diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/banded.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/banded.hpp
index 83c5b774..4c801e3b 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/banded.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/banded.hpp
@@ -1023,7 +1023,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T, class F, class A>
-    typename banded_matrix<T, F, A>::value_type banded_matrix<T, F, A>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename banded_matrix<T, F, A>::value_type banded_matrix<T, F, A>::zero_ =
+        banded_matrix<T, F, A>::value_type ();
 
     // Diagonal matrix class
     template<class T, class F, class A>
@@ -2063,7 +2064,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     template<class M>
     typename banded_adaptor<M>::matrix_type banded_adaptor<M>::nil_;
     template<class M>
-    typename banded_adaptor<M>::value_type banded_adaptor<M>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename banded_adaptor<M>::value_type banded_adaptor<M>::zero_ =
+        banded_adaptor<M>::value_type ();
 
     // Diagonal matrix adaptor class
     template<class M>
diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/concepts.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/concepts.hpp
index 725345c1..6d3d3edf 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/concepts.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/concepts.hpp
@@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
             AdditiveAbelianGroupConcept<value_type>::constraints ();
             bool r;
             value_type a = value_type (), b = value_type (), c = value_type ();
-            r = prod (prod<T> (a, b), c) == prod (a, prod<T> (b, c)) ;
+            r = prod (T (prod (a, b)), c) == prod (a, T (prod (b, c)));
             r = prod (a + b, c) == prod (a, c) + prod (b, c);
             r = prod (OneElement (value_type ()), a) == a;
             r = prod (a, OneElement (value_type ())) == a;
diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix.hpp
index dd42a44c..95ae894a 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix.hpp
@@ -2387,9 +2387,11 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T>
-    typename identity_matrix<T>::value_type identity_matrix<T>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename identity_matrix<T>::value_type identity_matrix<T>::zero_ =
+        identity_matrix<T>::value_type ();
     template<class T>
-    typename identity_matrix<T>::value_type identity_matrix<T>::one_ = 1;
+    typename identity_matrix<T>::value_type identity_matrix<T>::one_ =
+        identity_matrix<T>::value_type (1);
 
     // Zero matrix class
     template<class T>
@@ -2841,7 +2843,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T>
-    typename zero_matrix<T>::value_type zero_matrix<T>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename zero_matrix<T>::value_type zero_matrix<T>::zero_ =
+        zero_matrix<T>::value_type ();
 
