bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changes in ecological stability across realistic biodiversity gradients depend on spatial scale
Authors: Chalcraft David R. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimIt is unclear how the stability of natural ecosystems and populations varies with biodiversity at spatial scales relevant to resource managers. This study evaluates whether theory and prior experiments adequately predict how stability varies with a measure of biodiversity, plant species richness, at multiple scales in naturally assembled ecosystems and assesses mechanisms through which biodiversity is proposed to affect stability.LocationChihuahuan desert. Historically, grasslands represented the dominant vegetation type in this landscape and shrubs were uncommon. Desertification has degraded many native grassland regions into one of several alternate states dominated by different shrub species and these regions differ in biodiversity.MethodsResearchers at the Jornada long‐term ecological research site have amassed 12 years of data on the primary productivity of individual plant species in 735 permanent 1‐m2plots distributed among 15 regions that were all historically grasslands. I used this information to describe the relationship between biodiversity and stability at the local (1 m2) and regional (3721 m2) scale and to evaluate mechanisms through which biodiversity is proposed to affect stability.ResultsAt the local scale, ecosystem stability increased linearly with biodiversity while population stability tended to decline with biodiversity. At the regional scale, both ecosystem and population stability increased as a saturating function of biodiversity. Scale‐dependent change in the biodiversity–stability relationship can be explained by the spatial insurance hypothesis, asynchrony in the local productivity dynamics of the average species, and a change in species evenness with scale that weakens statistical averaging.Main conclusionsResults from small‐scale experimental studies may not directly translate to larger spatial scales but they appear to predict patterns in natural communities at small spatial scales. These results suggest that the maintenance of high biodiversity over a large spatial area is essential for maintaining ecosystem services and reducing the potential for further species extinctions.
How well do we know species richness in a well‐known continent? Temporal patterns of endemic and widespread species descriptions in theEuropean fauna
Authors: Essl Franz , Rabitsch Wolfgang , Dullinger Stefan , Moser Dietmar , Milasowszky Norbert 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimTo analyse if the historical species description process in 10 animal groups differed among widespread and endemic species and to evaluate whether our current knowledge about the diversity of these groups is complete.LocationSixty‐nine terrestrial regions (countries, large islands, archipelagos) covering all of Europe.MethodsBased on data from theFaunaEuropaea project, we reconstructed the description histories of four vertebrate groups (amphibians, fish, mammals, reptiles) and six well‐studied invertebrate groups (butterflies, grasshoppers, ground beetles, snails, spiders, true bugs) living in terrestrial and freshwater environments. We used accelerated failure time models to test for a possible delay of endemic species detection and to provide conservative estimates of the as yet undescribed proportions of the existing diversity.ResultsOur data set includes 24,092 species, of which 7202 (30%) are endemic to oneFaunaEuropaea region. Species descriptions over time follow different trajectories for endemic and widespread species, with endemic species being described 79 years later than widespread ones, on average. Rates of widespread species descriptions have been low throughout the 20th century despite increasing numbers of active taxonomists, and models indicate that only a minor fraction of extant species is unknown (0.4–3%). By contrast, endemic species accumulation curves do not seem to have levelled off yet. Conservative model predictions suggest that up to 19% of the existing endemic diversity still awaits description in some taxonomic groups.ConclusionsOur results suggest that even for well‐studied groups in the world's biogeographically best‐known continent, scientific knowledge of species richness is far from complete and is biased towards widespread species. Research and conservation priorities may thus be misdirected, as, for example, regions with high numbers of as yet unrecognized endemics may not be adequately considered when setting conservation priorities. This is particularly problematic as their mostly small populations make endemic species especially vulnerable to human‐induced pressures.
