bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving the quality of written prescriptions in a general hospital: the influence of 10 years of serial audits and targeted interventions
Authors: Gommans J. , McIntosh P. , Bee S. , Allan W.
Published: February 2008

Background:  Poor quality prescribing has been identified as one of the leading causes of medication error and adverse drug events. The aim of this study was to improve the quality of written prescriptions in a general hospital by a combination of serial audits and interventions designed to address identified deficiencies.

Methods:  Inpatient medication charts were audited annually from 1998 to 2007. Charts were assessed against predetermined standards for good‐quality prescribing.

Results:  Initially an unacceptable proportion of medication charts failed to document adequately one or more of the following: prescriber identification (58%), legible prescriptions (14%), route of administration (14%), a dose (11%), date (11%) or adequate patient identification (8%). Only 53% of charts had any information about medication alerts and 15% contained at least one verbal order. Interventions designed to address these deficiencies included educational strategies (e.g. feedback of audit results, education sessions for doctors and nurses on prescribing and medication errors) and changes to systems (e.g. modifications to medication charts, development of hospital wide prescribing standards and an alert notification system). Serial audits showed progressive improvements in all items by 2007 including; legibility (97%), patient identification (100%), documentation of date (98%), drug dose (99%) and route (97%), use of medication alerts (98%) and the prevalence of verbal orders (<1%). Identification of prescribers remained suboptimal (81% in 2006, 53% in 2007).

Conclusion:  Serial audits of the quality of prescribing on hospital medication charts can rapidly identify the extent of deficiencies in prescribing practice, facilitate interventions specifically designed to address these and monitor their influence.
Management of MUTYH‐associated neoplasia in Australia
Authors: Worthley D. L. , Suthers G. , Lipton L.
Published: February 2008

Background:  Mutations in the MUTYH gene,which codes for a base excision repair protein, have recently been found to cause an autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by multiple colorectal adenomas and increased risk of colorectal cancer. To identify key areas for clinical research, it is necessary to understand the current management of MUTYH‐associated neoplasia.

Methods:  Twelve questionnaires were sent to experts from familial colorectal cancer services throughout Australia, including representatives from all Australian states. The questionnaire was designed to clarify the practical management of MUTYH‐associated neoplasia in the patient and their family.

Results:  All 12 questionnaires were returned. For patients with fewer than 100 colorectal adenomas, and no dominant family history of colorectal neoplasia, most respondents carried out MUTYH testing before or concomitantly with APC. Australian laboratories generally carried out an intial directed analysis of the MUTYH gene for the two common mutations Y165C and G382D. For patients with biallelic MUTYH mutations all respondents endorsed regular colonoscopy surveillance with an interval of 1–2 years, whereas the recommended surveillance for monoallelic mutation carriers varied.

Conclusion:  This is the first study to document current management practices for MUTYH‐associated neoplasia and forms a basis for the development of evidence‐based recommendations as further research becomes available. Current guidelines for testing and management of MUTYH‐associated neoplasia are discussed.
Management of stages I and II non‐small‐cell lung cancer in a New Zealand study: divergence from international practice and recommendations
Authors: Stevens W. , Stevens G. , Kolbe J. , Cox B.
Published: February 2008

Background:  Lung cancer survival statistics for New Zealand (NZ) are poor relative to Australia, USA, Canada and some European countries for reasons that are unknown. As patients with early‐stage non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have the highest chance of survival, appropriate management disproportionately influences survival rates. The aim of this study was to assess management of stage I/II NSCLC, whether management differed from international practice, and factors influencing curative management.

Methods:  Management of patients with stages I and II NSCLC was determined from an audit of secondary care in Auckland and Northland for patients with lung cancer diagnosed in 2004 (565).

Results:  Of the 142 cases with stage I or II NSCLC, 79 patients (56%) were treated with curative intent and 61 (44%) were managed palliatively. Of those treated curatively, 69 underwent surgical resection, 9 received definitive radiation therapy and a single patient received concurrent chemo‐irradiation. Of those managed palliatively, 21 received anticancer treatment and 40 received supportive care. Increasing age and comorbidity reduced the chances of receiving curative treatment (P < 0.001, P = 0.004, respectively); however, discussion at a multidisciplinary meeting was associated with increased likelihood of curative management (P < 0.001). Disparity between NZ and overseas practice increased with increasing age and comorbidity. Only half of those managed curatively commenced treatment within internationally recommended time frames.

