bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Syntheses and micellar properties of well‐defined amphiphilic AB2and A2B Y‐shaped miktoarm star copolymers of ε‐caprolactone and 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate
Authors: Liu Hao , Xu Jian , Jiang Jiali , Yin Jun , Narain Ravin , Cai Yuanli , Liu Shiyong
Published: March 2007

Well‐defined amphiphilic PCL‐b‐(PDMA)2and (PCL)2‐b‐PDMA Y‐shaped miktoarm star copolymers and PCL‐b‐PDMA linear diblock copolymer were synthesized via a combination of ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), where PCL is poly (ε‐caprolactone) and PDMA is poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate). All of these three types of copolymers have comparable PCL contents and overall molecular weights. The PCL block is hydrophobic while the PDMA block is hydrophilic, and they behave like polymeric surfactants and self‐assemble into PCL‐core micelles in aqueous media. The chain architectural effects on the micellization properties, including the aggregation number, size, polydispersity, and micelle densities of (PCL29)2‐b‐PDMA45, PCL61‐b‐(PDMA24)2, and PCL56‐b‐PDMA49in dilute aqueous solution, were then explored by dynamic and static laser light scattering (LLS). The intensity–average hydrodynamic radius, 〈Rh〉, the aggregation number per micelle,Nagg, and the core radius,Rcore, of the PCL‐core micelles all increased in the order PCL61‐b‐(PDMA24)2< (PCL29)2‐b‐PDMA45< PCL56‐b‐PDMA49. The surface area occupied per soluble PDMA block at the core/corona interface increased in the order PCL61‐b‐(PDMA24)2< PCL56‐b‐PDMA49< (PCL29)2‐b‐PDMA45. PCL61‐b‐(PDMA24)2micelles had the largest overall micelle density, possibly because of that the presence of two soluble PDMA arms at the junction point favors the bending of the core–corona interface and thus the formation of densely‐packed core‐shell nanostructures. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1446–1462, 2007
Semicontinuous heterophase polymerization under monomer starved conditions to prepare nanoparticles with narrow size distribution
Authors: Ledezma Raquel , Esther Treviño M. , Elizalde Luis E. , Pérez‐Carrillo Lourdes A. , Mendizábal Eduardo , Puig Jorge E. , López Raúl G.
Published: March 2007

The semicontinuous polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in heterogeneous medium under monomer‐starved conditions is reported here. The effect of monomer addition rate on kinetics, particle size, particle number, and PMMA average molar masses are reported. This process permits the synthesis of high‐solid content latexes containing nano‐sized particles (<40 nm) with narrow particle size distributions [(Dw/Dn) < 1.1]. Moreover, the molar masses (Mn ≈ 0.3–1.2 × 106 g/mol) are much lower than those expected by chain transfer to monomer, which is the typical termination mechanism in 0–1 emulsion and microemulsion reactions. Both particle size and average molar masses decrease as the rate of monomer addition is diminished. Possible explanations for this process are provided. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1463–1473, 2007
Mycoherbicide formulation and the potential for bracken control
Authors: Womack Jonathan G. , Burge Michael N.
Published: March 2007

The imperfect fungusAscochtya pteridis, causal agent of curl‐tip disease, is considered as the potential active ingredient of a mycoherbicide for the control of bracken (Pteridium aquilinum(L.) Kühn) Results of experimental attempts to improve pathogenicity by the addition to the spore inoculum of one or more adjuvants are reviewed. The importance of protecting spores and germ tubes from desiccation in the pre‐penetration phase is emphasised and results of experiments demonstrating the potential for water retention by invert (water‐in‐oil) emulsions discussed. Provisional results of field trials using an invert emulsion of water in soybean oil are summarised. Infection was achieved, but it is though that the low level of mycoherbicidal activity was due to application when the host was beyond its most susceptible stage.
Recent advances in the biological control of fusarium wilts
Authors: Alabouvette Claude , Lemanceau Philippe , Steinberg Christian
Published: March 2007

Studies of soils suppressive to fusarium wilts have indicated that the phenomenon is fundamentally microbiological in nature, resulting from complex microbial interactions between the pathogen and all, or a part of, the saprophytic microflora.

Many groups of micro‐organisms have been proposed as having a role in this process. The most consistent results show that non‐pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum and fluorescent pseudomonads are the main agents for biological control. Each group has been effective in reducing the severity of fusarium diseases in several crops under experimental conditions. All the problems associated with application of antagonists have not yet been solved, but special situations exist where biological control could be applied soon.

In Europe, the present development of soil‐less systems to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, carnations and a few other species of flowers and vegetables in greenhouses, offers a unique opportunity to use antagonists. A strain of non‐pathogenic Fusarium isolated from soil from Chǎteaurenard can be established in the soil‐less substrates, or in the potting mixtures, before transplanting the plants and in these conditions can prevent colonization of the substrates by the pathogens. It gave good control of fusarium wilts of tomatoes, carnations and cyclamens, and of crown and root rot of tomatoes due to F. oxysporum f.sp.radicis lycopersici. This non‐pathogenic strain, produced by liquid fermentation and mixed with talc, is easy to introduce into soil‐less substrates after having been suspended in water or in liquid fertilizer.

