bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: Implications for Human Health Risk Assessment
Authors: Krewski Daniel , Andersen Melvin E. , Mantus Ellen , Zeise Lauren
Published: December 2008

At the request of the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Research Council (NRC) recently completed a major report entitled Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and a Strategy. The terms of reference for this report were to develop a long‐range vision and strategic plan to advance the practices of toxicity testing and human health assessment of environmental agents. The report describes how current and anticipated scientific advances can be expected to transform toxicity testing to permit broader coverage of the universe of potentially toxic chemicals to which humans may be exposed, using more timely and more cost‐effective methods for toxicity testing. The report envisages greatly expanded use of high‐ and medium‐throughput in vitro screening assays, computational toxicology, and systems biology, along with other emerging high‐content testing methodologies, such as functional genomics and transcriptomics. When fully implemented, the vision will transform the ways toxicity testing and chemical risk assessment are conducted, moving away from measuring apical health endpoints in experimental animals toward identification of significant perturbations of toxicity pathways using in vitro tests in human cells and cell lines. Population‐based studies incorporating relevant biomarkers will also be useful in identifying pathway perturbations directly in humans and in interpreting the results of in vitro tests in the context of human health risk assessment. The present article summarizes and extends the NRC report and examines its implications for risk assessment practice.
The Role of Quantitative Risk Assessments for Characterizing Risk and Uncertainty and Delineating Appropriate Risk Management Options, with Special Emphasis on Terrorism Risk
Authors: Aven Terje , Renn Ortwin
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this article is to discuss the role of quantitative risk assessments for characterizing risk and uncertainty and delineating appropriate risk management options. Our main concern is situations (risk problems) with large potential consequences, large uncertainties, and/or ambiguities (related to the relevance, meaning, and implications of the decision basis; or related to the values to be protected and the priorities to be made), in particular terrorism risk. We look into the scientific basis of the quantitative risk assessments and the boundaries of the assessments in such a context. Based on a risk perspective that defines risk as uncertainty about and severity of the consequences (or outcomes) of an activity with respect to something that humans value we advocate a broad risk assessment approach characterizing uncertainties beyond probabilities and expected values. Key features of this approach are qualitative uncertainty assessment and scenario building instruments.
The BSE Risk of Processing Meat and Bone Meal in Nonruminant Feed: A Quantitative Assessment for the Netherlands
Authors: De Vos Clazien J. , Heres Lourens
Published: December 2008

The total ban on use of meat and bone meal (MBM) in livestock feed has been very successful in reducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) spread, but also implies a waste of high‐quality proteins resulting in economic and ecological loss. Now that the BSE epidemic is fading out, a partial lifting of the MBM ban might be considered. The objective of this study was to assess the BSE risk for the Netherlands if MBM derived from animals fit for human consumption, i.e., category 3 MBM, would be used in nonruminant feed. A stochastic simulation model was constructed that calculates (1) the probability that infectivity of undetected BSE‐infected cows ends up with calves and (2) the quantity of infectivity (Qinf) consumed by calves in case of such an incident. Three pathways were considered via which infectivity can reach cattle: (1) cross‐contamination in the feed mill, (2) cross‐contamination on the primary farm, and (3) pasture contamination. Model calculations indicate that the overall probability that infectivity ends up with calves is 3.2%. In most such incidents the Qinf is extremely small (median = 6.5 × 10−12 ID50; mean = 1.8 × 10−4 ID50), corresponding to an average probability of 1.3 × 10−4 that an incident results in ≥1 new BSE infections. Cross‐contamination in the feed mill is the most risky pathway. Combining model results with Dutch BSE prevalence estimates for the coming years, it can be concluded that the BSE risk of using category 3 MBM derived from Dutch cattle in nonruminant feed is very low.
Bayesian Spatial Survival Models for Political Event Processes
Authors: Darmofal David
Published: December 2008

Research in political science is increasingly, but independently, modeling heterogeneity and spatial dependence. This article draws together these two research agendas via spatial random effects survival models. In contrast to standard survival models, which assume spatial independence, spatial survival models allow for spatial autocorrelation at neighboring locations. I examine spatial dependence in both semiparametric Cox and parametric Weibull models and in both individual and shared frailty models. I employ a Bayesian approach in which spatial autocorrelation in unmeasured risk factors across neighboring units is incorporated via a conditionally autoregressive (CAR) prior. I apply the Bayesian spatial survival modeling approach to the timing of U.S. House members' position announcements on NAFTA. I find that spatial shared frailty models outperform standard nonfrailty models and nonspatial frailty models in both the semiparametric and parametric analyses. The modeling of spatial dependence also produces changes in the effects of substantive covariates in the analysis.
B‐Lymphocyte stimulator: a new biomarker for multiple myeloma
Authors: Jiang Pu , Yueguo Wang , Huiming Huang , Hongxiang Yuan , Mei Wang , Ju Shaoqing
Published: December 2008

