bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Biliary Pressure on Antibiotic Excretion into Bile
Authors: YAMAMOTO Shin , KUBOTA Yoshitsugu , FUJIMURA Kazuyo , TAKAOKA Makoto , KIN Hideyuki , OGURA Mami , TSUJI Kazuyuki , MIZUNO Takako , INOUE Kyoichi
Published: August 2007

Abstract: Biliary obstruction has been recognized to inhibit excretion of antibiotics into bile. In the present study, using cefpirome sulfate (CPR), we sought to determine the effect of biliary pressure on antibiotic transfer into bile in patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Thirty‐six patients with a variety of biliopancreatic diseases (free of renal disease or hypoproteinemia) received a single intravenous dose of CPR (1 g) prior to ERCP. Under fluoroscopy a diagnostic catheter with a metal ball tip was advanced into the middle portion of the extrahepatic bile duct or, in cases of common bile duct obstruction, above the obstruction. Biliary pressure was measured via the same catheter using duodenal pressure as a reference. Subsequently, bile was aspirated, and blood was withdrawn simultaneously. The mean interval between CPR administration and the bile and blood samplings was 67±12 minutes. The bile CPR concentration and the bile/serum ratio of CPR concentrations showed a significant inverse correlation with biliary pressure, but the serum CPR concentration did not. The bile CPR concentration and the bile/serum ratio of CPR concentrations differed significantly between the group with normal biliary pressures, below 10 mmHg, and that with biliary pressures exceeding 10 mmHg. The serum CPR concentrations of the two groups were similar. These results suggest that biliary pressure plays an important role in determining antibiotic transfer into bile.
Expression of Tumor‐Associated Antigens on Gastric Biopsy Materials
Authors: WATANABE Hiroyuki , YAMAKAWA Osamu , SATOMURA Yoshitake , OHTA Hideki , MOTOO Yoshiharu , OKAI Takashi , SAWABU Norio
Published: August 2007

Abstract: We investigated the expressions of SLX, ST‐439 and PLAP, which are regarded as having high specificity for cancer, in borderline lesions of the stomach to ascertain the significance of these potential markers in distinguishing between benign and malignant lesions. SLX, ST‐439 and PLAP expressions in gastric biopsy specimens, from 73 patients with gastric lesions, were visualized using avidin‐biotin‐peroxidase. Although the prevalence of SLX in Group V was 90%. it was also high in intestinal metaplasia (40%) and adenoma (75%). The prevalences of ST‐439 in intestinal metaplasia and adenoma grades l and 2 were 5, 23, and 17%. respectively. On the other hand, the prevalence of ST‐439 was about 60% in adenoma grade 3 and in Groups IV and V. The prevalence and immunostaining range of ST‐439 increased concomitantly with increasing grades of cytological and architectural atypia. The prevalence of PLAP in gastric biopsy materials was 30% overall, but was higher among the differentiated types. Moreover, PLAP was highly specific for cancer because of the negative immunostaining observed in benign lesions such as intestinal metaplasia and adenoma. These results suggest the following: 1) SLX is relatively non‐specific for cancer and thus not useful in the pathological diagnosis of gastric lesions, and 2) borderline lesions with positive ST‐439 mandate careful follow‐up. Moreover, lesions with apparently extensive and intense ST‐439 immunostaining may be gastric cancer and require urgent attention. Furthermore, 3) PLAP may provide additional diagnostic information useful for distinguishing between well‐differentiated adenocarcinoma and borderline lesions including adenoma.
Ultra‐high Magnification Endoscopy of the Normal Esophageal Mucosa
Authors: INOUE Haruhiro , HONDA Tohru , YOSHIDA Tatsuya , NISHIKAGE Tetsuro , NAGAHAMA Takeshi , YANO Ken‐i‐chi , NAGAI Kagami , KAWANO Tatsuyuki , YOSHINO Kunihide , TANI Masao , TAKESHITA Kimiya , ENDO Mitsuo
Published: August 2007

Abstract: The normal esophageal mucosa was observed in detail using ultra‐high magnification endoscopy (UHM endoscopy). The UHM endoscope has a magnification capacity ranging from eight to 150x. High‐quality UHM endoscopic pictures can be continuously obtained by attaching a 2‐mm depth soft distal attachment to the tip of the UHM endoscope. The vascular architecture, which extends from the submucosal vessels through the proper mucosal layer, can be continuously visualized, thereby demonstrating the characteristic fine‐vascular network pattern, and the intrapapillary capillaries in the epithelium. With UHM endoscopy, intrapapillary capillaries can be clearly demonstrated as single loop vessels which we have termed “intrapapillary loops.” These structures cannot be observed with an ordinary magnifying endoscope which is capable of only 35x magnification. We conclude that a technique for obtaining high‐resolution endoscopic pictures has been established. The images obtained are useful for elucidating the microstructure of the esophageal mucosa, especially the fine‐vascular network and the newly recognized intrapapillary loop.
A Case of Pneumatosis Cystoides Coli Associated with Sjogren's Syndrome
Authors: IKEDA Hideo , TOYONAGA Atsushi , SASAKI Ei , SUGA Hideya , KAWANO Hiroshi , FUJITA Mitsutake , KUBOYAMA Shinichi , FUJISAKI Kazuhiro , BAN Shigeki , MITSUYAMA Keiichi , TSURUTA Osamu , TOMOYOSE Michiko , TANIKAWA Kyuichi , SOMEYA Naiki
Published: August 2007

