bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serum and milk concentrations of apramycin in lactating cows, ewes and goats
Authors: Ziv G. , KURTZ B. , RISENBERG R. , GLICKMAN A.
Published: April 2008

A 20% solution of apramycin was administered intravenously (j.v.) and intramuscularly (i.m.) to lactating cows with clinically normal and acutely inflamed udders, to lactating ewes with normal or subclinically infected, inflamed udders and i.v. to lactating goats with normal udders. The i.v. disposition kinetics of apramycin was very similar in cows, ewes and goats. The elimination half‐life was approximately 2 h and the steady‐state volume of distribution was 1.26–1.45 L/kg. The absorption rate of the drug from the i.m. injection site was rapid, the i.m. bioavailability was 60–70% and the mean elimination half‐life was 265 min in cows and 145.5 min in ewes. The binding percentage of apramycin to serum protein was low (< 22.5%). Concentrations of apramycin in milk produced by clinically normal mammary glands of cows, ewes and goats were consistently lower than in serum; the kinetic value AUCmilk/AUCserum was < 0.32. Drug penetration into the milk from the acutely inflamed quarters of cows was extensive; mastitis milk Cmax values were more than tenfold greater than the Cmax in normal milk. On the other hand, the drug had limited access to the milk produced by subclinically infected inflamed half‐udders of ewes.
The effect of xylazine on plasma thromboxane B2concentration in sheep
Authors: RAPTOPOULOS D. , WEAVER B.M.Q. , PAPANASTASSOPOULOU M. , STADDON G.E. , PARKINSON T. J.
Published: April 2008

α2‐adrenoceptor agonist drugs can cause respiratory changes leading to a short period of hypoxaemia in sheep. It has been suggested that this is due to transient platelet aggregation and pulmonary microembolism. If platelet aggregation were to follow platelet activation in response to the administration of α2agonists, plasma thromboxane levels would be expected to rise. This study was carried out to measure plasma thromboxane B2concentrations before and after the intravenous administration of the α2‐agonist drug xylazine at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg. It was found that the plasma thromboxane concentration rose by 320% and, furthermore, the rise was prevented by the prior administration of atipamezole hydrochloride (0.125 mg/kg), an α2‐adrenoceptor antagonist.
Depletion of gentamicin in the milk of Holstein cows after single and repeated intramammary and parenteral treatments
Authors: PEDERSOLI W.M. , JACKSON J. , FROBISH R.A.
Published: April 2008

Twenty‐four healthy Holstein cows, 2.72 ± 0.64 (mean ± SD) years old, weighing 603.96 ± 73.22 kg (mean ± SD), and representing various levels of milk production, were used to determine the depletion of gentamicin (GT) in milk. The cows had not received antibiotics or other drugs that could interfere with study for at least 60 days before the beginning of the investigation. The cows were divided into six groups (n = 4) and treated with single (treatments A, B and C) or repeated (treatments D, E and F) doses of GT. Cows were acclimated for 7 days before administration of GT and milked twice a day at 12‐h intervals (06.00 hours, 18.00 hours) throughout the duration of the study. Control milk samples were obtained after the arrival of the cows and assayed to establish their GT free status. On day 1 of each treatment, a baseline milk sample was collected from the milk produced (06.00 hours) by each cow. A single dose of GT was administered intramammarlly (A, i.m.m. left front quarter, 500 mg), intravenously (B, i.v., 5 mg/kg body weight) or intramuscularly (C, i.m., 5 mg/kg body weight). Cows in treatments D (i.m.m., 500 mg), E (i.v., 5 mg/kg body weight) and F (simultaneous i.m.m. 500 mg plus i.v. 5 mg/kg body weight) were treated twice a day for 5 consecutive days just after the morning and evening milkings. Milk samples from individual cows were collected every day after each milking during and after dosing until GT concentration in the milk was below the safe level of ± 30 ng/mL. The concentration of GT in milk was determined by a high‐performance liquid chromatographic procedure. Depletion of GT to a concentration ± 30 ng/mL occurred at the seventh (84 h), third (36 h), third (36 h), eleventh (132 h), third (36 h) and nineteenth (228 h) post‐dosing milking, for cows in treatments A, B, C., D, E and F respectively. The highest mean ± SEM) concentrations of GT were 14 710 ± 1213.89, 167.87 ± 46.94 and 91.62 ± 14.55 ng/mL measured in the first milking post dosing (12 h) for cows in treatment A, B and C respectively; for cows in treatments D, E and F, during the dosing period, they were 14067.50 ± 2989.09, 446.07 ± 100.92, and 22900 ± 2843.66 ng/mL and occurred at the seventh, third and eighth milking respectively. Because GT is not approved for use in dairy cattle and because of the long depletion time associated with some possible treatments, illegal and extra‐label use is likely to cause residues in milk.
Amitraz depresses cardiovascular responses to bilateral carotid occlusion
Authors: REYNOLDSON J. A. , CULLEN L. K.
Published: April 2008

