bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Clinical Pharmacists on Drug‐Related Problems and Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Viktil Kirsten K. , Blix Hege Salvesen
Published: January 2008

Abstract:   Drug‐related problems are frequent and may result in reduced quality of life, and even morbidity and mortality. Many studies have shown that clinical pharmacists can effectively identify and prevent clinically significant drug‐related problems and that physicians acknowledge and act on the clinical pharmacist's suggestions for interventions to the drug‐related problems. A pro‐active rather than a reactive approach on the part of the pharmacists seems prudent for obtaining most benefit. This includes participation of pharmacists in the multidisciplinary team discussions – at the stage of ordering and prescribing – where all types of drug‐related problems, including also potential problems, should be discussed. In addition, counselling by pharmacists about medication on discharge and follow‐up after discharge resulted in better outcomes. Furthermore, clinical pharmacists can positively influence other outcomes, such as improvement of levels of markers for drug use (e.g. optimization of lipid levels, anticoagulation levels and blood pressure). Some studies have reported positive effects on hard clinical outcomes, such as reduced length of stay, fewer re‐admissions and fewer disease events (e.g. heart failure events and thromboembolism). However, more studies should be undertaken with larger patient populations, including patients from multiple sites. More knowledge about patient‐specific factors that predict improved care is also needed. In conclusion, there is increasing evidence that participation and interventions of clinical pharmacists in health care positively influence clinical practice.
Postfire Vegetation Recovery in Highland Pine Forests of the Dominican Republic
Authors: Kennedy Lisa M. , Horn Sally P.
Published: January 2008

We surveyed postfire vegetation at five sites at high elevations (> 2000 m) in the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic. Highlands of the Cordillera Central are dominated by a single pine species, Pinus occidentalis, but plant communities are rich with endemics and conservation and fire management efforts in these systems are ongoing. The burns were 2–7 yr in age and had consumed nearly all shrub crowns. Pines suffered high mortality (> 50%, all sites combined), but shrubs resprouted at high rates (88%, N= 957) after fire. All shrub taxa produced basal resprouts; eight of 11 shrub taxa measured had resprouting rates > 90 percent, while Baccharis myrsinites had the lowest (56%). Most taxa grew to prefire height quickly (within 5–7 yr), with regrowth of stem diameters lagging behind. Patterns and rates of shrub recovery resembled those documented in high elevation shrublands in Costa Rica and Brazil. Pinus occidentalis does not resprout, but larger individuals can survive fire. Survival increases dramatically when trees attain > 13‐cm dbh, when bark becomes thick enough to protect cambial tissue. Overall, pines are regenerating much more slowly than shrubs, but seedling establishment varied considerably between sites. Frequent fires may cause a decline in pines and an increase in shrub‐ or grass‐dominated communities. Succession in these high elevation fire‐dependent pine forests favors taxa already present in the preburn vegetation, with woody composition changing little after fire, in contrast to lower‐elevation cloud forest, where postfire vegetation has been shown to bear little resemblance to mature forest even after several years.
Kinematic α-effect in isotropic turbulence simulations
Authors: Sur Sharanya , Brandenburg Axel , Subramanian Kandaswamy
Published: January 2008

Using numerical simulations at moderate magnetic Reynolds numbers up to 220, it is shown that in the kinematic regime, isotropic helical turbulence leads to an α-effect and a turbulent diffusivity whose values are independent of the magnetic Reynolds number, Rm, provided Rm exceeds unity. These turbulent coefficients are also consistent with expectations from the first-order smoothing approximation. For small values of Rm, α and turbulent diffusivity are proportional to Rm. Over finite time-intervals, meaningful values of α and turbulent diffusivity can be obtained even when there is small-scale dynamo action that produces strong magnetic fluctuations. This suggests that the fields generated by the small-scale dynamo do not make a correlated contribution to the mean electromotive force.
TIME–INTENSITY PROFILE AND INTERNAL PREFERENCE MAPPING OF STRAWBERRY JAM
Authors: ALVES LEONARDO RANGEL , BATTOCHIO JULIANA ROSA , CARDOSO JULIANA MARIA PORTO , DE MELO LAURO LUÍS MARTINS MEDEIROS , DA SILVA VALQUÍRIA SEIXAS , SIQUEIRA ADRIANA CAMURÇA PONTES , BOLINI HELENA MARIA ANDRÉ
Published: February 2008

Time–intensity analysis was applied for sweet and sour tastes and strawberry flavor of six commercial brands of strawberry jam. For this test, 11 subjects, between 25 and 35 years old, were selected from an initial 12‐member group. An affective test, with 117 consumers was also carried out and the results were analyzed by internal preference mapping.

The least accepted samples were the ones with the lowest sweetness intensity, indicating that jam consumers prefer sweeter products. Also, one of them presented a higher sourness intensity, which may have had a negative influence on its acceptance. It is important to point out the fact that those least accepted samples were the low‐calorie products.

