bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of insecticides on the viability of entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae) under laboratory conditions
Authors: Laznik Žiga , Trdan Stanislav
Published: July 2013

BACKGROUND

In order to increase our knowledge on the susceptibility of entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) species to agrochemicals, the compatibility of the infective juveniles (IJs) of the EPN (Steinernema and Heterorhabditis) with eight chemical and bio‐insecticides was investigated under laboratory conditions. The effect of direct IJ exposure to insecticides for 6 and 24 h was tested in a Petri dish at 15, 20 and 25 °C.

RESULTS

The study showed that S. carpocapsae and S. kraussei are sensitive to all tested insecticides. Steinernema feltiae is compatible with azadirachtin, toxin of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki and imidacloprid, while H. bacteriophora is sensitive only to abamectin and lufenuron. The percentage of IJs that survived was statistically the highest after 6 h at 15 °C (82%) and 20 °C (80%). At 25 °C (76%) it was statistically the lowest. After 24 h there were no statistically significant differences observed between 15 °C (55%) and 20 °C (55%), while at 25 °C, the statistically largest percentage of IJs (59%) survived.

CONCLUSION

Based on our research, we conclude that compatibility is not only a species‐specific, but also a strain‐specific characteristic. Steinernema feltiae and H. bacteriophora are compatible with azadirachtin and pirimicarb and might offer a cost‐effective alternative to pest control against different vegetable pests. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
Comparative study of phase structure and dielectric properties for K0.5Bi0.5TiO3BiAlO3 and LaAlO3BiAlO3
Authors: Hou Yudong , Zheng Mupeng , Si Meiju , Cui Lei , Zhu Mankang , Yan Hui
Published: July 2013

In this work, two perovskite‐type compounds, K0.5Bi0.5TiO3 and LaAlO3, have been selected as host material to incorporate with BiAlO3 using a solid‐state reaction route. The phase evolution and dielectric properties for both systems have been investigated in detail. For the K0.5Bi0.5TiO3BiAlO3 system, it is interesting to find that when using Bi2O3, Al2O3, K2CO3, and TiO2 as starting materials, the formed compounds are K0.5Bi0.5TiO3K0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15 and Al2O3 only plays a dopant role. There are two distinct dielectric peaks appearing in the patterns of temperature dependence of dielectric constant, corresponding to the phase‐transition points of perovskite‐type K0.5Bi0.5TiO3 and Aurivillius‐type K0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15, independently. In comparison, using Bi2O3, Al2O3, and La2O3 as starting materials, the pure perovskite phase LaAlO3BiAlO3 can be obtained. Compared to the inherent paraelectric behavior in LaAlO3, the diffuse phase‐transition phenomena can be observed in the LaAlO3BiAlO3 binary system, which corresponds well to the Vogel–Fulcher (VF) relationship. Moreover, compared to pure LaAlO3, the synthesized LaAlO3BiAlO3 compound shows enhanced dielectric properties, which are promising in application as gate dielectric materials.
Silicon solar cell electrical parameter measurements through quantitative lock‐in carrierographic (photoluminescence) and thermographic imaging
Authors: Liu Junyan , Melnikov Alexander , Mandelis Andreas
Published: July 2013

We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally quantitative long‐pass filtered lock‐in carrierography (LIC) or lock‐in photoluminescence (LIP) imaging and perform comparisons with lock‐in thermography (LIT) imaging of industrial Si solar cells. Optoelectronic LIP and thermoelectronic LIT imaging modalities are used for non‐destructive, non‐contact measurements of the electrical parameters of solar cells from images obtained at various external load resistances. It is shown that quantitative surface‐averaged pixel brightness statistical distributions derived from near‐infrared (NIR) LIP and mid‐infrared LIT images can be used to measure, among other parameters, photogeneration current density, diode saturation current density, ideality factor, and maximum power photovoltage of a multi‐crystalline Si solar cell. LIP images were found to have superior contrast and spatial resolution to the respective LIT images. The electrical parameter values measured from the images were found to be in very good agreement with each other and with electrical measurements (EM). The theory further allows for the generation of derivative diode saturation current density and ideality factor images.
Novel mechanism of damage introduction into carbon nanotubes caused by irradiation in gas medium
Authors: Danilchenko Boris A. , Tripachko Nikolay A. , Uvarova Irina Y. , Yaskovets Ivan I.
Published: July 2013

In situ measurements of the resistance changes of carbon nanotube bundles irradiated by 60Co γ‐quanta at room temperature are presented. The peculiarity of our study consists in providing the sample irradiation in a hermetic cell filled with different gases at atmosphere pressure. Here we demonstrate the results for irradiation in hydrogen, deuterium, helium and argon media. The obtained dependences of the resistance change versus irradiation dose in vacuum are presented, too. We have developed a novel two‐stage mechanism, which implies defect introduction by energetic intermediate particles that are gas atoms. Preliminary calculations for Compton electrons (0.85 MeV) and atmospheric gas pressure show the high efficiency of this two‐stage mechanism in comparison to conventional one‐stage mechanism. It is shown that the defect introduction rate in the developed two‐stage mechanism is strongly dependent on the gas atomic mass and coincides well with our experimental results.
Antiferromagnetic layer thickness dependence of the coercivity of the ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic two‐phase system
Authors: Guo Zi‐Zheng , Xiong Wan‐Jie
Published: July 2013