     // Scalar matrix class
     template<class T>
diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_assign.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_assign.hpp
index 2401e510..92618892 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_assign.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_assign.hpp
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         typedef typename M::value_type value_type;
 #ifdef BOOST_UBLAS_TYPE_CHECK
         matrix<value_type, row_major> cm (m.size1 (), m.size2 ());
-#ifndef BOOST_MSVC
+#ifndef BOOST_UBLAS_NO_ELEMENT_PROXIES
         indexing_matrix_assign (scalar_assign<typename matrix<value_type, row_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, m, row_major_tag ());
         indexing_matrix_assign (functor1_type::template make_debug_functor<typename matrix<value_type, row_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, e, row_major_tag ());
 #else
@@ -651,7 +651,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         typedef typename M::value_type value_type;
 #ifdef BOOST_UBLAS_TYPE_CHECK
         matrix<value_type, column_major> cm (m.size1 (), m.size2 ());
-#ifndef BOOST_MSVC
+#ifndef BOOST_UBLAS_NO_ELEMENT_PROXIES
         indexing_matrix_assign (scalar_assign<typename matrix<value_type, column_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, m, column_major_tag ());
         indexing_matrix_assign (functor1_type::template make_debug_functor<typename matrix<value_type, column_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, e, column_major_tag ());
 #else
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         typedef typename M::value_type value_type;
 #ifdef BOOST_UBLAS_TYPE_CHECK
         matrix<value_type, row_major> cm (m.size1 (), m.size2 ());
-#ifndef BOOST_MSVC
+#ifndef BOOST_UBLAS_NO_ELEMENT_PROXIES
         indexing_matrix_assign (scalar_assign<typename matrix<value_type, row_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, m, row_major_tag ());
         indexing_matrix_assign (functor_type::template make_debug_functor<typename matrix<value_type, row_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, e, row_major_tag ());
 #else
@@ -827,7 +827,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         typedef typename M::value_type value_type;
 #ifdef BOOST_UBLAS_TYPE_CHECK
         matrix<value_type, column_major> cm (m.size1 (), m.size2 ());
-#ifndef BOOST_MSVC
+#ifndef BOOST_UBLAS_NO_ELEMENT_PROXIES
         indexing_matrix_assign (scalar_assign<typename matrix<value_type, column_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, m, column_major_tag ());
         indexing_matrix_assign (functor_type::template make_debug_functor<typename matrix<value_type, column_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, e, column_major_tag ());
 #else
@@ -872,7 +872,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         typedef typename M::value_type value_type;
 #ifdef BOOST_UBLAS_TYPE_CHECK
         matrix<value_type, row_major> cm (m.size1 (), m.size2 ());
-#ifndef BOOST_MSVC
+#ifndef BOOST_UBLAS_NO_ELEMENT_PROXIES
         indexing_matrix_assign (scalar_assign<typename matrix<value_type, row_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, m, row_major_tag ());
         indexing_matrix_assign (functor1_type::template make_debug_functor<typename matrix<value_type, row_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, e, row_major_tag ());
 #else
@@ -1084,7 +1084,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         typedef typename M::value_type value_type;
 #ifdef BOOST_UBLAS_TYPE_CHECK
         matrix<value_type, column_major> cm (m.size1 (), m.size2 ());
-#ifndef BOOST_MSVC
+#ifndef BOOST_UBLAS_NO_ELEMENT_PROXIES
         indexing_matrix_assign (scalar_assign<typename matrix<value_type, column_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, m, column_major_tag ());
         indexing_matrix_assign (functor1_type::template make_debug_functor<typename matrix<value_type, column_major>::reference, value_type> (), cm, e, column_major_tag ());
 #else
diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_sparse.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_sparse.hpp
index b8205143..dd8b78d7 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_sparse.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_sparse.hpp
@@ -53,9 +53,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         sparse_matrix_element (matrix_type &m, size_type i, size_type j):
             container_reference<matrix_type> (m), it_ (), i_ (i), j_ (j), d_ (), dirty_ (false) {
             pointer it = (*this) ().find_element (i_, j_);
-            if (! it)
-                (*this) ().insert (i_, j_, d_);
-            else
+            if (it)
                 d_ = *it;
         }
         BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
@@ -64,10 +62,14 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
         ~sparse_matrix_element () {
             if (dirty_) {
-                if (! it_)
+                if (! it_) {
                     it_ = (*this) ().find_element (i_, j_);
-                BOOST_UBLAS_CHECK (it_, internal_logic ());
-                *it_ = d_;
+                    if (! it_)
+                        (*this) ().insert (i_, j_, d_);
+                    else
+                        *it_ = d_;
+                } else
+                    *it_ = d_;
             }
         }
 
@@ -1394,7 +1396,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T, class F, class A>
-    typename sparse_matrix<T, F, A>::value_type sparse_matrix<T, F, A>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename sparse_matrix<T, F, A>::value_type sparse_matrix<T, F, A>::zero_ =
+        sparse_matrix<T, F, A>::value_type ();
 
     // Array based sparse matrix class 
     template<class T, class F, class A>
@@ -2552,7 +2555,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T, class F, class A>
-    typename sparse_vector_of_sparse_vector<T, F, A>::value_type sparse_vector_of_sparse_vector<T, F, A>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename sparse_vector_of_sparse_vector<T, F, A>::value_type sparse_vector_of_sparse_vector<T, F, A>::zero_ =
+        sparse_vector_of_sparse_vector<T, F, A>::value_type ();
 