Conclusion:  Relatively fewer patients received potentially curative treatment in this NZ study than in countries with better survival outcomes and many were not managed within recommended time frames. Management differences increased with increasing age and comorbidity, possibly suggesting more nihilistic attitudes in NZ.
Effect of muscle‐derived stem cells on the restoration of corpora cavernosa smooth muscle and erectile function in the aged rat
Authors: Nolazco Gaby , Kovanecz Istvan , Vernet Dolores , Gelfand Robert A. , Tsao James , Ferrini Monica G. , Magee Thomas , Rajfer Jacob , Gonzalez‐Cadavid Nestor F.
Published: February 2008

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether skeletal muscle‐derived stem cells (MDSCs) convert into smooth muscle cells (SMCs) bothin vitroandin vivo, and in so doing ameliorate the erectile dysfunction (ED) of aged rats, and whether endogenous stem cells are present in the rat corpora cavernosa.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MDSCs were obtained from mouse muscle, and shown by immunocytochemistry for α‐smooth muscle actin (αSMA) to originatein vitroin myofibroblasts and SMCs, discriminating SMCs by calponin 1 expression.In vivothese MDSCs, labelled with 4′,6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole, were implanted into the corpora cavernosa of young adult (5‐month old) and aged (20‐month old) rats for 2 and 4 weeks. Histological changes were assessed by immunohistochemistry and quantitative Western blot. Functional changes were determined by electrical field stimulation (EFS) of the cavernosal nerve.

RESULTS

The exogenous cells replicated and converted into SMCs, as shown in corporal tissue sections by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), αSMA, and smoothelin, and also by Western blot for αSMA and PCNA. MDSC differentiation was confirmed by the activation of the αSMA promoter‐linked β‐galactosidase in transfected cells, bothin vitroand after implantation in the corpora. Putative endogenous stem cells were shown in corporal tissue sections and Western blots by detecting CD34 and a possible Sca1 variant. EFS showed that implanted MDSCs raised in aged rats the maximal intracavernosal pressure/mean arterial pressure levels above (2 weeks) or up to (4 weeks) those of young adult rats.

CONCLUSIONS

MDSCs implanted into the corpora cavernosa of aged rats converted into SMCs and corrected ED, and endogenous cells expressing stem cell markers were also found in untreated tissue. This suggests that exogenous stem cell implantation and/or endogenous stem cell modulation might be viable therapeutic approaches for ageing‐related ED.
The assessment of oxidative stress in infertile patients with varicocele
Authors: Sakamoto Yuichi , Ishikawa Tomomoto , Kondo Yutaka , Yamaguchi Kohei , Fujisawa Masato
Published: February 2008

OBJECTIVES

To assess oxidative stress markers, antioxidant capacity and cytokines in seminal plasma from infertile patients with varicocele, and to investigate seminal oxidative status and sperm DNA damage after varicocelectomy.

PATIENTS, SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The records were retrospectively evaluated for 28 azoospermic, 30 oligospermic (15 with varicocele and 15 without) and 30 patients with normal semen characteristics (15 with varicocele and 15 without). The mean (sd) age of the men was 32.4 (5.6) years; all men with varicocele had a unilateral or bilateral microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy. The level of nitric oxide (NO), 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG), hexanoyl‐lysine (HEL), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐8 and tumour necrosis factor‐α in seminal plasma were measured. In addition, sperm DNA fragmentation was analysed before and 6 months after varicocelectomy.

RESULTS

Azoospermic and oligospermic patients had a significantly higher HEL concentration and SOD activity in seminal plasma; those with varicocele had a significantly higher NO, HEL, and SOD activity in seminal plasma. There was a significant increase in sperm concentration and reduction in NO, HEL, 8‐OHdG level and SOD activity after varicocelectomy. Oligospermic patients with varicocele had a significantly higher IL‐6 level in seminal plasma, and there was a significant reduction after varicocelectomy. The percentage of apoptosis‐positive sperm decreased significantly after varicocelectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that the seminal plasma of patients with varicocele is under excessive oxidative stress, and partly even in patients with normospermia, and that varicocelectomy reduces oxidative stress in seminal plasma and ameliorates sperm DNA damage.
Sperm DNA fragmentation in subfertile men: the effect on the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection and correlation with sperm variables
Authors: Nicopoullos James D.M. , Gilling‐Smith Carole , Almeida Paula A. , Homa Sheryl , Norman‐Taylor Julian Q. , Ramsay Jonathan W.A.
Published: February 2008

OBJECTIVE

To present the first UK data on sperm DNA fragmentation levels in subfertile men and fertile controls, the correlation with semen variables, and to assess the effect on the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

PATIENTS, SUBJECTS AND METHODS

In all, 56 subfertile men undergoing ICSI (28 with positive and 28 with a negative outcome for paternity) and 10 control fertile semen donors were recruited. The sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) was assessed on raw pre‐preparation samples using the sperm chromatin structure assay. A mean of 5212 sperm were analysed per sample and DFI data are presented by fertility status, ICSI outcome and correlated with semen variables (assessed using World Health Organisation criteria).

