bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EU import restrictions on genetically modified feeds: impacts on Spanish, EU [European Union] and global livestock sectors
Authors: Philippidis G.
Published: November 2013

Over the last decade, much controversy has surrounded the usage of genetically modified organism (GMO) technology in commercial agriculture. More specifically, it is feared that GMOs may introduce new allergens into the food chain or contribute to antibiotic resistance. At the current time, the European Union (EU) adopts a zero tolerance policy toward "non-approved" GMO imports, whilst the approval process has not kept pace with the proliferation of new GMO varieties. In the EU livestock sectors, this apparent mis-match threatens to interrupt supplies of high protein feed inputs (e.g., soymeal) from countries with more relaxed regulations regarding GMOs. Employing a well known multi-region computable general equilibrium framework, this study quantitatively assesses the impact of a hypothetical EU import ban on unapproved GMO varieties of soybean and maize imports on livestock, meat and dairy sectors. The model code is heavily modified to improve the characterisation of the agricultural sectors and land usage, whilst a realistic baseline is employed to update the global database to 2008, the year the hypothetical ban is implemented. In the "worst case" scenario, there are significant competitive losses in EU livestock, meat and dairy sectors. In Spain, the negative impacts are particularly pronounced given the importance of pig production in agriculture. In contrast, all non-EU regions' trade balances improve, with notable trade gains in the USA and Brazil. To conclude, the EU must urgently find a long term strategy for GMOs if it is to reconcile political expediency with pragmatic economic concerns.
Application of aluminide coatings modified with yttrium for protecting corn post-harvest processing equipments against erosion in food industries
Authors: Ahmadi H. , Mollazade K. , Behamta M.R.
Published: November 2013

Recent studies demonstrate that aluminide coatings are beneficial to wear and erosion resistance and also oxygenactive elements such as yttrium can remarkably improve this resistance. In this research, the micro-hardness of the aluminide coatings with and without yttrium on carbon steel AISI 1045 was investigated using a micro-mechanical probe in post-harvest processing equipments in food industries. Wear of the samples was measured using a pin-on-disk tribometer. The erosion loss of specimens against five varieties of corn was also evaluated using a slurry erosion test machine. Experimental data were analyzed statistically using a 5-factor completely randomized design to study the effect of corn varieties, moisture content at three levels (13, 15, and 17% (wet basis)), and rotation velocity of the slurry erosion machine at three levels (150, 300, and 450 rpm) on erosion resistance. The results showed that the aluminide coatings improved the wear and erosion resistance of substrate carbon steel AISI 1045; yttrium markedly improved the hardness of the aluminide coating and its wear and erosion resistance. The erosion loss of materials was significantly (P < 0.01) influenced by the variety of corn, moisture content and rotation velocity. Both aluminide coating without yttrium and aluminide coating with yttrium showed higher wear and erosion resistance than carbon steel AISI 1045 substrate.
Pollen spectra of honeys from the Middle Delta of the Paraná River (Argentina) and their environmental relationship
Authors: Caccavari M. , Fagúndez G.
Published: November 2013

The aim of this study was to characterize honeys from the Middle Delta of Paraná River (Argentina) through pollen analysis and basic sensorial analysis, as well as assessing the vegetation contribution of this freshwater wetland as a source of nectar for Apis mellifera. Sixty-five samples were studied, out of which 109 pollen types, belonging to 53 plant families, were identified. The families Asteraceae and Leguminosae provided the greatest diversity of pollen types. Multifloral honeys were predominant (> 70%). Monofloral honeys were from Type Polygonum hydropiperoides (7), Sagittaria montevidensis (5), Eupatorium spp. (3), Pontederiaceae (2) and Salix humboltiana 1. Regional honeys are mistakenly called "Catay honeys" (Polygonum spp.) due to the wide distribution of species of this genus and the intense activity of honey bees observed on them. However, in the samples studied, Type Polygonum hydropiperoides varied from < 1% to 81% showing similar sensorial characteristics, among which the absence of crystals stands out. Pollen spectra of the "Catay honeys" reflect the surrounding freshwater wetland vegetation; when they present a value of > 25% taxa that do not belong to this ecosystem, they differ in their sensorial characteristics, particularly the presence of crystals. Pollen types such as Type Polygonum hydropiperoides, Sagittaria montevidensis, Eupatorium spp., Pontederiaceae, Nymphoides indica, Mimosa vellosiella, Vigna luteola, Cleome sp. and Type Solanum glaucophyllum, are suggested as geographical markers. According to the current knowledge, we propose to characterize these honeys considering their geographical origin instead of their botanical origin.
Canonical correlation analysis for the determination of relationships between plant characters and yield components in red pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. conoides (Mill.) Irish) genotypes
Authors: Cankaya S. , Balkaya A. , Karaagac O.
Published: November 2013

