bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Climate Innovation Centres: A partnership approach to meeting energy and climate challenges
Authors: Sagar Ambuj D. , Bremner Cath , Grubb Michael
Published: December 2009

Meeting the climate challenge will require both mitigation and adaptation. New, improved, or adapted technologies will play an important, often central role, in both of these activities. The scale of the problem is obviously enormous; at the same time, its complexity is underlined by the wide range of technologies that will be required for mitigation and adaptation and the vast differences among the countries where these technologies will be deployed. This is particularly important for developing countries, where technological capabilities are often limited, where financial, institutional and other constraints make the innovation challenge even starker, and where other developmental challenges — such as enhancing energy access and, sustaining livelihoods — are equally pressing. Given this context, it is imperative to explore institutional arrangements that can advance technology innovation to meet the energy and climate change needs of developing countries. This paper suggests ‘Climate Innovation Centres’ (CICs) as a way to advance and strengthen the energy innovation process in developing countries through a partnership between them and industrialized countries.
Metamorphic evolution of the Naga Hills eclogite and blueschist, Northeast India: implications for early subduction of the Indian plate under the Burma microplate
Authors: CHATTERJEE N. , GHOSE N. C.
Published: December 2009

Tectonic slices and lenses of eclogite within mafic and ultramafic rocks of the Early Cretaceous–Eocene Naga Hills ophiolite were studied to constrain the physical conditions of eastward subduction of the Indian plate under the Burma microplate and convergence rate prior to the India–Eurasia collision. Some of the lenses are composed of eclogite, garnet‐blueschist, glaucophanite and greenschist from core to margin, representing a retrograde hydrothermal alteration sequence. Barroisite, garnet, omphacite and epidote with minor chlorite, phengite, rutile and quartz constitute the peak metamorphic assemblage. In eclogite and garnet‐blueschist, garnet shows an increase in Mg and Fe and decrease in Mn from core to rim. In chlorite in eclogite, Mg increases from core to rim. Inclusions of epidote, glaucophane, omphacite and quartz in garnet represent the pre‐peak assemblage. Glaucophane also occurs profusely at the rims of barroisite. The matrix glaucophane and epidote represent the post‐peak assemblage. The Fe3+content of garnet‐hosted omphacite is higher than that of matrix omphacite, and Fe3+increases from core to rim in matrix glaucophane. Albite occurs in late stage veins.P–Tpseudosection analysis indicates that the Naga Hills eclogites followed a clockwiseP–Tpath with prograde metamorphism beginning at ∼1.3 GPa/525 °C and peaking at 1.7–2.0 GPa/580–610 °C, and subsequent retrogression to ∼1.1 GPa/540 °C. A comparison of theseP–Tconditions with numerical thermal models of plate subduction indicates that the Naga Hills eclogites probably formed near the top of the subducting crust with convergence rates of ∼ 55–100 km Myr−1, consistent with high pre‐collision convergence rates between India and Eurasia.
Consumer Confidence in the Safety of Food and Newspaper Coverage of Food Safety Issues: A Longitudinal Perspective
Authors: De Jonge Janneke , Van Trijp Hans , Renes Reint Jan , Frewer Lynn J.
Published: December 2009

This study develops a longitudinal perspective on consumer confidence in the safety of food to explore if, how, and why consumer confidence changes over time. In the first study, a theory‐based monitoring instrument for consumer confidence in the safety of food was developed and validated. The monitoring instrument assesses consumer confidence together with its determinants. Model and measurement invariance were validated rigorously before developments in consumer confidence in the safety of food and its determinants were investigated over time. The results from the longitudinal analysis show that across four waves of annual data collection (2003–2006), the framework was stable and that the relative importance of the determinants of confidence was, generally, constant over time. Some changes were observed regarding the mean ratings on the latent constructs. The second study explored how newspaper coverage of food safety related issues affects consumer confidence in the safety of food through subjective consumer recall of food safety incidents. The results show that the newspaper coverage on food safety issues is positively associated with consumer recall of food safety incidents, both in terms of intensity and recency of media coverage.
A Risk Assessment Model to Evaluate the Role of Fecal Contamination in Recreational Water on the Incidence of Cryptosporidiosis at the Community Level in Ontario
Authors: Pintar K. D. M. , Fazil A. , Pollari F. , Charron D. F. , Waltner‐Toews D. , McEwen S. A.
Published: December 2009

