bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Simple Analytical Model for Reactive Particle Ignition in Explosives
Authors: Tanguay Vincent , Higgins Andrew J. , Zhang Fan
Published: October 2007

A simple analytical model is developed to predict ignition of magnesium particles in nitromethane detonation products. The flow field is simplified by considering the detonation products as a perfect gas expanding in a vacuum in a planar geometry. This simplification allows the flow field to be solved analytically. A single particle is then introduced in this flow field. Its trajectory and heating history are computed. It is found that most of the particle heating occurs in the Taylor wave and in the quiescent flow region behind it, shortly after which the particle cools. By considering only these regions, thereby considerably simplifying the problem, the flow field can be solved analytically with a more realistic equation of state (such as JWL) and a spherical geometry. The model is used to compute the minimum charge diameter for particle ignition to occur. It is found that the critical charge diameter for particle ignition increases with particle size. These results are compared to experimental data and show good agreement.
Quality Evaluation of RDX Crystalline Particles by Confined Quasi‐Static Compression Method
Authors: Ming Li , Ming Huang , Bin Kang , Maoping Wen , Hongzhen Li , Rong Xu
Published: October 2007

A confined, quasi‐static uniaxial compression method, named as the compressive stiffness test (CST), is promoted to evaluate the quality of different RDX crystalline particles which are obtained from commercial and reprocessed lots. This method is based on the fact that the fragmentation or fracture behavior in the compression process could be correlated to the external/internal defects of targeted crystalline particles. The quality difference between the commonly used RDX and reprocessed RDX can be easily discriminated by compaction curves and the defined initial secant modulus can be used as a quantitative parameter to grade RDX particles. The results show that the RDX recrystallized from mixed solvents and spheroidized by treatment with solvent is of much higher quality than the commonly used RDX, and the particle size as well as external characteristics exert limited effects on the compaction curves, but the key factor is internal defects, which affect the coherence strength of RDX crystalline particles. Qualitative optical image analysis and quantitative particle apparent density measurements by liquid density gradient tubes also give consistent results with those from the CST.
Effects of Organic Sulfur and Phosphor Compounds Used as Antioxidants on the Thermal Behavior of Nitrocellulose and its Decomposition Mechanism
Authors: Katoh Katsumi , Yoshino Satoru , Kubota Shiro , Wada Yuji , Ogata Yuji , Nakahama Masaru , Kawaguchi Shuhei , Arai Mitsuru
Published: October 2007

The effects of 3‐dodecylsulfanyl‐propionic acid 3‐(3‐dodecylsulfanyl‐propionyloxy)‐2,2‐bis‐(3‐dodecylsulfanyl‐propionyl‐oxymethyl)‐propyl ester (SO), 3,9‐bis‐octadecyloxy‐2,4,8,10‐tetraoxa‐3,9‐diphospha‐spiro[5,5]undecane (POf), and 3,9‐bis‐(2,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐methyl‐phenoxy)‐2,4,8,10‐tetraoxa‐3,9‐diphospha‐spiro[5,5]undecane (POp), which are used as antioxidants for polymers, on the degradation of nitrocellulose (NC) were investigated under isothermal storage conditions at 393 K with a microcalorimeter. The result indicated that SO/NC and POf/NC accelerated the heat release when compared with NC without an antioxidant, whereas the heat release behavior of NC/POp was similar to that of NC without an antioxidant. In the case of SO/NC and POf/NC, the heat release was observed in the presence of O2, whereas it was not observed in a N2 atmosphere. The SO$\rm{ {_{4}^{2-}}}$ content in SO/NC and PO$\rm{ {_{4}^{3-}}}$ content in POf/NC increased with the storage time. According to this behavior, it can be explained that sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid, which originates from SO or POf, accelerates the autoxidation of NC.
Influence of Ammonium Nitrate Prills' Properties on Detonation Velocity of ANFO
Authors: Zygmunt Bogdan , Buczkowski Daniel
Published: October 2007

Prilled/granulated ammonium nitrate is commonly used as a fertilizer and a basic ingredient of industrial explosives, especially of ANFO. One of the most important factors that affect the explosive properties of ANFO is the porosity of the prills/granules. This paper describes an attempt to manufacture ammonium nitrate prills of determined porosity in order to investigate its influence on the ANFO detonation velocity. A method of manufacturing porous ammonium nitrate prills with a high‐level of oil absorption (up to 20% by volume) was developed. The relations between porosity and granulometric distribution of ammonium nitrate prills versus the detonation velocity of ANFO were examined. It has been proved that the detonation velocity of ANFO increases significantly with higher porosity and smaller size of ammonium nitrate prills/granules. The influence of ANFO oxygen balance (researched by changing the content of fuel oil in the mixture) on detonation velocity has been determined for two kinds of ammonium nitrate prills–one with a low and another one with a high level of porosity.
Evaluation of the Acute Toxicity and Genotoxicity of Orange, Red, Violet and Yellow Pyrotechnic Smokes In Vitro
Authors: Hemmilä Matti , Hihkiö Maija , Linnainmaa Kaija
Published: October 2007

