bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A tectonothermal model for the formation of an orogen at the post-collisional stage (by the example of the Yenisei Ridge, Eastern Siberia)
Authors: Vernikovsky V.A. , Vernikovskaya A.E. , Polyansky O.P. , Laevsky Yu.M. , Matushkin N.Yu. , Voronin K.V.
Published: January 2011

Using geological, geophysical, and thermophysical parameters, we performed a numeric modeling of the thermal regime of a collisional process by the example of the Yenisei Ridge Neoproterozoic orogen in the southwestern framing of the Siberian platform. The results yielded by the described 3D numerical models and by the one-dimensional parametric modeling of the thermal effect of crustal matter differentiation allowed reconstructing the main tectonothermal processes of the collisional stage of this structure formation. The performed modeling allows taking into account the local particularities of the crustal thermal state of the structure under discussion and at the same time it allows determining the general regularities, typical of orogens on post-collisional stages. We have established that it is the action of three factors that significantly influences the thermal regime: the radiogenic heat of the intrusions, high heat flow anomalies, and clustering of the Glushikha complex leucogranitic bodies in the central region of the Central Angara terrane. Our studies have shown that tectonic processes combined with diachronous magmatic activity can significantly affect the course of collisional orogens’ thermal history.
Complete isomorphic join diopside–kosmochlor CaMgSi2O6–NaCrSi2O6 in metamorphic rocks of the Sludyanka complex (southern Baikal region)
Authors: Reznitsky L.Z. , Sklyarov E.V. , Galuskin E.V.
Published: January 2011

Chromium and vanadium-bearing metamorphic derivatives of siliceous-carbonate sediments in the Sludyanka granulite-facies complex, southern Baikal, contain high-Cr clinopyroxenes that belong to the diopside–kosmochlor–natalyite join (CaMgSi2O6–NaCrSi2O6–NaVSi2O6). The ternary join includes isomorphic binary joins of which the diopside–kosmochlor join with 94% kosmochlor (Kos) end-member has been studied in detail and found to be virtually complete. As indicated by signature of diopside–eskolaite reactions in the minerals, kosmochlor and high-Cr members of the join formed at the expense of metamorphic eskolaite as a result of Na input after progressive metamorphism. There is no miscibility gap along the diopside–kosmochlor join; the incompleteness of the kosmochlor formation reaction and the coexistence of its compositionally different members are rather due to kinetic factors associated with low mobility of Cr. Thus, the mechanism of Cr incorporation in clinopyroxenes does not depend on PT-conditions of metamorphism.
Tectonics and geodynamics of the Central Asian Foldbelt: the role of Late Paleozoic large-amplitude strike-slip faults
Authors: Buslov M.M.
Published: January 2011

The following structural elements have been recognized to constitute the tectonic demarcation of Central Asian Foldbelt: (1) The Kazakhstan–Baikal composite continent, its basement formed in Vendian–Cambrian as a result of Paleoasian oceanic crust, along with Precambrian microcontinents and Gondwana-type terranes, subduction beneath the southeastern margin of the Siberian continent (western margin in present-day coordinates). The subduction and subsequent collision of microcontinents and terranes with the Kazakhstan–Tuva–Mongolia island arc led to crustal consolidation and formation of the composite-continent basement. In Late Cambrian and Early Ordovician, this continent was separated from Siberia by the Ob’–Zaisan ocean basin. (2) The Vendian and Paleozoic Siberian continental margin complexes comprising the Vendian–Cambrian Kuznetsk–Altai island arc and the rock complexes of Ordovician–Early Devonian passive margin and Devonian to Early Carboniferous active margin. Fragments of Vendian–Early Cambrian oceanic crust represented by ophiolite and paleo-oceanic mounds dominate in the accretionary wedges of island arc. The Gondwana-type continental blocks are absent in western Siberian continental margin complexes and supposedly formed at the convergent boundary of a different ocean, probably, Paleopacific. (3) The Middle–Late Paleozoic Charysh–Terekta–Ulagan–Sayan suture-shear zone separating the continental margin complexes of Siberia and Kazakhstan–Baikal. It is composed of fragments of Cambrian and Early Ordovician oceanic crust of the Ob’–Zaisan basin, Ordovician blueschists and Cambrian–Ordovician turbidites, and Middle Paleozoic metamorphic rocks of shear zones. In the suture zone, the Kazakhstan–Baikal continental masses moved westward along the southeastern margin of Siberia. In Late Devonian and Early Carboniferous, the continents amalgamated to form the North Asian continent. (4) The Late Paleozoic strike-slip faults forming an orogenic collage of terranes, which resulted from Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous collision between Kazakhstan–Baikal and Siberian continents and Late Carboniferous to Permian and Late Permian to Early Triassic collisions between East European Craton and North Asian continent. As a result, the Vendian to Middle Paleozoic accretion-collisional continental margins of Siberia and the entire Kazakhstan–Baikal composite continent became fragmented by large-amplitude (up to a few thousand kilometers) strike-slip faults and conjugate thrusts into several strike-slip terranes, which mixed with each other and thus disrupted the original geodynamic, tectonic, and paleogeographic demarcation.
Formation and Mesoarchean metamorphism of hypersthene gneisses from the Irkut granulite-gneiss block (Sharyzhalgai uplift in the southwestern Siberian craton)
Authors: Turkina O.M. , Urmantseva L.N. , Berezhnaya N.G. , Skublov S.G.
Published: January 2011

