bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plate 414. Scutellaria longituba
Authors: Govaerts Rafaël , Kato Hidetoshi , Paton Alan
Published: January 2004

A colour illustration together with a full description of Scutellaria longituba Koidz. (Lamiaceae) is provided. The horticultural requirements of this perennial which is endemic to Ogasawara‐shoto are outlined. In addition the general geography and botany of these islands are discussed.
Plate 416. Calanthe tricarinata
Authors: Cribb Phillip , Bailes Christopher
Published: January 2004

The taxonomy, relationships, distribution and cultural requirements of Calanthe tricarinata Lindl. (Orchidaceae) are discussed; a colour illustration and dissection drawings are provided, together with a full description of the species.
Plate 417. Calanthe izuinsularis
Authors: Cribb Phillip , Bailes Christopher
Published: January 2004

The taxonomy, relationships, distribution and cultural requirements of the Japanese Calanthe izuinsularis (Satomi) Ohwi & Satomi (Orchidaceae) are discussed; a colour illustration and dissection drawings are provided, together with a full description.
Plate 419. Eriobotrya japonica
Authors: Zappi Daniela , Turner Jill
Published: January 2004

Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. (Rosaceae) is a shrub or small tree, probably originating from China but long‐cultivated in Japan. The species is illustrated, a full description is provided and its cultivation requirements and commercial value are discussed.
Plate 420. Micromeria marginata
Authors: Harley Ray , Hall Tony
Published: January 2004

The distribution, relationships and generic placement of the Ligurian Micromeria marginata (Sm.) Chater (Labiatae) are discussed.
The Genus Eurychone
Authors: La Croix Isobyl
Published: January 2004

The taxonomic history and generic relationships of the tropical African genus Eurychone Schltr. (Orchidaceae) are discussed; descriptive accounts, cultivation notes, illustrations and a key to the two known species, E. galeandrae (Rchb. f.) Schltr. and E. rothschildiana (O’Brien) Schltr., are provided.
Plate 427. Solanum uleanum
Authors: Knapp Sandra
Published: January 2004

The taxonomy, distribution, ecology and cultivation requirements of Solanum uleanum Bitter (Solanaceae) are discussed. The species is illustrated and a full description is provided.
Plate 430. Ceropegia craibii
Authors: Victor Janine
Published: January 2004

A new species of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae) from South Africa is described as C. craibii J.E. Victor. It is a rare grassland species known only from the type locality. The taxonomy, relationships and cultivation requirements are discussed. A full description and colour illustration are provided.
Plate 431. Modiolastrum gilliesii
Authors: Cheek Martin , Mathew Brian
Published: January 2004

The taxonomy, distribution and cultivation requirements of Modiolastrum gilliesii (Steud.) Krapov. (Malvaceae), a native of Argentina, are discussed; a full description and illustrations of the species are provided.
Two little known Acacia species from Mexico Plate 444. Acacia anisophylla Plate 445. Acacia reniformis
Authors: De L. Rico Arce M , Griffiths P.
Published: January 2004

Some background information on the large, widespread genus Acacia (Leguminosae) is provided, followed by more detailed accounts of two rare and vulnerable Mexican species, A. anisophylla S. Watson and A. reniformis Benth. There are illustrations of both species, historical information, comprehensive descriptions and details of their cultivation at Kew.
Plate 446. Rhipsalis clavata
Authors: Taylor Nigel P.
Published: January 2004

Two forms of the Brazilian epiphytic cactus Rhipsalis clavata F.A.C. Weber (Cactaceae) are illustrated; its relationships and cultural requirements are discussed and a full description of the species is provided.
Plate 447. Didymosalpinx norae
Authors: Robbrecht Elmar , De Block Petra
Published: January 2004

Didymosalpinx norae (Swynn.) Keay (Rubiaceae) is a shrub native of eastern Africa, with a disjunct distribution. It occurs in the rain forests of the Indian Ocean coastal belt and in submontane forests of the Chimanimani range at the border of Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Living material at the National Botanic Garden in Belgium is used here to illustrate and describe it. Taxonomic history, distribution, habitat and cultivation requirements are also discussed. The affinity of the genus Didymosalpinx raises some questions. The material used here was also included in recent phylogenetic analyses shortly reviewed here; its belonging to the tribe Gardenieae is questionable.
Plate 449. Aerangis ellisii var. grandiflora
Authors: Hermans Johan
Published: January 2004

Two varieties of the Madagascan Aerangis ellisii (B.S. Williams) Schltr. (Orchidaceae), var. ellisii and var. grandiflora J. Stewart, are compared and the latter is illustrated. Their history, taxonomy, habitat and cultivation are discussed and a description of var. grandiflora is provided.
Plate 451. Bryophyllum Gastonis‐Bonnieri Crassulaceae
Authors: Lucas E. J.
Published: January 2004

The Madagascan endemic Bryophyllum gastonis‐bonnieri (Raym.‐Hamet & H. Perrier) Lauz.‐March. (Crassulaceae) is illustrated. Its taxonomy, distribution and cultivation requirements are discussed and a full description of the species is provided.
Plate 452. Kalanchoe Eriophylla Crassulaceae
Authors: Lucas E. J.
Published: January 2004

