bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sense and sustainability revisited: the limits of total factor productivity measures of sustainable agricultural systems
Authors: Byerlee Derek , Murgai Rinku
Published: August 2005

Many economists have advocated and applied total social factor productivity (TSFP) (i.e., total factor productivity estimated with both market and non‐market inputs and externalities, and with all factors valued at social prices) as a single all‐embracing measure of agricultural sustainability. This paper reviews the conceptual and practical issues in measuring TSFP and shows that no one measure alone will be theoretically or empirically robust as an indicator of sustainability. TSFP is a conceptually flawed measure since inclusion of non‐market inputs and outputs and social price‐based valuation, in most cases, violates the theoretical basis underlying those estimates. Trends in TSFP also have limited value in diagnosing the nature of sustainability problems, unless changes in productivity are related to underlying changes in technology, human and physical infrastructure, and indicators of resource quality.

More attention needs to be given to defining key indicators of agro‐ecosystem health and relating these measures to trends in productivity. This analysis must be sufficiently disaggregated and for a long enough time period to allow for spatial and temporal variability inherent in agricultural production. Secondary data at the district level on both conventional inputs and outputs and resource quality have recently allowed more quantitative estimates of sustainability and its causes. With limited data, yield growth decomposition analysis can often be used to provide valuable insights into sustainability problems. Meanwhile, there is a need to invest in long‐term experimental and panel surveys of farmers and their fields for key production systems in order to provide long‐term data that will allow full productivity accounting, using more formal statistical procedures. Regardless of the approach selected, the findings of this paper strongly suggest a need for economists, agronomists and soil scientists to collaborate in integrating approaches in order to provide more robust and informative measures of sustainability.
Measuring regional competitiveness in oilseeds production and processing in Nigeria: a spatial equilibrium modelling approach
Authors: Omoregie Edamwen M. , Thomson Kenneth J.
Published: August 2005

The four main resource regions of Nigeria, namely, the East, Middle‐belt, West and North, differ in their endowments in the production and processing of oilseeds. The Federal Government has allocated resources to the oilseeds sub‐sector across the regions without apparent rational basis. Consequently, huge imports of oilseed products, high and unaffordable oilseed product prices, and the establishment of new oil mills in the face of frequent shutdowns and chronic under‐utilisation of existing mills, still characterise the sector. In this paper, a spatial equilibrium model of the Nigerian oilseeds economy is used to determine the optimal location and number of mills across the regions, and to establish regional competitiveness in aid of the planning and development of the oilseeds sub‐sector. In the model, production (farming and milling) activities are tied to arable land and milling capacity constraints. The shadow prices of the arable land and milling capacities are used as a measure of competitiveness. Results indicate that, because of its central location, the Middle‐belt is the most competitive in oilseeds production at a shadow value of N 18,400 per hectare of cultivated land, followed by the North, West and East regions. However, the East is the most competitive in oilseeds milling, followed by the West, due to their close proximity to ports of export. These results suggest that transport cost is the main determinant of the viability of oilseeds production and milling in Nigeria.
The Green Revolution and the productivity paradox: evidence from the Indian Punjab
Authors: Murgai Rinku
Published: August 2005

Contrary to a widespread belief, total factor productivity (TFP) growth, as measured by the conventional growth accounting approach, contributed little to economic growth during the Green Revolution in the Indian Punjab. This paper shows that this‘productivity paradox’ arises because of a fundamental problem with conventional measures of TFP growth. When technical change is not Hicks‐neutral, it is impossible to separate the contribution of technical change from that of factor accumulation. Simple exercises to assess the magnitudes involved in the Punjab case show that the bias in conventional TFP estimates is severe:‘corrected’ measures of productivity growth are between 100 and 200% higher per year during the Green Revolution.
Technical efficiency in developing country agriculture: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Thiam Abdourahmane , Bravo‐Ureta Boris E. , Rivas Teodoro E.
Published: August 2005

A meta‐analysis is performed to review empirical estimates of technical efficiency (TE) in developing country agriculture. The objective of the study is to contribute to a better understanding of the factors that influence estimates of mean TE. A data set of 51 observations of TE from 32 studies is used in order to test if specific characteristics of the data and econometric specifications account for systematic differences in the efficiency estimates. Results using the two‐limit Tobit procedure indicate that factors such as primal versus dual, number of fixed inputs and number of variable inputs increase average TE estimates. On the other hand, using the Cobb‐Douglas functional form and cross‐sectional data yields a lower level of TE. Other factors, including the number of variables in the model, crop type, stochastic versus deterministic frontiers and sample size, do not seem to significantly affect estimates of TE across studies.
Agent‐based spatial models applied to agriculture: a simulation tool for technology diffusion, resource use changes and policy analysis
Authors: Berger Thomas
Published: August 2005