RESULTS

Total DFI was significantly higher in subfertile men than in fertile controls (mean and median of 22.8% and 17.0% vs 8.4% and 5.0%; P < 0.001), as was the proportion of both moderate DFI (16.4% and 13.0% vs 6.4% and 4.0%; P = 0.001) and high DFI (6.2% and 6.1 vs 2.0% and 1.0%; P = 0.01). This difference remained significant when the control men were compared only with the subfertile men with successful paternity. There was no significant difference in DFI in the subfertile men when analysed by ICSI outcome (mean and median of 24.5% and 17.0% vs 22.3% and 21.0% for successful and unsuccessful cycles, respectively; P = 0.94). There was a positive statistically significant correlation (r = 0.37; P = 0.02) between the DFI and sperm morphology.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms a relationship between male subfertility and sperm DFI; we discuss the correct role for genetic testing of sperm in the evaluation of subfertile men. Although DNA fragmentation data might help to decide a suitable treatment, once it is decided to proceed with ICSI, DFI levels have no effect on the outcome.
Androgens and bladder outlet obstruction: a correlation with pressure‐flow variables in a preliminary study
Authors: Koritsiadis George , Stravodimos Konstantinos , Mitropoulos Dionisios , Doumanis Grigorios , Fokitis Ioannis , Koritsiadis Sotirios , Constantinides Constantinos
Published: February 2008

OBJECTIVES

To determine the relationship between androgens, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and urodynamic variables of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) in patients with LUTS/benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), as androgens are important in the pathogenesis of LUTS.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twenty‐five men with symptomatic BPH were enrolled in the study and had a complete urodynamic investigation, establishing BOO. Age, prostate‐specific antigen level, prostate volume and postvoid residual volume were recorded and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was estimated. Detrusor pressure at maximum flow (PdetQmax), at urethral closure (PdetCl, the pressure at the end of urinary flow) and maximum detrusor pressure (Pdetmax) was recorded, while detrusor overactivity (DO) was noted when present. Blood samples were collected to measure total testosterone (T), and free T (FT) was calculated. Patients were grouped according to FT levels as low (<72 pg/mL) and normal (FT ≥72 pg/mL).

RESULTS

Ten patients had a low FT level, with a mean (sd) of 54.3 (16.5) pg/mL, and 15 a normal level of FT, of 90.5 (11) pg/mL. FT was negatively correlated with PdetCl, and PdetQmax; the mean PdetCl and PdetQmax differed significantly between patients with low and normal FT levels. Fourteen patients had DO and they had significantly lower levels of FT than those with no DO. All patients with a FT level of <60 pg/mL had DO, and the presence of instability differed significantly from the rest of the group.

CONCLUSIONS

Low T levels in clinical BOO correlated negatively with PdetCl and PdetQmax, while promoting DO. Androgen seems to have an ameliorating role in lower urinary tract function.
The Narrative of ‘Evidence Based’ Management: A Polemic
Authors: Morrell Kevin
Published: February 2008

abstract  ‘Evidence based’ management is a popular contemporary account of the relationship between research and practice in management studies. This paper critically examines the implications of this account from the perspective of Formalism: a narratological approach to critique that focuses on how narratives are made compelling, and hence powerful. Compelling narratives deploy devices that establish (i) credibility and (ii) defamiliarization. Using this approach the paper identifies and examines different ideological strands in the nascent literature on evidence based management: pragmatism, progress, systematization, technique, accumulation. These are the means by which advocates of evidence based approaches construct a compelling story about the value of this approach. Prior criticism of the evidence based approach has centred on epistemological and technical issues. The aim here is to use an aesthetic mode of criticism to highlight political and moral implications. These are important given the relationship between claims to knowledge and the use of power; and the interaction between management research, and management as practice.
Towards a Socio‐Cognitive Approach to Knowledge Transfer
Authors: Ringberg Torsten , Reihlen Markus
Published: February 2008

abstract Dominant research streams in the knowledge transfer field, such as the positivist and social constructionist approaches, largely assume that knowledge transfer is accomplished through instructions and/or socially constructed practices. Underlying these views is the belief that texts and practices carry with them the codes necessary for their own decoding and therefore enable an unproblematic knowledge transfer. In contrast, we argue that the decoding of information into meaningful knowledge is always mediated by people's private and cultural models, which are created from the unique combination of their cognitive dispositions (i.e. acumen, memory, creativity, volitions, emotions) and socio‐cultural interaction. The degree to which people apply these models reflectively and/or categorically (i.e. automatically) depends on the need for cognition as well as environmental demands and feedback. Therefore, knowledge transfer is always tentative, because it depends on the application of private and cultural models along the continuum that goes from reflective to categorical processing. We present first a critique of the positivist and social constructionist positions; then we introduce a socio‐cognitive model that captures and explicates socio‐cognitive processes involved in sense making during knowledge transfer. Finally, we explore future research streams and managerial implications.
Asian Management Research: Status Today and Future Outlook
Authors: Bruton Garry D. , Lau Chung‐Ming
Published: February 2008

abstract This paper reviews the existing management research on Asia. The findings highlight that Asian management research not only builds the understanding of Asia, but also makes a critical contribution to the broad domain of management studies. In particular, Asian‐focused research allows researchers to extend and revise theories through the consideration of new contextual variables. This enables researchers to fine‐tune theories by developing context‐specific conditions and operationalization of key constructs, which in turn allows researchers to develop new theories and constructs which are generalizable to research in other contexts. This systematic examination will help to lay the foundation for the further expansion of the understanding of both Asia and of management research in general.
Firm and Group Influences on Venture Capital Firms’ Involvement in New Ventures
Authors: De Clercq Dirk , Sapienza Harry J. , Zaheer Akbar
Published: February 2008