In this study, a canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was used to estimate relationships between plant characters (X set-fruit length (FL), fruit width (FW), fruit wall thickness (FWT), placenta length, stem thickness, plant height (PH), leaf length, leaf width, flowering time (50%), and time to maturity), and yield components (Y set-total fruit weight per plant (FW/P), average fruit weight and number of fruits per plant (FN/P)) of 56 red peppers (Capsicum annuum L. var. conoides (Mill.) Irish) in populations collected from the Samsun province in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. All canonical correlation coefficients (0.708, 0.635, 0.413) between the pairs of canonical variables were found to be significant (P < 0.01). The findings obtained from the CCA indicate that FN/P had the largest contribution for the explanatory capacity of canonical variables estimated from yield components of 56 red pepper populations when compared with other yield components. FL and PH had largest contribution for the explanatory capacity of canonical variables estimated from plant characters when compared with other characters. The results of this study show that PH, FWT and FW should be used with the aim of increasing yield per plant in red pepper genotypes.
Chemical composition and physico-chemical properties of meat from capons as affected by breed and age
Authors: Díaz O. , Rodríguez L. , Torres A. , Cobos A.
Published: November 2013

The influence of the breed (Mos (Spanish indigenous breed), Sasso T-44 and X-44 (commercial strains)) and the age (5, 6, 7 and 8 months) of capons (castrated male cockerels) on some qualitative traits of breast and drumstick meat were studied. The chemical composition (dry matter, protein, lipid and ash contents), pH, water holding capacity, drip loss, cooking loss, colour and texture (compression test and shear force) were measured. In breast meat, the Mos capon showed lower water holding capacity, higher drip loss and was lighter than the other breeds. In drumstick meat, the Mos capon showed lower lipid content, lower water holding capacity and was lighter and less red than the other breeds. Chemical composition, pH, water holding capacity, drip loss, colour and texture of the meat were significantly influenced by the age of the capons. The meat of the youngest animals showed higher ash content, higher pH, lower water holding capacity, higher drip loss, higher lightness and lower shear test values, than that of the older ones. In conclusion, the capon meat quality is influenced by breed and age of the capons.
In vitro synergistic antibacterial activity of Melissa officinalis L. and some preservatives
Authors: Stanojevic D. , Comic L. , Stefanovic O. , Solujic Sukdolak S.
Published: November 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of aqueous, ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of the species Melissa officinalis L. and their in vitro synergistic action with preservatives, namely: sodium nitrite, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate against selected food spoiling bacteria, for a potential use in food industry. Synergistic action was noticed in almost every combination between plant extracts and preservatives. This work showed that the active compounds from ethanol, ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts of Melissa officinalis L. significantly enhanced the effectiveness of tested preservatives. Synergism was established at plant extract and preservative concentrations corresponding to 1/4 and 1/8 minimal inhibitory concentration values, which indicated the possibility of avoiding the use of higher concentrations of tested preservatives.
Response of coccinellid community to the dimethoate application in olive groves in Northeastern Portugal
Authors: Santos S.A.P. , Pereira J.A. , Raimundo A. , Torres L.M. , Nogueira A.J.A.
Published: November 2013

In this work we assessed the effects of the application of dimethoate on the coccinellid community. The field work was carried out on a weekly basis, in two different olive groves, from April to November of 2002 and 2003 and captured coccinellids were identified to species level. Principal response curves (PRC) method was used to analyse the effect of the dimethoate application on the abundance of coccinellid species. A total of 23 species were identified from the two olive groves. Nine species occurred in both olive groves and in the two years of the study. Scymnus interruptus was the dominant species in the control grove with 46.4% of the total Coccinellidae recovered while in the grove treated with dimethoate, Rhyzobius chrysomeloides represented 35.7% of the total number captured. PCR showed that the main effect of the treatment was a significant reduction of the abundance of the most common species of the coccinellid community (S. interruptus and Chilocorus bipustulatus) in the treated grove. This can also have implications on the preservation of ecological functions associated with coccinellids, namely their role as control agents of olive pests.
The effect of salinity on yield and fruit quality of pepper grown in perlite
Authors: Navarro J.M. , Garrido C. , Flores P. , Martínez V.
Published: November 2013

To determine the effect of irrigation with saline water (15 and 30 mM NaCl) on yield and quality of peppers, plants were grown hydroponically under greenhouse conditions in perlite, a common growing medium used for commercial cultivation. Fruits were collected in three states of maturity (green, turning and red states) and the changes in fruit quality that take place during these maturity stages were studied also, in order to find the optimal harvest time, with respect to fruit quality. With these moderate salinity levels, there was a linear relationship between NaCl concentration and reduction of the total yield of pepper. Although the number of marketable fruits was strongly reduced with regard to the total fruit number, the marketable yield did not decrease in the same proportion due to the increase of mean marketable fruit weight. Although salinity also reduced the fruit size, the number of marketable fruits was the more important cause of marketable yield reduction. The climatic conditions of the spring-summer season produced a high incidence of blossom-end rot, this being the main cause of the marketable yield reduction with the saline treatments. The red state of pepper fruits was the most appropriate since these fruits had greater firmness than turning or green fruits when cultivated under moderate salinity, as well as higher total soluble solids values.
Nitrogen replacement value of alfalfa to corn and wheat under irrigated Mediterranean conditions
Authors: Ballesta A. , Lloveras J.
Published: November 2013

