bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Studies on Byzantine Literature of the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries
Authors: Kazhdan Alexander , Franklin Simon
Published: June 2010

Byzantine literature is often regarded as little more than an agglomeration of stereotyped forms and generic conventions which allows no scope for individual thought or expression. Accordingly, histories of Byzantine literature tend to focus on the history of genres. The essays in this book challenge the traditional view. They attempt to show the coherence and individuality not of the genre but of author. By careful analysis of all the works of a given author, regardless of genre, these studies aim to reach behind the facade of convention, to discover not only biographical facts but also the writer's own likes and dislikes, his social views, his political sympathies and antipathies, his ethical and aesthetic standards. Most of the authors under consideration lived in the twelfth century. Several of them experienced or wrote about the same set of events; often they were acquainted with one another, or else had mutual friends. Thus each essay is both complete in itself and complementary to the others in the book; the individuality of each writer is most fully revealed in the comparison with his contemporaries and conversely the separate portraits may be combined to form a broader picture of Byzantine literary society of the time.
Symbolic Structures
Authors: Barley Nigel
Published: June 2010

Many opposing theories have been elaborated by different anthropologists in an attempt to explain the nature of symbolism. In this work Nigel Barley uses a particular ethnographic case to examine the relevance and limitations of these existing theories and to develop a new alternative approach which draws on areas of linguistics and folkloristics at one time neglected by symbolic theorists. The book is a detailed study of the symbolic universe of the Dowayos of north Cameroon, as displayed in their ritual and beliefs. Considering matters as diverse as their oral literature, their material culture and their festivals, Dr Barley's analysis develops by unfolding sequentially a map of the symbolic structures that underlie Dowayo culture and shape their apperception of the world about them. This book will be particularly useful for students. It will also interest all anthropologists concerned with the study of symbolism and with the application to anthropology of models derived from linguistics and folklore.
Capital Budgeting
Authors: Dayananda Don , Irons Richard , Harrison Steve , Herbohn John , Rowland Patrick
Published: June 2010

This book explains the financial appraisal of capital budgeting projects. The coverage extends from the development of basic concepts, principles and techniques to the application of them in increasingly complex and real-world situations. Identification and estimation (including forecasting) of cash flows, project appraisal formulae, and the application of net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR) and other project evaluation criteria are illustrated with a variety of calculation examples. Risk analysis is extensively covered by the use of risk adjusted discount rate, certainty equivalent, sensitivity, simulation and Monte Carlo analysis. The NPV and IRR models are further applied to forestry, property and international investments. Resource constraints are introduced to the capital budgeting decisions with a variety of worked examples using linear programming technique. All calculations are extensively supported by Excel workbooks on the Web, and each chapter is well reviewed by end of chapter questions.
Foreign Direct Investment in Japan
Authors: Paprzycki Ralph , Fukao Kyoji
Published: June 2010

Foreign Direct Investment in Japan presents a detailed examination of trends of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) and their impact on the Japanese economy. Historically much less open to foreign trade and investment than other major economies, Japan experienced an unprecedented jump in FDI inflows around the turn of the millennium. This book looks at the profound changes in Japan that made this jump possible and considers foreign firms' potential contribution to productivity and overall economic growth. Detailed case studies illustrate that in certain sectors the presence of foreign firms already is a key factor shaping industry dynamics. Yet, despite recent changes, resistance to inward FDI remains strong and the government could do much more if it were committed to attracting FDI. Overall, Japan continues to appear reluctant to embrace fully, and therefore seems unlikely to benefit even more substantially from, globalization.
Rationality in Economics
Authors: Smith Vernon L.
Published: June 2010

The principal findings of experimental economics are that impersonal exchange in markets converges in repeated interaction to the equilibrium states implied by economic theory, under information conditions far weaker than specified in the theory. In personal, social, and economic exchange, as studied in two-person games, cooperation exceeds the prediction of traditional game theory. This book relates these two findings to field studies and applications and integrates them with the main themes of the Scottish Enlightenment and with the thoughts of F. A. Hayek: through emergent socio-economic institutions and cultural norms, people achieve ends that are unintended and poorly understood. In cultural changes, the role of constructivism, or reason, is to provide variation, and the role of ecological processes is to select the norms and institutions that serve the fitness needs of societies.
High-Speed Wireless Communications
Authors: Wang Jiangzhou
Published: June 2010

Analysing and designing reliable and fast wireless networks requires an understanding of the theory underpinning these systems and the engineering complexities of their implementation. This text describes the underlying principles and major applications of high-speed wireless technologies, with emphasis on ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless systems, 3G long term evolution, and 4G mobile networks. Key topics such as cross-layer optimization are discussed in detail and various forms of UWB, including multi-band OFDM UWB, are covered. Recent research developments are described before identifying the scope and direction for future research. The overlay problem (interference problem) in UWB is discussed, and the author aims to illustrate that OFDM is not the best wireless access technique for high speed transmission. Covering the latest technologies in the area, this book will be a valuable resource for graduate students of electrical and computer engineering as well as practitioners in the wireless communications industry.
Ocean Waves and Oscillating Systems
Authors: Falnes Johannes
Published: June 2010