The acute toxicity and the genotoxicity of four colored smokes were studied by an in vitro method based on the exposure of human bronchial epithelial cell cultures to the smokes. All smoke formulations consisted of the oxidizer fuel mixture (potassium chlorate/lactose), talcum and the following dyes: 1,4‐dihydroxy anthraquinone (orange), 1‐(p‐tolylamino)‐4‐hydroxy anthraquinone (violet), 1‐methylamino anthraquinone (red) and 4,4′‐methylidyne‐bis‐3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐2‐pyrazolin‐5‐one (yellow). The experiments were carried out in a laboratory scale chamber and in a large container. The toxicity was compared to that of hexachloroethane (HC)‐based reference smoke with known toxicity. All the colored smokes displayed acute toxicity. The order of toxicity in the laboratory scale tests was orange>violet≈red>HC>yellow and in the container tests orange>violet≈yellow>red. The orange smoke appeared genotoxic in all the tests. With the yellow and the violet smokes, the genotoxicity could not be totally excluded. The red smoke showed evidence of weak genotoxicity only in one test series at the highest concentration level.
Pyrotechnic Countermeasures. III: The Influence of Oxygen Balance of an Aromatic Fuel on the Color Ratio of Spectral Flare Compositions
Authors: Koch Ernst‐Christian
Published: October 2007

The influence of the oxygen balance, Λ, of an anthracene‐type aromatic fuel in flare compositions on the spectral color ratio, that is the ratio of radiation emitted in band A (λ=1.8–2.5 μm) versus radiation emitted in band B (λ=3.5–4.8 μm), is investigated. Eight compositions based on potassium perchlorate, polychloroprene binder and either of the following fuels, anthracene, C14H10(1), anthracene‐d10, C14D10(2), phenanthrene C14H10(3), anthrone, C14H10O (4), anthraquinone, C14H8O2(5), 1‐aminoanthraquinone, C14H9NO2(6), 1,5‐dihydroxyanthraquinone, C14H8O4(7) and 1,5‐dinitroanthraquinone, C14H6N2O6(8) were prepared and radiometrically investigated.
Identification of a minimal adequate model to describe the biomass dynamics of river epilithon
Authors: Boulêtreau Stéphanie , Izagirre Oihana , Garabétian Frédéric , Sauvage Sabine , Elosegi Arturo , Sánchez‐Pérez José‐Miguel
Published: October 2007

The present study sought to identify a minimal adequate model to describe the biomass dynamics of river epilithon, a functional indicator of river health. Identification of minimal adequate models is particularly necessary in river management, given the reduced number of variables authorities are willing to measure routinely. A model previously developed for epilithon dynamics in a pre‐alpine river was applied to epilithon biomasses recorded in contrasting hydrological, trophic and light conditions at various sites in the Agüera stream (Spain) over 3 years (11 case studies). A model selection tool, the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), was used to determine the optimal combination of parameters. In nine of 11 case studies, the best model described epilithon biomass dynamics as the equilibrium between phototrophic growth and discharge‐dependent loss and ignored light, temperature and nutrient influences. The best adequate minimal model i.e. the model that is the best trade‐off between goodness‐of‐fit and model simplicity performed best, in years in which clearly contrasting short low and high water periods occurred. During years with less marked hydrodynamics, many other abiotic or biotic processes influenced epilithon biomass dynamics. In these cases, weaker goodness‐of‐fit had to be accepted to avoid excessively increasing model complexity. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of a nonsusceptible fraction with current status data
Authors: Cook Richard J. , White Bethany J. G. , Yi Grace Y. , Lee Ker‐Ai , Warkentin Theodore E.
Published: October 2007

In studies involving subclinical events, times of events are often subject to interval censoring since their occurrence is only detected at inspection times. When individuals are event‐free at an initial time and a single follow‐up inspection is made, current status data are obtained. In many settings, however, the population comprised a susceptible and a nonsusceptible subpopulation, where only susceptible individuals will go on to experience the event. Then interest often lies primarily in identifying prognostic variables for susceptibility, and secondarily in the event time distribution among the susceptible individuals. We give a simple mixture model that facilitates estimation of the proportion of susceptible individuals, covariate effects on the odds of susceptibility, and the event time distribution under a current status observation scheme. Asymptotic relative efficiency of maximum likelihood estimators is considered based on the Fisher information for a variety of settings. EM algorithms are proposed for parametric, weakly parametric, and nonparametric estimation of the event time distribution. The methods are applied to motivating studies examining an immunological response to low molecular weight heparin in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of dropout on the efficiency ofD‐optimal designs of linear mixed models
Authors: Ortega‐Azurduy S. A. , Tan F. E. S. , Berger M. P. F.
Published: October 2007

Dropout is often encountered in longitudinal data. Optimal designs will usually not remain optimal in the presence of dropout. In this paper, we studyD‐optimal designs for linear mixed models where dropout is encountered. Moreover, we estimate the efficiency loss in cases where aD‐optimal design for complete data is chosen instead of that for data with dropout. Two types of monotonically decreasing response probability functions are investigated to describe dropout. Our results show that the location ofD‐optimal design points for the dropout case will shift with respect to that for the complete and uncorrelated data case. Owing to this shift, the information collected at theD‐optimal design points for the complete data case does not correspond to the smallest variance. We show that the size of the displacement of the time points depends on the linear mixed model and that the efficiency loss is moderate. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nanoplatforms for Targeted Molecular Imaging in Living Subjects
Authors: Cai Weibo , Chen Xiaoyuan
Published: October 2007

