bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Life‐history tables of the Mediterranean fin whale from stranding data
Authors: Arrigoni Massimo , Manfredi Piero , Panigada Simone , Bramanti Lorenzo , Santangelo Giovanni
Published: April 2011

The conservation of long‐lived species requires extensive, in‐depth knowledge of their population structure and vital rates. In this paper we examine the structure of the Mediterranean fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) population based on the available mortality figures from European stranding network databases compiled over the past 22 years. Such data has enabled us to lay out a first life‐history (mortality) table of the population using a simple age‐structured demographic model with three life‐tables: calf, immature and mature. Our results reveal a high mortality rate in the first stage of life (77% per year), which decreases during the immature stage and falls further during the mature adult stage. In addition, we have calculated the corresponding life expectancies at birth (e0), at entry in the immature stage (e1) and at maturity (e2) under different hypotheses on survival at the maximum age of 90 years (s90) ranging between 0.1 and 3% of newborns still alive. The life expectancy at birth (e0) at the lower bound of the chosen range (s90 = 0.001) is about 6 years, entry in the immature stage (e1) is 8.2 years, and entry in the mature stage (e2) is about 15.6 years. This large increase is the consequence of the higher mortality in the first two stages compared with the mature one. The life expectancies are 10.1, 14.3, and 37.8 years for s90 at the upper bound of the chosen range (s90 = 0.03). The resulting population intrinsic growth rates (r) ranged between −1.3. and +1.7 per year. High juvenile mortality patterns imply that the stationary reproductive value (the number of female offspring produced by each female after a given age x) at the start of maturity reaches a value about seven times higher than at birth. Only optimistically high survival patterns of older individuals would allow positive intrinsic growth rates, thereby enhancing the chances of the population survival.
Biomass, commonly occurring and dominant species of macrobenthos in Onega Bay (White Sea, Russia): data from three different decades
Authors: Solyanko Katya , Spiridonov Vassily , Naumov Andrew
Published: April 2011

Onega Bay is the largest bay in the White Sea, characterised by shallow depth, a range of sediment types and strong tidal currents. All these factors provide conditions for high species richness and biomass. This study reviews data from three surveys of sublittoral macrobenthos undertaken by Russian institutes: the benthic survey covering the entire Onega Bay in 1952; the survey performed in the northern part of the area in 1981/90, and a study carried out in 2006 in the eastern part of the bay. In total, data from 107 stations were analysed. The data in different surveys were collected by different grab types. The datasets of both 1981/90 and 2006 overlap the 1952 survey area. The pattern of biomass distribution was consistent between the years of survey and was characterised by the low biomass at the northern periphery of the bay and the highest biomass observed in the coastal waters of the Solovetsky Islands. Bivalves and cirripeds (mostly Modiolus modiolus, Arctica islandica, Balanus balanus and Verucca stroemia) dominated in biomass. Neither the biomass share of dominant species nor the frequency of occurrence of several common species in these groups changed markedly between 1952 and 1981/90. Although the results of the 2006 survey appear somewhat different from the patterns of previous years, this does not indicate major changes in the benthic communities, because the survey in 2006 was designed in a different way and its overlap with the 1952 survey was minimal. However, the dominant species (by biomass) –A. islandica, M. modiolus and V. stroemia– held their leading positions. Results of the multidimensional scaling analysis based on the biomass data for all taxa encountered in the 1952 survey indicate considerable mixing of the samples from all surveys. This may be interpreted as the absence of major shifts in the sublittoral communities of the macrobenthos of Onega Bay at decadal scale. This kind of stability may be explained by an oceanographical regime resilient to climate variation and a relatively low anthropogenic environmental impact when compared to other shallow European seas.
Trends in population dynamics and fishery of Parapenaeus longirostris and Nephrops norvegicus in the Tyrrhenian Sea (NW Mediterranean): the relative importance of fishery and environmental variables
Authors: Ligas Alessandro , Sartor Paolo , Colloca Francesco
Published: April 2011

Temporal variation in the population abundance of the deep‐water rose shrimp, Parapenaeus longirostris (Lucas, 1846) (Decapoda, Penaeidae), and the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Decapoda, Nephropidae), in the Tyrrhenian Sea (NW Mediterranean), were evaluated using time‐series data (1994–2008) from experimental trawl surveys and commercial landings. The influence of several environmental variables (sea surface temperature, wind‐mixing index and NAO index) and fishing effort indices (number of days at sea per month and mean engine power of the trawl fleet) were investigated. The time series were analysed by means of min/max auto‐correlation factor analysis (MAFA) and dynamic factor analysis (DFA). The abundance of P. longirostris showed a clear increasing trend, significantly correlated with the fishing effort index (number of days at sea per month), the sea surface temperature and the wind‐mixing index. The temporal variations in the stock of P. longirostris, which has a preference for warm waters, were positively correlated with the rise of the sea surface temperature and the decrease of wind circulation. For N. norvegicus, an increasing trend of landings per unit of effort and recruitment index contrasted with a decreasing trend of relative population abundance (biomass and density indices).
A case report of angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) with localization of neoplastic clear cells in the outer zone of germinal centers
Authors: Murakami Yoshiko , Shimada Kazuyuki , Kosugi Hiroshi , Mori Naoyoshi
Published: April 2011

Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) is characterized by the presence of atypical lymphocytes with clear cytoplasm and follicular dendritic cells, arborization of high endothelial blood vessels, and infiltration by inflammatory cells, such as epithelioid histiocytes, eosinophils, immunoblasts, and plasma cells. The neoplastic clear cells are localized around the high endothelial blood vessels or interfollicular areas. Recent reports have suggested that these neoplastic clear cells originate from helper T cells in germinal centers, based on their expression of CD10, PD‐1, and CXCL13. We experienced a case of AITL which is histologically unique. A 61‐year‐old male presented to our hospital (Ogaki Municipal Hospital) with edema of his lower legs. Inguinal lymph node biopsy revealed that neoplastic clear T cells were mainly localized in the outer zone of germinal centers, specifically within the follicular dendritic cell (FDC) meshwork. Moreover, these cells were positive for CD3, CD4, CD10, CD43, CD45RO, PD‐1, and weakly positive for CXCL‐13. This is the first report showing that the neoplastic clear T cells were localized in the outer zone of germinal centers morphologically as well as immunohistochemically. In conclusion, this case report further supports the notion of germinal center helper T cell origin of neoplastic clear cells in AITL.
Costs versus risks: Architectural changes with changing light quantity and quality in saplings of temperate rainforest trees of different shade tolerance
Authors: VALLADARES FERNANDO , SALDAÑA ALFREDO , GIANOLI ERNESTO
Published: April 2011

Light requirements and functional strategies of plants to cope with light heterogeneity in the field have a strong influence on community structure and dynamics. Shade intolerant plants often show a shade avoidance strategy involving a phytochrome‐mediated stem elongation in response to changes in red : far red ratio, while shade‐tolerant plants typically harvest light very efficiently. We measured plant size, stem diameter, internode and leaf lengths in randomly chosen saplings of 11 woody species differing in their shade tolerance in both a secondary forest and an old‐growth temperate evergreen rainforest in southern Chile. We also recorded the irradiance spectrum and the diffuse and direct light availabilities at each sampling point. Significant differences were found for the mean light environment of the saplings of each species, which also differed in basal stem diameter, internode length and leaf length, but not in plant height. Both plant slenderness (plant height/stem diameter) and mean internode length increased with increasing light availability, but no relationship was found between any of these two traits and red : far red ratio. The change in plant slenderness with light availability was of lesser magnitude with increasing shade tolerance of the species, while internode change with light availability increased with increasing shade tolerance of the species. Shade tolerators afford higher costs (thicker stems and plants), which render more biomechanically robust plants, and respond more to the light environment in a trait strongly influencing light interception (internode length) than shade intolerant species. By contrast, less shade‐tolerant plants afforded higher risks with a plastic response to escape from the understorey by making thinner plants that were biomechanically weaker and poorer light interceptors. Thus, species differing in their shade tolerances do differ in their plastic responses to light. Our results contribute to explain plant coexistence in heterogeneous light environments by improving our mechanistic understanding of species responses to light.
Responses of woody vegetation to exclusion of large herbivores in semi‐arid savannas
Authors: SCOGINGS PETER F. , JOHANSSON THERESE , HJÄLTÉN JOAKIM , KRUGER JUDITH
Published: April 2011

The Nkuhlu large‐scale long‐term exclusion experiment in Kruger National Park was designed to study the long‐term effects of large herbivores on vegetation. One treatment excludes elephants, another excludes all herbivores larger than hares and another one comprises an open, control area. Vegetation monitoring was implemented in 2002 when a baseline survey was conducted prior to exclusion. Monitoring was repeated 5 years after exclusion. Data from the surveys were analysed to establish how structure and composition of woody vegetation had changed 5 years after herbivore exclusion. The analysis showed that neither plant assemblage nor mean vegetation height had changed significantly since exclusion. However, both species richness and density of woody plants increased 5 years after exclusion of all large herbivores, but not after the exclusion of elephants alone. One already common species, Dichrostachys cinerea, became more common after excluding all large herbivores compared with either no exclusion or elephant exclusion, possibly leading to competitive suppression of other species. Species other than D. cinerea tended to either increase or decrease in density, but the changes were insufficient to induce significant shifts in the overall assemblage of woody plants. The results indicate that after 5 years of exclusion, the combined assemblage of large herbivores, and not elephants alone, could induce changes in species richness and abundances of woody plants, but the effect was so far insufficient to induce measureable shifts in the assemblages of woody plants. It is possible that assemblages will change with time and increasing elephant numbers may amplify future changes.
Accuracy of radiological staging in identifying high‐risk colon cancer patients suitable for neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a multicentre experience
Authors: Dighe S. , Swift I. , Magill L. , Handley K. , Gray R. , Quirke P. , Morton D. , Seymour M. , Warren B. , Brown G.
Published: April 2011

Aim  A pilot study was undertaken to determine the accuracy of computed tomography (CT) staging in identifying patients with high‐risk colon cancers who would be considered as candidates for a neoadjuvant therapy trial (FOxTROT) and those at low risk (T1/T2) who would be excluded.