This paper presents a spatial multi‐agent programming model, which has been developed for assessing policy options in the diffusion of innovations and resource use changes. Unlike conventional simulation tools used in agricultural economics, the model class described here applies a multi‐agent/cellular automata (CA) approach by using heterogeneous farm‐household models and capturing their social and spatial interactions explicitly. The individual choice of the farm‐household among available production, consumption, investment and marketing alternatives is represented in recursive linear programming models. Adoption constraints are introduced in form of network‐threshold values that reflect the cumulative effects of experience and observation of peers’ experiences. The model's economic and hydrologic components are tightly connected into a spatial framework. The integration of economic and hydrologic processes facilitates the consideration of feedback effects in the use of water for irrigation. The simulation runs of the model are carried out with an empirical data set, which has been derived from various data sources on an agricultural region in Chile. Simulation results show that agent‐based spatial modelling constitutes a powerful approach to better understanding processes of innovation and resource use change.
Tank irrigation management as a local common property: the case of Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Sakurai T. , Palanisami K.
Published: August 2005

The objective of this paper is to conduct theoretical inquiries and empirical analysis on the issue of institutional evolution for resource management, focusing on irrigation water, a traditional local common property resource. Two management schemes for irrigation water, a community management regime (tank irrigation) and an individualised management regime (well irrigation), are compared in terms of rice production efficiency. Using farm household data collected by the authors in Tamil Nadu, India, it is found that the profit office production using well water only is low due to the high labour input required for well irrigation management. Then, estimation of the profit function reveals that the profit of farmers using both tank and well water is statistically significantly higher than that of farmers who use either well water only or tank water only. The result, based on game theoretical inquiries, implies that in equilibrium tank and well irrigation can coexist. Moreover, it is calculated that about 90% of farmers will use wells in equilibrium. Considering that well users are only 37% of all farmers at present, the number of wells will increase
Productivity and economic growth in Kenyan agriculture, 1964–1996
Authors: Gerdin Anders
Published: August 2005

This paper analyses the patterns of productivity and economic growth in the aggregated Kenyan agriculture between 1964 and 1996. In the 1964–1973 period, the average output growth exceeded 4% but stagnated to an average of 1.2% during 1988–1996. Over the whole period, capital was the most important contributor to output growth. Mean growth rates of intermediate inputs subsequently decreased and were negative in 1988–1996. Labour was the least significant source of growth. The mean total factor productivity growth was less than 0.4% and decreased over time. The contribution of productivity growth to output growth increased from 10.2% in 1964–1973 to 26.8% in 1988–1996.
Welfare consequences of water supply alternatives in rural Tunisia
Authors: Zekri Slim , Dinar Ariel
Published: August 2005

Many economic studies have addressed the issue of inefficiency of public water supply in rural areas and the potential for improved service by private companies. Many of these analyses focused on identifying either willingness to pay or comparing average service costs and prices paid by customers. This paper performs a welfare analysis of two water supply systems—public and self owned—in rural Tunisia. The paper calculates consumer and producer surplus and compares the performance of the two systems from a social point of view. Results suggest that both systems are inefficient, mainly because of a production level that is low compared with production capacity.
Determinants of spatial diversity in modern wheat: examples from Australia and China
Authors: Smale M. , Meng E. , Brennan J.P. , Hu Ruifa
Published: August 2005

The spatial distribution of modern varieties, and the genes they embody, has economic value because it affects crop productivity from year to year. Since farmers choose varieties based on observable traits rather than the genes they cannot see, a first step in understanding the spatial distribution of genes is to better understand the determinants of the spatial distribution of varieties. In this paper, we have constructed spatial diversity indices from area distributions of modern wheat varieties in Australia and China. We hypothesise that factors explaining variation in these indices are related to farmers' demand for traits and the supply of varieties, given physical features of the production environment. We test these hypotheses using reduced form equations for three concepts of spatial diversity, richness, abundance and evenness, using Zellner's seemingly unrelated regression (SUR). Spatial diversity indicators and analyses of this type, if more fully developed and targeted to address specific policy issues, may assist in monitoring crop genetic diversity or ‘refuge’ targets associated with the diffusion of some genetically modified crops.
A model of entry–exit decisions and capacity choice under demand uncertainty
Authors: Isik Murat , Coble Keith H. , Hudson Darren , House Lisa O.
Published: August 2005

Many investment decisions of agribusiness firms, such as when to invest in an emerging market or whether to expand the capacity of the firm, involve irreversible investment and uncertainty about demand, cost or competition. This paper uses an option‐value model to examine the factors affecting an agribusiness firm's decision whether and how much to invest in an emerging market under demand uncertainty. Demand uncertainty and irreversibility of investment make investment less desirable than the net present value (NPV) rule indicates. The inactive firm is more reluctant to enter the market when it takes into account demand uncertainty because it preserves the opportunity of making a better investment later. The active firm is more reluctant to abandon the investment because there is an option value of keeping the operation alive. There is a greater distance between the entry and exit thresholds under the option‐value approach than under the NPV rule due to demand uncertainty. The results have implications for agribusiness decision‐making.
Judging agricultural policies: a survey
Authors: Bullock David S. , Salhofer Klaus
Published: August 2005