Abstract: We report a case of pneumatosis cystoides coii associated with Sjogren's syndrome. This 53‐year‐old woman initially developed constipation and had bloody stools while she was taking prednisolone 5 mg daily for Sjogren's syndrome. Plain abdominal X‐ray revealed a gaseous pattern that resembled a bunch of grapes in the left abdomen. Endoscopic examination of the large intestine revealed numerous hemispheric cystic protrusions in the sigmoid colon and at the splenic flexure of the colon. Pneumatosis cystoides coli was thus diagnosed. Treatment included oxygen inhalation, 5 L/min for 5 hours/day. The X‐ray image indicating the collection of gas cleared 17 days after starting treatment. This disorder may merit consideration in the differential diagnosis of intestinal disorders in patients with collagen disease.
Automatic restraint and visual detection of fatigue crack growth by applying an alumina paste
Authors: TAKAHASHI I. , USHIJIMA M. , TAKAHASHI C. , UEMATSU S. , KOTANI N.
Published: August 2007

A paste comprising fine alumina particles was applied on surfaces of steel plate specimens and a welded joint specimen, and the effects of the paste on restraint and visual detection of fatigue crack growth were experimentally investigated by performing fatigue tests with in situ observations by a charge coupled device (CCD) microscope and through various kinds of fractographic observations and elemental analyses using an scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an electron probe microanalyser (EPMA). As a result, the crack growth rate in the plate specimen was drastically retarded by the wedge effect of the alumina particles, and a 311% increase in failure life was produced on an average. The restraint of crack opening displacement (COD) value by the wedge materials was estimated by elastic finite element (FE) analyses, and the results were compared with the experimental data. Similar crack growth restraint effects were also observed on the welded joint specimen, producing a 117% increase in failure life. In the fatigue tests of the specimens on which the alumina paste was applied, a remarkable black colour developed in the white alumina paste along the paths of crack propagation, facilitating the visual detection of the cracks. An analysis using an X‐ray diffractometer showed that the black matter in the paste consists of fine debris derived from the base metal.
Effects of hydrogen charge on microscopic fatigue behaviour of annealed carbon steels
Authors: Uyama H , Nakashima M , Morishige K , Mine Y , Murakami Y
Published: August 2007

The effects of hydrogen charge on cyclic stress‐strain properties, slip band morphology and crack behaviour of annealed medium carbon steels (JIS‐S45C) were studied. The total strain range of the stress‐strain hysteresis loop in the hydrogen‐charged specimen was smaller than that in the uncharged specimen. Localized slip bands were observed in the hydrogen‐charged specimen, while the slip bands were widely and uniformly distributed in the uncharged specimen. It is presumed that the decrease in the total strain range of the hysteresis loop is due to the slip localization caused by the hydrogen charge and cyclic loading. The sites of fatigue crack initiation were mostly at grain boundaries in the uncharged specimen. The sites of crack initiation in the hydrogen‐charged specimen were not only at grain boundaries but also at slip bands inside ferrite grains. These results imply that hydrogen enhances dislocation mobility along slip bands and results in slip localization. These slip bands then attract hydrogen. This mechanism of hydrogen ‐ slip band interaction may play an important role in the hydrogen‐ influenced metal fatigue.
Distinct movement parameters are represented by different neurons in the motor cortex
Authors: Stark Eran , Drori Rotem , Asher Itay , Ben‐Shaul Yoram , Abeles Moshe
Published: August 2007

Recent studies suggested that a single motor cortical neuron typically encodes multiple movement parameters, but parameters often display strong temporal interdependencies. To address this issue, we recorded single‐unit activity while macaque monkeys made continuous movements and employed an analysis that explicitly considered temporal correlations between several kinematic parameters; hand position, velocity, and acceleration. We found that while the activity of almost all motor cortical neurons was modulated during movement, most neurons were related only to a single dominant parameter. The activity of different neurons covaried with different parameters with similar strength, but neurons related to velocity were far more common than neurons related to any other parameter. These results were obtained for neurons recorded in the primary motor (M1) and dorsal premotor (PMd) cortices. Although neural activity tended to precede movement and PMd activity tended to precede M1 activity, time lags were widely dispersed. Shoulder and elbow muscles had the same properties as neurons, but their activity strictly preceded movement. These results demonstrate single neuron specificity and heterogeneity within a population of neurons with respect to movement parameters and time lags. Our results suggest that distinct subsets of motor cortical neurons are involved in computations related to distinct movement parameters.
Misfolded transthyretin causes behavioral changes in a Drosophila model for transthyretin‐associated amyloidosis
Authors: Pokrzywa Malgorzata , Dacklin Ingrid , Hultmark Dan , Lundgren Erik
Published: August 2007

