America's Total Economic Engagement with the Developing World: Rethinking the Uses and Nature of Foreign Aid.

This white paper updates the private international giving numbers that were produced by the Hudson Institute for the U.S. Agency for International Development report, Foreign Aid in the National Interest , for 2000

Guidelines for the use of hyperdiverse taxa in biological monitoring: change through time in a southern Appalachian spider assemblage

This dissertation addresses issues surrounding the inclusion of terrestrial arthropods in conservation planning. There are potentially disastrous consequences of basing all of our conservation priorities and strategies on what we know of the ecology of a minority of species (vertebrates). Vertebrate species do not provide enough information to be good indicators of ecosystem health, particularly if we are interested in those ecosystem processes which involve invertebrates. We need to leam more about those organisms which comprise the bulk of biodiversity (arthropods) and develop methods which facilitate the inclusion of terrestrial arthropods (or other hyperdiverse groups) in conservation planning. In this dissertation, I begin the process of developing analytical tools appropriate to a representative arthropod group, the spiders (Order Araneae). Spiders were chosen in part because they show particular promise as an indicator group. One of the difficulties associated with studying a hyperdiverse taxonomic group is ensuring accurate and timely species identification. Using technology similar to that employed in handwriting analysis and/or face recognition, I present an automated species identification system which makes use of neural networks. This technology, once perfected, will increase the accuracy of identifications by non-specialists and thereby reduce the need to burden systematists with routine identifications of ecological collections. This technology could also be used to catalog species which have yet to be identified or even described (morphospecies), thus allowing accurate ecological studies to take place prior to naming all the component species in the assemblage. Using data collected in the Southern Appalachians, I review and evaluate some commonly used analytical techniques in biodiversity studies: rarefaction (scaling down all samples to the size of the smallest), diversity indices, and extrapolation (estimating the total richness of a site based on a sample taken from the site). Rarefaction was essential to correct for differences in samples size between samples, particularly when using indices calculated using only presence/absence data. The diversity indices, Shannon-Weiner and Simpson\u27s, were surprisingly robust to differences in sample size and they detected both successional and disturbance-induced changes in spider assemblages. Directional trends in the diversity indices through time proved to be most informative in conjunction with pair-wise statistical tests. My results suggest, however, that extrapolation techniques should be used cautiously, as they were sensitive to differences in sample size and yielded very different richness estimates for surveys taken at the same sites. Using the same datasets, I identify and discuss potential sources of error which are characteristic of studies involving hyperdiverse taxa and make recommendations for eliminating or reducing this error. I find that collector bias is a significant problem, in that each collector is not sampling a statistically random subset of the community. But, as expected, some collection techniques are more subject to this kind of bias than others. I recommend that if turnover of collectors is likely, methods such as pitfall traps, litter samples, and vegetation beating/sweeping should be emphasized. Also, inclusion of juveniles in diversity estimates and analysis should be avoided as much as possible as their presence appears to obscure ecological trends. I used the datasets to investigate the intra-annual (early vs. late summer) and inter-annual (yearly vs. decadal) variability of spider assemblages in six Southern Appalachian habitats. Spider assemblages show greater seasonal variation than yearly variation. The diversity and variability of the spider assemblages I studied were closely tied to gross habitat structure. In conclusion, terrestrial arthropods can and should be included in conservation planning and/or community-level analyses. Techniques exist and are currently being perfected, which address the peculiarities and difficulties associated with working with such hyperdiverse groups

Molecular and phenotypic characterization of the alternative seasonal growth habit and flowering time in barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare L.)

Barley can be classified into three major agronomic types, based on its seasonal growth habit (SGH): spring, winter and alternative. Winter varieties require exposure to vernalization to promote subsequent flowering and are autumn-sown. Spring varieties proceed to flowering in the absence of vernalization and are sown in the spring. The ‘alternative’ (also known as ‘facultative’) SGH is only loosely defined and can be sown in autumn or spring. Here, we investigate the molecular genetic basis of alternative barley. Analysis of the major barley vernalization (VRN-H1, VRN-H2) and photoperiod (PPD-H1, PPD-H2) response genes in a collection of 386 varieties found alternative SGH to be characterized by specific allelic combinations. Spring varieties possessed spring loci at one or both of the vernalization response loci, combined with long-day non-responsive ppd-H1 alleles and wild-type alleles at the short-day photoperiod response locus, PPD-H2. Winter varieties possessed winter alleles at both vernalization loci, in combination with the mutant ppd-H2 allele conferring delayed flowering under short-day photoperiods. In contrast, all alternative varieties investigated possessed a single spring allele (either at VRN-H1 or at VRN-H2) combined with mutant ppd-H2 alleles. This allelic combination is found only in alternative types and is diagnostic for alternative SGH in the collection studied. Analysis of flowering time under controlled environment found alternative varieties flowered later than spring control lines, with the difference most pronounced under short-day photoperiods. This work provides genetic characterization of the alternative SGH phenotype, allowing precise manipulation of SGH and flowering time within breeding programmes, and provides the molecular tools for classification of all three SGH categories within national variety registration processes

Psychometric Properties of the Altarum Consumer Engagement (ACE) Measure of Activation in Patients with Prediabetes.

