bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CHEMICAL COMPONENTS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF THE VOLATILE OIL FROMCASSIA TORAL. SEED PREPARED BY SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION
Authors: ZHANG YUNFENG , WEI DONG , GUO SIYUAN , ZHANG XUEWU , WANG MINGFU , CHEN FENG
Published: November 2007

The seed ofCassia toraL. has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for a long time and it is also an herbal tea in China. In this research, its volatile oil was recovered by employing supercritical fluid extraction using carbon dioxide and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC‐mass spectrometry. The main components of the volatile oil were elucidated as (Z,Z)‐9,12‐octadecadienoic acid (26.74%), oleic acid (24.15%),n‐hexadecanoic acid (13.99%), chrysophanol (7.26%), (E)‐9‐octadecenoic acid (4.52%) and octadecanoic acid (4.44%). This volatile oil was characterized by a high content of aliphatic acids (75.90%) and anthraquinones (7.26%). In the antioxidant assays, the volatile oil fromC. toraL. seed demonstrated 2,2′‐diphenyl‐1‐picryhydrazyl radical‐scavenging activity in the concentration range from 20 to 500 µg/mL, with the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value at 137 µg/mL; it also showed a significant inhibitory effect against hydroxyl radicals with an IC50value of 67 µg/mL, lower than that of quercetin (IC50 = 8.15 µg/mL), but superior to that of 4‐terpineol (IC50 = 87.5 µg/mL). The observed antioxidant activity of this volatile oil is probably caused by the presence of high levels of chrysophanol and, possibly, (Z,Z)‐9,12‐octadecadienoic acid.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Juemingzi, the seeds of the legumeCassia toraL., is an important medicinal plant and has been used for over thousands years in China. The water extract from whole plants ofC. toraL. shows strong antioxidative activity, but no report was found on the antioxidant activities of the volatile oil fromC. toraL. seed. We estimate that some components with strong antioxidant activity are volatile ingredients in the seeds, and they will be valued highly on the treatment of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, oculopathy and inflammatory disease. So the components and antioxidative activities of the volatile oil fromC. toraL. seeds were examined, in the hope that the volatile oil could be used as a potential fat‐soluble antioxidant in functional foods or medicines.
EFFICACY OF SOUR WHEY AS A SHELF‐LIFE ENHANCER: USE IN ANTIOXIDATIVE EDIBLE COATINGS OF CUT VEGETABLES AND FRUIT*
Authors: SHON JINHAN , HAQUE ZAHUR U.
Published: November 2007

The effectiveness of edible coatings containing sour whey powder (SWP), compared with soy protein isolate (SPI) and calcium caseinate (CC), in reducing oxidative browning and moisture loss during storage (4C) of cut apples, potatoes, carrots, and onions was investigated. Oxidative discoloration, as determined by the Commission Internationale de I'Eclairage L*a*b* color scale, was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) by treatments over a storage time of 120 min. Loss of lightness was reduced by CC, SPI and SWP coatings. These respectively showed 2.7, 3.3 and 1.5% change of L* value in coated apples as compared with 7.4% in the control. Browning in cut potatoes was significantly reduced from a 145.1% increase in the a* value of the control to 45.9, 37.0 and 30.3% increase for CC, SPI and SWP treatments, respectively. The b* values also reflected the effectiveness of SWP. The moisture barrier effect, tested over a period of 5 days at 4C, was significantly better for the treatments than control. SWP was the best and significantly reduced moisture loss in potatoes and carrots by 40 and 59%, respectively, over control. Cut onions did not show any treatment effect both in terms of off‐color development and moisture loss. The reasons for the excellent moisture barrier and antioxidative property of SWP were discussed.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Oxidative degradation of fresh fruits and vegetables is a major problem faced by the industry today. Most of the fresh produce is grown in the southwestern part of the country, requiring days of transportation to retail outlets. As the educated consumer is highly health conscious, any effort in extending the shelf life will have to be nonchemical, and preferably natural. Because of small profit margins, the intervention must also be inexpensive. Millions of MT of sour whey, a by‐product of cottage whey manufacture, is wasted because of the lack of appropriate food applications. It is natural, nutritious and presently very inexpensive. Our research investigated the possibility of using this by‐product as a final wash to enhance the so‐called window of freshness of fresh produce and fruit.
THE EFFECT OF PRETREATMENT OF SHREDDED CELERIAC USING SOLUTIONS OF ENZYMATIC BROWNING INHIBITORS ON THE QUALITY OF MINIMALLY PROCESSED PRODUCT
Authors: ELŻBIETA RADZIEJEWSKA‐KUBZDELA , JANUSZ CZAPSKI , KATARZYNA CZACZYK
Published: November 2007

The study investigated the effect of soaking celeriac flakes in solutions containing various concentrations of enzymatic browning inhibitors on the quality of stored minimally processed product. Ascorbic acid (0.2–0.5%), 4‐hexylresorcinol (0.003–0.01%), sodium chloride (0.1–0.5%) and sodium lactate (2–3%) were used as browning inhibitors.