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by accumulation of mutated transthyretin (TTR) amyloid fibrils in different organs and prevalently around peripheral nerves. We have constructed transgenic flies, expressing the clinical amyloidogenic variant TTRL55P and the engineered variant TTR‐A (TTRV14N/V16E) as well as the wild‐type protein, all in secreted form. Within a few weeks, both mutants but not the wild‐type TTR demonstrated a time‐dependent aggregation of misfolded molecules. This was associated with neurodegeneration, change in wing posture, attenuation of locomotor activity including compromised flying ability and shortened life span. In contrast, expression of wild‐type TTR had no discernible effect on either longevity or behavior. These results suggest that Drosophila can be used as a disease‐model to study TTR amyloid formation, and to screen for pharmacological agents and modifying genes.
Sensory nerves have altered function contralateral to a monoarthritis and may contribute to the symmetrical spread of inflammation
Authors: Kelly Sara , Dunham James Philip , Donaldson Lucy Frances
Published: August 2007

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and rat models of RA exhibit symmetrical mirror‐image spread. Many studies have sought to understand the underlying mechanisms and have reported contralateral effects that are manifested in many different forms. It is now well accepted that neurogenic mechanisms contribute to the symmetrical spread of inflammation. However, very few investigators have directly assessed changes in contralateral nerve function and there is a paucity of data. In the present study our aim was to investigate whether there are changes, in particular in the nervous system but also in the vascular system contralateral to an inflamed rat knee joint, that might precede overt inflammation and symmetrical spread. Three to five days following Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) injection we found spontaneous antidromic (away from the CNS) activity in the homologous sensory nerve contralateral to the inflamed joint. Antidromic activity of this nature is known to result in the peripheral release of pro‐inflammatory and vasoactive neuropeptides. Importantly, this activity was modulated by systemic analgesic treatment. Furthermore, levels of Evans blue dye extravasation were significantly increased in the joint contralateral to inflammation, indicating altered vascular function. These data suggest that contralateral increases in sensory neural activity and vascular function may account for the symmetrical spread of RA, and that early analgesic treatment may prevent or delay the spread of this debilitating disease.
The impact of chronic network hyperexcitability on developing glutamatergic synapses
Authors: Swann John W. , Le John T. , Lam Trang T. , Owens James , Mayer Adam T.
Published: August 2007

The effects recurring seizures have on the developing brain are an important area of debate because many forms of human epilepsy arise in early life when the central nervous system is undergoing dramatic developmental changes. To examine effects on glutamatergic synaptogenesis, epileptiform activity was induced by chronic treatment with GABAa receptor antagonists in slice cultures made from infant rat hippocampus. Experiments in control cultures showed that molecular markers for glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses recapitulated developmental milestones reported previously in vivo. Following a 1‐week treatment with bicuculline, the intensity of epileptiform activity that could be induced in cultures was greatly diminished, suggesting induction of an adaptive response. In keeping with this notion, immunoblotting revealed the expression of NMDA and AMPA receptor subunits was dramatically reduced along with the scaffolding proteins, PSD95 and Homer. These effects could not be attributed to neuronal cell death, were reversible, and were not observed in slices taken from older animals. Co‐treating slices with APV or TTX abolished the effects of bicuculline suggesting that effects were dependent on NMDA receptors and neuronal activity. Neurophysiological recordings supported the biochemical findings and demonstrated decreases in both the amplitude and frequency of NMDA and AMPA receptor‐mediated miniature EPSCs (mEPSCs). Taken together these results suggest that neuronal network hyperexcitability interferes with the normal maturation of glutamatergic synapses, which could have implications for cognitive deficits commonly associated with the severe epilepsies of early childhood.
High incidence of plant growth‐stimulating bacteria associated with the rhizosphere of wheat grown on salinated soil in Uzbekistan
Authors: Egamberdieva Dilfuza , Kamilova Faina , Validov Shamil , Gafurova Laziza , Kucharova Zulfiya , Lugtenberg Ben
Published: August 2007

Soil salinization is increasing steadily in many parts of the world and causes major problems for plant productivity. Under these stress conditions, root‐associated beneficial bacteria can help improve plant growth and nutrition. In this study, salt‐tolerant bacteria from the rhizosphere of Uzbek wheat with potentially beneficial traits were isolated and characterized. Eight strains which initially positively affect the growth of wheat plants in vitro were investigated in detail. All eight strains are salt tolerant and have some of the following plant growth‐beneficial properties: production of auxin, HCN, lipase or protease and wheat growth promotion. Using sequencing of part of the 16S rDNA, the eight new isolates were identified as Acinetobacter (two strains), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Bacillus cereus, Enterobacter hormaechei, Pantoae agglomerans and Alcaligenes faecalis. All these strains are potential human pathogens. Possible reasons for why these bacteria present in the rhizosphere and establish there are discussed.
Glucose inhibits the formation of gas vesicles in Haloferax volcanii transformants
Authors: Hechler Torsten , Frech Miriam , Pfeifer Felicitas
Published: August 2007

