bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bayesian Comparisons of Codon Substitution Models
Authors: Rodrigue Nicolas , Lartillot Nicolas , Philippe Hervé
Published: September 2008

In 1994, Muse and Gaut (MG) and Goldman and Yang (GY) proposed evolutionary models that recognize the coding structure of the nucleotide sequences under study, by defining a Markovian substitution process with a state space consisting of the 61 sense codons (assuming the universal genetic code). Several variations and extensions to their models have since been proposed, but no general and flexible framework for contrasting the relative performance of alternative approaches has yet been applied. Here, we compute Bayes factors to evaluate the relative merit of several MG and GY styles of codon substitution models, including recent extensions acknowledging heterogeneous nonsynonymous rates across sites, as well as selective effects inducing uneven amino acid or codon preferences. Our results on three real data sets support a logical model construction following the MG formulation, allowing for a flexible account of global amino acid or codon preferences, while maintaining distinct parameters governing overall nucleotide propensities. Through posterior predictive checks, we highlight the importance of such a parameterization. Altogether, the framework presented here suggests a broad modeling project in the MG style, stressing the importance of combining and contrasting available model formulations and grounding developments in a sound probabilistic paradigm.
Commentary: Publishing Cancer Clinical Trial Results: A Scientific and Ethical Imperative
Authors: Doroshow James H.
Published: September 2008

This editorial further discusses the low number of oncologic clinical trials published in the peer-reviewed literature and reports on the development by the National Cancer Institute of its own clinical trials database to capture all administrative and outcomes data for all clinical studies performed at National Cancer Institute–supported institutions.
HABITAT‐MEDIATED FORAGING LIMITATIONS DRIVE SURVIVAL BOTTLENECKS FOR JUVENILE SALMON
Authors: Kennedy Brian P. , Nislow Keith H. , Folt Carol L.
Published: September 2008

Realistic population models and effective conservation strategies require a thorough understanding of mechanisms driving stage‐specific mortality. Mortality bottlenecks for many species occur in the juvenile stage and are thought to result from limitation on food or foraging habitat during a “critical period” for growth and survival. Without a way to account for maternal effects or to measure integrated consumption rates in the field, it has been virtually impossible to test these relationships directly. Hence uncertainties about mechanisms underlying such bottlenecks remain. In this study we randomize maternal effects across sites and apply a new method for measuring consumption integrated over weeks to months to test the hypothesis that food limitation drives early‐season juvenile mortality bottlenecks in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Using natural signatures of geologically derived cesium (133Cs), we estimated consumption rates of >400 fry stocked into six streams. Two to four weeks after stocking, consumption was extremely low across sites (0.005 g·g−1·d−1) and was predicted to be below maintenance rations (i.e., yielding negative energy balances) for the majority of individuals from five of six sites. However, consumption during this time was positively correlated with growth rates and survival (measured at the end of the growing season). In contrast, consumption rates increased in mid‐ (0.030 g·g−1·d−1) and late (0.035 g·g−1·d−1) seasons, but juvenile survival and consumption were not correlated, and correlations between growth and consumption were weak. These findings are consistent with predictions of a habitat‐based bioenergetic model constructed using the actual stream positions of the individual fish in the present study, which indicates that habitat‐based models capture important environmental determinants of juvenile growth and survival. Hence, by combining approaches, reducing maternal effects and controlling initial conditions, we offer a general framework for linking foraging with juvenile survival and present the first direct consumption‐based evidence for the early season bottleneck hypothesis.
SELECTION TOWARD SHORTER FLOWERS BY BUTTERFLIES WHOSE PROBOSCES ARE SHORTER THAN FLORAL TUBES
Authors: Bloch Daniel , Erhardt Andreas
Published: September 2008

Darwin's meticulous observations on the function of floral shape led to his famous prediction of a long‐tongued pollinator, which he believed to be the evolutionary trigger for the long‐spurred flowers of the Madagascar star orchid. Although tubular flowers are common, long tubes or spurs are an exception, suggesting that selection maintaining short flowers is widespread. Using the butterfly‐pollinated carnation Dianthus carthusianorum and two butterfly species differing in proboscis length (Melanargia galathea and Inachis io) as model organisms, we experimentally demonstrate a reduction in pollinator efficiency with an increasing difference between proboscis length and floral tube length. Such a relationship is a prerequisite for the evolution of floral shape in response to pollinator morphology.
IS SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES REGULATED? USING ECOLOGICAL THEORY TO INTERPRET STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
Authors: de Valpine Perry , Cuddington Kim , Hoopes Martha F. , Lockwood Julie L.
Published: September 2008