On the basis of the conducted tests, it was found that among the applied browning inhibitors, only ascorbic acid had an advantageous effect on the quality of stored celeriac flakes. Along with an increase in its concentration in the solution (0.2–0.5%) used for the pretreatment of the flakes, the value of color parameter a* decreased, while the value of parameter b* increased. At the concentration of ascorbic acid in the solution exceeding 0.25%, flake color in the sensory examination was evaluated as desirable. An increase of ascorbic acid concentration in the solution in the range from 0.2 to 0.4% resulted in a decrease in the total mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria counts, respectively, by 3 and 1 log cfu/g of the stored product.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Minimal processing of celeriac provides convenience for consumers and many economic benefits for producers. Minimal processing of celeriac can induce disadvantageous changes in tissue, which may lead to darkening of the flakes and deterioration of product sensory attributes. Moreover, shredded raw material constitutes an excellent medium for the development of microorganisms. This article contains information about the effectiveness of enzymatic browning inhibitors for extending the shelf life of celeriac flakes. We show a range of concentrations of inhibitors, which improve the preservation of color, intrinsic taste and microbial quality of minimally processed celeriac.
PHYSICAL–CHEMICAL AND SENSORY QUALITY EVALUATION OF GARLIC CULTIVARS
Authors: PARDO JOSE EMILIO , ESCRIBANO JUAN , GÓMEZ RICARDO , ALVARRUIZ ANDRÉS
Published: November 2007

Physical–chemical quality of 14 garlic cultivars grown in Spain was analyzed, and the cultivars were classified into three types: purple, white and Chinese, in order to show the possible differences among them. The most useful instrumental color parameter to discriminate among the different types of garlic was lightness (L*). The high pH value of the purple‐type cultivar Moraluz, and the high content of d‐glucose, d‐fructose and total sugars of the Chinese‐type cultivars were quite remarkable. The consumer judges preferred the color and pungency of the purple‐type cultivar Morasol, while Chino Sprint stood out for its intense garlic odor. Finally, correlations between the physicochemical and the sensory parameters were studied. The red color intensity was correlated with lightness (L*) and with hue (h*); pH was correlated with chroma (C*) and moisture percentage was correlated with sucrose content.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

One of the main objectives of this work was to advise growers on the selection of garlic seed. The data obtained in this work was sent to a regional research and advising agronomic center (Technical Agronomic Institute, provincial council of Albacete), where advice was given to local growers concerning the selection of the most adequate seeds, in terms of physical– chemical properties and consumer preference, plus agronomic performance (data not included in this article). The conclusions reached in this study will make an important contribution to the agronomic characterization of the garlic cultivars grown in Spain.
EVALUATION OF PRODUCTIVITY AND POSTHARVEST QUALITY DURING STORAGE OF FIVE AGARICUS BISPORUS STRAINS
Authors: MANOLOPOULOU ELENI , PHILIPPOUSSIS ANTONIOS , LAMBRINOS GREGORY , DIAMANTOPOULOU PANAGIOTA
Published: November 2007

Five Agaricus bisporus commercial strains (S100, A15, F56, F40 and F62) were evaluated as regards their colonization rates, yields, quality characters and storability. Concerning their colonization performance, the mycelial growth rates examined in “race tubes” on sterile compost, as well as earliness in fructification did not differ significantly. Significantly lower was the yield of strain S100 compared to the yield of strains F62 and F56, which presented the greatest cumulative biological efficiency values. However, mushroom number and average weight presented negative relation. For the storage and quality study, mushrooms at the “closed‐cap” stage packaged in 500‐g plastic containers were stored for 5 days at 2C and 5 days at 18C (shelf life). The respiration behavior of the five strains was similar with the mass loss not exceeding 15% during storage at 2C and 40–50% at the end of the shelf life. Also, no differences in the whiteness and texture change were detected and a correlation between the period of pileus diameter increase and the respiration rate was found. According to their color and texture quality assessment, mushrooms deriving from the first four strains may be considered well acceptable at the end of the shelf life, whereas these from strain F62 just saleable.
DEVELOPMENT OF A BLENDED NONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMPOSED OF COCONUT WATER AND CASHEW APPLE JUICE CONTAINING CAFFEINE
Authors: DE CARVALHO JOELIA MARQUES , MAIA GERALDO ARRAES , DE FIGUEIREDO RAIMUNDO WILANE , DE BRITO EDY SOUSA , RODRIGUES SUELI
Published: November 2007

In this work, the stability of a blended beverage composed by coconut water and clarified cashew apple juice (“cajuina”) is presented. The physicochemical, microbiological and sensory stability of a blended nonalcoholic beverage composed of coconut water and cajuina (80:20 v/v) were evaluated during 6 months. The results showed that the beverage presented good stability in all analyzed parameters except for vitamin C, which presented a loss of about 80% of the initial content. The beverage color also presented changes during the storage time. Despite these alterations, the product acceptance during the storage period did not show any rejection.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The development of blended beverages is a good way of improving the nutritional quality of traditional products. By mixing two or more kinds of fruits, a product with more vitamins and minerals and with different sensory and flavor characteristics when compared to the raw materials is obtained. In the present work, coconut water and cashew apple juice were mixed to obtain a different product combining the nutritional components from both fruits. The blended beverage combines the high vitamin C content of the cashew apple juice with the high mineral level of the coconut water. Caffeine was also added conferring stimulating properties to the product. The product acceptance was evaluated by sensory analysis and presented good acceptance until 6 months of storage at room temperature, presenting the required characteristics for a commercial product.
PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND MINERAL CONTENT OF STRAWBERRIES GROWN IN SOIL AND SOILLESS SYSTEM
Authors: RECAMALES ÁNGELES F. , MEDINA JOSÉ LÓPEZ , HERNANZ DOLORES
Published: November 2007