Experiments have been under way in commercial greenhouses for several years, but it will be necessary to wait at least two more years to complete all the tests required for the registration of the product as a biopesticide.

Similar experiments have been conducted with a strain of fluorescent pseudo‐monad also isolated from the soil of Chǎteaurenard, which shows poor antagonistic effect when applied alone but consistently improves disease control when applied in combination with the non‐pathogenic Fusarium. In fact, application of both antagonists together always gave total control of the diseases, the yield in the treated plots being equal to that in the healthy control. These experiments show that combining antagonists can improve the consistency of biological control.
A Fraction of Acorus calamus L. extract devoid of β‐asarone Enhances adipocyte differentiation in 3T3‐L1 cells
Authors: Wu Hao‐shu , Li Ying‐yin , Weng Lin‐jia , Zhou Chang‐xin , He Qiao‐jun , Lou Yi‐jia
Published: March 2007

The effects of fractions partitioned from the ethanol extract of Acorus calamus L. (AC) on adipocyte differentiation were investigated using cultured mouse 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes. The degree of differentiation was evaluated by measuring the cellular triglycerides and protein expression of the glucose transporter GLUT4 in 3T3‐L1 cells. The ethyl acetate fraction of the AC extract (ACE) was found to enhance adipocyte differentiation as did rosiglitazone. The results of further fractionation of ACE indicated that the active fraction does not consist of β‐asarone, which is a toxic component of this plant. This finding suggests that ACE has potential insulin‐sensitizing activity like rosiglitazone, and may improve type 2 diabetes. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antipromastigote activity of the malabaricones of Myristica malabarica (rampatri)
Authors: Sen Rupashree , Bauri Ajay Kumar , Chattopadhyay Subrata , Chatterjee Mitali
Published: March 2007

A major problem in the management of visceral leishmaniasis, especially in the Indian subcontinent, is the growing unresponsiveness to conventional antimonial therapy, indicating the urgent need to identify new antileishmanial compounds. This study was undertaken to evaluate the antileishmanial activity of the fruit rind of Myristica malabarica that is used as a spice and is also credited with medicinal properties. The antipromastigote activity of different extracts/fractions of M. malabarica and its constituent diarylnonanoids were evaluated in Leishmania donovani promastigotes (MHOM/IN/83/AG83) using the MTS‐PMS assay. Preliminary screening of the ether extract (R1) with its crude methanol fraction (R2) and two fractions (R3 and R4) revealed that R2 had potent leishmanicidal activity (IC50 31.0 µg/mL), whereas R3 and R4 showed poor activity. Fractionation of R2 yielded four diarylnonanoids (malabaricones A–D, designated as Mal A, Mal B, Mal C and Mal D, respectively). The IC50 values of Mal A–D were 16, 22, 27 and >50 µg/mL, respectively. Taken together, the data suggest that the methanol extract of M. malabarica, especially its constituent compounds, Mal A and Mal B, have promising antileishmanial activity meriting further investigations regarding the underlying molecular mechanism(s) of action with a view towards future drug development. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Examination of the distribution of the bioreductive drug AQ4N and its active metabolite AQ4 in solid tumours by imaging matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry
Authors: Atkinson Sally J. , Loadman Paul M. , Sutton Chris , Patterson Laurence H. , Clench Malcolm R.
Published: March 2007

AQ4N (banoxatrone) (1,4‐bis‐{[2‐(dimethylamino‐N‐oxide)ethyl]amino}‐5,8‐dihydroxyanthracene‐9,10‐dione) is an example of a bioreductive prodrug in clinical development. In hypoxic cells AQ4N is reduced to the topoisomerase II inhibitor AQ4 (1,4‐bis‐ {[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl]amino}‐5,8‐dihydroxyanthracene‐9,10‐dione). By inhibition of topoisomerase II within these hypoxic areas, AQ4N has been shown to sensitise tumours to existing chemo‐ and radiotherapy treatments. In this study the distribution of AQ4N and AQ4 in treated H460 human tumour xenografts has been examined by imaging matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry. Images of the distribution of AQ4N and AQ4 have been produced that show little overlap. The distribution of ATP in the tumour xenografts was also studied as an endogenous marker of regions of hypoxia since concentrations of ATP are known to be decreased in these regions. The distribution of ATP was similar to that of AQ4N, i.e. in regions of abundant ATP there was no evidence of conversion of AQ4N into AQ4. This indicates that the cytotoxic metabolite AQ4 is confined to hypoxic regions of the tumour as intended. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simultaneous determination of first‐line anti‐tuberculosis drugs and their major metabolic ratios by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Song Sang Hoon , Jun Sun Hee , Park Kyoung Un , Yoon Yeomin , Lee Jae Ho , Kim Jin Q , Song Junghan
Published: March 2007