The effect of glucose on the formation of gas vesicles was investigated in Haloferax mediterranei and Hfx.volcanii transformants containing the mc‐gvp gene cluster of Hfx. mediterranei (mc‐vac transformants). Increasing amounts of glucose in the medium resulted in a successive decrease in the amount of gas vesicles in both species, with a complete inhibition of their formation at glucose concentrations of > 70 mM in mc‐vac transformants, and 100 mM in Hfx. mediterranei. Maltose and sucrose imposed a similar inhibitory effect, whereas xylose, arabinose, lactose, pyruvate and 2‐deoxy‐glucose had no influence on the gas vesicle formation in mc‐vac transformants. The activities of the two mc‐vac promoters were strongly reduced in mc‐vac transformants grown in the presence of > 50 mM glucose. The gas vesicle overproducing ΔD transformant (lacking the repressing protein GvpD) also showed a glucose‐induced lack of gas vesicles, indicating that GvpD is not involved in the repression. The addition of glucose was useful to block gas vesicle formation at a certain stage during growth, and vice versa, gas vesicle synthesis could be induced when a glucose‐grown culture was shifted to medium lacking glucose. Both procedures will enable the investigation of defined stages during gas vesicle formation.
Stress and burnout among colorectal surgeons and colorectal nurse specialists working in the National Health Service
Authors: Sharma A. , Sharp D. M. , Walker L. G. , Monson J. R. T.
Published: August 2007

Background  It has been suggested that changes to the organization of the National Health Service (NHS) and clinical practices in dealing with cancer are associated with increased stress and burnout in healthcare professionals. The aim of this study, therefore, was to evaluate stress and burnout in colorectal surgeons (surgeons) and colorectal clinical nurse specialists (nurses) working in the NHS.

Method  A list of all consultant surgeons and nurses was obtained from The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland. Participants were sent a questionnaire booklet consisting of standardized measures [General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Coping Questionnaire] and various ad hoc questions to obtain information about demographics, cancer workload and job satisfaction. Independent predictors of clinically significant distress and burnout were identified using logistic regression.

Results  Four hundred and fifty‐five surgeons and 326 nurses were sent booklets. The response rate was 55.6% in surgeons and 54.3% in nurses. The mean age of the nurses was lower than that of surgeons (42.8 vs 47.7, P < 0.001). Psychiatric morbidity was similar in the surgeons and nurses as assessed using the GHQ (30.2% and 30.3% respectively). On the MBI, compared with nurses, surgeons had significantly higher levels of depersonalization (17.4%vs 7.4%, P = 0.003) and lower personal accomplishment (26.6%vs 14.2%, P = 0.002). Seventy‐seven per cent of surgeons and 63.4% of nurses stated their intention to retire before the statutory retirement age.

Coping strategies, especially those in which respondents isolated themselves from friends and family, were associated with higher psychiatric morbidity and burnout. Dissatisfaction with work, intention to retire early, intention to retire as soon as affordable and poor training in communication and management skills were also significantly associated with high GHQ scores and burnout in both groups.

Discussion  We found high levels of psychiatric morbidity and burnout in this national cohort of surgeons and nurses working in the NHS. However, psychiatric morbidity and burnout were unrelated to cancer workload. Nurses have lower burnout levels than surgeons and this may be related to their different working practices, responsibilities and management structure.
Molecular phylogenetic investigations of Bulinus (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in Lake Malawi with comments on the topological incongruence between DNA loci
Authors: Jørgensen Aslak , Jørgensen Louise V. Gersdorff , Kristensen Thomas K. , Madsen Henry , Stothard J. Russell
Published: August 2007

Freshwater snails of the genus Bulinus, subfamily Bulininae, are widespread in Africa and the Middle East. Several species are intermediate hosts for schistosomes, mammalian blood flukes that cause schistosomiasis. The genus is split into four species groups and without recourse to further molecular DNA studies, phylogenetic relationships within and between species‐groups remain obscure. For example, the Bulinus truncatus/tropicus species complex, which cannot be adequately defined with morphological characters, appears to be monophyletic but increased taxon sampling is warranted for confirmation when this group appears to contain species with limited sequence divergence in either mitochondrial 16S rRNA or Cytochome Oxidase subunit I (COI) loci. In the present study, taxonomic sampling is increased through addition of several taxa, including B. nyassanus and B. succinoides both endemic to Lake Malawi. From DNA analyses, these two species appear basal within the B. truncatus/tropicus species complex which provides an interesting evolutionary insight into its origins. The relationship of the B. truncatus/tropicus species complex with the three other groups, however, is more problematic as incongruence between loci and computational methodologies exist. This phenomenon is likely due to mutational saturation of the COI as evidenced by the transition : transversion ratio which also results in placement of the discoidal Indoplanorbis exustus, a member of the Bulininae, within the ingroup. To resolve these more basal incongruencies between species groups inspection of more evolutionary conserved molecular loci is needed, for example, the nuclear histone H3 gene, and 18S and 28S rDNA.