We investigate a recent proposal that invasive species display patterns of spatial “spread regulation” analogous to density‐dependent regulation of population abundances. While invasive species do offer valuable tests of ecological theories about spatial spread, we argue that the statistical approach used in the study is not useful, and that the proposed definition of “spread regulation” is likely to be confusing. While concepts of negative feedbacks in spatial spread may be reasonable, the proposed definition of “spread regulation” encompasses accelerating, constant, or decelerating spread. There is no compelling biological or practical reason to adopt such a definition. Moreover, we show that the statistical patterns (from time series of ratios of newly to recently invaded sites) proposed as evidence of spread regulation are predictable from basic diffusion models or other common models of constant spread with some stochasticity in dynamics and/or observations. Because such a wide range of processes would generate the observed patterns, no clear biological conclusions emerge from the proposed approach to spread analysis. When regarded in the context of the impacts and management of invasive species, the proposed regulation concept has the potential to create costly misunderstandings.
BREEDING SYSTEMS AND SEED SIZE IN A NEOTROPICAL FLORA: TESTING EVOLUTIONARY HYPOTHESES
Authors: Vamosi Steven M. , Mazer Susan J. , Cornejo Fernando
Published: September 2008

A well‐known, but largely untested, prediction in plant reproductive ecology is that dioecious taxa should produce larger, more, higher‐quality, or better‐defended seeds than cosexual taxa. Using a data set composed of 972 species in 104 families, representing the flora of the Tambopata Wildlife Reserve (Madre de Dios, Peru), we evaluated the first component of this prediction, examining ecological and evolutionary relationships between breeding system and mean seed size with two kinds of tests. First, we conducted cross‐species analyses to determine whether species with different breeding systems differed significantly with respect to mean individual seed size. Second, we used a hypothesized phylogeny to identify pairs of the most closely related taxa or clades within the Tambopata community that differed with respect to breeding system. Comparing pair members allowed us to determine whether evolutionary divergence in breeding system (between taxa with unisexual vs. cosexual individuals) was consistently associated with evolutionary change in seed size. In both analyses, we controlled for potentially confounding effects of growth form by examining these relationships within woody and nonwoody taxa. Cross‐species analyses revealed that dioecious species produced larger seeds than cosexual species among woody species, shrubs, lianas (each growth form analyzed separately), and all species pooled, but not among trees. Phylogenetically independent contrasts upheld the significant association between breeding system and seed size among woody taxa, lianas, and all taxa pooled, but not among shrubs. We discuss the implications of our findings for evolutionary hypotheses regarding associations between dioecy and seed size.
TERRESTRIAL HABITAT SELECTION AND STRONG DENSITY‐DEPENDENT MORTALITY IN RECENTLY METAMORPHOSED AMPHIBIANS
Authors: Patrick David A. , Harper Elizabeth B. , Hunter Malcolm L. , Calhoun Aram J. K.
Published: September 2008

To predict the effects of terrestrial habitat change on amphibian populations, we need to know how amphibians respond to habitat heterogeneity, and whether habitat choice remains consistent throughout the life‐history cycle. We conducted four experiments to evaluate how the spatial distribution of juvenile wood frogs, Rana sylvatica (including both overall abundance and localized density), was influenced by habitat choice and habitat structure, and how this relationship changed with spatial scale and behavioral phase. The four experiments included (1) habitat manipulation on replicated 10‐ha landscapes surrounding breeding pools; (2) short‐term experiments with individual frogs emigrating through a manipulated landscape of 1 m wide hexagonal patches; and habitat manipulations in (3) small (4‐m2); and (4) large (100‐m2) enclosures with multiple individuals to compare behavior both during and following emigration. The spatial distribution of juvenile wood frogs following emigration resulted from differences in the scale at which juvenile amphibians responded to habitat heterogeneity during active vs. settled behavioral phases. During emigration, juvenile wood frogs responded to coarse‐scale variation in habitat (selection between 2.2‐ha forest treatments) but not to fine‐scale variation. After settling, however, animals showed habitat selection at much smaller scales (2–4 m2). This resulted in high densities of animals in small patches of suitable habitat where they experienced rapid mortality. No evidence of density‐dependent habitat selection was seen, with juveniles typically choosing to remain at extremely high densities in high‐quality habitat, rather than occupying low‐quality habitat. These experiments demonstrate how prediction of the terrestrial distribution of juvenile amphibians requires understanding of the complex behavioral responses to habitat heterogeneity. Understanding these patterns is important, given that human alterations to amphibian habitats may generate extremely high densities of animals, resulting in high density‐dependent mortality.
BIOMASS RATHER THAN GROWTH RATE DETERMINES VARIATION IN NET PRIMARY PRODUCTION BY GIANT KELP
Authors: Reed Daniel C. , Rassweiler Andrew , Arkema Katie K.
Published: September 2008

