bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Additive Partitioning of Species Diversity across Multiple Spatial Scales: Implications for Regional Conservation of Biodiversity
Authors: Gering Jon C. , Crist Thomas O. , Veech Joseph A.
Published: August 2003

Abstract: Ecologists and conservation biologists are keenly interested in how patterns of species diversity change across spatial scales. We examined how additive partitioning can be used to statistically evaluate spatial patterns of species diversity and develop conservation strategies. We applied additive partitioning to data on arboreal beetle diversity ( richness, Shannon, Simpson ) collected from a nested design consisting of four hierarchical levels—trees, forest stands, sites, and ecoregions—that corresponded to increasingly broader spatial scales within the eastern deciduous forest of Ohio and Indiana (   U.S.A. ). A significant percentage ( relative to that of randomization tests ) of total species richness and Shannon and Simpson diversity was attributed to beta diversity between ecoregions and, to a lesser extent, among sites ( parks and nature preserves ) within ecoregions. Hierarchical cluster analysis corroborated these findings. We also found differences between rare species (<0.05% of total abundance ) and common species ( >0.5% of total abundance ) in the overall percentage of richness explained by each spatial scale. Rare species accounted for the majority ( 45% ) of the 583 total beetle species in our study and were strongly influenced by broad spatial scales ( i.e., ecoregions ), whereas the richness of common species was significantly greater than expected across the range of spatial scales (   from trees to ecoregions ). Our results suggest that the most effective way to preserve beetle diversity in the eastern deciduous forest of the United States is to acquire and protect multiple sites within different ecoregions. More generally, we advocate the use of diversity partitioning because it complements existing models in conservation biology and provides a unique approach to understanding species diversity across spatial scales.
Detecting the Effects of Fishing on Seabed Community Diversity: Importance of Scale and Sample Size
Authors: Kaiser Michel J.
Published: August 2003

Abstract: Large‐scale anthropogenic disturbances of terrestrial and marine environments, such as logging and fishing, are generally assumed to have negative effects on species diversity, but this supposition is often not supported by empirical observations. I investigated the importance of the extent of area sampled to the observed outcome of comparisons of the diversity of seabed assemblages in different areas of the seabed that experience either low or high levels of fishing disturbance. Using a finite data set within each disturbance regime, I pooled samples of the benthic communities at random. Thus, although individual sample size increased with each additional level of pooled data, the number of samples decreased accordingly. Detecting the effects of disturbance on species diversity was strongly scale‐dependent. Despite increased replication at smaller scales, disturbance effects were more apparent when larger but less numerous samples were collected. The detection of disturbance effects was also affected by the choice of sampling device. Disturbance effects were apparent with pooled anchor‐dredge samples but were not apparent with pooled beam‐trawl samples. A more detailed examination of the beam‐trawl data emphasized that a whole‐community approach to the investigation of changes in diversity can miss responses in particular components of the community ( e.g., decapod crustacea ). The latter may be more adversely affected by disturbance than the majority of the taxa found within the benthic assemblage. Further, the diversity of some groups ( e.g., echinoderms ) actually increased with disturbance. Experimental designs and sampling regimes that focus on diversity at only one scale may miss important disturbance effects that occur at larger or smaller scales.
Scenario Planning: a Tool for Conservation in an Uncertain World
Authors: Peterson Garry D. , Cumming Graeme S. , Carpenter Stephen R.
Published: August 2003

Abstract: Conservation decisions about how, when, and where to act are typically based on our expectations for the future. When the world is highly unpredictable and we are working from a limited range of expectations, however, our expectations will frequently be proved wrong. Scenario planning offers a framework for developing more resilient conservation policies when faced with uncontrollable, irreducible uncertainty. A scenario in this context is an account of a plausible future. Scenario planning consists of using a few contrasting scenarios to explore the uncertainty surrounding the future consequences of a decision. Ideally, scenarios should be constructed by a diverse group of people for a single, stated purpose. Scenario planning can incorporate a variety of quantitative and qualitative information in the decision‐making process. Often, consideration of this diverse information in a systemic way leads to better decisions. Furthermore, the participation of a diverse group of people in a systemic process of collecting, discussing, and analyzing scenarios builds shared understanding. The robustness provided by the consideration of multiple possible futures has served several groups well; we present examples from business, government, and conservation planning that illustrate the value of scenario planning. For conservation, major benefits of using scenario planning are ( 1 ) increased understanding of key uncertainties, ( 2 ) incorporation of alternative perspectives into conservation planning, and ( 3 ) greater resilience of decisions to surprise.
The Giant Pandas of the Qinling Mountains, China: a Case Study in Designing Conservation Landscapes for Elevational Migrants
Authors: Loucks Colby J. , Zhi Lü , Dinerstein Eric , Dajun Wang , Dali Fu , Hao Wang
Published: August 2003

