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Present State (present + state)
Selected AbstractsDiscourses of Conquest: The Faerie Queene, the Society of Antiquaries, and A View of the Present State of IrelandENGLISH LITERARY RENAISSANCE, Issue 1 2002BART VAN ES [source] We were the Trojans: British national identities in 1633RENAISSANCE STUDIES, Issue 1 2002Lisa Hopkins In 1633, several significant works of literature were published for the first time. These included Spenser's A View of the Present State of Ireland, Jasper Fisher's Fvimus Troes, George Wither's Iwenilia, Charles Aleyn's The Battailes of Crescey and Poictiers, while John Ford's Perkins Warbeck, though not published until 1634, was probably first performed in 1633. In the same year, Charles I rode north to his Scottish coronation, calling forth the celebratory poem Scotland's Welcome by William Lithgow, and Ben Jonson also wrote The King's Entertainment at Welbeck to entertain the king when he broke his journey at the earl of Newcastle's great house, Welbeck Abbey in Nottinghamshire. The year also saw the appointment of Strafford as Lord Deputy in Ireland, Thomas Stafford's Pacata Hibernica, and Geoffrey Keating's History of Ireland, and the centenary of Henry VIII's first declaration of England as an empire in 1533. This essay argues that these events and publications are linked by their concern with questions of what it meant to be English, Scottish, Irish, or Anglo-Irish, with the occasion of Charles I's Scottish coronation, coupled with his growing political unpopularity, provoking a collective soul-searching on the subject of national identities. [source] Present state and perspectives of synchrotron radiation diffraction imagingJOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION, Issue 3 2002J. Baruchel The modern third-generation synchrotron radiation sources offer enhanced possibilities for all variants of imaging techniques. The quantitative and qualitative improvements with respect to previous synchrotron diffraction imaging work, which include the investigation in transmission of bulky samples, the use, as an additional parameter, of the sample-to-detector distance, and the use of the coherence of the beam, are illustrated by several examples. Emphasis is given to the possibilities associated with modern electronic detectors for this type of imaging. The new techniques implemented at the ESRF that take full advantage of new capabilities, and more particularly that of `topo-tomography', are presented. [source] Validity and ethics of the human 4-h patch test as an alternative method to assess acute skin irritation potentialCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 1 2001Michael K. Robinson For more than 50 years, the Draize rabbit skin irritation test has reigned supreme as the regulatory method of choice for the identification of skin irritant chemicals. To date no in vitro alternative test has been validated as an adequate replacement. However, one potential option, to test the endpoint of concern (skin irritation) in the species of concern (man) has been overlooked. The advent of predictive in vitro tools for the identification of substances corrosive to the skin has opened up the practical possibility of carrying out safe and ethical studies on small panels of humans. The human 4-h patch test has been developed to meet the needs of identifying chemical skin irritation potential, providing data which is inherently superior to that given by a surrogate model, such as the rabbit. This paper reviews in detail the present state of the human 4-h patch test, highlighting its advantages and noting its utility as the ,gold standard' on which to build future in vitro models. [source] Guidelines for Sclerotherapy of Varicose Veins (ICD 10: I83.0, I83.1, I83.2, and I83.9)DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 5 2004E. Rabe MD Background. Sclerotherapy is the targeted elimination of intracutaneous, subcutaneous, and/or transfascial varicose veins (perforating veins) as well as the sclerosation of subfascial varicose vessels in the case of venous malformation by the injection of a sclerosant. With duplex-guide sclerotherapy and foam sclerotherapy, modified methods came into use. Objective. The objective was to create a guideline, based on the available publications and on the European Consensus Document on foam sclerotherapy from April 2003. Methods. This guideline was drafted on behalf of the German Society of Phlebology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Phlebologie) and adopted by the committee and scientific advisory board of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Phlebologie on June 15, 2001, and amended on December 5, 2003. The guideline considers the present state of knowledge as reflected in the literature. Conclusions. This guideline represents the recent state of the art of sclerotherapy of varicose veins in Germany including foam sclerotherapy. [source] Synthesis of pattern and process in biodiversity conservation assessment: a flexible