U-Pb dating (SHRIMP-II) and study of the internal structure and composition were carried out for zircon from hypersthene gneiss from the Irkut granulite-gneiss block (Sharyzhalgai uplift in the southwestern Siberian craton). Three generations of zircon have been revealed in the hypersthene gneiss, which differ in zoning pattern, U and Th concentrations, and REE distribution. Zircon cores with growth zoning relics show a REE pattern typical of magmatic zircon: with a high (Lu/Gd)n value (11–36) and a distinct Ce anomaly (Ce/Ce* = 15–81). They belong to early magmatic generation with an age of ≥3.16 Ga. Multifaced soccerball crystals, rims, and unzoned cores of zircon belong to metamorphic generation; they are depleted in REE and show a lower (Lu/Gd)n value (1.1–9.2) than the magmatic cores. This zircon generation formed as a result of the Mesoarchean high-temperature metamorphism at ~3.04 Ga. The latest zircon generation includes thin outer rims with low (Lu/Gd)n (11–12.4) and Th/U (0.02–0.05) values and long-prismatic crystals with an oscillatory zoning, which resulted from the Paleoproterozoic (~1.85 Ga) granulite metamorphism and partial melting. The different ages of high-temperature metamorphism in the granulite-gneiss (~3.04 and 2.55–2.6 Ga) and granite-greenstone (~3.2 Ga) blocks of the Sharyzhalgai uplift reflect the independent tectonothermal and geodynamic evolution of crust in these structures, up to the final amalgamation in the Paleoproterozoic (1.88–1.85 Ga).
‘The Arithmetic of Compassion’: Rethinking the Politics of Photography
Authors: Johnson James
Published: January 2011

Compassion, theorists from Arendt to Nussbaum suggest, carries an ineluctable pressure to identify with individual suffering. The very idea of a politics of compassion verges on incoherence. Politics typically demands attention to the aggregate and it is just there that compassion falters. This is a problem for critics addressing the politics of photography, who typically presume that the point of photographs must be to elicit compassion among viewers. But a proper understanding of compassion makes this presumption highly problematic. The role of compassion in exemplary writings on the politics of photography reflects a fixation with ‘emblematic’ individual subjects in ‘classic’ American documentary practice, which prevents critics from properly grasping the best of contemporary documentary. The conclusion is that promoting solidarity provides a more plausible, if elusive, aim for the politics of photography.
Optimization of breeding output for larval stage of Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae): prospects for the creation and maintenance of laboratory colony from wild isolates
Authors: Tchuinkam T. , Mpoame M. , Make-Mveinhya B. , Simard F. , Lélé-Defo E. , Zébazé-Togouet S. , Tateng-Ngouateu A. , Awono-Ambéné H.-P. , Antonio-Nkondjio C. , Njiné T. , Fontenille D.
Published: January 2011

Domesticating anopheline species from wild isolates provides an important laboratory tool but requires detailed knowledge of their natural biology and ecology, especially the natural breeding habitats of immature stages. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal values of some parameters of Anopheles gambiae larval development, so as to design a standard rearing protocol of highland isolates, which would ensure: the biggest fourth instars, the highest pupae productivity, the shortest duration of the larval stage and the best synchronization of pupation. The density of larvae, the size of breeding water and the quantity of food supplied were tested for their effect on larval growth. Moreover, three cheap foodstuffs were selected and tested for their capability to improve the breeding yield versus TetraMin® as the standard control. The larval density was a very sensitive parameter. Its optimal value, which was found to be ≈1 cm−2 surface area, yielded a daily pupation peak of 38.7% on day 8 post-oviposition, and a global pupae productivity of 78.7% over a duration range of three days. Anopheles gambiae's larval growth, survival and developmental synchronization were density-dependent, and this species responded to overcrowding by producing smaller fourth instars and fewer pupae, over elongated immature lifetime and duration range of pupae occurrence, as a consequence of intraspecific competition. While shallow breeding waters (<3 cm) produced a higher number of pupae than deeper ones, no effect of the breeding habitat's absolute surface area on larval development was observed. Increasing the daily food supply improved the pupae productivity but also boosted the water pollution level (which was assessed by the biological oxygen demand (BOD) and the chemical oxygen demand (COD)) up to a limit depending on the food quality, above which a rapid increase in larval mortality was recorded. The food quality that could substitute the manufactured baby fish food was obtained with weighed mixture of 1 wheat+1 shrimp+2 fish. On establishing an anopheline mosquito colony in the laboratory, special care should be taken to design and maintain the appropriate optimal values of larval density, water depth, daily diet quantity and nutritional quality.
Weather variability impacts on oviposition dynamics of the southern house mosquito at intermediate time scales
Authors: Chaves L.F. , Kitron U.D.
Published: January 2011

Oviposition is a major event in the life history of mosquitoes, shaping both individual fitness and vectorial capacity. Several exogenous factors have been shown as important for the dynamic forcing of oviposition at finely (hourly) and coarsely (monthly or season to season) grained temporal scales. However, field studies addressing the interplay of weather factors on oviposition dynamics at the intermediate (days to weeks) time scale are missing. Here, we present the results from a field study that showed the oviposition dynamics of the southern house mosquito,Culex quinquefasciatusSay (Diptera: Culicidae), to be: (i) primarily dictated by relative humidity; and (ii) disrupted by rainfall events that resulted in a modified sensitivity to relative humidity. Rainfall changed the concentration of ammonia, a major limiting resource of microbes used as food by mosquito larvae. Following major rainfall events, the importance of relative humidity in forcing the oviposition dynamics also changed. Finally, our results indicate that qualitative changes in oviposition habitats modify the importance of weather variables as predictors of mosquito oviposition dynamics.
Effects of host species, stage and size on the sex ratio and clutch size of the parasitoid,Dibrachys boarmiae(Walker, 1863) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)
Authors: Sarikaya A. , Gülel A.
Published: January 2011