Abstract: The giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ), now restricted to approximately 24 montane forest areas in southwest China, is one of the world's most imperiled mammals. The Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi Province is refuge to approximately 220 pandas and is the focus of our study. Pandas in the Qinling Mountains are elevational migrants, needing both low‐ and high‐elevation montane forests to survive. The current network of nature reserves provides protection for <50% of their remaining habitat and fails to conserve essential habitat for dispersal. Using a combination of satellite classification, fieldwork, and geographic information system analyses, we identified a landscape, termed a giant panda conservation unit, that would meet the long‐term, elevational requirements for giant pandas in the Qinling Mountains. Our results indicate that although the central portion of the panda's range is well protected, additional protection and several areas providing linkage to adjacent habitat blocks are needed to provide adequate habitat for long‐term survival. Our results could be applied to a wide range of species, such as habitat or dietary specialists, elevational migrants, species at the edge of their historic range, and area‐sensitive species that require winter refugia.
Optimal Schemes to Detect the Presence of Insect Species
Authors: Zonneveld C. , Longcore T. , Mulder C.
Published: August 2003

Abstract: Survey protocols to detect the presence of particular species should be organized to make optimal use of available resources. Current protocols mostly deal with this problem intuitively, but the problem can also be addressed with mathematical modeling. To this aim, we used a model that describes the abundance of a single, discrete generation of adult insects. Furthermore, we assumed that year‐to‐year variation in timing of the flight period was attributable to variation in peak emergence only. We determined the spacing of a given number of survey days on a transect that minimized the chance of missing a species when it was actually present. This spacing was fixed to a Julian date and applied to all years. We also calculated the probability of detecting the species, which depends on the number of survey days. For most parameter values, 5 survey days sufficed to detect with high probability ( ≥0.95 ) populations with an observable population size ( total number of insects that can be observed in the transect over the entire flight period ) exceeding 10. For observable population sizes under 10, achieving a detection probability of 0.95 may require many more than 5 survey days. As an example of the method, we constructed a survey‐detection scheme for the Quino checkerspot butterfly (  Euphydryas editha quino ), based on the limited information available about its flight period. For an observable population size over 11, this scheme had a detection probability openface>0.95. We also provide detection schemes for species whose death rate and variation in emergence time within and between years can at present be characterized only as small, moderate, or large. These survey schemes should maximize species detection and reduce uncertainty about absence.
Fish Faunal Resurgence in Lake Nabugabo, East Africa
Authors: Chapman Lauren J. , Chapman Colin A. , Schofield Pamela J. , Olowo John P. , Kaufman Les , Seehausen Ole , Ogutu‐Ohwayo Richard
Published: August 2003

Abstract:In Lake Nabugabo, Uganda, a small satellite of the equatorial Lake Victoria, approximately 50% of the indigenous fish species disappeared from the open waters subsequent to establishment of the introduced predatory Nile perch (   Lates niloticus ). However, several of these species persisted in wetland refugia. Over the past decade, Nile perch in Lake Nabugabo have been intensively fished. Herein we report a resurgence of some indigenous species in open waters. In a multiyear study, we used annual transects in inshore and offshore waters of exposed ( no wetland ) and wetland habitats to document the pattern of resurgence. In 1995, haplochromine cichlids were largely confined to inshore areas, particularly wetland ecotones, and were rare in Nile perch stomachs, as were most other indigenous species. By 2000 haplochromine cichlids were abundant in inshore and offshore areas of both exposed and wetland transects. Several indigenous noncichlids also reappeared in the main lake, including three of the four original mormyrid species. Between 1995 and 1999, there was a dramatic increase in the proportion of haplochromines in the diet of Nile perch. When haplochromines were rare ( 1995 ), Nile perch switched from an invertebrate‐dominated diet to piscivory at a large size ( 30 cm total length ). In 2000, however, Nile perch were strongly piscivorous by 5–10 cm total length. The pattern of faunal loss and recovery in Lake Nabugabo demonstrates the importance of refugia in providing the seeds of resurgence and provides a model with which to understand some changes in Lake Victoria.
Factors Preventing the Recovery of New Zealand Forests Following Control of Invasive Deer
Authors: Coomes David A. , Allen Robert B. , Forsyth David M. , Lee William G.
Published: August 2003

