bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functional, digestibility, and antioxidant properties of brown and polished rice flour from traditional and new‐improved varieties grown in Sri Lanka
Authors: Gunaratne Anil , Bentota Amitha , Cai Yi Zhong , Collado Lilia , Corke Harold
Published: February 2011

Sri Lankan traditional and improved rice varieties were processed into brown and polished rice flours. Samples were analyzed for AM, protein, lipid, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity. Gelatinization and retrogradation properties were observed in the Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) and DSC. The AM content of the samples was high to intermediate (20 to 26%) except for one which was low (17%). Brown rice flour (BRF) samples had lower swelling power, lower RVA viscoamylograph profile, lower gel hardness, lower gelatinization enthalpy but higher gelatinization peak temperature and lower melting enthalpies of its retrograded AP relative to its corresponding polished rice flour (PRF) samples. The BRF showed a lower decrease in peak viscosity in the RVA viscoamylograph as compared to its PRF when treated with α‐amylase indicating inhibition potential. The traditional rice varieties had 68 to 86% higher total phenolic content (TPC) and 86 to 90% antioxidant activity in the BRF samples as compared to the improved varieties. A study on the antioxidant profile of the brown rice of the traditional rice varieties is being undertaken to explore their value as functional foods.
Structural and physicochemical characterization of RS prepared using hydrolysis and heat treatments of chickpea starch
Authors: Polesi Luís Fernando , Sarmento Silene Bruder Silveira
Published: February 2011

The aim of this study was to evaluate the production and the structural and physicochemical properties of RS obtained by molecular mass reduction (enzyme or acid) and hydrothermal treatment of chickpea starch. Native and gelatinized starch were submitted to acid (2 M HCl for 2.5 h) or enzymatic hydrolysis (pullulanase, 40 U/g per 10 h), autoclaved (121°C/30 min), stored under refrigeration (4°C/24 h), and lyophilized. The hydrolysis of starch increased the RS content from 16% to values between 20 and 32%, and the enzymatic treatment of the gelatinized starch was the most efficient. RS showed an increase in water absorption and water solubility indexes due to hydrolytic and thermal process. The processes for obtaining RS changed the crystallinity pattern from C to B. Hydrolysis treatments caused an increase in relative crystallinity due to the greater retrogradation caused by the reduction in MW. RS obtained from hydrolysis showed a reduction in viscosity, indicating the rupture of molecules. The viscosity seemed to be inversely proportional to the RS content in the sample.
Physico–chemical, morphological, and pasting properties of Pine nut (Araucaria angustifolia) starch oxidized with different levels of sodium hypochlorite
Authors: Costa de Conto Leilane , Plata‐Oviedo Manuel Salvador Vicente , Joy Steel Caroline , Chang Yoon Kil
Published: February 2011

The objective of this work was to study the effect of process temperature and active chlorine concentration on the main properties of Pine nut starch (PN). Samples of PN were oxidized with sodium hypochlorite at concentrations varying from 0.5 to 4.0 g active chlorine/100 g starch, at temperatures varying from 20 to 45°C according to a central composite rotational design, analyzing the results using response surface methodology. The concentration of active chlorine had an effect on the WSI, the quantity of carboxyl and carbonyl groups, the AM content and the percentage of light transmittance (650 nm) of the PN. The effect of temperature was observed on the water solubility index, the quantity of carbonyl groups and the percentage of light transmittance (650 nm) of the PN. Oxidation was more intense in the starch treated with 3.5% active chlorine.
Characterizing starch structure in a gluten‐free pasta by using iodine vapor as a tool
Authors: Marti Alessandra , Pagani Maria Ambrogina , Seetharaman Koushik
Published: February 2011

The suitability of starch–iodine complex to highlight differences in chain mobility and crystallinity of starch in rice pasta was investigated. Two pasta samples were produced starting from the same rice flour (RF) and using a conventional extrusion process without (Process A) and with (Process B) a preliminary extrusion‐cooking step. Based on the absorption/scattering coefficient (K/S) spectra (obtained after equilibration above K2SO4 and exposure to iodine vapor), Pasta A showed a behavior similar to RF. Process B exhibited a greater iodine binding capacity suggesting greater starch chain mobility. Moreover, the extrusion‐cooking conditions seem to favor the loss of starch crystallinity and the formation of larger amorphous regions. The organization of starch polymers observed in Pasta B could account for its higher capacity to water absorption during cooking.
An automated analysis methodology to detect inconsistencies in web services with WSDL interfaces
Authors: Fisher Marc , Elbaum Sebastian , Rothermel Gregg
Published: February 2011

Web Service Definition Language (WSDL) is being increasingly used to specify web service interfaces. Specifications of this type, however, are often incomplete or imprecise, which can create difficulties for client developers who rely on the WSDL files. To address this problem a semi‐automated methodology that probes a web service with semi‐automatically generated inputs and analyzes the resulting outputs is presented. The results of the analysis are compared to the original WSDL file and differences between the observed behavior of the service and the WSDL specifications are reported to the user. The methodology is applied in two case studies involving two popular commercial (Amazon and eBay) web services. The results show that the methodology can scale, and that it can uncover problems in the WSDL files that may impact a large number of clients. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improving session continuity through user mobility tracking for EPS inter‐serving gateway handover
Authors: Sou Sok‐Ian , Jeng Jeu‐Yih , Lin Phone
Published: February 2011

