bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance and environmental effects of forage production on sandy soils. II. Impact of defoliation system and nitrogen input on nitrate leaching losses
Authors: Wachendorf M. , Büchter M. , Trott H. , Taube F.
Published: April 2004

A field experiment was conducted over a 4‐year period to determine NO3 leaching losses from grassland on a freely draining sandy soil. The experiment consisted of all combinations of five defoliation systems; cutting‐only (CO), rotational grazing (GO), mixed systems with one (MSI) or two silage cuts (MSII) plus subsequent rotational grazing, and simulated grazing (SG), four mineral nitrogen (N) application rates (0, 100, 200, and 300 kg N ha−1 year−1), and two slurry levels (0 and 20 m3 slurry ha−1 year−1). Due to the high N return by grazing animals, leaching losses in the rotational grazing systems generally were associated with NO3‐N concentrations which exceeded the EU limit for drinking water. NO3 leaching losses in a rotational grazing system could be reduced by lowering the N fertilizer intensity and the inclusion of one or two silage cuts in spring. However, even in the unfertilized mixed systems, N fixation by white clover exceeded the amounts of N removed via animal products, which resulted in NO3‐N concentrations well above the EU limit for drinking water. In terms of leaching losses, the cutting‐only system was the most advantageous treatment. NO3 leaching losses on grassland could be predicted by the amount of soil mineral N at the end of the growing season and by the N surplus calculated from N balances at the field scale. From the results obtained a revised nitrogen fertilization policy and a reduced grazing intensity by integrating silage cuts are suggested.
Plant diversity effects on herbage production and compositional changes in New Zealand hill country pastures
Authors: Dodd M. B. , Barker D. J. , Wedderburn M. E.
Published: April 2004

A small‐plot field experiment on grazed hill country pastures in the North Island of New Zealand was conducted to examine the productivity and compositional characteristics of swards in response to variation in pasture species diversity. The balanced incomplete factorial design incorporated variation in location, slope, soil fertility and combinations of eight plant functional groups (C4 grasses, annual grasses, annual legumes, perennial C3 grasses, perennial legumes, perennial forbs, ryegrass and browntop). Net herbage accumulation and botanical composition were measured at 18 months (spring) and 24 months (autumn) after oversowing following application of a systemic herbicide. Analysis of variance indicated a significant positive relationship between the number of functional groups sown and herbage accumulation of the sown species in spring, but not with total herbage accumulation. Regression analysis showed that herbage accumulation was also affected by the identity of the functional groups. However, the statistical models indicated that pasture productivity was most strongly influenced by site factors. There was a significant negative relationship between both the number and herbage accumulation of unsown species and the number of functional groups sown, indicating a positive relationship between diversity and resistance to invasion by unsown species. A comparison of the vegetation between the plots before and after oversowing showed that those more diverse prior to sowing returned to their initial composition more rapidly, evidence that diverse vegetation was more resilient in the face of disturbance.
A history of the European Grassland Federation, 1963–2003
Authors: Prins W. H.
Published: April 2004

The history of the European Grassland Federation (EGF) from its founding in 1963 to 2003 is described. The origins and constitution are described together with its membership. How the structure and functions of the EGF have changed in 40 years are outlined and the management and financial arrangements of the EGF explained. The background to Grass and Forage Science becoming the official journal of the EGF in 1996 is described. The developments that have take place in the content and size of the General Meetings and Symposia, and in their publication as Proceedings, are highlighted. The links to other organizations in grassland research and the future direction of the EGF are explored.
Performance and environmental effects of forage production on sandy soils. I. Impact of defoliation system and nitrogen input on performance and N balance of grassland
Authors: Trott H. , Wachendorf M. , Ingwersen B. , Taube F.
Published: April 2004

Grassland and its management is central to the productivity of and nitrogen (N) losses from dairy farms in north‐west Europe. Botanical composition, production and N surplus of grassland were assessed during five consecutive years. The experiment consisted of all combinations of five defoliation systems: cutting‐only (CO), rotational grazing (GO), grazing + one (MSI) or two silage cuts (MSII) and simulated grazing (SG). Four mineral N fertilization rates (0–300 kg N ha−1 year−1) and two slurry levels (0 and 20 m3 slurry ha−1 year−1) were applied. Fertilizer N was more efficient in producing net energy (NEL) in grazing‐dominated, low white clover systems (GO and MSI systems: 70 and 88 MJ NEL kg−1 N) than in white clover‐rich systems (MSII, CO and SG systems: ≤60 MJ NEL kg−1 N). While sward productivity in system MSI was similar to that in system GO, system MSII benefited from increased N2 fixation at low N rates. There were small differences in NEL concentrations of the herbage between defoliation systems. Crude protein concentration of the herbage increased with increasing N supply from fertilizer, excreta and N2 fixation. N surpluses (−63 to +369 kg N ha−1 year−1) increased with increasing grazing intensity and increasing N fertilization rate. The average response in N surplus applied was 0·81, 0·59, 0·40, 0·33 and 0·24 kg N ha−1 in systems GO, MSI, MSII, CO and SG respectively.
Performance and environmental effects of forage production on sandy soils. III. Energy efficiency in forage production from grassland and maize for silage
Authors: Kelm M. , Wachendorf M. , Trott H. , Volkers K. , Taube F.
Published: April 2004

