bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multilevel Governance and Business Interests in the European Union
Authors: Eising Rainer
Published: March 2004

The article analyzes how business interests responded to European integration. It draws on survey data of eight hundred German, French, British, and European Union (EU) trade associations as well as thirty‐four large firms. The argument is that the multilevel governance approach to European integration captures the realities of EU interest intermediation better than neofunctionalism and intergovernmentalism. The article suggests that the strategies of interest organizations depend mainly on their location in the EU multilevel system and on their governance capacities. I distinguish two kinds of governance capacities: negotiation capacities and organizational resources. The analysis proceeds in the following steps: After outlining the three theories of European integration and presenting their implications for interest groups, a brief overview of the relative importance for interest organizations of EU and national institutions over time is provided. Then, cluster analysis techniques serve to identify types of interest groups according to their lobbying strategies in the multilevel system: niche organizations, occasional players, traditionalists, EU players, and multilevel players are distinguished. The composition of these clusters and the characteristics of their members support the multilevel governance approach and indicate that multilevel players have greater governance capacities than organizations in the other clusters.
Federations of Municipalities: A Practical Alternative to Local Government Consolidations in Japan?
Authors: Jacobs A. J.
Published: March 2004

This article examines the merits of Wide Area Federations of Municipalities (MFs) as a public service delivery alternative to local government consolidation in Japan. It argues that MFs provide localities with a reasonable option to mergers where amalgamations are politically or geographically impractical, such as in sparsely populated, mountainous, and agricultural areas. Conversely, it maintains that MFs are less practical, efficient, and common in urbanized regions. These findings, the article concludes, suggest a new era of local government in Japan has begun. In this period, to be known asThe Race for Local Power, national policies have provoked a new wave of municipal mergers.
Does E‐Government Promote Accountability? A Comparative Analysis of Website Openness and Government Accountability
Authors: Wong Wilson , Welch Eric
Published: March 2004

Under the global pressure of information technology, the adoption of web‐based technologies in public administration has created a new government‐and‐citizen interface. However, whether e‐government will unambiguously lead to a more transparent, interactive, open and hence, accountable, government remains a central question. Applying a framework of global pressure effects on bureaucratic change, this paper conducts an empirical study on website openness and accountability in fourteen countries. Even when overall accountability levels rise, the accountability gap between different national bureaucracies often remains intact as web‐based technologies typically maintain or reinforce the existing practices. The question of whether e‐government promotes accountability depends on what kind of bureaucracy one is referring to in the first place. In the current debate about global convergence and national divergence on the effect of globalization on public bureaucracies, the spread of e‐government provides a case of convergence in practice rather than in results.
Analogia non Entis sed Entitatis: The Ontological Consequences of the Doctrine of Analogy
Authors: Hemming Laurence Paul
Published: March 2004

Abstract:  Much recent theology, influenced by the linguistic turn in postmodernity, has sought to ground a reconnection of God and the world, and thus a rediscovery of the possibilities of theology, in a doctrine of analogy, which, it is claimed, is found in medieval theology. However, a close examination of the doctrine of analogy present in the work of St Thomas Aquinas, his precursors and interpreters, demonstrates that analogy was not being used to do the work it is now called to do, and cannot in fact bear that weight.
Ronald Thiemann, Thomas Torrance and Epistemological Doctrines of Revelation
Authors: McCall Tom
Published: March 2004

Abstract:  Ronald Thiemann goes against the grain of much recent theology in arguing that the Christian doctrine of revelation is worth believing and defending, but he finds most modern expressions and defences of it to be fatally infected with epistemological foundationalism. He criticizes the foundationalism of Thomas F. Torrance; in its place he offers a coherentist account and defence of the doctrine of revelation. In this article I look closely at some of the distinctly theological strengths and weaknesses of Thiemann's coherentism and Torrance's foundationalism. I argue that Thiemann's understanding of foundationalism is fraught with ambiguity and his dismissal of it somewhat premature. I argue further that his coherentism produces problems that make it less than ideally suited for a doctrine of revelation, and I suggest that the modest foundationalism of Torrance is a much stronger position.
Christ as Culture 3: Christ as Drama
Authors: Jenson Robert W.
Published: March 2004

Abstract:  Personal identity cannot exist without narrative coherence – without, that is to say, drama. Two sets of narratives make up the identity of Christ: a narrative of a human being among other human beings; and a narrative of the Son with the Father and the Spirit. The doctrine of the Trinity insists that these narratives are the same. A culture is necessarily dramatic: a story of persons and their relationships. Thus Christ may be understood as drama and as culture. This identification has implications for the liturgy of the church.
Effects of N-, P/Q- and L-type Calcium Channel Blockers on Nociceptive Neurones of the Trigeminal Nucleus with Input from the Dura
Authors: Ebersberger A , Portz S , Meissner W , Schaible H-G , Richter F
Published: March 2004

