bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Sex for life’? Men's counter‐stories on ‘erectile dysfunction’, male sexuality and ageing
Authors: Potts Annie , Grace Victoria M. , Vares Tiina , Gavey Nicola
Published: March 2006

Discourse on male sexuality in mid‐to‐later life has exploded in recent years (Gullette 1998). Attention to this topic has been spurred by the advent of (highly profitable) sexuopharmaceutical ‘solutions’ to erectile changes affecting older men. ‘Success’ stories abound in the media and in medical literature related to the restoration of faulty erections and ailing sex lives through drugs such as Viagra (sildenafil citrate), Uprima (apomorphine) and Cialis (tadalafil). In this paper we explore some of the ways in which notions about ageing and male sexuality are changing in popular cultural and medical texts in response to the advent of Viagra and the increasing authority of biomedicine in this area. We also demonstrate how the recent biomedical endorsement of ‘sex for life’ (the imperative to maintain an active youthful masculine [hetero]sexuality – defined in terms of male orgasm through penetrative sex) may be challenged by the very accounts of older men who are, or have been, affected by erectile difficulties and have used drugs like Viagra themselves. We present the perspectives of mid‐to‐late life heterosexual men in New Zealand whose stories question the contemporary biomedical privileging of erections and intercourse ‘at any cost and at any age’. We argue that the current push to identify and treat so‐called erectile dysfunction (and restore erections and penetrative sex to relationships) neglects some men's own experiences of alternative modes of relating sexually that they identify as ‘normal’, ‘healthy’, ‘enjoyable’ and ‘satisfying’ for them and their partners; and undermines their understanding of such changes as positive outcomes of ageing, experience and maturity.
The search for wellbeing in alternative and complementary health practices
Authors: Sointu Eeva
Published: March 2006

This article is premised on a need to understand and analyse how those turning to alternative and complementary medicines conceptualise the role of these practices; to ask what kind of ‘health’ is produced through alternative and complementary medicines and how might the help provided by these practices relate to questions of identity, self and subjectivity? Even though alternative and complementary medicines can be utilised in the face of serious illness, the healing produced through these practices is here argued to transcend physiological health and relate rather to a subjectively assessed sense of ‘wellbeing’. In this article, I analyse what this wellbeing entails, in particular, in terms of contemporary understandings of selfhood as well as in relation to the production of appropriate emotions through ‘emotion management’. I argue that the wellbeing produced through alternative and complementary health practices can be conceptualised as a means of asserting a particular kind of self as well as a means of negotiating identities offered to people in wider societal discourses and institutions. This article is based on qualitative interviews with both practitioners and users of varied alternative and complementary medicines. The focus is on women's experiences.
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of normal appearing white matter in asymptomatic relatives of multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Siger‐Zajdel M. , Selmaj K.
Published: March 2006

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of normal appearing white matter (NAWM) was performed in 25 first‐degree relatives of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). In relatives of MS patients, insignificant trends in the NAA/Cho ratio (to be lower) and in the Cho/Cr ratio (to be higher) were found when compared with healthy controls. These results demonstrated that there are only minimal, insignificant changes in commonly identified metabolite concentrations in NAWM of relatives of MS patients when compared with healthy subjects.
Neurological complications in AIDS patients receiving HAART: a 2‐year retrospective study
Authors: Subsai K. , Kanoksri S. , Siwaporn C. , Helen L. , Kanokporn O. , Wantana P.
Published: March 2006

The positive role of highly active anti‐retroviral therapy (HAART) in reducing opportunistic infections in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients is well known. However, case reports from around the world have demonstrated that some patients seem to suffer a paradoxical deterioration of health as their immune function improves with treatment. This phenomenon has been called immune restoration inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). In northern Thailand, GPO‐vir (Stavudine‐D4T + Lamivudine‐3TC + Nevirapine‐NVP) has been promoted for the treatment of AIDS patients since April 2002, in accordance with the Government Pharmaceutical Organization's guidelines. However, the incidence rates of IRIS affecting nervous system (NIRIS) and non‐NIRIS in comparison with the previous incidence of AIDS‐defining disease have not been reported. We conducted a retrospective study to review the incidence of NIRIS and non‐NIRIS in AIDS patients treated with GPO‐vir in Chiang Mai University Hospital, Thailand, between May 2002 and April 2004. We compare these incidence rates with the incidence rates of neurological complications in the pre‐HAART era. Altogether 506 AIDS patients were treated with GPO‐vir during the specified period. The overall incidence of NIRIS, including progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), cerebral toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis, was lower than the previous incidence of AIDS‐defining disease in the pre‐HAART era. However, the incidence of ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke and primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma had increased.
Primary intramedullary primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) – case report and review of the literature
Authors: De Tommasi A. , De Tommasi C. , Occhiogrosso G. , Cimmino A. , Parisi M. , Sanguedolce F. , Ciappetta P.
Published: March 2006