Louise V. Gersdorff Jørgensen, Thomas K. Kristensen and Henry Madsen, The Mandahl‐Barth Research Centre for Biodiversity and Health, DBL — Centre for Health Research and Development, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jægersborg Allé 1D, DK‐2920 Charlottenlund, Denmark. E‐mails: lgj@life.ku.dk, tkk@life.ku.dk, hmad@life.ku.dk

J. Russell Stothard, Biomedical Parasitology Division, Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK. E‐mail: R.Stothard@nhm.ac.uk
Erectile dysfunction, discrepancy between high prevalence and low utilization of treatment options: results from the ‘Cottbus Survey’ with 10 000 men
Authors: May Matthias , Gralla Oliver , Knoll Nina , Fenske Stephan , Spivak Inna , Rönnebeck Claudia , Hoffmann Marga , Lenk Severin , Hoschke Bernd
Published: August 2007

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the age‐stratified prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and its comorbidities, and to assess the population’s knowledge, utilization, and general attitude towards the treatment for ED.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

In all, 10 000 men received a 35‐item questionnaire including the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and sociodemographic questions regarding life style, comorbidities, quality of sexual life and knowledge or experience of ED therapy. In all, 3124 responses were included (31.2%), 2499 men lived in well established partnerships and were assessed as the basic study group.

RESULTS

In the entire population the prevalence rate of ED was 40.1%. However, although known, medical treatment for ED is used only by a minority of affected men. The prevalence of ED was independently associated with age, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and liver diseases. Correlations between sexual quality of life (QoL) and ED were statistically significant (P < 0.01) and moderate to strong (absolute values: Spearman’s ρ 0.35–0.76). Although 96% of the study population knew at least one phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor by name, only 53% considered taking the medication and only 9% of the men with ED had had experience with available PDE5 inhibitors.

CONCLUSIONS

The sexual QoL was significantly reduced by ED. Despite high levels of awareness and general acceptance of oral medication for ED, experience with PDE5 inhibitors was low. Further investigation is required to evaluate the general impact of ED on sexual QoL and the need or wish for treatment.
Fracture risk in Danish men with prostate cancer: a nationwide register study
Authors: Abrahamsen Bo , Nielsen Morten F. , Eskildsen Peter , Andersen Jens Thorup , Walter Steen , Brixen Kim
Published: August 2007

This section opens with a nationwide Danish study on the risk of fractures in prostate cancer, as well as assessing the impact of exposure to androgen deprivation. The authors found that there was a marked increase in the risk of fractures, especially of the hip.

Authors from the USA address the outcome of cytoreductive nephrectomy for metastatic RCC, finding that it can be predicted by the fraction of tumour volume removed. They give an informative review of the topic and describe their experience in this type of surgery.

Treatment options for hormonerefractory prostate cancer are rather limited and authors from the USA present the results of a phase II trial into the use of gefitinib as a single therapy in patients with non‐metastatic refractory disease. They found an absence of PSA response but confirmed the well‐established favourable tolerability profile of this agent.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the risk of fracture attributable to prostate cancer, and the impact of exposure to prescribed gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone agonists and antiandrogens on this risk in a nationwide, population‐based case‐control study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data from the Danish National Hospital Discharge Register, the National Bureau of Statistics, and the National Prescriptions Database were merged. The analysis covered 15 716 men aged >50 years presenting with a fracture at any hospital in Denmark in 2000, and 47 149 age‐matched control men. A previous diagnosis of prostate cancer had been recorded in 1.3% of controls and 2.5% of those with a fracture.

RESULTS

Prostate cancer was associated with an increased odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for all fractures of 1.8 (1.6–2.1), for hip fractures of 3.7 (3.1–4.4), but no increased risk of vertebral fractures. The increased fracture risk became apparent early after diagnosis and remained pronounced even in long‐term survivors. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with an odds ratio of 1.7  (1.2–2.5; P < 0.01) and orchidectomy, at 1.7 (1.2–2.4; P < 0.01) added to the overall fracture risk. In all, 3.1% of hip fractures in Danish men aged >50 years are attributable to prostate cancer.

CONCLUSION

Prostate cancer, orchidectomy and the use of ADT are associated with a markedly greater risk of fractures, especially of the hip. The risk of hip fracture is not confined to the very old, neither is the risk made negligible by the excess mortality in patients with advanced prostate cancer.
Effects of landscape structure and land‐use intensity on similarity of plant and animal communities
Authors: Dormann Carsten F. , Schweiger Oliver , Augenstein Isabel , Bailey Debra , Billeter Regula , De Blust Geert , DeFilippi Riccardo , Frenzel Mark , Hendrickx Frederik , Herzog Felix , Klotz Stefan , Liira Jaan , Maelfait Jean‐Pierre , Schmidt Torsten , Speelmans Marjan , Van Wingerden Walter K. R. E. , Zobel Martin
Published: August 2007

Aim  Species richness in itself is not always sufficient to evaluate land management strategies for nature conservation. The exchange of species between local communities may be affected by landscape structure and land‐use intensity. Thus, species turnover, and its inverse, community similarity, may be useful measures of landscape integrity from a diversity perspective.

