Showing papers by "Southern Illinois University Carbondale published in 2009"

Standardizing the World Income Inequality Database

Abstract: Objective. Cross-national research on the causes and consequences of income inequality has been hindered by the limitations of existing inequality data sets: greater coverage across countries and over time is available from these sources only at the cost of significantly reduced comparability across observations. The goal of the Standardized World Income Inequality Database (SWIID) is to overcome these limitations. Methods. A custom missing-data algorithm was used to standardize the U.N. University's World Income Inequality Database; data collected by the Luxembourg Income Study served as the standard. Results. The SWIID provides comparable Gini indices of gross and net income inequality for 153 countries for as many years as possible from 1960 to the present, along with estimates of uncertainty in these statistics. Conclusions. By maximizing comparability for the largest possible sample of countries and years, the SWIID is better suited to broad cross-national research on income inequality than previously available sources.

Biomass and lipid productivities of Chlorella vulgaris under autotrophic, heterotrophic and mixotrophic growth conditions.

Abstract: Biomass and lipid productivities of Chlorella vulgaris under different growth conditions were investigated. While autotrophic growth did provide higher cellular lipid content (38%), the lipid productivity was much lower compared with those from heterotrophic growth with acetate, glucose, or glycerol. Optimal cell growth (2 g l−1) and lipid productivity (54 mg l−1 day−1) were attained using glucose at 1% (w/v) whereas higher concentrations were inhibitory. Growth of C. vulgaris on glycerol had a similar dose effects as those from glucose. Overall, C. vulgaris is mixotrophic.

The Role of Customer Gratitude in Relationship Marketing

Abstract: Most theories of relationship marketing emphasize the role of trust and commitment in affecting performance outcomes; however, a recent meta-analysis indicates that other mediating mechanisms are at work. Data from two studies—a laboratory experiment and a dyadic longitudinal field survey—demonstrate that gratitude also mediates the influence of a seller's relationship marketing investments on performance outcomes. Specifically, relationship marketing investments generate short-term feelings of gratitude that drive long-lasting performance benefits based on gratitude-related reciprocal behaviors. The authors identify a set of managerially relevant factors and test their power to alter customer perceptions of relationship marketing investments to increase customer gratitude, which can make relationship marketing programs more effective. Overall, the research empirically demonstrates that gratitude plays an important role in understanding how relationship marketing investments increase purchase int...

New developments in fish amino acid nutrition: towards functional and environmentally oriented aquafeeds

Abstract: Recent evidence shows that some amino acids and their metabolites are important regulators of key metabolic pathways that are necessary for maintenance, growth, feed intake, nutrient utilization, immunity, behavior, larval metamorphosis, reproduction, as well as resistance to environmental stressors and pathogenic organisms in various fishes. Therefore, conventional definitions on essential and nonessential amino acids for fish are challenged by numerous discoveries that taurine, glutamine, glycine, proline and hydroxyproline promote growth, development, and health of aquatic animals. On the basis of their crucial roles in cell metabolism and physiology, we anticipate that dietary supplementation with specific amino acids may be beneficial for: (1) increasing the chemo-attractive property and nutritional value of aquafeeds with low fishmeal inclusion; (2) optimizing efficiency of metabolic transformation in juvenile and sub-adult fishes; (3) surpressing aggressive behaviors and cannibalism; (4) increasing larval performance and survival; (5) mediating timing and efficiency of spawning; (6) improving fillet taste and texture; and (7) enhancing immunity and tolerance to environmental stresses. Functional amino acids hold great promise for development of balanced aquafeeds to enhance the efficiency and profitability of global aquaculture production.

Gas Sensor Based on Metal−Insulator Transition in VO2 Nanowire Thermistor

Abstract: Using temperature driven sharp metal−insulator phase transition in single crystal VO2 nanowires, the realization of a novel gas sensing concept has been tested. Varying the temperature of the nanowire close to the transition edge, the conductance of the nanowire becomes extremely responsive to the tiny changes in molecular composition, pressure, and temperature of the ambient gas environment. This gas sensing analog of the transition edge sensor radiometry used in astrophysics opens new opportunities in gas sensorics.

