bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effective nutrition labeling of restaurant menu and pricing of healthy menu
Authors: Hwang Johye , Lorenzen Carol L.
Published: September 2008

Providing nutritional information on restaurant menus may help customers make healthier eating choices. This paper presents the results of a two‐phase study designed to identify (i) the most preferred amount of nutritional information for a menu, (ii) whether presentation of nutritional information influenced healthier choices, and (iii) whether people are willing to pay more for food choices they perceive to be healthier. We found that participants’ attitudes toward the amount of nutritional information and toward the credibility of its source correlated directly to the amount of nutritional information presented; the more nutritional information presented, the more helpful the information and the more credible the source. Additionally, the participants’ nutrition‐related and overall attitudes toward a menu item were influenced by the provision of nutritional information. The participants showed the most positive attitudes toward a low‐fat item and were willing to pay more for that item when nutrition information was provided.
Gravad (Gravlax) and cold‐smoked salmon, still a potential source of listeriosis
Authors: Peiris Inoka Priyadarshani , Lopez‐Valladares Gloria , Parihar Vishal Singh , Helmersson Seved , Barbuddhe Sukdevo , Tham Wilhelm , Danielsson‐Tham Marie‐Louise
Published: September 2008

Gravad (Gravlax) and cold‐smoked salmon are associated with human listeriosis in Sweden. The present investigation of Listeria monocytogenes in salmon was a follow‐up of a similar study in the middle of the 1990s. Since our first study, there has been an increasing focus on food hygiene in general and specially on self‐inspection and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points from the authorities and food producers. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 11 (three manufacturers) of the 56 products analyzed. The highest level of L. monocytogenes was 1500 cfu/g from a cold‐smoked salmon product; however, the level was low (<100 cfu/g) in most products. Serovar 1/2a was predominant, followed by 4b. restriction enzyme analysis/ pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis typing of the 56 salmon isolates identified five types of L. monocytogenes. One type was identical to a human type, whereas two other were closely related. These findings suggest that gravad and cold‐smoked salmon are still possible sources of listeriosis in Sweden.
Green Mussel, Perna viridis, Farming in Kerala, India – Technology Diffusion Process and Socioeconomic Impacts
Authors: Kripa V. , Mohamed K. S.
Published: September 2008

The technology diffusion process of green mussel, Perna viridis, farming in Kerala, India, was studied by analyzing the adoption pattern, socioeconomic profile of mussel farmers, differences in farming methods, profit variations, development of trade and downstream industries, and the social factors responsible for the growth of this new industry. The farming practice has been adopted by villagers from 1996, and because of its rapid growth, India has risen to one among the top 10 farmed mussel producing nations in Asia, with an annual production of 10,060 tonnes, worth $US1.79 million at farm‐gate level. Three types of farm ownerships were observed: individual ownership (IND), family ownership (FAM), and ownerships by self‐help groups (SHG). The adoption curves are such that there were only a few adopters initially followed by an increasing rate of adoption in the subsequent years because of the demonstration effect. The study indicated the deep‐rooted “risk aversion” attitude widely prevalent among technology adopters. Age could not be significantly related to technology adoption, while education and occupation of the respondents significantly (P < 0.05) influenced the technology adoption process. The biggest outcome of mussel farming in Kerala was the empowerment of women with 87% of the SHG farms owned by women. The successful diffusion of mussel farming is the result of a combination of factors, chiefly, the availability of suitable water bodies; high rate of education; proximity of mussel markets and high degree of mussel consumption in the area; and a unique synergy between technology developers, promoters, and credit advancers. This development scenario can work as a role model for developing nations.
Evaluation of Cow Pea Seed Meal, Vigna sinensis, as a Dietary Protein Replacer for Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), Fingerlings
Authors: EL‐Saidy Deyab M. S. D , Saad Aml S.
Published: September 2008

The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of partial and total replacement of fish meal (FM) protein by cow pea seed meal (CPSM) protein in practical diets on growth performance, feed utilization, and body composition of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.). Fish of an average initial weight of 4.6 ± 0.2 g were stocked in 15 glass aquariums (80 L each) at a rate of 15 fish per aquarium. FM protein (30% of the diet) was used as the sole source of animal protein in the control diet. Percent replacement of FM by CPSM on the basis of crude protein were as follows: 0% (control diet A), 25% (diet B), 50% (diet C), 75% (diet D), and 100% (diet E). Diets were fed to fish at a rate of 4% of the total fish biomass daily, for a period of 16 wk. The results of this study revealed that the fish fed control diet A (100% FM) had the best average final body weight, specific growth rate (SGR %/d), weight gain (g/fish), weight gain %, while the poorest results for all parameters were obtained with fish fed diet E (100% CPSM). The same parameters of fish fed diets B (25% CPSM) and C (50% CPSM) were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from those of fish fed the control diet A. Feed utilization parameters of fish fed diets A, B, C, and D were better than for diet E. Proximate composition of whole‐body moisture and ash contents were not significantly different (P > 0.05) among all experimental diets and control diet. Whole‐body protein contents for fish fed diets B and C were superior to the control diet A. Incorporation of CPSM in the diets significantly increased whole‐body fat content. Incorporation of CPSM in the diets significantly decreased apparent digestibility coefficient of crude protein crude fat and energy. Diets B and C were not significantly different from control diet A. Therefore, these findings suggest that up to 50% of FM protein can be replaced by CPSM protein in Nile tilapia diets without any adverse effects on growth performance, feed utilization, body composition, and digestibility.
Minimizing Fish Oil and Fish Meal with Plant‐based Alternatives in Sunshine Bass Diets without Negatively Impacting Growth and Muscle Fatty Acid Profile
Authors: Lewis Heidi A , Kohler Christopher C.
Published: September 2008