The ectoparasiticide amitraz stimulates α2,‐adrenoceptors to produce side‐effects such as bradycardia and hypotension. The actions of amitraz on baroreceptor reflex responses were evaluated in mongrel dogs by occlusion of both carotid arteries for 30‐s periods. Incremental doses of amitraz given intravenously showed that doses of 60 μg/kg and above significantly depressed pressor responses to carotid occlusion. By comparison, 2 μg/kg amitraz given by intracisterna magna (i.c.m.) injection significantly depressed both blood pressure and heart rate responses. Pretreatment of dogs with i.c.m. yohimbine (30 μg/kg) prevented the depressant effects of amitraz on the reflex, but prazosin (20 μg/kg), in separate experiments, had no effect.
The effect of level of feed intake on the pharmacokinetic disposition and efficacy of ivermectin in sheep
Authors: ALI D. N. , HENNESSY D. R.
Published: April 2008

The kinetic disposition of orally administered [3H]‐Ivermectin (IVM) was examined in sheep in which the feed intake was maintained at either 800 or 400 g/day. The [3H]‐metabolites were almost completely associated with particulate digesta in the rumen. In the low feed intake group the digesta flow was slower than in sheep on high feed intake. This resulted in an extended residence time and greater availability of IVM and its metabolites. The anthelmintic efficacy of IVM was then examined in sheep in which feed intake was reduced from 800 g/day to 400g/36h prior to and 36 h after IVM administration. In sheep with reduced intake 97% of IVM‐resistant Haemonchus contortus were removed, compared with 53% in sheep maintained on high feed intake.
Single dose pharmacokinetics of medetomidine in sheep
Authors: MUGE D. K. , CHAMBERS J. P. , LIVINGSTON A.
Published: April 2008

The pharmacokinetics of medetomidine hydrochloride (Domitor) administered at a single dose of 15 μg/kg IV in sheep are described. Plasma medetomidine concentrations were determined using a sensitive radioreceptor assay technique, capable of also measuring metabolites which would bind to α2 adrenergic receptors. Medetomidine was rapidly distributed, with a half‐life of distribution of 4.65/pm0.65 min. The apparent volume of distribution was 2.69/pm0.62 L/kg, while elimination half‐life was 37.85/pm2.84 min. Total body clearance varied between 16.29 and 151.81 mL/min.kg. Pharmacological effects of medetomidine paralleled its plasma concentration.
A study of the effect of a platelet activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonist on antigen challenge of horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: MARR K. A. , FAIRBAIRN I. M. , PAGE I. F. , LEES F. , CUNNINGHAM F. M.
Published: April 2008

Antigen challenge involving exposure to straw and mouldy hay for 7 h produced lung function changes and neutrophil recruitment to the lungs in horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). During the challenge, an increase in radiolabelled neutrophils in the lungs occurred, together with increased respiratory rate and pleural pressure. The role of platelet activating factor (PAF) in antigen‐induced neutrophil accumulation, and increased pleural pressure and respiratory rate was investigated by administering the PAF receptor antagonist WEB 2086 to asymptomatic COPD horses prior to antigen challenge. WEB 2086 (3 mg/kg i.v.) did not affect antigen‐induced changes in either neutrophil accumulation or respiratory function. These results suggest that PAF may not be an important mediator of the response to antigen in equine COPD.
Comparative pharmacokinetics of paracetamol (acetaminophen) and its sulphate and glucuronide metabolites in desert camels and goats
Authors: ALI B. H. , CHENG Z. , HADRAMI G. EL , BASHIR A. K. , MCKELLAR Q. A.
Published: April 2008

Paracetamol was administered at dosages of 5 mg/kg to camels and 10 mg/kg to goats by the intravenous and intramuscular routes. Parent paracetamol had a significantly slower clearance (21.9 ± 1.4 mL/min.kg vs. 52.8 ± 7.3 mL/min.kg) (P < 0.01) in camels than in goats. In camels the predominant metabolite in plasma was the sulphate, although the ratios of glucuronide:paracetamol and sulphate:paracetamol were similar (5.20 ± 0.50 vs. 6.59 ± 0.51) following intravenous administration. In goats the glucuronide metabolite was the predominant moiety in plasma, and the area under the curve (AUC) of the sulphate was only 3.89% of that of the glucuronide conjugate. The apparent AUC for paracetamol in the camel following intramuscular administration was larger than that following intravenous administration, however, when the bioavailability (F) was determined, with correction for altered half‐life, within the animal and between study phases it was 71 ± 17% in goats and 105 ± 26% in camels.
Relative bioavailability of microgranulated sulfadimidine in veal calves
Authors: ANFOSSI P. , MONTESISSA C. , PEZZI P. , FORMIGONI A.
Published: April 2008

The kinetics of free and microgranulated sulfadimidine were compared in milk‐fed calves dosed orally (180 mg/kg) in a crossover study. Microgranulation results in delayed absorption of sulfadimidine and poor bioavailability, with the area under the plasma concentration‐time curve (AUC(O‐oo)) reduced from 7400 to 3781 μg·h/mL, and maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) reduced from 188.1 ± 39.0 to 84.41 ± 22.6 μg/mL. It is concluded that sulfadimidine microgranulated with long chain fatty acids is not suitable for use in milk‐fed calves; the gastrointestinal transit time is too rapid to allow full release of the drug, markedly limiting its bioavailability. In adult animals, or in the young of other animal species in which digesta transit time is slower than in calves, the bioavailability of microgranulated sulfadimidine may be much greater.
Disposition of metronidazole in hens(Gallus gallus)and quails(Coturnix coturnix japonica): pharmacokinetics and whole‐body autoradiography
Authors: CYBULSKI W. , LARSSON P. , TJÄLVE H. , KOWALSKA‐PYLKA H. , SYLLA M. , SEMENIUK S.
Published: April 2008