Method  Participating radiologists from 19 centres attended workshops for standardization of image interpretation according to previously defined prognostic criteria: good prognosis tumours, including, T1/T2; intermediate prognosis, T3 < 5 mm tumour invasion beyond the muscularis propria (MP); and poor prognosis tumours, including T3 with tumour extension ≥ 5 mm beyond the MP or T4. The CT findings were compared with histopathology as the reference standard.

Results  Of 94 patients with radiological and pathological data, 71% were categorized by CT as having a poor prognosis. The sensitivity and specificity of CT in identifying these tumours were 87% (95% CI, 74–94) and 49% (95% CI, 33–65). Sensitivity and specificity for tumour infiltration beyond the MP (T3/T4 vs T1/T2) were 95% (95% CI, 87–98) and 50% (95% CI, 22–77), respectively. Including all CT‐staged T3 and T4 patients in the trial would have increased the proportion eligible for entry to 89% (n = 84) without affecting the false‐positive rate of 7%. Some 20% of T3/T4 patients would have been ineligible for FOxTROT because of synchronous metastases.

Conclusion  In a multicentre setting, CT scanning identified high‐risk (T3/4) colon cancers with minimal overstaging of T1/T2 tumours, thus establishing the feasibility of radiologically guided neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Predicting potential climate change impacts with bioclimate envelope models: a palaeoecological perspective
Authors: Roberts David R. , Hamann Andreas
Published: April 2011

Aim  We assess the realism of bioclimate envelope model projections for anticipated future climates by validating ecosystem reconstructions for the late Quaternary with fossil and pollen data. Specifically, we ask: (1) do climate conditions with no modern analogue negatively affect the accuracy of ecosystem reconstructions? (2) are bioclimate envelope model projections biased towards under‐predicting forested ecosystems? (3) given a palaeoecological perspective, are potential habitat projections for the 21st century within model capabilities?

Location  Western North America.

Methods  We used an ensemble classifier modelling approach (RandomForest) to spatially project the climate space of modern ecosystem classes throughout the Holocene (at 6000, 9000, 11,000, 14,000, 16,000, and 21,000 YBP) using palaeoclimate surfaces generated by two general circulation models (GFDL and CCM1). The degree of novel arrangement of climate variables was quantified with the multivariate Mahalanobis distance to the nearest modern climatic equivalent. Model projections were validated against biome classifications inferred from 1460 palaeoecological records.

Results  Model accuracy assessed against independent palaeoecology data is generally low for the present day, increases for 6000 YBP, and then rapidly declines towards the last glacial maximum, primarily due to the under‐prediction of forested biomes. Misclassifications were closely correlated with the degree of climate dissimilarity from the present day. For future projections, no‐analogue climates unexpectedly emerged in the coastal Pacific Northwest but were absent throughout the rest of the study area.

Main conclusions  Bioclimate envelope models could approximately reconstruct ecosystem distributions for the mid‐ to late‐Holocene but proved unreliable in the Late Pleistocene. We attribute this failure to a combination of no‐analogue climates and a potential lack of niche conservatism in tree species. However, climate dissimilarities in future projections are comparatively minor (similar to those of the mid‐Holocene), and we conclude that no‐analogue climates should not compromise the accuracy of model predictions for the next century.
DPR Debate: Growth Identification and Facilitation: The Role of the State in the Dynamics of Structural Change
Authors: Lin Justin , Monga Célestin , te Velde Dirk Willem , Tendulkar Suresh D. , Amsden Alice , Amoako K. Y. , Pack Howard , Lim Wonhyuk
Published: April 2011

This DPR Debate is based on the contribution by Justin Lin, Chief Economist at the World Bank, and his colleague Célestin Monga, on ‘Growth Identification and Facilitation: The Role of the State in the Dynamics of Structural Change’. The article under consideration is important and timely as it articulates a number of new policy implications from Justin Lin's earlier work on New Structural Economics, which was discussed in a previous DPR debate (Lin and Chang, 2009). This symposium contains the article and comments on it from five distinguished specialists, and closes with a rejoinder by Lin and Monga. This introduction discusses the article, the comments and the rejoinder.