We determined whether canola oil could spare menhaden oil (MO) in diets containing minimal fish meal without affecting sunshine bass, Morone chrysops × Morone saxatilis, production. Seven isonitrogenous, isocaloric (41.7% crude protein and 14.6% crude lipid) diets containing graded levels (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, or 100%) of menhaden to canola oils with 20% menhaden meal (MM) or 100% canola oil with 20% lipid‐extracted MM were fed to sunshine bass (initial weight 9.3 ± 0.16 g; mean ± SD) twice daily to apparent satiation for 10 wk. Sunshine bass fed less than 40% of their dietary lipid as MO exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) lower feed intake and growth rates. Increased concentrations of saturated, n‐3, and n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (FA) in the fillet were associated with MO‐rich diets, while monounsaturated and n‐6 FA were most common in fillets from fish fed diets rich in canola oil. Reducing MO to 40% of the dietary lipid in diets containing minimal fish meal allows for efficient utilization of marine resources without negatively impacting juvenile sunshine bass production.
A Preliminary Study on the Effects on Growth, Condition, and Feeding Indexes in Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, after the Prophylactic Use of Potassium Permanganate and Oxytetracycline
Authors: Sanchez‐Martínez J. G. , Pérez‐Castañeda R. , Rábago‐Castro J. L. , Aguirre‐Guzmán G. , Vázquez‐Sauceda M. L.
Published: September 2008

The prophylactic use of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and oxytetracycline and its effects on catfish growth were assessed. For eleven weeks, healthy channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, juveniles were exposed to KMnO4 and oxytetracycline. KMnO4‐treated fish were exposed to 1 ppm twice a week for 1 h, while oxytetracycline‐treated fish received a 50 mg/kg dose in the feed (35 fish per tank, two tanks per treatment). Assessed parameters included body weight and length, specific growth rate (SGR), feed intake (FI), condition, and feed conversion index (FCI). Potassium permanganate did not have a suppressive effect on growth, while oxytetracycline significantly enhanced growth on channel catfish (weight and length), as they were heavier (12.5%) than KMnO4‐treated fish and controls at the end of the trial. SGR (%/d), FI, and FCI were not significantly different (P > 0.05) among the three groups of fish. Condition index (K) was significantly higher (ANOVA, P < 0.05) in the oxytetracycline‐treated fish. The present study suggests that, at concentrations commonly used in aquaculture, exposure of healthy channel catfish to oxytetracycline enhanced growth, while KMnO4 does not induce growth suppression.
Commercial‐scale Validation of Temperature‐step Rearing on Growth Physiology in Turbot, Scophthalmus maximus
Authors: Imsland Albert K. , Gunnarsson Snorri , ÁSgeirsson ÁSgeir , Roth Bjorn , Schram Edward , Foss Atle
Published: September 2008

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible benefit of “temperature‐steps” (T‐steps) rearing for juvenile turbot (initial weight 15.1 g) under realistic production scale and to determine whether initial growth advantage is maintained throughout the rearing period to market size. One group (called T‐step 22‐19‐16) of juvenile turbot was reared at three different temperatures, that is, 22 C (from 17 to 60 g) followed by 19 C (from 60 to 100 g) and 16 C (>100 g); another group (called T‐step 19‐16) at two temperatures, that is, 19 C (from 17 to 100 g) and lowered to 16 C (>100 g); and the third group (called C16) at one constant temperature, that is, 16 C. Relative growth was significantly higher in the two T‐step groups, with the T‐step 19‐16 showing the highest overall growth. Feed conversion efficiency was highest in the 19‐16 group. Only minor effects of the experimental rearing on blood physiology were found, with one notable exception of inverse relationship between plasma glucose and growth. Overall, these findings indicate that a short interval of rearing fish at high temperature during the early juvenile phase may have a long‐term effect on biomass increment in turbot. This is an important finding for the turbot industry.
Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework to Identify Constraints and Opportunities to the Development of Freshwater Prawn Farming in Southwest Bangladesh
Authors: Ahmed Nesar , Allison Edward H. , Muir James F.
Published: September 2008

A conceptual framework, drawn from an approach to poverty reduction known as the sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA), is applied to understanding the role of freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, farming in gher (modified rice fields with high, broad peripheral dikes) systems in southwest Bangladesh. Gher farming potentially allows incorporation of a wide variety of crops together with prawn, fish, dike crops, and rice culture. The analysis shows how, in a gher farming context, sustainable livelihoods are achieved through access to a range of livelihood assets, which are combined in the pursuit of prawn farming strategies. The study used the SLA framework as a diagnostic tool to identify ways of strengthening the livelihoods of the prawn farmers.
Accumulation of Mycosporine‐like Amino Acids in Asparagopsis armata Grown in Tanks with Fishpond Effluents of Gilthead Sea Bream, Sparus aurata
Authors: Figueroa Félix L. , Bueno Agustín , Korbee Nathalie , Santos Rui , Mata Leonardo , Schuenhoff Andreas
Published: September 2008