Effects of host species, stage and size on clutch size and sex ratio of the gregarious, idiobiont ectoparasitoidDibrachys boarmiaewere investigated at 25±2°C and 70±5% relative humidity. The greater wax moth,Galleria mellonella, small wax moth,Achroia grisella, and early stage solitary larvae of the endoparasitoid,Apanteles galleriae, were used as hosts. Clutch size was greatest from prepupae of the largest host,Galleria mellonella, with a mean of 40.07 offspring per host versus 14.73 and 2.93 forAchroia grisellaandApanteles galleriae, respectively. The mean clutch size from pupae was lower than from prepupae, being 17.27, 10.73 and 2.89 forGalleria mellonella, Achroia grisellaandApanteles galleriae, respectively. Within each host species and stage, heavier hosts resulted in larger clutches. The sex ratio of offspring (proportion of male) was approximately 0.20, with only minor differences among host species, stages and sizes.
Evolution of European Cockchafers (Melolonthinae: Scarabaeidae: Coleoptera): a morphological, molecular and chromosomal study of intra- and inter-specific variations
Authors: Giannoulis T. , Dutrillaux A.-M. , Mamuris Z. , Montreuil O. , Stamatis C. , Dutrillaux B.
Published: January 2011

In cockchafers of the genusMelolontha, there is a marked intraspecific polymorphism for morphological characters, making some specimens of one species resemble another. A cytogenetic and molecular (mitochondrialCOIgene sequence) study of typical and atypical forms ofM. melolonthaandM. hippocastani, captured at the same period and area, was performed. Karyotypes and haplotypes clearly characterize each taxon, placing atypical specimens in one or the other species unambiguously. This formally discards the role of hybridization in phenotypic resemblance, as usually proposed. Karyotypes and haplotypes were compared to those ofM. pectoralisandPhyllophaga pleei, a more distantly related Melolonthinae, and some Dynastinae species, to reconstruct their ancestral karyotype. The karyotype ofM. melolonthais the most derivative and that ofP. pleeithe most conserved among the Melolonthinae studied, which fits with the phylogeny established byCOIgene analysis. Both karyotypes andCOIhaplotypes demonstrate the proximity ofM. pectoralisandM. melolontha. The karyotype ofM. melolonthais polymorphic, without relationship with morphological variations. Finally, the existence of similar morphological variations in differentMelolonthaspecies and chromosomal polymorphism inM. melolonthais discussed in relation with a network (reticulated) mode of speciation.
AMENDMENTS TO HYPOTHESES ON THE PROXIMATE CAUSES OF VARIATION IN HUMAN SEX RATIOS AT BIRTH WITH PARENTAL INFECTION WITH HEPATITIS B VIRUS OR TOXOPLASMA GONDII
Authors: JAMES WILLIAM H.
Published: January 2011

In a recent paper in this Journal, I offered hypotheses on the offspring sex ratios of women infected with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, and on the offspring sex ratios of people who are carriers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) (James, 2008). Subsequent research suggests that these hypotheses need amending. A detailed account of the amendments is given elsewhere in a specialized journal (James, 2010a). Here they are summarized.
RISKY BEHAVIOUR AND HIV PREVALENCE AMONG ZAMBIAN MEN
Authors: MALHOTRA NISHA , YANG JONATHAN
Published: January 2011

The objective of this paper is to identify demographic, social and behavioural risk factors for HIV infection among men in Zambia. In particular, the role of alcohol, condom use and number of sex partners is highlighted as being significant in the prevalence of HIV. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyse the latest cross-sectional population-based demographic health survey for Zambia (2007). The survey included socioeconomic variables and HIV serostatus for consenting men (N=4434). Risk for HIV was positively related to wealth status. Men who considered themselves to be at high risk of being HIV positive were most likely to be HIV positive. Respondents who, along with their sexual partner, were drunk during the last three times they had sexual intercourse were more likely to be HIV positive (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.60; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00–2.56). Men with more than two sexual life partners and inconsistent condom use had a higher risk for being HIV positive (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.45–2.46; and OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.10–2.02, respectively). HIV prevention programmes in Zambia should focus even more on these behavioural risk factors.
Scanning electron microscopy of adult Echinoparyphium recurvatum (Von Linstow, 1873) (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) from Britain
Authors: McCarthy A.M.
Published: January 2011

