bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bladder preservation: optimizing radiotherapy and integrated treatment strategies
Authors: Mak Raymond H. , Zietman Anthony L. , Heney Niall M. , Kaufman Donald S. , Shipley William U.
Published: October 2008

While radical cystectomy (RC) remains the standard of care for muscle‐invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, a series of single‐institution and cooperative‐group trials with a long‐term follow‐up have shown that combined modality therapy for bladder preservation can provide selected patients with an excellent chance for long‐term survival with an intact, functioning bladder. Strategies for preserving the bladder have developed over the past 20 years, with continued refinements in radiation therapy, chemotherapy and patient selection. The hallmarks of modern bladder‐preserving therapy include: (i) careful patient selection; (ii) combined therapy with maximum transurethral resection of bladder tumour, radiation and concurrent chemotherapy; (iii) cystoscopic assessment of the response to therapy with prompt salvage cystectomy for nonresponders; (iv) careful follow‐up with cystoscopic surveillance and prompt cystectomy for invasive recurrence. Contemporary bladder‐preserving approaches in patients with clinically staged muscle‐invasive bladder cancer can achieve complete response rates of 60–85%, 5‐year survival rates of 50–60%, and survival rates with an intact bladder of 40–45%. Although there are no randomized studies comparing RC with combined therapies for bladder preservation, long‐term data show that overall and disease‐specific survival rates in contemporary RC series of clinically staged patients with T2‐T4a bladder cancer are comparable to those of bladder‐preserving protocols. Thus, combined modality therapy for bladder preservation has become a safe, tested and effective alternative to RC in selected patients with muscle‐invasive bladder cancer who desire to keep their bladders. Future work will continue to refine the bladder‐preserving approach to improve survival and local control.
The Policy Impact of Defeats in the House of Lords
Authors: Russell Meg , Sciara Maria
Published: October 2008

Since its reform in 1999, no political party commands an overall majority in the House of Lords. The chamber appears to feel more confident, and government defeats there are common. Earlier studies have shown why the government faces defeats in the Lords, concluding that it is usually the Liberal Democrats that hold the balance of power. Here we analyse the lasting policy impact of Lords defeats. We find that far from being routinely reversed in the House of Commons, many Lords defeats are substantially accepted. Furthermore, many of these are on key policy issues. We also examine which factors are associated with a Lords ‘win’ on legislation, finding that obvious factors such as the size of the majority against the government are not significant. We conclude that the Lords is an important policy actor and should be taken more seriously, but that its ability to make policy gains remains unpredictable.
Trade and Conflict Reduction: Implications for Regional Strategic Stability
Authors: Sáez Lawrence
Published: October 2008

The relationship between growing trade interdependence and the reduction of militarised inter-state conflict is one of the central theoretical tenets in neo-liberal institutionalism. This tenet, under various theoretical guises, is evaluated critically in this article. Using two illustrative examples, it is argued here that under certain specific conditions, trade interdependence is unlikely to occur and therefore the expected palliative effect of trade on militarised inter-state conflict cannot take place.
Does Depoliticisation Work? Evidence from Britain's Membership of the Exchange Rate Mechanism, 1990–92
Authors: Kettell Steven
Published: October 2008

The concept of depoliticisation has become increasingly popular in recent years, but empirical studies into depoliticisation policies have been less prevalent. Absent from the literature, too, are any clearly delineated criteria by which the success or failure of such policies might be assessed. This article attempts to address these issues through an examination of Britain's membership of the Exchange Rate Mechanism from 1990 to 1992. In contrast to the conventional view of this episode, in which it is seen as a policy disaster, it is argued that as a policy of depoliticisation ERM membership was a relative success.
When Do Bureaucrats Prefer Strong Political Principals? Institutional Reform and Bureaucratic Preferences in English Local Government
Authors: Gains Francesca , John Peter , Stoker Gerry
Published: October 2008

This article seeks to explain the attitudes of bureaucrats to the redesign of their bureaus by their elected principals. The starting point is a puzzle that a constitutional change in English local government, which was designed to enhance the influence and role of leading local politicians, resulted with bureaucrats as its most enthusiastic champions. The article explores explanations of this response, drawing on the deliberate discretion or policy conflict model of Huber and Shipan and on the bureau-shaping model of Dunleavy. By finding support for the bureau-shaping model, as well as the objectives of implementation efficiency and career advancement, we argue that bureaucrats may regard the increase in political power as a way of realising other objectives they value.
The Orange Revolution: ‘People's Revolution’ or Revolutionary Coup?
Authors: Lane David
Published: October 2008

The ‘Orange Revolution’ in Ukraine is widely considered to be an instance of the ‘coloured revolutions’ of 1989 engendered by democratic values and nascent civil societies in the process of nation building. The article examines the extent to which the ‘Orange Revolution’ could be considered a revolutionary event stimulated by civil society, or a different type of political activity (a putsch, coup d’état), legitimated by elite-sponsored ‘soft’ political power. Based on public opinion poll data and responses from focus groups, the author contends that what began as an orchestrated protest against election fraud developed into a novel type of political activity—a revolutionary coup d’état. It is contended that the movement was divisive rather than integrative and did not enjoy widespread popular support. The article considers why sponsored democracy promotion and western-inspired ‘soft power’ politics have failed.
National Culture and the Composition and Leadership Structure of Boards of Directors
Authors: Li Jiatao , Harrison J. Richard
Published: October 2008

Manuscript Type:Empirical

Research Question/Issue:How and to what extent does national culture influence the composition and leadership structure of the boards of directors of multinational firms?