The Madagascan Kalanchoe eriophylla Hilsenb. & Bojer ex Tul. (Crassulaceae), is illustrated. A full description is provided, and its taxonomy, natural distribution and cultivation are discussed.
Plate 454. Tephrosia Dura Leguminosae
Authors: Kilian Norbert , Hubaishan Mohamed Ali
Published: January 2004

Tephrosia dura Baker (Leguminosae), a little known shrub with a localised disjunct distribution in northern Somalia and southern Yemen, is illustrated and fully described. Data on its history, distribution, ecology and on initial experiences of its cultivation are provided.
At Shibuya Station
Authors: Gardels Nathan
Published: January 2004

Having Just Strolled Down the Incline from Fumikho Maki's Serene Hillside Terrace Complex of Apartments and Shops, Architecture was on My Mind. Looking for a Place to Sit and Read the Morning Papers, I Followed the Aroma to a Caffesemlpreddo Near the Bustling Entrance of a Substation on the Shibuya Line. It must be the Attention to Detail, the High‐Tech Machines or Perhaps the Quality of the Beans and Water, But I've Always Found the Best Coffee Outside of Italy in Japan.
North Korea Will Disarm in Two Years
Authors: Nakasone Yasuhiro
Published: January 2004

“A promise to five powers — especially since China is involved — is more likely to be kept than a promise to one. At the end of the day, the North Koreans will come around and disarm. I believe they will agree to disarm within two years. Their economy is so weak they can't hold out much longer.”
Polymorphism of the immune‐braking gene CTLA‐4 (+49) involved in gender discrepancy of serum total IgE levels and allergic diseases
Authors: Yang K. D. , Liu C.‐A. , Chang J.‐C. , Chuang H. , Ou C.‐Y. , Hsu T.‐Y. , Wang C.‐L.
Published: January 2004

Background
A variety of genes are related to allergic disorders in different ethnic populations. The genetic basis for the gender discrepancy of allergic diseases remains to be determined.

Objective
This study was conducted to investigate whether IL‐4 promoter (−590 C/T) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA‐4) (+49 A/G) polymorphisms were correlated with a gender discrepancy of total IgE levels and allergic diseases in a Chinese population.

Methods
A total of 1333 participants aged 19–49 years were enrolled in this study. Allergic diseases were recognized by the presence of asthma, rhinitis or atopic dermatitis in conjunction with detectable specific IgE in the blood. Polymorphisms of IL‐4 promoter (−590) and CTLA‐4 (+49) were determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Results
Males or females with allergic diseases had higher total IgE levels than those without (P=0.000). Females with the A/A genotype in the CTLA‐4 (+49) position had significantly higher total IgE levels than those with A/G, and those with the G/G genotype had the lowest IgE levels (154.9 vs. 107.1 vs. 79.8 KU/L; mean log values: 1.79 vs. 1.65 vs. 1.54, P< 0.001). However, males with different genotypes in the CTLA‐4 (+49) position exhibited no difference in the total IgE levels. Females with allergic rhinitis had a significantly higher frequency of the A/A genotype in the CTLA‐4 (+49) polymorphism than those without atopic diseases (P=0.016). In contrast, males with and without allergic disorders exhibited no significant difference in the CTLA‐4 (+49) polymorphisms (P>0.05). The IL‐4 promoter (–590) polymorphisms, however, had no correlation with the total IgE levels or allergic diseases in either females or males.

Conclusion
In females only, the CTLA‐4 (+49), but not the IL‐4 promoter (−590), polymorphism was significantly associated with elevation of total IgE levels and allergic rhinitis. Here, we have, for the first time, demonstrated a gender‐linked genetic relationship with allergic disease.
Provocation with adenosine 5′‐monophosphate, but not methacholine, induces sputum eosinophilia
Authors: Van den berge M. , Kerstjens H. A. M. , De reus D. M. , Koëter G. H. , Kauffman H. F. , Postma D. S.
Published: January 2004

Introduction
Bronchial hyper‐responsiveness is usually measured with direct stimuli such as methacholine (MCh) or histamine. Adenosine 5′‐monophosphate (AMP), which acts indirectly via the secondary release of mediators, is another stimulus to measure bronchial hyper‐responsiveness.

Aim
To investigate whether provocation with inhaled AMP itself initiates an inflammatory response resulting in an influx of eosinophils into the airway lumen.

Methods
We have included 21 non‐smoking atopic asthmatic subjects (mean FEV1 101% predicted, mean age 34 years). Each subject performed three sputum inductions on different days, at least seven days apart: one without previous provocation, one hour after PC20 methacholine, and one hour after PC20 AMP.

Results
After provocation with AMP, but not methacholine, the percentage of sputum eosinophils increased significantly (from 1.9±0.5% to 4.5±1% (P<0.01) and 1.9±0.5% (P=0.89)). No changes in the percentages of neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, or bronchial epithelial cells were found.

