bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Macroecological analyses reveal historical factors influencing seed dispersal strategies in Brazilian Araucaria forests
Authors: Duarte Leandro da S. , Carlucci Marcos B. , Pillar Valério D. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTAim  Our objective was to evaluate the influence of distinct macroecological factors (space, floristics and environment) on the variation in seed dispersal strategies of shrubs and trees in the Araucaria forest biome in the southern and south‐eastern Brazilian highlands. We hypothesize that history‐related factors (space, floristics) are major determinants of the proportion of endo‐ and syn‐zoochorous species in Araucaria forests, despite the current gradients in environmental conditions.Location  Araucaria forest is the main forest biome in southern Brazil, at altitudes above 500 m a.s.l. (latitude ≤ 30° S). Their northern limit in Brazil is at latitude 20° S, where forests occur at elevations above 1000 m a.s.l.Methods  We compiled information from 27 floristic checklists comprising shrub and tree species distributed along the geographical range of the Brazilian Araucaria forest biome. We classified species as zoochorous and non‐zoochorous, based on morphological attributes of their diaspores. Sites were described by geographical coordinates (latitude, longitude) and five environmental variables. We evaluated separately the influence of floristic, spatial and environmental variables on zoochory using correspondence analysis and linear regressions. Further, we evaluated causal connections between these variable groups using Mantel tests and path analysis.Results  Zoochory increased with both latitude and longitude. Regression analysis showed that rainfall seasonality was the only environmental variable explaining the variation in the proportion of zoochorous species. All pairwise Mantel correlations between space, rainfall seasonality, floristics and zoochory were significant. Path analysis showed that rainfall seasonality was strongly determined by spatial distances between sites, and floristics was directly determined by rainfall seasonality. Further zoochory was mostly determined by floristics.Main conclusions  Taking into account historical factors in the interpretation of macroecological patterns improves our understanding of biodiversity gradients. Hypotheses based on long‐term dynamics of distinct floristic groups provide some useful insights into patterns shown by studies elsewhere. Here we offer an analytical solution to incorporate history‐related factors into macroecological analyses. While history‐based hypotheses do not replace any other ideas concerning macroecological patterns, they are likely to improve our understanding on factors determining present‐day ecological patterns.
Targeted single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery in a highly polyploid plant species using 454 sequencing
Authors: Bundock Peter C. , Eliott Frances G. , Ablett Gary , Benson Adam D. , Casu Rosanne E. , Aitken Karen S. , Henry Robert J. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryDiscovering single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in specific genes in a heterozygous polyploid plant species, such as sugarcane, is challenging because of the presence of a large number of homologues. To discover SNPs for mapping genes of interest, 454 sequencing of 307 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicons (> 59 kb of sequence) was undertaken. One region of a four‐gasket sequencing run, on a 454 Genome Sequencer FLX, was used for pooled PCR products amplified from each parent of a quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping population (IJ76‐514 × Q165). The sequencing yielded 96 755 (IJ76‐514) and 86 241 (Q165) sequences with perfect matches to a PCR primer used in amplification, with an average sequence depth of approximately 300 and an average read length of 220 bases. Further analysis was carried out on amplicons whose sequences clustered into a single contig using an identity of 80% with the program cap3. In the more polymorphic sugarcane parent (Q165), 94% of amplicons (227/242) had evidence of a reliable SNP – an average of one every 35 bases. Significantly fewer SNPs were found in the pure Saccharum officinarum parent – with one SNP every 58 bases and SNPs in 86% (213/247) of amplicons. Using automatic SNP detection, 1632 SNPs were detected in Q165 sequences and 1013 in IJ76‐514. From 225 candidate SNP sites tested, 209 (93%) were validated as polymorphic using the Sequenom MassARRAY system. Amplicon re‐sequencing using the 454 system enables cost‐effective SNP discovery that can be targeted to genes of interest and is able to perform in the highly challenging area of polyploid genomes.
Discovering genetic polymorphisms in next‐generation sequencing data
Authors: Imelfort Michael , Duran Chris , Batley Jacqueline , Edwards David 
Published: March 2009

SummaryThe ongoing revolution in DNA sequencing technology now enables the reading of thousands of millions of nucleotide bases in a single instrument run. However, this data quantity is often compromised by poor confidence in the read quality. The identification of genetic polymorphisms from this data is therefore problematic and, combined with the vast quantity of data, poses a major bioinformatics challenge. However, once these difficulties have been addressed, next‐generation sequencing will offer a means to identify and characterize the wealth of genetic polymorphisms underlying the vast phenotypic variation in biological systems. We describe the recent advances in next‐generation sequencing technology, together with preliminary approaches that can be applied for single nucleotide polymorphism discovery in plant species.