The main characteristics related to the nutritional quality were investigated in strawberry fruit cultivated in soilless systems (open and closed system) using peat, composted cork and coconut fiber like organic substrates. The values of compounds such as ash, humidity, acidity (TA) and pH, starch, reducing sugars (SS), total soluble solids (TSS), and minerals (calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorous, nitrogen, copper, iron, zinc and manganese) were determined. The results obtained for all parameters were compared statistically with those of traditional cultivation. Significant differences were observed between open and closed system in cork and coconut fiber for TSS, SS and SS/TA ratio. Differences in N, P, Ca, Mg, Zn and water content between the fruits from open and closed system were observed in coconut fiber. The two crop system, soil and soilless, had significantly different N and P contents, pH, TSS, SS, and sugars/acids (SS/TA) ratio. The strawberries cultivated in soil show higher values of pH, Ca, Zn, Fe, P, N, SS, TSS and SS/TA ratio.

The discriminant functions that calculated applying discriminant analysis allow differentiation between the different groups of samples confirmed the role of minerals in the characterization of strawberries from different crop type using different systems or substrates.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Recently, soilless culture has known a strong development in the southern regions of Spain, France and Italy because of the phase out of methyl bromide. The interest in strawberry soilless culture is increasing every year, and the production area of strawberry soilless culture in Western Europe can be estimated around 1.270 ha. This article evaluates the chemical composition of strawberries cultivated in soilless system using several substrates. The results are important both for consumers who want to buy the best quality fruit, and for producers who want to develop sustainable production methods that increase the competitiveness of strawberry cultivation.
A RAPID POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION ASSAY FOR ENTEROBACTER SAKAZAKII DETECTION IN INFANT MILK FORMULAS
Authors: GUTIÉRREZ‐ROJO ROSALBA , TORRES‐CHAVOLLA EDITH
Published: November 2007

Enterobacter sakazakii is a cause of invasive infection with high mortality rates in neonates. In the present study, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the rapid detection of E. sakazakii in infant milk formulas was developed, using a set of primers designed from a region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The PCR detection limit was established using infant formulas artificially inoculated with serial dilutions of E. sakazakii. In addition, 50 commercial samples were analyzed by PCR and were compared with a conventional culture method. In order to determine statistical significance between the comparison, McNemar's test (a chi‐square [χ2]) was used. Experiments to determine the sensitivity of PCR indicated that it could detect as few as 105 cfu/mL of E. sakazakii in infant formulas directly and 100 cfu/mL after an 8‐h enrichment step. Of 50 samples analyzed, 39 were positive by PCR, whereas 31 were confirmed as E. sakazakii by the microbiological method. The chi‐square obtained was 6.125, which showed that the difference (P < 0.05) between the tests was significant.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

At the present, the Mexican food industry must confirm the absence of Enterobacter sakazakii in order to export ingredients used in infant milk formulas to the U.S.A. The E. sakazakii detection and isolation method adopted in Mexico is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2002 procedure that is time‐consuming and labor intensive. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay developed in this study, which takes only 14 h, saves up to 5 days for analysis and eliminates the need for plating samples on selective or diagnostic agar as well as the biochemical confirmation steps needed in the reference method. Thus, this PCR method can speed up the detection of E. sakazakii and may be used to rapidly screen infant formula samples and their ingredients. In addition, it would greatly benefit the Mexican food industry by avoiding the rejection and seizure of tainted products in the export market, as well as by facilitating the monitoring of this pathogen in Mexican health facilities, thereby greatly reducing the incidence of E. sakazakii‐related infant diseases.
TEXTURAL AND MICROSTRUCTURAL PROPERTIES OF BURFI MADE WITH VARIOUS SWEETENERS
Authors: ARORA S. , SINGH V.P. , YARRAKULA S. , GAWANDE H. , NARENDRA K. , SHARMA V. , WADHWA B.K. , TOMER S.K. , SHARMA G.S.
Published: November 2007

