probabilities using spotlights have not been formally estimated. Using a closed mark—recapture design, we explored the efficiency of spotlights for detecting deer by operating thermal imagers and spotlights simultaneously. Spotlights detected only 50.6% of the deer detected by thermal imagers. Relative to the thermal imager, spotlights failed to detect 44.2% of deer groups (≥1 deer). Detection probabilities for spotlight observers varied between and within observers, ranging from 0.30 (SE = 0.053) to 0.66 (SE = 0.058). Managers commonly assume that although road counts based on convenience sampling designs are imperfect, observers can gather population‐trend information from repeated counts along the same survey route. Our results indicate detection rate varied between and within observers and surveyed transects. If detection probabilities are substantially affected by many variables, and if transect selection is not based on appropriate sampling designs, it may be impractical to correct road spotlight counts for detection probabilities to garner unbiased estimates of population size.
Comparison of Two Techniques for Surveying Headwater Stream Amphibians
Authors: QUINN TIMOTHY , HAYES MARC P. , DUGGER DANIEL J. , HICKS TIFFANY L. , HOFFMANN ANNETTE
Published: March 2007

Abstract: We compared rubble‐rousing versus light‐touch stream amphibian survey techniques in multiple 1‐m plots across 10 streams in southwest Washington, USA. Specifically, we wanted to determine if light‐touch surveys provide unbiased estimates of abundance (i.e., provide counts correlated with rubble‐rousing counts) and which method would provide more cost‐effective presence or absence information. Rubble‐rousing, a common technique for surveying stream‐associated amphibians in the Pacific Northwest, took 12 times as long as light‐touch to apply. Abundance estimates and standard errors for rubble‐rousing were consistently higher than those for light‐touch for all life stages for the coastal tailed frog (Ascaphus truei) and Columbia torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton kezeri). Except for eggs, light‐touch detected all life stages found during rubble‐rousing. For frogs, only some rubble‐rousing abundance estimates, mostly involving second‐year larvae, were highly correlated with their light‐touch counterparts, whereas for salamanders, similar comparisons generated high correlations across most life stages. Correlations between methods were consistently greater for salamanders than for frogs. However the smaller tailed frog sample sizes and the cryptozoic nature of some life stages may have contributed to this pattern. Depending on the degree to which researchers can tolerate false‐negative error rates, light‐touch may prove less costly than rubble‐rousing for detecting species presence. For the cost of obtaining one rubble‐rousing sample, many light‐touch samples can be used across a range of habitats for detecting species patchily distributed.
Efficacy of tiludronate in the treatment of horses with signs of pain associated with osteoarthritic lesions of the thoracolumbar vertebral column
Authors: Coudry Virginie , Thibaud Dominique , Riccio Barbara , Audigié Fabrice , Didierlaurent David , Denoix Jean-Marie
Published: March 2007

Objective—To evaluate the efficacy of tiludronate for the treatment of horses with signs of pain associated with lesions of the thoracolumbar vertebral column.

Animals—29 horses with clinical manifestations of pain associated with lesions of the thoracolumbar vertebral column and abnormal radiographic findings indicative of osteoarthritis of the articular processes–synovial intervertebral joints.

Procedures—Horses were initially examined in accordance with a standardized protocol, which included radiographic, ultrasonographic, and scintigraphic examinations. Fifteen horses were randomly assigned to receive tiludronate (1 mg/kg, IV, as a slow-rate infusion), and 14 horses received a control substance (day 0). Horses were monitored for the subsequent 120 days. Clinical evaluations were performed on days 60 and 120. Horses that had no evidence of clinical improvement on day 60 were administered tiludronate. Statistical analyses were performed to compare efficacy at day 60, improvement of dorsal flexibility at day 120, and dorsal flexibility before and 60 days after administration of tiludronate.

Results—Horses treated with tiludronate had significant improvement in dorsal flexibility between days 0 and 60, compared with control horses. Clinical improvement in dorsal flexibility was still evident at day 120. The percentage of positive responses was higher in the tiludronate group at 60 days.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Tiludronate had efficacy in the treatment of horses with signs of pain induced by osteoarticular lesions of the thoracolumbar vertebral column, causing a significant improvement in dorsal flexibility. Tiludronate may offer a treatment option for the management of horses with intervertebral lesions and the associated pain.
Synaptic Transmission: Intracellular Signaling
Authors: Benjamin Free R. , Hazelwood Lisa A. , Namkung Yoon , Rankin Michele L. , Rex Elizabeth B. , Sibley David R.
Published: March 2007

In synaptic signaling, the response of an individual neuron is determined by its complement of receptors. As discussed in other chapters in this volume, ligand‐gated ion channels mediate fast synaptic transmission between neurons. However, signaling within an individual neuron is mediated by a complex set of interactions that occur primarily as a result of G protein linked signal transduction. The beauty of this system is in its diversity and inherent capacity for amplification and plasticity in the modulation of many different cellular functions. The initial signal sequence in this type of signaling typically is the generation of a second messenger inside the cell that then in turn activates a number of different proteins capable of modifying cellular processes. This chapter will present examples and an in depth discussion of these intracellular signaling pathways beginning with G protein linked signaling, perpetuated by G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) stimulation. Next, ion channel modulation via G proteins as well as direct GPCR interactions with the channels will be discussed. The long list of intracellular downstream effector pathways including cyclic nucleotide signaling, protein kinase signaling and calcium regulated signaling are also described. The final focus of the chapter is protein phosphorylation cascades, a predominant mechanism in many signal transduction schemes. It is through these complex interactions that an individual cell is able to respond to neurotransmitter stimulation and modify many of its cellular processes to contribute to the overall symphony of synaptic signaling.
Neurobiology of Anxiety
Authors: Toth Miklos , Zupan Bojana
Published: March 2007

Anxiety/fear is a normal reaction to threatening situations and it represents a physiologically protective function. Anxiety/fear is often manifested as avoidance and is also characterized by overt sympathetic reactions. Pathological anxiety is a level of anxiety that is disproportionate to the threat and can be manifested even in the absence of threat. In clinical practice, categorical systems set the boundary at which a particular level of anxiety becomes an anxiety disorder.

