bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct Payments, Spatial Competition, and Farm Survival in Norway
Authors: Storm Hugo , Mittenzwei Klaus , Heckelei Thomas
Published: September 2014

We argue that farm survival is influenced by neighboring farmers’ characteristics and, in particular, by the direct payments neighboring farmers receive. The article shows empirically that these interdependencies are crucial for an assessment of the effects of direct payments on farm survival. Using spatially explicit farm‐level data for nearly all Norwegian farms, a spatial probit model is estimated to explain farm survival from 1999 to 2009 controlling for spatial farm interdependence. We show that ignoring spatial interdependencies between farms leads to a substantial overestimation of the effects of direct payments on farm survival. To our knowledge, this article is the first attempt to empirically analyze the importance of neighboring interdependencies for the effects of direct payments on farm survival.
Determinants of insurance adoption among Bulgarian farmers
Authors: Lefebvre Marianne , Nikolov Dimitre , Gomez-y-Paloma Sergio , Chopeva Minka
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the determinants of agricultural insurance adoption in Bulgaria, using a purpose-built survey of 224 farmers interviewed in 2011. The insurance decision is analyzed conjointly with other risk management decisions on the farm such as having contracts with retailers or processors, diversifying farm activities and using irrigation.

Design/methodology/approach

– The agricultural insurance sector in Bulgaria is presented in the broader context of the transition to a market-oriented economy and integration of Bulgarian agriculture into the EU Common Agricultural Policy. The recent developments on the determinants of farm insurance adoption in the agricultural economics and finance literature are discussed. A multivariate probit model is used in order to determine the factors explaining the adoption or non-adoption of various risk management tools by the surveyed farmers, including farm insurance.

Findings

– The authors find that farmers with diversified activities, using irrigation or having contracts with retailers or processors, are more likely to adopt insurance, after controlling for farms and farmers’ structural characteristics. Additionally, the authors find that the main characteristics distinguishing farmers who purchase agricultural insurance from non-users are farm size and farm location. The existence of strong regional effect suggests the importance of adapting the insurance products to the different regional contexts in Bulgaria.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to the (limited) literature on agricultural insurance adoption in transition countries, currently shifting from a system where compensation against natural hazards tended to come from a State damage mitigation fund, inherited from the centrally planned governments to private and voluntary agricultural insurance. This research provides a unique data source on the Bulgarian case study.
Quality performance of SMEs in a developing economy: direct and indirect effects of service innovation and entrepreneurial orientation
Authors: Oly Ndubisi Nelson , Agarwal James
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine how innovation and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) affect organizational performance on quality in Asian small enterprise context.

Design/methodology/approach

– Drawing from the strategic management literature, we hypothesize and test the direct and indirect relationship between EO, innovation and quality performance in the context of small information technology (IT) firms in an Asian economy. Data analyses follow standard procedures for testing direct and mediating effects.

Findings

– Findings indicate a significant direct and indirect positive relationship between EO dimensions and three types of innovation and quality performance. Innovation mediates in the relationship of EO with quality performance.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper adds resource-based view and dynamic capabilities theories to extant strategic management literature. Poor representation of women-owned small firms in the study resulting from low participation of females in the IT business sector is a limitation which needs to be addressed in the future, as it hinders a clearer understanding of the perspectives of women business owners.

Practical implications

– The paper contributes to managerial practice by underscoring the need for owner-managers of small enterprises to pursue EO-focused and innovation enhancement strategies in an integrated manner.

Originality/value

– An integrated model of EO, innovation and performance, tested in small IT service firms in the context of a developing economy. Context does matter. The combination of a developing country context and the significance of IT enhance the contextual contribution of the paper.
A multi-level exploration of empowerment mediators
Authors: Anne Ritter Barbara , Venkatraman Srinivasan , Schlauch Carrie
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore the underlying mechanisms through which empowerment affects organizational outcomes via a multi-dimensional model. Specifically, the paper suggests that empowerment climate (EC) is positively related to psychological empowerment (PE) and the effect of PE on the outcome variable of job satisfaction is mediated by justice perceptions and role clarity.

Design/methodology/approach

– In total, 765 employees at the executive level across 26 distinct groups in a large manufacturing firm participated in the survey. Multi-level analyses based on both hierarchical linear modeling and multi-level structural equation modeling techniques were utilized to test the hypotheses.

Findings

– This research demonstrated that EC significantly affected PE and that perceptions of justice and role clarity mediated the relationship between PE and job satisfaction. Additional analyses demonstrated that EC did not significantly affect organizational outcomes above and beyond PE, justice, and role clarity.

Practical implications

– The current study suggests that managers concerned with increasing employee perceptions of justice may be able to do so by increasing perceptions of employee empowerment. As only individual employee perceptions of empowerment related directly to organizational outcomes, this demonstrates the importance for managers to understand perceptions of employees.