Abstract: There is currently great interest in restoring ecosystems affected by invasive organisms. In New Zealand, deer were introduced during the nineteenth century, causing dramatic changes to the understory composition and structure of some forests. Deer prefer to browse on short tree species, mostly associated with early successional stands and moist‐fertile sites, but many tall tree species are browsed only when other food sources are scarce. The government has invested heavily in control programs aimed at reducing deer numbers and thereby restoring forests to something approaching their preinvasion composition and structure, but have met with only limited success. Based on a literature review, we give several examples of situations in which deer impacts may not be reversible, including the following: ( 1 ) palatable species remaining highly browsed even at low deer densities as a result of diet switching; ( 2 ) occupation of vacated niches by plant species not eaten by deer; ( 3 ) local extinction of seed sources; ( 4 ) fundamental alterations to successional pathways; ( 5 ) shifts in ecosystem processes; ( 6 ) other exotic animals becoming naturalized and weakening the effectiveness of single‐species control; and ( 7 ) exotic plants weakening the effectiveness of single‐species control. We consider the contributions that scientific research can make to effective forest restoration, including empirically based forest‐dynamics models that place regeneration in the context of other processes, such as disturbance, soil fertility, and multiple invasive organisms.
Efficacy of a Fixed Combination of Indomethacin, Prochlorperazine, and Caffeine Versus Sumatriptan in Acute Treatment of Multiple Migraine Attacks: A Multicenter, Randomized, Crossover Trial
Authors: Monda Vincenzo Di , Nicolodi Maria , Aloisio Antonina , Bianco Pierluigi Del , Fonzari Marco , Grazioli Irene , Uslenghi Carla , Vecchiet Leonardo , Sicuteri Federigo
Published: August 2003

Objective.—To compare the efficacy of a fixed combination of indomethacin, prochlorperazine, and caffeine suppositories with sumatriptan suppositories in the treatment of 2 consecutive migraine attacks of moderate or severe intensity in a multicenter, randomized, crossover study.

Background.—A fixed combination of indomethacin, prochlorperazine, and caffeine is the most commonly used drug for the acute treatment of migraine in Italy. No studies have been published comparing the efficacy of this combination with sumatriptan, the most widely prescribed of the triptans.

Methods.—One hundred twelve patients with migraine with or without aura according to the diagnostic criteria of the International Headache Society were randomized to treat 2 migraine attacks with a fixed combination of indomethacin, prochlorperazine, and caffeine and 2 migraine attacks with sumatriptan. Both drugs were rectally administered in a single dose for each attack. Patients were asked to take study medication as soon as possible at the onset of a headache.

Results.—Of the 112 patients, 88 were compliant to the protocol. More attacks became pain‐free at 2 hours postdose (primary end point) on the combination than on sumatriptan (49% versus 34%; P < .01), while there was no difference in the relief of headache at 2 hours postdose (71% versus 65%). The combination was statistically superior to sumatriptan in the time to a pain‐free response (a higher percentage of attacks became pain‐free from 0.5 hours postdose to 5 hours postdose), in alleviation of nausea, and in a sustained pain‐free response (pain‐free at 2 hours postdose with no use of rescue medication or relapses within 48 hours). Moreover, a significant consistent response was achieved for the combination compared with sumatriptan across (higher percentage of patients pain‐free at 2 hours postdose in the first, second, third, and fourth treated attack) and within patients (pain‐free in 2 of 2 treated attacks in 35% of patients taking the combination and 20% of patients on sumatriptan). Both drugs were well‐tolerated.

Conclusions.—This study, analyzed according to the more recent guidelines for controlled trials in migraine, showed that a fixed combination of indomethacin, prochlorperazine, and caffeine is significantly more effective than sumatriptan in the acute treatment of migraine attacks. It is notable that the combination is less expensive than sumatriptan per unit dose.
Effects of Naratriptan Versus Naproxen on Daily Functioning in the Acute Treatment of Migraine: A Randomized, Double‐Blind, Double‐Dummy, Crossover Study
Authors: Stronks Dirk L. , Tulen Joke H. M. , Bussmann Hans B. J. , Mulder Laus J. M. M. , Passchier Jan
Published: August 2003

Objective.—To evaluate the effect of acute treatment on ictal behavioral functioning of patients with migraine via ambulatory accelerometry.

Background.—The inability to carry out daily activities often complicates migraine attacks. Research into the effects of pharmacological drugs on this outcome parameter in the acute treatment of migraine has been based on subjective reports only.

Methods.—In a double‐blind, double‐dummy, crossover study, 12 patients with migraine treated 2 migraine attacks with the nonspecific antimigraine drug, naproxen (500‐mg capsule) or the more specific antimigraine drug, naratriptan (2.5‐mg tablet). The clinical symptoms of headache, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, and phonophobia, and the subjective symptoms reflecting mood, sleepiness, and level of functioning were measured by use of a daily log.

Results.—During the first 6 hours after intake of the study medication, the objective behavioral parameters showed no significant effect of time and no significant differences between naproxen and naratriptan, but naratriptan was significantly more efficacious than naproxen in relieving headache, nausea, and vomiting; the interval between treatment and relief was significantly shorter after intake of naratriptan.

