bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Wildlife management, illegal hunting and conflicts. A bioeconomic analysis
Authors: Skonhoft Anders , Solstad Jan Tore 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTThe paper analyzes the conflict between illegal and legal exploitation of wildlife species in an East African context. In the model there are two agents, an agency managing a national park of fixed area and a group of local people living in the vicinity of the park. The park agency has the legal right to exploit the wildlife, while the local people hunt illegally. Because of the property rights, the park agency has incentives to invest in the stock of wildlife, while the behaviour of the local people is steered by short-term considerations. The model is analyzed in two steps. Firstly, the market solution is studied. Next, the model is examined when user and property rights are given to the local people.
The economics of the environment
Authors: Dasgupta Partha 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTThis article offers an account of the economics of the environment. I sketch the subject's motivation and scope, and try to identify what we know and what we don't as yet know about matters of concern. This demands brazen selection, and I haven't avoided it: for the most part, the article explores the interface of rural poverty and the environmental resource-base in poor countries. A contrast is drawn between geographically localized resources and the global commons. The role of property rights, both private and collective, and their implied resource allocation mechanisms are studied. Criteria for social cost–benefit analysis of projects and policies are derived, and their link with the concept of net national product is drawn.
A note on ivory trade and elephant conservation
Authors: Bulte Erwin H. , van Kooten G. Cornelis 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTTo protect the elephant, trade in ivory has been banned since 1990. In this paper, we demonstrate that this ban's effect on elephant populations is ambiguous. Depending on the discount rate, among other things, the trade ban can either increase or decrease optimal population size. If the decision-maker's discount rate exceeds a certain threshold, the optimum stock of elephants is greater with a trade ban. Since the threshold is in the range of possible social discount rates, the success of the trade ban in promoting elephant conservation will vary spatially and temporally, depending on the characteristics and level of development of countries with significant elephant populations.
Efficient emission reduction through joint implementation
Authors: Babu P. G. , Saha Bibhas 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTThis paper models joint implementation (JI) for emission reduction between a developed and a developing country. When the per unit price of JI abatement is negotiated, the relative pay-offs deviate from the ratio of bargaining powers. When firms bargain, country-wise gains can increase with a greater abatement target. But if the governments bargain, the developing country's gains increase at the expense of the developed country as the target increases. However, the Pareto optimal JI can be achieved only when the governments negotiate over both abatement and transfer.
Tradable emission quotas, technical progress and climate change
Authors: Bertram I.G. 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTThe paper reviews two alternative rules for allocation of property rights in a global greenhouse-gas emissions budget, assuming implementation of a tradablequota arrangement. These are the per capita rule and no-regrets-for-the-South (NRFTS) rule. The operation of a quota market under these alternative regimes is simulated on a spreadsheet, using 1990–1 data from 125 countries. A significant result is that once the South has secured a quota allocation based on the per capita principle, it stands collectively to lose from progress in abatement technology because of the strong link from technical progress to the world market price of quota. The more restricted NRFTS rule gives the South smaller gains from the quota system, but enables it to retain some of the rents from its own technical progress. Some implications for the South's position in future negotiations are noted.
Human Rights Information Sources: Databases and the Internet
Authors: Hodgson Kate 
Published: July 2008

UK and International case materials, news updates and commentary. This service includesCurrent awareness. News and Updates on Human Rights.Cases. Includes relevant cases from All England Next-Day Case Digests, Butterworths Human Rights Cases, European Court of Human Rights, All Englans Law Reports and Law Reports of the Commonwealth.Commentary. Lester & Pannick: Human Rights Law and PracticeHuman Rights Act 1998Links. A Selection of links useful to practitioners affected by the Human Rights Act 1998CatalogueE-mail Alterter. Allows the user to recieve tailored daily or weekly updates Containing the development appearing in Human Rights Direct.
