bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Actinidin on the Protein Solubility, Water Holding Capacity, Texture, Electrophoretic Pattern of Beef, and on the Quality Attributes of a Sausage Product
Authors: Aminlari M. , Shekarforoush S.S. , Gheisari H.R. , Golestan L.
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT:  The objective of this study was to study the effect of actinidin, a sulfhydryl protease from kiwi fruit, on the protein solubility (nitrogen solubility index [NSI]), water holding capacity (WHC), texture, and SDS–PAGE pattern of beef and to evaluate the effect of pretreatment of beef with actinidin on the quality attributes of a sausage product. Actinidin was partially purified by precipitation with ammonium sulfate, followed by DEAE‐Sephadex column chromatography. Actinidin significantly (P < 0.05) increased NSI and WHC of beef; the highest NSI and WHC (approximately 20% and 8% increase, respectively) was observed when beef was incubated with 0.9 unit enzyme/g beef. Texture analysis indicated increased tenderization (10% decrease in shear force) when slices of cattle beef were treated with actinidin at 37 °C for 2 h. SDS–PAGE results indicated appearance of several low molecular weight bands (<10 kDa) after treating beef with different levels of actinidin for 30 or 60 min. Slight changes in protein band in the range of 100 to 120 kDa and 13 to 25 kDa were also observed. Use of actinidin‐tenderized beef significantly improved emulsion stability, texture, and organoleptic properties of the sausage product.
Relationship between Muscle pH and Flesh Color of Atlantic Halibut
Authors: Roth B. , Foss A. , Imsland A.K.
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT:  After 7 d of ice storage, the muscle pH and flesh color (CIE L*, a*, b*) was measured in 118 Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) slaughtered at different times of the year. All fish originated from the same stock and the fish were farmed under natural and continuous light and slaughtered fed or starved, representing a wide distribution of fish undergoing different stages of growth, maturation, and sizes (1.5 to 5.9 kg). Results show a considerable variation of end pH ranging from 5.7 to 6.8. The color correlated significantly with muscle pH with R = −0.63, 0.61, and −0.57 for L*, a*, and b*, respectively, while fillet weight and sampling position on the fillet had less influence on color. We conclude that the end pH of the muscle is an important factor for the visual quality of fish, and in particular for Atlantic halibut. Therefore, measures should be taken to avoid high glycogen levels at death, as this will have a large impact on the muscle pH, with negative consequences for flesh color.
Electrospun Zein Fibers as Carriers to Stabilize (−)‐Epigallocatechin Gallate
Authors: Li Y. , Lim L.‐T. , Kakuda Y.
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT:  In this study, a method was developed for continuous electrospinning of ultrafine corn zein protein fibers with diameters ranging from 150 to 600 nm. Fiber‐forming solutions with various zein concentrations (10% to 30%, w/w) and aqueous ethanol concentrations (60% to 90%, w/w) were electrospun at 15 and 20 kV. Scanning electron microscopy results showed that the morphology of zein fibers was affected by aqueous ethanol concentration, zein concentration, and the applied voltage. The optimal condition for forming bead‐less fibers was found to be 20% protein, 70% alcohol, and 15 kV. The zein fibers resisted solubilization in water, although swelling and plasticization were apparent after the water treatment. The efficacy of zein fibers was tested for stabilization of a green tea polyphenol, (−)‐epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), by incorporating the EGCG in zein fiber‐forming solutions. Freshly spun fibers were less effective at immobilizing the EGCG upon immersion in water (82% recovery) as compared to fibers that were aged at 0% relative humidity for at least 1 d (>98% recovery) before water immersion. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies demonstrated that hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and physical encapsulation are the major contributors to the stabilization of EGCG in zein fibers in water.
Factors Affecting Rheological Characteristics of Fibril Gels: The Case of β‐Lactoglobulin and α‐Lactalbumin
Authors: Loveday S.M. , Rao M.A. , Creamer L.K. , Singh H.
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT:  Some of the factors that affect the rheological characteristics of fibril gels are discussed. Fibrils with nanoscale diameters from β‐lactoglobulin (β‐lg) and α‐lactalbumin (α‐la) have been used to create gels with different rheological characteristics. Values of the gelation time, tc, the critical gel concentration, c0, and the equilibrium value of the storage modulus, G, such as at long gelation times, derived from experimental rheological data, are discussed. Fibrils created from β‐lg using solvent incubation and heating result in gels with different rheological properties, probably because of different microstructures and fibril densities. Partial hydrolysis of α‐la with a serine proteinase from Bacillus licheniformis results in fibrils that are tubes about 20 nm in diameter. Such a fibril gel from a 10% (w/v) α‐la solution has a higher modulus than a heat‐set gel from a 10% (w/w) β‐lg, pH 2.5 solution; it is suggested that one reason for the higher modulus might be the greater stiffness of α‐la fibrils. However, the gelation times of α‐la fibrils are longer than those of β‐lg fibrils.
Stabilizing Oils from Smoked Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
Authors: Bower C.K. , Hietala K.A. , Oliveira A.C.M. , Wu T.H.
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT:  Smoking of meats and fish is one of the earliest preservation technologies developed by humans. In this study, the smoking process was evaluated as a method for reducing oxidation of pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) oils and also maintaining the quality of oil in aged fish prior to oil extraction. Salmon heads that were subjected to high temperatures (95 °C) during smoking unexpectedly produced oils with fewer products of oxidation than their unprocessed counterparts, as measured by peroxide value (PV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and fatty acids (FA). Higher temperatures and longer smoking times resulted in correspondingly lower quantities of oxidative products in the oils. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis of smoke‐processed oils confirmed that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were not being destroyed. Smoke‐processing also imparted antioxidant potential to the extracted oils. Even when antioxidants, such as ethoxyquin or butylated hydroxytoluene, were added to raw oils, the smoke‐processed oils still maintained lower levels of oxidation after 14 d of storage. However, decreased antioxidant capacity of smoke‐processed oils was noted when they were heated above 75 °C. Vitamin studies supported the antioxidant results, with smoke‐processed oils displaying higher levels of α‐tocopherol than raw oils. Results suggest that smoking salmon prior to oil extraction can protect valuable PUFA‐rich oils from oxidation. Improved preservation methods for marine oils may extend their usefulness when added as a supplement to enhance levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in foods.
Resiliency in the Practicing Marriage and Family Therapist
Authors: Clark Pamela
Published: March 2009

