bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring consumers’ experiences of spiritual value in healthcare services
Authors: Dodds Sarah , Bulmer Sandy L. , Murphy Andrew J.
Published: April 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to explore consumer experiences of spiritual value and investigates whether it is distinct from ethical value within a large and growing private sector health-care setting. Understanding consumers’ experiences of spiritual value versus ethical value has important implications for corporate social responsibility as increasingly, consumers want their spiritual needs met.

Design/methodology/approach

The research adopts an exploratory case study approach using in-depth interviews with 16 consumers who use complementary and alternative medicine health-care services. Drawing on consumer value frameworks, a thematic analysis identified dimensions of spiritual and ethical values co-created during their consumption experiences.

Findings

From a consumer’s perspective, spiritual value is distinct from ethical value. The key finding is that participants talked about spiritual value predominantly in reactive terms (apprehending, appreciating, admiring or responding), whereas ethical value was referred to as active (taking action).

Research limitations/implications

This paper enhances the understanding of spiritual value and provides evidence that people want their spiritual needs met in a private health-care context. Furthermore, this study provides insights into the consumption experience of spiritual value that can be considered, with further research, in other health-care and service contexts.

Originality/value

This paper offers a new view on corporate social responsibility by taking a consumer’s perspective, and identifying that consumer experiences of spiritual value are important and distinct from ethical value.
Trophic structure in a rapidly urbanizing planet
Authors: El‐Sabaawi Rana
Published: April 2018

The human population is rapidly urbanizing, and the negative impacts of urban cover on biodiversity and ecosystem function are expected to increase. Trophic dynamics have been hypothesized to change with urbanization, with consequences for biodiversity and function. Here, I review recent progress in this area by focusing on how urbanization affects dietary sources, trophic interactions and the functional ecology of synanthropic species.

Urbanization affects primary autochthonous production in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems by replacing and fragmenting natural areas with impervious cover, increasing nutrient supply, changing hydrological regimes, and altering the composition and seasonality of primary producers. The responses of primary production differ between climatic regions or across hydrological regimes.

Urbanization can also change the availability of subsidies (autochthonous vs. allochthonous resources) because many urban species feed on human food (anthropogenic subsidies) and because of changes in the plant composition and physical characteristics of riparian zones.

Urbanization can change the composition of consumers by decreasing the abundance of apex predators, releasing mesopredators, as well as the introduction of non‐native omnivores.

Few direct experiments have been conducted on trophic interactions in urban ecosystems. They broadly suggest that urbanization weakens herbivory and predation, but that it might increase competition between synanthropic and urbanophobic species. However, the outcomes of these interactions are highly context‐specific.

The reliance of synanthropic species on anthropogenic subsidies appears to be an important aspect of urban trophic ecology. However, more research is needed to understand how dietary flexibility, especially in relation to anthropogenic subsidies, contributes to the physiology and population dynamics of synanthropes.

Urbanization can dramatically change trophic dynamics in the urban ecosystem with implications for biodiversity patterns, management and conservation. However, it is clear that a broader and more mechanistic understanding of the urban food webs is needed. This can be accomplished through inclusion of functional trophic metrics in monitoring efforts, the use of stable isotope food web metrics, the use of multi‐trophic‐level experiments and a more detailed study of the functional ecology of synanthropes.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Exploring the performance of intransitivity indices in predicting coexistence in multispecies systems
Authors: Laird Robert A. , Schamp Brandon S.
Published: April 2018

Recent evidence suggests that intransitive competition (as in the game “rock‐paper‐scissors,” and in contrast to transitive or hierarchical competition) may be common in natural plant communities. This is important as theoretical analyses indicate that intransitivity promotes species coexistence. However, while intransitivity is common, competitive relationships among many species in communities may vary from transitive to highly intransitive.

With increasing numbers of species, variation in competitive interrelationships among species can take on vastly more variable topologies. Consequently, several indices can be used to capture topological variation that is relevant to the prediction of species coexistence.

Different indices capture different elements of topological variation. In addition, evidence indicates that these indices vary in their capacity to predict coexistence, and that variation not captured by these indices also contributes to variation in species coexistence.

We used aspatial and spatial competition models to explore how well different indices (Slater's i, Kendall and Babington Smith's d, Monsuur and Storcken's ν, Bezembinder's ρ and Bezembinder's δ′, plus two binary indices we call “unbeatability” [u] and “always‐beatability” [a]) predict coexistence under the full spectrum of competitive tournament topologies for three to eight species, and a large sample of existing tournament topologies for nine species.

All indices explored were generally better at predicting short‐term coexistence (i.e. the number of generations until the first extinction) compared to long‐term coexistence (i.e. generations until monoculture or long‐term species richness in aspatial and spatial models respectively). Indices also differed in performance: Kendall and Babington Smith's d (a measure of the number intransitive cycles among an assemblage's three‐species subsets that has also been reformulated as the relative intransitivity index) was the best predictor of short‐term coexistence; in terms of long‐term coexistence, the best predictor was typically d or u, the latter indicating the presence or absence of a species capable of outcompeting all its competitors.