Research Findings/Insights:Societal norms about corporate structure are treated as components of national culture. Hofstede's measures of national culture were shown to predict the board composition and leadership structure of firms based in that culture. The hypotheses were tested with data on 399 multinational manufacturing firms based in 15 industrial countries. The results suggest that national culture can have strong effects on corporate governance and should be considered in any transnational study.

Theoretical/Academic Implications:The predictive accuracy of the culture variables provides strong support for the argument that norms embedded in a society's culture affect organizational structure, at least at the board level. The results of the study contribute to our understanding of institutional theory in explaining observed variations in corporate board composition and leadership structure across countries. By linking board composition to the cultural environment, institutional theory provides an explicit framework for analyzing variations in board structure across national boundaries.

Practitioner/Policy Implications:When considering board composition and leadership structure, it is important to consider national culture norms. The findings of the study also have important implications for multinational firms setting up boards for their subsidiaries in different countries.
Nostalgia
Authors: Sedikides Constantine , Wildschut Tim , Arndt Jamie , Routledge Clay
Published: October 2008

Traditionally, nostalgia has been conceptualized as a medical disease and a psychiatric disorder. Instead, we argue that nostalgia is a predominantly positive, self-relevant, and social emotion serving key psychological functions. Nostalgic narratives reflect more positive than negative affect, feature the self as the protagonist, and are embedded in a social context. Nostalgia is triggered by dysphoric states such as negative mood and loneliness. Finally, nostalgia generates positive affect, increases self-esteem, fosters social connectedness, and alleviates existential threat.
Within-Family Differences in Parent–Child Relations Across the Life Course
Authors: Suitor J. Jill , Sechrist Jori , Plikuhn Mari , Pardo Seth T. , Pillemer Karl
Published: October 2008

Despite a powerful social norm that parents should treat offspring equally, beginning in early childhood and continuing through adulthood, parents often differentiate among their children in such domains as closeness, support, and control. We review research on how parent–child relationships differ within families, focusing on issues of parental favoritism and differential treatment of children. We begin by examining within-family differences in childhood and adolescence and then explore differentiation by older parents among adult children. Overall, we find considerable similarities across the life course in the prevalence, predictors, and consequences of parents' differentiation among their offspring.
Children's Critical Thinking When Learning From Others
Authors: Heyman Gail D.
Published: October 2008

A key component of critical thinking is the ability to evaluate the statements of other people. Because information that is obtained from others is not always accurate, it is important that children learn to reason about it critically. By as early as age 3, children understand that people sometimes communicate inaccurate information and that some individuals are more reliable sources than others. However, in many contexts, even older children fail to evaluate sources critically. Recent research points to the role of social experience in explaining why children often fail to engage in critical reasoning.
Physiological Stress Response, Estrogen, and the Male–Female Mortality Gap
Authors: Kajantie Eero
Published: October 2008

Whether one is male or female is one of the most important predictors of how long one is likely to live and what diseases one is likely to encounter. Researchers have long been puzzled by the mechanisms that could underlie such profound sex differences. Recent findings suggest a key role is played by physiological stress responses—how men and women respond differently to psychosocial stressors in everyday life. This review focuses on two important physiological stress systems: the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (which regulates the stress hormone cortisol) and the autonomic nervous system. The general pattern is that between puberty and menopause, the responses of these systems to experimental psychosocial stress are lower in females, and their changes with menopause, estrogen administration, and pregnancy have suggested that estrogen plays a key role in regulating stress responsiveness. This review presents a hypothesis that mechanisms that regulate these sex differences have been driven by evolutionary pressures to transform information about prevailing environmental conditions to the fetus, through maternal stress, to adjust its development to circumstances it will encounter in extrauterine life.
THE ‘NEW INTERPRETATION’: QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND UNANSWERED
Authors: Rieu Dong‐Min
Published: October 2008

Duménil, Foley and Lévy (DFL)'s note gives a formal presentation of the ‘New Interpretation’ that explicitly considers the issue of heterogeneous labour. It clarified some issues raised in my previous paper. Unfortunately, however, DFL offer only a mathematical formalism while leaving the most important question unanswered.
FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND WEIGHTED MONOTONICITY OF POWER
Authors: Alonso‐Meijide José María , Holler Manfred J.
Published: October 2008

