bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient perceptions of osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and prosthetic joint infection: the psychological influence of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Donaldson A. D. , Jalaludin B. B. , Chan R. C.
Published: April 2007

Introduction: Patients form their own representations of their illness, which can be important determinants of their coping and influence outcome. Our aims were to (i) assess patient perceptions of osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and prosthetic joint infection, (ii) compare perceptions of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) with non‐MRSA infection and (iii) investigate the emotional aspects of these infections.

Methods: A questionnaire was developed from the ‘Illness Perception Questionnaire’ of Weinman et al.with additional questions assessing emotional response. This was offered to all patients with osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and prosthetic joint infection attending the Liverpool Hospital Infectious Diseases Outpatient Clinic during a 3‐month period.

Results: There were 91 respondents − 25 with MRSA infection, 14 with MRSA colonization and 52 without MRSA. Seventy‐nine per cent of all respondents felt that their infection was very serious and 76% felt their infection had had major consequences on their life. On multivariate analysis MRSA was associated with a greater emotional effect; the consequences and emotional effects of infection were greater in younger people and prosthetic joint infection was associated with less sense of control or cure.

Conclusion: Osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and prosthetic joint infection have a significant effect on an individual. Ongoing support and education are important, particularly for the young, those with prosthetic joint infection and patients with MRSA.
Changes in medication use from age 26 to 32 in a representative birth cohort
Authors: Thomson W. M. , Poulton R. , Hancox R. J. , Ryan K. M. , Al‐Kubaisy S.
Published: April 2007

Background: To date, longitudinal studies of medications have been confined to older adults or clinical samples, with no data from prospective studies of younger adults. The aim of the study was to examine changes in medication usage between ages 26 and 32 in a prospective study of a representative birth cohort.

Methods: Medication use during the previous 2 weeks was investigated among 960 individuals at ages 26 and 32.

Results: Nearly two‐thirds took at least one medication at each age, with medication prevalence higher among women than among men. Three‐quarters of those taking at least one at age 26 were doing so at 32. Over‐the‐counter medication prevalence increased from 35 to 43% between 26 and 32 years of age. Although the prevalence of prescribed medications decreased (from just under half to just over one‐third, and from two‐thirds to below half among women), there was no significant difference between the ages once hormonal contraceptives were accounted for. By 32, reduced usage of hormonal contraceptives was apparent, with one‐third of age‐26 users still taking these at 32. Other categories showing major changes were analgesics (increased), anti‐asthma drugs (decreased), antidepressants (increased) and antiulcer drugs (increased). At 32, 82% of those taking analgesics, 85% of those taking nutrient supplements, 71% of those taking antihistamines and 33% of those taking antiulcer drugs had self‐prescribed them.

Conclusion: A considerable proportion of the sample used medications by age 32, and there was considerable change between 26 and 32. The changes are likely to have been due to a mix of ageing and period effects.
Heterogeneity in the coding in rat barrel cortex of the velocity of protraction of the macrovibrissae
Authors: Rajan R. , Browning Andrew S. , Bourke Justin L.
Published: April 2007

Rats whisk to explore their environment and obtain information on object features, and the responses of somatosensory cortical neurones must precisely encode aspects of whisker movements. Using trapezoidal stimuli to deflect whiskers, with a wide range of velocities and amplitudes of whisker protraction, we recorded responses from a relatively homogeneous population of isolated cells and neuronal multiunits within the postero‐medial barrel sub‐field of somatosensory cortex, and analysed responses in an early post‐stimulus‐onset window. For 92% of neurones the function relating response strength to velocity was a saturating sigmoid but there were differences between neurones in the slopes and ranges over which responses changed. Responses of other neurones were non‐monotonic, with response strength decaying at very high whisker deflection velocities. Generally, barrel cortex neurones were responsive to a much wider range of whisker protraction velocities than hitherto reported, especially to much slower velocities than generally assumed to be the main range of sensitivity. This carries implications for coding of whisker deflection velocity, a parameter that appears to be a significant information‐bearing element of natural whisking. The effect of amplitude of deflection upon neural responses was evident in only ∼24% of units and only when the dominant velocity effect had saturated.
Modulation of neuronal responses in macaque primary visual cortex in a memory task
Authors: Vidyasagar Trichur R. , Pigarev Ivan N.
Published: April 2007

The primary visual cortex, a relatively early station in the visual pathway, has long been considered mainly as a site of basic feature detection but evidence is emerging that is consistent with the existence of feedback influences from higher cortical areas. We show that in a delayed match‐to‐sample memory task, where the monkey needs to remember both the visual pattern and its location, there is significant modulation of neuronal activity in the primary visual cortex suggestive of a feedback signal. Responses to identical patterns are remarkably different depending upon their place in the memory task. These modulatory influences are significantly less when the same visual patterns are shown during a simple fixation task, where these stimuli can be ignored and not attended to. The results indicate that neural processing specific to attentional and mnemonic functions can involve even primary sensory areas.
The influence of Pavlovian cues on instrumental performance is mediated by CaMKII activity in the striatum
Authors: Wiltgen Brian J. , Law Matthew , Ostlund Sean , Mayford Mark , Balleine Bernard W.
Published: April 2007