Based on experimental data gathered in a research project on nitrogen fluxes in intensive dairy farming in Northern Germany, an analysis of fossil energy input and energy efficiency in forage production from permanent grassland and maize for silage was conducted. Field experiments comprised different defoliation systems and different rates of mineral N fertilizer and slurry application. Each change from grazing to cutting in grassland systems reduced the energy efficiency. Energy efficiency consistently decreased with increasing rates of mineral N application. In the production of maize for silage, maximum energy efficiency was obtained with an application of 50 kg N ha−1 from slurry only. Net energy yields of maize for silage were much higher than that of grassland when compared at the same level of fossil energy and nitrogen fertilizer input. Considering both nitrate‐leaching losses and a necessary minimum quantity of grass herbage in a well‐balanced ration, it is suggested that a high proportion of maize for silage in combination with N‐unfertilized grass/clover swards used in a mixed cutting/grazing system represents a good trade‐off between the leaching of nitrates and energy efficiency.
Forage quality of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) × Caucasian clover (T. ambiguum M. Bieb.) hybrids and their grass companion when grown over three harvest years
Authors: Marshall A. H. , Williams T. A. , Abberton M. T. , Michaelson‐Yeates T. P. T. , Olyott P. , Powell H. G.
Published: April 2004

Interspecific hybrids between white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and Caucasian clover (Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) have been developed to introgress the rhizomatous growth habit into white clover, to increase persistence and drought tolerance. The forage quality of T. repens, T. ambiguum and the backcross 1 (BC1) and backcross 2 (BC2) hybrids and companion grass, when grown in mixtures with an intermediate perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) under a cutting‐only management, was measured. In vitro dry‐matter digestibility (DMD), water‐soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and crude protein (CP) concentrations of the legume and grass fractions were measured throughout the growing season over three harvest years. Trifolium repens had a lower WSC but a higher CP concentration than the perennial ryegrass companion in all harvest years and at all cuts. The legume fractions from the BC1 and BC2 hybrid plots had a higher WSC and a lower CP concentration but an in vitro DMD value comparable with white clover throughout the growing season and in each harvest year. The grass fractions from the mixtures with the backcross hybrids had a higher WSC and a lower CP concentration than the grass fraction from the T. repens plots, in all harvest years and throughout the growing season. No difference in in vitro DMD between parental species and backcross hybrids was observed. The implications of these results for the development of these hybrids and animal performance are discussed.
Hypotrichosis and nail dysplasia: A novel hidrotic ectodermal dysplasia
Authors: Harrison Shannon , Sinclair Rodney
Published: April 2004

We report a unique isolated hair and nail ectodermal dysplasia in a 3‐year‐old girl. Clinical examination revealed short, sparse scalp hair, absent eyebrows, short eyelashes and nail dystrophy in all digits. Nail changes included shortened nail plate with distal onycholysis and loss of the cuticle. Sweating and teeth were normal. Development was normal. Scanning electron microscopy of the hair only demonstrated trichorrhexis nodosa. There was no pili torti. Vertically sectioned scalp biopsy revealed hypoplastic hair follicles and a horizontally sectioned biopsy showed a decrease in the overall number of hair follicles present. Treatment with topical minoxidil 5% 1 mL twice each day massaged into the scalp led to only minimal improvement and was discontinued after 12 months.
Cutaneous B‐cell lymphoma of nails, pinna and nose treated with chlorambucil
Authors: Stanway Amy , Rademaker Marius , Kennedy Ian , Newman Paul
Published: April 2004

An 83‐year‐old woman presented with primary multifocal cutaneous B‐cell lymphoma, presenting as discrete nodules on the right pinna and nail‐bed of the left middle finger, diffuse swelling and erythema of several other nail‐beds of the fingers and toes, with associated pincer nail deformity and rhinophyma. Because of the involvement of several sites not amenable to radiotherapy, she was treated with oral cyclical chlorambucil with good result.
Unusual case of subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Wells Jillian , Kosky Christopher A , Scolyer Richard A , Lee Stephen , Bye Peter TP , Young Graham AR , Davies Leo
Published: April 2004

An unusual case of subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma is presented involving multiple organ systems, which eventually culminated in rapid demise from the haemophagocytic syndrome, after an initial protracted course. A 44‐year‐old man presented in April 2001 with bronchiolitis obliterans organising pneumonia that initially responded well to corticosteroids. However, the condition relapsed on attempted prednisone withdrawal in January 2002 and the patient was noted to have developed truncal subcutaneous nodules. Initial skin biopsy revealed lobular panniculitis, with negative microbiological culture. In July 2002, mononeuritis multiplex was diagnosed after the patient presented with paresthesiae and was treated with pulse cyclophosphamide therapy. By November 2002 there was ulceration of the subcutaneous nodules. Repeat skin biopsy revealed subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma. The clinical manifestations were supportive of an unifying diagnosis of malignancy involving pulmonary, cutaneous and nervous systems. Combination chemotherapy with fludarabine, mitoxantrone and dexamethasone was commenced. However, the patient deteriorated, with fevers, weight loss, pancytopenia and laboratory features consistent with the haemophagocytic syndrome. Despite maximal supportive therapy the patient succumbed to his disease.
Healing of severe ulcerative necrobiosis lipoidica with cyclosporin
Authors: Stanway Amy , Rademaker Marius , Newman Paul
Published: April 2004