whole-landscape modelling frameworkDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 3 2010Simon Ferrier Abstract Aim, To describe a general modelling framework for integrating multiple pattern- and process-related factors into biodiversity conservation assessments across whole landscapes. Location, New South Wales (Australia), and world-wide. Methods, The framework allows for a rich array of alternatives to the target-based model traditionally underpinning systematic conservation planning and consists of three broad modelling components. The first component models the future state (condition) of habitat across a landscape as a function of present state, current and projected pressures acting on this state, and any proposed, or implemented, management interventions. The second component uses this spatially explicit prediction of future habitat state to model the level of persistence expected for each of a set of surrogate biodiversity entities. The third component then integrates these individual expectations to estimate the overall level of persistence expected for biodiversity as a whole. Results, Options are explored for tailoring implementation of the framework to suit planning processes varying markedly in purpose, and in availability of data, time, funding and expertise. The framework allows considerable flexibility in the nature of employed biodiversity surrogates (species-level, discrete or continuous community-level) and spatial data structures (polygonal planning units, or fine-scaled raster), the level of sophistication with which each of the three modelling components is implemented (from simple target-based assessment to complex process-based modelling approaches), and the forms of higher-level analysis supported (e.g. optimal plan development, priority mapping, interactive scenario evaluation). Main conclusions, The described framework provides a logical, and highly flexible, foundation for integrating disparate pattern- and process-related factors into conservation assessments in dynamic, multiple-use landscapes. [source] Anchoring Economic Predictions in Common KnowledgeECONOMETRICA, Issue 2 2002R. Guesnerie The paper examines within a unified methodology expectational coordination in a series of economic models. The methodology views the predictions associated with the Rational Expectations Hypothesis as reasonable whenever they can be derived from the more basic Common Knowledge Hypothesis. The paper successively considers a simple non-noisy N -dimensional model, standard models with "intrinsic" uncertainty, and reference intertemporal models with infinite horizon. It reviews existing results and suggests new ones. It translates the formal results into looser but economically intuitive statements, whose robustness, in the present state of knowledge, is tentatively ascertained. [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] Eating disorders in Italy: a historical reviewEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 5 2001Giovanni Maria Ruggiero This paper reviews the history of medical knowledge of eating disorders in Italy. It starts with the first examples of the medical interpretation of starvation during the Middle and Renaissance Ages, continues with the seminal figure of Brugnoli in the late XIX century, describes the neurological interpretations of the 1930s, the return to psychiatry in the 1940s and 1950s, the rise to international prominence of Mara Selvini Palazzoli in the 1960s and 1970s and ends with a description of the present state of the art. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] Enzymes in the acquired enamel pellicleEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2005Christian Hannig The acquired pellicle is a biofilm, free of bacteria, covering oral hard and soft tissues. It is composed of mucins, glycoproteins and proteins, among which are several enzymes. This review summarizes the present state of research on enzymes and their functions in the dental pellicle. Theoretically, all enzymes present in the oral cavity could be incorporated into the pellicle, but apparently enzymes are adsorbed selectively onto dental surfaces. There is clear evidence that enzymes are structural elements of the pellicle. Thereby they exhibit antibacterial properties but also facilitate bacterial colonization of dental hard tissues. Moreover, the immobilized enzymes are involved in modification and in homeostasis of the salivary pellicle. It has been demonstrated that amylase, lysozyme, carbonic anhydrases, glucosyltransferases and fructosyltransferase are immobilized in an active conformation in the pellicle layer formed in vivo. Other enzymes, such as peroxidase or transglutaminase, have been investigated in experimental pellicles. Despite the depicted impact of enzymes on the formation and function of pellicle, broader knowledge on their properties in the in vivo -formed pellicle is required. This might be beneficial in the development of new preventive and diagnostic strategies. [source] Systemverhalten und Prozessoptimierung beim ErddruckschildGEOMECHANICS AND TUNNELLING, Issue 3 2008Ulrich Maidl Dr.