First Steps Towards Information Architecture
Authors: Kirkwood Hal 
Published: July 2008

In the essential work, Information Architecture for the World Wide Web by Lou Rosenfeld and Peter Morville (ISBN 1-56592-282-4), the authors state that the primary job of the information architect is to:clarify the mission and vision for the site, balancing the needs of its sponsoring organisation and the needs of its audiencesdetermine what content and functionality the site will containspecify how users will find information in the site by defining its organisation, navigation, labelling, and searching systemsmap out how the site will accommodate change and growth over time.These points rather succinctly describe what an information architect sets out to accomplish for any given site and/or situation. But given these points what should someone ‘do’ to implement improved information architecture (IA) for a site? Where do you start?
Publishing a Book: A Moral Tale
Authors: Humphries Caroline 
Published: July 2008

I never wanted to get involved. I had a feeling it would take longer and be much more work than originally anticipated. I knew it would require an attention to detail which I would have trouble acquiring. I guessed it would take stamina, tact and perseverance. I worried it would put a strain on all sorts of relationships. How right I was!It all started soon after I joined CMS ameron McKenna in April 1999. As a new PSL I was excited about giving up the relentless search for chargeable work required of all practising solicitors and I savoured the prospect of not having to complete a time sheet. Life was to become academically stimulating again—and above all stress free!
Eating Behavior and Obesity at Chinese Buffets
Authors: Wansink Brian , Payne Collin R. 
Published: July 2008

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the eating behaviors of people at all‐you‐can‐eat Chinese buffets differs depending upon their body mass. The resulting findings could confirm or disconfirm previous laboratory research that has been criticized for being artificial.Methods and Procedures: Trained observers recorded the height, weight, sex, age, and behavior of 213 patrons at Chinese all‐you‐can‐eat restaurants. Various seating, serving, and eating behaviors were then compared across BMI levels.Results: Patrons with higher levels of BMI were more likely to be associated with using larger plates vs. smaller plates (OR 1.16, P < 0.01) and facing the buffet vs. side or back (OR 1.10, P < 0.001). Patrons with higher levels of BMI were less likely to be associated with using chopsticks vs. forks (OR 0.90,P < 0.05), browsing the buffet before eating vs. serving themselves immediately (OR 0.92, P < 0.001), and having a napkin on their lap vs. not having a napkin on their lap (OR 0.92, P < 0.01). Patrons with lower BMIs left more food on their plates (10.6% vs. 6.0%, P < 0.05) and chewed more per bite of food (14.8 vs. 11.9, P < 0.001).Discussion: These observational findings of real‐world behavior provide support for laboratory studies that have otherwise been dismissed as artificial.
A fast Bayesian change point analysis for the segmentation of microarray data
Authors: Erdman Chandra , Emerson John W. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractMotivation: The ability to detect regions of genetic alteration is of great importance in cancer research. These alterations can take the form of large chromosomal gains and losses as well as smaller amplifications and deletions. The detection of such regions allows researchers to identify genes involved in cancer progression, and to fully understand differences between cancer and non-cancer tissue. The Bayesian method proposed by Barry and Hartigan is well suited for the analysis of such change point problems. In our previous article we introduced the R package bcp (Bayesian change point), an MCMC implementation of Barry and Hartigan's method. In a simulation study and real data examples, bcp is shown to both accurately detect change points and estimate segment means. Earlier versions of bcp (prior to 2.0) are O(n2) in speed and O(n) in memory (where n is the number of observations), and run in ∼45 min for a sequence of length 10 000. With the high resolution of newer microarrays, the number of computations in the O(n2) algorithm is prohibitively time-intensive.Results: We present a new implementation of the Bayesian change point method that is O(n) in both speed and memory; bcp 2.1 runs in ∼45 s on a single processor with a sequence of length 10 000—a tremendous speed gain. Further speed improvements are possible using parallel computing, supported in bcp via NetWorkSpaces. In simulated and real microarray data from the literature, bcp is shown to quickly and accurately detect aberrations of varying width and magnitude.Availability: The R package bcp is available on CRAN (R Development Core Team, 2008). The O(n) version is available in version 2.0 or higher, with support for NetWorkSpaces in versions 2.1 and higher.Contact: chandra.erdman@yale.edu