The paper discusses the substitution of mergeability by the weighted monotonicity property in the definition of the Public Good Index. The cardinality of sets, implicit to the measurement of power, can thus be related to comparing sets and relations of counting and set inclusion. This allows for the application of results from the measurement of power to the specification of freedom of choice and thereby to connect the ‘world of agents’ with the ‘world of opportunities’. The relationship between weighted monotonicity and constrained monotonicity is specified.
HAS THE OKISHIO THEOREM BEEN REFUTED?
Authors: Rieu Dong‐Min
Published: October 2008

This paper evaluates the alleged refutation of the Okishio theorem by the Temporal Single‐System Interpretation (TSSI) of Marxian value theory. The TSSI's refutation of the Okishio theorem requires not only changes in the definition of the rate of profit but also an arbitrary assumption about the time paths of labour productivity and prices. An ad hoc assumption about price changes used to disprove the Okishio theorem is meaningless because the aim of Marx's economics was to explain capitalist exploitation and accumulation without resorting to exogenously given changes on the market.
The Effect of Venture Capital Financing on the Sensitivity to Cash Flow of Firm's Investments
Authors: Bertoni Fabio , Colombo Massimo G. , Croce Annalisa
Published: October 2008

This work studies the effect of venture capital (VC) financing on firms' investments in a longitudinal sample of 379 Italian unlisted new‐technology‐based firms (NTBFs) observed over the 10‐year period from 1994 to 2003. We distinguish the effects of VC financing according to the type of investor: independent VC (IVC) funds and corporate VC (CVC) investors. Previous studies argue that NTBFs are the firms most likely to be financially constrained. The technology‐intensive nature of their activity and their lack of a track record increase adverse selection and moral hazard problems. Moreover, most of their assets are firm‐specific or intangible and hence cannot be pledged as collateral. In accordance with this view, we show that the investment rate of NTBFs is strongly positively correlated with their current cash flows. We also find that after receiving VC financing, NTBFs increase their investment rate independently of the type of VC investor. However, the investments of CVC‐backed firms remain sensitive to shocks in cash flows, whereas IVC‐backed firms exhibit a low and statistically not significant investment–cash flow sensitivity that we interpret as a signal of the removal of financial constraints.
New Daily Persistent Headache in the Paediatric Population
Authors: Kung E , Tepper SJ , Rapoport AM , Sheftell FD , Bigal ME
Published: October 2008

We conducted a clinic-based study focusing on the clinical features of new-onset chronic daily headaches (CDH) in children and adolescents. The clinical records and headache diaries of 306 children and adolescents were reviewed, to identify 187 with CDH. Relevant information was transferred to a standardized form that included operational criteria for the diagnoses of the headaches. Since we were interested in describing the clinical features of these headaches, we followed the criteria A and B of the 2nd edn of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-2) and refer to them as new daily persistent headaches (NDPH) regardless of the presence of migraine features (therefore, this is a modified version of the ICHD-2 criteria). From the 56 adolescents with NDPH, most (91.8%) did not overuse medications. Nearly half (48.1%) reported they could recall the month when their headaches started. NDPH was more common than chronic tension-type headache in both adolescents overusing and not overusing medication. Individuals with NDPH had headaches fulfilling criteria for migraine on an average of 18.5 days per month. On most days, they had migraine-associated symptoms (one of nausea, photophobia or phonophobia)). NDPH is common in children and adolescents with CDH. Most subjects do not overuse medication. Migraine features are common.
Treatment Choices and Patterns in Migraine Patients With and Without a Cardiovascular Risk Profile
Authors: Wames-van der Heijden EA , Tijssen CC , Egberts ACG
Published: October 2008

Treatment patterns in migraine patients with cardiovascular risk factors are largely unknown. A retrospective observational study was conducted to characterize the baseline cardiovascular risk profile of new users of specific abortive migraine drugs, and to investigate treatment choices and patterns in patients with and without a known cardiovascular risk profile. New users of a triptan, ergotamine or Migrafin® ( n = 36 839) from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2006 were included. Approximately 90 of all new users did not have a clinically recognized cardiovascular risk profile. The percentage of new users with a cardiovascular risk profile did not differ between new users of a triptan, ergotamine or Migrafin® and also did not change during the study period of 17 years. Differences in treatment choices and patterns between migraine patients with and without a known cardiovascular risk profile reveal a certain reticence in prescribing vasoconstrictive antimigraine drugs to patients at cardiovascular risk.
Pre‐ and postnatal influences on preschool mental health: a large‐scale cohort study
Authors: Robinson Monique , Oddy Wendy H. , Li Jianghong , Kendall Garth E. , De Klerk Nicholas H. , Silburn Sven R. , Zubrick Stephen R. , Newnham John P. , Stanley Fiona J. , Mattes Eugen
Published: October 2008

Background:  Methodological challenges such as confounding have made the study of the early determinants of mental health morbidity problematic. This study aims to address these challenges in investigating antenatal, perinatal and postnatal risk factors for the development of mental health problems in pre‐school children in a cohort of Western Australian children.