The historical record indicates that, in all successful economies, the state has always played an important role in facilitating structural change and helping the private sector sustain it across time. This article puts forward a new approach to help policy‐makers in developing countries identify those industries that may hold latent comparative advantage, and recommends ways of removing binding constraints to facilitate private firms' entry into those industries. Two types of government interventions are distinguished: first, policies that facilitate structural change by overcoming information, co‐ordination and externality issues, which are intrinsic to industrial upgrading and diversification; and second, policies aimed at protecting certain selected firms and industries that defy the comparative advantage determined by the existing endowment structure.
Whither Commodity‐based Trade?
Authors: Rich Karl M. , Perry Brian D.
Published: April 2011

Market access for livestock products from Africa has traditionally been limited by the presence of certain infectious diseases that pose risks to animal and human health. However, an increasingly discussed option for widening that access is commodity‐based trade (CBT) focusing on the health and safety attributes of the product rather than the disease status of the country of origin. There have, however, been few analyses on the potential economic impacts and unintended consequences of such an approach. This article examines the principles behind a dramatic shift in approach to trading opportunities that CBT might bring, exploring both technical and economic considerations.
Pathways of Technological Change in Developing Countries: Review and New Agenda
Authors: Romijn Henny A. , Caniëls Marjolein C. J.
Published: April 2011

This article argues the need for strategic reorientation with regard to the technological advancement of developing countries. The continued relevance of incremental capability‐building strategies in manufacturing is questioned by: (i) the emergence of new knowledge areas, some of which require closer links with science; (ii) recognition that past strategies have not solved the poverty problem; and (iii) unprecedented environmental problems that cannot be solved by existing Western technologies alone. A more pluralist approach is recommended, with increased attention to creative innovation capabilities. Cases of innovations in information communication technology, health and energy show potentially large economic and social impacts, but also highlight systemic obstacles to their realisation.
Constraints on infants’ musical rhythm perception: effects of interval ratio complexity and enculturation
Authors: Hannon Erin E. , Soley Gaye , Levine Rachel S.
Published: April 2011

Effects of culture‐specific experience on musical rhythm perception are evident by 12 months of age, but the role of culture‐general rhythm processing constraints during early infancy has not been explored. Using a habituation procedure with 5‐ and 7‐month‐old infants, we investigated effects of temporal interval ratio complexity on discrimination of standard from novel musical patterns containing 200‐ms disruptions. Infants were tested in three ratio conditions: simple (2:1), which is typical in Western music, complex (3:2), which is typical in other musical cultures, and highly complex (7:4), which is relatively rare in music throughout the world. Unlike adults and older infants, whose accuracy was predicted by familiarity, younger infants were influenced by ratio complexity, as shown by their successful discrimination in the simple and complex conditions but not in the highly complex condition. The findings suggest that ratio complexity constrains rhythm perception even prior to the acquisition of culture‐specific biases.
Electrophysiological evidence for the magnocellular‐dorsal pathway deficit in dyslexia
Authors: Jednoróg Katarzyna , Marchewka Artur , Tacikowski Paweł , Heim Stefan , Grabowska Anna
Published: April 2011

In adults, the onset of coherent motion compared to random motion in a random dot kinematogram leads to a right hemispheric amplitude advantage of the N2 response. The source of this asymmetry is believed to lie in the motion selective MT+ cortex. Here, we tested whether the right tempo‐parietal N2 component shows a similar regularity in children. In particular, we were interested in whether coherent vs. incoherent motion modulates the amplitude of N2 similarly in dyslexic and control children. We found higher N2 amplitude for coherent compared to random motion in the right hemisphere for controls but not for dyslexics. This effect was related to topographical differences of N2 amplitude for random motion between the studied groups and was accompanied by longer reaction times to random motion in dyslexic compared to control children. Furthermore, a negative correlation between the amplitude of N2 for random motion and spelling errors was observed in both groups, which is consistent with previous findings linking the magnocellular‐dorsal (MD) pathway with orthographic skills. These data support the hypothesis of subtle deficiencies in the MD pathway in dyslexia.
Shape, color and the other‐race effect in the infant brain
Authors: Balas Benjamin , Westerlund Alissa , Hung Katherine , Nelson III Charles A.
Published: April 2011

The ‘other‐race’ effect describes the phenomenon in which faces are difficult to distinguish from one another if they belong to an ethnic or racial group to which the observer has had little exposure. Adult observers typically display multiple forms of recognition error for other‐race faces, and infants exhibit behavioral evidence of a developing other‐race effect at about 9 months of age. The neural correlates of the adult other‐race effect have been identified using ERPs and fMRI, but the effects of racial category on infants’ neural response to face stimuli have to date not been described. We examine two distinct components of the infant ERP response to human faces and demonstrate through the use of computer‐generated ‘hybrid’ faces that the observed other‐race effect is not the result of low‐level sensitivity to 3D shape and color differences between the stimuli. Rather, differential processing depends critically on the joint encoding of race‐specific features.
Interventions promoting physical activity among obese populations: a meta‐analysis considering global effect, long‐term maintenance, physical activity indicators and dose characteristics
Authors: Gourlan M. J. , Trouilloud D. O. , Sarrazin P. G.
Published: April 2011