The antiferromagnetic layer thickness dependence of the coercivity of the ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic two‐phase system was studied. With mathematical transformations, equivalent anisotropy field and equivalent external field were obtained analytically. In this way, the two‐phase system was transformed into a single‐phase magnet and its hysteresis loops and coercivities were obtained by using a three‐dimensional hybrid hysteresis model. It is shown that the emergence of a peak in the coercivity curve may be related with the competing between the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic anisotropy field, or the offset of the equivalent easy axis. The results are discussed and compared with previous work.
The Anti‐Obesity Effects of the Dietary Combination of Fermented Red Ginseng with Levan in High Fat Diet Mouse Model
Authors: Oh Jin sun , Lee Seung Ri , Hwang Keum Taek , Ji Geun Eog
Published: July 2013

In this study, to evaluate the anti‐obesity effects of fermented red ginseng (FG), levan (L), and their combination (FGL), we investigated their effects on the weights of body, liver and white adipose tissue, lipid profiles, and biomarkers for insulin resistance in high fat diet (HFD)‐induced obese C57BL/6J male mice. Furthermore, the levels of leptin in the serum were measured. FG (150 mg/kg/d), L (100 mg/kg/d), and FGL (150 mg/kg/d of FG plus 100 mg/kg/d of L) were administered orally to mice daily for 11 weeks. After 11 weeks feeding, FGL showed significantly lower body weight and fat mass with decreasing food efficiency ratio than the HFD control mice. In addition, the FGL group was significantly lower in the levels of total cholesterol and fasting blood glucose and score of the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance. Furthermore, FGL decreased serum leptin levels compared to the HFD control group. Taken together, FGL showed a significant anti‐obesity effect in HFD‐induced obese mice and prevent insulin and leptin resistance. FGL may be potentially useful for the prevention of obesity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Monitoring General Linear Profiles When Random Errors Have Contaminated Normal Distributions
Authors: Huwang Longcheen , Wang Yi‐Hua Tina , Shen Cheng‐Che
Published: July 2013

We consider the quality of a process which can be characterized by a general linear profile where the random error has a contaminated normal distribution. On the basis of trimmed least squares estimation, new control charts for monitoring the coefficient parameters and/or the error variance of the profile are proposed. Simulation studies show that the proposed control charts outperform the existing competitors under such a profile. An example from manufacturing facility is used to illustrate the applicability of the proposed charts. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Provable ownership of files in deduplication cloud storage
Authors: Yang Chao , Ren Jian , Ma Jianfeng
Published: July 2013

With the rapid adoption of cloud storage services, a great deal of data is being stored at remote servers, so a new technology, client‐side deduplication, which stores only a single copy of repeating data, is proposed to identify the client's deduplication and save the bandwidth of uploading copies of existing files to the server. It was recently found, however, that this promising technology is vulnerable to a new kind of attack in which by learning just a small piece of information about the file, namely its hash value, an attacker is able to obtain the entire file from the server. In this paper, to solve this problem, we propose a cryptographically secure and efficient scheme for a client to prove to the server his ownership on the basis of actual possession of the entire original file instead of only partial information about it. Our scheme utilizes the technique of spot checking in which the client only needs to access small portions of the original file, dynamic coefficients and randomly chosen indices of the original files. Our extensive security analysis shows that the proposed scheme can generate provable ownership of the file and maintain high detection probability of client misbehavior. Both performance analysis and simulation results demonstrate that our proposed scheme is much more efficient than the existing schemes, especially in reducing the burden of the client. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Confidence intervals after multiple imputation: combining profile likelihood information from logistic regressions
Authors: Heinze Georg , Ploner Meinhard , Beyea Jan
Published: July 2013

In the logistic regression analysis of a small‐sized, case‐control study on Alzheimer's disease, some of the risk factors exhibited missing values, motivating the use of multiple imputation. Usually, Rubin's rules (RR) for combining point estimates and variances would then be used to estimate (symmetric) confidence intervals (CIs), on the assumption that the regression coefficients were distributed normally. Yet, rarely is this assumption tested, with or without transformation. In analyses of small, sparse, or nearly separated data sets, such symmetric CI may not be reliable. Thus, RR alternatives have been considered, for example, Bayesian sampling methods, but not yet those that combine profile likelihoods, particularly penalized profile likelihoods, which can remove first order biases and guarantee convergence of parameter estimation.

