bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Towards an Islamic international financial hub: the role of Islamic capital market in Malaysia
Authors: Yusof Rosylin Mohd. , Shabri Abd. Majid M. 
Published: November 2008

PurposeIn line with the government's policy to promote Malaysia as an international hub for Islamic banking and finance, the purpose of this paper is to evaluate the dynamic effects of both Islamic and conventional stock markets on foreign portfolio investments.Design/methodology/approachFirst, the paper explores the short and long‐run relationships between (FPI) and three markets, i.e. the goods, money, and securities market. Second, the paper attempts to examine the relative importance of the three markets in accounting for variations in FPI. Consistent with earlier studies, the goods market variable considered is real income (Y). The money market variables tested are the broad money supply (M2), treasury bill rate (TBR) and the US Federal Fund rate (FFR), while the security market is represented by both Kuala Lumpur Shari'ah Index (KLSI) and Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI).FindingsThe findings of the study indicate that among the three markets studied, the securities market in Malaysia (both conventional and Islamic) is the most significant market in attracting FPI into the economy. This implies that to a certain extent, the government's effort in promoting Malaysia as the international hub for the Islamic capital market has been successful.Originality/valueThe paper suggests that further efforts need to be enhanced in promoting Malaysia as the International hub for the Islamic banking and finance. The paper's findings shed some light on the policy ramifications pertaining to attracting foreign investors into the ICM in Malaysia and in moving towards a more globally competitive capital market.
Islamic bond issuance: what sovereign debt managers need to know
Authors: Jobst Andreas , Kunzel Peter , Mills Paul , Sy Amadou 
Published: November 2008

PurposeThe most popular form of Islamic finance is commonly referred to as sukuk – wholesale, asset‐based capital market securities. The purpose of this paper is to enhance the general understanding of essential policy considerations in the creation and development of sukuk markets.Design/methodology/approachThis policy paper reviews the key developments in the sukuk market and informs a debate about challenges and opportunities going forward. The paper presents a qualitative analysis of economic, regulatory and legal issues that warrant consideration.FindingsThe paper finds that while the sukuk market continues to generate strong interest by new issuers in Muslim and non‐Muslim countries alike, some critical constraints arising from continued legal uncertainty and regulatory divergences still need to be overcome. As issuers weigh the costs and benefits of sukuk issuance in a broad policy context, continued efforts will be required to overcome a series of economic, legal and regulatory issues.Originality/valueThe paper presents, for the first time, a structured analysis of sukuk markets aimed at identifying key considerations for sovereign debt managers, especially in non‐Muslim countries.
Role of STAT6 and SMAD2 in a model of chronic allergen exposure: a mouse strain comparison study
Authors: Hirota J. A. , Ask K. , Fritz D. , Ellis R. , Wattie J. , Richards C. D. , Labiris R. , Kolb M. , Inman M. D. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryBackground
Asthma is a disease characterized by variable and reversible airway obstruction and is associated with airway inflammation, airway remodelling (including goblet cell hyperplasia, increased collagen deposition and increased smooth muscle mass) and increased airway responsiveness. It is believed that airway inflammation plays a critical role in the development of airway remodelling, with IL‐13 and TGF‐β1 pathways being strongly associated with the disease progression. Mouse models of asthma are capable of recapitulating some components of asthma and have been used to look at both IL‐13 and TGF‐β1 pathways, which use STAT6 and SMAD2 signalling molecules, respectively.Objectives
Using brief and chronic models of allergen exposure, we utilized BALB/c and C57Bl/6 to explore the hypothesis that observed differences in responses to allergen between these mouse strains will involve fundamental differences in IL‐13 and TGF‐β1 responses.Methods
The following outcome measurements were performed: airway physiology, bronchoalveolar lavage cell counts/cytokine analysis, histology, immunoblots and gene expression assays.Results
We demonstrate in BALB/c mice an IL‐13‐dependent phosphorylation of STAT6, nuclear localized in inflammatory cells, which is associated with indices of airway remodelling and development of airway dysfunction. In BALB/c mice, phosphorylation of SMAD2 is delayed relative to STAT6 activation and also involves an IL‐13‐dependent mechanism. In contrast, despite an allergen‐induced increase in IL‐4, IL‐13 and eosinophils, C57Bl/6 demonstrates a reduced and distinct pattern of phosphorylated STAT6, no SMAD2 phosphorylation changes and fail to develop indices of remodelling or changes in airway function.Conclusion
The activation of signalling pathways and nuclear translocation of signalling molecules downstream of IL‐13 and TGF‐β1 further support the central role of these molecules in the pathology and dysfunction in animal models of asthma. Activation of signalling pathways downstream from IL‐13 and TGF‐β1 may be more relevant in disease progression than elevations in airway inflammation alone.