The Evolved Packet System (EPS) is standardized to support a common IP‐based core network with heterogeneous radio accesses in the latest 3GPP release. In the EPS, the Policy and Charging Control (PCC) framework provides dynamic policy control combined with real‐time charging management. Long core network signaling for PCC degrades session continuity performance during handover. In this paper, we investigate the handover for an EPS session. Based on the results, we propose a proactive scheme along with a user mobility tracking model to improve session continuity. More specifically, our proposed scheme attempts to reduce PCC reauthorization signaling delay during the handover procedure. Then, we formulate a Markov process to model the user mobility pattern and to derive the session continuity probability. Numerical results show that our scheme can significantly keep the session continuity at a user acceptable level even when the mobility pattern is high. We also provide guidelines for operators to set up the network configuration parameters according to various traffic conditions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Serial relaying communications over generalized‐gamma fading channels
Authors: Datsikas Christos K. , Peppas Kostas P. , Sagias Nikos C. , Tombras George S.
Published: February 2011

In this paper, a study on the end‐to‐end performance of multi‐hop non‐regenerative relaying networks over independent generalized‐gamma (GG) fading channels is presented. Using an upper bound for the end‐to‐end signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), novel closed‐form expressions for the probability density function, the moments, and the moments‐generating function of the end‐to‐end SNR are presented. Based on these derived formulas, lower bounds for the outage and the average bit error probability (ABEP) are derived in closed form. Special attention is given to the low‐ and high‐SNR regions having practical interest as well as to the Nakagami fading scenario. Moreover, the performance of the considered system when employing adaptive square‐quadrature amplitude modulation is further analyzed in terms of the average spectral efficiency, the bit error outage, and the ABEP. Computer simulation results verify the tightness and the accuracy of the proposed bounds. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adaptive load‐balancing association handoff approach for increasing utilization and improving GoS in mobile WiMAX networks
Authors: Hwang Ren‐Hung , Chang Ben‐Jye , Lin Yan‐Min , Liang Ying‐Hsin
Published: February 2011

The IEEE 802.16e standard is thus proposed for supporting high data rate and dynamic mobility in WiMAX. IEEE 802.16e specifies the association handoff mechanism in the MAC layer, i.e., providing contention‐free‐based initial ranging, and thus mobile stations can perform the initial ranging early during the handoff period. An MS executing the association handoff during a scan duration is disallowed to send/receive any packets to/from the serving BS. IEEE 802.16e suffers from not determining a precision scan duration period because of losing the transmission opportunity or the response status of the received ranging response (RNG‐RSP) message. Although the MS can set a longer scan duration to complete the initial ranging procedure, it significantly degrades handoff delay and delay jitter of real‐time service flows. In addition, most handoff studies seldom considered balancing traffic load among neighbor base stations (BSs). This paper thus proposes an efficient Adaptive Load‐balancing Association handoff approach (ALA) consisting of two phases: (1) the Adaptive Association Handoff phase (AAH) and (2) the Predictive Direction‐based Load Balancing phase (PDLB), to overcome above mentioned problems. AAH proposes an adaptive re‐association mechanism to reduce lost synchronizations, and thus improve the grade of service. PDLB adopts the Polynomial Regression‐based RSS prediction algorithm to accurately predict the moving direction of mobile nodes. Numerical results demonstrate that ALA significantly outperform IEEE 802.16e and others in average handoff delay, number of handoffs, dropping probability, GoS, network utilization, and number of lost synchronizations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Automatic virtual calibration of range‐based indoor localization systems
Authors: Barsocchi Paolo , Lenzi Stefano , Chessa Stefano , Furfari Francesco
Published: February 2011

The localization methods based on received signal strength indicator (RSSI) link the RSSI values to the position of the mobile to be located. In the RSSI localization techniques based on propagation models, the accuracy depends on the tuning of the propagation models parameters. In indoor wireless networks, the propagation conditions are hardly predictable due to the dynamic nature of the RSSI, and consequently the parameters of the propagation model may change. In this paper, we present an automatic virtual calibration method of the propagation model that does not require human intervention; therefore, can be periodically performed, following the wireless channel conditions. We also propose a novel RSSI‐based localization algorithm that selects the RSSI values according to their strength, and uses a calibrated propagation model to transform these values into distances, in order to estimate the position of the mobile. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
NMR Chemical Shift and Quadrupolar Interaction Parameters of Carbon‐Coordinated 27Al in Aluminium Carbide, Al4C3
Authors: Bräuniger Thomas , Chandran C. Vinod , Wedig Ulrich , Jansen Martin
Published: February 2011