As the benefits that regular physical activity (PA) have on obesity are well known, many interventions promote active lifestyle adoption among obese populations. This meta‐analysis aims to determine (i) the global effect that interventions promoting PA among obese populations have on their PA behaviour; (ii) variations in the effect of interventions depending on the PA indicator used; (iii) the programme's dose characteristics and (iv) maintenance of the intervention effects after the intervention has ended. A comprehensive search through databases and review articles was completed. Forty‐six studies met the inclusion criteria. Calculations of effect size (Cohen's d) and a moderator analysis were conducted. The meta‐analysis showed that interventions globally have an impact on the PA behaviour of obese populations (d = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.31, 0.57). The moderator analysis revealed that interventions of less than 6 months reported significantly larger effects than longer interventions. Moreover, the interventions had a stronger impact on the number of steps and the PA indexes (i.e. composite scores reflecting PA practice) than on other PA indicators. Finally, the analysis revealed that interventions succeed in maintaining PA behaviour after the intervention is over. However, relatively few studies addressed this issue (n = 9). Despite global positive effects, further research is needed to determine the optimal dose for interventions and to evaluate the maintenance of intervention effects.
Composite farming systems in an era of change: Nagaland, Northeast India
Authors: Cairns Malcolm , Brookfield Harold
Published: April 2011

Composite farming systems, first clearly identified by Rambo, are those in which radically different technologies are found together in a single farming complex. Data from diaries kept by groups of farming families in two Angami Naga villages in northeast India, Khonoma and smaller Tsiesema, detailing inputs into and outputs from wet‐rice terraces and jhum (swidden) fields in the years 2000 and 2001, are presented and discussed to detail the workings of related but different composite systems. The 2000–2001 survey caught an important set of changes in midstream. Although returns to labour from the first‐year jhums were much higher than those from the wet‐rice terraces in 2000–2001, jhums were declining in significance as a growing non‐farm economy joined the production of cool‐climate vegetables and a spice crop for the Indian market as principal sources of livelihood. This story is told in the light of recent writing on the demise of swidden in the larger Southeast Asian region, and it is suggested that greater attention be paid to the composite systems, which are not uncommon in this region. This might help diversify what has perhaps been an oversimplified discussion.
Exploring Thailand's mortality transition with the aid of life tables
Authors: Carmichael Gordon A.
Published: April 2011

The project Thai Health‐Risk Transition: A National Cohort Study seeks to better understand the health implications of modernisation and globalisation forces impacting on Thailand. As part of its ‘look‐back’ component this paper seeks, using available life tables, to document the country's post‐war mortality transition. The onset of transition through mass campaigns of the late 1940s and 1950s is first discussed before attention turns to the life tables. They are predictably far from flawless, but careful analysis does permit trends that have seen around 30 years added to life expectancy to be traced, and age patterns of improved survivorship and their relation to initiatives to improve health to be examined. The broad benefits generated by mass campaigns, ongoing improvements in infant and early childhood mortality, and a phased impact of the expansion of primary health care in rural areas on adult survival prospects after the mid‐1970s are demonstrated. The paper also investigates the consequences for mortality of a motorcycle‐focused rapid increase in road fatalities in the late 1980s and early 1990s and the HIV/AIDS epidemic that developed after 1984.
Export quality: Representing Fijian bodies and the economy of war
Authors: Bolatagici Torika
Published: April 2011

Fijian bodies have become a valuable commodity in the economy of war. Remittances from workers overseas are Fiji's largest income – exceeding that of tourism and sugar export. This essay examines historical and contemporary representations of the black male body that perpetuate the exploitation of Fijians by inscribing the Fijian male body as warrior, criminal and protector. Taking a multidisciplinary approach informed by sociology, cultural theory, Pacific studies, visual culture, feminist and post‐colonial theory, my practice is the vehicle through which I address issues of neocolonial commodification of Fijian bodies. Through an analysis of my own staged photographs and vernacular images taken by Fijians working for private security military companies and British and US armies, I hope to challenge audiences to consider their own perceptions of Fijian agency and subjectivity. By theorising the politicisation of the black body and interrogating colonial representations of blackness, I argue that we can begin to create links between the historical and contemporary exploitation of Fijians and that at the essence of both is an underlying racial hierarchy and economic requirement for cheap and, arguably, expendable labour.
Governing sex workers in Timor Leste
Authors: Harrington Carol
Published: April 2011