A quantitative microbial risk assessment model was developed to simulate the role of recreational water contact in the transmission of cryptosporidiosis in a model Ontario community. Stochastic simulations were based on plausible modes of contamination of a pool (literature derived), river (site‐specific), and recreational lakes (literature derived). The highest estimated risks of infection were derived from the (highly contaminated) recreational lake scenario, considered the upper end for risk of infection for both children (10 infections per 1,000 swims [5‰: two infections per 1,000 swims; 95‰: three infections per 100 swims]) and adults (four infections per 1,000 swims [5‰: four infections per 1,000 swims; 95‰: one infection per 100 swims]). Simulating the likely Cryptosporidium oocyst concentration in a lane pool that a child would be exposed to following a diarrheal fecal release event resulted in the third highest mean risk of infection (four infections per 10,000 swims [5‰: three infections per 100,000; 95‰: 10 infections per 10,000 swims]). The findings from this study illustrate the need for systematic and standardized research to quantify Cryptosporidium oocyst levels in Canadian public pools and recreational beaches. There is also a need to capture the swimming practices of the Canadian public, including most common forms and frequency measures. The study findings suggest that swimming in natural swim environments and in pools following a recent fecal contamination event pose significant public health risks. When considering these risks relative to other modes of cryptosporidiosis transmission, they are significant.
A Delphi Method Expert Survey to Derive Standards for Flood Damage Data Collection
Authors: Elmer Florian , Seifert Isabel , Kreibich Heidi , Thieken Annegret H.
Published: December 2009

For the purpose of flood damage analyses reliable, comparable, comprehensive, consistent, and up‐to‐date data are an indispensable need. Like in many other countries a database with this kind of datasets does not exist in Germany. To establish it, standards have to be set for flood damage data collection. We approached this problem by questioning experts about their information needs for flood damage analysis. This survey is done by applying a Delphi survey approach. The aptitude of the Delphi approach to assess, structure, and standardize expert knowledge is evaluated in this article. In the survey a panel of 55 experts working in the field of flood damage analysis for insurances, engineering companies/consultancy, public water management, and universities and other scientific institutions helped to identify common information needs. The multi‐step Delphi method proved to reduce the deviation of answers thereby enabling consensual results and also enhanced the quality by modifying group answers in the direction of experience based answers. There was also a high level of congruence in information needs between experts from different fields of employment that allowed the derivation of common standards.
Acute Coronary Syndromes in Treatment‐Naïve Black South Africans with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Authors: BECKER A.C. , SLIWA K. , STEWART S. , LIBHABER E. , ESSOP A.R. , ZAMBAKIDES C.A. , ESSOP M.R.
Published: December 2009

Background: HIV patients on protease inhibitors have greater risk of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) but little is known about treatment‐naïve patients.

Methods and Results: Authors conducted a prospective single‐center study from Soweto, South Africa, comparing the clinical and angiographic features of treatment‐naïve HIV positive and negative patients with ACS. Between March 2004 and February 2008, 30 consecutive treatment‐naïve HIV patients with ACS were compared to the next HIV‐negative patient as a 1:1 control. HIV patients were younger (43 ± 7 vs. 54 ± 13, P = 0.004) and, besides smoking (73% vs. 33%, P = 0.002), had fewer risk factors than the control group with less hypertension (23% vs. 77%, P = 0.0001), diabetes (3% vs. 23%, P = 0.05), LDL hyperlipidemia (2.2 ± 0.9 vs. 3.0 ± 1.2, P = 0.006), and other coronary risk factors (7% vs. 53%, P = 0.0001). HDL was lower in the HIV group (0.8 ± 0.3 vs. 1.1 ± 0.4, P = 0.001). Atherosclerotic burden was lower in the HIV group with more normal infarct‐related arteries (47% vs. 13%, P = 0.005) but a higher degree of large thrombus burden (43% vs. 17%, P = 0.02). Stents were used to a similar degree in HIV and control patients (30% vs. 37%, P = 0.78) with more target lesion revascularization in the HIV group (56% vs. 0%, P = 0.008).

Conclusion: Treatment‐naïve HIV patients with ACS are younger and have fewer traditional risk factors than HIV‐negative patients. HIV patients have less atherosclerotic but higher thrombotic burden which may imply a prothrombotic state in the pathogenesis of ACS in these patients. (J Interven Cardiol 2010;23:70–77)
In Vitro Cultivation and Morphological Characterization of Phloemic Trypanosomatids Isolated from Coconut Trees
Authors: KELLER DARLÍ G. , MIGUENS FLÁVIO C.
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT. Plant trypanosomatids cause lethal vascular wilting in palms of the Arecaceae family. Infections, affecting plants in South and Central America, can result in significant economic loss. The study of trypanosomatids that cause these diseases has been complicated due to the inability to culture these organisms for in vitro analyses. To develop a protocol that would facilitate studies of trypanosomatids, continuous in vitro cultures of phloemic trypanosomatids were established from apical stems of diseased coconut trees collected in endemic and non‐endemic regions of Brazil (the states of Bahia and Rio de Janeiro, respectively). Although attempts at establishing axenic cultures were unsuccessful, it was found that trypanosomatid co‐cultures could be successfully established and maintained. The procedure was to preculture media with 104Aedes albopictus cells in Grace's medium supplemented with 10% heat‐inactivated fetal bovine serum (without antibiotics or fungicides) for 3 d before adding 106 trypanosomatids/ml harvested from either fresh apical stem extracts or with 2 mm3 fragments of coconut apical stems. By day 7 under these conditions the parasites grew exponentially. Using this strategy, two isolates were identified and have been maintained in our laboratory for over 400 passages, demonstrating the efficacy of this culturing procedure. In situ the organisms were observed in vascular bundles and inside sieve elements of the phloem of diseased palms. In vitro parasites retained their mobility. Morphometric analysis revealed differences between Bahia and Rio de Janeiro isolates.
Molecular characterization and functional properties of cardiomyocytes derived from human inducible pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Germanguz Igal , Sedan Oshra , Zeevi‐Levin Naama , Shtrichman Ronit , Barak Efrat , Ziskind Anna , Eliyahu Sivan , Meiry Gideon , Amit Michal , Itskovitz‐Eldor Joseph , Binah Ofer
Published: December 2009