Abstract.— The accumulation of ultraviolet (UV)‐screen substances, mycosporine‐like amino acids (MAAs), in the tetrasporophytic phase of the red alga Asparagopsis armata grown in fishpond effluents of gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata, is analyzed. Both the effects of total ammonium nitrogen (TAN) fluxes and the algal densities on MAA accumulation were investigated. MAAs increased with the TAN flux, but only until values lower than 100 μM/h. Above this flux, the MAA content decreased, whereas algal yield increased. The content of individual MAAs was related to nitrogen (N) status, that is, shinorine percentage slightly decreased and palythine increased with increasing N fluxes. The decrease of MAAs at high flux of N (up to 100 μM/h) is related to the decrease of water residence time and the decrease of the biofiltration efficiency. Under different TAN fluxes and algal densities, MAA content was negatively related to algal yield indicating that MAAs were accumulated only under a high ammonium‐N availability. Thus, an energy allocation between growth (primary metabolism) and MAA accumulation (secondary metabolism) is regulated by the absorption capacity of inorganic N. In conclusion, A. armata, in addition to its high biofiltration capacity of nutrients, is a good source of MAAs as potential UV screen photoprotectors.
Comparison of Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, and Blue Catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, Fed Diets Containing Various Levels of Protein in Production Ponds
Authors: Li Menghe H. , Robinson Edwin H. , Tucker Craig S. , Oberle Daniel F. , Bosworth Brian G
Published: September 2008

A comparative study was conducted on growth and protein requirements of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, and blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus. Four diets containing 24, 28, 32, or 36% protein were fed to both channel (initial weight 6.9 g/fish) and blue (6.6 g/fish) catfish for two growing seasons. There were significant interactions between dietary protein and fish species for weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR). No significant differences were observed in weight gain of channel catfish fed various protein diets, whereas higher protein diets (32 and 36%) resulted in better weight gain in blue catfish than lower protein diets (24 and 28%). No consistent differences were observed in the FCR of channel catfish fed various levels of dietary protein, whereas significantly higher FCRs were noted in blue catfish fed the 24 and 28% protein diets compared with fish fed 32 and 36% protein diets. Regardless of dietary protein levels, blue catfish had higher carcass, nugget, and total meat yield, and higher fillet moisture and protein, but lower fillet yield and fillet fat. Regardless of fish species, fish fed the 36% protein diet had higher carcass, fillet, and total meat yield than fish fed the 28 and 32% protein diets, which in turn had higher yields than fish fed the 24% protein diet. It appears that blue catfish can be successfully cultured by feeding a 32% protein diet.
Intensive Rotifer Production in a Pilot‐scale Continuous Culture Recirculating System Using Nonviable Microalgae and an Ammonia Neutralizer
Authors: Bentley C. D. , Carroll P. M. , Watanabe W. O. , Riedel A. M.
Published: September 2008

A study was conducted to test the performance of a high‐density (>3000 individuals/mL) continuous recirculating system for rotifers (B. rotundiformis) fed nonviable Nannochloropsis oculata and using sodium hydroxymethanesulfonate to neutralize ammonia. Three different microalgae feed rates (g of N. oculata [68 × 109 cells/mL] per million rotifers/d) were tested in successive trials. In Trial 1 (feed rate = 1.5), during a 30‐d period, rotifers were harvested daily to 3000 individuals/mL, for an average yield of 178 million/d. Feed efficiency (million rotifers/g/d) was 0.33. In Trial 2 (feed rate = 1.1), during a 32‐d period, an average of 106 million rotifers were harvested daily, and feed efficiency was 0.26. In Trial 3 (feed rate = 1.3), during a 30‐d period, an average of 107 million rotifers was harvested daily, and feed efficiency was 0.23. An economic analysis based on a feed rate of 1.5 showed that production cost was 40% lower than the traditional batch culture method (US$ 0.29 vs. 0.46 per million rotifers/d). The continuous culture system tested reliably produced large quantities of rotifers on a daily basis without the use of a biofilter and with a lower production cost than a batch culture system.
Replacement of Fish Meal with Poultry By‐product Meal as a Protein Source in Pond‐raised Sunshine Bass, Morone chrysops ♀ × M. saxatlis ♂, Diets
Authors: Pine Harvey J. , Daniels William H. , Davis D. Allen , Jiang Mingkang , Webster Carl D.
Published: September 2008