Molecular or personalized medicine is the future of patient management and molecular imaging plays a key role towards this goal. Recently, nanoplatform‐based molecular imaging has emerged as an interdisciplinary field, which involves chemistry, engineering, biology, and medicine. Possessing unprecedented potential for early detection, accurate diagnosis, and personalized treatment of diseases, nanoplatforms have been employed in every single biomedical imaging modality, namely, optical imaging, computed tomography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, single‐photon‐emission computed tomography, and positron emission tomography. Multifunctionality is the key advantage of nanoplatforms over traditional approaches. Targeting ligands, imaging labels, therapeutic drugs, and many other agents can all be integrated into the nanoplatform to allow for targeted molecular imaging and molecular therapy by encompassing many biological and biophysical barriers. In this Review, we will summarize the current state‐of‐the‐art of nanoplatforms for targeted molecular imaging in living subjects.
Contribution of morphological assessment of the vessel tree by three‐dimensional ultrasound to a correct diagnosis of malignancy in ovarian masses
Authors: Sladkevicius P. , Jokubkiene L. , Valentin L.
Published: October 2007

Objective

To determine whether subjective evaluation of the morphology of the vessel tree of ovarian tumors, as depicted by three‐dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound, can discriminate between benign and malignant ovarian tumors, and whether it improves characterization compared with using gray‐scale ultrasound imaging alone.

Methods

A consecutive series of 104 women scheduled for surgical removal of an ovarian mass were examined with transvaginal two‐dimensional (2D) gray‐scale and 3D power Doppler ultrasound. Predetermined vessel characteristics, e.g. density of vessels, branching, caliber changes and tortuosity, were evaluated in 360° rotating 3D images of the vessel tree of the tumor. Ultrasound results were compared with those of the histology of the surgical specimens. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used.

Results

There were 77 benign tumors, six borderline tumors and 21 invasive malignancies. All vascular features differed significantly between benign and malignant tumors. The areas under their receiver–operating characteristics (ROC) curves (AUCs) were in the range 0.61–0.83. The AUC of a logistic regression model containing three gray‐scale ultrasound variables was 0.98. This model correctly classified all malignancies, with a false‐positive rate of 10% (8/77). Adding branching of vessels in the whole tumor to the gray‐scale model yielded an AUC of 0.99 and resulted in all malignancies and an additional four benign tumors being correctly classified.

Conclusions

Subjective evaluation of the morphology of the vessel tree, as depicted by 3D power Doppler ultrasound, can be used to discriminate between benign and malignant ovarian tumors, but adds little to gray‐scale ultrasound imaging in an ordinary population of tumors. Copyright © 2007 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Living at Risk: Concealing Risk and Preserving Hope in Huntington Disease
Authors: Quaid Kimberly A. , Sims Sharon L. , Swenson Melinda M. , Harrison Joan M. , Moskowitz Carol , Stepanov Nonna , Suter Gregory W. , Westphal Beryl J.
Published: October 2007

Much of the qualitative research on Huntington disease has focused on the genetic testing aspects of HD. The overall purpose of this qualitative study was to gather information about the everyday experience of living with the risk of developing Huntington disease in a sample of individuals at risk for HD who have chosen not to pursue genetic testing. Data for this article was obtained from unstructured, open‐ended qualitative interviews of a sample of people participating in the PHAROS study. PHAROS, the Prospective Huntington At‐Risk Observational Study, is a multi‐site study that aims to establish whether experienced clinicians can reliably determine the earliest clinical symptoms of Huntington disease in individuals at 50% risk for HD who have chosen not to undergo genetic testing. Interviews were conducted at six PHAROS research sites across the United States. In this paper, the research team used qualitative description to construct and explore two main themes: (1) careful concealment of risk as an act of self‐preservation and (2) preserving hope.
Assessing Glycinin (11S) and β‐Conglycinin (7S) Fractions of Soybean Storage Protein by Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Delwiche Stephen R. , Pordesimo Lester O. , Panthee Dilip R. , Pantalone Vincent R.
Published: October 2007

Soybean breeding programs underway today are addressing the goal of improving the protein profile to benefit the human diet as well as that of livestock. Glycinin, a globulin storage protein of the meal and designated as the 11S size fraction by ultracentrifugation, is desirable because of its relative abundance of sulfur‐containing amino acids, such as methionine and cysteine. The current study examined the feasibility of near‐infrared (NIR) measurement of glycinin and the other prevalent protein fraction, β‐conglycinin (7S size fraction), as well as the electrophoretically separable sub fractions that comprise these two components. From a population of 101 F6‐derived recombinant inbred lines in a field replicated trial, single whole soybeans were scanned in transmittance (800–1,798 nm, 24 beans/sample × 197 samples total). Additional scanning of the ground meal was performed in reflectance (1,100–2,498 nm). Partial least squares (PLS) calibrations were developed, using the 24‐bean average log(1/T) spectrum for each sample, as well as the average spectrum from duplicate packs of log(1/R) spectra of the meal. The results indicate that NIR prediction of 11S and 7S, as well as the sub fractions thereof, is at best limited to screening purposes in soybean breeding programs for probable reasons of an inherent lack of spectral specificity of the protein fractions and a non‐constant proportion of soluble‐to‐total protein.
Zahnanomalien bei Genodermatosen
Authors: Happle R.
Published: October 2007

