bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geophagy in New Guinea birds
Authors: Diamond Jared , Bishop K. David , Gilardi James D.
Published: April 2008

Geophagy, the ingestion of soil, has been reported for birds and other animals from many regions, but its functions remain debated. We report geophagy for the first time for New Guinea birds: four or five parrot species, two or three pigeon species, one hornbill species, one crow species and possibly one cassowary species. These species ate soil at an area of bare ground created by a landslide on a steep mountain slope. Parrots visited the site in the early morning, pigeons in the late afternoon, flying in from considerable distances. All 11 of these species are frugivores. In the vicinity, we recorded 133 other bird species (including 37 other frugivore species) that were not observed to visit the site. Within each taxonomic group of frugivores, those practising geophagy tended to be the largest species of their guild. To test hypotheses regarding the functions of geophagy, we carried out chemical and physical analyses of soil samples from the site. The ingested soil was much too fine‐grained to be useful as grit; it contained only modest levels of all 14 minerals analysed; it lacked buffering capacity; and there was no evidence that it protected against diarrhoea. Instead, the soil's high measured cation‐exchange capacity, high content of cation‐binding minerals and binding of large quantities of tannic acid and quinine suggest a different hypothesis: that geophagy in this case served to bind poisonous and/or bitter‐tasting secondary compounds in ingested fruits and seeds. Geophagy thus represents one weapon in the escalating biological warfare between plants and animal consumers‐an evolutionary arms race at which parrots excel. We discuss five unsolved problems posed by geophagy.
Patterns of territory settlement and consequences for breeding success in the Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
Authors: CURRIE DAVE , THOMPSON DES B.A. , BURKE TERRY
Published: April 2008

We examined the pattern of territory settlement and its consequences for breeding success in the Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe on Bardsey Island, Wales, during the breeding seasons of 1991‐93. Males returned earlier than females, and older males returned earlier than first‐year breeders. Although their boundaries shifted between years, the general location of territories was consistent during the three‐year study. There was a high degree of fidelity to area and territory between years for both sexes. The order of territory settlement, from which a territory rank was calculated, was highly consistent for males between years irrespective of individual settlement patterns and territory fidelity. Patterns of territory settlement were less predictable for females, although there was a significant correlation between the mean territory ranks of paired males and females. There was a male‐biased sex ratio in each year, and between 5% and 26% of males remained unpaired throughout the breeding season. Male mating status and breeding success were dependent on arrival date, territory rank and breeding density. Early‐arriving, usually older, males were able to settle on territories first and were more likely to pair, while later‐arriving individuals were more likely to remain unmated. These effects were consistent between years, and consequently territories could be classified as either preferred (accounting for proportionately more breeding attempts) or non‐preferred. Territory quality as opposed to individual quality appeared to explain much of the variation in breeding success, and both sexes benefited by breeding on preferred territories through enhanced breeding success and an increased probability that their offspring would be recruited to the population.
Daily routines and predator encounters in Yellowhammers Emberiza citrinella in the field during winter
Authors: VEEN INEKE T. VAN DER
Published: April 2008

Diurnal and seasonal variation in foraging behaviour of Yellowhammers Emberiza citrinella and activity of their avian predators were studied in an unmanipulated winter field situation around Uppsala, Sweden. In December, when time available for foraging was lowest, Yellowhammers seemed to be time‐stressed. In order to meet their energetic needs, they reduced the time allocated to vigilance and increased the time allocated to foraging. Yellowhammers did not systematically change the time spent foraging during the day in December, which indicates time‐stress, while they decreased the time spent foraging during the day in both November and February. Predator activity was highest in the afternoon, when Yellowhammers spent the least time foraging. Yellowhammers may have adopted a routine with decreasing foraging rates over the day in November and February, when time available for foraging was longer, in order to avoid foraging during periods of high predator activity. The diurnal activity pattern of predators together with daylength and energetic needs are factors that might be important in shaping daily foraging routines in small birds.
Influence of rodent density on nesting associations involving the Bar‐tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Authors: LARSEN TORE
Published: April 2008

The Bar‐tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica rarely defends its nest aggressively against predators, but rather associates with other more aggressive species for protection. I studied the distribution of Bar‐tailed Godwit nests relative to nests of the aggressive Longtailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus, as well as to nests of two slightly less aggressive alternative ‘protective umbrella’ species, the Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus and the Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola. Rodents are the main prey of the Long‐tailed Skua but, in years when numbers of rodents are low, Long‐tailed Skuas also eat eggs and chicks of other birds. Data on rodent densities and nest distribution were collected on Finnmarksvidda, Northern Norway, in 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992 and 1997, and on Taimyr, Siberia, in 1994 and 1995. It is concluded that the Bar‐tailed Godwit is able to evaluate the probability of nest predation from Long‐tailed Skuas, based on direct or indirect information about the status of local rodent populations. This information is used to choose between Long‐tailed Skuas and other potential species for protection against nest predators.
Chick provisioning rates and growth in Blacklbrowed Albatross Diomedea melanophris and Grey‐headed Albatross D. chrysostoma at Bird Island, South Georgia
Authors: HUIN NICOLAS , PRlNCE PETER A. , BRIGGS DIRK R.
Published: April 2008