The internal preference mapping and cluster analysis showed two consumer clusters. The first one was a higher concentration of consumers toward traditional samples, and the second one showed a lower concentration of consumers in the direction of one of the low‐calorie samples.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Time–intensity analysis is used in order to obtain the temporal profile of an attribute in a certain product. This technique is different from the conventional descriptive analysis because it allows the verification of changes in the perception of a product's attribute over time. Consumer preference responses are usually heterogeneous, and averaged consumer data may not be representative of any individual opinion. Thus, the awareness of interindividual differences in preference behavior gave rise to an increasing popularity of consumer segmentation. In this case, a preference map is applied. Observing both descriptive and affective data at the same time, it is possible to determine which attributes have influenced the consumer's preference.
Local Knowledge and Economic Realities Affecting Soil Erosion in the Rach Rat Catchment, Vietnam
Authors: BINH DAO KIM NGUYEN THUY , PHUONG LE T. V. , DOUGLAS IAN , VAN DE NGUYEN , MCMORROW JULIA , LINDLEY SARAH , VAN TRAN THI , THANH LE HUU , THO NGUYEN
Published: January 2008

Several parts of Binh Phuóc Province, southern Vietnam, suffer from degraded soils and vegetation as a result of both natural erosion of weak mud rocks and sandstones and intensive human activity, especially through land clearing for agriculture on unstable slopes, deforestation, and abandonment of poor farmland. The underlying cause of this land degradation has been the farming habits of migrants of varying ethnic groups who have settled in the area since 1980. The indigenous farming knowledge of these people and the role of that knowledge in soil erosion were examined by a series of household surveys. They enabled farming practices to be related to ground cover established from a 2002 Landsat 7 ETM (Enhanced Thematic Mapper), and erosion data from a series of erosion bridge measurements. A GIS (Geographical Information System) approach was piloted as a means of identifying areas vulnerable to erosion. This could then be combined with the understanding of farming practices to reveal the relative roles of farmer behaviour, crop cover, and slope and soil characteristics in the erosion process. Land use, local people's knowledge and economic realities are the main factors, as well as natural conditions, that drive this land degradation.
Environmental and Resource Degradation Associated with Small‐Scale Enterprise Clusters in the Red River Delta of Northern Vietnam
Authors: KONSTADAKOPULOS DIMITRIOS
Published: January 2008

The paper reports on an empirical study of the environmental and resource degradation observed in small‐scale handicraft clusters in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam. Most entrepreneurs in these clusters face important challenges, including depletion of natural resources, linked to acute shortages of capital and land. Such issues are identified as the main cause of overcrowding, poor working conditions and extreme environmental degradation. The study also highlights some industrial ecology practices at the enterprise level, and assesses the role played by the government in providing incentives for enterprises to invest in new technology and pollution control. Drawing from the analysis of a questionnaire survey of 56 handicraft enterprises, the study identifies the major constraints they encounter in adopting new environmentally clean technologies and engaging in environmental management. Shortage of capital and lack of knowledge about the benefits of new technologies were viewed as the most important barriers, followed by shortage of skilled workers, poor market conditions and scarcity of land appropriate for industrial production.
Poverty and Agrarian‐Forest Interactions in Thailand
Authors: FISHER ROBERT , HIRSCH PHILIP
Published: January 2008

In this paper we address the often sterile and circular debates over relationships between poverty and deforestation. These debates revolve around questions of whether forest loss causes poverty or poverty contributes to forest encroachment, and questions of whether it is loss of access to forests or dependence on forest‐based livelihoods that cause poverty. We suggest that a way beyond the impasse is to set such debates within the context of agrarian change. Livelihoods of those who live in or near forests depend considerably on a rapidly changing agriculture, yet agrarian contexts receive only background attention in popular, political and academic discourse over poverty and forests. Moreover, to the extent that agriculture is considered, little heed is paid to social, technical and economic change. We therefore address agriculture's changing relationships with the wider economy, otherwise referred to as the agrarian transition, and with the natural resource base on which it depends. The paper draws on the experience of Thailand to illustrate our key argument, and more specifically addresses the situation on the resource periphery through a look at the agriculture‐forest interface.
Matching Geospatial Concepts with Geographic Educational Needs
Authors: GOLLEDGE REGINALD G. , MARSH MEREDITH , BATTERSBY SARAH
Published: January 2008

In this paper, we assume that learning to comprehend the geospatial environment would be significantly facilitated by developing a multi‐level task ontology that identifies various levels and complexities of geospatial concepts. We suggest that, apart from four spatial ‘primitives’– identity, location, magnitude, and space‐time – all geospatial concepts involve ‘inheritance’ characteristics. The more complex and abstract the concept, the larger the inheritance links that need to be appreciated to enhance concept understanding. For example, many basic geospatial concepts – such as direction and distance – are first‐order derivatives from the ‘location’ primitive, whereas concepts such as spatial association, map projection or interpolation are high‐order concepts that require several layers of geospatial concepts in their derivation. Having offered a five‐level ontology for concept organisation, we suggest sets of tasks that could establish an understanding of concepts, thus directly making the environment more legible in a spatial sense. We develop this framework in the context of the teaching of geography in grades from kindergarten to the final years of high school (grade 12 in the United States system). Our conceptualisation is grounded in the US school system – in which geography is usually absent in the curriculum.
A Comparison of Holocene and Historical Channel Change along the Macdonald River, Australia
Authors: RUSTOMJI PAUL
Published: January 2008

