bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary history of the butterflyfishes (f: Chaetodontidae) and the rise of coral feeding fishes
Authors: BELLWOOD D. R. , KLANTEN S. , COWMAN P. F. , PRATCHETT M. S. , KONOW N. , Van HERWERDEN L.
Published: December 2009

Of the 5000 fish species on coral reefs, corals dominate the diet of just 41 species. Most (61%) belong to a single family, the butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae). We examine the evolutionary origins of chaetodontid corallivory using a new molecular phylogeny incorporating all 11 genera. A 1759‐bp sequence of nuclear (S7I1 and ETS2) and mitochondrial (cytochrome b) data yielded a fully resolved tree with strong support for all major nodes. A chronogram, constructed using Bayesian inference with multiple parametric priors, and recent ecological data reveal that corallivory has arisen at least five times over a period of 12 Ma, from 15.7 to 3 Ma. A move onto coral reefs in the Miocene foreshadowed rapid cladogenesis within Chaetodon and the origins of corallivory, coinciding with a global reorganization of coral reefs and the expansion of fast‐growing corals. This historical association underpins the sensitivity of specific butterflyfish clades to global coral decline.
Comparative Analysis of Muscle Architecture in Primate Arm and Forearm
Authors: Kikuchi Yasuhiro
Published: December 2009

With 7 figures and 3 tables

A comparative study of myological morphology, i.e. muscle mass (MM), muscle fascicle length and muscle physiological cross‐sectional area (an indicator of the force capacity of muscles), was conducted in nine primate species: human (Homo sapiens), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), gibbon (Hylobates spp.), papio (Papio hamadryas), lutong (Trachypithecus francoisi), green monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops), macaque monkey (Macaca spp.), capuchin monkey (Cebus albifrons) and squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). The MM distributions and the percentages in terms of functional categories were calculated as the ratios of the muscle masses. Moreover, individual normalized data were compared directly amongst species, independent of size differences. The results show that the different ratios of forearm‐rotation muscles between chimpanzee and gibbons may be related to the differences in their main positional behaviour, i.e. knuckle‐walking in chimpanzees and brachiation in gibbons, and the different frequencies of arm‐raising locomotion between these two species. Moreover, monkeys have larger normalized MM values for the elbow extensor muscles than apes, which may be attributed to the fact that almost all monkeys engage in quadrupedal locomotion. The characteristics of the muscle internal parameters of ape and human are discussed in comparison with those of monkey.
Implication of early‐onset biliary atresia and extrahepatic congenital anomalies
Authors: Yang Ming‐Chun , Chang Mei‐Hwei , Chiu Shuenn‐Nan , Peng Shinn‐Forng , Wu Jia‐Feng , Ni Yen‐Hsuan , Chen Huey‐Ling
Published: December 2009

Background:  The aim of the present study was to determine the rate of early‐onset biliary atresia (BA) and its implications, for embryonic‐type BA in Taiwan, a high‐prevalence area for BA. The relationship between the timing of disease onset and congenital extrahepatic anomalies was also identified.

Methods:  Medical records of 130 infants born in Taiwan with biliary atresia between January 1996 and December 2005 were reviewed retrospectively. The gold standard for the diagnosis of biliary atresia was intraoperative cholangiography. As well as medical records review, abdominal imaging and echocardiograms were performed to determine other structural anomalies. Early‐onset BA was defined as acholic stool and cholestatic jaundice observed before 2 weeks of age.

Results:  On review of onset of acholic stool and cholestatic jaundice before 2 weeks of age, 31 patients (23.8%) were defined as having early‐onset BA. Twenty patients (15.4%) had major congenital extrahepatic anomalies. One (0.7%) had biliary atresia splenic malformation syndrome (BASM). Both early‐onset and late‐onset BA may be associated with other structural anomalies. Patients with early‐onset BA had a higher probability of having major extrahepatic anomaly (9/31 vs 11/99, P= 0.046). Situs anomalies accompanying major gastrointestinal (GI) tract anomalies occurred only in early‐onset BA patients.

Conclusions:  After comprehensively investigating the timing of onset and associated congenital extrahepatic anomalies in BA patients in Taiwan, only one BASM with double spleen was detected. A total of 23.8% of patients had early‐onset BA, and this group of patients is prone to extrahepatic anomalies. Situs anomalies accompanying major GI tract anomaly may be indicative of embryonic‐type early‐onset BA.
Thyroid function abnormalities among first‐degree relatives of Iranian congenital hypothyroidism neonates
Authors: Hashemipour Mahin , Hasani Nasibeh , Amini Masood , Heidari Kamal , Sajadi Ali , Dastanpour Masoomeh , Ajami Ali , Hovsepian Silva , Aminorroaya Ashraf , Dehghan Bahar , Kelishadi Roya
Published: December 2009

Background:  Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is a relatively common metabolic disease in neonates. Until recent years the disorder was usually regarded as occurring in a sporadic manner. Over the past few years, however, a considerable proportion of familial cases have been identified, and possible roles of autoimmune factors suggested. The aim of the present study was to evaluate abnormality of thyroid function tests in first‐degree relatives of CH neonates and compared this to the normal population.