Methods:  The Raine Study is a prospective cohort study of 2,868 live born children involving 2,979 pregnant women recruited at 18 weeks gestation. Children were followed up at age two and five years. The Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) was used to measure child mental health with clinical cut‐points, including internalising (withdrawn/depressed) and externalising (aggressive/destructive) behaviours (n = 1707).

Results:  Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that the significant risk factors for behaviour problems at age two were the maternal experience of multiple stress events in pregnancy (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.06, 1.37), smoking during pregnancy (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.06, 1.59) and maternal ethnicity (OR = 3.34, 95% CI = 1.61, 6.96). At age five the experience of multiple stress events (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.27), cigarette smoking (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.37), male gender (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.02, 2.00), breastfeeding for a shorter time (OR = .97, 95% CI = .94, .99) and multiple baby blues symptoms (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.14) were significant predictors of mental health problems.

Conclusions:  Early childhood mental health is significantly affected by prenatal events in addition to the child’s later environment. Interventions targeting adverse prenatal, perinatal and postnatal influences can be expected to improve mental health outcomes for children in the early years.
The effects of pre‐ and postnatal depression in fathers: a natural experiment comparing the effects of exposure to depression on offspring
Authors: Ramchandani Paul G. , O’Connor Thomas G. , Evans Jonathan , Heron Jon , Murray Lynne , Stein Alan
Published: October 2008

Background: Depression in fathers in the postnatal period is associated with an increased risk of behavioural problems in their offspring, particularly for boys. The aim of this study was to examine for differential effects of depression in fathers on children’s subsequent psychological functioning via a natural experiment comparing prenatal and postnatal exposure.

Methods: In a longitudinal population cohort study (the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)) we examined the associations between depression in fathers measured in the prenatal and postnatal period (measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), and later behavioural/emotional and psychiatric problems in their children, assessed at ages 3½ and 7 years.

Results: Children whose fathers were depressed in both the prenatal and postnatal periods had the highest risks of subsequent psychopathology, measured by total problems at age 3½ years (Odds Ratio 3.55; 95% confidence interval 2.07, 6.08) and psychiatric diagnosis at age 7 years (OR 2.54; 1.19, 5.41). Few differences emerged when prenatal and postnatal depression exposure were directly compared, but when compared to fathers who were not depressed, boys whose fathers had postnatal depression only had higher rates of conduct problems aged 3½ years (OR 2.14; 1.22, 3.72) whereas sons of the prenatal group did not (OR 1.41; .75, 2.65). These associations changed little when controlling for maternal depression and other potential confounding factors.

Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the increased risk of later conduct problems, seen particularly in the sons of depressed fathers, maybe partly mediated through environmental means. In addition, children whose fathers are more chronically depressed appear to be at a higher risk of emotional and behavioural problems. Efforts to identify the precise mechanisms by which transmission of risk may occur should be encouraged to enable the development of focused interventions to mitigate risks for young children.
Antepartum bleeding of unknown origin in the second half of pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes
Authors: McCormack RA , Doherty DA , Magann EF , Hutchinson M , Newnham JP
Published: October 2008

Objective  The purpose of our investigation was to evaluate factor(s) associated with unexplained antepartum bleeding of unknown origin (ABUO) after 24 weeks of pregnancy and correlate unexplained haemorrhage with maternal and perinatal outcomes.

Design  This is a retrospective observational study.

Setting  King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH), Subiaco, Western Australia.

Population  Singleton pregnancies delivering at KEMH between January 1998 and December 2004.

Methods  ABUO was defined as bleeding after 20 weeks of gestation but before the onset of labour with no cause detected on vaginal examination or abdominal ultrasound. Outcomes of these pregnancies were collated and compared with those of pregnancies without ABUO.

Main outcome measures  Antepartum complications assessed included pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia, gestational diabetes and preterm birth. Intrapartum evaluations included labour inductions, mode of delivery and gestational age at delivery. Neonatal outcomes evaluated included birthweight, Apgar scores, newborn intensive care unit (NICU) admission, neonatal complications and risk of perinatal/neonatal death.

Results  Between January 1998 and December 2004, there were 26 583 deliveries without ABUO and 1431 with ABUO. Multivariable analyses of the ABUO effects revealed that ABUO was a simultaneously significant risk factor for term labour inductions (OR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.72–2.32, P < 0.001), preterm delivery (OR = 4.31, 95% CI: 3.84–4.84, P < 0.001), NICU admission (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.01–1.51, P = 0.042), hyperbilirubinaemia (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.01–1.63, P = 0.041) and reduced birthweight (26 g, 95% CI: 3–50, P = 0.026).