Did Wars Make Nation‐States in the Balkans?: Nationalisms, Wars and States in the 19th and early 20th Century South East Europe
Authors: MALEŠEVIĆ SINIŠA 
Published: July 2012

AbstractNationalism and protracted warfare are often seen as the most important impediments to social advancement in the Balkans. In contrast to these popular perceptions I argue that for much of its history the Balkan region was characterised by limited inter‐state violence and by notable lack of nationalist ideologies. Furthermore by comparing the processes of state and nation formation and warfare in the South East Europe with those in the Western Europe the article aims to show that it is the weakness, not the strength, of nationalism and protracted warfare that historically have been the principal obstacles for social development. The general argument of the paper is developed in dialogue with Tilly's theory that ties state formation to proliferation of wars and Gellner's model that links the rise of nationalism to emergence of standardised educational systems and industrialisation. In an attempt to partially disprove Tilly and vindicate Gellner I argue that the experience of the Balkan region indicates that although wars can prove important catalysts of state formation they may not necessarily contribute to nation formation.
Worldview Implications of Believing in Free Will and/or Determinism: Politics, Morality, and Punitiveness
Authors: Carey Jasmine M. , Paulhus Delroy L. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractObjectiveWe used theFAD‐Plus to investigate the association of free will belief (FWB) with political orientation, moral attitudes, and punitiveness. Other goals included (a) confirming the independence of believing in free will and determinism and (b) contrasting scientific determinism with fatalistic determinism.MethodThree studies were conducted via online questionnaires. Studies 1 and 3 recruited undergraduate students: Study 1,N = 220,Mage = 20.96; Study 3,N = 161,Mage = 20.2. Study 2 participants were recruited from a broader community sample:N = 253,Mage = 34.29.ResultsStudies 1 and 2 found thatFWBis associated with traditional conservative attitudes, including authoritarianism, religiosity, and belief in a just world. Study 2 replicated this pattern but narrowed the religiosity link to the intrinsic style. In Study 3,FWBwas associated with binding moral foundations and retributive punishment of hypothetical criminals.ConclusionsBelief in free will is associated with a conservative worldview, including such facets as authoritarianism, religiosity, punitiveness, and moralistic standards for judging self and others. The common element appears to be a strong sense of personal responsibility. Evidence for distinct correlates of scientific and fatalistic determinism reinforces the need for treating them separately.
Personality Change Predicts Self‐Reported Mental and Physical Health
Authors: Magee Christopher A. , Heaven Patrick C. L. , Miller Leonie M. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractObjectivePersonality dimensions are known to predict mortality and other health outcomes, but almost no research has assessed the effects of changes in personality traits on physical and mental health outcomes. In this article, we examined the effects of changes in the Big Five personality dimensions on health as assessed by the Short Form Health Survey (SF‐36).MethodRespondents were 11,105 Australian adults aged 20–79 years (52.7% female). Latent difference score modeling was used to examine whether personality change over a 4‐year period was associated with mental and physical health, and whether these effects were moderated by birth cohort.ResultsIncreases in Conscientiousness and Extraversion were found to be associated with improved mental and physical health, whereas increased Neuroticism was linked with poorer health. The nature of these associations varied significantly by birth cohort.ConclusionThe findings have implications for understanding how changes in personality traits over time are related to health, and could be used to aid the development of effective health promotion strategies targeted to specific personality traits and birth cohorts.
Clients' and Therapists' Stories about Psychotherapy
Authors: Adler Jonathan M. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThis article provides an overview of the emerging field of research on clients' stories about their experiences in psychotherapy. The theory of narrative identity suggests that individuals construct stories about their lives in order to provide the self with a sense of purpose and unity. Psychotherapy stories serve both psychological functions. Focusing on the theme of agency as a vehicle for operationalizing purpose and coherence as a way of operationalizing unity, this article will describe the existing scholarship connecting psychotherapy stories to clients' psychological well‐being. Results from cross‐sectional qualitative and quantitative studies as well as longitudinal research indicate a connection between the stories clients tell about therapy and their psychological well‐being, both over the course of treatment and after it is over. In addition, a preliminary analysis of therapists' stories about their clients' treatment is presented. These analyses reveal that the way therapists recount a particular client's therapy does not impact the relationships between clients' narratives and their improvement. The article concludes with a discussion of how this body of scholarship might be fruitfully applied in the realm of clinical practice.