This paper argues that international security forces in Timor Leste depend upon civilian partners in HIV/AIDs ‘knowledge networks’ to monitor prostitutes' disease status. These networks produce mobile expertise, techniques of government and forms of personhood that facilitate international government of distant populations without overt coercion. HIV/AIDs experts promote techniques of peer education, empowerment and community mobilisation to construct women who sell sex as health conscious sex workers. Such techniques make impoverished women responsible for their disease status, obscuring the political and economic contexts that produced that status. In the militarised context of Timor Leste, knowledge of the sexual conduct of sub‐populations labelled high risk circulates among global HIV/AIDs knowledge networks, confirming their expert status while obscuring the sexual harm produced by military intervention. HIV/AIDs knowledge networks have recently begun to build Timorese sex worker organisations by contracting an Australian sex worker NGO to train a Timorese NGO tasked with building sex worker identity and community. Such efforts fail to address the needs and priorities of the women supposedly empowered. The paper engages theories of global knowledge networks, mobile technologies of government, and governmentality to analyse policy documents, reports, programmes, official statements, speeches, and journalistic accounts regarding prostitution in Timor Leste.
Bleeding boundaries: Gendered analyses of militarism in the Western Pacific
Authors: Teaiwa Teresia
Published: April 2011

This introduction to an Asia Pacific Viewpoint special section on militarism and gender in the Pacific argues that gendered analyses are crucial to understanding processes of militarization, and that multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches are integral in that effort. The introduction also provides background to the articles, outlining their origin in a workshop on militarism and gender in the Pacific held in Wellington, New Zealand in 2009, and its subsequent iteration in sessions at the Oceanic Conference of International Studies in 2010. The special section constitutes the first publication of a permanent working group on militarism and gender in the Pacific with an international, multidisciplinary membership.
ROLLING REGRESSION VERSUS TIME‐VARYING COEFFICIENT MODELLING: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE OKUN'S LAW IN SOME EURO AREA COUNTRIES
Authors: Zanin Luca , Marra Giampiero
Published: April 2011

During the last decade, economists have shown that the inverse relationship between economic growth and unemployment rate varies over time. Rolling regression has been the main tool used to quantify such a relationship. This methodology suffers from several well‐known problems which lead to spurious non‐linear patterns in the Okun's coefficient behaviour over time. Here, we take a penalized regression spline approach to estimate the Okun's time‐varying effects. As a result, spurious non‐linearities are suppressed and hence important time‐varying coefficient features revealed. Our empirical results show that the inverse relationship in some Euro area countries is spatially heterogeneous and time‐varying. The findings are complemented by the calculation of the rate of output growth needed for a stable unemployment rate, as proposed by Knotek.
AN EXAMPLE OF AN OPTIMAL FORECAST EXHIBITING DECREASING BIAS WITH INCREASING FORECAST HORIZON
Authors: Aretz Kevin , Peel David A.
Published: April 2011

Motivated by a central banker with an inflation target, we show that the optimal forecast bias under non‐quadratic loss functions and non‐normal forecast errors can decrease or initially increase and then decrease with the forecast horizon. We initially proof that, if the variable to forecast can be described by a generalized Rayleigh distribution, its conditional mean does in general not constitute the optimal prediction under a symmetric target zone loss function. Subsequently, we approximate the target zone loss function to show the potential for variation in optimal bias over the forecast horizon.
THE EFFICIENCY OF THE STATE‐OWNED FIRM AND SOCIAL WELFARE: A NOTE
Authors: Cato Susumu
Published: April 2011

We consider a mixed market where a state‐owned firm competes with private firms. If the number of firms is exogenous, then a deterioration of the efficiency of the state‐owned firm might improve social welfare. This situation occurs when the state‐owned firm is inefficient and private firms are efficient. However, if the number of firms is endogenous, then a deterioration of the efficiency of the state‐owned firm must reduce social welfare.
THE MONEY DEMAND FUNCTION FOR THE EURO AREA: SOME EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
Authors: Avouyi‐Dovi Sanvi , Drumetz Françoise , Sahuc Jean‐Guillaume
Published: April 2011

This paper sets out to re‐examine the money demand function for the euro area. Traditional specifications often yield unsatisfactory results: instability of short and long‐term coefficients; relatively large differences between estimated and actual value of variables; and significant changes in the number of long‐term relationships, etc. Using a standard Vector Error Correction Model, we find that the usual specification is indeed unstable. However, introducing a European equity price gives rise to a more stable system. Furthermore, recursive estimates confirm the relative stability of long‐term coefficients. Estimates of the real money gap, based on the money demand equation including equity prices, point to moderate, albeit persistent, excess liquidity in the euro area in recent years. The real money gap contains information about future inflation but this content may have diminished since 2001.
Learning as a Path, Not a Goal: Contemplative Pedagogy – Its Principles and Practices
Authors: Grace Fran
Published: April 2011