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a common malignant tumor, characterized by unlimited proliferation of abnormal plasmocytes in bone marrow. Considering the biological function of B‐Lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) and its receptors in B cell, we examined BLyS and its receptors expression in MM cells. Our studies confirmed that BLyS and its receptors are expressed in MM cells, including KM3, CZ‐1, and primary MM cells, playing an important role in the survival and proliferation of MM cells. Additionally, we provide evidence that BLyS protein is located in the MM cell plasma membrane. We also found that IFN‐γ and IL‐6 can induce BLyS expression on MM cells, while after the treatment of BAY11‐7082, an IkB‐α phosphorylation inhibitor, IFN‐γ induced up regulation of BLyS was completely inhibited, suggesting that nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) might be involved in the mechanism of the regulation of BLyS levels in response to cytokines. Finally, linear correlation analysis of the Lactate Dehydrogenase concentration and beta 2‐microglobulin level with BLyS, and expressions of BLyS mRNA in MM patients revealed a significant correlation between them (P < 0.01 in all case), showing that BLyS could be a biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of MM.
Reduction in labile plasma iron during treatment with deferasirox, a once‐daily oral iron chelator, in heavily iron‐overloaded patients with β‐thalassaemia
Authors: Daar Shahina , Pathare Anil , Nick Hanspeter , Kriemler‐Krahn Ulrike , Hmissi Abdel , Habr Dany , Taher Ali
Published: December 2008

This subgroup analysis evaluated the effect of once‐daily oral deferasirox on labile plasma iron (LPI) levels in patients from the prospective, 1‐yr, multicentre ESCALATOR study. Mean baseline liver iron concentration and median serum ferritin levels were 28.6 ± 10.3 mg Fe/g dry weight and 6334 ng/mL respectively, indicating high iron burden despite prior chelation therapy. Baseline LPI levels (0.98 ± 0.82 μmol/L) decreased significantly to 0.12 ± 0.16 μmol/L, 2 h after first deferasirox dose (P = 0.0006). Reductions from pre‐ to post‐deferasirox administration were also observed at all other time points. Compared to baseline, there was a significant reduction in preadministration LPI that reached the normal range at week 4 and throughout the remainder of the study (P ≤ 0.02). Pharmacokinetic analysis demonstrated an inverse relationship between preadministration LPI levels and trough deferasirox plasma concentrations. Once‐daily dosing with deferasirox ≥20 mg/kg/d provided sustained reduction in LPI levels in these heavily iron‐overloaded patients, suggesting 24‐h protection from LPI. Deferasirox may therefore reduce unregulated tissue iron loading and prevent further end‐organ damage.
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in African Americans: polymorphisms in the gene encoding the stress peptide pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide (PACAP)
Authors: Cummings Kevin J , Klotz Cherise , Liu Wei‐Qiao , Weese‐Mayer Debra E , Marazita Mary L , Cooper Margaret E , Berry‐Kravis Elizabeth M , Tobias Rose , Goldie Cameron , Bech‐Hansen N Torben , Wilson Richard JA
Published: December 2008

Aims: Mice lacking pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide (PACAP) are prone to sudden death in the second post‐natal week, having respiratory and metabolic disturbances reminiscent of the human Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Here we test the hypothesis that the human PACAP gene is a site of genetic variance associated with SIDS in a cohort of 92 victims and 92 matched controls.

Methods: Using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing, we examined the PACAP gene in 92 SIDS cases (46 Caucasians and 46 African Americans) and 92 race‐ and gender‐matched controls.

Results: We found no significant associations between PACAP and SIDS in Caucasians. However, in the African Americans, a non‐synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (i.e. an aspartic acid/glycine coding variant, rs2856966) within exon 2 of PACAP was significantly associated with SIDS (p = 0.004), as were haplotypes containing this polymorphism (p < 0.0001). Glycine was three times more likely at this location in the African‐American SIDS victims (17 cases) than African‐American controls (5 cases).

Conclusion: These data are the first to suggest an association between a variant within the coding region of the PACAP gene and SIDS. Based on these findings, further investigations are warranted into the functional importance of PACAP signaling in neonatal survival and the role of PACAP‐signaling abnormalities in SIDS.
Abnormal growth in mitochondrial disease
Authors: Wolny S , McFarland R , Chinnery P , Cheetham T
Published: December 2008

Aim: To review the height and weight of children with mitochondrial disease attending our supra‐regional service.

Methods: This was a retrospective audit of cross‐sectional data. Height and weight measurements were available in 24 children and adolescents (median 7.86 years; range 1.76–20.5 years) who all had a confirmed diagnosis of mitochondrial disease. Values were converted to SD scores using UK reference data.

Results: Patients with mitochondrial disease were short with an overall SD score of −1.97 (95% confidence intervals −2.72 to –1.23 SD). Patients were also thin with a relatively low BMI SDS of −1.07 (95% confidence intervals −1.69 to ‐ 0.07 SD), which fell with advancing years (r =−0.7; p < 0.000).

Conclusion: Short stature and a progressive reduction in body mass index (BMI) are features of mitochondrial disease in childhood. The mechanisms underlying the abnormal growth in these patients need to be studied in more detail.
A severe form of Noonan syndrome and autosomal dominant café‐au‐lait spots – evidence for different genetic origins
Authors: Nyström Anna‐Maja , Ekvall Sara , Strömberg Bo , Holmström Gerd , Thuresson Ann‐Charlotte , Annerén Göran , Bondeson Marie‐Louise
Published: December 2008

Aim: The clinical overlap among Noonan syndrome (NS), cardio‐facio‐cutaneous (CFC), LEOPARD and Costello syndromes as well as Neurofibromatosis type 1 is extensive, which complicates the process of diagnosis. Further genotype–phenotype correlations are required to facilitate future diagnosis of these patients. Therefore, investigations of the genetic cause of a severe phenotype in a patient with NS and the presence of multiple café‐au‐lait spots (CAL) spots in the patient and four members of the family were performed.