Spinal primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) are very rare tumors, and intramedullary localization is even less common. Indeed, amongst the 23 cases of the spinal PNET described in the literature, only eight cases had an intramedullary localization. Following the WHO 2000 classification, PNETs have been considered embryonal tumors composed of undifferentiated neuroepithelial cells with a capacity of differentiation into different cellular lines, such as astrocytic, ependymal, melanotic and muscular. They have been considered to arise from a neoplastic transformation of primitive neuroepithelial cells, thereby making their presence possible in any part of the central nervous system. The optimal treatment for these malignant tumors is not yet clear, although, over the years, radiotherapy has been considered the best treatment for spinal PNETs. The described case is that of a 38‐year‐old man with a primary intra‐extramedullary PNET, treated by laminectomy, open biopsy and chemotherapy. The patient, 18 months after the onset of his symptomatology, died without cerebral tumor involvement.
Spectroscopic evidence of hippocampal abnormalities in neocortical epilepsy
Authors: Mueller S. G. , Laxer K. D. , Cashdollar N. , Lopez R. C. , Weiner M. W.
Published: March 2006

Lesional neocortical epilepsy (NE) can be associated with hippocampal sclerosis or hippocampal spectroscopic abnormalities without atrophy (dual pathology). In this study, magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) was used to determine the frequency of hippocampal damage/dysfunction in NE with and without structural lesion. Sixteen patients with NE [seven temporal NE (NE‐T), nine extratemporal (NE‐ET)] and 16 controls were studied with a 2D MRSI sequence (Repetition time/echo time (TR/TE) = 1800/135 ms) covering both hippocampi. Seven NE patients had MR visible lesions (NE‐Les), nine had normal MRI (NE‐no). In each hippocampus, 12 voxels were uniformly selected. In controls, mean (± SD) NAA/(Cr + Cho) values for each voxel were calculated and voxels with NAA/(Cr + Cho) ≤ (mean in controls − 2SD in controls) were defined as ‘pathological’ in patients. Eight of 16 NE patients had at least two ‘pathological’ voxel (mean 2.5, range 2–5) in one hippocampus. Four were NE‐Les and four NE‐no. Three (43%) NE‐T patients, had evidence for hippocampal damage/dysfunction and five (56%) had NE‐ET. The ipsilateral hippocampus was affected in six of eight NE patients. Evidence for unilateral hippocampal damage/dysfunction was demonstrated in 50% of the NE patients. The type of NE, i.e. NE‐Les or NE‐no, NE‐T or NE‐ET, had no influence on the occurrence of hippocampal damage/dysfunction.
Serum albumin level and nosocomial pneumonia in stroke patients
Authors: Dziedzic T. , Pera J. , Klimkowicz A. , Turaj W. , Slowik A. , Rog T. M. , Szczudlik A.
Published: March 2006

Hypoalbuminemia is associated with increased risk of infections. The aim of this study was to determine if serum albumin level is an independent predictor of nosocomial pneumonia in stroke patients. Data of 705 consecutive ischemic stroke patients admitted within 24 h after stroke onset were analyzed retrospectively. Serum albumin level was measured within 36 h after stroke onset. Nosocomial pneumonia was found in 10.5% of stroke patients. Patients with pneumonia had significantly lower serum albumin level than those without pneumonia (31.9 ± 7.5 g/l vs. 35.5 ± 6.9 g/l) and serum albumin level was associated with risk of pneumonia on multivariate analysis (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91–0.98). Our results show that serum albumin level is an independent predictor of nosocomial pneumonia in stroke patients.
Risk of thromboembolism after cerebral venous thrombosis
Authors: Maqueda V. M. , Thijs V.
Published: March 2006

The outcome of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) has been studied infrequently. We assessed the frequency of recurrence of cerebral or systemic thromboembolism and factors influencing recurrence. We performed a retrospective study of consecutive patients with CVT in the period 1985–2002 who were admitted to the University Hospital Gasthuisberg. We performed a chart review and a semi‐standardized telephone interview that focused on recurrent CVT or systemic thromboembolism. Fifty‐four CVT patients with a mean age of 42 years were followed up for a mean of 3.5 years. Eighty percent were women. Coagulation disorders were found in 17 patients (31%). One patient (1.9%) had recurrent CVT and seven patients (12.9%) suffered systemic thromboembolism after a median of 2.5 months. Patients with recurrent thromboembolism more often had coagulopathies (P = 0.04) or a history of deep venous thrombosis (P = 0.007). Patients with early recurrent venous thromboembolism often were not treated with oral anticoagulants (P < 0.001). It was evident from the above study that a substantial number of patients suffer recurrent thromboembolism after CVT.
Seronegative myasthenia gravis: comparison of neurophysiological picture in MuSK+ and MuSK− patients
Authors: Padua L. , Tonali P. , Aprile I. , Caliandro P. , Bartoccioni E. , Evoli A.
Published: March 2006