This 2002 book examines the interaction between ocean waves and oscillating systems. With a focus on linear analysis of low-amplitude waves, the text is designed to convey a thorough understanding of wave interactions. Topics covered include the background mathematics of oscillations, gravity waves on water, the dynamics of wave-body interactions, and the absorption of wave energy by oscillating bodies. Linear algebra, complex numbers, differential equations, and Fourier transformation are utilized as bases for the analysis, and each chapter ends with problems. While the book's focus is on linear theory, the practical application of energy storage and transport is interwoven throughout. This book will be appropriate for those with backgrounds in elementary fluid dynamics or hydrodynamics and mathematical analysis. Graduate students and researchers will find it an excellent source of wave energy theory and application.
Genomes, Browsers and Databases
Authors: Schattner Peter
Published: June 2010

The recent explosive growth of biological data has lead to a rapid increase in the number of molecular biology databases. Held in many different locations and often using varying interfaces and non-standard data formats, integrating and comparing data from these multiple databases can be difficult and time-consuming. This book provides an overview of the key tools currently available for large-scale comparisons of gene sequences and annotations, focusing on the databases and tools from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), Ensembl, and the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Written specifically for biology and bioinformatics students and researchers, it aims to give an appreciation of the methods by which the browsers and their databases are constructed, enabling readers to determine which tool is the most appropriate for their requirements. Each chapter contains a summary and exercises to aid understanding and promote effective use of these important tools.
Analysis on Lie Groups
Authors: Faraut Jacques
Published: June 2010

The subject of analysis on Lie groups comprises an eclectic group of topics which can be treated from many different perspectives. This self-contained text concentrates on the perspective of analysis, to the topics and methods of non-commutative harmonic analysis, assuming only elementary knowledge of linear algebra and basic differential calculus. The author avoids unessential technical discussions and instead describes in detail many interesting examples, including formulae which have not previously appeared in book form. Topics covered include the Haar measure and invariant integration, spherical harmonics, Fourier analysis and the heat equation, Poisson kernel, the Laplace equation and harmonic functions. Perfect for advanced undergraduates and graduates in geometric analysis, harmonic analysis and representation theory, the tools developed will also be useful for specialists in stochastic calculation and the statisticians. With numerous exercises and worked examples, the text is ideal for a graduate course on analysis on Lie groups.
Weber, Habermas and Transformations of the European State
Authors: McCormick John P.
Published: June 2010

This book critically engages Jürgen Habermas's comprehensive vision of constitutional democracy in the European Union. John P. McCormick draws on the writings of Max Weber (and Habermas's own critique of them) to confront the difficulty of theorizing progressive politics during moments of radical state transformation. Both theorists employ normative and empirical categories, drawn from earlier historical epochs, to analyze contemporary structural transformations: Weber evaluated the emergence of the Sozialstaat with antedated categories derived from nineteenth-century and premodern historical examples; while Habermas understands the EU almost exclusively in terms of the liberal (Rechtsstaat) and welfare state (Sozialstaat) paradigms. Largely forsaking the focus on structural transformation that characterized his early work, Habermas conceptualizes the EU as a territorially expanded nation-state. McCormick demonstrates the deficiencies of such an approach and outlines a more appropriate normative-empirical model, the supranational Sektoralstaat, for evaluating prospects for constitutional and social democracy in the EU.
The mode of reproduction in natural populations of ascomycetous fungus,Emericella nidulans, from Israel
Authors: HOSID E. , GRISHKAN I. , YUSIM E. , FRENKEL Z. , WASSER S. P. , NEVO E. , KOROL A.
Published: June 2010

The mode of reproduction of the soil ascomycetous fungusEmericella nidulansof Israeli populations was studied using 15 microsatellite (simple sequence repeats or SSR) trinucleotide markers. The study was performed in three canyons: two located in the northern part of Israel (Mount Carmel and western Upper Galilee) and one in the southern Negev desert. In each canyon,E. nidulansstrains were isolated from the opposite slopes and (in the desert canyon) the valley bottom. Testing the reproductive structure of the populations indicated the presence of sexuality in the northern population and predominant clonality in the desert population. The predominantly clonal character of the desert population ofE. nidulanswas explained by the assumption that for relevant multilocus systems of a fungus, only several haplotypes can survive in the rather constant, extremely stressful desert conditions. Additionally, the very low density ofE. nidulanspopulations in the soil of the desert canyon, which reduces the probability of finding a sexual partner, might favour predominant clonality via selfing. Increasing sexuality inE.nidulanspopulations on the north-facing slopes of the northern canyons may be a result of biotic stress (pressure of competitive fungal species), due to the more mild ecological conditions in these canyons.
Genetic variation insenescence marker protein-30is associated with natural variation in cold tolerance inDrosophila
Authors: CLOWERS KATIE J. , LYMAN RICHARD F. , MACKAY TRUDY F. C. , MORGAN THEODORE J.
Published: June 2010