Replacement of fish meal (FM) as a protein source with alternative sources of protein in aquaculture diets has been widely explored in aquaculture. The goal of replacement of FM in production diets is to maintain growth, lower production costs, and increase sustainability. Evaluation of the replacement of FM with poultry by‐product meal (PBM) in phase II sunshine bass diets, Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis, was conducted in ponds over 246 d. Four diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous (37%) and isocaloric (4 kcal/g) with different levels of FM replacement with PBM (0, 33, 67, and 100%, Diets 1–4, respectively). Twelve ponds were stocked with 400 phase II sunshine bass (mean weight 5.6 g) and randomly assigned one of the four diets. Fish were fed below satiation based on predicted growth and feed conversion, initially once daily (1700 h) and then twice daily (0700 and 1700 h) as water temperatures and feeding activity increased. Diets were evaluated based on production and performance indicators, body composition, and economic analysis. Production results revealed no significant differences in mean final individual fish weight (511 ± 21 g), net production (4257 ± 247 kg/ha), and survival (85 ± 2%). No significant differences occurred between the performance indicators: mean feed conversion ratio (2.47 ± 0.11), specific growth rate (1.84 ± 0.02), and protein conversion efficiency (23 ± 1.3%). Body composition was statistically similar for mean percent fillet weight (49 ± 0.6%) and percent intraperitoneal fat (9.8 ± 1.0%); however, the hepatosomatic index was significantly different between Diets 3 (3.7 ± 0.1%) and 4 (3.2 ± 0.1%). Mean proximate analysis of whole fish (dry weight basis) was not significantly different among treatments yielding the following: percent protein (46 ± 0.4%), lipid (47 ± 1.3%), and ash (8 ± 0.7%). Mean fillet composition (dry weight basis) also revealed no significant differences: percent protein (72 ± 0.8%), percent lipid (30 ± 1.6%), and percent ash (5 ± 0.2%). Proximate analysis was also performed on the diets and revealed a significantly lower protein content in Diet 3 (34.3 ± 0.5%) compared to the other diets (37.1 ± 0.4%). Amino acid analysis of the diets indicated a possible deficiency in methionine in Diets 3 and 4. Based on production, performance, and body composition, the results indicate that complete replacement of FM with PBM in sunshine bass diets is feasible; however, economic analysis suggests that the replacement of FM with PBM may result in reduced revenue over feed costs.
Dietary Protein Requirements of Juvenile Black Sea Bass, Centropristis striata
Authors: Shah Alam Md. , Watanabe Wade O. , Carroll Patrick M.
Published: September 2008

A feeding trial was conducted in a recirculating system to determine the dietary protein requirement for juvenile black sea bass. Six isocaloric diets were formulated to contain varying levels of crude protein (CP) ranging from 36 to 56% (36, 40, 44, 48, 52, and 56%) by substituting a mixture of carbohydrates and lipid for fish meal. The feeding experiment was carried out in 18‐75 L aquaria stocked at a density of 15 juveniles (initial average weight 6.7 g) per tank. Fish were fed test diets in triplicate tanks to apparent satiation twice a day for 8 wk. Whole‐body proximate composition was analyzed after the feeding trial. After the feeding trial, weight gain and specific growth rate of fish fed the 44% CP diet were not significantly different from those fed the 48, 52, and 56% CP diets, but were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those fed the 36 and 40% CP diets. Feed conversion efficiency and protein efficiency ratio were significantly affected by dietary protein level. The dietary requirement of protein for maximum growth of black sea bass juveniles, estimated using broken‐line regression analysis on weight gain, was 45.3% and maximum weight gain occurred at 52.6% based on polynomial regression analysis.
Sociocultural Perceptions and Patterns of Cigarette and Alcohol Use among College Students in Vietnam
Authors: DuongTran Paul
Published: September 2008

This empirical study was conducted in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to investigate cross‐sectionally the influences of sociocultural contexts on the patterns of addictive substance use cigarette, alcohol, and illicit drugs. A sample of 202 monolingual adults who were enrolled in college courses at the University of Hanoi in Vietnam responded to a self‐reported questionnaire in their native language on the frequency, quantity, and occasions of addictive behavior. The project staff were fluent in English and Vietnamese. The questionnaire was critically reviewed for its face validity and cultural appropriateness before being translated into Vietnamese. In addition to patterns of use, this research explored the central role of drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes in peer socialization among college adults. Vietnam, like other Asian cultures, emphasizes initiation and conformity to social traditions and norms. The empirical findings provide invaluable knowledge of the complex roles of cigarette and alcohol in the social processes and relationship‐building among college adults in Vietnam. Further knowledge will assist in identifying intervention approaches and health prevention that is more focused and congruent with cultural and social beliefs about this behavior and these substances. Its implications for research into culturally appropriate intervention and prevention are also discussed.
Longitudinal study of anterior segment inflammation by ultrasound biomicroscopy in patients with acute anterior uveitis
Authors: Peizeng Yang , Qianli Meng , Xiangkun Huang , Hongyan Zhou , Li Wang , Kijlstra Aize
Published: September 2008

Purpose:  This study aimed to investigate dynamic changes in the anterior segment in patients with acute anterior uveitis (AAU) using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM).

Methods:  Acute anterior uveitis was diagnosed in 18 patients according to history and ocular examinations. Ultrasound biomicroscopy was performed and the results at three time‐points (within 2 weeks of the uveitis attack, and at 2−4 weeks and 6 weeks after it) were analysed. The relationships between clinical manifestations and UBM findings were also evaluated.

