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Kinds of Designation Selected AbstractsProteolysis and texture changes of a Spanish soft cheese (,Torta del Casar') manufactured with raw ewe milk and vegetable rennet during ripeningINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Delgado Francisco-José Summary Proteolysis and textural changes of the Spanish ewe raw milk soft cheese of the Protected Designation of Origin Torta del Casar were studied in four different stages of ripening, with 1, 30, 60 and 90 days. In general, proteolysis in Torta del Casar cheese was weak at 1 and 30 days and it was more intense between the 30,60 days of ripening. Soluble nitrogen non-protein nitrogen, polypeptide N and free amino acids values significantly increased during cheese ripening. Protein and casein nitrogen decreased significantly after 60 days of ripening resulting in the increase of the other nitrogen fractions measured. Caseins changes determined by capillary zone electrophoresis showed that proteolysis of ,-casein occurred faster than ,s1-casein but the latter suffered higher proteolytic degradation at the end of ripening (day 90). This pattern of degradation of caseins is reversed in other cheeses made with animal rennet. Texture analysis showed that firmness and consistency decreased along ripening while adhesiveness increased. Highly significant correlations were found between textural parameters, residual caseins levels and nitrogen fractions during maturation, which shows the importance of proteolytic changes for an optimal texture formation. [source] Determinants of Adoption of Protected Designation of Origin Label: Evidence from the French Brie Cheese IndustryJOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 2 2010Zohra Bouamra-Mechemache D2; L13; L15; Q13 Abstract This paper investigates empirically the determinants of agro-food firms' adoption of the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label. A unique dataset containing firm-level cost and production information on the French Brie cheese is used, covering the period 1980,2000. The Brie cheese data are especially relevant as PDO Brie producers have coexisted with other non-PDO producers since 1981. To evaluate the producers' incentive to opt for PDO certification, we use a structural switching regression model which incorporates cost and production structure variables. Results show that PDO certification is less attractive the higher the costs of raw materials and the greater the size of the company. PDO Brie cheese production costs are estimated to be on average 40% higher than those for non-PDO Brie. The PDO production process could be technically inefficient when compared with the unconstrained non-PDO manufacturing; yet, PDO producers benefit from a price premium on their product which offsets their higher production cost. [source] Vertical integration in the wine industry: a transaction costs analysis on the Rioja DOCaAGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009Marta Fernández-Olmos The authors study the determinants of make or buy decisions for grapes made by wineries belonging to the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin (DOCa). In particular, they analyze the relationship between product quality and vertical integration. Although there is a long tradition in transaction cost theory of analyzing the determinants of make or buy decisions in manufacturing, surprisingly few empirical studies have been conducted in the agriculture and food and beverage industry. Likewise, although quality is a key competitive variable in many food sectors, only a few studies have analyzed quality in their models. The authors find that transaction costs and product quality provide a useful explanation of vertical integration in the wine industry in the Rioja DOCa. Wineries that produce high-quality wines are more likely to integrate vertically than those producing low-quality wines. They also find that the size of the winery significantly affects make or buy choices. Implications are explored for managers facing a governance mode choice. [EconLit Classifications: L220, Q130]. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Detection of Staphylococcus aureus and enterotoxin genotype diversity in Monte Veronese, a Protected Designation of Origin Italian cheeseLETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2007A. Poli Abstract Aims:, To evaluate the risk associated with the load and enterotoxigenicity of Staphylococcus aureus in Monte Veronese, a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) cheese of the Lessinia area (Verona, Italy). Methods and Results:,Staphylococcus aureus was quantified by a conventional culture method and by a nucA targeted real-time PCR assay developed in this study. Staphylococcus aureus numbers in cheese were higher than the limit tolerated by the Italian food legislation in 78% instances, according to both detection methods. Multiplex PCR tests for 17 Staph. aureus enterotoxin (SE) genes were applied to nucleic acids extracted from curds, cheeses and Staph. aureus isolates. The SE gene diversity appeared reduced after ripening. The gene encoding SED was found most frequently in dairy samples and the enterotoxin genes ser, sed, seg and sem predominated in the isolates. Conclusions:, The occurrence of enterotoxigenic Staph. aureus strains with complex SE genotypes in this PDO cheese at numbers often exceeding the Italian tolerance threshold represents an important risk factor. Significance and Impact of the Study:, The high frequency of contamination of Monte Veronese PDO cheese and, expectedly, similar typical productions from raw milk, by enterotoxigenic Staph. aureus imposes a tighter hygienic control in the earlier manufacturing phases. [source] The Semantics of Rigid DesignationRATIO, Issue 1 2003John Justice Frege's thesis that each singular term has a sense that determines its reference and serves as its cognitive value has come to be widely doubted. Saul Kripke argued that since names are rigid designators, their referents are not determined by senses. David Kaplan has argued that the rigid designation of indexical terms entails that they also lack referent,determining senses. Kripke's argument about names and Kaplan's argument about indexical terms differ, but each contains a false premise. The referents of both names and indexical terms are determined by reflexive senses. It is reflexive sense that makes these terms rigid designators. [source] Stepwise geographical traceability of virgin olive oils by chemical profiles