Market implications of FMD epidemics in the Finnish pig sector: Does market structure matter?

This paper examines the role of market coordination and market distortions caused by a hypothetical FMD outbreak in the Finnish pig sector. By using stochastic dynamic programming, it simulates the consequences of two outbreak scenarios (large vs. small) under two distinct market regimes (competitive market vs. monopoly in the domestic supply). Simulated losses depend on the magnitude of outbreak and expected duration of possible turndown of meat exports, whereas market regime has a limited impact.Foreign trade, livestock epidemics, dynamic programming, Livestock Production/Industries,

Diffusion map for clustering fMRI spatial maps extracted by independent component analysis

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) produces data about activity inside the brain, from which spatial maps can be extracted by independent component analysis (ICA). In datasets, there are n spatial maps that contain p voxels. The number of voxels is very high compared to the number of analyzed spatial maps. Clustering of the spatial maps is usually based on correlation matrices. This usually works well, although such a similarity matrix inherently can explain only a certain amount of the total variance contained in the high-dimensional data where n is relatively small but p is large. For high-dimensional space, it is reasonable to perform dimensionality reduction before clustering. In this research, we used the recently developed diffusion map for dimensionality reduction in conjunction with spectral clustering. This research revealed that the diffusion map based clustering worked as well as the more traditional methods, and produced more compact clusters when needed.Comment: 6 pages. 8 figures. Copyright (c) 2013 IEEE. Published at 2013 IEEE International Workshop on Machine Learning for Signal Processin

MANF Is Neuroprotective in Early Stages of EAE, and Elevated in Spinal White Matter by Treatment With Dexamethasone

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune disease characterized by T-cell mediated demyelination in central nervous system (CNS). Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a widely used in vivo disease model of MS. Glucocorticoids such as dexamethasone (dex) function as immunosuppressants and are commonly used to treat acute exacerbations of MS. Dex is also often used as a positive control in EAE studies, as it has been shown to promote motor behavior, inhibit immune cell infiltration into the CNS and regulate the activation of glial cell in EAE. This study further validated the effects of intravenously administrated dex by time-dependent fashion in EAE. Dex postponed clinical signs and motor defects in early stages of EAE. Histological analysis revealed that the degeneration of myelin and axons, as well as the infiltration of peripheral immune cells into the white matter of spinal cord was inhibited by dex in early stages of EAE. Additionally, dex-treatment delayed the neuroinflammatory activation of microglia and astrocytes. Furthermore, this study analyzed the expression of the neurotrophic factor mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) in EAE, and the effect of treatment with dex on MANF-expression. We show that in dex-treated EAE mice expression MANF increased within myelinated areas of spinal cord white matter. We also show that intravenous administration with hMANF in EAE mice improved clinical signs and motor behavior in the early stage of EAE. Our report gives insight to the progression of EAE by providing a time-dependent analysis. Moreover, this study investigates the link between MANF and the EAE model, and shows that MANF is a potential drug candidate for MS.Peer reviewe

Diagnosing Topological Edge States via Entanglement Monogamy

Topological phases of matter possess intricate correlation patterns typically probed by entanglement entropies or entanglement spectra. In this Letter, we propose an alternative approach to assessing topologically induced edge states in free and interacting fermionic systems. We do so by focussing on the fermionic covariance matrix. This matrix is often tractable either analytically or numerically, and it precisely captures the relevant correlations of the system. By invoking the concept of monogamy of entanglement, we show that highly entangled states supported across a system bipartition are largely disentangled from the rest of the system, thus, usually appearing as gapless edge states. We then define an entanglement qualifier that identifies the presence of topological edge states based purely on correlations present in the ground states. We demonstrate the versatility of this qualifier by applying it to various free and interacting fermionic topological systems

A dataset of neonatal EEG recordings with seizure annotations

Neonatal seizures are a common emergency in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). There are many questions yet to be answered regarding the temporal/spatial characteristics of seizures from different pathologies, response to medication, effects on neurodevelopment and optimal detection. The dataset presented in this descriptor contains EEG recordings from human neonates, the visual interpretation of the EEG by the human experts, supporting clinical data and codes to assist access. Multi-channel EEG was recorded from 79 term neonates admitted to the NICU at the Helsinki University Hospital. The median recording duration was 74 min (IQR: 64 to 96 min). The presence of seizures in the EEGs was annotated independently by three experts. An average of 460 seizures were annotated per expert in the dataset; 39 neonates had seizures and 22 were seizure free, by consensus. The dataset can be used as a reference set of neonatal seizures, in studies of inter-observer agreement and for the development of automated methods of seizure detection and other EEG analyses.Peer reviewe

Simulation based models may assist the identification of potentially large outbreaks