Net primary production (NPP) is influenced by disturbance‐driven fluctuations in foliar standing crop (FSC) and resource‐driven fluctuations in rates of recruitment and growth, yet most studies of NPP have focused primarily on factors influencing growth. We quantified NPP, FSC, recruitment, and growth rate for the giant kelp,Macrocystis pyrifera, at three kelp forests in southern California, USA, over a 54‐month period and determined the relative roles of FSC, recruitment, and growth rate in contributing to variation in annual NPP. Net primary production averaged between 0.42 and 2.38 kg dry mass·m−2·yr−1at the three sites. The initial FSC present at the beginning of the growth year and the recruitment of new plants during the year explained 63% and 21% of the interannual variation observed in NPP, respectively. The previous year's NPP and disturbance from waves collectively accounted for 80% of the interannual variation in initial FSC. No correlation was found between annual growth rate (i.e., the amount of new kelp mass produced per unit of existing kelp mass) and annual NPP (i.e., the amount of new kelp mass produced per unit area of ocean bottom), largely because annual growth rate was consistent compared to initial FSC and recruitment, which fluctuated greatly among years and sites. Although growth rate was a poor predictor of variation in annual NPP, it was principally responsible for the high mean values observed for NPP byMacrocystis.These high mean values reflected rapid growth (average of ∼2% per day) of a relatively small standing crop (maximum annual mean = 444 g dry mass/m2) that replaced itself approximately seven times per year. Disturbance‐driven variability in FSC may be generally important in explaining variation in NPP, yet it is rarely examined because cycles of disturbance and recovery occur over timescales of decades or more in many systems. Considerable insight into how variation in FSC drives variation in NPP may be gained by studying systems such as giant kelp forests that are characterized by frequent disturbance and rapid rates of growth and recruitment.
NITROGEN EFFECTS ON DECOMPOSITION: A FIVE‐YEAR EXPERIMENT IN EIGHT TEMPERATE SITES
Authors: Hobbie Sarah E.
Published: September 2008

The influence of inorganic nitrogen (N) inputs on decomposition is poorly understood. Some prior studies suggest that N may reduce the decomposition of substrates with high concentrations of lignin via inhibitory effects on the activity of lignin‐degrading enzymes, although such inhibition has not always been demonstrated. I studied the effects of N addition on decomposition of seven substrates ranging in initial lignin concentrations (from 7.4% to 25.6%) over five years in eight different grassland and forest sites in central Minnesota, USA. I predicted that N would stimulate the decomposition of lignin‐poor substrates but retard the decomposition of lignin‐rich substrates. Across these sites, N had neutral or negative effects on decomposition rates. However, in contrast to my hypothesis, effects of N on decomposition were independent of substrate initial lignin concentrations, and decomposition of the lignin fraction was unaffected by N fertilization. Rather, substrate–site combinations that exhibited more rapid decomposition rates in the control treatment were affected more negatively by addition of N fertilization. Taken together, these results suggest that decreased decomposition with added N did not result from inhibition of lignin‐degrading enzyme activity, but may have resulted from abiotic interactions between N fertilizer and products of microbial degradation or synthesis or from N effects on the decomposer community. Low initial substrate N concentrations and N fertilization both stimulated N immobilization, but the differences among substrates were generally much larger than the effects of fertilization. This study suggests that atmospheric N addition could stimulate ecosystem carbon sequestration in some ecosystems as a result of reduced rates of forest floor decomposition.
FECUNDITY AND SURVIVAL IN RELATION TO RESISTANCE TO OXIDATIVE STRESS IN A FREE‐LIVING BIRD
Authors: Bize Pierre , Devevey Godefroy , Monaghan Patricia , Doligez Blandine , Christe Philippe
Published: September 2008

Major life history traits, such as fecundity and survival, have been consistently demonstrated to covary positively in nature, some individuals having more resources than others to allocate to all aspects of their life history. Yet, little is known about which resources (or state variables) may account for such covariation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are natural by‐products of metabolism and, when ROS production exceeds antioxidant defenses, organisms are exposed to oxidative stress that can have deleterious effects on their fecundity and survival. Using a wild, long‐lived bird, the Alpine Swift (Apus melba), we examined whether individual red cell resistance to oxidative stress covaried with fecundity and survival. We found that males that survived to the next breeding season tended to be more resistant to oxidative stress, and females with higher resistance to oxidative stress laid larger clutches. Furthermore, the eggs of females with low resistance to oxidative stress were less likely to hatch than those of females with high resistance to oxidative stress. By swapping entire clutches at clutch completion, we then demonstrated that hatching failure was related to the production of low‐quality eggs by females with low resistance to oxidative stress, rather than to inadequate parental care during incubation. Although male and female resistance to oxidative stress covaried with age, the relationships among oxidative stress, survival, and fecundity occurred independently of chronological age. Overall, our study suggests that oxidative stress may play a significant role in shaping fecundity and survival in the wild. It further suggests that the nature of the covariation between resistance to oxidative stress and life history traits is sex specific, high resistance to oxidative stress covarying primarily with fecundity in females and with survival in males.
CHIHUAHUAN DESERT KANGAROO RATS: NONLINEAR EFFECTS OF POPULATION DYNAMICS, COMPETITION, AND RAINFALL
Authors: Lima Mauricio , Ernest S. K. Morgan , Brown James H. , Belgrano Andrea , Stenseth Nils Chr.
Published: September 2008