The aim of this study was to compare the neurophysiological and clinical pictures of a large sample of seronegative myasthenia gravis (SNMG) patients with and without anti‐MuSK antibodies. Fifty‐two consecutive SNMG patients were retrospectively evaluated. They had undergone an extended neurophysiological evaluation: repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS), single fiber EMG (SFEMG), and electromyography (EMG) with nerve conduction study. A muscle biopsy was performed in 11 of 52 patients, the edrophonium test in 44 of 52 patients and anti‐AChR antibodies and anti‐MuSK antibodies were tested in all patients. Anti‐MuSK antibodies were detected in 25 SNMG patients (48.1%). The number of women in the MuSK+ group was significantly higher (P = 0.01) than in the MuSK− group. Seronegative MuSK+ patients are more severely affected and the deficit often involves the bulbar and the respiratory muscles. No statistically significant differences were observed in the edrophonium test between MuSK+ and MuSK− groups. The RNS test was abnormal in a significantly higher number of MUSK− patients than MUSK+ patients (P < 0.00001). With regard to SFEMG data, MuSK− patients were characterized to have more severe neurophysiological pattern. Our observations showed several differences between the clinical and neurophysiological pictures of MUSK+ and MUSK− patients.
Diagnosing refractory epilepsy: response to sequential treatment schedules
Authors: Mohanraj R. , Brodie M. J.
Published: March 2006

Diagnosing refractory epilepsy would facilitate referral for specialist pharmacological review and early consideration of epilepsy surgery. An outcomes study was undertaken in an unselected cohort of newly diagnosed patients to determine the number of antiepileptic drug (AED) regimens needed to be failed before the epilepsy could be designated as pharmacoresistant. Between July 1982 and May 2001, 780 adolescents and adults prescribed their first AED at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow, Scotland provided longitudinal data suitable for analysis. Overall, 504 (64.6%) patients became seizure free for at least 12 months. Of these, 462 (59.2%) remained in remission, while 42 (5.4%) relapsed and subsequently developed refractory epilepsy. The relapse rate peaked at 10.4% after 8 years of follow‐up. The other 276 (35.4%) patients were uncontrolled from the outset. Prognosis appeared better in seniors (85% remission, P < 0.001) and adolescents (65% remission, P < 0.01) than in the remainder of the population (55% remission). Overall response rates with the first, second and third treatment schedules were 50.4, 10.7 and 2.7%, respectively, with only 0.8% patients responding optimally to further drug trials. Patients not tolerating at least one AED schedule did better than those failing because of lack of efficacy. These data suggest that suitable patients failing two AED regimens should be referred for epilepsy surgery. Those who do not attain long‐term seizure freedom with the first three treatment schedules are likely to have refractory epilepsy.
Cutaneous hyperpigmentation induced by omeprazole mimicking ashy dermatosis
Authors: Ramírez‐Hernández M , Martínez‐Escribano JA , Martínez‐Barba E , Alcolea‐Rubio LA , Ibarra‐Berrocal IJ
Published: March 2006

Background  Omeprazole has been associated with multiple adverse effects including skin reactions but, to date, cutaneous hyperpigmentation has not been described as an adverse effect of this drug.

Observations  We describe a case of a 52‐year‐old Caucasian woman who developed skin hyperpigmentation in the upper trunk, mimicking ashy dermatosis, 2 months after initiating omeprazole treatment. Histopathologic examination of a skin biopsy taken from a pigmented macule showed dermal macrophages containing golden‐brown granules, which also displayed a sulphur peak on energy‐dispersive X‐ray microanalysis. High‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry were also performed on the drug and on a biopsy specimen revealing the same chromatograms as well as the same mass spectra.

Conclusions  According to our results, omeprazole itself may induce cutaneous pigmentation and, to our knowledge, this is the first report of this finding.
Diet of the spotted‐tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) in eastern Australia: effects of season, sex and size
Authors: Glen A. S. , Dickman C. R.
Published: March 2006

The diet of spotted‐tailed quolls Dasyurus maculatus (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) in the north‐eastern tablelands of New South Wales was investigated by faecal analysis. Medium‐sized mammals (500–6999 g) formed the bulk of the faecal content, in terms of both volume and frequency of occurrence. The most frequently consumed vertebrates were the greater glider Petauroides volans, rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, bandicoots Perameles nasuta and/or Isoodon macrourus, red‐necked pademelon Thylogale thetis, ringtail possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus, and brushtail possums Trichosurus vulpecula and/or T. caninus. Insects were also eaten frequently, but birds and reptiles occurred relatively infrequently in the diet. The seasonal variation in diet was marked, with insects and reptiles being consumed more frequently, and mammals less frequently, in summer than in winter. This seasonal pattern was also mirrored by the relative volumes of mammals and insects consumed. The results obtained here indicate that the spotted‐tailed quoll is an opportunistic predator, consuming a wide variety of taxa and apparently varying its diet to take advantage of short‐term fluctuations in prey abundance. The extremely high proportion of mammals in the diet identifies D. maculatus as a hypercarnivore, or meat specialist. The importance of tree hollow‐nesting mammals in the diet indicates that the preservation of hollow‐bearing trees should aid the conservation of D. maculatus. Future dietary studies of the species should sample over extensive time periods and involve concurrent monitoring of prey populations.
Satellite tracking of Mongolian gazelles (Procapra gutturosa) and habitat shifts in their seasonal ranges
Authors: Ito T. Y. , Miura N. , Lhagvasuren B. , Enkhbileg D. , Takatsuki S. , Tsunekawa A. , Jiang Z.
Published: March 2006