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New monazite U-Pb age constraints on the evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Vaasa granitoid batholith, western Finland

The Vaasa batholith, western Finland, is a large, peraluminous granitoid pluton that crystallized at 1.88-1.87 Ga during the culmination of the Svecofennian orogeny. The batholith has gradual contacts, through metatexites and diatexites, with the enveloping metasedimentary rocks of the Bothnian Belt. We present ID-TIMS U-Pb age data on monazite from granitoids and xenoliths of the Vaasa batholith and combine these with published U-Pb zircon ages in order to shed further light on the evolution of the Vaasa batholith. The apparent monazite ages for seven of the examined samples are 1870-1863 Ma, and 1855+/-3 Ma for one further sample from the southern part of the batholith. Combined with pre-existing data, the monazite ages of the granitoids are 9 to 18 Ma (face values) or 3 to 9 Ma (external errors considered) younger than the U-Pb zircon crystallization ages from respective samples. Our new data suggest slow cooling for the Vaasa batholith - the closure/saturation temperature of the monazite U-Pb system was probably reached in similar to 10 m.y. after the crystallization of magmatic zircon in the examined rocks.The Vaasa batholith, western Finland, is a large, peraluminous granitoid pluton that crystallized at 1.88-1.87 Ga during the culmination of the Svecofennian orogeny. The batholith has gradual contacts, through metatexites and diatexites, with the enveloping metasedimentary rocks of the Bothnian Belt. We present ID-TIMS U-Pb age data on monazite from granitoids and xenoliths of the Vaasa batholith and combine these with published U-Pb zircon ages in order to shed further light on the evolution of the Vaasa batholith. The apparent monazite ages for seven of the examined samples are 1870-1863 Ma, and 1855+/-3 Ma for one further sample from the southern part of the batholith. Combined with pre-existing data, the monazite ages of the granitoids are 9 to 18 Ma (face values) or 3 to 9 Ma (external errors considered) younger than the U-Pb zircon crystallization ages from respective samples. Our new data suggest slow cooling for the Vaasa batholith - the closure/saturation temperature of the monazite U-Pb system was probably reached in similar to 10 m.y. after the crystallization of magmatic zircon in the examined rocks.The Vaasa batholith, western Finland, is a large, peraluminous granitoid pluton that crystallized at 1.88-1.87 Ga during the culmination of the Svecofennian orogeny. The batholith has gradual contacts, through metatexites and diatexites, with the enveloping metasedimentary rocks of the Bothnian Belt. We present ID-TIMS U-Pb age data on monazite from granitoids and xenoliths of the Vaasa batholith and combine these with published U-Pb zircon ages in order to shed further light on the evolution of the Vaasa batholith. The apparent monazite ages for seven of the examined samples are 1870-1863 Ma, and 1855+/-3 Ma for one further sample from the southern part of the batholith. Combined with pre-existing data, the monazite ages of the granitoids are 9 to 18 Ma (face values) or 3 to 9 Ma (external errors considered) younger than the U-Pb zircon crystallization ages from respective samples. Our new data suggest slow cooling for the Vaasa batholith - the closure/saturation temperature of the monazite U-Pb system was probably reached in similar to 10 m.y. after the crystallization of magmatic zircon in the examined rocks.Peer reviewe

Perceptions of Finnish livestock producers regarding the costs of biosecurity

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Kainuulaisen uudistilan edullisin suuruus ja tuotantosuunta