Conclusion
A provocation test with AMP leads to an increased percentage of sputum eosinophils. This observation cannot be explained by a non‐specific response of the airways to a vigorous bronchoconstriction, since methacholine had no effect on inflammatory cells.
Prenatal and early postnatal environments are significant predictors of total immunoglobulin E concentration in Filipino adolescents
Authors: Mcdade T. W. , Kuzawa C. W. , Adair L. S. , Beck M. A.
Published: January 2004

Background
Recent evidence suggests that atopic disease may in part be mediated by fetal growth, as well as exposure to infectious disease early in life. Few studies have been able to evaluate these associations simultaneously, or to investigate prospectively the long‐term effects of early environments while adequately controlling for potentially confounding variables.

Objective
To examine how prenatal growth and infectious disease in infancy are related to total IgE production in adolescence.

Methods
Ninety‐nine adolescents (aged 14–15 years) were selected from a larger cohort study according to the following criteria: full‐term birth, currently healthy, and small‐for‐gestational age (N=53) or appropriate‐for‐gestational age (N=46). Plasma total IgE was measured with ELISA, and analysed in relation to anthropometric, nutritional, and environmental quality data collected prospectively beginning in the third trimester prior to birth.

Results
Each episode of infectious morbidity recorded at bimonthly intervals in the first 6 months of life was associated with a 0.12 log IU/mL reduction in total IgE in adolescence (P=0.004). Prenatal undernutrition was associated with increased adolescent IgE, but only under conditions of an unsanitary household environment (P=0.002). Each additional kilogram gained per month in the first 6 months of life was associated with an increase in adolescent IgE of 0.74 log IU/mL (P=0.03). Each quartile increase in weekly household income at the time of blood sampling was associated with a 0.10 log IU/mL reduction in total IgE (P=0.02).

Conclusion
Infectious disease in infancy, as well as interactions between prenatal and postnatal environments, appear to have long‐term effects on adolescent total IgE production. Future research should investigate the mechanisms behind these effects, and their implications for symptoms of atopic disease.
Cetirizine, an H1‐receptor antagonist, suppresses the expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor: its potential anti‐inflammatory action
Authors: Shimizu T. , Nishihira J. , Watanabe H. , Abe R. , Ishibashi T. , Shimizu H.
Published: January 2004

Background
H1‐receptor antagonists are often effective in the treatment of allergic disorders such as atopic dermatitis. Cetirizine, a putative H1‐receptor antagonist, has recently been shown to have anti‐inflammatory properties through the inhibition of leucocyte recruitment and activation, and by the reduction of ICAM‐1 expression on keratinocytes.

Objective
To further elucidate the anti‐inflammatory properties of cetirizine, we first examined its effects on antigen‐induced eosinophilia and neutrophila in vivo. We then examined the anti‐inflammatory effects of cetirizine on a human keratinocyte A431cell line.

Methods
Mice were sensitized subcutaneously with ragweed pollen and were challenged intraperitoneally with the allergen. Cetirizine diluted in sterile water (0–20 mg/kg) or only sterile water was administered orally. Peritoneal cells were obtained at 8 and 24 h after challenge. The eosinophilia and neutrophilia induced by ragweed pollen extract were quantitated. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP‐2) and eotaxin contents of peritoneal fluid were also measured by mouse ELISA. The effects of cetirizine on MIF‐induced IL‐8 production in A431 cells were examined by ELISA. The effects of cetirizine on MIF expression and production in A431 cells were examined by human MIF ELISA and Northern blot analysis.

Results
Eosinophilia and neutrophilia induced by ragweed pollen extract were found to be significantly reduced in cetirizine‐treated mice (20 mg/kg). MIF, a pleuripotent cytokine, was significantly decreased at 8 and 24 h in the peritoneal fluid by cetirizine treatment. MIP‐2 and eotaxin were also decreased 8 and 24 h, respectively, after challenge in the peritoneal fluid with cetirizine treatment. MIF stimulates IL‐8 production in A431 cells. We found that MIF production in A431 cells was inhibited by 10 μm cetirizine. Consistent with this, cetirizine significantly inhibited MIF‐induced IL‐8 production.

Conclusion
These results suggest that cetirizine exerts its anti‐inflammatory effects by inhibiting MIF as well as IL‐8 production, such as those involved in inflammatory allergic skin disease, suggesting a broad spectrum of action beyond its mere H1‐receptor‐antagonistic function.
Asthma is associated with single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in ADAM33
Authors: Werner M. , Herbon N. , Gohlke H. , Altmüller J. , Knapp M. , Heinrich J. , Wjst M.
Published: January 2004

Background
The ADAM33 gene has recently been associated with asthma and bronchial hyper‐reactivity. It codes for a disintegrin and metalloproteinase that triggers intra‐ and extracellular signalling by protein shedding.

Objective
We examined whether polymorphisms in ADAM33 are associated with asthma and related traits in two German populations.

Methods
We genotyped 15 intragenic single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry of allele‐specific primer extension products. The transmission disequilibrium test was used for association analysis in the German asthma family study. Additionally, we tested for association of these SNPs in a case–control sample from the European Community Respiratory Health Study using Armitage's trend test.