Conservation and management are urgently required for Mongolian gazelles Procapra gutturosa inhabiting the Mongolian steppe. We captured and satellite‐collared two adult females in Dornogobi Province and two adult females in Omnogobi Province and examined whether their seasonal migration corresponded to shifts in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in their habitat. The mean NDVI values of their annual, summer and winter ranges were calculated based on data acquired by the moderate‐resolution imaging spectrometer (MODIS) onboard the Terra satellite. Satellite tracking of gazelles proved their ability to move long distances and provided details of their migration routes. In Omnogobi, the NDVI of the summer range was higher than those of annual and winter ranges during summer, but from October to November the NDVI of the summer range was lower than annual or winter ranges. The shift in NDVI values between summer and winter ranges corresponded with seasonal migrations of gazelles. In contrast, NDVI values were higher in the winter ranges than in both the summer and annual ranges throughout the year in Dornogobi. The results showed that the NDVI is a good indicator of gazelle habitat, but the NDVI alone cannot the explain seasonal migration of gazelles. It is important to evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of the NDVI as an indicator of habitat quality.
How plants cope with complete submergence
Authors: Voesenek L. A. C. J. , Colmer T. D. , Pierik R. , Millenaar F. F. , Peeters A. J. M.
Published: March 2006

Flooding is a widespread phenomenon that drastically reduces the growth and survival of terrestrial plants. The dramatic decrease of gas diffusion in water compared with in air is a major problem for terrestrial plants and limits the entry of CO2 for photosynthesis and of O2 for respiration. Responses to avoid the adverse effects of submergence are the central theme in this review. These include underwater photosynthesis, aerenchyma formation and enhanced shoot elongation. Aerenchyma facilitates gas diffusion inside plants so that shoot‐derived O2 can diffuse to O2‐deprived plant parts, such as the roots. The underwater gas‐exchange capacity of leaves can be greatly enhanced by a thinner cuticle, reorientation of the chloroplasts towards the epidermis and increased specific leaf area (i.e. thinner leaves). At the same time, plants can outgrow the water through increased shoot elongation, which in some species is preceded by an adjustment of leaf angle to a more vertical position. The molecular regulatory networks involved in these responses, including the putative signals to sense submergence, are discussed and suggestions made on how to unravel the mechanistic basis of the induced expression of various adaptations that alleviate O2 shortage underwater.

Contents

Summary
213

I.
Introduction
213

II.
Sensing of submergence
214

III.
Internal aeration and underwater photosynthesis
217

IV.
Stimulated shoot elongation
219

V.
Perspectives
221

Acknowledgements
222

References
222
Maternal medicine: Randomised trial of vitamin A supplementation in pregnant women in rural Malawi found to be anaemic on screening by HemoCue
Authors: Van Den Broek NR , White SA , Flowers C , Cook JD , Letsky EA , Tanumihardjo SA , Mhango C , Molyneux M , Neilson JP
Published: March 2006

Objective  To assess the effects of vitamin A supplementation in women with anaemia during pregnancy.

Design  Single‐centre randomised controlled trial.

Setting  Rural community in southern Malawi, central Africa.

Population  Seven hundred women with singleton pregnancies at 12–24 weeks measured by ultrasound scan and with haemoglobin <11.0 g/dl by HemoCue screening method. Analysis was by intention to treat. All received iron and folate, and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine for antimalarial prophylaxis.

Methods  Women were randomised to receive oral supplementation with daily 5000 or 10 000 iu vitamin A, or placebo.

Main outcome measures  Anaemia, as assessed by Coulter counter, severe anaemia, iron status and indices of infection.

Results  Vitamin A deficiency was, in this rural population, less common than predicted. Vitamin A supplementation had no significant impact on anaemia, severe anaemia, iron status and indices of infection. Vitamin A stores were less likely to be depleted at the end of pregnancy in supplemented groups.

Conclusions  Vitamin A supplementation programmes to reduce anaemia should not be implemented in similar antenatal populations in rural sub‐Saharan Africa unless evidence emerges of positive benefit on substantive clinical outcomes. Introducing public health interventions of unknown benefit and with unclear biological mechanisms can divert scarce resources from clinical and social interventions more likely to impact maternal mortality.
General obstetrics: Fish oil in various doses or flax oil in pregnancy and timing of spontaneous delivery: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Knudsen VK , Hansen HS , Østerdal ML , Mikkelsen TB , Mu H , Olsen SF
Published: March 2006

Objectives To test the earlier suggested hypothesis that intake of long‐chain n‐3 fatty acids from fish oil may delay the timing of spontaneous delivery and to test if alpha‐linolenic acid, provided as flax oil capsules, shows the same effect.

Design Randomised controlled trial including women reporting low dietary fish intake. The women were allocated in the proportions of 1:1:1:1:1:1:2 into six treatment groups and a control group, respectively, from week 17–27 of gestation. The treatment groups received fish oil, in various doses, or flax oil, and the control group did not receive any treatment.

Setting The Danish National Birth Cohort.

Sample A total of 3098 women allocated into six treatment groups and one control group.