In anaesthetized rats, extracellular recordings were made from neurones of the spinal trigeminal nucleus, involved in the processing of nociceptive input from the dura. Blockers of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) were administered topically to the exposed brainstem. Blockade of N-type (CaV2.2) channels reduced spontaneous activity and responses of the neurones to cold and chemical stimuli applied to the dura, suggesting that N-type channels regulate excitatory synaptic activation. Blockade of L-type (CaV1) channels enhanced spontaneous discharges of the neurones. Blockade of P/Q-type (CaV2.1) channels slightly decreased responses to chemical and cold stimuli but markedly increased spontaneous activity, an effect which was absent during concomitant application of GABA to the brainstem. The data suggest that P/Q-type VGCCs regulate a tonic synaptic inhibitory control of the brainstem neurones. The risk of migraine by genetic modifications of P/Q-type channels may thus be sought in disturbed inhibition in the network that processes nociceptive dura input.
Haemodialysis-Related Headache
Authors: Göksan B , Karaali-Savrun F , Ertan S , Savrun M
Published: March 2004

Dialysis may induce severe headache as a result of a large amount of water and electrolyte shifts. It is important to recognize it because it can be a great problem to the patient and changing dialysis parameters or methods can prevent it. In this study we investigated the frequency and clinical characteristics of headaches occurring during haemodialysis (HD). Thirty female and 33 male patients with chronic renal failure on regular dialysis for at least 6 months in the HD unit of the Internal Medicine Department from 1996 to 2000 participated in the study. The dialysis solution contained acetate in 35 patients and bicarbonate in 28 patients. In all patients capillary dialysers and Cuprophan membranes were used and every session of dialysis lasted 4 h. All patients received the same questionnaire and they were visited randomly. Dialysis headache (DH) diagnosis was made according to the criteria of the International Headache Society. Patients with primary headache and under drug treatment during HD, which can cause headache, were excluded from the study. The frequency of DH, its relation to gender, age, dialysis technique and parameters and its features were investigated. DH was detected in 48% ( n = 30) of the study group. Compared with dialysis solutions, no difference was found between patients with and without DH. The difference in the pre- and post-dialysis value of urea in patients with DH was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). Patients with DH showed significantly higher mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure predialysis values in comparison with patients without DH (systolic, P < 0.001; diastolic, P < 0.01), whereas post-treatment values did not differ between the two groups. Fronto-temporal location, moderate severity, throbbing quality and short duration (<4 h) were the most prevalent features of DH in patients.
Habitat Linkages and the Conservation of Tropical Biodiversity as Indicated by Seasonal Migrations of Three‐Wattled Bellbirds
Authors: POWELL GEORGE V. N. , BJORK ROBIN D.
Published: March 2004

Abstract:  Using radiotelemetry, we discovered that the Three‐wattled Bellbird (Procnias tricarunculata), one of Central America's largest frugivorous birds, has the most complex migratory pattern yet recorded for a tropical species. The annual migration cycle included 2‐ to 5‐month stopovers in four distinct life zones: two middle‐elevation and two lowland sites separated by as much as 200 km. We captured and radio‐tagged bellbirds during 4 years between July and September in middle‐elevation forest fragments of the Pacific slope, 6 km from Monteverde in the Tilaran mountain range of north‐central Costa Rica. These habitats, which exist almost exclusively as small, isolated fragments on private farms, are poorly represented (<2%) in Costa Rica's system of protected areas. During September and October, the bellbirds migrated from this site to the northeast into the lowland Atlantic forest of southeastern Nicaragua and northeastern Costa Rica. In Costa Rica these habitats have been heavily fragmented. In Nicaragua they remain intact but are highly threatened. In November and December, the bellbirds migrated from these Atlantic forests to heavily modified, little‐protected forests along the Pacific coast of southwestern Costa Rica, where they remained until March. Here, most individuals utilized forest remnants and second growth on private property. In March the Bellbirds moved from the coastal areas to middle‐elevation (1000–1800 m) moist forest on the Atlantic slope of the Tilaran mountains sites, where they bred. In June and July, they left the breeding area and moved back across the continental divide of the Tilaran Mountains to return to the middle‐elevation Pacific slopes where they had been captured. Our findings demonstrate the complicated ecological integration of geographically dispersed tropical ecosystems and the need for comprehensive conservation strategies that include representation of the full array of regional habitats and a greater emphasis on maintaining connectivity. The bellbird's migratory pattern reveals serious inadequacies in protected‐area networks of Costa Rica, a country that is considered to have one of the best systems of national parks and reserves in the Neotropics.
A Risk‐Assessment System for Screening Out Invasive Pest Plants from Hawaii and Other Pacific Islands
Authors: DAEHLER CURTIS C. , DENSLOW JULIE S. , ANSARI SHAHIN , KUO HUANG‐CHI
Published: March 2004