A comprehensive understanding of the genetic basis of phenotypic adaptation in nature requires the identification of the functional allelic variation underlying adaptive phenotypes. The manner in which organisms respond to temperature extremes is an adaptation in many species. In the current study, we investigate the role of molecular variation insenescence marker protein-30(Smp-30) on natural phenotypic variation in cold tolerance inDrosophila melanogaster.Smp-30encodes a product that is thought to be involved in the regulation of Ca2+ion homeostasis and has been shown previously to be differentially expressed in response to cold stress. Thus, we sought to assess whether molecular variation inSmp-30was associated with natural phenotypic variation in cold tolerance in a panel of naturally derived inbred lines from a population in Raleigh, North Carolina. We identified four non-coding polymorphisms that were strongly associated with natural phenotypic variation in cold tolerance. Interestingly, two polymorphisms that were in close proximity to one another (2 bp apart) exhibited opposite phenotypic effects. Consistent with the maintenance of a pair of antagonistically acting polymorphisms, tests of molecular evolution identified a significant excess of maintained variation in this region, suggesting balancing selection is acting to maintain this variation. These results suggest that multiple mutations in non-coding regions can have significant effects on phenotypic variation in adaptive traits within natural populations, and that balancing selection can maintain polymorphisms with opposite effects on phenotypic variation.
Regeneration of the variance of metric traits by spontaneous mutation in aDrosophilapopulation
Authors: AMADOR CARMEN , GARCÍA-DORADO AURORA , BERSABÉ DIEGO , LÓPEZ-FANJUL CARLOS
Published: June 2010

In the C1population ofDrosophila melanogasterof moderate effective size (≈500), which was genetically invariant in its origin, we studied the regeneration by spontaneous mutation of the genetic variance for two metric traits [abdominal (AB) and sternopleural (ST) bristle number] and that of the concealed mutation load for viability, together with their temporal stability, using alternative selection models based on mutational parameters estimated in the C1genetic background. During generations 381–485 of mutation accumulation (MA), the additive variances of AB and ST approached the levels observed in standing laboratory populations, fluctuating around their expected equilibrium values under neutrality or under relatively weak causal stabilizing selection. This type of selection was required to simultaneously account for the observed additive variance in our population and for those previously reported in natural and laboratory populations, indicating that most mutations affecting bristle traits would only be subjected to weak selective constraints. Although gene action for bristles was essentially additive, transient situations occurred where inbreeding resulted in a depression of the mean and an increase of the additive variance. This was ascribed to the occasional segregation of mutations of large recessive effects. On the other hand, the observed non-lethal inbreeding depression for viability must be explained by the segregation of alleles of considerable and largely recessive deleterious effects, and the corresponding load concealed in the heterozygous condition was found to be temporally stable, as expected from tighter constraints imposed by natural selection.
Inbreeding depression and genetic load at partially linked loci in a metapopulation
Authors: ZHOU SHU-RONG , PANNELL JOHN R.
Published: June 2010

Inbreeding depression has important implications for a wide range of biological phenomena, such as inbreeding avoidance, the evolution and maintenance of sexual systems and extinction rates of small populations. Previous investigations have asked how inbreeding depression evolves in single and subdivided populations through the fixation of deleterious mutations as a result of drift, as well as through the expression of deleterious mutations segregating in a population. These studies have focused on the effects of mutation and selection at single loci, or at unlinked loci. Here, we used simulations to investigate the evolution of genetic load and inbreeding depression due to multiple partially linked loci in metapopulations. Our results indicate that the effect of linkage depends largely on the kinds of deleterious alleles involved. For weakly deleterious and partially recessive mutations, the speed of mutation accumulation at segregating loci in a random-mating subdivided population of a given structure tends to be retarded by increased recombination between adjacent loci – although the highest numbers of fixation of slightly recessive mutant alleles were for low but finite recombination rates. Although linkage had a relatively minor effect on the evolution of metapopulations unless very low values of recombination were assumed, close linkage between adjacent loci tended to enhance population structure and population turnover. Finally, within-deme inbreeding depression, between-deme inbreeding depression and heterosis generally increased with decreased recombination rates. Moreover, increased selfing reduced the effective amount of recombination, and hence the effects of tight linkage on metapopulation genetic structure were decreased with increasing selfing. In contrast, linkage had little effect on the fate of lethal and highly recessive alleles. We compare our simulation results with predictions made by models that ignore the complexities of recombination.
Augustus and ‘Syracuse’
Authors: Gowers Emily
Published: June 2010