using artificial neural network modelsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2009Diego L. García-González Abstract The geographical traceability of virgin olive oils implies the use of analytical methods that allow the identification of the origin of the oil and the authentication of the information boasted on the labels. In this work, the geographical identification of the virgin olive oils has been addressed by complete chemical characterisation of samples (64 compounds analysed by GC and HPLC) and the design of artificial neural network (ANN) models for each one of the levels of a proposed classification scheme. A high number of samples (687) from Spain, Italy and Portugal served as training and test sets for the ANN models. The highest classification level, focused on the grouping of samples by country, was achieved through analysis of fatty acids, with 99.9% of samples classified. Other levels (region, province, Protected Designations of Origin or PDO) were focused on Spanish oils and required additional series of compounds (sterols, alcohols, hydrocarbons) as well as the fatty acids to obtain classification rates higher than 90%. The classification of oils into different PDOs , the last and most difficult level of classification , showed the highest root mean square errors. The classification percentages, however, were still higher than 90% in the test set, which proves the application of the traceability methodology for a chemical verification of PDO claims. [source] The Impact of R&D Intensity on Demand for Specialist Auditor Services,CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNTING RESEARCH, Issue 1 2005JAYNE M. GODFREY Abstract The audit fee research literature argues that auditors' costs of developing brand name reputations, including top-tier designation and recognition for industry specialization, are compensated through audit fee premiums. Audited firms reduce agency costs by engaging high-quality auditors who monitor the levels and reporting of discretionary expenditures and accruals. In this study we examine whether specialist auditor choice is associated with a particular discretionary expenditure - research and development (R&D). For a large sample of U.S. companies from a range of industries, we find strong evidence that R&D intensity is positively associated with firms' choices of auditors who specialize in auditing R&D contracts. Additionally, we find that R&D intensive firms tend to appoint top-tier auditors. We use simultaneous equations to control for interrelationships between dependent variables in addition to single-equation ordinary least squares (OLS) and logistic regression models. Our results are particularly strong in tests using samples of small firms whose auditor choice is not constrained by the need to appoint a top-tier auditor to ensure the auditor's financial independence from the client. [source] Two DM domain genes, DMY and DMRT1, involved in testicular differentiation and development in the medaka, Oryzias latipesDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 3 2004Tohru Kobayashi Abstract The recent discovery of the DMY gene (DM domain gene on Y chromosome and one of the DMRT1 family genes) as a key determinant of male development in the medaka (Oryzias latipes) has led to its designation as the prime candidate gene for sex-determination in this species. This study focused on the sites and pattern of expression of DMY and DMRT1 genes during gonadal differentiation of medaka to further determine their roles in testis development. DMY mRNA and protein are expressed specifically in the somatic cells surrounding primordial germ cells (PGCs) in the early gonadal primordium, before morphological sex differences are seen. However, somatic cells surrounding PGCs never express DMY during the early migratory period. Expression of DMY persists in Sertoli cell lineage cells, from PGC-supporting cells to Sertoli cells, indicating that only DMY -positive cells enclose PGCs during mitotic arrest after hatching. DMRT1 is expressed in spermatogonium-supporting cells after testicular differentiation (20,30 days after hatching), and its expression is much higher than that of DMY in mature testes. In XX sex-reversed testes, DMRT1 is expressed in the Sertoli cell lineage, similar to the expression of DMY in XY testes. These results suggest strongly that DMY regulates PGC proliferation and differentiation sex-specifically during early gonadal differentiation of XY individuals and that DMRT1 regulates spermatogonial differentiation. Developmental Dynamics 231:518,526, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Rethinking axial patterning in amphibiansDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 4 2002Mary Constance Lane Abstract Recent revisions in the Xenopus laevis fate map led to the designation of the rostral/caudal axis and reassignment of the dorsal/ventral axis (Lane and Smith [1999] Development 126:423,434; Lane and Sheets [2000] Dev. Biol. 225:37,58). It is unprecedented to reassign primary embryonic axes after many years of research in a model system. In this review, we use insights about vertebrate development from anatomy and comparative embryology, as well as knowledge about gastrulation in frogs, to reexamine several traditional amphibian fate maps. We show that four extant maps contain information on the missing rostral/caudal axis. These maps support the revised map as well as the designation of the rostral/caudal axis and reassignment of the dorsal/ventral axes. To illustrate why it is important for researchers to use the revised map and nomenclature when thinking about frog and fish embryos, we present an example of alternative interpretations of "dorsalized" zebrafish mutations. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Differences in spatial predictions among species distribution modeling methods vary with species traits and environmental predictorsECOGRAPHY, Issue 6 2009Alexandra D. Syphard Prediction maps produced by species distribution models (SDMs) influence decision-making in resource management or designation of land in conservation planning. Many studies have compared the prediction accuracy of different SDM modeling methods, but few have quantified the similarity among prediction maps. There has also been little systematic exploration of how the relative importance of different predictor variables varies among model types and affects map similarity. Our objective was to expand the evaluation of SDM performance for 45 plant species in southern California to better understand how map predictions vary among model types, and to explain what factors may affect spatial correspondence, including the selection and relative importance of different environmental variables. Four types of models were tested. Correlation among maps was highest between generalized linear models (GLMs) and generalized additive models (GAMs) and lowest between classification trees and GAMs or GLMs. Correlation between Random Forests (RFs) and GAMs was the same as between RFs and classification trees. Spatial correspondence among maps was influenced the most by model prediction accuracy (AUC) and species prevalence; map correspondence was highest when accuracy was high and prevalence was intermediate (average prevalence for all species was 0.124). Species functional type and the selection of climate variables also influenced map correspondence. For most (but not all) species, climate variables were more important than terrain or soil in predicting their distributions. Environmental variable selection varied according to modeling method, but the largest differences were between RFs and GLMs or GAMs. Although prediction accuracy was equal for GLMs, GAMs, and RFs, the differences in spatial predictions suggest that it may be important to evaluate the results of more than one model to estimate the range of spatial uncertainty before making planning decisions based on map outputs. This may be particularly important if models have low accuracy or if species prevalence is not intermediate. [source] THE NEW INSTITUTIONAL ECONOMICS , A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO ECONOMIC ANALYSISECONOMIC AFFAIRS, Issue 3 2008Eirik G. Furubotn The initial objective of the paper is to describe the way in which the term ,New Institutional Economics' (NIE) emerged in the literature and became the designation for a new field concerned with the study of various analytical techniques designed for the exploration of institutional phenomena. It is then shown how some of the more important of these techniques, transaction-cost economics, property-rights analysis and contract theory, have been applied in two central lines of neoinstitutional thought , the Williamsonian and the Northian. Criticisms of these two disparate theoretical positions on the NIE are considered and assessed. Next, a brief review of some of the empirical literature is undertaken so that the explanatory powers of NIE themes can be gauged. Finally, the paper offers a few general remarks on the present state of the NIE and its possible influence on the further development of economics. [source] The implementation of international nature conservation agreements in Europe: the case of the NetherlandsENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2001Graham Bennett Nature conservation policy in European countries is increasingly determined by the requirements of a wide range of international agreements. The most important are two EU directives (the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive) and four conventions (the Ramsar Convention, the Bern Convention, the Bonn Convention and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity). The main foci of these instruments are habitats and species that are of international importance or require international cooperation to secure their effective conservation. Despite the importance of these habitats and species, implementation of the instruments has been uneven. The Netherlands provides a interesting example of implementation issues. The legislation necessary to enable the government to legally designate areas that have to be protected under the Birds Directive was only adopted in 1998, 17 years after the deadline fixed by the directive. This legislation has enabled the government to nominate areas for designation under the Birds and Habitats Directive. However, not all the sites that fall under the criteria of the Directives have been included in the list, and the legislation does not include the required provision concerning compensation for areas that are protected under the Habitats Directive and then damaged by activities that are authorized in the public interest. In the case of the Ramsar Convention, the government is planning to increase the number of designated sites, but the total number of sites will still represent inadequately the types of wetland of international importance that are found in the Netherlands. Despite this uneven implementation, the instruments , particularly the EU Directives , are having far-reaching effects on nature conservation in Europe. The most important consequences are that ecological considerations are the sole and absolute criteria for determining whether a site should be protected under the EU Directives and that many areas that until now only enjoyed limited protection under the spatial planning system now have to be legally protected from virtually all forms of damage. However, in practice many development plans take only limited account of the biodiversity conservation requirements implied by international conventions. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment [source] Using lipid profiles and genotypes for the characterization of Corsican olive oilsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Virginie Bronzini de Caraffa Abstract In 2004, the Corsican producers of olive oils obtained a French protected designation of origin (PDO) "huile d'olive de Corse", but up to now specifications of Corsican oil production do not clearly indicate the oil attributes related to the territory of production. That is why the fatty acid and triacylglycerol (TAG) compositions of olive oils from the nine main cultivars used to produce oils under PDO were determined and related to the olive variety. The results showed (i),that the nine cultivars covered only four olive varieties, as revealed by random-amplified polymorphic DNA markers, (ii),that the lipid composition of oils is strongly dependent on the variety, and (iii),that the lipid composition of the four varieties is completely discriminated on the basis of the proportions of four TAG (OOO, OOL, PoOO, OOL) and one fatty acid (18:0). These results clearly establish the relationships between some characteristics of oils and the area of production (Corsica) for at least three varieties that are originated from Corsica. For the fourth variety, other investigations on minor compounds and on sensory attributes of oils must be undertaken to link some oil traits to the territory of production. [source] Crystal structures of Nipah and Hendra