Development of a multistep indicator-based approach (MIBA) for the assessment of environmental quality of harbours
Authors: Marin Valentina , Moreno Mariapaola , Vassallo Paolo , Vezzulli Luigi , Fabiano Mauro 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
Marin, V., Moreno, M., Vassallo, P., Vezzulli, L., and Fabiano, M. 2008. Development of a multistep indicator-based approach (MIBA) for the assessment of environmental quality of harbours. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 1436–1441. Environmental pollution in harbours can have detrimental effects on the port, its users, and the surrounding environment. Despite these risks, the Italian legal framework for marine environmental quality does not apply to harbours and marinas, so monitoring is not mandatory. With the aim of supporting environmentally sound management, we propose an indicator-based protocol to assess the environmental quality of harbours through the development of a flexible and site-specific multistep indicator-based approach (MIBA), which gives special consideration to local features. MIBA comprises three steps: (1) development of a simple tool for harbour-specific identification of vulnerable areas and for designing monitoring schemes; (2) selection of suitable environmental quality indicators of different levels of complexity and applicability to the typologies of risks involved; and (3) development of a user-friendly interpretation scheme based on categorical risk values and a visualization code. The approach has been tested in two case studies in marinas located in the Ligurian Sea (Italy).
Average functional distinctness as a measure of the composition of assemblages
Authors: Somerfield Paul J. , Clarke K. Robert , Warwick Richard M. , Dulvy Nick K. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractSomerfield, P. J., Clarke, K. R., Warwick, R. M., and Dulvy, N. K. 2008. Average functional distinctness as a measure of the composition of assemblages. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 1462–1468. Indices are used to quantify change in the environment by reducing aspects of environmental complexity to numbers. Biodiversity indices are typically calculated using the numbers of species and their relative abundances. A recent advance has been the development of additional measures of diversity, such as phylogenetic diversity, based on relationships between organisms. The emerging paradigms of the importance of biodiversity to ecosystem services and the ecosystem approach to fishery management could be well served by the development of indicators of ecosystem functioning. We discuss how relatedness measures may be adapted to quantify aspects of community structure of relevance to ecosystem functioning, by combining information on species’ occurrence, life history, and ecological traits. We present an index that reflects average functional distinctness within assemblages. We illustrate the approach using North Sea fish. Results reveal that average functional distinctness is not independent of taxonomic distinctness. This is expected, but the weakness of the relationship suggests that both indices may prove useful, because they are not constrained to convey the same information about samples. Both indices are shown to be weakly related to species richness, which was not expected. This is a consequence of differences in the frequencies of occurrence among species.
Arabidopsis SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR KINASE Proteins Serve Brassinosteroid-Dependent and -Independent Signaling Pathways
Authors: Albrecht Catherine , Russinova Eugenia , Kemmerling Birgit , Kwaaitaal Mark , de Vries Sacco C. 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR KINASE (SERK) genes belong to a small family of five plant receptor kinases that are involved in at least five different signaling pathways. One member of this family, BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1 (BRI1)-ASSOCIATED KINASE1 (BAK1), also known as SERK3, is the coreceptor of the brassinolide (BR)-perceiving receptor BRI1, a function that is BR dependent and partially redundant with SERK1. BAK1 (SERK3) alone controls plant innate immunity, is also the coreceptor of the flagellin receptor FLS2, and, together with SERK4, can mediate cell death control, all three in a BR-independent fashion. SERK1 and SERK2 are essential for male microsporogenesis, again independent from BR. SERK5 does not appear to have any function under the conditions tested. Here, we show that the different SERK members are only redundant in pairs, whereas higher order mutant combinations only show additive phenotypes. Surprisingly, SERK members that are redundant within one are not redundant in another pathway. We also show that this evolution of functional pairs occurred by a change in protein function and not by differences in spatial expression. We propose that, in plants, closely related receptor kinases have a minimal homo- or heterodimeric configuration to achieve specificity.
