bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sustainable agricultural development in sub‐Saharan Africa: the case for a paradigm shift in land husbandry
Authors: Gowing J. W. , Palmer M. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractIn order to tackle poverty and hunger in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) there is a strong case for a focus of effort on improving rainfed agricultural systems. The challenge is to deliver a transformation of agricultural productivity in such systems without adverse impacts on environmental goods and services. We examine the growing advocacy of ‘conservation agriculture’ (CA) as the desired approach and assess the evidence to support the assertion that it can deliver sustainable agricultural development in SSA. We examine in particular the evidence which derives from experience with ‘zero tillage sustainable agriculture’ in Brazil. We ask the question, is there a case for a paradigm shift in land husbandry? The case for a paradigm shift hangs on the premise that conventional practice promotes land degradation, while adoption of CA practice delivers a range of benefits through promoting soil ecosystem health. The guiding principle is to promote biological tillage through minimizing mechanical soil disturbance and maintaining permanent organic soil cover. We examine evidence of benefits in the context of the wider debate on low‐external‐input technology. We conclude that CA does not overcome constraints on low‐external‐input systems and will deliver the productivity gains that are required to achieve food security and poverty targets only if farmers have access to fertilizers and herbicides. We conclude also that widespread adoption of the new paradigm amongst millions of small farmers in order to achieve the ‘doubly green revolution’ in SSA is subject to the familiar constraints of knowledge transfer and success will depend upon creating innovation networks. Further, we conclude that amongst small‐scale farmers partial adoption will be the norm and it is not clear that this will deliver soil health benefits claimed for full adoption of the new paradigm.
England and France in the Sixteenth Century
Authors: Richardson Glenn John 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThis article summarises the main developments in Anglo‐French relations in the context of Tudor foreign policy. It reviews the historiography of the subject, highlighting the main developments in twentieth century research. It argues that this research demonstrates that it was in the sixteenth century, under the later Valois monarchs and the first Bourbon king of France that Franco‐English relations changed significantly. From being openly hostile they became more ambivalent in the true meaning of the word. Under Henry VIII and Elizabeth I the two nations began to create a still‐difficult but sometimes more productive relationship with each other. This set the broad pattern for relations up to and beyond the Entente‐Cordiale of 1904.
The New North in Canadian History and Historiography
Authors: Coates Kenneth S. , Morrison William R. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThis article reviews the current state of the historiography of the Canadian North, connecting scholarly writing on the region to the rapid and profound developments that have occurred in the North in recent years. It summarizes the priorities and imperatives of post‐Second World War historical writing on the North but looks more specifically at developments in the past two decades. The rapid growth of Indigenous‐focused and North‐centred scholarship is considered in detail, with particular emphasis placed on the manner in which academics have collaborated with Aboriginal peoples on the advancement of historical understanding. Despite the growth in the number, quality and diversity of historical works on the North, this article argues that the national historical profession continues to largely ignore northern developments and has yet to integrate the region into the national narrative. The article concludes by reviewing the prospects for further development in the field, suggesting that significant challenges lie ahead, including a growing disconnect between southern and northern historical work, the rising costs of working closely with Indigenous communities, and the general decline of regional history in Canada.
The Prevalence and Characteristics of Different Types of Headache in Patients With Behçet's Disease, a Case–Control Study
Authors: Haghighi Afshin Borhani , Aflaki Elham , Ketabchi Leila 
Published: February 2008