In view of the therapeutic potential of cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells (iPS‐derived cardiomyocytes), in the present study we investigated in iPS‐derived cardiomyocytes, the functional properties related to [Ca2+]i handling and contraction, the contribution of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ release to contraction and the b‐adrenergic inotropic responsiveness. The two iPS clones investigated here were generated through infection of human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF) with retroviruses containing the four human genes: OCT4, Sox2, Klf4 and C‐Myc. Our major findings showed that iPS‐derived cardiomyocytes: (i) express cardiac specific RNA and proteins; (ii) exhibit negative force–frequency relations and mild (compared to adult) post‐rest potentiation; (iii) respond to ryanodine and caffeine, albeit less than adult cardiomyocytes, and express the SR‐Ca2+ handling proteins ryanodine receptor and calsequestrin. Hence, this study demonstrates that in our cardiomyocytes clones differentiated from HFF‐derived iPS, the functional properties related to excitation–contraction coupling, resemble in part those of adult cardiomyocytes.
Seasonal allergies and suicidality: results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication
Authors: Messias E. , Clarke D. E. , Goodwin R. D.
Published: December 2009

Messias E, Clarke DE, Goodwin RD. Seasonal allergies and suicidality: results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.

Objective:  Studies have shown an association between allergies and suicidality, and a seasonality of suicide has also been described. We hypothesize an association between history of seasonal allergies and suicide ideation and attempt.

Method:  Data came from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, a nationally representative sample (n = 5692) of adults living in the US. Logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (OR) controlling for the following: age, sex, race, smoking, asthma and depression.

Results:  After weighting and adjustment, a positive and statistically significant association was found between history of seasonal allergies and history of suicidal ideation [adjusted OR = 1.27 (1.01–1.58)]. We found no association between history of seasonal allergies and history of suicide attempts [adjusted OR = 1.17 (0.89–1.52)].

Conclusion:  Findings from a population‐based sample support the hypothesized relationship between allergies and suicidal ideation.
Seasonal and spatial bank habitat use by fish in highly altered rivers – a comparison of four different restoration measures
Authors: Pander J. , Geist J.
Published: December 2009

Pander J, Geist J. Seasonal and spatial bank habitat use by fish in highly altered rivers – a comparison of four different restoration measures. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 127–138. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S

Abstract –  River regulations have resulted in substantial modifications of the characteristics and the diversity of stream ecosystems. Fish habitat use in the context of species life histories and temporal habitat dynamics are crucial for the development of sustainable measures of habitat restoration in degraded rivers. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of introducing four different in‐stream structures (bank ripp‐rapp, benched bank ripp‐rapp, successively grown riparian wood and artificial dead wood, nine replicates each) on the seasonal fish community distribution in a heavily modified stream ecosystem. Species richness and diversity, fish biomass and density showed strong variation (i) between habitat types, (ii) among replicates of the same habitat type, and (iii) in different seasons. The current low abundance of historical widespread rheophilic and migratory fish species in the study stream suggests that technical bank habitat restoration measures are only of limited use for the restoration of highly specialised target species in conservation such as Barbus barbus and Chondrostoma nasus. However, introduction of particular artificial stream structures (in particular of artificial dead‐wood fascines) was found to concentrate biomass and density of none‐specialised fish species like Squalius cephalus, Alburnus alburnus, Gobio gobio or Rutilus rutilus.
Transmission of Periodontopathic Bacteria from Natural Teeth to Implants
Authors: Aoki Masanori , Takanashi Kiyotoshi , Matsukubo Takashi , Yajima Yasutomo , Okuda Katsuji , Sato Toru , Ishihara Kazuyuki
Published: December 2009

Purpose: Prevention of peri‐implantitis is essential for the success of implant rehabilitation. Infection by periodontopathic bacteria is a major cause of peri‐implantitis. The aim of the present study was to identify the source of peri‐implant colonization by periodontopathic bacteria.

Materials and Methods: Twenty‐one patients with implants were enrolled in the study. Subgingival plaque samples from the adjacent, occluding, and contralateral natural teeth were collected prior to second‐stage surgery. Samples from implant sulci were then obtained 2 weeks later. Detection of periodontopathic bacteria was performed by the polymerase chain reaction.

Results: The detection rates for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia, and Fusobacterium nucleatum in all subgingival samples from natural teeth were similar to that in the peri‐implant sulci. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed an association between the detection of A. actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and F. nucleatum in the gingival crevices of adjacent teeth and that of the peri‐implant sulcus, but no association for Tannerella forsythia.