To fill the gap, we consider the combination of penalized likelihood profiles (CLIP) by expressing them as posterior cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) obtained via a chi‐squared approximation to the penalized likelihood ratio statistic. CDFs from multiple imputations can then easily be averaged into a combined CDFc, allowing confidence limits for a parameterβ at level 1 − αto be identified as thoseβ* andβ** that satisfy CDFc(β*) = α ∕ 2 and CDFc(β**) = 1 − α ∕ 2.

We demonstrate that the CLIP method outperforms RR in analyzing both simulated data and data from our motivating example. CLIP can also be useful as a confirmatory tool, should it show that the simpler RR are adequate for extended analysis. We also compare the performance of CLIP to Bayesian sampling methods using Markov chain Monte Carlo. CLIP is available in the R package logistf. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A covariate‐adjusted response‐adaptive allocation in clinical trials for a general class of responses
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Uttam , Bhattacharya Rahul
Published: July 2013

A class of covariate‐adjusted adaptive allocation procedures is developed for a general class of responses with an aim to satisfy relevant clinical requirements. Some exact and asymptotic properties of the procedures, proposed and a reasonable competitor, are studied and compared under the presence of treatment‐covariate interaction. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Meta‐analysis for diagnostic accuracy studies: a new statistical model using beta‐binomial distributions and bivariate copulas
Authors: Kuss Oliver , Hoyer Annika , Solms Alexander
Published: July 2013

There are still challenges when meta‐analyzing data from studies on diagnostic accuracy. This is mainly due to the bivariate nature of the response where information on sensitivity and specificity must be summarized while accounting for their correlation within a single trial. In this paper, we propose a new statistical model for the meta‐analysis for diagnostic accuracy studies. This model uses beta‐binomial distributions for the marginal numbers of true positives and true negatives and links these margins by a bivariate copula distribution. The new model comes with all the features of the current standard model, a bivariate logistic regression model with random effects, but has the additional advantages of a closed likelihood function and a larger flexibility for the correlation structure of sensitivity and specificity. In a simulation study, which compares three copula models and two implementations of the standard model, the Plackett and the Gauss copula do rarely perform worse but frequently better than the standard model. We use an example from a meta‐analysis to judge the diagnostic accuracy of telomerase (a urinary tumor marker) for the diagnosis of primary bladder cancer for illustration. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Grain Boundary Sliding in Aluminum Nano‐Bi‐Crystals Deformed at Room Temperature
Authors: Aitken Zachary H. , Jang Dongchan , Weinberger Christopher R. , Greer Julia R.
Published: July 2013

Room‐temperature uniaxial compressions of 900‐nm‐diameter aluminum bi‐crystals, each containing a high‐angle grain boundary with a plane normal inclined at 24° to the loading direction, revealed frictional sliding along the boundary plane to be the dominant deformation mechanism. The top crystallite sheared off as a single unit in the course of compression instead of crystallographic slip and extensive dislocation activity, as would be expected. Compressive stress strain data of deforming nano bicrystals was continuous, in contrast to single crystalline nano structures that show a stochastic stress strain signature, and displayed a peak in stress at the elastic limit of ∼176 MPa followed by gradual softening and a plateau centered around ∼125 MPa. An energetics‐based physical model, which may explain observed room‐temperature grain boundary sliding, in presented, and observations are discussed within the framework of crystalline nano‐plasticity and defect microstructure evolution.
How feasible is expectant management of interstitial ectopic pregnancy?
Authors: Poon L. C. Y. , Emmanuel E. , Ross J. A. , Johns J.
Published: July 2013

Objective

To review the success rate of expectant management in a series of interstitial pregnancies.

Methods

We identified all women with an ultrasound diagnosis of interstitial pregnancy seen within a 9‐year period (January 2004 to April 2013). The clinical history, ultrasound findings and biochemical results were reviewed. The outcome of all interstitial pregnancies managed conservatively was recorded. Treatment was considered as successful when the serum β‐human chorionic gonadotropin (β‐hCG) level declined below 20 IU/L without the need for further intervention.

Results

A total of 48 interstitial pregnancies were diagnosed during the study period. Surgery was the first‐line treatment in nine (18.8%) cases. Thirty‐eight (79.2%) women were offered non‐surgical management: 19 (39.6%) had methotrexate (MTX) and 19 (39.6%) were managed expectantly. One (2.1%) woman returned to her local hospital following diagnosis and we were unable to obtain any follow‐up information regarding her care. The median initial serum β‐hCG level and ectopic size were not significantly different between any of the groups according to initial treatment. The overall success rate of expectant management was 89.5%. There were no cases of ectopic rupture in this group. Length of follow‐up ranged from 7 to 141 days with a median duration of follow‐up of 50.6 days.

