bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detect the unexpected: a science for surveillance
Authors: Scott‐Brown K.C. , Cronin P.D.J.
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to outline a strategy for research development focused on addressing the neglected role of visual perception in real life tasks such as policing surveillance and command and control settings.

Design/methodology/approach

The scale of surveillance task in modern control room is expanding as technology increases input capacity at an accelerating rate. The authors review recent literature highlighting the difficulties that apply to modern surveillance and give examples of how poor detection of the unexpected can be, and how surprising this deficit can be. Perceptual phenomena such as change blindness are linked to the perceptual processes undertaken by law‐enforcement personnel.

Findings

A scientific programme is outlined for how detection deficits can best be addressed in the context of a multidisciplinary collaborative agenda between researchers and practitioners. The development of a cognitive research field specifically examining the occurrence of perceptual “failures” provides an opportunity for policing agencies to relate laboratory findings in psychology to their own fields of day‐to‐day enquiry.

Originality/value

The paper shows, with examples, where interdisciplinary research may best be focussed on evaluating practical solutions and on generating useable guidelines on procedure and practice. It also argues that these processes should be investigated in real and simulated context‐specific studies to confirm the validity of the findings in these new applied scenarios.
Differential perceptions of neighborhood problems by police and residents
Authors: Sun Ivan Y. , Triplett Ruth A.
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine differential perceptions of neighborhood problems by the police and residents.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses interview and survey data collected from 50 neighborhoods a mid‐western city to assess whether police officers and citizens differ in their perceptions of neighborhood disorder, drug‐gang, and property crime problems. Multivariate regressions were conducted to examine the effects of neighborhood structural characteristics, social organization, perceptions of the legitimacy of local authorities, and actual crime rates on police's and citizens' perceptions of neighborhood problems.

Findings

Police officers rate neighborhood problems more seriously than do local residents. Neighborhood structural characteristics and perceptions of the legitimacy of local authorities significantly affect variation in perceptions of neighborhood problems by citizens and police. Actual property crime rates influence police perceptions of disorder and property crime problems.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should continue to explore the factors that contribute to perceptual differences between citizens and police officers. Research should also pay more attention to variables such as informal control, social capital, and collective efficacy. More research efforts should be devoted to explore how variation in officers' perceptions of neighborhood problems affects their behavior toward local residents.

Originality/value

The study incorporates neighborhood contexts in its analysis and tests both officers' and citizens' perceptions of neighborhood problems simultaneously, which have rarely been done in previous research.
The chess master's game
Authors: O'Connell Paul E.
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to review chess as a model for incorporating local police agencies in the fight against global terrorism.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines the literature concerning the nature of terrorist organizations, as well as recent literature that suggests that new methods are required to design a broad protective network with a common purpose.

Findings

The paper suggests that, rather than merely relying upon the development of new technologies, greater emphasis should be placed on overcoming the social and structural barriers to complete interoperability.

Practical implications

Practitioners should thoughtfully consider this paper and work to alleviate or minimize those barriers and impediments to complete interoperability.

Originality/value

This paper will benefit both students and practitioners of counter terrorism, insofar as it defines the proper role of local police agencies and reinforces the need for a common understanding and a united effort to protect society.
Dynamics of sexual harassment for policewomen working alongside men
Authors: Somvadee Chaiyavej , Morash Merry
Published: September 2008

Purpose

This article aims to examine the sexual harassment experiences of US policewomen by using the Sexual Experience Questionnaire (SEQ) and asking them to describe incidents in which male colleagues’ behavior made them uncomfortable. It seeks to identify areas of discomfort and patterns of response in the context of current harassment policies.

Design/methodology/approach

A convenience sample included 117 female law enforcement officers in the USA from two sheriff, two police, and one state police department. Participants completed surveys in small groups with the researcher present.

Findings

Study participants were especially concerned about male colleagues' view that women could not “do the job”. Sexual harassment policies and the integration of women into work groups with men influenced how women viewed and reacted to discomforting behaviors.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are consistent with those from a broader national sample and international research. Further study of the effects of US women's tolerance of sexual joking and remarks is needed.

Practical implications

Organizational efforts to stop sexual harassment seemed to have brought some benefits to policewomen, as has their integration into all facets of police work. Still, women's concern that male colleagues think they cannot “do the job” persists, and tolerated harassment may negatively affect some women.