Monitoring of anti‐tuberculosis drug concentrations and dose adjustment can be helpful in cases that show poor response to treatment. Here, we describe a method that can rapidly and simultaneously measure the blood concentrations of four anti‐tuberculosis drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol) and two major metabolic ratios (acetylisoniazid/isoniazid and 25‐desacetylrifampicin/rifampicin) using high‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS). A C18 reversed‐phase column and gradients of methanol in 0.3% formic acid and water were used for HPLC separation. The drug concentrations were determined by multiple reaction monitoring in positive ion mode and the assay performance was evaluated. We determined peak concentration ranges for each drug and acetylisoniazid/isoniazid and 25‐desacetylrifampicin/rifampicin ratios by analyzing 2‐h post‐dose samples in patients treated with standard dosing as a first‐line treatment. The preparation of 20 samples including two steps of deproteinization with 50% and 100% methanol was performed within 20 min and chromatographic separation was achieved within 4 min/sample. Interassay calibration variability data obtained over concentrations of 0–8 µg/mL for isoniazid and ethambutol and 0–80 µg/mL for rifampicin and pyrazinamide showed a linear and reproducible curve. Within‐run and between‐run imprecision (CVs) were 1.9–5.5% and 3.5–10.5% and the lower limits of detection and quantification were 0.01–0.5 µg/mL and 0.05–1.0 µg/mL, respectively. The isoniazid concentration was found to be inversely correlated to the acetylisoniazid/isoniazid ratio (R = −0.739, P < 0.001). The devised method allows for the simple, rapid, sensitive and reproducible quantification of isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol and their two metabolic ratios and should be helpful for therapeutic drug monitoring in tuberculosis patients. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Automated time series forecasting for biosurveillance
Authors: Burkom Howard S. , Murphy Sean Patrick , Shmueli Galit
Published: March 2007

For robust detection performance, traditional control chart monitoring for biosurveillance is based on input data free of trends, day‐of‐week effects, and other systematic behaviour. Time series forecasting methods may be used to remove this behaviour by subtracting forecasts from observations to form residuals for algorithmic input. We describe three forecast methods and compare their predictive accuracy on each of 16 authentic syndromic data streams. The methods are (1) a non‐adaptive regression model using a long historical baseline, (2) an adaptive regression model with a shorter, sliding baseline, and (3) the Holt–Winters method for generalized exponential smoothing. Criteria for comparing the forecasts were the root‐mean‐square error, the median absolute per cent error (MedAPE), and the median absolute deviation. The median‐based criteria showed best overall performance for the Holt–Winters method. The MedAPE measures over the 16 test series averaged 16.5, 11.6, and 9.7 for the non‐adaptive regression, adaptive regression, and Holt–Winters methods, respectively. The non‐adaptive regression forecasts were degraded by changes in the data behaviour in the fixed baseline period used to compute model coefficients. The mean‐based criterion was less conclusive because of the effects of poor forecasts on a small number of calendar holidays. The Holt–Winters method was also most effective at removing serial autocorrelation, with most 1‐day‐lag autocorrelation coefficients below 0.15. The forecast methods were compared without tuning them to the behaviour of individual series. We achieved improved predictions with such tuning of the Holt–Winters method, but practical use of such improvements for routine surveillance will require reliable data classification methods. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The misuse of count data aggregated over time for disease mapping
Authors: Ocaña‐Riola Ricardo
Published: March 2007

The ongoing spread of spatial analysis techniques for small areas has facilitated the publication of mortality and morbidity Atlases based on time periods that group information spanning several years. Although this is a widespread practice, this paper proves that the use of count data aggregated over time for disease mapping may give inappropriate area‐specific relative risk. As a result, both decision‐making and healthcare policies could be affected by inappropriate model specifications using aggregated information over time.

The Poisson distribution properties were used in order to quantify the bias in area‐specific relative risk estimation due to count data aggregated over time. A hierarchical Bayesian model with spatio‐temporal random structure is proposed as an alternative to smoothing relative risk if the period of study need to span several years. Methods discussed in this paper were applied to a small‐area survey on male mortality from all causes in Southern Spain for the period 1985–1999. The results suggest that particular caution should be taken when interpreting risk maps based on clustered annual data that use models with no temporal structure to smooth out the rates. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydroperoxide as a Prooxidant in the Oxidative Stability of Soybean Oil
Authors: Kim Hyun Jung , Hahm Tae Shik , Min David B.
Published: March 2007

Fifteen milliliters of soybean oil having peroxide value (PV) of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 meq/kg oil in a 35 mL serum bottle was sealed air‐tight with a Teflon rubber septum and aluminum cap and was stored in a forced‐air oven at 50 °C. The oxidative stability of soybean oil was evaluated daily for six days by measuring the headspace oxygen content and volatile compounds in the headspace of a sample bottle by gas chromatography. As the initial PV of the oil increased from 0 to 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10, the headspace oxygen decreased and the volatile compounds increased at p < 0.05. Hydroperoxide accelerated the oxidation of soybean oil. The correlation coefficient (R2) between the headspace oxygen and the volatile compounds was 0.95. The increase of tertiary butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) from 0 to 50 ppm for the oil of PV 4 or 8 had a significant effect on the oxidative stability at p < 0.05. The increase from 50 to 100 ppm for the oil of PV 4 or 8 did not significantly increase the stability at p > 0.05. The oxidative stability of PV 8 meq/kg and 50 ppm TBHQ was better than the control with PV 0 and 0 ppm TBHQ at p < 0.05. TBHQ was an effective antioxidant to improve the oxidative stability of soybean oil.
Effective strategies for internal outsourcing and offshoring of business services: An empirical investigation
Authors: Zeynep Aksin O. , Masini Andrea
Published: March 2007