Suetonius (Aug.72.2) records among the habits of Augustus his inclination to retreat from time to time to a place he called ‘Syracuse’ or his ‘technophuon’ (workshop). These names have been variously explained, without agreement. The paper argues that ‘Syracuse’ evokes a complex of associations beyond the obvious connection with Archimedes and his inventions. By recalling other well-known figures, such as Marcellus and Dionysius, as well as Augustus’ own experiences in Syracuse, the name of his den effectively encapsulates the courses of action available to the emperor as ruler and as private citizen.
Late Antique Ostia and a Campaign for Pious Tourism: Epitaphs for Bishop Cyriacus and Monica, Mother of Augustine
Authors: Boin Douglas Ryan
Published: June 2010

Ever since Augustine narrated an account of his mother's death at Ostia, social historians have tried to adduce the identity of the person who erected Monica's tombstone, a copy of which is preserved in a ninth-century codex. Three members of thegens Anicii, all of whom were Augustine's contemporaries, have become usual suspects in the secondary literature. Throughout these debates the epitaph itself, a fragment of which was found in 1945, is frequently cited but rarely treated as a primary text. This article presents a new study of that epigraph and proposes that it was erected much later than previously suspected.
Pliny,Epistles8.14: Senate, Slavery and theAgricola
Authors: Whitton C. L.
Published: June 2010

Epistles8.14, one of Pliny's longest letters, has been widely dismissed as a clumsy combination of two ill-fitting stretches of prose. This article demonstrates a significant chain of allusions in the letter's opening to Tacitus’Agricola, as well as to Cicero, Ovid and Seneca; it shows how Pliny prompts such a reading in the surroundingEpistles8.13 and 8.15; and, through consideration of the diptych form and the theme of slavery, it demonstrates the letter's pivotal role as centrepiece to Book 8.
Risk factors for community-associatedStaphylococcus aureusinfections: results from parallel studies including methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitiveS. aureuscompared to uninfected controls
Authors: COMO-SABETTI K. J. , HARRIMAN K. H. , FRIDKIN S. K. , JAWAHIR S. L. , LYNFIELD R.
Published: June 2010

Despite the increasing burden of community-associated methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(CA-MRSA) infections, the risk factors are not well understood. We conducted a hypothesis-generating study using three parallel case-control studies to identify risk factors for CA-MRSA and community-associated methicillin-susceptibleS. aureus(CA-MSSA) infections. In the multivariate model, antimicrobial use in the 1–6 months prior to culture was associated with CA-MRSA infection compared to CA-MSSA [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1·7,P=0·07] cases. Antimicrobial use 1–6 months prior to culture (aOR 1·8,P=0·04), history of boils (aOR 1·6,P=0·03), and having a household member who was a smoker (aOR 1·3,P=0·05) were associated with CA-MRSA compared to uninfected community controls. The finding of an increased risk of CA-MRSA infection associated with prior antimicrobial use highlights the importance of careful antimicrobial stewardship.
Reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes with nutrition and physical activity – efficacy and implementation of lifestyle interventions in Finland
Authors: Lindström Jaana , Absetz Pilvikki , Hemiö Katri , Peltomäki Päivi , Peltonen Markku
Published: June 2010

Background

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has been increasing in Finland, in parallel with a gradual increase in overweight and obesity during the past decades. The expanding prevalence of type 2 diabetes brings along complications, most importantly CVD. Therefore, it is extremely important to implement activities to prevent type 2 diabetes.

Objective

In the present paper, the clinical evidence for the prevention of type 2 diabetes is presented with the Finnish diabetes prevention study. In addition, the paper discusses the practical implementation of prevention of type 2 diabetes using three different types of prevention programmes as examples: FIN-D2D, including risk-screening and repeated consultation in primary health-care; FINNAIR, a workplace-targeted intervention project involving airline employees; and the good ageing in Lahti region (GOAL) programme, a community-based prevention programme.

Conclusions

FIN-D2D, the FINNAIR project and the GOAL programme have shown that screening for type 2 diabetes risk and implementing large-scale lifestyle intervention in primary health-care are feasible. However, the crucial questions still are whether it is possible to replicate the results concerning effectiveness of lifestyle intervention in primary and occupational health-care systems. Furthermore, it remains to be shown whether it is possible to achieve the same results in different health-care settings, cultures, regions and age groups, especially in adolescents and young adults among whom the increase in the incidence has been the highest. In addition, the importance of co-operation among all sections of society, citizens’ awareness of healthy lifestyles and the social inequalities in health must be emphasised because the diabetes epidemic cannot be solved only by concentrating on preventive actions carried out by health-care systems.
Monitoring diet and diet-related chronic disease risk factors in Finland
Authors: Männistö Satu , Laatikainen Tiina , Helakorpi Satu , Valsta Liisa M
Published: June 2010