Synthesis. The indices employed here capture different elements of topological variation. Existing indices that capture aspects of intransitive competition vary in their capacity to predict coexistence in competition models. The more continuous nature of Kendall and Babington Smith's d index likely contributed to its robust performance; likewise, the ability of unbeatability to detect intransitivities involving the strongest competitors helps explain its success.
Intransitive competition is common across five major taxonomic groups and is driven by productivity, competitive rank and functional traits
Authors: Soliveres Santiago , Lehmann Anika , Boch Steffen , Altermatt Florian , Carrara Francesco , Crowther Thomas W. , Delgado‐Baquerizo Manuel , Kempel Anne , Maynard Daniel S. , Rillig Matthias C. , Singh Brajesh K. , Trivedi Pankaj , Allan Eric
Published: April 2018

Competition can be fully hierarchical or intransitive, and this degree of hierarchy is driven by multiple factors, including environmental conditions, the functional traits of the species involved or the topology of competition networks. Studies simultaneously analysing these drivers of competition hierarchy are rare. Additionally, organisms compete either directly or via interference competition for resources or space, within a local neighbourhood or across the habitat. Therefore, the drivers of competition could change accordingly and depend on the taxa studied.

We performed the first multi‐taxon study on pairwise competition across major taxonomic groups, including experiments with vascular plants, mosses, saprobic fungi, aquatic protists and soil bacteria. We evaluated how general is competition intransitivity from the pairwise competition matrix including all species and also for each possible three‐species combination (triplets). We then examined which species were likely to engage in competitive loops and the effects of environmental conditions, competitive rank and functional traits on intransitive competition.

We found some degree of competition intransitivity in all taxa studied, with 38% to 5% of triplets being intransitive. Variance in competitive rank between species and more fertile conditions strongly reduced intransitivity, with triplets composed of species differing widely in their competitive ranks much less likely to be intransitive.

Including functional traits of the species involved more than doubled the variation explained compared to models including competitive rank only. Both trait means and variance within triplets affected the odds of them being intransitive. However, the traits responsible and the direction of trait effects varied widely between taxa, suggesting that traits can have a wide variety of effects on competition.

Synthesis. We evaluated the drivers of competition across multiple taxa and showed that productivity and competitive rank are fundamental drivers of intransitivity. We also showed that not only the functional traits of each species, but also those of the accompanying species, determine competition intransitivity. Intransitive competition is common across multiple taxa but can dampen under fertile conditions or for those species with large variance in their competitive abilities. This provides a first step towards predicting the prevalence of intransitive competition in natural communities.
The Classroom Environment Questionnaire (CEQ): Development and preliminary structural validity
Authors: Lyons Carissa , Brown Ted , Bourke‐Taylor Helen
Published: April 2018

Background/aim

Occupational therapists offer a unique perspective regarding the contribution of the environment to occupational performance. Therefore, a scale that measures the unique characteristics of the primary school classroom environment where children complete their daily schoolwork occupations is needed. The aim of this study was to develop and psychometrically evaluate a new teacher‐report questionnaire that measures a number of environmental characteristics of primary school classrooms.

Methods

Participants (N = 117) completed the Classroom Environment Questionnaire (CEQ), which utilises a 4‐point Likert scale where teachers rate 51 environmental characteristics of their classroom. Teachers also rate the extent to which they believe the physical, social, temporal, institutional and cultural classroom environmental domains contribute to students’ schoolwork performance using a 10‐point scale. The structural validity of the CEQ was examined using principal component analysis (PCA). Inter‐item correlations were examined using Pearson r correlations, while the internal consistency of the CEQ was assessed using Cronbach's alpha.

Results

PCA revealed the CEQ to be multidimensional, with 31 items loading onto nine viable factors, representing the unique nature of classroom environments. Based on the PCA results, 20 items were removed from the CEQ. Cronbach's alpha and correlation analysis indicated that most CEQ subsections had acceptable internal consistency (alpha range 0.70–0.82), with four subsections demonstrating a lower level of internal consistency (alpha range 0.55–0.69).

Conclusion

Preliminary structural validity and internal consistency analysis findings confirm that the CEQ has potential to be a useful scale for professionals wishing to examine the unique characteristics of primary school classrooms that influence the occupational performance of students. Ongoing analyses will be undertaken to further explore the CEQ's validity and reliability.
How Does Mortgage Debt Affect Household Consumption? Micro Evidence from China
Authors: Fan Ying , Yavas Abdullah
Published: April 2018

