bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the delivery, impact, costs and benefits of an active lives programme for older people living in the community
Authors: Gandy Rob , Bell Amelia , McClelland Bob , Roe Brenda 
Published: August 2016

AimAge UK Lancashire received Big Lottery funding to deliver an active lives programme from January 2012 to December 2014 to the population of West Lancashire aged over 50 years. The overall aims of the associated evaluation were to measure older people’s experiences of participating in the programme, identify the impacts on their health and well-being and their suggestions for services development, and establish the costs and benefits of the programme.BackgroundThe World Health Organisation recommends older people should be able to achieve physical, social and mental well-being throughout their lives, and that international, national and local policies should be developed to support older adults, promote their independence and well-being, and encourage physical exercise. Consequently, the West Lancashire programme was to establish preventative community support for older people to assist in improving their well-being and physical and mental health, particularly those isolated due to age-related illness or disability. It was to provide interventions not available from local social care providers.MethodsA mixed methods approach was adopted, with the qualitative evaluation utilising focus groups to establish people’s experiences, identify impacts on their health and well-being, and suggestions for services development. This paper describes the quantitative evaluation, which involved three surveys and a costs analysis. The surveys were scheduled to give timely feedback to management about programme delivery and content, and overall benefits of participation.FindingsThe active lives programme and groups offered a wide range of flexible and local activities that provided benefits for older people in terms of health and well-being, social well-being and quality of life, and reducing social isolation. There was interconnectivity between these benefits. The programme was delivered in an affordable and flexible manner. Such programmes should be made more widely available.
An exposé of the fallacy: ‘That it is just to tax temporary annuities at the same rate as perpetual annuities’
Authors: Hardy Peter 
Published: August 2016

The merits and demerits of the present mode of assessing the Property and Income Tax have been so frequently made the subject of popular discussion, and are in themselves questions of such national importance, that I feel no apology to be necessary for again bringing the subject under the notice of the Institute of Actuaries.A valuable paper on the inequitable operation of this tax was, some time ago, read before the Institute by Mr. Jellicoe; and, more recently, an elaborate and important contribution on the same subject was brought by Mr. Farr under the notice of the Statistical Society of London, which paper has given rise to a lengthened and very interesting discussion. An exceedingly temperate and able pamphlet has also been recently published by Mr. John G. Hubbard, the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, in which that gentleman has discussed, with very considerable ability, the views of Mr. Warburton, and has, in my opinion, very effectually exposed their absurdity.
Observations on the Paper by Mr. Jellicoe, published in No. XXII. of this Journal
Authors: Wilbraham Henry 
Published: August 2016

Take first the case in which. A has not a life interest, but one for n years, remainder to B. Let P be a sum of consols, 100–δ the present price of consols; consequently, P consols sells for cash, which may be called M; A's and B's shares of it being M1 and M2.B has a right to a sum of P consols n years hence: it matters not to him how this sum arises, provided it be ready for him in n years’ time. Suppose such a sum now appropriated to accumulate for n years as will produce P, B will be in the same position as if A enjoyed the sum intermediately; and if such sum be now handed over to B he will neither gain nor lose. Supposing M2 to be this sum, M2 invested to accumulate for n years = P consols.
A Comparison of the Values of Policies as Found by means of the Various Tables of Mortality and the Different Methods of Valuation in use among Actuaries (Messenger Prize winning Essay - 1868)
Authors: Manly Henry William 
Published: August 2016

Life Assurance is an institution possessing such an important influence in the welfare and well-being of Society that it is most essential the principles upon which it is based and conducted should be such as to ensure its lasting stability and prosperity.After a Life Assurance Office has been once established upon a firm basis, there is no part of its management so important as that relating to the periodical valuation of the liabilities under its policies. It is my object in this essay to inquire into the various methods adopted for that purpose in the present day; and to consider the various results they produce when different tables of mortality and rates of interest are employed in the calculations; and also to ascertain the effects which the employment of different data may have upon the present and future condition of an Office.
On the Laws of Sickness and Invalidism; and their relation to the Law of Mortality
Authors: Makeham W. M. 
Published: August 2016

In a paper read before this Institute many years ago, by Mr. S. Brown, occur the following judicious remarks relative to Statistics of Mortality and Sickness:—“It has frequently been remarked” says Mr. Brown, “that “however varied and uncertain may be the occurrence of the events “to which the life of a single individual is exposed, the average “return in a large mass of persons is so regular as to be predicted “with confidence within very small limits of error. On the “uniform happening of these events under similar circumstances, “or the discovery of the laws by which they are governed, the “actuary depends for the application of the theories of probabilities “to the many useful purposes for which they may be rendered “available. The principal difficulty which he has to encounter is “the indefinite character of the event itself. In endeavouring to “ascertain the law of mortality at any period of time, or in any “particular country, the event is certain and definite whenever it “does occur. The attention is only required to the difference of “the circumstances which cause it—the age of the party, the “nature of the disease, or the locality within certain boundaries of “which a greater or less intensity of disease may prevail. But a “much greater difficulty arises when the event itself which is under “observation is of an uncertain character; such for instance as the “average duration or effects of sickness in a large number of cases.
The Expenses of Life Assurance Companies:—How they affect the Assured
Authors: Bailey A. H. 
Published: August 2016