virus fusion core proteinsFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 19 2006Zhiyong Lou The Nipah and Hendra viruses are highly pathogenic paramyxoviruses that recently emerged from flying foxes to cause serious disease outbreaks in humans and livestock in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Bangladesh. Their unique genetic constitution, high virulence and wide host range set them apart from other paramyxoviruses. These characteristics have led to their classification into the new genus Henpavirus within the family Paramyxoviridae and to their designation as Biosafety Level 4 pathogens. The fusion protein, an enveloped glycoprotein essential for viral entry, belongs to the family of class I fusion proteins and is characterized by the presence of two heptad repeat (HR) regions, HR1 and HR2. These two regions associate to form a fusion-active hairpin conformation that juxtaposes the viral and cellular membranes to facilitate membrane fusion and enable subsequent viral entry. The Hendra and Nipah virus fusion core proteins were crystallized and their structures determined to 2.2 Å resolution. The Nipah and Hendra fusion core structures are six-helix bundles with three HR2 helices packed against the hydrophobic grooves on the surface of a central coiled coil formed by three parallel HR1 helices in an oblique antiparallel manner. Because of the high level of conservation in core regions, it is proposed that the Nipah and Hendra virus fusion cores can provide a model for membrane fusion in all paramyxoviruses. The relatively deep grooves on the surface of the central coiled coil represent a good target site for drug discovery strategies aimed at inhibiting viral entry by blocking hairpin formation. [source] Botryozyma mucatilis sp. nov., an anamorphic ascomycetous yeast associated with nematodes in poplar slime fluxFEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 8 2004Julia Kerrigan Abstract A new species of Botryozyma, Botryozyma mucatilis, was isolated from the surface of free-living nematodes, Panagrellus dubius, inhabiting slime flux from hybrid poplars, Populus deltoides×trichocarpa, in Oregon, USA. This species was discovered in relatively close proximity to the teleomorphic species Ascobotryozyma americana and Ascobotryozyma cognata, both collected from P. dubius nematodes inhabiting beetle galleries in Populus spp. and Populus and Salix spp., respectively. B. mucatilis is recognized as a distinct species based on molecular and morphological data. Sequence divergence in both the D1/D2 domain of the nuclear large-subunit rDNA and internal transcribed spacer region rDNA, low DNA reassociation values, notably different amplified fragment-length polymorphic fingerprints, and significantly longer cells all support the designation of a novel species. [source] Quaternary paleoenvironments and potential for human exploitation of the Jordan plateau desert interiorGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 4 2005Caroline P. Davies The physical, chemical, numerical, and radiometric analyses of a 31-m sediment core from the Qa'el-Jafr basin provide an important record of Quaternary paleoenvironments for the Jordan Plateau and evidence for several significant changes in climate regime. Cluster and PCA analyses of the geochemical data support the designation of major sedimentation regimes identified by stratigraphic and sediment analyses. Multiple cycles of alluvial deposition, lacustrine units, and erosional unconformities characterize the deepest sediments, followed by a period(s) of intense evaporation. Radiocarbon ages of charcoal in the uppermost 7 m place the aeolian/alluvial phase between 16,030 ± 140 yr B.P. and 24,470 ± 240 yr B.P. Deflation processes may explain the lack of a Holocene sequence. Despite lacking radiometric ages for the lower sediments, the thickness and degree of calcium-carbonate cementation suggest considerable age for the basal sediments, which suggests that a very long terrestrial record of Quaternary climate changes has been preserved in the Jafr basin. This new record of paleoenvironments provides important context to the archaeological record of the Jordan Plateau during the Quaternary. Several archaeological surveys demonstrate extensive human exploitation of lakes and springs of the major wadis along the western margin of the Rift Valley. However, little is known of human exploitation of the desert interiors. Qa'el-Jafr sediments demonstrate significant lacustrine and high moisture phases sufficient for human exploitation of the eastern desert during the Pleistocene. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Gardening at the edge: Documenting the limits of tropical Polynesian kumara horticulture in southern New ZealandGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2004Kari N. Bassett An Erratum has been published for this article in Geoarchaeology 19(6) 2004, 613. Kumara (Ipomoea batatus), a major food source for Maori, was brought to New Zealand from tropical Eastern Polynesia ,700 years ago. Maori successfully adapted their cultivation techniques to grow kumara in New Zealand's cooler, seasonal climate, although most kumara cultivation was limited to the warmer North Island, with cultivation becoming more marginal southward. Banks Peninsula area is considered to be the southernmost limit for kumara gardening. The Okuora Farm archeological site on the southern side of Banks Peninsula has five pits that appear to be of the raised-rim type used for over winter storage of kumara tubers. We conducted a preliminary investigation into the nature of the pits and surrounding 1 km2 area using nondestructive techniques in accordance with Maori designation of food storage sites as tapu. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) investigation of two of the pits revealed subsurface disturbances consistent with postholes and drains, typical of raised rim kumara storage pits. Soil modification typical of kumara gardening was identified on a 1 ha area on a warm north-northwest facing hillside. Several large borrow pits were identified as the likely source of the gravel added to the modified soil, possibly to retain heat and moisture. A plant phytolith study of soil samples identified several that appear to be from kumara. The combination of results strongly suggests this site was one of the southernmost Maori kumara gardening sites yet identified in New Zealand. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Climate change causes rapid changes in the distribution and site abundance of birds in winterGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 11 2008ILYA M. D. MACLEAN Abstract Detecting coherent signals of climate change is best achieved by conducting expansive, long-term studies. Here, using counts of waders (Charadrii) collected from ca. 3500 sites over 30 years and covering a major portion of western Europe, we present the largest-scale study to show that faunal abundance is influenced by climate in winter. We demonstrate that the ,weighted centroids' of populations of seven species of wader occurring in internationally important numbers have undergone substantial shifts of up to 115 km, generally in a northeasterly direction. To our knowledge, this shift is greater than that recorded in any other study, but closer to what would be expected as a result of the spatial distribution of ecological zones. We establish that year-to-year changes in site abundance have been positively correlated with concurrent changes in temperature, but that this relationship is most marked towards the colder extremities of the birds' range, suggesting that shifts have occurred as a result of range expansion and that responses to climate change are temperature dependent. Many attempts to model the future impacts of climate change on the distribution of organisms, assume uniform responses or shifts throughout a species' range or with temperature, but our results suggest that this may not be a valid approach. We propose that, with warming temperatures, hitherto unsuitable sites in northeastern Europe will host increasingly important wader numbers, but that this may not be matched by declines elsewhere within the study area. The need to establish that such changes are occurring is accentuated by the statutory importance of this taxon in the designation of protected areas. [source] Nucleophosmin (NPM1) mutations in adult and childhood acute myeloid leukaemia: towards definition of a new leukaemia entity,HEMATOLOGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Rachel Rau Abstract Nucleophosmin (NPM) is a ubiquitously expressed chaperone protein that shuttles rapidly between the nucleus and cytoplasm, but predominantly resides in the nucleolus. It plays key roles in ribosome biogenesis, centrosome duplication, genomic stability, cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Somatic mutations in exon 12 of the NPM gene (NPM1) are the most frequent genetic abnormality in adult acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), found in approximately 35% of all cases and up to 60% of patients with normal karyotype (NK) AML. In children, NPM1 mutations are far less frequent, occurring in 8,10% of all AML cases, and in approximately 25% of those with a NK. NPM1 mutations lead to aberrant localization of the NPM protein into the cytoplasm, thus the designation, NPMc+ AML. NPMc+ AML is seen predominantly in patients with a NK and is essentially mutually exclusive of recurrent chromosomal translocations. Patients with NPM1 mutations are twice as likely as those who lack an NPM1 mutation to also have a FMS-like tyrosine kinase (FLT3) internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutation. NPMc+ AML is also characterized by a unique gene expression signature and microRNA signature. NPMc+ AML has important prognostic significance, as NPMc+ AML, in the absence of a coexisting FLT3-ITD mutation, is associated with a favourable outcome. NPM1 mutations have also shown great stability during disease evolution, and therefore represent a possible marker for minimal residual disease detection. Given its distinctive biologic and clinical features and its clear clinical relevance, NPMc+ AML is included as a provisional entity in the 2008 WHO classifications. There is still much to be learned about this genetic alteration, including its exact role in leukaemogenesis, how it interacts with other mutations and why it confers a more favourable prognosis. Further, it represents a potential therapeutic target warranting research aimed at identifying novel small molecules with activity in NPMc+ AML. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Pathology of lymphoma progressionHISTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2001H K Müller-Hermelink Reflecting the stepwise process of oncogenesis, lymphomas may cumulatively develop a more aggressive phenotype during the course of disease, a process referred to as lymphoma progression. Although morphological, clinical and biological aspects of lymphoma progression do not always overlap, changes in lymphoma morphology frequently indicate alterations in the clinical and biological behaviour of the disease. Indolent and aggressive lymphomas in disease progression can either be clonally related or represent clonally unrelated neoplasms. We propose to use the term ,lymphoma progression' in a biological sense denoting only clonal development of and within a lymphoma entity. The term ,composite lymphoma' should be used as a merely descriptive morphological designation for different lymphoma entities in one individual irrespective of clonal relationship. Many types of aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and Hodgkin's lymphomas are reported to secondarily develop in lymphoma progression. Genetic changes associated with lymphoma progression frequently abrogate the differentiating effects of alterations occurring in indolent lymphomas, leading to increased cell proliferation. Within different lymphoma entities, high-risk disease variants mimicking lymphoma progression exist. [source] CHARTING THE "TRANSITIONAL PERIOD": THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN TIME IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURYHISTORY AND THEORY, Issue 1 2006GÖRAN BLIX ABSTRACT This paper seeks to chart a concept of historical experience that French Romantic writers first developed to describe their own relationship to historical time: the notion of the "transitional period." At first, the term related strictly to the evolving periodic conception of history, one that required breaks, spaces, or zones of indeterminacy to bracket off periods imagined as organic wholes. These transitions, necessary devices in the new grammar of history, also began to attract interest on their own, conceived either as chaotic but creative times of transformation, or, more often, as slack periods of decadence that possessed no proper style but exhibited hybrid traits. Their real interest, however, lies in their reflexive application to the nineteenth century itself, by writers and historians such as