Exploitation and habitat degradation as agents of change within coral reef fish communities
Authors: WILSON S. K. , FISHER R. , PRATCHETT M. S. , GRAHAM N. A. J. , DULVY N. K. , TURNER R. A. , CAKACAKA A. , POLUNIN N. V. C. , RUSHTON S. P. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractOver‐exploitation and habitat degradation are the two major drivers of global environmental change and are responsible for local extinctions and declining ecosystem services. Here we compare the top‐down effect of exploitation by fishing with the bottom‐up influence of habitat loss on fish communities in the most diverse of ecological systems, coral reefs. Using a combination of multivariate techniques and path analyses, we illustrate that the relative importance of coral cover and fishing in controlling fish abundance on remote Fijian reefs varies between species and functional groups. A decline in branching Acropora coral is strongly associated with a decline in abundance of coral‐feeding species, and a decrease in coral‐associated habitat complexity, which has indirectly contributed to reduced abundance of small‐bodied damselfish. In contrast, reduced fishing pressure, brought about by declining human populations and a shift to alternate livelihoods, is associated with increased abundance of some piscivores and fisheries target species. However, availability of prey is controlled by coral‐associated habitat complexity and appears to be a more important driver of total piscivore abundance compared with fishing pressure. Effects of both fishing and coral loss are stronger on individual species than functional groups, as variation in the relative importance of fishing or coral loss among species within the same functional group attenuated the impact of either of these potential drivers at the functional level. Overall, fishing continues to have an influence on Fijian fish communities; however, habitat loss is currently the overriding agent of change. The importance of coral loss mediated by climate change is expected to have an increasing contribution to fish community dynamics, particularly in remote locations or where the influence of fishing is waning.
Climate change and plant invasions: restoration opportunities ahead?
Authors: BRADLEY BETHANY A. , OPPENHEIMER MICHAEL , WILCOVE DAVID S. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractRather than simply enhancing invasion risk, climate change may also reduce invasive plant competitiveness if conditions become climatically unsuitable. Using bioclimatic envelope modeling, we show that climate change could result in both range expansion and contraction for five widespread and dominant invasive plants in the western United States. Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) and tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) are likely to expand with climate change. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and spotted knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii) are likely to shift in range, leading to both expansion and contraction. Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) is likely to contract. The retreat of once‐intractable invasive species could create restoration opportunities across millions of hectares. Identifying and establishing native or novel species in places where invasive species contract will pose a considerable challenge for ecologists and land managers. This challenge must be addressed before other undesirable species invade and eliminate restoration opportunities.
