bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CE with LED‐based detection: An update
Authors: Xiao Dan , Yan Lei , Yuan Hongyan , Zhao Shulin , Yang Xiupei , Choi Martin M. F.
Published: December 2008

CE detectors based on LEDs as light sources are attracting considerable attention and having increasing applications. They show excellent stable output with less energy consumption, have long lifetime, and are low‐cost, small in size, and able to work at various wavelengths. This review updates our last review article published in 2007 (Electrophoresis 2007, 28, 233–242) and focuses on the development and application of CE detectors based on LEDs reported in recent years. It describes the exciting new approaches and improved techniques. Three configurations of absorption and fluorescence detection techniques including right‐angle‐type, collinear‐type, and optical‐fiber fluorescence detector are introduced and compared. Lastly, it also discusses their applications and future perspectives in this field.
Use of near‐ and mid‐infrared spectroscopy to distinguish carbon and nitrogen originating from char and forest‐floor material in soils
Authors: Michel Kerstin , Terhoeven‐Urselmans Thomas , Nitschke Renate , Steffan Phillip , Ludwig Bernard
Published: December 2008

The presence of relatively inert organic materials such as char has to be considered in calibrations of soil C models or when calculating C‐turnover times in soils. Rapid and cheap spectroscopic techniques such as near‐infrared (NIRS) or mid‐infrared spectroscopy (MIRS) may be useful for the determination of the contents of char‐derived C in soils. To test the suitability of both spectroscopic techniques for this purpose, artificial mixtures of C‐free soil, char (lignite, anthracite, charcoal, or a mixture of the three coals) and forest‐floor Oa material were produced. The total C content of these mixtures (432 samples) ranged from 0.5% to 6% with a proportion of char‐derived C amounting to 0%, 20%, 40%, 50%, 60%, or 80%. All samples were scanned in the visible and near‐IR region (400–2500 nm). Cross‐validation equations for total C and N, C and N derived from char (Cchar, Nchar) and Oa material were developed using the whole spectrum (first and second derivative) and a modified partial least‐square regression method. Thirty‐six samples were additionally scanned in the middle‐IR and parts of the near‐IR region (7000–400 cm–1 which is 1430–25,000 nm) in the diffuse‐reflectance mode. All properties investigated were successfully predicted by NIRS as reflected by RSC values (ratio of standard deviation of the laboratory results to standard error of cross‐validation) > 4.3 and modeling efficiencies (EF) ≥ 0.98. Near‐infrared spectroscopy was also able to differentiate between the different coals. This was probably due to structural differences as suggested by wavelength assignment. Mid‐IR spectroscopy in the diffuse‐reflectance mode was also capable to successfully predict the parameters investigated. The EF values were > 0.9 for all constituents. Our results indicated that both spectroscopic techniques applied, NIRS and MIRS, are able to predict C and N derived from different sources in soil, if closed populations are considered.
Characterisation of carbonaceous materials using Raman spectroscopy: a comparison of carbon nanotube filters, single‐ and multi‐walled nanotubes, graphitised porous carbon and graphite
Authors: Heise H. M. , Kuckuk R. , Ojha A. K. , Srivastava A. , Srivastava V. , Asthana B. P.
Published: December 2008

Multi‐walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) filters have been recently synthesised which have specific molecular filtering capabilities and good mechanical strength. Optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals the formation of highly aligned arrays of bundles of carbon nanotubes having lengths up to 500 µm. The Raman spectra of this material along with four other carbonaceous materials, commercially available single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and MWCNTs, graphitised porous carbon (Carbotrap) and graphite have been recorded using two‐excitation wavelengths, 532 and 785 nm, and analysed for band positions and shape with special emphasis paid to the D‐, G‐ and G′‐bands. A major difference between the different MWCNT varieties analysed is that G‐bands in the MWCNT filters exhibit almost no dispersion, whereas the other MWCNTs show a noticeable dispersive behaviour with a change in the excitation wavelength. Spectral features similar to those of the MWCNT filter varieties were observed for the Carbotrap material. From the line shape analysis, the intensity ratio, ID/IG, of the more ordered MWCNT filter material using the integral G‐band turns out to be two times lower than that of the less ordered MWCNT filter product at both excitation wavelengths. This parameter can, therefore, be used as a measure of the degree of MWCNT alignment in filter varieties, which is well supported also by our SEM study. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Liquid‐phase microextraction by solidification of floating organic microdrop and GC‐MS detection of trihalomethanes in drinking water
Authors: Farahani Hadi , Norouzi Parviz , Dinarvand Rassoul , Ganjali Mohammad Reza
Published: December 2008

A simple and sensitive methodology based on liquid‐phase microextraction (LPME) followed by GC‐MS, was developed for the determination of trihalomethanes (THMs) in drinking water. A microdrop of organic solvent was floated on the surface of the aqueous sample and it was agitated for a desired time. Then, the sample vial was cooled by inserting it into an ice bath for 4 min. The solidified solvent was transferred into a suitable vial and immediately melted. The extract was directly injected into the GC. Microextraction efficiency factors were investigated and optimized: 7 μL 1‐undecanol microdrop exposed for 15 min floated on the surface of a 10.0 mL aqueous sample with the temperature of 60°C containing 3 M of NaCl and stirred at 750 rpm. Under the selected conditions, enrichment factors (EFs) up to 482‐fold, LOD of 0.03–0.08 μg/L (S/N = 3) and dynamic linear ranges of 0.10–100 μg/L were obtained. A reasonable repeatability (RSD < 8.6%, n = 8) with satisfactory linearity (r2 ⪈ 0.9947) of results illustrated a good performance of the present method. The protocol proved to be rapid, cost‐effective, and is a green procedure for the screening purposes.
Extraction of antioxidants from plants using ultrasonic methods and their antioxidant capacity
Authors: Adam Martin , Dobiáš Petr , Eisner Aleš , Ventura Karel
Published: December 2008