Originality/value

The qualitative data analysis shows the complexity of women's tolerance of behaviors in the workplace in order to fit in, and how working along with men heightens concerns about being seen as incapable of doing certain aspects of the job well.
Reintroducing “time” into the time series analysis of the police size‐crime relationship
Authors: Chamlin Mitchell B. , Sanders Beth A.
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to examine the causal relationship between crime rate measures (per 100,000 population) and police force size (full‐time employees per 100,000) within Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The data are annual, covering the years 1930 to 2004.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors specify and estimate ARIMA and error correction models to examine the bivariate association between police force strength and total, property, and personal crime rates for a large, mid‐western city.

Findings

Consistent with past research, the bivariate ARIMA analyses yield no evidence of a short‐term association between police force size and crime. However, the parameter estimates from error correction models indicate that changes in the level of crime have a longer‐term impact on police force strength.

Research limitations/implications

This study focuses on a single municipality. Hence, before one can generalize to cities as a whole, the findings need to be replicated in other jurisdictions. Nonetheless, the findings do suggest that municipalities are more responsive to changes in the level of crime than prior ARIMA analyses seemed to indicate.

Practical implications

The findings point to the conclusion that, when studying causal processes that operate over time, one must be careful not to remove long run information from the data in the attempt to control for the spurious effects of autocorrelation.

Originality/value

This paper represents the first attempt to apply error correction models to the examination of the longitudinal relationship between crime and police force size.
Performance appraisal: essential characteristics for strategic control
Authors: Caruth Donald L. , Humphreys John H.
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the need for and propose a more aligned and integrated standard for performance evaluation to enhance effective strategic control.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the various issues creating discontent with the performance appraisal systems within many organizations and demonstrates how these problems inhibit successful strategic control. It attempts to cogently incorporate the performance appraisal characteristics needed for the exercise to function as a critical organizational control metric and a useful feedback mechanism for strategic management of the firm.

Findings

The paper finds that, whereas performance evaluation has received reasonably robust examination in the human resources literature, explicit guidance toward the integration with strategic control is inadequate. Without consistent alignment between these functions, however, performance appraisal becomes an exercise in futility instead of a vital control measurement, often resulting in not only personnel dissatisfaction, but also, more importantly, an impediment to systematic strategy implementation.

Research limitations/implications

The paper offers a viewpoint based upon the authors' experiences and a review of the literature. It aims to stimulate a broader understanding and discussion of the crucial link between performance evaluation and strategic control.

Practical implications

Although it is possible to theoretically separate the human resource function of performance appraisal from broader strategic management processes, such an approach is not realistic for organizational leaders charged with strategy execution. These leaders would benefit from a framework for ensuring this important HR function also meets the requirements for operative strategic control.

Original/value

While many in the literature have focused on how to conduct legal and efficient performance evaluations, guidance on crafting such appraisals as control metrics is insufficient. The paper endeavors to provide this direction.
Implementing stakeholder management: a case study at a micro‐enterprise
Authors: Johansson Peter
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the implications of stakeholder theory for organisational development and contribute to the knowledge of operational stakeholder management.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a case study in a micro‐enterprise where data have been collected as participant observations.

Findings

Stakeholder theory suggests that to be sustainable, organisations must find a balance between different stakeholder interests. The paper presents a case study where a stakeholder model has been tested in a micro‐enterprise. Results include a revised model based on the experiences from the case. The stakeholder model has been adapted to accommodate a process approach and the PDSA‐cycle.

Practical implications

The model can be used when wanting to develop a structured management system based on stakeholder interests.

Originality/value

The paper has a vast content of originality as not as much has been written about stakeholder management from an empirical point of view as from a theoretical.
Competitive priorities of manufacturing firms for internationalization: an empirical research
Authors: Zeng S.X. , Xie X.M. , Tam C.M. , Wan T.W.
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to identify the competitive priorities of the manufacturing firms in their internationalization efforts.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured questionnaire survey is conducted involving 569 manufacturing firms in China. The competitive priority in internationalization efforts is gauged by combining the degree of emphasis of manufacturing firms on a certain factor over the past three years and the level of improvement of the factor into an index.

Findings

It is found that “technology level”, “cost control”, and “brand consciousness” are the top three most important factors affecting the competitiveness of internationalization of manufacturing in China. The three bottlenecked factors that impede internationalization include “Internationalization business experience”, “Financing capacity” and “Senior managers with management know‐how”.

Practical implications

With the rapid development of economy globalization, firms in the Chinese manufacturing sector have begun the process of internationalization. As these young firms venture into the foreign markets, they may face some uncertainty and risks which entail a process of learning and adaptation. It is hoped that the empirical findings can shed some insight for improving the process of internationalization of the manufacturing sector.