Conclusions.—Consciously perceived clinical and subjective symptoms do not necessarily run in parallel with their behavioral equivalents. It, thus, may be important to assess the effects of treatment on behavioral functioning in the evaluation of the general efficacy of antimigraine drugs in the acute treatment of a migraine attack.
Botulinum Toxin Type A as an Effective Prophylactic Treatment in Primary Headache Disorders
Authors: Blumenfeld Andrew
Published: August 2003

Objective.—To measure the effect of botulinum toxin type A (Botox, Allergan, Inc, Irvine, CA) treatment in 271 patients diagnosed with headache in accordance with International Headache Society (IHS) criteria.

Background.—Botulinum toxin type A has shown promise for the treatment of headache in several clinical trials, but uncertainty remains as to how botulinum toxin type A optimally should be used for treating headache and which patients are best suited for this treatment.

Methods.—This was a retrospective chart review of all patients who received botulinum toxin type A for the treatment of headache from January 1999 to February 2002. Patients were injected with an average dose of 63.2 U (SD, 14.5) of botulinum toxin type A on 2 or more visits, with treatments involving a “fixed‐site” or a “follow‐the‐pain” (or a combination of both) approach. In the fixed‐site approach, botulinum toxin type A was injected into the procerus, corrugator, frontalis, and temporalis muscles. In the follow‐the‐pain approach, botulinum toxin type A was injected into a combination of the procerus, corrugator, frontalis, temporalis, occipitalis, trapezius, and/or semispinalis capitis muscles. The primary outcomes for the trial were the reduction in headache days per month or headache intensity (0 to 3 scale) (or both) from baseline. Patients were diagnosed according to IHS criteria and subsequently classified into the following categories: chronic daily headache (more than 15 headache days per month), episodic tension‐type headache, episodic migraine, and “mixed” HA (less than 15 headache days per month, combination of migraine and tension‐type headache).

Results.—Treatment period was an average of 8.6 months (SD, 6.4); patients received an average of 3.4 doses (SD, 1.6) 3 months apart. Of the 271 patients, 29 (10.7%) had episodic migraine, 17 (6.3%) had episodic tension‐type headache, 71 (26.2%) had mixed headache, and 154 (56.8%) had chronic daily headache. Two‐hundred fifty‐six patients had data for the number of headache days per month, 117 had data for headache intensity, and all 271 had data for headache days or headache intensity. Botulinum toxin type A treatment significantly reduced the number of headache days per month from 18.9 (SD, 10.3) to 8.3 (SD, 8.9) (n = 256, P < .001)—a 56% reduction. Headache intensity decreased from 2.4 points (SD, 0.6) to 1.8 points (SD, 0.8) (n = 117, P < .001)—a 25% reduction. Of 263 patients surveyed, 225 (85.6%) reported improvement in headache frequency and intensity. There was no correlation of effect/lack of effect with reason for treatment, duration/number of treatments, injection technique, mean/total dose, age, gender, or comorbidity. Approximately 95% of patients did not experience medication side effects.

Conclusion.—These results suggest that botulinum toxin type A may be an effective and safe prophylactic treatment for a variety of moderate to severe chronic headache types.
Electrocardiographic Changes During Migraine Attacks
Authors: Aygun D. , Altintop L. , Doganay Z. , Guven H. , Baydin A.
Published: August 2003

Objectives.—To clarify whether electrocardiographic (ECG) changes can be identified during a migraine attack and to determine whether there are ECG differences between periods with and without headache.

Background.—The clinical signs and symptoms of migraine point to involvement of the autonomic nervous system, and especially to disrupted regulation of the circulatory system and autonomic balance. This disruption may be more marked during a migraine attack. During a migraine attack, autonomic imbalance within the heart and its vessels conceivably may result in ECG abnormalities.

Methods.—In 30 patients with migraine, the ECG variables of heart rate, abnormalities of rhythm, PR interval, QRS duration, corrected QT interval, T inversion, and ST‐segment changes were recorded during migraine attacks and pain‐free periods.

Results.—Of the 30 patients studied during a migraine attack, 9 (30%) had one or more abnormalities of rhythm (including sinus arrhythmia, atrial premature contraction, and ventricular premature contraction), 20% had PR intervals greater than 0.20 seconds, 40% had corrected QT intervals greater than 0.44 seconds, 66% had T inversion, and 40% had ST‐segment abnormalities. No patient had arrhythmia, PR intervals greater than 0.20 seconds, or corrected QT intervals greater than 0.44 seconds during a pain‐free period. No differences were noted for ST‐segment changes, T inversion, and total ECG changes between periods with and without headache, but both PR and corrected QT intervals were significantly longer during migraine attacks than during pain‐free periods.

Conclusions.—We conclude that ECG abnormalities often are present during a migraine attack, and for most of these, particularly PR and corrected QT interval lengthening, these abnormalities will be absent or less prominent during pain‐free intervals.
Confirmation of the Distinction Between Chronic Migraine and Chronic Tension‐type Headache by the McGill Pain Questionnaire
Authors: Mongini Franco , Deregibus Andrea , Raviola Fabio , Mongini Tullia
Published: August 2003

Objective.—To investigate if the McGill Pain Questionnaire confirms the distinction between chronic migraine and chronic tension‐type headache.