abstract  Drawing on expectancy, equity, and collective effort theories, we argue that the level of involvement of individual firms in multifirm alliances depends on both individual firms’ self‐focused interests and factors stemming from the firms’ membership in the alliance group. We apply our theoretical arguments to the context of venture capital syndicates and test the hypotheses using data about 160 venture capital firms (VCFs) drawn from a survey instrument and a secondary data source. The results show that individual firms’ involvement in a multifirm alliance is somewhat dominated by group effects; specifically, financial stake relative to that of the group and the reputation of the other group members significantly influence the focal firm's involvement. However, focal firms’ involvement relates negatively to their own reputation. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research. Our results imply that firms in multiparty alliances pay attention to the characteristics of their alliance partnership to calibrate their own behaviour. In our specific setting, VCF involvement in syndicates depends more on relative syndicate characteristics than on the focal firm's absolute level of investment. Further, because reputation is negatively associated with involvement, entrepreneurs and potential syndicate entrants should ensure that they fully leverage VCF reputation to achieve their goals.
Efficiency and Ownership Structure: The Case of Poland
Authors: Modén Karl‐Markus , Norbäck Pehr‐Johan , Persson Lars
Published: February 2008

We examine the effects of foreign entry on productive efficiency during the Polish investment liberalisation. The performance of foreign acquisitions is compared to foreign firms entering the market through greenfield entry, as well as domestic acquisitions of privatised firms, domestic greenfields and remaining state‐owned (non‐privatised) firms during the period 1995–2000. We find that foreign privatised firms have realised larger productivity gains than all types of domestic firms and that this is not due to higher price‐cost margins, which is consistent with the idea that foreign firms bring in firm‐specific knowledge. Foreign greenfields have the highest average labour productivity, while foreign privatisations show the largest productivity increase.
Determinants of the Physical Demand for Gold: Evidence from Panel Data
Authors: Starr Martha , Tran Ky
Published: February 2008

Although the role of gold in the world economy has declined since the gold standard was abandoned, it remains important as a central bank reserve, a hedge against risks, a barometer of geopolitical uncertainty, and an input for jewellery. While portfolio demand for gold has been well studied, determinants of physical demand are less understood. Certain emerging‐market countries such as China and India import substantial amounts of gold, with several factors that may contribute: low financial development, need for precautionary savings and/or strong cultural valuation of gold itself. This article uses panel data on gold imports of 21 countries to examine determinants of physical demand. We find that determinants of physical demand differ from those of portfolio demand, and that they differ between the developed and developing worlds.
Engineering the Kingdom of God: Irrigation, Science and the Social Christian Millennium, 1880–1914
Authors: BELLANTA MELISSA
Published: February 2008

Irrigation was a hot issue in turn‐of‐the‐twentieth century Australia. Most often, it was embraced by booster‐visionaries who wanted it to provide Australia with a place at the table of nations. Not all irrigation enthusiasts placed the same emphasis on wealth and national power, however — indeed, there were some who believed it would help achieve a just distribution of social opportunity. In this article, I look at two Australian “social Christians”, the Melbourne minister, Charles Strong, and the South Australian journalist, Harry Taylor, who saw irrigation as an agent of God's Kingdom on Earth. This belief was part of a more general conviction, shared both by these men and other social Christians, that it was possible to merge millennial religiosity with evolution, progressive politics and rational principles.
Radio Ministries: Religion on Australian Commercial Radio from the 1920s to the 1960s*
Authors: GRIFFEN‐FOLEY BRIDGET
Published: February 2008

This article examines the first forty years of religious broadcasting on commercial radio in Australia, a subject largely neglected by historians of Australian religion and the media. It reveals the diversity of religious broadcasting on Australian commercial radio, the ambiguities of the regulatory framework within which it operated, the influence of American religious broadcasting in Australia, and the challenges confronting religious broadcasters, particularly in the decade between the introduction of television and the emergence of talkback radio. The article concludes in the second half of the 1960s, when religious programming faced mounting commercial pressures, as well as a new opportunity in the shape of “talkback” radio.
REDISTRIBUTION AND FREE TRADE IN AGRICULTURE: ARE THEY COMPLEMENTARY?
Authors: Sarkar Abhirup
Published: February 2008

The purpose of the paper is to look at the welfare effects of trade in agricultural goods in a less developed country where the agricultural market is controlled by a handful of large farmers. It is shown that the success of trade reform depends on the distribution of output between large and small farmers and the success of land reform leading to redistribution from the large to the small farmers depends on trade reform. In other words, if undertaken in isolation, each reform might lead to a fall in welfare, but if jointly undertaken, they will lead to an increase in welfare. Thus the two reforms are complementary.
THE OPTIMAL LIFETIME OF ASSETS UNDER UNCERTAINTY IN THE RATE OF EMBODIED TECHNICAL CHANGE
Authors: Bitros George C.
Published: February 2008