The growing pressure to reduce costs and improve efficiency induces many organizations to undertake shared services initiatives. This consolidation and streamlining of common business functions is also known as insourcing, in‐house services, business services, or staff services. While adoption of a shared service structure is viewed by many as an appropriate strategy to pursue, most companies still struggle to devise optimal strategies and to generate adequate returns on investments for their projects, because none of the approaches that are commonly adopted is recognized as universally effective.

This paper builds upon the “structure‐environment” perspective to uncover configurations of shared services organizations and to explain why and under what circumstances some of these configurations exhibit superior results. The conceptual model proposed challenges the notion of “best practice” and suggests that the effectiveness of a shared services project depends on the degree of complementarity between the “needs” arising from the environment in which a company operates and the specific capabilities developed to address these needs. The theoretical findings are validated empirically through the analysis of a large sample of European firms that recently undertook initiatives in this domain. Four dominant configurations of shared service organizations are uncovered, and their relationship to performance is explored.
Facilitating offshoring with enterprise technologies: Reducing operational friction in the governance and production of services
Authors: Stratman Jeff K.
Published: March 2007

The development of cheap and robust communications technologies has lowered the cost of conducting business transactions across international boarders and opened up low wage rate global labor markets to firms facing demand for cheap and efficient service delivery. A review of transaction cost theory and operations management models of service process disaggregation reveals parallels between the how firm boundaries are determined and how certain service process elements can be disaggregated from face‐to‐face customer contact. This theoretical background is used to identify challenges to the effective offshoring of service processes. The competitive capability literature offers suggestions as to how firms might acquire the internal capabilities required to manage offshore service processes. Propositions are developed on how the standardized transactional infrastructure of enterprise technologies (and the organizational competencies developed by successful enterprise system adopters) may help mitigate the challenges of offshore governance.
Analysis of interactions among core, transaction and relationship‐specific investments: The case of offshoring
Authors: D Vivek Shiri , Banwet D.K. , Shankar Ravi
Published: March 2007

Through the use of core, transactional and relational specificity constructs, the paper studies how the emphasis of clients’ who move business processes offshore, changes over time to represent complex relationships between investments in core, transaction and relationship‐specific assets. The complex combination of these investments helps clients attain evolving objectives in offshoring alliances. Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) has been used to establish changing emphases of the specific elements in offshoring alliances.
So simple a thing as a star: the Eddington–Jeans debate over astrophysical phenomenology
Authors: STANLEY MATTHEW
Published: March 2007

Theoretical astrophysics emerged as a significant research programme with the construction of a series of stellar models by A. S. Eddington. This paper examines the controversies surrounding those models as a way of understanding the development and justification of new theoretical technologies. In particular, it examines the challenges raised against Eddington by James Jeans, and explores how the two astronomers championed different visions of what it meant to do science. Jeans argued for a scientific method based on certainty and completeness, whereas Eddington called for a method that valued exploration and further investigation, even at the sake of secure foundations. The first generation of stellar models depended on the validity of Eddington's approach – the physics and many of the basic facts of stars were poorly understood and he justified his models through their utility for future research and their robustness under challenging use. What would become theoretical astrophysics depended heavily on this phenomenological outlook, which Jeans dismissed as not even science. This was a dispute about the practice of theory, and it would be this methodological debate (rather than the emergence of new facts or the incorporation of new theory) that made theoretical astrophysics viable.
Bird species diversity captured by protected areas in the Andes of Colombia: a gap analysis
Authors: Franco Padu , Saavedra-Rodríguez Carlos A. , Kattan Gustavo H.
Published: March 2007

Formed by three Andean ranges and two peripheral elements, the complex mountainous system of Colombia harbours a diverse avifauna (>1,500 spp.) characterized by high large-scale beta diversity and endemism. In these mountains there are 25 protected areas covering c. 3.5 million hectares but not all ecosystems are adequately represented. We conducted an analysis of representation of bird species in these protected areas for eight subregions of the Colombian mountains by means of a comparison between potential and recorded faunas in each area. Potential faunas were compiled by considering the distribution of species across the subregions, their elevational ranges, and the elevational extent covered by each protected area in each subregion. Analyses were performed separately for all species and for migrant species, with an emphasis on threatened species. Bird inventories are lacking for nine of the protected areas. Existing inventories have representation values of 4–91% for all species, and 3–72% for migrant species. Assuming that all potential species occur within protected areas, representation values for the subregions were high (74–100%) but may be as low as 26% when representation values are estimated using recorded species only. For most Andean subregions representation decreased with decreasing elevation, revealing a lack of protected areas at lower elevations. In addition, 31 threatened species (26% of total), which mainly occur at lower elevations and in adjacent lowlands, are not covered by protected areas. Thus, although birds are relatively well protected by the system of reserves in the mountains of Colombia, significant gaps remain, particularly for threatened species.
Recovery of snow leopard Uncia uncia in Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) National Park, Nepal
Authors: Ale Som B. , Yonzon Pralad , Thapa Kamal
Published: March 2007