Methods: Mutation analyses of candidate genes, PTPN11, NF1, SPRED1 and SPRED2, associated with these syndromes, were conducted using DNA sequencing.

Results: A previously identified de novo mutation, PTPN11 F285L and an inherited NF1 R1809C substitution in the index patient were found. However, neither PTPN11 F285L, NF1 R1809C, SPRED1 nor SPRED2 segregated with CAL spots in the family. The results indicate that the familial CAL spots trait in this family is caused by a mutation in another gene, distinct from previous genes associated with CAL spots in these syndromes.

Conclusion: We suggest that the atypical severe symptoms in the index patient may be caused by an additive effect on the F285L mutation in PTPN11 by another mutation, for example the NF1 R1809C or alternatively, the not yet identified gene mutation associated with CAL spots in this family.
Training neonatal skills with simulators?
Authors: Cavaleiro AP , Guimarães H , Calheiros FL
Published: December 2008

Aim: To compare two different ways of learning (self‐study vs. simulation sessions) the adequate steps to resuscitate a neonate in the 5th year undergraduate medical curriculum.

Methods: One hundred and eighty students attending the 5‐week paediatrics rotation were enrolled; 115 were invited to participate in this study, but only 45 students completed it. After a 50‐min ‘neonatal resuscitation’ theoretical interactive class, students were randomly assigned into two groups: the first (n = 21) participated in a 30‐min supervised self‐study session, while the second (n = 24) attended a 30‐min neonatal resuscitation session using the Zoe (Gaumard® Inc., Miami, FL, USA) simulator.

Results: Tests consisting of 50 multiple‐choice questions were taken before the theoretical class (pre‐theoretical test), before the self‐study or simulation session (pre‐test) and after this session (post‐test). Pre‐test and post‐test scores were similar in both groups (p = 0.118 and p = 0.263, respectively).

Conclusion: Simulation‐based training of medical students in management of neonatal resuscitation do not led to significant differences on short‐term knowledge comparing with traditional method.
Dimerization of the yeast eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A requires hypusine and is RNA dependent
Authors: Gentz Petra M. , Blatch Gregory L. , Dorrington Rosemary A.
Published: December 2008

Post‐translational modification of the highly conserved K51 residue of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) to form hypusine, is essential for its many functions including the binding of specific mRNAs. We characterized hypusinated yeast eIF5A by size‐exclusion chromatography and native PAGE, showing that the protein exists as a homodimer. A K51R mutant, which was not functional in vivo eluted as a monomer and inhibition of hypusination abolished dimerization. Furthermore, treatment of dimeric eIF5A with RNase A resulted in disruption of the dimer, leading us to conclude that RNA binding is also required for dimerization of eIF5A. We present a model of dimerization, based on the Neurospora crassa structural analogue, HEX‐1.
Antioxidant Potential of New Pyrazoline Derivatives to Prevent Oxidative Damage
Authors: Martins Daniele M. , Torres Bruna G. , Spohr Patrícia R. , Machado Pablo , Bonacorso Helio G. , Zanatta Nilo , Martins Marcos A. P. , Emanuelli Tatiana
Published: December 2008

Abstract:  The antioxidant capacity of a series of six novel synthetic pyrazoline derivatives (i) 5‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐5‐trifluoromethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐carbaldehyde‐pyrazole, (ii) 5‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐5‐trifluoromethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐1‐acetyl‐pyrazole, (iii) 5‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐5‐trifluoromethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐carboxyamide‐pyrazole, (iv) 5‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐5‐trifluoromethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐1‐benzoyl‐pyrazole, (v) 5‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐5‐trifluoromethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐1‐(2‐hydroxybenzoyl)‐pyrazole and (vi) 5‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐5‐trifluoromethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐1‐(4‐methoxybenzoyl)‐pyrazole was evaluated as the capacity of compounds to transfer a hydrogen atom (protection against brain lipid peroxidation and glutathione oxidation) and their capacity to transfer a single electron [ferric‐reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging (DPPH) assays]. Compound 5 had the highest free radical scavenging capacity in the DPPH assay, while compound 2 had the highest FRAP value (P < 0.05). Only compounds 1, 4 and 5 protected against lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate. However, compound 5 was the most effective to prevent basal and iron‐, sodium nitroprusside‐ and H2O2‐stimulated lipid peroxidation (IC50 < 15 µM) and the only one effective to block glutathione oxidation‐mediated by H2O2 (at 150 µM). Our results indicate that compound 5 has the greatest potential to prevent oxidative damage in brain homogenates.
Osteopontin Mediates Dense Culture‐Induced Proliferation and Adhesion of Prostate Tumour Cells: Role of Protein Kinase C, p38 Mitogen‐Activated Protein Kinase and Calcium
Authors: Zhou Hong , Lu Ning , Chen Zhi‐Qiang , Song Qian‐Liu , Yu He‐Ming , Li Xue‐Jun
Published: December 2008