This survey provides a structured picture of 40 years of literature which uses welfare economic tools to judge agricultural policy. Challenges and developments of normative agricultural policy analysis are discussed in an easily accessible graphical framework. It is shown how the literature has gone from examining a very small discrete set of simple policies to a much broader (often continuous) set of policies that combine policy instruments simultaneously. The importance of the Pareto criterion, used to explore the limits of how government can affect welfare, is revealed. Moreover, given the importance of the objective of income redistribution in agricultural policy, agricultural economists have often departed from the purely efficiency‐oriented tradition in economics. It is shown that they have tried to incorporate equity considerations by either adding these criteria as constraints to the social welfare function, or directly incorporating these criteria in the functional form of the social welfare function.
Smallholder production structure and rural roads in Africa: the case of Nakuru District, Kenya
Authors: Obare G.A. , Omamo S.W. , Williams J.C.
Published: August 2005

Data from a 1998 survey of farming households in Kenya is used to estimate the effects of poor rural road infrastructure (and high market access costs) on the structure of smallholder farm production. Simultaneous estimation of cost and input share equations reveals rational responses by farmers to high access costs. In the expected continued absence of major investments in rural infrastructure in countries such as Kenya, the policy challenge is to identify and catalyse institutional innovations that reduce a range of transaction costs, increase financial liquidity, increase social capital, and reduce risk.
Measuring the impacts of agricultural research on poverty reduction
Authors: Alwang Jeffrey , Siegel Paul B.
Published: August 2005

Policymakers are increasingly calling upon agricultural research managers to consider poverty reduction objectives when making resource allocations. The authors present a simple method to measure the impact of agricultural research on the poor. This method has the advantage that it presents the results in a manner consistent with commonly used measures of poverty. This consistency and focus should facilitate and enhance dialogue between policymakers and research managers when deciding on resource allocations and assessing impacts on poverty reduction. An illustrative application is presented using data from Malawi.
Productivity growth in Indian agriculture: is there evidence of convergence across states?
Authors: Mukherjee Anit N. , Kuroda Yoshimi
Published: August 2005

This paper explores the question of convergence in total factor productivity (TFP) in agriculture across fourteen major agricultural states of India. Using a Törnqvist–Theil index for TFP growth for the period 1973–1993, we find no evidence to support convergence to a single TFP level (σ‐convergence). After grouping the various states on the basis of their productivity performance, we find that the high‐performing states show a gradual movement towards the trend, whereas the low‐performing states generally show more volatility. Testing for long‐run convergence in levels of agricultural productivity, we find evidence of conditional beta‐convergence after controlling for state‐specific factors and idiosyncratic year‐specific volatility. The results are robust to alternative specifications of tests of unit root in panel data developed recently.
Biotechnology as an alternative to chemical pesticides: a case study of Bt cotton in China
Authors: Huang Jikun , Hu Ruifa , Pray Carl , Qiao Fangbin , Rozelle Scott
Published: August 2005

The overall goal of this study is to determine the extent by which genetically engineered (GE) crops in China can lead to reductions of pesticide use, the nature and source of the reductions, and whether or not there are any non‐pecuniary externalities. One of the first studies of the effect of plant biotechnology on poor farmers, the study is based on a data set collected by the authors in 2000 in North China. The paper's descriptive, budget and multivariate analysis find that Bt cotton significantly reduces the number of sprayings, the quantity of pesticides used and the level of pesticide expenditures. All Bt cotton varieties—both those produced by foreign life science companies and those created by China's research system are equally effective. In addition to these input‐reducing effects, the paper also demonstrates that such reductions in pesticides also likely lead to labour savings, more efficient overall production, as well as positive health and environmental impacts.
Evaluation of drought management in irrigated areas
Authors: Iglesias Eva , Garrido Alberto , Gómez‐Ramos Almudena
Published: August 2005

This paper focuses on the economic consequences of droughts for the irrigation sector. We develop a dynamic‐recursive mathematical programming farm model that assumes imperfect mobility of capital and labour as well as rational expectations about future water availability. The model is calibrated to 12 representative farms belonging to three irrigation communities of the Guadalquivir Basin (south Spain) and used to simulate the 1991–1997 period, which included 3 years of intense drought. Results indicate that the drought imposed significant costs on farmers, but show also that water managers partly exacerbated these costs by allocating excessive amounts of water to irrigators in the abundant years. The model is also used to evaluate the benefits of a perfect water supply forecast and to simulate the economic gains of a voluntary water banking scheme. Results show that the benefits resulting from the perfect forecast of water supply 1 year ahead would represent a relative gain of 5%. However, a voluntary banking system would allow farmers to increase their benefits by 32–82% depending on the supply system.
The economic impact of productivity maintenance research: breeding for leaf rust resistance in modern wheat⋆
Authors: Marasas C.N. , Smale M. , Singh R.P.
Published: August 2005