Aluminium carbide, Al4C3, was characterised by 13C and 27Al solid‐state NMR spectroscopy. The 13C NMR spectra display two resonances with an intensity ratio of 1:2, which is in agreement with the reported crystal structure. The 27Al NMR spectra of Al4C3 under both static and MAS conditions were deconvoluted into two spectral components, belonging to the two aluminium species Al1 and Al2 in the crystal structure of Al4C3. The spectral fit allowed for determination of the relatively large quadrupolar coupling constants (χ ≈︁ 16 MHz) of both 27Al species. One aluminium species displayed a tendency of having a χ of slightly smaller magnitude compared to the other. By carrying out DFT calculations of the EFG tensor at the 27Al sites using the Wien2k software, we could tentatively assign the smaller χ site to be the crystallographic Al1 species. Also, the isotropic chemical shift for the carbon‐coordinated aluminium in Al4C3 could be determined, being in the range of 111 to 120 ppm. This is somewhat larger than those shift values observed for 27Al in nitrogen coordination.
Junge Alte als neue „Urbaniten“? Mobilitätstrends der Generation 50plus
Authors: Kramer Caroline , Pfaffenbach Carmella
Published: February 2011

Senior citizens in general have different expectations regarding their life concepts and the spatial localization of such following their retirement. The ongoing scientific research on the residential mobility of the elderly discerns two contrary processes. Some presume the future senior citizens will act in an analogous way to the elderly nowadays. Thus upon retiring they will leave the city to relocate to the suburbs. Others foresee a trend reversal towards a re-urbanisation accompanied by the renaissance of the city for all age groups including the generation 50plus. These developments were the focus of a study conducted in three major metropolitan areas; the results are discussed in this article. The study assumed that as the generation 50plus grows older their lifestyles and places of residence among other things will differ from the senior citizens of today. The evaluation of the empirical data showed, that the respondents in the greater metropolitan areas did not intend to move to the suburbs upon retirement. Neither do the respondents in the suburbs plan to move to the city. In other words a tendency towards remaining in the current residential areas was detected for the majority of the respondents. Thus if one defines the renaissance of the city by the decreasing number of people leaving the cities, then we can also identify tendencies towards re-urbanisation in the generation 50plus.
Adolescent academic outcomes in school context: Network effects Reexamined
Authors: Ryabov Igor
Published: February 2011

This study examines the role of racial/ethnic segregation and peer effects in shaping educational achievement and attainment, using multi‐level modeling on a nationally representative sample of adolescents. As in many prior studies, school socioeconomic composition was a significant predictor of achievement and attainment for students of all racial/ethnic groups. Educational attainment was negatively affected by the concentration of low‐income students. However, for some racial/ethnic groups educational attainment increased with higher concentrations of minority students. Furthermore, peer social capital, measured as the average achievement of a peer network, was a significant predictor of both educational achievement and attainment for all racial/ethnic groups. In addition, and counter to some earlier studies, results revealed that segregated peer networks among African‐Americans may lead to better academic achievement and attainment than school settings with more integrated friendship networks.
Metabolic and endocrine adverse effects of second-generation antipsychotics in children and adolescents: A systematic review of randomized, placebo controlled trials and guidelines for clinical practice
Authors: De Hert M. , Dobbelaere M. , Sheridan E.M. , Cohen D. , Correll C.U.
Published: February 2011

Second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) are being used more often than ever before in children and adolescents with psychotic and a wide range of non-psychotic disorders. Several SGA have received regulatory approval for some paediatric indications in various countries, but off-label use is still frequent. The aim of this paper was to perform a systematic review and critically evaluate the literature on cardiometabolic and endocrine side-effects of SGA in children and adolescents through a Medline/Pubmed/Google Scholar search of randomized, placebo controlled trials of antipsychotics in children and adolescents (<18 years old) until February 2010. In total, 31 randomized, controlled studies including 3595 paediatric patients were identified. A review of these data confirmed that SGA are associated with relevant cardiometabolic and endocrine side-effects, and that children and adolescents have a high liability to experience antipsychotic induced hyperprolactinaemia, weight gain and associated metabolic disturbances. Only weight change data were sufficiently reported to conduct a formal meta-analysis. In 24 trials of 3048 paediatric patients with varying ages and diagnoses, ziprasidone was associated with the lowest weight gain (−0.04 kg, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.38 to +0.30), followed by aripiprazole (0.79 kg, 95% CI: 0.54 to 1.04], quetiapine (1.43 kg, 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.69) and risperidone (1.76 kg, 95% CI: 1.27 to 2.25) were intermediate, and olanzapine was associated with weight gain the most (3.45 kg, 95% CI: 2.93 to 3.97). Significant weight gain appeared to be more prevalent in patients with autistic disorder who were also younger and likely less exposed to antipsychotics previously. These data clearly suggest that close screening and monitoring of metabolic side effects is warranted and that the least cardiometabolically problematic agents should be used first whenever possible. A good collaboration between child- and adolescent psychiatrists, general practitioners and paediatricians is essential to maximize overall outcomes and to reduce the likelihood of premature cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
The adverse skeletal effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
Authors: Tsapakis E.M. , Gamie Z. , Tran G.T. , Adshead S. , Lampard A. , Mantalaris A. , Tsiridis E.
Published: February 2011