A 55‐year‐old woman with severe, chronic, treatment‐resistant ulcerating necrobiosis lipoidica of the shins was commenced on oral cyclosporin at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg/day. Improvement started within 1 week of commencing treatment, and the lesions healed completely over 8 months. Further ulceration occurred 3 months after discontinuing cyclosporin, with improvement on reintroduction of cyclosporin. There have been four previous case reports of healing of treatment‐resistant ulcerating necrobiosis lipoidica with cyclosporin.
Imiquimod: Potential risk of an immunostimulant
Authors: Benson Elizabeth
Published: April 2004

A 19‐year‐old woman with severe HLA B27 spondyloarthropathy whose disease was controlled on cyclosporin, methotrexate and prednisolone had human papillomavirus infection and developed cervical dysplasia and a large number of cutaneous and vulval warts. These were not responsive to cryotherapy, salicylic acid or cimetidine, so she was treated with topical imiquimod 5% cream. Two weeks after starting this treatment she had a significant flare of her spondyloarthropathy. She was so ill that she stopped using the imiquimod cream. She had full resolution of her warts after 3 weeks' treatment with imiquimod cream, but her spondyloarthropathy took more than 3 months to improve, despite significant augmentation of her immunosuppression. This case highlights the potential risk of using imiquimod cream (an immunostimulant) in a patient who has a condition requiring immunosuppression, such as autoimmune disease or an organ transplant.
Barmah Forest viral exanthems
Authors: Dore Amanda , Auld John
Published: April 2004

A series of five patients presented with eruptions beginning on the face. In each case the facial changes were characterized by urticated erythema with minimal epidermal change. The patients also demonstrated more widespread vesiculopapular, macular or purpuric eruptions. At presentation most patients were asymptomatic; however, several subsequently developed constitutional symptoms. Each of these patients was reactive for Barmah Forest virus immunoglobulin (Ig)M, and on repeat testing four were reactive for Barmah Forest virus IgG.
Köbnerization in a woman with generalized lichen sclerosus
Authors: Noakes Rowland Robert , Spelman Lynda
Published: April 2004

A 52‐year‐old woman presented with an 18‐month history of genital and extragenital lichen sclerosus. In addition to the classical genital findings, lesions of lichen sclerosus were present over her back, chest and the medial aspect of her right thigh and leg. On her right thigh and extending to her right leg, lesions of lichen sclerosus displaying the Köbner response were noted over the course of a varicosed long saphenous vein. There were no features of varicose dermatitis in the region displaying the Köbner response. It is proposed that the ambulatory venous pressure within the vein acted as a stimulus for the Köbner response.
Contact dermatitis to alcohol swabs masquerading as vaccine allergy
Authors: Storer Emma , Marshman Gillian , Kupa Ann
Published: April 2004

A 14‐year‐old girl developed an eruption on her upper arm of pruritic, follicular papules each time she received a vaccination. This was initially thought to be a local reaction to the vaccines. After a similar rash appeared at a venepuncture site, a contact allergy to the alcohol swabs used before the procedures was postulated. A repeated open application test clarified this observation.
Combination topical treatment of molluscum contagiosum with cantharidin and imiquimod 5% in children: A case series of 16 patients
Authors: Ross Gayle L , Orchard David C
Published: April 2004

The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of combination therapy for molluscum contagiosum (MC) with topical cantharidin and imiquimod 5%. A prospective case series of 16 paediatric patients with a mean age of 4.8 years had cantharidin applied to lesions by a dermatologist, followed by home treatment with imiquimod 5% cream nightly for an average of 5 weeks. This regimen resulted in >90% of lesions clearing in 12 patients, with half of these being totally clear. Two patients had 80–90% of lesions resolve. Two patients had 30–50% clearance of lesions at the end of the treatment period. One patient found the cantharidin reaction too strong. The mean number of imiquimod 250 mg sachets used was 4.25. In conclusion, this study suggests that combination therapy using cantharidin and imiquimod for treatment of MC in children is effective and well tolerated.
Translational benefits from research on rare genodermatoses
Authors: McGrath John A
Published: April 2004