Conclusion

Our data show that expectant management is an option for selected women with non‐viable interstitial pregnancies and declining serum β‐hCG levels, irrespective of ectopic mass size and initial serum β‐hCG levels. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Compliance constants: are they of any real use?
Authors: Baker Jon
Published: July 2013

It is demonstrated once again that compliance constants (diagonal elements of the compliance matrix) or their inverses, relaxed force constants, cannot be reliably used as indicators of the strength of weak interatomic interactions, such as hydrogen bonds, as has frequently been proposed in the mainstream scientific literature. They are a measure, not just of the direct interaction between two atoms, but also of the contribution from all the indirect, or through‐bond, interactions as well. Any approach involving compliance constants that purports to measure the strength of a specific chemical bond must find a way of removing the through‐bond interactions. It would seem likely that such an approach must therefore involve off‐diagonal elements of the compliance matrix and not just the diagonal elements.

This article is categorized under:

Structure and Mechanism > Molecular Structures
ChemShell—a modular software package for QM/MM simulations
Authors: Metz Sebastian , Kästner Johannes , Sokol Alexey A. , Keal Thomas W. , Sherwood Paul
Published: July 2013

ChemShell is a modular computational chemistry package with a particular focus on hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) simulations. A core set of chemical data handling modules and scripted interfaces to a large number of quantum chemistry and molecular modeling packages underpin a flexible QM/MM scheme. ChemShell has been used in the study of small molecules, molecular crystals, biological macromolecules such as enzymes, framework materials including zeolites, ionic solids, and surfaces. We outline the range of QM/MM coupling schemes and supporting functions for system setup, geometry optimization, and transition‐state location (including those from the open‐source DL‐FIND optimization library). We discuss recently implemented features allowing a more efficient treatment of long range electrostatic interactions, X‐ray based quantum refinement of crystal structures, free energy methods, and excited‐state calculations. ChemShell has been ported to a range of parallel computers and we describe a number of options including parallel execution based on the message‐passing capabilities of the interfaced packages and task‐farming for applications in which a number of individual QM, MM, or QM/MM calculations can performed simultaneously. We exemplify each of the features by brief reference to published applications.

This article is categorized under:

Software > Quantum Chemistry

Software > Molecular Modeling
An experimental and computational assessment of blockage effects on wind turbine wake development
Authors: McTavish S. , Feszty D. , Nitzsche F.
Published: July 2013

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the initial wake expansion in scaled wind turbine tests as a means to guide future wake interference studies. Five scaled wind turbine rotors with different diameters were designed for testing in a closed‐loop water channel to evaluate the effects of blockage on the initial wake expansion behind a wind turbine. The initial wake expansion was assessed by using quantitative dye visualization to identify the propagation of tip vortices downstream of the rotor. The thrust coefficient developed by the scaled models was recorded using a six‐component balance and was correlated to the downstream wake expansion. The rotors used in the experiment were operated at a tip speed ratio of 6, a Reynolds number based on the tip speed and tip chord of approximately 23,000 and resulted in blockage values that ranged from 6% to 25%. Dye visualization indicated that the initial wake expansion downstream of a rotor was narrowed and that tip vortex pairing behaviour was modified because of increasing blockage. Blockage effects were significant and resulted in a wake that was more than 50% narrower when blockage was 25% compared with the observed expansion with 10% blockage. A computational simulation was conducted with the Generalized Unsteady Vortex Particle (GENUVP) discrete vortex method code using the rotor in freestream conditions and was compared with the experiments. The magnitude of the wake expansion in the freestream computations was similar to the wake expansion in the experiment when blockage was less than 10%. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using a systems biology approach to understand and study the mechanisms of metastasis
Authors: Ha Ngoc‐Han , Hunter Kent W.
Published: July 2013

Metastasis remains the main cause for cancer‐related deaths due to the lack of effective therapy. The clonal selection model has long been thought to be the primary mechanism of metastatic progression but many different mechanisms have been hypothesized for the progression from tumorigenesis to the successful dissemination and expansion of tumor cells at the secondary site. MicroRNAs, germline polymorphisms in combination with the tumor microenvironment are few of the different pathways to explain the metastatic cascade. Technological advances for high‐throughput screening of cells such as expression profiling, next generation sequencing, as well as global network analyses have advanced the studies of these mechanisms. Combined with new insights into the various mechanisms of metastasis a systems biology approach has also been shown to be useful in identifying metastasis‐specific gene signatures as well as predicting disease outcome. Furthermore, the results of these studies have been relevant for identifying biomarkers for metastatic disease. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2014, 6:107–114. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1237

This article is categorized under:

Developmental Biology > Developmental Processes in Health and Disease
Unilateral gradient flow of the Ambrosio–Tortorelli functional by minimizing movements
Authors: Babadjian Jean-François , Millot Vincent
Published: July 2013

Motivated by models of fracture mechanics, this paper is devoted to the analysis of a unilateral gradient flow of the Ambrosio–Tortorelli functional, where unilaterality comes from an irreversibility constraint on the fracture density. Solutions of such evolution are constructed by means of an implicit Euler scheme. An asymptotic analysis in the Mumford–Shah regime is then carried out. It shows the convergence towards a generalized heat equation outside a time increasing crack set. In the spirit of gradient flows in metric spaces, a notion of curve of maximal unilateral slope is also investigated, and analogies with the unilateral slope of the Mumford–Shah functional are also discussed.
A Review of the First Twenty Years of the Australasian Marketing Journal
Authors: Polonsky Michael Jay , Kay Pandora , Ringer Allison
Published: July 2013