Background.—It has been suggested that different categories of chronic daily headache should be distinguished; in particular, chronic migraine and chronic tension‐type headache.

Methods.—The McGill Pain Questionnaire and a visual analog scale were administered to 40 patients with chronic daily headache, 85 patients with migraine, and 47 patients with episodic tension‐type headache. The patients with chronic daily headache were subdivided, according to criteria described by other authors, into those with chronic migraine (n = 29) and those with chronic tension‐type headache (n = 11). Weighted McGill Pain Questionnaire item scores, subscales, total pain rating indexes, and choice frequency of the descriptors were calculated. The data of chronic migraine and chronic tension‐type headache were compared and tested for significant differences (Student t test). The same was done for migraine and episodic tension‐type headache. Data were also processed through the Self‐organizing Map, a system based on a counter‐propagation neural network.

Results.—In the chronic migraine group, compared with the chronic tension‐type headache group, scores were higher in 17 of 20 McGill Pain Questionnaire items (significantly in 5) and for the sensory and affective subscales (significantly). In the migraine group, compared with the episodic tension‐type headache group, scores were higher for 18 McGill Pain Questionnaire items (significantly in 7), and for the sensory, affective, and mixed affective‐evaluative subscales, total pain‐rating index, and visual analog scale (all significantly). The coincidence of descriptors of first choice was low between chronic migraine and chronic tension‐type headache, but it was high between chronic migraine and migraine and between chronic tension‐type headache and episodic tension‐type headache. After Self‐organizing Map analysis, chronic migraine and chronic tension‐type headache were prevalently distributed in 2 different areas of the map.

Conclusions.—In the disorders characterized by a daily and near‐daily headache, the McGill Pain Questionnaire consistently can discriminate between those evolving from migraine and those evolving from tension‐type headache, indirectly confirming the validity of a distinction between these 2 clinical conditions. The differences are similar to those observed between patients with migraine and patients with episodic tension‐type headache. This seems to be independent of the pain level since the difference of the total pain‐rating index and the visual analog scale between chronic migraine and chronic tension‐type headache was not statistically significant.
Relationship of Locus of Control in Women With Migraine and Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Lampl Christian , Heuberger Barbara , Haas Selina , Yazdi Kambiz , Buzath Andrea , Kemetzhofer Peter
Published: August 2003

Objective.—To investigate potential differences in various aspects of personality in women with migraine with aura, without aura, and in healthy volunteers.

Methods.—The following instruments were used to evaluate a sample of 35 women with migraine with aura, 35 women with migraine without aura, and 35 healthy women: Locus of Control and Competence Questionnaire, Health Locus of Control Questionnaire, Trait scale of the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the depression scale by von Zerssen.

Results.—There were no significant differences in generalized locus of control beliefs among the 3 groups. Migraineurs with aura were found to score very low on the social locus of control scale. Statistically significant differences were found regarding anxiety in migraineurs with aura as opposed to migraineurs without aura and healthy control subjects. As for depression, migraineurs with aura were significantly more likely to indicate feelings of worthlessness and lack of self‐confidence.

Conclusions.—Our results suggest that migraineurs with aura differ from migraineurs without aura and healthy control subjects in terms of anxiety and depression. With regard to health‐related locus of control, there was no correlation among mean number of migraine attacks per year, duration of disease, time of last migraine attack, and number of aura symptoms.
Pseudomigraine With Lymphocytic Pleocytosis: A Calcium Channelopathy? Clinical Description of 10 Cases and Genetic Analysis of the Familial Hemiplegic Migraine Gene CACNA1A
Authors: Chapman Kristine M. , Szczygielski Blazej I. , Toth Cory , Woolfenden Andrew , Robinson Gordon , Snutch Terrance P. , Spacey Siân D.
Published: August 2003

Objective.—To report the clinical findings of 10 patients diagnosed with pseudomigraine with lymphocytic pleocytosis and the results of mutational analysis of the CACNA1A gene in 8 of these patients.

Background.—Pseudomigraine with lymphocytic pleocytosis, also referred to as headache with neurologic deficits and cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis (HaNDL), is characterized by episodic transient neurologic dysfunction associated with moderate to severe headache and cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytic pleocytosis. Episodes are recurrent and the condition is self‐limiting. The etiology of this sporadic condition remains unknown, but the episodic nature and its ability to be triggered by angiography is somewhat reminiscent of the phenotypic features of familial hemiplegic migraine, a condition caused by mutations in the CACNA1A gene.

Design/Methods.—Utilizing retrospective chart review, we describe the clinical features of pseudomigraine with lymphocytic pleocytosis in 10 patients. Whole blood was taken from 8 patients (2 were lost to follow‐up) and used for DNA testing. The CACNA1A gene was screened for mutations using heteroduplex analysis and direct DNA sequencing.