The high growth rate of mortgage debt in various emerging and developed economies has captured headlines following the financial crisis. In this article, we investigate how mortgage debt impacts household consumption behavior and various components of household consumption. Utilizing comprehensive household survey data from China, we show that households with a mortgage consume a higher portion of income than households without a mortgage. This is in line with the argument that having a mortgage reduces the uncertainty that the household faces regarding how much to save each month in order to be able to own a house, and this reduced uncertainty leads to lower monthly savings for the purpose of buying a house. We also find that among households with a mortgage, those who spend a larger share of their income on mortgage payments spend less on consumption, reflecting the crowding out effect of mortgage payments on household consumption. Furthermore, we show that a government policy of decreasing the maximum loan‐to‐value ratio has a significant impact on households’ consumption. The article offers the first evidence of the impact of growing mortgage debt on the consumption behavior of households, and will have implications for government policies that encourage mortgage borrowing.
Confidence in Attachment Relationships and Marital Status as Protective Factors for Self‐Perceived Parental Role and In‐Person Visitation with Children Among Incarcerated Fathers
Authors: Laquale Michele Giovanni , Coppola Gabrielle , Cassibba Rosalinda , Pasceri Maria , Pietralunga Susanna , Taurino Alessandro , Semeraro Cristina , Grattagliano Ignazio
Published: April 2018

The study aimed at investigating the role of confidence in attachment relationships and marital status as protective factors for incarcerated fathers’ self‐perceived parental role and in‐person contacts with their children. Participants included 150 inmate fathers and 145 nonincarcerated control fathers who provided background sociodemographic information and completed two self‐reports, the Attachment Style Questionnaire and the Self‐Perception of Parental Role. A two‐phased cluster analytic plan allowed us to highlight two profiles of self‐perceived parental roles, with incarceration and low confidence in attachment relationships increasing the risk of the less optimal of the two profiles. Higher confidence in attachment relationships and having a stable romantic relationship increased the likelihood of incarcerated fathers engaging in frequent contacts with their children, while the profile of self‐perceived parental role had no effect. Implications for practice are discussed, and suggestions for further research are provided.
GrigoraSNPs: Optimized Analysis of SNPs for DNA Forensics,
Authors: Ricke Darrell O. , Shcherbina Anna , Michaleas Adam , Fremont‐Smith Philip
Published: April 2018

High‐throughput sequencing (HTS) of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) enables additional DNA forensic capabilities not attainable using traditional STR panels. However, the inclusion of sets of loci selected for mixture analysis, extended kinship, phenotype, biogeographic ancestry prediction, etc., can result in large panel sizes that are difficult to analyze in a rapid fashion. GrigoraSNP was developed to address the allele‐calling bottleneck that was encountered when analyzing SNP panels with more than 5000 loci using HTS. GrigoraSNPs uses a MapReduce parallel data processing on multiple computational threads plus a novel locus‐identification hashing strategy leveraging target sequence tags. This tool optimizes the SNP calling module of the DNA analysis pipeline with runtimes that scale linearly with the number of HTS reads. Results are compared with SNP analysis pipelines implemented with SAMtools and GATK. GrigoraSNPs removes a computational bottleneck for processing forensic samples with large HTS SNP panels.
Effects of Site and Cultivar on Consumer Acceptance of Pomegranate
Authors: Chater John M. , Merhaut Donald J. , Jia Zhenyu , Arpaia Mary Lu , Mauk Peggy A. , Preece John E.
Published: April 2018

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is an important fruit in many cultures. The fruit and juice have risen in popularity as it was discovered that pomegranate has relatively high antioxidant activity compared to most other fruits. In this study, six cultivars were utilized to determine consumer acceptance compared to the industry standard, ‘Wonderful,’ which comprises 90% to 95% of commercial production in the United States. Fruit were sourced from 2 cultivar field trials, one in inland Riverside, California, and one in coastal Ventura County, California. Cultivars selected for the study included ‘Eversweet,’ ‘Green Globe,’ ‘Haku Botan,’ ‘Loffani,’ ‘Phoenicia,’ ‘Wonderful,’ and ‘cv. 857,’ an heirloom cultivar from Ventura County, CA, U.S.A. Pomegranate arils were subject to sensory evaluation by 87 untrained consumer panelists in late 2016. Panelists were given pomegranate arils and asked to score the samples using a 9‐point Hedonic scale for the following fruit quality traits: aril color, sweetness, tartness, seed hardness, bitterness, and overall desirability. There were significant differences among cultivars for all traits assessed by the sensory panelists. There were differences in acceptance among consumers for ‘Wonderful’ depending on if it was grown on the coast versus inland, and consumers preferred inland‐ versus coastal‐grown ‘Wonderful.’ ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate was associated with cultivars that consumers scored low on desirability for bitterness. Cultivars that scored well in overall desirability compared with ‘Wonderful’ were ‘cv. 857,’ ‘Eversweet,’ ‘Green Globe,’ and ‘Phoenicia.’

