bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ambient, productive and wind energy, and ocean extent predict global species richness of procellariiform seabirds
Authors: Davies Richard G. , Irlich Ulrike M. , Chown Steven L. , Gaston Kevin J. 
Published: November 2009

ABSTRACTAims  Tests of the energy hypothesis for the large‐scale distribution of species richness have largely been concerned with the influence of two alternative forms of environmental energy, temperature and energy from primary productivity, both of which (at least in terrestrial systems) peak within the tropics. Taxa showing extra‐tropical diversity peaks present a potential challenge to the generality of species–energy theory. One such group are pelagic seabirds of the order Procellariiformes that show not only an extra‐tropical diversity peak but one confined to the Southern Ocean, hence a highly asymmetric one. They are distinct in being exceptionally adapted to take advantage of wind energy, which they may rely on for long‐distance ocean foraging for the patchy resources needed to meet their energetic needs. Wind represents a readily available source of kinetic energy, shows a strong latitudinal gradient, and has been largely omitted from species–energy theory. Moreover, maximal benefits of wind are likely to be afforded in areas of greatest available contiguous ocean extent. We compare the relative importance of wind speed, ocean productivity (chlorophyll concentration), air temperature and available ocean extent (distance) in explaining large‐scale global distribution of procellariiform species richness across the world's oceans.Location  Global, oceanic.Methods  Hierarchical partitioning, model selection, ordinary least squares (OLS) and spatial generalized least squares (GLS) regression.Results  Hierarchical partitioning of non‐spatial regression models indicates that ocean distance is the most important predictor of procellariiform species richness followed by wind speed and then temperature. In contrast, that of spatial regression models indicates the roughly equal importance of ocean distance and temperature, followed by wind speed. Although contributing additional model fit, ocean productivity is consistently the weakest predictor. Best‐fit models include all four predictors and explain 67% of observed variation. The species–productivity relationship is negative overall, while the species–temperature relationship is hump‐shaped. In contrast, ocean distance and wind speed are positively associated with species richness.Conclusions  Large‐scale procellariiform species richness distribution may represent a trade‐off in the use of different energy forms, being highest in Southern Ocean areas where productive energy and temperature are relatively low, but where available ocean foraging extent and wind energy required to utilize it are near‐maximal.
Does urbanization decrease diversity in ground beetle (Carabidae) assemblages?
Authors: Magura Tibor , Lövei Gábor L. , Tóthmérész Béla 
Published: November 2009

ABSTRACTAim  We wanted to test whether urbanization has similar effects on biodiversity in different locations, comparing the responses of ground beetle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) assemblages with an urbanization gradient. We also wanted to see if urbanization had a homogenizing effect on ground beetle assemblages.Locations  Nine forested temperate locations in Europe, Canada and Japan.Methods  Published results of the Globenet Project were used. At all locations, three stages were identified: (1) a forested (rural) area, (2) a suburban area where the original forest was fragmented and isolated, and (3) remnants of the original forest in urban parks. These habitats formed an urbanization series. Study arrangements (number and operation of traps) and methods (pitfall trapping) were identical, conforming to the Globenet protocol. Assemblage composition and diversity patterns were evaluated. Diversity relationships were analysed by the Rényi diversity ordering method considering all ground beetles and – separately – the forest specialist species. Taxonomic homogenization was examined by multivariate methods using assemblage similarities.Results  Overall biodiversity (compared by species richness and diversity ordering) showed inconsistent trends by either urbanization intensity or by geographic position. However, when only forest species were compared, diversity was higher in the original rural (forested) areas than in urban forest fragments. Within‐country similarities of carabid assemblages were always higher than within‐urbanization stage similarities.Main conclusions  Urbanization does not appear to cause a decrease in ground beetle diversity per se. Forest species decline as urbanization intensifies but this trend is masked by an influx of non‐forest species. The rural faunas were more similar to the urban ones within the same location than similar urbanization stages were to each other, indicating that urbanization did not homogenize the taxonomic composition of ground beetle faunas across the studied locations.
Falling Apart at the Margins? Neighbourhood Transformations in Peri‐Urban Chennai
Authors: Arabindoo Pushpa 
Published: November 2009