Using long‐term data on two kangaroo rats in the Chihuahuan Desert of North America, we fitted logistic models including the exogenous effects of seasonal rainfall patterns. Our aim was to test the effects of intraspecific interactions and seasonal rainfall in explaining and predicting the numerical fluctuations of these two kangaroo rats. We found that logistic models fit both data sets quite well;Dipodomys merriamishowed lower maximum per capita growth rates thanDipodomys ordii, and in both cases logistic models were nonlinear. Summer rainfall appears to be the most important exogenous effect for both rodent populations; models including this variable were able to predict independent data better than models including winter rainfall.D. merriamiwas also negatively affected by another kangaroo rat (Dipodomys spectabilis), consistent with previous experimental evidence. We hypothesized that summer rainfall influences the carrying capacity of the environment by affecting seed availability and the intensity of intraspecific competition.
JANZEN‐CONNELL EFFECTS ARE WIDESPREAD AND STRONG ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN DIVERSITY IN GRASSLANDS
Authors: Petermann Jana S. , Fergus Alexander J. F. , Turnbull Lindsay A. , Schmid Bernhard
Published: September 2008

Crop rotation schemes are believed to work by preventing specialist soil‐borne pests from depressing the future yields of similar crops. In ecology, such negative plant–soil feedbacks may be viewed as a type of Janzen‐Connell effect, which promotes species coexistence and diversity by preventing the same species from repeatedly occupying a particular site. In a controlled greenhouse experiment with 24 plant species and using soils from established field monocultures, we reveal community‐wide soil‐based Janzen‐Connell effects between the three major functional groups of plants in temperate European grasslands. The effects are much stronger and more prevalent if plants are grown in interspecific competition. Using several soil treatments (gamma irradiation, activated carbon, fungicide, fertilizer) we show that the mechanism of the negative feedback is the buildup of soil pathogens which reduce the competitive ability of nearly all species when grown on soils they have formerly occupied. We further show that the magnitude of the change in competitive outcome is sufficient to stabilize observed fitness differences between functional groups in reasonably large communities. The generality and strength of this negative feedback suggests that Janzen‐Connell effects have been underestimated as drivers of plant diversity in temperate ecosystems.
Roger Tory Peterson: a biography
Authors: Askins Robert A.
Published: September 2008

Carlson, Douglas. 2007. Roger Tory Peterson: a biography. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas. xi + 296 p. $24.95, ISBN: 978‐0‐292‐71680‐3 (alk. paper).
Mountain goats: ecology, behavior, and conservation of an alpine ungulate
Authors: Wittmer Heiko U.
Published: September 2008

Festa‐Bianchet, Marco, and Steeve D. Côté. 2008. Mountain goats: ecology, behavior, and conservation of an alpine ungulate. Island Press, Washington, D.C. xii + 265 p. $90.00 (cloth), ISBN: 978‐1‐59726‐170‐8 (alk. paper); $45.00 (paper), ISBN: 978‐1‐59726‐171‐5 (alk. paper).
Emerging markets for ecosystem services: a case study of the Panama Canal Watershed
Authors: Brauman Kate
Published: September 2008

Gentry, Bradford S., Quint Newcomer, Shimon C. Anisfeld, and Michael A. Fotos III, editors. 2007. Emerging markets for ecosystem services: a case study of the Panama Canal Watershed. The Haworth Press, Binghamton, New York. xxi + 387 p. $148.00, ISBN: 978‐1‐56022‐173‐9 (alk. paper).
Modeling, Simulation and Experimental Study of Methanol Synthesis for 11C Radiopharmaceuticals
Authors: van Lier Erik J , Posarac Dusko , Kwok K. E. , Lim C. Jim
Published: September 2008

Carbon-11 radiopharmaceuticals are gaining an increasing importance in positron emission tomography due to their importance in diagnostic medicine. The most wide spread method of production of these radiopharmaceuticals is by methylation of an appropriate precursor with the highly reactive [11C]methyl iodide. Conventional synthesis of this intermediate involves liquid phase synthesis of [11C]methanol, which is the step that limits the specific activity of the final product. To avoid the loss of specific activity, a catalytic gas phase methanol synthesis process was evaluated. In this procedure, [11C]carbon monoxide would be reduced to [11C]methanol using a copper zinc oxide catalyst in the presence of hydrogen.In this study, a reactor to catalytically convert 50 ppm carbon monoxide to methanol was developed. A copper zinc oxide catalyst was prepared by a co-precipitation method. The catalyst was activated by reduction with hydrogen and passivated with oxygen prior to methanol synthesis. The effects of temperature, pressure and flowrate on the conversion of carbon monoxide to methanol were studied. The experimental results were used in conjunction with a commercially available process simulator to fit a kinetic model for methanol synthesis from carbon monoxide. This model was used to determine optimal operating conditions for this reactor and predicts a 60% conversion of [11C]carbon monoxide to [11C]methanol. These findings suggest that gas phase [11C]methanol synthesis is a viable alternative to the conventional liquid phase method, meriting further studies with carbon-11.
Owner-perceived, weighted quality-of-life assessments in dogs with spinal cord injuries
Authors: Levine Jonathan M. , Budke Christine M. , Levine Gwendolyn J. , Kerwin Sharon C. , Hettlich Bianca F. , Slater Margaret R.
Published: September 2008

Objective—To evaluate changes over time in owner-perceived, weighted quality-of-life assessments in dogs with spinal cord injuries and determine whether scores were associated with underlying etiology or with veterinarian-assigned scores for severity of neurologic dysfunction.

Design—Cohort study.

Animals—100 dogs with spinal cord injury.