Background.— Headache is one of the most common neurologic symptoms of Behçet's disease (BD) that may be due to migraine, tension‐type headache, uveitis, or direct consequence of neuro‐Behçet's disease (NBD) or other causes.Objective.— To study the prevalence and characteristics of different types of headache in patients with BD.Method.— Subjects were recruited as consecutive patients who referred to Behçet's Clinic at the Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Southern Iran, from March 2004 to March 2006. All patients fulfilled the International Study Group criteria for BD. Each patient was interviewed for history of BD and headache. Neurological examinations and, if necessary, ancillary investigations were performed for each patient. Control group was an age‐ and sex‐matched population. Headache entities fulfilled the International Headache Society criteria.Results.— In total, 35% (63/180) of patients had no headache. Migraine with and without aura was the cause of headache in 1.7% (3/180) and 25.6% (46/180) of patients, respectively. Tension‐type headache was found in 23.9% (43/180) of patients. In 8.3% (15/180) of patients, headache could be justified by NBD. Headache due to uveitis was observed in 3.3% (6/180) of patients and 4 patients (2.2%) had other causes of headache. Migraine was significantly more common in patients than the control group (OR: 2.9, P < .0001). Considering the effect of gender, migraine was also significantly more frequent in patients than in the control group both in females (OR: 3.1, P < .0001) and males (OR: 3.2, P = .006).Conclusion.— Migraine and tension‐type headaches are the most prevalent types of headaches in Behçet's patients. NBD must be meticulously investigated in patients with BD who presented with headache.
In Vivo Time‐Course Changes in Ethanol Levels Sampled With Subcutaneous Microdialysis
Authors: Engleman Eric A. , Ingraham Cynthia M. , Franklin Kelle M. , Keith Carrie M. , McClaren Joseph A. , Schultz Jonathan A. , Morzorati Sandra L. , O’Connor Sean , Thielen Richard J. , Murphy James M. , McBride William J. 
Published: February 2008

Background:  The objective of this study was to determine time‐course changes in in vivo ethanol (EtOH) concentrations using a novel subcutaneous (s.c.) microdialysis sampling technique. The hypothesis to be tested was that EtOH concentrations in the s.c. fluid would reflect blood EtOH concentrations. If this is the case, then s.c. microdialysis could allow a more detailed analysis of changes in in vivo levels of EtOH under different drinking paradigms.Methods:  Adult male and female Wistar rats and male alcohol‐preferring (P) rats were used in this study. A loop‐style microdialysis probe was designed for s.c. applications. After initial in vitro characterization, probes were implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades. Animals were allowed to recover 4 to 24 hours prior to microdialysis collection (2.0 μl/min flow rate with isotonic saline). In vivo microdialysis experiments were then conducted to determine (i) the extraction fraction (or clearance) using EtOH no‐net‐flux (NNF) coupled with the alcohol clamp method, (ii) the dose–response and time‐course effects after systemic EtOH administration and to compare with blood EtOH levels, and (iii) the time‐course changes in EtOH levels during and after an EtOH drinking episode.Results:  In vivo probe recovery (extraction fraction) obtained using the alcohol clamp method was 69 ± 3%, and was comparable to the in vitro recovery of 73 ± 2%. For the EtOH dose–response experiment, rats injected i.p. with 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 g/kg EtOH showed a clear dose–response effect in the s.c. dialysate samples. Peak concentrations (70, 123, and 203 mg%, respectively) were reached by 15 minutes after injection. In an experiment comparing levels of EtOH in s.c. dialysis and arterial blood samples in rats administered 1.0 g/kg EtOH, similar time‐course changes in in vivo EtOH concentrations were observed with both i.g. and i.p. EtOH administration. In P rats drinking 15% EtOH during a 1‐hour scheduled access period, EtOH levels in s.c. microdialysates rose rapidly over the session and peaked at approximately 50 mg% at 60 to 80 minutes.Conclusions:  Overall, these experiments indicate that s.c. EtOH and blood EtOH concentrations follow a similar time course. Moreover, s.c. microdialysis can be useful as an experimental approach for determining detailed time‐course changes in in vivo EtOH concentrations associated with alcohol drinking episodes.
Alcohol Inhibits Spontaneous Activity of Basolateral Amygdala Projection Neurons in the Rat: Involvement of the Endocannabinoid System
Authors: Perra Simona , Pillolla Giuliano , Luchicchi Antonio , Pistis Marco 
Published: February 2008