Methods:  From 2002 until 2007 thyroid function tests (T4 and thyroid‐stimulating hormone [TSH]) were done in randomly selected CH and normal neonates (n= 194 and n= 350, respectively) and their first‐degree relatives. Most mothers of the CH neonates and control groups were also evaluated for thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb).

Results:  Thyroid function test in first‐degree relative of neonates with CH (361 parents, 136 siblings) were compared with those in control groups (665 parents, 478 siblings). Abnormal thyroid function tests were found in 85 patients in the CH group versus 96 patients in the control group; hypothyroidism was found in 75 (15.1%) and 57 subjects (5%) person in the CH and control groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Positive TPO antibody was found in 22 mothers (17.3%) of CH neonates in comparison with 65 mothers (32.5%) of control groups (P < 0.05). Frequency of hyperthyroidism in parents of control group had trend to be higher than parents of CH neonates (P= 0.05)

Conclusion:  Familial and genetic components play a role in inheritance of CH, but maternal thyroid autoimmunity may not play an important role in the development of CH in Iran.
Barriers and paths to market for genetically engineered crops
Authors: Rommens Caius M.
Published: December 2009

Each year, billions of dollars are invested in efforts to improve crops through genetic engineering (GE). These activities have resulted in a surge of publications and patents on technologies and genes: a momentum in basic research that, unfortunately, is not sustained throughout the subsequent phases of product development. After more than two decades of intensive research, the market for transgenic crops is still dominated by applications of just a handful of methods and genes. This discrepancy between research and development reflects difficulties in understanding and overcoming seven main barriers‐to‐entry: (1) trait efficacy in the field, (2) critical product concepts, (3) freedom‐to‐operate, (4) industry support, (5) identity preservation and stewardship, (6) regulatory approval and (7) retail and consumer acceptance. In this review, I describe the various roadblocks to market for transgenic crops and also discuss methods and approaches on how to overcome these, especially in the United States.
Skill Upgrading in New Zealand, 1986–2001
Authors: Hyslop Dean , Maré Dave
Published: December 2009

Educational attainment increased markedly in New Zealand between 1986 and 2001, while the income premia for higher qualifications first increased and then stabilised or decreased over the 1990s. We first document the growth in qualification‐based skills and then examine its contribution to average income growth and the relationship with relative demand changes. Of the 15 per cent increase in real average incomes between 1986 and 2001, upskilling accounted for 25 per cent, while 70 per cent was due to income growth across all qualifications. The pattern of qualification employment share and relative income changes provides evidence of changing demand for skills within detailed industry–occupation cells.
Dynamic Gains and Market Access Insurance: Another Look at the Australia–US Free Trade Agreement
Authors: Harris Richard G. , Robertson Peter E.
Published: December 2009

We revisit the benefits of the Australia–US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) and, in particular, evaluate the insurance value of this agreement in the face of regional and global trade wars. The insurance benefits are quantified by comparing the AUSFTA against alternative scenarios where some or all regions raise tariffs by 10 percentage points. Issues regarding expectations and the timing of potential trade wars are considered by using a dynamic model. The potential gains relative to these alternative trade war status quo scenarios are found to be as much as four times larger than the traditional efficiency gains.
Pricking Bubbles in the Wind: Could Central Banks Have Done More to Head Off the Financial Crisis?
Authors: Davies Howard
Published: December 2009

Regulators, commercial and investment banks, hedge funds and rating agencies have all borne some blame for the current global financial crisis, but could central banks have done more? It is argued in the lecture that in a number of ways central banks should have paid more attention to asset bubbles, which have high output costs. Asset prices, especially housing prices, should be identified as an explicit factor in the consideration of policy. More generally, central banks should adopt policies that ‘lean against the wind’.
Needs or rights? A challenge to the discourse of special education
Authors: Runswick‐Cole Katherine , Hodge Nick
Published: December 2009

It is nearly 30 years since Mary Warnock's Report of the Committee of Enquiry into the Education of Handicapped Children and Young People introduced the phrase ‘special educational needs’ into the UK education system. In this article, Katherine Runswick‐Cole, Research Associate at Manchester Metropolitan University, and Nick Hodge, Principal Lecturer in Research Development at Sheffield Hallam University, argue for the abandonment of the ‘special needs’ discourse, claiming that it has, in fact, led to exclusionary practices within education. Building on the work of early years educators in Reggio Emilia schools in Northern Italy, the authors advocate for the adoption of the phrase ‘educational rights’ and suggest that the positive impact of such a linguistic turn would be significant for the lives of young people currently described as having ‘special educational needs’ and for children's rights.
‘Asking how instead of why’: exploring inclusive approaches to teaching and learning through pupil and teacher responses to a school link project
Authors: Griffiths Eve
Published: December 2009