Alfred de Musset, Chateaubriand, Michelet, and Renan, who in their effort to define their own period envisioned the "transitional period" as a passage between more coherent and stable historical formations. This prospective self-definition of the "age of history" from a future standpoint is very revealing; it shows not just the tension between its organic way of apprehending the past and its own self-perception, but it also opens a window on a new and paradoxical experience of time, one in which change is ceaseless and an end in itself. The paper also presents a critique of the way the term "modernity" has functioned, from Baudelaire's initial use to the present, to occlude the experience of transition that the Romantics highlighted. By imposing on the nineteenth-century sense of the transitory a heroic period designation, the term "modernity" denies precisely the reality it describes, and sublimates a widespread temporal malaise into its contrary. The paper concludes that the peculiarly "modern" mania for naming one's period is a function of transitional time, and that the concept coined by the Romantics still governs our contemporary experience. [source] How Crisis Shapes Change: New Perspectives on China's Political Economy during the Sino-Japanese War, 1937,19451HISTORY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2007Morris L. Bian This article surveys the recent literature on China's political economy during the Sino-Japanese War (1937,45). This literature reveals that the war-triggered sustained systemic crisis brought about the most intensive Nationalist state-building efforts, the danwei designation of political, economic, and administrative organizations, the expansion of state-owned industries and the decline of the private sector, the creation of a state enterprise system, and the formation of an ideology of developmental state. This literature suggests that the elements of post-1949 institutional and structural arrangements and ideological systems developed well before 1949. Therefore, the critical issue is no longer that of establishing institutional, structural, and ideological continuity between the Nationalist and Communist eras; instead, it rests in understanding why and how the Chinese Communists kept intact, built on, and expanded existing institutions, structures, and ideologies in certain key areas of political, economic, and administrative life. [source] The separation of Pterodroma madeira (Zino's Petrel) from Pterodroma feae (Fea's Petrel) (Aves: Procellariidae)IBIS, Issue 2 2008FRANCIS ZINO The taxonomic status of petrels from the North East Atlantic has long been a matter of debate. Breeding colonies of petrels occurring on the islands of Madeira, Bugio and Cape Verde were originally thought to be outlying populations of the polytypic species Pterodroma mollis. Subsequent taxonomic treatments have varied considerably in their classification of birds from these islands. The petrel populations on Madeira and Bugio represent some of Europe's rarest breeding birds and their exact species designation, and hence relation to conservation mandates, is a question of considerable importance. In this study we use molecular techniques alongside more traditional taxonomic characters to confirm the existence of two species of the genus Pterodroma in the Archipelago of Madeira. We also discuss identification of these species in the field and the implications for their conservation management. [source] Sampling Practices of Internal Auditors at Corporations on the Standard & Poor's Toronto Stock Exchange Composite Index,ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVES, Issue 3 2009Michael Maingot ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to find out how often statistical and nonstatistical audit sampling practices are used by internal auditors in companies listed on the Standard and Poor's (S&P) Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) Composite Index and how such practices are related to the training and background of the respondents. We adapted the questionnaire used by Hall, Hunton, and Pierce (2002) in their survey of U.S. auditors in public accounting, industry, and government. Although 20 percent of companies responding do not have an internal audit department, the other 80 percent use statistical methods to plan sample sizes 15 percent (+5 percent) of the time, random sample selection methods 23 percent (+5 percent) of the time, but statistical evaluation methods only 10% (+4%) of the time. Despite the low percentage use, almost half of the respondents reported substantial training in statistical sampling and evaluation methods. Moreover, we found statistically significantly higher proportions of respondents with substantial training in audit sampling methods among companies cross-listed on U.S. exchanges compared with companies listed only on the TSX. Finally, respondents with a chartered accountant designation tend to have a negative impact on the use of statistical methods in audit sampling, and companies cross-listed on U.S. exchanges tend to have larger internal audit departments than companies listed only on the TSX. [source] Microbial diversity of inflamed and noninflamed gut biopsy tissues in inflammatory bowel diseaseINFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 6 2007Shadi Sepehri MD Abstract Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic gastrointestinal condition without any known cause or cure. An imbalance in normal gut biota has been identified as an important factor in the inflammatory process. Methods: Fifty-eight biopsies from Crohn's disease (CD, n = 10), ulcerative colitis (UC, n = 15), and healthy controls (n = 16) were taken from a population-based case-control study. Automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms (T-RFLP) were used as molecular tools to investigate the intestinal microbiota in these biopsies. Results: ARISA and T-RFLP data did not allow a high level of clustering based on disease designation. However, if clustering was done based on the inflammation criteria, the majority of biopsies grouped either into inflamed or noninflamed groups. We conducted statistical analyses using incidence-based species richness and diversity as well as the similarity measures. These indices suggested that the noninflamed tissues form an intermediate population between controls and inflamed tissue for both CD and UC. Of particular interest was that species richness increased from control to noninflamed tissue, and then declined in fully inflamed tissue. Conclusions: We hypothesize that there is a recruitment phase in which potentially pathogenic bacteria colonize tissue, and once the inflammation sets in, a decline in diversity occurs that may be a byproduct of the inflammatory process. Furthermore, we suspect that a better knowledge of the microbial species in the noninflamed tissue, thus before inflammation sets in, holds the clues to the microbial pathogenesis of IBD. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2007) [source] Conditioning polymers in today's shampoo formulations , efficacy, mechanism and test methodsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 1 2000Hössel Synopsis Today's shampoo formulations are beyond the stage of pure cleansing of the hair. Additional benefits are expected, e.g. conditioning, smoothing of the hair surface, improvement of combability and lather creaminess. Cationic polymers play an important role in providing many of those features. Therefore, within the last few years their use in shampoos has increased greatly. In the only last two decades, shampoo designation has gradually changed from ,2-in-1' to ,3-in-1' and then to ,multifunctional', as at present. The consumer demands products which live up to their promises. Modern shampoos contain a wide variety of ingredients such as co-surfactants, vitamins and pro-vitamins, protein derivatives, silicones, natural-based plant extracts and other ,active ingredients', but there is still a need for conditioning polymers. The specific objective of this study is to assess the conditioning efficacy of cationic polymers and to investigate their mechanisms in a shampoo system. The investigations were carried out on formulations that contained sodium lauryl ether sulphate and different cationic polymers, e.g. Polyquaternium 7, 10, 11, cationic guar gum and Luviquat Care (Polyquaternium 44), a new branched copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone (VP) and quaternized vinylimidazolium salts (QVI). We used test methods relevant to the applications in question, such as combing force measurements, the feel of the hair and the creaminess of the lather, to assess the efficacy. Atomic force microscopy and electrokinetics (streaming potential) were used to detect polymer residues on treated hair. All the polymers under investigation improved the overall performance of the shampoo formulations. This was demonstrated by means of combing force measurements, sensorial tests and analytical methods, namely zeta potential measurement and atomic force microscopy. Polyquaternium 44 exhibited the best conditioning properties on wet hair without sacrificing removability or absence of build-up. The latter are the most striking weaknesses of cationic Guar Gum-based polymers. Polyquaternium 10 can also be removed from the hair after rinsing with anionic surfactant but it does not perform as well as Polyquaternium 44 in the fields of wet combability and sensorial criteria such as lather creaminess and feel of the hair. We postulate that the outstanding properties of Polyquaternium 44 as a conditioning agent for shampoos are due to its tailor-made ,branched' structure. There is a clear correlation between the molecular weight and the efficacy of the new copolymers of VP and QVI. Only cationic polymers with a very high molecular weight are effective as conditioners in shampoos based on anionic surfactants. Surprisingly, they do not have to have a high cationic charge. On the basis of all our results, our postulation is that the polymer residue which is responsible for conditioning does not form a flat layer on the hair. Rather, the polymer residue adsorbs with the few cationic moieties, while the uncharged part of the polymer forms loops, which are orientated away from the hair and which are responsible for the reduced friction between hairs. Résumé Les formulations actuelles de shampoing font plus qu'un simple nettoyage des cheveux. On en attend un intérêt supplémentaire, par exemple après-shampoing, lissage de la surface du cheveu, amélioration de la coiffabilité et aspect crémeux du savon. Les polymères cationiques jouent un rôle important dans l'apport de nombre de ces caractéristiques. Par conséquent, ces quelques dernières années leur utilisation a considérablement augmenté dans les shampoings. Dans les seules deux dernières décades, l'appellation du shampoing est progressivement passée de "2 en 1"à"3 en 1" puis ensuite à"multifonctionnel", comme actuellement. Le consommateur recherche des produits qui tiennent leurs promesses. Les shampoings modernes contiennent une grande diversité d'ingrédients tels que des co-tensioactifs, des vitamines et des provitamines, des dérivés de protéines, des silicones, des extraits à base de plantes naturelles et autres "ingrédients actifs", mais il existe toujours un besoin pour des polymères d'après shampoing. L'objectif spécifique de cette étude est d'évaluer l'efficacité comme après-shampoing de polymères cationiques et de rechercher leurs mécanismes dans le système de shampoing. Les recherches ont été menées sur des formulations qui contiennent du sulfate de lauryl éther sodium et différents polymères cationiques, par exemple du Polyquaternium 7, 10, 11, de la gomme de guar cationique et du Luviquat Care (Polyquaternium 44), un nouveau copolymère ramifié de vinylpyrrolidone (VP) et de sels quaternaires de vinylimidazolium (QVI). Nous avons utilisé les procédés de contrôle appropriées aux applications en question, tels que les mesures de force de coiffage, le toucher du cheveu et l'aspect crémeux du savon, pour évaluer l'efficacité. La microscopie atomique et l'électrocinétique (potentiel d'écoulement) ont été utilisées pour détecter les résidus de polymère sur le cheveu traité. Tous les polymères étudiés améliorent le comportement global des formulations de shampoing. Ceci est démontré au moyen des mesures de force de coiffage, des tests sensoriels et des méthodes analytiques, en l'occurrence la mesure du potentiel zêta et la microscopie atomique. Le Polyquaternium 44 présente les meilleures propriétés d'après-shampoing sur cheveu mouillé sans diminuer sa capacité d'élimination ou l'absence d'accumulation. Ces dernières sont les faiblesses les plus frappantes des polymères à base de gomme de guar cationique. Le Polyquaternium 10 peut aussi être éliminé du cheveu après rinçage avec un tensioactif anionique mais il ne se comporte pas aussi bien que le Polyquaternium 44 dans les domaines de la coiffabilitéà l'état mouillé et des critères sensoriels tels que l'aspect crémeux du savon et du toucher du cheveu. Nous