Regulation of Respiration and the Oxygen Diffusion Barrier in Soybean Protect Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation from Chilling-Induced Inhibition and Shoots from Premature Senescence
Authors: van Heerden Philippus D.R. , Kiddle Guy , Pellny Till K. , Mokwala Phatlane W. , Jordaan Anine , Strauss Abram J. , de Beer Misha , Schlüter Urte , Kunert Karl J. , Foyer Christine H. 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is sensitive to dark chilling (7°C–15°C)-induced inhibition in soybean (Glycine max). To characterize the mechanisms that cause the stress-induced loss of nodule function, we examined nodule structure, carbon-nitrogen interactions, and respiration in two soybean genotypes that differ in chilling sensitivity: PAN809 (PAN), which is chilling sensitive, and Highveld Top (HT), which is more chilling resistant. Nodule numbers were unaffected by dark chilling, as was the abundance of the nitrogenase and leghemoglobin proteins. However, dark chilling decreased nodule respiration rates, nitrogenase activities, and NifH and NifK mRNAs and increased nodule starch, sucrose, and glucose in both genotypes. Ureide and fructose contents decreased only in PAN nodules. While the chilling-induced decreases in nodule respiration persisted in PAN even after return to optimal temperatures, respiration started to recover in HT by the end of the chilling period. The area of the intercellular spaces in the nodule cortex and infected zone was greatly decreased in HT after three nights of chilling, an acclimatory response that was absent from PAN. These data show that HT nodules are able to regulate both respiration and the area of the intercellular spaces during chilling and in this way control the oxygen diffusion barrier, which is a key component of the nodule stress response. We conclude that chilling-induced loss of symbiotic nitrogen fixation in PAN is caused by the inhibition of respiration coupled to the failure to regulate the oxygen diffusion barrier effectively. The resultant limitations on nitrogen availability contribute to the greater chilling-induced inhibition of photosynthesis in PAN than in HT.
An AbrB-Like Transcriptional Regulator, Sll0822, Is Essential for the Activation of Nitrogen-Regulated Genes in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
Authors: Ishii Ai , Hihara Yukako 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
Every cyanobacterial species possesses multiple genes encoding AbrB-like transcriptional regulators (cyAbrBs) distinct from those conserved among other bacterial species. In this study, two genes encoding cyAbrBs in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, sll0359 and sll0822, were insertionally disrupted in order to examine their physiological roles. A fully segregated disrupted mutant of sll0822 (Δsll0822 mutant) but not of sll0359 was obtained, although both mutants exhibited similar phenotypes (i.e. decreases in growth rate and pigment content). The growth rate of the Δsll0822 mutant was low under any condition, but the low pigment content could be partially recovered by nitrate supplementation of the medium. DNA microarray and RNA-blot analyses revealed that the level of expression of a part of the NtcA regulon, such as urtA, amt1, glnB, sigE, and the nrt operon, was significantly decreased in the Δsll0822 mutant, although the induction of these genes upon nitrogen depletion was still observed to some extent. Sll0822 seems to work in parallel with NtcA to achieve flexible regulation of the nitrogen uptake system. The Sll0822 protein exists mainly in a dimeric form in vivo, and the amount of the protein was not affected by nitrogen availability. This observation, together with the low binding specificity of the purified histidine-tagged Sll0822 protein, implies that the activity of Sll0822 may be posttranslationally modulated in Synechocystis cells.
Remifentanil sedation for awake fibreoptic intubation with limited application of local anaesthetic in patients for elective head and neck surgery*
Authors: Mingo O. H. , Ashpole K. J. , Irving C. J. , Rucklidge M. W. M. 
Published: July 2008

SummaryThe aim of this study was to investigate the performance of awake fibreoptic intubation using remifentanil sedation with topical anaesthesia limited only to the nasal mucosa. Twenty‐four patients presenting for elective head and neck surgery were sedated using remifentanil titrated to effect and local anaesthetic was applied to the nasal mucosa. Vital signs were recorded throughout the procedure and both the anaesthetist and an observer rated the ease of the procedure. Intubation was successful in all patients and the procedure was rated as easy in 15 (63%) of patients. Mean arterial pressure remained within 8% of baseline in all cases and respiratory rate remained > 8 breaths.min−1 in all but three patients. Although 56% of patients interviewed postoperatively said they recalled the procedure, all but one would undertake the same procedure again if necessary. This technique appears reliable in providing adequate sedation whilst maintaining cardiovascular and respiratory stability.