Changes in channel morphology that occurred along the Macdonald River between 1949 and 1955 are often cited as an example of catastrophic channel change. However, the question of whether these changes represented one component of a cyclical evolutionary pattern, or a systematic and persistent shift to a new morphologic state remains to be clearly defined, as does the significance of these dramatic channel changes when viewed against the river's longer‐term Holocene history. In this paper, new measurements of the Macdonald River's channel morphology are used to resolve the river's evolution in the ∼50 years since these major channel‐altering floods. By 2002, the Macdonald River's bed had narrowed considerably from its 1955 post‐flood maximum due to the construction of a new floodplain surface within the widened channel. In some locations, the 2002 bed width is comparable to that of the pre‐1949 channel. This aspect of the river's evolution follows models of cyclical channel evolution proposed for the region. However, in light of recent research into the river's longer term Holocene evolution, it is clear that other channel changes that occurred in response to the 1949–1955 floods, particularly the 2 metres of river bed aggradation and 7 kilometres down‐valley shift in the thalweg's intersection with mean sea level, are less cyclic in nature. The capacity of coastal rivers to prograde into estuaries, which in turn induces river bed aggradation, can be seen in this case to counteract the incisional tendencies associated with post‐flood channel contraction, such that persistent river bed aggradation occurs.
Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (MASH II) Phase III Clinical Trial MASH-II Study Group
Authors: Mees Sanne M. Dorhout ,   on behalf of the MASH-II study group
Published: January 2008

Rationale

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is an important cause of poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Magnesium is a neuroprotective agent that acts as an NMDA-receptor antagonist and a calcium channel blocker. In a phase II randomized clinical trial of 283 patients, magnesium treatment reduced the risk of DCI by 34% and of poor outcome by 23%.

Aims

To determine whether magnesium improves clinical outcome in patients with aneurysmal SAH.

Design

The MASH-II study is a phase III randomized, clinical international multicenter trial. Magnesium sulfate 64 mmol/ day (equals 16 g/day) or placebo is started intravenously within 4 days after the SAH and is continued until 20 days after the hemorrhage. The primary outcome measure is poor outcome, defined as death or dependence (Rankin score > 3) after 3 months. We aim to include 1200 patients in 5 years. Study outcomes Primary outcome will be poor clinical outcome as measured by the modified Rankin scale at 3 months. Sponsor MASH-II is sponsored by the Netherlands Heart Foundation (grant number: 2005BO16). It is registered with IRCTN number: 68742385, EudraCT: 2006-003523-36.

Introduction

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from a ruptured aneurysm is a subset of stroke. The young age (median 55 years) and poor outcome (50% of patients die; 30% of those who survive the initial weeks after the hemorrhage remain dependent) explain why in the population the loss of productive life years from SAH is as large as that from brain infarcts, the most common type of stroke ( 1 ).

The MASH-II study is a phase III randomized, clinical international multicenter trial to study the effect of magnesium sulfate after aneurysmal SAH. Magnesium is a neuroprotective agent that acts as a blocker of both the NMDA-glutamate receptor and voltage dependent calcium channels. Patients who are admitted within 4 days after aneurysmal SAH are asked to participate. Study medication (magnesium sulfate 64 mmol/ day or placebo) is given via continuous infusion until 20 days after the hemorrhage. Outcome is determined with the modified Rankin scale 3 months after the hemorrhage. Analysis will be according to the intention-to-treat principle. So far, in May 2007 over 425 patients have been included in five Dutch and one Chilean hospital. Based on the results of the phase II study sample size calculations indicate that 1200 patients are needed to give a statistically significant result (with α = 5% and a power of 80%). We aim to include these patients before 2010. New centers are still very welcome to join the study.
CHARISMA Revisited: Is the Glass Half Full or Just Empty?
Authors: Alberts Mark J.
Published: January 2008

The landmark CHARISMA study attempted to show that combination therapy with aspirin plus clopidogrel was superior to aspirin alone in a mixed population of patients with known vascular disease or those with risk factors for vascular disease. Although the study was negative for the combined group, a re-analysis of the outcomes and event rates showed striking differences between the two major patient types. Whereas individuals with risk factors only did not benefit from combination therapy, those with symptomatic vascular disease had a statistically significant 12% relative risk reduction in stroke/MI/vascular death with combination therapy vs aspirin alone. This dichotomous result was due largely to different event rates for the aspirin monotherapy group, being much higher in the symptomatic population compared to the risk factor group. Severe bleeding was not increased significantly for the symptomatic patients taking combination therapy vs aspirin alone. Based on these analyses, it may be premature to abandon combination therapy in a high-risk symptomatic population, especially since aspirin alone appears to have a high failure rate.
Perfusion CT: Is it Clinically Useful?
Authors: Parsons Mark W.
Published: January 2008

Combining perfusion CT (CTP) with CT angiography (CTA) and noncontrast CT (NCCT) provides much more information about acute stroke pathophysiology than NCCT alone. This multimodal CT approach adds only a few minutes to the standard NCCT and is more accessible and rapidly available in most centres than MRI. CTP can distinguish between infarct core and penumbra, which is not possible with NCCT alone. A small infarct core and large penumbra, plus the presence of vessel occlusion on CTA may be an ideal imaging ‘target’ for thrombolysis. To date, multimodal CT has predominantly been assessed in hemispheric stroke due to its limited spatial coverage. This will become less of an issue as slice coverage continues to improve with new generation CT scanners. Apart from the concepts above, more specific CTP and CTA criteria that increase (or decrease) probability of response to thrombolytic treatment are yet to be determined. Nonetheless, CTP thus has the potential to improve patient selection for thrombolysis.