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a widely used group of antidepressants (ADs) with reported potential detrimental effects on bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk. Here, a comprehensive review of the in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies to date was carried out using the medical search engines MEDLINE (1950 to September 2010) and EMBASE (1980 to September 2010). Serotonin (5-HT) receptors have been identified on osteoclast, osteoblast and osteocyte cell lines. The effect of SSRIs on bone formation and resorption appears to be governed by the activation of a number of 5-HT receptors on osteoblasts and osteoclasts via endocrine, autocrine/paracrine and neuronal pathways. In vitro, in vivo and clinical collective data appears to indicate that SSRIs have a negative effect on bone at the therapeutic dose levels widely used for the treatment of depression in current clinical practice. Caution may therefore have to be employed with the use of SSRIs in patients at an increased risk of falls and osteoporosis. Further studies are needed in order to fully elicit the role of SSRIs in bone formation and their effects in the low oestrogen state.
Slope hummock development, Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada
Authors: Lewkowicz Antoni G.
Published: February 2011

Slope hummocks, a type of nonsorted patterned ground, are composed of stratified, organic, silty sand, and develop through the interaction of niveo-eolian deposition, solifluction, slopewash, and vegetation growth. Fields of hummocks show consistent patterns: forms on convex slopes increase in height downslope until the channel is reached, whereas those on convexo-concave slopes increase on the upper convexity but are buried by niveo-eolian deposition downslope of the snowbank remnant. These trends can be reproduced using a simple numerical model based on measured slope and snow depth profiles, sediment concentrations in the snow and solifluction rates. The model indicates that hummocks transit slopes of 20–40 m in about 2–4 ka, a time-frame that is plausible given site emergence, measured rates of solifluction, and published dates for organic horizons within hummocks on northern Ellesmere Island. Sensitivity analyses show that long-term effect of climate warming on hummock heights may differ depending on whether it is accompanied by precipitation increase or decrease. The required combination of two-sided freezing to promote plug-like movement, incomplete vegetation cover and thin snow that enable eolian erosion during winter and spring, and vegetation growth in snow-bed sites to stabilize niveo-eolian deposits may explain why these forms are important regionally but apparently are not present throughout the Arctic.
A NOTE ON BADLY APPROXIMABLE LINEAR FORMS
Authors: HUSSAIN MUMTAZ
Published: February 2011

In this paper we investigate the analogue of the classical badly approximable setup in which the distance to the nearest integer ‖⋅‖ is replaced by the sup norm |⋅|. In the case of one linear form we prove that the hybrid badly approximable set is of full Hausdorff dimension.
The effect of high-dose vitamin A supplementation at birth on measles incidence during the first 12 months of life in boys and girls: an unplanned study within a randomised trial
Authors: Diness Birgitte R. , Martins Cesário L. , Balé Carlitos , Garly May-Lill , Ravn Henrik , Rodrigues Amabelia , Whittle Hilton , Aaby Peter , Benn Christine S.
Published: February 2011

Vitamin A treatment reduces mortality during acute measles infection, and vitamin A supplementation (VAS) to children above 6 months of age may reduce the incidence of measles infection. The effect of VAS at birth on measles incidence is unknown. In a randomised placebo-controlled trial in Guinea-Bissau, normal-birth-weight newborns were randomised to 50 000 IU (15 mg) VAS or placebo. During the trial, a measles epidemic occurred. We linked data from the trial with data from the measles infection surveillance and studied the effect of VAS on the measles incidence before 12 months of age in both sexes. A total of 165 measles cases were identified among the 4183 children followed from 28 d of age. Up to 6 months of age, the incidence rate ratio of measles for VAS compared with placebo was 0·54 (95 % CI 0·25, 1·15) among boys and 1·57 (95 % CI 0·80, 3·08) among girls (test of interaction, P = 0·04). The corresponding figures at 12 months were 0·67 (95 % CI 0·43, 1·05) and 1·17 (95 % CI 0·76, 1·79) (test of interaction, P = 0·08). VAS compared with placebo tended to be associated with less measles hospitalisation or death during the first 6 months of life in boys (P = 0·06), but not in girls. VAS at birth may affect the susceptibility to measles infection during the first 6 months of life in a sex-differential manner.
Red wine prevents the postprandial increase in plasma cholesterol oxidation products: a pilot study
Authors: Natella F. , Macone A. , Ramberti A. , Forte M. , Mattivi F. , Matarese R. M. , Scaccini C.
Published: February 2011