High‐intensity low‐calorie sweeteners saccharin, acesulfame‐K, sucralose and aspartame were used as a replacement for sucrose in the manufacture of burfi. Burfi sweetened with low‐calorie sweeteners ranked lower (P < 0.05) but was still acceptable in various textural attributes at all periods of storage in comparison to the control with sucrose. The low hardness, adhesiveness, springiness and accordingly, gumminess and chewiness in burfi samples sweetened with low‐calorie sweeteners were because of the lack of compactness. It was evident from the scanning electron microscopy that the compactness of the network in burfi decreased with the use of low‐calorie sweeteners. The results of the sensory evaluation have shown the successful use of low‐calorie sweeteners in the preparation of burfi with a slight difference in its overall acceptability, thus providing an alternate variety to the health‐conscious consumers.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The consumption of sweets is an integral part of the Indian dietary system. An estimated 54% of India's milk production is converted into products, both traditional and western, with 50% share of traditional products. But in recent years, the manufacturers are diversifying the production to include the specialty items that cater to specific targeted populations. Diabetic‐friendly traditional sweet is a new category for such products, the production of which is being contemplated by many enterprising manufacturers. The results have shown the possibility of using low‐calorie sweeteners in the preparation of indigenous dairy products, i.e., burfi. The manufacture of indigenous dairy products with low‐calorie sweeteners will provide a successful outlet for traditional milk products, and this will provide an alternate variety to the health‐conscious consumers.
Uncertainty and Trend Analysis—Radium in Ground Water and Drinking Water
Authors: Soderberg Keir , Hennet Remy J.‐C.
Published: November 2007

Radium activity measurements in water samples are encumbered by relatively large error bars, including for activity values near the regulatory drinking water maximum contaminant level of 5 pCi/L. The large error bars create uncertainty in the evaluation of temporal trends. This uncertainty is often the object of debate and disagreement in regulatory determinations, the design of remedial actions, and/or in litigation. The Mann‐Kendall nonparametric test is perhaps the most commonly used test for trend evaluation in environmental sciences. The test is simple and easy to apply by nonstatisticians and is recommended in several regulations and guidance documents. As typically applied, the Mann‐Kendall test does not consider the uncertainty related to error bars for individual data values. Ignoring this uncertainty can result in misleading conclusions on the presence or absence of trends. In this article, a procedure for trend analysis that accounts for error bars is described. For each data series analyzed, the procedure creates 1000 new data series by randomly assigning values that fall within the error bar around each data point. Trend analysis is then performed on the randomly created data series. The approach is applied to the evaluation of a radium data base containing analytical results from 137 locations (407 water samples) in Escambia County, Florida. The evaluation of the radium data base using the Mann‐Kendall test without accounting for the uncertainty reveals 10 significant trends at the 90% confidence level. Only two of these trends are supported by the data when the uncertainty from analytical error is accounted for.
Seasonal Recharge and Replenishment of Sulfate Associated with Biodegradation of a Hydrocarbon Plume
Authors: Van Stempvoort Dale R. , Armstrong James , Mayer Bernhard
Published: November 2007

The downward flux of sulfate in a weathered clayey aquitard to a hydrocarbon plume in ground water was investigated at a gas well site in Alberta, Canada. The dissolved hydrocarbon plume includes monoaromatic BTEX compounds and extends less than 20 m downgradient from a natural gas condensate source in silt‐ and clay‐rich deposits. The vadose zone at the site has high concentrations of water soluble sulfate, which is apparently derived from pyrite oxidation. Seasonal infiltration of snowmelt water, most notably during the “wet” spring of 2003 and also in 2004, was focused in an excavation and recharged the water table. This recharge replenished the contaminated zone with sulfate that was flushed downward from the vadose zone. Recharge in 2003 resulted in episodic increases in sulfate concentrations in the ground water condensate plume of up to 1000 mg/L. After episodic increases in sulfate concentrations within the core of the contaminant plume associated with recharge, concentrations then decreased to less than 1 mg/L, accompanied by isotopic enrichment of the residual sulfate in 34S. The monitoring data provide strong field evidence that bacterial sulfate reduction is a dominant terminal electron‐accepting process in the natural attenuation of the hydrocarbon plume in the ground water. This result suggests that engineered infiltration and replenishment of sulfate to petroleum hydrocarbon plumes in ground water might enhance biodegradation of these plumes.
Evaluation of TCE and MTBE in situ Biodegradation: Integrating Stable Isotope, Metabolic Intermediate, and Microbial Lines of Evidence
Authors: McKelvie Jennifer R. , Hirschorn Sarah K. , Lacrampe‐Couloume Georges , Lindstrom Jon , Braddock Joan , Finneran Kevin , Trego Don , Lollar Barbara Sherwood
Published: November 2007

Compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA) was used to investigate biodegradation of trichloroethene (TCE) and methyl tert‐butyl ether (MTBE) at contaminated field sites in Alaska and New York State, respectively. At both sites, geochemical conditions and the presence of metabolic intermediates (cis‐1‐2‐dichloroethene and tert‐butyl alcohol [TBA]) suggested the potential for biodegradation of TCE and MTBE, respectively. Given that in both cases these metabolic intermediates could also have been present as cocontaminants in the source zone, CSIA was undertaken to evaluate the possibility of in situ biodegradation. At the TCE‐contaminated field site in Alaska, δ13C values of TCE in ground water determined in this study showed no evidence of biodegradation (mean δ13C of −27.0 ± 1.0‰ for nine wells), and quantitative‐polymerase chain reaction analyses of ground water from four wells found no evidence of dechlorinator Dehalococcoides sp. at this site. At the MTBE‐contaminated field site in New York, TBA was present in the ground water but was not present in gasoline sampled from underground storage tanks (UST) on‐site, suggesting that at this site, TBA was potentially a metabolite of MTBE biodegradation rather than a cocontaminant. However, at all sampling times and locations, δ13C and δ2H values of MTBE in ground water were within range of published values for undegraded MTBE in gasoline. While the occurrence of a small extent of in situ MTBE biodegradation cannot be ruled out, the findings suggest that it is more likely that multiple gasoline spills occurred through time, and while present day USTs do not contain TBA as a cocontaminant, gasoline spilled at the site in the past may have. At both contaminated field sites, CSIA, chemical, and microbiological lines of evidence suggest that biodegradation was not a significant attenuation process. The results of these two studies underscore the need for an integrated approach to site assessment that draws on measurements of metabolic intermediates, analysis of stable isotopes, and microbial evidence to give a reliable assessment of in situ biodegradation at contaminated field sites.
Investigation of Reductive Dechlorination Supported by Natural Organic Carbon
Authors: Rectanus Heather V. , Widdowson Mark A. , Chapelle Francis H. , Kelly Catherine A. , Novak John T.
Published: November 2007

Because remediation timeframes using monitored natural attenuation may span decades or even centuries at chlorinated solvent sites, new approaches are needed to assess the long‐term sustainability of reductive dechlorination in ground water systems. In this study, extraction procedures were used to investigate the mass of indigenous organic carbon in aquifer sediment, and experiments were conducted to determine if the extracted carbon could support reductive dechlorination of chloroethenes. Aquifer sediment cores were collected from a site without an anthropogenic source of organic carbon where organic carbon varied from 0.02% to 0.12%. Single extraction results showed that 1% to 28% of sediment‐associated organic carbon and 2% to 36% of the soft carbon were removed depending on nature and concentration of the extracting solution (Nanopure water; 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1.0% sodium pyrophosphate; and 0.5 N sodium hydroxide). Soft carbon is defined as organic carbon oxidized with potassium persulfate and is assumed to serve as a source of biodegradable carbon within the aquifer. Biodegradability studies demonstrated that 20% to 40% of extracted organic carbon was biodegraded aerobically and anaerobically by soil microorganisms in relatively brief tests (45 d). A five‐step extraction procedure consisting of 0.1% pyrophosphate and base solutions was investigated to quantify bioavailable organic carbon. Using the extracted carbon as the sole electron donor source, tetrachloroethene was transformed to cis‐1,2‐dichloroethene and vinyl chloride in anaerobic enrichment culture experiments. Hydrogen gas was produced at levels necessary to sustain reductive dechlorination (>1 nM).
Proceeding From Observed Correlation to Causal Inference: The Use of Natural Experiments
Authors: Rutter Michael
Published: November 2007

This article notes five reasons why a correlation between a risk (or protective) factor and some specified outcome might not reflect environmental causation. In keeping with numerous other writers, it is noted that a causal effect is usually composed of a constellation of components acting in concert. The study of causation, therefore, will necessarily be informative on only one or more subsets of such components. There is no such thing as a single basic necessary and sufficient cause. Attention is drawn to the need (albeit unobservable) to consider the counterfactual (i.e., what would have happened if the individual had not had the supposed risk experience). Fifteen possible types of natural experiments that may be used to test causal inferences with respect to naturally occurring prior causes (rather than planned interventions) are described. These comprise five types of genetically sensitive designs intended to control for possible genetic mediation (as well as dealing with other issues), six uses of twin or adoptee strategies to deal with other issues such as selection bias or the contrasts between different environmental risks, two designs to deal with selection bias, regression discontinuity designs to take into account unmeasured confounders, and the study of contextual effects. It is concluded that, taken in conjunction, natural experiments can be very helpful in both strengthening and weakening causal inferences.
Psychology as the Science of Self-Reports and Finger Movements: Whatever Happened to Actual Behavior?
Authors: Baumeister Roy F. , Vohs Kathleen D. , Funder David C.
Published: November 2007

Psychology calls itself the science of behavior, and the American Psychological Association's current “Decade of Behavior” was intended to increase awareness and appreciation of this aspect of the science. Yet some psychological subdisciplines have never directly studied behavior, and studies on behavior are dwindling rapidly in other subdisciplines. We discuss the eclipse of behavior in personality and social psychology, in which direct observation of behavior has been increasingly supplanted by introspective self-reports, hypothetical scenarios, and questionnaire ratings. We advocate a renewed commitment to including direct observation of behavior whenever possible and in at least a healthy minority of research projects.
Measuring the Immeasurable: Or “Could Abraham Lincoln Take the Implicit Association Test?”
Authors: Bones Arina K. , Johnson Navin R.
Published: November 2007