Procedures—Duration of dysfunction, modified Frankel neurologic injury score, and etiology were recorded. At initial and recheck (4- to 6-week) evaluations, owners were asked to identify 5 areas or activities they believed had the most influence on their dogs' quality of life, assess their dogs' current status in each area, and provide a weighting for the importance of each area; results were used to construct a weighted quality-of-life score. Owners were also asked to provide a quality-of-life score with a visual analog scale (VAS).

Results—At initial and recheck evaluations, weighted quality-of-life scores were higher for ambulatory than for nonambulatory dogs. However, scores did not differ among groups when dogs were grouped on the basis of underlying etiology or duration of injury. Dogs with an increase in Frankel score between the initial and recheck evaluations had a significant increase in weighted quality-of-life score, whereas for dogs that did not have any change in Frankel score, initial and recheck weighted quality-of-life scores were not significantly different.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggested that owner-assigned, weighted quality-of-life scores for dogs with spinal cord injuries did not vary significantly on the basis of underlying etiology or duration of injury but were higher for ambulatory than for nonambulatory dogs.
Relationships between demographic variables and lead toxicosis in cattle evaluated at North American veterinary teaching hospitals
Authors: Mavangira Vengai , Evans Tim J. , Villamil J. Armando , Hahn Allen W. , Chigerwe Munashe , Tyler Jeff W.
Published: September 2008

Objective—To determine associations between age, sex, breed, and month and year of admission and the diagnosis of lead toxicosis in cattle.

Design—Retrospective case-control study.

Sample Population—Records of all cattle evaluated at North American veterinary teaching hospitals during the years 1963 to 2002, which were available through the Veterinary Medical Database.

Procedures—Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations between postulated risk factors and the occurrence of lead toxicosis in cattle and predict the occurrence of the diagnosis of lead toxicosis in cattle.

Results—413 cases of lead intoxication and 202,363 control cattle were identified and met the inclusion criteria. Cattle < 4 years of age were at increased risk for the diagnosis of lead intoxication relative to cattle ≥ 4 years of age. Cattle ≥ 2 months and < 6 months of age had the greatest risk for lead intoxication (odds ratio, 12.3). Angus cattle were at greater risk for toxicosis (odds ratio, 1.95), compared with other breeds. The risk of lead toxicosis was greater before 1985 (odds ratio, 1.94) than the risk thereafter. The risk of lead toxicosis diagnosis was greatest in the months of May, June, July, and August.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Lead toxicosis in cattle was associated with age < 4 years and the Angus breed. A seasonal pattern existed with peak occurrence in the late spring and summer. The occurrence of lead toxicosis has declined over time.
Comparison between coelioscopy and coeliotomy for liver biopsy in channel catfish
Authors: Boone S. Shaun , Hernandez-Divers Stephen J. , Radlinsky MaryAnn G. , Latimer Kenneth S. , Shelton James L.
Published: September 2008

Objective—To evaluate endoscopic liver biopsy and compare that technique with a standard coeliotomy biopsy technique in fish.

Design—Randomized controlled clinical trial.

Animals—30 channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus).

Procedures—10 fish were randomly assigned into control, coeliotomy, and coelioscopy groups. Anesthesia was performed with a recirculating anesthesia machine. Body weight, PCV, and total protein (TP) concentration in blood as well as plasma activities of aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and sorbitol dehydrogenase were measured before and after surgery. Standard ventral coeliotomy or coelioscopy was performed, and the biopsy specimens were scored histologically.

Results—Coeliotomy and coelioscopy procedures were well tolerated without acute deaths. Blood TP concentration and PCV decreased after surgery in the coelioscopy group because of intracoelomic fluid administration to aid visualization. Minor changes in activities for hepatic and muscular enzyme activities were apparent, but were not significantly different between the coelioscopy and coeliotomy groups. Coelioscopy and coeliotomy yielded biopsy specimens of similar diagnostic quality. However, coelioscopy permitted a more extensive evaluation of the viscera, and all 10 surgical wounds healed completely, compared with severe wound dehiscence in 3 of 10 fish that underwent coeliotomy.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Both coelioscopy and coeliotomy were capable of yielding antemortem liver biopsy specimens of diagnostic quality in catfish. Coelioscopy permitted a more detailed examination of the coelomic viscera through a smaller surgical incision, was less traumatic, and resulted in decreased wound dehiscence.
Association of Suicide Rates of Elderly Persons with Fertility Rates
Authors: Shah Ajit
Published: September 2008

A negative correlation between societal suicide rates and social integration has been reported, but rarely specifically examined for suicide rates of the elderly although suicide rates of elderly persons are among the highest. The associations of suicide rates of elderly persons and fertility rates for 81 countries were examined using data from the World Health Organisation and United Nations. Fertility rates were considered a proxy measure for social integration. Multiple regression analysis indicated that suicide rates for males and females in the age bands 65–74 years and 75+ years were independently (negative) correlated with fertility rates. Fertility rates, as a measure of social integration, may interact with, modify and mediate the effect of cultural factors on suicide rates of elderly persons.
Relationship Satisfaction for Heterosexual Women Compared to Lesbians and Men in a Sample of Faith Communities from Topeka, Kansas
Authors: Schumm Walter R. , Akagi Cynthia A. , Bosch Kathy R.
Published: September 2008