This paper reviews the published works of the Australasian Marketing Journal in its first 20 years. Findings suggest an emphasis on works and data from within the Australasian region (i.e., Australia, New Zealand and other countries in Asia); nonetheless, countries outside the region are also represented. An extensive range of topics are examined which has broadened over time. Most frequently occurring topics are marketing theory, relationships and education. More recently, works covering consumer behaviour, branding and public policy have increased in number. The review also identifies the most prolific and impactful individual authors and institutions based on the number of works published. As expected, these contributors come predominantly from within the region. In addressing the most cited works, a wider cross-section of global institutions are represented. The review concludes that AMJ has made a valuable contribution to the marketing and broader academic discourse. AMJ has become the leading marketing journal in the Australasian region and its global recognition continues to grow. The implications for AMJ in the future are to maintain a balance between global inclusion and interest, at the same time as providing a regional focus.
The antecedents and consequences of product variety in new ventures: An empirical study
Authors: Patel Pankaj C. , Jayaram Jayanth
Published: July 2013

Despite the known benefits of greater product variety for large firms, less is known about how new ventures pursue product variety. Liabilities of newness and smallness could possibly impede the ability of new ventures to develop the product design capabilities needed to increase product variety. Drawing on the design principles of product modularity, we posit that new ventures with modular product designs tend to have higher product variety. The benefits of product variety, however, are not monotonic, and at higher levels of product variety, increasing internal operational costs lead to an inverted‐U type relationship between product variety and operational performance. We posit that process modularity, a systems‐level capability, and manufacturing flexibility, an operations capability, enhance the benefits from product variety and mitigate the costs that arise from increasing product variety further. Based on a sample of 141 new ventures and using latent moderated structural model (LMS), we find support for the proposed model. The findings are robust against alternate model specifications. Academic and managerial implications from the findings are discussed.
MARKET VALUE MARGIN VIA MEAN–VARIANCE HEDGING
Authors: Tsanakas Andreas , Wüthrich Mario V. , Černý Aleš
Published: July 2013

We use mean–variance hedging in discrete time in order to value an insurance liability. The prediction of the insurance liability is decomposed into claims development results, that is, yearly deteriorations in its conditional expected values until the liability is finally settled. We assume the existence of a tradeable derivative with binary pay-off written on the claims development result and available in each development period. General valuation formulas are stated and, under additional assumptions, these valuation formulas simplify to resemble familiar regulatory cost-of-capital-based formulas. However, adoption of the mean–variance framework improves upon the regulatory approach by allowing for potential calibration to observed market prices, inclusion of other tradeable assets, and consistent extension to multiple periods. Furthermore, it is shown that the hedging strategy can also lead to increased capital efficiency.
Gender Constitutional Reform and Feminist Mobilization in Greece and the EU: From Formal to Substantive Equality?
Authors: Anagnostou Dia
Published: July 2013

Over the past fifteen years, substantive equality and the idea of positive measures to tackle the structural roots of gender inequality have increasingly gained currency in Europe. Focusing on the case of Greece, this article explores the factors that promote constitutional and statutory reforms to promote substantive equality, and examines the effect of such reforms on gender equality rights and policy. It argues that domestic legal and social mobilization by feminists, who participated in transnational networks, were instrumental in the diffusion of the relevant EU and international norms, leading to a shift in the courts’ jurisprudence and to a constitutional amendment recognizing substantive equality. At the same time, the paper also underscores the ambivalent and limited effects of constitutionalizing substantive equality and positive measures in the absence of ongoing actions aimed at raising awareness and pushing for effective implementation.
Populist Democracies: Post-Authoritarian Greece and Post-Communist Hungary
Authors: Pappas Takis S.
Published: July 2013

This article makes the case for a novel democratic subtype,populist democracy, indicating a situation in which both the party in office and at least the major opposition force(s) in a pluralist system are populist. Based on a minimal definition of populism as ‘democratic illiberalism’, and through the comparative analysis of post-authoritarian Greece and post-communist Hungary, the article reveals the particular stages, as well as the causal mechanisms, that may prompt the emergence of populist democracy in contemporary politics. It also points to the tendency of such systems to produce polarized two-party systems, and it calls for further research on the topic.
Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of CHD: results from prospective cohort studies of Chinese adults in Shanghai
Authors: Yu Danxia , Zhang Xianglan , Gao Yu-Tang , Li Honglan , Yang Gong , Huang Jie , Zheng Wei , Xiang Yong-Bing , Shu Xiao-Ou
Published: July 2013

