Revisiting Crowd-Out

Reviews updated research on the extent to which expanding public health insurance programs reduces the role of private insurance, the impact of anti-crowd-out measures, and contributing factors such as incomes, enrollment patterns, and economic condition

Spatial Patterns of Estuarine Habitat Type Use and Temporal Patterns in Abundance of Juvenile Permit, Trachinotus falcatus, in Charlotte Harbor, Florida

The life history of many marine fishes is a 2-phase cycle: juveniles and adults make up a demersal phase, whereas larvae are planktonic. Determining ontogenetic patterns of habitat type use of the demersal phase has important management and habitat conservation implications for species that use coastal habitat types as juveniles. Juvenile permit, Trachinotus falcatus, are presumed to be limited to beaches exposed to open ocean, but few studies have addressed juvenile permit use of estuarine habitat types. Ten years of fisheries-independent monitoring data from a subtropical estuary were analyzed to determine habitat type use patterns and seasonality of juvenile permit. Shallow (\u3c 2 m) habitat types in Charlotte Harbor, Florida, were sampled with 21 m and 183 m seines from 1991 through 2000. Juvenile permit were most abundant along sandy beaches in the lower estuary and were in densities similar to or higher than along exposed coastal beaches reported in other studies. Size of captured permit ranged from 15 to 360 mm standard length. Small juveniles (\u3c 100 mm) were present almost exclusively from June to December. Both small and large (∅ 100 mm) juveniles were most abundant over shallow bottom adjacent to unvegetated beach shorelines. These findings indicate that post-settlement permit recruit seasonally to specific estuarine habitat types. Then, as they grow, they shift to other habitat types, before migrating out of the estuary. Since identification of the suite of juvenile habitat types is prerequisite to determining their nursery value, and many estuarine habitat types are under anthropogenic stress, research on the relative importance of estuarine nurseries for juvenile permit is warranted

Temperature Variability in a Subtropical Estuary and Implications for Common Snook Centropomus undecimalis, a Cold-Sensitive Fish

Variability in winter water temperature was compared among three habitat types (estuary, river, canal) in a subtropical estuarine system to explore how it might affect site selection and survival of a cold-sensitive fish, Common Snook Centropomus undecimalis. The study was conducted during three winters (2008–2010); a rapid cooling event occurred during the first winter, mild temperatures the second, and an extreme cold event in the third (an 80-yr event). During the extreme cold event in January 2010, catastrophic fish mortality occurred throughout the region that resulted in the emergency closure of the Common Snook recreational fishery. Over the entire studied estuarine system, dead Common Snook were reported at 43 sites; 26 of the sites were large fish kills consisting of 100–2,000 individuals. The distribution of mortality sites was widespread, although most were located in the estuary proper (n = 39), with only several in rivers and canals (n = 4). Temperature loggers recorded similar water temperatures among habitat types (estuary, river, canal), except during short periods (~3 d; up to 2°C) after cold fronts; this indicates that fish have distinct time constraints if searching for warmer water sites. During the short periods after cold fronts, canal water temperatures were the warmest and most stable, whereas the river and estuary temperature rankings varied

Feeding Habits of Common Snook, Centropomus undecimalis, in Charlotte Harbor, Florida

We examined the feeding habits, ontogenetic and seasonal diet variations, and predator size–prey size relationships of common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, in Charlotte Harbor, Florida, through stomach contents analysis. A total of 694 stomachs were extracted from common snook (300–882 mm standard length [SL]) during a 24-month period (March 2000–February 2002); 432 stomachs contained prey items. At least 37 prey taxa were identified, including 19 that had not been previously reported. Fishes made up 71% of the prey by number and 90% by weight. Three prey items made up almost 50% of the diet numerically—Lagodon rhomboides, Anchoa spp., and Farfantepenaeus duorarum. Seven species made up more than 60% of the diet by weight—L. rhomboides, Cynoscion nebulosus, Mugil gyrans, Bairdiella chrysoura, Synodus foetens, Orthopristis chrysoptera, and Mugil cephalus. An ontogenetic shift in prey preference was identified in adult common snook at around 550 mm SL. Smaller individuals (300–549 mm SL) ate more F. duorarum, palaemonid shrimp, cyprinodontids, and Eucinostomus spp. than did larger individuals (550–882 mm SL), which ate more S. foetens, ariids, and sciaenids. Significant, positive relationships between predator size and prey size were observed between common snook and L. rhomboides, O. chrysoptera, portunid crabs, and all fish prey combined. Prey size selection contributed to some seasonal differences in their diet. For example, in winter when L. rhomboides are abundant in the estuary and small in size (mean = 23 mm SL), common snook ate few individuals, but they consumed many during summer when larger L. rhomboides (mean = 51 mm SL) were available. In summary, common snook are opportunistic predators that feed on a wide variety of prey and exploit specific-sized prey that are abundant in their environment