Significant new discoveries about many of the genodermatoses have been made recently through an improved knowledge of the human genome, advances in molecular screening strategies and also through more comprehensive Internet DNA databases. By 2003, over 350 single gene skin disorders had been characterized at a molecular level. These new data provide more detailed information for patients, allow for more accurate diagnoses, and help improve genetic counselling. Other benefits include the feasibility of carrier screening and DNA‐based prenatal testing, as well as a platform for devising new treatments, including somatic gene therapy. Research on rare single gene disorders also provides new insight into more common skin conditions. For example, new ideas about photosensitivity are emerging from discoveries of mutations in a novel component of the actin cytoskeleton (kindlin‐1) in the rare inherited poikiloderma disorder, Kindler syndrome. Likewise, new clues to understanding disease pathology in lichen sclerosus have been gleaned from the discovery of pathogenic mutations in the skin protein, extracellular matrix protein 1, in the rare sclerosing inherited skin disorder, lipoid proteinosis. Finally, new insight into what can cause exuberant granulation tissue in chronic wounds has been provided by the discovery of specific mutations in the basement membrane protein, laminin 5, in the rare inherited condition, laryngo‐onychocutaneous syndrome. It is clear that a precise research focus on the rare genodermatoses is providing practical benefits for sufferers of these disorders, as well as new lessons and ideas about more common acquired skin conditions.
Possible role of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in Melkersson–Rosenthal syndrome demonstrated with Gen‐Probe amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test
Authors: Apaydin Rebiay , Bahadir Sevgi , Kakklikkaya Neşe , Bilen Nilgün , Bayramgürler Dilek
Published: April 2004

Melkersson–Rosenthal (MRS) syndrome is characterized by a classical triad of recurrent or persistent orofacial swelling, peripheral facial nerve paralysis and lingua plicata. Granulomatous cheilitis (GC) is regarded as a monosymptomatic form of MRS. The exact aetiologies of MRS and GC are unknown. In this study we investigated the possible role of mycobacteria in these two conditions. A ribosomal RNA amplification‐based Gen‐Probe amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test was used to investigate the presence of M. tuberculosis complex in paraffin‐embedded skin biopsy specimens from five patients with MRS and one patient with GC. Three of the six specimens were shown to be positive using this system; one of the positive specimens also showed positive Ziehl–Neelsen staining. These results suggest a possible mycobacterial aetiology for MRS and GC.
Grover's disease: 34 years on
Authors: Quirk Christopher J , Heenan Peter J
Published: April 2004

Grover's disease is an entity reported worldwide and recognized as a common disease since Grover first described it in 1970. Its cause remains obscure, but hospitalized, febrile and sun‐damaged patients are particularly prone. It is frequently associated with some other skin diseases, including eczemas, psoriasis and solar keratoses. Acantholysis is the universal histological finding in all the varying clinical presentations. Treatment in the past has been ad hoc, but topical therapy, acitretin and phototherapy can suppress symptoms.
Flexible employment contracts, the psychological contract and employee outcomes: an analysis and review of the evidence
Authors: Guest David
Published: April 2004

There has been growing interest in the impact of flexible employment contracts on workers affected by them. In the light of assumptions that such workers are significantly disadvantaged, European‐wide legislation has been introduced to ensure that they are treated similarly to permanent employees. The evidence on the impact of flexible employment contracts on employees’ attitudes and behaviour is reviewed within the framework of the psychological contract. The body of research is limited but is sufficient to challenge the assumption that workers on flexible contracts are invariably disadvantaged. Those on contract of choice, particularly knowledge workers who may be pursuing boundaryless careers, are especially likely to report positive outcomes. The evidence also indicates that a framework that incorporates the psychological contract provides additional value in explaining variations in outcomes.
Organizational failure: a critique of recent research and a proposed integrative framework
Authors: Mellahi Kamel , Wilkinson Adrian
Published: April 2004

There is a long‐running debate in the business literature on the causes of organizational failure. On the one hand, classical industrial organization (IO) and organization ecology (OE) scholars have typically assumed a deterministic role of the environment and argued that managers are constrained by exogenous industrial and environmental constraints leaving them with little real strategic choice, and hence managers’ role should be ignored. On the other hand, the organization studies (OS) and organizational psychology (OP) literature takes a more voluntaristic perspective and argues that managers are the principal decision makers of the firm and, consequently, their actions and perceptions are the fundamental cause of organizational failure. This paper addresses the major deficiencies observed in the diverse body of literature covering this field, suggests an integrative framework and identifies the specific theoretical and methodological challenges ahead for researchers seeking to advance knowledge in the field of organizational failure.
Relationship between legitimation, competition and organizational death: current state of the art
Authors: Nickel Manuel Núñez , Fuentes José Moyano
Published: April 2004

There is agreement among ecology researchers that the concepts of legitimation and competition are partly responsible for organizational selection. Finding adequate measures to represent these concepts, however, has been elusive and has been the main obstacle to the development of this stream of investigation. On the basis of the germinal density dependence model, we identify two lines of research, which have generated seven distinct models. This survey shows that there has been a general tendency to use only three variables to measure legitimation and competition, which are often measured together. However, we argue that fruitful results have emerged when efforts have been made to separate both concepts and that there is some potential in using new measures (mass or concentration) which have so far only found limited application in the field of population demography. These findings, together with the inconclusive results of this stream of research, allow us to identify the existing gaps in the literature and comment on directions for future research.
Book Review
Authors: Guptara Prabhu
Published: April 2004

Fred Catherwood, The Creation of Wealth: Recovering a Christian Understanding of Money, Work, and Ethics. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2002. 208 pages, ISBN 1581343523, $14.99
Balancing Self‐interest and Altruism: corporate governance alone is not enough
Authors: Dawson Sandra
Published: April 2004