Sowohl Haare, Nägel und Schweißdrüsen als auch die Zähne stellen ektodermale Anhangsgebilde dar. So ist es verständlich, warum Mutationen in Genen, welche die Embryogenese steuern, oft gleichzeitig die Haut und die Zähne in Mitleidenschaft ziehen. Autosomal dominante kutaneodentale Syndrome sind tuberöse Sklerose, tricho-dento-ossäres Syndrom, AEC-Syndrom, EEC-Syndrom, onychodentales Syndrom Typ Witkop, Amelogenesis imperfecta mit distaler Onycholyse und Böök-Syndrom. Autosomal rezessive Genodermatosen mit Zahndefekten sind Papillon-Lefèvre-Syndrom, GAPO-Syndrom, Steijlen-Syndrom und junktionale Epidermolysis bullosa. X-gebundene männlich-letale Syndrome mit Haut- und Zahnsymptomatik sind Incontinentia pigmenti, Goltz-Syndrom und OFD1-Syndrom. Unter den X-gebundenen nichtletalen Phänotypen ist das Christ-Siemens-Touraine-Syndrom wohlbekannt, während die ektodermale Dysplasie Typ Zonana eine erst kürzlich beschriebene Krankheitsentität, verursacht durch „hypomorphe“ Mutationen im NEMO-Gen, darstellt. Da auch diese Krankheit mit einer ausgeprägten Hypohidrose einhergeht, taugt die Bezeichnung „X-chromosomale hypohidrotische ektodermale Dysplasie“ heute nicht mehr zur Kennzeichnung des Christ-Siemens-Touraine-Syndroms.
Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) improves insulin sensitivity by increasing skeletal muscle insulin-stimulated IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation in high-fat-fed rats
Authors: Sridhar M. G. , Vinayagamoorthi R. , Arul Suyambunathan V. , Bobby Z. , Selvaraj N.
Published: October 2007

The aim of this present study was to investigate the effect of bitter gourd extract on insulin sensitivity and proximal insulin signalling pathways in high-fat-fed rats. High-fat feeding of male Wistar rats for 10 weeks decreased the glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity compared to chow-fed control rats. Bitter gourd extract supplementation for 2 weeks (9th and 10th) of high-fat feeding improved the glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. In addition bitter gourd extract reduced the fasting insulin (43 (se4·4)v. 23 (se5·2) μU/ml,P < 0·05), TAG (134 (se12)v. 96 (se5·5) mg/dl,P < 0·05), cholesterol (97 (se6·3)v. 72 (se5·2) mg/dl,P < 0·05) and epidydimal fat (4·8 (se0·29)v. 3·6 (se0·24) g,P < 0·05), which were increased by high-fat diet (HFD). High-fat feeding and bitter gourd supplementation did not have any effect on skeletal muscle insulin receptor, insulin receptor subtrate-1 (IRS-1) and insulin- stimulated insulin receptor tyrosine phosphorylation compared to chow-fed control rats. However high-fat feeding for 10 weeks reduced the insulin-stimulated IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation compared to control rats. Bitter gourd supplementation together with HFD for 2 weeks improved the insulin-stimulated IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation compared to rats fed with HFD alone. Our results show that bitter gourd extract improves insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance and insulin signalling in HFD-induced insulin resistance. Identification of potential mechanism(s) by which bitter gourd improves insulin sensitivity and insulin signalling in high-fat-fed rats may open new therapeutic targets for the treatment of obesity/dyslipidemia-induced insulin resistance.
Human-caused and natural mortality of giant tortoises in the Galapagos Islands during 1995-2004
Authors: Márquez Cruz , Wiedenfeld David A. , Landázuri Sandra , Chávez Juan
Published: October 2007

Although the killing of giant tortoises in the Galapagos Islands has been prohibited since 1933, poaching of tortoises still occurs. Personnel of the Galapagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Research Station regularly survey populations of tortoises throughout the archipelago and report all dead tortoises found. For the 10-year period 1995–2004 the field personnel reported evidence of 190 giant tortoises killed, primarily on the southern portion of Isabela Island. For the first 6 years the number of tortoises found killed was <15 per year, but since 2001 the number killed has increased dramatically, with 49 tortoises poached in 2004. During the same 10 years the number of tortoises found dead from natural causes was 131. Many of these deaths can be attributed to events associated with the 1997–1998 El Niño or with outbreaks of disease on Santa Cruz Island in 1996 and 1999. The results indicate that poaching exceeds natural mortality, and is a significant factor affecting these long-lived and slow-reproducing animals. Environmental education efforts in the human population of southern Isabela appear to have had little effect. Because tortoise poaching takes place at a small number of sites, effective enforcement at those sites could reduce killing of tortoises.
The conservation status of West Indian palms (Arecaceae)
Authors: Zona Scott , Verdecia Raúl , Leiva Sánchez Angela , Lewis Carl E. , Maunder Mike
Published: October 2007

