bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A grape polyphenol extract modulates muscle membrane fatty acid composition and lipid metabolism in high-fat–high-sucrose diet-fed rats
Authors: Aoun Manar , Michel Francoise , Fouret Gilles , Schlernitzauer Audrey , Ollendorff Vincent , Wrutniak-Cabello Chantal , Cristol Jean-Paul , Carbonneau Marie-Annette , Coudray Charles , Feillet-Coudray Christine
Published: April 2011

Accumulation of muscle TAG content and modification of muscle phospholipid fatty acid pattern may have an impact on lipid metabolism, increasing the risk of developing diabetes. Some polyphenols have been reported to modulate lipid metabolism, in particular those issued from red grapes. The present study was designed to determine whether a grape polyphenol extract (PPE) modulates skeletal muscle TAG content and phospholipid fatty acid composition in high-fat–high-sucrose (HFHS) diet-fed rats. Muscle plasmalemmal and mitochondrial fatty acid transporters, GLUT4 and lipid metabolism pathways were also explored. The PPE decreased muscle TAG content in HFHS/PPE diet-fed rats compared with HFHS diet-fed rats and induced higher proportions ofn-3 PUFA in phospholipids. The PPE significantly up-regulated GLUT4 mRNA expression. Gene and protein expression of muscle fatty acid transporter cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) was increased in HFHS diet-fed rats but returned to control values in HFHS/PPE diet-fed rats. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 protein expression was decreased with the PPE. Mitochondrial β-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase was increased in HFHS diet-fed rats and returned to control values with PPE supplementation. Lipogenesis, mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial activity were not affected by the PPE. In conclusion, the PPE modulated membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition and decreased muscle TAG content in HFHS diet-fed rats. The PPE lowered CD36 gene and protein expression, probably decreasing fatty acid transport and lipid accumulation within skeletal muscle, and increased muscle GLUT4 expression. These effects of the PPE are in favour of a better insulin sensibility.
In silicoexploration of the mechanisms that underlie parasite-induced anorexia in sheep
Authors: Laurenson Yan C. S. M. , Bishop Stephen C. , Kyriazakis Ilias
Published: April 2011

A model was used to investigate two mechanisms describing reductions in food intake (anorexia) observed during gastrointestinal parasitism in lambs, and to explore relationships between anorexia and food composition. The mechanisms were either a reduction in intrinsic growth rate, leading to a consequent reduction in food intake (mechanism 1; M1), or a direct reduction in food intake (mechanism 2; M2). For both mechanisms, lambs growing from 2 to 6 months of age were modelled, with one of three levels of trickle challenge withTeladorsagia circumcincta. Scenarios were simulated for feeds varying in either protein or energy content, or both. Major differences were found between the predictions resulting from M1 and M2 on low-energy foods that constrained the intake of uninfected lambs through bulk. With M1, food intake was governed by the first operating constraint, whereas with M2 an additivity of constraints was observed. On the other foods, the duration of anorexia increased with increasing energy content of feed for M1, whilst the duration of anorexia decreased with increasing protein content of feed for M2.For foods that did not have an impact upon lambs' gastrointestinal tract capacity, published data were consistent with predictions of M2. Due to an absence of experimental data, no conclusions could be drawn for relationships between anorexia and food composition in the presence of other limiting constraints, such as bulk for low-energy foods. In conclusion, available experimental data and model predictions were consistent with anorexia having an impact directly on food intake, and with impacts of anorexia increasing with decreasing protein content.
Introduction
Authors: Hansen Per H.
Published: April 2011

This issue ofBusiness History Reviewis devoted to financial crisis, business failure, and scandal. As readers of this journal know, white-collar fraud is not a new phenomenon. Public and private authorities have confronted the problem for a long time, looking for ways to deal with it that will not stifle economic growth.
Fishers, Fishing, and Overfishing: American Experiences in Global Perspective, 1976–2006
Authors: Blackford Mansel G.
Published: April 2011

Since the mid-1970s, overfishing has had a considerable impact on the American seafood industry, and companies serving the American seafood market have taken steps to respond to the crisis. Following a brief survey of modern-day fishing and of the steps that have been taken to mitigate overfishing, the strategies adopted for commercial fishing in American waters, especially those in Alaska, are examined. Through their attempts to deal with the challenges posed by overfishing, fishers, seafood-processing and wholesaling companies, and retailers have fundamentally altered the industry. In conclusion, a summary of studies by historians and other scholars of fishery matters is followed by suggestions for historical research on the topic. Historians are reminded of the need to consider environmental factors when writing about business developments.
Democratizing Luxury and the Contentious “Invention of the Technological Chicken” in Britain
Authors: Godley Andrew , Williams Bridget
Published: April 2011