Governance has become a topic of unprecedented emotional significance and fundamental importance in the boardrooms of companies, partly as a result of a confluence of early 21st century corporate scandals, stock market falls and public rage about senior executive remuneration. A simple adherence to formal systems of corporate governance, in terms of structures, rules, procedures and codes of practice, whilst a starting point, will not alone win back confidence in markets and corporations. Consideration needs to be given to how to release entrepreneurial self interest within a moral context. This focuses attention on the role of other major social institutions which may more naturally be able to nurture a moral framework as well as the role of individual citizens and the responsibility of all of us to enact a moral framework for business activities. There is no escape from individual moral responsibility, and our part in creating and sustaining social institutions beyond corporations.
Learning from Enron
Authors: Deakin Simon , Konzelmann Suzanne J.
Published: April 2004

This paper argues that the Enron affair has been misunderstood as a failure of monitoring, with adverse consequences for the drafting of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act and the Higgs report. Where Enron's board failed was in misunderstanding the risks which were inherent in the company's business plan and failing to implement an effective system of internal control. Enron demonstrates the limits of the monitoring board and points the way to a stewardship model in which the board takes responsibility for ensuring the sustainability of the company's assets over time.
Corporate Governance in UK/USA Boardrooms
Authors: Keenan Jack
Published: April 2004

This paper reflects on the duties of the board of directors, in the light of transatlantic differences in practice, the instructive case history of Marconi, the interventions of Sarbanes‐Oxley, and the proposals of the Higgs Review of non‐executive directors. It is argued that ensuring a balance between good corporate governance and effective strategy is essential for sustained business results.
Ethics and Corporate Governance
Authors: Potts Stephen D. , Matuszewski Ingrid Lohr
Published: April 2004

The authors draw on wide professional experience to address the recent failures in corporate conduct in the United States, the emerging corrective measures and the increasing public outcry for ethical accountability in organisations and governments. They conclude that it is essential that ethics are integral to the culture of an organization; a superficial grafting on of an ethical code will not effect organizational change or encourage public trust.
International Corporate Governance and the Responsibility of the Brand
Authors: Ade‐Ajayi Funmi
Published: April 2004

Emerging markets present strong corporate governance challenges for the branded multinational which, in view of the greater public trust and scrutiny it receives, has a responsibility to provide its international managers with the necessary tools to maintain its governance standards, even in regions where such standards might be lacking.
Global Stakeholders: corporate accountability and investor engagement
Authors: McLaren Duncan
Published: April 2004

In this age of transnational capitalism most victims of corporate malpractice have no means to hold the wrongdoers to account – especially those whose lives are blighted day‐in, day‐out by the “normal” operations of companies within the letter of the law. This paper argues that corporate social and environmental abuses are rooted in a lack of accountability of corporations to their stakeholders. It explores how governance mechanisms such as corporate engagement by “socially responsible” investors could enhance stakeholder accountability. It identifies and contrasts two paradigms in socially responsible investment engagement, and relates them to voluntary and regulatory responses to corporate abuses. It concludes that the development of standards for stakeholder‐oriented engagement and governance could help stimulate effective regulatory measures to protect stakeholder interests.
(Corporate) Governance, (Shareholder) Value and (Sustainable) Economic Performance
Authors: Pitelis Christos N.
Published: April 2004

We discuss the nature and role of (corporate) governance and (shareholder) value and their implications for (sustainable) economic performance. We critique and build on extant theory to develop a model of the determinants of value‐wealth creation at the firm, national and global levels and explore current economic debates on governance and sustainable economic performance in its context. We conclude that (the need for) stakeholder value is derivative from (not opposed to) the concept of sustainable value, that national governance and the nationwide “governance‐mix” impact on corporate governance and that national and global economic governance are essential for sustainable global value‐wealth creation, and economic performance.
The Impact of Taiwan's WTO Entry on Its Domestic Agriculture Sector
Authors: Chiang Fu‐Sung , Sun Chin‐Hwa , Lin Cheng‐Hong
Published: April 2004

This study used a multi‐sector CGE model, derived from ORANI and implemented by the GEMPACK software, to evaluate the impact of 44.67%, 35.9% and 40.8% tariff reductions on agriculture, livestock, and fishery, respectively, two years after Taiwan's accession to the WTO in 2002. Results show that the value of domestic agricultural, livestock and fishery production would be reduced by NT$45.2, 24.1 and 3.9 billion, respectively, under the standard neo‐classical model. Since it is difficult for industrial sectors to hire the unskilled elderly workers who lost their jobs in the agricultural, livestock, and fishery production sectors, a partial equilibrium model, specified in this study by restricting transferability of primary input from agriculture, livestock, fishery, and processing sectors to the secondary industrial sectors, will be more realistic for Taiwan's social‐economic structure after entering WTO. The results from the structuralist model show that the value of domestic agricultural, livestock, and fishery production will ber‐educed by NT$47.4, 26.4 and 4.4 billion, respectively, suggesting that those sectors in Taiwan would suffer more severely if their primary input (i.e. labor) lacked mobility.
The Impact of Japanese Economic Cooperation on Asian Economic Development
Authors: Kawasaki Kenichi
Published: April 2004