Although burnout in the helping professions is well documented, few studies have examined the phenomenon of the resilient therapist. This study used a grounded theory methodology to construct a theory of therapist resilience. The participants were eight licensed marital and family therapists: five females, three males, all Caucasian, with an average age of 58.9 and an average of 22.6 years of experience who reported feeling energized by the practice of therapy. The theory that was constructed included a central category (Integration of Self with Practice), a paradigm (Trust in Self), and two main categories (Career Development and Practice of Therapy). The process involved an initial calling, a positive agency experience, career corrections, the influence of relationships, and a move to a more flexible environment.
Integrity of the Marriage and Family Therapy Research Literature: Perceptions and Recommendations
Authors: Brock Gregory W. , Whiting Jason B. , Matern Brianne , Fife Stephen T.
Published: March 2009

Reports of falsification, fabrication, plagiarism, and other violations of research integrity across the sciences are on the increase. Joining with other disciplines to actively protect the integrity of the marriage and family therapy (MFT) research literature is of utmost importance to both the discipline and the future of the profession. To inform the issues raised, results are presented of an informal survey among MFT clinical members on their perceptions about the literature together with their preferences for how best to protect its integrity. This article initiates an important discussion about the honesty of MFT research.
Implicit Family Process Rules in Eating‐Disordered and Non‐Eating‐Disordered Families
Authors: Gillett Kyle S. , Harper James M. , Larson Jeffry H. , Berrett Michael E. , Hardman Randy K.
Published: March 2009

Family environment has been shown to be one of the factors related to the presence of eating disorders among young‐adult females. Clinical experience and theories about eating disorders postulate that implicit family rules are an intricate part of family process that may have a great effect on the creation and maintenance of such problems. This study compared implicit family process rules (specifically rules pertaining to kindness; expressiveness and connection; constraining thoughts, feelings, and self; inappropriate caretaking; and monitoring) in families with a young‐adult female diagnosed with an eating disorder—either anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or eating disorder not otherwise specified—and families with a young‐adult female without an eating disorder diagnosis. One hundred two families (51 eating disordered and 51 comparison) participated in the study. Mothers, fathers, young‐adult female children, and siblings completed the Family Implicit Rules Profile (Harper, Stoll, & Larson, 2007). Results indicated that eating‐disordered families are governed by a greater proportion of constraining family rules than are non‐eating‐disordered families. Additionally, eating‐disordered youth reported a lower proportion of facilitative family rules and a higher proportion of constraining family rules than did parents and siblings. Theoretical, research, and clinical implications are discussed.
Clinical Practice Patterns of Canadian Couple/Marital/Family Therapists
Authors: Beaton John , Dienhart Anna , Schmidt Jonathan , Turner Jean
Published: March 2009

This clinical practice pattern survey had two unique aspects. It was a national survey of American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) members in Canada that included all AAMFT membership categories, including student, affiliate, associate, clinical, and supervisor. It compared practice pattern data for clinical members from Canada and the United States. The results also showed that students, affiliates, and associates are very interested in identifying who they are as C/MFTs and that they are receiving various types of training. Clinical members in both Canada and the United States are fairly similar in terms of demographics and therapy practice, except when it comes to the models they identify as most influential. Future client satisfaction and outcome research is needed to determine how clients are specifically benefiting from therapy.
Experimental and seasonal exposure to birch pollen in allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma with regard to the inflammatory response
Authors: Kämpe Mary , Janson Christer , Stålenheim Gunnemar , Stolt Ingrid , Carlson Marie
Published: March 2009

Background and Aims:  Seasonal allergy is an interesting model to study the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in allergic inflammation. However, experimental allergen exposure is easier to perform and standardise. The primary aim of this study was to compare the inflammatory responses to high‐dose bronchial challenge and natural exposure during birch pollen season. The second aim was to compare the responses of patients with allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma, respectively to both types of allergen exposure.

Methods:  Fifteen birch pollen‐allergic patients (seven with asthma and eight with rhinitis) and five healthy individuals were studied during pollen season and after challenge with birch allergen. Symptoms, medication and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were recorded, and blood samples, spirometry and induced sputum were analysed during season and after challenge.