Originality/value

– Exploring these mechanisms will strengthen the knowledge regarding how empowerment works to enhance organizational effectiveness. This will enable practitioners to better determine how and when empowerment will be most effective.
Education and experience impact leadership development psychological empowerment
Authors: Solansky Stephanie
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to shed light on psychological empowerment in a leadership development context by addressing two questions. First, what is the role of leadership experience and education value in the psychological empowerment of leadership development? Second, are there significant differences in leadership development implications depending on the extent of psychological empowerment?

Design/methodology/approach

– These research questions are addressed in an empirical study ofn=256 individuals taking part in a leadership development course. The first question was analyzed with regression analysis and the second question was analyzed with analysis of variance and covariance after the individuals were categorized based on their psychological empowerment of leadership development.

Findings

– As hypothesized, leadership experience and leadership education value are significantly, positively related to the psychological empowerment of leadership development. Additionally, a higher psychological empowerment score did result in better leadership development implications. Conclusions for psychological empowerment and leadership development research are discussed.

Originality/value

– There is limited research on psychological empowerment and leadership development. This study contributes to the literature by immersing psychological empowerment in a leadership development context and empirically testing theory driven hypotheses based on transformational learning theory and expectancy value theory.
The catecholamine stress hormones norepinephrine and dopamine increase the virulence of pathogenic Vibrio anguillarum and Vibrio campbellii
Authors: Pande Gde Sasmita J. , Suong Nguyen Thao , Bossier Peter , Defoirdt Tom
Published: September 2014

Obtaining a better understanding of mechanisms involved in bacterial infections is of paramount importance for the development of novel agents to control disease caused by (antibiotic resistant) pathogens in aquaculture. In this study, we investigated the impact of catecholamine stress hormones on growth and virulence factor production of pathogenic vibrios (i.e. two Vibrio campbellii strains and two Vibrio anguillarum strains). Both norepinephrine and dopamine (at 100 μM) significantly induced growth in media containing serum. The compounds also increased swimming motility of the tested strains, whereas they had no effect on caseinase, chitinase, and hemolysin activities. Further, antagonists for eukaryotic catecholamine receptors were able to neutralize some of the effects of the catecholamines. Indeed, the dopaminergic receptor antagonist chlorpromazine neutralized the effect of dopamine, and the α-adrenergic receptor antagonists phentolamine and phenoxybenzamine neutralized the effect of norepinephrine, whereas the β-adrenergic receptor antagonist propranolol had limited to no effect. Finally, pretreatment of pathogenic V. campbellii with catecholamines significantly increased its virulence toward giant freshwater prawn larvae. However, the impact of catecholamine receptor antagonists on in vivo virulence was less clear-cut when compared to the in vitro experiments. In summary, our results show that – similar to enteric pathogens – catecholamines also increase the virulence of vibrios that are pathogenic to aquatic organisms by increasing motility and growth in media containing serum.
Prevalence of and risk factors for the occurrence of symptomatic osteoarthritis in rural regions of Shanxi Province, China
Authors: Zhang Jun‐feng , Song Ling‐hua , Wei Jun‐ni , Zhang Ai‐lian , Dong Hai‐yuan , Wen Hong‐yan , Luo Jing , Liu Guifen
Published: September 2014

Aim

To determine the prevalence of symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) in rural regions of Shanxi Province, China, and to identify factors increasing the prevalence of OA.

Method

Residents over 16 years of age of targeted towns and villages in rural regions of Shanxi Province were sampled using a stratified multi‐stage cluster method. Those exhibiting symptoms of rheumatism were referred to rheumatologists and those in whom rheumatism was suspected were X‐rayed within 10 days of interview. OA was diagnosed by consensus (two or three rheumatologists). Factors associated with the presence of OA were identified.

Results

A total of 7126 permanent residents were surveyed and 1734 (24.3%) had OA. Knee OA was the most prevalent form of OA (13.8%), followed by lumbar (7.4%), cervical (3.4%), hand (3.3%), shoulder (3.0%), elbow (2.9%), ankle (0.7%), hip (0.6%), wrist (0.5%), thoracic (0.5%) and foot OA (0.5%). All of knee, ankle, shoulder and hand OA exhibited a gender bias. Advanced age, a sweet tooth, poor home ventilation, poor home heating, separation, divorce, or death of a partner, low‐grade occupation, low educational level, high body mass index and the presence of concomitant cardiovascular disease, were associated with the presence of OA.

Conclusion

Symptomatic OA is very prevalent in rural regions of Shanxi Province. Many factors increase the prevalence of the condition. Primary and secondary prevention programs seeking to improve living conditions, to reduce obesity, and to effectively treat concomitant cardiovascular disease, are required.
CATS regression – a model‐based approach to studying trait‐based community assembly
Authors: Warton David I. , Shipley Bill , Hastie Trevor
Published: September 2014

Shipley, Vile & Garnier (Science 2006; 314: 812) proposed a maximum entropy approach to studying how species relative abundance is mediated by their traits, ‘community assembly via trait selection’ (CATS).