The main objective of this paper is to overview the developments of Japan's ODA and assess, in a quantitative manner, their economic impacts on Asian countries. The benefits of two alternative measures—one from capital formation by Japan's ODA loans and the other from import liberalization in the Japanese market—are compared. Those economy‐wide impacts of aid and trade on six Asian countries—China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam—are estimated by a CGE model of global trade, incorporating a certain mechanism of dynamic capital formation. Japan's ODA loans are effective for economic growth in the countries. Real GDP gains range from 0.1 to 1.6% annually. Trade liberalization is efficient to improve economic welfare. Utility gains range from 0.2 to 1.9%, which exceed those on account of Japan's ODA. Variations in those economic impacts are much more significantly observed when examined by sector.
The Impact of Manufactured Housing on Adjacent Residential Property Values: A GIS Approach Based on Three North Carolina Counties
Authors: Wubneh Mulatu , Shen Guoqiang
Published: April 2004

This empirical study examines the impact of manufactured housing (MH) on the values of adjacent site‐built residential properties using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and large data samples for three counties in North Carolina, USA, for the period of 1994‐2000. Both property appreciation rates (AR) and property values (PV) are examined with respect to proximity to MH. While ARs are based on a simple measure of value appreciation, PVs are estimated in a linear regression based hedonic price model, which is designed to captures the contributions of structure and location attributes to property values. Results indicate that the appreciation rates slightly decreased with distance from a MH unit in Buncombe and Wake, but the reverse is true in Pitt. The statistical analyses reveal that proximity to a manufactured home influences the value of nearby site‐built residential property. Estimated property values show that the further away from a manufactured home, the higher the site‐built property value, other things being equal.
Diversity of Noroviruses Cocirculating in the North of England from 1998 to 2001
Authors: Gallimore Chris I. , Green Jonathan , Lewis David , Richards Alison F. , Lopman Benjamin A. , Hale Antony D. , Eglin Roger , Gray Jim J. , Brown David W. G.
Published: April 2004

A study was undertaken to investigate the diversity of noroviruses (NVs) in fecal samples from patients from 529 outbreaks and 141 sporadic cases of gastroenteritis in the North of England from September 1998 to August 2001. NV strains were detected by electron microscopy and characterized by a combination of the Grimsby virus antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcriptase PCR, the heteroduplex mobility assay, and DNA sequencing. Twenty-one distinct NV strains, including several novel or variant strains not seen previously, were found circulating in the population studied. Genogroup II NVs were responsible for 83% of the outbreaks. Several strains cocirculated at any one time. The Bristol (Grimsby/Lordsdale) and Hawaii (Girlington) genotypes were the most prevalent among the NVs identified, detected in 49 and 20% of the outbreaks, respectively. A limited number of other genogroup II and I strains were cocirculating. The virus populations detected in hospitals and nursing homes were distinct from those found in community-based outbreaks. Outbreaks in hospitals and nursing homes were more likely to be caused by genogroup II strain Grimsby or Girlington (
P
< 0.0001) than by other genogroup II or I strains.
Detection and Genotyping of Varicella-Zoster Virus by TaqMan Allelic Discrimination Real-Time PCR
Authors: Campsall Paul A. , Au Nicholas H. C. , Prendiville Julie S. , Speert David P. , Tan Rusung , Thomas Eva E.
Published: April 2004

A proportion of individuals vaccinated with live attenuated Oka varicella-zoster virus (VZV) vaccine subsequently develop attenuated chicken pox and/or herpes zoster. To determine whether postvaccination varicella infections are caused by vaccine or wild-type virus, a simple method for distinguishing the vaccine strain from wild-type virus is required. We have developed a TaqMan real-time PCR assay to detect and differentiate wild-type virus from Oka vaccine strains of VZV. The assay utilized two fluorogenic, minor groove binding probes targeted to a single nucleotide polymorphism in open reading frame 62 that distinguishes the Oka vaccine from wild-type strains. VZV DNA could be genotyped and quantified within minutes of thermocycling completion due to real-time monitoring of PCR product formation and allelic discrimination analysis. The allelic discrimination assay was performed in parallel with two standard PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods on 136 clinical and laboratory VZV strains from Canada, Australia, and Japan. The TaqMan assay exhibited a genotyping accuracy of 100% and, when compared to both PCR-RFLP methods, was 100 times more sensitive. In addition, the method was technically simpler and more rapid. The TaqMan assay also allows for high-throughput genotyping, making it ideal for epidemiologic study of the live attenuated varicella vaccine.
Development, Evaluation, and Validation of an Oligonucleotide Probe Hybridization Assay To Subtype Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Circulating Recombinant Form CRF02_AG
Authors: Njai Harr F. , Van der Auwera Gert , Ngong Chiambah A. , Heyndrickx Leo , Sawadago Souleymane , Whittle Hilton , Nyambi Phillipe , Colebunders Robert , van der Groen Guido , Janssens Wouter
Published: April 2004