The analytical method based on the HPLC coupled with UV detection (HPLC‐UV) for the determination of selected antioxidants (i.e. esculetin, scopoletin, 7‐hydroxycoumarine, rutin, xanthotoxin, 5‐methoxypsoralen and quercetin) in plant material was developed. Two ultrasonic extraction methods for the isolation of these compounds from the plants such as Mentha longifolia L., Mentha spicata L., Ruta graveolens L., Achyllea millefolium L., Plantago lanceolata L. and Coriandrum sativum L. were used. Both of these methods, i.e. ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic bath, were optimised and compared to each other. For the proposed HPLC‐UV method LOQ values in the range from 22.7 (xanthotoxin) up to 97.2 ng/mL (rutin) were obtained. For all extracts the antioxidant capacity based on the reduction of free 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical was also determined. Obtained results ranged from 10.11 up to 73.50% of DPPH radical inhibition.
Preparative isolation of pseudolaric acids A and B, and their glucosides from the root bark of Pseudolarix kaempferi using high‐speed counter‐current chromatography
Authors: Han Quan‐Bin , Wong Lina , Lai Fanny , Yang Nian‐Yun , Song Jing‐Zheng , Qiao Chun‐Feng , Xu Hong‐Xi
Published: December 2008

In order to provide the chemical markers for the quality control of herbal medicines, four diterpenoids, pseudolaric acids A and B (PAA and PAB), and their glucosides were isolated from the methanol extract of the Chinese herb Pseudolarix kaempferi using high‐speed counter‐current chromatography (HSCCC). The diphase solvent system was n‐hexane/EtOAc/MeOH/H2O which was used at two ratios (5:5:5:5 and 1:9:4:6 by volume) in the separation of pseudolaric acids and their glycosides, respectively. As a result, PAA (14 mg), PAB (129 mg), PAA‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (8 mg, PAAG), and PAB‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (42 mg, PABG) were obtained from 0.5 g of the crude extract. Their purities were determined to be above 97% by HPLC analysis. Their chemical structures were confirmed by 1H and 13C NMR analysis or HPLC comparison with the reference compounds.
Hilbert spaces expanded with a unitary operator
Authors: Argoty Camilo , Berenstein Alexander
Published: December 2008

We study Hilbert spaces expanded with a unitary operator with a countable spectrum. We show that the theory of such a structure is ω ‐stable and admits quantifier elimination. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
On the category of hyper MV‐algebras
Authors: Ghorbani Shokoofeh , Eslami Esfandiar , Hasankhani Abbas
Published: December 2008

In this paper we study the category of hyper MV‐algebras and we prove that it has a terminal object and a coequalizer. We show that Jia's construction can be modified to provide a free hyper MV‐algebra by a set. We use this to show that in the category of hyper MV‐algebras the monomorphisms are exactly the one‐to‐one homomorphisms. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Turning decision procedures into disprovers
Authors: Rognes André
Published: December 2008

A class of many‐sorted polyadic set algebras is introduced. These generalise structure and model in a way that is relevant in regards to the Entscheidungsproblem and to automated reasoning.

A downward Löwenheim‐Skolem property is shown in that each satisfiable finite conjunction of purely relational first‐order prenex sentences has a finite generalised model. This property does, together with a construction related to doubling the size of a finite structure, provide several strict generalisations of the strategy of finite model search for disproving. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Dietary exposure to total and toxic arsenic in Belgium: Importance of arsenic speciation in North Sea fish
Authors: Baeyens Willy , Gao Yue , De Galan Sandra , Bilau Maaike , Van Larebeke Nicolas , Leermakers Martine
Published: December 2008

Total and toxic (sum of As(III), As(V), monomethylarsenic (MMA), and dimethylarsenic (DMA)) As concentrations were assessed in 19 respectively 4 different fish and shellfish species from the North Sea. Following results were obtained: (i) for fish an average total As concentration of 12.8 μg/g ww and a P90 value of 30.6 μg/g ww; (ii) for shellfish an average total As concentration of 21.6 μg/g ww and a P90 value of 40.0 μg/g ww; (iii) for fish an average toxic As concentration of 0.132 μg/g ww and a P90 value of 0.232 μg/g ww; (iv) for shellfish an average toxic As concentration of 0.198 μg/g ww and a P90 value of 0.263 μg/g ww. For the Belgian consumer the average daily intake of total arsenic from fish, shellfish, fruit, and soft drinks (the main food carriers of As in Belgium) amounts to 285 μg/day with more than 95% coming from fish and shellfish, while for a high level consumer it amounts to 649 μg/day, more than twice the average value. Using the same daily consumption pattern for the selected food products as for total As, we find that the average daily intake of toxic As amounts to 5.8 μg/day, with a 50% contribution of fish and shellfish and the high level intake to 9.5 μg/day. When considering the FOA/WHO Expert Committee's recommendation for inorganic As intake of 2 μg/kg bw/day or 140 μg/day for a 70 kg person, the toxic dose in Belgium is thus an order of magnitude lower.
Mycotoxins and the kidney: Modes of action for renal tumor formation by ochratoxin A in rodents
Authors: Mally Angela , Dekant Wolfgang
Published: December 2008

The mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA) is a potent renal carcinogen in rodents. OTA is only slowly eliminated due to high affinity to plasma proteins and inefficient biotransformation. A number of mechanisms have been proposed to account for renal tumor formation. DNA adduct formation, mainly based on the32P‐postlabeling assay, was postulated as a mode of action (MoA). However, studies using radiolabeled OTA or MS failed to demonstrate formation of OTA‐derived DNA‐adducts. While some studies have demonstrated generation of oxidative stress by OTA, the oxidative stress response appears to be not very pronounced and therefore may not explain the high potency of OTA in rodents. A number of recent investigations support the hypothesis that OTA causes disruption of mitosis resulting in blocked or asymmetric cell division. This may present an increased risk of aneuploidy acquisition and may play a critical role in OTA‐induced tumor formation. The absence of DNA‐adducts derived from OTA supports a thresholded MoA, and a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 120 ng OTA/kg bw has been derived by the European Food Safety Authority. The estimated intake of OTA in Europe is below this TWI for most of the population.
Anthocyanins as lipoxygenase inhibitors
Authors: Knaup Bastian , Oehme Anett , Valotis Anagnostis , Schreier Peter
Published: December 2008

Health benefits associated with diets rich in anthocyanins are ascribed to multilevel biological activities including antioxidative and anti‐inflammatory effects. The present study addresses lipoxygenase inhibition as a mechanism by which anthocyanins may exert health promoting effects. The inhibitory potential of delphinidin (Dp), cyanidin (Cy), peonidin (Pn), and malvidin (Mv) glycosides, i.e., 3‐O‐glucosides, 3‐O‐galactosides, and 3‐O‐arabinosides as well as their aglycons was analyzed by using soybean lipoxygenase‐1 and human neutrophil granulocyte 5‐lipoxygenase. The determined IC50 values comprised a wide range, i.e., from the sub‐μM level until practically no effect of inhibition (Mv and its glycosides). With IC50 values of 0.43 and 0.49 μM Dp 3‐O‐glucoside (Dp3glc) and Dp 3‐O‐galactoside (Dp3gal) were found to be the most effective soybean lipoxygenase‐1 inhibitors; their strong inhibitory potential was also reflected by the IC50 values determined for these anthocyanins in the 5‐lipoxygenase inhibition exhibiting 2.15 and 6.9 μM, respectively. As to the mechanism of inhibition, experiments carried out with lipoxygenase‐1 revealed the uncompetitive type. Considering the powerful inhibitory properties of Dp glycosides in relation to their currently known availability in human metabolism, in vivo prevention of inflammatory diseases by these anthocyanins could be envisaged.
Effect of Ce4+ pretreatment on swelling properties of cellulosic superabsorbents
Authors: Kim Byoung‐Suhk , Mun Sung‐Phil
Published: December 2008

Cellulosic superabsorbents are prepared by pretreating the wood pulp (WP) with Ce4+ initiator, followed by the graft copolymerization of acrylamide (AM) monomer onto Ce4+‐pretreated WP (Ce4+ · WP) in acidic medium and in the presence of N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBAM) cross‐linker. The rate of AM copolymerization of Ce4+ · WP is significantly faster than that of the untreated WP. The obtained polyAM (PAM)‐grafted cellulosic copolymers (PAM‐g‐Ce4+ · WP copolymers) are alkaline‐hydrolyzed to produce the water‐absorbents. As PAM grafting yield increases, the absorbency increases rapidly and reaches the maximum value at a yield of 210–240%. The maximum water and saline absorbencies are around 2500 and 50 g g−1, respectively. The optimum feed concentration of Ce4+ pretreatment on the maximum water and saline absorbencies is 5.0 × 10−3 mol L−1. The water and saline absorbencies of the PAM‐g‐Ce4+ · WP water‐absorbents are remarkably higher in comparison with that of the untreated WP (with a similar grafting yield) due to uniform PAM‐grafting onto Ce4+ · WP specimen. In addition, as the amount of cross‐linker increases, the grafting yield is not changed whereas the water and saline absorbencies are remarkably decreased. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hierarchy of the non‐covalent interactions in the alanine‐based secondary structures. DFT study of the frequency shifts and electron‐density features
Authors: Vener M. V. , Egorova A. N. , Fomin D. P. , Tsirelson V. G.
Published: December 2008