In this paper, we build on recent equivalences between the maximum entropy formalism and Poisson regression to show that CATS is equivalent to a generalized linear model for abundance, with species traits as predictor variables.

Main advantages gained by access to the machinery of generalized linear models can be summarized as advantages in interpretation, model checking, extensions and inference.

A more difficult issue, however, is the development of valid methods of inference for single‐site data, as species correlation in abundance is not accounted for in CATS (whether specified as a regression or via maximum entropy). This issue can be circumvented for multisite data using design‐based inference.

These points are illustrated by example – our plant abundances were found to violate the implicit Poisson assumption of CATS, but a negative binomial regression had much improved fit, and our model was extended to multisite data in order to directly model the environment–trait interaction. Violations of the Poisson assumption were strong and accounting for them qualitatively changed results, presumably because larger counts had undue influence when overdispersion had not been accounted for. We advise that future CATS analysts routinely check for overdispersion and account for it if present.
The Role of the ECG in Diagnosis, Risk Estimation, and Catheterization Laboratory Activation in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Consensus Document
Authors: Birnbaum Yochai , Nikus Kjell , Kligfield Paul , Fiol Miguel , Barrabés Jose Antonio , Sionis Alessandro , Pahlm Olle , Niebla J. Garcia , de Luna Antonio Bayès
Published: September 2014

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is the most widely used imaging tool helping in diagnosis and initial management of patients presenting with symptoms compatible with acute coronary syndrome. Acute ischemia affects the configuration of the QRS complexes, the ST segments and the T waves. The ECG should be read along with the clinical assessment of the patient. ST segment elevation (and ST depression in leads V1–V3) in patients with active symptoms usually indicates acute occlusion of an epicardial artery with ongoing transmural ischemia. These patients should be triaged for emergent reperfusion therapy per current guidelines. However, many patients have ST segment elevation secondary to nonischemic causes. ST depression in leads other than V1–V3 usually are indicative of subendocardial ischemia secondary to subocclusion of the epicardial artery, distal embolization to small arteries or spasm supply/demand mismatch. ST depression may also be secondary to nonischemic etiologies, such as left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiomyopathies, etc. Knowing the clinical scenario, comparison to previous ECG and subsequent ECGs (in cases that there are changes in the quality or severity of symptoms) may add in the diagnosis and interpretation in difficult cases. This review addresses the different ECG patterns, typically seen in patients with active symptoms, after resolution of symptoms and the significance of such changes when seen in asymptomatic patients.
Pharmacological targeting of GSK3β confers protection against podocytopathy and proteinuria by desensitizing mitochondrial permeability transition
Authors: Wang Zhen , Bao Hui , Ge Yan , Zhuang Shougang , Peng Ai , Gong Rujun
Published: September 2014

Background and Purpose

Mitochondrial dysfunction, triggered by mitochondria permeability transition (MPT), has been centrally implicated in the pathogenesis of podocytopathy and involves a multitude of cell signalling mechanisms, among which, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3β has emerged as the integration point and plays a crucial role. This study aimed to examine the role of GSK3β in podocyte MPT and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Experimental Approach

The regulatory effect of GSK3β on MPT was examined in differentiated podocytes in culture and in a murine model of adriamycin‐induced podocytopathy using 4‐benzyl‐2‐methyl‐1,2,4‐thiadiazolidine‐3,5‐dione (TDZD‐8), a highly selective small‐molecule inhibitor of GSK3β.

Key Results

TDZD‐8 therapy prominently ameliorated the proteinuria and glomerular sclerosis in mice with adriamycin nephropathy; this was associated with a correction of GSK3β overactivity in the glomerulus and attenuation of podocyte injuries, including foot process effacement and podocyte death. Consistently, in adriamycin‐injured podocytes, TDZD‐8 treatment counteracted GSK3β overactivity, improved cell viability and prevented death, concomitant with diminished oxidative stress, improved mitochondrial dysfunction and desensitized MPT. Mechanistically, a discrete pool of GSK3β was found in podocyte mitochondria, which interacted with and phosphorylated clyclophilin F, a key structural component of the MPT pore. TDZD‐8 treatment prevented the GSK3β‐controlled phosphorylation and activation of cyclophilin F, desensitized MPT and alleviated the damage to mitochondria in podocytes induced by adriamycin in vivo and in vitro.