     // Array based sparse matrix class
     // Thanks to Kresimir Fresl for extending this to cover different index bases.
@@ -3861,7 +3865,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T, class F, std::size_t IB, class IA, class TA>
-    typename compressed_matrix<T, F, IB, IA, TA>::value_type compressed_matrix<T, F, IB, IA, TA>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename compressed_matrix<T, F, IB, IA, TA>::value_type compressed_matrix<T, F, IB, IA, TA>::zero_ =
+        compressed_matrix<T, F, IB, IA, TA>::value_type ();
 
     // Array based sparse matrix class
     // Thanks to Kresimir Fresl for extending this to cover different index bases.
@@ -5168,7 +5173,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T, class F, std::size_t IB, class IA, class TA>
-    typename coordinate_matrix<T, F, IB, IA, TA>::value_type coordinate_matrix<T, F, IB, IA, TA>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename coordinate_matrix<T, F, IB, IA, TA>::value_type coordinate_matrix<T, F, IB, IA, TA>::zero_ =
+        coordinate_matrix<T, F, IB, IA, TA>::value_type ();
 
 }}}
 
diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/triangular.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/triangular.hpp
index a92920ed..c75b4b92 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/triangular.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/triangular.hpp
@@ -952,9 +952,11 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T, class F1, class F2, class A>
-    typename triangular_matrix<T, F1, F2, A>::value_type triangular_matrix<T, F1, F2, A>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename triangular_matrix<T, F1, F2, A>::value_type triangular_matrix<T, F1, F2, A>::zero_ =
+        triangular_matrix<T, F1, F2, A>::value_type ();
     template<class T, class F1, class F2, class A>
-    typename triangular_matrix<T, F1, F2, A>::value_type triangular_matrix<T, F1, F2, A>::one_ = 1;
+    typename triangular_matrix<T, F1, F2, A>::value_type triangular_matrix<T, F1, F2, A>::one_ =
+        triangular_matrix<T, F1, F2, A>::value_type (1);
 
     // Triangular matrix adaptor class
     template<class M, class F>
@@ -1879,9 +1881,11 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     template<class M, class F>
     typename triangular_adaptor<M, F>::matrix_type triangular_adaptor<M, F>::nil_;
     template<class M, class F>
-    typename triangular_adaptor<M, F>::value_type triangular_adaptor<M, F>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename triangular_adaptor<M, F>::value_type triangular_adaptor<M, F>::zero_ =
+        triangular_adaptor<M, F>::value_type ();
     template<class M, class F>
-    typename triangular_adaptor<M, F>::value_type triangular_adaptor<M, F>::one_ = 1;
+    typename triangular_adaptor<M, F>::value_type triangular_adaptor<M, F>::one_ =
+        triangular_adaptor<M, F>::value_type (1);
 
     template<class E1, class E2>
     struct matrix_vector_solve_traits {
diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector.hpp
index 8d9d0548..3111a951 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector.hpp
@@ -794,9 +794,11 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T>
-    typename unit_vector<T>::value_type unit_vector<T>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename unit_vector<T>::value_type unit_vector<T>::zero_ =
+        unit_vector<T>::value_type ();
     template<class T>
-    typename unit_vector<T>::value_type unit_vector<T>::one_ = 1;
+    typename unit_vector<T>::value_type unit_vector<T>::one_ =
+        unit_vector<T>::value_type (1);
 
     // Zero vector class
     template<class T>
@@ -1002,7 +1004,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T>
-    typename zero_vector<T>::value_type zero_vector<T>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename zero_vector<T>::value_type zero_vector<T>::zero_ =
+        zero_vector<T>::value_type ();
 