This paper reports the results of a study undertaken to estimate the economic impact in developing countries of efforts by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) to breed leaf rust resistant spring bread wheat varieties since 1973. The challenge in estimating these benefits lies in the pathogen's ability to mutate to new races, which may infect previously resistant varieties. Genetic resistance, rather than fungicide application, is the principal means of controlling leaf rust in developing countries. Whereas productivity enhancement is often estimated in terms of yield gains and increased supply, productivity maintenance is measured in terms of the yield losses avoided by the research investment. The internal rate of return on CIMMYT's research investment was estimated at 41%. When discounted by 5%, the net present value was US$ 5.36 billion in 1990 dollars, and the benefit‐cost ratio was 27:l. These findings emphasise the economic importance of maintenance research in crop breeding programs.
Variety characteristics and maize adoption in Honduras
Authors: Hintze L.H. , Renkow M. , Sain G.
Published: August 2005

This paper summarises research into factors contributing to low levels of adoption of improved maize varieties in Honduras. Empirical analysis was based on an agricultural household model which explicitly incorporates variety characteristics into the household's optimisation process. We considered a multitude of production and consumption characteristics valued by farmers, as well as an array of household socioeconomic characteristics and measures of village‐specific marketing costs. Empirical results indicated that marketing costs and production characteristics are important explanators of variety choice, whereas consumption characteristics are not, and that information deficits may be an important limiting factor to adoption of improved varieties.
The roles of public sector versus private sector in R&D and technology generation: the case of maize in Asia
Authors: Gerpacio R.V.
Published: August 2005

This paper reports the findings of a study whose objectives were to compare and contrast the public and private sectors in Asia in terms of their (1) estimated level of investment in maize breeding research; (2) germplasm outputs; and (3) nature and extent of roles played in the maize seed industry. Since the 1960s, yield gains, rather than area expansion, have fuelled increases in maize production in Asia. Yield gains, in turn, have been due to the shift in maize cultivation from mostly open‐pollinated varieties (OPVs) to mostly hybrids. This transition also shifted the locus of modern maize breeding research from government research organisations to private national and multinational seed companies. In countries where both the public and private sectors participated in maize research, private sector research investment far exceeded that of the public sector. With more aggressive marketing programmes, the private sector captured 89% of the Asian maize seed market in the late 1990s. National public seed research agencies (including universities and cooperatives) developed and produced more maize OPVs than hybrids, mass‐produced and distributed seed cheaply, addressed location‐specific production problems, and provided agricultural extension services. The private seed companies developed, produced, sold and promoted their own proprietary hybrids. The reluctance of the private sector, however, to address the needs of marginal maize farmers should encourage the public sector to continue playing an active role in maize research and development (R&D), seed production and modern maize technology dissemination, especially with adequate support from appropriate government policies.
The economic impact of bean disease resistance research in Honduras
Authors: Mather D.L. , Bernsten R. , Rosas J.C. , Ruano A. Viana , Escoto D.
Published: August 2005

This paper presents evidence of recent adoption rates of disease resistant bean varieties (RVs), the farm‐level benefits of RV adoption, and the ex post rate of return to disease resistant bean research in Honduras. Results from a farm‐level survey in 2001 in the two principal bean‐producing regions of the country show that 41–46% of bean farmers (depending upon the season) have adopted an RV, and that adoption is neutral with respect to farm‐size and market orientation. An expected utility framework was used to estimate the farm‐level benefits of RV adoption, using a combination of experimental trial and farm‐level survey data. Adopters gain the equivalent of 7–16% (depending on the variety) in bean income from the yield loss averted through RV use. The ex post rate of return to disease resistant bean research in Honduras from 1984 to 2010 is 41.2%.
Does agricultural extension pay?
Authors: Marsh Sally P. , Pannell David J. , Lindner Robert K.
Published: August 2005

Compared to studies evaluating the benefits from agricultural research, there are relatively few empirical studies of the net economic benefits of agricultural extension, and even fewer that consider both public and private sector extension effort. In this study we examine regional differences in the adoption of lupins in Western Australia (WA) in order to estimate the net economic benefits of public and private sector extension. Impacts of extension and other variables on adoption were analysed for 40 shires using multivariate regression analysis. The results suggest that both public and private extension activities influenced farmer uptake of lupins, particularly by bringing forward the start time of the diffusion curve. Economic benefits of extension, based on the statistical analysis, were combined with costs of extension estimated from public sector records and surveys of private sector extension agents and used to estimate the net present value of extension investments by the public and private sectors in the study area.
Off‐farm labour allocation decisions in small‐scale rural households in Zimbabwe
Authors: Matshe Innocent , Young Trevor
Published: August 2005