Fruit‐based functional foods I: production of food‐grade apple fibre ingredients
Authors: Sun‐Waterhouse Dongxiao , Farr Judie , Wibisono Reginald , Saleh Zaid 
Published: November 2008

SummaryWith the increased consumer interest in fibre‐enriched functional foods, industrial‐scale methods for functional fibre production are demanded. The development of a food‐grade fibre preparation method at lab scale that is feasible for industrial scale‐up is a pre‐requisite. This paper describes two lab‐scale fibre preparation methods that have potential to be scaled up to industrial setting for the production of fruit fibres containing desired bioactives and functionality. The two methods, one aqueous and the other ethanolic, were used to isolate fibres from Granny Smith apples (Malus domestica Borkh cv. ‘Granny Smith’). In the aqueous method, ground apple tissues were suspended in HEPES buffer (20 mM, pH 6.5), and then mechanically ruptured using an Ultra‐Turrax and ring grinder. Between steps, the cell‐wall materials were washed with the HEPES buffer. In the ethanolic method, ground apple tissues were stirred in 72% ethanol at 4 °C, filtered, re‐suspended in 72% ethanol and then washed. Microscopic examination and chemical analysis were performed on the resultant fibres. The aqueous method produced natural and uniform dietary fibres in the form of plant cell walls containing 0.282 g uronic acid per g dried fibre. By comparisons, the ethanolic method produced crude fibres containing only 0.182 g uronic acid per g dried fibre, the lower uronic acid content indicating the presence of impurities. Thus, the aqueous method appeared to be advantageous in terms of the retained pectic polysaccharide content and cost‐effectness for industrial scale‐up. Further characterisation using Folin‐Ciocalteu assay and high performance liquid chromatography indicates that the fibres obtained by the aqueous method contained significant amounts of phenolic compounds (2.6 mg catechin equivalent per g dried fibre). These results suggest that fibres obtained by the aqueous method may be more suitable for functional food applications where fibres with high pectic polysaccharide and beneficial phenolic antioxidants are preferred.
The effect of storage on the oxalate content of New Zealand grown oca
Authors: Savage Geoffrey P. , Mason Susan L. , Vanhanen Leo 
Published: November 2008

SummaryFour lines of oca, No. 38 and 41, Inca Gold and Market were grown in four replicated plots and the soluble oxalate content was determined on the freshly harvested tubers and tubers that had been stored for 6 weeks at 16.4 ± 0.5 °C. The mean dry matter content of freshly harvested tubers was 14.3 ± 0.5 g 100 g−1 fresh weight (FW), and after storage was 14.6 ± 0.5 g 100 g−1 FW. The mean soluble oxalate content of freshly harvested tubers was 162.1 ± 8.8 mg 100 g−1 FW, and, after 6 weeks storage, 173.5 ± 0.9 mg 100 g−1 FW. The different cultivars behaved differently during storage, the soluble oxalate content of Inca Gold tubers fell 7.2% while the soluble oxalate content of the other three cultivars increased (mean 13%).
Preliminary studies to determine the chaperoning properties of bovine casein and crystallin proteins at reducing beef muscle protein aggregation during heating
Authors: Pulford David J. , Frost Debbie F. , Lomiwes Dominic D. , Farouk Mustafa M. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryThe ability of small heat shock proteins (sHSP) at preventing the aggregation and precipitation of unfolded and misfolded proteins because of changes in pH and temperature is widely recognised. The performance of sHSP from bovine lens extract at protecting sarcoplasmic proteins from heat induced denaturation and aggregation was compared with other chaperones including bovine serum albumin, αs‐casein, β‐casein and a synthetic peptide based upon αA‐crystallin (AAC). Beef sarcoplasmic proteins were heated in the presence or absence of exogenous chaperone and the solubility, surface hydrophobicity and enzymatic activities of the sarcoplasmic proteins was determined. Lens extract prevented the aggregation of sarcoplasmic proteins, maintaining solubility and clarity up to 65 °C relative to 60 °C for β‐casein. By contrast, αs‐ and β‐casein proteins protected the activity of endogenous enzymes at temperatures between 37 °C and 52 °C, unlike lens sHSP. Our findings support the addition of casein proteins as potential thermal stabilisers of meat proteins in food systems.