Devil or Angel? The Role of Speculation in the Recent Commodity Price Boom (and Bust)

Abstract: It is commonly asserted that speculative buying by index funds in commodity futures and over-the–counter derivatives markets created a “bubble“ in commodity prices, with the result that prices, and crude oil prices, in particular, far exceeded fundamental values at the peak. The purpose of this paper is to show that the bubble argument simply does not withstand close scrutiny. Four main points are explored. First, the arguments of bubble proponents are conceptually flawed and reflect fundamental and basic misunderstandings of how commodity futures markets actually work. Second, a number of facts about the situation in commodity markets are inconsistent with the existence of a substantial bubble in commodity prices. Third, available statistical evidence does not indicate that positions for any group in commodity futures markets, including long-only index funds, consistently lead futures price changes. Fourth, there is a historical pattern of attacks upon speculation during periods of extreme market volatility.

Sustainable Floodplains Through Large-Scale Reconnection to Rivers

Abstract: Flooding is the most damaging natural disaster worldwide, and the flood-vulnerable population is expected to grow in coming decades ( 1 ). Flood risks will likely increase because of both climate change ( 1 ) and shifting land uses, such as filling of wetlands and expansion of impervious surfaces, that lead to more rapid precipitation runoff into rivers. In the United States, annual river flood losses continue to rise ( 2 ), punctuated by major events in the Midwest (1993, $30 billion in total costs; 2008, $15 billion) and California's Central Valley (1995 and 1997; $4 billion each event) ( 3 ). Meanwhile, pressure to develop new housing in floodprone areas near rivers (floodplains) continues ( 4 ), even as levee-system maintenance is chronically underfunded ( 5 ).

Wellness: A Review of Theory and Measurement for Counselors

Abstract: Wellness is considered the paradigm of counseling and development (J. E. Myers, 1991, 1992). However, researchers have failed to agree on a definition or on the dimensional structure of wellness. Furthermore, existing quantitative wellness instruments are inadequate for capturing the complexity of wellness. The author reviews wellness theory and proposes an integrated definition of the construct. Existing wellness assessment instruments are explored along with advancements in research, theory, and measurement. Finally, implications for counseling and assessment are addressed.

Combination Therapies for Traumatic Brain Injury: Prospective Considerations

Abstract: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) initiates a cascade of numerous pathophysiological events that evolve over time. Despite the complexity of TBI, research aimed at therapy development has almost exclusively focused on single therapies, all of which have failed in multicenter clinical trials. Therefore, in February 2008 the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, with support from the National Institute of Child Health and Development, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, convened a workshop to discuss the opportunities and challenges of testing combination therapies for TBI. Workshop participants included clinicians and scientists from a variety of disciplines, institutions, and agencies. The objectives of the workshop were to: (1) identify the most promising combinations of therapies for TBI; (2) identify challenges of testing combination therapies in clinical and pre-clinical studies; and (3) propose research methodologies and study designs to overcome these challenges. Several promising combination therapies were discussed, but no one combination was identified as being the most promising. Rather, the general recommendation was to combine agents with complementary targets and effects (e.g., mechanisms and time-points), rather than focusing on a single target with multiple agents. In addition, it was recommended that clinical management guidelines be carefully considered when designing pre-clinical studies for therapeutic development. To overcome the challenges of testing combination therapies it was recommended that statisticians and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration be included in early discussions of experimental design. Furthermore, it was agreed that an efficient and validated screening platform for candidate therapeutics, sensitive and clinically relevant biomarkers and outcome measures, and standardization and data sharing across centers would greatly facilitate the development of successful combination therapies for TBI. Overall there was great enthusiasm for working collaboratively to act on these recommendations.