Pavlovian cues associated with reward exert a powerful motivational influence on the performance of goal‐directed actions. This motivational process depends critically on the ventral striatum, although little is known about the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate it. In the current experiments we examined the role of calcium calmodulin‐dependent kinase II (CaMKII) by using transgenic mice that express a constitutively active form of this kinase. We found that controlled expression of active CaMKII in the striatum did not affect learning but did impair the motivation of goal‐directed actions by Pavlovian cues associated with reward. Mutant mice learned to lever press for reward, remained sensitive to outcome devaluation and contingency degradation manipulations, and were able to acquire Pavlovian responses to cues paired with reward. However, Pavlovian cues were completely unable to motivate lever pressing in mutant mice. This was true even in mice trained with the CaMKII transgene turned off and then tested with it turned on. We were also able to suppress transgene expression in impaired mutants and fully restore the motivational effects of reward cues in these animals. Therefore, the current experiments demonstrate that normal CaMKII activity in the striatum is essential for the motivational effects of reward cues on goal‐directed actions.
Neurokinin3 receptor activation potentiates the psychomotor and nucleus accumbens dopamine response to cocaine, but not its place conditioning effects
Authors: Jocham Gerhard , Lauber Andrea C. , Müller Christian P. , Huston Joseph P. , De Souza Silva M. Angélica
Published: April 2007

Neurokinin3 receptors (NK3‐Rs) have been implicated in psychomotor activity and reinforcement mechanisms. Recently, we showed that NK3‐R antagonism blocked the psychostimulant properties of cocaine both in rats and in primates. Here, using in vivo microdialysis in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of freely moving rats, we investigated the effect of the NK3‐R agonist senktide (0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg s.c.) on the cocaine‐evoked increase in dopamine. Cocaine (10 mg/kg i.p.) increased dopamine levels to 404 and 480% of baseline in the core and shell of the NAc, respectively. Pretreatment with senktide at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg potentiated this effect to 666 (core) and 869% (shell) of baseline, without having any effect on dopamine when given alone. Behavioural measurements revealed that 0.2 mg/kg senktide also potentiated the cocaine‐induced increase in horizontal and vertical activity. Senktide alone induced a short‐lasting increase in activity that was not accompanied by any alterations of the neurochemical parameters. In conditioned place preference (CPP) experiments, senktide pretreatment did not alter CPP induced by cocaine (5 and 10 mg/kg i.p.), and had no effect when given alone. Likewise, cocaine‐conditioned locomotor activity was not affected by the NK3‐R agonist. However, as in the microdialysis studies, cocaine‐induced (5 and 10 mg/kg i.p.) hyperactivity was potentiated by senktide, and there was evidence for a facilitation of sensitization to the hyperlocomotor effects of cocaine by senktide. These data provide evidence that NK3‐Rs are involved in the control of the hyperlocomotor and NAc DA response to cocaine, but not in cocaine‐induced CPP.
Information content and recency effect of the audit report in loan rating decisions
Authors: Guiral‐Contreras Andrés , Gonzalo‐Angulo Jose A. , Rodgers Waymond
Published: April 2007

We examined the significance of the audit report in loan rating decisions using the belief revision model. We designed a laboratory experiment where the sign of the audit report is mixed with other annual financial information in a series of sequential evidence. The results of an experimental design, using 106 loan officers from international financial institutions, support the hypothesis that the qualified audit report appears to be an independent and useful piece of evidence when it is contrary to favourable financial expectations. Our findings also support that the ‘recency effect’ might influence international commercial loan officers’ perception of the qualified audit report.
Oscillations in total body fat content through life: an evolutionary perspective
Authors: Zafon C.
Published: April 2007

Adipose tissue is considered an efficient system in which to store energy. Throughout life, the total amount of body fat exhibits some oscillations. Typically, there are three specific periods in which there are notable increases in fat mass, specifically early in life, during pregnancy and lactation, and with ageing. The existence of the first two peaks in fat mass has been interpreted, from an evolutionary point of view, as a beneficial manoeuvre to protect against the scarcity of energy to the offspring of the species. Nevertheless, the role of increasing body fat with ageing is more dubious. However, recent evidence suggests that the gain in adiposity in senescence may also be interpreted in the same evolutionary context. The aim of this review is to focus on the age‐related changes in fat depots. In addition, an evolutionary explanation to the observed changes has been emphasized.
Voting over Redistribution and the Size of the Welfare State: The Role of Turnout
Authors: Larcinese Valentino
Published: April 2007

Theories of redistribution inspired by the Downsian model receive little support from empirical investigation. In this article I argue that one of the possible explanations is that the standard Downsian theory, and the empirical specifications derived from it, ignore electoral turnout. Empirical evidence consistently shows that higher-income citizens are more likely to vote; office-seeking candidates should therefore include this probability in their objective function. As a consequence, the pivotal voter is not the median in the income distribution, but is generally richer. Moreover, an increase in income inequality does not unambiguously increase the political demand for redistribution, as most literature takes for granted. Including turnout in the model restores the compatibility of the Downsian theory with current empirical evidence. A regression analysis on panel data for 41 countries in the period 1972–98 confirms the importance of turnout as an explanatory variable for social spending.
Upregulation of endothelial adhesion molecules by lysophosphatidylcholine
Authors: Zou Yani , Kim Chul H. , Chung Jae H. , Kim Ji Y. , Chung Sang W. , Kim Mi K. , Im Dong S. , Lee Jaewon , Yu Byung P. , Chung Hae Y.
Published: April 2007