In crop rotations that include alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), agronomic and environmental concerns mean that it is important to determine the N fertilizer contribution of this legume for subsequent crops in order to help to increase the sustainability of cropping systems. To determine the N fertilizer replacement value (FRV) of a 2-yr alfalfa crop on subsequent crops of corn (Zea mays L.) followed by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under irrigated Mediterranean conditions, two 4-yr rotations (alfalfa-corn-wheat and corn-corn-corn-wheat) were conducted from 2001 to 2004 in a Typic Xerofluvent soil. Corn yields were compared after two years of alfalfa and a third year of corn under monoculture and wheat yields were also compared after both rotations. Corn production after alfalfa outyielded monoculture corn at all four rates of N fertilizer application analyzed (0, 100, 200 and 300 kg N/ha). The FRV of 2-yr alfalfa for corn was about 160 kg N/ha. Wheat grown after the alfalfa-corn rotation outyielded that grown after corn under monoculture at both the rates of N studied (0 and 100 kg N/ha). The FRV of alfalfa for wheat following alfalfa-corn was about 76 kg N/ha. Soil NO3-N content after alfalfa was greater than with the corn monoculture at all rates of N fertilizer application and this higher value persisted during the second crop after alfalfa. This was probably one of the reasons for the better yields associated with the alfalfa rotation. These results make a valuable contribution to irrigated agriculture under mediterranean conditions, show reasons for interest in rotating alfalfa with corn, and explain how it is possible to make savings when applying N fertilizer.
Nitrate and potassium concentrations in cotton petiole extracts as influenced by nitrogen fertilization, sampling date and cultivar
Authors: López M. , Castro A. de , Gutiérrez J.C. , Leidi E.O.
Published: November 2013

The effect of nitrogen fertilization levels on seed cotton yield responses of cultivars from Andalusia was studied during two consecutive years. To obtain preliminary information for improving nutrient management, the analysis of nitrate and potassium (K) was performed in petiole extracts at critical times (flowering, boll-setting, boll growth) during the growth cycle. Signif icant differences among cotton cultivars were found for petiole nitrate and K concentrations. The highest petiole nitrate and K concentrations were found in cultivar "Crema 111" with 4.140 and 14.180 mg/kg respectively. These concentrations were affected by N treatment and sampling date. The relationships among petiole nutrient concentrations and seed cotton yield depended on sampling date, cultivar and year. The highest association between petiole nitrate and yield was found early in the season in 2003 (r = 0.918 and r = 0.965 for "Crema 111" and "Sor Angela" respectively). The analysis of petiole extracts for controlling plant nutritional status and optimize seed cotton yield requires a systematic assessment as critical values in nutrient concentration for seed cotton yield may differ depending on cultivar, soil type, sampling date and crop management. The technique of petiole analysis used in this paper might be useful for detecting genotypes with improved nutrient uptake or use efficiency.
Frequency of consumption and changing determinants of purchase decision: from attributes to values in the organic food market
Authors: Barrena R. , Sánchez M.
Published: November 2013

Increasing saturation, maturity and globalisation in the agricultural goods market is forcing suppliers to innovate in order to sustain their business performance. One of the options open to them is to gain a deeper understanding of existing and potential customers in order to develop marketing strategies tailored to meet their priorities. This paper contributes to this option by identifying the food choice process for regular and occasional consumers of organic products. Consumer behaviour is modelling using the means-end chain method, which, as well as consumers’ interest in product attributes also considers their knowledge of themselves and their personal involvement in the organic food choice process. The results show that the purchase choice between both consumer groups. For regular consumers the two main components in the final purchase choice are health and self-image. Therefore market positioning should pay attention to these personal consumer priorities in addtition to the product differentiating features. Break down the cognitive barriers that continue to hamper the development of this market.
Short communication. Effects of the duration of after-ripening period on seed germinations and seedling size in three fescue species
Authors: Stanisavljević R. , Dragićević V. , Milenković J. , Djukanović L.
Published: November 2013

After-ripening is a complex enzymatic and biochemical process resulting in the breakage of non-deep physiological dormancy. The experiment was set up to identify the minimum duration of storage after harvest for completion of afterripening in meadow (Festuca pratensis Huds.), tall (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and red fescue (Festuca rubra L.). The seeds were stored under ware-house conditions for 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210 and 240 days after harvest (DAH). After the storage periods, the seeds were tested for germination and the primary root length, shoot length and seedlings biomass were measured. The final counts in all three species amounted to 60-65% germination immediately after harvest, suggesting a medium level of embryonic dormancy. The after-ripening during storage improved the final germination in all three species with decreasing intensity. In meadow fescue, the final germination was significantly improved up to 150 DAH, while the seedling size did not change significantly. In tall and red fescue, after ripening significantly improved the final germination up to 120 DAH, while the seedling size variables reached maximum values after 150 DAH. The obtained data can serve for the determination of proper storage duration management between harvest and sowing (autumn/spring) of the tested fescue species under agro-ecological conditions of south-eastern Europe.
Distribution of major sugars, acids, and total phenols in juice of five grapevine (Vitis spp.) cultivars at different stages of berry development
Authors: Sabir A. , Kafkas E. , Tangolar S.
Published: November 2013