Results:  Patients with allergic asthma demonstrated a greater bronchial responsiveness to bronchial provocation with birch allergen than patients with rhinitis (P = 0.04) whereas no difference was found regarding nasal challenge. No significant association was found between the level of responsiveness and the inflammatory response after seasonal exposure. Seasonal exposure was related to a more marked systemic inflammatory blood–eosinophil increase than bronchial challenge [(median) (0.25 vs 0.11 × 109/L, P = 0.03)] and after nasal challenge, respectively [(median) (0.25 vs 0.04 × 109/L, P = 0.003)]. A significant correlation in eosinophil cationic protein in induced sputum was found between the experimental and seasonal exposure (rho = 0.62, P = 0.02).

Conclusions:  Bronchial allergen challenge with inhalation of birch pollen gives a similar inflammatory response in the airway but less systemic inflammation than seasonal exposure in birch pollen allergic patients with asthma and rhinitis.

Please cite this paper as: Kämpe M, Janson C, Stålenheim G, Stolt I and Carlson M. Experimental and seasonal exposure to birch pollen in allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma with regard to the inflammatory response. The Clinical Respiratory Journal 2009; DOI:10.1111/j.1752‐699X.2009.00140.x.
Cinnamic acid, from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia, regulates glucose transport via activation of GLUT4 on L6 myotubes in a phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase‐independent manner
Authors: LAKSHMI Baddireddi Subhadra , SUJATHA Sundaresan , ANAND Singaravelu , SANGEETHA Kadapakkam Nandhabalan , NARAYANAN Rangarajan Badri , KATIYAR Chandrakanth , KANAUJIA Anil , DUGGAR Rajeev , SINGH Yogendra , SRINIVAS Konasubrahmanya , BANSAL Vinay , SARIN Simi , TANDON Ruchi , SHARMA Suchitra , SINGH Suchita
Published: March 2009

Background:  Cinnamomum cassia (Family: Lauraceae) is an Ayurvedic medicinal plant used traditionally for the treatment of a number of diseases, including diabetes. The hypoglycemic effect of this plant has been established in vivo. However, the effects of cinnamic acid, isolated from C. cassia, on the insulin signaling cascade in an in vitro model have not been elucidated. Hence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the anti‐diabetic effect of cinnamic acid on glucose transport by L6 myotubes.

Methods:  The mechanism of action of cinnamic acid was determined using specific targets in the insulin signaling pathway, including protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) 1B, phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3‐K) and the glucose transporter GLUT4. After differentiation of myoblast to myotubes, the cells were serum deprived for 5 h and then treated with 1 ng/mL cinnamic acid and 50 μmol/L rosiglitazone for 18 h and 100 nmol/L insulin for 20 min for gene expression studies.

Results:  Expression of GLUT4 mRNA was increased following treatment of L6 myotubes with 1 ng/mL cinnamic acid. Furthermore, cinnamic acid inhibited PTP1B activity (by 96.5%), but had no significant effect on PI3‐K activity.

Conclusion:  On the basis of the results of the present study, we postulate that cinnamic acid isolated from the hydro‐alcoholic extract of Cinnamomum cassia activates glucose transport by a PI3‐K‐independent pathway. However, the detailed mechanism of action requires further analysis.
Effects of systolic and diastolic blood pressures on incident coronary heart disease and all‐cause death in Chinese women with Type 2 diabetes: The Hong Kong Diabetes Registry
Authors: MA Ronald Ching Wan , YANG Xilin , KO Gary Tin Choi , SO Wing Yee , KONG Alice Pik Shan , HO Chung Shun , LAM Christopher Wai Kei , CHOW Chun Chung , TONG Peter Chun Yip , CHAN Juliana Chung Ngor
Published: March 2009

Background:  Elevated blood pressure (BP) is an important risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease (CHD), although the threshold above which the risk increases has not been clearly defined. The aim of the present study was to examine the full‐range association between BP and CHD.

Methods:  A prospective cohort of 3861 Chinese women with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was followed for a median of 5.61 years. Restricted cubic spline analysis was used to examine the relationship between BP and CHD.

Results:  Subjects who developed CHD were older, more likely to be smokers, had a significantly longer duration of diabetes, higher systolic BP (SBP), glycated hemoglobin, albuminuria, low‐density lipoprotein–cholesterol, and triglycerides, and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate and high‐density lipoprotein–cholesterol. Mortality was higher in those who developed CHD compared with those who did not, with all‐cause death in 30.2% and 7.8% of patients, respectively. Over 21 641 and 22 049 person‐years follow up, 4.4% of patients (n=169) developed CHD and 8.8% (n=340) died, respectively. The relative risk of SBP for CHD was constant up to 120 mmHg, after which it started to rise: from 130 mmHg, each 10‐mmHg increase in SBP was associated with a 1.13‐fold increased risk of CHD.