Introduction

Noncontrast CT (NCCT) remains the most widely used imaging modality for acute ( 1 – 3 ). There is now little doubt that MRI is a superior imaging modality to NCCT for diagnosis of acute stroke, being substantially more sensitive without compromising specificity ( 4 ). However, most stroke patients around the world do not have immediate access to MRI ( 1 ). In contrast, multislice CT scanners are now widely available. Multislice CT scanners allow assessment of vessel status with CT angiography (CTA), as well as cerebral perfusion CT perfusion (CTP). These sequences can be performed immediately following NCCT scanning and add only a few minutes to the examination ( 5 ). There is emerging evidence that such ‘multimodal’ CT imaging provides somewhat similar information to MRI about acute stroke pathophysiology, and is clearly more sensitive than NCCT at identifying early ischaemic change in the hyperacute stages of stroke ( 6 – 8 ). Furthermore, multimodal CT may, as has been suggested for MRI, be able to refine patient selection for thrombolysis ( 6 , 9 – 11 ).
Carotid Imaging for Secondary Stroke Prevention in Routine Practice
Authors: Wardlaw Joanna M.
Published: January 2008

Carotid imaging is key to effective secondary stroke prevention. It is commonly performed, but is a rather specialist procedure requiring regular practice to maintain acceptable accuracy. Previously the domain of the neuroradiologist, noninvasive carotid imaging is now widely practiced in general departments where specialist knowledge of anatomy and intracranial disorders may be less available. Noninvasive imaging is largely replacing intraarterial angiography in the assessment of carotid stenosis in most centres because the accuracy is perceived to be sufficient. However, effective stroke prevention needs to be delivered rapidly, guided by imaging tests that are used with an understanding of their limitations and accuracy. This review will discuss currently available imaging methods, their advantages and disadvantages, difficulties in determining their accuracy, current estimates of accuracy and gaps in knowledge.

Introduction: Stroke is common, has a poor outcome, and treatment must be delivered quickly. Many pharmacological acute stroke treatments have failed, reinforcing the need for effective prevention. There has been extensive testing of many pharmacological secondary prevention treatments and most of the ‘positive’ stroke trials have been in secondary prevention of ischaemic stroke. The surgical procedures for stroke prevention, carotid endarterectomy and angioplasty, have also been subjected to far closer scrutiny in large randomised-controlled trials than almost any other surgical or interventional radiological procedures. However, it is unfortunate that much of the focus of secondary stroke prevention has been on drug mechanisms, or surgery vs. endovascular methods, rather than on how to identify accurately and quickly the right patients for each intervention. Thus, until fairly recently ( 1 , 2 ), the need for very rapid initiation of medical and surgical interventions in patients whose carotid stenosis has been accurately diagnosed by imaging ( 3 ), and the service modifications required to deliver this ( 4 ), have largely been overlooked.
Burden of Stroke in Singapore
Authors: Venketasubramanian N. , Chen C. L. H.
Published: January 2008

Stroke is Singapore's fourth leading cause of death, with a crude death rate of 40·4/100 000 in 2006, a prevalence of 3·65% and an incidence of 1·8/1000, and is among the top 10 causes of hospitalization. Approximately one-quarter of strokes are hemorrhagic. Hospital care for acute stroke costs about US$5000. Subsidized healthcare is widely available for primary level and hospital care, as are rehabilitative services. A national stroke support group has been established. With our rapidly aging population, coupled with the high prevalence of stroke risk factors in the community, the burden of stroke is expected to increase dramatically in the years to come, posing challenges to the healthcare system and society. A national disease management plan incorporating high-quality clinical care coupled with research would be essential.
Locke on Language
Authors: Ott Walter
Published: January 2008

John Locke is the first modern philosopher to offer a comprehensive philosophy of language. After discussing Locke's aims and scope, I explore Locke's main linguistic category, signification, and the most prominent interpretations of it, including those of Norman Kretzmann and E. J. Ashworth. I then turn to the nature of the proposition and the question whether Locke can distinguish between the act of forming a proposition and the attitude one adopts toward it.
Self‐Knowledge: Rationalism vs. Empiricism
Authors: Zimmerman Aaron Z.
Published: January 2008

Recent philosophical discussions of self‐knowledge have focused on basic cases: our knowledge of our own thoughts, beliefs, sensations, experiences, preferences, and intentions. Empiricists argue that we acquire this sort of self‐knowledge through inner perception; rationalists assign basic self‐knowledge an even more secure source in reason and conceptual understanding. I try to split the difference. Although our knowledge of our own beliefs and thoughts is conceptually insured, our knowledge of our experiences is relevantly like our perceptual knowledge of the external world.
Why amphibians are important
Authors: HALLIDAY T. R.
Published: January 2008

