bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The farmer as conservationist
Authors: Badgley Catherine 
Published: December 2003

AbstractAgricultural landscapes are essential for preserving biodiversity, even though agricultural activities are the leading cause of habitat degradation worldwide. About half of the Earth's productive land area is farmed or grazed, whereas only about 6% of the total land area is protected for native species and ecosystems. The ecological services of healthy ecosystems are fundamental to agriculture, and these services depend upon a large number of species interacting with each other and with inorganic nutrient cycles. Likewise, the quality of ecosystems between reserves is critical to the persistence of species and ecological processes within reserves. Thus, conservation-oriented farming methods are critically important for both agriculture and biodiversity. Three examples illustrate agricultural practices that benefit the farmers, the local ecosystem and the landscape: (1) In Minnesota, rotational grazing, evaluated by the collaborative research of farmers and scientists, improved soil, pasture and stream quality, and boosted the confidence of the farmers in developing more sustainable grazing practices. (2) Predator-friendly ranching in Montana, in which nonlethal methods are used to protect livestock from depredation by native predators, benefited the ranchers with premium prices for wool and meat. The persistence of native predators, many of which have been on endangered species lists for years, benefited the regional ecosystem. (3) Shade-grown coffee in Latin America, in which coffee shrubs grow under an intact forest canopy, often looks and behaves ecologically like native forest and may house high levels of native biodiversity. This system benefited farmers, as long as they received a price premium for shade-grown coffee. The economic viability of these conservation-oriented practices depends upon farmers receiving price premiums for their products and by society rewarding fanners for their practices. A vision of ecological farming as the dominant form of agriculture is presented, with benefits at the scale of the farm, the landscape and society.
Competitive Tendering and Optimal Size in the Regional Bus Transportation Industry: An Example from Italy
Authors: Cambini C. , Filippini M. 
Published: November 2003

When defining how to implement tendering procedures for the regional bus transportation industry, one of the main problems local authorities have to face is setting the area size to be assigned as franchised monopoly.This paper's aim is to analyse the topic by combining some empirical results and evidence from recent developments in the Italian regional bus industry. The empirical results show that the bus transportation sector is characterized by the presence of economies of density and scale. These results imply that the best strategy for introducing competition in the bus industry is a competitive tendering approach for an area of given dimension and not necessarily a route‐by‐route tendering. However, it seems that the criterion applied by local authorities in Italy is much more related to political issues—such as jurisdictional boundaries of a municipal or provincial area—than a desire to promote the exploitation of economies of scale and density.
Anticipated Inflation, Liquidity Costs and the Tobin Effect
Authors: Petrucci Alberto 
Published: December 2003

This paper analyses the steady‐state effects of inflation on capital accumulation within an optimizing monetary growth model with liquidity costs and an endogenous labour supply. It is assumed that consumption and leisure are perfect complements in the preferences of the representative agent. The particular environment considered, despite the results obtained by the growing literature on inflation and growth with endogenous labour effort, gives support to the Tobin effect, i.e. a positive effect of the money growth rate on capital, labour and output.(J.E.L.: O42).
Institutional Design as a Commitment Device in Credit Markets with Asymmetric Information: Experimental Evidence
Authors: Di Cagno Daniela , Sciubba Emanuela 
Published: December 2003

The aim of this experiment is to test the role of institutional design in credit markets as a commitment device against renegotiation: when there is asymmetric information does a lower degree of centralization enhance efficiency? Does decentralization alleviate the adverse selection problem in credit markets? We run a large‐scale computerized experiment involving 12 different data sets and 3 different uncertainty scenarios on a sample of 120 subjects. The results obtained confirm the superiority of a decentralized institutional framework: the number of poor projects undertaken in a decentralized market was significantly smaller than the number of poor projects undertaken in centralized markets in all the scenarios. This experimental evidence shows that the institutional design is crucial in seeking financial discipline and therefore can shed some light on the debate on ‘Anglo‐Saxon’ versus ‘German–Japanese’ credit practices.(J.E.L.: C90, D82, G21, L10).
Capital Requirements in a Financially Driven Business Cycle Model
Authors: Mattesini Fabrizio 
Published: December 2003