Police Relations with Black and White Youths in Different Urban Neighborhoods

Abstract: Much of the research on police-citizen relations has focused on adults, not youth. Given that adolescents and particularly young males are more likely than adults to have involuntary and adversarial contacts with police officers, it is especially important to investigate their experiences with and perceptions of the police. This article examines the accounts of young Black and White males who reside in one of three disadvantaged St. Louis, Missouri, neighborhoods — one predominantly Black, one predominantly White, and the other racially mixed. In-depth interviews were conducted with the youths, and the authors’ analysis centers on the ways in which both race and neighborhood context influence young males’ orientations toward the police.

Movement-Assisted Connectivity Restoration in Wireless Sensor and Actor Networks

Abstract: Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in applications of wireless sensor and actor networks (WSANs). In these applications, a set of mobile actor nodes are deployed in addition to sensors in order to collect sensors' data and perform specific tasks in response to detected events/objects. In most scenarios, actors have to respond collectively, which requires interactor coordination. Therefore, maintaining a connected interactor network is critical to the effectiveness of WSANs. However, WSANs often operate unattended in harsh environments where actors can easily fail or get damaged. An actor failure may lead to partitioning the interactor network and thus hinder the fulfillment of the application requirements. In this paper, we present DARA, a distributed actor recovery algorithm, which opts to efficiently restore the connectivity of the interactor network that has been affected by the failure of an actor. Two variants of the algorithm are developed to address 1- and 2-connectivity requirements. The idea is to identify the least set of actors that should be repositioned in order to reestablish a particular level of connectivity. DARA strives to localize the scope of the recovery process and minimize the movement overhead imposed on the involved actors. The effectiveness of DARA is validated through simulation experiments.

Phylogeny and classification of the marchantiophyta

Abstract: Input from molecular phylogenetics in the past five years has substantially altered concepts of systematic relationships among liverworts. While these studies have confirmed the monophyly of phylum Marchantiophyta, they have demonstrated that many previously recognised ranks within the hierarchy are unnatural and in need of modification. Changes in the ranks of suborder and above have been proposed by various workers, but modifications in the circumscription of genera and families are still required. A comprehensive, phylogenetic classification scheme that integrates morphological data with molecular hypotheses is presented. The scheme includes diagnoses and publication citations for all names above the rank of genus. All currently recognised genera are listed alphabetically in their respective families; subfamilies are not indicated. Major modifications and novel alignments of taxa are thoroughly discussed, with pertinent references provided. Jungermanniaceae is redefined and Solenostomataceae fam. nov. is formally described to accommodate some of the genera excluded from it.

Health and condition in fish: the influence of lipids on membrane competency and immune response

Abstract: Traditionally fisheries biologists have used various metrics to indicate the condition and, by implication, health of fish. These indices are usually based on relationships between length and weight (Anderson and Neumann 1996). Although such metrics can, under some circumstances, provide a quick estimate of a fish’s condition, their ability to shed light on the underlying cause-and-effect relationship(s) governing a fish’s health and nutritional status are limited. Biochemical measures (e.g. lipids including fatty acids (FA) and sterols, proteins and their constituent amino acids, and trace elements) offer complimentary measures to assess, in a more specific way, the condition and underlying health of fish. Fatty acids and other lipids affect the health of fish in many ways; including, but not limited to, their effects on growth, reproduction, behavior, vision, osmoregularity, membrane fluidity (thermal adaptation), and immune response. In this review, we focus on the latter two roles that lipids play in mediating the health and condition of fish.

Police Relations with Black and White Youths in Different Urban Neighborhoods

Abstract: Much of the research on police—citizen relations has focused on adults, not youth. Given that adolescents and particularly young males are more likely than adults to have involuntary and adversarial contacts with police officers, it is especially important to investigate their experiences with and perceptions of the police. This article examines the accounts of young Black and White males who reside in one of three disadvantaged St. Louis, Missouri, neighborhoods— one predominantly Black, one predominantly White, and the other racially mixed. In-depth interviews were conducted with the youths, and the authors' analysis centers on the ways in which both race and neighborhood context influence young males' orientations toward the police.