Conclusions and Implications

Our findings suggest that pharmacological targeting of GSK3β could represent a promising and feasible therapeutic strategy for protecting podocytes against mitochondrial dysfunction induced by oxidative injuries.
Targeting two‐pore domain K+ channels TREK‐1 and TASK‐3 for the treatment of depression: a new therapeutic concept
Authors: Borsotto M , Veyssiere J , Moha ou Maati H , Devader C , Mazella J , Heurteaux C
Published: September 2014

Depression is a disease that is particularly frequent, affecting up to 20% of the population in Western countries. The origins of this pathology involve multiple genes as well as environmental and developmental factors leading to a disorder that remains difficult to treat. Several therapies for depression have been developed and these mainly target monoamine neurotransmitters. However, these treatments are not only associated with numerous adverse effects, but they are also ineffective for more than one‐third of patients. Therefore, the need to develop new concepts to treat depression is crucial. Recently, studies using knockout mouse models have provided evidence for a crucial role of two members of the two‐pore domain potassium channel (K2P) family, tandem P‐domain weak inward rectifying K+ (TWIK)‐related K+ channel 1 (TREK‐1) and TWIK‐related acid‐sensitive K+ channel 3 (TASK‐3) in the pathophysiology of depression. It is believed that TREK‐1 and TASK‐3 antagonists could lead to the development of new antidepressants. Herein, we describe the discovery of spadin, a natural peptide released from the maturation of the neurotensin receptor‐3 (also known as sortilin), which specifically blocks the activity of the TREK‐1 channel and displays particular antidepressant properties, with a rapid onset of action and the absence of adverse effects. The development of such molecules may open a new era in the field of psychiatry.
Reliability of OperaVOX against Multidimensional Voice Program (MDVP)
Authors: Mat Baki M. , Wood G. , Alston M. , Ratcliffe P. , Sandhu G. , Rubin J.S. , Birchall M.A.
Published: September 2014

Objective

To evaluate the agreement between OperaVOX and MDVP.

Design

Cross sectional reliability study.

Setting

University teaching hospital.

Methods

Fifty healthy volunteers and 50 voice disorder patients had supervised recordings in a quiet room using OperaVOX by the iPod's internal microphone with sampling rate of 45 kHz. A five‐seconds recording of vowel/a/was used to measure fundamental frequency (F0), jitter, shimmer and noise‐to‐harmonic ratio (NHR). All healthy volunteers and 21 patients had a second recording. The recorded voices were also analysed using the MDVP. The inter‐ and intrasoftware reliability was analysed using intraclass correlation (ICC) test and Bland–Altman (BA) method. Mann–Whitney test was used to compare the acoustic parameters between healthy volunteers and patients.

Results

Nine of 50 patients had severe aperiodic voice. The ICC was high with a confidence interval of >0.75 for the inter‐ and intrasoftware reliability except for the NHR. For the intersoftware BA analysis, excluding the severe aperiodic voice data sets, the bias (95% LOA) of F0, jitter, shimmer and NHR was 0.81 (11.32, −9.71); −0.13 (1.26, −1.52); −0.52 (1.68, −2.72); and 0.08 (0.27, −0.10). For the intrasoftware reliability, it was −1.48 (18.43, −21.39); 0.05 (1.31, −1.21); −0.01 (2.87, −2.89); and 0.005 (0.20, −0.18), respectively. Normative data from the healthy volunteers were obtained. There was a significant difference in all acoustic parameters between volunteers and patients measured by the Opera‐VOX (P < 0.001) except for F0 in females (P = 0.87).

Conclusion

OperaVOX is comparable to MDVP and has high internal consistency for measuring the F0, jitter and shimmer of voice except for the NHR.
THE PRIVATE RATIONALITY OF BOTTLED WATER DRINKING
Authors: Viscusi W. Kip , Huber Joel , Bell Jason
Published: September 2014

This article examines evidence for the private rationality of decisions to choose bottled water using a large, nationally representative sample. Consumers are more likely to believe that bottled water is safer or tastes better if they have had adverse experiences with tap water or live in states with more prevalent violations of EPA water quality standards. Perceptions of superior safety, taste, and convenience of bottled water boost consumption of bottled water. Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to drink bottled water due to their relatively greater exposure to unsafe water and greater risk beliefs. The coherent network of experiences, beliefs, and actions is consistent with rational consumer choice. (JEL D12, D80, Q50)
Fisheries Trade and Social Development in the Philippine‐Malaysia Maritime Border Zone
Authors: Fabinyi Michael , Pido Michael , Ponce de Leon Eva Marie , De las Alas Mary Aileen , Buenconsejo Jose , Uyami‐Bitara Arselene , Harani Babylyn , Caceres Jennelyn
Published: September 2014

Weakly regulated natural‐resource trading activities in the remote borderlands of developing countries are commonly viewed both as a means of improving economic development and as a way of smuggling valuable natural resources. Based on data from the Philippine‐Malaysia maritime border that focus on the trade in high‐value live reef fish, this article points to the need to situate such cross‐border activities more closely within the context of local perspectives and priorities. A locally‐grounded perspective is necessary in order to understand the context of social‐development challenges that mediate both macroeconomic and environmental policy outcomes.
First report of Bursaphelenchus mucronatus kolymensis (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) on Monochamus sutor (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Spain
Authors: Abelleira A. , Ibarra N. , Aguín O. , Mosquera P. , Abelleira‐Sanmartín A. , Sorolla A. , Ares A. , Mansilla P.
Published: September 2014