We compared the parental division of labour and the pattern and rate of parental provisioning by two sympatric species of albatross of similar mass and breeding timetable but differing in diet and in the duration of chick‐rearing. Using electronic weighing platforms inside artificial nests, we recorded chick mass of Black‐browed Albatross and Grey‐headed Albatross at Bird Island, South Georgia every 10 minutes for both species in 1993 and 1994 and for each species in two other years between 1990 and 1996. The chick mass data (nearly one million weighings) were used to calculate meal mass (over 5000 meals) and intervals between meals. Adult birds were fitted with radio‐transmitters which allowed each meal to be allocated to the appropriate parent. The combination of meal mass and foraging trip duration were used to calculate provisioning rates for chicks and individual adults. Overall, Black‐browed Albatrosses delivered significantly lighter meals (569 g) than Grey‐headed Albatrosses (616 g) but more frequently (every 2.07 days and 2.50 days respectively). Thus combining foraging trip data for both parents, Black‐browed Albatross chicks received a meal every 1.22 days compared with 1.26 days for Greyheaded Albatross. These rates did not differ significantly. The contribution of each sex of each species in chick provisioning fluctuated between years, being similar in some years or biased towards males in others. Chicks of both species that failed to fledge received smaller, less frequent meals than successful chicks. In 1990 and 1994, Black‐browed Albatross chick provisioning rates were lower than in 1992 and 1993. In 1990, both meal mass and trip duration were affected, but only in 1994 was trip duration longer. Greyheaded Albatross chick provisioning rate was lower in 1994 than in other years but trip duration was longer. In each species, significant changes in meal mass and trip duration occurred within the chick‐rearing period. Chick provisioning rates invariably declined before chicks attained their peak mass. For both species, chick growth rates and peak and fledging mass, but not fledging age, were affected by differences in provisioning rate.
Sexual dimorphism and foraging niche partitioning in the Middle Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos medius
Authors: PASINELLI GILBERTO
Published: April 2008

I investigated sexual differences in morphology and foraging behaviour in the nearly monomorphic Middle Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos medius.In the northeastern Swiss lowlands, radiotracked birds were observed from 1994 to 1996 between January and June. The sexes overlapped in all morphological characters, with males (n= 25) being on average larger than females (n= 17). Bill‐length and length of the crimson‐red crown patch were most useful to discriminate the sexes. Sex‐specific differences in foraging behaviour were found both within and between the prebreeding and breeding periods concerning the use of tree species, foraging techniques, relative height zones and living and dead substrates within a tree. Overall, both sexes had broader niches in the prebreeding than in the breeding period and niche overlap was larger during the latter period. Hence, sex‐specific differences were more pronounced in the prebreeding than in the breeding period, indicating different niche use of males and females in the two periods. These varying patterns of sex‐specific differences imply that niche segregation results from behavioural plasticity, probably based on dominance relationships between the sexes, rather than from sexual dimorphism.
Energy requirements of migrating Great White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus
Authors: SHMUELI MARVA , IZHAKI IDO , ARIELI AMI , ARAD ZEEV
Published: April 2008

The Great White Pelican Pelecanus anocrotalus is the largest migrating bird in Israel and is an endangered species. The Palearctic populations of the Great White Pelican breed in eastern Europe and Asia and most of them pass through the ‘bottleneck’ of Israel to wintering grounds in Africa. Natural feeding sites for pelicans have diminished during recent decades due to human activities, and sites of extensive aquaculture have become the favourite feeding places for wintering and migrating Great White Pelicans. The fish industry has reported a significant impact on fish yield and the conflict between pelicans and fishermen has escalated so that hundreds of pelicans have died in recent years from shooting or accidental electrocution. We approached this management problem by studying the energy requirements of the Great White Pelican during migration and while wintering in Israel, under different feeding regimes (fish or chicks) and in different seasons, in captivity. The results show that a captive bird consumes 1.1 kg of fish per day. The basal metabolic rate and apparent metabolized energy of the Great White Pelican are both higher than predicted from allometric equations. Energetic demands were quite stable on both diets (fish and chicks) and during both seasons (winter and summer). The fat deposits of migrating pelicans averaged 313.5 g compared with 480 g in wintering birds (3.4% and 5.4% of body mass, respectively). Based on these fat contents and on the measured daily energy consumption, we calculated that birds that do not feed in Israel can fly only up to 1620 km from Israel southward and could not cover the distance to their likely wintering grounds in the Sudd area in southern Sudan. However, birds that replenish their fuel reserves could fly up to 2460 km and hence could reach this area. Therefore, we conclude that Great White Pelicans must feed in Israel during the autumn migration in order to complete their journey to Africa. One solution to the conflict between pelicans and fishermen could be to combine deterrents preventing pelicans from feeding in fish‐ponds with the provision of attractive alternative reservoirs, to ensure regular food supplies during autumn.
First nest description, breeding behaviour and distribution of the Madagascar Serpent‐Eagle Eutriorchis astur
Authors: THORSTROM RUSSELL , ROLAND LILY‐ARISON RENÉ DE
Published: April 2008