Originality/value

There is a paucity of internationalization efforts from manufacturing firms in developing countries. By examining the competitive priority of the Chinese manufacturing firms, this study can enrich the body of knowledge on internationalization of manufacturing firms in developing countries.
Developing and validating an instrument to assess performance of public sector organisations: a case study of Malaysian schools
Authors: Lee Nagarajah
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the procedures followed in developing and validating a context specific instrument to measure the performance of public schools in a Malaysian setting.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopted the mixed methodology, qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative approach was used at the initial stage of item generation for the instrument while the quantitative method was predominantly used to empirically establish the psychometric properties of the instrument.

Findings

The paper finds that the context‐specific instrument is psychometrically sound. The reliability index for all the dimensions are well above 0.75 and the various empirical analysis provide evidence of convergent, concurrent, and discriminant validity as well as dimensionality.

Practical implications

The paper provides detailed information on developing and validating a new context‐specific instrument. The method and procedure can be a good reference for researchers interested in developing instruments.

Originality/value

The soft system methodology intervention enhances holistic discussion in relation to the focal at the item generation phase. This allows a greater amount of creative debate resulting in a comprehensive list of indicators to be used the instrument.
The future of learning and development functions: a new era for L&D
Authors: Cunningham Ian
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a case for a new future for learning and development (L&D) functions in organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The article is based on work done in a variety of organizations as well as published sources. The article is provocative in suggesting a split of L&D from human resources (HR).

Findings

The paper finds that there is an alternative to the current model in many organizations of having L&D subservient to HR. Linking L&D with organizational development (OD) may be a better model.

Practical implications

The paper has real practical implications for leaders/managers, and L&D professionals. The place of L&D is not a trivial issue. Given that all organizations have to invest in L&D to survive, where this function is located has real business impact.

Originality/value

The paper will be of value to senior managers and learning specialists in assisting them to think about the place of L&D in the organization.
Complexity: an alternative paradigm for teamwork development
Authors: Bokeno Michael
Published: September 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to suggest an understanding of teamwork from a complexity perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

Complexity principles of nonlinearity, emergence, holism, and engagement are applied to conventional teamwork practice.

Findings

The complexity principles offer ways of thinking about teamwork that inspire a more genuine collaboration, especially for decision‐making teams who must be able to alter conventionally linear, cybernetic thinking patterns.

Originality/value

Thinking in complexity terms is an unfamiliar but necessary practice for decision‐making teams, enabling team members to think and act in collaborative ways, see the big picture, resist managing deviations that seems like errors, and develop interpersonal relationships that do so.
Employee engagement in the UK: meeting the challenge in the public sector
Authors: Pritchard Kate
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The paper draws from the ORC Putting it in Perspective Report, which annually presents the findings of employee research projects from a vast benchmarking database. This provides an insight into the key factors that influence employee engagement, with comparisons across different sectors.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes some of the key findings from the 2007 Putting it in Perspective Report and offers suggestions as to how employee engagement can be improved.

Findings

The key finding of the paper is that while employee engagement is stable in the UK overall, organizational pride and satisfaction levels are markedly lower in public sector organizations. Similarly employee loyalty in this sector is low, highlighting that there is work to be done for managers within this sector. Furthermore, the report has shown that engagement takes a hit across all sectors during times of change.

Practical implications

A well‐crafted employee engagement survey enables an understanding of current levels of engagement. To improve employee engagement levels, and help combat the challenges of change management, the principles of say, stay and strive can act as a basis for assessing the level of employee engagement, whether through surveys or other means. Another key element for organizations to bear in mind is the “Employee Lifecycle”, which can be a useful tool for understanding the workforce.

Originality/value

This paper provides an insight into the key factors that influence employee engagement, with comparisons across different sectors.
Mentoring in an increasingly global workplace: facing the realities and challenges
Authors: Matuszek Tish , Self Dennis R. , Schraeder Mike
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to provide insight into some of the realities associated with mentoring in a business environment that is becoming increasingly global, with specific emphasis on challenges associated with communication.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes an applied approach to covering some of the realities and major challenges related to communication when mentoring within the global environment.

Findings

Mentoring continues to have value as a tool in enhancing organizational effectiveness. However, mentoring becomes more challenging in a global marketplace. Some of the most salient realities associated with global mentoring are examined.

Originality/value

The insight and topics covered in the article should enhance organizations' efforts to mentor employees dispersed in a multinational structure.
Walking between decision models: analogising in strategic decision making
Authors: Nilsson Anders
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the characteristics of situations where managers analogise, and when they change to a different decision model; examine how the analogies are evoked, what characteristics they have and how they are used, and add to the understanding through taking a qualitative approach.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an illustrative case study of a new market entry attempt by a medium‐sized manufacturing firm based on interviews and analytical dialogues with management team members.