In 1950, poultry comprised 1 percent of the total meat consumed in Britain. But over the next thirty years, chicken consumption grew at the rate of 10 percent per annum, while overall meat consumption remained stagnant. By 1980, poultry made up a quarter of the total share of the market, replacing beef, mutton, and bacon in the British diet. This transformation was made possible by dramatic changes in production, dependent on technological innovations across several unrelated sectors. While the widespread distribution of cheap chicken led to its mass adoption, the transformation in meateating habits was not without its controversies. The leading retailers, in particular J. Sainsbury, acted as critical intermediaries in this contested market, reconciling consumer uncertainty by attaching their own reputations to product quality, and then by intervening in the quality standards employed in their supply chains.
Twentieth-Century Product Innovations in the German Food Industry
Authors: Spiekermann Uwe
Published: April 2011

Product innovation, a decisive factor in modern economies, is usually analyzed from one point of view–that of the producers. A more realistic approach to the subject would add at least four dimensions to a consideration of the topic: the perspective of consumers and the cultural context within which they form their views; the differences in how experts and consumers acquire knowledge about products; the increasing influence of retailers at the point of sale; and the technological options available to producers and households. Two twentieth-century German case studies–on the scientific innovation of yogurt and the preserving and canning of food–connect the often separate perspectives of business, consumers, and culture.
Innovation as Adaptation: The Digital Challenge in the Norwegian Fishing Industry, 1970–1985
Authors: Sogner Knut
Published: April 2011

The introduction of a sonar system for fisheries by the Norwegian firm Simrad had lasting effects on the industry, as the system was based on digital mastery that could be utilized for other products. Norwegian engineers with sonar experience were the driving force behind this breakthrough, demonstrating the relevance of theories of national agglomerations of competence. In one important though unintended outcome, internal failures forced the company to hire new people who adopted creative strategies to meet the competitive situation presented by Japan.
To the Tap: Public versus Private Water Provision at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
Authors: Spar Debora , Bebenek Krzysztof
Published: April 2011

This paper uses the examples of three nineteenth-century cities—London, Philadelphia, and New York—to explore both what is permanent about the problem of water provision (that consumers want it clean, accessible, and free) and what is mediated by the forces of government policy and economic constraints. In some cases, municipal authorities first claimed control over water supplies before figuring out how to pay for their works. In others, they calculated that such arrangements were both too expensive and too risky to bear alone. Both approaches were complicated by the high costs of providing water to urban areas and by urban dwellers' belief that water should flow from their taps without charge. The result was, and remains, a market in which price is largely dictated by political demand, set by what the government, rather than the market, will bear.
Concessions as a Modernizing Strategy in the Dominican Republic
Authors: Veeser Cyrus
Published: April 2011

In the late 1800s, Latin American modernizers faced major obstacles to economic growth. In the Dominican Republic, elites embraced concessions as a policy to attract foreign capital to infrastructure, industry, and cash-crop agriculture. In contrast to Mexico, where concessions were public and impersonal but failed to create viable firms, Dominican concessions were public, yet corrupt, formally opposed to monopoly, yet prone to convey exclusive privileges. Dominican modernizers recognized that concessions created “monopolies that are always a hateful tyranny,” yet found no better way to attract investment. Only after the United States took control of Dominican finances in 1905 were the “burdensome” contracts canceled as an “impediment to future progress.”
Ford's Investment in Colonial Malaya, 1926–1957
Authors: Yacob Shakila
Published: April 2011

The corporate history of Ford in Malaya from 1926 to 1957 reveals Ford Canada's global strategy to tap new British colonial markets. A combination of factors motivated Ford Canada to set up a subsidiary in Malaya, whose subsequent domestic sales and marketing success depended on maintaining mutually beneficial relations with the local merchant firms and Chinese entrepreneurs. After it was directed by the parent company to restructure its operations, Ford Canada imposed tight control on its own local operations to ensure that it could meet evolving consumer demands in Malaya and across the wider region. However, the company was careful to maintain its ties with these marketing and networking channels.
The Birth of Joint-Stock Banking: England and New England Compared
Authors: Newton Lucy
Published: April 2011

By the end of the nineteenth century, the banking systems of England and New England were very different. England possessed a small number of large-scale clearing banks that had established extensive branch networks and dominated the domestic market. In contrast, New England banking was characterized by a large number of small-scale institutions. Yet, a century earlier, there were striking similarities between the two systems. An analysis of their evolution over the course of the nineteenth century provides an international and comparative perspective on the continuing debate over banking institutions, lending patterns, and economic growth.
“Varieties of Capitalism” Roundtable
Authors: Wilkins Mira , Thelen Kathleen , Whitley Richard , Miller Rory M. , Martin Cathie Jo , Berghahn V. R. , Iversen Martin Jes , Herrigel Gary , Zeitlin Jonathan
Published: April 2011

The debate about the idea of “varieties of capitalism,” which was formalized by Peter Hall and David Soskice in their 2001 book on the subject, has attracted the work of business historians, as well as of political scientists, and economists.
Banks on Board: German and American Corporate Governance, 1870–1914
Authors: Fear Jeffrey , Kobrak Christopher
Published: April 2011