With the Association for Psychological Science's new ethical standards requiring that all research studies include an Implicit Association Test (IAT), forecasters predict that the population of new participants available to take IATs will expire by the year 2023. Shrill, doomsday proposals from IAT experts involve rationing the precious pool of remaining IAT novices or other naive strategies. These solutions demonstrate rigid, scientific thinking, with a distinct lack of the creative flair that makes psychology stand apart from the real sciences. Building on our prior experience of adapting the IAT for measuring infant cognition and rooting out aliens among us, we demonstrate that new pools of participant resourcesmdash;the unborn and passed on—are available, if we take the time to develop the methods to exploit them. Two studies illustrate some of the methodological challenges and opportunities that must be met in order to make better use of the new populations to keep the IAT juggernaut on its path of global (and interstellar) domination.
Emotion Feelings Stem from Evolution and Neurobiological Development, Not From Conceptual Acts: Corrections for Barrett et al. (2007)
Authors: Izard Carroll E.
Published: November 2007

Contrary to the arguments of Barrett et al. (2007) in critiquing Izard (2007), emotion feelings (the key component of human emotions) stem from evolution and neurobiological development, not from conceptual acts. Barrett et al. made several other erroneous and seriously misleading criticisms of Izard (2007), and they had little to say about the final two thirds of that article—an explication of emotion schemas and a new paradigm.
The Binding Argument and Pragmatic Enrichment, or, Why Philosophers Care Even More Than Weathermen about ‘Raining’
Authors: Sennet Adam
Published: November 2007

What is the proper way to draw the semantics‐pragmatics distinction, and is what is said by a speaker ever enriched by pragmatics? An influential but controversial answer to the latter question is that the inputs to semantic interpretation contains representations of every contribution from context that is relevant to determining what is said, and that pragmatics never enriches the output of semantic interpretation. The proposal is bolstered by a controversial argument from syntactic binding designed to detect hidden syntactic structure. The following contains an exposition and consideration of the argument.
After Freud: Phantasy and Imagination in the Philosophy of Religion
Authors: Clack Beverley
Published: November 2007

Philosophers of religion have tended to focus on Freud's dismissal of religion as an illusion, thus characterising his account as primarily hostile. Those who wish to engage with psychoanalytic ideas in order to understand religion in a more positive way have tended to look to later psychoanalysts for more sympathetic sources. This paper suggests that other aspects of Freud's own writings might, surprisingly, provide such tools. In particular, a more subtle understanding of the relationship between illusion and reality emerges in his theory, that itself offers a useful way of understanding the meaning and significance of religion for the human animal. By exploring these sources a view of religion emerges which connects it closely with the processes of imagination and creativity. Under this view, religion is more than just a set of hypotheses to be proved or disproved. In religion, we have access to the most deeply rooted wishes and anxieties of the human heart, and thus its investigation enables a deeper understanding of what it is to be a human being.
Predictors of medication compliance among older heart failure patients
Authors: Cholowski Krystyna , Cantwell Robert
Published: November 2007

Aim.  To examine relationships between psycho‐social and patho‐physiological measures in explaining medication compliance in older heart failure (HF) patients.

Background.  Self‐efficacy is a predictor not only of medication compliance, but also health recovery. How older HF patients conceptualize and manage this life‐threatening event is central to ongoing rehabilitation. Regulating ongoing medical and lifestyle changes in the rehabilitation process requires that any underlying negative affect be productively managed by the use of appropriate coping strategies.

Method.  Using an exploratory correlational design, 51 older HF patients were asked to complete the Beck Depression Inventory, Beliefs about Medication and Diet Questionnaire, Reactions to Daily Events Questionnaire and Self‐regulation scale. A self‐report measure of medication compliance was obtained as part of a semi‐structured interview. The study was conducted in 2003–2004.

Results.  Using descriptive statistics, patho‐physiological and psychosocial characteristics were given. Independent t‐tests were used to assess the gender effects. Pairwise correlations were used to examine the relationships between presenting circumstances, psychosocial characteristics, medication compliance beliefs and self‐reported medication compliance behaviours.

All positive coping strategies and self‐regulation were associated with positive intentions in medication compliance. Males were more inclined towards proactive coping and self‐regulatory strategies than were females. Increased depressive symptoms were linked to carelessness in compliance. A belief in medication compliance was associated with a reduced likelihood of carelessness

Conclusion.  Bandura’s three conditions for agency in rehabilitation, self‐efficacy and goal‐directed intention appeared to be important even in the early phase of the programme. Positive coping strategies and self‐regulation suggests a positive basis for medication compliance and more successful ongoing rehabilitation for older HF patients. We identify a significantly enhanced educative role for nurses in this context.

Relevance to clinical practice.  We suggest that nurses dealing with compliance issues among older patients need to monitor behaviour through addressing both the quality of affect during the patient's response to HF (self‐concept, ‐esteem and ‐efficacy) as well as the quality of health‐related metacognitive knowledge underlying the self‐regulatory decisions (such as the patients conceptions of ‘wellness’ and the strategic knowledge underpinning its achievement and maintenance).
How nursing home staff deal with residents who talk about death
Authors: Wadensten Barbro , Condén Emelie , Wahlund Lena , Murray Kerstin
Published: November 2007

Aims.  The overall aim of this study was to gain knowledge about how nursing staff treat and communicate with residents who talk about death and about their reasons for their treatment as well as to investigate how staff explain residents’ reasons for talking about death.