The protective effects of fruits and vegetables against CHD have been suggested by many epidemiological studies among Western populations. However, prospective data are lacking for Asian populations. In the present study, we examined the associations of fruit and vegetable intake with CHD incidence among 67 211 women (aged 40–70 years) and 55 474 men (aged 40–74 years) living in Shanghai, China. Food intake was assessed using validated FFQ through in-person interviews. Coronary events (non-fatal myocardial infarction or fatal CHD) were identified by biennial home visits and further confirmed by medical record review. During a mean follow-up period of 9·8 and 5·4 years, 148 events in women and 217 events in men were documented and verified. After adjustment for potential confounders, women in the highest quartile of total fruit and vegetable intake (median 814 g/d) had a hazard ratio (HR) of 0·62 (95 % CI 0·38, 1·02) for CHD (Pfor trend = 0·04) compared with those in the lowest quartile (median 274 g/d). This association was primarily driven by fruits (HR for the highestv.the lowest intake in women: 0·62, 95 % CI 0·37, 1·03). The strength of the association was attenuated after further controlling for history of diabetes or hypertension. For men, no significant association was found for fruit and vegetable intake when analysed either in combination or individually. The present findings suggest that a high consumption of fruits may reduce CHD risk in Chinese women.
Desiccation resistance of wild and mass-rearedBactrocera tryoni(Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Weldon C.W. , Yap S. , Taylor P.W.
Published: July 2013

In pest management programmes that incorporate the sterile insect technique (SIT), the ability of mass-reared insects to tolerate dry conditions may influence their survival after release in the field. In the present study, desiccation resistance of adult mass-reared Queensland fruit flies,Bactrocera tryoni(Frogatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae), that are routinely released in SIT programmes was compared with that of wild flies at 1, 10 and 20 days after adult eclosion. Under dry conditions without access to food or water, longevity of mass-rearedB. tryoniwas significantly less than that of their wild counterparts. Desiccation resistance of mass-reared flies declined monotonically with age, but this was not the case for wild flies. The sharp decline in desiccation resistance of mass-reared flies as they aged was likely explained by decreased dehydration tolerance. As in an earlier study, desiccation resistance of females was significantly lower than that of males but this was particularly pronounced in mass-reared females. Female susceptibility to dry conditions corresponded with declining dehydration tolerance with age and associated patterns of reproductive development, which suggests that water content of their oocyte load is not available for survival during periods of water stress.
VARIATIONS IN UNMET NEED FOR CONTRACEPTION IN ZAMBIA: DOES ETHNICITY PLAY A ROLE?
Authors: IMASIKU EUNICE N. S. , ODIMEGWU CLIFFORD O. , ADEDINI SUNDAY A. , ONONOKPONO DOROTHY N.
Published: July 2013

Ethnicity has been found to be a significant indicator of social position, and many studies have also established that ethnicity is a significant determinant of contraceptive use. This study aims to examine whether ethnicity is an important predictor of unmet need for contraception. Analysis was based on data for 4343 ever-married women drawn from the 2007 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey. Descriptive analysis indicates that in all ethnic groups except the Barotse and Tonga, women aged 15–49 years were married at an average age below 18. The highest mean number of children among the ethnic groups was 6.7, among the Bemba; the lowest was 5.9, among the Barotse. The highest proportion of women with an unmet need for contraception resided in the Eastern region. Multivariate logistic analyses reveal that children ever-born and region of residence were the most important predictors of unmet need for spacing, whereas for unmet need for limiting predictors were age at first marriage and partner's desire for children. Moreover, unmet need for spacing and limiting among women with secondary or higher education was significantly lower (47% and 50%, respectively) compared with those with no education. Ethnicity was not a significant predictor of unmet need for contraception. The findings stress the need for programmes aimed at enhancing the socioeconomic status of women.
A survey of the Endangered Barbary macaqueMacaca sylvanusin the Central High Atlas Mountains of Morocco
Authors: El Alami Abderrazak , van Lavieren Els , Aboufatima Rachida , Chait Abderrahman
Published: July 2013

The Barbary macaqueMacaca sylvanusis the only macaque in Africa. The species is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is listed in CITES Appendix II. This macaque has a relict distribution in Morocco and Algeria. Recent studies have indicated a dramatic decline of Barbary macaque populations in the Middle Atlas and Rif Mountains in Morocco but there is limited available information on its distribution in the Central High Atlas. We therefore conducted interviews with local officials and inhabitants, and carried out field surveys in 12 sites from February 2004 to December 2008. We found Barbary macaques in relatively small and fragmented habitats in 10 of the 12 sites. A total of 35 groups were sighted and 644 individuals counted. Mean group size was 21 (range 6–42). In all surveyed sites habitat destruction and pressure from livestock were apparent. The interviews indicated that the macaques are often found in the proximity of agricultural land, and that there is evidence of illegal capture in the Bas Oued El Abid and Haut Oued El Abid areas. To protect this species we recommend establishment of protected areas specifically for the Barbary macaque, increased surveillance by forest guards, enforcement of the law against capture of the species, and education of the local people.
Exceptionally long movements of the Asiatic cheetahAcinonyx jubatus venaticusacross multiple arid reserves in central Iran
Authors: Farhadinia Mohammad S. , Akbari Hasan , Mousavi Seyed-Jalal , Eslami Morteza , Azizi Morteza , Shokouhi Javad , Gholikhani Navid , Hosseini-Zavarei Fatemeh
Published: July 2013