The critically endangered, endemic Madagascar Serpent‐Eagle Eutriochis astur was searched for and studied from 1993‐98 on Masoala Peninsula, northeastern Madagascar. Fifteen individual serpent‐eagles were detected at nine different localities throughout the Masoala Peninsula. The first nest of the Madagascar Serpent‐Eagle was discovered on 7 November 1997. The nest was in an epiphytic fern Asplenium nidus supported by vines and branches, 20.1 m above the ground in a Potameia capuroni of 36.2 cm diameter at breast height. The epiphytic fern was lined with leaves in the centre and twigs were positioned to form a nest rim. The nest measured 76 times 57 cm and contained one white egg. The female and male incubated for 77% and 21% of 118 hours of nest observations, respectively. The egg hatched on 21 November 1997, and the young fledged 62 days later on 22 January. Chameleons Furcifer and Calumma spp., and leaf‐tailed geckos Uroplatus sp., made up the most numerous prey types taken, representing 83% of the 133 identified prey. Currently, the Masoala Peninsula forest contains the greatest number of sightings and known density of serpent‐eagles in Madagascar.
News and notices
Authors: Brooke M. de L.
Published: April 2008

This section is collated by Steve Dudley (BOU Administrator). Requests for the publication of information and other assistance which is considered to be of interest to our readers will be considered sympathetically. Publicity will be given to relevant grants and awards that can be applied for and to new societies operating within the field of ornithology, birds and birding. Details of conferences, meetings and other events will also be included if sent at least six months in advance of the event, and news of members' activities is particularly welcome. All contributions are restricted to 500 words, preferably by email or on disk (in ASCII or Word) to: The Administrator, BOU, c/o The Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Hertfordshire HP23 6AP, UK. Fax: +44 (0) 207 942 6150. Email: steve.dudley@bou.org.uk.
Changes in clutch size, brood size and numbers of nesting Squacco Herons Ardeola ralloides over a 32‐year period in the Camargue, southern France
Authors: HAFNER HEINZ , BENNETTS ROBERT E. , KAYSER YVES
Published: April 2008

Changes in numbers of nesting pairs, clutch size, and brood size of Squacco Herons Ardeola ralloides in the Camargue, southern France were analysed over a 32‐year period. The annual numbers of breeding pairs [average 84 pairs pL 30 sd, n = 32 years) exhibited a possible increasing trend, but with considerable variability. This variability is associated with local spring rainfall, which may influence the available surface area of their preferred freshwater habitats. In contrast to population size, clutch size decreased substantially in recent years. Our data do not provide a causal explanation for this change in clutch size, although the reduction temporally corresponds with increasing rice cultivation and with a dramatic increase in the number of Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis in the Camargue.
Intraclutch egg‐size variation and offspring survival in the Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
Authors: AMAT JUAN A. , FRAGA ROSENDO M. , ARROYO GONZALO M.
Published: April 2008

We studied the consequences of intraclutch egg‐size variation in Kentish Plovers Charadrius alexandrinus in southern Spain to test the hypothesis that females allocate resources preferentially to eggs with the greatest survival potential. Second eggs were larger and had a greater hatching success than the other eggs in a clutch. However, we did not find unequivocal support for the differential allocation hypothesis, because egg failures according to laying order were not due to the causes predicted by the hypothesis, and the change in egg‐size with laying order was not consistent between successive clutches of renesting females. This suggests that nutrient availability during egg formation could act as a proximate factor affecting egg‐size independently of laying order. Larger eggs produced heavier chicks and, within broods, heavier chicks were most likely to be recruited into the breeding population. By laying clutches with a larger mean egg volume in replacement clutches, females took longer to lay again after failure of the first clutch. Thus, opposing selective forces may act to increase and decrease egg volume. Although a trade‐off between egg‐size and clutch‐size has not been found in precocial birds, our results suggest that there may be a trade‐off between egg‐size and fecundity, since an increase in the size of eggs within clutches may limit the time remaining within the season to lay second or replacement clutches.
Age‐related reproductive success in dichromatic male Black Redstarts Phoenicurus ochruros: Why are yearlings handicapped?
Authors: WEGGLER MARTIN
Published: April 2008

Reproductive constraints on sexually mature, young birds may be the underlying cause for the evolution and maintenance of delayed plumage maturation in passerine birds. I examined whether yearling male Black Redstarts in non‐definitive plumage are reproductively handicapped and explored possible reasons for it. Yearlings raised only half as many young per season as adults. Differential reproductive effort was excluded as a possible source for age‐related reproductive success because yearlings and adults did not differ in the frequency of non‐breeding or in paternal effort. The lower annual reproductive success of yearlings was attributed to their lower probability of obtaining (multiple) females and adult females. Males mated to adult females raised almost twice as many offspring as males mated to yearling females. I conclude that the proposed preconditions for the evolution and maintenance of delayed plumage maturation do still prevail in the Black Redstart.
The survival rate of Lanyu Scops Owls Otus elegans botelensis
Authors: SEVERINGHAUS LUCIA LIU , ROTHERY PETER
Published: April 2008