Methods The six intervention groups were offered fish oil capsules in doses of 0.1, 0.3, 0.7, 1.4 and 2.8 g of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid per day or 2.2 g of alpha‐linolenic acid (ALA) per day from week 17–27 of gestation until delivery.

Main outcome measures Timing of spontaneous delivery.

Results No differences in timing of spontaneous delivery was detected in the fish oil groups or the flax oil group, compared with the control group. The difference in timing of spontaneous delivery in the group receiving the highest fish oil dose compared with the control group was 0.8 days (95% CI: –2.3 to 1.0). Only a minority of the women in the intervention groups took capsules until delivery.

Conclusion Possible explanations for these findings include no true effect of n‐3 fatty acids on spontaneous delivery or a quick‐acting effect not detectable in this trial.
General obstetrics: Pregnancy‐induced hypertension is associated with lower infant mortality in preterm singletons
Authors: Chen XK , Wen SW , Smith G , Yang Q , Walker M
Published: March 2006

Objective  To assess the association between pregnancy‐induced hypertension (PIH) and infant mortality.

Design  Retrospective cohort study.

Setting  Birth and infant death registration dataset of the USA.

Population  A total of 17 432 987 eligible, liveborn singleton births in 1995–2000.

Methods  Multivariate logistic regression was applied to evaluate the association between PIH and infant mortality, with adjustment of potential confounders.

Main outcome measures  Infant death (0–364 days) and its three components: early neonatal death (0–6 days), late neonatal death (7–27 days), and postneonatal death (28–364 days).

Results  There was a significant reduction in infant mortality associated with PIH in early preterm infants (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.56–0.63) and in late preterm infants (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.73–0.87), but a significant increase in term infants (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02–1.14). Both in early preterm and late preterm births, early neonatal mortality (OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.34–0.42; OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.61–0.77) and late neonatal mortality (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.50–0.70; OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.61–0.96) were decreased in infants born to mothers with PIH compared with those born to mothers with normal blood pressure. The PIH‐associated reduction in neonatal mortality among preterm singletons was stronger in small‐for‐gestational‐age infants than in normal growth infants and stronger in infants born to nulliparous women than in those born to multiparous women.

Conclusions  PIH is associated with lower risk of infant death in preterm births but higher risk in term births.
Short communication: Association of pre‐eclampsia with the R563Q mutation of the β‐subunit of the epithelial sodium channel
Authors: Dhanjal MK , Owen EP , Anthony JA , Davidson JS , Rayner BL
Published: March 2006

The R563Q mutation of the β‐subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is associated with hypertension in black and mixed ancestry (MA) men and women in South Africa. The frequency of the R563Q mutation in black and MA women with pre‐eclampsia (n= 230) and in controls (n= 198) was studied. The R563Q mutation was found in 7.8% of the women with pre‐eclampsia and in 2.6% of controls (P= 0.014). This remained significant if the black women were analysed separately (P= 0.031). We have demonstrated that a genetic variant of the ENaC is associated with pre‐eclampsia. This has implications for understanding the pathogenesis and treatment of pre‐eclampsia.
Fetal medicine: Intrauterine fetal demise following laser treatment in twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome
Authors: Cavicchioni O , Yamamoto M , Robyr R , Takahashi, Y Ville Y
Published: March 2006

Objective  To evaluate the incidence, risk factors and consequences of intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD) of at least one twin in twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) treated by laser.

Design  Retrospective analysis.

Setting  Experience of a single centre between 1999 and 2004.

Population  A subgroup of 45 cases with fetal demise of one or both twins from a series of 120 cases of TTTS treated by laser.

Methods  All cases were entered prospectively into a dedicated database and the results were analysed retrospectively.

Main outcome measures  Fetal demise prognostic factors, survival, fetal anaemia, brain lesions, neonatal death and intact survival.

Results  IUFD of one twin occurred in 40 of 120 cases (19 donors and 21 recipients). IUFD of both twins occurred in another five cases. From these 40 cases, miscarriage occurred in two and pregnancy termination was requested in another two cases because of antenatal brain lesions. Two neonates died and two presented severe morbidity, survivors were therefore neurologically normal at 6–44 months of life in 89% (32/36) of the cases. Univariate analysis showed that preoperative abnormal umbilical artery Doppler in the donor before laser treatment and in the recipient following laser treatment was associated with their demise. Incomplete coagulation was suspected in cases where anaemia or cerebral lesions developed following the death of the first twin (10).