BackgroundPatient activation is associated with better outcomes in chronic conditions.ObjectiveWe evaluated the psychometric properties of the 12-item Altarum Consumer Engagement™ Measure (ACE-12) in patients with prediabetes.ParticipantsACE-12 was administered to patients in the Prediabetes Informed Decisions and Education Study.Main measuresWe conducted an exploratory factor analysis followed by confirmatory factor analytic models. We evaluated item response categories using item characteristic curves. Construct validity was assessed by examining correlations of the ACE-12 scales with education, depressive symptoms, self-rated health, hemoglobin A1c, body mass index, and weight loss.Key resultsParticipants (n = 515) had a median age of 58; 56% were female; 17% Hispanic; 54% were non-White. The scree plot and Tucker and Lewis reliability coefficient (0.95) suggested three factors similar to the original scales. One item loaded on the navigation rather than the informed choice scale. Ordinal alpha coefficients for the original scales were commitment (0.75); informed choice (0.71); and navigation (0.54). ICCs indicated that one or more of the response categories for 5 of the 12 items were never most likely to be selected. Patients with lower education were less activated on the commitment (r = - 0.124, p = 0.004), choice (r = - 0.085, p = 0.009), and overall score (r = - 0.042, p = 0.011). Patients with depressive symptoms had lower commitment (r = - 0.313, p ≤ 0.001) and overall scores (r = - 0.172, p = 0.012). Patients with poorer health scored lower on the Commitment (r = - 0.308, p ≤ 0.001), Navigation (r = - 0.137, p ≤ 0.001), and overall score (r = - 0.279, p ≤ 0.001).ConclusionThe analyses provide some support for the psychometric properties of the ACE-12 in prediabetic patients. Future research evaluating this tool among patients with other chronic conditions are needed to determine whether Q1 (I spend a lot of time learning about health) should remain in the informed choice or be included in the navigation scale. Additional items may be needed to yield acceptable reliability for the navigation scale

Trans-Gulf of Mexico loop migration of tree swallows revealed by solar geolocation

One of the greatest feats of avian migration is the non-stop crossing of extensive areas of inhospitable habitat such as deserts and seas. Differences in spring and autumn migration routes have been reported in species that cross such barriers, and are thought to have evolved in response to seasonal variation in prevailing wind direction. We tested the hypothesis that migration routes vary seasonally with respect to the Gulf of Mexico in the tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor using solar geolocators attached and retrieved at 4 breeding sites in central North America. We found that 100 % of birds (n = 10) made a trans-Gulf flight of \u3e850 km from Louisiana south to their wintering grounds in the Yucatan Peninsula in 12–36 hours, achieving minimum ground speeds as high as 32 m/s. Although most days during autumn migration were characterized by unfavorable headwinds blowing to the northwest, migration over the Gulf mostly occurred on days with strong winds blowing to the south. In contrast, in 8 of 9 (88 %) birds on spring migration returned from the wintering grounds towards Louisiana following a clockwise loop pat tern flying over land to the west around the Gulf. During this spring period there were few days with prevailing winds from the south to assist northward migration. Results suggest that, despite being up to three times further (ca. 2,700 km), a coastal cir- cum-Gulf spring migration represents the less risky route when wind conditions are not favorable. These findings also help to re solve a long-standing dispute in the literature concerning migration patterns between the US Gulf coast and Mexico, and provide insight into the factors shaping migration strategies of small songbirds migrating across large bodies of water

Philanthropic Freedom: A Pilot Study

This pilot study, carried out over the last two years, set out to measure a country’s philanthropic freedom or ease of giving. We identified, measured, and compared countries on their incentives and barriers to philanthropic activity, particularly those that are readily amenable to policy changes. Philanthropic freedom in this study refers to the ability of individuals and organizations (both profit and nonprofit) to donate time and money to social causes. Broadly, this study assesses the policies that lead to an environment where philanthropy thrives or, on the other hand, where it is inhibited

Infrared-Faint Radio Sources: A New Population of High-redshift Radio Galaxies

We present a sample of 1317 Infrared-Faint Radio Sources (IFRSs) that, for the first time, are reliably detected in the infrared, generated by cross-correlating the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) all-sky survey with major radio surveys. Our IFRSs are brighter in both radio and infrared than the first generation IFRSs that were undetected in the infrared by the Spitzer Space Telescope. We present the first spectroscopic redshifts of IFRSs, and find that all but one of the IFRSs with spectroscopy has z > 2. We also report the first X-ray counterparts of IFRSs, and present an analysis of radio spectra and polarization, and show that they include Gigahertz-Peaked Spectrum, Compact Steep Spectrum, and Ultra-Steep Spectrum sources. These results, together with their WISE infrared colours and radio morphologies, imply that our sample of IFRSs represents a population of radio-loud Active Galactic Nuclei at z > 2. We conclude that our sample consists of lower-redshift counterparts of the extreme first generation IFRSs, suggesting that the fainter IFRSs are at even higher redshift.Comment: 23 pages, 17 figures. Submitted to MNRA

The Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances 2013

The 2013 Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances breaks new ground by measuring and analyzing the financial flows of emerging economies to the developing world, including philanthropy, remittances, government aid, and private investment. This year’s Index, sponsored by the International Development Research Centre in Ottawa, Canada, is the first attempt to systematically capture this information. The research will add to the ongoing work of the Center for Global Prosperity (CGP) at Hudson Institute. Over the last decade, CGP has demonstrated how the landscape of international development has changed. Of the total financial flows The Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances 2013 from developed to developing countries, over 80 percent are private. Government aid, at less than 20 percent, is now a minority shareholder, the opposite of 40 years ago

The Index of Global Philanthropy 2008

Provides an annual update on the sources and scope of U.S. and international private giving to the developing world. Highlights trends in government aid, private philanthropy and investment, public-private partnerships, and social entrepreneurship

The Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances 2010

Philanthropy to the developing world remained steady in 2008 and remittances continued to grow—despite the global recession and dire forecasts—providing a much needed lifeline to poor people throughout the world. And they were more resilient to the downturn than private capital flows to developing countries, which fell dramatically in 2008. Despite this, private flows still accounted for three-quarters of the developed world’s economic dealings with developing countries in 2008, proving that this innovative, diverse new foreign aid architecture is here to stay in good times and in bad