Although a genetic contribution to anxiety disorders has long been suspected, it is only recently that genetic polymorphisms in various neurotransmitter and neuromodulatory systems have been linked to anxiety disorders. Still, the contribution of these factors is relatively small to the overall disease phenotype and the complex interaction between genetic factors and the environment will ultimately explain the development of susceptibility to anxiety.

Genetic and biochemical studies, combined with the analysis of mouse strains with induced genetic mutations implicate multiple neurobiological processes in anxiety disorders. Although the association of neurotransmitters and their receptors with anxiety‐like behavior is not surprising, cytokines and cell adhesion molecules were also identified as modulators of anxiety. Furthermore, intracellular signaling pathways and their target genes were linked to anxiety allowing the assembly of specific “anxiety” pathways. It is apparent that anxiety‐related pathways and processes involve communication between various neurons that, via signaling pathways, eventually converge onto regulation of transcription and/or translation. The proper function of these pathways is especially crucial during early postnatal development and one can hypothesize that abnormalities in these pathways at any level lead to, via altered gene expression, to changes in neuronal morphology and/or function. Importantly, all commonly used anxiolytic drugs can be integrated into this model implying that anxiolytic drugs target and modulate the molecular and cellular pathways which establish and/or control the level of anxiety.
Invertebrates as Powerful Genetic Models for Human Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Nass Richard , Nichols Charles D.
Published: March 2007

Our attempt to elucidate the basic mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and to identify pharmaceuticals that can affect these diseases has largely been inhibited by the complexities of the vertebrate brain and the difficulties of modeling the diseases in cell cultures. Most studies involving rodent or cell culture models require some prior knowledge of the molecular pathways that
could
be involved in the disease. Now, through the completion of genome‐sequencing projects and the development of genetic technologies, we can begin to identify novel molecular components involved in human diseases using genetically tractable organisms. In this chapter we will briefly summarize recent advances using the nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans
and fruitfly
Drosophila melanogaster
to model a number of neurodegenerative diseases and describe the potential these organisms have to identify novel proteins and environmental compounds that could confer cell death as well as pharmaceutical targets that can protect against these disorders.
A latent variable modeling approach to identifying subtypes of serious and violent female juvenile offenders
Authors: Odgers Candice L. , Moretti Marlene M. , Burnette Mandi L. , Chauhan Preeti , Waite Dennis , Reppucci N. Dickon
Published: March 2007

Females have recently become an important population in research related to serious and violent juvenile offending. Although a small body of research exists on girls in the deep end of the system, very few studies have examined the degree of heterogeneity within high‐risk female samples. This study applied latent class analysis (LCA) to identify subgroups of female juvenile offenders based on their self‐report of offending profiles (N=133). Results supported a three‐class solution with subgroups characterized by patterns of ‘violent and delinquent’, ‘delinquency only’, and ‘low’ offending patterns. The LCA solution was replicated in an independent sample of high‐risk females. The ‘violent and delinquent’ class was characterized by significantly higher rates of DSM‐IV diagnoses for internalizing disorders, affect dysregulation, exposure to violence (within the home, school and neighborhood), and familial histories of criminality. Implications for future research, policy and clinical practice are discussed. Aggr. Behav. 33:339–352, 2007.  ©2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Executive cognitive functioning and the recognition of facial expressions of emotion in incarcerated violent offenders, non‐violent offenders, and controls
Authors: Hoaken Peter N.S. , Allaby David B. , Earle Jeff
Published: March 2007

Violence is a social problem that carries enormous costs; however, our understanding of its etiology is quite limited. A large body of research exists, which suggests a relationship between abnormalities of the frontal lobe and aggression; as a result, many researchers have implicated deficits in so‐called “executive function” as an antecedent to aggressive behaviour. Another possibility is that violence may be related to problems interpreting facial expressions of emotion, a deficit associated with many forms of psychopathology, and an ability linked to the prefrontal cortex. The current study investigated performance on measures of executive function and on a facial‐affect recognition task in 20 violent offenders, 20 non‐violent offenders, and 20 controls. In support of our hypotheses, both offender groups performed significantly more poorly on measures of executive function relative to controls. In addition, violent offenders were significantly poorer on the facial‐affect recognition task than either of the other two groups. Interestingly, scores on these measures were significantly correlated, with executive deficits associated with difficulties accurately interpreting facial affect. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of a broader understanding of violent behaviour. Aggr. Behav. 33:412–421, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Binge drinking and violence against dating partners: the mediating effect of antisocial traits and behaviors in a multinational perspective
Authors: Hines Denise A. , Straus Murray A.
Published: March 2007

Research has consistently shown a link between alcohol use and partner violence (PV). Little is known concerning the strength of this association across cultures and genders, and few have assessed possible mediators. This study assesses the link between binge drinking and PV among 7,921 college students in 38 sites around the world, and investigates the mediating role of antisocial traits and behaviors (ASTB). A significant association was found between binge drinking and PV, the strength of which differed by site but not by gender. ASTB fully mediated this association. The mean level of binge drinking at each site did not significantly influence the strength of the association between binge drinking and PV. Aggr. Behav. 33:441–457, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.