Evaluation of potential mechanisms by which dietary fibre additions reduce the predicted glycaemic index of fresh pastas
Authors: Brennan Charles S. , Tudorica Carmen M. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryA range of commercially available dietary fibres (DFs), representing both insoluble and soluble forms, were used in the production of pasta. Addition of fibre was at a range of levels (2.5–10%). The potential glycaemic index of these pastas was then evaluated using anin vitromodel system to determine starch digestibility and sugar release. Scanning electron microscopy was used to relate structural properties of the pasta to starch degradation. The resulting predicted glycaemic indexes illustrated that the inclusion of DFs into pasta can reduce the glycaemic index of an already low GI food by up to 40%. As such, compared to the predicted glycaemic index value for the control fresh pasta (GI = 45), inclusion of pea fibre, guar gum and locust bean gum yielded pasta with GI values of 39.2, 37.9 and 37 respectively. Thus the type of dietary fibre used was important in the rate of starch digestion observed during thein vitroprocess. Equally, the level of fibre inclusion was of importance with an inclusion rate of 2.5% generally resulting in pasta with a predictive GI of 42.1, whereas an inclusion of 10% yielded pasta with a GI value of 37.2. Such reductions could be achieved through a number of possible mechanisms including antagonistic and synergistic relationships existing between DF’s and other food components, the effect of DF’s in entrapping pasta particles and thus inhibiting starch degradation, and the restriction of water movement during the cooking of pasta products, thus indicating that starch swelling is impaired.
Fruit‐based functional foods II: the process for identifying potential ingredients
Authors: Hunter Denise C. , Zhang Jingli , Stevenson Lesley M. , Skinner Margot A. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryDeveloping functional food products requires a structured approach for screening potential ingredients. Using the development of a product with antioxidant properties as a model, eight fruit juice concentrates were screened, including New Zealand fruits. The total phenolic content and the antioxidant capacity, using chemical‐based assays (ferric reducing antioxidant power and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assays), were determined. The potential to protect against oxidative stress in Jurkat cells was also determined. Results indicate that the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in chemical‐based assays were strongly correlated. However, the total phenolic content did not dictate the level of protection from oxidative stress in this cell‐based model, suggesting that the type of phenolic compounds present and interactions between them may be important, although the activity of other compounds, such as vitamin C or carotenoids, may also be implicated. This model for screening ingredients may be used to design synergistic combinations of ingredients, and results may provide supportive evidence in the development of functional foods for this and other health targets.
Rheological characteristics of South African commercial sauces
Authors: Ikhu‐Omoregbe Daniel , Bushi Grace Manoja 
Published: November 2008

SummaryIn this work, the rheological characteristics of three commercial culinary sauces obtained from a shop in South Africa were studied using both oscillatory and rotating rheometry. The materials were found to be non‐Newtonian and shear thinning in the temperature range of 10 °C and 60 °C and a shear rate of 0.1–800 s−1. Their flow behaviour characteristics were adequately described by both the power law and Herschel–Bulkley rheological models. Their activation energy of flow ranged from 11.94 to 18.34 kJ mol−1. The materials were observed to be weak gels with linear viscoelastic of about 1%. Increasing frequency did not significantly affect the viscoelastic properties of all the three substances. The materials were found to suffer permanent structural deformation (in terms of viscosity) when heated and subsequently cooled between 10 °C and 70 °C.
The influence of rice fibre fractions on the in vitro fermentation production of short chain fatty acids using human faecal micro flora
Authors: Fernando Warnakulasuriya M. A. D. B. , Ranaweera Kamburawala K. D. S. , Bamunuarachchi Arthur , Brennan Charles S. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryA study was conducted to assess the effects of rice dietary fibre on the fermentative activity of human faecal microflora. Dietary fibre was extracted from four commercially available Sri Lankan rice varieties [LD 356, AT 353 (red in colour); BG 352, and BG 358 (white in colour)], and separated into individual fractions of total dietary fibre (TDF), insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) and soluble dietary fibre (SDF). Four healthy human subjects were given a diet containing the four rice varieties for more than 4 months prior to the study. Faecal microflora was obtained from human volunteers, after the 4 months of rice based diet, and used for anaerobic fermentation of the individual rice fibres. Short Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) production was analysed at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h by gas liquid chromatography. Among the SCFA, acetate was the most abundant acid formed in all rice varieties. The fibre fractions from rice variety LD 356 (TDF16.73%, SDF 3.57%, 11.9% IDF) gave the highest yield of SCFA while the variety BG 358 gave the least. Total dietary fibre of all rice varieties contributed to produce more SCFA than the individual soluble dietary fibre and insoluble dietary fibre fractions.