Abstract:  Cells growing in high density were observed to undergo a variety of responses due to cell–cell contact, pericellular hypoxia, etc. In order to investigate the influence of cell density on cell proliferation and adhesion and to elucidate possible mechanisms, we tested the growth ability of human prostate tumour (PC‐3M) cells in dense culture and the influences of density on cell adhesion. Our results demonstrate that increasing cell density exerted stress on PC‐3M cells, which decreased cell proliferation in dense cultures, but tended to facilitate tumour metastasis since cell adhesion ability was elevated and the cells showed an increased growth rate after being moved to a favourable growth environment. We conclude that higher cell density‐mediated pericellular hypoxia was an important factor inducing expression of the intrinsic hypoxia marker osteopontin, another mechanism contributing to cell adhesion enhancement in PC‐3M cells. In addition, cell density enhanced adhesion ability due to the activation of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and protein kinase C. Intracellular calcium also played positive roles at least partially through activating p38 MAPK.
Antinociceptive Effect of a Novel Tosylpyrazole Compound in Mice
Authors: Oliveira Sara M. , Gewehr Camila , Dalmolin Gerusa D. , Cechinel Cleber A. , Wentz Alexandre , Lourega Rogério V. , Sehnem Ronan C. , Zanatta Nilo , Martins Marcos A. P. , Rubin Maribel A. , Bonacorso Helio G. , Ferreira Juliano
Published: December 2008

Abstract:  Pain is the most common complaint in the medical field and the identification of compounds that can effectively treat painful states without induction of side‐effects remains a major challenge in biomedical research. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antinociceptive effect of a novel compound, 3‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐5‐trifluoromethyl‐1H‐1‐tosylpyrazole (compound A) in several models of pain in mice and compare with those produced by the known trifluoromethyl‐containing pyrazole compound celecoxib. Compound A or celecoxib were administrated by oral (78–780 µmol/kg), intrathecal (9–22.5 nmol/site) or intracerebroventricular (9–22.5 nmol/site) routes. Oral administration of either compound A or celecoxib abolished the mechanical allodynia, but not the oedema caused by intraplantar injection of carrageenan. Similarly, compound A reduced the overt nociception, but not the oedema, produced by bradykinin or capsaicin. However, compound A (500 µmol/kg, orally) did not alter nociception nor oedema caused by intraplantar injection of prostaglandin E2 or glutamate, whereas celecoxib reduced only the nociception induced by the former. Moreover, oral and intrathecal administration of compound A or celecoxib also reduced the nociception induced by acetic acid. However, only celecoxib reduced the acetic acid‐induced nociception when it was injected by the intracerebroventricular route. Finally, neither compound A nor celecoxib was able to produce antinociceptive effect in the tail‐flick test or to alter the motor performance and the body temperature. Besides, compound A or celecoxib did not induce gastric lesion. Thus, compound A seems to be an interesting prototype for the development of novel analgesic drugs.
Dual Effects ofGinkgo bilobaLeaf Extract on Human Red Blood Cells
Authors: He Jing , Lin Juan , Li Jing , Zhang Jian‐Hong , Sun Xue‐Min , Zeng Cheng‐Ming
Published: December 2008

Abstract: Extracts from the leaves ofGinkgo bilobahave been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Today, various standardized preparations fromG. bilobaleaf extract have been developed.G. bilobaleaf extract, which contains flavonoids and terpenoids as the major biologically active components, has become one of the most popular and commonly used herbal remedies due to its wide spectrum of beneficial effects on health. In this study, we investigated the effects ofG. bilobaleaf extract on the properties of human red blood cells in the presence and absence of amyloid peptide (Aβ25‐35), peroxide and hypotonic stress. The results suggest thatG. bilobaleaf extract has a dual action, both protective and disruptive, on red blood cells, depending on whether an exogenous stress is present.G. bilobaleaf extract has a protective role on red blood cells against Aβ‐ and hypotonic pressure‐induced haemolysis, peroxide‐induced lipoperoxidation, as well as glutathione consumption and methaemoglobin formation. On the other hand,G. bilobaleaf extract also exhibited damage to red blood cells by increasing cell fragility, changing cellular morphology and inducing glutathione consumption and methaemoglobin formation, especially when applied at high doses. These anti‐ and pro‐oxidative activities of polyphenolic substances are thought to be involved in the dual function ofG. bilobaleaf extract. The results of this study suggest that high doses of herbal remedies and dietary supplements can be toxic to cells.
Comparison of Clinical Efficacy of Topical Pimecrolimus with Betamethasone in Chronic Skin Lesions Due to Sulfur Mustard Exposure: A Randomized, Investigator‐Blind Study
Authors: Panahi Yunes  , Moharamzad Yashar  , Beiraghdar Fatemeh  , Naghizadeh Mohammad Mehdi 
Published: December 2008