The world's amphibians face an imminent extinction crisis, with nearly a third of species categorized as threatened. The principal cause of amphibian declines is the destruction of freshwater habitats. Many other causes have been identified, which act synergistically; these include pollution, climate change and disease. Amphibian declines and extinctions are evidence of the harmful effects of humans on natural ecosystems.
Effects of construction noise on behaviour of and exhibit use by Snow leopards Uncia uncia at Basel zoo
Authors: SULSER C. E. , STECK B. L. , BAUR B.
Published: January 2008

Noise caused by human activities can cause stress in animals. We examined whether noise from construction sites affects the behaviour of and exhibit use by three Snow leopards Uncia uncia at Basel zoo. The behaviour and location of the animals were recorded at 1 minute intervals, using the instantaneous scan sampling method over a period of 216 hours (104 hours on noisy days and 112 hours on quiet days). The animals differed individually in their responses to the construction noise. On noisy days, the Snow leopards generally spent less time in locomotion and more time resting, but even on quiet days, resting was the predominant behaviour performed. Under noisy conditions, they increased social resting and decreased resting alone. Walking and social walking were also reduced on noisy days. Furthermore, the Snow leopards spent considerably more time in the remote off‐exhibit enclosure under noisy conditions. Independent of background noise, they stayed more than half of the time in the caves and the forecourts of the outdoor enclosure. On quiet days, the Snow leopards used more sectors of their exhibit than on noisy days. The results indicate that the Snow leopards responded to construction noise by increasing the amount of time spent resting and by withdrawing to the remote parts of their exhibit.
The Preference of the Omnivorous–Macrophagous, Tilapia zillii (Gervais), to Consume a Natural Free‐floating Fern, Azolla pinnata
Authors: Abdel‐Tawwab Mohsen
Published: January 2008

Free‐floating macrophytes are often common in standing water bodies. Fishponds are suitable medium for Azolla growth; however, it rapidly self‐propagates and doubles its biomass in a few days and could strongly influence nutrient dynamics. The preference of Tilapia zillii (Gervais) to consume the free‐floating plant, Azolla pinnata, was tested in two experiments. In the first experiment, fish with different initial body weights (2–3 g, 7–10 g, 15–20 g, and 50–60 g) were randomly distributed at a rate of 150 ± 5 g/100‐L aquarium and fed fresh A. pinnata for 8 wk. A known weight of fresh plant was given to fish; after 24 h, Azolla remaining in aquaria was collected, dried with tissue paper, and reweighed to determine amount consumed. In the second experiment, fish were fed one of five diets containing different levels of dry Azolla meal as replacements of the control diet (20% crude protein) at levels of 0 (control), 25, 50, 75, or 100% for 13 wk. Growth retardation and weight loss were observed in all fish sizes fed fresh Azolla, and the mortality rates were 53.3–56.7%. The consumption of fresh Azolla decreased over time up to the eighth week; otherwise, Azolla consumption was fish size dependent. Whole‐body contents of crude protein decreased significantly, while total lipids and ash contents increased significantly with increasing fish size. In the second experiment, fish growth was reduced when the level of dry Azolla meal in the diet exceeds 25%. The mortality rate increased significantly with increasing Azolla level in the diet. Carcass composition showed increases in moisture and ash contents and decreases in dry matter, crude protein, and total lipids with the increase of Azolla level in the diets. Amount of diet consumed decreased, while feed conversion ratio increased significantly with the increase in dry Azolla level in the diet. Moreover, protein efficiency ratio, protein productive value, and energy utilization decreased significantly with the increase in dry Azolla level in the diet. It could be concluded that the preference of T. zillii to consume Azolla plants inhabiting water bodies is limited, but it could partially consume the dry Azolla meal at low and moderate levels. The optimum inclusion level of dry Azolla meal should be no more than 25% in T. zillii diet.
Use of a Compound Protein Source as a Replacement for Fish Meal in Diets of Large Yellow Croaker,Pseudosciaena croceaR.
Authors: Zhang Lu , Mai Kangsen , Ai Qinghui , Duan Qingyuan , Zhang Chunxiao , Li Huitao , Tan Beiping
Published: January 2008