Conclusions:  We identified 130 mmHg as the threshold of SBP for increased risk of CHD in Chinese female patients with T2DM. It appears that 67–77 mmHg is the optimal range for diastolic BP, within which the risk of CHD is lowest.
Qualitative analysis of future flood risk in the Taihu Basin, China
Authors: Harvey G.L. , Thorne C.R. , Cheng X. , Evans E.P. , J.D. Simm S. Han , Wang Y.
Published: March 2009

This paper presents the results of a qualitative analysis of future flood risk in the Taihu Basin, China, performed using an adaptation of the UK Foresight Future Flooding approach. Drivers of increased flood risk were identified and ranked according to their importance in contributing to future flooding by experts and stakeholders working within an inclusive, participatory framework. Management responses to increasing flood risk were also identified and assessed in terms, first, of their potential to reduce flood risks and, second, their sustainability. This analysis provides the foundation for quantitative flood risk modelling to be performed in the next phase of the project. It has also added value to flood risk management in the Taihu Basin by bringing stakeholders together to develop a shared understanding of the flooding system and the relative importance of multiple flood risk drivers and responses. Together, the qualitative and quantitative analyses will provide a comprehensive vision of possible future flood risk to inform policy development and decision making.
Groundwater flood risk management: advances towards meeting the requirements of the EU floods directive
Authors: Cobby D. , Morris S. , Parkes A. , Robinson V.
Published: March 2009

Identifying areas that may be susceptible to groundwater flooding through both hazard and risk maps is a requirement of the EU Floods Directive. For groundwater flooding, hazard maps could show flood extent and depth or water level (velocity would not generally be appropriate) with risk maps additionally showing the potential adverse consequences. The EU Floods Directive allows Member States to limit groundwater flood maps to floods with a low probability, or extreme events. This paper focuses on feasible techniques, available data and current limitations for producing groundwater flood maps that could meet the requirements of the Floods Directive. In addition, to set mapping in the wider context of groundwater flood risk management, advances in data collection and flood warning are also reviewed. Specifically, determining the likelihood and the likely depth of groundwater flooding will be particular challenges where further work will have to build on the advances already made.
Current Interpretations of Poe: Existential or Transcendent
Authors: Robinson E. Arthur
Published: March 2009

Richard P. Veler, ed. Papers on Poe: Essays in Honor of John Ward Ostrom. Springfield, Ohio: Chantry Music Press at Wittenberg University, 1972. 236 pp. $5.95.
Two Poe Bibliographies
Authors: Robbins J. Albert
Published: March 2009

J. Lasley Dameron and Irby B. Cauthen, Jr. Edgar Allan Pos: A Bibliography of Criticism, 1827–1967.

Esther F. Hyneman. Edgar Allan Poe: An Awota. ted Bibliography of Books and Articles in English, 1827–1973.
Space and Symbol in the Tales of Edgar Allan Poe
Authors: Hoffmann Gerhard
Published: March 2009

This article confines itself to E. A. Poe's use of setting as spatial symbol and as a medium for conveying atmosphere in his tales. Close analyses of “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Masque of the Red Death” reveal that setting, with Poe, is an expressive atmospheric unity that rigorously excludes any isolation of an object as a symbol unrelated to the whole. This atmospheric unity is achieved through a unique correlation between observer and setting and/or participant in the story and the environment with which he interacts. ‘Objectively’ seen, the technical means for establishing this correlation are these: the stylization and circumscription of space, and the arrangement of individual details within patterns of orientation such as east‐west, above‐below, outside‐inside, and so forth. ‘Subjectively’ seen, the fusion of vivid illustrative details, the emotional response of the spectator‐narrator, and the mental process of reflection are of chief importance. Considered as a part of the symbolic pattern of the tale, the spatial symbol is based upon the atmospheric unity of a room, house, and/or landscape with the spectator or participant. Different kinds of space symbols may be distinguished on the spectrum between associative symbol at the one extreme and rational allegory at the other; these are designated as the ‘open’ and the ‘closed’ symbol, the latter approaching allegory but maintaining its symbolic structure by means of its manifold relationships with an epic [i.e., narrative] context. In addition, a ‘milieu symbol’ may be differentiated from an ‘analogical symbol,’ the former purveying the influence on the epic [narrative] character of the ideas and powers present in his environment, the latter embodying analogies between spirit and matter, character and setting. The use that Poe makes of the expressive ambiguity of the spatial pattern is indicative of an artistic design that aims at a mixture of different spheres of reality and approximates modern technique, even if the blending of the subjective and the objective is not as yet achieved by employing a montage of particles of reality but through the atmosphere of the expressive setting as such. (GH)
Two Recent Poe Editions
Authors: Pollin Burton R.
Published: March 2009

Stephen' Peithman, ed. The Annotated Tales of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe: Marginalia. Introduction by John Carl Miller
A German Scholar on Poe's Folio Club Tales
Authors: Forclaz Roger
Published: March 2009

Sybille Haage. Edgar Allan Poes “Tales of the Folio Club” Versuch der Rekonstruition einer zyklischen Rahmsnerzdhiung.