ABSTRACTThis article explores the peri‐urban dynamics in developing cities using a theoretical examination of the metropolis as the new urban condition. Although a western conceptualization, the notion of the metropolis, and particularly metropolitan planning, was exported to the developing world to address its urbanization problems. Metropolitan development authorities were established for wider city regions and accorded legislative powers to prepare master plans for the metropolitan areas. However, in most instances, their planning strategies resulted in a conflation of the urban–rural interface into a more complex peri‐urban condition, marked by heterogeneity and fragmentation. The article illustrates this through an empirical investigation in the Indian city of Chennai, where socio‐spatial transformations of two borderland neighbourhoods on its southern periphery are assessed mainly in terms of metropolitan planning decisions over the decades. In outlining their metamorphosis, the study is careful not to perceive such conflicts as simple forms of polarization between the rich and the poor. Rather, it sets the class conflicts against the politico‐economic dynamics yielding newer forms of polarization in the peri‐urban spaces.
‘Thinking Outside the Box’? Trade Union Organizing Strategies and Polish Migrant Workers in the United Kingdom
Authors: Fitzgerald Ian , Hardy Jane 
Published: November 2009

AbstractThis article focuses on the responses of British trade unions to the arrival of Polish workers since the 2004 enlargement of the European Union. It is argued that existing definitions and explanations of UK trade union engagement with migrant workers do not capture the strategies that have been used to engage with these migrant workers. We suggest that there have been two sets of responses. First, recruitment and organization activity has centred on inclusion and has been undertaken on new terrains using innovative strategies. Second, we point to the importance of new linkages locally, regionally, nationally and internationally in organizing these new labour market entrants.
DO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS MATTER TO TAIWAN'S EXPORTS? A DYNAMIC PANEL APPROACH
Authors: Yang Chih‐Hai , Huang Yi‐Ju 
Published: November 2009

AbstractThis article analyses whether and how Taiwan's exports are sensitive to national differences in intellectual property right (IPR) protection, as well as the degree of imitation threat. Applying a longitudinal IPR index developed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and using the generalized method of moments dynamic panel data modelling technique to control for endogeneity and panel unit root problems, the empirical results show that the strength of importing countries' IPR protection has a positive impact on Taiwan's exports, supporting the standpoint of market expansion that stronger IPR protection will induce more trade. Under various classification systems to differentiate the degree of threat of imitation across countries, both positive and negative export effects of IPR are found in Taiwan's case. However, the pattern of threat of imitation–trade nexus seems to contradict theory predictions. Moreover, high‐tech exports are found be more IPR sensitive than non‐high‐tech exports.
FOOD STAMPS, TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES AND FOOD HARDSHIPS IN THREE AMERICAN CITIES
Authors: DePolt Richard A. , Moffitt Robert A. , Ribar David C. 
Published: November 2009

AbstractWe examine how participation in the Food Stamp and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs is associated with self‐reported household food hardships, using data from a longitudinal survey of low‐income families living in Boston, Chicago and San Antonio. In addition to the measures of hardships and program participation, the survey includes measures of income, wealth, social resources, disability, physical health and family structure, measures that help us to account for selection between recipient and non‐recipient households. For our multivariate analyses, we estimate multiple indicator multiple cause models that are modified to incorporate discrete outcome variables and to account for longitudinal data. Estimates from these models reveal that participation in the Food Stamp Program is associated with fewer food hardships, while participation in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program has no detectable association with hardships.
A MODEL OF OVERCONFIDENCE
Authors: Weinberg Bruce A. 
Published: November 2009