The juices of five grapevine cultivars cultivated in a typical Mediterranean climate were analyzed for sugars, organic acids, and phenols at four distinct stages of berry development. When the unripe berries were almost in full size, the glucose and fructose contents, based on HPLC detection, ranged from 13.3 to 30.7 g L-1 and from 8.3 to 23.7 g L-1 for ‘Muscat of Alexandria’ and ‘Muscat of Hamburg’, respectively. At this stage, tartaric acid concentration was between 10.3 (‘Italia’) and 12.3 g L-1 (‘Muscat of Alexandria’), while the level of total phenols was low. Up to véraison, there were slight reductions in organic acids, while sugar content increased slightly. However, dramatic changes in all genotypes were apparent after véraison. Slight reductions were determined in the glucose and fructose levels of ‘Italia’ prior to final analysis, possibly indicating this cultivar’s sensitivity to late harvest. In the final analysis, glucose and fructose content varied from 86.4 (‘Italia’) to 107.0 g L-1 (‘Muscat of Hamburg’), and from 73.1 (‘Italia’) to 94.1 g L-1 (‘Alphonse Lavallée’), respectively. Tartaric acid content of ripe berries was between 3.8 (‘Alphonse Lavallée’) and 5.2 g L-1 (‘Isabella’) with a mean value of 4.6 g L-1, and phenol content of mature berries ranged from 2253 to 2847 mg L-1. This study provides valuable information for further understanding the sugar, acid and total phenol changes that occur in some grape cultivars during berry maturation. Therefore, these results will be useful for future research on the biochemistry of the grape berry.
Field evaluation of Mediterranean fruit fly mass trapping with Tripack® as alternative to malathion bait-spraying in citrus orchards
Authors: Mediouni Ben Jemâa J. , Bachrouch O. , Allimi E. , Dhouibi M. H.
Published: November 2013

The mass trapping technique based on the use of the female-targeted attractant lure Tri-pack® as an alternative to malathion bait-spraying (control treatment) was tested in two citrus orchards in the North of Tunisia against the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata during 2006 and 2007. Results of mass trapping trials in 2006 and 2007 indicated that adult males Medfly captures showed reductions respect to control of 37.62% and 40.2% respectively in mandarin orange variety (Citrus reticulata) orchard compared to 36.48% and 47.29% in Washington navel orange variety (Citrus sinensis) field. Fruit damage assessment showed significant differences between the mass trapping with Tripack® and malathion bait-spraying techniques in the reduction of the percentage of fruit punctures. The percentage of punctured fruit at harvest was significantly different between the treated and the control field in 2006 and in 2007 in the mandarin orange orchard. Nevertheless, in the Washington navel orange orchard, the percentage of punctured fruit at harvest was significantly different between the treated and the control field only in 2006. Thus, results obtained from this study showed that the mass trapping technique based on the use of the female-targeted lure Tri-pack® could be involved as an appropriate strategy for the control of the Medfly and is as effective as malathion bait spraying treatment without leaving pesticide residues on fruit.
Usefulness of the clustering methodologies to discriminate between purebred and crossbred individuals
Authors: Rodriguez-Ramilo S. T. , Rodriguez-Ramilo S. T. , Toro M. A. , Toro M. A. , Fernandez J.
Published: November 2013

Molecular markers have been successfully used to distinguish between livestock species and breeds not closely related, for example through the clustering methodology. However, the differentiation between purebred and crossbred individuals would be an appealing purpose that has been little explored. In this study three clustering approaches are tested for their ability to detect crossbred individuals and to separate them from pure ones. Real microsatellite data from Iberian and Duroc breeds were utilised as an example. Simulated F1, Iberian and Duroc backcrossed individuals obtained from the real microsatellite were also assessed. The results of this study indicate that the clustering methods showed a reduced ability to detect the original subpopulations (Iberian breed, Duroc breed, F1, Iberian backcross and Duroc backcross). Reasons for such performance could be the absence of Hardy-Weinberg and linkage equilibrium within the subpopulations and the fact that the Iberian group was compound by individuals belonging to different strains. To test the influence of these factors an allele randomisation procedure was performed within each subpopulation. After that, none of the methods recovered the five groups, but the algorithm implemented in BAPS (Bayesian analysis of population structure) gave a partition where pure Iberian individuals were separated for the rest. It can be concluded that the lack of homogeneity within groups is the main cause of the reduced accuracy of the clustering methods in the separation of pure and crossed individuals.
Effect of grape seed extract on growth performance, protein and polyphenol digestibilities, and antioxidant activity in chickens
Authors: Brenes A. , Viveros A. , Goñi I. , Centeno C. , Saura-Calixto F. , Arija I.
Published: November 2013

