A framework for assessing supply-side wildlife conservation.

Market-based, supply-side interventions such as domestication, cultivation, and wildlife farming have been proposed as legal substitutes for wild-collected plants and animals in the marketplace. Based on the literature, we devised a list of the conditions under which supply-side interventions may yield positive conservation outcomes. We applied it to the trade of the orchid Rhynchostylis gigantea, a protected ornamental plant. We conducted a survey of R. gigantea at Jatujak Market in Bangkok, Thailand. Farmed (legal) and wild (illegal, protected) specimens of R. gigantea were sold side-by-side at market. These results suggest farmed specimens are not being substituted for wild plants in the marketplace. For any given set of physical plant characteristics (size, condition, flowers), the origin of the plants (wild vs. farmed) did not affect price. For all price classes, farmed plants were of superior quality to wild-collected plants on the basis of most physical variables. These results suggest wild and farmed specimens represent parallel markets and may not be substitutable goods. Our results with R. gigantea highlight a range of explanations for why supply-side interventions may lack effectiveness, for example, consumer preferences for wild-collected products and low financial incentives for farming. Our results suggest that market-based conservation strategies may not be effective by themselves and may be best utilized as supplements to regulation and education. This approach represents a broad, multidisciplinary evaluation of supply-side interventions that can be applied to other plant and animal species.

Spinal cord injury and sexuality in married or partnered men: activities, function, needs, and predictors of sexual adjustment.

The sexual behaviors, functioning, needs, and sexual satisfaction levels of men with spinal cord injuries (SCI) were studied. A sample of 50 men with SCI (median age = 50; median age at injury = 25.0), either married or in a committed relationship, responded to an anonymous survey of a large southern California regional spinal injury rehabilitation center. Multiple regression analyses indicated that perceived partner satisfaction, relationship quality, and sexual desire were significant predictors of sexual satisfaction and behavior. Erectile function, level of genital sensation, and orgasmic capacity all varied widely in the sample, as well. However, none of these variables were significantly related to sexual satisfaction. A varied sexual repertoire was independently related to sexual satisfaction and behavior, but did not offer additional predictive power. Results suggest that for married or partnered men with SCI, relationship factors including partner satisfaction and relationship quality are significantly and positively related to sexual satisfaction. Married or partnered men with SCI who report low relationship satisfaction, have difficulty satisfying their partner, and/or report low sexual desire may benefit from assessments and interventions that address these issues.

Health care prices, the federal budget, and economic growth.

Rising health care spending, led by rising prices, has had an enormous impact on the economy, especially on the federal budget. Our work shows that if rapid growth in health care prices continues, under current institutional arrangements, real economic growth and employment will be lower during the next two decades than if health price inflation were somehow reduced. How big the losses are and which sectors bear the brunt of the costs vary depending on how society chooses to fund the federal budget deficit that stems from the rising cost of federal health care programs.

Semen analysis and fertility assessment in rabbits: statistical power and design considerations for toxicology studies.

Semen analysis is commonly used in evaluating human response to reproductive toxicants. Serial semen samples can be collected from rabbits and fertility assessed by artificial insemination, hence this species is potentially well suited for male reproductive toxicity studies that might be extrapolated to humans. However, the size and cost of rabbits often restricts the number of animals used, reducing the sensitivity of such studies. Therefore, it was of interest to optimize study design for semen analysis and fertility assessment in rabbits. Semen samples were collected weekly from sexually mature New Zealand white rabbits and a range of parameters was analyzed (Semen--pH, volume, osmolality; Sperm--number and concentration, morphology, viability, percentage motility, motion characteristics; Seminal plasma--fructose, citric acid, carnitine and protein concentrations, acid phosphatase activity). Male fertility was assessed by inseminating female rabbits with the minimum number of motile sperm required for normal fertility, determined to be one million. The within- and between-buck variabilities were determined for all parameters and used to calculate the statistical power of different study designs. The variability of sperm number and concentration was decreased when measured in four ejaculates collected within a short period of time rather than in a single ejaculate; this was not true of other endpoints measured. In addition, use of preexposure observations further increased the statistical power for all of the parameters. These data can be used to determine the optimum design for studies of male reproductive toxicity using rabbits, with particular regard to cost and the number of animals used.

Into the looking glass: self-assessment for allied health faculty development.

Frequently allied health faculty are unprepared to assume the role of professional academician. Instituting a professional development program can assist faculty in enhancing their effectiveness in that role. As the first step, a faculty group in the School of Health Related Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, designed a questionnaire to obtain information on faculty members' judgments about their own skills in various activities--teaching, research, writing, service, and administration--and the importance of these activities. The goal of this survey was to identify those activities for which there was the greatest need for faculty development. Research and writing were identified as areas having the greatest overall potential for professional development. The survey also provided groundwork for implementing an on-going professional development program that could be systematically evaluated.