This is the first report of Monochamus sutor as vector of B. mucronatus kolymensis, the European type of B. mucronatus (synonymous with B. kolymensis) in Spain. In 2013, a female of Monochamus sutor was caught in a Pinus sylvestris forest. Nematode species identification was based on morphological characteristics and on molecular and phylogenetic analysis of dauer juveniles and adults.
Has the time come for a staging model to map the course of eating disorders from high risk to severe enduring illness? An examination of the evidence
Authors: Treasure Janet , Stein Daniel , Maguire Sarah
Published: September 2014

Aim

To examine the evidence to support using a staging heuristic for eating disorders, suggesting that the diagnosis of an eating disorder follows a trajectory across the life course. Specifically, to examine whether high‐risk markers and prodromal features presenting in childhood and adolescence can later transition to the full manifestation of the illness in early adulthood, and whether over time, the illness can be described as becoming severe and enduring, often resistant to treatment.

Methods

We conducted a comprehensive literature search on the MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE and Cochrane databases from using the following terms: staging, duration of illness, early intervention, developmental epidemiology, neurobiological marker, phenotype, partial syndrome, severe enduring, chronic, prospective, longitudinal, cohort, epidemiology, adolescent, adult with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, eating disorder. The evidence was organized according to the staging heuristic defined by McGorry.

Results

Evidence from epidemiological studies, neuropsychological findings, treatment responsivity and prognosis, support a specific staging trajectory for anorexia nervosa in that there is a longitudinal trajectory with evidence of neurobiological progression and evidence that interventions matched to stage of illness may optimize the benefit. There is less data at the moment to support such a model for bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

Conclusion

The staging heuristic is a useful model for anorexia nervosa in terms of providing prognostic information and stage matched interventions. Although the evidence is encouraging, further research is needed before a similar model could be applied for bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.
Effects of age on the pharmacokinetics of tramadol and its active metabolite,O‐desmethyltramadol following intravenous administration to foals
Authors: Knych H. K. , Steffey E. P. , White A. M. , McKemie D. S.
Published: September 2014

Reasons for performing study

Tramadol is an analgesic agent used in man and a number of veterinary species. The pharmacokinetics and behavioural effects of tramadol and its active metabolite have been described in mature horses, but not in young foals.

Objectives

To characterise the pharmacokinetics, metabolism and some induced behavioural and physiological responses following i.v. tramadol administration in the same group of foals on 4 different occasions, from a few days after birth to age 43 days.

Study design

Experimental.

Methods

Tramadol was administered i.v. (3 mg/kg bwt) to a group of 8 foals on 4 separate occasions at ages 6–8, 13–15, 20–22 and 40–43 days. Blood samples were collected prior to administration and at multiple times until 48 h post administration. Blood samples were analysed for tramadol and metabolite concentrations and pharmacokinetics determined at each age. Behavioural and physiological effects were also assessed.

Results

The average volume of distribution was 5.10, 4.63, 4.02 and 3.84 l/kg bwt and clearance 3.44, 3.08, 3.14 and 2.69 l/h/kg bwt when foals were aged 6–8, 13–15, 20–22 and 40–43 days, respectively. There was not a significant difference in the elimination half‐life between age groups (1.52, 1.73, 1.13 and 1.51 for ages 6–8, 13–15, 20–22 and 40–43 days, respectively). The metabolites produced were the same as in mature horses; however, glucuronidation capability, appeared to increase with increasing age. Tramadol administration was well tolerated at all ages studied with sedation noted in the 3 older age groups.

Conclusions

Tramadol appears to be consistently well tolerated following i.v. administration of 3 mg/kg bwt to foals ranging in age from 1 to 6 weeks. Although analgesic concentrations in foals have yet to be established, the results of this study support further study of tramadol for clinical use in foals.
Eigenspace method for spatiotemporal hotspot detection
Authors: Fanaee‐T Hadi , Gama João
Published: September 2014

Hotspot detection aims at identifying sub‐groups in the observations that are unexpected, with respect to some baseline information. For instance, in disease surveillance, the purpose is to detect sub‐regions in spatiotemporal space, where the count of reported diseases (e.g. cancer) is higher than expected, with respect to the population. The state‐of‐the‐art method for this kind of problem is the space–time scan statistics, which exhaustively search the whole space through a sliding window looking for significant spatiotemporal clusters. Space–time scan statistics makes some restrictive assumptions about the distribution of data, the shape of the hotspots and the quality of data, which can be unrealistic for some non‐traditional data sources. A novel methodology called EigenSpot is proposed where instead of an exhaustive search over the space, it tracks the changes in a space–time occurrences structure. The new approach does not only present much more computational efficiency but also makes no assumption about the data distribution, hotspot shape or the data quality. The principal idea is that with the joint combination of abnormal elements in the principal spatial and the temporal singular vectors, the location of hotspots in the spatiotemporal space can be approximated. The experimental evaluation, both on simulated and real data sets, reveals the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Contrasting effects of nutrients and climate on algal communities in two lakes in the Windermere catchment since the late 19th century
Authors: Moorhouse Heather L. , McGowan Suzanne , Jones Matthew D. , Barker Philip , Leavitt Peter R. , Brayshaw Susan A. , Haworth Elizabeth Y.
Published: September 2014