Abstract:  Ecosystems of Hawaii and other Pacific Islands have been greatly affected by invasive pest plants, and ongoing, deliberate plant introductions make it likely that additional pest plants will become established. We tested the ability of a modified version of the Australian and New Zealand weed risk‐assessment system to identify pest plants in Hawaii and other Pacific Islands. We used information taken from outside Hawaii to predict the behavior—“pest” or “not a pest”—of almost 200 plant species introduced to Hawaii and other Pacific Islands. The screening system initially recommended further evaluation of 24% of these species, but an additional secondary screening was applied to this group, thereby reducing the rate of indecision to only 8%. To independently test the accuracy of the screening system, we compared its decisions—pest or not a pest—to opinions of 25 expert botanists and weed scientists who had substantial field experience in Hawaii or other Pacific Islands. We asked the experts to rate each species as “major pest,”“minor pest,” or “not a pest” in native or managed ecosystems. The screening system correctly identified 95% of major pests and 85% of nonpests. Among minor pests identified by the experts, 33% were classified as nonpests by the screening system. Use of the screening system to assess proposed plant introductions to Hawaii or other Pacific Islands and to identify high‐risk species used in horticulture and forestry would greatly reduce future pest‐plant problems and allow entry of most nonpests. The screening process is objective, rapid, and cost‐efficient. With minor modifications, it is likely to be useful in many parts of the world.
The Near Extinction of Two Large European Predators: Super Specialists Pay a Price
Authors: FERRER MIGUEL , NEGRO JUAN JOSÉ
Published: March 2004

Abstract: Despite recovery plans, the Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) and the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) are in danger of extinction. These two flagship species tend to occur in pristine Mediterranean forests, and both prey preferentially on the rabbit (Oryctologus cuniculus). Spanish lynxes and eagles have sister species in continental Europe, the Eurasian lynx ( Lynx europaeus) and the Eastern Imperial Eagle (A. heliaca), respectively. Recent genetic evidence indicates that these two pairs of species started to diverge from their ancestor species slightly less than 1 million years ago, when the longest‐lasting Pleistocene glaciations covered Europe. We hypothesize that the Iberian lynx and the Spanish Imperial Eagle emerged as separate species in the Pleistocene refugia of southern Spain, where they hunted yet another locally evolved species, the rabbit, on which they have become dependent for survival. Two large predators that emerged at the same time may go extinct simultaneously because of their inability to shift to alternative prey. Many other relict species, including numerous species from oceanic islands, have naturally small populations because of evolutionary constraints and are permanently threatened with extinction. Recovery plans aimed at putting these species out of danger are unrealistic, as their populations are and have been chronically scarce. We suggest that what these species need are maintenance plans designed to buffer population declines due to either stochastic or human‐induced events. A metaphor for this would be “emergency care units” for conservation.
Extinction Rate Estimates for Plant Populations in Revisitation Studies: Importance of Detectability
Authors: KÉRY MARC
Published: March 2004

Abstract:  Many researchers have obtained extinction‐rate estimates for plant populations by comparing historical and current records of occurrence. A population that is no longer found is assumed to have gone extinct. Extinction can then be related to characteristics of these populations, such as habitat type, size, or species, to test ideas about what factors may affect extinction. Such studies neglect the fact that a population may be overlooked, however, which may bias estimates of extinction rates upward. In addition, if populations are unequally detectable across groups to be compared, such as habitat type or population size, comparisons become distorted to an unknown degree. To illustrate the problem, I simulated two data sets, assuming a constant extinction rate, in which populations occurred in different habitats or habitats of different size and these factors affected their detectability. The conventional analysis implicitly assumed that detectability equalled 1 and used logistic regression to estimate extinction rates. It wrongly identified habitat and population size as factors affecting extinction risk. In contrast, with capture‐recapture methods, unbiased estimates of extinction rates were recovered. I argue that capture‐recapture methods should be considered more often in estimations of demographic parameters in plant populations and communities.
The Threat of Transformation: Quantifying the Vulnerability of Grasslands in South Africa
Authors: NEKE KIRSTEN S. , DU PLESSIS MORNÉ A.
Published: March 2004

Abstract:  The ability to predict which areas of conservation importance are most vulnerable to transformation and to rank the relative damage that transforming land uses could cause to biodiversity are important components of an effective and realistic conservation planning process. We used the South African grassland biome as a case study to illustrate the assessment of vulnerability to land‐use transformation through the construction of a “threat map.” We identified the dominant transforming land uses and created suitability models based on area appropriateness for each. Land uses were scored according to their expected relative impacts on biodiversity, with a framework that included compositional, structural, and functional components. This information, once combined, resulted in a map that highlighted the areas most vulnerable to transformation in terms of the likelihood of their transformation and the impact on their biodiversity. We propose that such an analysis of the threat of transformation, in combination with species‐representation approaches, will aid the integration of conservation planning theory and decision making. This approach can be applied at any scale and in any region with a robustness and accuracy dependent on data quality, resultant suitability models, and comprehension of how land uses affect an area's biodiversity.
Indirect Effects of Biological Control on Plant Diversity Vary across Sites in Montana Grasslands
Authors: LESICA PETER , HANNA DAVID
Published: March 2004