Announcing Swine Flu and the Interpretation of Pandemic Anxiety
Authors: Everts Jonathan 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThis paper discusses the ways in which 2009 novel swine‐origin influenza A (H1N1) was announced and resonated with current pandemic anxieties. In particular, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are used as a lens through which recent pandemic anxieties can be analysed and understood. This entails a closer look at the securitisation of public health and the challenges and struggles this may have caused within public health agencies. In that light, CDC' formal entanglement with global health security and its announcement of the H1N1 pandemic are interpreted, followed by an ethnographically informed focus on various people who were engaged in the H1N1 emergency response and their practices and practical struggles in the face of pandemic anxiety.
Many Chains to Break: The Multi‐dimensional Concept of Slave Labour in Brazil
Authors: McGrath Siobhán 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThis article examines the concept of slave labour through two case studies from Brazil. One involves internal migrant workers and the other cross‐border migrant workers. There have been accusations of slave labour in both cases. I argue that slave labour is a multi‐dimensional concept and that cognate notions (eg forced and unfree labour) could also be reconceived as multi‐dimensional. Recent works have proposed that a continuum viewing labour relations as more or less free should replace dichotomies such as free vs unfree. I argue for taking this further to recognise, first, that workers may be more or less free in different ways, and second, that the resulting conditions of employment can be characterised as more or less degrading, also in different ways. This multi‐dimensional approach allows for a better understanding of the heterogeneity of apparently unfree labour relations and for greater recognition of the agency of workers labelled as slaves.
Glucocerebrosidase mutations in a Serbian Parkinson's disease population
Authors: Kumar K. R. , Ramirez A. , Göbel A. , Kresojević N. , Svetel M. , Lohmann K. , M Sue C. , Rolfs A. , Mazzulli J. R. , Alcalay R. N. , Krainc D. , Klein C. , Kostic V. , Grünewald A. 
Published: July 2012

Background and purposeTo screen for glucocerebrosidase (GBA) mutations in a Serbian Parkinson's disease (PD) population.MethodsGlucocerebrosidase exons 8–11 harbouring the most common mutations were sequenced in 360 patients with PD and 348 controls from Serbia. Haplotype analysis was performed for the N370S mutation and compared with German and Ashkenazi Jewish carriers.ResultsGlucocerebrosidase mutations were significantly more frequent in patients with PD (21/360; 5.8%) vs. controls (5/348; 1.4%; OR = 4.25; CI, 1.58–11.40; P = 0.0041). Two patients with PD carried homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in GBA. The N370S mutation accounted for about half of the mutated alleles in patients (10/23) but was absent amongst controls. Three novel variants were detected including two non‐synonymous variants (D380V, N392S) in the patient group and one synonymous change (V459V) in a control. Carriers of the D409H mutation were also sequenced for H255Q, and all were found to carry the [D409H; H255Q] double‐mutant allele. Genotyping suggested a common haplotype for all N370S carriers.ConclusionGlucocerebrosidase mutations represent a PD risk factor in the Serbian population.
Relationships among consumer vanity, gender, brand sensitivity, brand consciousness and private self‐consciousness
Authors: Workman Jane E. , Lee Seung‐Hee 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine relationships among consumer vanity, gender, brand sensitivity, brand consciousness and private self‐consciousness within a context of social comparison theory. The four dimensions of consumer vanity are concern for and positive view of physical appearance and concern for and positive view of achievement. Participants were 400 college students (284 women; 116 men). Participants above the median in three of the four dimensions of vanity (except vanity achievement view) were more sensitive to and more conscious of brand names. Participants above (vs. below) the median in vanity achievement view scored higher on private self‐consciousness. Women scored higher on brand sensitivity, brand consciousness and private self‐consciousness than men. There was a significant correlation between brand sensitivity and brand consciousness. Results support the notion that consumers’ decisions, especially regarding brand names, may be guided by vanity‐related concerns and views.