Abstract:  This study compared topical pimecrolimus with betamethasone in the treatment of pruritus and chronic skin lesions due to sulfur mustard exposure. Seventy male chemical‐injured war veterans participated in this investigator‐blinded clinical trial. They were randomized to receive pimecrolimus cream 1% (n = 35) or betamethasone cream 0.1% (n = 35) two times a day for 6 weeks. Dermatological examination and assessment of pruritus severity by a pruritic score questionnaire and visual analogue scale were done before and after the treatment course. A significant decrease (P < 0.05) in pruritus, burning sensation, and skin dryness was shown in both groups after the treatment. However, the severity of hyper‐ and hypopigmentation, vesicle, erythema, fissure, lichenification and excoriation did not decrease significantly in either group (P > 0.05). Mean (± standard deviation) pruritic scores at baseline for the pimecrolimus and betamethasone groups were 30.4 (± 8.0) and 33.6 (± 7.2), respectively (P = 0.103). These scores decreased to 18.8 (± 4.8) in the pimecrolimus and 20.8 (± 4.0) in the betamethasone groups after treatment; both showed a statistically significant decrease (P < 0.001). Change of pruritus score from baseline to after the treatment course was not statistically different between the two groups (P = 0.502). No serious side‐effects were reported during the course of the treatment. Topical pimecrolimus 1% was as effective as betamethasone cream 0.1% in controlling pruritus, burning sensation and skin dryness of sulfur mustard‐exposed patients.
Nest Selection by Cavity‐nesting Birds in Subtropical Montane Forests of the Andes: Implications for Sustainable Forest Management
Authors: Politi Natalia , Hunter, Jr Malcolm , Rivera Luis
Published: December 2008

Development of sustainable forestry has been hampered in tropical countries by a scarcity of research on the ecological effects of logging. We focused on cavity‐nesting birds, a group known to be sensitive to logging. Cavities used for nesting were not a random subset of all available suitable cavities. Birds selected cavities that were relatively high above the ground, had smaller entrances, and were excavated by woodpeckers. The use of tree species was also not random: Calycophyllum multiflorum, Blepharocalyx gigantea, and Podocarpus parlatorei were disproportionately important. Cavity nests were also more likely to be found in areas with trees with high mean diameter at breast height. This study emphasizes the need to maintain some unlogged forest patches within logging areas and retain certain species of trees. This study has implications for forest management in Argentina, where a new law mandates the sustainable use of forest resources and where many landowners are interested in forest certification.
Dry Season Den Use by Pygmy Spotted Skunk (Spilogale pygmaea) in a Tropical Deciduous Forest of Mexico
Authors: Cantú‐Salazar Lisette , Hidalgo‐Mihart Mircea G. , López‐González Carlos A. , González‐Romero Alberto
Published: December 2008

Dry season den use by the pygmy spotted skunk Spilogale pygmaea, an endemic and threatened species of western Mexico, was evaluated at the micro and macrohabitat level, in the tropical deciduous forest of Chamela, Jalisco, Mexico. During the dry seasons of 1997, 1998, and 2000, 79 skunk den sites (29 for females and 50 males) were located using Radiotelemetry. Dens were underground excavations with one to five access points, located mostly on open ground or under live or dead trees. Skunks exhibited a continued reuse of dens but evidence of simultaneous occupation by two or more skunks was not found. Microhabitat den‐site analysis showed that skunks showed flexibility and individual variation in usage of the microhabitat surrounding den sites inside the forest. Macrohabitat den‐site analysis showed that skunks were not selecting either tropical deciduous or tropical semideciduous forest; however, no dens were located outside the forest in transformed habitats, strengthening the hypothesis of the association of this species with the tropical deciduous forests on the Pacific coast of Mexico. The current deforestation rates of the tropical deciduous forest in the coast of Jalisco could be reducing the potential den sites for pygmy spotted skunks and exposing them to adverse environmental conditions and predation.
Elevational Patterns of Diversity and Abundance of Eusocial Paper Wasps (Vespidae) in Costa Rica
Authors: Kumar Anjali , Longino John T. , Colwell Robert K. , O'Donnell Sean
Published: December 2008

We used a standard sampling protocol to measure elevational patterns of species richness and abundance of eusocial paper wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Costa Rica. The sample transect of six sites spanned approximately 2000 m in elevation from lowland to montane forest. Species accumulation curves and species richness estimates both document a low elevation peak in paper wasp species richness at 50 and 300 m asl, with a decline in species richness at higher elevations. Comparison of species composition among elevations revealed strong species turnover from a rich lowland fauna to a depauperate, but distinct, montane fauna. We also observed a general trend toward a greater abundance of paper wasps at higher elevations, a pattern not usually observed in eusocial insects. Army ant species that prey on paper wasps declined in abundance with elevation across the sample transect, a pattern that has been observed at other sites. We discuss the possibility that elevational changes in predation pressure affect variation in paper wasp abundance and species richness. Eusocial paper wasp species employ one of two modes of colony founding, independent and swarm founding. We found that the total abundance of individual swarm‐founding wasps was higher at all elevations than the abundance of independent‐founding wasps, supporting previous suggestions that Neotropical swarm founders are more successful ecologically.
Reproduction in Wild Populations of the Threatened TreeMacadamia tetraphylla: Interpopulation Pollen Enriches Fecundity in a Declining Species
Authors: Pisanu Philip C. , Gross Caroline L. , Flood Lorelie
Published: December 2008