Conclusion  Women with ABUO are at greater risk of preterm delivery, term labour induction and their neonates are at greater risk for NICU admissions, hyperbilirubinaemia and a reduced birthweight.
Influence of previous pregnancy outcomes and continued smoking on subsequent pregnancy outcomes: an exploratory study in Australia
Authors: Mohsin M , Jalaludin B
Published: October 2008

Objective  To examine the influence of continued smoking and previous pregnancy outcomes on subsequent pregnancy outcomes.

Design  Retrospective descriptive epidemiological study.

Setting  New South Wales, Australia, 1994–2004.

Population  Mothers who delivered two consecutive singleton births.

Methods  Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to explore the influence of continued smoking on subsequent pregnancy outcomes.

Main outcome measures  Subsequent preterm birth (PTB), low birthweight (LBW) and perinatal deaths.

Results  The findings showed that in addition to maternal and neonatal characteristics, birth outcomes in subsequent pregnancies were affected by poor birth outcomes in previous pregnancy. Previous PTB, short birth interval, antenatal care, gestational diabetes and smoking habits in two successive pregnancies had relatively strong association with a subsequent PTB and LBW. Mothers who continued to smoke in subsequent pregnancies were more likely to have adverse pregnancy outcomes compared with others. A change from smoking in first pregnancy to not smoking in next pregnancy had reduced the chance of a subsequent PTB and LBW. The risk of a subsequent preterm and LBW delivery increased with the amount of smoking during the second pregnancy. For mothers who remain as moderate smokers in subsequent pregnancies, the odds ratios for a PTB and LBW delivery were significantly lower than those who remain as heavy smokers.

Conclusions  Effective interventions to help women to stop smoking during pregnancy could reduce the risk of adverse obstetric and pregnancy outcomes. Strategies to reduce the prevalence of smoking during pregnancy may include intense intervention for women who have had smoking‐related adverse outcomes in a previous pregnancy.
Comparison of sublingual versus vaginal misoprostol for the induction of labour: a systematic review
Authors: Souza ASR , Amorim MMR , Feitosa FEL
Published: October 2008

Background  The induction of full‐term labour in women with a live fetus remains a major challenge in modern obstetrics.

Objectives  To determine, using the best level of evidence available, the efficacy and safety of sublingual administration of misoprostol compared with vaginal misoprostol in the third trimester of pregnancy for the induction of labour, according to initial doses, in women with a live, full‐term fetus and an unripe cervix.

Search strategy  Pubmed/Medline, Lilacs and Scielo databases were consulted, as well as clinical trials registered in the Cochrane Register from January 1996 to February 2008, using the keywords ‘misoprostol’, ‘labour, obstetric’, ‘delivery, obstetric’, ‘induced labour’ and ‘parturition’ with the search limits of ‘clinical trials’ and ‘randomised clinical trials’.

Selection criteria  This review contains randomised clinical trials in which the sublingual and vaginal routes of administration of misoprostol were compared. Participants were pregnant women with an indication for induction of labour and a live fetus more than 37 weeks of gestational age.

Data collection and analysis  The primary analysis compared sublingual and vaginal routes of administration of misoprostol. Secondary analyses compared different routes and initial doses of misoprostol. Statistical analysis included odds ratios and their respective 95% CI. To evaluate the heterogeneity of the studies, the I‐squared test was used, studies being considered heterogeneous when I2 was greater than 50%.

Main results  Five good quality clinical trials involving a total of 740 women were eligible, and all were included. No statistically significant difference was found between the sublingual and the vaginal misoprostol groups with respect to the rate of vaginal delivery not achieved within 24 hours (OR 1.27, 95% CI 0.87–1.84), uterine hyperstimulation syndrome (OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.61–2.33) or caesarean section (OR 1.33, 95% CI 0.96–1.85). An increased risk of uterine tachysystole was found in the sublingual misoprostol group (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.02–2.83). When the studies were grouped according to the initial dose of misoprostol, no significant difference was found between sublingual or vaginal groups.

Author’s conclusions  The sublingual route of administration is as effective as the vaginal route in inducing labour in full‐term pregnancies with live fetuses. However, the safety, adverse effects, optimal dose and perinatal outcome related to this route of administration remain to be established, and it cannot be recommended for routine use in obstetric practice.
Asphyxia‐related risk factors and their timing in spastic cerebral palsy
Authors: Nielsen LF , Schendel D , Grove J , Hvidtjørn D , Jacobsson B , Josiassen T , Vestergaard M , Uldall P , Thorsen P
Published: October 2008

Objective  To investigate the association of asphyxia‐related conditions (reducing blood flow or blood oxygen levels in the fetus) with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) considering different gestational age groups and the timing of risk.

Design  Population‐based case–control study.

Setting  Danish Cerebral Palsy Register in eastern Denmark and Danish Medical Birth Register.