Edgar Allan Poe. “Tales of the Folio Club” and Three Other Stories. Edited, with an Introduction, by Sybille Haage
Poe's Other Audience
Authors: Quinn Patrick F.
Published: March 2009

David Galloway, ed. The Other Poe: Comedies and Satires. Baltimore: Penguin Books

Dennis W. Eddings, ed. The Naiad Voice: Essays on Poe's Satiric Hoaxing.
Bloom on Poe
Authors: Carlson Eric W.
Published: March 2009

Book reviewed in this article:

Harold Bloom, ed. Edgar Allan Poe (Modern Critical Views). New York: Chelsea House, 1985. 155 pp. $17.95.
The American Face of Edgar Allan Poe
Authors: Ketterer David
Published: March 2009

Douglas Robinson. American Apocalypses: The Image of the End of the World in American Literature. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1985. 283 + xviii pp. $25.00.
Haunted Women
Authors: Burbick Joan
Published: March 2009

Alfred Bendixen, ed. Haunted Women: The Best Supernatural Tales By American Women Writers. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1985.
Poe the Magazinist: The Broadway Journal
Authors: Thomas Dwight
Published: March 2009

Burton R. Pollin, ed. Edgar Allan Poe: Writings in THE BROADWAY JOURNAL: Nonfictional Prose. New York: Gordian Press, 1986. 2 vols.; 370 + 339 pp. Cloth, $70.00.
The Critical Heritage
Authors: Pollin Burton R.
Published: March 2009

I. M. Walker, ed. Edgar Allan Poe: The Critical Heritage. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul and Methuen, Inc., 1987. xvii + 419 pp. $55.
A Documentary Life of Poe
Authors: Dameron J. Lasley , Carlson Thomas C.
Published: March 2009

Dwight Thomas and David K. Jackson. The Poe Log: A Documentary Life of Edgar Allan Poe, 1809–1849. Boston: G. K. Hall and Co., 1987. xlix + 919 pp. $75.00.
“The Gold‐Bug” and “The Pirate's Treasure”: A Correction and Addition
Authors: Ljungquist Kent
Published: March 2009

This column is devoted to brief notes, comments, queries. We wish to provide here an outlet for such items as source notes which do not require the extended argument and proof that customarily attends them, and for items of very special or peculiar interest which otherwise might not appear. Contributions to this column should generally be one paragraph in form and less than a page and a half of typescript, though notes of three or four pages are acceptable.
Shelley's Frankenstein: A Possible Source for Poe's “MS. Found in a Bottle”
Authors: Smith Don G.
Published: March 2009

This section is devoted to notes, comments, and replies. We wish to provide here an outlet for source studies and focused interpretations that do not feature the extended argument and proof customary in articles, for items of special interest that otherwise might not appear, and for formal exchanges on relevant scholarly and critical issues. Contributions should generally be from one to four paragraphs in length, although notes extending to typescript pages are acceptable; all documentation should be in brackets within the text.
Seneca's Medea and Ultima Thule in Poe's “Dream‐Land”
Authors: Ronnick Michele Valerie
Published: March 2009

This section is devoted to notes, comments, and replies. We wish to provide here an outlet for source studies and focused interpretations that do not feature the extended argument and proof customary in articles, for items of special interest that otherwise might not appear, and for formal exchanges on relevant scholarly and critical issues. Contributions should generally be from one to four paragraphs in length, although notes extending to five typescript pages are acceptable; all documentation should be in brackets within the text.
French Poe Returns Home
Authors: Dauber Kenneth
Published: March 2009

Shawn Rosenheim and Stephen Rachman, eds. The American Face of Edgar Allan Poe.
Dirty-water events at Rocky Mountain Hot Springs and their correlation with other short-lived phenomena
Authors: Everdingen Robert O. van
Published: March 2009

The Radium (British Columbia) and Miette (Alberta) hot springs occasionally produce "dirty" water that carries varying amounts of solid particles in suspension. Dirty-water events in the period 1959–1983 were caused either by heavy rains (or rapid snowmelt) or by earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.9 or greater, between 740 and 2300 km distant from the springs, in Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Rainfall-induced events at Miette appear to require at least 34 mm of rain within a 48 h period. Associated decreases in water temperatures and dissolved-solids concentrations and changes in the ionic and isotopic compositions of the spring waters result from mixing of deep thermal water with cooler, less mineralized shallow water. By contrast, the earthquake-triggered events did not have significant thermal or geochemical effects. Suspended solids in the dirty waters represent surficial materials (including vegetation debris) and possibly residues from dissolution of carbonate rocks. At Miette Hot Springs the dirt contains secondary sulfur species (native sulfur and gypsum) derived from the HS− content of the spring water.
Isotope geochemistry of stratified Lake "A," Ellesmere Island, N.W.T., Canada
Authors: Jeffries M. O. , Krouse H. R. , Shakur M. A. , Harris S. A.
Published: March 2009

Ionic composition, salinity, temperature, pH, tritium, and stable isotope compositions of water and ions were determined for samples collected in 1969 and 1982 from different depths of stratified Lake "A" on Ellesmere Island. Tritium contents and ionic and stable isotope compositions were diagnostic of recent fresh water overlying older, deeper trapped seawater. A temperature maximum occurs at 15 m in the freshwater–seawater transition zone. Salinity, δ18O, and δD data suggest that the lake evaporated slightly and acquired about 12% fresh water prior to stratification. Individual ion concentrations reveal a slightly modified cation composition and marked depletions in sulphate and enrichments in dissolved carbonate compared with modern ocean water. The δ34S, δ18O, and δ13C data for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] attest to extensive anaerobic [Formula: see text] reduction during the lake's history.
Postglacial rebound and the focal mechanisms of eastern Canadian earthquakes
Authors: Quinlan Garry
Published: March 2009