What is contemplative pedagogy and how is it practiced in Religious Studies classrooms? Contemplative pedagogy cultivates inner awareness through first‐person investigations, often called “contemplative practices.” Contemplative teaching practices range widely: silent sitting meditation, compassion practices, walking meditation, deep listening, mindfulness, yoga, calligraphy, chant, guided meditations, nature observation, self‐inquiry, and many others. Since narrative is a mode of instruction prevalent in contemplative literature, the article includes first‐hand reflections from students and a narrative account of how an initially skeptical professor came to incorporate contemplative teaching methods into her courses. It expands from the personal narratives to highlight the work of many contemplative professors in the field. These real‐life examples are put into the context of recent publications on shifts in higher education and meditation research. The article seeks to demonstrate the power of contemplative teaching to fulfill many hopes for liberal arts learning. Of particular importance is its emphasis on interior qualities of lifelong impact, such as self‐knowledge and ethical cultivation.
Learning Hebrew by Writing in English
Authors: Jacobson Rolf A.
Published: April 2011

This essay explores a midrange teaching and learning issue regarding the teaching of biblical languages and one strategy for addressing the issue. Seminary students do not yield a great enough return in exchange for the investment they are required to make in learning biblical languages. Students invest great time and money, but they do not learn to use the biblical languages to think critically about the Bible. This essay argues that a fruitful strategy for addressing this midrange issue is to require students to write in English about the Hebrew language. This strategy fosters students' ability to think critically about the biblical text. It also fosters their ability to use their budding knowledge of a biblical language to engage questions of meaning and issues of interpretation.
Learning to Drink Deeply from Books: Using Experiential Assignments to Teach Concepts
Authors: Burlein Ann
Published: April 2011

This article explores how to teach students to drink deeply from books. Drawing on the work of Peter Elbow, the article argues for incorporating experiential assignments that are structured to create a mediating realm between abstract concepts and concrete experiences. The bulk of the article explores in detail the author's use of such assignments first in a course on sexuality and religion and, second, in the standard Introduction to Religion course.
Rethinking the Christian Studies Classroom: Reflections on the Dynamics of Teaching Religion in Southern Public Universities
Authors: Gravett Sandie , Hulsether Mark , Medine Carolyn
Published: April 2011

An extended set of conversations conducted by three religious studies faculty teaching at large public universities in the Southern United States spurred these reflections on how their institutional locations inflected issues such as the cultural expectations students bring to the classroom, how these expectations interact with the evolving priorities of religious studies departments, and how these factors affect the balance among the various subfields of religious studies and theology that make up such departments.
Exploring the Boundaries of Web Map Services: The Example of the Online Injury Atlas for Ontario
Authors: Rinner Claus , Moldofsky Byron , Cusimano Michael D. , Marshall Sean , Hernandez Tony
Published: April 2011

Injury from causes such as falls, traffic accidents, or violence is a major public health issue globally. Injury prevention research aims to identify vulnerable populations and places by analyzing the spatial patterns of demographic and socio‐economic risk factors associated with elevated injury rates. The stakeholders in injury prevention and control are often distributed across government and public health institutions, non‐profits, and even the private sector (e.g. insurance firms). While this situation calls for distributed, online research tools, their implementation may conflict with health data confidentiality and license limitations for socio‐economic data. In this article, we present the Online Injury Atlas for Ontario, which was designed with the explicit goal of making use of, and contributing to, the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure. We propose a service‐based architecture that integrates publicly accessible map services with protected data layers. Thereby, we demonstrate the benefits of using spatial data infrastructures alongside private data at different levels of protection. In addition, we discuss the extensive data processing needs and specific cartographic design requirements of a Web atlas in the health and social sciences domain.
Collaborative Web‐GIS Design: A Case Study for Road Risk Analysis and Monitoring
Authors: Pirotti Francesco , Guarnieri Alberto , Vettore Antonio
Published: April 2011

This article presents a methodology for designing a WebGIS framework intended for automatically analyzing spatial data and updating statistics of interest with new information inserted daily by multiple users via a Web portal. A practical example is used on vehicle accident data for assessing risk in specific road segments. Two main blocks integrated together will be described: the collaborative block and the data‐analysis block. The former gives end‐users computer‐aided tools to view, insert, modify and manage data related to accidents and traffic monitoring sensors, whereas the latter is developed to automatically analyze the accident data coming from user's collaboration. Because different agencies can survey accident sites, a collaborative environment is necessary – and a Web‐based solution is ideal – for permitting multi‐user access and data insertion. A centralized approach to process the data in real time is described in all its components. Server‐side Structured Query Language functions optimize performance by using dedicated libraries for spatial processing and re‐structuring the attributes associated with elements which are consequently re‐classified for correct color‐scaling. The end‐product is a system that provides a seamless integration of front‐end tools for user collaboration and back‐end tools to update accident risk statistics in real time and provide them to stakeholders.
Improving the Monitoring of the Status of the Environment Through Web Geo‐services: The Example of Large Structures Supervision
Authors: Brovelli Maria A. , Giori Gianluca , Mussin Mauro , Negretti Marco
Published: April 2011