Practical Application

Consumer sensory panels are important to determine scientifically which cultivars are desired by the public. These panels allowed for the determination of which pomegranate cultivars are liked or disliked by consumers and why. If the pomegranate growers know the most desirable cultivars for consumers, they are more likely to adopt and plant them, thus potentially increasing the diversity in the marketplace, as has been with apples, peaches, plums, pears, mangoes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and citrus.
Prosopis nigra Mesocarp Fine Flour, A Source of Phytochemicals with Potential Effect on Enzymes Linked to Metabolic Syndrome, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammatory Process
Authors: Pérez María J. , Zampini Iris C. , Alberto Maria R. , Isla María I.
Published: April 2018

This work is part of the search in native food matrices from arid regions of Argentina of interest to improve human health. Prosopis species are ethnic food resources in South America capable of growing in arid and semi‐arid environments. This work was focused to determine the nutritional and phytochemical composition of Prosopis nigra fine flour and to evaluate its biological properties. Flour showed a high level of sucrose (30.35 g/100 g flour), fiber (6.34 g/100 g flour), polyphenols (0.45 g GAE/100 g flour), and minerals (potassium, calcium, and magnesium). Apigenin C glycosides and phenylpropanoid acids were identified in free and bound phenolic enriched extracts, respectively. Polyphenols (especially free polyphenols) were able to inhibit enzymes associated with the metabolic syndrome, including α‐amylase (IC50 30.1 μg GAE/mL), α‐glucosidase (IC50 22.5 μg GAE/mL), while bound phenolics may control lipase activity (IC50 33.5 μg GAE/mL) and exhibit antioxidant activity by different action mechanisms (SC50 between 16 and 93 μg GAE/mL). Both extracts were more effective to inhibit cyclooxygenase‐2 than phospholipase A2 and lipoxygenase, proinflammatory enzymes. Polyphenolic extracts did not show any mutagenic effect. Our studies add value to this non‐conventional flour as a promising food resource that could be used as a functional food or functional ingredient in formulations to reduce the risk of the development of obesity. These studies revalue our native resources by promoting their conservation, their use and their propagation.

Practical Application

Pods of P. nigra are traditional food resources in South America. The non‐conventional flour obtained from them is a food that inhibits enzymes linked to carbohydrates metabolism and lipids metabolism, show antioxidant activity and anti‐inflamatory activity, principally on COX‐2. This natural product is a promising resource that could be used as a functional food or as functional ingredient in food formulations for reduce the risk of the development of obesity. Our studies are relevant to stimulate a sustainable management of this specie and for its development as potential new crops.
Histological Study of Ultrastructural Changes in Muscle Exposed to Various Concentrations of NaCl Brine
Authors: Astruc Thierry , Desfrétières Amandine , Vénien Annie
Published: April 2018

Efforts to reduce NaCl content in meat products hinge on gaining a deeper understanding of how NaCl content shapes product changes during the salting process. Bovine semitendinosus muscle samples were incubated for 5 days in 7 different brine baths at NaCl concentrations of 0 (control), 0.15, 0.30, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, and 1.5 M, respectively. Histological and ultrastructural analyses showed that after incubation, muscle fiber size increased almost 30% in 0.15 and 0.3 M NaCl brine but decreased in 0.50 and 0.75 M NaCl. At above 0.75 M NaCl, brining led to significantly degraded muscle tissue, preventing the morphological characterization by image analysis. Structural modifications were strongest in samples immersed in 1 M NaCl brine. M and Z lines showed dramatic solubilization from 0.5 M NaCl upwards. Extracted proteins were released into subsarcolemmal space at 0.75 M NaCl then into extracellular space at higher NaCl levels. These findings bring insight into the sequence of structural alterations in meat as a function of ionic strength, making it possible to optimize the meat salting process.

Practical Application

Knowledge on the relationship between NaCl concentration, in situ structural changes and transfers of salt‐extracted proteins can be usefully mobilized to reduce sodium content in cured meat products.
Structural Modification of Fish Gelatin by the Addition of Gellan, κ‐Carrageenan, and Salts Mimics the Critical Physicochemical Properties of Pork Gelatin
Authors: Sow Li Cheng , Kong Karmaine , Yang Hongshun
Published: April 2018

Pork gelatin is not suitable for halal and kosher application; however, fish gelatin (FG) can be modified for use as a pork gelatin (PG) mimetic. Herein, low‐acyl gellan (GE), κ‐carrageenan (KC), and salts (CaCl2 or KCl) were combined with a 180 Bloom tilapia FG. A formulation comprising 5.925% (w/v) FG + 0.025% (w/v) GE + 3mM CaCl2 best matched the physicochemical properties of PG. The modification increased the FG gel strength from 115 ± 2 to 149 ± 2 g (matching the 148 ± 2 of PG), while the Tm increased from 27.9 ± 1.0 to 32.4 ± 0.8 °C (matching the 33.1 ± 0.3 °C of PG). Nanoaggregates (diameter between 150 and 300 nm) could be an important structural factor affecting the physicochemical properties, as both PG and GE‐modified FG showed a similar frequency distribution in this size group (57.4 ± 1.6% (PG) compared with 56.3 ± 2.2% (modified FG)). To further explore the differences between KC and GE in modifying of FG's structure, the FG‐KC and FG‐GE gels were compared. The zeta potential and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results for the FG‐KC gel supported an associative interaction with complex formation, as indicated from the large aggregates and amorphous phase under atomic force microscopy (AFM). Contrastingly, a segregative FG‐GE interaction took place in presence of CaCl2. These structures and interaction differences between FG‐GE and FG‐KC influenced the macro‐properties of FG, possibly explaining the differences in the modification of the melting temperature of FG. A diagram representing the interaction‐structure‐physicochemical properties was proposed to explain the differences between the FG‐GE and FG‐KC gels.