This examination of the foundations of German and American corporate governance highlights the role of money-centered banks, both as board members in large corporations and as intermediaries on the stock exchange. German banks, by acting as surrogate regulators, became institutional stabilizers, and German regulators encouraged banks to participate in corporate boards in order to overcome agency problems in firms and to control speculation. American investment banks, prior to 1914, often managed to overcome regulatory obstacles, which enabled them to wield more power over corporations than their legendary German counterparts. American banks had more opportunities to intervene in the event of panics, bankruptcies, foreign investment, and corporate consolidation. In contrast to Germany, the United States increasingly imposed regulations that circumscribed the supervisory role of banks as board members.
The Invisible Handshake:Cartelization in the Netherlands, 1930–2000
Authors: Bouwens Bram , Dankers Joost
Published: April 2011

Cartels were critical to the shaping of twentieth-century market structures. Although laws against cartels began to be passed in the 1950s, the attitude toward these collusive organizations remained constant over most of the century. Enforcement did not begin until well into the 1990s. Dutch policy within the European framework underwent a series of adjustments, and changes in the Dutch business system indicate a shift toward a more liberal market economy, which was accompanied by an increasingly negative view of cartels.
Multinationals and the Dutch Business System: The Cases of Royal Dutch Shell and Sara Lee
Authors: Sluyterman Keetie , Wubs Ben
Published: April 2011

The impact of the strategies of multinational companies on the Dutch business system during the twentieth century is described in relation to two fi rms. The fi rst case examines the attitude of the Dutch (in this example, Anglo-Dutch) parent company Royal Dutch Shell toward its international subsidiaries. The second looks at the approach taken by the American company Sara Lee toward its Dutch subsidiary, Douwe Egberts. Until the 1980s, both companies were prepared to adjust their organizations to national traditions and ambitions. However, when these nationally based global fi rms came under pressure during that decade, both changed their organizational structures. Their actions can be seen both as responses to globalization and as attempts to advance that process by simultaneously building international institutions and changing elements of the national business system in the Netherlands.
On the Track of Efficiency: Scientific Management Comes to Railroad Shops, 1900–1930
Authors: Aldrich Mark
Published: April 2011

In 1910, Louis Brandeis claimed that scientific management could save the railroads a million dollars a day and avoid a rate increase. While Brandeis's claims are well known, historians have neglected the influence of scientific management on the railroads. In 1904, Harrington Emerson introduced repair scheduling techniques in the locomotive shops of the Santa Fe. Scheduling revolutionized repair, and–esponding in part to the regulatory pressures Brandeis helped create–by 1925 most major railroads employed it. In the 1920s, the carriers imported a second new management technique–the “progressive” system that focused on material flows, and introduced batch production techniques to car and locomotive repair. Collectively these methods prevented transportation bottlenecks, raised labor productivity, and reduced capital requirements.
Improving Workplace Safety in the Ontario Manufacturing Industry, 1914–1939
Authors: Silvestre Javier
Published: April 2011

The safety of workers and the costs to employers and the economy as a whole became a serious problem in industrializing nations. Workplace safety in the Ontario manufacturing industry deteriorated at the end of the nineteenth century. In response, the province legislated to regulate safety standards and factory inspection. However, this strategy failed to reduce accident rates. As in the United States, it was the enactment of workers' compensation legislation that generated the economic incentives for Ontario's employers to invest in safety. Yet in contrast to the United States, where safety was predominantly organized inside firms, employers in Ontario developed a comprehensive institutional framework to organize a range of safety actions.
Internationalist Oilmen, the Middle East, and the Remaking of American Liberalism, 1945–1953
Authors: Citino Nathan J.
Published: April 2011

The ways in which business–government relations influenced postwar liberalism in the American encounter with the Middle East are examined through the use of group biography. The linked careers of five internationalist oilmen who helped to formulate Harry S. Truman's domestic and foreign policies are tracked during and after World War II. Partly through the efforts of these influential men, the Middle East's vast oil resources became an important component of controversies about the direction of the New Deal. One conclusion to emerge from the study is that instead of simply studying liberal ideals in order to understand the American impulse to reform the world, historians also need to consider how global factors intruded into domestic reform debates.
Entrepreneurship and Capabilities in a “Beginner” Oil Multinational: The Case of ENI
Authors: Pozzi Daniele
Published: April 2011

The entrepreneurial activity of Enrico Mattei, who headed the Italian state oil company AGIP (later ENI) from 1945 to 1962, laid the groundwork for the company's growth during the 1950s and 1960s. Mattei relied on a group of knowledgeable specialists, who were equipped with a complex set of capabilities that enabled them to oversee and perform operational tasks. The task of adapting that set of capabilities began in the latter half of the 1950s, when the firm underwent a transition from its main business of producing natural gas, which it had developed immediately after World War II, to prospecting for oil abroad.
Is Berle and Means Really a Myth?
Authors: Cheffins Brian , Bank Steven
Published: April 2011