Lysophosphatidylcholine induces expression of adhesion molecules; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms of this are not well elucidated. In this study, the intracellular signaling by which lysophosphatidylcholine upregulates vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 and P‐selectin was delineated using YPEN‐1 and HEK293T cells. The results showed that lysophosphatidylcholine dose‐dependently induced expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 and P‐selectin, accompanied by the activation of transcription factor nuclear factor κB. However, the nuclear factor κB inhibitor caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and the antioxidant N‐acetylcysteine only partially blocked lysophosphatidylcholine‐induced adhesion molecules. Subsequently, we found that the lysophosphatidylcholine receptor G protein‐coupled receptor 4 (GPK4) was expressed in YPEN‐1 cells and triggered the cAMP/protein kinase A/cAMP response element‐binding protein pathway, resulting in upregulation of adhesion molecules. Further evidence showed that overexpression of human GPK4 enhanced lysophosphatidylcholine‐induced expression of adhesion molecules in YPEN‐1 cells, and enabled HEK293T cells to express adhesion molecules in response to lysophosphatidylcholine. In conclusion, the current study suggested two pathways by which lysophosphatidylcholine regulates the expression of adhesion molecules, the lysophosphatidylcholine/nuclear factor‐κB/adhesion molecule and lysophosphatidylcholine/GPK4/cAMP/protein kinase A/cAMP response element‐binding protein/adhesion molecule pathways, emphasizing the importance of the lysophosphatidylcholine receptor in regulating endothelial cell function.
Categorical Measurement Semantics: A New Second Space for Geography
Authors: Ahlqvist Ola , Ban Hyowon
Published: April 2007

Commonly used categorically or nominally measured data often portray each category as separate from other categories with no inherent ordering. Contrary to this portrayal and the perception that categorical data offer limited analytical capabilities, we examine the philosophical, cognitive, and practical basis for re‐thinking categorical measurements in terms of a second conceptual space for mapping out categorical semantics. The article presents a perspective that an inherent ordering of categories can be described through this space that provides a transformation into a numerical measurement domain. The article provides several examples of how geographic information analysis can benefit from adding this second conceptual space to the geographic data, together with a discussion of potential applications.
Wind Energy: Status and Trends
Authors: Barthelmie Rebecca
Published: April 2007

Installed wind energy capacity has been increasing rapidly worldwide over the last 5 years and now exceeds 70 GW. Wind energy contributes up to 18.5% of electricity consumption in Denmark and about 3% in Europe. Wind energy is economically competitive at good wind sites, can be rapidly deployed compared to conventional sources and contributes to the goal of meeting increasing electricity demand while reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. This article discusses current wind energy technology and how it is being deployed, particularly in Europe. There are many factors involved in both the cost and the price of wind energy that are explained in brief. The status of wind energy in Europe, around the world and offshore are listed. Finally, some selected research areas such as wind speed profiles, climatic variations and wind turbine wakes are outlined, together with barriers to wind energy development.
World Cities and Union Renewal
Authors: Tufts Steven
Published: April 2007