Location  A European transect from France to Estonia.

Methods  We measured the similarity of plant, bird, wild bee, true bug, carabid beetle, hoverfly and spider communities sampled along gradients in landscape composition (e.g. total availability of semi‐natural habitat), landscape configuration (e.g. fragmentation) and land‐use intensity (e.g. pesticide loads).

Results  Total availability of semi‐natural habitats had little effect on community similarity, except for bird communities, which were more homogeneous in more natural landscapes. Bee communities, in contrast, were less similar in landscapes with higher percentages of semi‐natural habitats. Increased landscape fragmentation decreased similarity of true bug communities, while plant communities showed a nonlinear, U‐shaped response. More intense land use, specifically increased pesticide burden, led to a homogenization of bee, bug and spider communities within sites. In these cases, habitat fragmentation interacted with pesticide load. Hoverfly and carabid beetle community similarity was differentially affected by higher pesticide levels: for carabid beetles similarity decreased, while for hoverflies we observed a U‐shaped relationship.

Main conclusions  Our study demonstrates the effects of landscape composition, configuration and land‐use intensity on the similarity of communities. It indicates reduced exchange of species between communities in landscapes dominated by agricultural activities. Taxonomic groups differed in their responses to environmental drivers and using but one group as an indicator for ‘biodiversity’ as such would thus not be advisable.
Do leaf margins of the temperate forest flora of southern South America reflect a warmer past?
Authors: Aizen Marcelo A. , Ezcurra Cecilia
Published: August 2007

Aim  Our aims were: (1) to characterize the linear relationship between the proportion of woody dicotyledonous species with entire‐margined leaves (E) and mean annual temperature (MAT) from a southern temperate flora that still harbours many lineages that originated under warmer climates; (2) to compare this relationship with those developed from floras of different regions of the world; and (3) to contrast temperature predictions based on leaf margins of the native southern flora versus the naturalized alien flora, mostly of boreal origin.

Location  The temperate forest of southern South America (TFSA).

Methods  At each 1° latitudinal band, we estimated E based on species latitudinal ranges and MAT from both an isotherm map and a global temperature grid. We also calculated E from five local floras located between 40 and 43° S, and from the naturalized alien flora of Nahuel Huapi National Park in southern Argentina.

Results  We found a close relationship between E and MAT for the TFSA. Equations developed from floras of the Northern Hemisphere overestimated extant temperatures of this biome by 6–10 °C at both geographical and local spatial scales. On the other hand, MAT predictions from leaf margins of the alien flora were similar to the actual MAT. A published regression between E and MAT from tropical South America was remarkably similar to the one we estimated from the TFSA. This tropical equation predicted accurately the temperatures observed for this temperate biome based on leaf margins of the native flora.

Main conclusions  Despite massive plant extinction due to environmental cooling and biogeographical isolation during the Tertiary, leaf‐margin analysis reveals that the flora of the TFSA still reflects its original development under the warmer conditions of western Gondwana and its past connections with low‐latitude forest floras of tropical South America.
Spatial heterogeneity of climate and land‐cover constraints on distributions of tick‐borne pathogens
Authors: Wimberly Michael C. , Yabsley Michael J. , Baer Adam D. , Dugan Vivien G. , Davidson William R.
Published: August 2007

Aim To compare the geographical distributions of two tick‐borne pathogens vectored by different tick species, to examine the relative importance of climate, land cover and host density in structuring these distributions, and to assess the spatial variability of these environmental constraints across the species ranges.

Location South‐central and south‐eastern North America.

Methods Presence/absence data for two tick‐borne pathogens,Ehrlichia chaffeensisandAnaplasma phagocytophilum, were obtained for 567 counties from a regional data base based on white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) serology. Environmental variables describing climate, land cover and deer density were calculated for these counties. Global logistic regression analysis was used to screen the environmental variables and select a parsimonious subset of predictors. Local analysis was carried out using geographically weighted regression (GWR) to explore spatial variability in the parameters of the regression models. Cluster analysis was applied to the GWR output to identify zones with distinctive species–habitat relationships.

Results Global habitat models forE. chaffeensisandA. phagocytophilumincluded temperature, humidity, precipitation and forest cover as explanatory variables. TheE. chaffeensismodel also included forest fragmentation, whereas theA. phagocytophilummodel included deer density. Local analyses revealed that climate was the primary correlate of pathogen presence in the eastern portion of the study area, whereas forest cover and fragmentation constrained the western range boundaries. Habitat relationships for all variables were weak in and around the Mississippi Delta.