From September to November 2004 we conducted surveys of snow leopard Uncia uncia signs in three major valleys in Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) National Park in Nepal using the Snow Leopard Information Management System, a standardized survey technique for snow leopard research. We walked 24 transects covering c. 14 km and located 33 sites with 56 snow leopard signs, and 17 signs incidentally in other areas. Snow leopards appear to have re-inhabited the Park, following their disappearance c. 40 years ago, apparently following the recovery of Himalayan tahr Hemitragus jemlahicus and musk deer Moschus chrysogaster populations. Taken together the locations of all 73 recent snow leopard signs indicate that the species is using predominantly grazing land and shrubland/open forest at elevations of 3,000–5,000 m, habitat types that are also used by domestic and wild ungulates. Sagarmatha is the homeland of c. 3,500 Buddhist Sherpas with >3,000 livestock. Along with tourism and associated developments in Sagarmatha, traditional land use practices could be used to ensure coexistence of livestock and wildlife, including the recovering snow leopards, and ensure the wellbeing of the Sherpas.
Critical condition of the jaguar Panthera onca population in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Authors: Salom-Pérez Roberto , Carrillo Eduardo , Sáenz Joel C. , Mora José M.
Published: March 2007

The jaguar Panthera onca is threatened throughout its range and categorized as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. To inform conservation of the jaguar population in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica, population size was estimated using data from a 3-month camera trap study. Individuals were identified from their coat patterns. The resulting density estimate of 6.98 ± SD 2.36 individuals per 100 km2 was lower than expected. The sex ratio was 1.33 males per female, and the minimum home ranges of two males were 25.64 and 6.57 km2. Hunting pressure on jaguar and white-lipped peccaries Tayassu pecari, the jaguar's main prey in the Park, may be responsible for the low jaguar density as space does not seem to be a limiting factor. The numbers of females may have been underestimated because of sampling bias and therefore the sex ratio obtained in this and similar studies must be interpreted cautiously. Better protection of the corridor that connects the Park with other protected areas is essential to guarantee long-term survival of the jaguar in Costa Rica.
The decline of the endemic Fijian crested iguana Brachylophus vitiensis in the Yasawa and Mamanuca archipelagos, western Fiji
Authors: Harlow Peter S. , Fisher Martin , Tuiwawa Marika , Biciloa Pita N. , Palmeirim Jorge M. , Mersai Charlene , Naidu Shivanjani , Naikatini Alifereti , Thaman Baravi , Niukula Jone , Strand Erica
Published: March 2007

The endemic Fijian crested iguana Brachylophus vitiensis, categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, has been recorded from several islands in western Fiji. We conducted a survey for the crested iguana on 12 uninhabited and five inhabited islands in the Yasawa and Mamanuca archipelagos of western Fiji in September 2000. Night searches for sleeping iguanas along a total of 11.2 km of forest transects suggest that crested iguanas are either extremely rare or extinct on all of these islands. Although we collectively searched a total of 44 km of transect over 123 person hours, we located crested iguanas on only four islands: three small uninhabited islands (all <73 ha) and one large inhabited island (22 km). In July 2003 we resurveyed two islands identified as having the best potential for the long-term conservation of crested iguanas, and found that populations were continuing to decline. We suggest that the scarcity of crested iguanas on all islands surveyed is due to the combination of habitat loss and the introduction of exotic predators. All islands surveyed have free ranging goats, forest fires have occurred repeatedly over the last few decades, and feral cats are established on many islands. To reverse the population decline of this species immediate intervention is required on selected islands to halt continuing forest degradation and to clarify the effects of introduced predators.
Orbitofrontal cortex volume in late life depression: influence of hyperintense lesions and genetic polymorphisms
Authors: TAYLOR WARREN D. , MacFALL JAMES R. , PAYNE MARTHA E. , McQUOID DOUGLAS R. , STEFFENS DAVID C. , PROVENZALE JAMES M. , KRISHNAN K. RANGA R.
Published: March 2007

Background

Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) volumetric differences have been reported in depression, but in relatively small samples. Factors associated with these differences are not well described. We examined OFC volumes in a large sample of elderly depressed and non-depressed subjects, exploring the relationship between OFC volume, 5HTTLPR genotype, apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype and hyperintense lesion volume. We hypothesized that smaller OFC volume would be associated with depression, greater hyperintense lesion volume and severity, and APOE ε4 or 5HTTLPR short allele carriers.