We consider a simple overlapping generations economy where, because of asymmetric information and limited liability both in the loan and the deposits markets, firms have the incentive to undertake less efficient investment projects, while intermediaries have the incentive to monitor a smaller number of firms. Because of the positive relationship between the deposit interest rate and the level of monitoring, the lending activity of intermediaries may cause endogenous fluctuations in the level of economic activity.In this economy, a higher capital requirement, introduced to render deposit contracts incentive compatible, implies a higher steady state stock of capital, fewer bankruptcies among intermediaries and smaller fluctuations in the level of economic activity.(J.E.L. E32, D82, G28)
Market Size and Investment Performance of Defaulted Bonds and Bank Loans: 1987–2001
Authors: Altman Edward I. , Pompeii Jason 
Published: December 2003

The defaulted and distressed, public and private debt markets in the United States swelled to a record $680 billion (face value) at the end of 2001. The market value of this ‘niche’ segment was approximately $400 billion.Defaulted security investors enjoyed an excellent year on average, as returns in 2001 were 17.5 per cent on bonds, 13.9 per cent on bank loans, and 15.6 per cent combined defaulted public bonds and private bank loans.The Altman–New York University Salomon Center Index of Defaulted Bonds grew to over 200 individual issues and a face value of $56.2 billion; the market value was only $11.8 billion. The market–to–face value ratio of the Bond Index grew somewhat to 0.21 from 0.15 one year ago, but remained at a relatively low figure. The face value of our Defaulted Bank Loan Index also grew to $44.7 billion and the market–to–face value ratio remained quite low at 0.53.The recovery rate on defaulted bonds (price just after default) was very low at 25 cents on the dollar; likewise, the bank loan recovery rate in 2001 was also relatively low at 55 cents on the dollar. With new defaulted bonds rising in 2001 to a record $63.6 billion (default rate of 9.80 per cent) and the default outlook for 2002 high investment opportunities should abound in the distressed debt market.Indications are that distressed investors (both old and new) are successfully raising funds because investor expectations are buoyant.(J.E.L.: G21, G33).
Credit Risk Models – Do They Deliver Their Promises? A Quantitative Assessment
Authors: Oderda Gianluca , Dacorogna Michel M. , Jung Tobias 
Published: December 2003

We develop a framework to assess the statistical significance of expected default frequency calculated by credit risk models. This framework is then used to analyse the quality of two commercially available models that have become popular among practitioners: KMV Credit Monitor and RiskCalc from Moody’s.Using a unique database of expected default probability from both vendors, we study both the consistency of the prediction and its timeliness. We introduce the concept of cumulative accuracy profile (CAP) that allows to see in one curve the percentage of defaulting companies captured by the models one year in advance. We also use the Miller's information test to see if the models add information to the S&P rating.The result of the analysis indicates that these models indeed add relevant information not accounted for by rating alone. Moreover, with respect to rating agencies, the models predict defaults more than ten months in advance on average.(J.E.L.: C52).
The Taylor Rule and Dynamic Stability in a Small Macroeconomic Model
Authors: Chappell David , Turner Paul 
Published: December 2003

In this paper, we embed the Taylor interest rate rule in a simple macroeconomic model with Calvo contracts. We contrast this with the case in which the interest rate is determined by the conventional LM curve along with a fixed value for the monetary aggregate. We derive conditions under which the adjustment of the economy is characterized by a unique saddle–path and show that the conditions required for this to be the case are more stringent when the authorities adopt the Taylor rule. In both cases, the possible failure of the saddle–path condition arises when there are debt–deflation effects in the IS curve. If interest rates are set according to the Taylor rule, then debt–deflation is always enough to cause the failure of the saddle–path condition. However, when interest rates are determined by the LM curve then it is possible that the real balance effect from the LM curve may offset the debt–deflation effect and produce a saddle–path. (J.E.L. E4, E5).
Long‐term Outcome of Nonsurgical Candidates with Medically Refractory Localization‐related Epilepsy
Authors: Selwa Linda M. , Schmidt Shelley L. , Malow Beth A. , Beydoun Ahmad 
Published: November 2003