The association of inclusive education with an equity discourse means that the question of ‘how’ to include is one currently faced by many teachers in the UK. Written by Eve Griffiths, who teaches English, literacy, media studies and drama in a special school in Wolverhampton, this article constructs a set of inclusive principles for teaching and learning and reports on pupil and teacher responses in mainstream and special schools to a three‐week literacy project in which these approaches were implemented. Research diaries and small group‐based interviews were used in both educational settings to access the opinions of 20 pupils with a Statement of special educational needs. The research found that the pedagogical approaches were successful in breaking down some barriers to inclusion between the two groups of pupils, but Eve Griffiths concludes that significant changes would need to be brought about for there to be any longevity in the eradication of these obstructions.
The Growth of Agricultural Protection in Europe in the 19th and 20th Centuries
Authors: Swinnen Johan F. M.
Published: December 2009

(1247) Johan F. M. Swinnen

Dramatic changes took place in agricultural policies in Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 1860s European nations agreed on a series of trade agreements which spread free trade across the continent. In the 1960s European nations concluded an international agreement which spread heavy government intervention and protection against imports across the continent. This paper quantifies these changes in protection over the course of a century, relates them to changes in policies, and offers a political economy explanation for the growth in agricultural protection in Europe.
The Asian Drivers and Africa: Learning from Case Studies
Authors: Goldstein Andrea , Pinaud Nicolas , Reisen Helmut , McCormick Dorothy
Published: December 2009

(1248) Andrea Goldstein, Nicolas Pinaud, Helmut Reisen and Dorothy McCormick

When the OECD Development Centre launched research in 2005 to document the economic, political and social impacts of China’s and India’s economic growth on sub‐Saharan African (SSA) countries, the arrival (or resurgence) of new important players had triggered concerns among traditional donors. Accusations ran from free riding on Western debt relief over violation of governance standards and unfair company competition to fragmentation of aid delivery. At the same time, there was a tendency to neglect the diversity of SSA in terms of resource endowments, trade links and industrial development. It was time then to promote African voices from various backgrounds to reflect Africa’s heterogeneity.

The introductory section presents a summary of findings about the economic impact of the two Asian giants in SSA countries by Africa‐based economists, with three practical conclusions. First, African countries should favour strategies that minimise areas of direct competition with the Asian giants. Second, industrialisation strategies are required to exploit opportunities complementary to the Asian development path. Third, sectors of mutual interest should be identified in order to develop long‐term views on how to cooperate with China and India and these views should be mainstreamed into national development plans.
The Chinisation of Africa: The Case of Angola
Authors: Aguilar Renato , Goldstein Andrea
Published: December 2009

(1249) Renato Aguilar and Andrea Goldstein

The relationship between the Asian Drivers and Angola has attracted an attention only paralleled by the one surrounding interactions with Sudan. Three closely related perspectives are important. First, the rapid expansion of the Chinese and Indian economies has sustained the world price for oil, of which Angola is the second‐largest producer in sub‐Saharan Africa. In the process, China has also become Angola’s third‐largest trading partner, with a sizeable trade surplus favouring Angola. Second, from an international financing perspective, China’s keen interest to diversify the portfolio of assets in which to invest its huge international reserves is only matched by Angola’s need to find alternatives to normal and concessional sources of international financing, from which it is excluded due to the lack of progress in negotiating with the Bretton Woods institutions. Third, all these issues must be understood in the broader and possibly more complex scenario of the political economy of the relationship between Angola and the world. Because of the country’s size and control over huge oil resources, the growing presence of China in Angola has reverberations across the rest of Africa. And Angola has also joined OPEC in late 2006.
The Developmental Impact of the Asian Drivers on Senegal
Authors: Hazard Eric , De Vries Lotje , Barry Mamadou Alimou , Anouan Alexis Aka , Pinaud Nicolas
Published: December 2009

(1250) Eric Hazard, Lotje De Vries, Mamadou Alimou Barry and Alexis Aka Anouan, with Nicolas Pinaud