Abstract: Biological control with specialist, nonindigenous, herbivorous insects is an important option for controlling invasive exotic plants in wildlands and nature reserves. It is assumed that biological control agents will reduce the dominance of the target weed, thereby increasing the native diversity of the associated plant community. However, this hypothesis has rarely been tested. We introducedAphthona nigriscutisinto grassland sites infested with the invasive exotic speciesEuphorbia esulaL. on a nature reserve in Montana (U.S.A.). Two sites with better soil had been treated previously with herbicide, whereas two other sites had not. We measured the density and biomass ofEuphorbiavegetative and flowering stems and number of native and exotic shrubs, grass‐like plants, and forbs in 48 microplots inAphthonarelease and control macroplots at each site. After 5 years,Aphthonarelease was associated with a 33–39% decline inEuphorbiaaboveground biomass compared with controls at all sites. Other effects of the biocontrol depended on the site. Biocontrol slowed the recovery of species diversity at the sites previously treated with herbicide but slowed the loss of diversity at sites without a history of herbicide. Biocontrol introduction was not associated with a disproportionate increase in nontarget exotic species. Release ofAphthonacaused a decline in the biomass of flowering stems relative to controls at good‐soil, previous‐herbicide sites but was associated with a relative increase in flower stem mass at poor‐soil, no‐herbicide sites. Our results suggest that biocontrol reductions in weed dominance will not always be associated with increased species diversity. More emphasis should be placed on conserving desirable communities and less on simple weed control. Monitoring of community‐level effects should accompany biocontrol introductions on nature reserves.
Significance of Specimen Databases from Taxonomic Revisions for Estimating and Mapping the Global Species Diversity of Invertebrates and Repatriating Reliable Specimen Data
Authors: MEIER RUDOLF , DIKOW TORSTEN
Published: March 2004

Abstract:  We argue that the millions of specimen‐label records published over the past decades in thousands of taxonomic revisions are a cost‐effective source of information of critical importance for incorporating invertebrates into biodiversity research and conservation decisions. More specifically, we demonstrate for a specimen database assembled during a revision of the robber‐fly genus Euscelidia (Asilidae, Diptera) how nonparametric species richness estimators (Chao1, incidence‐based coverage estimator, second‐order jackknife) can be used to (1) estimate global species diversity, (2) direct future collecting to areas that are undersampled and/or likely to be rich in new species, and (3) assess whether the plant‐based global biodiversity hotspots of Myers et al. (2000) contain a significant proportion of invertebrates. During the revision of Euscelidia, the number of known species more than doubled, but estimation of species richness revealed that the true diversity of the genus was likely twice as high. The same techniques applied to subsamples of the data indicated that much of the unknown diversity will be found in the Oriental region. Assessing the validity of biodiversity hotspots for invertebrates is a formidable challenge because it is difficult to decide whether species are hotspot endemics, and lists of observed species dramatically underestimate true diversity. Lastly, conservation biologists need a specimen database analogous to GenBank for collecting specimen records. Such a database has a three‐fold advantage over information obtained from digitized museum collections: (1) it is shown for Euscelidia that a large proportion of unrevised museum specimens are misidentified; (2) only the specimen lists in revisionary studies cover a wide variety of private and public collections; and (3) obtaining specimen records from revisions is cost‐effective.
A Quantitative Conservation Approach for the Endangered ButterflyMaculinea alcon
Authors: WallisDeVries MICHIEL F.
Published: March 2004

Abstract: For endangered species with limited dispersal capacity, the preservation of individual patches or sites is extremely important. The quality and size of habitat patches and their isolation from other patches are the main parameters for an assessment of population persistence, but translating persistence probabilities into practical measures is still a weak link in conservation management. I provide a quantitative conservation approach for the endangered myrmecophilous butterflyMaculinea alconin the Netherlands. All 127 colonies known on heathland since 1990 were investigated for patch quality, size, and isolation. I assessed habitat quality in three 10 × 10 m plots for most colonies. Site occupancy in 1998–1999 was only 56%. Occupancy was best explained by a logistic regression including patch area, host ant presence, host plant abundance, overall heathland area, and connectivity between sites ( R2= 0.410, p < 0.0001); it correctly classified the occupied or vacant status for 82% of the sites. Connectivity contributed only 3.6% to the total explained variation of site occupancy, indicating that habitat characteristics were more important than isolation in determining population persistence at the examined scale level (>500 m). Grazing and sod cutting had a beneficial impact, but in combination these practices proved detrimental. Hydrological measures to prevent drainage were also associated with lowered occupancy. I used the different components in the logistic regression to formulate objective management recommendations. These consisted of sod cutting, reduction of management intensity, enlargement of habitat, or combinations of these recommendations. The results highlight the importance of careful management when site quality is determined by multiple factors. The quantitative conservation approach followed here can be fruitfully extended to other endangered species, provided enough is known about their ecological requirements and how management actions affect them.
Factors Related to Fecal Corticosterone Levels in California Spotted Owls: Implications for Assessing Chronic Stress
Authors: TEMPEL DOUGLAS J. , GUTIÉRREZ R. J.
Published: March 2004