The author commences by laying down the following propositions in reference to the management of life assurance companies:—(a) That the first consideration should he the interests of the assured(b) That, therefore, the true test of success should be the pecuniary advantage derived by the assured from the company.(c) That, nevertheless, the first consideration in several companies has been the increase of the business, and that the interests of the assured have been injured in consequence.(d) That the amount of a company's business is not a test of success.
Microstructural and Mechanical-Property Manipulation through Rapid Dendrite Growth and Undercooling in an Fe-based Multinary Alloy
Authors: Ruan Ying , Mohajerani Amirhossein , Dao Ming 
Published: August 2016

AbstractRapid dendrite growth in single- or dual-phase multicomponent alloys can be manipulated to improve the mechanical properties of such metallic materials. Rapid growth of (αFe) dendrites was realized in an undercooled Fe-5Ni-5Mo-5Ge-5Co (wt.%) multinary alloy using the glass fluxing method. The relationship between rapid dendrite growth and the micro-/nano-mechanical properties of the alloy was investigated by analyzing the grain refinement and microstructural evolution resulting from the rapid dendrite growth. It was found that (αFe) dendrites grow sluggishly within a low but wide undercooling range. Once the undercooling exceeds 250 K, the dendritic growth velocity increases steeply until reaching a plateau of 31.8 ms−1. The increase in the alloy Vickers microhardness with increasing dendritic growth velocity results from the hardening effects of increased grain/phase boundaries due to the grain refinement, the more homogeneous distribution of the second phase along the boundaries, and the more uniform distribution of solutes with increased contents inside the grain, as verified also by nanohardness maps. Once the dendritic growth velocity exceeds ~8 ms−1, the rate of Vickers microhardness increase slows down significantly with a further increase in dendritic growth velocity, owing to the microstructural transition of the (αFe) phase from a trunk-dendrite to an equiaxed-grain microstructure.
Solid-state NMR characterization of amphomycin effects on peptidoglycan and wall teichoic acid biosyntheses in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Singh Manmilan , Chang James , Coffman Lauryn , Kim Sung Joon 
Published: August 2016

AbstractAmphomycin and MX-2401 are cyclic lipopeptides exhibiting bactericidal activities against Gram-positive pathogens. Amphomycin and MX-2401 share structural similarities with daptomycin, but unlike daptomycin they do not target bacterial membrane. In this study, we investigate in vivo modes of action for amphomycin and MX-2401 in intact whole cells of Staphylococcus aureus by measuring the changes of peptidoglycan and wall teichoic acid compositions using solid-state NMR. S. aureus were grown in a defined media containing isotope labels [1-13C]glycine and L-[ε-15N]lysin, L-[1-13C]lysine and D-[15N]alanine, or D-[1-13C]alanine and [15N]glycine, to selectively 13C-15N pair label peptidoglycan bridge-link, stem-link and cross-link, respectively. 13C{15N} and 15N{13C} rotational-echo double resonance NMR measurements determined that cyclic lipopeptide-treated S. aureus exhibited thinning of the cell wall, accumulation of Park’s nucleotide, inhibition of glycine utilization for purine biosynthesis, reduction of ester-linked D-Ala in teichoic acids and reduction of peptidoglycan cross-linking. Whole cell NMR analysis also revealed that S. aureus, in presence of amphomycin and MX-2401, maintained the incorporation of D-Ala during peptidoglycan biosynthesis while the incorporation of D-Ala into teichoic acids was inhibited. These effects are consistent with amphomycin’s dual inhibition of both peptidoglycan and wall teichoic acid biosyntheses in S. aureus.
A specific flagellum beating mode for inducing fusion in mammalian fertilization and kinetics of sperm internalization
Authors: Ravaux Benjamin , Garroum Nabil , Perez Eric , Willaime Hervé , Gourier Christine 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe salient phases of fertilization are gamete adhesion, membrane fusion and internalization of the spermatozoon into the oocyte but the precise timeline and the molecular, membrane and cell mechanisms underlying these highly dynamical events are far from being established. The high motility of the spermatozoa and the unpredictable location of sperm/egg fusion dramatically hinder the use of real time imaging optical techniques that should directly provide the dynamics of cell events. Using an approach based on microfluidics technology, the sperm/egg interaction zone was imaged with the best front view and the timeline of the fertilization events was established with an unparalleled temporal accuracy from the onset of gamete contact to full sperm DNA decondensation. It reveals that a key element of the adhesion phase to initiate fusion is the oscillatory motion of the sperm head on the oocyte plasma membrane generated by a specific flagellum-beating mode. It also shows that the incorporation of the spermatozoon head is a two steps process that includes simultaneous diving, tilt and plasma membrane degradation of the sperm head into the oocyte and subsequent DNA decondensation.
Dual actions of Netrin-1 on islet insulin secretion and immune modulation
Authors: Gao Shan , Zhang Xiuyuan , Qin Yibo , Xu Shixin , Zhang Ju , Wang Zhihong , Wang Weiwei , Kong Deling , Li Chen 
Published: August 2016