African countries have deepened their commercial and diplomatic relationships with China and India, and Senegal has been no exception. The historical context of the relationships, however, has differed. While Senegal already enjoyed a long‐lasting and stable relationship with India, relations with China have been more erratic, in particular on account of Dakar’s recognition of the Republic of China. We analyse trade and investment patterns with the Asian Drivers and how Senegal can form a relationship with these two superpowers that can contribute to its national development objectives. Contrary to other countries in Africa, Senegal is not a large producer of natural resources other than phosphates and fisheries and its consumer market is also rather limited. We find scarce evidence of large‐scale FDI flows and the amount of official development assistance is similarly anecdotic. For China and India, Senegal is of some interest as a logistical and commercial centre, rather than a production base for regional or foreign markets. Over the longer run, as these two countries are likely to become more important for Senegal simply on account of their increasing relevance on the world stage, we argue that it is essential that the authorities take these factors into account in developing policies that cater for economic development and social priorities.
The Developmental Impact of Asian Drivers on Kenya with Emphasis on Textiles and Clothing Manufacturing
Authors: Kamau Paul , McCormick Dorothy , Pinaud Nicolas
Published: December 2009

(1251) Paul Kamau with Dorothy McCormick and Nicolas Pinaud

Kenya has enjoyed a relatively diversified economy (at least by SSA standards), with light manufacturing industries in particular playing a significant growing role. The rise of Asian competition (locally, regionally and on third‐country markets), partly due to the erosion of trade preferences for clothing and footwear, has raised fresh policy challenges. The specific relevance of the clothing industry in the analysis of China’s and India’s impact on Africa is manifold: this is a low‐skilled labour‐intensive industry, and hence an avenue for African economies’ diversification; the competition from Asian producers vis‐à‐vis the SSA clothing industry is felt at the local, regional and global level (on third‐country markets): it is therefore direct and indirect; also, the Asian Drivers’ impact on African clothing industries has both a trade and investment dimension while being competitive and complementary.
The Developmental Impact of Asian Drivers on Ethiopia with Emphasis on Small‐scale Footwear Producers
Authors: Gebre‐Egziabher Tegegne
Published: December 2009

(1252) Tegegne Gebre‐Egziabher

This paper examines the developmental impact of China and India on Ethiopia by examining macro‐level trade, investment and aid relation, and micro‐level impacts on local micro and small‐scale footwear producers. Both secondary and primary data were used. At macro level there are clear evidences of an increase in trade between Ethiopia on the one hand and China and India on the other, though the trade balance disfavours Ethiopia. China has displaced other countries as export destinations for Ethiopia. Similarly, the presence of China and India is also felt in the areas of investment and aid. At local level, Chinese imports of footwear have forced local enterprises to downsize their activity and lose assets and money. At the same time, however, firms have followed both the high road of competition (design and quality improvement, investment in machinery, product specialisation) and the low road of competition (lowering price and profit, reducing raw materials and inputs, and joining the informal sector) to withstand the impact of Chinese imports. The long‐term effect of Chinese imports is to crowd out local efforts of using the sector as the basis for industrialisation. Government, non‐government organisations and local producers should work together in order to withstand the negative impacts of footwear imports by raising the competitiveness of the local producers.
The Asian Drivers and SSA: Is There a Future for Export‐oriented African Industrialisation?
Authors: Kaplinsky Raphael , Morris Mike
Published: December 2009

(1253) Raphael Kaplinsky and Mike Morris

Export‐oriented industrialisation is the orthodoxy and is widely indicated as a development path for sub‐Saharan Africa. In recent years there has been a surge of clothing exports from a limited number of SSA economies to the US. In 2006 these exports accounted for more than half of SSA’s manufactured exports (excluding South Africa). However, the ending of quota controls on Chinese clothing exports to the US led to a significant fall in these exports. Is this a harbinger for the future of export‐oriented industrialisation in SSA in a world of a level trading playing field?
Market Share and Religious Competition: Do Small Market Share Congregations and Their Leaders Try Harder?
Authors: Hill Jonathan P. , Olson Daniel V. A.
Published: December 2009

A central claim of the religious economies model is that religious competition affects levels of religious participation and commitment primarily because religious competition pushes the suppliers of religion (religious leaders and organizations) to market their faith more vigorously and effectively. We examine whether U.S. congregations experiencing greater religious competition measured by their smaller religious market share do more to recruit new members, offer more services to current followers, and whether their clergy work longer hours. The efforts of congregations and clergy do vary substantially, but this variation is not related to their denomination's market share. The variations are also not due to religious pluralism, intradenominational competition, or evangelical market share. Members of small market share congregations are more committed, but this higher commitment does not appear to arise because religious suppliers are responding to religious competition. Several alternative explanations for the higher commitment levels of small market share groups are offered with a discussion of the implications for theories of religious competition.
Two Approaches to Religion and Politics: Moral Cosmology and Subcultural Identity*
Authors: Starks Brian , Robinson Robert V.
Published: December 2009