The surface topography of 15-day-old adult Echinoparyphium recurvatum (Von Linstow, 1873) sensu stricto, from an isolate of the parasite utilizing Lymnaea peregra as first intermediate host in southern England, is described and illustrated using scanning electron microscopy, and is compared to those of other Echinoparyphium species from Europe, and with those of E. recurvatum of East Asian origin. The general morphology of tegumental features was found to be very similar to that of worms of the same age observed in a previous study on a Korean isolate of E. recurvatum. Comparison of collar and body spination of E. recurvatum with other 45-collar-spined members of the genus in Europe revealed some significant differences in morphology. Collar spines of E. recurvatum were found to be shorter and more pointed than those of Echinoparyphium mordwilkoi. The body spines of E. recurvatum are rounded and scale-like, extending just beyond the ventral sucker, contrasting with the pointed, thorn-shaped body spines of E. mordwilkoi, extending posteriorly to the level of the second testis. Body spine shape and distribution in E. recurvatum were found to be more similar to those of Echinoparyphium pseudorecurvatum. The value of SEM studies in elucidating the relationship between members of the genus Echinoparyphium in Britain/Europe and those in Africa, Asia and North America is suggested.
The occurrence of the larval cestode Cysticercus fasciolaris in rodent populations from the Cuxtal ecological reserve, Yucatan, Mexico
Authors: Rodríguez-Vivas R.I. , Panti-May J.A. , Parada-López J. , Hernández-Betancourt S.F. , Ruiz-Piña H.A.
Published: January 2011

Cysticercus fasciolaris is the larval stage of the cestode Taenia taeniaeformis, whose definitive hosts are mainly cats. This larval stage uses a wide variety of small rodents, and occasionally birds and humans, as intermediate hosts. In the Yucatan, there are no reports of the presence of this cestode in animal populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of C. fasciolaris in rodent populations from the Cuxtal ecological reserve, Yucatan, Mexico. Trapping of rodents was conducted from October 2009 to April 2010 in 40 households in Molas, in which Sherman traps were placed both inside and outside backyards. Rodents were dissected to inspect the liver for the presence of the worm. To determine risk factors associated with infection, univariate analysis was performed using sex, age, species, trapping site, and season as independent variables. Variables with a P value <  0.2 were analysed using a logistic regression model. In this study, 411 individuals of six rodent species were trapped; Mus musculus was the most abundant (78%), followed by Rattus rattus (13%) and the wild species Peromyscus yucatanicus, Ototylomys phyllotis,Heteromys gaumeri and Reithrodontomys gracilis (9%). Only 7.5% (n = 31) of M. musculus and R. rattus were infected with C. fasciolaris (demonstrated by the presence of liver cysts) with a prevalence of 9.0% and 3.5%, respectively. Both adults and male mice were 4.33 and 3.46 (OR values) times more likely to have C. fasciolaris than juveniles and females respectively. We can conclude that in the Cuxtal Reserve, Yucatan, Mexico, the prevalence of C. fasciolaris is higher in M. musculus, and that adult males had a higher probability of infection. Wild species, mainly P. yucatanicus, were not found to be infected with the cestode, but its presence in the backyards of households could result in a potential risk of acquiring this infection.
Performing Peace: Gandhi's assassination as a critical moment in the consolidation of the Nehruvian state
Authors: KHAN YASMIN
Published: January 2011

The consolidation of the Nehruvian state's sovereignty after Independence is traced here as a contingent event which was tightly linked to the impact of Gandhi's assassination and the mourning rituals which followed his death in 1948. The Congress was able to use the funeral, mortuary rituals and distribution of Gandhi's ashes to assert the power of the state and to stake the Congress Party's right to sovereignty. This intersected with localized and religious expressions of grief. Gandhi's death therefore acted as a bridge, spatially and temporally linking the distant state with the Indian people and underscoring transitions to Independence during the process of postcolonial transition from 1947–1950.
Personal Law and Citizenship in India's Transition to Independence
Authors: NEWBIGIN ELEANOR
Published: January 2011

Studies of the post-colonial state have often presented it as a structure that has fallen under the control of self-interested sections of the Indian elite. In terms of citizenship, the failure of the state to do more to realize the egalitarian promise of the Fundamental Rights, set out in the Constitution of 1950, has often been attributed to interference by these powerful elite. Tracing the interplay between debates about Hindu property rights and popular support or tolerance for the notion of individual, liberal citizenship, this paper argues that the principles espoused in the Fundamental Rights were never neutral abstractions but, long before independence, were firmly embedded in the material world of late-colonial political relations. Thus, in certain key regards, the citizen-subject of the Indian Constitution was not the individual, freed from ascriptive categories of gender or religious identity, but firmly tied to the power structures of the community governed by Hindu law.
An international risk prediction algorithm for the onset of generalized anxiety and panic syndromes in general practice attendees: predictA
Authors: King M. , Bottomley C. , Bellón-Saameño J. A. , Torres-Gonzalez F. , Švab I. , Rifel J. , Maaroos H.-I. , Aluoja A. , Geerlings M. I. , Xavier M. , Carraça I. , Vicente B. , Saldivia S. , Nazareth I.
Published: January 2011

Background

There are no risk models for the prediction of anxiety that may help in prevention. We aimed to develop a risk algorithm for the onset of generalized anxiety and panic syndromes.

Method

Family practice attendees were recruited between April 2003 and February 2005 and followed over 24 months in the UK, Spain, Portugal and Slovenia (Europe4 countries) and over 6 months in The Netherlands, Estonia and Chile. Our main outcome was generalized anxiety and panic syndromes as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire. We entered 38 variables into a risk model using stepwise logistic regression in Europe4 data, corrected for over-fitting and tested it in The Netherlands, Estonia and Chile.