AbstractPeople use information about their ability to choose tasks. If more challenging tasks provide more accurate information about ability, people who care about and who are risk averse over their perception of their ability will choose tasks that are not sufficiently challenging. Moderate overestimation of ability and overestimation of the precision of initial information leads people to choose tasks that raise expected output (and utility); however, extreme overconfidence leads people to undertake tasks that are excessively challenging. Consistent with our results, psychologists find that moderate overconfidence is both pervasive and advantageous.
IS MINIMUM WAGE AN EFFECTIVE ANTI‐POVERTY POLICY IN JAPAN?
Authors: Kawaguchi Daiji , Mori Yuko 
Published: November 2009

AbstractThis paper considers whether the minimum wage is a well‐targeted antipoverty policy by examining the backgrounds of minimum‐wage workers. Whether raising the minimum wage reduces employment for unskilled workers is also investigated. An examination of micro data from a large‐scale government household survey, the Employment Structure Survey (Shugyo Kozo Kihon Chosa), reveals that approximately half of minimum‐wage workers belong to households with annual incomes of more than 5 million yen as a non‐head of household. A regression analysis indicates that an increase in the minimum wage moderately reduces the employment of male teenagers and middle‐aged married women, while it encourages the employment of high‐school age youth.
DOES TELEVISION VIEWING AFFECT CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOUR?
Authors: Huang Fali , Lee Myoung‐jae 
Published: November 2009

AbstractUsing three‐period panel data drawn from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, we investigate whether television (TV) viewing at ages 6–7 and 8–9 years affects children's social and behavioural development at ages 8–9 years. Dynamic panel data models are estimated to handle the unobserved child‐specific factor, endogeneity of TV viewing, and the dynamic nature of the causal relation. Special emphasis is placed on this last aspect, focusing on how early TV viewing affects interim child behavioural problems and in turn affects future TV viewing. Overall, we find that TV viewing during ages 6–7 and 8–9 years increases child behavioural problems at ages 8–9 years, and that the effect is economically sizable.
Exchange Rate Changes and the Operating Performance of Multinationals
Authors: Lee Bong‐Soo , Suh Jungwon 
Published: November 2009

AbstractUsing a sample of 261 US multinationals over the period 1984–2002, we examine the relation between exchange rate changes and the profitability of foreign operations. We find that the impact of exchange rate changes on foreign operations’ profitability is not statistically significant in the majority of industries. Furthermore, according to our variance components analysis, exchange rate changes explain less than 2% of the variation in foreign operations’ profitability for most industries. We also find that the impact of exchange rate changes on foreign operations’ profitability is generally weak for non‐US multinationals from Australia, Canada, Japan and the UK. Our evidence is consistent with the finding of prior studies that the impact of exchange rate changes on firm value is not significant for most multinationals.
Porokeratotic eccrine ostial and dermal duct naevus: report of 10 cases
Authors: Masferrer E , Vicente MA , Bassas‐Vila J , Rovira C , González‐Enseñat MA 
Published: November 2009

AbstractBackground  Porokeratotic eccrine ostial and dermal duct nevus (PEODDN) is a congenital hamartoma that has rarely been documented.Objectives  To describe the clinical and histological features of 10 patients with PEODDN.Methods  A retrospective study of 10 patients with PEODDN attended in our paediatric hospital between 1999 and 2009 was performed. The clinical and histopathological features were reviewed.Results  Nine children and one adult were included in the study. In 6 cases the lesion was present at birth and they were unique in 5 cases and systematized in the other 5 cases. Two cases in the same family are reported. The lesions were most commonly found on the extremities, although the palms or soles were involved in 9 cases and only in one case there was not affection of this area. The lesions were mostly asymptomatic but there was moderate itching in two cases. Clinical examination revealed no extracutaneous involvement.Conclusions  PEODDN is a rare disorder that usually appears at birth or early childhood. It has a linear distribution following the Blaschko lines. To our knowledge this is the largest series reported in English literature and we also describe the first family case.
Fibre type composition of the human psoas major muscle with regard to the level of its origin
Authors: Arbanas Juraj , Starcevic Klasan Gordana , Nikolic Marina , Jerkovic Romana , Miljanovic Ivo , Malnar Daniela 
Published: November 2009