This article discusses how interpretive accounts and practices of labour union renewal in the Anglo‐American context are linked to the forms of post‐industrialism and polarized labour markets evident in world cities. I accordingly argue that the world city is implicated in various components of union renewal, including changing organizational structures, intensive organizing, leadership and democracy, coalition building, new labour internationalism, and labour‐management cooperation. Furthermore, the influence of the world city can limit both the scope and scale of the union renewal narratives and practices. The article concludes with a call for the union renewal project to expand beyond world city frameworks and explore multiple sectors and spaces.
Processing, Nutritional Evaluation, and Utilization of Whole Mesquite Flour (Prosopis laevigata)
Authors: De La Rosa A. P. Barba , Frias‐Hernández J. T. , Olalde‐Portugal V. , González Castañeda J.
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACT:  Basic crops such as wheat and maize are not cultivated easily in the central highlands of Mexico, but pods of mesquite (Prosopis laevigata), a N2−fixing plant that dominates the vegetation, could be used as an additional food source. The physicochemical and functional properties and nutritional value of whole mesquite pod flour dried at 60 °C and 70 °C and muffins prepared with the mesquite flour were investigated. Drying temperature did not change the true protein concentration of the whole mesquite pod flour, that is, 97%. The digestibility for pod toasted at 70 °C was 78% compared to 77% at 60 °C, tannin content was 58% and 48% while trypsin inhibitor was 347 and 495 unit of inhibition (UI)/g sample, respectively. Functional characteristics of whole mesquite pod flour were similar to those of bean flour (Phaseolus vulgaris), and superior to those of whole wheat flour (Triticum sp). Mesquite proteins were high in tryptophan and histidine. Sensorial analysis scores for products made with whole mesquite flour were high. The results of this work suggested that whole mesquite pod flour could be used as a supplement for human consumption.
Singlet Oxygen Quenching Activities of Various Fruit and Vegetable Juices and Protective Effects of Apple and Pear Juices against Hematolysis and Protein Oxidation Induced by Methylene Blue Photosensitization
Authors: Oh Young Seok , Jang Eun Seok , Bock Jin Young , Yoon Suk Hoo , Jung Mun Yhung
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACT:  Effects of various fruit and vegetable juices on rubrene oxidation induced by a chemical source of singlet oxygen in a microemulsion system have been studied. The singlet oxygen quenching activities of fruit and vegetable juices were greatly different with different juices. The apple and pear juices exhibited the highest antioxidative activity among the tested juices in singlet oxygen–induced rubrene oxidation, showing 56.69% and 59.34% inhibition, respectively. The grape, kumquat, red cabbage, and spinach juices also showed relatively strong antioxidative activity against singlet oxygen–induced rubrene oxidation. Lemon juice showed the least activity, resulting in 0.63% inhibition of rubrene oxidation. The singlet oxygen quenching activities of 1 mL of apple and pear juices were equivalent to 33.97 and 34.64 mg ascorbate, respectively. Singlet oxygen quenching activities of juices had very low correlation with both ABTS radical scavenging activity (R2= 0.11) and total phenolic contents (R2 < 0.1). However, a high correlation (R2= 0.66) was found between the ABTS radical scavenging activities and total phenolic contents of juices. The apple and pear juices also significantly inhibited both erythrocyte lysis and protein oxidation induced by fluorescence light illumination in the presence of methylene blue. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy data showed that the protective activities of these juices against biological damages induced by photodynamic ways were, to at least some extent, due to their singlet oxygen quenching abilities. This represents first report on the singlet oxygen quenching activities of the apple and pear juices, and their protective activities against photodynamically induced biological damages.
Decontamination Efficacy of Combined Chlorine Dioxide with Ultrasonication on Apples and Lettuce
Authors: Huang Tung‐Shi , Xu Chuanling , Walker Ken , West Patricia , Zhang Shuqing , Weese Jean
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACT:  The bacterial reduction of Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7‐inoculated apples and lettuce by ClO2 at 0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 ppm with and without 170‐kHz ultrasonic treatments for 3, 6, and 10 min, respectively, have been studied. The treatments of ClO2 at 20 and 40 ppm for 3, 6, and 10 min or at 5 and 10 ppm for 6 and 10 min with 170‐kHz ultrasonication caused 3.115 to 4.253 log reductions in Salmonella and 2.235 to 3.865 log reduction in E. coli O157:H7 on inoculated apples. Using combined ClO2 and ultrasonication to treat 4.48 × 104 CFU/g Salmonella and 1.07 × 105 CFU/g E. coli O157:H7‐inoculated lettuce, the bacterial reductions were 2.257 to 2.972 and 1.357 to 2.264 log, respectively. The residual ClO2 decreased with increasing treatment times, over 80% of ClO2 was detected after the 3‐min treatment, and more than 70% remained after the 10‐min treatment time. No bacteria were recovered from the posttreatment solutions of ClO2 or ClO2 combined with ultrasonication. The temperature of the ClO2 treatment was 20.1 °C, and it increased to 40.1, 44.9, and 50.3 °C, with 170‐kHz ultrasonic treatments for 3, 6, and 10 min, respectively, on apples.
Effects of Gamma Irradiation on the Biological Activity of Green Tea Byproduct Extracts and a Comparison with Green Tea Leaf Extracts
Authors: Lee Na Young , Jo Cheorun , Sohn Sang Hyuk , Kim Jae Kyung , Byun Myung Woo
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACT:  Green tea byproduct extract powder, a major byproduct of the green tea industry, was prepared and investigated for its biological activities after a gamma‐irradiation treatment for the purpose of a brightened color. The color, total phenolic contents, antioxidative activity, tyrosinase inhibition activity, cancer cell proliferation inhibition effect, and antimutagenicity were measured and compared with those of a green tea leaf extract powder. Hunter L* values of the irradiated green leaf and byproduct extracts were increased in a comparison with the nonirradiated extracts. The contents of total phenolic compounds of the green tea leaf and byproduct extracts were 424.2 ± 11.45 and 335.5 ± 18.65 mg/g of sample, respectively. The 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of the 20 ppm green tea leaf and byproduct extracts were 68.2% and 57.6%, respectively. Ferric‐reducing ability of the samples showed similar results to the DPPH radical scavenging capacity. The samples showed an inhibition of tyrosinase and also a cancer cell proliferation inhibition effect. Especially, the antimutagenicities of the byproduct extracts showed a strong inhibition effect (96.20% and 57.77%) on 3‐amino‐1,4‐dimethyl‐5H‐pyrido[4,3‐b]indole (Trp) and 2‐nitrofluorene (NF), respectively. Results indicated that, although the biological activity of green tea byproduct extracts is less than that of green tea leaf extract, it may be a potential source of a functional ingredient. In addition, irradiation can be applied to improve the color and biological activity of the material.