Results:  All investigated AAU patients showed severe ciliary injection, numerous dust keratic precipitates (KPs), aqueous flare and inflammatory cells, and were treated predominantly with corticosteroid and cycloplegic eyedrops. Ultrasound biomicroscopy showed a large number of cells in the anterior and posterior chamber, marked oedema and exudates in and around the iris and ciliary body within 2 weeks of AAU onset. These abnormalities were dramatically improved at 2−4 weeks and almost resolved at 6 weeks and thereafter.

Conclusions:  Ultrasound biomicroscopy reveals severe inflammatory changes in and around the ciliary body in patients with AAU. These signs rapidly resolve upon treatment.
A population‐based study of macular thickness in full‐term children assessed with Stratus OCT: normative data and repeatability
Authors: Eriksson Urban , Holmström Gerd , Alm Albert , Larsson Eva
Published: September 2008

Purpose: We aimed to determine normal macular thickness values, assessed with optical coherence tomography (OCT),in a population of full‐term children of normal birthweight.

Methods: A total of 56 children, aged 5–16 years, randomly chosen from the population register, were examined with Stratus OCT. Only children with visual acuity < 0.2 logMAR, spherical equivalent of − 3 to + 3 D and astigmatism < 2 D were included. The fast macular map protocol was used and three examinations were performed in each eye. One eye was then randomized for further analyses. Mean values for the nine ETDRS areas, foveal minimum thickness and macular volume were calculated for 55 eyes. Coefficients of variance and intraclass correlations were calculated for each area.

Results: All children co‐operated well and no child was excluded for lack of concentration. Mean ± standard deviation central macular thickness was 204 ± 19 μm. Mean total macular volume was 7.11 ± 0.35 mm3. No correlations were found between age, gender and macular thickness. Coefficients of variance were < 2% and intraclass correlations were > 0.9 in all areas, except the foveal minimum.

Conclusions: Normal values for macular thickness in healthy full‐term children were reported. As the Stratus OCT provides normal values only for adults, these data are a better alternative for comparison with children with retinal abnormalities. We concluded that OCT is suitable for examining the retina in children aged 5–16 years and has the same high level of repeatability as in adults.
Human Brucellosis: Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Related to High Risk Occupational Groups in Tanga Municipality, Tanzania
Authors: Swai E. S. , Schoonman L.
Published: September 2008

The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of brucellosis in various occupations in Tanga, Tanzania. During the year 2004, serum samples were collected from volunteers in various occupations and screened for brucella antibodies using Rose Bengal Plate Agglutination Test. Information on occupation, kind of work and contacts with livestock was collected and age and sex were recorded. The overall sero prevalence of antibodies to Brucella abortus was 5.52%. One variable in a multivariate regression model was significantly associated with seropositivity to B. abortus: abattoir workers. The prevalence of antibody was significantly higher (P < 0.05) among personnel employed in high‐risk jobs such as cutting animal throats and cleaning slaughtered animals parts. None of the other factors investigated was associated with seropositivity to B. abortus. This study documents the serological evidence of B. abortus infection for the first time in abattoir workers in Tanzania.
New SIMS U–Pb zircon ages from the Langavat Belt, South Harris, NW Scotland: implications for the Lewisian terrane model
Authors: KELLY N.M. , HINTON R.W. , HARLEY S.L. , APPLEBY S.K.
Published: September 2008

Secondary ionization mass spectrometry (SIMS) U/Pb dating of zircon has been applied to rocks of the Lewisian Complex of South Harris (Outer Hebrides, NW Scotland), yielding insights into the complex geological evolution of this region and enhancing our understanding of terranes in the Lewisian Gneiss Complex. Results show that tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite magmatism occurred in the Tarbert Terrane between
c
. 2850 and 2830 Ma, equivalent to similar rocks in other parts of the Outer Hebrides. Magmatism was accompanied or closely followed by high-grade metamorphism at
c
. 2830 Ma, the first reported occurrence of such an event at this time. These rocks were affected by a subsequent high-grade metamorphic event at
c
. 2730 Ma, which has correlatives both in the Outer Hebrides and in the mainland Lewisian Gruinard Terrane. These data suggest that the ‘terranes’ forming the Outer Hebrides and parts of the mainland Lewisian were once contiguous and were fragmented by post-2730 Ma events. The
c
. 1700–1660 Ma ages from felsic sheets and pegmatites within the Langavat Shear Zone may record the reassembly of these crustal fragments.
SHRIMP U–Pb zircon geochronology of Neoproterozoic Korla mafic dykes in the northern Tarim Block, NW China: implications for the long-lasting breakup process of Rodinia
Authors: ZHU WENBIN , ZHANG ZHIYONG , SHU LIANGSHU , LU HUAFU , SU JINBAO , YANG WEI
Published: September 2008

Mafic dykes are observed in the Korla region along the northern Tarim Block, NW China. Our sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe U–Pb zircon ages, the first determined for these dykes, indicate that the mafic dykes were mainly formed at 650–630 Ma, and thus document the youngest known igneous activity associated with rifting in the Tarim Block during the Neoproterozoic. Combined with previous geochronological data, at least three pulses of magmatic activity, from
c
. 830 to 800 Ma, from
c
. 790 to 740 Ma and from
c
. 650 to 630 Ma, are recognized, which reveal that multiple episodes of rifting occurred within the Tarim Block, implying that the breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent in the Tarim Block may have been a long-lasting process.
Formation of Archaean continental lithosphere and its diamonds: the root of the problem
Authors: PEARSON D.G. , WITTIG N.
Published: September 2008