Grape seed extract (GSE) provides a concentrated source of polyphenols that have antioxidant capacity. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of GSE at levels 0.6, 1.8 and 3.6 g kg-1 in broiler chicks (1 to 42 days) on growth performance, relative weights (pancreas, spleen and liver) and lengths (duodenum, jejunum, ileum and ceca) of digestive organs, relative weights of liver fat and abdominal fat, ileal protein digestibility, excreta extractable polyphenol digestibility, and antioxidant activity of diet and excreta. The inclusion of GSE did not affect the performance and the relative liver and pancreas weights. Relative intestinal length was reduced at 21 days of age by the inclusion of GSE. The inclusion of GSE caused an increase of relative spleen weight at 42 days of age. Ileal digestibility of crude protein was increased at 21 days of age in birds fed GSE diets. Excreta extractable polyphenol digestibility was increased at 21 and 42 days of age by the inclusion of GSE in the diets reaching values of 57 to 65 % and 60 to 69%, respectively. Antioxidant activity in GSE diets and excreta exhibited higher scavenging free radical capacity at 21 and 42 days than control diet. We concluded that GSE could be a new source of antioxidant in animal nutrition.
Fatty acid composition of hempseed oils from different locations in Turkey
Authors: Kiralan M. , Gül V. , Metin Kara S.
Published: November 2013

Recent interest in hempseed as a source of food has largely focused on its oil content and fatty acid profile. The oil content and fatty acid composition (15 fatty acids) of twenty one different hempseed samples of domestic origin from north-western Turkey were monitored. The samples were obtained from seed wholesalers and local spice shops and are of unknown genetic origin. The oil content of the hempseeds ranged between 29.6 to 36.5%. Out of the 15 detected fatty acids, the omega-6 linoleic acid (18:2n-6) was predominant and fluctuated from 55.4 to 56.9%, while the omega-3 α-linolenic (18:3n-3) acid ranged from 16.5 to 20.4% and the omega-9 oleic acid (18:1n-9) ranged from 11.4 to 15.9%. Of the minor fatty acids, the highest concentrations were found for γ-linolenic acid (18:3n-6), range 0.6-1.1%, followed by stearidonic acid (18:4n-3), range 0.3-0.5%. These results show that hempseed grown in north-western Turkey provides a well balanced and rich source of dietary omega-6 and -3 essential fatty acids and appears to be a potentially valuable source of food.
Ultrastructural and antioxidative changes in lupine embryo axes in response to salt stress
Authors: Wojtyla Łukasz , Grabsztunowicz Magda , Garnczarska Małgorzata
Published: November 2013

Embryo axes of lupine (Lupinus luteus L. ‘Mister’) were subjected to 0.1 M NaCl salt stress for 24 and 48 h. The ultrastructure modification and adjustment of antioxidant enzymes activities and izoenzymes profiles were observed. In cells of lupine embryo axes grown for 48 hours in medium with 0.1 M NaCl mitochondria took the forked shape and bulges of the outer mitochondrial membranes appeared. Moreover, the inflating and swelling of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) lumen and fragmentation of RER were noticed. The level of H2O2 was higher in salt treated embryo axes after 24 hours and increase of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was observed after both 24 and 48 h of salt treatment. Native gel electrophoresis showed increased intensities of bands for catalase isozymes in response to salt stress, whereas activity of catalase was higher only in embryo axes grown for 48 h in control conditions. Appearance of two new isoforms of ascorbate peroxidase was observed after 48 h only under control condition, however increased activities were stated for both control and salt-stress condition after 48 h. No changes in isozymes pattern for superoxide dismutase were observed, but significant decrease in superoxide dismutase activity was noticed in relation to time and salt stress. Possible role of these enzymes in salt stress tolerance is discussed. The 0.1 M salt stress is regarded as a middle stress for lupine embryo axes and the efficiency of stress prevention mechanisms is proposed.
Prospecção de água subterrânea em aqüíferos cristalinos com o emprego de métodos indiretos
Authors: Gallas José Domingos Faraco
Published: November 2013

Os métodos geofísicos, particularmente a eletrorresistividade, vêm se consolidando como uma ferramenta eficaz na prospecção de águas de subsuperfície. Seu emprego proporciona considerável diminuição de custos na perfuração de poços tubulares, uma vez que o método detecta com precisão a existência de estruturas potencialmente aqüíferas. O conteúdo deste trabalho traz aspectos técnico/teóricos do método da eletrorresistividade e sugere técnicas de aquisição, processamento e interpretação de resultados em uma área de rochas cristalinas. Para tanto, são apresentados os resultados de um caso real de uma área estudada no município de São José do Rio Pardo, São Paulo.
The Effect of Fish Oil Supplement on Serum Antioxidant Level in Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Sousan Kolahi  , Amir Ghorbanihaghjo  , Ali-Reza Khabbazi  , Mehrzad Hajialilo  , Hale Farzin
Published: November 2013