Practical Application

Certain people cannot consume any pork product or derivatives for religious reasons, thus it is essential to find a pork gelatin (PG) substitute for food product development. The commonly used polysaccharides, gellan and carrageenan, together with salt, can be added to fish gelatin (FG) to match the textural properties of PG, representing a promising substitute for PG. The difference in the mechanism of gellan and carrageenan to improve properties of FG has been revealed from nanostructure level. The use of food grade ingredients and simple mixing process are favorable in the food industry.
Injection of Natural Protease Inhibitors and Evaluation of Their Impact on Cooked Pacific Whiting (Merluccius productus) Fillets
Authors: Harikedua Silvana Dinaintang , Mireles DeWitt Christina A.
Published: April 2018

Brine injection of natural proteases, dried egg white (EW), and dried potato extract (PE), was investigated as a means to prevent softening during cooking of Pacific whiting fillets. Treatments included fillets injected with Water (W), 3% sodium chloride and 3% sodium tripolyphosphate brine (B), B with 0.1% xanthan gum (BXG), B with 1%, 2%, or 3% EW (B1‐3EW), B with 1%, 2%, or 3% PE (B1‐3PE) or non‐injected (NI). Non‐injected Pacific cod (Cod) was also utilized as a reference for texture analysis. Fillets were subsequently cooked using cooking protocol 1 (90 °C for 20 min) or cooking protocol 2 (60 °C for 30 min then 90 °C for 20 min). Cooked fillet pH, moisture, total protein, total extractable protein (TEP), total non‐extractable protein (TNEP), texture profile analysis (TPA), and electrophoretic pattern (SDS‐PAGE) were measured. Cooking protocol 2 significantly reduced moisture, increased total protein, TEP and TNEP. Loss of moisture suggested cooking protocol 2 promoted proteolysis. Electrophoretic evaluations of the fillets treated with the cooking protocol 2 confirmed proteolysis was enhanced by cooking protocol 2 and myosin band integrity was protected in fillets containing natural protease inhibitors. For TPA, there was no significant difference between protease inhibitor types although means for BEW did trend higher than BPE. However, PCA analysis clearly demonstrated B2EW and B3EW fillets were most similar to Cod. Results demonstrated brine injection with protease inhibitors prevented fillet softening during cooking.

Practical Application

Texture softening in fish has typically been addressed by diverting product to lower‐value minced applications where ingredients can be blended‐in to counteract softening caused by enzymes. Investigations demonstrate feasibility of brine injection of protease inhibitor ingredient, dried egg white, to preserve protein integrity during cooking. Dried potato extract required a suspension aide, xanthan gum, in order to become sufficiently suspended in the brine for injection. Dried potato extract was able to inhibit protease activity, however, the suspension aide negatively impacted protein–protein interactions during cooking. An alternative suspension aide is therefore required for dried potato extract.
Diversity, Function, and Application of Clostridium in Chinese Strong Flavor Baijiu Ecosystem: A Review
Authors: Zou Wei , Ye Guangbin , Zhang Kaizheng
Published: April 2018

Baijiu is a Chinese traditional distilled liquor with an annual yield over 13.12 million tons. Strong flavor baijiu (SFB) also called Luzhou‐flavor liquor, takes account for > 70% of the total baijiu produced. SFB is produced by an open solid fermentation process with a complex microbial ecosystem. Clostridium is one of the most important microorganisms for the formation of the main flavor compounds of SFB, such as ethyl caproate. In this paper, we review current research progress on the Clostridium in the SFB ecosystem, focusing on the species diversity, physiological and metabolic features along with interspecies interactions. Systems biology approaches for the study of Clostridium from SFB ecosystems were discussed and explored. Furthermore, current applications of Clostridium in SFB production were discussed.

Practical Application

Strong flavor baijiu (SFB) accounts for more than 70% of total yield of Chinese baijiu, which exists for hundreds of years. Clostridium is common in SFB ecosystem and identified to be one of main contributors of flavor compounds in SFB. Study on the Clostridium from SFB ecosystem is not only helpful for the understanding of flavor compounds formation mechanism, but also the improvement of SFB quality. This study focuses on the current researches on the Clostridium species in SFB ecosystem, including the species diversity, physiological and metabolic features, and applications.
In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Colored Carotenoids in Tomato Derivatives as Affected by Ripeness Stage and the Addition of Different Types of Oil
Authors: González‐Casado Sandra , Martín‐Belloso Olga , Elez‐Martínez Pedro , Soliva‐Fortuny Robert
Published: April 2018

The simultaneous effect of tomato ripeness stage (mature green, pink, and red‐ripe), mechanical processing (dicing and grinding), and oil addition (coconut, sunflower, and olive oils) on the amount and bioaccessible fraction of carotenoids were evaluated. Tomato products obtained from fruits at the most advanced ripeness stage exhibited the greatest values of both concentration and bioaccessible fraction of total carotenoids and lycopene. The type of processing also exerted an important influence on carotenoids content, as well as on its bioaccessibility. Thus, despite the concentration of carotenoids in tomato puree significantly decreased (36% to 59%), their bioaccessibility was greater (up to 2.54‐fold increase) than in tomato cubes. Moreover, the addition of oil significantly improved the carotenoid bioaccessibility, especially when olive oil was added, reaching up to 21‐fold increase with respect to samples without oil. The results obtained clearly indicate that carotenoids bioaccessibility of tomato derivatives was strongly influenced by the ripeness stage of the fruit, processing and the addition of oil.