Results

There were 4905 attendees in Europe4, 1094 in Estonia, 1221 in The Netherlands and 2825 in Chile. In the algorithm four variables were fixed characteristics (sex, age, lifetime depression screen, family history of psychological difficulties); three current status (Short Form 12 physical health subscale and mental health subscale scores, and unsupported difficulties in paid and/or unpaid work); one concerned country; and one time of follow-up. The overall C-index in Europe4 was 0.752 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.724–0.780]. The effect size for difference in predicted log odds between developing and not developing anxiety was 0.972 (95% CI 0.837–1.107). The validation of predictA resulted in C-indices of 0.731 (95% CI 0.654–0.809) in Estonia, 0.811 (95% CI 0.736–0.886) in The Netherlands and 0.707 (95% CI 0.671–0.742) in Chile.

Conclusions

PredictA accurately predicts the risk of anxiety syndromes. The algorithm is strikingly similar to the predictD algorithm for major depression, suggesting considerable overlap in the concepts of anxiety and depression.
A high repetitive rate intense electron beam accelerator based on high coupling Tesla transformer
Authors: Peng Jian-Chang , Liu Guo-Zhi , Song Xiao-Xin , Su Jian-Cang
Published: January 2011

Tesla transformers are widely used in short pulse, repetition pulsed power generators. In this paper, a high repetitive rate intense electron beam accelerator (IEBA) based on high coupling (~1) Tesla transformer, which consists of a primary charging system, coaxial pulse forming line (PFL) charged by Tesla transformer and gas spark switch is described, especially stressed on the high coupling Tesla transformer. By introducing magnetic core to enhance the coupling factor between the primary and secondary windings, the transformer is capable of producing high voltage pulse up to 1.4 MV in approximately 45 µs. A coaxial pulse forming line is closely attached to the transformer that the outer and inner magnetic cores are parts of the PFL's outer and inner conductors respectively. In addition, the parameters of the Tesla transformer and PFL are calculated, including the dimension of the PFL and Tesla transformer. Some experiment results showed that the IEBA is capable of producing electron beams of 300–700 kV/7–13 kA at repetitive rate 100 Hz, with the pulse width 35 ns. The maximal energy efficiency of the Tesla transformer is 83%.
Factors related toCampylobacterspp. carriage in client-owned dogs visiting veterinary clinics in a region of Ontario, Canada
Authors: LEONARD E. K. , PEARL D. L. , JANECKO N. , WEESE J. S. , REID-SMITH R. J. , PEREGRINE A. S. , FINLEY R. L.
Published: January 2011

From July 2008 until May 2009, 240 client-owned pet dogs from seven veterinary clinics in the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada participated in a study to determine pet-related management factors that may be associated with the presence ofCampylobacterspp. in dogs. The prevalence ofCampylobacterspp. carriage in our study population of pet dogs was 22%, with 19% of the dogs positive forC. upsaliensis, and 3% positive forC. jejuni. A significant risk factor from multivariable logistic regression models for bothCampylobacterspp. andC. upsaliensiscarriage was having homemade cooked food as the dog's diet or added to its diet, and a significant sparing factor for both models was treatment with antibiotics in the previous month. Increasing age of the dog decreased the odds ofCampylobacterspp. andC. upsaliensiscarriage. Based on the high prevalence ofCampylobacter, and specificallyC. upsaliensis, further research concerning pet dogs as a risk factor for campylobacteriosis in humans is warranted.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIATION, LIQUIDITY, AND INFLATION
Authors: Chiu Jonathan , Meh Césaire A.
Published: January 2011

This paper develops a search-theoretic model to study the interaction between banking and monetary policy and how this interaction affects allocation and welfare. Regarding how banking affects the welfare costs of inflation, we find that, with banking, inflation generates lower welfare costs. We also find that lowering inflation improves welfare not just by reducing consumption/production distortions, but also by avoiding financial intermediation costs. Therefore, understanding the nature of financial intermediation is critical for accurately assessing the welfare gain from lowering the inflation rate. Regarding how monetary policy affects the welfare effects of banking, we find that, when the inflation is low, banking is not active in channeling liquidity; when inflation is high, banking is active and improves welfare; and when inflation is moderate, banking is active but reduces welfare. Owing to general-equilibrium feedback, banking is supported in equilibrium even though welfare is higher without banking.
Reliability and validity of a fruit and vegetable self-efficacy instrument for secondary-school students in the Netherlands
Authors: Bannink Rienke , van der Bijl Jaap J
Published: January 2011

Objective

To develop a ‘fruit self-efficacy’ (FSE) instrument and a ‘vegetable self-efficacy’ (VSE) instrument for secondary-school students in the Netherlands and to test the reliability and validity of these instruments.

Design

Methodological research.

Setting

Seven secondary schools in the Netherlands.

Subjects

Students (11–19 years of age) completed the two instruments in the classroom (n466). Out of the original subject group, 106 students completed the instruments a second time.

Results

The relevance of the twenty-two items of the two developed instruments was evaluated on two occasions by four experts. This procedure resulted in seventeen items for both instruments. Further analysis was carried out on the basis of the secondary-school students’ answers. Factor analysis identified two unidimensional instruments. Cronbach'sαwas 0·94 for the FSE instrument and 0·95 for the VSE instrument. The intra-class correlation coefficient between the test and the retest for both instruments varied between 0·33 and 0·84 (P< 0·05), depending on how the tests were taken (during class or on the student's own initiative), and the order in which the tests were completed (started or finished with a different instrument used for similar research). The correlation between FSE and fruit consumption was 0·41 (P< 0·01) and between VSE and vegetable consumption was 0·32 (P< 0·01).