The conservation status of 134 species, subspecies and varieties of West Indian palms (Arecaceae) is assessed and reviewed, based on field studies and current literature. We find that 90% of the palm taxa of the West Indies are endemic. Using the IUCN Red List categories one species is categorized as Extinct, 11 taxa as Critically Endangered, 19 as Endangered, and 21 as Vulnerable. Fifty-seven taxa are classified as Least Concern. Twenty-five taxa are Data Deficient, an indication that additional field studies are urgently needed. The 11 Critically Endangered taxa warrant immediate conservation action; some are currently the subject of ex situ and in situ conservation projects in the region’s botanical gardens. We recommend that preliminary conservation assessments be made of the 25 Data Deficient taxa so that conservation measures can be implemented for those facing imminent threats.
Geographic distribution and conservation status of the bay catCatopuma badia, a Bornean endemic
Authors: Mohd-Azlan J. , Sanderson Jim
Published: October 2007

Despite being one of the rarest felids in the world the Endangered Bornean bay catCatopuma badiahas received little conservation attention. Most information consists of historical records, morphological descriptions, and anecdotes from various sources. During 2003–2006 we undertook surveys using camera trapping, interviews and field observations, to determine the species’ distribution and document any threats to its persistence. We also examined museum specimens and completed a thorough literature review, collecting 15 additional geographic records throughout Borneo. Our results show that opportunistic hunting and land use changes are the main threats to the bay cat, and we make recommendations for its conservation.
Reintroduction of rifleman Acanthisitta chloris to Ulva Island, New Zealand: evaluation of techniques and population persistence
Authors: Leech Tara J. , Craig Emma , Beaven Brent , Mitchell David K. , Seddon Philip J.
Published: October 2007

Rifleman, or titipounamu Acanthisitta chloris, is New Zealand’s smallest endemic passerine. The species has a fragmented distribution and is threatened in the Rakiura region in the south of the South Island. The only known population of South Island rifleman A. c. chloris in the Rakiura region persisted on Codfish Island/Whenua Hou. To create a second population of rifleman in Rakiura, 30 caught from Codfish Island were reintroduced onto nearby Ulva Island in February 2003, the first translocation of rifleman. Survival and dispersal were monitored for 1 month post-release, and subsequently during the first and second breeding seasons. Mortality was greatest during holding and transfer, with low to moderate post-release mortality. All founding pairs bred in the first breeding season, and both founders and offspring bred in the second season. Dispersal across the island was greater for offspring. A simple deterministic matrix model indicated positive annual population growth (λ = 1.33), and low risk of short-term extinction. Holding/transfer techniques should be improved for future reintroductions, and longer-term monitoring should be undertaken for a more accurate assessment of vital rates. Based on the survival of founding birds, reproduction by the release generation and their offspring, and high probability of population persistence, the rifleman reintroduction was considered to be successful and a good model for future reintroductions of small passerine birds.
Importance of dispersal for the expansion of a Eurasian lynxLynx lynxpopulation in a fragmented landscape
Authors: Zimmermann Fridolin , Breitenmoser-Würsten Christine , Breitenmoser Urs
Published: October 2007

Dispersal allows recolonization of previous areas of habitat following severe depression of a population but the significance of this is not clear in felids. There is little evidence to support the general belief that subadult felids will colonize new areas, although this is a crucial assumption in reintroduction or recovery projects. Eurasian lynxLynx lynxwere reintroduced into the Swiss Alps and have subsequently spread over part of their potential range but the expansion halted in the mid 1980s. We postulated that high lynx densities would lead to an expansion of the population, and to assess the potential of this population to expand we compared the dispersal characteristics of 22 subadults from the north-west Swiss Alps, where an increase in lynx abundance occurred from 1995 onwards, to 17 individuals from the Jura Mountains, an area with a lower lynx density. Dispersal data came mainly from radio-telemetry. Dispersal rates and distances for subadults that completed dispersal were lower in the north-west Swiss Alps than in the Jura Mountains. In general, subadults exhibited little ability to cross major barriers such as highways. The hypothesis that high density alone will foster the expansion of the population was therefore not confirmed. This has consequences for the reintroduction and recovery of carnivores in fragmented landscapes. To establish only one strong source population may not be an optimal strategy, and population nuclei should therefore be founded in several neighbouring patches.
Raptor declines in West Africa: comparisons between protected, buffer and cultivated areas
Authors: Thiollay Jean-Marc
Published: October 2007