Background.  Studies have established that nursing staff have problems in dealing with patients who talk about death and that staff do not know how they should relate to talking about death.

Method.  A qualitative explorative design. Interviews with staff were performed and analysed using a qualitative content analysis.

Findings.  Staff descriptions of their various ways of dealing with a situation in which residents talk about death could be divided into two qualitatively different main categories: ‘allow and facilitate talk about death’ and ‘avoid talk about death’. The most common explanation provided by staff in all categories was that they acted the way they did because they did not know how to address discussions about death. Staff members’ descriptions of residents’ reasons for talking about death were quite different.

Conclusions.  The study indicates that nursing staff need to reflect on their own attitudes towards death and that they need to develop further. Their behaviour may depend on each staff member’s individual attitudes and development. Nursing staff need training in and knowledge about how to communicate with residents who talk about death. This knowledge could be acquired through training, guidance and joint reflection in groups.
What Family Organization Tells Us about Fairness and Power in Marital Relationships
Authors: Poeschl Gabrielle
Published: November 2007

After retracing the origins of traditional family organization and describing the present‐day distribution of tasks in occidental societies, this paper presents results from studies on prevalent explanations for the unequal family practices that highlight the simultaneous effects of the trend toward equality and the pressure toward conformity in the family organization. It analyzes work undertaken in the distributive justice framework, which suggests that women's wants and values and their readiness to accept justifications for unequal practices contribute, more than social comparison processes, to the maintenance of the status quo. The complexity of family power is described and spouses’ motivation for power is looked at, as well as its possible implications for the distribution of family tasks and the perception of inequalities as fair. The consequences of the traditional family organization for the maintenance of the asymmetry between men and women in society are highlighted and suggestions for future research proposed.
Shape and Temperature Memory of Nanocomposites with Broadened Glass Transition
Authors: Miaudet Pierre , Derré Alain , Maugey Maryse , Zakri Cécile , Piccione Patrick M. , Inoubli Rabi , Poulin Philippe
Published: November 2007

Shape-memory polymers can revert to their original shape when they are reheated. The stress generated by shape recovery is a growing function of the energy absorbed during deformation at a high temperature; thus, high energy to failure is a necessary condition for strong shape-memory materials. We report on the properties of composite nanotube fibers that exhibit this particular feature. We observed that these composites can generate a stress upon shape recovery up to two orders of magnitude greater than that generated by conventional polymers. In addition, the nanoparticles induce a broadening of the glass transition and a temperature memory with a peak of recovery stress at the temperature of their initial deformation.
Theory of Mind Is Independent of Episodic Memory
Authors: Rosenbaum R. Shayna , Stuss Donald T. , Levine Brian , Tulving Endel
Published: November 2007

Theory of mind (ToM) to infer other people's current mental states and episodic memory of personal happenings have been assumed to be closely related. We report two participants with severely impaired episodic memory who perform indistinguishably from healthy controls on objective ToM tests. These results suggest that ToM can function independently of episodic memory.
Efficient Transplantation via Antibody-Based Clearance of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niches
Authors: Czechowicz Agnieszka , Kraft Daniel , Weissman Irving L. , Bhattacharya Deepta
Published: November 2007

Upon intravenous transplantation, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) can home to specialized niches, yet most HSCs fail to engraft unless recipients are subjected to toxic preconditioning. We provide evidence that, aside from immune barriers, donor HSC engraftment is restricted by occupancy of appropriate niches by host HSCs. Administration of ACK2, an antibody that blocks c-kit function, led to the transient removal of >98% of endogenous HSCs in immunodeficient mice. Subsequent transplantation of these mice with donor HSCs led to chimerism levels of up to 90%. Extrapolation of these methods to humans may enable mild but effective conditioning regimens for transplantation.
Amiloride Derivatives Inhibit Coxsackievirus B3 RNA Replication
Authors: Harrison David N. , Gazina Elena V. , Purcell Damian F. , Anderson David A. , Petrou Steven
Published: November 2007

Amiloride derivatives are known blockers of the cellular Na
+
/H
+
exchanger and the epithelial Na
+
channel. More recent studies demonstrate that they also inhibit ion channels formed by a number of viral proteins. We previously reported that 5-(
N
-ethyl-
N
-isopropyl)amiloride (EIPA) modestly inhibits intracellular replication and, to a larger extent, release of human rhinovirus 2 (HRV2) (E. V. Gazina, D. N. Harrison, M. Jefferies, H. Tan, D. Williams, D. A. Anderson and S. Petrou, Antiviral Res. 67:98-106, 2005). Here, we demonstrate that amiloride and EIPA strongly inhibit coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) RNA replication and do not inhibit CVB3 release, in contrast to our previous findings on HRV2. Passaging of plasmid-derived CVB3 in the presence of amiloride generated mutant viruses with amino acid substitutions in position 299 or 372 of the CVB3 polymerase. Introduction of either of these mutations into the CVB3 plasmid produced resistance to amiloride and EIPA, suggesting that they act as inhibitors of CVB3 polymerase, a novel mechanism of antiviral activity for these compounds.
Amino Acid Substitutions in the S2 Subunit of Mouse Hepatitis Virus Variant V51 Encode Determinants of Host Range Expansion
Authors: McRoy Willie C. , Baric Ralph S.
Published: November 2007