Conclusions  IUFD of one or both twins occurred in 45 of 120 (38%) cases of severe TTTS treated by laser. In these, separation of the placental circulations was incomplete in at least 22% (10/45) of the cases. Umbilical artery Doppler abnormalities before laser were found to be risk factors for the donors’ demise following the procedure.
Characterization of microsatellite markers for the tanoak tree, Lithocarpus densiflorus
Authors: MORRIS VERONICA R. F. , DODD RICHARD S.
Published: March 2006

We describe the development of 19 primers for amplification of microsatellite loci for tanoak, Lithocarpus densiflorus (Hook. & Arn.). A population from Soquel State Demonstration Forest, Santa Cruz County, California (n = 20), and eight individuals from four additional coastal populations and one interior (Sierra Nevada) population were used to investigate polymorphism. The total number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 10. Observed heterozygosity in the Soquel population ranged from 0.05 to 0.70, with two loci being fixed.
Characterization of 13 polymorphic microsatellite loci for an evergreen tree, Myrica rubra
Authors: TERAKAWA M. , KIKUCHI S. , KANETANI S. , MATSUI K. , YUMOTO T. , YOSHIMARU H.
Published: March 2006

We developed 13 microsatellite markers from a genomic library enriched for dinucleotide (CT) repeats in a dioecious evergreen tree, Myrica rubra. We screened loci from 32 adult trees. The number of alleles ranged from two to 14, and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.324 to 0.884. The total paternity exclusionary power where the mother was known equalled 0.99965. These loci are of clear value in studying mating system and parentage analysis of this species.
Use of SSCP to improve the efficiency of microsatellite identification from microsatellite‐enriched libraries
Authors: PIGGOTT MAXINE P. , BANKS SAM C. , BEHEREGARAY LUCIANO B.
Published: March 2006

An inefficient aspect of marker identification from microsatellite‐enriched libraries is the proportion of clones with identical sequences. This can substantially increase the number of clones that need to be sequenced in order to identify a sufficient number of microsatellite loci. We propose the use of single‐stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis to identify unique clones prior to sequencing. We used this approach prior to sequencing from microsatellite‐enriched libraries for three marine invertebrate species and were able to obtain a given number of unique clone sequences for only 28% of the sequencing effort that would have been required without SSCP screening.
Radio telemetry as a tool for impact assessment of wind farms: the case of Little Terns Sterna albifrons at Scroby Sands, Norfolk, UK
Authors: PERROW MARTIN R. , SKEATE ELEANOR R. , LINES PAUL , BROWN DANIEL , TOMLINSON MARK L.
Published: March 2006

Many seabirds travel widely to exploit variably distributed prey resources, utilizing even profitable patches only briefly as prey become available. Assessing the relative importance of areas occupied by wind farms relies on sufficient survey effort to increase the probability of detection and later assessment to an acceptable level. Conventional techniques suffer from high sampling costs and infrequent sampling of patches within larger areas. Remote techniques, which continuously sample habitat, may offer a solution although sufficient coverage may be difficult to achieve. In this paper, we outline experiences of the use of radio telemetry on LittleTerns Sterna albifrons at their most important UK breeding site, the Great Yarmouth North Denes Special Protection Area (SPA), in relation to a 30 turbine offshore wind farm on Scroby Sands, which encroaches to 2 km from the North Denes colony. Little Terns had not been radio‐tagged previously in the UK, and the technical difficulties of tagging and subsequently following a small (55 g) diving seabird limited data collection. However, comparative data from 2 years (2003 and 2004), in which the abundance of the terns’ preferred prey varied greatly, revealed striking differences in activity and foraging patterns, which changed the perception of the scope of the birds. With an active nest, birds occupied a range of < 6.3 km2 with a range span of up to 4.6 km. In comparison, failed birds ranged widely, occupying ranges up to 52 km2 and travelling up to 27 km in a single foraging bout. As birds were recorded from 2 to 3 km offshore, the wind farm is within range of birds from the breeding colony at North Denes, although only a small proportion of foraging time was spent at such distance in the years of study. The potential value of radio (and satellite) telemetry in illustrating habitat use, perhaps to set precautionary distance limits for wind farms as well as defining actual use of particular areas including for collision risk assessment is discussed.
Remote techniques for counting and estimating the number of bird–wind turbine collisions at sea: a review
Authors: DESHOLM M. , FOX A. D. , BEASLEY P. D. L. , KAHLERT J.
Published: March 2006

Since the early 1990s, marine wind farms have become a reality, with at least 13 000 offshore wind turbines currently proposed in European waters. There are public concerns that these man‐made structures will have a significant negative impact on the many bird populations migrating and wintering at sea. We assess the degree of usefulness and the limitations of different remote technologies for studying bird behaviour in relation to bird–turbine collisions at offshore wind farms. Radar is one of the more powerful tools available to describe the movement of birds in three‐dimensional space. Although radar cannot measure bird–turbine collisions directly, it offers the opportunity to quantify input data for collision models. Thermal Animal Detection System (TADS) is an infra red‐based technology developed as a means of gathering highly specific information about actual collision rates, and also for parameterizing predictive collision models. TADS can provide information on avoidance behaviour of birds in close proximity to turbine rotor‐blades, flock size and flight altitude. This review also assesses the potential of other (some as yet undeveloped) techniques for collecting information on bird flight and behaviour, both pre‐ and post‐construction of the offshore wind farms. These include the use of ordinary video surveillance equipment, microphone systems, laser range finder, ceilometers and pressure sensors.
Information needs to support environmental impact assessment of the effects of European marine offshore wind farms on birds
Authors: FOX A.D. , DESHOLM MARK , KAHLERT JOHNNY , CHRISTENSEN THOMAS KJAER , KRAG PETERSEN IB
Published: March 2006