Results.—Clinical features of pseudomigraine with lymphocytic pleocytosis included transient episodes of weakness, sensory and visual symptoms, aphasia, and confusion lasting minutes up to 4 hours. Sensory symptoms, typically affecting the face and arm, were the most common presentation. Localization of symptoms did not conform to vascular territories. Headache was typically throbbing and most often bilateral. Genetic analysis did not identify any mutations in the CACNA1A gene.

Conclusions.—Similarities between familial hemiplegic migraine and pseudomigraine with lymphocytic pleocytosis include recurrent headache with reversible neurologic deficit, cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytic pleocytosis, and triggers such as angiography. Even so, heteroduplex analysis and DNA sequencing failed to identify any sporadic mutations or shared polymorphisms in the exons or the intron/exon boundaries of the CACNA1A gene. These results do not support a role of the CACNA1A gene in the etiology of pseudomigraine with lymphocytic pleocytosis.
Oral Phenobarbital Loading: A Safe and Effective Method of Withdrawing Patients With Headache From Butalbital Compounds
Authors: Loder Elizabeth , Biondi David
Published: August 2003

Background.—The overuse of short‐acting barbiturate medications for the acute treatment of headache is a common problem in the United States. Most experts agree that withdrawal from these medications is necessary for subsequent headache treatment to be successful, yet there are few published articles outlining effective methods of drug withdrawal.

Objective.—To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of phenobarbital loading for withdrawal from overuse of short‐acting barbiturate compounds in inpatients with headache.

Design and Methods.—We performed a retrospective chart review of 18 consecutive patients in an inpatient pain rehabilitation program who were withdrawn from overuse of butalbital‐combination medications using a phenobarbital‐loading protocol.

Results.—Eighteen patients with headache hospitalized in an inpatient pain unit for withdrawal from overuse of combination butalbital preparations underwent a phenobarbital‐loading protocol. Short‐acting barbiturate medications were discontinued, and patients received 120 mg of oral phenobarbital until their score on a predetermined scale reached target levels, and the drug was then discontinued. All patients were effectively treated with no serious adverse events. The median number of doses required varied significantly, and could not be predicted by the patient's prior intake.

Conclusions.—Management of butalbital withdrawal can be simplified by using a phenobarbital‐loading protocol, taking advantage of the natural tapering afforded by the drug's long half‐life. This method possesses most of the characteristics of an ideal drug withdrawal program for patients with headache who are overusing medications.
Familial Trigeminal Neuralgia: Case Reports and Review of the Literature
Authors: Smyth Paul , Greenough Glen , Stommel Elijah
Published: August 2003

The paroxysmal facial pain of trigeminal neuralgia is usually idiopathic, but familial cases have been described. We describe a family with apparent autosomal dominant transmission of trigeminal neuralgia. Our cases and a review of the literature suggest that the etiology of trigeminal neuralgia may be vascular compression of the fifth cranial nerve. Autosomal dominant vascular and epileptic disorders are reviewed, and possible relationships to familial trigeminal neuralgia are considered.
Introduction: trust within organisations
Authors: Bijlsma Katinka , Koopman Paul
Published: August 2003

Introduces six empirical studies on trust within organisations which were originally presented at a workshop on “Trust within and between organisations”, organised by the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management at the Free University Amsterdam, in November 2001. Areas covered include: the legitimacy of the field of study; common understandings and disagreements in theoretical ideas; and directions for future research.
Trust within organisations
Authors: Tyler Tom R.
Published: August 2003

It has been recognised that there is importance of trust within organisations. There is also a recognised theme that trust must move beyond rational or calculative trust to various forms of social trust. This paper makes clear the potential importance of social trust, and its value to emerging organisations. In the new era of faster, looser, more rapidly changing connections between people and groups, trust based on inferences about the motives, character and intentions of others is becoming more central to the ability of organisations to manage their dynamics efficiently and effectively and ensure their growth and survival.
Engendering trust in manager‐subordinate relationships
Authors: Connell Julia , Ferres Natalie , Travaglione Tony
Published: August 2003

The recent growth in the trust literature indicates that both researchers and practitioners are continuing to recognise its importance as a factor for determining organisational success and the well‐being of employees. Trust is, however, a complex, multidimensional construct that has generated much debate concerning how trusting relationships might be created. The aim of this paper is to add to current debates by reporting on a study concerning trust within manager‐subordinate relationships within a large Australian organisation. The annual staff survey for this organisation indicated that levels of trust in managers were very low, leading the authors to investigate the predictors and outcomes of this situation. Focus group and survey questionnaire results led to the finding that perceived organisational support, procedural justice and transformational leadership were significant predictors of trust in managers and that turnover intent and commitment were significant outcomes. The implications of these findings for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
Instrumental and relational determinants of trust in management among members of works councils
Authors: Kerkhof Peter , Winder Annemieke B. , Klandermans Bert
Published: August 2003