Environmental monitoring is a fundamental process in the design, construction, operation and decommissioning phases of constructing large structures, such as highways, high‐speed railways, and airports. Many different actors are involved in these steps: the owner (public or private); the planning, construction, and operation managers; the environmental teams executing the monitoring; the government department or agency responsible for protecting the environment and the health of the population; and, finally, the policy‐makers. The environmental agency itself is composed of various domain experts dealing with different environmental arenas (air, water, etc.). Since most of the collected information refers to space and time, GISs are natural tools for storing and processing the data. Nevertheless, instruments, people, and communications technology are involved, and there is a potential for failure, waste of time and unnecessary costs to appear. A web platform based on OGC web services and allowing for sharing and processing the sensor and geographic information can greatly improve workflow management. This article presents a description of a working pilot that can serve as a solution to managing such a project, because it makes it possible to integrate geodata (maps and orthophotos) from different sources and to visualize and analyze the sensor data with respect to both time and space.
A Web GIS for Sea Ice Information and an Ice Service Archive
Authors: Li Songnian , Xiong Chenfeng , Ou Ziqiang
Published: April 2011

Sea ice data has significant scientific value for climate, environmental impact and engineering studies leading to the construction of facilities in Arctic waters, as well as to support tourism and fishing planning. Large collections of such data are acquired, compiled, produced and maintained by national and international agencies such as the Canadian Ice Service (CIS). Some of these data collections have been made available online. However, current Internet‐based sea ice data dissemination practices do not foster easy access to and use of the data, especially given the amount of the archived sea ice data and the nature of their spatial changes and high temporal variations. This article reports a research effort in developing a web‐based geographical information system (GIS) that facilitates the access and use of the historical sea ice data. The system provides online access, exploration, visualization, and analysis of the archived data, mostly in the form of ice charts, within a web‐based GIS. The results from a prototype development indicate that web GIS, developed using Rich Internet Application (RIA) technologies, provides added values in serving sea ice data and suggests that such a system can better accommodate more advanced sea ice data access and analysis tools.
Trade Policies in Southeast Asia in the Wider Asian Perspective
Authors: Sally Razeen , Sen Rahul
Published: April 2011

This paper takes stock of trade policies in Southeast Asia after the Asian crisis and in the wake of the current global economic crisis. It compares trade policies in individual Southeast Asian countries; places them in the context of regional and global economic integration; and particularly draws implications for the region from the rise of China and India. The first section looks at recent trade and FDI patterns in Southeast Asia. Then follows an overview of key trade‐policy trends, in the region overall and in individual countries. The next sections examine ASEAN countries in international trade negotiations and agreements: first in the WTO, especially in the Doha Round; then within ASEAN; and finally on cross‐regional FTAs. The paper concludes that ASEAN countries cannot rely on external tracks ‘from above’ for meaningful trade policy reform. Since the Asian crisis there has been a slowdown of reform momentum, and too much reliance on trade negotiations – especially FTAs. Rather, countries in the region have to rely on themselves –‘from below’ as it were. The engine of liberalisation and regulatory reform has to be home‐driven – as it was before the Asian crisis – with governments taking unilateral measures in response to internal and external conditions.
Would Freeing Up World Trade Reduce Poverty and Inequality? The Vexed Role of Agricultural Distortions
Authors: Anderson Kym , Cockburn John , Martin Will
Published: April 2011

Trade policy reforms in recent decades have sharply reduced the distortions that were harming agriculture in developing countries, yet global trade in farm products continues to be far more distorted than trade in non‐farm goods. Those distortions reduce some forms of poverty and inequality but worsen others, so the net effects are unclear without empirical modelling. This article summarises a series of new economy‐wide global and national empirical studies that focus on the net effects of the remaining distortions to world merchandise trade on poverty and inequality globally and in various developing countries. The global Linkage model results suggest that removing those remaining distortions would reduce international inequality, largely by boosting net farm incomes and raising real wages for unskilled workers in developing countries, and would reduce the number of poor people worldwide by 3 per cent. The analysis based on the Global Trade Analysis Project model for a sample of 15 countries, and nine stand‐alone national case studies, all point to larger reductions in poverty, especially if only the non‐poor are subjected to increased income taxation to compensate for the loss of trade tax revenue.
The Higher Educational Transformation of China and Its Global Implications
Authors: Li Yao Amber , Whalley John , Zhang Shunming , Zhao Xiliang
Published: April 2011

This paper discusses the major transformation of higher education that has been under way in China since 1999 and evaluates its potential global implications. Reflecting China’s commitment to continued high growth, this transformation focuses on major new resource commitments to tertiary education and significant changes in organisational form. All of these changes have already had large impacts on China’s higher educational system and are beginning to be felt by the global educational structure. This focus on tertiary education differentiates the Chinese case from other countries who earlier at similar stages of development instead stressed primary and secondary education.