The alanine (Ala)‐based cluster models of C5, C7, and C10 H‐bonds are studied at the DFT/B3LYP level. CPMD/BLYP simulations of the infinite polyalanineα‐helix (C13 H‐bond) and the two‐strandedβ‐sheets are performed. Combined use of frequency shifts and electron‐density features enable us to detect and describe quantitatively the non‐covalent interactions (H‐bonds) defining the intrinsic properties of Ala‐based secondary structures. The energies of the primary NH$\cdots $O H‐bonds are decreasing in the following way: C13 > C5 ≥ C7 > C10. The energies of the secondary NH$\cdots $O, N−H$\cdots $N, and H$\cdots $H interactions are comparable to those of the primary H‐bonds (∼4.5 kcal/mol). Side chain–backbone CH$\cdots $O interaction is found to be the weakest non‐covalent interaction in the considered species. Its energy is ∼0.5 kcal/mol in the infinite polyalanineα‐helix. Quantum‐topological electron‐density analysis is found to be a powerful tool for the detection of secondary non‐covalent interactions (CO$\cdots $HC and H$\cdots $H) and bifurcated H‐bonds, while the frequency shift study is useful for the identification and characterization of primary or secondary H‐bonds of the NH$\cdots $O type. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simultaneous characterization of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and N‐oxides in Gynura segetum by liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry
Authors: Qi Xueyong , Wu Bin , Cheng Yiyu , Qu Haibin
Published: December 2008

Gynura segetum (Lour.) Merr. (Jusanqi) is a traditional herbal product used for hemostasis and detumescence in Chinese folk medicine. However, its hepatic toxicity should not be ignored. In this study, pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) and their corresponding N‐oxides (PANOs) were extracted from the whole plant of G. segetum and analyzed by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to ion trap mass spectrometry (ITMS). Identification of eluted peaks as PANOs was indicated by virtue of their MS and MSn analysis, in addition to the [M+H]+ adduct ion, characteristically showed a significant (usually 100% abundance) dimer adduct [2M+H]+ that is not observed in the MS of the parent PAs. A total of 20 compounds were identified or tentatively characterized based on their mass spectra and possible biosynthetic pathways, of which three PAs and one PANO, namely seneciphylline, senecionine, seneciphylline and seneciphyllinine N‐oxide, were unequivocally characterized, while other PAs and PANOs were tentatively assigned. Sixteen constituents were reported for the first time from G. segetum and tetrahydrosenecionine has not been previously reported as a natural product. Our results are the first comprehensive analysis of PAs and PANOs in G. segetum constituents and will be helpful for the quality control of the herb of G. segetum and its related preparations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Maple syrup urine disease due to a new large deletion at BCKDHA caused by non‐homologous recombination
Authors: Quental S. , Martins E. , Vilarinho L. , Amorim A. , João Prata M.
Published: December 2008

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a rare disorder of branched‐chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism caused by the defective function of branched‐chain α‐ketoacid dehydrogenase complex (BCKD). Many MSUD‐causing mutations have already been described in genes that encode the complex (BCKDHA, BCKDHB and DBT), but up to now only four large deletions are known, all located in the DBT gene. In a previous study we identified a Portuguese MSUD patient with a homozygous deletion of exons 2, 3 and 4 at the BCKDHA gene; however, the corresponding breakpoints and, consequently, the exact deletion extension were not identified. Here, using long‐range PCR and sequencing methodologies we were able to refine the characterization of this gross rearrangement. A genomic DNA loss of about 13.8 kb was detected, starting at intron 1 and ending at intron 4, thus encompassing exons 2, 3 and 4. Molecular characterization showed that the deletion junction contained a short sequence whose motif was CGGG. Since this motif is present in introns 1 and 4 of normal genomic DNA, we have hypothesized that non‐homologous recombination was the mechanism underlying the identified large deletion, within which the CGGG could be derived either from intron 1 or from intron 4.
Synthesis of Porous NiO and ZnO Submicro- and Nanofibers from Electrospun Polymer Fiber Templates
Authors: Qiu Yejun , Yu Jie , Zhou Xiaosong , Tan Cuili , Yin Jing
Published: December 2008

Porous nickel oxide (NiO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) submicro- and nanofibers were synthesized by impregnating electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber templates with corresponding metal nitrate aqueous solutions and subsequent calcination. The diameter of the NiO and ZnO fibers was closely related to that of the template fibers and larger diameters were obtained when using the template fibers with larger diameter. SEM results showed that the NiO and ZnO fibers have a large amount of pores with diameters ranging from 5 nm to 20 nm and 50 nm to 100 nm, respectively. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns testified that the obtained materials were NiO and ZnO with high purity.
Synthesis and Characterization of Core-shell ZrO2/PAAEM/PS Nanoparticles
Authors: Wang J , Shi TJ , Jiang XC
Published: December 2008

This work demonstrates the synthesis of core-shell ZrO2/PAAEM/PS nanoparticles through a combination of sol–gel method and emulsifier-free emulsion polymerizaiton. By this method, the modified nanometer ZrO2cores were prepared by chemical modification at a molecular level of zirconium propoxide with monomer of acetoacetoxyethylmethacrylate (AAEM), and then copolymerized with vinyl monomer to form uniform-size hybrid nanoparticles with diameter of around 250 nm. The morphology, composition, and thermal stability of the core-shell particles were characterized by various techniques including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermal-gravimetry analyzer (TGA). The results indicate that the inorganic–organic nanocomposites exhibit good thermal stability with the maximum decomposition temperature of ~447 °C. This approach would be useful for the synthesis of other inorganic–organic nanocomposites with desired functionalities.
Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO Nanorods and Nanodisks from Zinc Chloride Aqueous Solution
Authors: Long Tengfa , Yin Shu , Takabatake Kouta , Zhnag Peilin , Sato Tsugio
Published: December 2008