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the potential of a compound protein source (CPS) as a replacement of fish meal (FM) in diets for large yellow croaker,Pseudosciaena croceaR. The CPS was made of soybean meal, meat and bone meal, peanut meal, and rapeseed meal (4:3:2:1 in weight) by adding crystallinel‐methionine (0.77%),l‐lysine (0.95%), andl‐isoleucine (0.44%) to ensure the essential amino acid (EAA) contents of CPS diets to reach or exceed those of FM diet. Six isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets (Diets 1–6) were formulated to contain 0, 9, 18, 27, 36, and 45% CPS replacing 0, 13, 26, 39, 52, and 65% FM protein, respectively. Triplicate groups of 180 fish (initial average 1.88 ± 0.01 g) were fed diets to apparent satiation by hand twice daily for 8 wk in floating sea cages (1.0 × 1.0 × 1.5 m). The water temperature ranged from 26.5 to 29.5 C, the salinity from 25 to 28‰, and the dissolved oxygen content was approximately 7 mg/L during the experimental period. The results showed that specific growth rate (SGR) and feed efficiency ratio (FER) of fish fed Diets 2 and 3 were not significantly different from those of fish fed control diet (Diet 1). However, SGR and FER of fish fed Diets 4–6 were significantly lower compared with control group (P < 0.05). The whole‐body proximate analysis showed that protein significantly decreased with increasing dietary CPS levels (P < 0.05), while the whole‐body lipid, ash, and moisture showed no significant differences among dietary treatments. Methionine, cystine, and lysine contents of the whole body were significantly influenced by dietary CPS level (P < 0.05), while other EAA contents showed no significant differences. Results of the present study indicated that CPS could replace about 26% FM protein in diets for the large yellow croaker on crude protein basis without adverse effect on growth.
Probabilities of Low Nighttime Temperatures during Stocking and Harvest Seasons for Inland Shrimp Culture
Authors: Green Bartholomew , Popham Thomas W.
Published: January 2008

Litopenaeus vannamei is cultured in earthen ponds at southern US inland sites when water temperatures permit shrimp survival and growth. The probability of a minimum air temperature ≤14 C for one, three, or five consecutive days at one coastal and eight inland sites where L. vannamei is or could be grown in ponds is high (50%) from late March through late April at all sites except Arcadia, Florida, and Harlingen, Texas. Probabilities are 10% by early May to early June. In the autumn, the 10 and 50% probability levels are reached in early‐ to mid‐September and by late September to mid‐October, respectively. Arcadia, Florida, and Harlingen, Texas, have the longest periods with low probabilities and Pecos, Texas, has the shortest periods. The maximum pond water temperature from the previous afternoon and the minimum air temperature from that night predicted the minimum pond water temperature the following morning for Pine Bluff, Arkansas: (R2 = 0.886): Tmin = 1.464 + 0.169Amin + 0.727Tmax, where Tmin = minimum daily pond water temperature (C), Amin = minimum air temperature (C) for the same day, and Tmax = maximum pond water temperature (C) from the previous day. Pond stock out and harvest decisions can be guided by minimum air temperature probabilities and predicted water temperature.
Effect of Replacing Menhaden Oil with Catfish Oil on the Fatty Acid Composition of Juvenile Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus
Authors: O’Neal Clifford C. , Kohler Christopher C.
Published: January 2008

The effect of using a finishing diet containing menhaden fish oil on the fatty acid composition of fingerling channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, was evaluated in a 12‐wk growth trial. Three isocaloric, isonitrogenous practical diets with three different sources of lipids (menhaden oil [MO], catfish oil [CO], or beef tallow [BT]) were formulated (35% crude protein). No differences in eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, or arachidonic acid were observed to occur in catfish fed MO or CO diets; however, these fatty acids were significantly lower in fish fed BT diet. No differences were observed for unsaturated fatty acid content in channel catfish fed a diet containing MO for 8 or 12 wk. In addition, no differences in production characteristics were observed to occur when catfish were fed diets containing CO, MO, or BT as the dietary lipid source, which indicates that BT, CO, and MO are equally effective as sources of energy. It is apparent from these results that CO may be successfully substituted for MO in formulated diets without adversely affecting n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content in channel catfish.
The Effect of Dietary Lipid and Long‐chain n‐3 PUFA Levels on Growth, Energy Utilization, Carcass Quality, and Immune Function of Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss
Authors: Bureau Dominique P. , Hua Katheline , Harris Andrew M.
Published: January 2008

The effect of varying dietary lipid and n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on growth, feed efficiency, protein and energy utilization, carcass quality, and nonspecific immune functions was investigated in rainbow trout reared at two different water temperatures (7.5 and 15 C). Six diets were formulated to contain 47% digestible protein and 21 MJ/kg digestible energy. Three of the diets were formulated to contain increasing lipid levels (10, 16, and 18%) and three additional diets formulated to 18% lipid with different lipid sources. Varying dietary lipid and n‐3 PUFA levels had little effect on growth and on protein and energy utilization. Diet composition only had limited effect on susceptibility of the flesh to rancidity and on the nonspecific immunity of the fish. Increasing lipid levels did not affect fish carcass or fillet proximate composition. Replacing half of fish oil with beef tallow resulted in lower n‐3 PUFAs in fish fillet but did not affect nutrient digestibility or growth performance of fish even at 7.5 C. Increasing dietary n‐3 levels using a fish oil concentrate resulted in significant enrichment of n‐3 PUFAs and elevated n‐3 : n‐6 ratio of the whole body and carcass. Water temperature significantly affected apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of protein and energy but did not affect the ADC of lipid, nor did it affect nitrogen and energy retention efficiencies. The study suggests that highly saturated fats, such as beef tallow, can be used to partially replace fish oil without negative effect on digestibility and growth even at low water temperature. High dietary n‐3 PUFAs levels can be used to enrich n‐3 PUFAs of the flesh without negative effect on the immune response.
Rebuilding Australia's Linguistic Profile: Recent Developments in Research on Australian Aboriginal Languages
Authors: Gaby Alice
Published: January 2008

