bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Age‐dependent habitat relationships of a burned forest specialist emphasise the role of pyrodiversity in fire management
Authors: Stillman Andrew N. , Siegel Rodney B. , Wilkerson Robert L. , Johnson Matthew , Tingley Morgan W. 
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Variation in fire characteristics, termed pyrodiversity, plays an important role in structuring post‐fire communities, but little is known about the importance of pyrodiversity for individual species. The availability of diverse post‐fire habitats may be key for fire‐associated species if they require different resources at different life‐history stages.

We tested for age‐specific habitat relationships in the black‐backed woodpecker, a post‐fire specialist. We used radio‐telemetry to track fledgling and adult woodpeckers in burned forests and built resource selection functions to compare the effect of stand‐, tree‐ and snag‐level covariates between adults and fledglings.

Fledgling black‐backed woodpeckers selected habitat with more live trees than adults and used more heterogeneous habitats burned at lower severity, illustrating strong age‐dependent effects on habitat selection. Within selected stands, fledglings were less likely to use snags and more likely to use live trees when compared to adults, but both age classes showed strong positive selection for larger‐diameter trees (live and dead). Over the 60 days after leaving their nests, fledglings showed an increasing propensity to use snags rather than live trees.

Our results provide evidence that the predation–starvation hypothesis, which posits a trade‐off between foraging efficiency and the need to minimise predation risk, plays a role in structuring the age‐dependent habitat use of a burned forest specialist. Adult black‐backed woodpeckers selected resources associated with food availability, but these resources occurred in relatively open, exposed habitat. Fledglings selected habitat that provided increased cover, perhaps as a strategy to reduce predation risk.

Synthesis and applications. Globally, fires are increasing in severity and extent, leading to increased focus on fire‐associated species that play keystone roles in facilitating biodiversity resilience. Our findings suggest that a diversity of patches burned at different severities may benefit post‐fire specialists like the black‐backed woodpecker at multiple life‐history stages. The increasing prevalence of large, homogeneously high‐severity ‘megafires’ may present an emerging threat even to post‐fire specialists, and we urge land managers to consider opportunities to promote pyrodiversity in the face of novel fire regimes.
Bottoms up: the role of gut microbiota in brain health
Authors: Radisavljevic Nina , Cirstea Mihai , Brett Finlay Barton 
Published: December 2018

SummaryThe gut microbiota affects many aspects of human health, and research, especially over the past decade, is demonstrating that the brain is no exception. This review summarizes existing human observational studies of the microbiota in brain health and neurological conditions at all ages, as well as animal studies that are advancing the field beyond correlation and into causality. Potential mechanisms by which the brain and the gut microbiota are connected are explored, including inflammation, bacterially‐produced metabolites and neurotransmitters and specific roles for individual microbes. Finally, important challenges and potential mitigation strategies are discussed, as well as ways in which some of these same challenges can be harnessed to advance our understanding of this complex, exciting and rapidly evolving field.
Armed Conflicts and Intra‐regional Trade Flows: The Cases of ECOWAS and COMESA
Authors: Ezeoha Abel E. , Okoyeuzu Chinwe , Udu Ama A. , Edeh Joseph 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn this study, we investigated the impact of armed conflicts on intra‐regional trade flows. We made use of panel datasets from 15 ECOWAS member and 19 COMESA member countries for the period 1997 to 2015. Applying a robust functional estimation procedure based on IV GMM principles, the results are found to be regionally comparable, with the evidence indicating that armed conflicts constrain intra‐regional export and trade openness. The results indicate that the classical insurgency theory explains better the patterns of intra‐regional export flows and trade openness; whereas the economic interest theory explains better the patterns of intra‐regional import flows. The impact of armed conflict intensity on intra‐regional trade flows is found to be sensitive to border proximity, trade diversification, mineral rents and national income levels. While border proximity on its own enhances intra‐regional export and import flows, it also has the tendency of exacerbating the negative impact of armed conflicts. As armed conflicts intensify, for instance, member countries become more incentivized to implement secured border and trade policies as a way of guarding against counter flows of arms and illicit commodities. Our study confirms the need for regional economic communities to concentrate their integration efforts towards mitigating domestic and cross‐border armed conflicts.
L'entourage influence‐t‐il le comportement informel des entreprises au Cameroun?
Authors: Fambeu Ariel Herbert 
Published: December 2018