Population or Sample  271 singletons with spastic CP and 217 singleton controls, frequency matched by gestational age group, born 1982–1990 in eastern Denmark.

Methods  Data were abstracted from medical records, and a priori asphyxia‐related conditions and other risk factors were selected for analysis. Each factor was classified according to the time at which it was likely to first be present.

Main outcome measures  Spastic CP.

Results  Placental and cord complications accounted for the majority of asphyxia conditions. In multivariate analysis, placental infarction was significantly associated with a four‐fold increased risk for spastic quadriplegia and cord around the neck was significantly associated with a three‐fold increased risk for spastic CP overall. The combination of placental infarction and being small for gestational age (SGA) afforded an especially high risk for spastic quadriplegia. Placental and cord complications were present in 21% of cases and 12% of controls.

Conclusions  The risk for spastic quadriplegia from placental infarction may be linked in some cases with abnormal fetal growth (17% of all children with spastic quadriplegia and 3% of control children both had an infarction and were SGA)—suggesting an aetiologic pathway that encompasses both factors. The risk for spastic CP from cord around the neck is not accounted for by other prepartum or intrapartum factors we examined. Considering the relative timing of risk factors provides a useful framework for studies of CP aetiology.
Women with obstetric fistula in Ethiopia: a 6‐month follow up after surgical treatment
Authors: Browning A , Menber B
Published: October 2008

Objective  To quantify surgical and quality of life outcomes 6 months after obstetric fistula repair.

Design  A prospective study. Women were examined and questioned at discharge and at follow‐up appointment.

Setting  The Barhirdar Hamlin Fistula Centre, a dedicated unit treating women with obstetric fistula in northern Ethiopia.

Population  All women admitted to the Barhirdar Hamlin Fistula Centre suffering from vesicovaginal (WF) and rectovaginal fistulae (RVF).

Methods  All women were asked to return for a follow‐up appointment 6 months after surgical treatment. A standardised questionnaire and examination were used and information entered into a database.

Main outcomes measures  Urinary and anal continence status; extent of return to previous family situation, employment, social activities and reproductive capabilities.

Results  Continence status at discharge was largely maintained at 6 months and quality of life was improved. Many of those incontinent on discharge improved; a small number apparently cured at discharge had later recurrence of incontinence.

Conclusions  Surgical treatment for obstetric fistula is successful in maintaining continence and improving quality of life of women at 6‐months follow up.
The novel nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor antagonist Trap‐101 alleviates experimental parkinsonism through inhibition of the nigro‐thalamic pathway: positive interaction withL‐DOPA
Authors: Marti Matteo , Trapella Claudio , Morari Michele
Published: October 2008

In this study we investigated whether the recently discovered antagonist of the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) opioid peptide (NOP) receptor, 1‐[1‐(cyclooctylmethyl)‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydro‐5‐(hydroxymethyl)‐4‐pyridinyl]‐3‐ethyl‐1,3‐dihydro‐2H‐benzimidazol‐2‐one (Trap‐101) changed motor activity in naïve rats and mice, and alleviated parkinsonism in 6‐hydroxydopamine hemilesioned rats. In naïve rats, Trap‐101 stimulated motor activity at 10 mg/Kg and inhibited it at 30 mg/Kg. Such dual action was also observed in wild‐type but not NOP receptor knockout mice suggesting specific involvement of NOP receptors. Trap‐101 alleviated akinesia/bradykinesia and improved overall gait ability in hemiparkinsonian rats, being effective starting at 1 mg/Kg and without worsening motor deficit at 30 mg/Kg. To investigate the circuitry involved in the Trap‐101 action, behavioral tests were performed in rats undergoing microdialysis. The anti‐akinetic/anti‐bradykinetic effects of Trap‐101, given systemically (10 mg/Kg) or perfused in substantia nigra reticulata (10 μM), were associated with reduced glutamate and enhanced GABA release in substantia nigra, and reduced GABA release in ipsilateral ventro‐medial thalamus. When combined with ineffective doses ofl‐DOPA (0.1 mg/Kg), Trap‐101 evoked larger neurochemical and behavioral responses. These data show that Trap‐101 is an effective NOP receptor antagonistin vivoand confirm that NOP receptor antagonists alleviate parkinsonism through blockade of nigral NOP receptors and impairment of nigro‐thalamic transmission.
Across islands and continents, mammals are more successful invaders than birds
Authors: Jeschke Jonathan M.
Published: October 2008