Conclusions

The two instruments are sufficiently reliable and valid to assess the FSE and VSE of secondary-school students in the Netherlands. Further research, in which the predominant ethnic minorities in the Netherlands are sufficiently represented, is required to confirm this conclusion.
OPTIMAL PROPORTIONAL REINSURANCE UNDER TWO CRITERIA: MAXIMIZING THE EXPECTED UTILITY AND MINIMIZING THE VALUE AT RISK
Authors: LIANG ZHIBIN , GUO JUNYI
Published: January 2011

We consider the optimal proportional reinsurance from an insurer’s point of view to maximize the expected utility and minimize the value at risk. Under the general premium principle, we prove the existence and uniqueness of the optimal strategies and Pareto optimal solution, and give the relationship between the optimal strategies. Furthermore, we study the optimization problem with the variance premium principle. When the total claim sizes are normally distributed, explicit expressions for the optimal strategies and Pareto optimal solution are obtained. Finally, some numerical examples are presented to show the impact of the major model parameters on the optimal results.
Assessment of the dosimetric consequences of prostate movement through rectal distension for patients receiving 3DCRT
Authors: Redding D.J. , Bragg C.M.
Published: January 2011

Purpose: To investigate the dosimetric consequences of rectal distension at the time of the planning computed tomography (CT) scan and any resultant prostate movement on the planned dose delivery for patients receiving three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) to the prostate.

Methods and materials: 25 prostate cancer patients whose planning CT scan demonstrated a full rectum were rescanned after following a laxative protocol. Rectal dimensions on the two scans and 3DCRT treatment plans produced on each plan were compared. The dosimetric implications of changes in rectal size on the treatment plans and the delivered dose were determined. Statistical significance was evaluated with the Wilcoxon signed ranks test.

Results: Significant differences in rectal size were found between the initial CT scan and the rescan. The corresponding median change in prostate position was 4.7 mm. The use of planning scans with a full rectum, that is unrepresentative of the rectum, during treatment causes significant reductions in planning target volume (PTV) minimum dose (median reduction 33.7%) and coverage by the 95% isodose (median reduction 3.7% of the PTV).

Conclusion: Rectal distension on the initial planning scan can lead to significant PTV underdosage. Patients presenting with large initial rectal fillings must be rescanned in order to avoid a systematic underdosing of the PTV.
Smoothing dispersed counts with applications to mortality data
Authors: Djeundje V. A. B. , Currie I. D.
Published: January 2011

Mortality data are often classified by age at death and year of death. This classification results in a heterogeneous risk set and this can cause problems for the estimation and forecasting of mortality. In the modelling of such data, we replace the classical assumption that the numbers of claims follow the Poisson distribution with the weaker assumption that the numbers of claims have a variance proportional to the mean. The constant of proportionality is known as the dispersion parameter and it enables us to allow for heterogeneity; in the case of insurance data the dispersion parameter also allows for the presence of duplicates in a portfolio. We use both the quasi-likelihood and the extended quasi-likelihood to estimate models for the smoothing and forecasting of mortality tables jointly with smooth estimates of the dispersion parameters. We present three main applications of our method: first, we show how taking account of dispersion reduces the volatility of a forecast of a mortality table; second, we smooth mortality data by amounts, ie, when deaths are amounts claimed and exposed-to-risk are sums assured; third, we present a joint model for mortality by lives and by amounts with the property that forecasts by lives and by amounts are consistent. Our methods are illustrated with data from the Continuous Mortality Investigation.
Yet More on a Stochastic Economic Model: Part 1: Updating and Refitting, 1995 to 2009
Authors: Wilkie A. D. , Şahin Şule , Cairns A. J. G. , Kleinow Torsten
Published: January 2011

In this paper we review the Wilkie asset model for a variety of UK economic indices, including the Retail Prices Index, both without and with an ARCH model, the wages index, share dividend yields, share dividends and share prices, long term bond yields, short term bond yields and index-linked bond yields, in each case by updating the parameters to June 2009. We discuss how the model has performed from 1994 to 2009 and estimate the values of the parameters and their confidence intervals over various sub-periods to study their stability. Our analysis shows that the residuals of many of the series are much fatter-tailed than in a normal distribution. We observe also that besides the stochastic uncertainty built into the model by the random innovations there is also parameter uncertainty arising from the estimated values of the parameters.
Contribution of crenarchaeal autotrophic ammonia oxidizers to the dark primary production in Tyrrhenian deep waters (Central Mediterranean Sea)
Authors: Yakimov Michail M , Cono Violetta La , Smedile Francesco , DeLuca Thomas H , Juárez Silvia , Ciordia Sergio , Fernández Marisol , Albar Juan Pablo , Ferrer Manuel , Golyshin Peter N , Giuliano Laura
Published: January 2011