supposons que les propriétés exceptionnelles du Polyquaternium 44 comme agent après-shampoing pour shampoings sont dues à sa structure "ramifiée" conçue sur mesure. Il existe une corrélation claire entre le poids moléculaire et l'efficacité des nouveaux copolymères de VP et QVI. Seuls les polymères cationiques avec un poids moléculaire très élevé sont efficaces comme après shampoings dans des shampoings à base de tensioactifs anioniques. Etonnamment, ils n'ont pas besoin d'avoir une charge cationique élevée. Sur la base de tous nos résultats, notre hypothèse est que le fragment de polymère qui est responsable du traitement ne forme pas une couche plate sur le cheveu. Le fragment de polymère adsorbe plutôt les quelques fragments cationiques, tandis que la partie non chargée du polymère forme des boucles, qui sont orientées à l'extérieur du cheveu et qui sont responsables de la friction réduite entre les cheveux. [source] Basmati rice: a reviewINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Paramita Bhattacharjee India contributes about one-third of the world acreage under rice. Rice is available in over 5000 varieties, of which Basmati rice occupies a prime position on account of its extra long superfine slender grains, pleasant, exquisite aroma, fine cooking quality, sweet taste, soft texture, length-wise elongation with least breadth-wise swelling on cooking and tenderness of cooked rice. This article reviews the quality and aroma traits of Basmati rice, particularly the varieties grown in different parts of India and Pakistan, the agronomy, breeding and physiology of the grain, the trade scenario, Agmark grade designation for export and the US patent of new hybrid strains of Basmati. [source] Accuracy of the Emergency Severity Index Triage Instrument for Identifying Elder Emergency Department Patients Receiving an Immediate Life-saving InterventionACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 3 2010Timothy F. Platts-Mills MD Abstract Objectives:, The study objective was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) triage instrument for the identification of elder patients receiving an immediate life-saving intervention in the emergency department (ED). Methods:, The authors reviewed medical records for consecutive patients 65 years or older who presented to a single academic ED serving a large community of elders during a 1-month period. ESI triage scores were compared to actual ED course with attention to the occurrence of an immediate life-saving intervention. The sensitivity and specificity of an ESI triage level of 1 for the identification of patients receiving an immediate intervention was calculated. For 50 cases, the triage nurse ESI designation was compared to the triage level determined by an expert triage nurse based on retrospective record review. Results:, Of 782 consecutive patients 65 years or older who presented to the ED, 18 (2%) had an ESI level of 1, 176 (23%) had an ESI level of 2, 461 (60%) had an ESI level of 3, 100 (13%) had an ESI level of 4, and 18 (2%) had an ESI level of 5. Twenty-six patients received an immediate life-saving intervention. ESI triage scores for these 26 individuals were as follows: ESI 1, 11 patients; ESI 2, nine patients; and ESI 3, six patients. The sensitivity of ESI to identify patients receiving an immediate intervention was 42.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 23.3% to 61.3%); the specificity was 99.2% (95% CI = 98.0% to 99.7%). For 17 of 50 cases in which actual triage nurse and expert nurse ESI levels disagreed, undertriage by the triage nurses was more common than overtriage (13 vs. 4 patients). Conclusions:, The ESI triage instrument identified fewer than half of elder patients receiving an immediate life-saving intervention. Failure to follow established ESI guidelines in the triage of elder patients may contribute to apparent undertriage. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:238,243 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source] DFT calculations of light-induced excited states and comparison with time-resolved crystallographic resultsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUANTUM CHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2005Philip Coppens Abstract DFT calculations of the ground and first excited states of several transition metal complexes have been performed to complement time-resolved diffraction experiments. The results from different functionals and relativistic treatments are tested against both diffraction and spectroscopic values. Calculations of the d8,d8 complex [Pt2(pyrophosphite)4]4, quantitatively reproduce metal,metal shortening on excitation to the triplet state and support bond formation between the two metal centers, as do calculations on [Rh2(1,3-diisocyanopropane)4]2+. Results on homoleptic and heteroleptic copper(I) 2,9-dimethyl,1,10-phenanthroline (dmp) complexes, which are investigated because of their potential for solar energy capture, confirm considerable molecular deformations on excitation. The distortion calculated for the isolated complex [Cu(dmp)(dmpe)]+ (dmpe=1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane) is significantly larger than observed in the crystal, indicating the constraining effect of the crystalline environment. The change in the net charge of the Cu atom upon photo-induced metal-to-ligand charge transfer is less than 0.2 e, showing the limitations of the formal Cu(I),Cu(II) designation. Electron density difference maps show a pronounced change in electronic structure of the Cu atom on excitation. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005 [source] Do worker absences affect productivity?INTERNATIONAL LABOUR REVIEW, Issue 1 2008The case of teachers Abstract. This article studies the impact of teacher absences on education. Using data spanning three academic years about 285 teachers and 8,631 predominantly economically disadvantaged students from a United States urban school district, it tests assumptions that a substantial portion of teachers' absences is discretionary and that these absences reduce productivity , students' mathematics scores. Since absent teachers are typically replaced by less qualified substitutes, instructional intensity and consistency may decline: ten days of teacher absence reduce students' achievement score by about 3.3 per cent of a standard deviation , enough to lower some students' designation in the state proficiency system and, thus, their motivation to succeed. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||