Many invasive species cause ecological or economic damage, and the fraction of introduced species that become invasive is an important determinant of the overall costs caused by invaders. According to the widely quoted tens rule, about 10% of all introduced species establish themselves and about 10% of these established species become invasive. Global taxonomic differences in the fraction of species becoming invasive have not been described. In a global analysis of mammal and bird introductions, I show that both mammals and birds have a much higher invasion success than predicted by the tens rule, and that mammals have a significantly higher success than birds. Averaged across islands and continents, 79% of mammals and 50% of birds introduced have established themselves and 63% of mammals and 34% of birds established have become invasive. My analysis also does not support the hypothesis that islands are more susceptible to invaders than continents, as I did not find a significant relationship between invasion success and the size of the island or continent to which the species were introduced. The data set used in this study has a number of limitations, e.g. information on propagule pressure was not available at this global scale, so understanding the mechanisms behind the observed patterns has to be postponed to future studies.
The influence of spatial scale on the congruence of classifications circumscribing morphological units of biodiversity
Authors: Nipperess David A. , Andersen Alan N. , Pik Anthony J. , Bramble Roger , Wilson Peter , Beattie Andrew J.
Published: October 2008

Aim  The ‘taxonomic impediment’ has led to a growing trend in ecology and conservation biology to use operational surrogates for species within the context of a particular research project. Because such ‘parataxonomic’ classifications are typically spatially limited in scope, we examined the influence of increasing spatial scale on the congruence of two such approaches with a more traditional taxonomic classification.

Location  Sturt National Park, north‐western New South Wales, Australia.

Methods  Specimens of two ant genera, Camponotus and Rhytidoponera, were classified by three independent methods. The ‘parataxonomic’ classification assigned specimens to morphospecies without specialist taxonomic expertise; the ‘taxonomic’ classification assigned specimens to either described species or, where this was not possible, to operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using specialist taxonomic expertise; the ‘phenetic’ classification assigned specimens to putative species using a K‐means partitioning algorithm on basic morphometric data. Specimens of each genus were pooled into ‘assemblages’, which were defined at multiple spatial scales using a nested sampling design. Congruence in the interspecimen relationships of the different classifications was tested for each assemblage using pair‐wise Mantel correlations.

Results  Classification congruence tended to decrease with increasing spatial scale. There were, however, clear differences between the genera. Parataxonomic–taxonomic congruence was consistently greater for Camponotus, while phenetic–taxonomic congruence showed the opposite pattern.

Conclusions  Observed patterns in classification congruence are attributed to two principal causes: (i) within‐species morphological variation, including ecotypic variation in Rhytidoponera and caste polymorphism in Camponotus; and (ii) a limit to the morphological similarity of potentially competing species at small spatial scales. Regardless of cause, the decline in agreement as the spatial scale of observation is increased has important implications for the measurement of biodiversity, particularly when comparing samples over regional, continental, and global scales.
Cold‐water coral habitats on seamounts: do they have a specialist fauna?
Authors: O’Hara Timothy D. , Rowden Ashley A. , Williams Alan
Published: October 2008

Aim  The large biogenic structures formed by colonial cold‐water scleractinian corals provide valuable habitat for marine invertebrates on seamounts and the continental slope of all world oceans. These patchily distributed long‐lived structures are easily damaged by several human activities, particularly bottom trawling for fish, and are potentially vulnerable to ocean acidification caused by climate change. Consequently, an important conservation question is whether these structures support a specialized invertebrate fauna restricted to these habitats. Here we investigate the relationship between structures formed by the coral Solenosmilia variabilis and its associated ophiuroid (brittlestar) fauna, one of the dominant components of deep‐sea ecosystems.

Location  Seafloor habitat around Southern Australia, New Zealand, and the Macquarie Ridge from 35 to 53° S and 117° E–176° W, 500–1500 m depth.

Methods  Data were derived from samples collected by numerous scientific expeditions to the study region. Because these samples were collected using a variety of gear and effort, a two‐step approach was used. First, the largest consistently collected data set (73 ophiuroid species from 59 samples) was assembled for multivariate analysis. ANOSIM was used to test for differences in ophiuroid community composition between Solenosmilia and non‐Solenosmilia habitat on seamounts and the continental slope, and SIMPER was used to identify species that characterized Solenosmilia habitat. Second, these results were validated against all known data to ensure that these characteristic species had not been found in non‐Solenosmilia habitat elsewhere.

Results  The ophiuroid assemblages from Solenosmilia habitat were distinct from those found on other habitats on the continental slope and offshore seamounts across the study region. Although a suite of ophiuroid species characterized Solenosmilia habitat, most have also been collected from dead coral or other rubble, suggesting a physical rather than biological association between the coral matrix and its associated invertebrate fauna.