Hens were given single intravenous or oral doses (30 mg/kg body weight) of metronidazole and the plasma concentrations of the drug were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at intervals from 10 min to 24 h after drug administration. Pharmacokinetic variables were calculated by the Lagrange algorithm technique. The elimination half‐life (t1/2β) after the intravenous injection was 4.2 ± 0.5 h, the volume of distribution (Vd(ss)) 1.1±0.2 L/kg and the total body clearance (ClB) 131.2 ± 20 mL/h.kg. Oral bioavailability of the metronidazole was 78 ± 16%. The plasma maximum concentration (Cmax) 31.9 ± 2.3 μg/mL was reached 2 h after the oral administration and the oral elimination half‐life (t1/2β) was 4.7 ± 0.2 h. The binding of metronidazole to proteins in hen plasma was very low (less than 3%). Whole body autoradiography of [3H] metronidazole in hens and quails showed an even distribution of labelled material in various tissues at short survival intervals (1‐4 h) after oral or intravenous administration. A high labelling was seen in the contents of the small and large intestines. In the laying quails a labelling was also seen in the albumen and in a ring in the periphery of the yolk at long survival intervals. Our results show that a concentration twofold above the MIC is maintained in the plasma of hens for at least 12 h at an oral dose of 30 mg/kg metronidazole.
Penetration of parenterally administered ceftiofur into sterile vs. Pasteurella haemolytica‐infected tissue chambers in cattle
Authors: CLARKE C. R. , BROWN S. A. , STREETER R. N. , CLARKE J. M. , HAMLOW P. J. , CALLAHAN J. K. , HUBBARD V. L. , SPEEDY A. K. , BURROWS G. E.
Published: April 2008

The effect of bacterial infection on antibiotic activity and penetration of parenterally administered ceftiofur into implanted tissue chambers was studied in cattle. Tissue chambers were implanted subcutaneously in the paralumbar fossae of eight calves (256‐290 kg body weight). Approximately 80 days after implantation, the two chambers on one side of each animal were inoculated with Pasteurella haemolytica (106 CFU/chamber). Eighteen hours after inoculation, ceftiofur sodium was administered intravenously (5 mg/kg) to each of the calves. Non‐infected chamber fluid, infected chamber fluid and heparinized blood samples were collected immediately before and at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h after drug administration. Concentrations of ceftiofur and desfuroylceftiofur metabolites and ceftiofur‐equivalent microbiological activity were measured by high‐pressure liquid chromatography and microbiological assay respectively. Concentrations of ceftiofur and desfuroylceftiofur metabolites and antimicrobial activity in P. haemolytica‐infected tissue chambers were significantly higher than those in non‐infected tissue chambers at all sampling times, indicating that ceftiofur, regardless of the method used for analysis, localizes at higher concentrations at tissue sites infected with P. haemolytica. Antibiotic activity‐concentration ratios were lower in plasma and infected chamber fluid compared with non‐infected chamber fluid, suggesting that antibiotic was bound to proteins. However, higher antimicrobial activity in the infected chamber fluid compared with the non‐infected chamber fluid suggests that active drug is reversibly bound to proteins. Protein‐bound desfuroylceftiofur may represent a reservoir for release of active drug at the site of infection in the animal.
In vitro susceptibility of Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrhoeic lambs and goat kids to 14 antimicrobial agents
Authors: CID D. , PÍRIZ S. , RUIZ‐SANTA‐QUITERIA J. A. , VALLE J. , VADILLO S. , de la FUENTE R.
Published: April 2008

The in vitro activities of 14 anti‐microbial agents were determined against 92 strains of E. coli isolated from lambs (60 strains) and kids (32 strains) affected by neonatal diarrhoea. The overall percentage of resistant strains to streptomycin, sulphadimethoxine and tetracycline was very high (above 70%). A high level of resistance (from 30% to 50%) to ampicillin, kanamycin, neomycin and chloramphenicol was also detected. The E. coli strains were highly susceptible to cephalosporins, polymyxin and quinolones. Most of the strains showed multiresistance: 77.2% of isolates were resistant to at least two antibiotics, 55.4% were resistant to at least four antibiotics and 33.7% were resistant to at least six antibiotics. A total of 34 antibiotypes could be distinguished.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ketoprofen enantiomers in the horse
Authors: LANDONI M. F. , LEES P.
Published: April 2008