Conclusions: The present findings suggest that colonization by A. actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and F. nucleatum at the implant sulcus was affected by these microorganisms in the gingival crevice of adjacent teeth rather than those on occluding and contralateral teeth.
Untangling a Decline in Tropical Forest Resilience: Constraints on the Sustainability of Shifting Cultivation Across the Globe
Authors: Lawrence Deborah , Radel Claudia , Tully Katherine , Schmook Birgit , Schneider Laura
Published: December 2009

Shifting cultivators depend on forest biomass inputs to nourish their crops. For them, forest resilience has an immediate impact: it affects crop productivity. A decline in the rate of recovery following shifting cultivation would ultimately affect local, regional and global carbon budgets, with feedbacks to climate. Yet the long‐term impacts of shifting cultivation have been quantified in only six locations. In this study, we reanalyze data from these locations to determine whether the rate of biomass recovery is the same from cycle to cycle. Further, using case studies in Southern Yucatan, Mexico and West Kalimantan, Indonesia, we investigate the ecological and socioeconomic factors that affect forest resilience and thus determine whether or not shifting cultivation is sustainable. The reanalysis links aboveground biomass recovery following shifting cultivation to site productivity, forest age, fallow length, history of cultivation, and soil texture. Across locations, biomass accumulation rate declines by 9.3 percent with each cycle of shifting cultivation. Per cycle change in biomass accumulation rate is significantly more negative in younger forests and forests that experience a shorter fallow period. However, more detailed analyses for two case studies suggest that a purely ecological framework is of limited effectiveness in explaining variability in the effect of repeated shifting cultivation. Rather, socioeconomic factors such as migration, subsidies, roads, and settlement history can alter the outcome of shifting cultivation by limiting the accumulation and use of local knowledge.
Twig‐Nesting Ants: The Hidden Predators of the Coffee Berry Borer in Chiapas, Mexico
Authors: Larsen Ashley , Philpott Stacy M.
Published: December 2009

Coffee is a globally important crop that is subject to numerous pest problems, many of which are partially controlled by predatory ants. Yet several studies have proposed that these ecosystem services may be reduced where agricultural systems are more intensively managed. Here we investigate the predatory ability of twig‐nesting ants on the main pest of coffee, the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) under different management systems in southwest Chiapas, Mexico. We conducted both laboratory and field experiments to examine which twig‐nesting ant species, if any, can prey on free‐living borers or can remove borers embedded in coffee fruits and whether the effects of the twig‐nesting ant community differ with habitat type. Results indicate that several species of twig‐nesting ants are effective predators of both free‐living borers and those embedded in coffee fruits. In the lab, Pseudomyrmex ejectus, Pseudomyrmex simplex, and Pseudomyrmex PSW‐53 effectively removed free‐living and embedded borers. In the field, abundance, but not diversity, of twig‐nesting ant colonies was influenced by shade management techniques, with the highest colony abundance present in the sites where shade trees were recently pruned. However, borer removal rates in the field were significant only in the shadiest site, but not in more intensively managed sites. This study provides evidence that twig‐nesting ants can act as predators of the coffee berry borer and that the presence of twig‐nesting ants may not be strongly linked to shade management intensity, as has been suggested for other arthropod predators of the borer.
Holding Schools Accountable for the Growth of Nonproficient Students: Coordinating Measurement and Accountability
Authors: Dunn Jennifer L. , Allen Jessica
Published: December 2009

A key intent of the NCLB growth pilot is to reward low‐status schools who are closing the gap to proficiency. In this article, we demonstrate that the capability of proposed models to identify those schools depends on how the growth model is incorporated into accountability decisions. Six pilot‐approved growth models were applied to vertically scaled mathematics assessment data from a single state collected over 2 years. Student and school classifications were compared across models. Accountability classifications using status and growth to proficiency as defined by each model were considered from two perspectives. The first involved adding the number of students moving toward proficiency to the count of proficient students, while the second involved a multitier accountability system where each school was first held accountable for status and then held accountable for the growth of their nonproficient students. Our findings emphasize the importance of evaluating status and growth independently when attempting to identify low‐status schools with insufficient growth among nonproficient students.
Runoff generation in small catchments under a native rain forest and a rubber plantation in Xishuangbanna, southwestern China
Authors: Wenjie Liu , Wenyao Liu , Hongjian Lu , Wenping Duan , Hongmei Li
Published: December 2009