European legislation requires Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) of national offshore wind farm (OWF) programmes and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for individual projects likely to affect birds. SEAs require extensive mapping of waterbird densities to define breeding and feeding areas of importance and sensitivity. Use of extensive large scale weather, military, and air traffic control surveillance radar is recommended, to define areas, routes and behaviour of migrating birds, and to determine avian migration corridors in three dimensions. EIAs for individual OWFs should define the key avian species present; as well as assess the hazards presented to birds in terms of avoidance behaviour, habitat change and collision risk. Such measures, however, are less helpful in assessing cumulative impacts. Using aerial survey, physical habitat loss, modification, or gain and effective habitat loss through avoidance behaviour can be measured using bird densities as a proxy measure of habitat availability. The energetic consequences of avoidance responses and habitat change should be modelled to estimate fitness costs and predict impacts at the population level. Our present ability to model collision risk remains poor due to lack of data on species‐specific avoidance responses. There is therefore an urgent need to gather data on avoidance responses; energetic consequences of habitat modification and avoidance flights and demographic sensitivity of key species, most affected by OWFs. This analysis stresses the importance of common data collection protocols, sharing of information and experience, and accessibility of results at the international level to better improve our predictive abilities.
The development and use of individuals‐based models to predict the effects of habitat loss and disturbance on waders and waterfowl
Authors: WEST ANDREW D. , CALDOW RICHARD W. G.
Published: March 2006

Current commitments to increase renewable energy generation have led to concern about the possible effects of such developments on shorebirds and waterfowl. To assess the future impact of industrial developments – of changes in the intensity or type of activity on an estuary – or to evaluate the cost effectiveness of proposed mitigating measures, ecologists must be able to predict accurately to new environmental conditions. The difficulty with predicting to new circumstances is often that there is no way of knowing whether the empirical relationships upon which models are based will hold under the new conditions, and so predictions are of uncertain accuracy. Individuals‐based models of shorebirds feeding on estuaries have been developed in an attempt to overcome this problem. These models follow the behavioural responses of individual animals to changes in the environment and predict variables such as population mortality rate from the fates of all individuals. Birds in these models use optimal decision rules to determine their behaviour, which means that model birds are likely to respond to environmental changes in the same way as real ones would and are therefore expected to provide a reliable means of predicting how animal populations will be influenced by environmental change. We describe previous approaches to predicting the effects of development in estuaries using two estuarine barrage schemes as examples. We then describe the development of individuals‐based models to overcome the limitations of these approaches and discuss examples of how the models have already been used to predict the consequences of habitat loss and disturbance. Finally, we describe two current applications that demonstrate how individuals‐based models are being used to predict the effects of barrages and offshore wind farm developments on waterbirds. We believe that individuals‐based modelling has the potential to play an important role in future investigations of the impacts of a wide range of renewable energy developments.
Potential impacts of climatic change upon geographical distributions of birds
Authors: HUNTLEY BRIAN , COLLINGHAM YVONNE C. , GREEN RHYS E. , HILTON GEOFFREY M. , RAHBEK CARSTEN , WILLIS STEPHEN G.
Published: March 2006

Potential climatic changes of the near future have important characteristics that differentiate them from the largest magnitude and most rapid of climatic changes of the Quaternary. These potential climatic changes are thus a cause for considerable concern in terms of their possible impacts upon biodiversity.

Birds, in common with other terrestrial organisms, are expected to exhibit one of two general responses to climatic change: they may adapt to the changed conditions without shifting location, or they may show a spatial response, adjusting their geographical distribution in response to the changing climate. The Quaternary geological record provides examples of organisms that responded to the climatic fluctuations of that period in each of these ways, but also indicates that the two are not alternative responses but components of the same overall predominantly spatial response. Species unable to achieve a sufficient response by either or both of these mechanisms will be at risk of extinction; the Quaternary record documents examples of such extinctions.

Relationships between the geographical distributions of birds and present climate have been modelled for species breeding in both Europe and Africa. The resulting models have very high goodness‐of‐fit and provide a basis for assessing the potential impacts of anthropogenic climatic changes upon avian species richness in the two continents. Simulations made for a range of general circulation model projections of late 21st century climate lead to the conclusion that the impacts upon birds are likely to be substantial. The boundaries of many species’ potential geographical distributions are likely to be shifted  1000 km. There is likely to be a general decline in avian species richness, with the mean extent of species’ potential geographical distributions likely to decrease. Species with restricted distributions and specialized species of particular biomes are likely to suffer the greatest impacts. Migrant species are likely to suffer especially large impacts as climatic change alters both their breeding and wintering areas, as well as critical stopover sites, and also potentially increases the distances they must migrate seasonally.