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters were established for enantiomers of the non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) ketoprofen (KTP), each administered separately at a dose level of 1.1 mg/kg to a group of six New Forest geldings, in a three‐period cross‐over study using a tissue cage model of inflammation. For both S(+)‐ and R(‐)‐KTP, penetration into tissue cage fluid (transudate) and inflamed tissue cage fluid (exudate) was rapid, and clearances from exudate and transudate were much slower than from plasma. AUC values were, therefore, higher for exudate and, to a lesser degree, transudate than for plasma. Unidirectional chiral inversion of R(‐)‐ to S(+)‐KTP was demonstrated. Administration of both enantiomers produced marked, time‐dependent inhibition of synthesis of serum thromboxane B2 and exudate prostaglandin E2, indicating non‐selective inhibition of cyclo‐oxygenase (COX) isoenzymes COX‐1 and COX‐2 respectively. Administration of both enantiomers also produced partial inhibition of β‐glucuronidase release into inflammatory exudate and of bradykinin‐induced skin oedema. It is suggested that, although S(+)‐KTP is generally regarded as the eutomer, R(‐)‐KTP was probably at least as active in inhibiting bradykinin swelling. Pharmacokinetic/pharmaco dynamic (PK/PD) modelling of the data could not be undertaken following R(‐)‐KTP administration because of chiral inversion to S(+)‐KTP. but pharmacodynamic parameters, Emax, EC50, N, keo and t1/2(keO), were determined for S(+)‐KTP using the sigmoidal Emax equation. PK/DP modelling provided a novel means of comparing and quantifying several biological effects of KTP and of investigating its mechanisms of action.
A conservation paradox for the 21st century: the European wild rabbitOryctolagus cuniculus, an invasive alien and an endangered native species
Authors: LEES ALEXANDER C. , BELL DIANA J.
Published: April 2008

This review highlights the status of the European wild rabbitOryctolagus cuniculus, which is threatened within its native range and yet is a highly successful colonizer across its worldwide, introduced range.

The European wild rabbit is a keystone species in Iberia, and the survival of a range of threatened predator species, including the Iberian lynxLynx pardinusand Spanish imperial eagleAquila aldabertii, is dependent upon the restoration of rabbit populations. Although not native to the UK, the rabbit also performs significant ecosystem services for nationally rare UK species, by maintaining short sward heights in heathland and grassland ecosystems, and serving as a prey item for populations of predators.

We identify the European wild rabbit as an excellent model to demonstrate the wide range of complex effects that an introduced mammalian species may exert on ecosystems to which it has been introduced. These effects include habitat degradation following overgrazing, competition with native mammals and facilitating meso‐predator release and hyperpredation.

We also show that rabbit eradication from some sites may generate more problems than are solved because of the impacts of trophic cascades stemming from dependence on rabbits by native predator assemblages.
Structure and rheology of lithosphere in Italy and surrounding
Authors: Panza G. F. , Raykova R. B.
Published: April 2008

We define the structure and rheology of the lithosphere in Italy and surrounding, combining the cellular velocity models derived from nonlinear tomographic inversion with the distribution vs. depth of hypocentres to assess the brittle properties of the Earth’s crust. We average, over cells sized 1 × 1 degree, the mechanical properties of the uppermost 60 km of the Earth, along with seismicity, grouping hypocentral depths in 4‐km intervals. For most of the cells, the earthquake energy is concentrated in the upper crust (4–12 km). For some regions, where orogenic processes occur, the release of earthquake energy is shallower and limited to the uppermost 10 km of the crust. Ambiguities in the structural models are minimized considering the hypocentral distribution, mainly to define the location of the Moho boundary, when its identification, based on shear‐wave velocities, is not straightforward.
Inter‐dependence of dimerization and organelle binding in myosin XI
Authors: Li Jian‐Feng , Nebenführ Andreas
Published: April 2008

Cytoplasmic streaming is a ubiquitous process in plant cells that is thought to be driven by the active movement of myosin XI motor proteins along actin filaments. These myosin motors bind to organelles through their C‐terminal globular tail domain, although recent studies have also suggested a role for the central coiled‐coil region during organelle binding. Here we have investigated the relationship between these two protein domains of MYA1, an Arabidopsis myosin XI, in a series of in vivo experiments demonstrating that dimerization of the coiled‐coil region stabilizes organelle binding of the globular tail. Surprisingly, yeast two‐hybrid assays, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, Förster resonance energy transfer and in vitro pull‐down experiments all demonstrated that dimerization of the 174‐residue MYA1 coiled coils by themselves was unstable. Furthermore, only the first of the two major coiled‐coil segments in MYA1 contributed significantly to dimer formation. Interestingly, dimerization of myosin tail constructs that included the organelle‐binding globular tail was stable, although the globular tails by themselves did not interact. This suggests an inter‐dependent relationship between dimerization and organelle binding in myosin XI, whereby each process synergistically stimulates the other.
Deletion of the chloroplast‐localized AtTerC gene product in Arabidopsis thaliana leads to loss of the thylakoid membrane and to seedling lethality
Authors: Kwon Kwang‐Chul , Cho Myeon Haeng
Published: April 2008

Early seedling development in plants depends on the biogenesis of chloroplasts from proplastids, accompanied by the formation of thylakoid membranes. An Arabidopsis thaliana gene, AtTerC, whose gene product shares sequence similarity with bacterial tellurite resistance C (TerC), is shown to be involved in a critical step required for the normal organization of prothylakoids and transition into mature thylakoid stacks. The AtTerC gene encodes an integral membrane protein, which contains eight putative transmembrane helices, localized in the thylakoid of the chloroplast, as shown by localization of an AtTerC–GFP fusion product in protoplasts and by immunoblot analysis of subfractions of chloroplasts. T‐DNA insertional mutation of AtTerC resulted in a pigment‐deficient and seedling‐lethal phenotype under normal light conditions. Transmission electron microscopic analysis revealed that mutant etioplasts had normal prolamellar bodies (PLBs), although the prothylakoids had ring‐like shapes surrounding the PLBs. In addition, the ultrastructures of mutant chloroplasts lacked thylakoids, did not have grana stacks, and showed numerous globular structures of varying sizes. Also, the accumulation of thylakoid membrane proteins was severely defective in this mutant. These results suggest that the AtTerC protein plays a crucial role in prothylakoid membrane biogenesis and thylakoid formation in early chloroplast development.
Do consecutive flower visits within a crown diminish fruit set in mass‐flowering Hancornia speciosa (Apocynaceae)?
Authors: Pinto C. E. , Oliveira R. , Schlindwein C.
Published: April 2008