Findings

The paper finds that decision makers analogise when cause/effect‐relationships are unclear, and change decision models when the analogy has helped to formulate a theory of the nature of the problem or a recipe for handling the situation. They evoke analogies by automatic recognition, using internal and external sources, for transfer within and between domains. The use of analogy occurs in problem setting, problem solving, action and sensemaking modes.

Research limitations/implications

Misunderstandings can occur in dialogue between researchers and decision makers. Future interpretive research should consider participant observation and conceptual modelling. A computational study might incorporate situational differences, roles, and the issues identified in this study.

Practical implications

Awareness of the prevalence of analogy in decision making can help practitioners critically evaluate the analogies used and consider multiple perspectives on problematic situations.

Originality/value

The paper adds to the literature by taking a qualitative approach to analogising. The findings offer some support to prior research using laboratory and analytical approaches, while suggesting reconsiderations and offering new insights.
A narrative analysis revealing strategic intent and posture
Authors: Landrum Nancy E.
Published: September 2008

Purpose

This paper examines the letters to shareholders of Nike, Inc. and Reebok over the period 1990‐1999. Using narrative analysis, the purpose of this paper is to show how strategic intent of these two companies is revealed through their letters to shareholders.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative narrative analysis incorporating literary genres and strategic narratives and applying them to strategic schools of thought.

Findings

Nike uses many narrative styles, suggesting they view events in a variety of ways in their sensemaking. Reebok, on the other hand, used a limited number of narrative styles, suggesting a limited view or interpretation of events.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could include additional documents of the companies, both public and private.

Practical implications

This analysis shows that companies can successfully use polyplotted and flexible narrative styles, whereas the old school of strategy suggested a single, unwavering course.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is the use of organizational narrative as epistemology within the study of strategic management.
Of methods and methodology
Authors: Bryman Alan
Published: September 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore what the term “methodology” might be taken to mean. It uses an aphorism by Howard Becker as a springboard for examining the nature of methodology, arguing that Becker's view of methodology was misleading.

Design/methodology/approach

There are two components. First, “insider” account of research findings concerning the nature of mixed methods research is presented. These findings derive from a content analysis of articles based on mixed methods research and from interviews with mixed methods researchers. Second, the paper examines the paradox that qualitative research is often viewed as generating interesting findings but that qualitative researchers frequently feel that they experience difficulty in placing qualitative articles in mainstream journals.

Findings

The findings from the mixed methods study demonstrate that mixed methods research is often rationalized in a different way from how it is actually employed.

Research limitations/implications

The second part of the paper should be extended so that a more comprehensive analysis of publication patterns can be carried out.

Originality/value

There are relatively few examinations of what we mean by “methodology.” The paper tries to move these considerations forward by arguing that methodology is about the examination of “methodic practice.”
Novel fold of VirA, a type III secretion system effector protein from Shigella flexneri
Authors: Davis Jamaine , Wang Jiawei , Tropea Joseph E. , Zhang Di , Dauter Zbigniew , Waugh David S. , Wlodawer Alexander
Published: September 2008

VirA, a secreted effector protein from Shigella sp., has been shown to be necessary for its virulence. It was also reported that VirA might be related to papain‐like cysteine proteases and cleave α‐tubulin, thus facilitating intracellular spreading. We have now determined the crystal structure of VirA at 3.0 Å resolution. The shape of the molecule resembles the letter “V,” with the residues in the N‐terminal third of the 45‐kDa molecule (some of which are disordered) forming one clearly identifiable domain, and the remainder of the molecule completing the V‐like structure. The fold of VirA is unique and does not resemble that of any known protein, including papain, although its N‐terminal domain is topologically similar to cysteine protease inhibitors such as stefin B. Analysis of the sequence conservation between VirA and its Escherichia coli homologs EspG and EspG2 did not result in identification of any putative protease‐like active site, leaving open a possibility that the biological function of VirA in Shigella virulence may not involve direct proteolytic activity.
Area‐to‐Point Prediction Under Boundary Conditions
Authors: Yoo E. ‐H. , Kyriakidis P. C.
Published: September 2008

This article proposes a geostatistical solution for area‐to‐point spatial prediction (downscaling) taking into account boundary effects. Such effects are often poorly considered in downscaling, even though they often have significant impact on the results. The geostatistical approach proposed in this article considers two types of boundary conditions (BC), that is, a Dirichlet‐type condition and a Neumann‐type condition, while satisfying several critical issues in downscaling: the coherence of predictions, the explicit consideration of support differences, and the assessment of uncertainty regarding the point predictions. An updating algorithm is used to reduce the computational cost of area‐to‐point prediction under a given BC. In a case study, area‐to‐point prediction under a Dirichlet‐type BC and a Neumann‐type BC is illustrated using simulated data, and the resulting predictions and error variances are compared with those obtained without considering such conditions.
Parasitemia in PCR‐detectedPlasmodiumandHaemoproteusinfections in birds
Authors: Fallon Sylvia M. , Ricklefs Robert E.
Published: September 2008