In Western Europe, works councils are a common form of indirect employee participation in management decision making. Trust is often assumed to play an important role in the nature and outcomes of labour negotiations and in management‐works council consultations. So far, however, the antecedents of trust in management within works councils have not been studied. Using longitudinal data collected among the members of 75 Dutch works councils, the current study tests predictions regarding the relative influence of instrumental vs relational antecedents on the level of trust in management among works council members. An important role of instrumental predictors (e.g. perceived influence of the works council on management decision making) supports a view of trust as a calculative phenomenon. On the other hand, strong effects of relational predictors would lend support to trust as a relational phenomenon. The data show that trust in management among works council members is related to relational rather than instrumental antecedents.
Antecedents of trust in managers: a “bottom up” approach
Authors: Bijlsma Katinka M. , van de Bunt Gerhard G.
Published: August 2003

Research on antecedents of trust has, so far, yielded results that do not easily stand up to confrontation with the widely‐held assumption of bounded rationality. By employing complex constructs as indicators of antecedents, it is implied that actors, in pondering on trust in managers, can deal with many complex cues, instead of a few single ones, as bounded rationality suggests. This study proposes a different approach, by searching for a parsimonious set of managerial behaviours that serve as cues for subordinates regarding trust in managers. Interview and survey data were combined in this search. Regression analysis and a Boolean pattern analysis were used to arrive at a parsimonious model with high explanatory power.
The MDPS method of message theme development: a new tool for managers
Authors: Mowen John C. , Harris Eric G.
Published: August 2003

Proposes and tests a new approach for developing message themes and segmenting markets, termed the message development through personality segmentation – MDPS. This new tool, based on Mowen’s 3M model of motivation and personality, is used to identify a network of key personality traits that may be used as segmentation and message development variables. The approach addresses several criticisms that have been leveled against personality research in marketing. The approach includes four distinct steps that managers can follow to create message themes and segment markets based on motivational networks of personality traits. Provides an empirical example that tests the process in an automotive industry context.
Mass‐customisation in marketing: the consumer perspective
Authors: Bardakci Ahmet , Whitelock Jeryl
Published: August 2003

This paper addresses the issue of mass‐customisation from the point of view of consumer demand. It aims to develop a framework to examine the demand side of the mass‐customisation equation which will allow researchers to identify whether a market of customers who are ready for mass‐customised products exists. In doing so it considers in particular three “inconveniences” of mass‐customisation: the increased price of customised products; the delay in receipt of custom‐made products; and the need for customers to invest time in specifying their preferences before the product can be produced.
Internal and external factors which affect customer loyalty
Authors: Duffy Dennis L.
Published: August 2003

The development of customer loyalty is a strategic objective for most companies. There are many different terms used in business today to describe the process of building customer loyalty. This article describes the benefits of building customer loyalty and explores the essential strategic considerations for companies contemplating the development of loyalty initiatives. It also establishes the relationship between how brands are built today and how customer relationships are cultivated in a manner that leads to loyalty.
Retention: rhetoric or realistic agendas for the future of higher education
Authors: Rowley Jennifer
Published: August 2003

Proposes the use of relationship management as a perspective on student retention management in higher education. “Good practice” that might aid in the management of student engagement with learning is hungrily shared, but there are some inherent contradictions amongst these recommendations. Previous work on withdrawal identifies some of the factors that influence the withdrawal decision; this approach aligns with transaction based marketing and study of consumer behaviour. This article proposes that the relationship marketing and management approach that focuses on customer loyalty and commitment may offer different insights. This model is used to describe the development of the relationship between the student and their college or university. An important facet of this relationship development is that it needs to be maintained by different “service agents” through different stages of the relationship, and therefore communication, and student record systems that share student knowledge across the university are crucial.
A holistic approach to learning and teaching interaction: factors in the development of critical learners
Authors: Patel Nandish V.
Published: August 2003

Describes the holistic approach to learning and teaching interaction which has been taught on undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and doctoral programmes. The holistic approach develops students to be critical, confident and independent; aims to make learning a process of self‐improvement that explicitly recognizes the self and the social context of learning and teaching, and recognizing the needs of the individual learner in the interaction. Its premise is that the social context of the interaction is significant. It recognizes that the exchanges that take place within this social action are the foundation for developing critical learners, thus including experiential knowledge of learners and teachers to improve the quality of the teaching situation and levels of achievement of learners. Kelly’s Personal Construct Theory is invoked to explain how the holistic approach leads to the development of learners as critical thinkers. The result of practising the holistic approach has been sustained high levels of student attendance at lectures and seminars, improved progression, and appreciative and satisfied cohorts.
A generic conceptual framework of interactive service quality
Authors: Svensson Göran
Published: August 2003