The more than 250 languages spoken in Australia prior to the nineteenth century exhibit both striking similarities to one another and remarkable variation. The exponential increase in what linguists have learned about these languages since the 1960s has been sadly in inverse proportion to the number of people learning them as a mother tongue. This article will review some of the most exciting recent developments in Australianist linguistic research, while also acknowledging the context of language loss and disenfranchisement within which they are situated. The message it offers is ultimately optimistic, however. For the languages still spoken regularly, research into the previously neglected components of the multimodal communicative system that is language in use is adding new depth to the existing documentation. For the majority of Australia's indigenous languages – where economic, social and political pressures have taken their toll – a different set of concerns has emerged. Linguists are now grappling with a range of theoretical and empirical questions regarding the mechanisms of language contact and attrition, even as they continue to contribute new insights into the traditional ‘core’ fields of phonetics and phonology, morphosyntax, semantics and historical linguistics. Moreover, an increasing consciousness of the respective roles of outsider researcher and speech community is changing not only the methodologies of linguists ‘in the field’, but also the research itself. All of these factors will shape the directions of future Australianist linguistic research, as well as the number and nature of languages that remain to be studied.
RESEARCH ARTICLE: Empiric Refinement of the Pathologic Assessment of Lewy‐Related Pathology in the Dementia Patient
Authors: Leverenz James B. , Hamilton Ronald , Tsuang Debby W. , Schantz Aimee , Vavrek Darcy , Larson Eric B. , Kukull Walter A. , Lopez Oscar , Galasko Douglas , Masliah Eliezer , Kaye Jeffrey , Woltjer Randall , Clark Christopher , Trojanowski John Q. , Montine Thomas J.
Published: January 2008