Background:  A large body of evidence indicates that the limbic system is involved in the neural processing underlying drug addiction. Among limbic regions, the basolateral nucleus of amygdala (BLA) is implicated in some aspects of the neurobiological mechanisms of drugs of abuse, including alcohol and cannabinoids. It is recently emerging that the endocannabinoid system is involved in many pharmacological and behavioral effects of alcohol. The BLA possesses a very high density of CB1 cannabinoid receptors, and endocannabinoids modulate forms of synaptic plasticity in this region. The aims of our study were first to investigate in vivo the sensitivity of BLA pyramidal neurons to alcohol and second to determine the role of the endocannabinoid system in the acute effects of alcohol.Methods:  We utilized extracellular single cell recordings in urethane anesthetized rats from BLA principal neurons, antidromically identified from their projection site in the nucleus accumbens.Results:  Alcohol (0.25 to 2.0 g/kg i.v.) induced a marked decrease in the spontaneous firing rate of BLA projecting neurons (51.1 ± 16% of baseline at 0.5 g/kg alcohol, p < 0.0001). The involvement of the endogenous cannabinoid system was investigated by administering the CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716A (rimonabant, SR) (1.0 mg/kg i.v.) before alcohol. SR per se did not significantly affect firing rate of BLA neurons, but it prevented the inhibition produced by alcohol (98 ± 18% of baseline firing at 0.5 g/kg alcohol, p < 0.01). Then, we studied the actions of alcohol following a chronic treatment with the CB1 agonist WIN55212‐2 (WIN). Animals were administered WIN for 6.5 days (2.0 mg/kg, i.p. twice daily) and alcohol dose–response curves were carried out on firing rate of BLA neurons 24 hours following the last injection of the cannabinoid agonist. In WIN‐treated animals the inhibitory effect of alcohol was significantly reduced as compared with controls (95 ± 16% of baseline firing at 0.5 g/kg, p < 0.05).Conclusions:  Our results provide evidence of the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in the effects of alcohol on BLA projection neurons. They also further point to the endocannabinoid system as a possible molecular target in the treatment of alcoholism.
Insulin But Not Insulin Growth Factor‐1 Correlates With Craving in Currently Drinking Alcohol‐Dependent Patients
Authors: Leggio Lorenzo , Ferrulli Anna , Malandrino Noemi , Miceli Antonio , Capristo Esmeralda , Gasbarrini Giovanni , Addolorato Giovanni 
Published: February 2008

Background:  Preclinical data suggest that brain insulin and insulin growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) may contribute to the development of addiction. The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the relationships between insulin and IGF‐1 plasma concentrations and alcohol craving.Methods:  The correlations between insulin and craving in actively drinking alcoholics were evaluated in the experiment 1 retrospectively and in the experiment 2 in a case‐control study. Experiment 3 evaluated the correlations between insulin and craving in 12‐weeks abstinent alcoholics in a longitudinal study. C‐peptide and IGF‐1 were also investigated in experiments 2–3. Alcohol craving was evaluated by the Obsessive–Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS).Results:  Significant positive correlations between insulin concentrations and craving scores were found in actively drinkers (p < 0.05). Specifically, in the first experiment insulin significantly correlated with the compulsive scores. In the second experiment and in an analysis of experiments 1–2 together, insulin plasma concentration correlated with total OCDS craving (p < 0.05) and compulsive craving (p < 0.05) and showed a trend of correlation with the obsessive craving. At 12 weeks no correlation was found between insulin and craving scores. In all the experiments the correlations between C‐peptide and craving were close to the ones between insulin and craving while IGF‐1 never correlated with craving.Conclusions:  This study suggests that insulin could be involved in the neurobiology of alcohol craving and addiction. This characteristic seems specific of insulin since similar data were found on C‐peptide but not on IGF‐1. Future confirming studies on larger samples are needed, also to investigate possible therapeutic implications.
Trauma and PTSD in Patients With Alcohol, Drug, or Dual Dependence: A Multi‐Center Study
Authors: Driessen Martin , Schulte Silke , Luedecke Christel , Schaefer Ingo , Sutmann Frauke , Ohlmeier Martin , Kemper Ulrich , Koesters Gertrud , Chodzinski Claudia , Schneider Udo , Broese Thomas , Dette Christian , Havemann‐Reinicke Ulla ,   the TRAUMAB‐Study Group
Published: February 2008