Post‐marketing assessment of the safety of strontium ranelate; a novel case‐only approach to the early detection of adverse drug reactions
Authors: Grosso Anthony , Douglas Ian , Hingorani Aroon , MacAllister Raymond , Smeeth Liam 
Published: July 2008

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT • Randomized controlled trials are the gold standard of drug efficacy assessment, but have limited power to assess adverse drug reactions.• Observational data derived from larger populations of patients are often affected by confounding variables, many of which are difficult to measure or simply not known. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS • This study demonstrates the utility of the self‐controlled case‐series method of analysing the safety profile of drugs, which reduces confounding because comparisons are intraperson.• Although such data should not be viewed in isolation, the efficiency and versatility of this method suggest that it could become a future standard in drug safety assessment.AIMSPost licensing, the evaluation of drug safety relies heavily on the collation of sporadic, spontaneous reports on adverse effects. The aim was to assess the potential utility of a more systematic approach to the detection of adverse events that utilizes routinely collected clinical data from a large primary care population.METHODSWe used the UK General Practice Research Database to assess the risk of several recently reported adverse events linked to the use of strontium ranelate for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. The self‐controlled case‐series method was used to minimize the potential for biases in the quantification of risk estimates.RESULTSAge‐adjusted rate ratios for venous thromboembolism, gastrointestinal disturbance, minor skin complaint and memory loss were 1.1 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.2, 5.0], 3.0 (95% CI 2.3, 3.8), 2.0 (95% CI 1.3, 3.1) and 1.8 (95% CI 0.2, 14.1), respectively. No cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw, toxic‐epidermal necrosis, Stevens–Johnson syndrome or drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms were found.CONCLUSIONSAlthough we confirmed the association between strontium ranelate and adverse events identified in the Phase III publications, there was no evidence of an association between strontium ranelate and the aforementioned potentially life‐threatening adverse events. Our study demonstrates the relative ease with which this method can assess a variety of adverse events associated with a new drug in actual clinical practice. We believe this technique could be more widely adopted to assess the safety profile of new drugs.
Vitamin D deficiency in rural girls and pregnant women despite abundant sunshine in northern India
Authors: Sahu Monashis , Bhatia Vijayalakshmi , Aggarwal Anjoo , Rawat Vinita , Saxena Priya , Pandey Amita , Das Vinita 
Published: July 2008

SummaryContext  Vitamin D deficiency is common in urban Indians despite living in the tropics and its public health consequences are enormous. However, 70% of India is rural, and data from rural subjects, who are expected to have good sun exposure, are scant.Objectives  To determine the population prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in rural pregnant women and adolescent girls, compare serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) status in adolescent boys from the same families, and determine seasonal differences in serum 25OHD.Design  A cross‐sectional study conducted over 18 months.Subjects  A random selection of 121 adolescent girls from a survey of a population of 8270 in a rural low socioeconomic community; 139 pregnant women in the second trimester; and a subset of 28 adolescent girls compared with 34 brothers.Measurements  Serum 25OHD, serum alkaline phosphatase (AP), sun exposure, and dietary calcium intake.Results  The age‐adjusted community prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25OHD < 50 nmol/l) in adolescent girls was 88·6%. Seventy‐four per cent of pregnant women had vitamin D deficiency. Mean ± SD 25OHD in girls and women in summer was 55·5 ± 19·8 nmol/l compared to 27·3 ± 12·3 nmol/l in winter (P < 0·001). Winter serum 25OHD in boys (67·5 ± 29·0 nmol/l) was higher than that in their sisters (31·3 ± 13·5 nmol/l, P < 0·001).Conclusion  We report a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women and adolescent girls from a rural Indian community. Boys are relatively protected. Seasonal variation in serum 25OHD is significant at latitude 26° N.