The double hurdle model is used to analyse the off‐farm labour decisions of small‐scale agricultural household members in the Shamva District of Zimbabwe. The approach permits the joint modelling of the decision to participate in the labour market and the decision regarding the amount of time allocated to work. Results indicate that a number of variables (notably, gender, education and assets) indeed have effects which are qualitatively and quantitatively different in terms of participation and hours worked. Overall, the empirical analysis confirms the importance of individual characteristics (such as gender and education) and household/farm characteristics (e.g. land area accessible to the household, productive assets, remittances and the agricultural terms of trade) in influencing the labour market decisions of rural household members.
The adoption of intensive monocrop horticulture in southern Cameroon
Authors: Gockowski James , Ndoumbé Michel
Published: August 2005

Results from a 1997 survey of 208 households in the humid forest zone of southern Cameroon indicate that African policy makers seeking to intensify agricultural production should focus attention on the horticultural sub‐sector. The survey, which gathered information on horticultural production practices, found that the average expenditure on agro‐chemical inputs by horticultural producers using monocrop production systems was 190US$/ha, which greatly exceeds the FAO reported national average expenditure of 6.50 US$/ha. A logit model of monocrop adoption indicated that the size of land holding per household had a negative effect on adoption, congruent with population‐driven technical change and that increases in unit transportation costs significantly decreased the probability of adoption. These findings suggest that policy makers should target horticultural intensification in areas of higher population density and promote investment in rural roads. The age of the household head had a significant negative and elastic effect on adoption, which in combination with an increase in the cohort of younger farmers in the rural population induced by macro‐economic events contributed to the spread of intensified horticulture. In the study area, roughly two‐thirds of rural households also produce cocoa and the quantity of cocoa produced was positively associated with adoption of intensive horticultural systems suggesting that export crop promotion indirectly facilitated diversification of agriculture. Women's participation in intensive monocrop production was limited and efforts to promote their greater involvement are recommended.
Technical efficiency and farm size: a conditional analysis
Authors: Alvarez Antonio , Arias Carlos
Published: August 2005

The relationship between technical efficiency and size might be affected by farm heterogeneity. We analyse this relationship conditional on a set of control variables. These control variables are chosen using a production model where technical efficiency is introduced as a parameter. As a result, technical efficiency affects both the input demand and the output supply of a profit maximising producer. The empirical application explores these issues using panel data of dairy farms in Spain.
Productivity growth, catching‐up and uncertainty in China's meat trade
Authors: Nin Alejandro , Hertel Thomas W. , Foster Kenneth , Rae Allan
Published: August 2005

The potential role of China as a major importer of agricultural products, and the likely impact on world markets has been a topic of considerable debate over the past decade. In this paper, we focus specifically on the livestock sector and develop a detailed analysis of productivity growth in China's pig and poultry production along with projections of China's likely meat trade in the year 2010. We use a general equilibrium model which permits us to explore the sensitivity of our projections to macro‐economic uncertainty as well as uncertainty in livestock productivity growth rates. Our analysis shows that China's net trade position is very sensitive to both of these factors. With high livestock productivity growth and a slow‐down in the rest of the economy, China could be a substantial competitor in export markets by 2010. On the other hand, slow productivity growth in livestock production, coupled with a rapidly growing macro‐economy could transform China into a major market for future meat exports.
A cross‐section analysis of household demand for food and nutrients in Tanzania
Authors: Abdulai Awudu , Aubert Dominique
Published: August 2005

Undernutrition and malnutrition are still problems of unacceptable proportions in many developing countries. However, the debate on the roles of income and other socio‐economic variables such as women's education and household size on food and nutrient demand continues. This study examines the demand for food and nutrients amongst households in Tanzania, using recent survey data. A quadratic almost ideal demand system (QUAIDS) is employed to estimate price and expenditure elasticities, as well as the impact of socio‐economic variables on food demand patterns. A moment‐based instrumental variable approach is then used to analyse the determinants of nutrient demand. The results show that income and other socio‐economic variables exert significant effects on the demand for food and nutrients. The estimated expenditure elasticities for the nutrients range from 0.307 for iron to 1.26 for Vitamin B12. The elasticities are higher for those micronutrients that are consumed through animal products and lower for those micronutrients that are mainly obtained through staple foods. These results reflect the higher expenditure elasticities for meat, fish, eggs, milk, and milk products, as well as fruits and vegetables, relative to cereal s and pulses, reinforcing the assertion that the demand for Vitamins A and B12, as well as calcium and zinc will increase with rising income.
Postpartum depression without delivering a child?
Authors: Manfredi G. , Lazanio S. , Kotzalidis G. D. , Ruberto A. , Girardi P. , Tatarelli R.
Published: August 2005

Objective:  Depression in people related to delivering women is documented in their mates, but only anecdotal in other family members. We describe a case of depression in a woman who had previously experienced postpartum depression after the birth of her nephew.