Health and dietary monitoring has a long history in Finland. The aim of this review is to summarise the main sources of Finnish dietary information including food balance sheets, household budget survey data, questionnaires related to dietary behaviour and risk factors of main chronic diseases as well as dietary surveys. According to these sources, dietary behaviour and food choices have changed considerably during the last decades. For example, the total fat intake (E %) has decreased remarkably from nearly 40 % in the late 1960s to close to 30 % in 2007. Furthermore, the type of fat consumed has changed noticeably due to the increased popularity of oil used in cooking and the large variety of softer spreads available. There has also been a notable decrease in intake of salt, and a multiple increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables since the 1970s. The future challenges of dietary monitoring include keeping the participation rates in dietary surveys at acceptable levels, controlling under/over-reporting of diet, developing a national monitoring system for children and adapting to international changes and requirements to harmonise dietary monitoring in Europe.
FINDIET 2007 Survey: energy and nutrient intakes
Authors: Pietinen Pirjo , Paturi Merja , Reinivuo Heli , Tapanainen Heli , Valsta Liisa M
Published: June 2010

Objective

The National FINDIET surveys are carried out every 5 years to monitor dietary habits and nutrient intake of the adult Finnish population. The latest survey was carried out in 2007.

Design

Cross-sectional population-based study. Dietary assessment was carried out using 48 h recall interviews. A picture book of food portions was used to estimate portion sizes and the national Food Composition Database Fineli® to calculate nutrient intakes.

Setting

A representative sample taken in five regions in Finland.

Subjects

A total of 730 men and 846 women aged 24–64 years.

Results

The percentage contribution of fat to the total energy intake was 33 % in men and 31 % in women. The respective percentages for SFA in men and women were 13 % and 12 %, respectively, and 0·4 % for trans fatty acids in both genders. The average intakes of folate, vitamin D and fibre fell below the recommended levels, whereas the average salt intake was somewhat higher than the recommendations. Women’s diet was higher in protein, dietary fibre and sucrose compared to that of men.

Conclusions

According to the FINDIET 2007 Survey, the dietary habits of the adult Finnish population have headed in a positive direction overall. However, although the quality of the fats consumed has continued to improve, and the intake of salt has decreased, they still do not meet the recommended levels of intake. Similarly, the average intakes of folate and vitamin D continue to fall below the recommendations. There is also a need to increase fibre intake and to cut down the intake of sucrose.
Food consumption and nutrient intake in Finnish 1–6-year-old children
Authors: Kyttälä Pipsa , Erkkola Maijaliisa , Kronberg-Kippilä Carina , Tapanainen Heli , Veijola Riitta , Simell Olli , Knip Mikael , Virtanen Suvi M
Published: June 2010

Objective

To study food consumption and nutrient intake in Finnish children aged 1–6 years and to assess the effect of age and sex on food consumption and nutrient intake.

Design

Cross-sectional samples of children participating in the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) birth cohort study in Finland.

Subjects

The study population comprised healthy children recruited in the nutrition study within the DIPP study in 1998–2003. Three-day food records (2535 in total) from 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 6-year-old children were kept between the years 2003 and 2005.

Results

The energy-adjusted consumption of fruits and berries, cereal products, infant formulas and meat dishes was higher and the consumption of vegetables, salads, breads, dairy products, fat spreads, drinks, sweets and sugar was lower among 1-year-old children than older age groups (Pfor all <0·05). The mean daily energy intake increased with age and was higher among boys than girls in all age groups, except among the 2-year-olds (Pfor all <0·05). The diet of the 2–6-year-old children contained too much saturated fat and sucrose, and too little PUFA compared with the current Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. The intakes of most vitamins and minerals met the recommendations. However, the intakes of vitamin D, E and iron fell below the recommended levels. The nutrient density of the diet decreased after the age of 1 year at the time that the children adapted to the regular family diet.

Conclusions

In order to improve the diet of young children, it is essential to evaluate the diet of the whole family.
Food consumption and nutrient intake in day care and at home in 3-year-old Finnish children
Authors: Lehtisalo Jenni , Erkkola Maijaliisa , Tapanainen Heli , Kronberg-Kippilä Carina , Veijola Riitta , Knip Mikael , Virtanen Suvi M
Published: June 2010

Objective

To assess and compare the food consumption and nutrient intake between 3-year-old children cared for at home full-time and those attending day care outside the home. Nutrient intake on weekdays and weekends was also studied.

Design

Cross-sectional sample of children invited to the nutrition study within the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) birth cohort born in 2001. Families returned 3-d food record completed close to the child’s third birthday.

Subjects

A total of 471 pre-school children aged 3 years of whom 285 had only been cared for at home during the recording time and 186 had attended day care outside the home.