Cratonic lithospheric mantle plays an integral role in defining the physical behaviour of ancient continents and their mineral potential. Bulk compositional data show that modern-day melting residues from a variety of tectonic settings can be as depleted in Al and Ca as cratonic peridotites. Cratonic peridotites are strongly affected by secondary introduction of pyroxenes and garnet such that the extent and depth of melting cannot be reliably determined. Olivine compositions are probably the most reliable tracer of the original melting process and indicate that typical cratonic peridotites have experienced 40% or more melt extraction. Homogeneous levels of depletion indicated by olivine compositions, combined with mildly incompatible trace element evidence, indicate that melting took place at shallow depths, dominantly in the spinel stability field. Consideration of melt production models shows that shallow (<3 GPa) anhydrous melting is not capable of producing residues dominated by large degrees of melt extraction. Instead, a critical role for water is indicated, implicating the formation of cratonic peridotites within Archaean subduction zones. This melting occurred in the Neoarchaean in some cratonic blocks, initially forming dunitic residues that are still evident in the xenolith inventory of some cratons. Release and migration up-section of siliceous melt produced during orthopyroxene breakdown metasomatizes the proto-lithospheric via re-enrichment in orthopyroxene crystallizing from this hydrous Si-rich melt, forming the variably orthopyroxene-rich refractory harzburgites typical of most cratonic roots. Melting in Archaean subduction zones is followed by subduction stacking to form the cratonic root. Gravitational forces may then be responsible for the loss of imbricated mafic crust during periods of transient thermal and physical disturbances prior to final long-term tectonic stability. Most diamonds form in the base of these cratonic roots during pulses of thermal or tectonic activity, initially during root construction and subsequently associated with large-scale regional lithospheric events that may be correlated to pulses in global mantle dynamic evolution.
Stem Cells, Self-Renewal, and Differentiation in the Intestinal Epithelium
Authors: van der Flier Laurens G. , Clevers Hans
Published: September 2008

The mammalian intestine is covered by a single layer of epithelial cells that is renewed every 4–5 days. This high cell turnover makes it a very attractive and comprehensive adult organ system for the study of cell proliferation and differentiation. The intestine is composed of proliferative crypts, which contain intestinal stem cells, and villi, which contain differentiated specialized cell types. Through the recent identification of Lgr5, an intestinal stem cell marker, it is now possible to visualize stem cells and study their behavior and differentiation in a much broader context. In this review we describe the identification of intestinal stem cells. We also discuss genetic studies that have helped to elucidate those signals important for progenitor cells to differentiate into one of the specialized intestinal epithelial cell types. These studies describe a genetic hierarchy responsible for cell fate commitment in normal gut physiology. Where relevant we also mention aberrant deregulation of these molecular pathways that results in colon cancer.
Induced Bragg Gratings in Optical Fibers and Waveguides Using an Ultrafast Infrared Laser and a Phase Mask
Authors: Mihailov Stephen J. , Grobnic Dan , Smelser Christopher W. , Lu Ping , Walker Robert B. , Ding Huimin
Published: September 2008

Since its development in 2003, the technique of Bragg grating inscription in optical fibers and waveguides with ultrafast infrared radiation and a phase mask has proven to be as simple as the standard UV-laser grating writing techniques but far more versatile. The ultrafast IR laser-based process allows for the creation of grating structures in glassy and crystalline materials that are not typically UV photosensitive. In this article, we will review the studies that have been performed at the Communications Research Centre Canada on the grating formation processes as well as applications of the ultrafast laser technique to fabricate gratings in various optical fibers and waveguides.
Tandemly Arrayed Genes in Vertebrate Genomes
Authors: Pan Deng , Zhang Liqing
Published: September 2008

Tandemly arrayed genes (TAGs) are duplicated genes that are linked as neighbors on a chromosome, many of which have important physiological and biochemical functions. Here we performed a survey of these genes in 11 available vertebrate genomes. TAGs account for an average of about 14% of all genes in these vertebrate genomes, and about 25% of all duplications. The majority of TAGs (72–94%) have parallel transcription orientation (i.e., they are encoded on the same strand) in contrast to the genome, which has about 50% of its genes in parallel transcription orientation. The majority of tandem arrays have only two members. In all species, the proportion of genes that belong to TAGs tends to be higher in large gene families than in small ones; together with our recent finding that tandem duplication played a more important role than retroposition in large families, this fact suggests that among all types of duplication mechanisms, tandem duplication is the predominant mechanism of duplication, especially in large families. Finally, several species have a higher proportion of large tandem arrays that are species-specific than random expectation.
Observations and Modeling of the Surface Aerosol Radiative Forcing during UAE2
Authors: Markowicz K. M. , Flatau P. J. , Remiszewska J. , Witek M. , Reid E. A. , Reid J. S. , Bucholtz A. , Holben B.
Published: September 2008