Practical Application

Bioaccessibility of carotenoids is known to be affected by different factors. This study provides useful information about the synergic effect of different factors affecting the amount and the bioaccessible fraction of carotenoids, especially lycopene, in two common tomato derivatives. The findings of this work may contribute to develop tomato derivatives with high content of bioaccessible carotenoids, leading to the enhancement of their health‐promoting properties.
Contribution of 2‐Propenesulfenic Acid to the Antioxidant Activity of Allicin
Authors: Seki Kensuke , Ishikawa Junya , Okada Youji
Published: April 2018

We re‐examined the antioxidative mechanism of allicin as a radical scavenger on the basis of the reactivity toward 2, 2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and peroxyl radicals. Initially, it was found that allicin decomposed more rapidly in n‐hexane and chlorobenzene than in acetonitrile, ethanol, and ethanol/water solutions and decomposed into ajoene and vinyldithiins in these solvents. Furthermore, the decomposition of allicin and the following formations of ajoene and vinyldithiins from allicin were accelerated by the reaction of allicin with DPPH and peroxyl radicals. These results show that 2‐propenesulfenic acid, which arises by Cope elimination from allicin, is proposed to contribute to scavenge these radicals because ajoene and vinyldithiins were produced from allicin through the use of 2‐propenesulfenic acid. Next, allicin was more effective at inhibiting the linoleic acid oxidation at 50 °C than at 30 °C and in cyclohexane than in acetonitrile. These results indicate that allicin decomposed rapidly at high temperatures in a hydrogen‐bond‐acceptor solution to 2‐propenesulfenic acid. In addition, 2‐propene‐1‐sulfinothionic acid S‐methyl ester, which does not produce sulfenic acid through Cope elimination, has no activity against the radicals. On the other hand, methanesulfinothionic acid S‐2‐propenyl ester, which produces methanesulfenic acid through Cope elimination, has the same or increased activity as its allicin against the radicals. Based on these results, the Cope elimination product, sulfenic acid, from thiosulfinates with an α‐sulfenyl proton was found to make a larger contribution to the radical scavenger than that of allicin itself.

Practical Application

We examined the antioxidant activity of allicin on the oxidation of cumene and linoleic acid in homogeneous solutions. It is obvious from these results that 2‐propenesulfenic acid was found to make a larger contribution to the radical scavenger than that of allicin itself.
Characterization of River Networks: A GIS Approach and Its Applications
Authors: Thoms Martin , Scown Murray , Flotemersch Joseph
Published: April 2018

Fluvial geomorphology provides the basis for characterizing complex river networks and evaluating biophysical processes within watersheds. Understanding the spatial organization of morphological features, their influencing processes, and resultant geomorphic diversity in stream networks are important for efficient restoration, river health assessment, and improving our knowledge of the resilience of riverine landscapes. River characterization is a means to determine the biophysical character of river networks but many methods are fraught with pitfalls, such as the use of incorrect variables and limited acknowledgment of the hierarchical organization of rivers. In this paper, a top‐down geographic information system‐based approach for determining the physical typology of river networks is outlined. A suite of multivariate analyses are used to develop a nomenclature for functional process zones (FPZs) — large tracts of the river network with similar hydro‐geomorphological character. Applied to the Little Miami River, Ohio, six distinct FPZs emerged, which had a nonuniform distribution along the river network. Some FPZs repeated downstream; others were rare in terms of total length and number of FPZ segments. The physical structure of the Little Miami River network was analyzed using a series of community metrics. Application of this approach for river monitoring, establishing reference conditions, as well as management of threatened and endangered species and asset trading is highlighted.
Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 ameliorates cardiac lipotoxicity in diabetic cardiomyopathy via the PPARα pathway
Authors: Wu Lujin , Wang Ke , Wang Wei , Wen Zheng , Wang Peihua , Liu Lei , Wang Dao Wen
Published: April 2018