RésuméLa présente étude a pour objectif d'estimer l'effet de l'entourage sur l'informalité des entreprises. Il est pertinent de se pencher sur cet effet, car sa non prise en compte dans la prévision des politiques sur le secteur informel peut générer des impacts inattendus et différents des impacts réels. A cet égard, un modèle probit ordonné a été utilisé sur données d'une Enquête nationale sur l'Emploi et le Secteur Informel (EESI) réalisée par l'Institut National de la Statistique du Cameroun en 2010. Les résultats montrent que le comportement informel d'une entreprise dépend fortement de celui de son entourage. En d'autres termes, une entreprise est d'autant plus informelle que son entourage l'est. Cet entourage peut être aussi bien spatial (géographique) que sectoriel (secteur d'activité). Ainsi, à cause de cet effet d'entourage (ou effet de pairs), une politique publique conduisant une entreprise à adopter un comportement formel (informel) conduira plusieurs autres à le faire.
Gut microbial compositions mirror caste‐specific diets in a major lineage of social insects
Authors: Otani Saria , Zhukova Mariya , Koné N'golo Abdoulaye , da Costa Rafael Rodrigues , Mikaelyan Aram , Sapountzis Panagiotis , Poulsen Michael 
Published: December 2018

SummarySocial insects owe their ecological success to the division of labour between castes, but associations between microbial community compositions and castes with different tasks and diets have not been extensively explored. Fungus‐growing termites associate with fungi to degrade plant material, complemented by diverse gut microbial communities. Here, we explore whether division of labour and accompanying dietary differences between fungus‐growing termite castes are linked to gut bacterial community structure. Using amplicon sequencing, we characterize community compositions in sterile (worker and soldier) and reproductive (queen and king) termites and combine this with gut enzyme activities and microscopy to hypothesise sterile caste‐specific microbiota roles. Gut bacterial communities are structured primarily according to termite caste and genus and, in contrast to the observed rich and diverse sterile caste microbiotas, royal pair guts are dominated by few bacterial taxa, potentially reflecting their specialized uniform diet and unique lifestyle.
Construct Clarity in Management Accounting (With a Specific Application to Interactive Control Systems)
Authors: Murray Lindsay R. 
Published: December 2018

ABSTRACTConstruct clarity is associated with the process of taking imprecise notions and deriving crisp, agreed‐upon meanings within a scholarly community based on establishing the construct's constitutive theoretical properties and its range of applicability (Bisbe, Batista‐Foguet, and Chenhall,). This article aims to provide an increased understanding of construct clarity by extending Bisbe et al.'s () analysis in several significant ways in the context of using practice‐defined variables. Specifically, it describes and illustrates why construct clarity is essential to the empirical research enterprise and the development of strong theory and how it can assist in closing the research‐practice gap. In addition, the article elaborates on the elements of construct clarity beyond the definitional component and provides concrete methodological guidance for improving construct clarity through the illustrative use of examples. Further, three management accounting research programs (two historical and one contemporary) are examined. The results support Bisbe et al.'s () assertion that the discipline lacks concern for this issue. They also indicate that the discipline has paid (and continues to pay) a significant price for this inattention. Finally, the process of improving constructs, including the translation of description and understanding into theoretical properties, is illustrated by conducting an analysis of the decision‐making process involved with managing strategic uncertainty and adapting strategy that is related to the interactive control systems construct introduced by Robert Simons.
Photosensitive automated doors to exclude small nocturnal predators from nest boxes
Authors: Stojanovic D. , Eyles S. , Cook H. , Alves F. , Webb M. , Heinsohn R. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractNest boxes are a crucial tool for wildlife conservation. Although boxes are often safer from predators than natural nests, if predator and prey are of similar body size survival in boxes may become unacceptably low. Protecting boxes from small predators may be critical to the aims of a project, but no available tools can be reliably deployed for long periods in the field. We trial automated light sensitive mechanical doors on nest boxes to protect birds nesting in boxes from a small nocturnal predator. At three sites we deployed arrays of nest boxes, and fitted a subset (treatment group) with automated doors, while others were left unprotected. Box occupancy by the target species, clutch size and nest fate (successful/failed) were monitored using motion activated cameras and by manual checking. Birds in nest boxes fitted with automated doors had a significantly lower risk of nest failure 0.25 (±0.11 se) compared to 0.81 (± 0.07 se) in the control group. No nests in the treatment group failed due to predation, whereas all nest failures in the control group were attributable to predation. The treatment group did not differ significantly from controls in clutch size. Automated doors operated for a 3 month breeding season reliably, with minimal maintenance (but battery charge should be monitored). We provide a useful new tool for protecting nest boxes from nocturnal predators, and automated doors did not have any deleterious reproductive consequences on the nests they protected. The automated doors offer practical conservation solutions for nest box conservation programs that (1) are conducted in remote locations with limited accessibility, (2) require protection measures to be deployed for long periods, (3) minimize behavioural/physiological impacts on target species, (4) require targeted protection against nocturnal predators against which more conventional approaches are ineffective or inappropriate.
What Constitutes “Too Big to Jail?” Evidence from South Korea's Family Business Groups
Authors: Choi Hansoo , Kang Hyoung‐Goo , Lee Changmin 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThis paper investigates the judicial bias in favor of large economic organizations. The Korean judiciary is biased towards chaebols (large family business groups). Convicted chaebol‐related defendants receive 9.9% more jail‐sentence suspensions and 19 months shorter jail terms than non‐chaebol counterparts do. Observed leniency remains robust after controlling for the quality of defense attorneys and other sentencing related factors. Then, we explore what drives the bias. We present two possible explanations. The first explanation is that the larger the chaebol, the larger the judicial bias, implying that the chaebol bias is stronger for top 10 business groups than for other chaebols. The second explanation is that in‐group transactions account for much of the bias. This suggests that the judiciary widely accepts a defense of chaebol offenders to wrongdoings that illegal in‐group transactions are for the interest of entire business group, not for their private gain.
Board Composition and Accounting Conservatism: The Role of Business Experts, Support Specialist and Community Influentials
Authors: Enache Luminita , García‐Meca Emma 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn this study, we examine the relationship between accounting conservatism and board composition. We categorise outside directors according to their skills, abilities, connections and knowledge in three different categories: business experts, support specialists and community influentials. We address three main questions: Is the financial and accounting expertise of directors relevant to improving accounting conservatism? Does specialised expertise in the board affect the speed at which news is reflected in earnings? And how do the political ties of directors affect the sensitivity of earnings to bad news? Our sample consists of active US biotech firms publicly traded on the NYSE, AMEX and NASDAQ stock exchanges during the 2005–2013 period. Our study confirms that not all outside directors are equally effective in monitoring and contracting and that certain kinds of outside directors, such as politicians, can even lower the sensitivity of earnings to bad news. Our robustness analysis confirms that these results are not conditional on the accounting measure, and suggest that distinguishing directors according to their skills and abilities is crucial to understanding the way in which firm boards affect conservatism.
Understanding consultation and engagement of Indigenous Peoples in resource development: A policy framing approach
Authors: Boyd Brendan , Lorefice Sophie 
Published: December 2018