Hot Spots of Juvenile Crime: A Longitudinal Study of Arrest Incidents at Street Segments in Seattle, Washington

Abstract: Recent studies have shown that crime is concentrated at micro level units of geography defined as hot spots. Despite this growing evidence of the concentration of crime at place, studies to date have dealt primarily with adult crime or have failed to distinguish between adult and juvenile offenses. In this paper, we identify crime incidents in which a juvenile was arrested at street segments in Seattle, Washington, over a 14-year period, to assess the extent to which officially recorded juvenile crime is concentrated at hot spots. Using group-based trajectory analysis, we also assess the stability and variability of crime at street segments over the period of the study. Our findings suggest that officially recorded juvenile crime is strongly concentrated. Indeed, just 86 street segments in Seattle include one-third of crime incidents in which a juvenile was arrested during the study period. While we do observe variability over time in trajectories identified in the study, we also find that high rate juvenile crime street segments remain relatively stable across the 14 years examined. Finally, confirming the importance of routine activity theory in understanding the concentration of juvenile crime in hot spots, we find a strong connection between high rate trajectory groups and places likely to be a part of juvenile activity spaces. Though place-based crime prevention has not been a major focus of delinquency prevention, our work suggests that it may be an area with great promise.

Reduced Incidence and Delayed Occurrence of Fatal Neoplastic Diseases in Growth Hormone Receptor/Binding Protein Knockout Mice

Abstract: Although studies of Ames and Snell dwarf mice have suggested possible important roles of the growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) axis in aging and age-related diseases, the results cannot rule out the possibility of other hormonal changes playing an important role in the life extension exhibited by these dwarf mice. Therefore, growth hormone receptor/binding protein (GHR/BP) knockout (KO) mice would be valuable animals to directly assess the roles of somatotropic axis in aging and age-related diseases because the primary hormonal change is due to GH/IGF-1 deficiency. Our pathological findings showed GHR/BP KO mice to have a lower incidence and delayed occurrence of fatal neoplastic lesions compared with their wild-type littermates. These changes of fatal neoplasms are similar to the effects observed with calorie restriction and therefore could possibly be a major contributing factor to the extended life span observed in the GHR/BP KO mice.

The information content of an open limit‐order book

Abstract: Using data from the Australian Stock Exchange, the authors assess the information content of an open limit-order book with a particular focus on the incremental information contained in the limit orders behind the best bid and offer. The authors find that the order book is moderately informative—its contribution to price discovery is approximately 22%. The remaining 78% is from the best bid and offer prices on the book and the last transaction price. Furthermore, the authors find that order imbalances between the demand and supply schedules along the book are significantly related to future short-term returns, even after controlling for the autocorrelations in return, the inside spread, and the trade imbalance. ©2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 29:16–41, 2009

A Randomized Trial to Increase Physical Activity in Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract: Purpose:Interventions to increase physical activity among breast cancer survivors are needed to improve health and quality of life and possibly to reduce the risk of disease recurrence and early mortality. Therefore, we report the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a pilot randomized tr

The National Environmental Literacy Project: A Baseline Study of Middle Grade Students in the United States

Abstract: The authors discuss environmental literacy in the United States and present a brief summary of the results of a major national study designed to attain a baseline measure of environmental literacy among middle school students in the United States The authors include events that led up to the study and desctibe future directions for environmental literacy assessment.