Since 1970 there has been a dramatic decline of large raptors and terrestrial birds in West African savannahs. Comparative dry season transect counts over 4,697 km of driven transects were performed in 2004–2005 in south-eastern Burkina Faso to assess the abundance of 41 raptor species and large terrestrial species in four National Parks and surrounding hunting zones and cultivated areas. Population sizes were estimated for larger taxa in protected areas using distance sampling and nest searching. Most large vultures and eagles were generally found only in protected areas, with fewer individuals in the surrounding buffer zones and nearly none elsewhere. Conversely, the abundance of most of the smaller species was not different between protected and cultivated areas, and three species were more abundant in cultivated areas. Helmeted guineafowlNumida meleagris, Stanley’s bustardNeotis denhamiand Abyssinian ground hornbillBucorvus abyssinicuswere not found outside protected areas. Within the 1.4 million ha of protected areas in and around south-east Burkina Faso, six species of eagles and vultures have estimated populations ofc. 100–200 pairs, five speciesc. 50–100 pairs, five species have populations of <50 pairs, and the secretary birdSagittarius serpentariuswas not recorded. No specific reason for the collapse of large raptors in non-protected areas (which account for 99% of the area of the countries studied) has been identified, but the consequences of fast human population growth and habitat changes, overhunting, disturbances and poisoning may have played a critical role. Updating information on the conservation status of these species would be an important first step towards their long-term conservation.
Geographical patterns of threat among pigeons and doves (Columbidae)
Authors: Walker Jonathan S.
Published: October 2007

Columbidae (pigeons and doves) is one of the most threatened bird families in the world. I analysed data on the BirdLife International Species Information Database to examine the distribution and causes of threat among columbids. Of 304 species extant in the wild, 59 (19%) are threatened with extinction, 48 (83%) of which have restricted ranges. All but two threatened columbid species (97%) inhabit tropical forests, and of these, 45 are island species (78% of all threatened columbid species). The taxonomic distribution of columbids follows three coherent areas: the Americas; Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia; Asia, Australasia and Oceania. Asia, Australasia and Oceania support nearly two-thirds of all extant species and three-quarters of threatened species (44), most of which (84%) are restricted range insular species. Three countries within this area are the most important for the conservation of columbid diversity: Indonesia, the Philippines and French Polynesia. Together these three countries support 40% of extant species and half of all threatened species. The greatest causes of threat to columbids are (1) habitat loss and fragmentation due to agriculture and extraction, (2) hunting for food, and (3) alien predator species. Habitat loss and fragmentation are universal threats to columbids. Hunting, however, is a significantly greater threat to species in Asia, Australasia and Oceania than to species in the other two areas and urgently needs to be addressed. I discuss the conservation implications of these findings and make research recommendations to aid and encourage the conservation of threatened columbids and their habitats.
Human disturbance affects habitat use and behaviour of Asiatic leopardPanthera pardusin Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand
Authors: Ngoprasert Dusit , Lynam Antony J. , Gale George A.
Published: October 2007

Edge effects arising from road construction and other development in protected areas can negatively affect the behaviour of wildlife, particularly large carnivores. The Asiatic leopardPanthera pardusis a large carnivore that may be sensitive to edge effects. Camera trapping was used to assess the influence of human disturbance along forest edges on leopard behaviour and habitat use in a 104 km2area of Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand. A minimum of four male and two female leopards was recorded in the study area. A Park access road bisecting the study area was not a barrier to leopard movement but movements and activity were affected by human traffic inside the Park. A regression model showed that leopard habitat use increased with distance from human settlements at the forest edge. As in other parts of its range, leopards at Kaeng Krachan National Park tended to show less diurnal activity in areas more heavily used by people compared to areas less used. As is the case with tigers, such responses may pose a threat to leopard population persistence but more research is needed to determine the demographic implications of edge effects for Asiatic leopards and other large tropical carnivores, and the appropriate mitigation strategies required.
Becoming unsustainable? Recent trends in the formal sector of insect trading in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Small Rob D.S.
Published: October 2007

Rising international demand from collectors for the insects of Papua New Guinea, in particular the endemic birdwing butterflies (Ornithoptera spp.), has been met since 1978 by the government sponsored Insect Farming and Trading Agency (IFTA). Institutions such as IFTA have the potential to satisfy markets through legitimate trading, boost local livelihoods and thus provide conservation incentives, and satisfy CITES criteria. Until the onset in Papua New Guinea of large-scale logging and mining in the 1990s, and a crisis of governance, IFTA was widely regarded as a conservation and development success. However, analysis of its trading records for 1995-2002 suggests that this agency is now struggling to sustain payments to village-based insect ranchers and collectors. This failure, combined with the limited number of ranchers and collectors and their restricted geographical spread, casts some doubt on this model of sustainable conservation.
The best of all possible worlds: The Eldorado episode in Leonard Bernstein’s Candide
Authors: CRIST ELIZABETH B.
Published: October 2007