For the purpose of assessing the potential influence of tropical rain forest conversion to rubber plantation on catchment hydrology, a stable oxygen isotope was used as a tracer to identify the event water and prestorm water components of storm runoff during low‐ and high‐flow conditions in a native tropical rain forest catchment (TRFC) and an artificial rubber plantation catchment (ARPC) in SW China. Isotopic hydrograph separations for the storm of April and September 2004 reveal that the event water made up only a small proportion of discharge (29 and 31%, respectively) at peak flow in the TRFC, while it made up the dominant component at peak flow (62 and 69%, respectively) in the ARPC. The analyses suggest that in the ARPC, the universal presence of compacted terraced tracks associated with land management would encourage infiltration‐excess overland flow. This isotopic investigation demonstrates that tropical rain forest conversion to rubber plantation would markedly change the runoff generation processes in this area.
Mutagenicity and Safety Evaluation of Water Extract of Coriander sativum Leaves
Authors: Reyes Mariana Ramírez , Reyes‐Esparza Jorge , Ángeles Oscar Torres , Rodríguez‐Fragoso Lourdes
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT: Coriander has been used as a spice and medicinal plant for centuries. Several studies have described its biological properties and some reports have indicated its pharmacological actions in some human pathology. However, data on its toxicity and metabolism are limited or null, and no research has been conducted with mammalian cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mutagenicity and safety of Coriandrum sativum extract. The mutagenic effects of C. sativum extract were evaluated by Ames test. Mutagenicity was present when the C. sativum extract was used in high concentrations in both tested strains (Salmonella typhimurium TA97 and TA102). Our research showed that C. sativum extract reduced the cell survival of human cell lines (WRL‐68 and 293Q cells) by inducing apoptosis and necrosis in the cases where extract concentration was the highest. The C. sativum extract altered the cell cycle; it increased the G1 phase of hepatic cells and reduced the G2+M phase in both cell lines in a dose‐response manner. These results showed correlation with a reduction in the mitotic index. The extract also induced severe malformations during embryonic development. Exposure of chicken embryos to the C. sativum extract resulted in a dose‐dependent increase of anomalies. Present results show that C. sativum extract reduced the axial skeleton and affected the neural tube, the somites, the cardiovascular structures, and the eye. According to the present results, the C. sativum aqueous extract cannot be considered safe. These results indicate that some significant adverse effects of C. sativum extract could be observed in vivo.
Enhancement of Fermentation Process in Pu‐Erh Tea by Tea‐Leaf Extract
Authors: Hou C.W. , Jeng K.C. , Chen Y.S.
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT:  Pu‐erh tea is known as a fermented tea and longer storage enhances its flavor and taste. Recently, Aspergillus, Blastobotrys, and Streptomyces are found to play important roles in nutritional enhancement of Pu‐erh tea by fermentation. Since water and temperature affect the microbial growth, we therefore explored the factors that might enhance the Pu‐erh tea fermentation. The results showed that the addition of fresh tea‐leaf extract (TLE) enhanced the withered tea fermentation (at 37 °C, 80 to 85% RH) as compared with the water only. Contents of statin, GABA, gallic acid, DPPH scavenging and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities were increased, whereas polyphenols and caffeine were decreased over 6 mo. TLE dose‐dependently enhanced some of the qualities (that is, statin, PPO) of Pu‐erh tea significantly as compared with the water only. The effect was related to the increase population of A. niger and A. carbonarius at 6 mo (from 7.6 ± 1.2 × 101 and 3.2 ± 1.3 × 101 to 3.1 ± 1.2 × 106 and 2.4 ± 1.1 × 105 colony forming units [CFU]/g, respectively). After drying process (90 °C, 30 min), the total microbial count from these samples returned to background level (3 ± 0.5 × 102 CFU/g). None of ochratoxin and fumonisin, toxins from Aspergillus, was detected in the final products. The flavor and taste were also enhanced by treatment with TLE. The inoculation with S. cinereus Y11 with 2% TLE further enhanced these functional contents (about 2‐fold increase of statin level) in the experimental Pu‐erh tea. Therefore, this result may add a new process for Pu‐erh tea manufacture.
Experimental and Analytical Temperature Distributions during Oven‐Based Convection Heating
Authors: McCarthy Kathryn L. , McCarthy Michael J. , Rakesh Vineet , Datta Ashim K.
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT:  Mathematical models, combined with experimental evaluation, provide an approach to understand, design, and optimize food process operations. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as an experimental technique, is used extensively in both medical and engineering applications to measure and quantify transport processes. Magnetic resonance (MR) was used in this study to assess a mathematical model based on Fourier's second law. The objective was to compare analytical solutions for the prediction of internal temperature distributions in foods during oven‐based convective heating to experimental temperature measurements and determine at what point during the heating process a coupled heat and mass transport process should be considered. Cylindrical samples of a model food gel, Russet potato and rehydrated mashed potato were heated in a convection oven for specified times. Experimentally measured internal temperatures were compared to the internal temperatures predicted by the analytical model. Temperatures distributions in the axial direction compared favorably for the gel and acceptably for the Russet and mashed potato samples. The MR‐acquired temperatures in the radial direction for the gel resulted in a shallower gradient than predicted but followed the expected trend. For the potato samples, the MR‐acquired temperatures in the radial direction were not qualitatively similar to the analytical predictions due to moisture loss during heating. If temperature resolution is required in the radial direction, moisture losses merit the use of transport models that couple heat and mass transfer.
Microbiological Shelf Life of Pasteurized Milk in Bottle and Pouch
Authors: Petrus R.R. , Loiola C.G. , Oliveira C.A.F.
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT:  Shelf life of pasteurized milk in Brazil ranges from 3 to 8 d, mainly due to poor cold chain conditions that prevail throughout the country and subject the product to repeated and/or severe temperature abuse. This study evaluated the influence of storage temperature on the microbiological stability of homogenized whole pasteurized milk (75 °C/15 s) packaged in high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) bottle and low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) pouch, both monolayer materials pigmented with titanium dioxide (TiO2). The storage temperatures investigated were 2, 4, 9, 14, and 16 °C. Microbiological evaluation was based on mesophilic and psychrotrophic counts with 7 log CFU/mL and 6 log CFU/mL, respectively, set as upper limits of acceptability for maintaining the quality of milk. The microbiological stability for pasteurized milk packaged in HDPE bottle and stored at 2, 4, 9, 14, and 16 °C was estimated at 43, 36, 8, 5, and 3 d, respectively. For milk samples packaged in LDPE pouch, shelf life was estimated at 37, 35, 7, 3, and 2 d, respectively. The determination of Q10 and z values demonstrated that storage temperature has a greater influence on microbiological shelf life of pasteurized milk packaged in LDPE pouch compared to HDPE bottle. Based on the results of this study, HDPE bottle was better for storing pasteurized milk as compared to LDPE pouch.