Effect of Soybean Meal‐based Diets on the Product Quality of Rainbow Trout Fillets
Authors: D'Souza Natasha , Skonberg Denise I. , Stone David A. J. , Brown Paul B.
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the long‐term effects of soybean meal (SBM)‐based diets on rainbow trout quality. Two levels of SBM inclusion diets, 20% and 40%, were employed and compared with a fish meal control diet. Rainbow trout were fed one of the three diets for 6 mo, then harvested and filleted. Proximate composition, color, lipid oxidation and sensory quality of the fillets were evaluated. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and headspace propanal in ground fillets stored at 4 °C were measured over a 9‐d period. Tristimulus color was measured on day 2 and day 13 of refrigerated storage. Sensory evaluation included discriminatory (difference) and affective (acceptance) testing. TBARS and propanal in the trout fed the highest (40%) SBM level were significantly lower than in the control and trout fed the 20% SBM diet. Significant differences in color were also recorded during refrigerated storage. Sensory difference testing revealed a significant difference between the trout fed the 40% SBM and the control. No significant differences were observed in the acceptability ratings of trout fillets from the three different dietary treatments.
Change of Hygienic Quality and Freshness in Tuna Treated with Electrolyzed Water and Carbon Monoxide Gas during Refrigerated and Frozen Storage
Authors: Huang Yu‐Ru , Shiau Chyuan‐Yuan , Hung Yen‐Con , Hwang Deng‐Fwu
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACT:  Among different fish slices used for sashimi preparation, tuna is the most popular and preferable fish type for Taiwanese people. To improve the hygienic quality of fish slices, electrolyzed (EO) water containing 10, 50, and 100 mg/L chlorine, was used in combination with CO gas treatment. Effect of different treatment on aerobic plate count (APC), volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), K value, and Hunter L*, a*, b* values of yellow‐fin tuna steak during storage (4 °C and −20 °C) were evaluated. It was found that APC, VBN, and K values increased with storage time for all treatment. Except for K value, APC and VBN of tuna steak treated with the combination of more than 50 mg/L chlorine EO water and CO gas had the lowest value after 8 d of refrigerated storage. Hunter a* value of tuna steak treated with only CO gas was the highest, followed by those treated with EO water and CO gas. These results demonstrated that EO water containing 50 mg/L chlorine combined with CO gas treatment in tuna fish steak would be an effective method for enhancing the hygienic quality and freshness for tuna meat and extending refrigerated storage time. Tuna treated with EO water containing 100 mg/L chlorine and CO gas combination had the lowest APC immediately after treatment and reduced further to below detection limit after 1 mo frozen storage at −20 °C.
Evaluation of Antioxidant Effects of Raisin Paste in Cooked Ground Beef, Pork, and Chicken
Authors: Vasavada M.N. , Cornforth D.P.
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACT:  The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible antioxidant activity of raisin paste added to raw ground beef, pork, or chicken before cooking to 163 °C. Samples were held at 2 °C for up to 14 d. TBA values were measured using a distillation method, to avoid yellow color interference found in “wet” TBA methods. Sample meat flavor intensity, rancid flavor intensity, and raisin flavor intensity were evaluated by a trained panel (n = 6). Addition of raisin paste lowered (p < 0.05) TBA values and decreased panel scores for rancid flavor scores of all meat samples in a concentration‐dependent manner. Highest antioxidant effects were obtained with a minimum of 1.5%, 2.0%, or 2.0% raisin paste in cooked ground beef, pork, or chicken, respectively. There was a high correlation (0.93, 0.94, 0.94) between TBA values and sensory rancid flavor scores in beef, pork, and chicken samples respectively. Addition of a reducing sugar (glucose) was nearly as effective as raisins for maintenance of low TBA values and rancid flavor scores, probably due to antioxidant effects of Maillard browning products. There was no detectable raisin flavor in cooked ground beef samples with added raisins. However, all meats with added glucose had a higher raisin flavor intensity score than controls, indicating that panelists associated sweetness with raisin flavor. Maillard browning (sample darkening) was evident after cooking of ground chicken with either raisins or glucose.
Does It Look Cooked? A Review of Factors That Influence Cooked Meat Color
Authors: King (née Turner) Nicola J. , Whyte Rosemary
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACT:  Adequate cooking of meat is necessary to inactivate microbial pathogens. This is particularly important for ground meat products and some variety meats where pathogens can be present internally. Consumers are being advised on appropriate temperatures to which meat products should be cooked, and to use a meat thermometer to ensure these temperatures are reached. However, consumers are more likely to assess cooking status by the color of the meat or juice. This article reviews the factors that can influence the final color of cooked meat. In most instances, these factors influence color by modifying the meat pigment myoglobin prior to and during cooking. Many factors can prolong the pink “uncooked” color in meat, including high pH, modified atmosphere packaging, rapid thawing, low fat content, nitrite, and irradiation. Such factors may lead to overcooking and loss of food quality, and consumer rejection. Alternatively, factors that cause “premature browning” of meat, where the interior of the product looks cooked but a microbiologically safe temperature has not been reached, are food safety issues. Pale, soft exudative meats can prematurely brown, as can meats packaged under oxygenated conditions, frozen in bulk or thawed over long periods, or those that have had salts or lean finely textured beef added. Meats cooked from a frozen state or irradiated in aerobic conditions might also be at risk, but this might depend on meat species. In summary, the color of cooked meat is not a good indicator of adequate cooking, and the use of a food thermometer is recommended.
An Analysis of Sketching Skill and Its Role in Early Stage Engineering Design
Authors: Yang Maria C. , Cham Jorge G.
Published: April 2007

Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of sketching in design cognition, particularly in the early stages of engineering design. The goal of this preliminary study is to consider the role of a designer’s sketching ability and to examine the potential link between sketching skill and measures of engineering design performance. Sketching ability was evaluated on three distinct aspects relevant to engineering design: visual recall, rendering, and novel visualization. These evaluations were correlated with each other and with measures for sketch fluency, reviewer ranking, and design project outcome. The results of this study suggest that sketching skill is not comprehensive nor is it solely task based. Rather, a designer’s sketching ability lies between these two poles. Positive correlations were found between the quantity of sketches produced and two of the sketching skills that emphasize drawing facility, but a negative correlation was found between sketch quantity and a skill related to mechanism visualization. No conclusive correlations were found between the sketching skills and design outcome and reviewer ranking. This study's findings suggest an important interplay between a designer's ability to sketch and their ability to visualize in their heads or through prototypes. Results also suggest that designers who are given sketch instruction tended to draw more overall.
An Energy Efficient Manipulator Design Approach: Application to a Leg in Swing Phase
Authors: Agrawal Abhishek , Agrawal Sunil K.
Published: April 2007

The importance of energy efficiency of a robotic manipulator is clearly evident when the manipulator has to use on-board power. With miniature machines, this issue is even more important since the size and the weight guides the performance of a design. In this paper, a design methodology is proposed which may allow a robot to follow desired trajectories approximately without actuator inputs. Actuator inputs are used to further modify the trajectories. The design philosophy has the following key elements: (i) the inertia matrix of the device is suitably altered using mass distribution; (ii) compliant elements are introduced to take away the gravity terms; and (iii) additional springs are used to create certain periodic gait motion. This design philosophy is applied on a two dof leg executing a swing motion. It is found that the passive motion of the designed leg is close to the desired trajectories but is not exact. Actuators are added to get the desired response fully. Power input for two legs with and without this design philosophy, are then compared.
ZEROS OF THE POTTS MODEL PARTITION FUNCTION IN THE LARGE-q LIMIT
Authors: CHANG SHU-CHIUAN , SHROCK ROBERT
Published: April 2007

We calculate zeros of the q-state Potts model partition function Z(GΛ,q,v) for large q, where v is the temperature variable and GΛ is a section of a lattice Λ with coordination number κΛ and various boundary conditions. Lattice types studied include square, triangular, honeycomb, and kagomé. We show that for large q these zeros take on approximately circular patterns in the complex xΛ plane, where xΛ=v/q2/κΛ. This generalizes a known result for the square lattice to the other lattices considered.
POSSIBLE BIAS-INDUCED OSCILLATORY CURRENT OF TUNNELING JUNCTION MADE OF HIGH-Tc CUPRATE SUPERCONDUCTOR IN PSEUDOGAP STATE
Authors: LIU FU-SUI , CHEN WAN-FANG
Published: April 2007

This paper demonstrates in theory that a bias-induced oscillatory current should occur in a tunneling junction made of the high-Tc cuprates in pseudogap state. This novel oscillatory effect can be utilized for the judging mechanism of pseudogap in the high-Tc cuprates and a series of non-superconducting materials. In application, this novel effect can be utilized for making electronic devices, using Cooper pairs and operating at room temperature.
PARTIAL SYNCHRONIZATION OF COUPLED CHAOTIC OSCILLATORS WITH BLINKING NON-LOCAL COUPLINGS
Authors: AO BIN , MA XIAOJUAN , ZHENG ZHIGANG , LI XIULLIN
Published: April 2007

Coupled chaotic oscillators are found to be able to achieve the partial synchronization state in some networks. The scaling relation between the synchronization time and the coupling at the synchronous threshold is found and explained. In the studies, it was found that the coupling of the synchronization properties of networks is not homogeneous.
EXACT SOLUTIONS AND MONTE CARLO SIMULATIONS OF SELF-CONSISTENT LANGEVIN EQUATIONS: A CASE STUDY FOR THE COLLECTIVE DYNAMICS OF STOCK PRICES
Authors: FRANK T. D.
Published: April 2007

In a case study, the exact solution of a self-consistent Langevin equation associated with a nonlinear Fokker–Planck equation is derived. On the basis of this solution, a Monte Carlo simulation scheme for the Langevin equation is proposed. The case study addresses a generalized geometric Brownian walk that describes the collective dynamics of a large set of interacting stocks. Numerical results obtained from the Monte Carlo simulation are compared with analytical solutions derived from the nonlinear Fokker–Planck equation. The power of the Monte Carlo simulation is demonstrated for situations in which analytical solutions are not available.
MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF ROTOMOULDED WOLLASTONITE-REINFORCED POLYETHYLENE COMPOSITES
Authors: YUAN XIAOWEN , EASTEAL ALLAN J. , BHATTACHARYYA DEBES
Published: April 2007