ZnO nanorods and nanodisks were synthesized by solution process using zinc chloride as starting material. The morphology of ZnO crystal changed greatly depending on the concentrations of Zn2+ion and ethylene glycohol (EG) additive in the solution. The effect of thermal treatment on the morphology was investigated. Photocatalytic activities of plate-like Zn5(OH)8Cl2 · H2O and rod-like ZnO were characterized. About 18% of 1 ppm NO could be continuously removed by ZnO particles under UV light irradiation.
The Heavens Inscribed: the instrumental poetry of the Virgin in early modern France
Authors: WINTROUB MICHAEL
Published: December 2008

The expert in the early modern period was frequently looked upon with suspicion. Though expertise was associated with specialized knowledge and skill, it was also associated with cunning, deception and social climbing. Indeed, such knowledge threatened well-defined and time-honoured social and disciplinary boundaries. This was certainly the case with practical mathematics, which was considered by many to be an inferior grade of knowledge, especially when compared with natural philosophy and theology. This spawned numerous attempts to elevate the status of practical mathematics and to lend legitimacy to its practitioners. This article focuses on one such attempt, that of an early sixteenth-century French cosmographer–explorer–poet named Pierre Crignon. Crignon participated in voyages of exploration and was renowned as a cosmographer and navigator, but his contemporaries perhaps best knew him as a poet. The paper examines how Crignon attempted to bring together and legitimate the disparate forms of his expertise as a navigator, cosmographer, humanist poet and theologian through the multivalent medium of his poetry, and in particular through a poem comparing the Virgin Mary to the astrolabe.
Gut microbiota and pregnancy, a matter of inner life
Authors: Cani Patrice D.
Published: December 2008

More than a century ago, two Nobel Prizes in Physiology and Medicine were awarded to scientists who established the link between microbes and human health.
Inflammatory markers in a randomised soya intervention among men
Authors: Maskarinec Gertraud , Oum Robert , Chaptman Ann K. , Ognjanovic Simona
Published: December 2008

The present analysis investigated the effect of soya foods on serum levels of six inflammatory markers, leptin, adiponectin, monocyte attractant protein 1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1b (MIP-1b), IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), and their relationship with BMI and lifetime soya intake. We randomised twenty-four men to a high- (two daily servings with 30–35 mg isoflavones per serving) or a low-soya diet for 3 months. After a 1-month washout period, the men crossed over to the other treatment. We used a multiplex bead immunoassay to measure leptin, adiponectin, MCP-1 and MIP-1b and ELISA assays for IL-6 and CRP. The statistical analysis applied mixed models that incorporated the four repeated measurements. The men had a mean age of 58·7 (sd 7·2) years and a mean BMI of 28·4 (sd 4·9) kg/m2. We observed no significant intervention effect of the soya treatment on any of the six markers. After adjustment for age and ethnicity, highly significant associations of BMI and body weight with leptin and MCP-1 emerged. Men with high soya intake early in life also had higher levels of leptin and MCP-1, whereas no association was seen for soya intake during adulthood. MIP-1b, adiponectin, IL-6 and CRP were not related to BMI, body weight or soya intake at any time in life. No intervention effect of soya foods on markers of inflammation was observed in this small study, but adiposity and early-life soya intake were related to higher leptin and MCP-1 levels.
Redeeming Free Grace: Thomas Hooker and the Contested Language of Salvation
Authors: Parnham David
Published: December 2008

It was with a flourish of grace-borne optimism that Thomas Hooker opened his massive redaction of a career's worth of “preparationist” theology, the posthumously publishedApplication of Redemption. The sermons in which this two-volume work consists were published in London in 1656, under the editorial direction of the Independent divines Thomas Goodwin and Philip Nye, but had been preached in New England in the aftermath of the “free-grace controversy” of the mid-1630s and rewritten by Hooker in the 1640s in order to “refine and expand” his previous explications of soul work. Setting concerned sights upon old England's luxuriant antinomian problem, Goodwin and Nye turned to Hooker, late of Chelmsford and Connecticut, in hopes that a strong dose of spiritual discipline might restore moral order to a disordered land. The God of the preparationists, it has been remarked, contributed centrally to an “emerging culture of stamina and rigor”; by the 1650s, however, the God who made his orderly favors known “by a long procession of hints, of interpretable suggestions” had relinquished the reins of moral control. None was better qualified than Hooker to interrogate fault for the sake of the regaining of favor.
Challenges in the study of causation of obesity
Authors: Sørensen Thorkild I. A.
Published: December 2008

Use of the energy balance equation for understanding the causation of obesity is discussed. Its basis on the thermodynamic laws is expressed in mathematical models for body-weight changes. Only a very small net energy surplus per time unit constitutes the energy deposition during weight gain, making measurements of its components difficult. The physical laws provide exact quantitative relationships between energy intake, energy expenditure and deposition of energy, but cannot disentangle the initiating and driving forces of the energy imbalance, which may also be an active storage of fat in adipose tissue. These and various other limitations of the energy balance model warrant cautiousness in using the model in studies of obesity causation. Weight gain may be self-promoting and mathematical feedback models allowing estimation of such effects show that they are realistic. Predisposition and susceptibility should be distinguished, and susceptibility as a modifiable predisposition, the genetic and environmental contribution to predisposition and its usefulness as targets for prevention and treatment are discussed. Current progress in unravelling genetic predisposition, the complex genetically-determined mechanisms, the slower progress in unravelling the environmental influences, the different nature of genetic and environmental influences, the possible pathways of environmental influences and the environmental influences as mediators of genetic effects are addressed. The evidence behind the prevailing concept of the ‘obesogenic’ environment is critically analysed. Finally, particular opportunities for the identification of the causes of the obesity epidemic by detailed analysis of an observed irregular development of the epidemic over long time periods are presented, and evidence for predisposition as a result of postnatal environmental influences is inferred from these studies.
Session 4: Challenges facing the food industry in innovating for health Regulatory challenges and opportunities for food innovation
Authors: Binns Nino
Published: December 2008