Results

Among the children cared for outside the home, there were more consumers of recommendable foods as fresh vegetables, fruits, berries, rye bread, fish, skimmed milk and vegetable margarines, than among those cared for at home. The day-care group had higher intake of protein, dietary fibre, thiamine, potassium and magnesium, and lower intake of sucrose compared with the group cared for at home. Adjustment for sociodemographic factors did not change the results. In all children, food consumption was more varied on weekdays compared with weekends. On weekdays, children had higher intake of dietary fibre and protein and lower intake of sucrose compared to weekends.

Conclusions

The type of day care was associated with food consumption and nutrient intake among pre-school children and hence might have an impact on their nutrition and health. The diet of the children attending day care outside the home was more balanced and closer to the national recommendations.
Quality of diet and food choices of Finnish young men: a sociodemographic and health behaviour approach
Authors: Bingham Clarissa ML , Jallinoja Piia , Lahti-Koski Marjaana , Absetz Pilvikki , Paturi Merja , Pihlajamäki Harri , Sahi Timo , Uutela Antti
Published: June 2010

Objective

Eating habits of Finns have improved dramatically in 40 years. The proportion of fat in the diet has decreased and vegetable and fruit consumption increased. Knowledge of Finnish young men’s dietary habits is limited. The aim was to assess food choices and quality of diet among young men and to analyse how background and health behaviour factors explain it.

Design

In 2007, data on eating habits, sociodemographic background factors and health behaviours of 17–21-year-old men (n 2905) entering military service were collected by self-administrated questionnaire. Two indexes – core food index (CFI) and extra food index (EFI) – were formed to describe daily and redundant snacking-type eating, respectively. Associations of background factors and health behaviours on the indexes were analysed by general linear modelling.

Results

In all, 13 % consumed fruits and berries daily and 8 % consumed vegetables, whereas 24 % consumed pizza and 19 % consumed hamburgers more than once a week. CFI increased with educational level (P < 0·001) and was explained by background and health behaviour (smoking, physical activity and eating breakfast). EFI was inversely associated with BMI (P < 0·001) and explained by health behaviour: (smoking, physical activity, drinking beer and eating breakfast).

Conclusions

These results indicate that in early adulthood, eating habits cluster with other health behaviours among men. In this age group, education is associated with core food but not with extra food eating habits. Furthermore, seasonal variation is seen in both types of eating. When promoting healthy eating, a distinction between core foods and extra foods by using feasible indexes will be helpful in targeting the efforts.
School and workplace meals promote healthy food habits
Authors: Raulio Susanna , Roos Eva , Prättälä Ritva
Published: June 2010

Objective

The present study is to describe, on the basis of recent Finnish population surveys, (i) the frequencies of school and worksite canteen use, (ii) the determinants of having a hot lunch during school or working hours and (iii) the associations of lunch eating patterns with food habits.

Setting

The study summarises mainly basic reports and studies concerning catering services conducted in Finland based on nationally representative population surveys.

Design and subjects

Cross-sectional study. The most important surveys cited in this paper are the School Health Promotion Study, the Work and the Working Conditions survey, the National FINDIET 2002 Study, and the Health Behavior and Health among Finnish Adult Population survey.

Results

School lunch is eaten by on average 70–90 % of children aged 9–18 years. Of all employees, 30 % eat at a worksite canteen daily, whereas 30 % of men and 45 % of women eat packed lunches. Nationally representative cross-sectional population surveys show that the use of catering services is associated with more healthy food habits; schoolchildren eating school meals and employees eating lunch at a worksite canteen tend to make food choices closer to nutritional recommendations as compared to those not using catering services to the same degree.

Conclusions

Some evidence exists that catering services in schools and worksites contribute to healthy eating habits in the population. In order to verify the positive role of catering services more scientific research with prospective and intervention design studies will be needed.
Rise up and Work! Workless People with Impaired Health under Germany's New Activation Regime
Authors: Brussig Martin , Knuth Matthias
Published: June 2010

‘Unemployment Benefit II’ (Arbeitslosengeld II) is the newly created benefit in Germany for workless and needy people of working age who either lack or have exhausted entitlements in the contribution-based unemployment insurance system. This paper explores the effects of an ‘activating’ benefit regime on respondents with inferior health-related capacities by re-analysing data from a recent customer panel survey of this population of recipients. For one, the overall level of activation produced by the new system is differentiated with regard to the health status of the target population. Second, the effects of activation on two employment-related outcomes are estimated, taking health into account.
‘Most of industry's shutting down up here. . .’: Employability Initiatives to Tackle Worklessness in Areas of Low Labour Market Demand
Authors: Joyce K. E. , Smith K. E. , Sullivan C. , Bambra C.
Published: June 2010