Few species of owls have been well studied in the wild and estimates of survival rates are available only for a few species in the temperate region. This paper reports the adult annual and monthly survival estimates of the Lanyu Scops Owl Otus elegans botelensis, a subtropical Asian species, based on a 13‐year study of a colour‐marked population. The estimated seasonal survival pattern was relatively stable, with an indication of lower survival during May‐June, the time of egg‐laying and chick‐rearing. Female survival in this species was consistently higher than male survival by an estimated 7%, which may have resulted from differential costs in reproduction. Annual survival rates during 1986‐96 showed no significant differences between years. Based on a model with constant survival and annual variation in recapture rate, average annual survival for all birds was estimated as 75%, which is higher than expected given the small body weight of the Lanyu Scops Owl. This survival and the stable monthly survival pattern are discussed in light of the mild subtropical conditions of Lanyu Island.
Divorce and its consequences in the Common Blackbird Turdus merula
Authors: STREIF MICHAEL , RASA O. ANNE E.
Published: April 2008

An urban population of Common Blackbirds Turdus merula was studied between 1995 and 1998 in the Botanic Garden in Bonn, Germany. The number of breeding pairs varied from 32 to 39 per breeding season. Mean divorce rate (pair separation with remating of at least one of the partners) between two breeding seasons was 19.3% and 5.1% within breeding seasons. The number of fledglings produced per breeding season, of pairs which subsequently divorced, was significantly lower than that of pairs that stayed together. Females, but not males, produced more fledglings in the season after divorce than with their former mates the year before, and as many as females of the same age in stable pair bonds. The increase in reproductive success was thus unlikely to be due to age effects. Nestling mass correlated positively with offspring survival to the following year. Females had heavier nestlings after divorce than in their former pair bond. There was no difference in nestling mass for males before and after divorce. The data were used to test the predictions of several hypotheses to explain divorce. Because divorce was more likely after low reproductive success in the previous year, and only females benefited, the findings best support the ‘better option’ hypothesis.
Body condition, growth rates and diet of Skylark Alauda arvensis nestlings on lowland farmland
Authors: DONALD PAUL F. , MUIRHEAD LYS B. , BUCKINGHAM DAVID L. , EVANS ANDREW D. , KIRBY WILL B. , GRUAR DEREK J.
Published: April 2008

Factors affecting the diet, body condition and growth rates of Skylark chicks were assessed to examine their relationship to their agricultural environment during a critical period in the life cycle of this rapidly declining species. Rainfall explained the greatest amount of variation in body condition and growth rates and had a negative effect on both. Body condition indices were a good predictor of the likelihood of future partial brood loss to starvation. Low body condition in grass fields was related to a low diversity in the diet. Chicks fed insect larvae had higher body condition indices than those not fed larvae. Larger broods tended to have higher growth rates than smaller ones, whereas smaller broods tended to have higher body condition indices. Natural brood size reduction through the non‐hatching of eggs resulted in higher body condition indices than were found in nests with the same number of chicks where all eggs hatched, this effect being independent of absolute brood size. There was no significant difference between crop types in the distance adult birds flew to forage for food for nestlings and foraging crop destination had no effect on chick development. Differences between crop types in chick diet could be related to the documented effects of pesticides on different prey species. We suggest that recent agricultural changes have affected diet and possibly body condition, but that these effects are unlikely to have been an important factor in recent population declines.
Gingival Overgrowth in Dogs Associated with Clinically Relevant Cyclosporine Blood Levels: Observations in a Canine Renal Transplantation Model
Authors: NAM HYUN‐SOOK , MCANULTY JONATHON F. , KWAK HO‐HYUN , YOON BYUNG‐Il , HYUN CHANGBAIG , KIM WAN‐HEE , WOO HEUNG‐MYONG
Published: April 2008

Objective—To investigate the development of gingival hyperplasia in dogs after renal transplantation and administration of microemulsified cyclosporine A (MCsA).

Study Design—Experimental study.

Animals—Healthy adult mongrel dogs (n=5).

Methods—As part of study on renal transplantation, dogs administered MCsA (20 mg/kg/day), azathioprine, and prednisolone to prevent graft rejection were monitored for development of gingival changes. Prednisolone was discontinued after 3 months. MCsA dose was adjusted to maintain whole blood trough concentration of 400–700 ng/mL. Gingival change was evaluated by weekly examination and photodocumentation, and gingival biopsy for histopathology was performed at 28 weeks.

Results—One dog was lost because of acute graft rejection. Gingival hyperplasia developed in 3 of 4 dogs. The earliest gingival changes occurred in the interdental papillae at 20 weeks after transplantation. On histopathology, the underlying connective tissue was thickened and contained increase numbers of fibroblasts and inflammatory infiltrates.

Conclusions—Long‐term immunosuppression with an MCsA‐based treatment likely induces substantial gingival hyperplasia when therapeutic, immunosuppressive blood levels of MCsA were maintained for 32 weeks.