Density‐dependent dispersal and the speed of range expansions
Authors: Altwegg Res , Collingham Yvonne C. , Erni Birgit , Huntley Brian 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimThe speed of range expansions, be it invasive species colonizing a new area or species tracking a moving climatic niche, critically depends on dispersal. Models for species' range expansions generally assume dispersal to be independent of local population densities. However, animals often disperse in response to high population size or alternatively may avoid or leave areas of very low population sizes. We explore whether such density dependence in dispersal can safely be ignored when predicting the speed of range expansions.LocationSimulation study.MethodsWe use simulations to examine the effect of different forms of density dependence in emigration and immigration on the speed of range expansions. For emigration, we consider linear and nonlinear forms of positive density dependence, negative density dependence at low population densities and constant emigration rates. For immigration, we consider options where individuals avoid crowded patches, are attracted to the presence of conspecifics or settle independent of local density.ResultsThe speed of range expansion was slowest when emigration was strongly positively related to density (higher emigration at higher densities) and when individuals avoided settling in low‐density patches. It tended to be fastest under negatively density‐dependent emigration (higher emigration at lower densities). These results were consistent across two different life histories and different levels of carrying capacity.Main conclusionsOur results suggest that considering density‐dependent dispersal and the mechanisms leading to it are important for correctly predicting species' rates of spread. Organisms with a tendency to aggregate, for example, by relying on conspecific attraction in settlement and emigrating mainly in response to high local densities, are predicted to be least likely to expand their ranges and most at risk from spatial shifts in their climatic niches.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INHIBITION OF PHOSPHOFRUCTOKINASE ACTIVITY AND THE MODE OF ACTION OF TRIVALENT ORGANIC ANTIMONIALS ON SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI
Authors: BUEDING E. , MANSOUR JOAN M. 
Published: July 2012

The addition of purified mammalian phosphofructokinase to homogenates of Schistosoma mansoni increased the rate of lactic acid production from glucose and reversed the inhibition of glycolysis produced by low concentrations of trivalent organic antimonials. Neither mammalian phosphofructokinase nor trivalent antimonials affected the rate of lactic acid production from fructose‐1:6‐diphosphate (HDP) by schistosome homogenates. Accordingly, in the schistosome, the rate of glycolysis of glucose is determined by the activity of phosphofructokinase.The aldolase of S. mansoni has a high requirement for HDP; relatively slight reductions in the concentration of this substrate below the optimum resulted in a sharp decline of aldolase activity. Therefore, decreased formation of HDP, due to inhibition of schistosome phosphofructokinase activity by antimonials, reduced the activity of aldolase and resulted in an inhibition of glycolysis of schistosome homogenates.Kinetic data revealed differences in the nature of the phosphofructokinase of S. mansoni and that of the enzyme catalysing the same reaction in the host. Exposure of schistosomes to low concentrations of potassium antimonyl tartrate or administration of subcurative doses of stibophen to the host resulted in an accumulation of the substrate (fructose‐6‐phosphate), and a reduction of the product (HDP) of the phosphofructokinase reaction, indicating that the activity of this enzyme was inhibited by antimonials in the intact parasite. It is concluded that inhibition of phosphofructokinase activity can account for the mechanism of the chemotherapeutic action of trivalent organic antimonials in schistosomiasis.
SUSCEPTIBILITY OF CERTAIN ENZYMES OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM TO TETRODOTOXIN
Authors: KURIAKI K. , NAGANO H. 