A Central Difference Numerical Scheme for Fractional Optimal Control Problems

Abstract: This paper presents a modified numerical scheme for a class of Frac- tional Optimal Control Problems (FOCPs) formulated in Agrawal (2004) where a Fractional Derivative (FD) is defined in the Riemann-Liouville sense. In this scheme, the entire time domain is divided into several sub- domains, and a fractional derivative (FDs) at a time node point is approx- imated using a modified Grunwald-Letnikov approach. For the first order derivative, the proposed modified Grunwald-Letnikov definition leads to a central difference scheme. When the approximations are substituted into the Fractional Optimal Control (FCO) equations, it leads to a set of alge- braic equations which are solved using a direct numerical technique. Two examples, one time-invariant and the other time-variant, are considered to study the performance of the numerical scheme. Results show that 1) as the order of the derivative approaches an integer value, these formulations lead to solutions for integer order system, and 2) as the sizes of the sub- domains are reduced, the solutions converge. It is hoped that the present scheme would lead to stable numerical methods for fractional differential equations and optimal control problems.

The relationship between seed mass and mean time to germination for 1037 tree species across five tropical forests

Abstract: Summary 1. Theoretical models predict that large-seeded species should germinate more rapidly than smallseeded species, since large seeds are more likely to have higher post-dispersal seed predation than small seeds. A prompt germination strategy would therefore enable large seeds to reduce risks of mortality. 2. To assess this predicted relationship between seed mass and mean time to germination (MTG), we used a meta-analysis of published data sources. Our data base contained information for these two traits for 1037 tree species from five tropical areas worldwide (Brazil, India, Ivory Coast, Malaysia and Panama). Both cross-species analyses and phylogenetically independent contrasts (PIC) were conducted on the log-transformed values of seed mass and MTG. 3. Log-seed mass was a significantly phylogenetically conserved trait in all five data sets. Log-MTG was significantly phylogenetically conserved in all sites except for Malaysia and India. 4. Log-MTG and log-seed mass were significantly positively correlated in all sites except for Malaysia. PIC analyses showed a significantly positive relationship in Brazil, India and Ivory Coast but not in Malaysia and Panama. When all sites were combined, PIC analyses indicated a significant positive relationship between these two traits. 5. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that large seeds germinate faster than small seeds, but rather that small seeds germinate faster. We interpret our results in light of phylogenetic and biophysical constraints. We propose four alternative mechanisms that could account for the observed pattern, including developmental constraints, water absorption and investment to physical defences.

Neighborhood racial context and perceptions of police‐based racial discrimination among Black youth

Abstract: Renewed interest has occurred in the United States around racially biased policing. Unfortunately, little is known about the effects of neighborhood social context on black adolescents' experiences with racially biased policing. In the current study, we examined whether perceptions of racially biased policing against black adolescents are a function of neighborhood racial composition, net of other neighborhood- and individual-level factors. Using two waves of data from 763 black adolescents, we found that black adolescents most frequently are discriminated against by the police in predominantly white neighborhoods. This effect especially is pronounced in white neighborhoods that experienced recent growth in the size of the black population. Our results lend support to the “defended” white neighborhood thesis.

Tribological investigation of adaptive Mo2N/MoS2/Ag coatings with high sulfur content

Abstract: Adaptive nanocomposite Mo2N/MoS2/Ag coatings were deposited on Inconel and silicon substrates by magnetron sputtering with individual targets of Mo, MoS2 and Ag. The tetragonal β-Mo2N structure in addition to Ag and MoS2 phases were detected using X-ray diffraction. The elemental composition of the coatings was investigated using Auger electron spectroscopy. The tribological properties of the coatings were studied at room temperature (RT), 350, and 600 °C against Si3N4 balls. The lowest friction coefficients that were obtained were 0.4, 0.3, and 0.1 at RT, 350 °C, and 600 °C, respectively. The average friction coefficient was maintained at 0.1 for more than 300,000 cycles at 600 °C due to the formation of lubricious silver molybdate phases at the contact surfaces. Three types of silver molybdate phases were detected by both X-ray diffraction and micro-Raman spectroscopy in the wear tracks, namely, Ag2Mo4O13, Ag2Mo2O7 and Ag2MoO4 depending on the Mo and Ag contents in the coatings. The superior performance of all three compounds is due to their layered structure with weaker Ag–O bridging bonds. These relatively weak bonds may shear or even break easily at high temperatures to account for the observed friction reduction.