Mesophilic Crenarchaeota have recently been thought to be significant contributors to nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) cycling. In this study, we examined the vertical distribution of ammonia-oxidizing Crenarchaeota at offshore site in Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. The median value of the crenachaeal cell to amoA gene ratio was close to one suggesting that virtually all deep-sea Crenarchaeota possess the capacity to oxidize ammonia. Crenarchaea-specific genes, nirK and ureC, for nitrite reductase and urease were identified and their affiliation demonstrated the presence of ‘deep-sea’ clades distinct from ‘shallow’ representatives. Measured deep-sea dark CO2 fixation estimates were comparable to the median value of photosynthetic biomass production calculated for this area of Tyrrhenian Sea, pointing to the significance of this process in the C cycle of aphotic marine ecosystems. To elucidate the pivotal organisms in this process, we targeted known marine crenarchaeal autotrophy-related genes, coding for acetyl-CoA carboxylase (accA) and 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydratase (4-hbd). As in case of nirK and ureC, these genes are grouped with deep-sea sequences being distantly related to those retrieved from the epipelagic zone. To pair the molecular data with specific functional attributes we performed [14C]HCO3 incorporation experiments followed by analyses of radiolabeled proteins using shotgun proteomics approach. More than 100 oligopeptides were attributed to 40 marine crenarchaeal-specific proteins that are involved in 10 different metabolic processes, including autotrophy. Obtained results provided a clear proof of chemolithoautotrophic physiology of bathypelagic crenarchaeota and indicated that this numerically predominant group of microorganisms facilitate a hitherto unrecognized sink for inorganic C of a global importance.
CIPRO 2.5: Ciona intestinalis Protein integrated database with large-scale omics data, bioinformatic analyses and curated annotation, with ability for user rating and comments
Authors: Yamada Lixy , Nomura Mamoru , Ogasawara Michio , Yaguchi Junko , Takahashi Hiroki , Konno Alu , Nakajima Ayako , Yasunori Sasakura , Yoshizawa Akiyasu , Endo Toshinori , Taniguchi Hisaaki , Ueno Keisuke , Yamasaki Chisato , Yonezawa Kouki , Sera Miho , Mineta Katsuhiko , Imanishi Tadashi , Inaba Kazuo , Hotta Kohji , Nakachi Mia , Satou Yutaka
Published: January 2011

CIPRO database is an integrated protein database for a tunicate species Ciona intestinalis that belongs to the Urochordata. Although the CIPRO database deals with proteomic and transcriptomic data of a single species, the animal is considered unique in the evolutionary tree, representing a possible origin of the vertebrates and is a good model for understanding chordate evolution, including that of humans. Furthermore, C. intestinalis has been one of the favorites of developmental biologists; there exists a huge amount of accumulated knowledge on its development and morphology, in addition to the recent genome sequence and gene expression data. The CIPRO database is aimed at not only collecting published data, but also presenting unique information, including the unpublished transcriptomic and proteomic data and human curated annotation, for the use by researchers in broad research fields of biology and bioinformatics.
Development and comparison of ECC-rtPCR with in vivo method to determine the viability and infectivity of Giardial cysts
Authors: Ijaz M. Khalid , Alum Absar , Sbai Basel , Asaad Hamas , Rubino Joseph
Published: January 2011

Globally, Giardia is one of the major cause of diarrheal illnesses and rapid diagnostic methods differentiating infectious cysts are critical for developing intervention strategies through contaminated surfaces, food and water. This is currently hampered by lack of an in vitro model. We evaluated mRNA expression in trophozoites and their attachment to a CaCo2 (C2bb) cell monolayer and changes in trans-cellular resistance as an indicator of Giardia viability and infectivity. Heat shock mRNA in Giardia cysts and variant specific protein (VSP) mRNA in trophozoites were quantified by RT-PCR. When compared with neonatal mice infectivity, the attachment of trophozoites to cell monolayers, expression of VSP, and changes in the trans-cellular resistance, the infectivity directly correlated with infectivity in neonatal mice. This study highlights the use of a molecular method combined with electrophysiological analysis of cell culture (ECC-rtPCR) post-trophozoite’s attachment for assessing viability and infectivity of environmental isolates of Giardial cysts.
Changes in Brain Activity After a Diet‐Induced Obesity
Authors: Val‐Laillet David , Layec Sabrina , Guérin Sylvie , Meurice Paul , Malbert Charles‐Henri
Published: January 2011

Compared to lean subjects, obese men have less activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a brain area implicated in the inhibition of inappropriate behavior, satiety, and meal termination. Whether this deficit precedes weight gain or is an acquired feature of obesity remains unknown. An adult animal model of obesity may provide insight to this question since brain imaging can be performed in lean vs. obese conditions in a controlled study. Seven diet‐induced obese adult minipigs were compared to nine lean adult minipigs housed in the same conditions. Brain activation after an overnight fasting was mapped in lean and obese subjects by single photon emission computed tomography. Cerebral blood flow, a marker of brain activity, was measured in isoflurane‐anesthetized animals after the intravenous injection of 99mTc‐HMPAO (750 MBq). Statistical analysis was performed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) software and cerebral blood flow differences were determined using co‐registered T1 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological atlases. Deactivations were observed in the dorsolateral and anterior prefrontal cortices in obese compared to lean subjects. They were also observed in several other structures, including the ventral tegmental area, the nucleus accumbens, and nucleus pontis. On the contrary, activations were found in four different regions, including the ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus and middle temporal gyrus. Moreover, the anterior and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices as well as the insular cortex activity was negatively associated with the body weight. We suggested that the reduced activation of prefrontal cortex observed in obese humans is probably an acquired feature of obesity since it is also found in minipigs with a diet‐induced obesity.
Ethnic‐Specific BMI and Waist Circumference Thresholds
Authors: Katzmarzyk Peter T. , Bray George A. , Greenway Frank L. , Johnson William D. , Newton Robert L. , Ravussin Eric , Ryan Donna H. , Bouchard Claude
Published: January 2011