The primary role of the extensive and complex modern food legislation is to protect the consumer. Providing a framework for industry and enabling free trade are secondary aims. In the EU the 2006 Regulation on nutrition and health claims made on foods was adopted in December 2006. This Regulation defines detailed lists of permitted claims with precise conditions, requires foods making claims to meet specific nutrient profiles and requires the submission of a dossier for approval of new health claims. Nutrient profiles and an initial list of existing health claims will not be agreed until January 2009 and January 2010 respectively. The uncertainty about profiles and the initial list of claims as well as the prescriptive nature of the Regulation will have a major impact, some negative but some positive, on food innovation. Worldwide legislation on nutrition and health claims continues to develop. The current paper also provides an outline of some other key pieces of European legislation that affect food innovation. However, currently, all this legislation remains in development and up-to-date information can be sought from the reference material provided.
Parasitic helminths: a pharmacopeia of anti-inflammatory molecules
Authors: JOHNSTON M. J. G. , MacDONALD J. A. , McKAY D. M.
Published: December 2008

Infection with parasitic helminths takes a heavy toll on the health and well-being of humans and their domestic livestock, concomitantly resulting in major economic losses. Analyses have consistently revealed bioactive molecules in extracts of helminths or in their excretory/secretory products that modulate the immune response of the host. It is our view that parasitic helminths are an untapped source of immunomodulatory substances that, in pure form, could become new drugs (or models for drug design) to treat disease. Here, we illustrate the range of immunomodulatory molecules in selected parasitic trematodes, cestodes and nematodes, their impact on the immune cells in the host and how the host may recognize these molecules. There are many examples of the partial characterization of helminth-derived immunomodulatory molecules, but these have not yet translated into new drugs, reflecting the difficulty of isolating and fully characterizing proteins, glycoproteins and lipid-based molecules from small amounts of parasite material. However, this should not deter the investigator, since analytical techniques are now being used to accrue considerable structural information on parasite-derived molecules, even when only minute quantities of tissue are available. With the introduction of methodologies to purify and structurally-characterize molecules from small amounts of tissue and the application of high throughput immunological assays, one would predict that an assessment of parasitic helminths will yield a variety of novel drug candidates in the coming years.
Geological records of changes in wind regime over south Greenland since the Medieval Warm Period: a tentative reconstruction
Authors: Kuijpers Antoon , Mikkelsen Naja
Published: December 2008

Published marine sediment core records and new information from terrestrial aeolian deposits from the surroundings of Igaliku Fjord, south Greenland, have been used for a tentative reconstruction of multi-decadal to centennial scale changes in the intensity of regional atmospheric circulation since the Medieval Warm Period. The marine data show that aeolian activity over southern Greenland was generally enhanced in the Medieval Warm Period between c. AD 900 and c. AD 1300. The preliminary data from the onshore aeolian deposits suggest that wind activity was strongest after AD 1000, reaching a peak close to AD 1300, after which atmospheric circulation intensity decreased. A comparison with the marine data shows that this decrease coincides with increased advection of Polar Water by the East Greenland Current at the beginning of the Little Ice Age. The aeolian sediment record suggests foehn wind activity displaying multi-decadal oscillations in the range of known north Atlantic climate oscillations. The intensity of erosional processes in south Greenland has previously often been attributed to farming activities initiated after AD 1000 by the Norse who disappeared a few hundred years later. Our findings suggest, however, that erosion in this area is mainly related to marked variations in wind strength.
Distribution of androdioecious and hermaphroditic populations of the mangrove Laguncularia racemosa (Combretaceae) in Florida and the Bahamas
Authors: Landry Carol L. , Rathcke Beverly J. , Kass Lee B.
Published: December 2008

The breeding system of Laguncularia racemosa is variable among populations; some populations are androdioecious while other populations lack male plants. To determine whether androdioecy is widespread in L. racemosa, 65 populations were surveyed in Florida and the Bahamas. Fruits are water-dispersed, so the observed distribution of breeding systems was compared to local and regional water currents in order to determine whether dispersal could be important to the maintenance of male plants in androdioecious populations. Twenty-two of the 36 populations surveyed in Florida were androdioecious, with male frequencies that ranged from 1–68%. On the Florida east coast, all populations north of latitude 26°30′ N lacked males while all populations south of this latitude were androdioecious, which suggests that northern populations may lack males due to dispersal limitation. The pattern of distribution on the Florida west coast suggests that males may be maintained in some populations via dispersal. Nine islands in north-central Bahamas were surveyed, and androdioecious populations were found only on San Salvador Island, where male frequencies ranged from 5–28%. Dispersal, fragmentation, and selection hypotheses are suggested to explain the observed pattern of distribution; these hypotheses will be tested in future studies.
Pollination ecology and breeding system ofOroxylum indicum(Bignoniaceae) in the foothills of the Western Himalaya
Authors: Vikas  , Gautam Mayank , Tandon Rajesh , Mohan Ram H. Y.
Published: December 2008

