Promoting regional sustainability by eco-province construction in China: A critical assessment

The regional level has been recognized as a good scale for implementing actions towards sustainable development (SD). An important pathway to improve regional sustainability is to locally carry out long-term ecological planning. In order to reduce environmental impacts from fast economic growth, several eastern provinces of China began Ecological Province Construction (EPC) at the end of 1990s. This paper presented a case for analyzing the progress of EPC in China via both qualitative and quantitative methods. We studied Shandong Eco-province Construction (SEPC) and evaluated its outcomes with its pre-set indicators in 2003–2010. A further evaluation with eco-efficiency and de-linking indices was conducted. The results indicated the pre-set indicators could not effectively reflect of the ecological province construction. It was recommended to introduce an evaluated framework combined with eco-efficiency and de-linking indices to indicate ecological planning at the regional scale.     

Ethical Considerations for Outcome‐adaptive Trial Designs: A Clinical Researcher's Perspective

In a typical comparative clinical trial the randomization scheme is fixed at the beginning of the study, and maintained throughout the course of the trial. A number of researchers have championed a randomized trial design referred to as ‘outcome‐adaptive randomization.’ In this type of trial, the likelihood of a patient being enrolled to a particular arm of the study increases or decreases as preliminary information becomes available suggesting that treatment may be superior or inferior. While the design merits of outcome‐adaptive trials have been debated, little attention has been paid to significant ethical concerns that arise in the conduct of such studies. These include loss of equipoise, lack of processes for adequate informed consent, and inequalities inherent in the research design which could lead to perceptions of injustice that may have negative implications for patients and the research enterprise. This article examines the ethical difficulties inherent in outcome‐adaptive trials.     

Reperfusion-induced arrhythmias are not prevented by ibuprofen in isolated rat heart

Free radicals have been implicated in the genesis of reperfusion-induced arrhythmias and the cyclooxygenase pathways has been suggested as a potential source. We have therefore assessed whether a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, ibuprofen, is able to reduce reperfusion-induced injury in the isolated perfused rat heart. A duration of 10 min of regional ischemia, which resulted in a high (83%) incidence of ventricular fibrillation, was selected and hearts (n = 12/group) were perfused with ibuprofen (2, 20, or 30 mg/L) throughout the experiment. Ibuprofen did not affect heart rate, although it did produce a dose-dependent increase in coronary flow. However, at all doses studied, ibuprofen had no effect upon the time to onset, incidence, or duration of arrhythmias. In subsequent studies with 30 min of regional ischemia, ibuprofen (30 mg/L) again caused vasodilatation but without effect upon heart rate or severity of arrhythmias. In conclusion, we were unable to obtain evidence in support of the concept that cyclooxygenase activity or cyclooxygenase-derived free radicals are involved in the genesis of ischemia- and reperfusion-induced arrhythmias.     

Diploma Training for Technologists in Tissue Banking

There is a great demand for a formal training programme for tissue bank technologists not only for the Asia Pacific Region but also for technologists in other regions including Latin America and Africa. To meet this need, National University Hospital (NUH) Tissue Bank was established as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)/National University of Singapore (NUS) Regional Training Centre for training tissue bank operators in the Asia Pacific Region (Regional co-operative Agreement, RCA) in November 1997. The training centre conducts a one-year distance learning Diploma in Tissue Banking offered by the NUS. The syllabus for the Diploma Course included the multi-media IAEA curriculum on tissue banking. The first Diploma Course has been successfully completed in October 1998. Twelve students convocated, 4 with Distinction, 5 with Credit and 3 with Pass. Sixteen candidates from the Asia Pacific Region registered for the Second Diploma Course in April 1999. This second batch will be due to sit for their Diploma Examination in April 2000. With the increasing popularity of this Diploma Course, the third batch of students which will be registered in April 2000, will include technologists not only from Asia Pacific Region but also from other regions including Africa.     

NMR-based metabolomic analysis of the seasonal and regional variability of phytochemical compounds in Curtisia dentata stem bark

Traditional medicine markets are provided with medicinal plant material throughout the year, however, internal (e.g. plant age, genetic variability and differential expression of genes) and external factors (e.g. water and nutrient availability, rainfall, photoperiod and herbivory), affect secondary metabolite production in plants. In this study, seasonal variability in metabolite production in Curtisia dentata trees from two geographically separated regions in South Africa are compared. NMR analysis of C. dentata stem bark samples yielded spectral data which were processed in MestReNova to perform multivariate data analysis using Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) software. This study shows that there are not only seasonal, regional and yearly differences in secondary metabolite production in C. dentata trees, but that production patterns of hydrophilic and lipophilic chemical compounds in individual trees also vary. Sucrose, isoeugenol and betulinic acid have been used in a targeted analysis to show the variation in individual compounds in the individual trees as a response to seasonal and geographical differences. Therefore, the season and year, as well as the region, harvesting site and specific trees from which plant material is collected affect the concentrations of chemical compounds extracted from C. dentata stem bark for the preparation of remedies.     