Most comparative studies of avian blood parasites based on visual inspection of smears have reportedHaemoproteusinfections to be more prevalent thanPlasmodiuminfections in both tropical and temperate locations. Recently, molecular techniques have increased our ability to detect infections often missed on blood smears. Here we quantify the bias in prevalence resulting from unrecognized infections by examining blood smears of infected passerine birds from the West Indies (312 individuals) and the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri (134 individuals) for which we could identify parasites based on cytochromebsequences. In the West Indian sample, 63 of 179Haemoproteusinfections (35%) and 121 of 133Plasmodiuminfections (91%) were not detected among ca. 2,800 red blood cells examined per smear. In the Missouri sample, 19 of 77Haemoproteusinfections (25%) and 31 of 57Plasmodiuminfections (54%) were not detected among ca. 10,000 red blood cells examined. Clearly, visual inspection of blood smears at this level of effort fails to recognize many malaria parasite infections ascertained by PCR screening, and this bias forPlasmodiumparasites exceeds that forHaemoproteusparasites. The lower prevalence ofPlasmodiumcompared toHaemoproteusreported in comparative studies based on blood smears likely reflects differences in detection rather than infection rates. Estimates obtained from visual inspection of blood smears would appear to be more indicative of parasite virulence and how well host individuals control infections than of the prevalence of infections in host populations.
Clinical trial: a multistrain probiotic preparation significantly reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in a double‐blind placebo‐controlled study
Authors: WILLIAMS E. A. , STIMPSON J. , WANG D. , PLUMMER S. , GARAIOVA I. , BARKER M. E. , CORFE B. M.
Published: September 2008

Background  The efficacy of probiotics in alleviating the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) appears to be both strain‐ and dose‐related.

Aim  To investigate the effect of LAB4, a multistrain probiotic preparation on symptoms of IBS. This probiotic preparation has not previously been assessed in IBS.

Methods  Fifty‐two participants with IBS, as defined by the Rome II criteria, participated in this double blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study. Participants were randomized to receive either a probiotic preparation comprising two strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus CUL60 (NCIMB 30157) and CUL21 (NCIMB 30156), Bifidobacterium lactis CUL34 (NCIMB 30172) and Bifidobacterium bifidum CUL20 (NCIMB 30153) at a total of 2.5 × 1010 cfu/capsule or a placebo for 8 weeks. Participants reported their IBS symptoms using a questionnaire fortnightly during the intervention and at 2 weeks post‐intervention.

Results  A significantly greater improvement in the Symptom Severity Score of IBS and in scores for quality of life, days with pain and satisfaction with bowel habit was observed over the 8‐week intervention period in the volunteers receiving the probiotic preparation than in the placebo group.

Conclusion  LAB4 multistrain probiotic supplement may benefit subjects with IBS.
Effect of cold pre‐treatment duration before freezing on frozen bread dough quality
Authors: Phimolsiripol Yuthana , Siripatrawan Ubonrat , Tulyathan Vanna , Cleland Donald J.
Published: September 2008

The effect of cold pre‐treatment (CT) duration prior to freezing on the quality of a standard bread dough was investigated. Doughs held at 0 °C or 10 °C for 1 h or 3 h before air‐blast freezing were compared with standard dough frozen after 0.5 h at 0 °C (0 °C/0.5 h) and fresh (unfrozen) dough. Cumulative gas production measured in a risograph was used to quantify the dough quality after storage at −18 ± 0.1 °C for 1, 7 or 17 days. Relative to fresh dough, gas production significantly reduced after freezing for all treatments. The doughs with CT at 0 °C for 1 or 3 h or 10 °C for 1 h had significantly higher gas production after freezing and less rapid decline in gas production during frozen storage than the doughs with the 0 °C/0.5 h CT. The 10 °C/3 h CT gave no gas production benefit after freezing and had the most rapid decline in gas production during frozen storage.
Antioxidant activities of red pepper (Capsicum annuum) pericarp and seed extracts
Authors: Sim Ki Hyeon , Sil Han Young
Published: September 2008