Method

A total of 226 depressed and 144 non-depressed older subjects completed 1·5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and genotyping. OFC volumes and lesion volumes were measured using standardized methods. Lesion severity was additionally rated using the Coffey rating scale. Differences between groups were compared while controlling for age, sex and total cerebral volume; separate models added lesion measures and genetic polymorphisms.

Results

Depressed subjects exhibited smaller OFC volumes. There was a trend for a negative association between white-matter lesion volume and OFC volume; however, rated white-matter lesion severity was significantly negatively associated with OFC volume. There was no association between gray-matter lesion measures or 5HTTLPR genotype and OFC volume. Contrary to our hypothesis, subjects who were APOE ε4 allele positive exhibited larger OFC volumes; in secondary analyses, this finding was limited to the non-depressed group.

Conclusions

Reduced OFC volumes are seen in depression and associated with greater severity of white-matter lesions. Healthy subjects who are APOE ε4 allele positive exhibited larger OFC volumes. This finding should be examined in other populations.
Biological markers of intellectual disability in tuberous sclerosis
Authors: RAZNAHAN ARMIN , HIGGINS NICHOLAS P. , GRIFFITHS PAUL D. , HUMPHREY AYLA , YATES JOHN R. W. , BOLTON PATRICK F.
Published: March 2007

Background

Intellectual disability (ID) is highly prevalent in tuberous sclerosis (TS). Putative neurobiological risk factors include indices of cortical tuber (CT) load and epilepsy. We have used univariate and multivariate analyses, including both CT and epilepsy measures as predictors, in an attempt to clarify the pattern of cross-sectional associations between these variables and ID in TS.

Method

Forty-eight children, adolescents and young adults with TS were identified through regional specialist clinics. All subjects underwent thorough history taking and examination, and had brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The number and regional distribution of CTs was recorded. Subjects were assigned to one of nine ordered intellectual quotient (IQ) categories (range <25 to >130) using age-appropriate tests of intelligence.

Results

On univariate analyses, ID was significantly associated with both a history of infantile spasm (IS) (Z=−2·49, p=0·01) and total CT count (Spearman's ρ=−0·30, p=0·04). When controlling for total CT count, the presence of CTs in frontal (regression coefficient=−2·43, p=0·02) and temporal (regression coefficient=−1·60, p=0·02) lobes was significantly associated with ID. In multivariate analyses the association between IS and ID was rendered insignificant by the inclusion of the presence of CTs in temporal and frontal lobes, both of which remained associated (p=0·05 and p=0·06 respectively) with ID.

Conclusions

The presence of CTs in specific brain regions as opposed to a history of IS was associated with ID in TS. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to previous work in TS, and the neural basis of intelligence.
Policy Pathways to Gender Power: State-Level Effects on the US Division of Housework
Authors: COOKE LYNN PRINCE
Published: March 2007

Across industrialised countries, men contribute one-third of the household time in domestic tasks despite women's rising labour force participation. Like a Russian doll, however, the private sphere of the household nests within broader socio-political institutions. Proposed here is a relative gender power model incorporating both individual and policy-derived resources to explain differences in the division of household tasks. The sensitivity of the model to state-level policy differences is tested using data from the second wave of the US National Survey of Families and Households. After controlling for women's individual resources, laws and policies enhancing women's economic circumstances in the event of a divorce such as receipt of transfers, child support and property settlement predict that men in couples perform a greater share of domestic tasks. This evidence confirms that the state can ameliorate gender hierarchies and inequality.
Institutionalised Powerlessness? The Reality of Women's Policy Units and their Gendered Dynamics in Korea
Authors: WON SOOK-YEON
Published: March 2007

This study explores the gap between the rhetoric and the reality of gender mainstreaming logic, paying special attention to women's bureaux in Korea. In response to international pressures for gender mainstreaming, the Korean government has established or relocated women's bureaux since the 1990s. At first glance, it appears that the government in Korea has been keen to integrate gender issues into the entire policy process. However, closer investigation draws a very different picture. Qualitative findings from interviews with civil servants in Korean women's bureaux show that the bureaux are characterised by ‘institutionalised powerlessness’ in terms of peripheral structural arrangements, visible and invisible resistance from inside and outside government bureaucracy, and a lack of staff commitment. Therefore, it is hard to draw the conclusion that gender mainstreaming via the systematisation of women's bureaux would ever go beyond symbolic gestures in Korea.
Learning Selves And Citizenship: Gender And Youth Transitions
Authors: HALL TOM , COFFEY AMANDA
Published: March 2007

Discourses of citizenship have increasingly featured in social policies aimed at young people, particularly in relation to the promotion and crafting of ‘active citizens’. The inclusion of citizenship education in school curricula, the Learning and Skills development agency post-16 citizenship development programme, and the recent Green Paper Youth Matters, all speak of instilling in young people the rights and responsibilities that come with citizenship. In this article we draw on empirical work on youth transitions to explore the ways in which citizenship is learnt and lived by young people themselves. The article draws on some of the models of citizenship identified by Lister et al. (2003) in their study on young people's perceptions of citizenship, particularly considering them in relation to the gendered experiences and realities of youth transitions to adulthoods.
Prey selection by barn owls in relation to small-mammal community and population structure in a Sahelian agro-ecosystem
Authors: Granjon Laurent , Traoré Mahamane
Published: March 2007