AbstractCanada’s legal system has repeatedly ruled that the Crown has a duty to consult with Indigenous Peoples when approving and shaping resource development projects that are located on their land or could infringe on their rights. Yet, there are still incidences where Indigenous communities and organizations find formal consultation processes, and the approach to engagement taken by industry and government, to be lacking. We use insights from the policy studies literature to argue that generating more evidence and analysis about the benefits and impacts of development is unlikely to improve consultation and engagement processes or resolve resource development disputes. We suggest that a policy framing approach, which examines how the different actors frame or define controversial and intractable policy problems, can provide insight into why disputes occur. We examine publicly available documents and statements about consultation and engagement produced by Indigenous groups, Canadian governments, and industry to identify and compare how these groups are likely to frame resource development and consultation activities.
Municipal‐Indigenous relations in Saskatchewan: Getting started in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert
Authors: Heritz Joanne 
Published: December 2018

AbstractMost of Canada’s Indigenous Peoples reside in urban centres, yet they remain politically under‐represented in municipal governance structures, such as in Saskatchewan, where they have a significant population base. Through a qualitative case‐study of Municipal‐Indigenous relationships, this study aims to map the political representation of Indigenous Peoples within municipal governance structures in Regina, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert. Based on interviews and supporting documents, this article analyzes Municipal‐Indigenous relations based on the following: governance interface between municipal government and Indigenous Peoples; Indigenous culture as municipal asset; economic and social development; and urban reserves, service agreements, and regional relationships. The analysis reveals that the three municipalities, by varying degrees, lag in substantive relationship building with Indigenous communities.
Remaining populations of an upland stream fish persist in refugia defined by habitat features at multiple scales
Authors: Dunn Corey G. , Angermeier Paul L. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractAimConserving stream biota could require strategies that preserve habitats conveying resistance to ecological impacts of changing land use and climate. Retrospective analyses of species’ responses to anthropogenic disturbances can inform such strategies. We developed a hierarchical framework to contrast environmental conditions underlying persistence versus extirpation of an imperilled stream fish, Candy Darter (Etheostoma osburni), over decades of changing land use. The decline of E. osburni may broadly represent the challenge of conserving sensitive freshwater species in intensively used upland environments.LocationNew River drainage, Appalachian Mountains, USA.MethodsWe surveyed fish and habitat in historically occupied sites to identify population refugia, and used multivariate and spatial analyses to address three questions: (a) what are the environmental correlates of refugia? (b) are the pathways by which land use impacts instream habitat constrained by catchment‐ and/or segment‐scale features? and (c) are E. osburni distributional dynamics spatially structured and explained by fine sediment and warm stream temperatures?ResultsWe confirmed a recently localized distribution similar to other upland species, marked by at least seven extirpations from streams throughout E. osburni's southern range. Catchment‐scale features primarily constrained land use and finer‐scale habitat, leading to either extirpations or population‐supporting refugia defined by features at multiple scales. Refugium habitats contained cooler temperatures and less fine sediment. Rare mismatches between persistence and habitat suitability were explained by network location, suggesting unmeasured environmental gradients and/or dispersal contributed to distributional dynamics.Main conclusionsWe provided insight at multiple spatial scales into how aquatic species’ distributions become fragmented and localized. Our results demonstrate that natural landscape heterogeneity imparts spatially variable resistance of sensitive species to intensive land uses. By recognizing the scale‐specific features that buffer populations from extirpation, conservation strategies could be tailored to protect naturally occurring refugium habitats and focus restoration in systems where such habitats are broadly lacking.
Prospective, randomised clinical trial of four different presurgical hand antiseptic techniques in equine surgery
Authors: Biermann N. M. , McClure J. T. , Sanchez J. , Saab M. , Doyle A. J. 
Published: December 2018