A modified version of the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale was administered to 239 women who belonged to 8 different faith communities in Topeka, Kansas in 2001. 12 members of a Metropolitan (gay and lesbian) church identified themselves as lesbians. Lesbian respondents reported significantly higher relationship satisfaction scores than heterosexual women (Cohen's d=0.69). Controlling for number of children and social desirability reduced the regression coefficient for sexual orientation to a statistically nonsignificant level. Using a matched sample of 12 heterosexual women compared with the lesbians yielded a nonsignificant result ( ES = 0.31). Nevertheless, although not statistically significant, comparisons between lesbians and heterosexual women continued to feature effect sizes that represented higher satisfaction for lesbians with no children or with only one child when compared to heterosexual women with no children or only one child. It is apparent that methodology made a difference in the results obtained in this comparative study of lesbian and heterosexual relationships. It was also observed, among members of churches other than the Metropolitan church, that relationship satisfaction was significantly lower ( d=0.22) among females than males, including among wives compared to husbands; significant linear and cubic relationships between a single-item measure of relationship social desirability and relationship satisfaction were also observed.
Possible Relationship of Elderly Suicide Rates with Unemployment in Society: A Cross-National Study
Authors: Shah Ajit
Published: September 2008

Analyses of individual and aggregated data have yielded an association between suicide and unemployment, particularly for men in younger age groups. Examination of the relationship of elderly suicide rates with measures of unemployment in a cross-national study of 27 countries did not produce any statistically significant association between these two variables. Also, the magnitude of the actual correlations was small. One reason for low magnitude of correlations may be better welfare systems in the studied countries which mainly reported medium and high income.
Principals' Transformational Leadership and Teachers' Collective Efficacy
Authors: Dussault Marc , Payette Daniel , Leroux Mathieu
Published: September 2008

The study was designed to test the relationship of principals' transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership with teachers' collective efficacy. Bandura's theory of efficacy applied to the group and Bass's transformational leadership theory were used as the theoretical framework. Participants included 487 French Canadian teachers from 40 public high schools. As expected, there were positive and significant correlations between principals' transformational and transactional leadership and teachers' collective efficacy. Also, there was a negative and significant correlation between laissez-faire leadership and teachers' collective efficacy. Moreover, regression analysis showed transformational leadership significantly enhanced the predictive capabilities of transactional leadership on teachers' collective efficacy. These results confirm the importance of leadership to predict collective efficacy and, by doing so, strengthen Bass's theory of leadership.
Collective and Individualistic Coping with Stress at Work
Authors: Muhonen Tuija , Torkelson Eva
Published: September 2008

In the present study, coping was viewed as both an individualistic and a collective phenomenon, and the investigation assessed how use of collective and individualistic coping strategies was related to sex of respondent and organizational level. These strategies were measured by responses to Swedish versions of the Strategic Approach to Coping Scale and the COPE Inventory. Data were collected by means of an Internet-based questionnaire completed by 950 female ( n = 502) and male ( n = 448) employees at both the managerial ( n = 171) and nonmanagerial ( n = 764) levels, working in customer service in a Swedish telecom company. The mean age of the participants was 47 yr. ( SD = 9.7). Analysis showed women more often used collective strategies, but so also did both women and men managers. Men did not use problem-focused individualistic coping strategies more often than women. No interactions between sex and organizational level were found. Separate analyses for women and men indicated that coping was more related to organizational level than to sex.
Predicting Students' Perceptions of Academic Misconduct on the Hogan Personality Inventory Reliability Scale
Authors: Stone Thomas H. , Kisamore Jennifer L. , Jawahar I. M.
Published: September 2008

Interest and research on academic misconduct has become more salient in part due to recent publicized academic and organizational scandals. The current study investigated a possible interaction between perception of the university's academic culture and personality, conceptualized as Reliability, on students' perceptions of academic misconduct. A convenience sample of 217 university business students (91 men, 126 women), whose average age was 22.3 yr. ( SD = 4.4) was tested. Reliability was measured with an occupational scale included in the Hogan Personality Inventory. Two hierarchical regression analyses were conducted using Cheating Intentions and Likelihood of Reporting Cheating as criteria. Age, Reliability, Integrity Culture, and the interaction between scores on Reliability and Integrity Culture were entered as predictors. Only Age and Reliability scores were significant predictors of Cheating Intentions, while all variables were significant predictors for Likelihood of Reporting Cheating. Suggestions for practice and research are provided.
Effects of Role Models from Films on Short-Term Ratings of Intent, Interest, and Self-Assessment of Ability by High School Youth: A Study of Gender-Stereotyped Academic Subjects
Authors: Ziegler Albert , Stoeger Heidrun
Published: September 2008