Aerosol radiative forcing in the Persian Gulf region is derived from data collected during the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Unified Aerosol Experiment (UAE2). This campaign took place in August and September of 2004. The land–sea-breeze circulation modulates the diurnal variability of the aerosol properties and aerosol radiative forcing at the surface. Larger aerosol radiative forcing is observed during the land breeze in comparison to the sea breeze. The aerosol optical properties change as the onshore wind brings slightly cleaner air. The mean diurnal value of the surface aerosol forcing during the UAE2 campaign is about −20 W m−2, which corresponds to large aerosol optical thickness (0.45 at 500 nm). The aerosol forcing efficiency [i.e., broadband shortwave forcing per unit optical depth at 550 nm, W m−2 (τ500)−1] is −53 W m−2 (τ500)−1 and the average single scattering albedo is 0.93 at 550 nm.
Gravity Wave Refraction by Three-Dimensionally Varying Winds and the Global Transport of Angular Momentum
Authors: Hasha Alexander , Bühler Oliver , Scinocca John
Published: September 2008

Operational gravity wave parameterization schemes in GCMs are columnar; that is, they are based on a ray-tracing model for gravity wave propagation that neglects horizontal propagation as well as refraction by horizontally inhomogeneous basic flows. Despite the enormous conceptual and numerical simplifications that these approximations provide, it has never been clearly established whether horizontal propagation and refraction are indeed negligible for atmospheric climate dynamics. In this study, a three-dimensional ray-tracing scheme for internal gravity waves that allows wave refraction and horizontal propagation in spherical geometry is formulated. Various issues to do with three-dimensional wave dynamics and wave–mean interactions are discussed, and then the scheme is applied to offline computations using GCM data and launch spectra provided by an operational columnar gravity wave parameterization scheme for topographic waves. This allows for side-by-side testing and evaluation of momentum fluxes in the new scheme against those of the parameterization scheme. In particular, the wave-induced vertical flux of angular momentum is computed and compared with the predictions of the columnar parameterization scheme. Consistent with a scaling argument, significant changes in the angular momentum flux due to three-dimensional refraction and horizontal propagation are confined to waves near the inertial frequency.
Strategy as Evolution with Design: The Foundations of Dynamic Capabilities and the Role of Managers in the Economic System
Authors: Augier Mie , Teece David J.
Published: September 2008

This paper discusses the intellectual roots of the dynamic capabilities framework. We draw on insights from Edith Penrose as well as others in order to help explain the essence of the business enterprise, and how it can escape the zero profit trap. We see the business enterprise as being in part a product of its own history, but not completely so. Managers can shape outcomes and are not completely trapped by prior decisions and investments. We call this `evolution with design', leaving room for both evolutionary processes as well as intentional design. This conclusion is consistent with Penrose's contributions to the theory of the firm.
Reappraising the Nature of the Firm: The Role and Influence of Lexical and Structural Ambiguity
Authors: Kay Neil
Published: September 2008

In this paper it is argued that lexical ambiguity (where a word can have two or more separate meanings) and structural ambiguity (where a phrase can have two or more separate meanings) have profoundly affected the development of the theory of the firm and the economics of organization. We focus particularly on Coase's agenda as to what constitutes the nature of the firm, and argue that intellectual resources have been misallocated in this field of inquiry because of endemic problems of lexical and structural ambiguity. We suggest how the agenda could be restated and redirected. It is concluded that resource-based economics, organizational decision theory and transaction cost analysis (in the broadest sense) should not be seen as potentially competing perspectives or frameworks in analysis of the nature of the firm, but instead as valuable and complementary tools for such analysis.
Networks, Communication and Learning during Business Start-up
Authors: Lee Robert , Jones Oswald
Published: September 2008

This comparative research examines the characteristics of nascent entrepreneurs' cognitive social capital created via face-to-face and electronic communication.The nascent entrepreneurs had trained on two distinct courses: Science Enterprise Challenge (SEC) and the New Entrepreneur Scholarship (NES).The SEC entrepreneurs were well educated and their postgraduate course was based on conventional educational principles while the NES entrepreneurs had little formal education and were taking a six-month diploma-based training programme.The quantitative and qualitative findings demonstrate strong similarities between the two groups in terms of their face-to-face communication and benefits from their bonding ties.There were clear differences between the groups' ability to benefit from electronic communication during bridging. NES entrepreneurs used email unwillingly and were unable to access to the same resources as the SEC group. Our conclusion is that the NES entrepreneurs were less able to create cognitive social capital electronically, which limited both their learning and their ability to obtain broader business backing including emotional support, information, advice, equipment and referrals.
Who Married How? Modeling Marital Decisions in Early-Twentieth Century Taiwan
Authors: Sping Wang  , Kok Jan , Chuang Ying-chang
Published: September 2008

Marriage in Taiwan in the early twentieth century was a very diverse phenomenon. Marriages could be in the “minor” fashion, in which the bride was adopted at an early age by her parents-in-law. They could also be of the virilocal “major” type, in which young adults married and lived in the household of the husband's parents. Finally, they could be “uxorilocal,” in which the husband came to live with his in-laws. The diversity of types reflects a complex mixture of motives on behalf of parents, who aimed to secure the patrilineage, but in the meantime were motivated to save on wedding expenses, safeguard their hold on the younger generation, forge alliances between clans, and bring in additional labor. In our paper, we assess the relative importance of these parental motives by applying a competing risks analysis on household registry data from nine Taiwanese communities. By combining data on the levels of the individuals, the composition of their households, the characteristics of their communities, and economic fluctuations, we demonstrate the remarkable flexibility and adaptability of Taiwanese marriage within the overriding constraint of producing male offspring.
Emerging Commons
Authors: Holder Jane B. , Flessas Tatiana
Published: September 2008