We explore two competing approaches to internal religious divisions and their political consequences. The “moral cosmology” approach focuses on religious worldviews. It juxtaposes the religiously orthodox to modernists, arguing that the former are theologically communitarian in belief while the latter are individualistic. The religiously orthodox worldview (relative to modernists) is posited to lead to politically conservative stances on cultural issues of abortion, sexuality, and family but politically liberal stances on economic issues. In contrast, the “subcultural identity” approach focuses on identity rather than worldview. According to this approach, self‐identified evangelicals and fundamentalists are expected to be more politically conservative on both cultural and economic issues when compared to mainline or liberal Protestants. Through analyses of the 1998 GSS, which allows operationalization of the two approaches and their extension to Catholic identities, we find that cosmology and identity are associated, but they have independent—and sometimes opposite—effects on Americans’ political beliefs.
Halfway to Heaven: Four Types of Fuzzy Fidelity in Europe
Authors: Storm Ingrid
Published: December 2009

People who are neither very religious nor specifically nonreligious are generally understudied despite comprising on average half the national population in most European countries. From its size alone, we should expect this group to hold some of the clues, not only to how religious change takes place in Europe, but also why. Using the Religious and Moral Pluralism (RAMP) survey from 10 European countries, four subtypes of “fuzzy fidelity” were identified through cluster analysis. These included both “believing without belonging” and “belonging without believing.” Detailed analysis of each type show great national differences in the ways that religion is practiced and understood. A sizable minority of the Dutch population can be classified as “Believing without belonging,” whereas Scandinavians are much more likely to belong without believing. The diversity of the religious landscape within fuzzy fidelity highlights the methodological issues involved in using single‐scale measures for multidimensional phenomena.
Prophecy Channels and Prophetic Modalities: A Comparison of Revelation in The Family International and the LDS Church
Authors: Shepherd Gordon , Shepherd Gary
Published: December 2009

The underlying assumption of this article is that prophetic statements composed for publication in religious organizations as the word of God are, in some form and to some degree, socially constructed. We expand on this assumption by comparing and contrasting The Family International and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐day Saints—both of which are organized around belief in ongoing prophecy and revelation. Derived from our comparative analysis of these two religious groups, we formulate a prophecy typology that specifies (1) the channels through which revelations are proclaimed (a designated individual or group of collaborators) and (2) the modality of prophetic statements attributed to a divine source (inspirational or oracular). Based on this typology we conclude by proposing a set of hypotheses for guiding further studies in the social construction of prophecy.
Church‐Based Social Relationships and Change in Self‐Esteem Over Time
Authors: Krause Neal
Published: December 2009

This study has two goals. The first goal is to see if church‐based social relationships are associated with change in self‐esteem. Emotional support from fellow church members and having a close personal relationship with God serve as measures of church‐based social ties. The second goal is to see whether emotional support from fellow church members is more strongly associated with self‐esteem than emotional support from secular social network members. The data come from an ongoing nationwide survey of older adults. The findings reveal that having a close personal relationship with God is associated with a stronger sense of self‐esteem at the baseline and follow‐up interviews. In contrast, emotional support from fellow church members was not associated with self‐esteem at either point in time. However, emotional support from secular social network members is related to self‐esteem at the baseline but not the follow‐up interview.
Beyond the West: Religiosity and the Sense of Mastery in Modern Taiwan
Authors: Liu Eric Y.
Published: December 2009

This study examines the association between religiosity and personal mastery in the Chinese context, testing two theses: relinquished control and personal empowerment. Using data from a nationally representative sample of 1,881 Taiwanese adults, I find that: (a) beliefs in karma and one supreme God and prayer are negatively associated with the sense of mastery and (b) the estimated net effect of some devotional activities, such as meditation, appear to be robust, statistically significant, and positive. Implications of this study are discussed.
Serving God and Country? Religious Involvement and Military Service Among Young Adult Men
Authors: Burdette Amy M. , Wang Victor , Elder Glen H. , Hill Terrence D. , Benson Janel
Published: December 2009

Despite important connections between religion and military action throughout world history, scholars have seldom explored the association between religiosity and military enlistment. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), we used a person‐oriented analysis to categorize young men according to patterns of adolescent religious involvement. Youth indentified as “highly religious evangelical” are more likely to enlist in the military compared to their “highly religious nonevangelical” and “nonreligious” counterparts; however, these findings hold only for those young men without college experience. These findings are discussed along with study limitations and promising directions for future research.
Molecular marker‐based pedigrees for animal conservation biologists
Authors: Jones O. R. , Wang J.
Published: December 2009