Employability initiatives are becoming increasingly popular in government discourse as a means of tackling worklessness. Here we discuss the findings of a small-scale, qualitative study which mapped the impacts of a multi-intervention programme on participants’ health, wellbeing and employability. Each of the 13 interventions was independently appraised through focus groups or semi-structured interviews. Thematic analyses revealed that participants from all interventions reported increased self-confidence, with several individuals suggesting that project involvement had facilitated their movement into the labour market. While the findings illustrate some positive outcomes, we argue that government policy needs to consider more carefully strategies that also address the demand side of the labour market.
Advocates, Agnostics and Adversaries: Researchers’ Perceptions of Service User Involvement in Social Policy Research
Authors: Becker Saul , Sempik Joe , Bryman Alan
Published: June 2010

The involvement of service users in the research process is becomingly increasingly required by many funders of research and is being seen as an indicator of quality in its own right. This paper provides original data from a study of social policy researchers’ views of service user involvement in research. It shows a diversity of stances which have been categorised here as belonging to Advocates, Agnostics and Adversaries of user involvement. The views of Agnostics and Adversaries pose serious challenges that need to be addressed if service user involvement is to be more widely accepted and valued by some researchers and academics in social policy.
Power without Representation? The House of Lords and Social Policy
Authors: Bochel Hugh , Defty Andrew
Published: June 2010

In the past the House of Lords has generally, and arguably for good reasons, been ignored in discussions of the making and scrutiny of welfare. However, it has always played some role in this field, particularly in the scrutiny and passage of legislation, and since the removal of the bulk of hereditary Peers in 1999, some writers have argued that the House has become more assertive. This article examines the attitudes of Peers, including a comparison with the views of Members of Parliament, and draws a number of conclusions about the role of the upper House in relation to social policy.
‘Caregivers with a Heart Needed’: The Domestic Care Regime in Poland after 1989 and Ukrainian Migrants
Authors: Keryk Myroslava
Published: June 2010

The article discusses the welfare regime that emerged in Poland after the collapse of communism and the introduction of the market economy. It analyses policy in the sphere of child and elderly care, and household strategies related to care. It is argued that the care regime in Poland is a combination of the conservative and the social-democratic model. On the one hand, the state provides equal labour market access to women and men. On the other hand, publicly funded child and elder care is insufficient, resulting in a care deficit. The situation has created demand for domestic care workers, and while Polish women do such work, it is increasingly performed by migrant women, particularly from Ukraine. To summarise, the article argues how gender and care regimes in Poland boost the domestic work sector, where Ukrainian migrants play an important role, and how this development has contributed to changes in the Polish migration regime.
Generalizing a nonlinear geophysical flood theory to medium‐sized river networks
Authors: Gupta Vijay K. , Mantilla Ricardo , Troutman Brent M. , Dawdy David , Krajewski Witold F.
Published: June 2010

The central hypothesis of a nonlinear geophysical flood theory postulates that, given space‐time rainfall intensity for a rainfall‐runoff event, solutions of coupled mass and momentum conservation differential equations governing runoff generation and transport in a self‐similar river network produce spatial scaling, or a power law, relation between peak discharge and drainage area in the limit of large area. The excellent fit of a power law for the destructive flood event of June 2008 in the 32,400‐km2 Iowa River basin over four orders of magnitude variation in drainage areas supports the central hypothesis. The challenge of predicting observed scaling exponent and intercept from physical processes is explained. We show scaling in mean annual peak discharges, and briefly discuss that it is physically connected with scaling in multiple rainfall‐runoff events. Scaling in peak discharges would hold in a non‐stationary climate due to global warming but its slope and intercept would change.
Prediction of background levels for the Wind WAVES instrument and implications for the galactic background radiation
Authors: Hillan D. S. , Cairns Iver H. , Robinson P. A. , Mohamed A.
Published: June 2010

We investigate and predict the observed background levels for the TNR, RAD1, and RAD2 receivers when connected to the X, Y, and Z antennas of the WAVES instrument on the spacecraft Wind. The receivers are connected to either a single antenna, in “SEP” mode, or a combination of antennas, in “SUM” mode. With the TNR receiver in SEP (X) mode, the predicted backgrounds agree to within 20% when modeled using a two component model for the quasi‐thermal plasma noise (QTN). Calibrating the RAD1 in SEP (X) mode observations against TNR allows us to calculate the relative receiver gain GR1 = 1.43 ± 0.18. Using the RAD1 data in SUM (X+Z) mode, the ratio of antenna gains is found to be R = 6.5, in agreement with preflight measurements. Observed differences between the SEP (X) and SUM (X+Z) modes are explained for the first time, and the predicted levels of QTN and galactic background are found to agree to within 20%. RAD2 is also calibrated against RAD1 and TNR, yielding a total gain GR2Gy = 2.5 ± 0.3. Differences between the predicted and observed galactic background spectra are used to estimate the effective antenna lengths for the X and Y antennas, which are found to be between the physical monopole antenna length L and the Hansen (1981) prediction of L. The analyses are consistent with the Novaco and Brown (1978) galactic background model, which decreases much faster than that of Cane (1979). Our model background spectrum is useful for theory‐data comparisons of type II and III bursts.
Effects of interplanetary transport on derived energetic particle source strengths
Authors: Chollet E. E. , Giacalone J. , Mewaldt R. A.
Published: June 2010