In January 1954 Leonard Bernstein began work with Lillian Hellman on a musical version of Voltaire’s Candide. A first draft of the show was complete by the end of the year but was subsequently revised with new lyricist Richard Wilbur, eventually opening for previews in October 1956 and on Broadway that December. From the beginning, Candide was intended as political satire. Both Bernstein and Hellman leaned to the left politically and were embroiled in McCarthyism during the early years of the Cold War; Candide was their indictment of ‘puritanical snobbery, phony moralism, inquisitorial attacks on the individual, brave-new-world optimism, [and] essential superiority’, as Bernstein himself explained. Voltaire’s critique of Enlightenment optimism is here deployed against the ideological certainties of Eisenhower’s America. Yet the letters, scripts and scores that document the genesis of Candide indicate that playwright and composer struggled with its meanings and, even more, with their own intent. Of particular interest as a site of that struggle is the Eldorado episode, a passage of central yet ambiguous significance in Voltaire’s conte. Although Hellman and Bernstein may have first been attracted to Candide for its political potential, changes to the Eldorado episode, involving a complete reworking of the second act, shifted the focus of Candide away from satirical critique and towards a romantic plot more typical of the Broadway musical.
Food-based dietary guidelines and implementation: lessons from four countries – Chile, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa
Authors: Keller Ingrid , Lang Tim
Published: October 2007

Objective

Food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) are globally promoted as an important part of national food and nutrition policies. They are presented within policy as key features of the strategy to educate the public and guide policy-makers and other stakeholders about a healthy diet. This paper examines the implementation of FBDGs in four countries: Chile, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa – diverse countries chosen to explore the realities of the FBDG within policy on public health nutrition.

Design

A literature review was carried out, followed by interviews with representatives from the governmental, academic and private sector in all four countries.

Results

In all four countries the FBDG is mainly implemented via written/electronic information provided to the public through the health and/or education sector. Data about the impact of FBDGs on policy and consumers’ food choice or dietary habits are incomplete; nutrition surveys do not enable assessment of how effective FBDGs are as a factor in dietary or behavioural change. Despite limitations, FBDGs are seen as being valuable by key stakeholders.

Conclusion

FBDGs are being implemented and there is experience which should be built upon. The policy focus needs to move beyond merely disseminating FBDGs. They should be part of a wider public health nutrition strategy involving multiple sectors and policy levels. Improvements in the implementation of FBDGs are crucial given the present epidemic of chronic, non-communicable diseases.
School food in Mexican children
Authors: Lozada Michelle , Sánchez-Castillo Claudia P , Cabrera Georgina A , Mata Irma I , Pichardo-Ontiveros Edgar , Villa Antonio R , James W Philip T
Published: October 2007

Objective

To establish the school eating habits of Mexican children, who are prone to obesity and later to high rates of adult chronic diseases.

Design

Questionnaires for students and parents with staff questionnaires and interviews.

Setting

Randomly sampled schools in a socio-economically representative district of Mexico City.

Subjects

Subjects were 1504 adolescents aged 10–19 years attending schools in Mexico City, 27 teachers and seven headmasters, sampled from both public and private schools and from the full range of socio-economic groups.

Results

Foods brought from home were of a higher nutritional quality than those purchased at school, where purchases were dominated by crisps, soft drinks and other items with high energy density. Girls were more inclined to purchase inappropriately; those from poorer homes purchased less. Private-school students irrespective of socio-economic grade brought more food from home and purchased more expensive food at school. School policies allowed food and drink vendors to market any products within the schools, which benefited financially from these activities.

Conclusions

Current school food policies are conducive to amplifying the current epidemic of obesity and related adult chronic diseases, and need to change.
Prevalence of overweight and obesity among school-aged children in urban, rural and mountain areas of the Veneto Region, Italy
Authors: Bertoncello Chiara , Cazzaro Romina , Ferraresso Anna , Mazzer Roberto , Moretti Giorgio
Published: October 2007

Objective

To define the prevalence of overweight and obesity among school-aged children resident in mountain areas, rural areas and urban areas.

Design, setting and subjects

The sample (n= 12 832; 50.7% boys) included 9- and 11-year-old children of the Veneto Region of north-east Italy. Overweight and obesity status were determined using the International Obesity Task Force cut-off points for body mass index. The prevalence of overweight and obese subjects was calculated with a confidence interval of 95%. The Mantel–Haenszel method was used to compare the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity among children resident in mountain areas, rural areas and urban areas.

Results

Among boys the prevalence of overweight was 21.06%, while obesity prevalence was 5.92%; among girls overweight prevalence was 21.30%, while obesity prevalence was 5.15%. The prevalence was higher among 11-year-old boys (odds ratio (OR) = 1.19; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06–1.33) and 9-year-old girls (OR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.01–1.26). Children resident in rural areas presented a higher risk of overweight and obesity compared with children resident in mountain areas (Mantel–Haenszel OR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.13–1.42;χ2= 17.55;P< 0.0001) and in urban areas (Mantel–Haenszel OR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.07–1.31;χ2= 10.39;P< 0.001).