Lewy‐related pathology (LRP) is a common pathologic finding at autopsy in dementia patients. Recently criteria for categorizing types of LRP in dementia patients were published, though these criteria have yet to be systematically applied to large dementia samples. We examined a large (n = 208) referral‐based autopsy sample for LRP, and applied the published criteria for LRP categorization to these cases. We found almost half (49%) of LRP positive cases from this sample were not classifiable. However, modifying the published criteria by reducing the number of regions requiring examination, allowing more variability in LRP severity scores within specific brain regions, and adding an amygdala predominant category permitted classification of 97% of LRP positive cases from the referral‐based sample. Application of the modified criteria to an unrelated community‐based autopsy sample (n = 226) allowed classification of 96% of LRP positive cases. Modest modifications in the published criteria permit a significantly greater number of dementia cases with LRP to be classified. In addition, this modification allows for more limited sampling of brain regions for classification of LRP. We propose that these modified criteria for the categorization of LRP be utilized in patients with a history of dementia.
Effects of pH on the Functional Properties of Chicken Muscle Proteins– Modified Waxy Cornstarch Blends
Authors: Zhang Q. , Noryati I. , Cheng L.‐H.
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT:  Chicken breast muscle powder (CBMP) and modified waxy cornstarch (MWCS) blends were prepared at different pH conditions (pH 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9). The blends were characterized by light microscopy, frequency sweep, flow analysis, and freeze‐thaw stability analysis. Light microscopy showed that the blend structure was coarse at pH conditions close to the isoelectric point of protein and became finer with increasing pH. Frequency sweep demonstrated that the blend was more liquid‐like with relatively lower storage (G′) and loss (G″) moduli as the pH was increased from pH 4 to pH 9. Flow analysis revealed that thixotropy behavior was evident in samples treated at pHs 4 and 5, whereas antithixotropy was shown by those adjusted to pHs 6, 7, 8, and 9. The CBMP–MWCS blends were found to show better freeze‐thaw stability at pH 8 that could be attributed to the formation of a highly interactive network structure of CBMP and MWCS.
E‐Beam Irradiation of Bagged, Ready‐to‐Eat Spinach Leaves (Spinacea oleracea): An Engineering Approach
Authors: Gomes C. , Moreira R.G. , Castell‐Perez M.E. , Kim J. , Da Silva P. , Castillo A.
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT:  We experimentally assessed the efficacy of electron beam irradiation to ensure the safety and quality of ready‐to‐eat spinach leaves using a 2‐MeV Van de Graff accelerator. Spinach leaves (approximately 8 g) inside petri dishes were irradiated up to 1 kGy and stored at 4 °C for 15 d. Nonirradiated samples served as controls. Color, texture, vitamin C, total carotenoids, and chlorophyll content were measured using standard methods. Sensory analysis was performed by 15 untrained panelists using a 9‐point hedonic scale. Color of control and irradiated samples showed slight variation throughout storage. Firmness of all samples changed significantly (P < 0.05) by half the storage time; however, exposure to radiation did not cause significant differences by the end of shelf life. Irradiation did not affect the chlorophyll and total carotenoid content, though it produced samples with significantly lower (P < 0.05) vitamin C content. For all treatments, chlorophyll content decreased by day 15 while total carotenoids remained constant. Although, by the end of refrigerated storage, all the irradiated samples received slightly lower odor scores, sensory analysis revealed that irradiation had little or no effect on the overall quality of spinach leaves. We also simulated the dose distribution within a bag of spinach leaves irradiated using a 10‐MeV linear accelerator (0.3 to 1 kGy) to quantify the problem of nonuniform dose absorbed at different parts of the bag and predict death of a pathogen such as Escherichia coli O157:H7. The simulation results confirmed that it is feasible to irradiate baby spinach leaves (up to 1 kGy) to eliminate E. coli 0157:H7 while maintaining the overall quality of the produce.
Inactivation ofSalmonella entericaSer. Enteritidis in Tomato Juice by Combining of High‐Intensity Pulsed Electric Fields with Natural Antimicrobials
Authors: Mosqueda‐Melgar J. , Raybaudi‐Massilia R.M. , Martín‐Belloso O.
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT: The effect of high‐intensity pulsed electric field (HIPEF) treatment (35kV/cm, 4 μs pulse length in bipolar mode without exceeding 38 °C) as influenced by treatment time (200, 600, and 1000 μs) and pulse frequency (100, 150, and 200 Hz) for inactivatingSalmonella entericaser. Enteritidis inoculated in tomato juice was evaluated. Similarly, the effect of combining HIPEF treatment with citric acid (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%[wt/vol]) or cinnamon bark oil (0.05%, 0.10%, 0.2%, and 0.3%[vol/vol]) as natural antimicrobials againstS.Enteritidis in tomato juice was also studied. Higher treatment time and lower pulse frequency produced the greater microbial inactivation. Maximum inactivation ofS.Enteritidis (4.184 log10units) in tomato juice by HIPEF was achieved when 1000 μs and 100 Hz of treatment time and pulse frequency, respectively, were applied. However, a greater microbial inactivation was found whenS.Enteritidis was previously exposed to citric acid or cinnamon bark oil for 1 h in tomato juice. Synergistic effects were observed in HIPEF and natural antimicrobials. Nevertheless, combinations of HIPEF treatment with 2.0% of citric acid or 0.1% of cinnamon bark oil were needed for inactivatingS.Enteritidis by more than 5.0 log10units (5.08 and 6.04 log10reductions, respectively). Therefore, combinations of HIPEF with organic acids or essential oils seem to be a promising method to achieve the pasteurization in these kinds of products.
Inactivation of Escherichia coli JM109, DH5α, and O157:H7 Suspended in Butterfield's Phosphate Buffer by Gamma Irradiation
Authors: Sommers C.H. , Rajkowski K.T.
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT:  Food irradiation is a safe and effective method for inactivation of pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli O157:H7, in meat, leafy greens, and complex ready‐to‐eat foods without affecting food product quality. Determining the radiation dose needed to inactivate E. coli O157:H7 in foods and the validation of new irradiation technologies are often performed through inoculation of model systems or food products with cocktails of the target bacterium, or use of single well‐characterized isolates. In this study, the radiation resistance of 4 E. coli strains, 2 DNA repair deficient strains used for cloning and recombinant DNA technology (JM109 and DH5α) and 2 strains of serotype O157:H7 (C9490 and ATCC 35150), were determined. The D‐10 values for C9490, ATCC 35150, JM109, and DH5α stationary phase cells suspended in Butterfield's Phosphate Buffer and irradiated at 4 °C were 229 (± 9.00), 257 (± 7.00), 61.2 (± 10.4), and 51.2 (± 8.82) Gy, respectively. The results of this study indicate that the extreme radiation sensitivity of JM109 and DH5α makes them unsuitable for use as surrogate microorganisms for pathogenic E. coli in the field of food irradiation research. Use of E. coli JM109 and DH5α, which carry mutations of the recA and gyrA genes required for efficient DNA repair and replication, is not appropriate for determination of radiation inactivation kinetics and validation of radiation processing equipment.
Respiratory Deficiency Enhances the Sensitivity of the Pathogenic Fungus Candida to Photodynamic Treatment
Authors: Chabrier‐Roselló Yeissa , Foster Thomas H. , Mitra Soumya , Haidaris Constantine G.
Published: January 2008

Mucosal infections caused by the pathogenic fungus Candida are a significant infectious disease problem and are often difficult to eradicate because of the high frequency of resistance to conventional antifungal agents. Photodynamic treatment (PDT) offers an attractive therapeutic alternative. Previous studies demonstrated that filamentous forms and biofilms of Candida albicans were sensitive to PDT using Photofrin as a photosensitizer. However, early stationary phase yeast forms of C. albicans and Candida glabrata were not adversely affected by treatment. We report that the cationic porphyrin photosensitizer meso‐tetra (N‐methyl‐4‐pyridyl) porphine tetra tosylate (TMP‐1363) is effective in PDT against yeast forms of C. albicans and C. glabrata. Respiratory‐deficient (RD) strains of C. albicans and C. glabrata display a pleiotropic resistance pattern, including resistance to members of the azole family of antifungals, the salivary antimicrobial peptides histatins and other types of toxic stresses. In contrast to this pattern, RD mutants of both C. albicans and C. glabrata were significantly more sensitive to PDT compared to parental strains. These data suggest that intact mitochondrial function may provide a basal level of anti‐oxidant defense against PDT‐induced phototoxicity in Candida, and reveals pathways of resistance to oxidative stress that can potentially be targeted to increase the efficacy of PDT against this pathogenic fungus.