AbstractThe aim of our study was to explore the fibre type composition of the human psoas major muscle at different levels of its origin, from the first lumbar to the fourth lumbar vertebra, and to compare the muscle fibre size and distribution of different fibre types between levels with respect to its complex postural and dynamic function. Muscle samples were collected from 15 young males (younger than 35 years). Serial transverse sections (5 μm) of the samples were cut by cryomicrotome. Type I, IIA and IIX muscle fibres were typed using myosin heavy chain identification. The serial sections were analysed using a light microscope with a magnitude of 100×. The differences between measurements were evaluated using a repeated‐measures anova and Scheffé test for post‐hoc analysis. Our study showed that the human psoas major muscle was composed of type I, IIA and IIX muscle fibres. It had a predominance of type IIA muscle fibres, whereas type I muscle fibres had the largest cross‐sectional area. Type IIX muscle fibres were present as a far smaller percentage and had the smallest cross‐sectional area. Moreover, the fibre type composition of the psoas major muscle was different between levels of its origin starting from the first lumbar to the fourth lumbar vertebra. We conclude that the fibre type composition of the psoas major muscle indicated its dynamic and postural functions, which supports the fact that it is the main flexor of the hip joint (dynamic function) and stabilizer of the lumbar spine, sacroiliac and hip joints (postural function). The cranial part of the psoas major muscle has a primarily postural role, whereas the caudal part of the muscle has a dynamic role.
Performance variability, impulsivity errors and the impact of incentives as gender‐independent endophenotypes for ADHD
Authors: Uebel Henrik , Albrecht Björn , Asherson Philip , Börger Norbert  A. , Butler Louise , Chen Wai , Christiansen Hanna , Heise Alexander , Kuntsi Jonna , Schäfer Ulrike , Andreou Penny , Manor Iris , Marco Rafaela , Miranda Ana , Mulligan Aisling , Oades Robert D. , Van Der Meere Jaap , Faraone Stephen V. , Rothenberger Aribert , Banaschewski Tobias 
Published: November 2009

Background:  Attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common and highly heritable child psychiatric disorders. There is strong evidence that children with ADHD show slower and more variable responses in tasks such as Go/Nogo tapping aspects of executive functions like sustained attention and response control which may be modulated by motivational factors and/or state‐regulation processes. The aim of this study was (1) to determine if these executive functions may constitute an endophenotype for ADHD; (2) to investigate for the first time whether known modulators of these executive functions may also be familial; and (3) to explore whether gender has an impact on these measures.Methods:  Two hundred and five children with ADHD combined type, 173 nonaffected biological siblings and 53 controls with no known family history of ADHD were examined using a Go/Nogo task in the framework of a multi‐centre study. Performance‐measures and modulating effects of event‐rate and incentives were examined. Shared familial effects on these measures were assessed, and the influence of gender was tested.Results:  Children with ADHD responded more slowly and variably than nonaffected siblings or controls. Nonaffected siblings showed intermediate scores for reaction‐time variability, false alarms and omission errors under fast and slow event‐rates. A slower event‐rate did not lead to reduced performance specific to ADHD. In the incentive condition, mean reaction‐times speeded up and became less variable only in children with ADHD and their nonaffected siblings, while accuracy was improved in all groups. Males responded faster, but also committed more false alarms. There were no interactions of group by gender.Conclusions:  Reaction‐time variability and accuracy parameters could be useful neuropsychological endophenotypes for ADHD. Performance‐modulating effects of incentives suggested a familially driven motivational dysfunction which may play an important role on etiologic pathways and treatment approaches for ADHD. The effects of gender were independent of familial effects or ADHD‐status, which in turn suggests that the proposed endophenotypes are independent of gender.
Dysregulation of intracellular dopamine stores revealed in the R6/2 mouse striatum
Authors: Ortiz Andrea N. , Kurth Benjamin J. , Osterhaus Gregory L. , Johnson Michael A. 
Published: November 2009