Without implementation of new conservation measures, these impacts will be severe and are likely to be exacerbated by land‐use change and associated habitat fragmentation. Unless strenuous efforts are made to address the root causes of anthropogenic climatic change, much current effort to conserve biodiversity will be in vain.
The reliability of an ‘off‐the‐shelf’ conceptual rainfall runoff model for use in climate impact assessment: uncertainty quantification using Latin hypercube sampling
Authors: Murphy Conor , Fealy Rowan , Charlton Ro , Sweeney John
Published: March 2006

Much uncertainty is derived from the application of conceptual rainfall runoff models. In this paper, HYSIM, an ‘off‐the‐shelf’ conceptual rainfall runoff model, is applied to a suite of catchments throughout Ireland in preparation for use in climate impact assessment. Parameter uncertainty is assessed using the GLUE methodology. Given the lack of source code available for the model, parameter sampling is carried out using Latin hypercube sampling. Uncertainty bounds are constructed for model output. These bounds will be used to quantify uncertainty in future simulations as they include error derived from data measurement, model structure and parameterization.
Sustainable flood management: oxymoron or new paradigm?
Authors: Werritty Alan
Published: March 2006

The existing paradigm of UK flood risk management that privileges structural solutions over non‐structural ones is evolving in response to threats posed by climate change and higher environmental standards required by the EC Water Framework Directive. This paper examines the contrasting reactions of DEFRA and the Scottish Executive. The Scottish ‘experiment’, which embraces a strong definition of sustainability, is contrasted with a weaker version emerging in England and Wales. Divergent levels of risk and histories of managing that risk explain many of these contrasts. Scotland's more radical approach has the potential to become a new paradigm.
Flood seasonality and generating conditions in the Tay catchment, Scotland from 1200 to present
Authors: McEwen Lindsey J
Published: March 2006

The new maximum recorded river flows in Scotland since 1988 have triggered widespread interest in whether floods are becoming more frequent and in the conditions that generate floods of different magnitudes and frequencies. There are questions about the longer‐term variability in flood‐generating characteristics, and whether there are past analogues for present hydroclimatic variability. The present paper builds on previous work reconstructing a detailed historic flood chronology for the Tay, the largest catchment in Scotland, and its tributaries over the past 800 years, extending the gauged discharge record (1952 onwards). It categorizes flood‐generating factors in the Tay catchment and analyses the hydro‐meteorological conditions that have generated extreme and moderate floods over a historical period. This work is placed in a broader literature context of historical ‘climaxes of storminess’, periods of higher storm frequency, flood patterns observed in Scotland and Europe during the Little Ice Age and longer‐term rainfall and temperature patterns. The paper concludes that the variability in flood‐generating characteristics is highly dependent on the timescale of observation. Inevitably the relative dominance of winter and early spring flooding can vary from year to year and within specific time‐periods, but so can the level of augmentation of the flood series with summer and autumn floods to produce notable ‘flood years’ and flood clusters. The Tay provides a good ‘all‐Scotland surrogate’ for historical flood patterns, reflecting its gathering areas in eastern and western Scotland. The value of a historical approach to the assessment of flood seasonality and generating characteristics is clearly demonstrated.
Community transport, social capital and social exclusion in rural areas
Authors: Gray David , Shaw Jon , Farrington John
Published: March 2006

The concept of social capital has been used by numerous authors to investigate various topics. As yet, however, little attention has been paid to its relationship with mobility and social exclusion. Those findings which have been published suggest that the maintenance of social capital and associated networks within and between communities largely depends on mobility, but that local social networks are being undermined as a result of growing car ownership and use. This paper draws on the results of recent rural transport research to suggest that, at the same time, strong local social capital appears important in conferring mobility on certain social groups, especially those without access to a car. In the context of community transport, our analysis uses a geographic framework to attempt to explore these positions and reviews arising policy and research implications.
Historical and pooled flood frequency analysis for the River Tay at Perth, Scotland
Authors: Macdonald N , Werritty A , Black A R , McEwen L J
Published: March 2006

Improved estimates of UK flood risk during a period of increased climatic variability place challenges on existing methods that rely on short instrumental records. This paper examines the value of using historical data (both documentary and epigraphic) to augment existing gauged records for the River Tay at Perth as part of a multi‐method approach to assessing flood risk. Single station and pooled methods are compared with flood risk estimates based on an augmented historical series (1815–2000) using the Generalized Logistic and Generalized Pareto distributions. The value of using an even longer, but less reliable, extended historical series (1210–2000) is also examined. It is recommended that modelling flood risk for return periods >100 years should incorporate historical data, where available, and that a multi‐method approach using a high threshold Generalized Pareto distribution can also add confidence in flood risk estimates for return periods <100 years based on standard methods.
Where Did the Bodies Go? The Social Construction of Suicide Data, New York City, 1976–1992*
Authors: Whitt Hugh P.
Published: March 2006

The number of suicides reported for New York City by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) fell precipitously in 1985 and remained extremely low until 1989, when it returned to pre‐1985 levels. The downturn in reported suicides from 1985 to 1988 occurred in all five of the city's boroughs but did not extend to the suburbs. The apparent drop in suicide rates was largely and perhaps completely an artifact of personnel and policy changes in the New York City Chief Medical Examiner's Office during a period in which the office engaged in defensive structuring in the face of severe political, economic, and journalistic pressures. During the downturn, suicides were “hidden” in reported deaths attributable to non‐motor‐vehicle accidents and, to a lesser extent, undeter‐mined external causes. The socially constructed trough in suicide rates between 1985 and 1988 affects the outcome of tests of theories of suicidal behavior using county‐level data for New York State.