Background:  We investigated (1) the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in treatment‐seeking subjects with substance use dependence (SUD), (2) the association between comorbid PTSD and the severity and course of addiction and psychopathology, and (3) this association in patients with subsyndromal PTSD, and in trauma exposure without PTSD.Methods:  In this cross‐sectional study, 459 subjects in 14 German addiction treatment centers participated with alcohol‐dependence (A) in 39.7%, drug‐dependence (D) in 33.6%, or both (AD) 26.8%. The diagnostic measures included the International Diagnostic Checklists (IDCL), Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS), Addiction Severity Index (ASI), and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Associations between independent characteristics and outcomes were analysed by univariate and multivariate statistics.Results:  25.3% of the subjects had PTSD confirmed by both IDCL and PDS with higher rates in the AD (34.1%) and D (29.9%) groups compared with group A (15.4%, p < 0.001). In 22.8%, PTSD was subsyndromal (either IDCL or PDS positive) without significant differences between SUD groups, and 18.3% met PTSD trauma criteria A without PTSD (exposure). After controlling for SUD and gender, trauma subgroups significantly differed regarding the onset of alcohol‐related symptoms (p < 0.02), numbers of previous admissions (p < 0.03), severity of SUD (p < 0.001), current craving (p < 0.02), and psychopathology (p < 0.001). We observed the worst outcome in PTSD, while trauma exposure had no effects.Conclusions:  The prevalence of PTSD is higher in drug than in alcohol dependence. The more strictly PTSD is diagnosed (by interviewer and questionnaire) the more clearly are associations with characteristics of SUD. PTSD seems to be an independent risk factor for an unfavorable outcome of SUD.
Effects of Topiramate on Urge to Drink and the Subjective Effects of Alcohol: A Preliminary Laboratory Study
Authors: Miranda Jr Robert , MacKillop James , Monti Peter M. , Rohsenow Damaris J. , Tidey Jennifer , Gwaltney Chad , Swift Robert , Ray Lara , McGeary John 
Published: February 2008

Background:  Topiramate was recently reported to be efficacious in reducing drinking rates and craving among individuals with alcohol dependence in a randomized controlled trial, but dose effects could not be determined. This laboratory study systematically examined the dose‐dependent effects of topiramate on cue‐elicited craving and other putative mechanisms of its pharmacotherapeutic effects on drinking.Methods:  Male and female heavy drinkers (n = 61) were randomized to 1 of 3 medication conditions (200 mg/d; 300 mg/d; placebo) in a double‐blind study. Participants reached the target dose after a 32‐day titration period, then were stabilized for approximately 1 week. All then participated in a laboratory assessment of alcohol cue reactivity and of the subjective effects of a moderate dose of alcohol.Results:  Both doses of topiramate reduced the frequency of heavy drinking during the titration period as compared to placebo. However, topiramate did not affect self‐reported craving for alcohol during the titration period, during the cue reactivity protocol, or in response to the alcohol challenge procedure. Topiramate reduced the stimulating effects of alcohol ingestion compared to placebo, but only in the 200 mg group.Conclusions:  The results of this study support previous findings that topiramate reduces drinking, but the behavioral mechanism underlying this effect does not appear to be attenuation of craving for alcohol as measured using the approaches employed in this study. Rather, the results tentatively suggest that topiramate may exert its beneficial effects by altering the subjective experiences of alcohol consumption. Limitations of the current study are discussed and complementary methods are recommended for future studies, such as the use of behavioral economic paradigms and ecological momentary assessment.
Where, With Whom, and How Much Alcohol Is Consumed on Drinking Events Involving Aggression? Event‐Level Associations in a Canadian National Survey of University Students
Authors: Wells Samantha , Mihic Ljiljana , Tremblay Paul F. , Graham Kathryn , Demers Andrée 
Published: February 2008