Moderate wine consumption has been shown to lower cardiovascular risk. One of the mechanisms could involve the control of postprandial hyperlipaemia, a well-defined risk factor for atherosclerosis, reasonably by reducing the absorption of lipid oxidised species from the meal. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether wine consumption with the meal is able to reduce the postprandial increase in plasma lipid hydroperoxides and cholesterol oxidation products, in human subjects. In two different study sessions, twelve healthy volunteers consumed the same test meal rich in oxidised and oxidisable lipids (a double cheeseburger), with 300 ml of water (control) or with 300 ml of red wine (wine). The postprandial plasma concentration of cholesterol oxidation products was measured by GC–MS. The control meal induced a significant increase in the plasma concentration of lipid hydroperoxides and of two cholesterol oxidation products, 7-β-hydroxycholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol. The postprandial increase in lipid hydroperoxides and cholesterol oxidation products was fully prevented by wine when consumed with the meal. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence that consumption of wine with the meal could prevent the postprandial increase in plasma cholesterol oxidation products.
Effects of green tea catechins on the pro-inflammatory response after haemorrhage/resuscitation in rats
Authors: Relja Borna , Töttel Eva , Breig Lara , Henrich Dirk , Schneider Heinz , Marzi Ingo , Lehnert Mark
Published: February 2011

Plant polyphenols, i.e. green tea extract (GTE), possess high antioxidative and anti-inflammatory capacity, thus being protective in various models of acute inflammation. However, their anti-inflammatory effect and a feasible mechanism in haemorrhage/resuscitation (H/R)-induced liver injury remain unknown. We investigated the effects of GTE and the role of NF-κB in the pathogenesis of liver injury induced by H/R, and their effects on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression and neutrophil infiltration. Female Lewis rats were fed a standard chow diet (control, ctrl) or a diet containing 0·1 % polyphenolic GTE for five consecutive days before H/R. Rats were haemorrhaged to a mean arterial pressure of 30 (sem2) mmHg for 60 min and resuscitated. Control groups (sham_ctrl and sham_GTE) underwent surgical procedures without H/R. At 2 h after resuscitation, tissues were harvested. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and IL-6 were measured. Hepatic necrosis, ICAM-1 expression and polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMNL) infiltration were assessed. Hepatic expression of IκBα (phospho) was measured. H/R induced strong liver damage with increased necrosis and serum ALT levels. Compared with both sham groups, inflammatory markers (serum IL-6 and hepatic PMNL infiltration) were elevated after H/R (P < 0·05). Also, H/R increased IκBα phosphorylation. GTE administration markedly (P < 0·05) decreased serum ALT and IL-6 levels, hepatic necrosis as well as PMNL infiltration and the expression of ICAM-1 and phosphorylated IκBα compared with H/R. In conclusion, we observed that NF-κB activation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of liver injury after H/R through the up-regulation of hepatic ICAM-1 expression and subsequent PMNL infiltration. GTE pre-treatment prevents liver damage in this model of acute inflammation through a NF-κB-dependent mechanism.
The ethanolamide metabolite of DHA, docosahexaenoylethanolamine, shows immunomodulating effects in mouse peritoneal and RAW264.7 macrophages: evidence for a new link between fish oil and inflammation
Authors: Meijerink Jocelijn , Plastina Pierluigi , Vincken Jean-Paul , Poland Mieke , Attya Mohamed , Balvers Michiel , Gruppen Harry , Gabriele Bartolo , Witkamp Renger F.
Published: February 2011

Several mechanisms have been proposed for the positive health effects associated with dietary consumption of long-chainn-3 PUFA (n-3 LC-PUFA) including DHA (22 : 6n-3) and EPA (20 : 5n-3). After dietary intake, LC-PUFA are incorporated into membranes and can be converted to their correspondingN-acylethanolamines (NAE). However, little is known on the biological role of these metabolites. In the present study, we tested a series of unsaturated NAE on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages. Among the compounds tested, docosahexaenoylethanolamine (DHEA), the ethanolamide of DHA, was found to be the most potent inhibitor, inducing a dose-dependent inhibition of NO release. Immune-modulating properties of DHEA were further studied in the same cell line, demonstrating that DHEA significantly suppressed the production of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), a cytokine playing a pivotal role in chronic inflammation. In LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages, DHEA also reduced MCP-1 and NO production. Furthermore, inhibition was also found to take place at a transcriptional level, as gene expression of MCP-1 and inducible NO synthase was inhibited by DHEA. To summarise, in the present study, we showed that DHEA, a DHA-derived NAE metabolite, modulates inflammation by reducing MCP-1 and NO production and expression. These results provide new leads in molecular mechanisms by which DHA can modulate inflammatory processes.
Mechanisms for drought resistance in early maturing cvar Flordastar peach trees
Authors: MELLISHO C. D. , CRUZ Z. N. , CONEJERO W. , ORTUÑO M. F. , RODRÍGUEZ P.
Published: February 2011