SummaryBackgroundCurrently, the World Health Organization recommends the use of alcohol‐based hand rubs (ABR) for surgical hand preparation in human surgery. When disinfecting soaps are used, a rubbing technique causes less skin irritation than brush scrubbing. Based on a recent survey, most equine surgeons still use disinfecting soap. The efficacy of scrubbing vs. rubbing and the use of sole ABR compared with chlorhexidine (CHx)‐ based products has not been evaluated in the equine surgical setting.ObjectivesTo compare four surgical hand antisepsis techniques in equine surgery for reduction of aerobic bacterial counts from pre‐ to post‐preparation (immediate efficacy) and at the end of surgery (sustained efficacy).Study designRandomised, prospective clinical trial.MethodsA 4% CHx‐based product applied with either a scrub or rub technique, one sole ABR (ET; 80% ethanol) and one CHx/alcohol‐combination (CHx/ET; 1% CHx and 61% ethanol) product both applied with a rub technique were evaluated. Samples were collected by glove juice technique and cultured on 3M™ Petrifilm plates and counted using a 3M™ Petrifilm plate reader.ResultsImmediate mean bacterial log10 colony forming unit (CFU) reduction was 2.4 for CHx‐scrub, 2.8 for CHx‐rub, 3.1 for CHx/ET and 2.1 for ET. CHx/ET resulted in significantly lower bacterial counts than CHx‐scrub (P<0.005) and ET (P<0.001) while CHx‐rub resulted in significantly lower counts than ET (P<0.001). At the end of surgery bacterial counts were the lowest for CHx‐rub, significantly lower than CHx/ET (P<0.001) and ET (P<0.001). There was no difference between CHx‐rub and ‐scrub techniques (P = 0.7).Main limitationsBacterial counts were used as the outcome measure rather than prevalence of surgical site infection, and the effect of hand preparation on skin health was not assessed.ConclusionsABR did not decrease bacterial log10CFU counts more effectively than CHx products. When using CHx soaps in the equine setting, hand‐rub is as effective as a hand‐scrub‐technique.
Challenging the European southern refugium hypothesis: Species‐specific structures versus general patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation among small mammals
Authors: Pedreschi Debbi , García‐Rodríguez Oxala , Yannic Glenn , Cantarello Elena , Diaz Anita , Golicher Duncan , Korstjens Amanda H. , Heckel Gerald , Searle Jeremy B. , Gillingham Phillipa , Hardouin Emilie A. , Stewart John R. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractAimIn this study, we conduct a quantitative meta‐analysis to investigate broad patterns of genetic variation throughout large geographical regions in order to elucidate concordant geographical patterns across species and identify common historical processes to better inform the “cryptic refugia” versus the traditional “southern refugia” hypothesis debate.LocationEurope.Time periodLate Pleistocene to present day.Major taxa studiedSmall mammals (Rodentia, Eulipotyphla).MethodsA meta‐analysis was performed on large‐scale patterns of genetic diversity for 19 species from 59 papers. For each species, haplotype and nucleotide diversity were calculated using the mitochondrial D‐loop and compared to the species’ range.ResultsNo consistent patterns were observed between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity indices (nucleotide and haplotype diversity) and any of the indicators of distribution examined [latitude and longitude (max, min, centre, range)]. The patterns of genetic diversity observed in all the 19 species studied appear to be species‐specific.Main conclusionsIn contrast to the traditional southern refugial hypotheses, we found no evidence for a consistent south–north post‐glacial expansion. Instead individual species appear to respond to climate oscillations in niche‐specific ways. This individual nature of each species’ phylogeographical history indicates a complex web of post‐glacial recolonization dynamics across Europe.