In this study, we examined the antioxidant activities of red pepper (Capsicum annuum, L.) pericarp and red pepper seed extracts. The extracts were evaluated by various antioxidant assays, including 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, [2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid)] (ABTS) radical scavenging, ferrous chelating activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reducing power, along with the determination of total phenolic and flavonoid contents. All the extracts showed strong antioxidant activity by the testing methods. The red pepper pericarp extract exhibited strong ferrous chelating activity and high scavenging activity against free radicals, including both the hydroxyl and DPPH radicals, but it exhibited weaker scavenging activity for the superoxide anion radical and for SOD. In contrast, the red pepper seed extract exhibited strong SOD activity and high scavenging activity against the superoxide anion radical, but showed weaker ferrous chelating activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and DPPH radical scavenging. We observed that the reducing power level and ABTS radical scavenging activity of the red pepper seed were higher than those of the red pepper pericarp at the highest tested concentration. Most of the test results for the red pepper seed and red pepper pericarp extracts increased markedly with increasing concentration; however, the metal chelating, SOD and ABTS radical scavenging activities did not increase with the concentration. Highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents were obtained from the red pepper pericarp extracts. Overall, the red pepper seed and red pepper pericarp extracts were highly effective for the antioxidant properties assayed, with the exceptions of ferrous chelating activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging and SOD activity.
Synthesis and in vitro digestion of resistant starch type III from enzymatically hydrolysed cassava starch
Authors: Onyango Calvin , Mutungi Christopher
Published: September 2008

Resistant starch type III (RS III) was synthesised from cassava starch by autoclaving followed by debranching with pullulanase, at varied concentrations (0.4–12 U g−1) and times (2–8 h), and recrystallisation (−18 to 90 °C for 1–16 h). The highest RS III yield (22 g/100 g) was obtained at an enzyme concentration of 4 U g−1 after 8 h incubation, followed by recrystallisation at 25 °C for 16 h. Varying the recrystallisation conditions indicated that higher RS III yields (30–35 g/100 g) could be obtained at 90 °C within 2 h. Thinning cassava starch using α‐amylase prior to debranching using pullulanase did not further increase the RS III content. In vitro digestion data showed that whereas 44% RS III was digested after 6 h, the corresponding value for cassava starch was 89%.
A comparison of antioxidant properties between artisan‐made and factory‐produced chocolate
Authors: Cervellati Rinaldo , Greco Emanuela , Costa Stefano , Guerra Maria Clelia , Speroni Ester
Published: September 2008

The antioxidant capacities and the total phenolic content in cocoa liquor directly manufactured chocolate from an artisan manufacturer were measured using different in vitro methods (BR, TEAC, and Folin–Ciocalteu Reagent). These parameters were then compared with those of a chocolate made by a leading manufacturing company producing chocolate and cocoa‐containing products. A statistical analysis of the collected data showed that the antioxidant properties of the artisan‐made chocolate are significantly better than those of the factory‐produced one. These results were ascribed to the fact that all the bioactive components in the cocoa beans are better preserved in the artisan‐made chocolate.
Banana: cultivars, biotechnological approaches and genetic transformation
Authors: Arvanitoyannis Ioannis S. , Mavromatis Athanassios G. , Grammatikaki‐Avgeli Garyfalia , Sakellariou Michaela
Published: September 2008

Genetic modification of banana has been considered as a path towards increasing the value of this crop according to health and nutrition in developing countries. Banana as a crop is one of the most important and widely consumed fruits as a weaning food by children and as a starchy staple for all other consumers. As well as providing a low cost and easily produced source of energy, bananas are also rich in certain minerals and in vitamins A, C and B6. Growing urbanisation in many developing countries upgraded the crop importance as a source of revenue, occasionally providing the main source of income for rural communities. Genetically modified organism bananas have been advocated as carrier for vaccines and as a source of carotenoids that can counteract debilitating vitamin A deficiency. The rather high vulnerability of banana to pests and diseases triggered biotechnological applications in an attempt to produce new, more resistant banana cultivars. However, the potential biosafety of genetically modified banana and its applications should be taken into account prior to its extensive usage. The current survey summarises the most important biotechnological techniques (in vitro culture, DNA fingerprinting, somatic emrbyogenesis, DNA flow cytometry, etc.) and applications (micropropagation, in vitro selection, somaclonal variation, protoplast fusion, haploid production, etc.) in banana and emphasises on genetic transformation in conjunction with the expressed gene and modified trait aiming at a further improvement of this crop.
Conscious surgery: influence of the environment on patient anxiety
Authors: Mitchell Mark
Published: September 2008

Title.  Conscious surgery: influence of the environment on patient anxiety.

Aims.  This paper is a report of a study: (i) to investigate anxiety arising from the experience of the clinical environment during surgery under local/regional anaesthesia and (ii) to uncover the specific aspects patients find anxiety provoking and possibly dissuade them from opting for such anaesthesia.