A genome‐wide analysis of single nucleotide polymorphism diversity in the world's major cereal crops
Authors: Barker Gary L. A. , Edwards Keith J. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryOver 3.5 million expressed sequence tags from the major cereal taxa were used to electronically mine over 176 000 putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The density, distribution and degree of linkage between these SNPs were compared among the different taxa. The frequency of sequence polymorphism was lowest in diploid taxa (rice, barley and sorghum), intermediate in tetraploid maize and highest in allohexaploid wheat and octoploid sugarcane. SNPs were further categorized as either intravarietal (differences between gene family members and homoeologues) or varietal (differences between two varieties), and as either co‐segregating or non‐co‐segregating with neighbouring polymorphisms. Varietal co‐segregating SNPs represent the best candidates for molecular markers as they show variation between varieties and have a high probability of being validated, as sequencing errors are unlikely to co‐segregate with one another. This elite class of SNPs was most abundant in barley and least abundant in wheat and rice. Despite the large number of observed sequence polymorphisms in allohexaploid wheat, only a fraction of those available are likely to make good molecular markers. In addition, we found that rice SNPs up to 10 kb apart were in linkage disequilibrium (LD), but that high levels of LD attributable to population structure confounded the tracking of LD over greater distances.
Livestock Disease Indemnity Design When Moral Hazard Is Followed by Adverse Selection
Authors: Gramig Benjamin M. , Horan Richard D. , Wolf Christopher A. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractAverting or limiting the outbreak of infectious disease in domestic livestock herds is an economic and potential human health issue that involves the government and individual livestock producers. Producers have private information about preventive biosecurity measures they adopt on their farms prior to outbreak (ex ante moral hazard), and following outbreak they possess private information about whether or not their herd is infected (ex post adverse selection). We investigate how indemnity payments can be designed to provide incentives to producers to invest in biosecurity and report infection to the government in the presence of asymmetric information. We compare the relative magnitude of the first‐ and second‐best levels of biosecurity investment and indemnity payments to demonstrate the tradeoff between risk sharing and efficiency, and we discuss the implications for status quo U.S. policy.
Role of Education in Cigarette Smoking: An Analysis of Malaysian Household Survey Data*
Authors: Tan Andrew K.G. , Yen Steven T. , Nayga, Jr. Rodolfo M. 
Published: March 2009

Heckman's sample selection model is used to examine the role of education on household purchase decisions and expenditures of tobacco products in Malaysia. Results of the marginal effects of education, segmented by ethnic and gender groups, suggest that education decreases the probability, conditional levels and unconditional levels of tobacco expenditures amongst Malaysian households. Specifically, an additional year of education of the household head, irrespective of ethnic or gender considerations, decreases smoking probability by 1.5 percent. However, the negative effect of education seems to be higher for Chinese (US$1.07) than Malay (US$0.26) households in terms of conditional expenditures. Furthermore, education significantly decreases conditional tobacco expenditures within male‐headed households.
Poverty and Governance: The Contest for Aid
Authors: Epstein Gil S. , Gang Ira N. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractCountries compete with one another for funds distributed by non‐government organizations (NGOs). The authors consider a competition over poverty and governance conducted by a non‐government organization trying to allocate its funds among potential recipient countries. In its decision‐making the NGO also takes into account the initial conditions each potential recipient faces, including the current quality of governance and wealth (poverty). For example, all else being equal the poorer country will have a higher probability of obtaining funds; or, the better the applicant's governance, the more its gains. Moreover, the maximum aid a country can obtain depends on its wealth. Investment in good governance, the wealth/poverty status of the applicant, and its current quality of governance will, together, determine the funds potential recipients expect to obtain. The authors also consider recent changes in the levels of these factors. They want to understand the roles these factors play in the competition for aid and the outcome for the quality of governance.
Aid, Economic Reform, and Public Sector Fiscal Behavior in Developing Countries
Authors: McGillivray Mark 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThis paper looks at interactions between foreign development aid, economic reform, and public sector fiscal behavior. It proposes a model of the public sector fiscal response to aid inflows, which allows for changes in structural relationships due to an exogenously imposed program of economic reform. This model is applied to 1960–99 time series data for the Philippines, which embarked on an IMF‐ and World Bank‐funded structural adjustment program in 1980. Estimates of structural and reduced‐form equations paint a dismal picture of the effectiveness of foreign aid to, and the structural adjustment program in, the Philippines so far as fiscal impacts are concerned. Both bilateral and multilateral aid inflows, and the presence of an economic reform program, are associated with decreases in public fixed capital expenditure, decreases in taxation and other recurrent revenue, and decreases in public sector saving. Multilateral aid also appears to be highly fungible.