Clinical Relevance—MCsA is used for immune‐mediated diseases and preventing rejection after transplant in dogs. MCsA blood levels, and gingival hyperplasia should be monitored by routine examination of the interdental papilla in dogs administered MCsA for long periods.
Transpalpebral Eye Enucleation in 40 Standing Horses
Authors: POLLOCK PATRICK J. , RUSSELL TOM , HUGHES THOMAS K. , ARCHER MICHAEL R. , PERKINS JUSTIN D.
Published: April 2008

Objective—To report a technique for eye enucleation in standing sedated horses and to report outcome in 40 horses.

Study Design—Retrospective study.

Animals—Horses (n=40) requiring eye enucleation.

Methods—The eye was enucleated using a transpalpebral technique in 40 horses restrained in stocks and sedated. Anesthesia of orbital structures was provided by local nerve blocks and infiltration of the surgical site with local anesthetic solution.

Results—Affected eyes were successfully enucleated with the horse standing. Short‐term complications included moderate swelling (5 horses) and wound discharge (1). Long‐term complications were not observed.

Conclusions—A diseased eye can be safely enucleated with a horse standing.

Clinical Relevance—Enucleating an equine eye in the standing position eliminates the risks and costs of general anesthesia.
Culture and Mind: Their Fruitful Incommensurability
Authors: Bruner Jerome
Published: April 2008

AbstractI reflect here on the historical junctures where anthropology and psychology cross paths, creating foundations for a general cultural psychology in the present.1I am particularly attuned to those points of intersection that inform understanding of mind in culture and culture in mind. I focus on institutions as means for canonizing the ordinary, on narrative as a mode of positioning the extraordinary vis‐à‐vis mundane expectations, and on agency, each of which entails intersections of mind and culture. Recent encounters with U.S. legal culture provide a ground for illustrating these intertwining relations of subjects and their cultural milieux. [culture, mind, law, institutions, selectivity]
The Narrative Organization of Collective Memory
Authors: Wertsch James V.
Published: April 2008

AbstractCollective memory is analyzed from the perspective of narrative organization. Specifically, narratives provided by a sociocultural context, especially the modern state, are examined in their capacity to serve as cultural tools for members of a collective as they recount the past. The power of these tools to shape collective remembering is examined with the help of a distinction between specific narratives and schematic narrative templates. The former include information about specific dates, places, actors, and so forth, whereas the latter are abstract forms of narrative representation and typically shape several specific narratives. The utility of these notions is assessed by examining the “expulsion‐of‐foreign‐enemies” schematic narrative template that shapes much of Russian collective memory, both during the Soviet period and post‐Soviet periods. [collective memory, narrative, schematic narrative template, Russia]
Reading Minds and Telling Tales in a Cultural Borderland
Authors: Mattingly Cheryl
Published: April 2008

Abstract
In this article I consider “narrative mind reading,” the practical capability of inferring the motives that precipitate and underlie the actions of others. Following Jerome Bruner, I argue that this everyday capacity depends on our ability to place action within unfolding narrative contexts. While Bruner has focused on narrative mind reading as a within‐culture affair, I look to border situations that cross race and class lines where there is a strong presumption among participants that they do not, in fact, share a cultural framework. Instead, interactions often reinforce actors' perceptions of mutual misunderstanding and cultural difference. Drawing on a longitudinal study of African American families who have children with severe illnesses, I examine narrative mind reading and misreading in one mother's interactions with the clinicians who treat her child. I further explore how narrative misreadings are supported through chart notes and “familiar stranger” stories. The focus on miscommunication grounds a theory of the reproduction of cultural difference in interactive dynamics and brings Bruner's emphasis on narrative into dialogue with contemporary anthropology of cultural borderlands. [narrative, culture, African Americans, health disparities, border zones]
Telling Theories
Authors: Brenneis Donald
Published: April 2008

Abstract
In Minding the Law, Jerome Bruner and Anthony Amsterdam provide a reflective exploration of their pedagogy in a law school course on lawyering practice. This article argues that the book provides a valuable range of ways of thinking about what constitutes theory, about how theory is linked to those classificatory, narrative, and rhetorical moments through which it is shaped, and about how it is intimately linked to how we practice our particular creative and interpretive crafts. Central to Amsterdam and Bruner's book are specific cases, in this instance primarily appellate decisions. The article considers their analysis of cases in legal learning in relation to a broader range of approaches to case‐based reasoning and theory building in philosophy, history, and the social sciences, arguing for a particularly strong resonance between such approaches and key dimensions of ethnographic practice. [narrative, rhetoric, theory building, Jerome Bruner, case method]
Research for Change versus Research as Change: Lessons from a Mujerista Participatory Research Team
Authors: Dyrness Andrea
Published: April 2008

In this article, I aim to further the discussion of engaged research in anthropology and education by examining the unique changes promoted by participatory research in contrast to policy‐oriented activist research models. Drawing on my work with Latina immigrant mothers in a school reform movement, I argue for a Latina feminist view of participatory research that illuminates and builds on Latina women's capacities for social critique and transformative resistance. [participatory research, activist anthropology, Latino parents, school reform]
Moving from Complaints to Action: Oppositional Consciousness and Collective Action in a Political Community
Authors: Kwon Soo Ah
Published: April 2008

This article analyzes the process of youth political activism and development by drawing on ethnographic research on Asian and Pacific Islander youth activists. Young people revealed that collective action begins with a critical analysis of their lived experiences with inequalities. Their actions also involved oppositional consciousness that was nurtured in social justice‐oriented community organizations. Tracking youth's successful efforts for school reform, I show how oppositional consciousness is realized and what activism looks like in practice. [youth activism, oppositional consciousness, social–educational change, Asian and Pacific Islanders]
Patent ductus arteriosus evaluation by serial echocardiography in preterm infants
Authors: O'Rourke DJ , EL‐Khuffash A , Moody C , Walsh K , Molloy EJ
Published: April 2008

Background: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is associated with morbidity and mortality in premature neonates.