Background.  Operating theatre staff have focused historically on conducting safe, efficient surgery with unconscious patients and not primarily on the care of ‘awake’ patients. However, with the rise in day surgery, the volume of surgery performed under local or regional anaesthesia is increasing.

Method.  As part of a larger study investigating anxiety in elective day surgery, a questionnaire was given to 523 patients on the day of surgery to adult patients undergoing surgery with local or regional anaesthesia between 2005 and 2007. They were asked to return this by mail 24–48 hours following surgery and 214 completed questionnaires were returned (response rate 41%).

Findings.  The experience of being awake, possibly feeling the surgeon's touch, seeing their body cut open or surgery being more painful than expected were anxiety‐provoking aspects. Using factor analysis, ‘intra‐operative apprehension’, ‘anaesthetic information provision’ and ‘health control’ were identified as central features. Multiple regression showed that apprehension associated with the intra‐operative experience and anaesthetic information provision were statistically significantly associated with an increase in overall level of anxiety.

Conclusion.  Focusing care on managing the intra‐operative experience and providing anaesthetic information in advance might help limit anxiety and expel the apparent misapprehensions associated with conscious surgery.
Time, area and isolation: factors driving the diversification of Azorean arthropods
Authors: Borges Paulo A. V. , Hortal Joaquín
Published: September 2008

Aim R. J. Whittakeret al.recently proposed a ‘general dynamic model of oceanic island biogeography’ (GDM), providing a general explanation of island biodiversity patterns by relating fundamental biogeographical processes – speciation, immigration, extinction – to area (A) and time (T; maximum island geological age). We adapt their model, which predicts a positive relationship with area combined with a humped relationship to time (designated the ATT2model), to study the factors promoting diversification on the Azores for several arthropod groups.

Location The Azorean archipelago (North Atlantic; 37–40° N, 25–31° W).

Methods We use the number of single‐island endemics (SIEs) as a measure of diversification, to evaluate four different predictions for the variation in SIEs between different islands, derived from the GDM theory and our knowledge of the fauna and history of the Azores. We calculated the number of SIEs for seven out of the nine Azorean islands and six groups of species (all arthropods, beetles, cavernicolous and non‐cavernicolous species, and taxa with high and low dispersal abilities). Several variables accounting for island characteristics (area, geological age, habitat diversity and isolation) and generalized linear models were used to evaluate the reliability of each prediction.

Results A linear and positive relationship between SIEs and an AT (area + time) model was the most parsimonious explanation for overall arthropod diversification. However, cavernicolous species showed the opposite pattern (more SIEs inhabiting the youngest islands). Also, isolation was an important predictor of diversification for all groups except for the species with high dispersal ability; while the former were negatively related to the distance from the main source of colonizing lineages (Santa Maria island in most cases), the latter were related to area. Dispersal ability was also a key factor affecting the diversification of most groups of species.

Main conclusions In general, the diversification of Azorean arthropods is affected by age, area and isolation. However, different groups are affected by these factors in different ways, showing radically different patterns. Although the ATT2model fails to predict the diversification pattern of several groups, it provides a framework for integrating these deviations into a general theory. Further improvements of the GDM theory need to take into account the particular traits of each group and the role of isolation in shaping island diversity.
Actin‐depolymerizing factor, ADF/cofilin, is essentially required in assembly of Leishmania flagellum
Authors: Tammana T. V. Satish , Sahasrabuddhe Amogh A. , Mitra Kalyan , Bajpai Virendra K. , Gupta Chhitar M.
Published: September 2008

ADF/cofilins are ubiquitous actin dynamics‐regulating proteins that have been mainly implicated in actin‐based cell motility. Trypanosomatids, e.g. Leishmania and Trypanosoma, which mediate their motility through flagellum, also contain a putative ADF/cofilin homologue, but its role in flagellar motility remains largely unexplored. We have investigated the role of this protein in assembly and motility of the Leishmania flagellum after knocking out the ADF/cofilin gene by targeted gene replacement. The resultant mutants were completely immotile, short and stumpy, and had reduced flagellar length and severely impaired beat. In addition, the assembly of the paraflagellar rod was lost, vesicle‐like structures were seen throughout the length of the flagellum and the state and distribution of actin were altered. However, episomal complementation of the gene restored normal morphology and flagellar function. These results for the first time indicate that the actin dynamics‐regulating protein ADF/cofilin plays a critical role in assembly and motility of the eukaryotic flagellum.
Comparison of gestational age at birth based on last menstrual period and ultrasound during the first trimester
Authors: Hoffman Caroline S. , Messer Lynne C. , Mendola Pauline , Savitz David A. , Herring Amy H. , Hartmann Katherine E.
Published: September 2008