Hancornia speciosa is a self‐incompatible, mass‐flowering, sphingophilous fruit crop (mangaba) of northeast and central Brazil. The flowers have a precise pollination apparatus, which optimizes pollen transfer between flower and pollinator. While the pollination mechanism avoids self‐pollination, mass‐flowering promotes geitonogamy. During a flower visit, almost half of the exogenous pollen grains adhering to the proboscis are deposited on the stigma surface. A pollination experiment with a nylon thread simulating six consecutive flower visits within a crown revealed that only the first two flowers visited (positions 1 and 2) are highly likely to set fruit. Super‐production of flowers, and consequently obligate low fruit set, seem to be part of the reproductive strategy of the obligate outcrossing plant, Hancornia speciosa.
The role of gene flow in shaping genetic structures of the subtropical conifer species Araucaria angustifolia
Authors: Stefenon V. M. , Gailing O. , Finkeldey R.
Published: April 2008

The morphological features of pollen and seed of Araucaria angustifolia have led to the proposal of limited gene dispersal for this species. We used nuclear microsatellite and AFLP markers to assess patterns of genetic variation in six natural populations at the intra‐ and inter‐population level, and related our findings to gene dispersal in this species. Estimates of both fine‐scale spatial genetic structure (SGS) and migration rate suggest relatively short‐distance gene dispersal. However, gene dispersal differed among populations, and effects of more efficient dispersal within population were observed in at least one stand. In addition, even though some seed dispersal may be aggregated in this principally barochorous species, reasonable secondary seed dispersal, presumably facilitated by animals, and overlap of seed shadows within populations is suggested. Overall, no correlation was observed between levels of SGS and inbreeding, density or age structure, except that a higher level of SGS was revealed for the population with a higher number of juvenile individuals. A low estimate for the number of migrants per generation between two neighbouring populations implies limited gene flow. We expect that stepping‐stone pollen flow may have contributed to low genetic differentiation among populations observed in a previous survey. Thus, strategies for maintenance of gene flow among remnant populations should be considered in order to avoid degrading effects of population fragmentation on the evolution of A. angustifolia.
Effects of ultraviolet radiation and temperature on the ultrastructure of zoospores of the brown macroalga Laminaria hyperborea
Authors: Steinhoff F. S. , Wiencke C. , Müller R. , Bischof K.
Published: April 2008

The interactive effects of an 8 h exposure to UV radiation and altered temperatures on the ultrastructure and germination of zoospores of the sublittoral brown alga Laminaria hyperborea (Gunn.) Foslie were investigated for the first time. Spores were exposed to four temperatures (2, 7, 12 and 17 °C) and three light regimes (PAR, PAR + UV‐A, PAR + UV‐A+UV‐B). Freshly‐released spores of L. hyperborea lack a cell wall and contain a nucleus with fine granular nucleoplasm and a nucleolus, one chloroplast, several mitochondria, dictyosomes and an endoplasmatic reticulum. Further, several kinds of so‐called adhesive vesicles, lipid globuli and physodes containing UV‐absorbing phlorotannins are embedded in the cytoplasm. No eye‐spot is present. Physodes were found but they were rare and small. After an 8 h exposure to UV‐B, the nucleoplasm had a mottled structure, chloroplasts contained plastoglobuli, the structure of the mitochondria changed from crista‐ to sacculus‐type and germination was strongly inhibited at all temperatures. UV‐A only had an impact on the ultrastructure at the highest temperature tested. The strongest effects were found at 17 °C, where germination was reduced to 35%, 32% and 9% after exposure to PAR, PAR+UV‐A and PAR + UV‐A + UV‐B, respectively. This study indicates that UV‐B radiation has strong damaging effects on the physiology and ultrastructure of zoospores of L. hyperborea. The results are important for developing scenarios for the effect of enhanced UV radiation and increasing temperatures caused by global climate changes.
Rhinocerebral zygomycosis caused by Saksenae vasiformis in a diabetic patient
Authors: García‐Martínez Jesús , López‐Medrano Francisco , Alhambra Almudena , Del Palacio Amalia
Published: April 2008