Summary:  Purpose: Epilepsy surgery can result in complete seizure remission rates of upto 80% in patients with mesial temporal sclerosis and unilateral seizures. The seizure‐free rate after surgery for patients with extratemporal nonlesional epilepsy has ranged between 30% and 40%. Some patients with medically refractory localization‐related epilepsy cannot be offered surgical resection because of inadequate localization of the epileptogenic zone, documentation of bilateral ictal onsets, or functionally important areas of cortex that prohibit resection. The short‐term rate of complete remission with medications in temporal lobe epilepsy is poor. Less is known about remission rates in patients who are not surgical candidates. In this study, we evaluated the outcome of medical treatment in patients with medically refractory partial epilepsy who were evaluated for possible epilepsy surgery but deemed to be inadequate surgical candidates. Methods: A retrospective chart review and telephone survey with a self‐rating questionnaire were completed for all patients who underwent epilepsy surgery evaluation but were not ultimately offered surgical treatment at the University of Michigan from 1990 through 1998. We assessed changes in seizure frequency and type, imaging characteristics, ictal recordings, interim medication history, and subjective changes in quality of life. Results: Thirty‐four subjects were available for follow‐up study, at an average of >4 years after surgical evaluation. A significant reduction in seizure frequency was noted at the time of follow‐up compared with that at the time of surgical evaluation. Of patients, 21% achieved seizure remission and remained seizure free for an average of 2.5 years. Four of the seven seizure‐free patients attributed their remission to new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). On a global self‐rating item, 15 of 34, or 44%, felt more or much more satisfied with their lives, and 41% felt their quality of life was stable. Conclusions: A surprisingly large number of patients we surveyed, with refractory partial epilepsy not eligible for surgical management, reported reduced seizure frequency at follow‐up, and 21% were seizure free. Our findings suggest that the long‐term prognosis in patients with refractory partial epilepsy who are not surgical candidates may be more positive than might be generally expected.
Correlation Between Language Organization and Diffusion Tensor Abnormalities in Refractory Partial Epilepsy
Authors: Briellmann Regula S. , Mitchell L. Anne , Waites Anthony B. , Abbott David F. , Pell Gaby S. , Saling Michael M. , Jackson Graeme D. 
Published: November 2003

Summary:  Purpose: Atypical language organization is more frequently found in patients with refractory partial epilepsy than in healthy controls; however, the reasons for this are not well known. Here we assess the relation between language laterality index (LI) and white‐matter tract changes. Methods: Nine patients with refractory partial epilepsy were assessed with a 3‐T GE scanner. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of language and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were acquired. For the fMRI, a noun–verb generation task was performed, all images were motion corrected, and activated pixels in classic language areas were counted. The DTI images were acquired in six standard directions with an initial non–diffusion‐weighted scan. The “average anisotropy” was determined in a region of interest in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and parietal lobe white matter. An asymmetry index (AI) was calculated for language and DTI. Atypical language lateralization was diagnosed if the lateralization index (LI)‐language was smaller than 0.4. Results: Two of the nine patients had atypical language localization (LI‐language, −0.6, and 0.3); both had left temporal DTI asymmetry (LI‐DTI, –0.3 and –0.2). The remaining seven patients had typical language localization, and no marked DTI abnormalities. Asymmetry in temporal lobe DTI correlated with LI‐language (r= 0.8; p = 0.006). Conclusions: Atypical language lateralization in patients with partial epilepsy may be associated with white‐matter tract abnormalities.
Unidirectional Cross‐tolerance from Levetiracetam to Carbamazepine in Amygdala‐kindled Seizures
Authors: Zhang Zhang‐Jin , Xing Guo‐Qiang , Russell Shani , Obeng Kris , Post Robert M. 
Published: November 2003