Barn owl pellet content was studied on seven occasions over a 2-y period during which terrestrial small-mammal populations were assessed via a capture-mark-recapture (CMR) programme in a Sahelian agro-ecosystem of the Inner Delta of Niger River in Mali. Rodents (especially Mastomys huberti representing 78.5% of the total number of prey) were the major prey of the barn owl on all but one occasion, when bats were dominant. This exception coincided with the period of lowest abundance of M. huberti at the study site. Distribution of M. huberti prey into four age classes was assessed through analysis of tooth wear in remains from the seasonal pellet samples. Comparisons with age structure of the CMR population indicate that the barn owl tended to prey on smaller-than-average (thus younger) individuals, especially when these are rare in the population (non-reproductive period between June and October). The spectrum of prey consumed is compared with data previously reported in Sahelian Africa, showing for the first time in this region a major shift in prey choice by the barn owl when its preferred prey becomes rare. At the rodent population level, the apparent choice of younger M. huberti prey at some periods is interpreted in the light of our knowledge on population dynamics of the species in this habitat.
Diet and habitat selection of the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis borneoensis) in an agricultural landscape in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo
Authors: Rajaratnam Rajanathan , Sunquist Mel , Rajaratnam Lynette , Ambu Laurentius
Published: March 2007

Ten leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis borneoensis) were captured and radio tracked in an agricultural landscape in Sabah, Malaysia. Seventy-two leopard cat scats were analysed for diet while information on prey distribution and abundance was obtained from a concurrent study on small mammals. Mammals, namely murids, were the major prey with Whitehead's rat (Maxomys whiteheadi) being the principal prey species. Leopard cats significantly preferred the relatively open oil palm habitat over both selectively logged dipterocarp forest and secondary forest fragments. Although relative murid abundance was highest in selectively logged dipterocarp forest, oil palm harboured a higher relative abundance of Maxomys whiteheadi. Visibility and ease of movement for leopard cats was also better in oil palm, thereby possibly increasing their hunting success. We suggest that the significantly higher use of oil palm by leopard cats is related to their preference for areas with high prey ‘catchability’ rather than high prey density. Although secondary-forest fragments were least selected, they were important to leopard cats for resting and possibly breeding, highlighting the importance of forest fragments for the conservation of Bornean leopard cats in agricultural landscapes.
Do current stem size distributions predict future population changes? An empirical test of intraspecific patterns in tropical trees at two spatial scales
Authors: Feeley Kenneth J. , Davies Stuart J. , Noor Md. Nur Supardi , Kassim Abdul Rahman , Tan Sylvester
Published: March 2007

It is critical to understand the responses of tropical tree species to ongoing anthropogenic disturbances. Given the longevity of large trees and the scarcity of appropriately long-term demographic data, standing size distributions are a potential tool for predicting species' responses to disturbances and resultant changes in population structure. Here we test the utility of several different measures of size distribution for predicting subsequent population changes at the intraspecific level using demographic records from two subsampled 50-ha tree plots in Malaysia (Pasoh and Lambir). Most measures of size distribution failed to successfully predict population change better than random; however, the ‘coefficient of skewness’ (a measure of the relative proportion of small vs. large stems in a population) was able to correctly predict the direction of population change for approximately three-quarters of species at both sites. At Pasoh, the magnitude of this relationship decreased with adult stature and rate of turnover, but was unrelated to sapling growth rates at either site. Finally, using data for species common at both forests, we found that size distributions were generally uninformative of subsequent differences in population change between sites (only median dbh correctly predicted the direction of change for more species than random). Based on these results we conclude that some measures of intraspecific differences in size distribution are potentially informative of population trends within forests but have limited utility across broader spatial scales.
Aquarium fish exploitation in western Amazonia: conservation issues in Peru
Authors: MOREAU MARIE-ANNICK , COOMES OLIVER T.
Published: March 2007

The Amazon basin is a key supplier of wild freshwater fishes to the multi-billion US$ global aquarium market, yet limited information exists on the organization of the regional trade, its importance to local economies or conservation impacts. Through field interviews and review of government statistics, this paper describes the state of the industry in Peru, reporting on the scale and value of the trade, the nature of the fishery and the characteristics and roles of key actors in regional supply networks. An economically important industry is revealed, with 28 firms officially exporting over nine million fishes worth US$ 2.5 million to 24 countries in 2001, and involving fish species from 36 families transported from rainforest catchments up to 1100 km distant from the export centre of Iquitos. Most fish are however collected close to the city, with 10 species representing >70% of trade volume. Some 10 000 people earn income from the trade, among them many rural poor who depend on aquarium fish collection as a primary or supplementary source of cash income. The industry is currently undergoing an important transition towards supplying new Asian and European markets, increasing exports of species biologically unsuited to heavy exploitation as a result, and highlighting the conservation need for improved knowledge and management of the trade in Amazonia.
Paul Ricoeur and International Law: Beyond ‘The End of the Subject’. Towards a Reconceptualization of International Legal Personality
Authors: NIJMAN JANNE E.
Published: March 2007