Pedigrees, depicting the genealogical relationships between individuals in a population, are of fundamental importance to several research areas including conservation biology. For example, they are useful for estimating inbreeding, heritability, selection, studying kin selection and for measuring gene flow between populations. Pedigrees constructed from direct observations of reproduction are usually unavailable for wild populations. Therefore, pedigrees for these populations are usually estimated using molecular marker data. Despite their obvious importance, and the fact that pedigrees are conceptually well understood, the methods, and limitations of marker‐based pedigree inference are often less well understood. Here we introduce animal conservation biologists to molecular marker‐based pedigrees. We briefly describe the history of pedigree inference research, before explaining the underlying theory and basic mechanics of pedigree construction using standard methods. We explain the assumptions and limitations that accompany many of these methods, before going on to explain methods that relax several of these assumptions. Finally, we look to future and discuss some recent exciting advances such as the use of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms, inference of multigenerational pedigrees and incorporation of non‐genetic data such as field observations into the calculations. We also provide some guidelines on efficient marker selection in order to maximize accuracy and power. Throughout we use examples from the field of animal conservation and refer readers to appropriate software where possible. It is our hope that this review will help animal conservation biologists to understand, choose, and use the methods and tools of this fast‐moving field.
Endangered, apparently: the role of apparent competition in endangered species conservation
Authors: DeCesare N. J. , Hebblewhite M. , Robinson H. S. , Musiani M.
Published: December 2009

Conservation biologists have reported growing evidence of food‐web interactions as causes of species endangerment. Apparent competition is an indirect interaction among prey species mediated by a shared predator, and has been increasingly linked to declines of prey species across taxa. We review theoretical and empirical studies of apparent competition, with specific attention to the mechanisms of asymmetry among apparently competing prey species. Asymmetry is theoretically driven by niche overlap, species fitness traits, spatial heterogeneity and generalist predator behavior. In real‐world systems, human‐induced changes to ecosystems such as habitat alteration and introduced species may be ultimate sources of species endangerment. However, apparent competition is shown to be a proximate mechanism when resultant changes introduce or subsidize abundant primary prey for predator populations. Demonstration of apparent competition is difficult due to the indirect relationships between prey and predator species and the potential for concurrent exploitative competition or other community effects. However, general conclusions are drawn concerning the characteristics of prey and predator species likely to exhibit asymmetric apparent competition, and the options for recovering endangered species. While short‐term management may be required to avoid imminent extinction in systems demonstrating apparent competition, we propose adaptive conservation efforts directed at long‐term recovery.
Body condition does not predict immunocompetence of western pond turtles in altered versus natural habitats
Authors: Polo‐Cavia N. , Engstrom T. , López P. , Martín J.
Published: December 2009

Many authors have addressed the relationship between body condition and ecological parameters in a wide range of studies, suggesting a better fitness in those individuals with higher values of body condition. However, body size and body condition of individuals can vary significantly at the intraspecific level between geographic locations, which is usually explained by phenotypic plasticity or local adaptation. We suggest that a higher body condition per se might not be a good indicator of physiological health status, particularly when comparing populations inhabiting places with different levels of habitat alteration. We examined two populations of the western pond turtle Emys marmorata in the northern part of California's Central Valley, and found that individuals inhabiting a water pollution control plant located on the valley floor had significantly larger body size and higher body condition than those inhabiting an unaltered natural habitat in the foothills. However, turtles from the water pollution control plant did not show a better health status, estimated by comparisons between two immune system variables: T‐cell‐mediated immune response and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio. Parameters such as body size and body condition might be misleading indicators of health condition, particularly when they are used to estimate health status of populations from habitats with different levels of alteration. We emphasize the importance of using physiological methods in assessing the conservation state of wildlife populations, rather than relying on biometric indices that might miss important effects of alteration.
Identification of amino acids in the pore region of Kv1.2 potassium channel that regulate its glycosylation and cell surface expression
Authors: Utsunomiya Iku , Tanabe Shinya , Terashi Tomonori , Ikeno Souichi , Miyatake Tadashi , Hoshi Keiko , Taguchi Kyoji
Published: December 2009

J. Neurochem. (2009) 112, 913–923.

The Kv1.4 potassium channel is reported to exhibit higher cell surface expression than the Kv1.1 potassium channel when expressed as a homomer in cell lines. Kv1.4 also shows highly efficient trans‐Golgi glycosylation whereas Kv1.1 is not glycosylated. The surface expression and glycosylation of Kv1.2 is intermediate between those of Kv1.1 and Kv1.4. Amino acid determinants controlling the surface expression of Kv1 channels were localized to the highly conserved pore region and both positive and negative determinants of Kv1.1 and Kv1.4 trafficking have been reported. In this study, we analyzed the effect of substituting amino acids in the pore region of Kv1.2 with the corresponding amino acid present in Kv1.1 or Kv1.4 on glycosylation and trafficking of Kv1.2. Mutations in the outer pore region of Kv1.2 of Arg354 to Pro (corresponding to Kv1.4) and to Ala (corresponding to Kv1.1) enhanced and reduced, respectively, cell surface expression of Kv1.2. Mutations in a different outer pore region of Val381 to Lys (Kv1.4) and Tyr (Kv1.1) both reduced the cell surface expression. In contrast, mutation in the deep pore region of Ser371 to Thr (Kv1.4) markedly enhanced cell surface expression. These results suggest that the cell surface expression of Kv1.2 is regulated by specific amino acids in the pore region in a similar manner to Kv1.1 and Kv1.4, and that the cell surface expression of Kv1.2, a channel intermediate between Kv1.1 and Kv1.4, can be attributed to these specific residues.
Reductions of acetylcholine release and nerve growth factor expression are correlated with memory impairment induced by interleukin‐1β administrations: effects of omega‐3 fatty acid EPA treatment
Authors: Taepavarapruk Pornnarin , Song Cai
Published: December 2009