Beware of ‘Good’ Outliers and Overoptimistic Conclusions*
Authors: Dehon Catherine , Gassner Marjorie , Verardi Vincenzo 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe main goal of this paper is to warn practitioners of the danger of neglecting outliers in regression analysis, in particular, good leverage points (i.e. points lying close to the regression hyperplane but outlying in the x‐dimension). While the types of outliers which do influence regression estimates (vertical outliers and bad leverage points) have been extensively investigated, good leverage points have been largely ignored, probably because they do not affect the estimated regression parameters. However, their effect on inference is far from negligible. We propose a step‐by‐step procedure to identify and treat all types of outliers. The paper of Persson and Tabellini [American Economic Review (2004) Vol. 94, pp. 25–46] linking the degree of proportionality of an electoral system to the size of government is discussed to illustrate how the choice of a measure and the existence of atypical observations may substantially influence results.
Combining Forecasts from Nested Models*
Authors: Clark Todd E. , McCracken Michael W. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractMotivated by the common finding that linear autoregressive models often forecast better than models that incorporate additional information, this paper presents analytical, Monte Carlo and empirical evidence on the effectiveness of combining forecasts from nested models. In our analytics, the unrestricted model is true, but a subset of the coefficients is treated as being local‐to‐zero. This approach captures the practical reality that the predictive content of variables of interest is often low. We derive mean square error‐minimizing weights for combining the restricted and unrestricted forecasts. Monte Carlo and empirical analyses verify the practical effectiveness of our combination approach.
Assessing priority areas by imperilled species: insights from the European butterflies
Authors: Fattorini S. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBiodiversity hotspots have been variously defined in terms of species richness, endemic species or imperilled species. The use of imperilled species to locate priority areas is particularly problematic, because an area that hosts a large number of imperilled species is likely to be under severe threats, making less effective conservation efforts. A possibly way to answer this problem is to assess species threats at two spatial scales. Then, areas which host concentrations of species that are imperilled at the larger scale, but not at the smaller scale, can be considered as priority areas where conservation efforts are expected to be more effective. An application of this procedure to the European butterfly fauna with the Biodiversity Conservation Concern index calculated with two IUCN red listings (European and national) allowed the construction of a four‐celled model that reflects different types of conservation priority. This combined use of international and regional red lists may be a tool to make practical decisions (e.g. allocation of funds or legislative actions) to preserve imperilled species.
Male infertility, female fertility and extrapair copulations
Authors: Hasson Oren , Stone Lewi 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTFemales that are socially bonded to a single male, either in a social monogamy or in a social polygyny, are often sexually polyandrous. Extrapair copulations (EPC) have often been suggested or rejected, on both empirical and theoretical grounds, as an important mechanism that enables females to avoid fertility risks in case their socially bonded male is infertile. Here, we explore this possibility in two steps. First, we present a mathematical model that assumes that females have no precopulatory information about male fertility, and shows that a female EPC strategy increases female reproductive success only if certain specific conditions are upheld in the nature of male infertility. In particular, these conditions require both (i) that fertile sperm precedence (FSP) is absent or incomplete within ejaculates of the same male (i.e. that an infertile male is, at least partly, truly infertile), and (ii) the existence of FSP among ejaculates of different males (such that infertile spermatozoa of the infertile male are at a disadvantage when competing against spermatozoa of a fertile male). Second, to evaluate their potential role in the evolution of female EPC, we review the abundance and FSP patterns of the different male infertility types. The conclusion is drawn that some common infertility types, such as poor sperm count or motility, contribute to the evolution of female EPC, whereas other common infertility types, such as sperm depletion or allocation in a social monogamy (but not in a social polygyny), and in particular male driven polyspermy, do not. Also, a deeper look at the arms race between sperm fertilization efficiency and female barriers to sperm may answer the non‐trivial question: “why are some types of infertility so common?”
To what extent did Neanderthals and modern humans interact?
Authors: Herrera Kristian J. , Somarelli Jason A. , Lowery Robert K. , Herrera Rene J. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTNeanderthals represent an extinct hominid lineage that existed in Europe and Asia for nearly 400,000 years. They thrived in these regions for much of this time, but declined in numbers and went extinct around 30,000 years ago. Interestingly, their disappearance occurred subsequent to the arrival of modern humans into these areas, which has prompted some to argue that Neanderthals were displaced by better suited and more adaptable modern humans. Still others have postulated that Neanderthals were assimilated into the gene pool of modern humans by admixture. Until relatively recently, conclusions about the relationships between Neanderthals and contemporary humans were based solely upon evidence left behind in the fossil and archaeological records. However, in the last decade, we have witnessed the introduction of metagenomic analyses, which have provided novel tools with which to study the levels of genetic interactions between this fascinating Homo lineage and modern humans. Were Neanderthals replaced by contemporary humans through dramatic extinction resulting from competition and/or hostility or through admixture? Were Neanderthals and modern humans two independent, genetically unique species or were they a single species, capable of producing fertile offspring? Here, we review the current anthropological, archaeological and genetic data, which shed some light on these questions and provide insight into the exact nature of the relationships between these two groups of humans.