Results
In both studies, we found SNPs that were significantly associated with asthma and related traits. In the family study, significant associations were observed for the SNPs F+1, ST+4 and ST+5 (with the lowest P‐value for F+1, P=0.005). Remarkably, this association is seen even in the absence of linkage with two microsatellite markers from a previous genome scan either 3.1 million bases (Mb) up‐ or 5.6 Mb downstream. In the case–control study, SNP ST+7 (P=0.008) was significantly associated with asthma. Some of these SNPs overlapped with those found to be associated with elevated total IgE levels and bronchial hyper‐responsiveness.

Conclusion
This study replicates the recently published association between asthma and ADAM33 gene variants. However, most of the associated SNPs were at non‐identical positions in the German, UK and US samples. As linkage disequilibrium is high among the tested SNPs, and there is no known functional polymorphism, either not‐tested variants in ADAM33, unknown regulatory elements or a gene in close proximity is responsible for this association.
Cytokine production in peripheral blood cells during and outside the pollen season in birch‐allergic patients and non‐allergic controls
Authors: Wosinska‐Becler K. , Plewako H. , Håkansson L. , Rak S.
Published: January 2004

Background
The naturally occurring pollen season permits observation of the kinetic changes in the process of allergic inflammation. We examined cytokine production in peripheral blood (PB) T cells and monocytes obtained from birch‐allergic patients both during and outside the pollen season.

Methods
PB from 16 patients and six healthy controls was obtained during the alder pollen season, at the beginning and the peak of the birch pollen season and outside the pollen season. Mononuclear cells (MNC) were stimulated with allergen and polyclonal activators. For flow cytometric analysis, MNC were stained with monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against the cell surface markers CD3, CD8, CD14 and the intracellular cytokines IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐10, IL‐12, IL‐13, granulocyte macrophage‐colony stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) and IFN‐γ.

Results
In allergic patients, significant increases in clinical symptoms, use of medication, eosinophil numbers and birch‐specific IgE were found during the pollen season. In vitro allergen stimulation increased the number of GM‐CSF+ monocytes (P<0.01) and this increase was dependent on allergen exposure. The IL‐4/IFN‐γ ratio rose (P<0.001) at the peak of birch pollen season and the ratio correlated with symptom scores during the birch season. In the CD4+ cell population, the numbers of GM‐CSF+ cells were higher throughout the alder and birch seasons compared with outside the pollen season (P<0.05). No such changes were seen in the healthy controls.

Conclusions
The main finding of our study was the increased percentage of GM‐CSF+ monocytes in atopic subjects compared with healthy controls. In allergic patients, natural seasonal pollen exposure resulted in increased numbers of GM‐CSF+ cells among both monocytes and CD4+ T cells. We have also shown that a seasonal change in Th2/Th1 cytokine ratio requires an adequate and prolonged allergen stimulation that is seen late in the pollen season.
Comparison of glucocorticoid and cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist treatments in an experimental model of chronic airway inflammation in guinea‐pigs
Authors: Leick‐maldonado E. A. , Kay F. U. , Leonhardt M. C. , Kasahara D. I. , Prado C. M. , Fernandes F. T. , Martins M. A. , Tibério I. F. L. C.
Published: January 2004

Background
Leukotriene receptor antagonists have been demonstrated in several studies to possess bronchodilating and anti‐inflammatory properties in asthma. However, there are few experimental studies performed to compare the effects of anti‐leukotrienes and glucocorticoids, most used anti‐inflammatory agents in asthma. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of treatment with dexamethasone or montelukast on eosinophil and mononuclear cell recruitment in an experimental model of allergen‐induced chronic airway inflammation in guinea‐pigs (GP).

Methods
GP were submitted to increasing concentrations of aerosols of ovalbumin (OVA) twice a week for 4 weeks. After 2 weeks, animals were treated daily with dexamethasone, montelukast or saline solution. After this period, GP were anaesthetized, tracheostomized, mechanically ventilated and challenged with OVA aerosol.

Results
Maximal changes of respiratory system resistance and elastance induced by OVA challenge were attenuated by dexamethasone (P<0.001), but not by montelukast treatment. Neither dexamethasone nor montelukast significantly influenced bronchial oedema formation. Dexamethasone but not montelukast induced a decrease in mononuclear cells in airways (P<0.001). Eosinophil infiltration in the bronchial wall was reduced by both dexamethasone and montelukast (P<0.005). Only dexamethasone treatment reduced the levels of exhaled nitric oxide (P<0.025).

Conclusion
Although leukotriene receptor antagonist treatment reduces eosinophil accumulation induced by multiple antigen challenges, glucocorticoid treatment attenuates both eosinophil and mononuclear cell infiltration.
Diversity of asparagus allergy: clinical and immunological features
Authors: Tabar A. I. , Alvarez‐puebla M. J. , Gomez B. , Sanchez‐monge R. , García B. E. , Echechipia S. , Olaguibel J. M. , Salcedo G.
Published: January 2004

Background
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is an extensively grown and consumed vegetable. To a lesser extent than other Liliaceae vegetables, allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) due to asparagus has been reported. However, only a few case reports of asparagus IgE‐mediated allergy have been published. In a previous study, we demonstrated that two lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) (Aspa o 1.01 and Aspa o 1.02) were relevant allergens of asparagus.