The Effects of Season and Proximity to Fringing Mangroves on Seagrass-Associated Fish Communities in Charlotte Harbor, Florida

Little has been published on habitat use by fishes in Charlotte Harbor, one of Florida\u27s largest-and still relatively pristine-estuaries. Multivariate analyses of data from 21.3-m-seine samples (1996-2000) were used to examine spatiotemporal patterns of seagrass habitat use by Charlotte Harbor fishes. Two habitats (mangrove-associated seagrass shorelines and offshore seagrass flats) were examined. Throughout the year, the mangrove-seagrass habitat was distinguished by Menidia spp., Mugil gyrans, Eucinostomus harengulus, and Floridichthys carpio, and the offshore seagrass flats habitat was distinguished by Bairdiella chrysoura, Orthopristis chrysoptera, and Cynoscion nebulosus. The dry season (Dec.-May) was distinguished by Lagodon rhomboides, Leiostomus xanthurus, and O. chrysoptera in both habitats and by Mugil cephalus in the mangrove-seagrass habitat. The wet season (June-Nov.) was distinguished by Lucania parva, F. carpio, and Fundulus grandis in the mangrove-seagrass habitat and by Eucinostomus gula, Microgobius gulosus, C. nebulosus, and E. harengulus in the offshore seagrass flats habitat. Eucinostomus spp., Anchoa mitchilli, and Strongylura notata were abundant in both habitats during the wet season. In general, many species were collected in both habitats and were widely distributed in the estuary. Various combinations of four environmental variables (i.e., water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, water depth) and their coefficients of variation were well correlated with the biotic community patterns. These results show that different fish communities use different seagrass habitats in Charlotte Harbor, depending on the season and the proximity of the seagrasses to fringing mangroves

Property Rights as a Cause of the Tragedy of the Commons: Institutional Change and the Pastoral Maasai of Kenya

The pastoral commons of the Maasai offers a case in which common ownership proved superior to private property and where the creation of property rights was a cause of the tragedy of the commons. Property rights diminished sustainable use of the commons by disrupting the complex institutional structure of the Maasai used to control access to the commons and to provide insurance against environmental uncertainties. Analogous to a Coasian firm, Maasai institutions reduced the transactions costs of cooperation and coordination relative to market exchanges. This article explores pre-colonial institutions and the impact of colonial and post-colonial policies on the pastoral economy.Commons; Property Rights; Property; Transactions

Use of the integrated health interview series: trends in medical provider utilization (1972-2008)

The Integrated Health Interview Series (IHIS) is a public data repository that harmonizes four decades of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The NHIS is the premier source of information on the health of the U.S. population. Since 1957 the survey has collected information on health behaviors, health conditions, and health care access. The long running time series of the NHIS is a powerful tool for health research. However, efforts to fully utilize its time span are obstructed by difficult documentation, unstable variable and coding definitions, and non-ignorable sample re-designs. To overcome these hurdles the IHIS, a freely available and web-accessible resource, provides harmonized NHIS data from 1969-2010. This paper describes the challenges of working with the NHIS and how the IHIS reduces such burdens. To demonstrate one potential use of the IHIS we examine utilization patterns in the U.S. from 1972-2008

Remote sensing and geologic studies of the orientale basin region

Both visual and near-infrared spectral observations are combined with multispectral imaging to study the Orientale interior and exterior, the Cruger region, Grimaldi Region, the Schiller-Schickard Region, and the Humorum Region of the Moon. It was concluded that anorthosites occur in the Inner Rook Mountains of Orientale, the inner ring of Grimaldi, and the main ring of Humorum. Imaging spectroscopy shows that the entire eastern Inner Rook Mountains are composed of anorthosites. Orientale ejecta are strikingly like the surface materials in the region where Apollo 16 landed. This similarity indicates similar mineralogy, i.e., noritic anorthosite. Thus, Orientile ejecta is more mafic than the Inner Rook Mountains. This situation is also true for the Nectaris, Humorum, and Gramaldi basins. Isolated areas of the Orientale region show the presence of gabbroic rocks, but, in general, Orientale ejecta are noritic anorthosites, which contain much more low-Ca pyroxene than high-Ca pyroxene. Ancient (pre-Orientale) mare volcanism apparently occurred in several areas of the western limb