Methods: The effect of serial echocardiography performed by a neonatologist and early targeted medical PDA treatment was evaluated and compared to historical controls. One hundred ninety‐two infants <1500 g were included and 45 infants had a PDA.

Results: Serial echocardiography allowed significantly earlier identification and treatment of PDA versus awaiting the evolution of clinical signs. Severe intraventricular haemorrhage and ventilator days were significantly decreased in the studied cohort following the introduction of echocardiography. In addition, hospital stay was also reduced in the non‐PDA group and other outcomes were unchanged.

Conclusion: Serial echocardiography for PDA evaluation, performed by a neonatologist trained in echo, may reduce morbidity in preterm infant.
The Order of Things in Anglo‐Saxon Studies: Categorization and the Construction of a Discipline
Authors: Trilling Renée R.
Published: April 2008

This essay surveys the effects of disciplinary categorization on the study of Anglo‐Saxon literature. Because its languages and forms are so different from later British literature, Anglo‐Saxon literature receives short shrift in literary studies. The institutional location of Anglo‐Saxon studies within English departments encourages readers to approach early medieval texts through critical categories that often hamper their understanding of the texts themselves. Survey textbooks often cast Anglo‐Saxon literature as a quaint and curious ancestor of British literature, while scholarly editions and critical studies reinforce anachronistic categories of genre, form, and language that do not best describe Anglo‐Saxon texts. Anglo‐Saxon literature in languages other than Old English is generally ignored, and texts that are not easily categorized as poetry or prose narrative are likewise overlooked. The author argues that students and scholars can use Anglo‐Saxon literature to question the basic definitions and literary categories that have dominated and distorted the discipline.
The allene oxide cyclase family of Arabidopsis  thaliana – localization and cyclization
Authors: Schaller Florian , Zerbe Philipp , Reinbothe Steffen , Reinbothe Christiane , Hofmann Eckhard , Pollmann Stephan
Published: April 2008

Jasmonates are derived from oxygenated fatty acids (oxylipins) via the octadecanoid pathway and are characterized by a pentacyclic ring structure. They have regulatory functions as signaling molecules in plant development and adaptation to environmental stress. Recently, we solved the structure of allene oxide cyclase 2 (AOC2) of Arabidopsis thaliana, which is, together with the other three AOCs, a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of jasmonates, in that it releases the first cyclic and biologically active metabolite – 12‐oxo‐phytodienoic acid (OPDA). On the basis of models for the bound substrate, 12,13(S)‐epoxy‐9(Z),11,15(Z)‐octadecatrienoic acid, and the product, OPDA, we proposed that a conserved Glu promotes the reaction by anchimeric assistance. According to this hypothesis, the transition state with a pentadienyl carbocation and an oxyanion is stabilized by a strongly bound water molecule and favorable π–π interactions with aromatic residues in the cavity. Stereoselectivity results from steric restrictions to the necessary substrate isomerizations imposed by the protein environment. Here, site‐directed mutagenesis was used to explore and verify the proposed reaction mechanism. In a comparative analysis of the AOC family from A. thaliana involving enzymatic characterization, in vitro import, and transient expression of AOC–enhanced green fluorescent protein fusion proteins for analysis of subcellular targeting, we demonstrate that all four AOC isoenzymes may contribute to jasmonate biosynthesis, as they are all located in chloroplasts and, in concert with the allene oxide synthase, they are all able to convert 13(S)‐hydroperoxy‐9(Z),11(E),15(Z)‐octadecatrienoic acid into enantiomerically pure cis(+)‐OPDA.
Fine structural description of the compound eye of the Madagascar ‘hissing cockroach’Gromphadorhina portentosa (Dictyoptera: Blaberidae)
Authors: Mishra Monalisa , Meyer‐Rochow Victor Benno
Published: April 2008