Adolf Berle and Gardiner Means famously declared in 1932 that a separation of ownership and control was a hallmark of large U.S. corporations, and their characterization of matters quickly became received wisdom. A series of recent papers has called the Berle–Means orthodoxy into question. This survey of the relevant historical literature acknowledges that the pattern of ownership and control in U.S. public companies is not monolithic. Nevertheless, a separation between ownership and control remains an appropriate reference point for analysis of U.S. corporate governance.
Patterns of International Investment in Spain, 1850–2005
Authors: Puig Núria , Castro Rafael
Published: April 2011

International capital flows are strongly influenced by countryspecific patterns that can be best understood in historical and comparative perspective. A long-term empirical analysis of French and German investment in Spain reveals that the core capabilities of foreign fi rms and their relations with local partners have spurred the rise and development of two national models of international investment, characterized here as “political” and “technical.” The research identifies the main actors and the ownership advantages of the two models that have proved to be so resilient over time.
Financing Manufacturing Innovation in Argentina, 1890–1930
Authors: Pineda Yovanna
Published: April 2011

Between 1890 and 1930, Argentina's manufacturers invested in imported machinery. Although they aligned with political allies to advance and protect their companies, their dependence on imported machinery, raw materials, fuel, and expensive skilled labor were obstacles to their success. Two factors slowed the progress of these entrepreneurs: their lack of technological capabilities and the absence of government policies to address the problems entailed in importing foreign machinery. Several political factions supported industry's efforts to reduce dependence on imported products and to diversify the economy. While these supporters hoped to promote industry through the passage of legislation to raise the tariff rate, their strategy represented a compromise that stifled the drive to innovate that is so necessary for long-run economic growth and industrial development.
Financing Growth: New Issues by Australian Firms, 1920–1939
Authors: Merrett David T. , Ville Simon
Published: April 2011

An expanding economy, new technologies, and changing consumer preferences provided growth opportunities for firms in interwar Australia. This period saw an increase in the number of large-scale firms in mining, manufacturing, and a wide range of service industries. Firms unable to rely solely on retained earnings to fund expansion turned to the domestic stock exchanges. A new data set of capital raisings constructed from reports of prospectuses published in the financial press forms the basis for the conclusion that many firms used substantial injections of equity finance to augment internally generated sources of funds. That they were able to do so indicates a strong increase in the capacity of local stock exchanges and a greater willingness of individuals to hold part of their wealthin transferable securities.
Estimating phylogenetic relationships despite discordant gene trees across loci: the species tree of a diverse species group of feather mites (Acari: Proctophyllodidae)
Authors: KNOWLES LACEY L. , KLIMOV PAVEL B.
Published: April 2011

With the increased availability of multilocus sequence data, the lack of concordance of gene trees estimated for independent loci has focused attention on both the biological processes producing the discord and the methodologies used to estimate phylogenetic relationships. What has emerged is a suite of new analytical tools for phylogenetic inference – species tree approaches. In contrast to traditional phylogenetic methods that are stymied by the idiosyncrasies of gene trees, approaches for estimating species trees explicitly take into account the cause of discord among loci and, in the process, provides a direct estimate of phylogenetic history (i.e. the history of species divergence, not divergence of specific loci). We illustrate the utility of species tree estimates with an analysis of a diverse group of feather mites, thepinnatusspecies group (genusProctophyllodes). Discord among four sequenced nuclear loci is consistent with theoretical expectations, given the short time separating speciation events (as evident by short internodes relative to terminal branch lengths in the trees). Nevertheless, many of the relationships are well resolved in a Bayesian estimate of the species tree; the analysis also highlights ambiguous aspects of the phylogeny that require additional loci. The broad utility of species tree approaches is discussed, and specifically, their application to groups with high speciation rates – a history of diversification with particular prevalence in host/parasite systems where species interactions can drive rapid diversification.
An exploration of the Innovation Theory of Successful Ageing among older tourists
Authors: NIMROD GALIT , ROTEM ARIE
Published: April 2011

This article aims to examine patterns of innovation in older adults' tourism, and to explore whether innovation is associated with the benefits gained from the overall tourism experience. The study was based on a national mail survey of 298 retirees, who travelled abroad at least once in the year prior to the survey. Results indicated that participants' involvement in new experiences during their last travel abroad was quite high. Factor analysis of new experiences data identified two factors: ‘external innovation’, which included experiences that were associated with the external environment visited; and ‘internal innovation’, which consisted of experiences that were associated with some intrapersonal processes. Cluster analysis conducted on the new experiences' factors identified three groups of older tourists:non-innovators, external innovatorsandabsolute innovators. These groups were differentiated in terms of travel patterns and destination activities. In addition, theabsolute innovatorsreported a significantly higher level of agreement with various benefits statements than the other groups. Examining the findings through the lenses of the Innovation Theory of Successful Ageing helps to explain older adults' tourism experiences. Moreover, since the findings imply that experiencing ‘internal innovation’, rather than ‘external innovation’, amplified their overall tourism experience, this article suggests a new principle to the theory, which should be tested in future research.
A declarative framework for work process configuration
Authors: Mayer Wolfgang , Stumptner Markus , Killisperger Peter , Grossmann Georg
Published: April 2011