A detailed numerical model of postglacial rebound for the eastern Canadian Arctic is described with special attention being paid to Baffin Island. This numerical model is able to account for the observed uplift patterns as recorded by the relative sea-level histories of discrete sites distributed throughout the study area. These uplift patterns show regional trends, so the same model can be used to interpolate between data sites and to estimate the uplift history at any arbitrary site within the study area.By treating the lithosphere as a thin elastic plate, spatial variations in the uplift pattern can be translated into estimates of lithospheric stress. The model predicts the variations in uplift as a function of both space and time since deglaciation and can therefore be used to estimate the temporal evolution of lithospheric stress following deglaciation.The stress so calculated is treated as a perturbation to an ambient stress field having its origin in other processes. Postglacial rebound is shown to be capable of triggering earthquakes in prestressed regions but rarely capable of dictating the focal mechanisms of these earthquakes.
Archean wrench fault tectonics and structural evolution of the Blake River Group, Abitibi Belt, Quebec
Authors: Hubert Claude , Trudel Pierre , Gélinas Léopold
Published: March 2009

Structural analysis of the Blake River Group volcanic rocks in the Rouyn–Noranda region shows the formations to be distributed largely in Z shapes, resulting from the interference of two early fold systems oriented west-northwest–east-southeast and east–west, respectively. The first of these two fold systems is probably related to the shortening associated with left-lateral movement along the two major fractures in the region, namely the Porcupine–Destor and Larder Lake – Cadillac faults. The second system appears to be the result of north–south compression perpendicular to the two major fractures.The two major faults, the first system of early folding, the normal and reverse faults, and the minor dextral and sinistral strike-slip faults that have been observed in the Blake River Group rocks can all be integrated into one tectonic system, that of wrench fault tectonics. The orientations of the principal structures recognized in the Abitibi Belt (major shear zones, folding, and faulting) suggest that the deformation mechanism for the rocks in the belt could be a large lateral movement controlled by megashears similar to those observed at present on the California coast (San Andreas Fault), in New Zealand (Alpine Fault), and in Sumatra (Semangko Fault).
Seismic investigation of the Coast Plutonic Complex – Insular Belt boundary beneath the Strait of Georgia
Authors: White Donald J. , Clowes Ron M.
Published: March 2009

The Strait of Georgia, a topographic depression between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, is considered to be the boundary between two tectonic provinces: the Coast Plutonic Complex on the east and the Insular Belt to the west. The allochthonous nature of the Insular Belt has been established, mainly on the basis of paleomagnetic measurements. Various tectonic models to explain the geological differences between the two provinces have been proposed. One of these suggests that the boundary is an old transform fault zone and is represented currently by a thrust fault along the eastern side of the Strait of Georgia. Other models propose that the Coast Plutonic Complex is a feature superimposed by tectonic and metamorphic events after the accretion of the Insular Belt. Such models do not require a major crustal discontinuity along the Strait of Georgia.In May 1982, a seismic refraction survey using a 32 L air gun and a radio telemetering sonobuoy system was carried out in the Strait of Georgia with the objective of investigating the nature of this boundary and determining the upper crustal structure. Three reversed profiles across the strait were shot; these are supplemented by several high-resolution reflection profiles from previous experiments. Two-dimensional models of the crustal structure across the strait have been constructed using a forward modelling ray trace and synthetic seismogram algorithm to match the travel times and amplitude characteristics of the data.Three basic layers or strata form the models, for which the maximum depth of reliability is 3 km. The first layer consists of unconsolidated sediments and Pleistocene glacial deposits, and the second represents Late Cretaceous – early Tertiary basin fill sediments that form the Nanaimo Group, the Burrard–Kitsilano formations, and the Chuckanut Formation. The third layer is likely the extension of the Coast Plutonic Complex beneath the strait, but the westerly limit of this unit is undetermined because of seismic properties similar to those of the Insular Belt volcanics. A local fault is located ~15 km northeast of Galiano Island on the west side of the strait. However, our study shows no evidence for a major fault along the strait. Thus those aspects of tectonic models that require the existence of a major transform or transcurrent fault boundary along the Strait of Georgia. may have to be revised.
Carotenoids as a Source of Pigmentation in Juvenile Lobsters Fed a Purified Diet
Authors: D'Abramo Louis R. , Baum Nancy A. , Bordner Clark E. , Conklin Douglas E.
Published: March 2009

Pigmentation of cultured lobsters is dependent upon the presence of dietary carotenoids. Inclusion of pure or crude carotenoids in a purified diet results in the accumulation of exoskeleton pigments tentatively identified by thin-layer chromatography and spectrophotometric analysis as primarily astaxanthin and β-carotene. Despite the lack of de novo synthesis pure carotenoids such as β-carotene, echinenone, and canthaxanthin are transformed into astaxanthin. The level of pigmentation produced by these biosynthetic precursors is related to the proximity to the astaxanthin end product. A carotenoid extract from crayfish waste dissolved in cod liver oil, and oleoresin paprika were effective in producing pigmentation. Rationale for the choice and use of carotenoid sources for incorporation into artificial feeds to produce natural pigmentation of cultured lobsters is discussed.
Use of Variation in Biological Characters for the Classification of Anadromous Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) Groups
Authors: Fréchet A. , Dodson J. J. , Powles H.
Published: March 2009