Netrin-1 is typically known as a neural guidance cue, which has been implicated in pancreas development. Since regenerative, angiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties of Netrin-1 have been reported in multiple tissues, we have investigated the potential role of Netrin-1 in the endocrine islet and its implication in mice with high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. Effects of exogenous Netrin-1 on β-cell [Ca2+]i, cyclic AMP (cAMP) and insulin production were assessed in vitro. The long-term impact of Netrin-1 treatment was then evaluated in HFD/STZ-induced diabetic mice by subcutaneous implantation of osmotic minipumps which release Netrin-1 in a sustained manner for 4 weeks. Immunostaining of pancreases of Netrin-1-treated and control animals were employed to examine islet morphology, vascularization and macrophage infiltration. Plasma insulin, glucagon and pro-inflammatory cytokine concentrations were quantified by ELISA. Expression of endogenous Netrin-1 was also assessed by PCR and immunohistochemistry. We observed a stimulatory effect of Netrin-1 on in vitro insulin secretion by promoting β-cell Ca2+ influx and cAMP production. After 4-week continuous exposure, a hypoglycaemic property of Netrin-1 was demonstrated, which is probably attributable to improved β-cell function, shown as increased insulin content and preproinsulin mRNA expression. Enhanced islet vascularization, reduced islet macrophage infiltration and ameliorated systemic inflammation were detected from HFD/STZ-induced diabetic mice after Netrin-1 administration. We propose a dual action of Netrin-1 in islets during pathophysiological hyperglycaemia: by maintaining insulin secretion while attenuating inflammation.
Antibodies to paraoxonase 1 are associated with oxidant status and endothelial activation in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Rodríguez-Carrio Javier , Alperi-López Mercedes , López-Mejías Raquel , López Patricia , Ballina-García Francisco J. , Abal Francisco , González-Gay Miguel Á. , Suárez Ana 
Published: August 2016

Traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors underlie CV disease occurrence in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recently, a functional impairment of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) has been observed. Although the actual players are unknown, anti-HDLs were associated with altered lipid profile, decreased paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity and CV disease in RA. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether the presence of antibodies against PON1 may be involved in this scenario. IgG anti-PON1 antibodies were quantified by ELISA in serum samples from 212 RA patients, 175 healthy controls (HC) and 54 subjects with traditional CV risk factors (CVR). A subgroup of 13 RA patients was prospectively followed upon tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα) blockade. Serum PON1 activity, nitric oxide (NO) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured. Interferon-γ (IFNγ), interleukin 8 (IL-8), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM) and TNFα serum levels were assessed by immunoassays. PON1 rs662 (Q &gt; R) status was studied by reverse transcription (RT)–PCR. IgG anti-PON1 antibodies are increased in RA patients compared with HC (P&lt;0.0001) and CVR subjects (P&lt;0.001), even after correcting for total IgG levels. Although no associations with lipid profile were found, a positive correlation with Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) was observed (r=0.215, P=0.004). Anti-PON1 antibodies were associated with PON1 activity, NO and TAC, a rs662-mediated gene-dosage effect being found. Similarly, anti-PON1 antibodies were associated with sICAM serum levels in univariate and multivariate models. Finally, these antibodies were not affected by TNFα blockade. Anti-PON1 antibodies can be responsible for PON1 impairment in RA patients, with a potential impact on biomarkers of oxidative status and endothelial activation. A gene–environment interaction of rs662 variants is supported.
Large conditional single-photon cross-phase modulation
Authors: Beck Kristin M. , Hosseini Mahdi , Duan Yiheng , Vuletić Vladan 
Published: August 2016