Casein Peptization, Functional Properties, and Sensory Acceptance of Processed Cheese Spreads Made with Different Emulsifying Salts
Authors: Cunha Clarissa R. , Viotto Walkiria H.
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT: “Requeijão cremoso” is a traditional Brazilian processed cheese spread, showing ample acceptance on the national market. Emulsifying salts (ES) are an important factor influencing the characteristics of processed cheeses, but the literature presents conflicting results about their action on cheese functionality. Requeijão cremoso obtained from anhydrous ingredients allows the study of the influence of each type of ES on the cheese properties, since it can be treated as a model system where the variables are limited and well known. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different types of ES (TSC—sodium citrate, SHMP—sodium hexametaphosphate, STPP—sodium tripolyphosphate, and TSPP—tetrasodium pyrophosphate) on the sensory and functional characteristics of requeijão cremoso‐processed cheeses obtained from anhydrous ingredients. The physicochemical composition, degree of casein dissociation, fat particle size, melting index, color, texture profile, and sensory acceptance of the cheeses were determined. The functional behavior of processed cheeses was strongly influenced by the type of ES and its physicochemical properties including its ability to bind Ca, the casein dispersion during cooking, and the possible creation of cross‐links with casein during cooling. The cheese made with SHMP was the one most differentiated from the others, presenting lower melting index, whiter color, and higher values for hardness, gumminess, and adhesiveness. The differences in texture had an impact on sensory acceptance: with the exception of the sample manufactured with sodium hexametaphosphate, all the samples presented good sensory acceptance.
Characterization and Implications of Enterobacter cloacae Strains, Isolated from Italian Table Olives “Bella Di Cerignola”
Authors: Bevilacqua Antonio , Cannarsi Marianna , Gallo Mariangela , Sinigaglia Milena , Corbo Maria Rosaria
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT: Enterobacter cloacae can be recovered in the spontaneous fermentations of Italian table olives. In this study, the effects of salt (20 to 100 g/L), temperature (10 to 37 °C), pH (4 to 5 and 8 to 10), p‐coumaric and vanillic acids (0.5 to 2 g/L), and the acidification of the medium through lactic, citric, and ascorbic acids were investigated on 15 strains of E. cloacae, isolated from Italian table olives “Bella di Cerignola.” Finally, a confirmatory experiment in synthetic brine was run. The strains were inhibited only by an NaCl amount of 70 to 80 g/L and by p‐coumaric acid; on the other hand, they showed the ability to grow also at low temperatures (10 to 15 °C). The confirmatory experiment highlighted their ability to survive both at 15 °C and at pH 5. Enterobacter cloacae could be a real problem for the fermentation of table olives in southern Italy; some hurdles could be used (salt or brine acidification), but some environmental conditions (for example, the temperature) should be controlled carefully to maintain olive safety at acceptable levels.
The Influence of Dietary Lutein and Zeaxanthin on Visual Performance
Authors: Stringham James M. , Bovier Emily R. , Wong Jennifer C. , Hammond, Jr Billy R.
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT:  The idea that normal constituents of the diet can influence visual function is not new. As early as 1782, Buzzi identified the yellow of the macula and Schulze (1866) specifically postulated that the yellow pigments led to improvements in human vision. These pigments were later found to be derived from dietary lutein and zeaxanthin that are known to be oxygenated carotenoids (xanthophylls). Walls and Judd (1933) postulated that these yellow intraocular pigments could improve visual performance by absorbing light scattered both within (for example, glare) and outside of the eye (increasing visual range by absorbing blue light scattered in the atmosphere), and by improving spatial vision through enhancing contrast and reducing chromatic blur. In this article, evidence for these ideas is reviewed with particular emphasis towards more recent data on glare effects.
High Hydrostatic Pressure Effects on the Texture of Meat and Meat Products
Authors: Sun Xiang Dong , Holley Richard A.
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT:  High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment can influence meat protein conformation and induce protein denaturation, aggregation, or gelation. The means whereby HHP treatment exerts effects on meat protein structure change are due to the rupture of noncovalent interactions within protein molecules, and to the subsequent re‐formation of intra‐ and inter‐molecular bonds within or among protein molecules. Depending upon the meat protein system, the pressure, the temperature, and the duration of the pressure treatment, meat can be either tenderized or toughened. Muscle texture variation induced by heat treatment is due to breakage of hydrogen bonds, whereas changes from high pressure treatment are due to the rupture of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. Pressure treatment has little effect on the toughness of connective tissue. Juiciness, springiness, and chewiness are increased upon HHP treatment. Prerigor HHP treatment tenderizes meat, whereas tenderizing effects of postrigor HHP treatment are only measureable if pressure and heat treatment are combined. The limitations and future applications of high pressure technology are also discussed.
Efficacy of Pressure‐Assisted Thermal Processing, in Combination with Organic Acids, against Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Spores Suspended in Deionized Water and Carrot Puree
Authors: Ratphitagsanti Wannasawat , De Lamo‐Castellvi Silvia , Balasubramaniam V.M. , Yousef Ahmed Elmeleigy
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT:  Effect of organic acids (acetic, citric, and lactic; 100 mM, pH 5) on spore inactivation by pressure‐assisted thermal processing (PATP; 700 MPa and 105 °C), high pressure processing (HPP; 700 MPa, 35 °C), and thermal processing (TP; 105 °C, 0.1 MPa) was investigated. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens spores were inoculated into sterile organic acid solutions to obtain a final concentration of approximately 1.3 × 108 CFU/mL. B. amyloliquefaciens spores were inactivated to undetectable levels with or without organic acids after 3 min PATP holding time. At a shorter PATP treatment time (approximately 2 min), the inactivation was greater when spores were suspended in citric and acetic acids than in lactic acid or deionized water. Presence of organic acids during PATP resulted in 33% to 80% germination in the population of spores that survived the treatment. In contrast to PATP, neither HPP nor TP, for up to 5 min holding time with or without addition of organic acids, was sporicidal. In a separate set of experiments, carrot puree was tested, as a low‐acid food matrix, to study spore recovery during extended storage following PATP. Results showed that organic acids were effective in inhibiting spore recovery in treated carrot puree during extended storage (up to 28 d) at 32 °C. In conclusion, addition of some organic acids provided significant lethality enhancement (P < 0.05) during PATP treatments and suppressed spore recovery in the treated carrot puree.
Spatial patterns of bee captures in North American bowl trapping surveys
Authors: DROEGE SAM , TEPEDINO VINCENT J. , LEBUHN GRETCHEN , LINK WILLIAM , MINCKLEY ROBERT L. , CHEN QIAN , CONRAD CASEY
Published: December 2009