Purpose:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and over-growth of the synovium. RA is accompanied with increased levels of free radical and stress oxidative. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in nutritional factors on disease and autoimmune system. More recently literatures have emerged that offers contradictory findings about fish oil on antioxidant levels. So far however, there has been little discussion about fish oil as antioxidant on Rheumatoid arthritis. This paper will focus on effect of fish oil over serum antioxidant levels and activity disease of RA.Methods: A randomized double blinded control trial 90 patients from a population of Rheumatoid Arthritis who were selected. Forty five patients received Fish oil (FO) (1gr /day) in addition of conventional therapy for RA versus 45 patients received placebo. And serum levels of plasma antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione peroxides (GPX) were measured.Results:There was no statistically difference between groups in plasma antioxidant capacity and the activity of superoxide dismutase, Glutathione peroxides. There weren’t any correlation among DAS and antioxidant serum levels.Conclusion: The findings emerging from the present inquiry suggested that FO with 1 gram daily dose didn’t have effect on serum antioxidant level and activity of disease in RA.
Searching for Stability as we Age: The PCA-Biplot Approach
Authors: Kirkwood Renata Noce , Brandon Scott C.E. , Moreira Bruno de Souza , Deluzio Kevin J.
Published: November 2013

Principal component analysis (PCA) has been successfully applied to gait data; however, interpretation of the components is challenging. An alternative is to use a graphical display called biplot that gives insights into relationships and trends of data sets. Our goal was to demonstrate the sensitivity of gait variables to aging in elderly women with PCA-biplot. One hundred fifty-one elderly females (71.6±5.0 yrs), 152 adults (44.7±5.4 yrs) and 150 young (21.7±4.1 yrs) participated in the study. Gait spatial and temporal parameters were collected using a computerized carpet. PCA-biplot, discriminant analysis and MANOVA were used in the analysis. PCA-biplot revealed that elderly females walked with lower velocity, shorter step length, reduced swing time, higher cadence, and increased double support time compared to the other two groups. The greatest distances between the groups were along the variable step length with the elderly group showing a decrease of 8.4 cm in relation to the younger group. The discriminant function confirmed the importance of principal component 2 for group separation. Because principal component 2 was heavily weighted by step length and swing time, it represents a measure of stability. As women age they seek a more stable gait by decreasing step length, swing time, and velocity. PCA-biplot highlighted the importance of the variable step length in distinguishing between women of different age groups. It is well-known that as we age we seek a more stable gait. The PCA-biplot emphasized that premise and gave further important insights into relationships and trends of this complex data set.
Factors Affecting Self-Image in Patients with a Diagnosis of Eating Disorders on the Basis of a Cluster Analysis
Authors: Pilecki Maciej Wojciech , Sałapa Kinga , Józefik Barbara
Published: November 2013

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between self-image in eating disorders and age, duration and severity of the disorder, comorbidity, depressiveness and self-evaluation of eating problems. The results of the Offer self-image questionnaire for adolescents (QSIA) were compared in four groups: anorexia nervosa restrictive subtype (ANR, n: 47), anorexia nervosa binge/purge subtype (ANBP, n: 16), bulimia nervosa (BUL, n: 34) and eating disorders NOS (EDNOS, n: 19). The control group was age matched female pupils (NOR, n = 76). The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed significant differences between the age of patients from the ANR (16.34, SD 1.58) and BUL (17.56, SD 0.96) groups (p = .008). The self-image of schoolgirls from the NOR group was on most scales significantly better than the self-image of girls from clinical groups. On four scales differences between the (better) self-image in the ANR group and that in the BUL group were observed. Next, a cluster analysis using a generalised k-means algorithm with v-fold cross validation of QSIA questionnaire results was conducted in the group of clinical eating disorders (ANR, ANBP, and BUL). Three clusters were obtained. The first was characterized by very good self-image (above the average for the general population), the second by poor self-image and the third by negative self-image. Severity of depressiveness measured using the Beck Depression Inventory turned out to be the only factor which differentiated the clusters of self-image in eating disorders.
How to Eat Like a Canadian: Centennial Cookbooks and Visions of Culinary Identity
Authors: Wilmshurst Sara
Published: November 2013

This article examines selected cookbooks that were published for the Canadian centennial year: the Chatelaine Centennial Collection of Home-Tested Recipes, Food – à la canadienne by the federal Department of Agriculture’s consumer section, and Pierre and Janet Berton’s Centennial Food Guide. These cookbooks and the recipes they contain tell us a great deal about the performance of citizenship through cookery. This article asks: who are the food makers? Who are the eaters? Whose recipes are included, or excluded and, accordingly, validated or marginalized? The result is a highly selective vision of Canadian identity.
Constructing the Politics of Cookery: Authorial Strategy and Domestic Politics in English Cookery Books, 1655-1670
Authors: Saffitz Claire
Published: November 2013

This essay argues that authors of English cookery texts in the 1650s, sixties, and seventies debated not only changing ideas and behaviors surrounding cooking, service, and feasting, but were also participating in a renegotiation and redefinition of other Restoration subjects such as public versus private spaces, domesticity, gender roles, and social class. This article considers five cookery texts published between the years 1656 and 1670: two works of royalist propaganda that adopted the form of the cookery book, The Queens Closet Opened (1656), attributed to Henrietta Maria, and The Court & Kitchin of Elizabeth (1664), attributed to Elizabeth Cromwell; two works by professional male cooks, The Accomplisht Cook (1661) by Robert May, and The Whole Art of Cookery Dissected (1661) by William Rabisha; and The Queen-Like Closet (1670) by Hannah Wolley, England’s first professional female writer and cookery book author.