This paper describes the development of a new processing technology for rotational moulding of wollastonite microfibre (WE) reinforced polyethylene (PE). Manufacturing wollastonite-polyethylene composites involved blending, compounding by extrusion, and granulating prior to rotational moulding. The properties of the resulting composites were characterised by tensile and impact strength measurements. The results show that tensile strength increases monotonically with the addition of wollastonite fibres, but impact strength is decreased. In addition, the processability is also decreased after adding more than 12 vol% WE because of increased viscosity. The effects of a coupling agent, maleated polyethylene (MAPE), on the mechanical performance and processability were also investigated. SEM analysis reveals good adhesion between the fibre reinforcements and polyethylene matrix at the fracture surface with the addition of MAPE. It is proposed that fillers with small particles with high aspect ratio (such as wollastonite) provide a large interfacial area between the filler and the polymer matrix, and may influence the mobility of the molecular chains.
A RECURRENCE RELATION FOR CHARACTERS OF HIGHEST WEIGHT INTEGRABLE MODULES FOR AFFINE LIE ALGEBRAS
Authors: COOK WILLIAM J. , LI HAISHENG , MISRA KAILASH C.
Published: April 2007

Using certain results for the vertex operator algebras associated with affine Lie algebras, we obtain recurrence relations for the characters of integrable highest weight irreducible modules for an affine Lie algebra. As an application we show that in the simply-laced level 1 case, these recurrence relations give the known characters, whose principal specializations naturally give rise to some multisum Macdonald identities.
UNIFORM ESTIMATES AND BLOW-UP ANALYSIS FOR THE EMDEN EXPONENTIAL EQUATION IN ANY DIMENSION
Authors: BARTOLUCCI DANIELE , LEONI FABIANA , ORSINA LUIGI
Published: April 2007

We study the asymptotic behavior as n → ∞ of a sequence of functions un satisfying the Emden equation -Δ un = e un in a bounded domain Ω ⊂ ℝN, with N ≥ 2. By assuming a suitable uniform bound and an additional monotonicity property, we prove that the *-weak limit in the sense of measures of a subsequence of e un is either a function of L1(Ω), or a purely singular measure concentrated on an (N - 2)-rectifiable set.
The Serum High-Sensitive C Reactive Protein and Homocysteine Levels to Evaluate the Prognosis of Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Yoldas Tahir , Gonen Murat , Godekmerdan Ahmet , Ilhan Fulya , Bayram Ednan
Published: April 2007

Ischemic stroke is one of the most common causes of death worldwide and is most often caused by thrombotic processes. We investigated the changes in hsCRP and homocysteine levels, two of these risk factors, during the acute period of ischemic stroke and evaluated the relationship between these levels and the short-term prognosis. HsCRP and homocysteine levels were measured at the 2nd, 5th, and 10th days in forty patients admitted within second of an ischemic stroke. The clinical status of the patients was simultaneously evaluated with the Scandinavian stroke scale. The results were compared with 40 healthy control subjects whose age and sex were matched with the patients. The mean hsCRP levels of the patients were9.4±7.0mg/L on the 2nd day,11.0±7.4mg/L on the 5th day, and9.2±7.0mg/L on the 10th day. The mean hsCRP level of the control subjects was1.7±2.9mg/L. The mean hsCRP levels of the patients on the 2nd, 5th, and 10th days were significantly higher than the control subjects (P<.001). The patients' mean homocysteine levels were40.6±9.6μmol/L on the 2nd day,21.7±11.1μmol/L on the 5th day, and20.7±9.2μmol/L on the 10th day. The mean homocysteine level of the control subjects was11.2±1.1μmol/L. The homocysteine levels of the patients were higher than the control subjects at all times (P<.01). In conclusion, patients with stroke have a higher circulating serum hsCRP and homocysteine levels. Short-term unfavorable prognosis seems to be associated with elevated serum hsCRP levels in patients with stroke. Although serum homocysteine was found to be higher, homocysteine seems not related to prog nosis.
The Classes of Mutual Compactificability
Authors: Kovár Martin Maria
Published: April 2007

Two disjoint topological spacesX,Yare mutually compactificable if there exists a compact topology onK=X∪Ywhich coincides onX,Ywith their original topologies such that the pointsx∈X,y∈Yhave disjoint neighborhoods inK. The main problem under consideration is the following: which spacesX,Yare so compatible such that they together can form the compact spaceK? In this paper we define and study the classes of spaces with the similar behavior with respect to the mutual compactificability. Two spacesX1,X2belong to the same class if they can substitute each other in the above construction with any spaceY. In this way we transform the main problem to the study of relations between the compactificability classes. Some conspicuous classes of topological spaces are discovered as the classes of mutual compactificability. The studied classes form a certain “scale of noncompactness” for topological spaces. Every class of mutual compactificability contains aT1representative, but there are classes with no Hausdorff representatives.
The Nature of the Chemical Bond in Linear Three-Body Systems: From I3–to Mixed Chalcogen/Halogen and Trichalcogen Moieties
Authors: Aragoni M. Carla , Arca Massimiliano , Devillanova Francesco A. , Garau Alessandra , Isaia Francesco , Lippolis Vito , Mancini Annalisa
Published: April 2007