This special issue explores the idea of commons, placing it in a theoretical but also richly empirical context. In this introductory article, we highlight the depth and diversity of the scholarship on commons represented in this issue. Drawing from the articles that follow, we examine a range of commons that share a dependency upon the collective and local ownership of land, resources or ideas, held in an often communal manner and sometimes in opposition to private property. We begin by returning to land as the original locus of commons and trace the importance of issues of public space and public access. In moving beyond a land-based and unitary conception of commons, we analyse the emergence of richer understandings of commons, divorced from physical or geographical entities — cultural and historical commons, and environmental commons including the idea of a `Global Commons'. In these different settings, we consider how the idea of `the commons' can work as a signifier — of resistance, community, collective action and common values.
Enclosure, Common Right and the Property of the Poor
Authors: Blomley Nicholas
Published: September 2008

Although considerable research has been conducted into the dynamics of commons in rural settings, we still know very little about common property within cities. Given the hegemony of certain models of property, the urban commons has been overlooked and ignored. Urban commons do not look like property to us. This can lead, I argue, to real injustice. Based, in part, on empirical research in Vancouver, I attempt to map out the urban commons of the poor, particularly in relation to the dynamics of inner-city gentrification. This commons, produced through intensive patterns of use and collective habitation, is fiercely moral, reliant upon political claims and the exclusion of interests that threaten enclosure. For inner-city activists contesting displacement, the commons is real. As such, gentrification, and related dynamics, can usefully be thought of as forms of enclosure, or what David Harvey terms `dispossession by accumulation'. I conclude by asking what urban policy, political praxis and property theory might look like if they acknowledged the collective property interest of the poor in the inner-city commons.
The Repatriation Debate and the Discourse of the Commons
Authors: Flessas Tatiana
Published: September 2008

What can the concept of `the commons' lend to cultural property and heritage analysis? How can it be applied to these areas, if one looks beyond the protection of solely `natural' resources such as land (although `land', as a highly regulated substrate bearing a plethora of significations and values, may itself no longer be considered a `natural' resource)? The debates around property and culture are more usually understood by reference to `cultural nationalism', `cultural internationalism' and the web of disciplines and resources that grow between these two traditional approaches, and yet these resources leave many problems and issues in this field unresolved. The discourses that make up commons scholarship might serve to expand the toolbox of cultural property discourse, in particular where the issues span the most personal and the most communal problems of all: human skeletons and repatriation claims. This article argues that the very discourse of the commons itself is a strategy, a means of establishing and policing thresholds that in turn move according to strategies and desires of acquisition. In short, designating an object as located within `the commons' is another way of justifying the appropriation of contested cultural property.
A Transaction Cost-Based Approach to Partnership Performance Evaluation
Authors: Jobin Denis
Published: September 2008

Partnerships are often considered an alternative way to deliver programs provided by governments and organizations (potentially) more cost effectively. However, this assumption needs to be verified. Evaluators and auditors now face a challenge: how to assess the performance of this hybrid organizational form.This article suggests one powerful way of evaluating partnerships: transaction cost economics (TCE). A key hypothesis of TCE is that partners choose a governance structure that minimizes transaction costs (TCs). If a partnership's governance structure is misaligned with its transactions, higher TCs will decrease the partnership's performance. Hence, measuring the partnership's TCs is essential. After defining what constitutes a partnership, the article introduces the TC framework. It then identifies relevant factors in the literature affecting partnership performance. It concludes with key steps in applying the framework and shows how it fits into partnership performance evaluation.
A Review on Neurobiological and Psychological Mechanisms Underlying the Anti-depressive Effect of Qigong Exercise
Authors: Tsang Hector W.H. , Fung Kelvin M.T.
Published: September 2008

Elders with chronic medical conditions are vulnerable to depression. Mainstream interventions for treating their depression is however far from satisfactory which stimulates the interests of researchers to look for alternative therapies to alleviate geriatric depression. Qigong, a Chinese mindful exercise, is demonstrated to have anti-depressive effects. Results of our earlier studies shed light on the psychological mechanism underlying this effect. The neurobiological mechanism remains unclear. This article attempts to review extant evidence and suggests possible neurobiological pathways of the anti-depressive effect of qigong based on the neurotransmitter, neuroendocrine, and neurotropic perspectives. Further research to consolidate its scientific base is suggested.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Authors: Newton Danielle C. , McCabe Marita P.
Published: September 2008

The impact of having genital herpes and genital human papilloma virus (HPV) on individuals and their relationships was investigated. A qualitative research methodology explored the lived experiences of 30 adults with genital herpes (15 men, 15 women), and 30 adults with HPV (15 men, 15 women). This study addressed individuals' feelings about the impact of stigma associated with having an STI, the impact of having an STI on sexuality and on intimate relationships, and feelings surrounding the process of disclosure. Implications of the findings for research and clinical practice are discussed.