We report a rare case of invasive rhinocerebral Saksenae vasiformis infection in a 71‐year‐old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus ketoacidosis. Combined histological and microbiological examination of two biopsy specimens taken at four days' intervals showed broad non‐septate hyphae on direct smears of biopsies and necrosis and angioinvasion by hyphae were seen in the tissue. S. vasiformis was cultured from both biopsies. The patient had a fatal outcome even though partial debridement, liposomal amphotericin B treatment and control of diabetes were instituted. Permission for necropsy was denied. Clinical, epidemiological and pathological features of the case and manifestations of S. vasiformis infections are discussed. Most cases involve cutaneous sites and only two cases of rhinocerebral infections (both with fatal outcome) have been described. The present case is the third documented case of involvement of the sinuses and the second case of S. vasiformis infection documented in Europe.
Apparent competition can compromise the safety of highly specific biocontrol agents
Authors: Carvalheiro Luisa G. , Buckley Yvonne M. , Ventim Rita , Fowler Simon V. , Memmott Jane
Published: April 2008

Despite current concern about the safety of biological control of weeds, assessing the indirect impacts of introduced agents is not common practice. Using 17 replicate food webs, we demonstrate that the use of a highly host‐plant specific weed biocontrol agent, recently introduced into Australia, is associated with declines of local insect communities. The agent shares natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) with seed herbivore species from native plants, so apparent competition is the most likely cause for these losses. Both species richness and abundance in insect communities (seed herbivores and their parasitoids) were negatively correlated with the abundance of the biocontrol agent. Local losses of up to 11 species (dipteran seed herbivores and parasitoids) took place as the biocontrol agent abundance increased. Ineffective biocontrol agents that remain highly abundant in the community are most likely to have persistent, indirect negative effects. Our findings suggest that more investment is required in pre‐release studies on the effectiveness of biocontrol agents, as well as in post‐release studies assessing indirect impacts, to avoid or minimize the release of potentially damaging species.
Long‐term efficacy of duloxetine in women with stress urinary incontinence
Authors: Bump Richard C. , Voss Simon , Beardsworth Anthony , Manning Martina , Zhao Yan D. , Chen Wei
Published: April 2008

OBJECTIVE

To assess the maintenance of efficacy of duloxetine beyond 3 months, using data from several long‐term, open‐label studies, as the efficacy of duloxetine 40‐mg twice daily for treating women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) for up to 3 months has been established in several randomized, placebo‐controlled clinical trials.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data from 1424 patients (Cohort A) enrolled in three 12‐week, placebo‐controlled clinical trials and their uncontrolled, open‐label extensions, and in one uncontrolled, open‐label study, were used to assess long‐term continuation rates and continued efficacy based on responses to the validated Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI‐I) scale for up to 30 months. Data from another 2758 patients (Cohort B) enrolled in an additional placebo‐controlled study and its open‐label extension were used to assess PGI‐I ratings, reductions in incontinence episode frequency (IEF) recorded on urinary diaries, and the relationship between PGI‐I ratings and reductions in IEF for up to 72 weeks.

RESULTS

In Cohort A, the duloxetine continuation rate at 1 year was 42.5%. At 12, 24 and 30 months, most (83%, 83% and 88%, respectively) patients in Cohort A who continued treatment rated their incontinence in one of the three ‘better since starting treatment’ PGI‐I categories. Both the median IEF reductions (50–77%) and the PGI‐I ‘better’ ratings (70–88% of patients) remained fairly consistent over 72 weeks in Cohort B. Finally, IEF reductions increased with increasing PGI‐I ratings (≈46% for ‘a little better’, 75% for ‘much better’ and 95% for ‘very much better’) over the first year of treatment.

CONCLUSION

The benefits of duloxetine were maintained in patients who continued treatment for up to 30 months. However, these favourable results need to be interpreted cautiously, as many patients discontinued treatment and those with better responses are more likely to continue taking medication.
The professionalisation of social work: a cross‐national exploration
Authors: Weiss‐Gal Idit , Welbourne Penelope
Published: April 2008

This article compares the professional features of social work in ten countries. It is based on detailed descriptions of the professional features of social work in Chile, Germany, Hungary, India, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the USA. Social work in these countries is discussed in terms of eight features, chosen as marks of a profession on the basis of the ‘attributes’ and ‘power’ approaches to professionalisation: public recognition, monopoly over types of work, professional autonomy, the knowledge base, the professional education, the professional organisations, the existence of codified ethical standards and, lastly, the prestige and remuneration of social work.
Succession of a Southern Appalachian Mountain Wetland Six Years following Hydrologic and Microtopographic Restoration
Authors: Rossell Irene M. , Moorhead Kevin K. , Alvarado Huma , Warren Robert J.
Published: April 2008

Microtopography, which is known to play a key role in the structure and function of wetland communities, is receiving increasing attention in wetland restoration projects. One goal of the Tulula Wetlands Mitigation Bank, which was the first large‐scale wetland restoration project in the Blue Ridge Province, was to restore the microtopography in a degraded swamp forest–bog complex. This wetland type has become increasingly rare in the southern Appalachians and is characterized by a distinct microtopography of depressions and low ridges. We examined vegetation and soils in depression and ridge plots over a 6‐year period, during which the hydrology and microtopography of the floodplain were restored. Our results showed that the flora of the depression and ridge plots differed, with greater coverage by obligate wetland species in the depression plots but greater overall taxonomic richness in the ridge plots. The edaphic characteristics that we measured varied very little during the study period. Creating microtopographic relief during the restoration of this wetland seems to have provided a variety of niches and may have increased the likelihood that the site will succeed back to a swamp forest–bog complex, rather than as a forested terrace of Tulula Creek.
Recovery of Greater Sage‐Grouse Habitat Features in Wyoming Big Sagebrush following Prescribed Fire
Authors: Beck Jeffrey L. , Connelly John W. , Reese Kerry P.
Published: April 2008