Bat-pollinated (chiropterophilous) flowers are characterized by a wide-throated corolla, foetid odour, production of a copious amount of pollen and nectar, and most importantly nocturnal blooming (Faegri & van der Pijl 1979). In India, out of the 28 chiropterophilous plants reported (Subramanya & Radhamani 1993) onlyCeiba pentandra(Bombacaceae) has been investigated in some detail (Nathanet al. 2005).
The impact of forest conversion to oil palm on arthropod abundance and biomass in Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Turner Edgar C. , Foster William A.
Published: December 2008

Deforestation rates in South-East Asia are among the highest of any tropical region, with expansion of oil palm being one important factor. Despite this, few studies have investigated the impact of oil palm expansion on the arthropod fauna. We report here the first study on the impact of forest conversion to oil palm on overall arthropod abundance, biomass and composition. We compared arthropod abundance and biomass, collected from epiphytic bird's nest ferns, the canopy, and leaf litter between primary forest, logged forest and oil palm plantation. Epiphytes, canopy and litter all contained a lower abundance (epiphytes: 67.2%, canopy: 2.3% and litter: 77.1% reduction) and biomass (epiphytes: 87.5%, canopy: 37.9% and litter: 72.4% reduction) of arthropods in oil palm compared with primary forest. However, not all orders of arthropods showed the same level of decline, with some groups having higher abundance and biomass in oil palm, resulting in an altered community composition in the epiphytes and canopy in oil palm compared with forest. Our results show that forest conversion to oil palm impacts detrimentally on invertebrates in all compartments of the forest ecosystem.
The savanna treeAcacia polyacanthafacilitates the establishment of riparian forests in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Authors: Sharam Gregory J. , Sinclair A. R. E. , Turkington Roy , Jacob Aerin L.
Published: December 2008

Forests are being converted to grasslands and croplands across Africa and natural regeneration of forests is typically poor. In Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, the savanna tree speciesAcacia polyacanthaestablished in riparian grasslands and forest trees subsequently established within these stands. We examined the conditions for establishment of: (1)A. polyacanthaand (2) riparian (non-Acacia) forests. Fire was excluded from three grassland areas for 5 y allowingA. polyacanthato establish during 1999 when dry-season rainfall was high. The seedlings of forest tree species did not establish in grasslands, but were found in largeA. polyacanthastands (> 0.3 ha) with reduced grass cover (< 10%), higher cover of herbs (> 80%) and thorny shrubs (> 90%). Seeding survival was high in large stands (0.87 y−1), but declined in artificial canopy gaps due to the ingrowth of grasses (0.21 y−1) and subsequent fires (0.07 y−1). Shrub removal also reduced seedling survival (0.46 y−1) due to browsing by antelope. We propose that: (1)A. polyacanthaestablishes in pulses perhaps as infrequently as twice per century, and (2) riparian forests in Serengeti have established via facilitation under larger stands where shade excludes grass, and therefore fires and thorny shrubs exclude browsers.
Activation of syllable units during visual recognition of French words in Grade 2
Authors: CHETAIL FABIENNE , MATHEY STEPHANIE
Published: December 2008

The aim of the study was to investigate the syllable activation hypothesis in French beginning readers. Second graders performed a lexical decision task in which bisyllabic words were presented in two colours that either matched the syllable boundaries or not. The data showed that the children were sensitive to syllable match and to syllable complexity. In addition, good readers were slowed down while poor readers were speeded up by syllable match. These findings suggest that syllables are functional units of lexical access in children and that syllable activation is influenced by reading level.
An approach to estimate the number of SARS cases imported by international air travel
Authors: GOUBAR A. , BITAR D. , CAO W. C. , FENG D. , FANG L. Q. , DESENCLOS J. C.
Published: December 2008

The worldwide spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) raised questions about the risk of importation of such infection, in particular by air travel. Entry screening was implemented in some countries although poor evidence on its effectiveness is reported. We developed a model to estimate the number of imported SARS cases between regions, using the 2003 SARS epidemic data to apply this model for two scenarios: from Beijing to Frankfurt and from Hong Kong to London. We back-calculated the data to estimate individuals’ time of infection and built a model where every individual has a probability of being isolated, of traveling, and of being undetected at arrival. The findings, consistent with what was observed in 2003, suggest that entry screening does not affect the predicted number of imported cases. Inversely, importation depends on the transmission dynamic in the country of origin (including control measures in place) and on the intensity of air travel between regions.
Measuring the insulating ability of anisotropic thermal conductors via principal Dirichlet eigenvalue
Authors: ROSENCRANS STEVE , WANG XUEFENG , WINTER WILLIAM , ZHAO SHAN
Published: December 2008