Main conclusions  Despite the lack of an exclusive ophiuroid–coral relationship, cold‐water scleractinian coral remains the principal habitat for a number of ophiuroid species across southern Australia and New Zealand. The slow growth rate of the coral and the low dispersal potential of some associated species suggest that recovery of damaged cold‐water coral assemblages will be a long‐term process.
Not as good as they seem: the importance of concepts in species distribution modelling
Authors: Jiménez‐Valverde Alberto , Lobo Jorge M. , Hortal Joaquín
Published: October 2008

Aim  Nowadays, large amounts of species distribution data and software for implementing different species distribution modelling methods are freely available through the internet. As a result, methodological works that analyse the relative performance of modelling techniques, as well as those that study which species characteristics affect their performance, are necessary. We discuss three important topics that must be kept in mind when modelling species distributions, namely (i) the distinction between potential and realized distribution, (ii) the effect of the relative occurrence area of the species on the results of the evaluation of model performance, and (iii) the general inaccuracy of the predictions of the realized distribution provided by species distribution modelling methods.

Location  Unspecific.

Methods Using some recent papers as a basis, we illustrate the three issues mentioned above and discuss the negative implications of neglecting them.

Results  Considering a potential‐realized distribution gradient, different modelling methods may be arranged along this gradient according to their ability to model any concept. Complex techniques may be more suitable to model the realized distribution than simple ones, which may be more appropriate to estimate the potential distribution. Comparisons among techniques must consider this scenario. The relative occurrence area of the species conditions the results of the evaluation scores, implying that models of rare species will unavoidably yield higher discrimination values. Moreover, discrimination values that are usually reported in the literature may imply considerable over or underestimations of the distribution of the species.

Main conclusions  It is extremely important to establish a solid conceptual and methodological framework on which the emergent field of species distribution modelling can stand and develop.
Inferring the introduction history of the invasive apomictic grass Cortaderia jubata using microsatellite markers
Authors: Okada Miki , Lyle Mark , Jasieniuk Marie
Published: October 2008

Aim  Reconstructing the introduction history of exotic species is critical to understanding ecological and evolutionary processes that underlie invasive spread and to designing strategies that prevent or manage invasions. The aims of this study were to infer the introduction history of the invasive apomictic bunchgrass Cortaderia jubata and to determine if molecular data support the postulated horticultural origin of invasive populations.

Location  Invaded areas in the USA (California, Maui) and New Zealand; native areas in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.

Methods  We used nuclear microsatellite markers to genotype 281 plants from invaded areas in California, Maui and New Zealand, and 77 herbarium specimens from native South America, and compared the genotypic and clonal variation of C. jubata from the invaded and native ranges. Clonal diversity was determined from genotypic diversity using two analytical methods.

Results  Invasive C. jubata from invaded regions in California, Maui and New Zealand consisted of the same single clone that probably originated from a single introduced genotype. In contrast, 14 clones were detected in herbarium specimens from the native areas of Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. The invasive clone matched the most common clone identified in herbarium specimens from southern Ecuador where horticultural stock is presumed to have originated.

Main conclusions  The lack of clonal and genotypic diversity in invasive plants, but moderately high diversity detected in native plants, indicates a significant reduction in genetic variation associated with the introduction of C. jubata outside of its native range. Based on historical accounts of the horticultural introduction of C. jubata and the results of this study, a severe founder effect probably occurred during deliberate introduction of C. jubata into cultivation. Our results are consistent with the postulated horticultural origin of invasive C. jubata and point to southern Ecuador as the geographical source of invasive populations.
Effect of Physical Activity Counseling on Disability in Older People: A 2‐Year Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Von Bonsdorff Mikaela B. , Leinonen Raija , Kujala Urho M. , Heikkinen Eino , Törmäkangas Timo , Hirvensalo Mirja , Rasinaho Minna , Karhula Sirkka , Mänty Minna , Rantanen Taina
Published: October 2008

OBJECTIVES:To study the effect of a physical activity counseling intervention on instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) disability.

DESIGN:Primary care–based, single‐blind, randomized controlled trial.

SETTING:City of Jyväskylä, central Finland.

PARTICIPANTS:Six hundred thirty‐two people aged 75 to 81 who were able to walk 500 meters without assistance, were at most moderately physically active, had a Mini‐Mental State Examination score greater than 21, had no medical contraindications for physical activity, and gave informed consent for participation.

INTERVENTION:A single individualized physical activity counseling session with supportive phone calls from a physiotherapist every 4 months for 2 years and annual lectures on physical activity. Control group received no intervention.

MEASUREMENTS:The outcome was IADL disability defined as having difficulties in or inability to perform IADL tasks. Analyses were carried out according to baseline IADL disability, mobility limitation, and cognitive status.

RESULTS:At the end of the follow‐up, IADL disability had increased in both groups (P<.001) and was lower in the intervention group, but the group‐by‐time interaction effect did not reach statistical significance. Subgroup analyses revealed that the intervention prevented incident disability in subjects without disability at baseline (risk ratio=0.68, 95% confidence interval=0.47–0.97) but had no effect on recovery from disability.

CONCLUSION:The physical activity counseling intervention had no effect on older sedentary community‐dwelling persons with a wide range of IADL disability, although it prevented incident IADL disability. The results warrant further investigation to explore the benefits of a primary care–based physical activity counseling program on decreasing and postponing IADL disability.