Macadamia tetraphylla is a subtropical rain forest tree from fragmented lowlands in eastern Australia. Owing to habitat loss and fragmentation, this commercially important species is vulnerable to extinction. Breeding system and fecundity were investigated in nine populations incorporating three habitat types (moderately disturbed, highly disturbed, and intact) to determine if seed set, seed weight, and genetic diversity are compromised by disturbance. Breeding success was also tested using pollen donors from distant (30–100 km), local (2–3 km), neighbor (10–20 m), and near‐neighbor (< 10 m) sources.Macadamia tetraphyllais weakly self‐compatible but incapable of automatic self‐pollination. Across populations, seed to flower ratios were always < 0.1 percent in open‐pollinated trees and trees from moderately disturbed habitats had the highest fruit production. Outcross pollen produced more seed per raceme than open‐pollinated or self‐pollination treatments. Seed set and seed weights were positively influenced by pollen source with local pollen and distant pollen effecting more or heavier seeds. Germination rates and genetic diversity did not vary significantly in seedlings from different pollen sources. Results suggest a pollen source from at least a 2 km distance is an optimal outbreeding distance; however, many wild populations do not have conspecifics at optimal distances owing to habitat fragmentation. Highly disturbed populations are producing seed but the longevity of these sites is threatened by weed invasions. We conclude that small populations in degraded habitats that are at risk of being overlooked should not be ignored but should be a focus for restoration efforts as they are a valuable asset for the conservation ofM. tetraphylla.
Reduced‐impact Logging has Little Effect on Temporal Activity of Frugivorous Bats (Chiroptera) in Lowland Amazonia
Authors: Presley Steven J. , Willig Michael R. , Saldanha Luiz N. , Wunderle Jr Joseph M. , Castro‐Arellano Ivan
Published: December 2008

Reduced‐impact logging (RIL) represents a viable option for sustainable use of Neotropical lowland forests while minimizing negative effects on local biodiversity. Many Neotropical bats of the family Phyllostomidae provide ecosystem services associated with pollination and seed dispersal that promote the regeneration of disturbed areas; therefore, effects of RIL on these species is of particular concern. We determined patterns of temporal activity, degree of temporal overlap of activity, and dispersion in peaks of activity for seven abundant species of frugivorous bat in Tapajós National Forest, Pará, Brazil. In addition, we evaluated the effects of RIL at a harvest level of 18.7 m3/ha and habitat physiognomy on temporal patterns of activity for these species. Bats were surveyed for four nights at each of 96 sites for a total sampling effort of 64,512 net‐m‐h. Sites were distributed among four experimental blocks, two blocks of unlogged forest and two blocks of forest subjected to RIL. Half of the sites in each management type were in forest gaps and half were in closed‐canopy forest. In general, species exhibited similar patterns of activity, and greater than expected temporal overlap in activity among species. RIL and forest physiognomy had little effect on activity patterns of species. RIL in Amazonia removes fewer trees than do naturally occurring treefalls and such changes in habitat structure do not alter activity patterns of frugivorous bats. Evidence suggests that RIL does not have an appreciable adverse effect on frugivorous bats in Amazonia.
Interspecific Competition and Niche Separation in Primates: A Global Analysis
Authors: Schreier Brian M. , Harcourt Alexander H. , Coppeto Stephanie A. , Somi Masha F.
Published: December 2008

Primates are an extraordinarily well‐known tropical forest, mammalian taxon. We investigated potential modes of niche separation in primates by identifying sympatric species with putatively similar niche characteristics and assessing potential competition using data gleaned from an extensive literature review. We defined competing species‐pairs as (a) sympatric species in which (b) the body mass of the larger species was within 30 percent of the smaller species’ mass and (c) the species had the same category of diet. A sample of 43 well‐studied forests (7–20 per continent) provided 673 pairs of sympatric primate species. Of these, 45 pairs (7%) are potential competitors by our definition. Africa has the largest number of competing pairs (17 pairs), while Asia might have the highest percentage of competitors in each forest site (17%). Niche separation was investigated for each pair by examining them for each of eight possible modes of separation: detailed differences in diets (28% of potential competitors), use of different heights in the forest (25%), use of different types of forest (14%), use of different locations within the forest (11%), use of support branches of different diameters (7%), different ranging behavior (6%), different techniques of prey capture (4%), and differential timing of activity (4%). The use of different heights in the forest is the dominant form of potential separation in Africa (31% of competing species‐pairs) and Asia (38%), while detailed differences in diet appears to be the primary mode of niche separation in the Americas (26%) and Madagascar (32%).
TRIADS IN SUPPLY NETWORKS: THEORIZING BUYER–SUPPLIER–SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS
Authors: CHOI THOMAS Y. , WU ZHAOHUI
Published: December 2008

Past studies in supply chain management have focused on dyadic relationships (e.g., buyer–supplier), as all relationships in a network begin with a dyad. However, dyads do not capture the essence of a network. We posit in this paper that triads are the fundamental building blocks of a network. To begin considering triads in supply networks, we build on two extant bodies of literature — the buyer–supplier relationship and supplier–supplier relationship literature which offer us the context of buyer–supplier–supplier triads. By doing so, we are taking the first step toward cracking the internal dynamics of triads in supply networks. To build theoretical propositions, we apply balance theory and the structural‐hole concept. We identify nine triadic archetypes of buyer–supplier–supplier relationships and state key propositions that aid in decision making in supply networks.
USING CONFIDENCE INTERVALS IN SUPPLY CHAIN AND OPERATIONS RESEARCH*
Authors: BONETT DOUGLAS G. , WRIGHT THOMAS A.
Published: December 2008