Method:  A clinical description of the case.

Results:  A 53‐year‐old woman, hysterectomized at age 47 years, was admitted for attempted suicide. She developed major depressive episode 1 month after her daughter had delivered a son. She had a past history of two postpartum depressive episodes clinically identical to the current episode. The episode resolved after 5 weeks. At 1‐year follow‐up, the patient is still asymptomatic.

Conclusion:  Psychological and cultural factors were at play in this case more than hormonal and biopsychosocial ones.
Neuropsychiatric disturbances in Parkinson's disease clusters in five groups with different prevalence of dementia
Authors: Bronnick K. , Aarsland D. , Larsen J. P.
Published: August 2005

Objective:  To investigate the inter‐relationship of neuropsychiatric disturbances in Parkinson's disease (PD) by cluster analysis and describe the properties of the clusters.

Method:  A total of 139 patients were assessed using the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI). A cluster‐analysis was used to investigate the inter‐relationship of NPI items. The clusters were profiled regarding dementia (PDD) and major depression.

Results:  A total of 39 patients showed no neuropsychiatric symptoms. The remaining 100 patients (43% PDD) were divided in to five clusters. The largest group (42, 31% PDD) showed symptoms of mild depression, followed by a group (29, 79.3% PDD) with hallucinations and mild other symptoms. The third group (14, 7.1% PDD) had sleep disturbances exclusively. The fourth group (8, 25% PDD) showed apathy, anxiety and depression. The smallest group (7, 57.1% PDD) had high scores on several NPI items.

Conclusion:  Our PD sample can be divided in to clusters based on the NPI, with different prevalence of dementia and depression.
Psychological aftermath of the Lviv air show disaster: a prospective controlled study
Authors: Bromet E. J. , Havenaar J. M. , Gluzman S. F. , Tintle N. L.
Published: August 2005

Objective:  To investigate the psychological aftermath of an air show disaster using prospectively obtained epidemiologic data.

Method:  Participants in a recently completed epidemiologic mental health survey in Lviv (disaster site) and controls from western Ukraine were interviewed shortly before and 6 months after a gruesome air show disaster.

Results:  The Lviv group reported more psychopathology and post‐traumatic stress symptom severity, but less anomie than controls. Somatization symptoms were similar in the two groups. Predisaster mental health and postdisaster threat were the strongest risk factors while demographic characteristics, emotional support, and repeated television viewing of the event were only weakly associated with postdisaster mental health.

Conclusion:  This is the first prospective study to find a significantly higher rate of disorder as well as post‐traumatic stress disorder symptomatology after a disaster. The risk factor findings suggest avenues for targeting postdisaster interventions.
A randomized comparison of group cognitive‐behavioural therapy and group psychoeducation in acute patients with schizophrenia: outcome at 24 months
Authors: Bechdolf A. , Köhn D. , Knost B. , Pukrop R. , Klosterkötter J.
Published: August 2005

Objective:  We compared the effects of a brief group cognitive‐behavioural therapy (CBT) and a group psychoeducational (PE) programme in acute patients with schizophrenia 2 years after treatment. At 6‐month follow‐up, the CBT group had shown significantly less re‐hospitalization rates and on a descriptive level higher compliance with medication.

Method:  Eighty‐eight in‐patients with acute schizophrenia were randomized to receive a therapy envelope of 8 weeks including either 16 sessions of CBT or eight sessions of PE.

Results:  From the initial sample, 43 patients (48.9%) completed the 24‐month follow‐up. There were no significant group differences regarding re‐admission, symptoms or compliance with medication. However, on a descriptive level patients who received CBT on average experienced 21.8% less re‐hospitalizations, 71 days less in hospital and higher compliance ratings at the 24‐month follow‐up.

Conclusion:  The significant advantages of CBT at short‐term follow‐up were lost at long‐term follow‐up. However, on a descriptive level some advantages for CBT remained after 2 years.
Lipid peroxidation: a possible role in the induction and progression of chronic periodontitis
Authors: Tsai C. C. , Chen H. S. , Chen S. L. , Ho Y. P. , Ho K. Y. , Wu Y. M. , Hung C. C.
Published: August 2005

Objectives:  Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in the destruction of the periodontium during inflammatory periodontal diseases. The imbalance in oxidant/antioxidant activity may be a key factor in the damaging effects of ROS. This study aimed to determine the lipid peroxidation levels in gingival crevicular fluid and saliva, and glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in saliva in patients with chronic periodontitis.

Methods:  Gingival crevicular fluid and saliva were collected from 13 patients and 9 healthy control subjects during the preliminary study, and from 21 patients during the subsequent study. Lipid peroxidation level, GSH level and GPx activity were determined by spectrophotometric assay.