Main conclusions Efforts to model pathogen and disease ranges, and to predict shifts in response to global change should consider future scenarios of land‐cover change as well as climate change, and should address the possibility of spatial heterogeneity in species–habitat relationships. The methods presented here outline an approach for objectively delineating geographical zones with similar species–environment relationships, which can then be used to stratify landscapes for the purposes of further explanatory and predictive modelling.
Aid, Politics and Development: A Donor Perspective
Authors: Armon Jeremy
Published: August 2007

Political governance and state effectiveness are enjoying something of a resurgence in aid‐policy debates. While adherence to the principles of the Paris Declaration may be necessary for developmental progress, there is a growing recognition that politics is the ultimate determinant of developmental outcomes. This article argues that a political governance sensibility harnessed to the Paris principles may be the best and only hope for developmental progress in the twenty‐first century. But it has challenging implications – not least for development professionals and agencies, who will find themselves requiring new and unfamiliar skills.
The effects of the coordination support on shared mental models and coordinated action
Authors: Kim Hyunsong , Kim Dongsik
Published: August 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of coordination support (tool support and tutor support) on the development of shared mental models (SMMs) and coordinated action in a computer‐supported collaborative learning environment. Eighteen students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, including the tool condition, the tutor condition, and the control condition (two groups per condition). Groups in the tool condition were given the task management tools; groups in the tutor condition received assistance from a tutor about coordination; and the control groups did not receive any support. SMMs were assessed on a 5‐point Likert scale and coordinated action was analysed by examining learners' logfiles. The findings of this study suggest that tool support facilitates the development of SMMs and promotes coordinated action of each group.
Embedding blended learning in a university's teaching culture: Experiences and reflections
Authors: Davis Hugh C. , Fill Karen
Published: August 2007

Blended learning, the combination of traditional face‐to‐face teaching methods with authentic online learning activities, has the potential to transform student‐learning experiences and outcomes. In spite of this advantage, university teachers often find it difficult to adopt new online techniques, in part because institutional practices are still geared to support more traditional approaches. This paper describes how a project, funded to support international collaboration to enhance learning and teaching in Geography, has allowed a university to explore models for change. It briefly examines the associated issues of sharing and repurposing resources; it reflects on the impact of the project on local strategy, and the importance of sustaining the collaborations and approaches to learning and teaching after the funding is completed.
Embedding e‐learning in geographical practice
Authors: Martin David , Treves Richard
Published: August 2007

This paper describes how two related e‐learning initiatives have led to school‐level virtual learning environment (VLE) adoption and commencement of several new teaching developments at the University of Southampton. These have engaged additional academic staff with online learning and increased the role of blended learning within the curriculum, in turn contributing to new strategies at the university level. The first e‐learning project was the Joint Information Systems Committee/National Science Foundation‐funded DialogPLUS project, and the second, a collaborative online masters programme. Barriers to embedding have been both technical and human, but among critical success factors, we especially identify the impetus provided by external funding, the size and composition of the project teams and, to a lesser degree, the creation of demonstrator materials. The specific details of VLE choice and learning object design have proved less significant. This work has been undertaken in collaboration with other schools in Southampton and other institutions within the Worldwide Universities Network.
Weak and Ineffective? Reassessing the Party Political Leadership of John Major
Authors: HEPPELL TIMOTHY
Published: August 2007

Interpretations on the party political leadership of John Major are dominated by perceptions of weakness and ineffectiveness. This article examines his party political leadership by considering the relationship between, first, his political ambitions, and, second, his style of political leadership. When evaluating the political ambitions of Major, the article will demonstrate that he was ideologically agnostic and a political pragmatist. When examining his party political leadership style, the article will demonstrate, via an examination of his management of the European policy divide and his Cabinet management, that he was politically indecisive and an avoider of political confrontation. The article concludes, however, that perceptions of his weakness and ineffectiveness should be contextualised due to the following two factors: first, the constraints of inheriting an ideologically divided parliamentary Conservative party; and, second, the contrasting circumstances that ensured that his predecessor and successor appeared strong and effective, which have magnified perceptions of his weakness and ineffectiveness.
Blairite Modernisation and Countryside Policy
Authors: WARD NEIL , LOWE PHILIP
Published: August 2007

When New Labour came to power in 1997, the party's manifesto had little to say about rural policy, beyond a proposal to allow a free vote to ban hunting with dogs and a commitment to establish a right to roam—essentially ‘old Labour’ and symbolic issues. However, in its early years the Blair government became drawn more heavily into rural policy reform and increasingly came to see rural issues as a territory on which its grand project of national renewal and modernisation could be played out. This article reviews the rise and fall of rural policy under New Labour, and charts how the aftermath of the 2001 foot and mouth disease crisis eventually saw rural issues marginalised within government. It shows how the Blair governments’ strange and unexpected excursion into reforming rural and agricultural policy provides a case study of the rise and fall of modernisation more generally.
IS Success and Failure—The Problem of Scale
Authors: KREPS DAVID , RICHARDSON HELEN
Published: August 2007

In the midst of Implementing Electronic Government (IEG), the almost knee‐jerk reaction of our political elite seems to be to embrace hugely ambitious Information Systems (IS) solutions to public‐sector operations. Problem after problem has been viewed as solvable by throwing some big IT at it. However hindsight and a wealth of evidence and examples shows that overly large‐scale public‐sector IT projects do not work and persistently end in failure and costly waste. In this article we consider IT projects ‘failures’ and the combination of social and technical factors that contribute. We illustrate our argument with more detailed reference to the Connecting for Health agenda, part of the NHS National Programme for IT. We suggest ‘think local, think modular’ to build on good practice and advocate use of the government's own 2004 eGovernment Interoperability Framework (eGIF) to learn lessons from past IT project catastrophes.
KANTIAN REASONS FOR REASONS
Authors: Birondo Noell
Published: August 2007