Abstract:  The California Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) is under consideration for federal protection and has stimulated ecosystem‐level management efforts in Sierra Nevada national forests. Because some populations are declining, we used a noninvasive fecal sampling method to estimate stress hormone (i.e., corticosterone) levels within a local population from April to August 2001. Fecal corticosterone levels were similar to those recorded in a previous study of Northern Spotted Owls (S.o. caurina) ( x̄= 80.1 ng/g dry feces, SE = 75.8). We then used an information‐theoretic approach to identify factors that influence fecal corticosterone levels in Spotted Owls. Our best overall model indicated that nonbreeding owls had higher fecal corticosterone levels than breeding owls early in the breeding season and lower levels later in the breeding season. We collected few samples from breeding owls early in the breeding season, however, which may have influenced the results. Management‐related factors reflecting habitat condition and proximity to roads were not correlated with fecal corticosterone. However, factors such as field storage method and sample mass were correlated with the amount of measured fecal corticosterone and should be considered in future studies. Sample vials initially stored on ice had higher levels than those stored immediately in liquid N2 (βstorage= 0.269 ln[ng/g], 95% CI = 0.026, 0.512). Hormone metabolites were extracted from extremely small samples (0.01 g) by slightly modifying the assay protocol, but the amount of corticosterone detected increased as the sample mass decreased (βmass=−6.248 ln[ng/g], 95% CI =−8.877, −3.620). Corticosterone levels were significantly higher in 10 cecal samples collected simultaneously with fecal samples (paired difference = 74.7 ng/g, SE = 45.0, p = 0.001 for a paired t test), so care must be taken to avoid contaminating fecal samples with cecal material. Most of the variation was unexplained by our best model ( R2= 0.24), and additional factors influencing fecal corticosterone levels need to be identified. Therefore, we recommend that well‐designed experiments be conducted under controlled conditions to better determine the effect of factors such as sample handling, partial sampling, and diet on fecal corticosterone levels in owls and other birds.
Manipulation of Olfactory Signaling and Mate Choice for Conservation Breeding: a Case Study of Harvest Mice
Authors: ROBERTS S.C. , GOSLING L.M.
Published: March 2004

Abstract: Mate choice by females can introduce difficulties to captive breeding programs because there may be a conflict between the conservation manager's choice of mate (based on random allocation or maximizing heterogeneity) and the females' own preferences, often resulting in incompatibility and aggression. Similar effects are caused by inappropriate social contexts at the time of pairing. We manipulated the social experience of male and female harvest mice (Micromys minutus) to investigate whether we could enhance compatibility between randomly allocated mates by altering female preferences. In one experiment, we used a choice test to identify female preferences between two males and then varied the competitive context of unpreferred males by transferring competitor's scent marks into their cages. The manipulation caused them to increase their investment in a form of olfactory signaling (scent marking), which female rodents use as an indicator of male quality when choosing mates. The manipulation increased their attractiveness relative to the initially preferred male when the choice test was repeated. In a second experiment, we tested the effect of females' familiarity with the odor of males by transfer of male scent marks to female cages. Females preferred familiar males in choice tests and were less aggressive toward them when pairs were introduced than females paired with unfamiliar males. This kind of approach can influence mate choice, and transferring scent marks between cages or collections is an effective and practical behavioral means of improving success in conservation breeding programs.
The Last Mile: How to Sustain Long‐Distance Migration in Mammals
Authors: BERGER JOEL
Published: March 2004

Abstract: Among Earth's most stunning, yet imperiled, biological phenomena is long‐distance migration (LDM). Although the understanding of how and why animals migrate may be of general interest, few site‐specific strategies have targeted ways in which to best retain such increasingly rare events. Contrasts among 29 terrestrial mammals from five continents representing 103 populations indicate that remnant long‐distant migrants have poor long‐term prospects. Nonetheless, in areas of low human density in the Western Hemisphere, five social and nongregarious species, all from the same region of the Rocky Mountains (U.S.A.), still experience the most accentuated of remaining New World LDMs south of central Canada. These movements occur in or adjacent to the Greater Yellowstone region, where about 75% of the migration routes for elk (Cervus elaphus), bison ( Bison bison), and North America's sole surviving endemic ungulate, pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), have already been lost. However, pronghorn still migrate up to 550 km (round‐trip) annually. These extreme movements (1) necessitate use of historic, exceptionally narrow corridors (0.1–0.8 km wide) that have existed for at least 5800 years, (2) exceed travel distances of elephants ( Loxodonta africana) and zebras ( Equus burchelli), and (3) are on par with those of Asian chiru ( Pantholops hodgsoni)and African wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus). Although conservation planners face uncertainty in situating reserves in the most biologically valued locations, the concordance between archaeological and current biological data on migration through specific corridors in these unprotected areas adjacent to the Yellowstone system highlights their retention value. It is highly likely that accelerated leasing of public lands for energy development in such regions will truncate such migrations. One landscape‐level solution to conserving LDMs is the creation of a network of national migration corridors, an action in the Yellowstone region that would result in de facto protection for a multispecies complex. Tactics applied in this part of the world may not work in others, however, therefore reinforcing the value of site‐specific field information on the past and current biological needs of migratory species.
Conserving Slow‐Growing, Long‐Lived Tree Species: Input from the Demography of a Rare Understory Conifer,Taxus floridana
Authors: KWIT CHARLES , HORVITZ CAROL C. , PLATT WILLIAM J.
Published: March 2004