Adult early maturing peach trees (Prunus persica(L.) Batsch cvar Flordastar) grafted ontoP. persica×Prunus amygdalusGF-677 peach rootstock, were subjected to low water availability (water stress) and recovery periods for 28 and 7 days, respectively, during summer 2009. Control plants were irrigated daily at 1·3 estimated crop reference evapotranspiration (ETC) in order to obtain non-limiting soil water conditions. Active osmotic adjustment was observed at the end of the stress period. However, the magnitude of this osmotic adjustment (0·18 MPa) was not sufficient to modify the leaf water potential at turgor loss point. The observed active osmotic adjustment that maintained turgor was in contrast to other results in potted peach trees, where no osmotic adjustment was observed, and highlights the importance of field studies in which water stress is developed gradually over a prolonged period. Relative apoplastic water content (RWCa) values were high and decreased as a result of water stress. The rapid decrease in leaf conductance from the beginning of the stress period, together with the delay in stomatal reopening after rewatering, indicated that stomatal behaviour was not a simple passive response to water deficit. The results indicate that drought resistance in early maturing peach trees is based both on avoidance mechanisms, such as stomatal control and tolerance mechanisms, including active osmotic adjustment and high RWCa.
Challenging a Pan-African Identity: The Autobiographical Writings of Maya Angelou, Barack Obama, and Caryl Phillips
Authors: SMITHERS GREGORY D.
Published: February 2011

In her 1986 book All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes, Maya Angelou reflected on the meaning of identity among the people of the African diaspora. A rich and highly reflective memoir, All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes recounted the author's experiences, relationships, and quest for a sense of individual and collective belonging throughout the African diaspora. At the core of Angelou's quest for individual and collective identity lay Africa, a continent whose geography and history loomed large in her very personal story, and in her efforts to create a sense of “kinship” among people of African descent throughout the world. Starting with Maya Angelou's All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes, this essay considers the significance of “Africa” as a geographical site, political space, and constantly reimagined history in the formation of black identity in the travel writings of black diaspora authors since the 1980s. I compare Angelou's work with that of the Hawaiian-born President of the United States Barack Obama, whose Dreams from My Father (1995) offered personal self-reflections and critiques of the African diaspora from a Pacific world perspective. In Obama's rendering of African diasporic identity, Africa has become “an idea more than an actual place.” Half a decade later, and half a world away, the Caribbean-born Afro-Britain Caryl Phillips published The Atlantic Sound (2000), an account of African diasporic identity that moved between understanding, compassion, and a harsh belief that Africa cannot take on the role of a psychologist's couch, that “Africa cannot cure.” These three memoirs offer insight into the complex and highly contested nature of identity throughout the African diaspora, and present very personalized reflections on the geography, politics, and history of Africa as a source of identity and diasporic belonging. Taken together, these three personal narratives represent a challenge to the utility of a transnational black identity that Paul Gilroy suggested in his landmark book The Black Atlantic.
Changes over time: the motivations of independent-sector care-home managers and owners in England between 1994 and 2003
Authors: MATOSEVIC TIHANA , KNAPP MARTIN , GRAND JULIAN LE , FERNANDEZ JOSE-LUIS
Published: February 2011

This paper examines the provider side of the care-home sector and focuses on managers' and owners' motivations for providing care-home services for older people, and whether those motivations changed between 1994 and 2003. There were a number of significant policy changes over that time, including an increased ‘marketisation’ of the sector, coupled with an increase in regulation. Critics of these changes argued that they could adversely affect the motivational structure of the principal provider agents. Previously altruistic or public-service motivations might turn into more self-interested concerns: ‘knights’ might become ‘knaves’. To test this proposition, data were collected across eight English local authorities using face-to-face interviews and postal questionnaires. The results indicate that, although local care-home markets underwent some major changes, individuals' motivational profiles remained relatively stable. Further analysis of the relationship between motivations and the social-care market environment suggests that, while voluntary-sector providers are primarily driven by caring motivations and less concerned with income maximising and professional development, private-sector home manager and owners seemed to be more focused on the financial aspects of providing care services, professional motivations, and on their independence in running a care home. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.
Summer-winter transitions in Antarctic ponds II: Biological responses
Authors: Hawes Ian , Safi Karl , Webster-Brown Jenny , Sorrell Brian , Arscott David
Published: February 2011

We observed ice formation and water column attributes in four shallow Antarctic ponds between January and 7 April 2008. During that time ponds went from ice-free to > 80 cm thick ice, near-freshwater to hypersaline, well-lit to near darkness and temperatures fell to below zero. Here we examine shifts in biological activity that accompanied these changes. During February, freeze-concentration and ongoing photosynthesis increased dissolved oxygen concentration to up to 100 mg l-1, with a near-equivalent decrease in dissolved inorganic carbon and a pH rise. Benthic photosynthesis was responsible for 99% of estimated biological oxygen production. Net oxygen accumulation ceased in late February, pH began to fall and inorganic carbon to increase, but the pool of dissolved oxygen was depleted only slowly. Anoxia had been attained in only one pond by April and there was little accumulation of indicators of anaerobic activity. The nitrogen and phosphorus balances of the ponds were dominated by organic forms, which, like DOC and CDOM, behaved conservatively. Conversely, inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus uptake was evident throughout the study period, at a molar ratio of 16N:1P in two of three ponds, consistent with uptake into biological material. We found no coupling between N and P uptake and photosynthesis.
Intra-seasonal changes in local pattern of Corncrake Crex crex occurrence require adaptive conservation strategies in Alpine meadows
Authors: BRAMBILLA MATTIA , PEDRINI PAOLO
Published: February 2011