BMI and waist circumference (WC) are used to identify individuals with elevated obesity‐related health risks. The current thresholds were derived largely in populations of European origin. This study determined optimal BMI and WC thresholds for the identification of cardiometabolic risk among white and African‐American (AA) adults. The sample included 2,096 white women, 1,789 AA women, 1,948 white men, and 643 AA men aged 18–64 years. Elevated cardiometabolic risk was defined as ≥2 risk factors (blood pressure ≥130/85 mm Hg; glucose ≥100 mg/dl; triglycerides ≥150 mg/dl; high‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol <40 mg/dl (men) or <50 mg/dl (women)). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify optimal BMI and WC thresholds in each sex‐by‐ethnicity group. The optimal BMI thresholds were 30 kg/m2 in white women, 32.9 kg/m2 in AA women, 29.1 kg/m2 white men, and 30.4 kg/m2 in AA men, whereas optimal WC thresholds were 91.9 cm in white women, 96.8 cm in AA women, 99.4 in white men, and 99.1 cm in AA men. The sensitivities at the optimal thresholds ranged from 63.5 to 68.5% for BMI and 68.4 to 71.0% for WC and the specificities ranged from 64.2 to 68.8% for BMI and from 68.5 to 71.0% for WC, respectively. In general, the optimal BMI and WC thresholds approximated currently used thresholds in men and in white women. There are no apparent ethnic differences in men; however, in AA women the optimal BMI and WC values are ∼3 kg/m2 and 5 cm higher than in white women.
BMD‐Associated Variation at the Osterix Locus Is Correlated With Childhood Obesity in Females
Authors: Zhao Jianhua , Bradfield Jonathan P. , Li Mingyao , Zhang Haitao , Mentch Frank D. , Wang Kai , Sleiman Patrick M.A. , Kim Cecilia E. , Glessner Joseph T. , Frackelton Edward C. , Chiavacci Rosetta M. , Berkowitz Robert I. , Zemel Babette S. , Hakonarson Hakon , Grant Struan F.A.
Published: January 2011

Recent genome wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed a number of genetic variants robustly associated with bone mineral density (BMD) and/or osteoporosis. Evidence from epidemiological and clinical studies has shown an association between BMD and BMI, presumably as a consequence of bone loading. We investigated the 23 previously published BMD GWAS‐derived loci in the context of childhood obesity by leveraging our existing genome‐wide genotyped European American cohort of 1,106 obese children (BMI ≥95th percentile) and 5,997 controls (BMI <95th percentile). Evidence of association was only observed at one locus, namely Osterix (SP7), with the G allele of rs2016266 being significantly over‐represented among childhood obesity cases (P = 2.85 × 10−3). When restricting these analyses to each gender, we observed strong association between rs2016266 and childhood obesity in females (477 cases and 2,867 controls; P = 3.56 × 10−4), which survived adjustment for all tests applied. However, no evidence of association was observed among males. Interestingly, Osterix is the only GWAS locus uncovered to date that has also been previously implicated in the determination of BMD in childhood. In conclusion, these findings indicate that a well established variant at the Osterix locus associated with increased BMD is also associated with childhood obesity primarily in females.
Connes' embedding problem and Tsirelson's problem
Authors: Junge M. , Navascues M. , Palazuelos C. , Perez-Garcia D. , Scholz V. B. , Werner R. F.
Published: January 2011

We show that Tsirelson's problem concerning the set of quantum correlations and Connes' embedding problem on finite approximations in von Neumann algebras (known to be equivalent to Kirchberg's QWEP conjecture) are essentially equivalent. Specifically, Tsirelson's problem asks whether the set of bipartite quantum correlations generated between tensor product separated systems is the same as the set of correlations between commuting C*-algebras. Connes' embedding problem asks whether any separable II \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$_1$\end{document}1 factor is a subfactor of the ultrapower of the hyperfinite II \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$_1$\end{document}1 factor. We show that an affirmative answer to Connes' question implies a positive answer to Tsirelson's. Conversely, a positive answer to a matrix valued version of Tsirelson's problem implies a positive one to Connes' problem.
Periodic quantum mechanical simulation of the He–MgO(100) interaction potential
Authors: Martinez-Casado R. , Mallia G. , Usvyat D. , Maschio L. , Casassa S. , Schütz M. , Harrison N. M.
Published: January 2011

He-atom scattering is a well established and valuable tool for investigating surface structure. The correct interpretation of the experimental data requires an accurate description of the He-surface interaction potential. A quantum-mechanical treatment of the interaction potential is presented using the current dominant methodologies for computing ground state energies (Hartree–Fock, local and hybrid-exchange density functional theory) and also a novel post-Hartree–Fock ab initio technique for periodic systems (a local implementation of Møller–Plesset perturbation theory at second order). The predicted adsorption well depth and long range behavior of the interaction are compared with that deduced from experimental data in order to assess the accuracy of the interaction potential.
Note: Ultra-high frequency ultra-low dc power consumption HEMT amplifier for quantum measurements in millikelvin temperature range
Authors: Korolev A. M. , Shnyrkov V. I. , Shulga V. M.
Published: January 2011

We have presented theory and experimentally demonstrated an efficient method for drastically reducing the power consumption of the rf/microwave amplifiers based on HEMT in unsaturated dc regime. Conceptual one-stage 10 dB-gain amplifier showed submicrowatt level of the power consumption (0.95 μW at frequency of 0.5 GHz) when cooled down to 300 mK. Proposed technique has a great potential to design the readout amplifiers for ultra-deep-cooled cryoelectronic quantum devices.