Abstract: Although land preservation and promotion of successful regeneration are important conservation actions, their ability to increase population growth rates of slow‐growing, long‐lived trees is limited. We investigated the demography ofTaxus floridanaNutt., a rare understory conifer, in three populations in different ravine forests spanning its entire geographic range along the Apalachicola River Bluffs in northern Florida (U.S.A.). We examined spatial and temporal patterns in demographic parameters and projected population growth rates by using four years of data on the recruitment and survival of seedlings and established stems, and on diameter growth from cross‐sections of dead stems. All populations experienced a roughly 10‐fold increase in seedling recruitment in 1996 compared with other years. The fates of seedlings and stems between 8 and 16 mm differed among populations. The fates of stems in two other size classes (the 2‐ to 4‐mm class and the 4‐ to 8‐mm class) differed among both populations and years. Individual stems in all populations exhibited similarly slow growth rates. Stochastic matrix models projected declines in all populations. Stochastic matrix analysis revealed the high elasticity of a measure of stochastic population growth rate to perturbations in the stasis of large reproductive stems for all populations. Additional analyses also indicated that occasional episodes of high recruitment do not greatly affect population growth rates. Conservation efforts directed at long‐lived, slow‐growing rare plants likeTaxus floridanashould both protect established reproductive individuals and further enhance survival of individuals in other life‐history stages, such as juveniles, that often do not appear to contribute greatly to population growth rates.
Aortic valvular endocarditis caused byBartonella vinsoniisubsp.berkhoffiiin 2 dogs presenting for fulminant pulmonary edema
Authors: Smarick Sean D. , Jandrey Karl E. , Chomel Bruno B. , Thomas William P. , Aldrich Janet
Published: March 2004

Objective: To describe the clinical course of 2 dogs that presented with fulminant cardiogenic pulmonary edema due to aortic valvular endocarditis caused byBartonella vinsoniisubsp.berkhoffii.

Case series summary: Two dogs that were presented for respiratory distress had severe pulmonary infiltrates. Mechanical ventilation was required to support the dogs while the cause of the infiltrates was determined. The diagnosis of cardiogenic edema was made based on echocardiographic findings of aortic valve vegetation and severe aortic valvular regurgitation. Values obtained from pulmonary artery catheterization supported this diagnosis. Both dogs were euthanized, one within 24 hours of admission due to severe aortic regurgitation thought to be untreatable, and the other 9 days after admission due to the development of acute renal failure. Histological evaluation of the aortic valves, serology, and polymerase chain reaction confirmedBartonella vinsoniisubsp.berkhoffiias the cause of the aortic endocarditis.

New or unique information provided: In medium‐to‐large breed dogs presenting with fulminant pulmonary edema, aortic valvular endocarditis due toBartonellaspp. should be considered as a causal agent.
Hyperglycemic, hyperosmolar syndrome in feline diabetics: 17 cases (1995–2001)
Authors: Koenig Amie , Drobatz Kenneth J. , Beale A. Brady , King Lesley G.
Published: March 2004

Objective:The purposes of this study were to characterize the hyperglycemic, hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS), also known as nonketotic hyperosmolar diabetes, in cats; to determine the prevalence of HHS in the diabetic cat population in the emergency room; to document the outcome in cats with HHS; and to identify any predisposing factors or predictors of survival.

Design:Retrospective study.

Setting:An emergency service at a veterinary teaching hospital located in a major metropolitan area.

Animals:The case records of 17 cats with hyperglycemic, hyperosmolar syndrome presenting from 1995 to 2001 were evaluated. An additional 37 cats with diabetic ketoacidosis and 80 cats with diabetes mellitus served as comparison groups.

Interventions:None.

Measurements and main results:Signalment, history, physical examination findings, clinico‐pathologic data, concurrent disease, and outcome were recorded. Hyperglycemic, hyperosmolar syndrome was seen in older cats that were often long‐standing diabetics receiving insulin for many months. Client concerns included polydipsia, polyuria, and lethargy. Neurologic and respiratory signs occurred frequently. Evaluation at presentation revealed profound dehydration, lactic acidosis, and azotemia. Serious concurrent diseases that likely contributed to the development of the HHS crisis were diagnosed in 88% (15/17) of the HHS cats. The most common concurrent diseases were renal failure, respiratory compromise, infection, congestive heart failure, neoplasia, and gastrointestinal tract disease. Pancreatitis and hepatic disease did not occur frequently in this diabetic cat population. Sixty‐five percent of HHS cats did not survive the initial hospitalization, with most dying or being euthanized within 10 hours of presentation. The long‐term survival rate was low (12%).