I investigate the effects of uncertainty regarding the rate of embodied technical change on the lifetime of assets using a model where: (1) technical change increases continuously the productivity of producers’ durables, (2) potential competition induces firms to pass all benefits from productivity improvements to consumers, and (3) the mean and the variance are considered sufficient statistics to describe the probability distribution of technological change. I find that in general this type of uncertainty shortens the optimal lifetime of assets. However, the robustness of the results under alternative specifications of the probability distribution of technological change remains an open question.
BALANCE OF PAYMENTS‐CONSTRAINED GROWTH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Alleyne Dillon , Francis Alfred A.
Published: February 2008

The paper clarifies some issues raised in the basic model of balance of payments‐constrained growth due to Thirlwall and later extensions by Thirlwall and Hussain and Moreno‐Brid. The model is also adapted to include both interest payments and net transfers. The latter variable has become very important to many developing countries and brings a new dimension to the analysis. Very importantly, net transfers are positively related to foreign income and negatively related to domestic income. Thus, the paper accounts for dynamic feedback effects, between net transfers, domestic and world income.
Cellulose biosynthesis and deposition in higher plants
Authors: Taylor Neil G.
Published: February 2008

The plant cell wall is central to plant development. Cellulose is a major component of plant cell walls, and is the world's most abundant biopolymer. Cellulose contains apparently simple linear chains of glucose residues, but these chains aggregate to form immensely strong microfibrils. It is the physical properties of these microfibrils that, when laid down in an organized manner, are responsible for both oriented cell elongation during plant growth and the strength required to maintain an upright growth habit. Despite the importance of cellulose, only recently have we started to unravel details of its synthesis. Mutational analysis has allowed us to identify some of the proteins involved in its synthesis at the plasma membrane, and to define a set of cellulose synthase enzymes essential for cellulose synthesis. These proteins are organized into a very large plasma membrane‐localized protein complex. The way in which this protein complex is regulated and directed is central in depositing cellulose microfibrils in the wall in the correct orientation, which is essential for directional cell growth. Recent developments have given us clues as to how cellulose synthesis and deposition is regulated, an understanding of which is essential if we are to manipulate cell wall composition.

Contents

Summary
1

I.
Introduction
2

II.
Structure of cellulose
2

III.
Cellulose synthase
2

IV.
Mutations affecting cellulose synthesis
4

V.
Cellulose synthase complex assembly
6

VI.
Transcriptomic approaches to identify genes involved in cellulose synthesis
7

VII.
Purification of the cellulose synthase complex
8

VIII.
Regulation of cellulose synthesis
8

IX.
Feedback responses to cell wall defects
9

X.
Regulation of orientation of cellulose deposition
10

XI.
Cellulose as a source of renewable energy
10

XII.
Conclusions
11

Acknowledgements
11

References
11
Effects of ploughing frequency and compost on soil aggregate stability in a cotton–maize (Gossypium hirsutum‐Zea mays) rotation in Burkina Faso
Authors: Ouattara K. , Ouattara B. , Nyberg G. , Sédogo M. P. , Malmer A.
Published: February 2008

Cropping systems have a strong influence on soil structural characteristics, including aggregate stability. An experiment combining compost (Co) and mineral fertilizer inputs with different tillage frequencies was conducted in a cotton–maize rotation system on two soil types (Lixisol and Luvisol) in Burkina Faso. The objective was to investigate an alternative soil fertility management regime that protects soil structure for cotton and maize production. We tested the hypothesis that organic fertilizer applications and reduced ploughing frequency can improve aggregate stability. The effects of reduced tillage (RT; ox‐ploughing/hand hoe scarifying the next year) and annual ox‐ploughing (AP) combined with Co and no compost (nCo) applications on the stability of soil aggregates subjected to wet sieving, were assessed. In the second year of the experiment (maize), the macroaggregate stability in the RT plots was 87% higher than in the AP plots on the Lixisol, 26% higher on the Luvisol. In the third year (cotton) the difference in treatment effects was less. The treatments influenced macroaggregate stability in the year of scarification, and the microaggregate stability in the year they were ploughed. We concluded that a soil management regime, with ploughing only every second year and with compost as well as mineral fertilizer inputs, is appropriate to replace the common practice of annual ploughing with application of mineral fertilizers in this cotton–maize cropping system.
Do elevated soil concentrations of metals affect the diversity and activity of soil invertebrates in the long‐term?
Authors: Creamer R. E. , Rimmer D. L. , Black H. I. J.
Published: February 2008