Objective
We retrospectively analysed the 27 patients diagnosed with asparagus allergy during the last 5 years. All of them reported adverse symptoms after either asparagus ingestion or handling. We describe their clinical features and evaluate whether they were associated to immunological findings (immunoblot pattern and skin reactivity to LTPs).

Methods
Patients underwent skin prick and patch tests with standard panels of vegetables and aeroallergens. Besides crude asparagus extract, two purified LTPs were prick and patch tested. Total and specific IgE measurements and asparagus extract IgE immunoblotting were performed. Patients reporting asthma symptoms underwent specific inhalation challenge to asparagus.

Results
Of the 27 subjects, eight had ACD, 17 had IgE‐mediated allergy and two had both ACD‐ and IgE‐mediated allergy. Positive patch tests with the crude asparagus extract but not with LTPs were observed in subjects with ACD (n=10). Of 19 patients with IgE‐mediated disease, 10 had contact urticaria after asparagus handling. Of them, five subjects and five others without skin allergy showed respiratory symptoms; of them, eight were diagnosed with occupational asthma confirmed by positive asparagus inhalation challenge, whereas the remaining two had isolated rhinitis. Four patients suffered from immediate allergic reactions related to asparagus ingestion (food allergy); three of them reported anaphylaxis whereas the other had oral allergic syndrome. Positive IgE immunoblotting (bands of 15 and 45–70 kDa) was observed in 10 subjects. Of 10 subjects with positive prick test to LTPs, six showed bands at 15 kDa. Either IgE‐binding bands or positive prick tests to LTPs were observed in asthma (62%) and anaphylaxis (67%).

Conclusion
Asparagus is a relevant source of occupational allergy inducing ACD and also IgE‐mediated reactions. Severe disease (anaphylaxis or asthma) is common and LTPs seem to play a major role. The clinical relevance of LTP sensitization among patients with mild disease or symptom‐free subjects should be addressed in prospective studies.
The Resident Choice Scale: a measure to assess opportunities for self‐determination in residential settings
Authors: Hatton C. , Emerson E. , Robertson J. , Gregory N. , Kessissoglou S. , Walsh P. N.
Published: January 2004

Background  A 26‐item Resident Choice Scale was designed to assess service practices for promoting resident choice.

Method  The staff working with 560 UK/Irish adults with intellectual disability were interviewed. Specific examples of practices promoting resident choice were requested and independently rated by the interviewer.

Results  The interrater reliability of Resident Choice items was found to be acceptable (subsample n = 50). The psychometric properties of the Resident Choice Scale total score and scores on eight subscales were also acceptable. Consistently strong associations were found between greater resident choice and greater resident ability and, to a lesser extent, fewer resident challenging behaviours. Few associations were found between resident choice and autism or mental health problems. Even when controlling for resident ability and challenging behaviour, consistent associations were found between greater resident choice and the concurrent variables of greater community presence, fewer institutional practices, and greater user self‐reported satisfaction (subsample n = 50).

Conclusions  Taken together, this pattern of results indicates that the Resident Choice Scale shows promise as a measure of the environmental opportunities available for adults with intellectual disability to exercise self‐determination. Areas for future research testing the reliability and validity of the Resident Choice Scale are outlined.
General practitioners’ educational needs in intellectual disability health
Authors: Phillips A. , Morrison J. , Davis R. W.
Published: January 2004

Background  The community general practitioner (GP) has a central role in the provision of primary health care to people with intellectual disability (ID) as an indirect result of deinstitutionalization in Australia. This population, however, continues to experience poor health care compared to the general population. The current paper describes results from a questionnaire that aimed to identify the perceptions of practising GPs on the standards of health care for people with ID, the adequacy of prior training, and their interest in further education in relation to nine health care areas.

Method  A questionnaire was posted to a selective sample of 1272 practising GPs in Victoria selected from a database from the Centre for Developmental Disability Health Victoria and the Victorian Medical Directory of GPs registered with the Australian Medical Association. Data were available for 252 respondents with a response rate of 28.5%.

Results  The health areas in which many GPs reported to be inadequately trained were the same as those areas that were perceived as being of a poor standard. These areas were behavioural or psychiatric conditions, human relations and sexuality issues, complex medical problems, and preventative and primary health care. Ninety four per cent of respondents were interested in further education in at least one of the nine health care areas, with the most frequently nominated areas being behavioural or psychiatric conditions, syndrome‐specific medical problems, human relations and sexuality issues and collaboration with government services. General practitioners did not nominate complex medical problems or preventative and primary health care for further education as frequently as they identified care in these areas to be substandard and their prior training inadequate.