J. Neurochem. (2009) 112, 1054–1064.

Interleukin (IL)‐1β may play an important role in Alzheimer’s disease. However, the relationships between glucocorticoids and acetylcholine (ACh), and between neurotrophins and ACh in IL‐1‐induced memory deficits are unknown. While ethyl‐eicosapentaenoate (E‐EPA) has recently been reported to reduce inflammation and improve memory, cholinergic and neurotrophic mechanisms by which E‐EPA improves memory is unclear. This study evaluated: (i) the correlation between ACh release and memory impairment; (ii) the effect of glucocorticoids on ACh release; (iii) the relationship between nerve growth factor (NGF) and inflammation; and (iv) the effects of E‐EPA treatment on IL‐1β‐induced changes. Intracerebroventricular IL‐1β administrations produced a significant reduction in hippocampal ACh release in rats fed control diet, which was partially attenuated by mifepristone (RU 486) and completely blocked by IL‐1 receptor antagonist. In eight‐arm radial maze, significantly less ACh release was correlated with the memory deficits after IL‐1β administrations. mRNA expression of hippocampal NGF was lower, whereas IL‐1β was higher when compared with controls. E‐EPA treatment significantly improved the memory, which was correlated with normalizing ACh release, and expressions of NGF and IL‐1β. This study revealed important mechanisms by which IL‐1β impairs, while E‐EPA improves memory through IL‐1‐glucocorticoid‐ACh release and IL‐1‐NGF‐ACh release pathways.
Molecular characterization and gene disruption of a novel zinc‐finger protein, HIT‐4, expressed in rodent brain
Authors: Tanabe Yasutaka , Hirano Akiko , Iwasato Takuji , Itohara Shigeyoshi , Araki Kazuaki , Yamaguchi Tsuyoshi , Ichikawa Tomio , Kumanishi Toshiro , Aizawa Yoshifusa , Takahashi Hitoshi , Kakita Akiyoshi , Nawa Hiroyuki
Published: December 2009

J. Neurochem. (2010) 112, 1035–1044.

To identify a novel regulatory factor involved in brain development or synaptic plasticity, we applied the differential display PCR method to mRNA samples from NMDA‐stimulated and un‐stimulated neocortical cultures. Among 64 cDNA clones isolated, eight clones were novel genes and one of them encodes a novel zinc‐finger protein, HIT‐4, which is 317 amino acid residues (36–38 kDa) in length and contains seven C2H2 zinc‐finger motifs. Rat HIT‐4 cDNA exhibits strong homology to human ZNF597 (57% amino acid identity and 72% homology) and identity to rat ZNF597 at the carboxyl region. Furthermore, genomic alignment of HIT‐4 cDNA indicates that the alternative use of distinct promoters and exons produces HIT‐4 and ZNF597 mRNAs. Northern blotting revealed that HIT‐4 mRNA (∼6 kb) is expressed in various tissues such as the lung, heart, and liver, but enriched in the brain, while ZNF597 mRNA (∼1.5 kb) is found only in the testis. To evaluate biological roles of HIT‐4/ZNF597, targeted mutagenesis of this gene was performed in mice. Homozygous (−/−) mutation was embryonic lethal, ceasing embryonic organization before cardiogenesis at embryonic day 7.5. Heterozygous (+/−) mice were able to survive but showing cell degeneration and vacuolization of the striatum, cingulate cortex, and their surrounding white matter. These results reveal novel biological and pathological roles of HIT‐4 in brain development and/or maintenance.
ALTERNATIVES TO NATIONAL AVERAGE INCOME DATA AS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR INTERNATIONAL SUBSIDIES: A SOCIAL JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE
Authors: SHEBAYA SIRINE , SUTHERLAND ANDREA , LEVINE ORIN , FADEN RUTH
Published: December 2009

Current strategies to address global inequities in access to life‐saving vaccines use averaged national income data to determine eligibility. While largely successful in the lowest income countries, we argue that this approach could lead to significant inefficiencies from the standpoint of justice if applied to middle‐income countries, where income inequalities are large and lead to national averages that obscure truly needy populations. Instead, we suggest alternative indicators more sensitive to social justice concerns that merit consideration by policy‐makers developing new initiatives to redress health inequities in middle‐income countries.
AFRICAN AND WESTERN MORAL THEORIES IN A BIOETHICAL CONTEXT
Authors: METZ THADDEUS
Published: December 2009