Analysis of meristics, growth patterns, and fecundity to somatic weight relationships of spawning anadromous rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) in Quebec waters demonstrated the existence of three geographical groups (Chaleur Bay, south shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary, and Saguenay Fjord). Although homing to spawning rivers does not appear to occur, the degree of heterogeneity of spawning smelt of different geographical areas is less at the extremes of their Quebec distribution. Classification of smelt from the commercial fishery catch indicates limited mixing of these groups during open-water migration. The existence of a fourth group is suggested by classification analysis of smelt caught along the lower north shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary.
Structure–Toxicity Relationships for the Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas: Narcotic Industrial Chemicals
Authors: Veith Gilman D. , Call Daniel J. , Brooke L. T.
Published: March 2009

Narcosis is a reversible state of arrested activity of protoplasmic structures caused by a wide variety of organic chemicals. This nonspecific mode of toxic action was found predominant in acute toxicity studies of industrial chemicals and fish. This paper presents 96-h LC50 values for 65 industrial chemicals including alcohols, ketones, ethers, alkyl halides, and substituted benzenes. The common mode of action permitted the development of a structure–toxicity relationship as follows: log LC50 = −0.94 log P + 0.94 log (0.000068P + 1) −1.25 where P is the n-octanol/water partition coefficient. The data show that the toxicity of the chemicals to fish is directly comparable with the toxicity in mammals when expressed as chemical activity.
Multispecies larval fish associations: Accident or Adaptation?
Authors: Frank Kenneth T. , Leggett William C.
Published: March 2009

Capelin larvae (Mallotus villosus) time their period of larval drift to coincide with water masses containing abundant food resources and a reduced predator complex by responding to environmental cues associated with coastal water mass replacement. This persistent, coast-wide phenomenon led us to hypothesize that the initiation of larval drift in species of fishes other than capelin, having similar spawning modes, should be linked to the occurrence of these "safe site" water masses. The abundance of larvae of demersal spawning species, other than capelin, in the nearshore waters of our study site in eastern Newfoundland was highly variable during June–August in 1979 and 1980 and was unrelated to seasonal trends. The abundance of this sympatric noncapelin component of the ichthyoplankton was, however, positively related to both water temperature and larval capelin density, both of which are strongly influenced by coastal water mass replacement, and to the occurrence of conditions favorable to larval survival: "safe sites." The noncapelin larval assemblage was dominated by species having demersal eggs (90% of the total catch in two years) spawned in shallow water, in particular, winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus), radiated shanny (Ulvaria subbifurcata), and seasnails (Liparis spp.). Weekly size frequency distributions of these three species were dominated by newly hatched larvae. We conclude that the onset of larval drift in these species was also synchronized to the temporally variable occurrence of ecological safe sites for larvae. Three advantages accrue: food levels and potential growth rates would be greatly enhanced, predator density would be reduced, and predation rates would be reduced due to association with the dominant species (capelin) that saturate the predator field. Similar associations between a single dominant species and other much less abundant species appear to be common features of the ichthyoplankton of temperate/boreal regions.
Seasonal and Diel Patterns of Emergence from the Redd of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Fry
Authors: Gustafson-Marjanen K. I. , Dowse H. B.
Published: March 2009

The emergence of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fry from both artificial and wild redds was monitored on a daily basis for the duration of the emergence period by means of fry traps. On the nights of peak emergence, we made hourly checks. Emergence was largely restricted to three nights, during which most activity was confined to a 3-h period. We hypothesize that the sharp diel periodicity is due either to a stimulus–response or a clock-controlled mechanism and that synchronous nocturnal emergence is probably a predator avoidance tactic.
AN INCREMENTAL FRAMEWORK BASED ON CROSS-VALIDATION FOR ESTIMATING THE ARCHITECTURE OF A MULTILAYER PERCEPTRON
Authors: ARAN OYA , YILDIZ OLCAY TANER , ALPAYDIN ETHEM
Published: March 2009

We define the problem of optimizing the architecture of a multilayer perceptron (MLP) as a state space search and propose the MOST (Multiple Operators using Statistical Tests) framework that incrementally modifies the structure and checks for improvement using cross-validation. We consider five variants that implement forward/backward search, using single/multiple operators and searching depth-first/breadth-first. On 44 classification and 30 regression datasets, we exhaustively search for the optimal and evaluate the goodness based on: (1) Order, the accuracy with respect to the optimal and (2) Rank, the computational complexity. We check for the effect of two resampling methods (5 × 2, ten-fold cv), four statistical tests (5 × 2 cv t, ten-fold cv t, Wilcoxon, sign) and two corrections for multiple comparisons (Bonferroni, Holm). We also compare with Dynamic Node Creation (DNC) and Cascade Correlation (CC). Our results show that: (1) On most datasets, networks with few hidden units are optimal, (2) forward searching finds simpler architectures, (3) variants using single node additions (deletions) generally stop early and get stuck in simple (complex) networks, (4) choosing the best of multiple operators finds networks closer to the optimal, (5) MOST variants generally find simpler networks having lower or comparable error rates than DNC and CC.
A FAST MULTISPRITE GENERATOR WITH NEAR-OPTIMUM CODING BIT-RATE
Authors: KUO I-SHENG , CHEN LING-HWEI
Published: March 2009