Abstract.  1. Bowl and pan traps are now commonly used to capture bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes) for research and surveys.

2. Studies of how arrangement and spacing of bowl traps affect captures of bees are needed to increase the efficiency of this capture technique.

3. We present results from seven studies of bowl traps placed in trapping webs, grids, and transects in four North American ecoregions (Mid‐Atlantic, Coastal California, Chihuahuan Desert, and Columbia Plateau).

4. Over 6000 specimens from 31 bee genera were captured and analysed across the studies.

5. Based on the results from trapping webs and distance tests, the per bowl capture rate of bees does not plateau until bowls are spaced 3–5 m apart.

6. Minor clumping of bee captures within transects was detected, with 26 of 56 transects having index of dispersion values that conform to a clumped distribution and 39 transects having positive Green’s index values, 13 with zero, and only four negative. However, degree of clumping was slight with an average value of only 0.06 (the index ranges from −1 to 1) with only five values >0.15. Similarly, runs tests were significant for only 5.9% of the transects.

7. Results indicate that (i) capture rates are unaffected by short distances between bowls within transects and (ii) that bowls and transects should be dispersed throughout a study site.
Informing operational flood management with ensemble predictions: lessons from Sweden
Authors: Nobert S. , Demeritt D. , Cloke H.
Published: December 2009

This paper highlights some communicative and institutional challenges to using ensemble prediction systems (EPS) in operational flood forecasting, warning, and civil protection. Focusing in particular on the Swedish experience, as part of the PREVIEW FP6 project, of applying EPS to operational flood forecasting, the paper draws on a wider set of site visits, interviews, and participant observation with flood forecasting centres and civil protection authorities (CPAs) in Sweden and 15 other European states to reflect on the comparative success of Sweden in enabling CPAs to make operational use of EPS for flood risk management. From that experience, the paper identifies four broader lessons for other countries interested in developing the operational capacity to make, communicate, and use EPS for flood forecasting and civil protection. We conclude that effective training and clear communication of EPS, while clearly necessary, are by no means sufficient to ensure effective use of EPS. Attention must also be given to overcoming the institutional obstacles to their use and to identifying operational choices for which EPS is seen to add value rather than uncertainty to operational decision making by CPAs.
Spatial analysis on impacts of mining activities leading to flood disaster in the Erai watershed, India
Authors: Katpatal Y.B. , Patil S.A.
Published: December 2009