Significance
Strong, coherent interactions between individual photons can revolutionize communication and computation technology. An interaction between two photons that changes their relative phase by 180° could serve as the basis for universal quantum logic. Realizing such interaction, however, has been a grand experimental challenge. We use atoms trapped between high-reflectivity mirrors to make two individual photons interact strongly with each other. We demonstrate that the phase of a light wave can be changed by up to 60° by a single light quanta. With today’s technology, this approach may enable the realization of deterministic quantum gates.
Loss of Naivety to Angling at Different Rates in Fished and Unfished Populations of Largemouth Bass
Authors: Hessenauer Jan‐Michael , Vokoun Jason , Davis Justin , Jacobs Robert , O'Donnell Eileen 
Published: August 2016

AbstractRecreational fishing represents a coupled human and natural system subject to complex feedback processes. Learned lure avoidance represents one feedback process that may influence a fish population's vulnerability to angling. In the present study, naïve Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides originating from fished and unfished populations were raised in a pond and subjected to standardized angling. Our objectives were to evaluate the initial angling vulnerability and the rate at which naivety to angling was lost for fished and unfished populations. While no difference in initial angling vulnerability existed among fish from fished and unfished populations of origin, individuals from fished populations learned lure avoidance faster than individuals from unfished populations. Cumulative catch events, a metric that incorporates the number of opportunities individuals had to directly and indirectly experience angling, best predicted declining daily catch rates for both fished and unfished populations, suggesting a social learning component of learned lure avoidance. That individuals originating from fished populations learned lure avoidance more quickly than unfished individuals suggests that angling selected for increased learning ability in fished populations of Largemouth Bass.Received February 4, 2016; accepted May 18, 2016 Published online August 12, 2016
Multispecies Occupancy Modeling as a Tool for Evaluating the Status and Distribution of Darters in the Elk River, Tennessee
Authors: Potoka Kathryn M. , Shea Colin P. , Bettoli Phillip W. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractSixteen darter species, including the federally endangered Boulder Darter Etheostoma wapiti, are known to occur in the Elk River, a large, flow‐regulated tributary of the Tennessee River, Tennessee–Alabama. Since the construction of Tims Ford Dam (TFD) in 1970, habitat modification caused by cold, hypolimnetic water releases and peak‐demand hydropower generation has contributed to population declines and range reductions for numerous aquatic species in the main‐stem Elk River. We developed Bayesian hierarchical multispecies occupancy models to determine the influence of site‐ and species‐level characteristics on darter occurrence by using presence–absence data for 15 species collected from 39 study sites. Modeling results indicated that large‐river obligate species, such as the Boulder Darter, were 6.92 times more likely to occur for every 37‐km increase in the distance downstream from TFD. In contrast, small‐stream species were 2.35 times less likely and cosmopolitan species were 1.88 times less likely to occur for every 37‐km increase in distance downstream from TFD. The probability of occurrence for darter species also had a strong negative relationship with the absence of cobble and boulder substrates and the presence of high silt levels, particularly for species that require boulder substrates during spawning. Although total darter species richness was similar across all 39 sample sites, the composition of darter assemblages varied substantially among locations, presumably due in part to species‐specific habitat affinities and hydrothermal conditions. The use of multispecies occupancy models allowed us to account for the incomplete detection of species while estimating the influence of physical habitat characteristics and species traits on darter occurrences, including rarely observed species that would have been difficult to model individually.Received August 23, 2015; accepted May 31, 2016 Published online August 12, 2016
Hierarchical Phylogeographic Structure of Coho Salmon in California
Authors: Gilbert‐Horvath Elizabeth A. , Pipal Kerrie A. , Spence Brian C. , Williams Thomas H. , Garza John Carlos 
Published: August 2016

AbstractEvaluation of population genetic structure and variation is an important part of planning for the recovery and management of protected species. Data from 18 polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers were used to analyze the phylogeographic structure of protected Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch from populations throughout California. Fish from 30 locations in two evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) representing most of the extant populations in the state were studied. Multiple analyses indicated a hierarchical pattern of population structure: the greatest divergence was found at the broadest geographic scale (ESU), followed by the divergences between basins and populations within basins. The populations of the large Klamath River basin were consistently identified as a distinct phylogenetic group, nearly as divergent from all other populations as the two ESUs were from each other. All populations in different basins were differentiated from each other and a pattern of isolation by distance was found at a California‐wide scale, but not at smaller spatial scales. Similarly, most individuals were accurately assigned to their population of origin, and almost all misassignments were to an adjacent or geographically proximal basin, indicating that there is substantial gene flow within each region but much less between regions. The number of parents contributing to each population was highly variable and reflected larger patterns of genetic variation, which was found to be generally higher in the southerly, low‐elevation coastal populations than in the northern, interior, higher‐elevation populations. The results strongly support the current boundary between the two ESU regions, and the detailed understanding of phylogeographic structure provided here will help to guide the management and recovery of Coho Salmon at the southern end of their geographic range.Received August 25, 2015; accepted May 4, 2016 Published online August 12, 2016