In these works, domestic spaces and activities – as well as the emerging form of the cookery text itself – become a sort of battleground on which men and women vied to construct and defend their authority as culinary experts and authors of printed cookery books. Simultaneously, these authors were actively engaged in a debate about English nationhood in the Restoration and what kinds of people could or should participate in the politics of good housekeeping.
The Many Lives of Mustard: Journey of a Familiar Condiment
Authors: Laurent Christopher
Published: November 2013

This paper takes the reader on a historical and global journey in search of mustard. Table mustard is part of a large family that also includes horseradish and wasabi. All three are used around the world as condiments and have a characteristic sting resulting from a complex organic protection mechanism. This burning sensation is at the heart of what unites all type of mustard users across time and space. Yet mustards are more than mere table condiments. They are the result of thousands of years of natural and selective breeding that have created plants with a unique biology. Eventually, societies learned to harness these active compounds for culinary use. Today, mustard is extensively produced in Canada and exported around the world as an essential component of contemporary gastronomy.
Dissecting apoptosis the omics way
Authors: Van Damme Petra
Published: November 2013

A combined analysis of transcription, translation and protein degradation reveals the global effects of an anticancer drug on tumour cells.
The Practitioner's Dilemma: How to Assess the Credibility of Downscaled Climate Projections
Authors: Barsugli Joseph J. , Guentchev Galina , Horton Radley M. , Wood Andrew , Mearns Linda O. , Liang Xin‐Zhong , Winkler Julie A. , Dixon Keith , Hayhoe Katharine , Rood Richard B. , Goddard Lisa , Ray Andrea , Buja Lawrence , Ammann Caspar
Published: November 2013

Suppose you are a city planner, regional water manager, or wildlife conservation specialist who is asked to include the potential impacts of climate variability and change in your risk management and planning efforts. What climate information would you use? The choice is often regional or local climate projections downscaled from global climate models (GCMs; also known as general circulation models) to include detail at spatial and temporal scales that align with those of the decision problem. A few years ago this information was hard to come by. Now there is Web‐based access to a proliferation of high‐resolution climate projections derived with differing downscaling methods.
Bhartia Receives 2012 Yoram J. Kaufman Unselfish Cooperation in Research Award: Citation
Authors: Robock Alan
Published: November 2013

Dr. Pawan K. Bhartia, the winner of the Kaufman award, is a senior research scientist in the Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Branch at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Bhartia Receives 2012 Yoram J. Kaufman Unselfish Cooperation in Research Award: Response
Authors: Bhartia Pawan K.
Published: November 2013

It was an honor and pleasure to receive the 2012 Yoram J. Kaufman Unselfish Cooperation in Research Award from the Atmospheric Sciences Section of the American Geophysical Union. Yoram and I joined NASA around the same time and were colleagues at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center until his tragic death in 2006 in a bicycle accident inside the GSFC campus. The award named after him not only honors Yoram's life and work, but it is also one of the rare scientific awards given for collaboration and teamwork, in which Yoram excelled.
Joint Polar Satellite System: The United States next generation civilian polar‐orbiting environmental satellite system
Authors: Goldberg Mitchell D. , Kilcoyne Heather , Cikanek Harry , Mehta Ajay
Published: November 2013

NOAA's next generation polar‐orbiting environmental satellite system, designated as the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), was proposed in February 2010, as part of the President's Fiscal Year 2011 budget request, to be the Civilian successor to the restructured National Polar‐Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). Beginning 1 October 2013, the JPSS baseline consists of a suite of five instruments: advanced microwave and infrared sounders critical for short‐ and medium‐range weather forecasting; an advanced visible and infrared imager needed for environmental assessments such as snow/ice cover, droughts, volcanic ash, forest fires and surface temperature; ozone sensor primarily used for global monitoring of ozone and input to weather and climate models; and an Earth radiation budget sensor for monitoring the Earth's energy budget. NASA will fund the Earth radiation budget sensor and the ozone limb sensor for the second JPSS operational satellite—JPSS‐2. JPSS is implemented through a partnership between NOAA and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NOAA is responsible for overall funding; maintaining the high‐level requirements; establishing international and interagency partnerships; developing the science and algorithms, and user engagement; NOAA also provides product data distribution and archiving of JPSS data. NASA's role is to serve as acquisition Center of Excellence, providing acquisition of instruments, spacecraft and the multimission ground system, and early mission implementation through turnover to NOAA for operations.
Comparison of ozone profiles between Superconducting Submillimeter‐Wave Limb‐Emission Sounder and worldwide ozonesonde measurements
Authors: Imai Koji , Fujiwara Masatomo , Inai Yoichi , Manago Naohiro , Suzuki Makoto , Sano Takuki , Mitsuda Chihiro , Naito Yoko , Hasebe Fumio , Koide Takashi , Shiotani Masato
Published: November 2013