This article describes the technical principles and representation of a constraint-based configuration method for work processes. Methods developed for the configuration of modular systems comprising components have traditionally adopted a representation where the properties and compatibility requirements are expressed as constraints associated with individual components. However, this representation does not accurately capture constraints on paths and subprocesses and is therefore unsuitable for process configuration. This article extends established constraint-based configuration methods with a constraint language for specifying properties of execution paths in work processes. A framework for semiautomated process customization is presented. It integrates the extended constraint language with a metamodel of the work processes in an organization and allows to adapt generic work processes to fit the requirements of specific development projects. Heuristic search methods are applied to build valid process configurations by incrementally resolving constraint violations. The declarative framework facilitates the adaptation of abstract work processes as well as the validation and repair of existing processes. The approach was developed in the context of a real-world system of complex design and development processes where it was shown that significant process improvements and reduction in effort required to edit process models can be achieved.
The impact of product configurators on lead times in engineering-oriented companies
Authors: Haug Anders , Hvam Lars , Mortensen Niels Henrik
Published: April 2011

This paper presents a study of how the use of product configurators affects business processes of engineering-oriented companies. A literature study shows that only a minor part of product configuration research deals with the effects of product configuration, and that the ones that do are mostly vague when reporting the effects of configurator projects. Only six cases were identified, which provide estimates of the actual size of lead time reduction achieved from product configurators. To broaden this knowledge, this paper presents the results of a study of 14 companies concerning the impact of product configurators on business processes related to the creation of quotes and detailed product specifications. The study documents impressive results of the application of configurator technology. For example, in the data retrieved the use of configurators was estimated to have implied up to a 99.9% reduction of the quotation lead time with an average estimated reduction of 85.5%.
The allelic state at the major semi-dwarfing genes in a panel of Turkish bread wheat cultivars and landraces
Authors: Yediay F. E. , Andeden E. E. , Baloch F. S. , Börner A. , Kilian B. , Özkan H.
Published: April 2011

Dwarfing genes play an important role in improving yield and adaptability of wheat cultivars in most production environments. Understanding the allelic distribution at dwarfing loci is very important for any wheat-breeding programmes. In this study, we reported the allelic constitution at microsatellite locusXgwm261and the two major height-reducing genesRht-B1andRht-D1among a set of 56 bread wheat cultivars and nine landraces, based on diagnostic polymerase chain reaction assays. With respect toRht-B1,37% of the accessions carried the dwarfing alleleRht-B1b, while atRht-D1,only one accession carried the dwarfing alleleRht-D1b. The allelic state atRht8was assayed indirectly by genotyping for the linked microsatellite locusXgwm261.About 26% of the accessions carried the 192 bp allele (linked withRht8gene in some cases), whereas 35 and 12% genotypes carried 165 and 174 bp allele at the microsatellite locusXgwm261. Cultivars released from 1980 onwards increasingly carried eitherRht-B1borRht8. This information should allow for a more rational use of this collection for the purpose of wheat improvement in Turkey.
Polymorphisms in intron 1 of carrot AOX2b – a useful tool to develop a functional marker?
Authors: Cardoso Hélia , Doroteia Campos Maria , Nothnagel Thomas , Arnholdt-Schmitt Birgit
Published: April 2011

Alternative oxidase (AOX) has been proposed as a promising functional marker candidate for multiple plant stress behaviour. The present paper describes natural polymorphism in AOX2b of Daucus carota L. (DcAOX2b). Exon-primed intron crossing-PCR (EPIC-PCR) revealed length variation (intron length polymorphisms, ILPs) in intron 1. Six fragment patterns were identified in 40 genotypes. However, no more than two fragments were found per genotype, suggesting the presence of two alleles. The ILPs were able to discriminate between single plant genotypes in cv. Rotin and to distinguish individual wild carrot plants. The repetitive pattern of intron 1 length variation allows the grouping of genotypes for functional analysis in future studies. Sequence analysis in intron 1 of polymorphic but also of obviously identical PCR-fragments revealed underlying high levels of sequence polymorphisms between alleles and genotypes. Variation was due to repetitive insertion/deletion (InDel) events and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The results suggest that high AOX2b gene diversity in D. carota may be a source of functional markers for agronomic traits related to environmental stress responses.
Agronomic and molecular analysis of heterosis in alfalfa
Authors: Scotti C. , Carelli M. , Calderini O. , Panara F. , Gaudenzi P. , Biazzi E. , May S. , Graham N. , Paolocci F. , Arcioni S.
Published: April 2011