Phenylacetic acids and the structurally related non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug diclofenac bind to specific γ‐hydroxybutyric acid sites in rat brain
Authors: Wellendorph Petrine , Høg Signe , Skonberg Christian , Bräuner‐Osborne Hans 
Published: March 2009

Abstractγ‐Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a proposed neurotransmitter or neuromodulator with a yet unresolved mechanism of action. GHB binds to both specific high‐affinity GHB binding sites and to γ‐aminobutyric acid subtype B (GABAB) receptors in the brain. To separate specific GHB effects from GABABreceptor effects, it is imperative to develop GHB selective and potent compounds. We generated the compound, 4‐(biphen‐4‐yl)‐4‐hydroxybutyric acid, which is the 4‐hydroxyl analogue of the non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) fenbufen (referred to as γ‐hydroxyfenbufen). When measured in a rat brain homogenate [3H]NCS‐382 binding assay, γ‐hydroxyfenbufen inhibited [3H]NCS‐382 binding with a 10‐fold higher affinity than GHB (Ki0.44 μm), thus establishing it as a novel lead structure. The active metabolite of fenbufen, 4‐biphenylacetic acid inhibited [3H]NCS‐382 binding with a twofold higher affinity than GHB. Measuring the affinities of structurally related NSAIDs for the [3H]NCS‐382 site identified diclofenac, a clinically relevant NSAID (Voltaren®, Diclon®) of the phenylacetic acid (PAA) type, as a GHB ligand (Kivalue of 5.1 μm). Other non‐NSAID PAAs also exhibited affinities similar to GHB. Our data raise the interesting possibility that the widely used over‐the‐counter drug compound, diclofenac, might affect GHB binding at relevant clinical dosages. Furthermore, the identification of PAAs as GHB ligands supplies new information about the structural preferences of the GHB ligand‐binding site.
Effects of Survey Mode, Patient Mix, and Nonresponse on CAHPS® Hospital Survey Scores
Authors: Elliott Marc N. , Zaslavsky Alan M. , Goldstein Elizabeth , Lehrman William , Hambarsoomians Katrin , Beckett Megan K. , Giordano Laura 
Published: March 2009

Objective. To evaluate the need for survey mode adjustments to hospital care evaluations by discharged inpatients and develop the appropriate adjustments.Data Source. A total of 7,555 respondents from a 2006 national random sample of 45 hospitals who completed the CAHPS® Hospital (HCAHPS [Hospital Consumer Assessments of Healthcare Providers and Systems]) Survey.Study Design/Data Collection/Extraction Methods. We estimated mode effects in linear models that predicted each HCAHPS outcome from hospital‐fixed effects and patient‐mix adjustors.Principal Findings. Patients randomized to the telephone and active interactive voice response (IVR) modes provided more positive evaluations than patients randomized to mail and mixed (mail with telephone follow‐up) modes, with some effects equivalent to more than 30 percentile points in hospital rankings. Mode effects are consistent across hospitals and are generally larger than total patient‐mix effects. Patient‐mix adjustment accounts for any nonresponse bias that could have been addressed through weighting.Conclusions. Valid comparisons of hospital performance require that reported hospital scores be adjusted for survey mode and patient mix.
From Catholic Milieu to Lived Religion: The Social and Cultural History of Modern German Catholicism1
Authors: O'Sullivan Michael E. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe ‘milieu’ concept, first introduced to German history during the 1960s, experienced a revival during the last twenty years. It became especially influential as a model for modern German Catholic social history. Scholarship based on this notion of an insular religious subculture deserves much praise for its analysis of how Catholics remained relevant as a minority in a modernizing country and for shedding new light on the relationship between Catholicism and National Socialism. However, future work on the Catholic community in Germany requires greater methodological flexibility. The purposes of this article are to review the recent historiography of the German Catholic milieu after World War I, discuss existing critiques of this literature, and suggest ways to better integrate cultural and gender history into narratives about twentieth‐century German Catholicism.
Recent Research on the Andes before Independence: Ethnohistory, Social History, and Revolt and Revolution
Authors: Ramírez Susan Elizabeth 
Published: March 2009

AbstractOver the last few decades, scholars of the Andes have peopled the institutions studied and defined by previous generations of investigators. The resulting scholarship shows the sometimes stark contrast between legal theory and practice through the re‐telling of incidents and anecdotes and the analysis of the collective biographies of Spanish colonists, native peasants, blacks, and mixed‐bloods (thecastas). This overview will highlight the contributions of recent research on native societies, social history, and the mounting instability that characterized the eighteenth century.