In this study an attempt is made to develop an optimum production plan for a family farm representing actual conditions of post-war settlement in North-East Finland. The proportional use of land and other rescources for farming and forestry is determined in the planning process in which the Linear Programming method is applied. The cultivation of timothy grass has been regarded as the main basis for farming, and a combined fertilizing and feeding plan is made, using available technical and economic information relating to the region. Two levels of techniques and different alternatives in the intensity level have been taken as a basis for calculations both in agriculture and in forestry; the economics of scale is taken into account in some alternatives of milk production. The optimum plan was regarded as the one giving a maximum gross margin to family labour and capital, but an interesting problem arises from the fact that some activities, especially in forestry, yield an income only in the distant future. According to the results of the study, a gross margin of 11 700 FM may be obtained using 11 ha land for agriculture and 80 ha mineral soil as forest, with horse driven techniques and 10 cows, while the corresponding figures could be 16 100, 22, 80 and 17 with tractor driven techniques. Limitations in the use of forest land and capital have some influence on the results, which also are influenced by the price level of the period of study (1959—63).Kainuulaisia uudistiloja koskevat LP-laskelmat ovat edellisen mukaisesti johtaneet siihen tulokseen, että traktoritekniikan omaksuminen vallitsevissa olosuhteissa johtaa viljelijäperheen työvoiman tehokkaampaan ja tuottavampaan hyväksikäyttöön, kuin hevostekniikka, joskin kummankin tekniikan yhdistäminen tilojen keskeisellä yhteistyöllä parantaisi tässä ainakin hevostilojen tuloksia. Viljelyaloja erityisesti turvemailla kannattaa laajentaa ja lypsylehmien lukua lisätä, jolloin päästään korkeampaan katetuottoon. Ruohovasikan mukaanottaminen tuotantosuunnitelmaan ei vuosien 1959—63 hintatason mukaan ollut kannattavaa, mutta v. 1972 hintojen mukaan niillä voidaan hevostilojen katetuottoa kohottaa. Traktoritekniikan omaksuneet tilat voivat edullisesti laajentaa viljelyalansa 20—22 ha:iin ja pitää n. 18 lehmää, mikä kyllä edellyttää nykyistä suurempia navetoita ja navettatyön ainakin osittaista koneistamista. Sika voisi tulla tuotantosuunnitelmaan lähinnä silloin, jos sianlihan hinnat suhteessa maidon ja viljan hintoihin olisivat edullisempia. Lampaanpidon kannattavuus ei ole ollut riittävän hyvä, että se olisi voinut tulla maidontuotannon kanssa kilpailukykyiseksi vallinneissa hintasuhteissa. Edullisimman tuotantosuunnitelman mukaan kannattaa kivennäismailla oleva metsä, jonka enimmäisala on tässä rajoitettu 80 hehtaariin, hoitaa järkeviä metsänhoitotoimenpiteitä ja mm. harvennushakkuita suorittaen hyvin, ja työvoima riittää siihen. Ellei pinta-alarajoitusta olisi, tällaista metsää sisältyisi tuotantosuunnitelmaan enemmänkin. Turvemaan metsien hoito, sen jälkeen kuin ne olisi saatettu tuottokuntoiseksi, lisäisi mahdollisuuksia laajentaa metsätalouden osuutta taloussuunnitelmassa. Turvemaalla esiintyvien metsättömien tai kitukasvuisten metsämaiden ojittaminen, vaikkapa vain ihmistyönäkin, on tulovaikutuksiltaan siksi kilpailukykyinen, että se erityisesti työvoiman täydellisempää hyväksikäyttöä edistäen tulee vuoden 1959—63 hintasuhteissa mukaan suunnitelmaan. Puuston hakkuuarvon koron huomioonottaminen muuttuvana kustannuksena muuttaa metsätalouden järjestelyä lyhyen kiertoajan suuntaan ja vähentää metsätalouden suhteellista merkitystä. Tutkimuksessa on tarkasteltu myöskin nurmen hehtaarisadon suuruuden vaikutusta edullisimpaan tuotantosuunnitelmaan. 10 %:n lisäykset tai vähennykset sadossa tuntuivat n. 500—1 000 markan lisäyksinä tai vähennyksinä katetuotossa ja eräinä muutoksina mm. metsätalouden työn käytössä. Viikottaisen työajan rajoittaminen työaikalain mukaiseen 40 tuntiin, edellyttääen kuitenkin, että rajoituksia ei suoranaisesti sovelleta kiirekausina, alentaa katetuottoa eri tapauksissa 860 ja 3600 mk välillä tilaa kohden. Metsätalous jää tällöin miltei kokonaan pois optimaalisesta tuotantosuunnitelmasta eräissä traktoritekniikan vaihtoehdoissa. Jotta saataisiin kuva hintasuhteiden vaikutuksista, on suunnitelmissa otettu mukaan vaihtoehto, jossa maidon hinta olisi vastannut suunnilleen maailmanmarkkinoiden määräämää tasoa. Kuten oli odotettavissa, naudan-, sian- ja lampaanlihan tuotanto on tällöin tullut suuremmassa määrin mukaan, mutta katetuotot ovat olleet tuntuvasti alhaisempia. Eri vaihtoehtoja verrattaessa on siis voitu huomata myöskin vallitsevien hintasuhteiden tuntuva vaikutus tuotannon edullisimpaan järjestelyyn. Valtion hintapolitiikalla on näihin ollut suuri vaikutus. Näyttää siltä, että Kainuun viljelijät ovat jotakuinkin hyvin pystyneet päättelemään, mikä tuotantosuunta vallitsevissa hintasuhteissa on kannattava. Kuten tutkimusaikana vallinnutta talousmuotoa tarkasteltaessa (.p 364) on käynyt ilmi, viljelijät ovat järjestäneet maataloustuotantonsa pääasiassa lypsykarjatalouteen perustuvaksi

Afrikkalaisen sikaruton taudinpurkauksen simuloidut taloudelliset vaikutukset Suomessa

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