This study aimed to elucidate the response of diversity and activity of soil invertebrates to elevated soil metal concentrations that were a result of sewage sludge application. Field sampling of soil invertebrates was carried out from 2002 to 2004 at an experimental site established in 1982 to test the effects on crop production of metal contamination from sewage sludge applications with elevated concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni) with certain treatments exceeding the current UK statutory limits for the safe use of sludge on land. At metal concentrations within the limits, none of the invertebrates sampled showed adverse effects on their abundance or overall community diversity (from Shannon–Weiner index). At concentrations above the limits, individual taxa showed sensitivity to different metals, but overall diversity was not affected. Earthworm abundance was significantly reduced at total Cu concentrations at and above 176 mg kg−1, while nematode and enchytraeid abundances were sensitive to Cu and high Zn concentrations. Correspondingly, litter decomposition was lower in Zn and Cu treatments although there was no direct relationship between decomposition and soil invertebrate abundance or diversity. Such enduring changes in both soil biodiversity and biological activity around the current UK regulatory limits warrant further investigation to determine whether they indicate detrimental damage to soil functioning over the long‐term.
Methods for estimating types of soil organic carbon and their application to surveys of UK urban areas
Authors: Rawlins B. G. , Vane C. H. , Kim A. W. , Tye A. M. , Kemp S. J. , Bellamy P. H.
Published: February 2008

The occurrence of substantial quantities of black carbon (BC) in urban soil due to local dispersal following incomplete combustion of fossil fuel complicates the determination of labile soil organic carbon (SOC). Estimates of SOC content were made from loss on ignition (LOI) analyses undertaken on samples (0–15 cm depth) from comprehensive soil geochemical surveys of three UK urban areas. We randomly selected 10 samples from each decile of the LOI distribution for each of the surveys of Coventry (n = 808), Stoke‐on‐Trent (n = 737) and Glasgow (n = 1382) to investigate the proportions of labile SOC and BC. We determined their total organic carbon (TOC) and BC contents, and by difference the labile SOC content, and investigated the linear relationship of the latter with SOC estimates based on LOI analyses. There was no evidence for a difference in the slope of the regression for the three urban areas. We then used a linear regression of labile SOC based on LOI analyses (r2 = 0.81) to predict labile SOC for all survey samples from the three urban areas. We attribute the significantly higher median BC concentrations in Glasgow (1.77%, compared with 0.46 and 0.59% in Coventry and Stoke‐on‐Trent) to greater dispersal of coal ash across the former. An analysis of the 30 samples showed that LOI at 450 °C accounts for a consistent proportion of BC in each sample (r2 = 0.97). Differences between TOC (combustion at 1050 °C after removal of inorganic carbon) and an LOI estimate of SOC may be a cost‐effective method for estimation of BC. Previous approaches to estimation of urban SOC contents based on half the mean SOC content of the equivalent associations under pasture, underestimate the empirical mean value.
Assessing scale effects on modelled soil organic carbon contents as a result of land use change in Belgium
Authors: Dendoncker N. , Van Wesemael B. , Smith P. , Lettens S. , Roelandt C. , Rounsevell M.
Published: February 2008

This paper explores the influence of spatial scale on modelled projections of soil organic carbon (SOC) content. The effect of land use change (LUC) on future SOC stocks was estimated using the Rothamsted Carbon model for a small area of southern Belgium. The study assumed no management change and used a single climate change scenario. Three model experiments were used to identify how data scale affects predicted SOC stocks: (i) using European LUC datasets at a resolution of 10′ and assuming equal distribution of change within the study area, (ii) using more accurate regional data aggregated to the 10’ resolution, and (iii) using the regional data at a spatial resolution of 250 m. The results show that using coarse resolution (10′) data is inappropriate when modelling SOC changes in the study area as only the methods using precise data predict a change in SOC stocks similar to those reported in the literature. This is largely because of differences in model parameterisation. However, precisely locating LUC does not significantly affect the results. The model, using either pan‐European or region‐specific precise data predicts an average SOC increase of 1 t C ha−1 (1990–2050), mainly resulting from afforestation of 13% of agricultural land.
A critical examination of some common field tests to assess the acid‐sulphate condition in soils
Authors: Vegas‐Vilarrúbia T. , Baritto F. , Meleán G.
Published: February 2008

Acid‐sulphate soils are of major environmental concern in many wetlands. Severe acidification episodes have occurred worldwide because of the oxidation of iron sulphides to sulphuric acid by human activities, and diverse techniques have been set up to determine the presence of acid‐sulphate soils. This paper evaluates the usefulness of four common easy‐to‐apply field survey tests for potential acid‐sulphate diagnosis in some Histosols and Entisols in wetlands: incomplete oxidation by fast air‐drying, incubation, fast oxidation with hydrogen peroxide, and the indirect determination of sulphide with lead acetate. Samples of 227 surface‐organic and underlying mineral soils of poorly drained Histosols and Entisols of the Orinoco river delta plain were tested. Results showed that for highly organic samples the interpretation of results obtained from the acid‐sulphate soil tests may be misleading, because they cannot be unambiguously related to the production of sulphuric acid derived from pyrite oxidation. Mineral samples yielded more reliable results. The incomplete oxidation by fast air‐drying test did not induce significant acidification either in organic or in mineral samples; the final pH values were dependent on the original pH values. The fast oxidation with hydrogen peroxide test was effective with mineral samples. During the incubation test, the slower rate of pH decrease and the final values obtained with the organic samples suggested retardation in the rate and amount of acid generation by pyrite oxidation because of the concurrent oxygen consumption by organic matter and bacterial activity. The indirect determination of sulphide with lead acetate yielded only qualitative results in organic samples, but worked well in mineral samples, indicating a higher content of pyrite intermediates. Effective estimation of the actual presence and potential for acidification of soil is important, in order to avoid excessive or inappropriate amelioration techniques to prevent acid production.
Spatial patterns and effects of soil organic carbon on grain productivity assessment in China
Authors: Ye L. , Tang H. , Zhu J. , Verdoodt A. , Van Ranst E.
Published: February 2008

