Biodiversity and land use change on the Causse Méjan, France

This paper argues that due to the co-evolution of biological and cultural diversity, a meaningful study of biodiversity must be positioned within complex social-ecological systems. A complex systems framework is proposed for conceptualising the study of social-ecological systems. A case study approach is adopted whereby changes in biodiversity on the Causse Méjan, France, are linked with changes in society, land use, agricultural practices and policies. We argue that ecological and social resilience is linked through the dependence on ecosystems of communities, and in turn by the influence of institutional structures, including market forces, on the use of natural resources. Within a non-equilibrium evolutionary perspective, we highlight the difficulty of choosing a landscape and biodiversity of reference and postulating that it is in equilibrium with a type of social organisation. We conclude by exploring an ‘adaptive management’ approach to the management of the biodiverse landscape studied.     

Report on the Molecular Approaches to Osteoarthritis Symposium,Imperial College London,UK, 18–20 April 2004

Estrogen and estrogen receptors (ERs) are known to play important roles in the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA). To investigate ER-α gene polymorphisms for its associations with primary knee OA, we conducted a case–control association study in patients with primary knee OA (n = 151) and healthy individuals (n = 397) in the Korean population. Haplotyping analysis was used to determine the relationship between three polymorphisms in the ER-α gene (intron 1 T/C, intron 1 A/G and exon 8 G/A) and primary knee OA. Genotypes of the ER-α gene polymorphism were determined by PCR followed by restriction enzyme digestion (PvuII for intron 1 T/C, XbaI for intron 1 A/G, and BtgI for exon 8 G/A polymorphism). There was no significant difference between primary knee OA patients and healthy control individuals in the distribution of any of the genotypes evaluated. However, we found that the allele frequency for the exon 8 G/A BtgI polymorphism (codon 594) was significantly different between primary knee OA patients and control individuals (odds ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval = 1.01–1.88; P = 0.044). In haplotype frequency estimation analysis, there was a significant difference between primary knee OA patients and control individuals (degrees of freedom = 7, χ² = 21.48; P = 0.003). Although the number OA patients studied is small, the present study shows that ER-α gene haplotype may be associated with primary knee OA, and genetic variations in the ER-α gene may be involved in OA.     

The results of the registration clinical trials of the Act-Hib vaccine manufactured by the firm of Pasteur Mérieux Connaught, France]

The results of the field trials of the vaccine "Act-Hib" against Haemophilus influenzae of type b, presented for registration by Pasteur Mérieux Connaught (France), are summarized. The vaccine was found to have low reactogenicity and high immunological effectiveness. A single injection of the vaccine induced the formation of the protective level of anti-PRP antibodies in 94% of the immunized children aged 1-4 years. After immunization the mean geometric titers of specific antibodies increased sixfold in comparison with the initial level and were equal to 3.4 mu/ml. On the basis of the data of laboratory control and field clinical trials the vaccine "Act-Hib" was registered in the Russian Federation and permission and its practical use in the public health service of the country was permitted.     

Workshop on European research on phytochemicals – International Symposium on: Dietary Phytochemicals and Human Health. Salamanca (Spain), April 18–20, 2002

Phytochemistry Reviews -