Using population sample survey data, this study shows bike-sharing boosts household consumption by up to 6.8% and dining by 4.9%, as a catalyst for local development. The positive externalities are driven by reduced commuting time, increased leisure, and lower rental costs.

Kyoto, Japan -- Sea cucumbers spend their lives prowling the ocean floor, scavenging for food and generally minding their own business. We can see snails leading similar lives, slimy but not bothering anyone.

Yet some species of tiny sea snails are a bother: they are common parasites of sea cucumbers. Extensive taxonomic research has been conducted on these host-parasite interactions in Japan, where sea cucumbers are a seafood delicacy -- for humans.

Despite these previous studies, however, local species richness still contains some unknowns. Parasites of the sea cucumber species Holothuria atra have been thoroughly investigated, but those of Holothuria leucospilota have not. This is likely because this latter species discharges Cuvierian tubules as a defense mechanism when stressed, making them difficult to dissect.