We have developed and validated an oligonucleotide probe hybridization assay for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) circulating recombinant form (CRF) CRF02_AG. In the p17 coding region of the
gag
gene, a CRF02_AG-specific signature pattern was observed. Five working probes were designed to discriminate CRF02_AG infections from infections by all other documented subtypes and CRFs in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based oligonucleotide probe hybridization assay. Nucleic acids were extracted from a panel of HIV-1-positive plasma samples from Cameroon, Bénin, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Zambia, and Belgium and from blood spots from The Gambia. CRF02_AG (
n
= 147) and non-CRF02 (
n
= 100) samples were analyzed to evaluate and validate the oligonucleotide probe hybridization assay. The CRF02_AG-specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization assay has a high sensitivity and specificity, with good positive and negative predictive values in regions of high and low prevalence. A validation of the assay with West and West Central African samples indicated a sensitivity of 98.4% and a specificity of 96.7%. The oligonucleotide probe hybridization assay as a diagnostic tool will allow for rapid screening for CRF02_AG. This could be used to track the HIV epidemic in terms of documenting the real prevalence of CRF02_AG strains and will complement efforts in vaccine development. Moreover, this technology can easily be applied in laboratories in developing countries.
Evaluation of Automated Sample Preparation and Quantitative PCR LCx Assay for Determination of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 RNA
Authors: Muller Zsofia , Stelzl Evelyn , Bozic Michael , Haas Josef , Marth Egon , Kessler Harald H.
Published: April 2004

Efforts have been made to achieve full automation of molecular assays for quantitative detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). In the present study, the Abbott LCx HIV RNA Quantitative assay was evaluated in conjunction with automated HIV-1 RNA extraction on the MagNA Pure LC instrument and compared to the conventional LCx HIV RNA Quantitative assay, which uses a manual nucleic acid extraction protocol. Accuracy, linearity, and interassay and intra-assay variations were determined. The performance of the assay in a routine clinical laboratory was tested with a total of 105 clinical specimens. When the accuracy of the LCx HIV RNA Quantitative assay with the automated sample preparation protocol was tested, all results were found to be within ±0.5 log unit of the expected results. Determination of linearity resulted in a quasilinear curve over 3.5 log units. For determination of interassay variation, coefficients of variation were found to be between 21 and 66% for the LCx HIV RNA Quantitative assay with the automated sample preparation protocol and between 10 and 69% for the LCx HIV RNA Quantitative assay with manual sample preparation. For determination of intra-assay variation, coefficients of variation were found to be between 7 and 25% for the LCx HIV RNA Quantitative assay with the automated sample preparation protocol and between 7 and 19% for the LCx HIV RNA Quantitative assay with manual sample preparation. When clinical samples were tested by the LCx HIV RNA Quantitative assay with the automated sample preparation protocol and the results were compared with those of the LCx HIV RNA Quantitative assay with manual sample preparation, 95% of all positive results were found to be within ±0.5 log unit. In conclusion, the assay with automated sample preparation proved to be suitable for use in the routine diagnostic laboratory and required significantly less hands-on time.
Identification of Three Clinically Relevant
Borrelia burgdorferi
Sensu Lato Genospecies by PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis of 16S-23S Ribosomal DNA Spacer Amplicons
Authors: Ranka Renate , Bormane Antra , Salmina Kristine , Baumanis Viesturs
Published: April 2004

We report the results of a study of the prevalences of three clinically relevant
Borrelia burgdorferi
sensu lato genospecies (
Borrelia burgdorferi
sensu stricto,
Borrelia afzelii
, and
Borrelia garinii
) in 1,040 questing
Ixodes
ticks from all regions of Latvia, where Lyme borreliosis is endemic. The prevalences of
Borrelia
in
Ixodes ricinus
and
Ixodes persulcatus
were 22.6 and 27.9%, respectively. Molecular typing of
B. burgdorferi
from infected ticks was performed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of PCR-amplified fragments of the 16S-23S (
rrs-rrlA
) rRNA intergenic spacer by using species-specific primers and subsequent sequencing. The dominant
Borrelia
species in both
Ixodes
species was
B. afzelii.
In addition, different restriction patterns of
B. garinii
and
B. afzelii
were also identified. This study demonstrates that the 16S-23S rRNA PCR-RFLP typing method is simple, sensitive, and fast and that it allows one to differentiate among
B. burgdorferi
species and subspecies with various degrees of pathogenic potential directly in ticks. These features are important in monitoring Lyme disease.
Dynamics of Long-Term Colonization of Respiratory Tract byHaemophilus influenzaein Cystic Fibrosis Patients Shows a Marked Increase in Hypermutable Strains
Authors: Román Federico , Cantón Rafael , Pérez-Vázquez María , Baquero Fernando , Campos José
Published: April 2004