Like research throughout the entire business discipline, supply chain management research has relied almost exclusively on hypothesis testing methods. This is unfortunate as hypothesis tests are routinely misinterpreted in scientific research. We explain the limitations of hypothesis testing and recommend the use of confidence intervals as the preferred inferential statistical method. In particular, the additional information provided by confidence interval methods is highlighted using several supply chain management examples. We conclude with a set of recommendations designed to enhance the quality of supply chain management research.
Examining the Consulting Physician Model to Enhance the School Nurse Role for Children With Asthma
Authors: Wilson Kristin D. , Moonie Sheniz , Sterling David A. , Gillespie Kathleen N. , Kurz Richard S.
Published: December 2008

BACKGROUND:  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Strategies for Addressing Asthma Within a Coordinated School Health Program recommends a consulting physician for schools to help manage asthma. The literature examines the effects when a school nurse is present, but the addition of a consulting physician is not well understood. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of having a consulting physician on school absenteeism and children sent home due to health reasons for children with asthma and all children pooled together.

METHODS:  A 2‐year preimplementation group cohort and 1‐year implementation group cohort of grades K‐6 in an urban school district were used to determine the impact of a consulting physician on school absenteeism for children with asthma and all children pooled together.

RESULTS:  A consulting physician was significantly associated with reduced missed school days for children with asthma and all children as a group. All children pooled together were 44% more likely (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.31‐1.58) to be sent home without the consulting physician. There was a reduction from 13.8% to 12.6% of sent home events in children with asthma.

CONCLUSIONS:  Having consulting physicians in school districts appears to be associated with fewer days of school absence. The results provide additional evidence and suggest that more research is required to determine if this association is valid and to better understand the cause of such an association.
Associations Between Adolescent Risk Behaviors and Injury: The Modifying Role of Disability
Authors: Raman Sudha R. , Boyce William F. , Pickett William
Published: December 2008

BACKGROUND:  Adolescents with disabilities are at risk for poor health outcomes including injury. The objective of this study was to examine if disability status modifies the association between risk behavior and injury among adolescents.

METHODS:  The cross‐sectional Health Behavior in School‐Aged Children Survey was administered to a representative sample of 7235 Canadian students (grades 6‐10) in 2002. Students who reported at least 1 functional difficulty due to a health condition were classified as having a disability. Engagement in up to 6 individual risk behaviors and a summative multiple risk behavior score were considered the primary exposures. Primary outcomes included medically attended injury experienced during a 12‐month period.

RESULTS:  Sixteen percent of students reported a disability. Almost all risk behaviors and all injury outcomes were more common among students with disabilities than in those without disabilities (eg, older age group’s smoking: 17.5% vs 8.9%, p = <.01; medically attended injury: 67.4% vs 51.4%, p = <.01). Clear risk gradients were observed between engagement in multiple risk behavior and all injury outcomes. The association between multiple risk behavior and injury was accentuated by disability status among older students, particularly for students with disabilities who engaged in frequent multiple risk behavior (adjusted risk ratio 1.8, 95% CI: 1.6‐1.9).

CONCLUSIONS:  Canadian students with disabilities who engage in risk behaviors experience higher risks for medically attended injury than their nondisabled peers who engage in those same risk behaviors. Injury prevention programs that focus on risk‐taking behavior should integrate the needs of this high‐risk group of adolescents in order to prevent additional disability.
The Relationship Between School Policies and Youth Tobacco Use*
Authors: Adams Monica L. , Jason Leonard A. , Pokorny Steven , Hunt Yvonne
Published: December 2008

BACKGROUND:  The school setting is frequently used both to educate youth about risks involved in tobacco use and to implement tobacco prevention and cessation programs. Given that school‐based programs have resulted in limited success, it is necessary to identify other setting‐level intervention strategies. School tobacco policies represent a type of universal intervention that might have some promise for preventing or reducing tobacco use.

METHODS:  Hierarchical linear modeling was used to assess whether school tobacco policies were related to observations of tobacco use and current smoking among 16,561 seventh through twelfth graders attending 40 middle and high schools in Illinois.

RESULTS:  Results indicated that the enforcement of school tobacco policies, but not the comprehensiveness of those policies, was associated with fewer observations of tobacco use by minors on school grounds as well as lower rates of current smoking among students.

CONCLUSIONS:  The school setting is a key system to impact youth tobacco use. Findings underscore the need to train school personnel to enforce school tobacco policy.
An Examination of Public School Safety Measures Across Geographic Settings
Authors: Shelton Andrea J. , Owens Emiel W. , Song Holim
Published: December 2008

BACKGROUND:  Violence at a school can have a negative impact on the health of students, teachers, administrators, and others associated with the school and surrounding community. The use of weapons in school buildings or on school grounds accounts for the majority of violent deaths, particularly among males. This national trend suggests the need for a more concerted effort to improve safety and prevent violence. This article reports the use of 13 safety measures in US public schools in 4 geographic regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West) and 3 community settings (urban, suburban, and rural).

METHODS:  Data representing 16,000 schools reported in the Educational Longitudinal Survey of 2002‐2004 were analyzed. Data were self‐reported by school administrators.

RESULTS:  Of the various safety measures assessed, fire alarms and extinguishers were consistently reported regardless of the geographic region or community setting of the school. Other than measures for fire safety, schools throughout the country routinely used exterior light and student lockers as safety measures. There was a significant difference by geographic region and community setting in the use of safety measures that required specific personnel, namely a security guard and an adult to direct a guest to sign in.