Double ‘free-hybrids’ (DH) in alfalfa were obtained by crossing in a diallelic scheme, six multiplied simple hybrids (SH) derived from four partly inbred (S2) lines. Analysis of the specific combining ability demonstrated that the main source of variation was for dry matter yield (DMY) in DHs and supported heterosis values of DHs versus the best parent of an average +45% (ranging from +5 to +76%). Investigation at the molecular level was carried out by analysis of simple sequence repeat markers on the six parental SHs and 15 DH progenies and by comparison of gene expression profiles using microarrays of a single DH line to its parental lines. The variation of heterozygosity estimates of the DHs explained a small part (about 20%) of their variation in DMY, while the number of alleles was significantly related to DM performance (r = 0.61; P < 0.05). The microarray analysis identified genes with both significant additive and non-additive levels of expression in the hybrid compared with the parents. The majority of the variation in gene expression was additive (87%), but among the genes with a non-additive pattern of expression, the greater proportion of probe sets (86%) fell outside the parental range. Gene ontology analysis of these genes revealed the presence of a number of terms related to metabolism and genetic information processing.
Matrix-form Recursive Evaluation of the Aggregate Claims Distribution Revisited
Authors: Siaw Kok Keng , Wu Xueyuan , Pitt David , Wang Yan
Published: April 2011

This paper aims to evaluate the aggregate claims distribution under the collective risk model when the number of claims follows a so-called generalised (a, b, 1) family distribution. The definition of the generalised (a, b, 1) family of distributions is given first, then a simple matrix-form recursion for the compound generalised (a, b, 1) distributions is derived to calculate the aggregate claims distribution with discrete non-negative individual claims. Continuous individual claims are discussed as well and an integral equation of the aggregate claims distribution is developed. Moreover, a recursive formula for calculating the moments of aggregate claims is also obtained in this paper. With the recursive calculation framework being established, members that belong to the generalised (a, b, 1) family are discussed. As an illustration of potential applications of the proposed generalised (a, b, 1) distribution family on modelling insurance claim numbers, two numerical examples are given. The first example illustrates the calculation of the aggregate claims distribution using a matrix-form Poisson for claim frequency with logarithmic claim sizes. The second example is based on real data and illustrates maximum likelihood estimation for a set of distributions in the generalised (a, b, 1) family.
Afghanistan: an historical and geographical appraisal
Authors: Maley William
Published: April 2011

Afghanistan's current difficulties are in large measure the product of a troubled history and a troubled geographical location. These have combined to produce a debilitated state, open to meddling from a range of external powers, that has now experienced decades of trauma. The current insurgency that afflicts the country is sustained by the sanctuaries in Pakistan from which the Taliban operate. Unless and until there is progress on this front, the situation in Afghanistan will remain stalemated.
What Is Public International Law? The Need for Clarity about Sources
Authors: WOOD Michael
Published: April 2011

This article addresses the need for clarity as regards the sources of public international law, or at least as much clarity as possible. Questions relating to sources lie at the heart of international law. Of particular concern is the lack of rigour shown by some domestic judges when it comes to determining the rules of customary international law.
Verkehrsmedizin in der Grundversorger-Praxis
Authors: Seeger Rolf
Published: April 2011

Ein großer Teil der Krankheiten und Unfallfolgen, die in der Grundversorgerpraxis behandelt werden, können Auswirkungen auf das sichere Lenken eines Motorfahrzeugs haben. Dabei handelt es sich einerseits um direkte Krankheits- oder Unfallfolgen, andererseits können auch therapiebedingte Auswirkungen auftreten. Die in der Grundversorgung tätige Ärztin sieht sich somit häufig mit verkehrsmedizinischen Fragestellungen konfrontiert. Zudem werden in den meisten Kantonen der Schweiz die gesetzlich vorgeschriebenen periodischen Kontrolluntersuchungen für über 70-jährige Motorfahrzeuglenker den Hausärzten übertragen, womit der Grundversorger bei diesen alle zwei Jahre vorgenommenen Untersuchungen die Rolle eines Vertrauensarztes übernimmt. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden grundsätzliche Aspekte hinsichtlich der Fahreignungsbeurteilung durch den Hausarzt und häufige verkehrsmedizinische Problemstellungen in der ärztlichen Praxis besprochen. Auf das zweckmäßige Vorgehen bei der periodischen Kontrolluntersuchung für über 70-jährige Lenker wird besonders eingegangen.
Laboranalysen im Zusammenhang mit der hausärztlichen Fahreignungs-Beurteilung von Personen mit Alkohol-, Drogen- oder Medikamenten-Problemen
Authors: Liniger Bruno
Published: April 2011

Immer wieder steht bei verschiedensten Patienten die Frage betreffend Vorliegen einer Suchtmittelproblematik zur Diskussion, namentlich was den Alkohol, Drogen oder psychotrope Medikamente anbetrifft. Vor allem auch, wenn es um Fragen mit verkehrsmedizinischem Stellenwert und somit um die Fahreignung geht, sind im Einzelfall gewisse Laboranalysen erforderlich. Dies natürlich nicht zuletzt auch deswegen, weil Patientenangaben zu einem allfälligen Suchtmittelproblem erfahrungsgemäß häufig unzuverlässig sind, und deshalb Laboranalysen hilfreich sein können, um eine fragliche Problematik konkreter zu beurteilen, das heißt einen Verdacht zu bestätigen oder auszuschließen. Um letztlich zu entscheidungsrelevant brauchbaren Laborresultaten zu gelangen, sind die problembezogenen Analyseindikationen zu kennen, ebenso die Wertigkeit bzw. Aussagekraft der Analyseresultate, vor allem auch betreffend dem Unterschied "Beweis" oder nur "Hinweis". Der vorliegende Beitrag geht daher auf die relevanten Analysemethoden, die entsprechenden Indikations- und Befundbeurteilungs-Grundlagen ein.
Konsummuster, Risikoverhalten und Hilfebedarfe von KonsumentInnen in den offenen Drogenszenen Deutschlands
Authors: Thane Katja , Wickert Christian , Verthein Uwe
Published: April 2011