Decisions related to mine management, especially pertaining to dumped material, might lead to several environmental hazards including flood risks in mining areas. Excavation and mine dumps are dominant factors of land use/land cover change in the Erai River watershed of Chandrapur district in Maharashtra, India. Identification and quantification of the extent of mining activities is important for assessing how this change in land use/land cover affects ecosystem components such as aesthetics, biodiversity and mitigation of floods in the Erai watershed. The present study utilizes satellite data of Landsat TM (1989), IRS LISS‐3 (1999, 2007) and CARTOSAT (2007) to study the extent of surface mines and management of mine over burden (OB) dumps of Hindustan Lalpeth coal mines, Chandrapur, India. Image processing techniques in conjunction with GIS have been used to visualize the flood scenario, the reasons for floods and area under impact. The study indicates that the development of the mine OB dump within the river channel on both the sides has been responsible for the 2006 flood within the region. Further increase in OB dump heights may result in the risk of floods of greater potential during heavy rainfall in the future. The study presents a spatial analysis to assess the impacts of OB dumps in the recent flood in the area. The study also spatially represents the area under impact leading to a disastrous situation due to floods. The study also suggests the probable measures that must be adopted to avoid such situations in future in the mining areas.
Probably Good Diagrams for Learning: Representational Epistemic Recodification of Probability Theory
Authors: Cheng Peter C.‐H.
Published: December 2009

The representational epistemic approach to the design of visual displays and notation systems advocates encoding the fundamental conceptual structure of a knowledge domain directly in the structure of a representational system. It is claimed that representations so designed will benefit from greater semantic transparency, which enhances comprehension and ease of learning, and plastic generativity, which makes the meaningful manipulation of the representation easier and less error prone. Epistemic principles for encoding fundamental conceptual structures directly in representational schemes are described. The diagrammatic recodification of probability theory is undertaken to demonstrate how the fundamental conceptual structure of a knowledge domain can be analyzed, how the identified conceptual structure may be encoded in a representational system, and the cognitive benefits that follow. An experiment shows the new probability space diagrams are superior to the conventional approach for learning this conceptually challenging topic.
Bar and Line Graph Comprehension: An Interaction of Top‐Down and Bottom‐Up Processes
Authors: Shah Priti , Freedman Eric G.
Published: December 2009

This experiment investigated the effect of format (line vs. bar), viewers’ familiarity with variables, and viewers’ graphicacy (graphical literacy) skills on the comprehension of multivariate (three variable) data presented in graphs. Fifty‐five undergraduates provided written descriptions of data for a set of 14 line or bar graphs, half of which depicted variables familiar to the population and half of which depicted variables unfamiliar to the population. Participants then took a test of graphicacy skills. As predicted, the format influenced viewers’ interpretations of data. Specifically, viewers were more likely to describe x–y interactions when viewing line graphs than when viewing bar graphs, and they were more likely to describe main effects and “z–y” (the variable in the legend) interactions when viewing bar graphs than when viewing line graphs. Familiarity of data presented and individuals’ graphicacy skills interacted with the influence of graph format. Specifically, viewers were most likely to generate inferences only when they had high graphicacy skills, the data were familiar and thus the information inferred was expected, and the format supported those inferences. Implications for multivariate data display are discussed.
Lessons From Cognitive Neuropsychology for Cognitive Science: A Reply to Patterson and Plaut (2009)
Authors: Coltheart Max
Published: December 2009

A recent article in this journal (Patterson & Plaut, 2009) argued that cognitive neuropsychology has told us very little over the past 30 or 40 years about “how the brain accomplishes its cognitive business.” This may well be true, but it is not important, because the principal aim of cognitive neuropsychology is not to learn about the brain. Its principal aim is instead to learn about the mind, that is, to elucidate the functional architecture of cognition. I show that this is so (a) via extensive quotations from leading figures in this field and (b) by analysis of the subject matter of articles in the leading journal in the field, Cognitive Neuropsychology. Recent reviews of the past 25 years of work in this field (Coltheart & Caramazza, 2006) have concluded that cognitive neuropsychology has told us much about the functional architecture of cognition in a variety of cognitive domains. Patterson and Plaut (2009) did not consider this aim of cognitive neuropsychology. Therefore, their conclusions that cognitive neuropsychology has not been successful, and that this is because the particular methods it uses are flawed, are not justified.
The Locus of the Gratton Effect in Picture–Word Interference
Authors: Van Maanen Leendert , Van Rijn Hedderik
Published: December 2009

Between‐trial effects in Stroop‐like interference tasks are linked to differences in the amount of cognitive control. Trials following an incongruent trial show less interference, an effect suggested to result from the increased control caused by the incongruent previous trial (known as the Gratton effect). In this study, we show that cognitive control not only results in a different amount of interference but also in a different locus of the interference. That is, the stage of the task that shows the most interference changes as a function of the preceding trial. Using computational cognitive modeling, we explain these effects by a difference in the amount of processing of the irrelevant dimension of the stimulus.