The effects of cinematic female role models on self-confidence in own abilities, interest, and academic elective intents of secondary school pupils were analyzed in two studies. In Study 1 the participants ( N = 283) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups. Each group watched a film after which they completed a questionnaire. In Film 1 the lead female character demonstrated conventional female characteristics and was discernibly untalented in mathematics and the natural sciences, in Film 2 the lead female character did not exhibit conventional female characteristics and was gifted in mathematics and the natural sciences, and in Film 3 the lead female character was typically female and gifted in mathematics and the natural sciences. Film 3, in which the lead female character not only contradicted the stereotype of women not being gifted at mathematics and the natural sciences but also should not have elicited subtyping processes, turned out to be effective among girls with High prior interest and boys in general. In contrast, this film had unexpected effects among girls with Low prior interest. Instead of showing, as expected, merely weaker effects than those found for the other groups, this role model even had a deterrent effect on girls with Low prior interest. In Study 2 ( N=55) an investigation assessed whether Film 3 could exercise a similarly positive effect on female pupils with Low prior interest were a female role model to depict constructive coping with difficulties in mathematics and the natural sciences prior to the presentation of the film. Results show this is possible.
Extended Parallel Process Model and H5N1 Influenza Virus
Authors: Siu Wanda
Published: September 2008

This study integrated the Extended Parallel Process Model and forewarning cues to assess the promotion of preventive measures against the H5N1 influenza virus, a significant health threat that affects Asia, Europe, and the USA. There are two types of forewarning, (1) telling the audience that they will hear messages intended to persuade them and (2) telling the audience the topic and stance of the impending persuasive message. Analysis of ratings by 265 undergraduates indicated that forewarnings of the topic and stance of a promotional message on the H5N1 virus facilitated elaboration of coping-related thoughts which enhance perceived self-efficacy and a stronger behavioral intention to combat H5N1. Conversely, the elaboration of danger-related thoughts evoked some fear but enhanced source perception.
Comparative Decline of Professional School Graduates' Performance on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology
Authors: Templer Donald I. , Stroup Kathy , Mancuso Leah J. , Tangen Kimberly
Published: September 2008

The discrepancy between traditional (Boulder Model) and professional school (Vail Model) clinical psychology graduate programs on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) was greater using 1997–2005 data than in an earlier study using 1988–1995 data. The relative decline of the performance of professional school graduates on the EPPP was attributed in part to the increase of 31.1% in number of listed professional schools over the last decade, in particular, because those schools have lower academic standards. It is recommended that professional programs accept fewer students and have more rigorous quality control mechanisms for the students who have been accepted. It is further recommended that no new professional schools be started and that marginal programs be phased out.
Computer Analysis of the Content of Suicide Notes from Men and Women
Authors: Lester David
Published: September 2008

A text analysis of 47 suicide notes identified no reliable or psychologically meaningful differences by sex, age, or method used for suicide.
Cannabis use and the Risk Behavior Syndrome in Italian University Students: Are They Related to Suicide Risk?
Authors: Innamorati Marco , Pompili Maurizio , Ferrari Vincenzo , Girardi Paolo , Tatarelli Roberto , Tamburello Antonino , Lester David
Published: September 2008

The aim of this study was to examine the association of cannabis use with risky behaviors and suicide risk in university students. A convenience sample of 246 students was recruited from four universities in Rome during the 2004 academic year. Participants completed the Zung scales for anxiety and depression, the Suicide Score Scale, and an ad hoc questionnaire assessing risky behaviors. The findings indicated a widespread use of cannabis among students and its association with risky behaviors, anxiety and depression, and suicide risk. A regression tree analysis resulted in 3 splits indicating that the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale is a good predictor of suicide risk, discriminating individuals at lower risk from those at higher risk. Individuals at higher risk for suicide could also be discriminated by self-reported lifetime drug use. Limitations of the study are related to the small sample size and use of a convenience sample.
Further Evidence for Construct Validity of the Interpersonal Relationship Inventory: Japanese Version
Authors: Sumi Katsunori
Published: September 2008

The Japanese versions of the Interpersonal Relationship Inventory, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Self-esteem Scale were administered to 153 Japanese college students. Weak to modest significant correlations between scores on the inventory and measure of life satisfaction and self-esteem provided further incremental support for construct validity of the inventory.
State IQ and Elderly Suicide Rates in the United States
Authors: Voracek Martin
Published: September 2008

Paralleling previous findings with state suicide rates of the total population, the associations of state suicide rates of elderly persons with regional IQ estimates across the USA were inconsistent (positive, negative, or nil), depending on the source of available state IQ estimates used in the analysis. The implications of these findings and directions for further inquiry are discussed.
Criteria for Suicide-by-Cop Incidents
Authors: Lindsay Mark , Lester David
Published: September 2008

17 criteria for suicide-by-cop incidents were applied to 39 such incidents and 18 control incidents. Analysis indicated the criteria differentiated the two groups and may be useful for investigators.
Attributions for School Success and Failure by Adolescent Students with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Niederhofer Helmut
Published: September 2008

A study of possible differences in causal attributions between ADHD youth and non-ADHD controls is reported. 40 students (12 to 18 years of age), diagnosed with ADHD by a psychologist and a psychiatrist according to Conners' criteria were compared with healthy controls. Analyses confirmed that external attributions regarding luck were significantly higher for the ADHD group than for the 40 healthy controls. Implications of these findings for intervention in ADHD are discussed.
A Proposed Typology of Personality Disorders Based on Andras Angyal's System Principles: A Preliminary Note
Authors: Dench Benjamin , Martino Sara , Lester David
Published: September 2008