As a double-brooded species inhabiting grassland habitats subject to mowing and located at different elevations, the Corncrake Crex crex in the Alps is potentially affected by changes in its breeding habitat within a season, thus leading to shifts in occurrence and habitat association, with potentially relevant consequences for conservation. We investigated Corncrake abundance in four sites in Trento province (N Italy); two sites were defined as ‘low elevation’ (mean elevation 975 m and 976 m a.s.l., respectively) and two as ‘high elevation’ (mean elevation 1,173 m and 1,177 m). The number of calling males showed a clear variation in relative abundance between early and late periods of the breeding season; in particular, at low elevation sites, abundance decreased from the early to late periods, while the opposite was recorded at high elevation sites. A mixed model suggested that the number of males decreased in the second half of the breeding season and at high elevations, and changed according to mid-season altitudinal shifts. Conservation strategies for this species should take into account the mid-season territory shift.
Visualization of molecular processes associated with seed dormancy and germination using MapMan
Authors: Joosen Ronny V.L. , Ligterink Wilco , Dekkers Bas J. W. , Hilhorst Henk W.M.
Published: February 2011

Seed dormancy and germination involve the concerted operation of molecular and biochemical programmes. It has become feasible to study these processes in great detail, using the current methods for transcriptome, proteome and metabolome analysis. Yet, the large amounts of data generated by these methods are often dazzling and demand efficient tools for data visualization. We have used the freely available PageMan/MapMan package (http://MapMan.gabipd.org) to visualize transcriptome and metabolome changes in Arabidopsis thaliana seeds during dormancy and germination. Using this package we developed two seed-specific MapMan pathways, which efficiently capture the most important molecular processes in seeds. The results demonstrated the usefulness of the PageMan/MapMan package for seed research.
HISTOLOGICAL CHORIOAMNIONITIS: CURRENT CONCEPTS OF DIAGNOSIS, CLASSIFICATION AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Authors: JESSOP F , SEBIRE NJ
Published: February 2011

Interest in the clinical associations between maternal intrapartum fever and adverse neonatal outcome has been longstanding, with publications of a relationship between maternal fever and cerebral palsy dating from the 1950s. Further recognition of the associations between either clinically or histologically characterised chorioamnionitis, ascending infection and neonatal wellbeing followed, with numerous reports in the 1960s and 70s, particularly as the neonatal significance of group B streptococcal infections became apparent. Similarly, with the systematic introduction of diagnostic light microscopy into clinical medicine, chorioamnionitis (inflammation of the placental membranes) and funisitis (inflammation of the umbilical cord) were recognised as distinct histological entities, with increasing recognition that the aetiology was likely to be infective. There are numerous texts discussing in detail the pathogenesis and histological features of chorioamnionitis and funisitis. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the salient associated issues for clinical practitioners and to highlight areas of ongoing uncertainty and recent developments in understanding.
Cor triatriatum dexter masquerading as Ebstein's anomaly
Authors: Salam Souheir , Gallacher David , Uzun Orhan
Published: February 2011

We report the case of a child with cor triatriatum dexter masquerading as Ebstein's anomaly on transthoracic echocardiography. This was attributed to a floppy membrane arising from the right atrium, protruding into the tricuspid valve and pushing the leaflets downwards, giving an impression of Ebstein's anomaly. The importance of recognising this pitfall will prevent misdiagnosis of Ebstein's anomaly.
CONTRASTIVE CAUSATION IN THE LAW
Authors: Schaffer Jonathan
Published: February 2011

What conception of causation is at work in the law? I argue that the law implicitly relies on a contrastive conception. In a liability case where the defendant's breach of duty must be shown to have caused the plaintiff's damages, it is not enough to consider what would have happened if the cause had not occurred—the law instructs us to look to a specific replacement for the cause, which in this case is the hypothetical scenario in which the defendant actedlawfully. And it is not enough to ask if the effect would still have occurred—the law requires us to look to a specific replacement for the effect, which in this case is the hypothetical outcome in which the plaintiff came offbetter. In place of “but for the defendant's breach, the plaintiff's damage would not have occurred,” I suggest the more explicit “if the defendant had acted lawfully, the plaintiff would have met a better fate.” An explicitly contrastive approach can thus potentially help the lawyer phrase her causal question in a more explicit way, while shedding light on our conception of causation.
Functional answer set programming
Authors: CABALAR PEDRO
Published: February 2011

In this paper we propose an extension of Answer Set Programming (ASP) to deal with (possibly partial) evaluable functions. To this aim, we start from the most general logical counterpart of ASP, Quantified Equilibrium Logic (QEL), and propose a variant QEL=ℱwhere the set of functions is partitioned into Herbrand functions (orconstructors) and evaluable functions (oroperations). We show how this extension has a direct connection to Scott'sLogic of Existence, and introduce several useful derived operators, some of them directly borrowed from Scott's formalisation. Using this general framework for arbitrary theories, we proceed to focus on a syntactic subclass that corresponds to normal logic programs with evaluable functions and equality. We provide a translation of this class into function-free normal programs and consider a safety condition so that the resulting program is also safe, under the usual meaning in ASP. Finally, we also establish a formal comparison to Lin and Wang's approach (FASP) dealing with evaluable total functions.
C*-pseudo-multiplicative unitaries, Hopf C*-bimodules and their Fourier algebras
Authors: Timmermann Thomas
Published: February 2011