Sprite coding, which can increase the coding efficiency of backgrounds greatly, is a novel technology adopted in MPEG-4 object-based coding. Due to the geometric transformation applied to each nonreference frame in the procedure of sprite coding, the generated sprite is distorted and the available view angles relative to the reference frame are restricted. These problems can be resolved by using multiple sprites. An optimal multisprite generator has been proposed by Farin et al., but the optimal method requires high computation in the sprite coding cost. To treat this disadvantage, a fast multisprite partition algorithm is proposed in this paper based on frame translations and scalings. The proposed algorithm divides a video sequence into several subsequences, and a sprite is generated from each subsequence. The experimental results show that the executing speed of the proposed method is increased by 10 to 190 times than the optimal method, with the total size of generated sprites is slightly higher and the qualities of generated sprites are preserved.
AUTOMATIC LEAF STRUCTURE BIOMETRY: COMPUTER VISION TECHNIQUES AND THEIR APPLICATIONS IN PLANT TAXONOMY
Authors: DE OLIVEIRA PLOTZE RODRIGO , BRUNO ODEMIR MARTINEZ
Published: March 2009

This paper proposes a new methodology to extract biometric features of plant leaf structures. Combining computer vision techniques and plant taxonomy protocols, these methods are capable of identifying plant species. The biometric measurements are concentrated in leaf internal forms, specifically in the veination system. The methodology was validated with real cases of plant taxonomy, and eleven species of passion fruit of the genus Passiflora were used. The features extracted from the leaves were applied to the neural network system to perform the classification of species. The results showed to be very accurate in correctly differentiating among species with 97% of success. The computer vision methods developed can be used to assist taxonomists to perform biometric measurements in plant leaf structures.
DEFORMATION QUANTIZATION OF POISSON MANIFOLDS IN THE DERIVATIVE EXPANSION
Authors: BRATCHIKOV A. V.
Published: March 2009

Deformation quantization of Poisson manifolds is studied within the framework of an expansion in powers of derivatives of Poisson structures. We construct the Lie group associated with a Poisson bracket algebra which defines a second order deformation in the derivative expansion.
COMMENTS ON HIGHER-SPIN SYMMETRIES
Authors: BEKAERT XAVIER
Published: March 2009

The unconstrained frame-like formulation of an infinite tower of completely symmetric tensor gauge fields is reviewed and examined in the limit where the cosmological constant goes to zero. By partially fixing the gauge and solving the torsion constraints, the form of the gauge transformations in the unconstrained metric-like formulation are obtained till first order in a weak field expansion. The algebra of the corresponding gauge symmetries is shown to be equivalent, at this order and modulo (unphysical) gauge parameter redefinitions, to the Lie algebra of Hermitian differential operators on ℝn, the restriction of which to the spin-two sector is the Lie algebra of infinitesimal diffeomorphisms.
LIGHTLIKE SURFACES IN MINKOWSKI 3-SPACE
Authors: INOGUCHI JUN-ICHI , LEE SUNGWOOK
Published: March 2009

We study lightlike surfaces in Minkowski 3-space.
Discussing the age of the Earth in 1779 in Portugal
Authors: Pinto Manuel S. , Amador Filomena
Published: March 2009

In 1779 a paper in Portuguese was published in
Jornal Enciclopedico
, Lisbon, on the age of the Earth. ‘Defending the Chronology of the Holy Scripture’ was written by A. F. Castrioto, who published in the same issue an essay on philosophy and religion attacking the French Encyclopaedists. The paper was mainly a translation of sections from two books, by Edward Gibbon and Richard Watson, the former supporting the idea of an age of 14 000 years for the Earth and the latter defending an age of some 6000 years. Castrioto possibly published the paper and the essay because in 1778 he had been subject to religious censorship and he wanted to reassure the authorities that he was not impious. The idea of a young Earth prevailed in Portugal in the 1700s. Castrioto's paper presented arguments that are not original; he omitted ideas of naturalists that were not in accordance with his own ideas; and he apparently used his periodical to redeem himself of past ‘sins’. However, the paper had merits: it was about a geological subject not commonly discussed in Portugal at the time and was possibly the first on that topic to be published there; the author was aware of the discussion on science and religion that was going on abroad; he defended ideas that were accepted at the time by many naturalists; and he produced a paper of interest for the history of geology in Portugal and for the history of creationism.
On the Earth's revolutions: floods and extinct volcanoes in northern Italy at the end of the eighteenth century
Authors: Candela Andrea
Published: March 2009

During the second half of the eighteenth century, the study of volcanism was related to the question of orogenesis and the controversial lithogenesis of basalt. In the Italian peninsula, the key outcrops occurred mainly along the foothills of the Alps of Veneto. Moreover, the question of the origin of columnar basalts and other rocks (porphyry, granite) involved theories on the age of the Earth and the possible recognition of an evolutionary process of the making of lithosphere. Consequently, following explorations in the Alps and Prealps several scientists began to regard the basaltic formations as evidence of the relationships between mountains and ancient volcanoes. Nevertheless, especially from the 1780s, the spread of Wernerian theory in some Italian States led to criticism of the vulcanists' conclusions. Thus, some naturalists working in Lombardy tried to re-establish the idea of a great flood to explain the morphology of the Central Alps. Discussing this complex situation, the paper analyses the development of regional geology, based on fieldwork, which emphasized the function of volcanic activity in the history of building the Earth's crust and mountains.