The compound eyes of the wingless adults of the Madagascar ‘hissing cockroach’Gromphadorhina portentosa Sachum, 1853 were examined by light and electron microscopy. Each eye contains 2 400‐2 500 mostly hexagonal facets. However, irregularities affecting both shape and size of the ommatidia are relatively common, especially towards the margins of the eye. An individual ommatidium of this eucone type of apposition eye contains eight retinula cells, which give rise to a centrally‐fused, tiered rhabdom. The distal end of the latter is funnel‐shaped and accommodates the proximal end of the cone in its midst. Further below, the rhabdom (then formed by the rhabdomeres of four retinula cells) assumes a squarish profile with microvilli aligned in two directions at right‐angle to each other. Cross sections through the proximal regions of the rhabdom display triangular rhabdom outlines and microvilli (belonging to 3‐4 retinula cells different from those involved in the squarish more distal rhabdom) that run in three directions inclined to one another by 120°. Overall the organization of the eye conforms to the orthopteroid pattern and particularly closely resembles that of the American cockroach Periplaneta americana. However, since G. portentosa possesses fewer ommatidia, this could be a consequence of its inability to fly. On the other hand, the large size of the facets and the voluminous rhabdoms suggest considerable absolute sensitivity and an ability to detect the plane of linearly polarized light. Based on the pattern of microvillus orientations in combination with the crepuscular lifestyle G. portentosa leads and the habitat it occurs in, the prediction is made that this insect uses its green receptors for e‐vector discrimination in the environment of down‐welling light that reaches the forest floor.
BUYER–SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS: DERIVED VALUE OVER TWO DECADES
Authors: TERPEND REGIS , TYLER BEVERLY B. , KRAUSE DANIEL R. , HANDFIELD ROBERT B.
Published: April 2008

This paper reviews studies of buyer–supplier relationships published in four prominent U.S.‐based academic journals between 1986 and 2005. Our review revealed that the focus of academic researchers on types of value being extracted from buyer–supplier relationships changed between 1986 and 2005, as did their interest in the buyer mechanisms implemented to create value in these relationships. Although emphasis has changed over time, we found that scholars have primarily investigated four types of value derived from buyer–suppler relationships: operational performance improvements, integration‐based improvements, supplier capability‐based improvements and financial performance outcomes. The review also noted that researchers considered more buyer–supplier mutual efforts since 1996 than the earlier decade, but the number of studies investigating buyer practices has declined as a percentage of total publications. We conclude with a discussion of the review's implications for future research and practice.
The Value of Subsidence Data in Ground Water Model Calibration
Authors: Yan Tingting , Burbey Thomas J
Published: April 2008

The accurate estimation of aquifer parameters such as transmissivity and specific storage is often an important objective during a ground water modeling investigation or aquifer resource evaluation. Parameter estimation is often accomplished with changes in hydraulic head data as the key and most abundant type of observation. The availability and accessibility of global positioning system and interferometric synthetic aperture radar data in heavily pumped alluvial basins can provide important subsidence observations that can greatly aid parameter estimation. The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the value of spatial and temporal subsidence data for automatically estimating parameters with and without observation error using UCODE‐2005 and MODFLOW‐2000. A synthetic conceptual model (24 separate cases) containing seven transmissivity zones and three zones each for elastic and inelastic skeletal specific storage was used to simulate subsidence and drawdown in an aquifer with variably thick interbeds with delayed drainage. Five pumping wells of variable rates were used to stress the system for up to 15 years. Calibration results indicate that (1) the inverse of the square of the observation values is a reasonable way to weight the observations, (2) spatially abundant subsidence data typically produce superior parameter estimates under constant pumping even with observation error, (3) only a small number of subsidence observations are required to achieve accurate parameter estimates, and (4) for seasonal pumping, accurate parameter estimates for elastic skeletal specific storage values are largely dependent on the quantity of temporal observational data and less on the quantity of available spatial data.
Regulation of the human serotonin transporter mediated by long‐term action of serotonin in Caco‐2 cells
Authors: Iceta R. , Aramayona J. J. , Mesonero J. E. , Alcalde A. I.
Published: April 2008

Aim:  The aim of this study was to determine the effect of long‐term serotonin (5‐hydroxytryptamine, 5‐HT) treatment on the human serotonin transporter (hSERT) function and its expression.

Methods:  This study was carried out in the enterocyte‐like cell line Caco‐2. These cells constitutively express the hSERT and have been shown to be an excellent model for the study of this protein. We measured serotonin transport, levels of mRNA expression and of the SERT protein after treating the cells with serotonin.

Results:  Serotonin treatment diminished hSERT activity in a concentration and period‐dependent way by increasing the Kt value and reducing Vmax. This inhibition was reversible and was not mediated by either the action of 5‐HT2, 5‐HT3 or 5‐HT4 receptors, or by the intracellular second messengers, protein kinase C and cAMP. 5‐HT did not seem to affect either the mRNA level of the SERT or the protein transporter measured in either the membrane or the cell lysate. The 5‐HT treatment effect was additive to the inhibitory effect of treatment with a low concentration of citalopram and fluoxetine. Nevertheless, 5‐HT did not increase the inhibition yielded by treatment with high concentration citalopram.