Beyond genetics: childhood affective trauma in bipolar disorder
Authors: Etain Bruno , Henry Chantal , Bellivier Frank , Mathieu Flavie , Leboyer Marion 
Published: November 2008

Objectives:  Despite the demonstrated high heritability of bipolar disorder, few susceptibility genes have been identified and linkage and/or association studies have produced conflicting results. This search for susceptibility genes is hampered by several methodological limitations, and environmental risk factors for the disease (requiring incorporation into analyses) remain misunderstood. Among them, childhood trauma is probably the most promising environmental factor for further investigation. The objectives are to review the arguments in favor of an association between childhood trauma and bipolar disorder and to discuss the interpretations of such an observation.Methods:  We computed a literature search using PubMed to identify relevant publications concerning childhood trauma and bipolar disorder. We also present some personal data in this field.Results:  Growing evidence suggests that incidences of childhood trauma are frequent and severe in bipolar disorder, probably affect the clinical expression of the disease in terms of suicidal behavior and age at onset, and also have an insidious influence on the affective functioning of patients between episodes. The relationships between childhood trauma and bipolar disorder suggest several interpretations, mainly a causal link, a neurodevelopmental consequence, or the intergenerational transmission of traumatic experiences. The neurobiological consequences of childhood trauma on a maturing brain remain unclear, although such stressors may alter the organization of brain development, leading to inadequate affective regulation.Conclusions:  Childhood trauma is associated with bipolar disorder and its clinical expression and may interact with genetic susceptibility factors. Although not completely understood, the relationships between childhood trauma and bipolar disorder require further attention. Several suggestions for further exploration of this environmental factor and of its interaction with susceptibility genes are proposed.
Treatment‐emergent mania/hypomania during antidepressant monotherapy in patients with rapid cycling bipolar disorder
Authors: Gao Keming , Kemp David E , Ganocy Stephen J , Muzina David J , Xia Guohua , Findling Robert L , Calabrese Joseph R 
Published: November 2008

Objective:  To study treatment‐emergent mania/hypomania (TEM) associated with second‐generation antidepressant monotherapy in patients with rapid cycling bipolar disorder (RCBD).Methods:  Data of patients with RCBD (n = 180) enrolled into two clinical trials were used to study the risk for TEM during second‐generation antidepressant monotherapy. History of TEM was retrospectively determined at the initial assessment by asking patients whether they were exposed to second‐generation antidepressants and if a hypomania/mania episode emerged during the first four weeks of treatment. Data were analyzed using t‐test, chi‐square, and logistic regression.Results:  Of the 180 patients (bipolar I disorder, n = 128; bipolar II disorder, n = 52) with RCBD, 85% (n = 153) had at least one antidepressant treatment. Among these patients, 94.1% (144/153) had at least one antidepressant monotherapy treatment. Overall, 49.3% of patients had at least one TEM and 29.1% (116/399) of treatment trials were associated with TEM. In regression analysis, an inverse association between the number of mood episodes in the last 12 months and TEM was observed with an odds ratio of 0.9. However, gender, bipolar subtype, a lifetime history of comorbid anxiety disorder, substance use disorder, or psychosis, and age of mood disorder onset were not associated with TEM. For individual antidepressants, the rates of TEM varied from 42.1% for fluoxetine to 0% for fluvoxamine and mirtazapine. As a group, there was no difference between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and venlafaxine or bupropion in the incidence of TEM.Conclusions:  Use of second‐generation antidepressants as monotherapy in RCBD is accompanied by clinically relevant rates of TEM. Even in patients with RCBD, differential vulnerabilities to antidepressant TEM may exist.