Conclusions  The findings from the current research are discussed in relation to the implications for development of educational programmes based on learning needs identified by the GP. The most frequently nominated health care areas in all three questions were behavioural or psychiatric conditions and human relations and sexuality issues. Reasons for incongruence between the frequency of responses for complex medical problems and preventative and primary health care are explored.
Cognitive abilities and genotype in a population‐based sample of people with Prader–Willi syndrome
Authors: Whittington J. , Holland A. , Webb T. , Butler J. , Clarke D. , Boer H.
Published: January 2004

Background  Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is characterized by extreme floppiness at birth, impaired sexual development, short stature, severe over‐eating, characteristic physical features and learning disabilities (LD). Impaired social cognition, literal mindedness and cognitive inflexibility are also present. The syndrome has two main genetic subtypes that both result in the failure of expression of maternally imprinted genes on chromosome 15 at the locus q11‐13.

Methods  Through multiple sources, we attempted to identify all people with PWS living in one health region in the UK. Additional people with PWS identified in other regions were also recruited to augment the study sample. A comparison group of people with LD as a result of aetiologies other than PWS was also identified. All people from these three groups, over age three, who gave their consent, were assessed using tests of ability and attainment. In addition, their main carers were interviewed using a semistructured interview. Blood samples for genetic diagnosis were obtained from all consenting participants.

Findings  The IQ distribution of the population sample was approximately normal with a mean IQ 40 points below that of the general population. There were systematic differences between the two main genetic subtypes. Those with disomies differed in cognitive profiles from both those with deletions and the comparison LD group (the latter two groups were very similar) in terms of better verbal abilities and impaired coding ability. Some people with PWS deletions had strong visuospatial skills.

Interpretation  We propose that the normal distribution of IQ, shifted downwards relative to that of the general population, is the result of a global effect on IQ of the PWS gene(s), and that the different cognitive profile seen in those with chromosome 15 maternal disomies is a specific effect of a gene, or genes, on chromosome 15 which is differentially either expressed or not expressed in those with disomies relative to those with deletions. One hypothesis is that these subtle cognitive differences are a manifestation of the genetic influences of gender‐specific imprinted genes on cerebral lateralization. This requires further investigation.
The Corporate Governance Scorecard: a tool for the implementation of corporate governance
Authors: Strenger Christian
Published: January 2004

Recent empirical research confirms that companies with demanding governance standards achieve higher market valuations. Due to the complexity of specific corporate governance matters, there is a rising need for a systematic and quantitative evaluation approach for corporate governance. In Germany, a Corporate Governance Scorecard has been developed that fulfils the key goals defined by analysts and investors. It has a standardised format, can be applied efficiently, is available at no cost and enables self‐assessments by companies as well as sector‐specific comparisons. The German Scorecard has not only found good reception at the national financial community, but has also been adapted around the world, especially in emerging countries.
The Stock Market Reaction to the Introduction of Best Practices Codes by Spanish Firms
Authors: Fernández‐Rodríguez Enrique , Gómez‐Ansón Silvia , Cuervo‐García Álvaro
Published: January 2004

This paper analyses the market reaction to announcements made by Spanish firms of compliance with the code of best practice. It also attempts to determine how the characteristics of different firms may account for the excess returns observed. The results suggest that the market reacts positively to announcements of compliance with the code of best practice that imply a major restructuring of the board of directors, whereas no wealth effects are observed for announcements that relate to isolated recommendations in the code. These wealth effects are greater for lower levered firms, and also greater the higher the percentage of executive directors.
Monitoring Accounting Changes: empirical evidence from the Netherlands
Authors: Bos Auke de , Donker Han
Published: January 2004

This empirical paper investigates the relationship between the corporate governance structure of the firm and the probability of voluntary accounting changes in the Netherlands during the period 1990–1998. The paper reports the results of a sample of 194 voluntary accounting changes. The empirical results show that the presence of large outside shareholders significantly decreases the probability of voluntary accounting changes that have a positive effect on reported net income. This result supports the monitoring hypothesis, which indicates that large outside shareholders will monitor voluntary accounting changes more effectively than small shareholders, and will restrict the opportunistic behaviour of managers bent on increasing reported net income. We find that management shareholdings decrease the probability of voluntary accounting changes. These findings are consistent with the alignment hypothesis, which suggests that managers who hold a stake in the firm will be more aligned with outside shareholders. Agency problems may be reduced through management shareholdings. We find no support for the monitoring role of outside members of the supervisory board. Finally, our results show that firm size affects the probability of negative accounting changes, which may support the political cost hypothesis.
Regulation, Governance and Regulatory Collibration: achieving an “holistic” approach
Authors: Kirkbride J. , Letza S.
Published: January 2004

This paper examines the development of the regulation of corporate governance in the UK. It seeks to identify why the boundaries of law and self‐regulation exist and whether the regulation of corporate governance should now be viewed as a process of collibration rather than a “homeostatic” process of setting unattainable standards. This paper suggests that regulatory developments in the area of corporate governance have taken a substantial new direction; that the boundaries of regulation are no longer determined by the choice between market‐based or state‐based regulation, but determined by a process of collibration.
Nineteenth‐century Dorpat and its botanical influence
Authors: le Lièvre Audrey
Published: January 2004