The ability of prescribed fire to enhance habitat features for Greater Sage‐Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata wyomingensis) in western North America is poorly understood. We evaluated recovery of habitat features important to wintering, nesting, and early brood‐rearing Sage‐Grouse in Wyoming big sagebrush following prescribed fire. Our case study included 1 year of preburn (1989) and 10 years of postburn data collected over 14 years (1990–2003) from control and burned study areas in the Big Desert of southeastern Idaho, U.S.A. We compared recovery and rate of change for 12 features in four categories between burned and control transects and recovery in burned transects including change in variation. Our results indicate that prescribed fire induced quantifiable changes in wintering, nesting, and early brood‐rearing Sage‐Grouse habitat features 14 years after fire in Wyoming big sagebrush in our study area. Specifically, grass and litter required by Sage‐Grouse for nest and brood concealment recovered relatively rapidly following fire; major forb cover was similar between burned and control sites, but the rate of increase for major forb cover and richness was greater in control transects, and structurally mediated habitat features required by Sage‐Grouse for food and cover in winter and for nest and brood concealment in spring recovered slowly following fire. Because shrub structural features in our study did not recover in magnitude or variability to preburn levels 14 years after fire, we recommend that managers avoid burning Wyoming big sagebrush to enhance Sage‐Grouse habitat, but rather implement carefully planned treatments that maintain Sagebrush.
Assessing Impacts of Hydropattern Restoration of an Overdrained Wetland on Soil Nutrients, Vegetation and Fire
Authors: Leeds Jennifer A. , Garrett Patrick B. , Newman Jana M.
Published: April 2008

Restoring hydrology to overdrained wetlands can facilitate restoration of degraded ecosystems. In the northern Everglades, the Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area (RWMA) became a rain‐driven system as historic overland inflows were redirected. Consequently, the soil experienced severe drying, resulting in frequent muck fires, oxidation and a shift in vegetation composition. In July 2001, the RWMA hydropattern restoration began utilizing discharge from Stormwater Treatment Area 5 (STA‐5), a constructed wetland. As a result, predischarge hydroperiods averaging 124 days increased to an average of 183 days. Soil total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the topsoil layer did not significantly change from predischarge (637 mg/kg) to postdischarge (633 mg/kg) concentrations. Muck fires appear to be the catalyst for rapid alterations in the bioavailability and solubility of P. Prior to muck fires, soil P pools were 88% organic P and 12% inorganic P, shifting to 49% organic P and 51% inorganic P measured after a muck fire. Sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense, OBL) and Cattail (Typha domingensis, OBL) cover approximately 75% of the RWMA area as dominant or codominant species. Predischarge vegetation community composition documented obligate (OBL) and facultative wetland (FACW) species, each composing 46% of all species surveyed. Postdischarge vegetation compositions shifted to 59% OBL and 39% FACW species. In addition, there were significant elevations in tissue nutrient concentrations, TP, and total nitrogen, between pre‐ and postdischarge samples. An adaptive management approach to inflow and outflow operations will be an important part of successful wetland restoration.
Cognitive Effects of Levetiracetam versus Topiramate
Authors: Meador Kimford J.
Published: April 2008

The Influence of Antiepileptic Drugs on Cognition: A Comparison of Levetiracetam with Topiramate. Gomer B, Wagner K, Frings L, Saar J, Carius A, Härle M, Steinhoff BJ, Schulze-Bonhage A. Epilepsy Behav 2007;10(3):486–494. Levetiracetam (LEV) and topiramate (TPM) are considered highly effective novel antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the treatment of focal epilepsies. To explore potential side effects, this study investigated their influence on cognitive functions comparatively by means of a standardized neuropsychological test battery assessing several cognitive domains. In this observational study, cognitive changes were explored in 30 consecutively recruited patients with focal epilepsy treated with LEV and in 21 patients treated with TPM, comparing functions assessed prior to gradual initiation and after reaching steady state of the individual target dosage. Before titration, patient groups did not differ significantly with respect to cognitive performance. Whereas the LEV group manifested no change in cognitive performance after AED titration, the TPM group worsened in the cognitive domains of cognitive speed and verbal fluency, as well as short-term memory. These findings suggest that TPM, unlike LEV, may impair frontal lobe functions. The lack of cognitive side effects related to LEV treatment may be relevant for treatment decisions.
Innate Immunity and Inflammation in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: New Emphasis on the Role of Complement Activation
Authors: Vezzani Annamaria
Published: April 2008