Understanding spatial ecology is essential for the development of effective and appropriate conservation strategies, especially for the Asiatic cheetahAcinonyx jubatus venaticus, which occurs at a low density across vast arid areas of Iran. Yet, despite its Critically Endangered status, information on the ranging and movement of this species was formerly lacking. Here we present data for exceptionally long movements of a few individuals across multiple reserves in central Iran, obtained using camera traps during 2009–2013. We identified an adult female who moved c. 150 km multiple times between two reserves in 3 years, covering an estimated 3,629 km2. After becoming independent her three sons formed a coalition and ranged across multiple reserves, covering an estimated 4,862 km2in their first 3 years. An adult male was also found patrolling three reserves, moving up to 40 km across an estimated 807 km2. These data demonstrate that cheetahs in Iran cover vast ranges, and indicate a requirement for large, connected areas for the long-term conservation of this metapopulation.
Trichomonad parasite infection in four species of Columbidae in the UK
Authors: LENNON ROSIE J. , DUNN JENNY C. , STOCKDALE JENNIFER E. , GOODMAN SIMON J. , MORRIS ANTONY J. , HAMER KEITH C.
Published: July 2013

Trichomonas gallinaeis an emerging pathogen in wild birds, linked to recent declines in finch (Fringillidae) populations across Europe. Globally, the main hosts for this parasite are species of Columbidae (doves and pigeons); here we carry out the first investigation into the presence and incidence ofTrichomonasin four species of Columbidae in the UK, through live sampling of wild-caught birds and subsequent PCR. We report the first known UK cases ofTrichomonasinfection in 86% of European Turtle DovesStreptopelia turtursampled, along with 86% of Eurasian Collared DovesStreptopelia decaocto, 47% of WoodpigeonsColumba palumbusand 40% of Stock DovesColumba oenas. Birds were more likely to be infected if the farm provided supplementary food for gamebirds. We found three strains ofT. gallinaeand one strain clustering within theTrichomonas tenaxclade, not previously associated with avian hosts in the UK. OneT. gallinaestrain was identical at the ITS/5.8S/ITS2 ribosomal region to that responsible for the finch trichomonosis epizootic. We highlight the importance of increasing our knowledge of the diversity and ecological implications ofTrichomonasparasites in order further to understand the sub-clinical impacts of parasite infection.
Two different tools for three-dimensional mapping: DE-based scan matching and feature-based loop detection
Authors: Martín Fernando , Triebel Rudolph , Moreno Luis , Siegwart Roland
Published: July 2013

An autonomous robot must obtain information about its surroundings to accomplish multiple tasks that are greatly improved when this information is efficiently incorporated into a map. Some examples are navigation, manipulation, localization, etc. This mapping problem has been an important research area in mobile robotics during last decades. It does not have a unique solution and can be divided into multiple sub-problems. Two different aspects of the mobile robot mapping problem are addressed in this work. First, we have developed a Differential Evolution-based scan matching algorithm that operates with high accuracy in three-dimensional environments. The map obtained by an autonomous robot must be consistent after registration. It is basic to detect when the robot is navigating around a previously visited place in order to minimize the accumulated error. This phase, which is called loop detection, is the second aspect studied here. We have developed an algorithm that extracts the most important features from two different three-dimensional laser scans in order to obtain a loop indicator that is used to detect when the robot is visiting a known place. This approach allows the introduction of very different characteristics in the descriptor. First, the surface features include the geometric forms of the scan (lines, planes, and spheres). Second, the numerical features are values that describe several numerical properties of the measurements: volume, average range, curvature, etc. Both algorithms have been tested with real data to demonstrate that these are efficient tools to be used in mapping tasks.
Seed dispersal by the lek-forming white-bearded manakin (Manacus manacus, Pipridae) in the Brazilian Atlantic forest
Authors: Cestari César , Pizo Marco Aurélio
Published: July 2013