Lipotoxicity cardiomyopathy is the result of excessive accumulation and oxidation of toxic lipids in the heart. It is a major threat to patients with diabetes. Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) has aroused considerable interest as a novel therapeutic target for diabetes mellitus because it stimulates insulin secretion. Here, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of the GLP‐1 analog exendin‐4 and the dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor saxagliptin on cardiac lipid metabolism in diabetic mice (DM). The increased myocardial lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and cardiac remodeling and dysfunction induced in DM by low streptozotocin doses and high‐fat diets were significantly reversed by exendin‐4 and saxagliptin treatments for 8 weeks. We found that exendin‐4 inhibited abnormal activation of the (PPARα)‐CD36 pathway by stimulating protein kinase A (PKA) but suppressing the Rho‐associated protein kinase (ROCK) pathway in DM hearts, palmitic acid (PA)‐treated rat h9c2 cardiomyocytes (CMs), and isolated adult mouse CMs. Cardioprotection in DM mediated by exendin‐4 was abolished by combination therapy with the PPARα agonist wy‐14643 but mimicked by PPARα gene deficiency. Therefore, the PPARα pathway accounted for the effects of exendin‐4. This conclusion was confirmed in cardiac‐restricted overexpression of PPARα mediated by adeno‐associated virus serotype‐9 containing a cardiac troponin T promoter. Our results provide the first direct evidence that GLP‐1 protects cardiac function by inhibiting the ROCK/PPARα pathway, thereby ameliorating lipotoxicity in diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Guanfacine decreases symptoms of cannabis withdrawal in daily cannabis smokers
Authors: Haney Margaret , Cooper Ziva D. , Bedi Gillinder , Herrmann Evan , Comer Sandra D. , Reed Stephanie Collins , Foltin Richard W. , Levin Frances R.
Published: April 2018

The α2a‐adrenergic agonist, lofexidine, reduced cannabis withdrawal‐related sleep disruption in the laboratory, but side effects (e.g. fatigue, hypotension) limit its utility as a treatment for cannabis use disorder. This study tested the potential efficacy and tolerability of a daily bedtime administration of the FDA‐approved α2a‐adrenergic agonist, guanfacine, in a human laboratory model of cannabis use disorder. Daily, nontreatment‐seeking cannabis smokers (13M, 2F) completed a within‐subject study comprising two 9‐day inpatient study phases. Each phase tested the effects of daily placebo or immediate‐release guanfacine (2 mg) on cannabis intoxication (5.6 percent THC; 2 days), withdrawal (4 days of abstinence) and subsequent ‘relapse’ (3 days of cannabis self‐administration). Ratings of mood, sleep, cardiovascular effects, food intake, psychomotor performance and cannabis self‐administration were assessed. An outpatient phase preceded each inpatient phase for medication clearance or dose induction. Under placebo medication conditions, cannabis abstinence produced significant withdrawal, including irritability, sleep disruption and anorexia. Guanfacine reduced ratings of irritability and improved objective measures of sleep during cannabis withdrawal relative to placebo but did not reduce cannabis self‐administration. Guanfacine was well tolerated with little evidence of fatigue and only small decreases in blood pressure: no dose was held due to hypotension. Thus, a single daily administration of guanfacine at bedtime improved sleep and mood during cannabis withdrawal relative to placebo. This positive signal supports further studies varying the guanfacine dose, formulation or frequency of administration, or combining it with other medications to increase the likelihood of having an impact on cannabis use.
Election Timing, Electorate Composition, and Policy Outcomes: Evidence from School Districts
Authors: Kogan Vladimir , Lavertu Stéphane , Peskowitz Zachary
Published: April 2018

There is considerable debate about how election timing shapes who votes, election outcomes, and, ultimately, public policy. We examine these matters by combining information on more than 10,000 school tax referenda with detailed micro‐targeting data on voters participating in each election. The analysis confirms that timing influences voter composition in terms of partisanship, ideology, and the numerical strength of powerful interest groups. But, in contrast to prominent theories of election timing, these effects are modest in terms of their likely impact on election outcomes. Instead, timing has the most significant impact on voter age, with the elderly being the most overrepresented group in low‐turnout special elections. The electoral (and policy) implications of this effect vary between states, and we offer one explanation for this variation.
Inspiring awe in consumers: Relevance, triggers, and consequences
Authors: Guo Siyuan , Jiang Libin , Huang Rong , Ye Weiling , Zhou Xinyue
Published: April 2018

Six methodologically diverse studies addressed three fundamental questions about awe in consumers. First, to what extent is awe a relevant emotion in consumer experiences of products? A pilot study examined contents of tweets containing “awe” and showed that it was frequently used in people's voluntary expressions. Study 1 showed that products could elicit awe among a significant portion of consumers. Second, what kind of product triggers awe in consumers? Study 2 determined that descriptions of awe‐inspiring products typically featured four dimensions: timelessness, accommodation, beauty, and vastness. Studies 3 and 4 showed that only timelessness and accommodation could differentiate awe from admiration (Study 3) and love (Study 4) whereas beauty and vastness were not as important. The third question relates to the consequences produced by awe‐inspiring products. Study 3 showed that awe comprised a blend of positive and negative emotions. Studies 3 to 5 showed that awe not only made products more memorable but also enhanced consumers’ intentions to spread positive word‐of‐mouth publicity and to purchase the product. These findings shed light on the folk understanding and expression of this emotion and establish key landmarks in the hitherto uncharted consumer research domain of awe.
A randomised clinical trial comparing the ‘sniffing’ and neutral position using channelled (KingVision®) and non‐channelled (C‐MAC®) videolaryngoscopes
Authors: Mendonca C. , Ungureanu N. , Nowicka A. , Kumar P.
Published: April 2018