We introduce C*-pseudo-multiplicative unitaries and concrete Hopf C*-bimodules for the study of quantum groupoids in the setting of C*-algebras. These unitaries and Hopf C*-bimodules generalize multiplicative unitaries and Hopf C*-algebras and are analogues of the pseudo-multiplicative unitaries and Hopf–von Neumann-bimodules studied by Enock, Lesieur and Vallin. To each C*-pseudo-multiplicative unitary, we associate two Fourier algebras with a duality pairing and in the regular case two Hopf C*-bimodules. The theory is illustrated by examples related to locally compact Hausdorff groupoids. In particular, we obtain a continuous Fourier algebra for a locally compact Hausdorff groupoid.
Incorporating social rights in development: transnational corporations and the right to water
Authors: Russell Anna F. S.
Published: February 2011

In attempts to improve the efficiency of development efforts over the past few decades private sector participation in the delivery of basic services has been promoted to a varying extent. Roughly in tandem with this, there has been movement to increase the accountability of corporations, particularly transnational corporations (TNCs), for human rights violations. Rather than engaging directly in the legal debate about the applicability of human rights standards to corporate activity, this article essentially looks at the issue from the inside out through the collection of empirical evidence. By focusing on the emergent right to water as a case-study, it examines how TNCs engaged in water service delivery in the development context understand and use the language of rights. In doing so, it discusses how current engagement by the TNCs with human rights language may influence proposed corporate human rights accountability frameworks and current attempts to close the globalisation governance gap.
Loyalists, cynics and outsiders: who are the critics of the justice system in the UK and the Netherlands?
Authors: Hertogh Marc
Published: February 2011

Recent surveys in the UK and the Netherlands indicate that there is widespread dissatisfaction with the justice system. But who are these ‘critics’ of the justice system? Most previous studies only produced general statistics, while the persons behind the figures remained invisible. By contrast, this article aims to put a face to these numbers and discusses two ways of analysing the profile of the critics. Based on a review of existing survey data, the article first looks at their ‘demographic profile’. Next, the article also considers a second, alternative, approach. Based on their level of legal awareness and legal identification, it distinguishes four different ‘normative profiles’: legalists, loyalists, cynics and outsiders. Moreover, the article shows how these normative profiles may be applied in future comparative studies on legal mobilisation and legal protest. It is concluded that combining both approaches will help us to look beyond common stereotypes and consider the critics of the justice system as real persons with genuine concerns about the administration of justice in their country.
Speaking across the divide: a Functional Grammar analysis of feminist and masculist reproductive rights rhetoric
Authors: Mandaglio Lia Alexandra
Published: February 2011

This article applies Systemic Functional Grammar and Critical Discourse Analysis to assess the linguistic choices of feminist and masculist reproductive rights rhetoric. It explains these methodologies and provides a discursive history of the reproductive rights movement. Publications of advocacy groups and the mass media are analysed as data of current rhetorical trends. These interpretations conclude that female-affirmative rhetoric offsets contemporary feminist efforts by marginalising men and excluding considerations of paternity. This article suggests that in solely emphasising women's procreative rights, such feminist rhetoric potentially renders women to the role of primary parental agent, reinforces traditional sex-stereotypes, and incites inter-sex antagonism.
Trade unions, democracy and power
Authors: Fudge Judy
Published: February 2011

Should the law support union recognition by employers? If so, what form should this legal support take? These are the questions that Alan Bogg addresses in his excellent monograph,The Democratic Aspects of Trade Union Recognition. His focus is New Labour's 1999 statutory recognition procedure for trade unions, which he situates within the historical context of the United Kingdom's distinctive approach to the relationship between labour law and the social practice of collective bargaining – aptly (and famously) named collective laissez-faire by Otto Kahn-Freund (1972). Combining political philosophy and legal analysis, Bogg argues for robust legal support for trade union recognition that preserves the autonomy of trade unions to determine their own constituency and recognises their distinctive power to strike. Inspired by the idea of deliberative democracy and an ethical commitment to freedom as non-domination, he argues that civic republicanism provides the best normative basis for trade union recognition procedures. He contrasts this normative framework with the rights-based individualism and state neutrality characteristic of the liberal approach, which, he argues, is embodied in the United States and Canadian versions of industrial pluralism. Bogg also demonstrates the ‘yawning chasm between New Labour's civic rhetoric and New Labour's liberal legal reform agenda’ (pp. 118–19) when it comes to trade union recognition procedures. He concludes by offering a series of proposals that would enhance union recognition and further the values of freedom as non-domination, democratic participation through deliberative democracy, and community.