Results:  The preliminary study found that when comparing patients to healthy controls, the gingival crevicular fluid samples produced the following results, respectively: higher lipid peroxidation concentration (µm) (by sites: 167.55 vs. 53.71, p < 0.0001; by subjects: 151.99 vs. 50.66, p < 0.005) and total amount (pmol) (by sites: 93.02 vs. 8.47, p < 0.0001, by subjects: 80.44 vs. 7.84, p < 0.0005). In saliva samples, lower GSH concentration (µm) (373.04 vs. 606.67, p < 0.05), higher lipid peroxidation concentration (µm) (0.66 vs. 0.13, p < 0.0005), and no difference in GPx activity were found in patients than in those of healthy controls. The subsequent study showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) improvement of clinical periodontal parameters (plaque index, gingival index, probing attachment level, probing pocket depth and gingival crevicular fluid volume), decreases in gingival crevicular fluid lipid peroxidation levels (concentration and total amount) at the sites after the completion of phase 1 periodontal treatment. Similarly, the periodontal treatment resulted in a significant decrease of lipid peroxidation concentrations (p < 0.05), increase in GSH concentration (p < 0.001), and no change in GPx activity in saliva samples.

Conclusion:  The increased levels of lipid peroxidation may play a role in the inflammation and destruction of the periodontium in periodontitis.
Simvastatin Effects in Normo‐ and Hypercholesterolaemic Patients with Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease: A Pilot Study
Authors: Grodzińska Lilia , Starzyk Dorota , Bieroń Krzysztof , Goszcz Aleksandra , Korbut Ryszard
Published: August 2005

Abstract: Improvement of endothelial function caused by statin treatment is not related to lowering of the cholesterol levels but results primarily from statin pleiotropic effects. Accordingly, we designed a pilot study in 10 normocholesterolaemic and 10 hypercholesterolaemic patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease to investigate potential biological effects of statins in relation to their effects on endothelial function. The patients were treated with simvastatin 40 mg/daily for 3 months. Simvastatin led to significant reduction in total cholesterol and trigliceride levels in normocholesterolaemic and hypercholesterolaemic patients. Elongation of pain‐free and total walking distance was observed in both groups studied. Inconsiderable changes in rest ankle brachial index were seen. Flow‐mediated dilation increased in normocholesterolaemic group by 153% and in the hypercholesterolaemic group by 180% after 3 months of treatment. Euglobulin clot lysis time was shortened significantly in both groups each time after drug intake. Platelet aggregates ratio was increased in normocholesterolaemic patients by 8.9% and in hypercholesterolaemic patients by 17.6% each time after intake and remained significantly increased during the observation after 1 and 3 months. Simvastatin inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen and ADP in both study groups 3 hr after intake, but the platelets of hypercholesterolaemic patients were less sensitive to these aggregatory agents after 3 months of treatment. Simvastatin therapy caused clinical improvement in normocholesterolaemic and hypercholesterolaemic patients with peripheral occlusive disease. It is suggested that this effect is due to the restoration of endothelial function.
EVOLUTION OF THE AROMATIC FRACTION IN RED PEPPER FOR PAPRIKA DURING LA VERA REGION TRADITIONAL DRYING PROCESS
Authors: VIDAL ARAGÓN M.C. , LOZANO M. , MONTERO DE ESPINOSA V.
Published: August 2005

Paprika from the region of La Vera (Cáceres) is prepared using a particular process of mild, slow drying in traditional drying barns heated by oakwood fires. This makes it possible for the fruit to maintain its natural components at the same time as contributing certain organoleptic characteristics that are highly appreciated by consumers. We analyzed the changes in the aromatic fraction that occur over the course of this traditional drying technology, using dynamic head space as the isolation method and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry as the identification system. We identified 96 compounds, 55 of which presented significant differences (P < 0.05) between different days of the drying process. Some 40% of the aromatic potential of the end product corresponded to volatile compounds that appeared during the drying process, originating from the wood smoke or as the result of typical reactions of the dehydrated products.
EVALUATION OF IDEAL WINE AND CHEESE PAIRS USING A DEVIATION‐FROM‐IDEAL SCALE WITH FOOD AND WINE EXPERTS
Authors: KING MARJORIE , CLIFF MARGARET
Published: August 2005