The enquiry into international legal personality in the following article is both descriptive and prescriptive in nature. On the one hand, the phenomenon of the (legal) subject is described and explained, in order to offer a better reflection on, and analysis of, its existence. This holds for both the individual and the (so central to international law) collective subject. On the other hand, our attempt at reconceptualization has a clear normative aspect. Reconstructing (international) legal personality on the basis of anthropology and ethics as an inextricable part of the identity of a person results in a conception of (international) law as justice. And this means that international legal personality reconceptualized along the lines suggested in this paper functions to develop just international institutions and just international law.
Who is food-insecure in California? Findings from the California Women's Health Survey, 2004
Authors: Kaiser Lucia , Baumrind Nikki , Dumbauld Sheila
Published: March 2007

Objective

To identify factors associated with food insecurity in California women.

Design

The California Women's Health Survey is an ongoing annual telephone survey that collects data about health-related attitudes and behaviours from a randomly selected sample of women. Food insecurity of the women was measured by a 6-item subset of the Food Security Module. Statistical procedures included chi-square tests, t-tests, logistic regression analysis and analysis of covariance.

Setting

California, USA.

Subjects

Four thousand and thirty-seven women (18 years or older).

Results

Prevalence of food insecurity was 25.7%. After controlling for income, factors associated with greater food insecurity were Hispanic or Black race/ethnicity; less than a 12th grade education; being unmarried; less than 55 years old; being Spanish-speaking; having spent less than half of one's life in the USA; sadness/depression; feeling overwhelmed; poor physical/mental health interfering with activities; and fair to poor general health. Among Food Stamp Program (FSP) participants, 71% were food-insecure. Among FSP-eligible women who had not applied for the programme, the prevalence of food insecurity was lower among women responding that they did not need food stamps than in women giving other reasons for not applying (23.9% vs. 66.9%, P < 0.001). Factors associated with food insecurity in FSP recipients included being unable to make food stamps last for 30 days, feeling overwhelmed, and having a birthplace in Mexico or Central America.

Conclusions

Along with several socio-economic variables, poor physical and mental health is associated with food insecurity. Whether food insecurity is a cause or effect of poor health remains in question.
Disrupted axo-glial junctions result in accumulation of abnormal mitochondria at nodes of Ranvier
Authors: EINHEBER STEVEN , BHAT MANZOOR A. , SALZER JAMES L.
Published: March 2007

Mitochondria and other membranous organelles are frequently enriched in the nodes and paranodes of peripheral myelinated axons, particularly of large caliber axons. The physiological role(s) of this organelle enrichment and the rheologic factors that regulate it are not well understood. Previous studies indicate that axonal transport of organelles across the nodal/paranodal region is regulated locally. In this study, we have examined the ultrastructure of myelinated axons in the sciatic nerves of mice deficient in contactin-associated protein (Caspr), an integral junctional component. These mice, which lack the normal septate-like junctions that promote attachment of the glial (paranodal) loops to the axon, contain aberrant mitochondria in their nodal/paranodal regions. Typically, these mitochondria are large, swollen and occupy prominent varicosities of the nodal axolemma. In contrast, mitochondria outside the nodal/paranodal regions of the myelinated axons appear normal. These findings suggest that paranodal junctions regulate mitochondrial transport and function in the axoplasm of the nodal/paranodal region of myelinated axons of peripheral nerves. They further indicate that paranodal junctions might have a role, either direct or indirect, in the local regulation of energy metabolism in the nodal region.
The influence of a shift from conventional to organic olive farming on soil management and erosion risk in southern Spain
Authors: Milgroom Jessica , Auxiliadora Soriano María , Garrido José M. , Gómez José A. , Fereres Elías
Published: March 2007

Natural resource conservation should be fundamental to organic agriculture, including the prevention of soil erosion. Soil erosion in the olive orchards of southern Spain is recognized as a serious problem causing environmental, economic and social repercussions, both on and off-site. This study describes the changes in soil management practices that accompanied a shift from conventional to organic olive farming and the corresponding effect of those management practices on erosion risk in the province of Córdoba, Andalusia. Interviews with 107 farmers were carried out in two different geographic areas to assess the socio-economic factors influencing farm management decision-making, and on-farm erosion risk evaluations and soil data (organic matter, aggregate stability, infiltration and vegetative ground cover) were taken on 25 farms to assess the effects of those decisions on soil erosion risk. Results from this study show that the shift to organic farming in olive orchards in the province of Córdoba has been accompanied by increased protection of the soil and lowered erosion risk. The most important changes in soil management practices associated with the transition from conventional to organic agriculture were the reduction in tillage and the increase in management systems that incorporate a vegetative cover controlled either by grazing livestock or mowing. However, the shift to organic farming has had more impact in the south of the province than in the north where farm management systems have historically led to less erosion.