     // Scalar vector class
     template<class T>
diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_assign.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_assign.hpp
index 2a913163..70db95a3 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_assign.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_assign.hpp
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         typedef typename V::value_type value_type;
 #ifdef BOOST_UBLAS_TYPE_CHECK
         vector<value_type> cv (v.size ());
-#ifndef BOOST_MSVC
+#ifndef BOOST_UBLAS_NO_ELEMENT_PROXIES
         indexing_vector_assign (scalar_assign<typename vector<value_type>::reference, value_type> (), cv, v);
         indexing_vector_assign (functor_type::template make_debug_functor<typename vector<value_type>::reference, value_type> (), cv, e);
 #else
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         typedef typename V::value_type value_type;
 #ifdef BOOST_UBLAS_TYPE_CHECK
         vector<value_type> cv (v.size ());
-#ifndef BOOST_MSVC
+#ifndef BOOST_UBLAS_NO_ELEMENT_PROXIES
         indexing_vector_assign (scalar_assign<typename vector<value_type>::reference, value_type> (), cv, v);
         indexing_vector_assign (functor_type::template make_debug_functor<typename vector<value_type>::reference, value_type> (), cv, e);
 #else
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         typedef typename V::reference reference;
 #ifdef BOOST_UBLAS_TYPE_CHECK
         vector<value_type> cv (v.size ());
-#ifndef BOOST_MSVC
+#ifndef BOOST_UBLAS_NO_ELEMENT_PROXIES
         indexing_vector_assign (scalar_assign<typename vector<value_type>::reference, value_type> (), cv, v);
         indexing_vector_assign (functor_type::template make_debug_functor<typename vector<value_type>::reference, value_type> (), cv, e);
 #else
diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_of_vector.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_of_vector.hpp
index a073a74d..4bf8245b 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_of_vector.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_of_vector.hpp
@@ -1198,7 +1198,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T, class F, class A>
-    typename generalized_vector_of_vector<T, F, A>::value_type generalized_vector_of_vector<T, F, A>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename generalized_vector_of_vector<T, F, A>::value_type generalized_vector_of_vector<T, F, A>::zero_ =
+        generalized_vector_of_vector<T, F, A>::value_type ();
 
 }}}
 
diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_sparse.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_sparse.hpp
index 038a6386..c4424260 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_sparse.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_sparse.hpp
@@ -52,9 +52,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         sparse_vector_element (vector_type &v, size_type i):
             container_reference<vector_type> (v), it_ (), i_ (i), d_ (), dirty_ (false) {
             pointer it = (*this) ().find_element (i_);
-            if (! it)
-                (*this) ().insert (i_, d_);
-            else
+            if (it)
                 d_ = *it;
         }
         BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
@@ -63,10 +61,14 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
         ~sparse_vector_element () {
             if (dirty_) {
-                if (! it_)
+                if (! it_) {
                     it_ = (*this) ().find_element (i_);
-                BOOST_UBLAS_CHECK (it_, internal_logic ());
-                *it_ = d_;
+                    if (! it_)
+                        (*this) ().insert (i_, d_);
+                    else
+                        *it_ = d_;
+                } else
+                    *it_ = d_;
             }
         }
 
@@ -772,7 +774,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T, class A>
-    typename sparse_vector<T, A>::value_type sparse_vector<T, A>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename sparse_vector<T, A>::value_type sparse_vector<T, A>::zero_ =
+        sparse_vector<T, A>::value_type ();
 
     // Array based sparse vector class
     // Thanks to Kresimir Fresl for extending this to cover different index bases.
@@ -1336,7 +1339,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T, std::size_t IB, class IA, class TA>
-    typename compressed_vector<T, IB, IA, TA>::value_type compressed_vector<T, IB, IA, TA>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename compressed_vector<T, IB, IA, TA>::value_type compressed_vector<T, IB, IA, TA>::zero_ =
+        compressed_vector<T, IB, IA, TA>::value_type ();
 
     // Array based sparse vector class
     // Thanks to Kresimir Fresl for extending this to cover different index bases.
@@ -1931,7 +1935,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     };
 
     template<class T, std::size_t IB, class IA, class TA>
-    typename coordinate_vector<T, IB, IA, TA>::value_type coordinate_vector<T, IB, IA, TA>::zero_ = 0;
+    typename coordinate_vector<T, IB, IA, TA>::value_type coordinate_vector<T, IB, IA, TA>::zero_ =
+        coordinate_vector<T, IB, IA, TA>::value_type ();
 
 }}}