We previously described mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) variant V51 derived from a persistent infection of murine DBT cells with an expanded host range (R. S. Baric, E. Sullivan, L. Hensley, B. Yount, and W. Chen, J. Virol. 73:638-649, 1999). Sequencing of the V51 spike gene, the mediator of virus entry, revealed 13 amino acid substitutions relative to the originating MHV A59 strain. Seven substitutions were located in the amino-terminal S1 cleavage subunit, and six were located in the carboxy-terminal S2 cleavage subunit. Using targeted RNA recombination, we constructed a panel of recombinant viruses to map the mediators of host range to the six substitutions in S2, with a subgroup of four changes of particular interest. This subgroup maps to two previously identified domains within S2, a putative fusion peptide and a heptad repeat, both conserved features of class I fusion proteins. In addition to an altered host range, V51 displayed altered utilization of CEACAM1a, the high-affinity receptor for A59. Interestingly, a recombinant with S1 from A59 and S2 from V51 was severely debilitated in its ability to productively infect cells via CEACAM1a, while the inverse recombinant was not. This result suggests that the S2 substitutions exert powerful effects on the fusion trigger that normally passes from S1 to S2. These novel findings play against the existing data that suggest that MHV host range determinants are located in the S1 subunit, which harbors the receptor binding domain, or involve coordinating changes in both S1 and S2. Mounting evidence also suggests that the class I fusion mechanism may possess some innate plasticity that regulates viral host range.
In Vivo Efficacy of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Neutralizing Antibodies: Estimates for Protective Titers
Authors: Trkola Alexandra , Kuster Herbert , Rusert Peter , von Wyl Viktor , Leemann Christine , Weber Rainer , Stiegler Gabriela , Katinger Hermann , Joos Beda , Günthard Huldrych F.
Published: November 2007

The definition of plasma neutralizing antibody titers capable of controlling human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in vivo is considered a critical step in vaccine development. Here we provide estimates for effective neutralization titers by assessing samples from a recent passive immunization trial with the neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 2G12, 2F5, and 4E10 using an analytic strategy that dissects the contributions of these MAbs to the total neutralization activity in patient plasma. Assessment of neutralization activities for six responding patients with partial or complete control of viremia during the MAb treatment and for the eight nonresponding patients revealed a significant difference between these groups: Among responders, MAb-mediated activity exceeded the autologous neutralization response by 1 to 2 log units (median difference, 43.3-fold), while in the nonresponder group, the autologous activity prevailed (median difference, 0.63-fold). In order to reach a 50% proportion of the responders in our study cohort, MAb neutralizing titers higher than 1:200 were required based on this analysis. The disease stage appears to have a significant impact on the quantities needed, since titers above 1:1,000 were needed to reach the same effect in chronic infection. Although our analysis is based on very small sample numbers and thus cannot be conclusive, our data provide a first estimate on how in vitro-measured neutralizing antibody activity can relate to in vivo efficacy in controlling HIV infection and may therefore provide valuable information for vaccine development. Interestingly, lower neutralizing antibody levels showed an effect in acute compared to chronic infection, suggesting that in early disease stages, therapeutic vaccination may show promise. Equally, this raises hopes that a preventive vaccine could become effective at comparatively lower neutralizing antibody titers.
The Enzyme Kinetics of the NADP-Malic Enzyme from Tobacco Leaves
Authors: Ryšlavá Helena , Doubnerová Veronika , Muller Karel , Baťková Petra , Schnablová Renáta , Liberda Jiří , Synková Helena , Čeřovská Noemi
Published: November 2007

Malic enzyme (L-malate: NADP+ oxidoreductase (oxaloacetate-decarboxylating), EC 1.1.1.40, NADP-ME), which was found in chloroplasts, was isolated from tobacco leaves (Nicotiana tabacum L.) almost homogenous. The specific enzyme activity was 0.95 μmol min-1 mg-1. The enzyme pH optimum was found between pH 7.1 and 7.4. The affinity of NADP-ME to substrates (L-malate and NADP+) was evaluated in the presence of divalent metal ions (Mg2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+). The value of the apparent Michaelis constant of NADP-ME for L-malate was dependent on the ion cofactor, while no such relationship was found for NADP+. The dependence of the reaction rate on concentration of Mg2+ indicates the presence of more than one binding site for these ions in NADP-ME. Likewise, the sigmoidal dependence of the reaction rate on Mn2+ concentration and the value of Hill coefficient 7.5 indicate the positive cooperativity of the reaction kinetics in the presence of the ions. The effect of Co2+ and Ni2+ ions was analogous to that of Mn2+ ions; however, the cooperativity was lower (the values of Hill coefficients were 3.0 and 1.3 for Co2+ and Ni2+, respectively). Regulation of NADP-ME from tobacco leaves by divalent metal ions is discussed.