The field of bioethics is replete with applications of moral theories such as utilitarianism and Kantianism. For a given dilemma, even if it is not clear how one of these western philosophical principles of right (and wrong) action would resolve it, one can identify many of the considerations that each would conclude is relevant. The field is, in contrast, largely unaware of an African account of what all right (and wrong) actions have in common and of the sorts of factors that for it are germane to developing a sound response to a given bioethical problem. My aim is to help rectify this deficiency by first spelling out a moral theory grounded in the mores of many sub‐Saharan peoples, and then applying it to some major bioethical issues, namely, the point of medical treatment, free and informed consent, standards of care and animal experimentation. For each of these four issues, I compare and contrast the implications of the African moral theory with utilitarianism and Kantianism, my overall purposes being to highlight respects in which the African moral theory is distinct and to demonstrate that the field should take it at least as seriously as it does the Western theories.
Towards a geographical research agenda for social enterprise
Authors: Muñoz Sarah‐Anne
Published: December 2009

It has been recognised that there is potential for the study of social enterprise to engage to a greater degree with the social science disciplines. This paper demonstrates that some of the research gaps relating to social enterprise and socially enterprising behaviour within the UK could be tackled within a geographical research agenda for social enterprise that recognises the place‐based aspects of such activity. There is scope for a greater focus on the relationship between socially enterprising behaviour and the spaces of social enterprise within current discourses on the ‘sustainable’ city and ‘cohesive’ communities in particular. There is a need to investigate in more detail the role of social enterprise in tackling social exclusion and the creation of spaces of empowerment for marginalised and excluded groups. This paper puts forward the case for a research agenda for social enterprise that draws on the discipline of geography but also suggests ways in which geographers can bring their spatial lens to the development of interdisciplinary work on social enterprise. Through literature review the paper highlights knowledge gaps that geographers would be well‐placed to fill and draws out some key avenues for future research that could be tackled within a redefined research agenda for social enterprise.
Who sets the agenda and who responds to it in the Danish parliament? A new model of issue competition and agenda‐setting
Authors: GREEN‐PEDERSEN CHRISTOFFER , MORTENSEN PETER B.
Published: December 2009

Inspired by the agenda‐setting literature, this article outlines a model of issue competition focusing on the interaction between government and opposition parties through the party‐system agenda. Unlike previous studies of issue competition, the model makes it possible to answer questions such as why some parties have greater success than others in forcing other parties to address unpleasant issues. One of the central implications of the model is that opposition parties are freer to focus continually on issues that are advantageous to themselves, whereas government parties more often are forced to respond to issues brought up on the party‐system agenda. Using data on issue competition in Denmark covering 25 years and 23 issue categories, the issue competition model is evaluated and finds strong support in a set of cross‐sectional time‐series analyses.
Do parties matter in internationalised policy areas? The impact of political parties on environmental policy outputs in 18 OECD countries, 1970–2000
Authors: KNILL CHRISTOPH , DEBUS MARC , HEICHEL STEPHAN
Published: December 2009

This article analyses the extent to which national policies in the highly internationalised environmental sector are influenced by the policy preferences of political parties. The focus is on policy outputs rather than environmental performance as the central indicator of policy change. Based on a discussion of the relevant theoretical literature competing hypotheses are presented. For an empirical test, a dataset is used that includes information on the number of environmental policies adopted in 18 OECD countries at four points in time between 1970 and 2000. The results show that not only international integration, economic development and problem pressure, but also aspects of party politics, influence the number of policies adopted. The number of environmental measures increases if the governmental parties adopt more pro‐environmentalist policy positions. This effect remains robust even when controlling for the institutional strength of governments, the left‐right position of parties in government, the inclusion of an ecological or left‐libertarian party inside the (coalition) government, and the presence of a portfolio that deals exclusively with environmental issues.
Does democracy produce quality of government?
Authors: CHARRON NICHOLAS , LAPUENTE VICTOR
Published: December 2009

This article analyses the effects of political regimes over state capacity or the quality of government (QoG): Do democratic states perform better than authoritarian ones? Previous studies point to a nonlinear relationship between democracy and government quality. It is argued here that QoG is a function of both forces of supply (leaders who have the power to make reforms) and demand (citizens' desire for mid‐ to long‐term investments over short‐term needs), the latter of which is a function of economic development. In democratic states, leaders have stronger incentives to improve QoG after a certain degree of wealth is reached, while in poorer countries they have little incentive for long‐term bureaucratic investments. Thus it is predicted that the relationship between democracy and QoG is conditional, based on economic development. With over 125 countries in the sample, this hypothesis is tested using time‐series panel data and spatial models, and strong empirical support is found.