A brief history of Dorpat University Botanic Garden under nineteenth‐century Directors, notably C.F. von Ledebour, is given. Its development and influence are investigated and there is an account of von Ledebour's journey to Siberia and the Altai Mountains with A. von Bunge and C.A. Meyer, and of the part played in the discovery of Siberian plants and their subsequent dissemination. Collaboration with the Imperial Botanical Garden of St Petersburg is also mentioned, and von Ledebour's writings briefly discussed.
Framing Emotional Response
Authors: Gross Kimberly , D’Ambrosio Lisa
Published: January 2004

Framing studies typically are concerned with how people's opinions are affected by opposing ways of presenting, or framing, an issue or event. This paper investigates whether different frames also lead to different patterns of emotional response. Cognitive appraisal models of emotion suggest that frames can alter emotional reactions. An experiment compared students’ emotional responses to versions of a newspaper article that emphasized underlying social conditions as the cause of the 1992 Los Angeles riots (situational frame) or emphasized irresponsibility and criminality on the part of the rioters (dispositional frame). Few systematic framing effects were found when examining whether respondents reported experiencing a particular emotion. However, consistent with recent work showing that predispositions mediate the effect of frames on opinion, frames altered the relationship between predispositions and emotion. Patterns suggestive of framing effects also emerged in an examination of the content of people's emotional reactions. The findings are consistent with the claim that framing affects emotional responses, reinforce the claim that framing effects depend on individual predispositions, and underscore the importance of accounting for the content of people's emotional responses in the study of emotion.
Perceived Group Status Differences and the Effects of Gender, Ethnicity, and Religion on Social Dominance Orientation
Authors: Levin Shana
Published: January 2004

Social dominance orientation (SDO) is a measure of general desire for group‐based dominance. According to social dominance theory, the higher the status of one's group, the higher one's level of SDO should be. This study examined the extent to which between‐group differences in SDO increase as the size of the perceived status gap between the groups increases. Data were collected in Israel, Northern Ireland, and the United States. In agreement with expectations, differences in SDO between arbitrary‐set groups (e.g., ethnic and religious groups) were found to be greater when the status gap between the groups was perceived to be larger. In contrast, gender differences in SDO did not vary as a function of the size of the perceived status gap between men and women: Men had higher levels of SDO than women even when the gender status gap was perceived to be very small. These findings highlight the effects of perceived group status on SDO and the degree to which these effects vary depending on whether the salient group distinction is based on gender, ethnicity, or religion.
Experimenting With the Balancing Hypothesis
Authors: Geer John G. , Carter Amy , McHenry James , Teten Ryan , Hoef Jennifer
Published: January 2004

The reasons why divided government is on the rise in the United States remain unclear. Of the explanations offered, Fiorina's (1992) balancing hypothesis—the idea that voters intentionally cast their ballots in a way that would increase the prospects of split party control—has drawn the most attention. This study gathered empirical evidence to test the hypothesis; its focus was not on whether citizens want divided government, but rather on whether they collectively act in a way consistent with balancing. In September 1900, during the national election campaign, a sample of undergraduates responded to one of five versions of a newspaper article (similar to actual articles about the campaign) that varied with respect to reported polling data on the competitiveness of the congressional and presidential races. The results cast doubt on the merits of the balancing hypothesis.
Book Reviews
Authors: Wilcox Clyde , Brown Donald R. , Nelson John S. , Klotz Audie
Published: January 2004

Book Reviewed

The Politics of Cultural Differences. By David C. Leege, Kenneth D. Wald, Brian S. Krueger, and Paul D. Mueller. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 2002. 304 pp. $21.95 paper, $60 cloth.

The Psychological Assessment of Political Leaders. Edited by Jerrold M. Post, M.D. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. 2003. 412 pp.

FDR's Body Politics: The Rhetoric of Disability. By Davis W. Houck and Amos Kiewe. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press. 2003. 141 + xii pp.

The Power of Legitimacy: Assessing the Role of Norms in Crisis Bargaining. By Christopher Gelpi. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 2003. 232 pp. $39.50.
Decentring the NHS: A Case Study of Resource Allocation Decisions within a Health District
Authors: Deeming Chris
Published: January 2004

The aim of New Labour's health policy is to shift more of the balance of power and responsibility for services to the local level. But, while the government proclaims a new decentralized NHS, doubts exist about the extent to which the reality on the ground matches the tone of policy. This article reports empirical work examining the level of autonomy purchasers have over budgetary allocation. A case study analysis of purchasing within a single district was undertaken for the financial year 2001/2 which included semi‐structured interviews with key officers responsible for budget allocation. Purchasers approach a new financial year with a starting position that matches the previous year's allocation—the “baseline”, this is adjusted for inflation and, as has happened over the last few years, increased further in real terms by “growth funds” for service modernization and government initiatives. The analysis shows a clear dissonance between policy and practice; although purchasers have complete control over their “baseline budgets”, the study found that this does not “ring true” at the local level. Only about a fifth of growth funds were at the discretion of purchasers as most are taken by national priorities and pay and price inflation. Further decentralization is planned, which includes transferring more control of funds to primary care trusts by 2004, the extent to which these measures will change the perceptions of those working in the service remains to be seen—only then will the government be able to claim a truly decentred service.
International immigration and economic welfare in an efficiency wage model: The co‐existence case of both legal and illegal foreign workers
Authors: Kondoh Kenji
Published: January 2004