Conclusion:  The chronic increase in serotonin in the extracellular medium diminishes the function of the SERT. This effect seems to be due to an effect on the transporter molecule itself in the membrane, without altering protein synthesis, intracellular traffic, or its availability.
Expression of Integrin αvβ3 in Gliomas Correlates with Tumor Grade and Is not Restricted to Tumor Vasculature
Authors: Schnell Oliver , Krebs Bjarne , Wagner Erika , Romagna Alexander , Beer Ambros J. , Grau Stefan J. , Thon Niklas , Goetz Claudia , Kretzschmar Hans A. , Tonn Jörg‐Christian , Goldbrunner Roland H.
Published: April 2008

In malignant gliomas, the integrin adhesion receptors seem to play a key role for invasive growth and angiogenesis. However, there is still a controversy about the expression and the distribution of αvβ3 integrin caused by malignancy. The aim of our study was to assess the extent and pattern of αvβ3 integrin expression within primary glioblastomas (GBMs) compared with low‐grade gliomas (LGGs). Tumor samples were immunostained for the detection of αvβ3 integrin and quantified by an imaging software. The expression of αvβ3 was found to be significantly higher in GBMs than in LGGs, whereby focal strong reactivity was restricted to GBMs only. Subsequent analysis revealed that not only endothelial cells but also, to a large extent, glial tumor cells contribute to the overall amount of αvβ3 integrin in the tumors. To further analyze the integrin subunits, Western blots from histologic sections were performed, which demonstrated a significant difference in the expression of the β3 integrin subunit between GBMs and LGGs. The presented data lead to new insights in the pattern of αvβ3 integrin in gliomas and are of relevance for the inhibition of αvβ3 integrin with specific RGD peptides and interfering drugs to reduce angiogenesis and tumor growth.
Misperceptions about Norm Misperceptions: Descriptive, Injunctive, and Affective ‘Social Norming’ Efforts to Change Health Behaviors
Authors: Blanton Hart , Köblitz Amber , McCaul Kevin D.
Published: April 2008

We have known for a long time that people are often motivated to conform to the wishes of groups. Such peer influence can shape human behavior through the creation of social norms, and the frequency of some health behaviors (e.g., alcohol use) may depend on the perception of these norms. We discuss the influence of perceived social norms, especially normative misperceptions on health behaviors. We then describe social norms campaigns that are intended to reduce risky health behaviors by ‘debiasing’ perceptions of behavioral norms, and we point out practical problems and faulty theoretical assumptions of such interventions. A better alternative might be to develop interventions that debias misperceptions of injunctive norms or affective norms, although such alternatives have not yet been adequately tested. Still, we present the theoretical grounding for these different approaches and preliminary data suggesting that they could be successful in reducing risky health behaviors.
On the Use of Thermoacoustic Analysis for Robust Burner Design
Authors: Bellucci Valter , Nowak Dariusz , Geng Weiqun , Steinbach Christian
Published: April 2008

Advanced thermoacoustic analysis is now routinely used in gas turbine combustor development. A thermoacoustic approach based on a combination of numerical analysis (CFD and three-dimensional acoustics), acoustic network models, and dedicated measurements of acoustic flame response is well accepted across the industry. However, its application to specific combustor upgrade or development programs in “prediction mode” as opposed to “analysis mode” remains a challenge. This is mainly due to the large sensitivity of the complex methodology to key inputs, such as flame transfer functions, that can be only predicted in the burner design phase. This paper discusses an example where we made an effort to apply the thermoacoustic approach in predictive mode. The example refers to the upgrade of a first generation diffusion burner with a partially premix burner to achieve low emissions. Thermoacoustic instabilities were predicted as a limiting factor for combustor operation and thus a design parameter was identified to perform the thermoacoustic combustor tuning at engine level. A particular challenge of this development program was that no test rig was available. Therefore, the new premix burner was directly installed into a field engine where it was successfully tested.
Qualitative and Quantitative Comparison of Two Promising Oxy-Fuel Power Cycles for CO2 Capture
Authors: Sanz Wolfgang , Jericha Herbert , Bauer Bernhard , Göttlich Emil
Published: April 2008

Since the Kyoto conference, there is a broad consensus that the human emission of greenhouse gases, mainly CO2, has to be reduced. In the power generation sector, there are three main alternatives that are currently studied worldwide. Among them oxy-fuel cycles with internal combustion with pure oxygen are a very promising technology. Within the European project ENCAP (enhanced CO2 capture) the benchmarking of a number of novel power cycles with CO2 capture was carried out. Within the category oxy-fuel cycles, the Graz Cycle and the semiclosed oxy-fuel combustion combined cycle (SCOC-CC) both achieved a net efficiency of nearly 50%. In a second step, a qualitative comparison of the critical components was performed according to their technical maturity. In contrast to the Graz Cycle, the study authors claimed that no major technical barriers would exist for the SCOC-CC. In this work, the ENCAP study is repeated for the SCOC-CC and for a modified Graz Cycle variant as presented at the ASME IGTI Conference 2006. Both oxy-fuel cycles are thermodynamically investigated based on common assumptions agreed upon with the industry in previous work. The calculations showed that the high-temperature turbine of the SCOC-CC plant needs a much higher cooling flow supply due to the less favorable properties of the working fluid. A layout of the main components of both cycles is further presented, which shows that both cycles rely on the new designs of the high-temperature turbine and the compressors. The SCOC-CC compressor needs more stages due to a lower rotational speed but has a more favorable operating temperature. In general, all turbomachines of both cycles show similar technical challenges and are regarded as feasible.