We consider the thermal insulation property of homogeneous anisotropically heat-conducting bodies, i.e. those whose thermal tensor (matrix) A is constant throughout the body but not generally a constant times the identity. This anisotropy is a common feature of nano-composite materials. We propose using the principal Dirichlet eigenvalue λ of the associated elliptic differential operator −∇ ⋅ A∇ as a simple measurement for the insulating ability of the material, because the time scale of thermal flow is of the order of 1/λ. 1/λ is a generalization of the ‘R-value’ used in engineering practice as a measure of the insulating ability of isotropic conductors. If the thermal tensor A depends on parameters, e.g. inherited from nanostructure, then so does λ. It is important to know how λ depends on the parameters. For the material to be a good insulator, λ should be suppressed. But calculation or estimation of this principal elliptic eigenvalue, particularly over ranges of parameter values, is not a simple task. The focus of this paper is estimation – by fitted formulas and new exact bounds – of the principal elliptic Dirichlet eigenvalue of ellipses (2D) and ellipsoids (3D) using only simple expressions in the eigenvalues of the matrix A. Our simplest approximations and bounds avoid even the calculation of matrix eigenvalues and use in 2D merely the trace and determinant of A, and in 3D the trace and determinant of A and the trace of A2. The new bounds are shown to imply an extremal property in homogenization theory and a new condition for enhancement in Taylor dispersion. Recently, Zheng, Forest, Lipton, Zhou and Wang published formulas for the thermal tensor A in the case of strong extensional fiber-type flow of a polymer with dilute rod-like nano-inclusions, including explicitly the influence of the probability distribution of inclusion orientation. Our results are combined with these formulas to quantify the effect of variations of the probability distribution on the insulating ability of the composite.
Gait, aging and dementia
Authors: Haworth Judy MA
Published: December 2008

Cognitive impairment has been recognized as a risk factor for falls and for increasing the severity of injury following a fall, but the mechanisms by which cognitive impairment influences gait and postural control have been unclear. A recent report that galantamine improves gait parameters in older adults may help to untangle this.
‘KNOWABLE’ AS ‘KNOWN AFTER AN ANNOUNCEMENT’
Authors: BALBIANI PHILIPPE , BALTAG ALEXANDRU , DITMARSCH HANS VAN , HERZIG ANDREAS , HOSHI TOMOHIRO , DE LIMA TIAGO
Published: December 2008

Public announcement logic is an extension of multiagent epistemic logic with dynamic operators to model the informational consequences of announcements to the entire group of agents. We propose an extension of public announcement logic with a dynamic modal operator that expresses what is true after any announcement: ⋄φ expresses that there is a truthful announcement ψ after which φ is true. This logic gives a perspective on Fitch's knowability issues: For which formulas φ, does it hold that φ → ⋄Kφ? We give various semantic results and show completeness for a Hilbert-style axiomatization of this logic. There is a natural generalization to a logic for arbitrary events.
Coastal Acidification by Rivers:A Threat to Shellfish?
Authors: Salisbury Joseph , Green Mark , Hunt Chris , Campbell Janet
Published: December 2008

Increasing atmospheric CO2 is likely to cause a corresponding increase in oceanic acidity by lowering pH by 0.20.5 pH units by the end of the 21st century [Royal Society, 2005]. In light of increasing acidity, there are growing concerns about the future health of a variety of marine organisms, particularly shellfish, which in the United States is a $1.6 billion industry.

Shellfish predominantly inhabit coastal regions, and in addition to the projected stress caused by the global trend in ocean acidification, some coastal ecosystems receive persistent or episodic acid inputs as a result of interactions with river water, bottom sediments, or atmospheric deposition of terrigenous materials. Most river plumes are acidic relative to the receiving ocean, and river water is mixed extensively over the continental shelf. Moreover, the chemical nature and magnitude of discharge are changing rapidly due to climate change and land‐use practices.
Science Teacher Training: The Role of Universities
Authors: Nyman Matthew W. , Ellwein Amy L. , McFadden Les M. , Geissman John W.
Published: December 2008

An increasing number of geoscience departments are recognizing the need to assume a larger role in facets of public education. The role of geoscience departments in the preparation and professional development of K‐12 science teachers is particularly critical and meaningful, and it merges with other fundamental missions within universities. The importance of geoscience content for teachers and the general public is evident in the numerous Earth science—related public policy issues gaining ever increasing attention, including global climate change, energy, and water resources. Also, Earth science is not only included in science content education standards, but it is also interesting to students and provides an important gateway to foster interest in science in general.
Role of Ice Dynamics in the Sea Ice Mass Balance
Authors: Hutchings Jennifer , Geiger Cathleen , Roberts Andrew , Richter‐Menge Jacqueline , Doble Martin , Forsberg Rene , Giles Katharine , Haas Christian , Hendricks Stefan , Khambhamettu Chandra , Laxon Seymour , Martin Torge , Pruis Matthew , Thomas Mani , Wadhams Peter , Zwally H. Jay
Published: December 2008

Over the past decade, the Arctic Ocean and Beaufort Sea ice pack has been less extensive and thinner than has been observed during the previous 35 years [e.g., Wadhams and Davis, 2000; Tucker et al., 2001; Rothrock et al., 1999; Parkinson and Cavalieri, 2002; Comiso, 2002]. During the summers of 2007 and 2008, the ice extents for both the Beaufort Sea and the Northern Hemisphere were the lowest on record. Mechanisms causing recent sea ice change in the Pacific Arctic and the Beaufort Sea are under investigation on many fronts [e.g., Drobot and Maslanik, 2003; Shimada et al., 2006]; the mechanisms include increased ocean surface warming due to Pacific Ocean water inflow to the region and variability in meteorological and surface conditions. However, in most studies addressing these events, the impact of sea ice dynamics, specifically deformation, has not been measured in detail.