The persistence and variability of 188Haemophilus influenzaeisolates in respiratory tract of 30 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients over the course of 7 years was studied. Antibiotic susceptibility testing, DNA fingerprinting, and analysis of outer membrane protein profiles were performed on all isolates. A total of 115 distinct pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles were identified. Ninety percent of patients were cocolonized with two or more clones over the studied period. A third of the patients were cross-colonized with one or twoH. influenzaestrains; 11% of the clones persisted for 3 or more months. Biotype, outer membrane protein profiles, and resistance profiles showed variation along the studied period, even in persisting clones. Four isolates (2.1%) recovered from 3 patients were type f capsulate, with three of them belonging to the same clone. β-Lactamase production was detected in 23.9% of isolates while 7% of the β-lactamase-negative isolates presented diminished susceptibility to ampicillin (β-lactamase-negative ampicillin resistance phenotype). Remarkably, 21.3% of theH. influenzaeisolates presented decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, which was mainly observed in persisting clones. Of theH. influenzaeisolates from CF patients, 18 (14.5%) were found to be hypermutable in comparison with 1 (1.4%) from non-CF patients (P< 0.0001). Ten patients (33.3%) were colonized by hypermutable strains over the study period. A multiresistance phenotype and long-term clonal persistence were significantly associated in some cases for up to 7 years. These results suggest thatH. influenzaebronchial colonization in CF patients is a dynamic process, but better-adapted clones can persist for long periods of time.
Phenotypic and Genetic Characterization of a Unique Variant of Serogroup C ET-15 Meningococci (with the Antigenic Formula C:2a:P1.7,1) Causing Invasive Meningococcal Disease in Quebec, Canada
Authors: Tsang Raymond S. W. , Tsai Chao Ming , Zhu Peixuan , Ringuette Louise , Lorange Manon , Law Dennis K. S.
Published: April 2004

Serogroup C
Neisseria meningitidis
belonging to the electrophoretic type (ET) ET-15, a variant of ET-37, is endemic in Canada. Like other serogroup C ET-37 meningococci, the endemic ET-15 strains are usually found to carry the serotype and serosubtype antigens of 2a:P1.5,2. In 2001, a sudden increase in the number of cases of serogroup C meningococcal disease in Quebec, Canada, was caused by an antigenic variant of the ET-15 strain. This antigenic variant carries the unique serosubtype marker of P1.7,1. Strains of C:2a:P1.7,1 meningococci were not isolated in Canada in large numbers prior to 2001, and the characteristics of these meningococcal strains linked to an outbreak in Quebec, Canada, are described in the present study.
Characterization of Multidrug-Resistant Typhoid Outbreaks in Kenya
Authors: Kariuki Samuel , Revathi Gunturu , Muyodi Jane , Mwituria Joyce , Munyalo Agnes , Mirza Sajjad , Hart C. Anthony
Published: April 2004

We characterized by antibiotic susceptibility, plasmid analysis, incompatibility grouping, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of XbaI- and SpeI-digested DNA 102
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhi (serovar Typhi) isolated from recent outbreaks of typhoid in three different parts of Kenya. Only 13.7% were fully susceptible, whereas another 82.4% were resistant to each of the five commonly available drugs: ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline (MICs of >256 μg/ml); streptomycin (MIC, >1,024 μg/ml); and cotrimoxazole (MIC of >32 μg/ml). Resistance to these antibiotics was encoded on a 110-kb self-transferable plasmid of IncHI1 incompatibility group. The MICs of nalidixic acid (MIC, 8 to 16 μg/ml) and ciprofloxacin (MIC of 0.25 to 0.38 μg/ml) for 41.7% of the 102 serovar Typhi isolates were 5- and 10-fold higher, respectively, than for sensitive strains. Amplification by PCR and sequencing of the genes coding for gyrase (
gyrA
and
gyrB
) and topoisomerase IV (
parE
and
parC
) within the quinolone resistance-determining region revealed that the increase in the MICs of the quinolones had not resulted from any significant mutation. Analysis of genomic DNA from both antimicrobial agent-sensitive and multidrug-resistant serovar Typhi by PFGE identified two distinct subtypes that were in circulation in the three different parts of Kenya. As the prevalence of multidrug-resistant serovar Typhi increases, newer, more expensive, and less readily available antimicrobial agents will be required for the treatment of typhoid in Kenya.
Genotyping and Coalescent Phylogenetic Analysis of
Pneumocystis jiroveci
from South Africa
Authors: Robberts Frans J. L. , Liebowitz Lynne D. , Chalkley Lynda J.
Published: April 2004

Sequence analysis of
Pneumocystis jiroveci
internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions has become an important epidemiological tool. The objectives of the present study were to investigate sequence variations in the ITS1-5.8S ribosomal DNA (rDNA)-ITS2 regions; determine the
P. jiroveci
genotypes present in Cape Town, South Africa; and resolve the lineage evolution of the types by use of the coalescent theory. ITS regions were amplified from samples collected from 19 patients. PCR products were cloned, and four to five clones were sequenced from each specimen. Statistical parsimony was applied for coalescence-based network genotype analysis. The most prevalent type was Eg (14 of 19 patients, 33 of 83 clones), followed by Gg (4 of 19 patients, 7 of 83 clones), Eu (3 of 19 patients, 5 of 83 clones), and Gh (2 of 19 patients, 2 of 83 clones). Four new combinations (Eo, Je, Ge, and No), 11 new ITS1 sequences, and 13 new ITS2 sequences were identified. A new ITS2 type was detected in three patients and was designated type u. Coinfection appeared to be common, with 15 of 19 patients harboring more than one type and with up to six types per specimen. The resultant parsimony network identified Eg as the most probable ancestral haplotype and supported the occurrence of recombinational events within the population studied. Although the 5.8S rDNA region revealed only 13 clones containing one to two nucleotide polymorphisms, it may assist in defining types. Coalescent theory proposed that Eg is an ancestral type from which microevolutionary subtypes radiate.