Generally, the article provides a fundament beyond the state‐of‐the‐art construct of service quality. In particular, the content is dedicated to the construct of interactive service quality in service encounters. Interactive service quality in a service encounter requires the simultaneous consideration of the service provider’s and service receiver’s perspectives. Furthermore, it also demands the consideration of both the service provider’s and the service receiver’s expectations and perceptions in a service encounter. The theoretical contribution is a generic conceptual framework of interactive service quality in service encounters consisting of the service continuum, the service cycle, and an interactivity model. The managerial contribution is a model of the invisibility dilemma of a service offer, the features of interactive service quality and an application model of interactive service quality in service encounters. Suggestions for further research are also proposed.
Quality management framework for a virtual enterprise network: a multi‐agent approach
Authors: Lau H.C.W. , Wong Christina W.Y. , Ngai Eric W.T. , Hui I.K.
Published: August 2003

Globalization and the borderless marketplace have created an opportunity for companies to come together to work on projects that could otherwise not be completed through the efforts of one or two companies acting independently. The formation of virtual enterprise networks combines the advantages of the various core competencies of members of the network to deliver customer satisfaction. Virtual enterprise networks consist of several firms that can be geographically dispersed, and that might be technically disparate in terms of system platforms. Coordination among members of the network and the the transfer of quality products and services among members of the network are the key factors in achieving success. The proposed framework presented in this paper utilizes a multi‐agent model to monitor quality within a virtual enterprise network to ensure that the processes among members run smoothly and efficiently.
Establishment and applications of the integrated model of service quality measurement
Authors: Yang Ching‐Chow
Published: August 2003

The improvement of service quality has become a major strategy for improving competitiveness. The identification of customers’ requirements and the measurement of satisfaction levels are therefore two crucial activities for enterprises. However, firms frequently fail to understand customer requirements, and the usual methods for measuring customer satisfaction are incomplete. The present research establishes an integrated model for achieving multiple targets in measuring service quality, i.e. to identify the important quality attributes that are identified by customers; to understand customer satisfaction levels with respect to these quality attributes; to discover the difference between employees’ perceptions and the customers’ perceptions of these quality attributes; to use the analytic results to improve service quality; and to identify the categories of Kano’s model of each quality attribute that can be used as critical reference on quality decisions. This integrated model is valuable for practical implementation in industries, and as an important reference for academic research on service quality.
Organisational learning in a public sector organisation: a case study in muddled thinking
Authors: Betts Jan , Holden Rick
Published: August 2003

Organisational learning practice within the public sector is relatively under researched. This paper draws on case study data from a local authority committed to the creation of a “learning organisation” culture; data generated through the evaluation of two programmes implemented as part of this strategic objective. The article contends that tensions between the need to deliver specific improvements in the organisation and the desire to encourage creative innovation led to an uncertainty surrounding the most appropriate model of learning to pursue the broader goal. Both programmes exposed tensions between opportunities for individual growth and traditional values which constrained that growth beyond the individual. The article concludes that for organisational learning in the public sector to be effective it must be collective, processual and above all cognisant of organisational power patterns.
Isolation and biochemical characterization of LEAP‐2, a novel blood peptide expressed in the liver
Authors: Krause Alexander , Sillard Rannar , Kleemeier Burkhard , Klüver Enno , Maronde Erik , Conejo‐García José Ramon , Forssmann Wolf Georg , Schulz‐Knappe Peter , Nehls Michael C. , Wattler Frank , Wattler Sigrid , Adermann Knut
Published: August 2003

The human genome contains numerous genes whose protein products are unknown in terms of structure, interaction partner, expression, and function. To unravel the function of these orphan genes, it is of particular value to isolate native forms of protein and peptide products derived from these genes. From human blood ultrafiltrate, we characterized a novel gene‐encoded, cysteine‐rich, and cationic peptide that we termed liver‐expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP‐2). We identified several circulating forms of LEAP‐2 differing in their amino‐terminal length, all containing a core structure with two disulfide bonds formed by cysteine residues in relative 1–3 and 2–4 positions. Molecular cloning of the cDNA showed that LEAP‐2 is synthesized as a 77‐residue precursor, which is predominantly expressed in the liver and highly conserved among mammals. This makes it a unique peptide that does not exhibit similarity with any known human peptide regarding its primary structure, disulfide motif, and expression. Analysis of the LEAP‐2 gene resulted in the identification of an alternative promoter and at least four different splicing variants, with the two dominating transcripts being tissue‐specifically expressed. The largest native LEAP‐2 form of 40 amino acid residues is generated from the precursor at a putative cleavage site for a furin‐like endoprotease. In contrast to smaller LEAP‐2 variants, this peptide exhibited dose‐dependent antimicrobial activity against selected microbial model organisms. LEAP‐2 shares some characteristic properties with classic peptide hormones and it is expected that the isolation of this novel peptide will help to unravel its physiological role.