We compared ozone profiles measured by the Superconducting Submillimeter‐Wave Limb‐Emission Sounder (SMILES) with those taken at worldwide ozonesonde stations. To assess the quality of the SMILES version 2.3 ozone data for 16–30 km, 601 ozonesonde profiles were compared with the coincident SMILES ozone profiles. The agreement between SMILES and ozonesonde measurements was generally good within 5%–7% for 18–30 km at middle and high latitudes but degraded below 18 km. At low latitudes, however, the SMILES ozone data showed larger values (~6%–15% for 20–26 km) than those at middle and high latitudes. To explain this bias, we explored some possible issues in the ozonesonde measurement system. One possibility is due to a pressure bias in radiosonde measurements with a pressure sensor, but it would be within a few percent. We also examined an issue of the ozonesonde's response time. The response time was estimated from ozonesonde measurements with ascending and descending profiles showing clear difference, by using the time lag correction method to minimize the difference between them. Our estimation shows 28 s on average which is a similar value derived by prelaunch preparation. By applying this correction to the original profiles, we found a negative bias of the ascending ozonesonde measurement more than 7% at 20 km in the equatorial latitude where the vertical gradient of ozone is steep. The corrected ozonesonde profiles showed better agreement with the SMILES data. We suggest that the response time of ozonesondes could create a negative bias, particularly in the lower stratosphere at equatorial latitudes.
Variations in high‐latitude riverine fluorescent dissolved organic matter: A comparison of large Arctic rivers
Authors: Walker Sally A. , Amon Rainer M. W. , Stedmon Colin A.
Published: November 2013

Given the pace of climate change, it is important to better understand dissolved organic matter (DOM) storage and cycling in high‐latitude rivers and its subsequent export to the Arctic Ocean. To address this concern, excitation/emission matrix spectroscopy and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) coupled with optical indices were used to characterize the optical properties of fluorescent DOM (FDOM) and colored DOM (CDOM) in five large Arctic rivers over two seasonal cycles. Five PARAFAC components were identified and proved useful indicators for the quantitative and qualitative descriptions of DOM sources and modification processes within Arctic watersheds. In comparing Pan‐Arctic relationships between the optical properties and chemical properties of DOM, three components traced terrigenous biomarkers and two components are introduced as potential indicators for microbial processing. Conversely, no individual PARAFAC component could be directly linked to a specific plant source or river and simpler absorbance indices (i.e., a350) proved to be better suited to quantify dissolved organic carbon and lignin phenol concentrations. Differences in FDOM character between the rivers could be explained by general watershed characteristics, including vegetation, topography, and hydrology. Based on these differences, the influence of coniferous vegetation on DOM character is most apparent in the Lena and Yenisei Rivers and bog‐derived FDOM sources are more important in the Ob River. This study illustrates how increased hydrological connectivity in the Ob catchment and the abundance of lakes within the Mackenzie watershed may influence FDOM concentrations and the microbial processing of DOM within these watersheds.
Interannual drought length governs dissolved organic carbon dynamics in blackwater rivers of the western upper Suwannee River basin
Authors: Mehring A. S. , Lowrance R. R. , Helton A. M. , Pringle C. M. , Thompson A. , Bosch D. D. , Vellidis G.
Published: November 2013

The Little River (LR) in southern Georgia, U.S., has experienced lengthening droughts since monitoring began in 1972. We evaluated the impacts of drought on riverine carbon cycling using a 9 year data set of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) coupled with laboratory experiments in the LR, as well as long‐term data sets in three additional rivers within the Suwannee River basin. Longer drought periods reduced downstream DOC export but also led to higher DOC concentrations in the following hydroperiod. Within a hydroperiod, DOC concentration was positively correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with river discharge but also negatively correlated with total discharge during the previous hydroperiod. Among hydroperiods, DOC concentration was more strongly correlated with antecedent hydrological conditions than with current hydrological conditions across broad spatial scales: in three additional rivers within the Suwannee River basin (Alapaha, Withlacoochee, and Okapilco) and in headwater and downstream reaches of the LR. Microbial DOC consumption and CO2 production were elevated when DOC concentration was high. Despite dramatic hydrologic changes, DOC composition appeared stable, with optical analyses suggesting that LR DOC is primarily composed of three terrestrial humic‐like fluorescence groups. If the current climatic trend of intensifying droughts, elevated temperatures and decreased discharge continue, our results suggest the net effect may be for a more localized riverine carbon cycle with reduced downstream transport of DOC, but higher local mineralization rates due to elevated DOC concentrations.
Bubble point pressures of binary methanol/water mixtures in fine‐mesh screens
Authors: Hartwig Jason , Mann J. Adin
Published: November 2013

Binary methanol/water mixture bubble point tests involving three samples of fine‐mesh, stainless steel screens as porous liquid acquisition devices are presented in this article. Contact angles are measured as a function of methanol mass fraction using the Sessile Drop technique. Pretest predictions are based on a Langmuir isotherm fit. Predictions and data match for methanol mole fractions greater than 50% when pore diameters are based on pure liquid tests. For all three screens, bubble point is shown to be a maximum at a methanol mole fraction of 50%. Model and data are in disagreement for mole fractions less than 50%, which is attributed to variations between surface and bulk fluid properties. A critical Zisman surface tension value of 23.2 mN/m is estimated, below which contact angles can be assumed to be zero. Solid/vapor and solid/liquid interfacial tensions are also estimated using the equation of state analysis from Neumann and Good. Published 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J 60: 730–739, 2014