Published: July 2012

The neurotoxic poison from the roe of Fugu, a globe fish living in the waters of Japan, was investigated with reference to its effect on the main oxidation‐reduction systems, acetyl‐cholinesterase and choline‐acetylase in the brain of the guinea‐pig.It was found that the poison inhibited the choline‐acetylase activity, even in a concentration of 4.4 × 10−7. Acetyl‐cholinesterase and cytochrome‐c‐oxidase activities were also inhibited in concentration of 1.3 × 10−5 and 0.8 × 10−5 respectively.
A METHOD OF ESTIMATING HISTAMINE IN PLASMA
Authors: ADAM H. M. , HARDWICK D. C. , SPENCER K. E. V. 
Published: July 2012

The method is intended for the estimation of minute quantities of histamine in blood plasma. A neutralized trichloracetic acid extract of plasma is adsorbed at pH 8 on a column prepared by mixing a quantity of the cationic exchange resin Amberlite XE‐64 with powdered cellulose as a supporting medium. Histamine is adsorbed but N‐acetylnistamine is not: the amines can therefore be estimated independently. Elution of the histamine is by displacement with HCl. The eluate is converted into the solution for bioassay on the superfused guinea‐pig ileum.In recovery experiments histamine was added in the range 25 to 100 ng. to solutions of known composition and to plasma (5 ml.) obtained from man and the cat. The mean recovery in this range for histamine added to plasma was 82.5% ±2 S.E. (17 estimations).It was possible by this method to follow the concentration of histamine in the arterial plasma of the cat when histamine was infused intravenously at a rate of 330 ng./kg./min. There was no perceptible change in the arterial blood pressure during the infusion, but the plasma histamine rose from <0.3 ng./ml. to 3.4 ng./ml. (mean of 2 estimations).The histamine equivalent of human plasma obtained from the antecubital vein was found to be less than 1 ng./ml.
THE URINARY EXCRETION OF ADRENALINE AND NORADRENALINE BY RATS UNDER VARIOUS EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS
Authors: CRAWFORD T. B. B. , LAW W. 
Published: July 2012

A study has been made of the excretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the urine of normal male rats and in the urine of these animals after the subcutaneous injection of saline, adrenaline, noradrenaline, morphine, insulin, iproniazid and thyroxine. The effects of thyroidectomy, adrenal demedullation and ether anaesthesia on the urinary output of adrenaline and noradrenaline have also been investigated. The findings are discussed against the background of the known effects of these treatments on the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.The results demonstrate that urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline estimations in the rat can, under favourable conditions, serve as an indicator of an alteration of sympathetic activity following the administration of a drug or some other deviation from normal.
A COMPARISON OF SOME ATROPINE‐LIKE DRUGS IN MAN, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THEIR END‐ORGAN SPECIFICITY
Authors: HERXHEIMER A. 
Published: July 2012

Atropine, methanthelinium, propantheline, oxyphenonium, hyoscine, and hyoscine methyl‐bromide have been compared in man. After graded subcutaneous doses of these drugs simultaneous observations were made on the heart rate, salivary secretion, pupil size, near point of accommodation, micturition, and palmar sweating. This permitted a quantitative assessment of any differential effects of the drugs on the different end‐organs.Small doses which depressed salivary secretion and palmar sweating did not necessarily accelerate the heart or slow micturition. Atropine and hyoscine, which are tertiary amines, had a greater effect than the other (quaternary) drugs on the iris and the ciliary muscle, compared with the effects on the other end‐organs studied. This difference may be related to the fact that quaternary compounds penetrate cellular membranes with difficulty.The time course of the drug effects differed for different end‐organs. The changes in heart rate, salivary secretion, and sweating began and ended sooner than those affecting accommodation and the pupil. As the dose of a drug was increased, the peak effect on the heart rate and salivary secretion tended to occur sooner, but the peak effect on the iris and ciliary muscle always occurred later. It is suggested that the aqueous humour may be acting as a reservoir for the drugs. After methanthelinium, all the drug effects began sooner and reached their peak sooner than after the other drugs.