Conclusions:HHS is a serious life‐threatening form of diabetic crisis and cats with HHS often have other severe systemic diseases. Cats with diabetes and concurrent disease, especially renal failure and congestive heart failure, are at increased risk of HHS and should be closely monitored for signs of crisis. The mortality rate for HHS cats is high.
West Nile virus: lessons from the 21st century
Authors: Wilkins Pamela A. , Piero Fabio Del
Published: March 2004

Introduction: West Nile virus (WNV) first appeared in the United States in 1999, causing illness and death in birds, horses, and humans. While the initial outbreak of this sometimes deadly viral disease was limited to the northeastern United States, the virus had an inexorable migration across the continental United States over the next 3 years, causing huge losses among the affected species. The purpose of this review is to present currently available information regarding the epi‐demiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of WNV infection. Veterinarians, particularly those in an emergency practice, serve as an important source of reliable information regarding this disease for animal owners and the public in general.

Data sources: Data sources used for the preparation of this review include computer‐based searches of PubMed and Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux (CAB) abstracts. A search in PubMed using ‘West Nile’ retrieved 1468 ‘hits’ or references, while a similar search in CAB abstracts produced 815 references. Additional information was obtained from various meeting proceedings, particularly data presented in abstract form, and from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website dedicated to WNV.

Human data synthesis: Prior to the mid‐1990s, reported large‐scale epidemics of WNV infection in humans predominantly presented as acute, mild, febrile disease, sometimes associated with lymphadenopathy and skin rash. The recent large epidemic in the United States, in contrast, has prominently featured encephalitis, particularly among the elderly. Additionally, polio‐encephalomyelitis‐like complications resulting in long‐term neurologic sequelae have been reported. There are many WNV‐permissive native avian and mosquito hosts in the Unites States and there appear to be few limitations to the spread of the disease in the United States. It is expected that the virus will be identified in all 48 continental states, Mexico, and Canada by the end of 2003.

Veterinary data synthesis: The horse is the animal species most affected by the recent WNV epidemic in the United States, and losses to the equine industry have been large and unprecedented. A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)‐approved vaccine against WNV has been in use in horses since 2001 and appears to be effective in limiting the incidence of disease in well‐vaccinated populations. WNV infection has been documented in other species of mammals, including camelids (alpaca/llamas) and dogs, and veterinarians should include WNV as a differential diagnosis for animals presenting with clinical signs consistent with central nervous system infection. A large concern exists for endangered bird populations, particularly birds of prey, whether in zoos or in the wild.
Are Family Firms Born or Made? An Exploratory Investigation
Authors: Chua Jess H. , Chrisman James J. , Chang Erick P. C.
Published: March 2004

Do businesses tend to be born as family firms or do they become family firms at a later stage in their development? The question has important implications for family business studies. In this article we examine this question using data extracted from survey responses of small business clients of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program in the United States. The results suggest that most family firms are born that way but that a significant number of firms do arrive there through time. The relationship between age and family involvement appears to be concave—the rate of increase in family involvement slows as family firms become older and at some point family involvement may even decline.
Integrated Change Management©: Challenges for Family Business Clients and Consultants
Authors: Vago Marta
Published: March 2004

Global competition, shorter business cycles, and a new and different workforce require a faster pace of change than some business-owning families can or want to accommodate. They need help to decide what course of action would best serve their needs going forward. Should they change their business model? Should they continue what they're doing? Should they sell the business? Each choice brings with it a different set of consequences. All require stakeholders to make emotionally charged, life-changing decisions. Integrated Change Management© engages clients in meaningful and “feelingful” conversations regarding their individual and collective futures. It also provides them with a clear and finite set of options to choose from, together with a mechanism to assess these options' potential to satisfy business, personal, and family objectives. The process offers family business consultants a range of opportunities to assist clients in charting their future.
Genetic Basis of Natural Variation in
D. melanogaster
Antibacterial Immunity
Authors: Lazzaro Brian P. , Sceurman Bonnielin K. , Clark Andrew G.
Published: March 2004

Many genes involved in
Drosophila melanogaster
innate immune processes have been identified, but whether naturally occurring polymorphism in these genes leads to variation in immune competence among wild flies has not been tested. We report here substantial variability among wild-derived
D. melanogaster
in the ability to suppress infection by a Gram-negative entomopathogen,
Serratia marcescens
. Variability in immune competence was significantly associated with nucleotide polymorphism in 16 innate immunity genes, corresponding primarily to pathogen recognition and intracellular signaling loci, and substantial epistasis was detected between intracellular signaling and antimicrobial peptide genes. Variation in these genes, therefore, seems to drive variability in immunocompetence among wild
Drosophila
.
Laboratory Earthquakes: The Sub-Rayleigh-to-Supershear Rupture Transition
Authors: Xia Kaiwen , Rosakis Ares J. , Kanamori Hiroo
Published: March 2004