Head and neck position is one of the factors which can be associated with difficult videolaryngoscopy and tracheal intubation. This prospective randomised clinical trial compared ‘sniffing’ and neutral positions using a channelled (KingVision®) and a non‐channelled (C‐MAC® D‐blade) videolaryngoscope in 200 adult patients randomly allocated into four groups (KingVision ‘sniffing’, KingVision neutral, C‐MAC ‘sniffing’ and C‐MAC neutral). The primary outcome was the ease of tracheal intubation using the modified intubation difficulty scale (mIDS) score. Laryngoscopy time, intubation time, laryngoscopic view using the percentage of glottic opening (POGO) score and success rate of tracheal intubation were secondary outcomes. The median (IQR [range]) modified difficulty scale scores for the four groups, respectively, were 0 (0–1 [0–3]), 0 (0–1 [0–4]), 1 (0–1 [0–5]) and 0 (0–1 [0–3]; p = 0.384). There was no significant difference in laryngoscopy time (p = 0.020), intubation time (p = 0.272) and success rate (p = 0.968) between the groups. The percentage of glottic opening score was lower for C‐MAC neutral group as compared with other three groups (p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in the ease of intubation between the ‘sniffing’ and the neutral position when using the KingVision and the C‐MAC videolaryngoscopes. Therefore, either of the two positions could be used with these types of videolaryngoscopes, if deemed advantageous for the patient.
Trans‐life cycle acclimation to experimental ocean acidification affects gastric pH homeostasis and larval recruitment in the sea star Asterias rubens
Authors: Hu M. Y. , Lein E. , Bleich M. , Melzner F. , Stumpp M.
Published: April 2018

Aim

Experimental simulation of near‐future ocean acidification (OA) has been demonstrated to affect growth and development of echinoderm larval stages through energy allocation towards ion and pH compensatory processes. To date, it remains largely unknown how major pH regulatory systems and their energetics are affected by trans‐generational exposure to near‐future acidification levels.

Methods

Here, we used the common sea star Asterias rubens in a reciprocal transplant experiment comprising different combinations of OA scenarios, to study trans‐generational plasticity using morphological and physiological endpoints.

Results

Acclimation of adults to pHT 7.2 (pCO2 3500 μatm) led to reductions in feeding rates, gonad weight and fecundity. No effects were evident at moderate acidification levels (pHT 7.4; pCO2 2000 μatm). Parental pre‐acclimation to pHT 7.2 for 85 days reduced developmental rates even when larvae were raised under moderate and high pH conditions, whereas pre‐acclimation to pHT 7.4 did not alter offspring performance. Microelectrode measurements and pharmacological inhibitor studies carried out on larval stages demonstrated that maintenance of alkaline gastric pH represents a substantial energy sink under acidified conditions that may contribute up to 30% to the total energy budget.

Conclusion

Parental pre‐acclimation to acidification levels that are beyond the pH that is encountered by this population in its natural habitat (eg, pHT 7.2) negatively affected larval size and development, potentially through reduced energy transfer. Maintenance of alkaline gastric pH and reductions in maternal energy reserves probably constitute the main factors for a reduced juvenile recruitment of this marine keystone species under simulated OA.
The role of the arts in coping with place change at the coast
Authors: van der Vaart Gwenda , van Hoven Bettina , Huigen Paulus P. P.
Published: April 2018

This paper explores the role of the arts in people's coping with (potential) place change at the coast in light of wind energy developments. In doing so, we elaborate on the effects of the arts on people's emotional connections to the landscape; the memories, beliefs, meaning and knowledge they associate with the landscape; and the expression of people's attachments through actions. We draw on 28 walking interviews and three group discussions which were conducted in Pingjum, a village along the Dutch Wadden Sea coast. A key feature in Pingjum's landscape is the Gouden Halsband, a late medieval dike surrounding the village. Recently, the area around Pingjum (including this dike) was designated as a potential location for the construction of a new windfarm. In our study, we found that the arts in Pingjum fuelled people's emotional connection to their (coastal) landscape and the Gouden Halsband, enhanced their knowledge of both and triggered them to reflect on the meanings they assign to them. In addition, the arts enhanced people's awareness and stimulated their assessment of the windfarm plans. The arts framed people's interpretation of the windfarm plans, mainly bringing potential negative impacts on the landscape to their attention. In this way, the arts encouraged action, stimulating both efforts to preserve the Gouden Halsband and protests against the proposed windfarm plans.
Fostering coastal community resilience: Mobilising people‐place relationships
Authors: McElduff Linda , Ritchie Heather
Published: April 2018

There are new, and increasing, pressures facing coastal communities, including socio‐economic and environmental change, exploitation of resources, urban development and the predicted impacts of climate change. The cumulative and interacting effect of these challenges may result in socio‐economic and physical decline. This paper responds to calls for more detailed investigation into coastal regeneration by providing empirical evidence (interviews, observations, policy analysis) on specific coastal resorts on the island of Ireland. In doing so it builds on an emerging area of research that suggests coastal regeneration may be theoretically and practically informed by “resilience thinking”. The case study findings highlight differing, and sometimes competing values, perceptions and priorities at the local level and highlight the challenges facing striving resorts seeking to find their contemporary identity and enhance their resilience to future change.