Fragestellung: Welche städteübergreifenden Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede existieren bezüglich Konsummustern, Risikoverhalten sowie Hilfebedarf und -Inanspruchnahme von Konsumenten der offenen Drogenszenen? Methodik: Eine standardisierte Befragung wurde im Sommer 2008 in 13 deutschen Städten mit Konsumraum unter Konsumenten der offenen Szene durchgeführt. Ergebnisse: Es wurden 791 Fragebögen eingeschlossen. Multipler Substanzkonsum ist die Regel, wobei Heroin am häufigsten konsumiert wird (24-Stunden-Prävalenz: 68,3 %). Risikoverhalten in Form von Mehrfachverwendung der Spritze (45,5 %) und gemeinsamer Nutzung von Spritze/Spritzbesteck (13,8 %) und Crackpfeife (60,2 %) lässt sich feststellen. Die Konsumenten nutzen Hilfeangebote regelmäßig (72,6 % mindestens mehrmals wöchentlich), insbesondere Kontaktcafés, Konsumräume und Spritzentausch. Suchtberatung wird von rund zwei Dritteln als wichtig eingeschätzt. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Konsumenten der offenen Drogenszene werden durch niedrigschwellige Angebote gut erreicht. Safer-Use-Botschaften stellen auf Grund des nach wie vor vorhandenen Risikoverhaltens einen wichtigen Bestandteil dar. Aufenthalts- und Beschäftigungsmöglichkeiten für diejenigen mit geringem Konsum und Substituierte erscheinen notwendig.
Die Globale Strategie zur Reduktion schädlichen Alkoholkonsums:
Authors: Rehm Jürgen
Published: April 2011

Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol: First Step towards an Alcohol Framework Convention?

English Summary: At the 61st World Health Assembly, the 193 member states discussed and ratified the global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. Firstly, 10 target areas have been identified within the strategy and alcohol policy should be structured according to these areas. The contribution of Anderson (2011) discusses these target areas with respect to supporting empirical evidence and policy implications.

The final target area is Monitoring and Surveillance, and the other two contributions fall under this topic. Shield, Rehm, Patra & Rehm (2011) provide an overview of worldwide adult per capita consumption. Per capita consumption is associated indirectly to alcohol-related harm: as higher consumption generally leads to more harm, but the level of association varies according to economic indicators. Countries with lower GDP PPP experience more harm as they have more risks associated to alcohol such as infectious diseases like tuberculosis and/or a less developed health care system. The last contribution to this topic focuses solely on Germany and includes both health as well as social consequences ( Kraus, Piontek, Pabst & Bühringer, 2011 ). It needs to be recognized that the global strategy contains merely suggestions that are not binding to any of the member states. It is not yet shown whether this strategy is enough to combat the rising global alcohol-related harm and there have been suggestions to adopt a more binding form of international arrangement such as the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control.
Global and Country Specific Adult per capita Consumption of Alcohol, 2008
Authors: Shield Kevin D. , Rehm Maximillien , Patra Jaydeep , Sornpaisarn Bundit , Rehm Jürgen
Published: April 2011

Aims: Alcohol is a substantial risk factor for mortality and the burden of disease globally. In accordance with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, we estimated recorded, unrecorded, tourist, and total adult per capita consumption by country and WHO sub-region for 2008, and characterized the association between per capita consumption of alcohol and gross domestic product (GDP-PPP) per capita. Methods: Using data from the Global Information System on Alcohol and Health database ( World Health Organization, 2010 a) and the 2005 Global Burden of Disease study ( Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2010 ) on adult per capita consumption of alcohol, we estimated recorded adult per capita consumption for 2008 through time series analyses for 189 countries within WHO sub-regions, and then from these estimates calculated recorded adult per capita consumption estimates for each of the WHO sub-regions. Estimates for populations were obtained for 2008 from the United Nations Populations Division. 2008 GDP-PPP data by country (N = 178) were obtained from the International Monetary Fund. Results: Adult per capita consumption of alcohol in 2008 is estimated to have been 6.04 litres (95 % CI: 4.43 to 7.65). This can be broken down into 4.39 l (95 % CI: 3.72 to 4.86) of recorded per capita consumption of alcohol, 1.75 l (95 %CI: 0.25 to 3.25) of unrecorded per capita consumption of alcohol, and 0.00 l (95 %CI: 0.00 to 0.129) per capita consumption of alcohol consumed by tourists. Adult per capita consumption was highest for the European regions and lowest for the Eastern Mediterranean region. Total adult per capita consumption of alcohol showed an increase as GDP-PPP increased until approximately 15,000 international dollars of GDP-PPP per capita. Recorded consumption showed a general increase with GDP-PPP. Unrecorded consumption showed a U-shaped association with GDP-PPP per capita, with countries with the lowest and highest GDP-PPPs per capita having the lowest unrecorded adult per capita consumption of alcohol. Conclusions: In accordance with the WHO’s global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, we present estimates of the recorded, unrecorded, tourist, and total adult per capita alcohol consumption for 189 countries and the 14 WHO sub-regions. Accurate and up-to-date estimates of alcohol consumption are imperative for monitoring and developing effective strategies to control the large and increasing global alcohol-attributable burden of disease and injury.
Designer friction laws for bimodal slow slip propagation speeds
Authors: Rubin Allan M.
Published: April 2011