Background: Epidemiological research using event‐level data can provide a better understanding of the association between alcohol consumption, characteristics of drinking contexts, and the likelihood of aggressive behavior. The present research assessed whether alcohol intake and characteristics of the drinking context were associated with the likelihood of aggression within individuals across 3 drinking events based on a national sample of university students, taking into account individual characteristics and university level variables. Additionally, we determined whether individual characteristics, particularly drinking pattern, were associated with alcohol‐related aggression controlling for drinking event characteristics, and whether relations of aggression to alcohol and drinking contexts differed by gender.Methods: Secondary analyses of the 2004 Canadian Campus Survey (CCS), a national survey of 6,282 university students (41% response rate) at 40 Canadian universities, were conducted. Respondents were asked about their three most recent drinking events, including whether they were in an argument or fight with someone, number of drinks consumed, and characteristics of the drinking context as well as their usual drinking frequency and heavy episodic drinking. We used multi‐level analyses to account for the nested structure of the data (i.e., drinking events nested within individuals who were nested within universities).Results: The number of drinks consumed was positively associated with aggression. Drinking contexts found to be positively associated with aggression included being at a party, at a fraternity/sorority and/or residence, at three or more drinking places (versus 1 or 2), and having a partner present whereas having a meal reduced the likelihood of aggression. A significant interaction was found between gender and being at a party, with a significant effect found for women but not for men.Conclusions: These results support experimental evidence indicating a direct role of alcohol in aggression and point to characteristics of the drinking context that might be targeted in future prevention initiatives.
Neonatal Alcohol Exposure Differentially Alters Clock Gene Oscillations Within the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus, Cerebellum, and Liver of Adult Rats
Authors: Farnell Yuhua Z. , Allen Gregg C. , Nahm Sang‐Soep , Neuendorff Nichole , West James R. , Chen Wei‐Jung A. , Earnest David J. 
Published: February 2008

Background:  In rats, alcohol exposure during the period of rapid brain growth produces long‐term changes in the free‐running period, photoentrainment and phase‐shifting responses of the circadian rhythm in wheel‐running behavior. To determine whether these alterations in circadian behavior are associated with permanent damage to the circadian timekeeping mechanism or reconfiguration of its molecular components, we examined the long‐term effects of neonatal alcohol exposure on clock gene rhythms in the pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and in other brain or peripheral tissues of adult rats.Methods:  Artificially reared male rat pups were exposed to alcohol (4.5 g/kg/d) or isocaloric milk formula (gastrostomy control; GC) on postnatal days 4 to 9. At 3 months of age, animals were exposed to constant darkness and then SCN, cerebellum, and liver tissue were harvested at 6‐hour intervals for subsequent analysis of Period1 (Per1), Per2, Cryptochrome1 (Cry1), Bmal1, and Rev‐erbα mRNA levels by quantitative PCR.Results:  In the SCN, cerebellum and liver, Per1, Per2, Cry1, Bmal1, and Rev‐erbα expression oscillated with a similar amplitude (peak‐to‐trough differences of 2‐ to 9‐fold) and phase in the suckle control (SC) and GC groups. These clock gene rhythms in control animals were marked by peak expression of Per1, Per2, Cry1, and Rev‐erbα during the subjective day and of Bmal1 during the subjective night. The EtOH group was distinguished by altered rhythms in the expression of specific clock genes within the SCN, cerebellum and liver. In EtOH‐treated rats, the SCN rhythm in Cry1 expression was strongly damped and the Per2 rhythms in the cerebellum and liver were phase‐advanced such that peak expression occurred during the mid‐subjective day.Conclusions:  These results demonstrate alcohol exposure during the brain growth spurt alters the circadian regulation of some molecular components of the clock mechanism in the rat SCN, cerebellum, and liver. The observed alterations in the temporal configuration of essential “gears” of the molecular clockworks may play a role in the long‐term effects of neonatal alcohol exposure on the regulation of circadian behavior.
Brain Activation, Response Inhibition, and Increased Risk for Substance Use Disorder
Authors: McNamee Rebecca L. , Dunfee Kathryn L. , Luna Beatriz , Clark Duncan B. , Eddy William F. , Tarter Ralph E. 
Published: February 2008

Background: Youth at high risk for developing substance use disorders (SUDs) often exhibit differences which suggest inhibitory impairments when compared to average risk youth.Methods: To examine the underlying neural activity related to these impairments, functional MRI (fMRI) was employed in adolescents during an antisaccade task requiring inhibition of an eye movement response. Each subject’s level of neurobehavioral disinhibition (ND) was assessed using a multi‐informant, multi‐method approach, which has been shown to be highly predictive of SUD onset. The fMRI data was categorized into neural regions of interest according to total frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobe activation.Results: Results demonstrated that ND score was negatively correlated with total amount of frontal activation, but was not significantly correlated with total activation in any other neural region.Conclusions: These results indicate deficits in frontal activation in youth with high amounts of ND, suggesting a possible developmental delay of executive processes in high‐risk youth.