In this paper, we present an assessment of the content and effects of cropland soil organic carbon (SOC) on grain productivity at the national scale in China using a Web‐based Land Evaluation System. Homogeneous 5 km × 5 km grid data sets of climate, crop, soil and management parameters were created and grain production in 2005 was simulated. Attempts were made to incorporate SOC into the land evaluation procedure and to quantify the potential effects of SOC deficiency on grain productivity. Results were statistically analysed and the modelling approach was validated. National cropland SOC maps were generated. At the national scale, the cropland SOC content averaged 1.20, 0.58, 0.41, 0.31 and 0.26% for the five 20‐cm sections consecutively from the surface downwards. At the regional scale it tended to decline slightly from northeast (1.63%) to southwest (1.11%). On average, 64% of grain yield was lost due to SOC deficiency for the humid provinces and 7% for the arid and sub‐arid ones. Soil management options are suggested based on the simulation results.
Sustainable agricultural development in sub‐Saharan Africa: the case for a paradigm shift in land husbandry
Authors: Gowing J. W. , Palmer M.
Published: February 2008

In order to tackle poverty and hunger in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) there is a strong case for a focus of effort on improving rainfed agricultural systems. The challenge is to deliver a transformation of agricultural productivity in such systems without adverse impacts on environmental goods and services. We examine the growing advocacy of ‘conservation agriculture’ (CA) as the desired approach and assess the evidence to support the assertion that it can deliver sustainable agricultural development in SSA. We examine in particular the evidence which derives from experience with ‘zero tillage sustainable agriculture’ in Brazil. We ask the question, is there a case for a paradigm shift in land husbandry? The case for a paradigm shift hangs on the premise that conventional practice promotes land degradation, while adoption of CA practice delivers a range of benefits through promoting soil ecosystem health. The guiding principle is to promote biological tillage through minimizing mechanical soil disturbance and maintaining permanent organic soil cover. We examine evidence of benefits in the context of the wider debate on low‐external‐input technology. We conclude that CA does not overcome constraints on low‐external‐input systems and will deliver the productivity gains that are required to achieve food security and poverty targets only if farmers have access to fertilizers and herbicides. We conclude also that widespread adoption of the new paradigm amongst millions of small farmers in order to achieve the ‘doubly green revolution’ in SSA is subject to the familiar constraints of knowledge transfer and success will depend upon creating innovation networks. Further, we conclude that amongst small‐scale farmers partial adoption will be the norm and it is not clear that this will deliver soil health benefits claimed for full adoption of the new paradigm.
THE MEASUREMENT OF POVERTY WITH GEOGRAPHICAL AND INTERTEMPORAL PRICE DISPERSION: EVIDENCE FROM RWANDA
Authors: Muller Christophe
Published: February 2008

It is not known to what extent welfare measures result from seasonal and geographical price differences rather than from differences in living standards across households. Using data from Rwanda in 1983, we show that the change in mean living standard indicators caused by local and seasonal price deflation is moderately significant at every quarter. By contrast, the differences in poverty measures caused by this deflation can be considerable, for chronic as well as transient or seasonal poverty indicators. Thus, poverty monitoring and anti‐poverty targeting can be badly affected by inaccurate deflation of living standard data. Moreover, when measuring seasonal poverty, the deflation based on regional prices instead of local prices only partially corrects for spatial price dispersion. Using annual local prices instead of quarterly local prices only yields a partial deflation, which distorts the measure of poverty fluctuations across seasons and biases estimates of annual and chronic poverty.
THE TIME LAG IN ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD‐BASED INCOME MEASURES: ASSESSING AND CORRECTING THE BIAS
Authors: Debels Annelies , Vandecasteele Leen
Published: February 2008

Annual income data are typically provided with a time lag. This article reviews several ways of dealing with this time lag in the construction of annual household‐based income measures for individual economic well‐being. It also proposes an alternative method that yields better estimates for equivalized household income, especially in the case of household composition change. Next, the two most commonly applied income measures are compared to this alternative measure with empirical income data from the European Community Household Panel. This comparison reveals that ignoring the time lag and household changes leads to substantial bias in income and poverty estimates and to erroneous conclusions about the determinants of poverty entry. The evidence in this article will be useful to researchers who want to make a well‐informed choice between different annual income measures.
PERMANENT INCOME, CONVERGENCE AND INEQUALITY AMONG COUNTRIES
Authors: Pastor José M. , Serrano Lorenzo
Published: February 2008