Abstract.   In the developed countries some native workers are unemployed while there exist illegal unskilled (legal skilled) foreign workers who are complementary to (substitutable for) natives and their wages are usually lower than (equal to) that of natives. Reflecting this situation, we introduce two types of immigrant in an efficiency wage model. It is shown that domestic government should exclude illegal foreign workers but welcome legal ones if the total number of illegal immigrants is small enough and well controlled. On the other hand, legal immigration should be restricted if the flood of illegal immigration is out of control.
Price dispersion in a model of identical agents with perfect information
Authors: Chen Zhiqi , Kong Ying
Published: January 2004

Abstract.  The objective of this paper is to demonstrate that price dispersion is possible even in a world of perfect information and identical consumers and firms. The driving force in the model is service capacity and congestion cost. Each firm chooses a service capacity. Customers of a firm bear a congestion cost which, for a fixed service capacity, is an increasing function of the number of customers served by this firm. We demonstrate that under certain conditions the combined profit of two firms and the total surplus are higher in a price‐dispersion equilibrium than in a single‐price equilibrium.
Monetary effects of a consumption tax
Authors: Holmes James M. , Smyth David J. , Hutton Patricia A
Published: January 2004

Abstract.  This paper analyzes the short‐run effects of a consumption tax increase (VAT or national sale tax) on aggregate demand. Because it increases the prices paid by consumers relative to the prices received by suppliers, a consumption tax affects the supply of real money balances, in addition to reducing expenditures. Hence, when a consumption tax replaces an income tax so as to maintain a balanced government budget, the net effect can plausibly be contractionary.
Remedies for Dishonest Assistance
Authors: Elliott Steven B. , Mitchell Charles
Published: January 2004

The paper considers the nature of claims against dishonest assistants and the various money remedies those claims may evoke. Dishonest assistance is a form of civil secondary liability whereby the assistant is held jointly and severally liable along with the trustee whose misconduct he assisted. This is the sense in which dishonest assistants are said to be accountable as constructive trustees. In order to understand remedies available against dishonest assistants it is accordingly necessary to understand the corresponding remedies against defaulting trustees and what it means for them to be accountable. The paper examines the two different types of compensation that may be awarded against defaulting trustees—substitutive and reparative—and observes that the same two types of compensation may be given against dishonest assistants in appropriate cases. It also explores the circumstances in which trustees and dishonest assistants should be accountable for profits and whether they should ever be liable to pay exemplary damages. A strict application of the theory of civil secondary liability produces controversial results in connection with these latter remedies.
Conditional Bail Decision Making in the Magistrates' Court
Authors: Dhami Mandeep K.
Published: January 2004

Abstract: Conditional bail is a popular alternative to a remand in custody when magistrates believe a defendant poses a risk if released unconditionally. In the present study, magistrates made bail decisions on systematically designed hypothetical cases. It was found that on average, magistrates attached more than one condition to bail, and they were limited in the types of conditions they imposed. Although there was no difference in the consistency of magistrates' conditional and unconditional bail decisions, magistrates were more likely to disagree on a case when deciding to grant conditional bail, and they were less confident in their conditional bail decisions. In addition, magistrates' imposition of conditions was affected by both legal and extra‐legal factors. Implications for enhancing magistrates' performance are discussed.
Cognitive‐Behavioural Group Work: Its Application to Specific Offender Groups
Authors: Cameron Helen , Telfer Jon
Published: January 2004

Abstract: This article challenges views that cognitive‐behavioural approaches are universally applicable with all groups of offenders. It examines the implications of applying major findings of the ‘what works’ literature to non‐mainstream correctional groups, such as those comprising female, adolescent and Indigenous offenders. It asserts that successful rehabilitation depends on the application of treatment matched to the criminogenic and non‐criminogenic needs of the person, as demonstrated through the meta‐analysis of Andrews and Bonta (2003) and the ‘what works’ literature. Whilst acknowledging the value of these approaches, the article reflects uncertainties about the efficacy of group processes and cognitive‐behavioural approaches in working with young people, women and Indigenous offenders, groups that have been largely neglected in terms of research and evaluation, especially in Australia. The article concludes that there is insufficient evidence available at present to be able to assess the rehabilitative efficacy of cognitive‐behavioural approaches when applied uncritically with offenders outside the adult mainstream and identifies the need for wider research into effective group treatment processes with these groups.
Mode of Trial and the Influence of Local Justice
Authors: Herbert Andrew
Published: January 2004

Abstract: A research study of three magistrates' courts reveals significant variations in their committal rates. It is argued that individual court cultures which have evolved as a consequence of an implicit belief in the concept of local justice provide the prime explanation for these differences. Local cultures generate a shared understanding of decision‐making patterns so that magistrates are rarely faced with genuinely contested venue applications.