Most information regarding the suitability of wine and cheese pairs is anecdotal information. The objective of this research was to provide recommendations based on scientific research for the most desirable “wine & cheese pairs” using nine award‐winning Canadian cheeses and 18 BC wines (six white, six red and six specialty wines). Twenty‐seven wine and food professionals rated the wine and cheese pairs using a bipolar structured line scale (12 cm). The “ideal pair,” scored at the midpoint of the scale, was defined as a wine and cheese combination where neither the wine nor the cheese dominated. For each cheese, mean deviation‐from‐ideal scores were determined and evaluated by analysis of variance. Scores closest to six were considered “ideal,” while higher or lower scores represented pairs where the “wine” or the “cheese” dominated, respectively. In general, white wines had mean scores closer to six (“ideal”) than either the red or specialty wines. The late harvest, ice and port‐type wines were more difficult to pair . Judges varied considerably in their individual assessments reflecting a high degree of personal expectation and preference.
PREDICTION OF FLOUR EXTRACTION RATE IN HARD RED WINTER WHEAT USING THE SINGLE KERNEL CHARACTERIZATION†
Authors: LYFORD CONRAD P. , KIDD WILLIS , RAYAS‐DUARTE PATRICIA , DEYOE CHARLES
Published: August 2005

Flour extraction rate is a key determinant in milling efficiency and profitability and can be useful in projecting flour output from a mill. Wheat is generally purchased based upon a small group of traditionally measured physical characteristics. This article explores the use of the Single Kernel Characterization System (SKCS) to predict flour extraction rate. Regression analysis was performed using the SKCS parameters and test weight against flour extraction rate for over 600 observations from multiple years from the hard red winter wheat production areas of the U.S. The regression equation had an R2of 0.81. The data suggest that the SKCS 4100 and test weight can be used to predict flour extraction rate in hard red winter wheat. Using the regression equation as a tool, mill buyers may be able to make better decisions regarding their wheat purchases and prediction of flour output.
Yapsins Are a Family of Aspartyl Proteases Required for Cell Wall Integrity in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Krysan Damian J. , Ting Elizabeth L. , Abeijon Claudia , Kroos Lee , Fuller Robert S.
Published: August 2005

The yeast cell wall is a crucial extracellular organelle that protects the cell from lysis during environmental stress and morphogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that the yapsin family of five glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked aspartyl proteases is required for cell wall integrity in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
. Yapsin null mutants show hypersensitivity to cell wall perturbation, and both the
yps1
Δ
2
Δ mutant and the quintuple yapsin mutant (5
yps
Δ) undergo osmoremedial cell lysis at 37°C. The cell walls of both 5
yps
Δ and
yps1
Δ
2
Δ mutants have decreased amounts of 1,3- and 1,6-β-glucan. Although there is decreased incorporation of both 1,3- and 1,6-β-glucan in the 5
yps
Δ mutant in vivo, in vitro specific activity of both 1,3- and 1,6-β-glucan synthesis is similar to wild type, indicating that the yapsins affect processes downstream of glucan synthesis and that the yapsins may be involved in the incorporation or retention of cell wall glucan. Presumably as a response to the significant alterations in cell wall composition, the cell wall integrity mitogen-activated kinase signaling cascade (
PKC1-MPK
pathway) is basally active in 5
yps
Δ.
YPS1
expression is induced during cell wall stress and remodeling in a
PKC1-MPK1
-dependent manner, indicating that Yps1p is a direct, and important, output of the cell wall integrity response. The
Candida albicans
(
SAP9
) and
Candida glabrata
(
CgYPS1
) homologues of
YPS1
complement the phenotypes of the
yps1
Δ mutant. Taken together, these data indicate that the yapsins play an important role in glucan homeostasis in
S. cerevisiae
and that yapsin homologues may play a similar role in the pathogenic yeasts
C. albicans
and
C. glabrata
.
Distinct Signaling Pathways Respond to Arsenite and Reactive Oxygen Species in
Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Authors: Rodríguez-Gabriel Miguel A. , Russell Paul
Published: August 2005

Exposure to certain metal and metalloid species, such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and nickel, has been associated with an increased risk of cancer in humans. The biological effects of these metals are thought to result from induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibition of DNA repair enzymes, although alterations in signal transduction pathways may also be involved in tumor development. To better understand metal toxicity and its connection to ROS, we have compared the effects of arsenite and hydrogen peroxide in wild-type and mutant strains of the fission yeast
Schizosaccharomyces pombe
. An
atf1Δ pap1Δ
strain, which is defective in two transcription factors that control stress responses, is extremely sensitive to hydrogen peroxide but not to arsenite. A strain that lacks the transcription factor Zip1 has the opposite relationship. Spc1 (Sty1) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), a homologue of mammalian p38 MAPK, and the upstream MAPK kinase (MAPKK) Wis1 are essential for survival of both arsenite and hydrogen peroxide. Inactivation of two MAPKK kinases, Win1 and Wis4, almost completely eliminates Spc1 activation by arsenite, yet these cells survive arsenite treatment. The two-component phosphorelay protein Mcs4, which acts upstream of Win1 and Wis4 and is required for Spc1 activation in response to oxidative stress, is not required for Spc1 activation in response to arsenite. We conclude that the toxic effects of arsenic are not strongly connected to oxidative stress and that although Spc1 is activated by arsenic exposure, the basal activity of Spc1 is largely sufficient for the survival of arsenic.