The literature on inequality has generally focused on the analysis of annual per capita income. This paper adopts a different approach by considering the life‐cycle dimension of inequality and convergence between economies from 1960 to 2000. We analyze the present value of the set of incomes individuals obtain throughout their whole life (permanent income). On the basis of this approach, various simulations are made to determine the effect on inequality in permanent income of variables such as survival rates and the long‐run growth rates in current income. The results indicate that survival rates are an important source of inequality. Inequality in permanent income is about one third higher than in current income. The implication of this finding is that if the whole life‐cycle dimension is not considered, the level of inequality among economies is being underestimated.
England and France in the Sixteenth Century
Authors: Richardson Glenn John
Published: February 2008

This article summarises the main developments in Anglo‐French relations in the context of Tudor foreign policy. It reviews the historiography of the subject, highlighting the main developments in twentieth century research. It argues that this research demonstrates that it was in the sixteenth century, under the later Valois monarchs and the first Bourbon king of France that Franco‐English relations changed significantly. From being openly hostile they became more ambivalent in the true meaning of the word. Under Henry VIII and Elizabeth I the two nations began to create a still‐difficult but sometimes more productive relationship with each other. This set the broad pattern for relations up to and beyond the Entente‐Cordiale of 1904.
The New North in Canadian History and Historiography
Authors: Coates Kenneth S. , Morrison William R.
Published: February 2008

This article reviews the current state of the historiography of the Canadian North, connecting scholarly writing on the region to the rapid and profound developments that have occurred in the North in recent years. It summarizes the priorities and imperatives of post‐Second World War historical writing on the North but looks more specifically at developments in the past two decades. The rapid growth of Indigenous‐focused and North‐centred scholarship is considered in detail, with particular emphasis placed on the manner in which academics have collaborated with Aboriginal peoples on the advancement of historical understanding. Despite the growth in the number, quality and diversity of historical works on the North, this article argues that the national historical profession continues to largely ignore northern developments and has yet to integrate the region into the national narrative. The article concludes by reviewing the prospects for further development in the field, suggesting that significant challenges lie ahead, including a growing disconnect between southern and northern historical work, the rising costs of working closely with Indigenous communities, and the general decline of regional history in Canada.
Lifetime Basilar Migraine: A Pontine Syndrome?
Authors: Mishra Nishant Kumar , Cereda Carlo , Carota Antonio
Published: February 2008

We describe the clinical and radiological findings of an 82‐year‐old woman patient with basilar type migraine attacks occurring over 70 years with a similar pattern of intensity and symptoms. We provide some evidence to suggest that gradual development of calcifications in the pontine tegmental nuclei can trigger attacks of basilar type migraine.
The Migraine Cycle: Patient Burden of Migraine During and Between Migraine Attacks
Authors: Brandes Jan Lewis
Published: February 2008

Migraine is a neurologic disorder characterized by a cycle of attacks, including headache, separated by attack‐free periods. Increasingly, episodic migraine is recognized as a disorder that may escalate to chronic migraine, with a frequency of 15 or more attacks per month. Migraine exacts a toll on the quality of life (QoL) of affected individuals, their families, and their workplace. Migraine adversely affects a patient's QoL during an attack, but also has an impact between attacks. This interictal burden on the patient manifests itself as worry in anticipation of the next painful attack and concern over its possible adverse impact on future plans or activities. The high prevalence of migraine, 12% in industrialized countries and approximately 28 million people in the United States, is considered a low estimate. Patients with disruptive migraines frequently overuse self‐prescribed medications or may postpone a visit to a physician, which delays accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment for migraine. Consequently, migraine remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. An extensive literature search of migraine reviewed its associated disability and reduced QoL during, and especially between, attacks. Assessment tools to evaluate the interictal burden on QoL, and to help in migraine diagnosis and patient–physician communication, are readily available. Nevertheless, patients with frequent and recurring migraines, who suffer a reduced QoL, continue to be underrecognized and undertreated. This segment of the migraine population could benefit from preventive therapy.
Pseudo‐Cluster‐Like Headache Secondary to Contralateral Epidermoid Cyst of the Pontocerebellar Angle
Authors: Eimil‐Ortiz Miriam , María‐Salgado Francisco , Fontán‐Tirado Carmen , González‐Santiago Raquel , Villar‐Villar M. Eugenia , Martín Eduardo
Published: February 2008

Cluster‐like headaches have been described as secondary to several intracranial lesions. We report the case of a 47‐year‐old man who presented with a throbbing periocular pain associated with lacrimation and red eye. A contralateral epidermoid cyst was detected in the magnetic resonance imaging.
Cluster Headache and Internal Carotid Artery Dissection: Two Cases and Review of the Literature
Authors: Rigamonti Andrea , Iurlaro Simona , Reganati Paolo , Zilioli Angelo , Agostoni Elio
Published: February 2008

We describe 2 patients with cluster headache attacks associated with a dissection of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery at the extra–intracranial passage. These cases highlight the need for extensive neuroradiological investigation in cluster headache patients when atypical features are present. We also performed a PubMed search to review the current literature data about this association.