Interactions of target population size,population parameters,and program management on viability of captive populations

When established conservation programs expand and evolve, management practices may become inconsistent with program goals. In the past decade, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association expanded species conservation programs by increasing the number of Species Survival Plans (SSP) and establishing more than 300 new Population Management Plan (PMP) programs. However, limited space in captive breeding facilities forces a competition among SSPs and less intensively managed PMPs. Regional Collection Plans establish priorities and allocate space accordingly by setting target population size for each species; species of high conservation priority (SSPs) are allocated space at the expense of lower priority species (PMPs). Because population size and genetic composition interact to impact population viability, target population size is a significant factor to a population’s prospects for long‐term survival. We examined four population parameters (current population size, target population size, current gene diversity, and mean generation time) for 46 mammalian SSPs and 17 PMPs. Relative to SSPs, PMPs combine smaller current and target population sizes, lower levels of current gene diversity, and shorter mean generation times than SSPs. Thus, the average PMP population can expect to lose gene diversity more rapidly than the average SSP population. PMPs are projected to lose 10% or more of their founding gene diversity, within only 2 years. In contrast, the average SSP population is projected to lose 10% in 40 years. Populations with small current or target population sizes require intensive management to avoid extinction. More intensive genetic management of populations typically designated as PMPs, through recruitment of potential founders and equalization of founder representation, could increase gene diversity and improve viability. Less rigorous population management should be reserved for populations whose long‐term survival is either secure or that can be readily replenished from the wild. Because PMP populations need intense genetic management similar to that currently in effect for SSPs, there should be neither a management‐level distinction between programs nor an arbitrary difference in space allocated to programs. Zoo Biol 20:169–183, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Regional and Cortical Laminar Distributions of Serotonin S2, Benzodiazepine, Muscarinic, and Dopamine D2 Receptors in Human Brain

Serotonin S2, benzodiazepine, and muscarinic receptors showed different regional distributions in the human brain but were present in all cortical areas. The laminar distributions of [3H]ketanserin, [3H]diazepam, and [3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate were investigated in the temporal cortex and revealed a high density in the IIIrd and IVth layers. Dopamine D2 receptors were not detected in the cortex.     

The time of fruiting of Ulota Bruchii Hornsch. and U. crispa Brid.

Abstract

For obscure reasons, sporophytes of the dioicous Hamatocaulis vernicosus are currently unknown in France. With the aim of understanding this failure of sporophyte production we investigated (1) sexual phenology, (2) sex ratio pattern at different spatial scales, (3) limitation of sporophyte formation by the availability of only one sex, (4) limitation of sporophyte formation caused by the distance between male and female, (5) location of sporophytes and (6) the consevation implications of this failure of sporophyte production. Principal results show that phenology cannot explain the failure of sporophyte production. At the regional scale, sporophyte formation is prevented by the fact that several mountain ranges have single-sex populations. The production of spore capsules relies on a strict combination of factors at the local scale: occurrence of sexually expressed mixed-sex colonies, a short distance between male and female individuals and favourable environmental factors (light grazing, high water table). In the Massif Central of France spore production is unlikely because of current unfavourable conditions. Fertility patterns appeared useful in a conservation context.     

Geolocators reveal migratory connectivity between wintering and breeding areas of Golden‐winged Warblers

The conservation of migratory songbirds is often impeded by a lack of understanding of how populations in breeding and wintering areas are geographically linked (migratory connectivity). In recent years, light‐level geolocators have improved our understanding of migratory connectivity. Such information is valuable for evaluating how conservation efforts align between the breeding and non‐breeding areas of at‐risk species, and help to more effectively prioritize the allocation of conservation funding. Golden‐winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) are imperiled migratory songbirds, but the extent to which conservation efforts in their breeding and non‐breeding areas coincide with patterns of migratory connectivity are not well known. We used light‐level geolocators to evaluate the extent to which conservation actions targeting Golden‐winged Warblers in Nicaragua and in their breeding range in North America align with patterns of migratory connectivity. We recovered six of 22 geolocators that had been deployed on male Golden‐winged Warblers at the El Jaguar Reserve during the winter of 2015–2016. All six males migrated to breeding areas in the western Great Lakes region that includes eastern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, southwestern Ontario, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. All six males also had similar migration routes, with spring stopovers in southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, a trans‐Gulf flight, and a stopover in the region of Louisiana, Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma, and Texas. Our results, in combination with those of previous studies, demonstrate strong migratory connectivity between portions of the breeding and winter distributions of Golden‐winged Warblers currently targeted for conservation. However, additional studies are needed to improve our understanding of the stopover ecology of Golden‐winged Warblers, especially in areas where they remain for extended periods of time. Finally, patterns of migratory connectivity revealed in our study should be used in combination with existing demographic parameters for Golden‐winged Warblers in the western Great Lakes and Nicaragua to help inform full life cycle population models for this imperiled songbird.     

Relative efficiency of unequal versus equal cluster sizes in cluster randomized trials using generalized estimating equation models

There is growing interest in conducting cluster randomized trials (CRTs). For simplicity in sample size calculation, the cluster sizes are assumed to be identical across all clusters. However, equal cluster sizes are not guaranteed in practice. Therefore, the relative efficiency (RE) of unequal versus equal cluster sizes has been investigated when testing the treatment effect. One of the most important approaches to analyze a set of correlated data is the generalized estimating equation (GEE) proposed by Liang and Zeger, in which the “working correlation structure” is introduced and the association pattern depends on a vector of association parameters denoted by ρ. In this paper, we utilize GEE models to test the treatment effect in a two‐group comparison for continuous, binary, or count data in CRTs. The variances of the estimator of the treatment effect are derived for the different types of outcome. RE is defined as the ratio of variance of the estimator of the treatment effect for equal to unequal cluster sizes. We discuss a commonly used structure in CRTs—exchangeable, and derive the simpler formula of RE with continuous, binary, and count outcomes. Finally, REs are investigated for several scenarios of cluster size distributions through simulation studies. We propose an adjusted sample size due to efficiency loss. Additionally, we also propose an optimal sample size estimation based on the GEE models under a fixed budget for known and unknown association parameter (ρ) in the working correlation structure within the cluster.