Complement Activation in Experimental and Human Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Aronica E, Boer K, van Vliet EA, RedekerS, Baayen JC, Spliet WG, van Rijen PC, Troost D, da Silva FH, Wadman WJ, Gorter JA. Neurobiol Dis 2007;26(3):497–511. We investigated the involvement of the complement cascade during epileptogenesis in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), and in the chronic epileptic phase in both experimental as well as human TLE. Previous rat gene expression analysis using microarrays indicated prominent activation of the classical complement pathway which peaked at 1 week after SE in CA3 and entorhinal cortex. Increased expression of C1q, C3 and C4 was confirmed in CA3 tissue using quantitative PCR at 1 day, 1 week and 3–4 months after status epilepticus (SE). Upregulation of C1q and C3d protein expression was confirmed mainly to be present in microglia and in a few hippocampal neurons. In human TLE with hippocampal sclerosis, astroglial, microglial and neuronal (5/8 cases) expression of C1q, C3c and C3d was observed particularly within regions where neuronal cell loss occurs. The membrane attack protein complex (C5b-C9) was predominantly detected in activated microglial cells. The persistence of complement activation could contribute to a sustained inflammatory response and could destabilize neuronal networks involved.
Applicability of a Neuroprobabilistic Integral Risk Index for the Environmental Management of Polluted Areas: A Case Study
Authors: Nadal Martí , Kumar Vikas , Schuhmacher Marta , Domingo José L.
Published: April 2008

Recently, we developed a GIS‐Integrated Integral Risk Index (IRI) to assess human health risks in areas with presence of environmental pollutants. Contaminants were previously ranked by applying a self‐organizing map (SOM) to their characteristics of persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity in order to obtain the Hazard Index (HI). In the present study, the original IRI was substantially improved by allowing the entrance of probabilistic data. A neuroprobabilistic HI was developed by combining SOM and Monte Carlo analysis. In general terms, the deterministic and probabilistic HIs followed a similar pattern: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and light polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were the pollutants showing the highest and lowest values of HI, respectively. However, the bioaccumulation value of heavy metals notably increased after considering a probability density function to explain the bioaccumulation factor. To check its applicability, a case study was investigated. The probabilistic integral risk was calculated in the chemical/petrochemical industrial area of Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain), where an environmental program has been carried out since 2002. The risk change between 2002 and 2005 was evaluated on the basis of probabilistic data of the levels of various pollutants in soils. The results indicated that the risk of the chemicals under study did not follow a homogeneous tendency. However, the current levels of pollution do not mean a relevant source of health risks for the local population. Moreover, the neuroprobabilistic HI seems to be an adequate tool to be taken into account in risk assessment processes.
Farmer Knowledge and Risk Analysis: Postrelease Evaluation of Herbicide‐Tolerant Canola in Western Canada
Authors: Mauro Ian J. , McLachlan Stéphane M.
Published: April 2008

The global controversy regarding the use of genetically modified (GM) crops has proved to be a challenge for “science‐based” risk assessments. Although risk analysis incorporates societal perspectives in decision making over these crops, it is largely predicated on contrasts between “expert” and “lay” perspectives. The overall objective of this study is to explore the role for farmers' knowledge, and their decade‐long experience with herbicide‐tolerant (HT) canola, in the risk analysis of GM crops. From 2002 to 2003, data were collected using interviews (n= 15) and mail surveys (n= 370) with farmers from Manitoba and across Canada. The main benefits associated with HT canola were management oriented and included easier weed control, herbicide rotation, and better weed control, whereas the main risks were more diverse and included market harm, technology use agreements (TUAs), and increased seed costs. Benefits and risks were inversely related, and the salient factor influencing risk was farmer experiences with HT canola volunteers, followed by small farm size and duration using HT canola. These HT volunteers were reported by 38% of farmers, from both internal (e.g., seedbank, farm machinery, etc.) and external (e.g., wind, seed contamination, etc.) sources, and were found to persist over time. Farmer knowledge is a reliable and rich source of information regarding the efficacy of HT crops, demonstrating that individual experiences are important to risk perception. The socioeconomic nature of most risks combined with the continuing “farm income crisis” in North America demonstrates the need for a more holistic and inclusive approach to risk assessment associated with HT crops and, indeed, with all new agricultural technology.
Regional Economy as a Determinant of the Prevalence of Family Firms in the United States: A Preliminary Report
Authors: Chang Erick P.C. , Chrisman James J. , Chua Jess H. , Kellermanns Franz W.
Published: April 2008

The formation of family firms, as well as their scale and scope, is likely to be influenced by the characteristics of the environment. This study presents preliminary findings on the relationship between economic development and the prevalence of family vs. nonfamily firms in the United States. We use three samples consisting of 15,918 firms aggregated at the state level and two methods of estimating the proportion of family businesses in each state. Our results indicate that regardless of the method of estimation, there is a negative relationship between the proportion of family firms in a state and gross state product per capita. Implications and research directions are provided.
Unusual Left Atrial Appendage Mass: Atypical Presentation of Papillary Fibroelastoma
Authors: Jablonski‐Cohen Miroslawa , Ohsie Linda , Bhatti Tandeep , Morris Dennis Lynn
Published: April 2008

Papillary fibroelastomas are small, histologically benign neoplasms that are typically found on the valvular endocardium. We report a patient with a papillary fibroelastoma in an unusual location: the left atrial appendage. Although the mass was visualized both by computed tomography (CT) and transesophageal echocardiography, the diagnosis was histologically confirmed after surgical excision.
Isolated Noncompaction of the Left Ventricular Myocardium: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Eilen Dana , Peterson Noel , Karkut Christopher , Movahed Assad
Published: April 2008

A previously healthy 30‐year‐old African American male presented to our hospital with diabetic ketoacidosis as his first manifestation of diabetes. A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) was performed with contrast, which showed isolated noncompaction of the left ventricular myocardium (INVM). The case presented here is followed by an extensive review of the available literature.