Rüdiger Bittner has recently argued against a Kantian ‘maxims account’ of reasons for action. In this paper I argue – against Bittner – that Kantian maxims are not to be understood as reasons for action, but rather as reasons for reasons. On the interpretation presented here, Kantian maxims are the reasons for an agent's being motivated by whatever more immediate reasons actually motivate her. This understanding of Kantian maxims suggests a recognizably realist Kantian position in ethics.
NAGEL VS. NAGEL ON THE NATURE OF PHENOMENAL CONCEPTS
Authors: Levin Janet
Published: August 2007

In a footnote to his ‘What is it Like to be a Bat?’, Thomas Nagel sketches a promising account of phenomenal concepts that purports to explain why mind‐body identity statements, even if necessary, will always seem contingent. Christopher Hill and Brian McLaughlin have recently developed this sketch into a more robust theory. In Nagel's more recent work, however, he suggests that the only adequate theory of phenomenal concepts is one that makes the relation between phenomenal and physical states intelligible, or ‘transparent’. Developing such a theory, however, appears to be no easy task. In this paper I argue that the Nagel‐Hill‐McLaughlin proposal is preferable – and that a serious problem with it, noticed by Stephen Yablo, can be avoided by revising the proposal according to some further suggestions made by Nagel himself.
WHIMSICAL DESIRES
Authors: Milligan Tony
Published: August 2007

To desire is to want, but not necessarily to be disposed to do anything. That is to say, desiring does not necessarily involve having any disposition to act. To lend plausibility to this view I appeal to the example of whimsical desires that no action could help us to realise. What may lead us to view certain desires as whimsical is precisely the absence of any possibility of realizing them. While such desires might seem less than full‐blooded, I argue that we can have full‐blooded desires concerning such matters because of our (non‐whimsical) concern for others. That is to say, whimsical desires can have a borrowed seriousness. The article goes on to strengthen the separability of dispositions and desires by narrowing down the concept of triggering conditions for a disposition. If we allow the triggering conditions to be too broad then it will always make sense to say that someone with a desire simply must have a disposition because, all other things being equal, they would bring about what they desire if they were able to do so.
Free Trade Agreements In the Americas: Are the Trade Effects Larger than Anticipated?
Authors: Baier Scott L. , Bergstrand Jeffrey H. , Vidal Erika
Published: August 2007

This paper argues that the ‘competitive liberalisation’ of national governments of the past several decades reflects national governments’ expectations of larger trade impacts from regional economic integration agreements (EIAs) than typical ex ante economic models have suggested. Moreover, we show that previous (typically cross‐section) ex post empirical evaluations of the effects of EIAs on trade have seriously over‐ or underestimated the effects, partly due to ignoring the (endogenous) self‐selection bias of country pairs into EIAs. Accounting for this bias, we find that economic integration agreements in the Americas have had much larger impacts on trade over the period 1960–2000 than previously found and the ex post estimates are less fragile than those in earlier cross‐section analyses. The results shed further light on understanding the causes and consequences of the growth of regionalism in the world.
Globalisation and Poverty in Latin America: Some Channels and Some Evidence
Authors: Porto Guido G.
Published: August 2007

This paper provides an overview of the main mechanisms through which globalisation can affect poverty and household welfare in Latin America and presents supporting evidence from different case studies in the region. One case study explores the impacts of agricultural trade liberalisation in world markets on poverty in Argentina, with an emphasis on labour income effects via real wages. The second case study examines the impacts of CAFTA on net producers and net consumers among the indigenous population in Guatemala. The analysis explores short‐run impacts as well as medium‐run impacts as households adjust farm decisions. Finally, a last exercise is set up to study the role of agricultural liberalisation on wages, employment and unemployment when there are frictions in labour markets. These case studies show that the impacts of trade on developing countries are heterogeneous. In Argentina, there are gains from liberalisation of world agriculture and higher food prices. In Guatemala, instead, the indigenous population would benefit from lower food prices. It is clear that household adjustments and complementary factors are fundamental ingredients of any reasonable evaluation of the welfare impacts of trade reforms.
Foreign Exchange Reserves and Import Demand: Evidence from Latin America
Authors: Arize Augustine C. , Osang Thomas
Published: August 2007

This paper investigates the impact of foreign reserves, domestic real income and relative import prices on import demand for seven Latin American countries. We differentiate empirically between the short‐run and long‐run impact of reserves, income and prices on imports. The paper has three main results. First, we show that there exists a unique long‐run relationship among real imports, real income, relative import prices and real foreign exchange reserves for all seven countries. Second, we find that increases in foreign exchange reserves exert a significant positive effect on import demand in both the long run and the short run in all countries. However, the economic impact of foreign exchange reserves is rather small. Finally, we find that the long‐ and short‐run impact of real domestic income on import demand is positive as well, while the effect of relative prices is negative.