J. Neurochem.(2010)112, 755–761.AbstractHuntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal, neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by preferential and extensive striatal degeneration. Here, we used fast‐scan cyclic voltammetry to study the mobilization and efflux of reserve pool dopamine (DA) in striatal brain slices from HD model R6/2 mice. When applying stimulus trains of 120 pulses, evoked DA release in wild‐type (WT) slices was greater than that in R6/2 slices at the higher frequencies (50 and 60 Hz). To quantify cytosolic and reserve pool DA levels, amphetamine‐induced DA efflux was measured after pre‐treatment with either tetrabenazine or alpha‐methyl‐p‐tyrosine. Slices from 12‐week‐old R6/2 mice released less DA than slices from WT mice, while no difference was noted in slices from 6‐week old mice. The vesicular release of reserve pool DA, mobilized by treatment with cocaine, was shorter lived in R6/2 slices compared with WT slices even though peak DA release was the same. Moreover, the number of DA reserve pool vesicles in R6/2 mice was less than half of that in WT. Therefore, our data suggest that the same number of DA molecules are present in each reserve pool vesicle in WT and R6/2 mice and that these vesicles are readily mobilized in both genotypes; however, R6/2 mice have fewer DA reserve pool vesicles available for mobilization.
Where's the glass? Biomarkers, molecular clocks, and microRNAs suggest a 200‐Myr missing Precambrian fossil record of siliceous sponge spicules
Authors: SPERLING E. A. , ROBINSON J. M. , PISANI D. , PETERSON K. J. 
Published: November 2009

AbstractThe earliest evidence for animal life comes from the fossil record of 24‐isopropylcholestane, a sterane found in Cryogenian deposits, and whose precursors are found in modern demosponges, but not choanoflagellates, calcareans, hexactinellids, or eumetazoans. However, many modern demosponges are also characterized by the presence of siliceous spicules, and there are no convincing demosponge spicules in strata older than the Cambrian. This temporal disparity highlights a problem with our understanding of the Precambrian fossil record – either these supposed demosponge‐specific biomarkers were derived from the sterols of some other organism and are simply retained in modern demosponges, or spicules do not primitively characterize crown‐group demosponges. Resolving this issue requires resolving the phylogenetic placement of another group of sponges, the hexactinellids, which not only make a spicule thought to be homologous to the spicules of demosponges, but also make their first appearance near the Precambrian/Cambrian boundary. Using two independent analytical approaches and data sets – traditional molecular phylogenetic analyses and the presence or absence of specific microRNA genes – we show that demosponges are monophyletic, and that hexactinellids are their sister group (together forming the Silicea). Thus, spicules must have evolved before the last common ancestor of all living siliceans, suggesting the presence of a significant gap in the silicean spicule fossil record. Molecular divergence estimates date the origin of this last common ancestor well within the Cryogenian, consistent with the biomarker record, and strongly suggests that siliceous spicules were present during the Precambrian but were not preserved.
The Impact of Malpractice Liability Claims on Obstetrical Practice Patterns
Authors: Gimm Gilbert W. 
Published: November 2009

Objectives. This paper examines whether malpractice claims have any impact on obstetrical practice patterns (C‐section rates) and physician delivery volume.Data Sources. Secondary data from the 1992–2000 Florida Hospital Inpatient Discharge File, the Florida Medical Professional Liability Insurance Claims File, and the American Medical Association's Master File on physician characteristics.Study Design. The effects of malpractice claims on C‐section rates and physician delivery volume were estimated using panel data and a fixed‐effects multivariate model.Data Collection. Variables were constructed from each data source and merged into a single panel dataset using consistent physician identifiers.Principal Findings. I did not find evidence that physicians changed their practice patterns by increasing C‐section rates in response to malpractice claims. However, physicians performed six fewer inpatient deliveries 3 years after the closing of a malpractice claim, after controlling for individual‐ and market‐level characteristics. Physicians with high malpractice awards of U.S.$250,000 or more performed 14 fewer deliveries on average.Conclusions. Malpractice claims led to a small reduction in physician delivery volume, but they did not have a significant impact on C‐section rates.