Blauzungenkrankheit in Deutschland 2006

The first appearance of bluetongue disease, a biting midge-borne viral infection of ruminants, in August 2006 in Germany struck farmers, veterinary departments and superior authorities, as well as disease and pest control managers completely unprepared. During the summer and autumn months of the past year, the virus spread across borders in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France and Luxembourg, and was eventually demonstrated on more than 2000 farms where numerous cattle and sheep fell ill or even perished. According to our limited epizootiological knowledge on bluetongue disease, the management of the crisis was of minor success. Particularly with respect to the vectors of bluetongue disease, our information is so restricted that directed vector control is impossible at present. Basic data regarding distribution, ecology and behaviour of the various species of biting midges in Germany is lacking. However, in these times of globalisation and fundamental ecological and climatic changes, in which the spread/import and establishment of vectors of disease and the agents they carry must be expected, it is essential to initiate monitoring programmes. These should be integrated into the ongoing environmental monitoring and designed by using geographic information systems and surface geodata. The monitoring data should be used to calculate predictive GIS maps of the distribution of ceratopogonids in space and time as well as to perform risk assessments with regard to bluetongue disease or other diseases transmitted by arthropods.     

Rutabaga roots, a rich source of oviposition stimulants for the cabbage root fly

Summary. Two recently identified compounds ("CIFs"), present on the leaf surface of Brassica oleracea (cabbage), are the strongest oviposition stimulants known for the cabbage root fly, Delia radicum. Cabbage leaves contain these compounds in extremely low concentrations, and the amount of CIFs obtained from purifying leaf extracts was so small that it limited further research. We were able to purify far more of these two compounds from the roots of Brassica napus var. napobrassica (rutabaga). Apart from being a richer source of CIFs, rutabaga roots are considerably easier to collect and process than leaves. In addition, we isolated and identified a new CIF compound from the roots that is also very active in stimulating oviposition in the cabbage root fly. Received 26 May 2000; accepted 26 July 2000     

Time-varying models for extreme values

We propose a new approach for modeling extreme values that are measured in time and space. First we assume that the observations follow a Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution for which the location, scale or shape parameters define the space–time structure. The temporal component is defined through a Dynamic Linear Model (DLM) or state space representation that allows to estimate the trend or seasonality of the data in time. The spatial element is imposed through the evolution matrix of the DLM where we adopt a process convolution form. We show how to produce temporal and spatial estimates of our model via customized Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation. We illustrate our methodology with extreme values of ozone levels produced daily in the metropolitan area of Mexico City and with rainfall extremes measured at the Caribbean coast of Venezuela.     

Song rates of dark-eyed juncos do not increase when females are fertile

Frequency of singing by birds may vary with reproductive stage in ways that reflect variation in the functions of song in intersexual and intrasexual communication. In dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) high-amplitude song is produced only by males. To investigate the function of this song, we tested whether fertility of females affected singing by their mates or by neighboring males. Using focal observations, song censuses, and radiotracking data, we determined whether song production varied between and among periods when females were fertile and non-fertile. Our findings show that males do not increase song production when their mates are fertile, nor do they increase song production when neighboring females are fertile. These results suggest that male juncos do not signal their intent to defend territories (or mates) more when females are fertile and that they do not use song to advertise to specific potential participants in extra-pair fertilizations. Received: 13 February 1997 / Accepted after revison: 2 May 1997     

Prenatal diagnosis of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in five pregnancies at risk

Five pregnancies at risk for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (RP) have been monitored by first-trimester prenatal diagnosis using DNA markers flanking the RP2 and RP3 loci. Three affected and two unaffected fetuses, including a female carrying a wild-type genotype, were predicted on the basis of marker segregation and estimation of the recombination fraction.     

Assessing diversity climate: A field study of reactions to employer efforts to promote diversity

Based on intergroup theory, this study examined relationships among group characteristics (racioethnicity, gender, and level), contextual organizational unit characteristics (gender and racioethnic heterogeneity, resource support for women and racioethnic minorities) and perceptions of diversity climate by faculty at a large university. Compared to white men, white women and racioethnic minorities placed greater value on employer efforts to promote diversity, and held more favorable attitudes about the qualifications of women and racioethnic minorities. The study found that group rather than contextual organizational unit characteristics were more strongly related to diversity climate. However, the organizational unit characteristic, gender heterogeneity, was significantly related to valuing diversity. The greater the ratio of women in a unit, regardless of the respondents' gender, racioethnicity or level, the more favorable diversity activities were viewed. In addition, units whose allocation of resources to racioethnic minorities were perceived as insufficient by respondents were more likely to have members who valued diversity and held favorable perceptions toward the qualifications of racioethnic minorities. Implications for organizations and future research are offered.