A striking observation from both Cascadia and Japan is that the tremor associated with slow slip often migrates along strike at speeds close to 10 km/d but updip and downdip at speeds approaching 100 km/h. In this paper I adopt the view that the friction law appropriate for these regions is unknown, and I ask what constraints the observed behavior places on the friction law that must be operating. A simple relation, relying only on kinematics and elasticity, states that for a moving front the ratio of propagation speed to slip speed equals the ratio of the elastic shear modulus to the peak‐to‐residual stress drop at the front. Thus, larger propagation speeds require some combination of larger slip speeds and smaller peak‐to‐residual stress drops. As a proof of concept I design a two‐state‐variable friction law in which the strength drop associated with the main laterally propagating front, moving into a region that has not slipped since the last slow event, is much larger than that at the secondary fronts developing on the active slip surface. Preliminary numerical simulations demonstrate that this law can generate secondary fronts that propagate updip and downdip more than 2 orders of magnitude faster than, and even at some distance from, the main lateral front, as has been observed in Cascadia and Japan.
Deep water temperature, carbonate ion, and ice volume changes across the Eocene‐Oligocene climate transition
Authors: Pusz A. E. , Thunell R. C. , Miller K. G.
Published: April 2011

Paired benthic foraminiferal stable isotope and Mg/Ca data are used to estimate bottom water temperature (BWT) and ice volume changes associated with the Eocene‐Oligocene Transition (EOT), the largest global climate event of the past 50 Myr. We utilized ODP Sites 1090 and 1265 in the South Atlantic to assess seawater δ18O (δw), Antarctic ice volume, and sea level changes across the EOT (∼33.8–33.54 Ma). We also use benthic δ13C data to reconstruct the sources of the deep water masses in this region during the EOT. Our data, together with previously published records, indicate that a pulse of Northern Component Water influenced the South Atlantic immediately prior to and following the EOT. Benthic δ18O records show a 0.5‰ increase at ∼33.8 Ma (EOT‐1) that represents a ∼2°C cooling and a small (∼10 m) eustatic fall that is followed by a 1.0‰ increase associated with Oi‐1. The expected cooling of deep waters at Oi‐1 (∼33.54 Ma) is not apparent in our Mg/Ca records. We suggest the cooling is masked by coeval changes in the carbonate saturation state (Δ[CO32−]) which affect the Mg/Ca data. To account for this, the BWT, ice volume, and δw estimates are corrected for a change in the Δ[CO32−] of deep waters on the basis of recently published work. Corrected BWT at Sites 1090 and 1265 show a ∼1.5°C cooling coincident with Oi‐1 and an average δw increase of ∼0.75‰. The increase in ice volume during Oi‐1 resulted in a ∼70 m drop in global sea level and the development of an Antarctic ice sheet that was near modern size or slightly larger.
Observation of medium‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances over Peninsular Malaysia based on IPP trajectories
Authors: Husin Asnawi , Abdullah M. , Momani M. A.
Published: April 2011

Using vertical total electron content (VTEC) data that were derived from the Malaysia Real Time Kinematic GPS network (MyRTKnet), we analyzed the time variation of the VTEC with the occurrence of medium‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) based on ionospheric pierce point (IPP) trajectories. MSTIDs are known as ionospheric disturbance phenomena that generally induce perturbations in important ionospheric parameters such as the ionospheric total electron content (TEC). A method was developed to detect the existence of MSTIDs by identifying rapid fluctuations in the TEC by subjecting the TEC data time series to high‐pass filtering. Data were evaluated using the GPS MyRTKnet network over Peninsular Malaysia in the month of September 2007 (a time period with relatively low geomagnetic activity). Two‐dimensional maps over Peninsular Malaysia were constructed based on the IPP trajectories. Analysis of the cross correlation of detrended VTEC data from six MyRTKnet stations (PASP, KRAI, GMUS, CAME, TLKI and SBKB) yielded MSTID velocities of around 100 ± 50 m s−1 in the daytime and 60 ± 30 m s−1 in the nighttime, with occurrences of 17.6% and 13.7%, respectively. The results show that although the MSTID wave structure propagates southwestward, some waves also move northward. These waves were connected to the effect of the meridional neutral wind in the upper regions of the ionosphere (400 km).