Disentangling the role of nutrient pollution and climate change on lake ecosystem functioning is paramount to protect water quality in lake catchments worldwide. For more effective management, however, we need to determine whether these two forcing factors interact at different spatial and temporal scales.

This study compares centennial‐scale archival data and lake sediment records of eutrophication from Blelham Tarn and previously published data from Lake Windermere's North Basin in the English Lake District. We aimed to quantify how lake morphometry, catchment characteristics and landscape position influence the relationship between climate, local land use and algal community change.

Redundancy analysis revealed that increases in cyanobacterial pigments and stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon in sediments of Blelham Tarn from the 1970s onwards correlate strongly with rising densities of sheep and cattle in the catchment. Concomitant installation of piped water and sewage processing facilities appeared to lead to the expansion of filamentous cyanobacteria. In contrast, elevated fossil pigments from siliceous algae after 1990 were related inversely to winter precipitation, suggesting seasonal changes in hydraulic flushing also influenced the algal community response to centennial‐scale fertilisation.

Abundance of vernal algae increased synchronously in Blelham Tarn and Lake Windermere's North Basin after regional agricultural intensification in the mid‐nineteenth century. In contrast, differences in timing of wastewater disposal and treatment at each site led to asynchronous changes in summer taxa such as filamentous cyanobacteria.

This study highlights that lake catchments can act as local filters to regional climate change, both due to differences in localised land‐use and intrinsic hydrological features (e.g. catchment:lake area, flushing rate). Further, this paper highlights the ability of palaeolimnology to aid identification of significant nutrient sources over different spatial scales for effective catchment water management.
Warning times for species extinctions due to climate change
Authors: Stanton Jessica C. , Shoemaker Kevin T. , Pearson Richard G. , Akçakaya H. Resit
Published: September 2014

Climate change is likely to become an increasingly major obstacle to slowing the rate of species extinctions. Several new assessment approaches have been proposed for identifying climate‐vulnerable species, based on the assumption that established systems such as the IUCN Red List need revising or replacing because they were not developed to explicitly consider climate change. However, no assessment approach has been tested to determine its ability to provide advanced warning time for conservation action for species that might go extinct due to climate change. To test the performance of the Red List system in this capacity, we used linked niche‐demographic models with habitat dynamics driven by a ‘business‐as‐usual’ climate change scenario. We generated replicate 100‐year trajectories for range‐restricted reptiles and amphibians endemic to the United States. For each replicate, we categorized the simulated species according to IUCN Red List criteria at annual, 5‐year, and 10‐year intervals (the latter representing current practice). For replicates that went extinct, we calculated warning time as the number of years the simulated species was continuously listed in a threatened category prior to extinction. To simulate data limitations, we repeated the analysis using a single criterion at a time (disregarding other listing criteria). Results show that when all criteria can be used, the Red List system would provide several decades of warning time (median = 62 years; >20 years for 99% of replicates), but suggest that conservation actions should begin as soon as a species is listed as Vulnerable, because 50% of replicates went extinct within 20 years of becoming uplisted to Critically Endangered. When only one criterion was used, warning times were substantially shorter, but more frequent assessments increased the warning time by about a decade. Overall, we found that the Red List criteria reliably provide a sensitive and precautionary way to assess extinction risk under climate change.
Development of connected permeability in massive crystalline rocks through hydraulic fracture propagation and shearing accompanying fluid injection
Authors: Preisig G. , Eberhardt E. , Gischig V. , Roche V. , van der Baan M. , Valley B. , Kaiser P. K. , Duff D. , Lowther R.
Published: September 2014

