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Interesting Contrast (interesting + contrast)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Humanities and Social Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

Patterns of precursor behaviors in the life span of a U.S. environmental terrorist group

CRIMINOLOGY AND PUBLIC POLICY, Issue 3 2009
Brent L. Smith
Research Summary This article discusses the paucity of data available for assessing the "life span" of a terrorist group. It introduces a new methodology that allows researchers to examine when terrorist groups perform their preincident activities. The findings suggest that differences exist in the temporal patterns of terrorist groups: environmental terrorist groups engage in a relatively short planning cycle compared with right-wing and international terrorists. The article concludes by examining a case study on "the Family," which is a unique environmental terrorist group that conducted activities over a relatively long period of time. This group provides an interesting contrast to other environmental terrorists. Despite significant organizational differences, their patterns of preparatory conduct were highly similar. Policy Implications The findings suggest that (1) temporal and spatial data about preincident terrorist activity can be collected from unclassified and open sources and (2) law-enforcement agencies that are investigating environmental groups have relatively little time to observe and infiltrate their individual cells (compared with right-wing and international terrorists). Finally, the data suggest that environmental terrorists,at least so far,have engaged in attacks that are less deadly than the comparison groups. [source]

Species,area relationships in Mediterranean-climate plant communities

JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 11 2003
Jon E. Keeley
Abstract Aim To determine the best-fit model of species,area relationships for Mediterranean-type plant communities and evaluate how community structure affects these species,area models. Location Data were collected from California shrublands and woodlands and compared with literature reports for other Mediterranean-climate regions. Methods The number of species was recorded from 1, 100 and 1000 m2 nested plots. Best fit to the power model or exponential model was determined by comparing adjusted r2 values from the least squares regression, pattern of residuals, homoscedasticity across scales, and semi-log slopes at 1,100 m2 and 100,1000 m2. Dominance,diversity curves were tested for fit to the lognormal model, MacArthur's broken stick model, and the geometric and harmonic series. Results Early successional Western Australia and California shrublands represented the extremes and provide an interesting contrast as the exponential model was the best fit for the former, and the power model for the latter, despite similar total species richness. We hypothesize that structural differences in these communities account for the different species,area curves and are tied to patterns of dominance, equitability and life form distribution. Dominance,diversity relationships for Western Australian heathlands exhibited a close fit to MacArthur's broken stick model, indicating more equitable distribution of species. In contrast, Californian shrublands, both postfire and mature stands, were best fit by the geometric model indicating strong dominance and many minor subordinate species. These regions differ in life form distribution, with annuals being a major component of diversity in early successional Californian shrublands although they are largely lacking in mature stands. Both young and old Australian heathlands are dominated by perennials, and annuals are largely absent. Inherent in all of these ecosystems is cyclical disequilibrium caused by periodic fires. The potential for community reassembly is greater in Californian shrublands where only a quarter of the flora resprout, whereas three quarters resprout in Australian heathlands. Other Californian vegetation types sampled include coniferous forests, oak savannas and desert scrub, and demonstrate that different community structures may lead to a similar species,area relationship. Dominance,diversity relationships for coniferous forests closely follow a geometric model whereas associated oak savannas show a close fit to the lognormal model. However, for both communities, species,area curves fit a power model. The primary driver appears to be the presence of annuals. Desert scrub communities illustrate dramatic changes in both species diversity and dominance,diversity relationships in high and low rainfall years, because of the disappearance of annuals in drought years. Main conclusions Species,area curves for immature shrublands in California and the majority of Mediterranean plant communities fit a power function model. Exceptions that fit the exponential model are not because of sampling error or scaling effects, rather structural differences in these communities provide plausible explanations. The exponential species,area model may arise in more than one way. In the highly diverse Australian heathlands it results from a rapid increase in species richness at small scales. In mature California shrublands it results from very depauperate richness at the community scale. In both instances the exponential model is tied to a preponderance of perennials and paucity of annuals. For communities fit by a power model, coefficients z and log c exhibit a number of significant correlations with other diversity parameters, suggesting that they have some predictive value in ecological communities. [source]

A critical appraisal of lithium's efficacy and effectiveness: the last 60 years

BIPOLAR DISORDERS, Issue 2009
Paul Grof
The history that depicts the evaluation of lithium's efficacy presents an interesting contrast: on the one hand, conviction that, of all psychotropic drugs, lithium has the best demonstrated efficacy; on the other hand, repeated attempts to question it. Those contesting lithium's stabilizing abilities have argued from several angles, for example that the proof was methodologically incorrect or insufficient, that the number of responders is small, or that the response is poor in practice and does not last. But there is a good explanation for this paradox. While the early challenges to lithium's value in recurrent mood disorders reflected mainly that psychiatry had not yet developed a methodology suitable for testing long-term efficacy, more recent questioning has resulted mostly from retesting its efficacy and effectiveness in a substantially broadened bipolar spectrum, outside the classical diagnosis. Lithium, however, continues to stabilize very well the patients suffering from typical bipolar disorder,the condition for which its efficacy was originally demonstrated. More recently, lithium has also proven to dramatically reduce suicidal behavior and mortality and to augment markedly the efficacy of antidepressants in unresponsive patients. [source]

Aristotle's Account of Anger: Narcissism and Illusions of Self-Sufficiency

RATIO, Issue 1 2002
Stephen Leighton
This paper considers an allegation by M. Stocker and E. Hegeman that Aristotle's account of anger yields a narcissistic passion bedevilled by illusions of self-sufficiency. The paper argues on behalf of Aristotle's valuing of anger within a virtuous and flourishing life, showing that and why Aristotle's account is neither narcissistic nor involves illusions of self-sufficiency. In so arguing a deeper appreciation of Aristotle's understanding of a self-sufficient life is reached, as are some interesting contrasts between Aristotle's understanding of anger, its connections to value and our own understanding of these matters. [source]