CONCLUSION:  Recognizing the patterns of violence at public high schools, administrators working with students, other school personnel, and community partners may consider more combinations of the safety measures within their institutions together with local resources and services to improve safety and reduce violence.
Is There a Relationship Between Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement? Positive Results From Public School Children in the Northeastern United States
Authors: Chomitz Virginia R. , Slining Meghan M. , McGowan Robert J. , Mitchell Suzanne E. , Dawson Glen F. , Hacker Karen A.
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVES:  To determine relationships between physical fitness and academic achievement in diverse, urban public school children.

METHODS:  This cross‐sectional study used public school data from 2004 to 2005. Academic achievement was assessed as a passing score on Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) achievement tests in Mathematics (fourth, sixth, and eighth grade, n = 1103) and in English (fourth and seventh grade, n = 744). Fitness achievement was assessed as the number of physical fitness tests passed during physical education (PE). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the probability of passing the MCAS tests, controlling for students’ weight status (BMI z score), ethnicity, gender, grade, and socioeconomic status (school lunch enrollment).

RESULTS:  The odds of passing both the MCAS Mathematics test and the MCAS English test increased as the number of fitness tests passed increased (p < .0001 and p < .05, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS:  Results show statistically significant relationships between fitness and academic achievement, though the direction of causation is not known. While more research is required, promoting fitness by increasing opportunities for physical activity during PE, recess, and out of school time may support academic achievement.
BASIN EVOLUTION OF THE LURESTAN REGION IN THE ZAGROS FOLD‐AND‐THRUST BELT, IRAN
Authors: Farzipour‐Saein A. , Yassaghi A. , Sherkati S. , Koyi H.
Published: December 2008

The evolution of the central part of the Lurestan region in the Zagros fold‐and‐thrust belt has been studied using newly generated isopach maps for different time intervals between the Late Cretaceous and the Miocene. The study was based on existing geological maps, gravity data, measured stratigraphic surface sections, original field work and well data. Understanding the processes which have influenced facies and thickness variations in the study area will have a significant impact on future hydrocarbon exploration.

Cenomanian carbonates assigned to the Sarvak Formation, the main reservoir unit in the study area, are composed of both pelagic and neritic facies. These facies occur along the roughly north‐south trending “Anaran lineament”, interpreted to represent a palaeohigh, which influenced patterns of sedimentation in the Cretaceous‐Tertiary. The palaeohigh formed as a result of the reactivation of a basement lineament in the Late Cretaceous. The continuing influence of this lineament on patterns of sedimentation during Oligocene — early Miocene time is indicated by a range of evidence including the presence of clinoform geometries.

Analysis of sedimentary thicknesses in the Zagros foreland basin between the Late Cretaceous and the early Miocene indicates progressive SWward migration of the depocentre. Late Cretaceous ophiolite obduction and plate margin convergence exerted a major influence on stratigraphic architecture, and controlled depocentre migration and foreland basin evolution.
INTEGRATED GRAVITY AND SEISMIC INVESTIGATION OVER THE JABAL HAFIT STRUCTURE: IMPLICATIONS FOR BASEMENT CONFIGURATION OF THE FRONTAL FOLD‐AND‐THRUST BELT OF THE NORTHERN OMAN MOUNTAINS
Authors: Ali M. Y. , Sirat M. , Small J.
Published: December 2008

A gravity survey was conducted over and around Jabal Hafit, located on the border between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman on the western edge of the northern Oman Mountains, as part of a study to investigate the subsurface structures and sedimentary sequences of the area. This new data, together with outcrop geology, well data and measurements of physical properties of rock samples, was integrated with a new interpretation of reprocessed commercial seismic reflection profiles recorded across the Jabal Hafit anticline.

We recognize five major tectonostratigraphic sequences in the seismic profiles: Mesozoic shelf carbonates; Upper Cretaceous foreland (primarily Fiqa Formation); the Hawasina allochthon; and Upper Cretaceous to Lower Tertiary, and Upper Tertiary sequences. The seismic sections suggest that Jabal Hafit represents a backfolded anticline associated with a steep east‐vergent thrust that probably lies above a blind thrust fault along the base of the foreland basin sequence at depth. The lack of onlapping and thinning in the Lower Tertiary sequence suggests that the initiation of folding may have started after the Oligocene‐Miocene and corresponds to the beginning of the collision of Arabia and central Iran along the Zagros suture in Iran. In addition, the seismic sections suggest a pop‐up structure beneath the Jabal Hafit structure at the base of the foreland basin sequence. The structure is bounded by high‐angle listric reverse faults that cut downward through the Mesozoic shelf carbonates and are interpreted to be related to the inversion of deep structures.

NNW to SSE trending positive residual gravity anomalies of up to +8 mGal occur on the Jabal Hafit and Al‐Ain anticlines. These positive gravity highs are attributed to uplifted basement structures which probably resulted from the reactivation of deep‐seated fault blocks. The residual Bouguer anomaly values decline gradually to the east and west of Jabal Hafit probably due to the deepening of the basement. A large negative gravity anomaly of <−5 mGal is observed east of Jabal Hafit and coincides with a syncline which caused thickening of the Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary sequences.