We report on the experimental observation of spontaneously nucleated supershear rupture and on the visualization of sub-Rayleigh–to–supershear rupture transitions in frictionally held interfaces. The laboratory experiments mimic natural earthquakes. The results suggest that under certain conditions supershear rupture propagation can be facilitated during large earthquake events.
On the Cause of the 1930s Dust Bowl
Authors: Schubert Siegfried D. , Suarez Max J. , Pegion Philip J. , Koster Randal D. , Bacmeister Julio T.
Published: March 2004

During the 1930s, the United States experienced one of the most devastating droughts of the past century. The drought affected almost two-thirds of the country and parts of Mexico and Canada and was infamous for the numerous dust storms that occurred in the southern Great Plains. In this study, we present model results that indicate that the drought was caused by anomalous tropical sea surface temperatures during that decade and that interactions between the atmosphere and the land surface increased its severity. We also contrast the 1930s drought with other North American droughts of the 20th century.
Drug Delivery Systems: Entering the Mainstream
Authors: Allen Theresa M. , Cullis Pieter R.
Published: March 2004

Drug delivery systems (DDS) such as lipid- or polymer-based nanoparticles can be designed to improve the pharmacological and therapeutic properties of drugs administered parenterally. Many of the early problems that hindered the clinical applications of particulate DDS have been overcome, with several DDS formulations of anticancer and antifungal drugs now approved for clinical use. Furthermore, there is considerable interest in exploiting the advantages of DDS for in vivo delivery of new drugs derived from proteomics or genomics research and for their use in ligand-targeted therapeutics.
Organic Chemistry in Drug Discovery
Authors: MacCoss Malcolm , Baillie Thomas A.
Published: March 2004

The role played by organic chemistry in the pharmaceutical industry continues to be one of the main drivers in the drug discovery process. However, the precise nature of that role is undergoing a visible change, not only because of the new synthetic methods and technologies now available to the synthetic and medicinal chemist, but also in several key areas, particularly in drug metabolism and chemical toxicology, as chemists deal with the ever more rapid turnaround of testing data that influences their day-to-day decisions.
Identification of Heparin-Binding Sites in the Fibronectin Type III Domains of the Leukocyte Common Antigen (CD45)
Authors: Kavan Daniel , Vančurová Markéta , Ulbrichová Dana , Hladíková Ivana , Pospíšil Miloslav , Bezouška Karel
Published: March 2004

Leukocyte common antigens (CD45) are large receptors that are abundantly expressed at the surface of all leukocytes. These receptors are type I membrane glycoproteins possessing two large C-terminal intracellular domains with protein tyrosine phosphatase activity. While the role of these enzyme domains in leukocyte signaling is well documented, the role of the N-terminal extracellular portion of CD45, composed of sequences formed by alternatively spliced exons, the cysteine rich domain, and three type III fibronectin repeats, remains unclear. The presence of fibronectin domains would predict the occurrence of heparin-binding sites, which may account for the documented affinity of CD45 for acid polysaccharides. We addressed this hypothesis using soluble recombinant proteins corresponding to the individual fibronectin domains (FN1 to FN3), and to the entire extracellular portion of CD45 (sCD45). Binding of these proteins to heparin was examined by frontal affinity chromatography. We found that while the sCD45 bound to heparin withKdof 3.2 × 10-8mol/l, the binding of FN2 and FN3 was somewhat weaker (Kdwas 1.4 and 7.4 × 10-7mol/l, respectively). The FN1 domain did not interact with heparin. Our results bring definitive evidence for the existence of binding sites for acid polysaccharides in the extracellular domain of CD45. These binding sites may be important for surface interactions of CD45 and for leukocyte signaling.
Chicken Egg Yolk as an Excellent Source of Highly Specific Antibodies Against Cytochromes P450
Authors: Hodek Petr , Koblas Tomáš , Rýdlová Helena , Kubíčková Božena , Šulc Miroslav , Hudeček Jiří , Stiborová Marie
Published: March 2004

Using chicken antibodies IgY (purified from egg yolks) against mammalian cytochromes P450 and by means of cytochrome P450 marker substrates, we found for the first time the presence of hepatopancreatic cytochrome P450 in crayfishOrconectes limosus(an inducible cytochrome P450 2B-like enzyme) and we were able to detect and quantify cytochrome P450 1A1 in microsomes of human livers. Expression levels of cytochrome P450 1A1 in human livers constituted less than 0.6% of the total hepatic cytochrome P450 complement. The results obtained in our study are clear examples that chicken IgY are suitable for cytochrome P450 detection and quantification. Due to the evolutionary distance, chicken IgY reacts with more epitopes on a mammalian antigen, which gives an amplification of the signal. Moreover, this approach offers many advantages over common mammalian antibody production since chicken egg is an abundant source of antibodies (about 100 mg IgY/yolk) and the egg collection is a non-invasive technique. In the case of antibodies against cytochrome P450 2B4, we documented fast and steady production of highly specific immunoglobulins. Thus, chicken antibodies should be considered as a good alternative to and/or superior substitute for conventional polyclonal antibody produced in mammals.