The 3 centre-4 electrons (3c-4e) and the donor/acceptor or charge-transfer models for the description of the chemical bond in linear three-body systems, such as I3–and related electron-rich (22 shell electrons) systems, are comparatively discussed on the grounds of structural data from a search of the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD). Both models account for a total bond order of 1 in these systems, and while the former fits better symmetric systems, the latter describes better strongly asymmetric situations. The 3c-4e MO scheme shows that any linear system formed by three aligned closed-shell species (24 shell electrons overall) has reason to exist provided that two electrons are removed from it to afford a 22 shell electrons three-body system: all combinations of three closed-shell halides and/or chalcogenides are considered here. A survey of the literature shows that most of these three-body systems exist. With some exceptions, their structural features vary continuously from the symmetric situation showing two equal bonds to very asymmetric situations in which one bond approaches to the value corresponding to a single bond and the second one to the sum of the van der Waals radii of the involved atoms. This indicates that the potential energy surface of these three-body systems is fairly flat, and that the chemical surrounding of the chalcogen/halogen atoms can play an important role in freezing different structural situations; this is well documented for the I3–anion. The existence of correlations between the two bond distances and more importantly the linearity observed for all these systems, independently on the degree of their asymmetry, support the state of hypervalency of the central atom.
A Comparison of Deformations and Geometric Study of Varieties of Associative Algebras
Authors: Makhlouf Abdenacer
Published: April 2007

The aim of this paper is to give an overview and to compare the different deformation theories of algebraic structures. In each case we describe the corresponding notions of degeneration and rigidity. We illustrate these notions by examples and give some general properties. The last part of this work shows how these notions help in the study of varieties of associative algebras. The first and popular deformation approach was introduced by M. Gerstenhaber for rings and algebras using formal power series. A noncommutative version was given by Pinczon and generalized by F. Nadaud. A more general approach called global deformation follows from a general theory by Schlessinger and was developed by A. Fialowski in order to deform infinite-dimensional nilpotent Lie algebras. In a nonstandard framework, M. Goze introduced the notion of perturbation for studying the rigidity of finite-dimensional complex Lie algebras. All these approaches share the common fact that we make an “extension” of the field. These theories may be applied to any multilinear structure. In this paper, we will be dealing with the category of associative algebras.
A Class of Methods for the Analysis of Blade Tip Timing Data from Bladed Assemblies Undergoing Simultaneous Resonances—Part I: Theoretical Development
Authors: Gallego-Garrido J. , Dimitriadis G. , Wright J. R.
Published: April 2007

Blade tip timing is a technique for the measurement of vibrations in rotating bladed assemblies. Although the fundamentals of the technique are simple, the analysis of data obtained in the presence of simultaneously occurring synchronous resonances is problematic. A class of autoregressive-based methods for the analysis of blade tip timing data from assemblies undergoing two simultaneous resonances has been developed. It includes approaches that assume both sinusoidal and general blade tip responses. The methods can handle both synchronous and asynchronous resonances. An exhaustive evaluation of the approaches was performed on simulated data in order to determine their accuracy and sensitivity. One of the techniques was found to perform best on asynchronous resonances and one on synchronous resonances. Both methods yielded very accurate vibration frequency estimates under all conditions of interest.
Solar Module Fabrication
Authors: El Amrani A. , Mahrane A. , Moussa F. Y. , Boukennous Y.
Published: April 2007

One of the most important steps in the photovoltaic industry is the encapsulation of the solar cells. It consists to connect the cells in order to provide useful power for any application and also protect them from environmental damages which cause corrosion, and mechanical shocks. In this paper, we present the encapsulation process we have developed at Silicon Technology Unit (UDTS) for monocrystalline silicon solar cells. We will focus particularly on the thermal treatment, the most critical step in the process, which decides on the quality and the reliability of the module. This thermal treatment is conducted in two steps: the lamination and the polymerization. Several tests of EVA reticulation have been necessary for setting technological parameters such as the level of vacuum, the pressure, the temperature, and the time. The quality of our process has been confirmed by the tests conducted on our modules at the European Laboratory of Joint Research Centre (JRC) of ISPRA (Italy). The electrical characterization of the modules has showed that after the encapsulation the current has been improved by a factor of 4%to 6%and the power gain by a factor of 4%to 7%. This is mainly due to the fact of using a treated glass, which reduces the reflection of the light at a level as low as 8%.
Anxiety in Mice: A Principal Component Analysis Study
Authors: Clément Yan , Joubert Chantal , Kopp Caroline , Lepicard Eve M. , Venault Patrice , Misslin René , Cadot Martine , Chapouthier Georges
Published: April 2007

Two principal component analyses of anxiety were undertaken investigating two strains of mice (ABP/Le and C57BL/6ByJ) in two different experiments, both classical tests for assessing anxiety in rodents. The elevated plus-maze and staircase were used for the first experiment, and a free exploratory paradigm and light-dark discrimination were used for the second. The components in the analyses produced definitions of four fundamental behavior patterns: novelty-induced anxiety, general activity, exploratory behavior, and decision making. We also noted that the anxious phenotype was determined by both strain and experimental procedure. The relationship between behavior patterns and the use of specific tests plus links with the genetic background are discussed.
An Approximate Solution for Flow between Two Disks Rotating about Distinct Axes at Different Speeds
Authors: Ersoy H. Volkan
Published: April 2007

The flow of a linearly viscous fluid between two disks rotating about two distinct vertical axes is studied. An approximate analytical solution is obtained by taking into account the case of rotation with a small angular velocity difference. It is shown how the velocity components depend on the position, the Reynolds number, the eccentricity, the ratio of angular speeds of the disks, and the parameters satisfying the conditionsu=0andν=0in midplane.