Summary:  Purpose: Tolerance is a potential problem in long‐term anticonvulsant therapy of epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and neuropathic pain. The present study was designed to determine whether cross‐tolerance occurs between levetiracetam (LEV) and carbamazepine (CBZ) in amygdala‐kindled rats. Methods: Male Sprague–Dawley rats were implanted with an electrode into the left amygdala. While kindling stimulation was started, animals received repeated treatment (i.p.) with saline (n = 7) or LEV (150 mg/kg, n = 8). Saline‐injected rats were subsequently challenged with a single dose of 150 mg/kg LEV when full kindling developed (stage ≥4). Both groups of rats were then administered long‐term CBZ (5 mg/kg) until rats developed complete tolerance. All CBZ‐tolerant rats were subsequently reexposed to LEV (150 mg/kg) for an additional 10 consecutive days. Results: Repeated LEV treatment significantly suppressed the increase in seizure stage, seizure duration, and afterdischarge duration induced by amygdala stimulation, markedly increasing the number of stimulations to achieve a kindling major motor seizure. The LEV challenge produced a more robust suppression of seizure stage in saline‐injected rats compared with LEV‐treated animals. CBZ treatment markedly suppressed fully kindled seizures in rats initially injected with saline, and then anticonvulsant tolerance rapidly developed after 3–4 days of repeated treatment. In contrast, rats that had initially received repeated LEV treatment did not show a response to treatment with CBZ (5 mg/kg). When CBZ‐tolerant rats were subsequently exposed to LEV (150 mg/kg), noticeable anticonvulsant effects were observed; but these were gradually lost with increasing numbers of LEV exposures. Conclusions: Whereas LEV shows potent antiepileptogenic and anticonvulsant effects in amygdala‐kindled rats, its repeated treatment induces anticonvulsant tolerance and unidirectional cross‐tolerance to CBZ. In contrast, anticonvulsant tolerance to CBZ does not transfer to LEV. The mechanistic implications of the present results for clinical therapeutics remain to be evaluated.
What Can We Learn from the Current Crisis in Argentina?
Authors: Kehoe Timothy J. 
Published: November 2003

AbstractCurrently, Argentina is experiencing what the government describes as a ‘great depression.’ Using the ‘Great Depressions’ methodology developed by Cole and Ohanian (1999) and Kehoe and Prescott (2002), we find that the primary determinants of both the boom in Argentina in the 1990s and the subsequent depression were changes in productivity, rather than changes in factor inputs. The timing of events links the boom to the currency‐board‐like Convertibility Plan and the crisis to its collapse. To gain credibility, the Argentine government took measures to make abandoning the plan more costly. Because the government was unable to enforce fiscal discipline, however, these increased costs failed to make the plan more credible and instead made the crisis far worse when it failed.
Attitudes, Expectations and Sharing
Authors: Brown Sarah , Sessions John G. 
Published: November 2003

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Apology. Labour 19:4 801.

Online publication date: 16‐Dec‐2005. Abstract.  We explore the relationship between performance‐related pay and the attitudes and expectations of a representative sample of British workers. Our results suggest that employees who participate in productivity‐linked bonus schemes, discretionary bonus schemes, share ownership or profit sharing are more optimistic about future employment and pay and are generally more satisfied with their work environment. However, employees participating specifically in profit‐sharing schemes are less likely to work as hard as they can, ceteris paribus. This is an intriguing finding, insinuating as it does that group‐sharing schemes are unable to rout the temptation to free ride and thereby ensure a first best cooperative equilibrium.
Alterations in high‐density lipoprotein metabolism and reverse cholesterol transport in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus: role of lipolytic enzymes, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase and lipid transfer proteins
Authors: Borggreve S. E. , De Vries R. , Dullaart R. P. F. 
Published: November 2003

AbstractInsulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus are generally accompanied by low HDL cholesterol and high plasma triglycerides, which are major cardiovascular risk factors. This review describes abnormalities in HDL metabolism and reverse cholesterol transport, i.e. the transport of cholesterol from peripheral cells back to the liver for metabolism and biliary excretion, in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus.Several enzymes including lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic lipase (HL) and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), as well as cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP), participate in HDL metabolism and remodelling. Lipoprotein lipase hydrolyses lipoprotein triglycerides, thus providing lipids for HDL formation. Hepatic lipase reduces HDL particle size by hydrolysing its triglycerides and phospholipids. A decreased postheparin plasma LPL/HL ratio is a determinant of low HDL2 cholesterol in insulin resistance. The esterification of free cholesterol by LCAT increases HDL particle size. Plasma cholesterol esterification is unaltered or increased in type 2 diabetes mellitus, probably depending on the extent of triglyceride elevation. Subsequent CETP action results in transfer of cholesteryl esters from HDL towards triglyceride‐rich lipoproteins, and is involved in decreasing HDL size. An increased plasma cholesteryl ester transfer is frequently observed in insulin‐resistant conditions, and is considered to be a determinant of low HDL cholesterol. Phospholipid transfer protein generates small pre β‐HDL particles that are initial acceptors of cell‐derived cholesterol. Its activity in plasma is elevated in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus in association with high plasma triglycerides and obesity. In insulin resistance, the ability of plasma to promote cellular cholesterol efflux may be maintained consequent to increases in PLTP activity and pre β‐HDL. However, cellular cholesterol efflux to diabetic plasma is probably impaired. Besides, cellular abnormalities that are in part related to impaired actions of ATP binding cassette transporter 1 and scavenger receptor class B type I are likely to result in diminished cellular cholesterol efflux in the diabetic state. Whether hepatic metabolism of HDL‐derived cholesterol and subsequent hepatobiliary transport is altered in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus is unknown.Specific CETP inhibitors have been developed that exert major HDL cholesterol‐raising effects in humans and retard atherosclerosis in animals. As an increased CETP‐mediated cholesteryl ester transfer represents a plausible metabolic intermediate between high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol, studies are warranted to evaluate the effects of these agents in insulin resistance‐ and diabetes‐associated dyslipidaemia.
Aortic distensibility is reduced in subjects with type 2 diabetes and cardiac autonomic neuropathy
Authors: Tentolouris N. , Liatis S. , Moyssakis I. , Tsapogas P. , Psallas M. , Diakoumopoulou E. , Voteas V. , Katsilambros N. 
Published: November 2003

AbstractBackground  Reduced aortic distensibility predicts cardiovascular mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy is common in subjects with diabetes. However, the relationship between the elastic properties of the aorta and autonomic neuropathy has not been studied to date in subjects with type 2 diabetes.Materials and methods  In this cross‐sectional study, a total of 87 subjects with type 2 diabetes (27 with and 60 without cardiac autonomic neuropathy) as well as 60 healthy individuals, matched for age and sex with the diabetic subjects, were examined. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy was diagnosed on the basis of the battery of the classic cardiovascular autonomic function tests. Aortic distensibility was assessed by high‐resolution ultrasonography.Results  Diabetic patients had reduced aortic distensibility in comparison with the control subjects: 1·81 ± 0·58 vs. 2·53 ± 0·34 10−6 cm2 dyn−1, respectively (P < 0·0001). In addition, diabetic individuals with cardiac autonomic neuropathy had reduced aortic distensibility as compared with patients without this complication: 1·60 ± 0·72 vs. 1·90 ± 0·48 10−6 cm2 dyn−1, respectively (P = 0·02). Multivariate linear regression analysis in the diabetic group, after controlling for a number of confounding factors such as age, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, duration of diabetes and presence as well as severity of cardiac autonomic neuropathy, demonstrated a significant and independent association between duration of diabetes [B = −0·02, SE(B) = 0·01, P = 0·01] and presence of cardiac autonomic neuropathy [B = −0·29, SE(B) = 0·14, P = 0·03] with aortic distensibility.Conclusion  Type 2 diabetes is associated with a significant reduction in the elastic properties of the aorta. In addition, known duration of diabetes and presence of cardiac autonomic neuropathy are the main predictors of aortic distensibility in subjects with type 2 diabetes.