A classification of personality disorders is proposed based on a typology derived from Andras Angyal's theory of personality, which has two trends (autonomy and homonomy) and two patterns (vicarious living and noncommitment).
Rats' Knowledge of Incorrect Responses in a Matching-to-Sample Task
Authors: Gurney Rebecca L. , Armus Harvard L.
Published: September 2008

The idea that rats possess some knowledge about having been incorrect when having previously made an incorrect response is proposed. A matching-to-sample task with a second choice was used to assess the hypothesis. Only if the correct lever was chosen on the second choice was the animal rewarded. Further, the second choice was offered whether the animal was initially correct or incorrect in its first choice, preventing it from “knowing” if it had been correct in its initial decision. If rats possessed some knowledge whether they had been correct or not, then the number of correct second choice responses after an incorrect first one should have been greater than chance. The current experiment provided some evidence that the rats did “know” when its choices were incorrect.
Impacts on Traffic Diversion Rates of Changed Message on Changeable Message Sign
Authors: Foo Simon , Abdulhai Baher , Hall Fred L.
Published: September 2008

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has installed 27 changeable message signs (CMSs) strategically upstream of express–collector transfer locations on Highway 401 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Motorists are informed by the CMSs of traffic conditions downstream of the transfer location to help them decide whether to take the next transfer. Loop detectors are installed at the transfer locations to measure traffic flow. The dynamic impacts of CMS messages on traffic diversion are evaluated by using 3 years of loop detector data, from 2003 to 2005. Time-series plots of aggregated diversion rates show that the initial transient response to the message change is significant and that, in addition to the messages themselves, the occurrence of a message change plays a vital role in influencing downstream diversion. Aggregate diversion rate plots also reveal that the logic underlying the Highway 401 CMSs may be causing the signs to react to diversion rate changes on many occasions, thereby closing a feedback control loop that effectively regulates the downstream diversion rates.
Effects of Variable Speed Limits on Motorway Traffic Flow
Authors: Papageorgiou Markos , Kosmatopoulos Elias , Papamichail Ioannis
Published: September 2008

Variable speed limits (VSLs) displayed on roadside variable message signs (VMSs) have emerged as a widespread traffic control measure on motorways in many countries, leading to substantial traffic safety benefits; however, there is no clear evidence of improved traffic flow efficiency in operational VSL systems. The available information on VSL impact on aggregate traffic flow behavior is summarized, and the issue is investigated in more detail with real traffic data from a European motorway. It is found that VSLs decrease the slope of the flow–occupancy diagram at undercritical conditions, shift the critical occupancy to higher values, and enable higher flows at the same occupancy values in over-critical conditions. Implications of the derived findings for more efficient VSL control strategies are discussed.
Vanadium Catalyzed Partial Oxidation of Some Saturated Hydrocarbons to Functionalized Products Under Mild Conditions
Authors: Asadullah M , Uddin M Shamim , Jahan M Israt , Motin M Abdul
Published: September 2008

Partial oxidation of cyclopentane, cyclohexane, cycloheptane and propane to oxygenated products has been investigated using vanadyl acetylacetonate catalyst in presence of oxidant K2S2O8 in CF3COOH (TFA) solvent. It has been observed that the primary products were alcohols and carbonyl compounds. However, in the reaction of cycloheptane and propane, carbonyl was not formed. Alcohols subsequently reacted with TFAand produced esters. In case of propane, two esters were observed where iso-propyl trifluoroacetate was the dominant product and n-propyl trifluoroacetate was the minor product. In this case, about 89 mol% conversion was achieved. The conversion of cycloalkanes is found lower than that of propane. For the cyclohexane functionalization, the optimum condition found 7.5 mmol of K2S2O8, 5 mL of CF3COOH, 0.1 mmol of catalyst, 80Â°C reaction temperature and 1 mmol of cyclohexane.Â  Key words: Partial oxidation, Homogeneous catalysis, Hydrocarbon functionalization, Potassium persulfate and Trifluoroacetic acidDOI = 10.3329/bjsir.v43i3.1144Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 43(3), 291-300, 2008
Combined Heat and Mass Transfer by Mixed Convection Unsteady MHD Flow with Constant Heat and Mass Fluxes
Authors: Alam MM , Haque MM , Hossain M Delowar , Haque Z
Published: September 2008

Combined heat and mass transfer by mixed convection unsteady MHD flow from a vertical porous plate with time dependent suction velocity and, constant heat and mass fluxes has been studied under the action of transverse applied magnetic field. The boundary layer equations have been transformed into dimensionless coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations by similarity transformations. The solutions of the dimensionless coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations are obtained by shooting iteration technique. The obtained numerical results are presented in the form of velocity, temperature and concentration distributions. Finally the effects of the pertinent parameters on the skin-friction coefficient are also examined. Key words : Combined heat and mass transfer, MHD flow, and Constant heat and Mass fluxes Â Â DOI = 10.3329/bjsir.v43i3.1146Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 43(3), 309-320, 2008