Reported last menstrual period (LMP) is commonly used to estimate gestational age (GA) but may be unreliable. Ultrasound in the first trimester is generally considered a highly accurate method of pregnancy dating. The authors compared first trimester report of LMP and first trimester ultrasound for estimating GA at birth and examined whether disagreement between estimates varied by maternal and infant characteristics. Analyses included 1867 singleton livebirths to women enrolled in a prospective pregnancy cohort. The authors computed the difference between LMP and ultrasound GA estimates (GA difference) and examined the proportion of births within categories of GA difference stratified by maternal and infant characteristics. The proportion of births classified as preterm, term and post‐term by pregnancy dating methods was also examined.

LMP‐based estimates were 0.8 days (standard deviation = 8.0, median = 0) longer on average than ultrasound estimates. LMP classified more births as post‐term than ultrasound (4.0% vs. 0.7%). GA difference was greater among young women, non‐Hispanic Black and Hispanic women, women of non‐optimal body weight and mothers of low‐birthweight infants. Results indicate first trimester report of LMP reasonably approximates gestational age obtained from first trimester ultrasound, but the degree of discrepancy between estimates varies by important maternal characteristics.
Suspended sediment dynamics and morphodynamics in the Yellow River, China
Authors: VAN MAREN D. S. , WINTERWERP J. C. , WANG Z. Y. , PU Q.
Published: September 2008

The Yellow River in China carries large amounts of sediments in suspension at concentrations up to several hundreds of kilograms per cubic metre; the sediment is composed mainly of silt. These high sediment concentrations influence the hydrodynamics (flow velocity and turbulence) which, in turn, determine the sediment concentration profile, whereas both the high sediment concentrations and pseudo‐cohesive properties of silt determine the morphodynamics of the Yellow River. The effect of sediment on the hydrodynamics is analysed using the Richardson number and the Reynolds number to provide a framework to differentiate between various flow regimes in the Yellow River, which is calibrated and validated with Yellow River data. The flow may be sub‐saturated (stable flow), super‐saturated (unstable flow characterized by high deposition rates, caused by collapse of turbulence), or hyperconcentrated sub‐saturated (stable flow because of hindered settling effects), depending on the Richardson number. Independent of this, the flow may be turbulent, transitional or laminar, depending on the Reynolds number. Analysis of these flow types improves understanding of the flow regimes and morphodynamics of the Yellow River. The morphodynamics of the Yellow River are also affected by pseudo‐cohesive behaviour caused by shear dilatance, which results in increasing critical shear stress for erosion at decreasing grain‐size. This pseudo‐cohesive behaviour may be partly responsible not only for the high deposition rates which characterize the lower Yellow River, but also for mass erosion during river floods.
The DAISY gene from Arabidopsis encodes a fatty acid elongase condensing enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of aliphatic suberin in roots and the chalaza‐micropyle region of seeds
Authors: Franke Rochus , Höfer Rene , Briesen Isabel , Emsermann Mitja , Efremova Nadia , Yephremov Alexander , Schreiber Lukas
Published: September 2008

Suberin is a hydrophobic polyester found in the cell walls of various plant–environment interfaces, including shoot and root peridermal tissue, and the root hypodermis and endodermis. Suberin deposits form apoplastic barriers that control water and nutrient transport, protect against pathogens and seal wounded tissue. Despite this physiological importance, and the detailed information on the suberin composition of many plants, there is a great gap in our knowledge of the molecular mechanism of suberin biosynthesis, caused in part by a lack of mutants in suberin formation. Here, we report the characterization of daisy, an Arabidopsis mutant that is defective in a fatty acid elongase condensing enzyme. The daisy mutant roots exhibit disturbed growth, and the suberin level is reduced in C22 and C24 very long chain fatty acid derivatives, whereas C16, C18 and C20 derivatives accumulate, compared with wild‐type suberin, indicating that DAISY functions as a docosanoic acid synthase. Consistent with a significantly increased level of suberin in the roots of NaCl‐stressed plants, DAISY is transcriptionally activated by NaCl application, and also by polyethylene glycol‐induced drought stress and wounding. Expression analysis using RT‐PCR and promoter‐GUS fusions demonstrated a distinct DAISY expression pattern in the root stele, senescing sepals, siliques abscission zones and the chalaza‐micropyle region of seeds. Together, these results indicate that DAISY is involved in suberin biosynthesis and in the formation of protective layers in these tissues, and in the response to unfavourable environmental conditions.