The movement patterns of males, females and juveniles of lekking species often differ due to differences in the commitment to lek activities, which may lead to differences in the spatial distribution and dispersal distances of seeds they eat. By sampling seeds in three lek and non-lek areas of the white-bearded manakin (Manacus manacus), we tested whether this lekking species increased the abundance and species richness of seeds in lek areas and, at a finer scale, in 21 displaying courts within lek areas. Combining data on seed defecation or regurgitation rates by free-ranging individuals, the number of seeds in droppings or regurgitations of mist-netted birds, and the distances travelled by birds equipped with radio-transmitters, we estimated the potential spatial distribution of seeds generated by six resident males and six females or juveniles during the morning peak of lek activity and when lek activity decreased in the afternoon. There was no difference in the species richness (46 and 44 morphospecies, respectively) and abundance of seeds (15.4 ± 7.3 seeds and 14.0 ± 1.1 seeds, respectively) between lek and non-lek areas. Within leks both parameters increased in courts (45 spp., 17.6 ± 14 seeds) compared with non-court sites (22 spp., 1.9 ± 1.8 seeds), likely as a consequence of the longer time spent by resident males in perches in or near display courts. Distances moved by juveniles and females per 60-min period (183 ± 272 m) were greater than resident males (42.6 ± 22.0 m) in the mornings, while the opposite happened in the afternoons (55.2 ± 40.7 m and 157 ± 105 m, respectively). We conclude that the spatial aggregation of seeds in lek areas of M. manacus occurs at the court level, and the spatial distribution of deposited seeds varies with manakin lekking status and the daily period of foraging.
Viral load dynamics in adult patients with A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza
Authors: NOH J. Y. , SONG J. Y. , HWANG S. Y. , CHOI W. S. , HEO J. Y. , CHEONG H. J. , KIM W. J.
Published: July 2013

The dynamics of influenza A viral load in respiratory samples collected from adult A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza patients were investigated. Three respiratory specimens were obtained every 2–4 days and clinical findings were recorded at the time each specimen was collected. A total of 105 serial specimens were collected from 35 patients. Viral clearance was more rapid in patients aged 15–29 years than patients aged 30–49 years (P < 0·01) or ⩾50 years (P < 0·01). Hospitalized patients showed slow viral clearance compared to outpatients (P < 0·01). Resolution of cough and headache was correlated with viral load reduction in respiratory specimens. Viral shedding was found in 17 patients (48·6%) 5 days after symptom onset. Time to hospital visit after symptom onset was significantly correlated with prolonged viral shedding (odds ratio 9·0, 95% confidence interval 1·56–51·87, P = 0·01). These findings will contribute to infection control aspects with respect to managing patients with influenza virus infections.
An Analysis of Prudential Value
Authors: CAMPBELL STEPHEN M.
Published: July 2013

This essay introduces and defends a new analysis of prudential value. According to this analysis, what it is for something to be good for you is for that thing to contribute to the appeal or desirability of being in your position. I argue that this proposal fits well with our ways of talking about prudential value and well-being; enables promising analyses of luck, selfishness, self-sacrifice and paternalism; preserves the relationship between prudential value and the attitudes of concern, love, pity and envy; and satisfies various other desiderata. I also highlight two ways in which the analysis is informative and can lead to progress in our substantive theorizing about the good life.
Chronic kidney disease in older people
Authors: Abdelhafiz AH , Bailey C , Russell J , El Nahas M
Published: July 2013

Chronic kidney disease prevalence will continue to rise due to increased life expectancy and population ageing. It is likely that the decline in glomerular filtration rate with increasing age represents a renal manifestation of widespread vascular disease. In addition to its associated cardiovascular risk, chronic kidney disease in older people is associated with increased prevalence of geriatric syndromes such as functional and cognitive decline, which lead to disability and frailty. Competing risks for mortality, because of the co-existence of multiple co-morbidities in old age, means that the majority of older people with chronic kidney disease will not progress to end-stage renal disease. Management of chronic kidney disease in older people is complex and an individualized and holistic, rather than disease-orientated, approach is necessary, which takes into account patients’ priorities and wishes, especially frail and very elderly populations with multiple co-morbidities.
Black Turk – Magnificent Sultan: Turkish Images on the Balkans Today
Authors: Stagl-Škaro Natalia
Published: July 2013

There is generally a negative image of the Turk – as arch-enemy – in Balkan countries. Yet this image refers less to real Turks than to different ethno-linguistic and religious neighbour groups, who are seen as more ‘Asiatic’ and less ‘European’ than oneself. Real Turks and the Turkish tradition – especially among Muslims – are rather admired. These images are constructions of high culture, albeit with sometimes dire consequences for all and sundry in times of conflict.
Turkey and Europe: The Role of Migration
Authors: Emmer Pieter
Published: July 2013

In spite of the fact that negotiations have been going on for years, the chances that Turkey will eventually become a full member of the European Union are slim. At present, a political majority among the EU-member states headed by Germany seems to oppose Turkey entering the EU. In the Netherlands, however, most political parties are still in favour of Turkey's membership. That difference coincides with the difference in the position of Turkish immigrants in German and Dutch societies.
Turkish Return Migration from Europe
Authors: Durugönül Esma
Published: July 2013

Return migration has been one of the rather neglected aspects of migration until recently, although a considerable number of international migrants as well as inter-regional migrants return to their place of origin. Nevertheless, since the beginning of the 1990s, the interest for issues related to return migration has grown considerably. In the context of Turkish return migration there still is a lack of information about the motives for returning, the new social status, the levels of satisfaction and reintegration as well as the employment and income of emigrants who have returned home. This paper aims at shedding light on this neglected aspect of Turkish migration in the context of Europe as well as on the history of Turkey as a country of immigration.