We study the transport of solar energetic particles (SEPs) in the inner heliosphere in order to relate observations made by an observer at 1 AU to the number and total energy content of accelerated particles at the source, assumed to be near the Sun. We use a numerical simulation that integrates the trajectories of a large number of individual particles moving in the interplanetary magnetic field. We model pitch angle scattering and adiabatic cooling of energetic ions with energies from 50 keV nucleon−1 to 100 MeV nucleon−1. Among other things, we determine the number of times that particles of a given energy cross 1 AU and the average energy loss that they suffer because of adiabatic deceleration in the solar wind. We use a number of different forms of the interplanetary spatial diffusion coefficient and a wide range of scattering mean‐free paths and consider a number of different ion species in order to generate a wide range of simulation results that can be applied to individual SEP events. We apply our simulation results to observations made at 1 AU of the 20 February 2002 solar energetic particle event, finding the original energy content of several species. We find that estimates of the source energy based on SEP measurements at 1 AU are relatively insensitive to the mean‐free path and scattering scheme if adiabatic cooling and multiple crossings are taken into account.
Shear deformation experiments on vesicular rhyolite: Implications for brittle fracturing, degassing, and compaction of magmas in volcanic conduits
Authors: Okumura Satoshi , Nakamura Michihiko , Nakano Tsukasa , Uesugi Kentaro , Tsuchiyama Akira
Published: June 2010

Shear‐induced brittle fractures in vesicular magmas are thought to be possible pathways for open‐system degassing that controls the explosivity of volcanic eruptions. To investigate the detailed processes involved in the shear‐induced degassing, we performed torsional deformation experiments on columnar rhyolites with water contents and averaged vesicularities of 0.4–0.5 wt % and 20–41 vol %, respectively, at temperatures of 780–930°C and strain rates of <0.03 s−1. The experimental conditions, such as viscosity and vesicularity of the sample, strain rate, and total strain, simulated those of typical natural dehydrated rhyolites in shallow volcanic conduits. At relatively high temperatures (≥855°C), the columnar samples were homogeneously twisted and deformed. On the other hand, at temperatures of ≤830°C, the deformation was localized and finally resulted in brittle failure into a column and a disk, followed by a slip at the fractured interface. This slip prevented further brittle failure and shear‐induced bubble coalescence in the remaining parts of the sample. A permeable fragmented zone was formed near the interface, while in the rest of the sample, the bubbles remained isolated and permeability did not increase. From this, we infer that a single event of magma fracturing may enhance open‐system degassing locally near a fracture, but repeated fracturing and healing processes are necessary for the effective degassing of the entire magma that leads to nonexplosive eruptions.
Relationship between the seasonal change in fluorescent dissolved organic matter and mixed layer depth in the subtropical western North Pacific
Authors: Omori Yuko , Hama Takeo , Ishii Masao , Saito Shu
Published: June 2010

Spatial and temporal distributions of marine humic‐like fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOMM) were determined in the subtropical western North Pacific to evaluate the controlling factors of FDOMM behaviors. The observations were conducted at 4 stations (15–30°N) along 137°E in a subtropical area between January 2006 and April 2007. The florescence intensity of FDOMM was low (0.14–0.25 quinine sulfate units (QSU)) in the surface layer probably due to photodegradation, and increased with depth (0.90–1.10 QSU at 1000 m), irrespective of season and station. In the surface layer, the thickness of the water mass with low fluorescence intensity (<0.3 QSU) showed the seasonal change by being deeper in winter and shallower in summer, depending on the mixed layer depth (MLD). The average fluorescence intensity within the mixed layer also varied seasonally at midlatitudes; the intensity in summer was 40.8–53.8% of that in winter. Since the MLD was very much shallower in summer than in winter, FDOMM in the mixed layer would be kept within a shallow depth during the summer where intensive photodegradation could occur. The concentration of total organic carbon (TOC) was at its maximum at the water surface and decreased with depth, being adverse to FDOMM. Thus, the ratio of fluorescence intensity to TOC concentration was lowest (0.002–0.003) in surface water, which implies that FDOMM is not quantitatively important to the dissolved organic carbon pool. However, considering the possible difference in the stabilities of FDOMM against photochemical and microbial degradation, it is conceivable that photobleached FDOMM is one of the important organic groups constituting marine dissolved organic matter.