The ability to generate deep flow in massive crystalline rocks is governed by the interconnectivity of the fracture network and its permeability, which in turn is largely dependent on the in situ stress field. The increase of stress with depth reduces fracture aperture, leading to a decrease in rock mass permeability. The frequency of natural fractures also decreases with depth, resulting in less connectivity. The permeability of crystalline rocks is typically reduced to about 10−17–10−15 m2 at targeted depths for enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) applications, that is, >3 km. Therefore, fluid injection methods are required to hydraulically fracture the rock and increase its permeability. In the mining sector, fluid injection methods are being investigated to increase rock fragmentation and mitigate high‐stress hazards due to operations moving to unprecedented depths. Here as well, detailed understanding of permeability and its enhancement is required. This paper reports findings from a series of hydromechanically coupled distinct‐element models developed in support of a hydraulic fracture experiment testing hypotheses related to enhanced permeability, increased fragmentation, and modified stress fields. Two principal injection designs are tested as follows: injection of a high flow rate through a narrow‐packed interval and injection of a low flow rate across a wider packed interval. Results show that the development of connected permeability is almost exclusively orthogonal to the minimum principal stress, leading to strongly anisotropic flow. This is because of the stress transfer associated with opening of tensile fractures, which increases the confining stress acting across neighboring natural fractures. This limits the hydraulic response of fractures and the capacity to create symmetric isotropic permeability relative to the injection wellbore. These findings suggest that the development of permeability at depth can be improved by targeting a set of fluid injections through smaller packed intervals instead of a single longer injection in open boreholes.
s‐Afadin binds more preferentially to the cell adhesion molecules nectins than l‐afadin
Authors: Kobayashi Reiko , Kurita Souichi , Miyata Muneaki , Maruo Tomohiko , Mandai Kenji , Rikitake Yoshiyuki , Takai Yoshimi
Published: September 2014

l‐Afadin was originally purified from rat brain as an actin filament (F‐actin)‐binding protein that was homologous to the AF‐6 gene product. Concomitantly, s‐afadin that did not show an F‐actin‐binding capability was copurified with l‐afadin. Structurally, s‐afadin lacks the C‐terminal F‐actin‐binding domain but has two short sequences that were not present in l‐afadin. The properties and roles of l‐afadin have intensively been investigated, but those of s‐afadin have poorly been understood. We show here an additional difference in their biochemical properties other than binding to F‐actin between l‐afadin and s‐afadin. Both l‐afadin and s‐afadin bound to nectins, immunoglobulin‐like cell adhesion molecules, whereas s‐afadin more preferentially bound to nectins than l‐afadin. The PDZ domain of l‐afadin and s‐afadin was essential for their binding to nectin‐3. The dilute domain of l‐afadin negatively regulated its binding to nectin‐3, but the deletion of the C‐terminal F‐actin‐binding domain of l‐afadin did not increase the binding of l‐afadin to nectin‐3. These results indicate that the s‐afadin‐specific C‐terminal inserts may be involved in its preference of binding to nectin‐3 and raise the possibility that there are proteins other than nectins that more preferentially bind s‐afadin than l‐afadin.
‘Nobody cares about the environment’: Kyrgyz' perspectives on enhancing environmental sustainable consumption practices when facing limited sustainability awareness
Authors: Shadymanova Jarkyn , Wahlen Stefan , van der Horst Hilje
Published: September 2014

Within Western societies, the detrimental consequences of mass consumption on the environment have long been identified. Consumers have developed sustainability consciousness in accordance with research and policies. In non‐Western societies, however, experiences with mass consumption have not been so long standing. Furthermore, the extent of mass consumerism is not as wide ranging as in many of the richer countries in the world. In central Asian countries, a soviet history adds to this the concept of resource depletion and sustainability impacting industrialization as an ideological taboo. Currently, central Asian countries such as Kyrgyzstan are embarking on enacting sustainability policies. Kyrgyz consumers are also developing sustainability awareness. This awareness sometimes leads to either new practices or changes in existing practices. However, consumption practices are too complex to assume that only consciousness will lead to increasingly sustainable practices. Furthermore, there is no control over the content of such awareness. The case of emergent sustainable consumption in Kyrgyzstan demonstrates how sustainability values become integrated with locally existing knowledge, meanings and material circumstances. The intent of this study is to investigate how Kyrgyz consumers perceive sustainable consumption and whether and how they integrate sustainability awareness into practices and with other values. Our data consist of 50 structured interviews that were conducted during the summer of 2013 in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. Closed questions were analysed employing descriptive statistics, whereas a qualitative content analysis was applied to the results of open questions. The results provide an insight into the way in which emerging sustainability awareness is able to develop and how such awareness becomes integrated into existing practices and values.
The transcriptional repressor Bcl6 controls the stability of regulatory T cells by intrinsic and extrinsic pathways
Authors: Sawant Deepali V. , Wu Hao , Yao Weiguo , Sehra Sarita , Kaplan Mark H. , Dent Alexander L.
Published: September 2014

Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells are essential to maintain immune homeostasis, yet controversy exists about the stability of this cell population. Bcl6‐deficient (Bcl6−/−) mice develop severe and spontaneous T helper type 2 (Th2) inflammation and Bcl6‐deficient Treg cells are ineffective at controlling Th2 responses. We used a lineage tracing approach to analyse the fate of Treg cells in these mice. In the periphery of Bcl6−/− mice, increased numbers of Foxp3‐negative ‘exTreg’ cells were found, particularly in the CD25+ population. ExTreg cells from Bcl6−/− mice expressed increased interleukin‐17 (IL‐17) and extremely elevated levels of Th2 cytokines compared with wild‐type exTreg cells. Although Treg cells normally express only low levels of cytokines, Treg cells from Bcl6−/− mice secreted higher levels of IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐13 and IL‐17 than wild‐type conventional T cells. Next, Treg‐specific conditional Bcl6‐deficient (Bcl6Foxp3−/−) mice were analysed. Bcl6Foxp3−/− mice do not develop inflammatory disease, indicating a requirement for non‐Treg cells for inflammation in Bcl6−/− mice, and have normal numbers of exTreg cells. We induced Th2‐type allergic airway inflammation in Bcl6Foxp3−/− mice, and found that while exTreg cytokine expression was normal, Bcl6‐deficient Treg cells expressed higher levels of the Th2‐specific regulator Gata3 than Bcl6+ Treg cells. Bcl6Foxp3−/− mice had increased numbers of Th2 cells after induction of airway inflammation and increased T cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. These data show both Treg‐intrinsic and Treg‐extrinsic roles for Bcl6 in controlling Treg cell stability and Th2 inflammation, and support the idea that Bcl6 expression in Treg cells is critical for controlling Th2 responses.
Comparing Immigrant Integration in North America and Western Europe: How much do the Grand Narratives Tell Us?
Authors: Alba Richard , Foner Nancy
Published: September 2014

In comparing different countries, studies often seek to account for the success of immigrant integration, or lack of it, in a small number of “grand ideas,” such as nationally specific “models” of integration, which attempt to provide overarching explanations for cross-national differences and similarities. This article evaluates five grand ideas in light of our study examining how four European (Britain, France, Germany, and the Netherlands) and two North American (U.S., Canada) countries are meeting the challenges of integrating immigrants and their second-generation children across a variety of domains from the labor market, to the educational system, to the polity. We conclude that while some of the grand ideas help to illuminate patterns of integration in particular domains, none provides a sufficiently encompassing explanation – and each has significant failings. Moreover, none of these ideas highlights all of the features that we argue are critical, although these do not boil down to one “grand narrative.” These features are the characteristics or qualities that immigrants bring with them when they move to Europe or North America; demographic and other social and economic trends there; and, perhaps most important, historically rooted social, political, and economic institutions in each receiving society that create barriers as well as bridges to integration and inclusion.
“Utter Failure” or Unity out of Diversity? Debating and Evaluating Policies of Multiculturalism
Authors: Bloemraad Irene , Wright Matthew
Published: September 2014

Across immigrant-receiving democracies, “multiculturalism” has come under assault by political decision-makers and commentators. The academic debate, while less fiery, is also heated. We start by outlining the multiple meanings of “multiculturalism”: a term for demographic diversity; a political philosophy of equality or justice; a set of policies to recognize and accommodate ethno-racial and religious diversity; or a public discourse recognizing and valorizing pluralism. We then review the existing empirical literature and offer some new statistical analyses to assess what we know about the harm or benefits of multicultural policies, focusing on sociopolitical outcomes. We conclude that multicultural policies appear to have some modest positive effects on sociopolitical integration for first-generation immigrants and likely little direct effect, positive or negative, on those in the second generation. On the question of majority backlash, the limited scholarship is mixed; we speculate that multiculturalism works best in places where both minorities and majority residents see it as part of a common national project. We end by considering the conditions under which this happens and whether there are distinctions between “Anglo-settler” and other countries.
The Cross-country Determinants of Potential and Actual Migration
Authors: Docquier Frédéric , Peri Giovanni , Ruyssen Ilse
Published: September 2014

In this study, we use cross-country bilateral data to quantify a two-step process of international migration and its aggregate determinants. We first analyze which country-specific factors affect the probability that individuals join the pool of potential (aspiring) migrants. Then, we consider the bilateral and destination country factors that affect the frequency at which potential migrants turn into actual migrants. Using information on potential migrants from World Gallup surveys and on actual migrants from national censuses for 138 origin countries and 30 major destinations between 2000 and 2010, we analyze economic, policy, cultural, and network determinants of each step. We find that the size of the network of previous migrants and the average income per person at destination are crucial determinants of the size of the pool of potential migrants. Economic growth in the destination country, on the other hand, is the main economic generator of migration opportunities for a given pool of potential migrants. We also find that college-educated exhibit greater actual emigration rates mainly because of better chances in realizing their immigration potentials, rather than because of higher willingness to migrate.
New Immigrant Destinations in Global Context
Authors: Winders Jamie
Published: September 2014

This article calls for the study of new immigrant destinations in a global context. Although the term “new immigrant destinations” has been primarily associated with the U.S., migration scholars of other regions and countries are examining new or emerging immigrant destinations and the implications of immigrant settlement in places that heretofore have had no notable foreign-born populations. This article argues that expanding the frame of reference for the study of new immigrant destinations provides greater insight into the ways that new geographies of immigrant settlement around the world are re-shaping dominant understandings of contemporary migration processes.