Conclusions

A relevant prevalence of overweight and obesity was found; the excess weight concerns one child in four. There are differences linked to different geographical areas that must be further investigated.
Public Opinion on Dimensions of Governance in East Asia: An Analysis of Citizen and Expert Evaluations
Authors: CARLSON MATTHEW
Published: October 2007

In recent years, institutional financial institutions such as the World Bank have taken a keen interest in the links between governance and economic development in East Asia and in other regions of the world. However, the concept of governance has proven difficult to measure in cross-national studies and its meaning in the minds of citizens and experts may differ noticeably. This article examines elite and mass perceptions of governance using the World Governance Indicators developed by scholars affiliated with the World Bank and survey data derived from the 2006 wave of the AsiaBarometer Survey conducted in seven ‘Confucian’ societies. The results of the analysis capture considerable variation at the country and individual levels for how citizens and experts perceive governance in this region of the world. In addition, a multivariate test uncovered some convergence between citizen and expert assessments but only for some of the various governance components.
Analyzing Secularization and Religiosity in Asia
Authors: REED STEVEN R.
Published: October 2007

Using the 2005 and 2006 AsiaBarometer surveys I analyze religiosity and secularization in Asia. I find that, in South Asia, identification with a particular religion is the norm and most people pray every day but, in East Asia, religious identification and religious practice are both much less common. Even in secular East Asia, however, the demand for religious services is high and belief in a spiritual world is common. I conclude that secularization does not necessarily produce uniformly secular societies. Turning to the causes and consequences of religiosity, I find surprisingly few significant relationships, results that echo similar analyses in Western Europe. I then discuss the implications of these non-findings.
Postmodern Values in Seven Confucian Societies: Political Consequences of Changing World Views
Authors: WANG ZHENGXU
Published: October 2007

Economic development and the social changes it brings are changing people's world views among the East Asia Confucian societies. Most notable is a change from stressing hard work and achievement toward stressing enjoyment, self expression, and a fulfilling lifestyle. With this people also have become more pro-equality and tolerant toward different ideas and styles. These newly emerged views of modernized societies can be called ‘postmodern’ values. People with stronger postmodern values are more active politically, more assertive in demanding individual and political rights, and more emphatic in their preference for democratic government. The implication is that people in East Asia will demand more democracy as economic development proceeds and as they acquire these postmodern values.
The Experiences of Cultural Globalizations in Asia-Pacific
Authors: HSIAO HSIN-HUANG MICHAEL , WAN PO-SAN
Published: October 2007

This paper explores the common and different cultural globalization experience of the public's everyday lifestyles in seven societies in Asia-Pacific, focusing on the following aspects: connectivity with the world through personal encounters and digital media, English language capacity, support for the forces of globalization, global thinking and concern, the Internet's influences on sociopolitical opinions, appreciation of international food, and national vs. transnational identity. An analysis of survey data is used to contrast public experience of global thinking, global exposure, global diet, and global feelings in two separate developmental states with higher and lower HDI measures in seven Asia-Pacific societies. We demonstrate that individual globalization manifested in everyday life should be understood under a comparative societal perspective as citizens' global experiences are not only a simple matter of personal choice, but are also more a reflection of complex societal conditions.
Macro-Political Origins of Micro-Political Differences: A Comparison of Eleven Societies in East and South Asia
Authors: INOGUCHI TAKASHI , KUMAR SANJAY , MIKAMI SATORU
Published: October 2007

This article examines the cross-level causal relationship between macro-political settings and micro-political attitudes in eleven Asian societies using the 2006 AsiaBarometer Survey (China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan) and the 2006 South Asian Survey (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka). After extracting the four underlying dimensions of political attitudes from the broadly comparable questions used in the two surveys, the study first detects national differences in terms of (1) citizens' attitudes toward political activities other than voting, (2) their commitment to a democratic system, (3) their political frustration, and (4) their confidence in their ability to govern themselves. Then, regression analysis examines the possibility that the micro-level variations in each of the four dimensions of political attitudes are related to the abundant macro-level variations found in these Asian countries. The results show that although the country-level predictors for citizens' attitudes toward direct political actions are common to both regions (ethno-linguistic fractionalization and the degree of institutionalization of preference articulation), factors influencing the variations in other dimensions are different. Specifically, the effects of political competitiveness and inclusiveness are more salient in South Asia than in East Asia.
Social Capital in East Asia: Comparative Political Culture in Confucian Societies
Authors: Inoguchi Takashi , Mikami Satoru , Fujii Seiji
Published: October 2007

This paper tests the hypotheses that the tide of globalization undermines or reinforces the traditional types of social capital. Using the 2006 AsiaBarometer Survey data and applying two-level logit regression analysis, this paper found that social capital related to sense of trust or human nature and interpersonal relations can be augmented by globalization, while social capital regarding familialism and mindfulness can be weakened.
The AsiaBarometer Survey Questionnaire of 2006
Authors: INOGUCHI TAKASHI
Published: October 2007

The AsiaBarometer Survey questionnaire of 2006 focuses on the daily lives of ordinary people in Asia. The idea behind this project is that without knowing at least some aspects of people's daily lives, it would be less productive to register the array of social scientist's concerns about their norms, values, identities, beliefs, and their relationships to societal and political action. Furthermore, in order to carry out any comparative and cross-national analysis in Asia, the questions must be able to be answered in the first place. Such topics as economic conditions, political institutions, and public policy do not constitute the core of their life. To ordinary people, matters of daily life are more important and easier to answer than those questions that the scientists are interested in. Asia is a region of full of diversity and is changing fast. There is no other region in the world that is more diverse and fast changing. By looking at the daily lives of ordinary people we are able to perceive and assess ordinary people's concerns, including in relationship to the larger social entities such as patriotism and confidence in government performance (Inoguchi, 2004).