-Ing. Eine konsequente Analyse der Prozessdaten kann die Sicherheit, aber auch die Effektivität des Ressourceneinsatzes beim hoch technisierten Schildvortrieb erheblich steigern. Präventive Maßnahmen zur Prozessoptimierung können durch die zeitnahe Analyse des Systemverhaltens während des Bauablaufs rechtzeitig eingeleitet werden. Eine Analyse des Systemverhaltens wird durch die Aufspaltung des Bauablaufs in Teilprozesse und die Definition der Schlüsselprozesse möglich. Im folgenden Artikel wird am Beispiel des Erddruckschilds aufgezeigt, wie beim heutigen Stand der Technik Prozesse realitätsnah simuliert und während der Ausführung unter Einsatz der vorhandenen Mess- und Datenerfassungstechnik analysiert werden können. System Behaviour and Process Optimization at EPB Shield A consistent analysis of the process parameters in highly mechanised shield tunnelling, not only increases the safety, but it also improves the efficiency of the resources in action. The real time analysis of the system's behaviour allows to timely carry out preventive measures during the construction process with the aim of optimizing the construction process. The analysis of the system's behaviour is possible by splitting the construction sequence in a series of partial processes and by defining the key processes. The present paper represents an EPB shield study case, which shows how the present state of the art allows simulating processes realistically during construction, by applying existing monitoring and data registration technology. [source] Undergraduate teaching in gerodontology in Austria, Switzerland and GermanyGERODONTOLOGY, Issue 3 2004Ina Nitschke Objective:, To survey the present state of undergraduate teaching in the domain of gerodontology in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Study participants:, All universities of Austria (A), Germany (D) and Switzerland (CH). Protocol:, A questionnaire on undergraduate teaching in gerodontology was mailed to all Deans (A: n = 3; CH: n = 4; D: n = 31) and all independent departments except paediatric dentistry and orthodontics (A: n = 11; CH: n = 15; D: n = 111). Results:, The questionnaires were completed and returned by 29 Deans (A: n = 2; CH: n = 4; D: n = 23) and 102 departments (A: n = 7; CH: n = 8; D: n = 87). In Austria, gerodontology is a very small component of the dental curriculum and the Deans did not want this to be increased. Most German universities claimed to teach some aspects of gerodontology to undergraduate students and 87.4% of the Deans voted for separate lectures in gerodontology. In Switzerland, gerodontology seems well established. The results of questionnaires from the independent departments revealed that in all three countries lectures were more prevalent (A: n = 0; CH: n = 4; D: n = 6) than practical training in nursing homes (A: n = 0; CH: n = 3; D: n = 6). Conclusion:, Considering the demographical shift which is leading to an increasing proportion of elderly in the population, the weighting of gerodontology in the undergraduate dental curriculum should be considered for revision in Austria and Germany. [source] The potential role of ER, isoforms in the clinical management of breast cancerHISTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2008C A Green The discovery of a second oestrogen receptor, ER,, was a subject of much interest, as this suggested a means to improve the prognostic stratification of invasive breast cancer, better predict response to endocrine therapy, develop new chemotherapeutic/chemopreventative drugs and perhaps prevent inappropriate treatment. However, this has not proved to be straightforward with the discovery of five ER, isoforms and numerous exon deletion variants. This review sets out to identify the present state of knowledge regarding the clinicopathological role of ER, isoforms and discusses possible reasons for conflicting results arising from recent research findings. [source] An assessment of endocrine disruption in mollusks and the potential for developing internationally standardized mollusk life cycle test guidelines,INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2008Peter Matthiessen Abstract This paper summarizes what is known about the endocrine systems of mollusks and how they can be disrupted by exogenous substances. It then examines the various possibilities for using mollusk-based toxicity tests to detect and assess the environmental risks of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). It is concluded that there are no internationally standardized tests with mollusks available at present that are suitable for assessing the risks of long-term exposure to EDCs but that several published methods show potential. At the present state of knowledge, the most promising mollusk species for use in partial life cycle testing is probably the fresh- and brackish-water mesogastropod, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, which is known to be responsive to both direct and indirect androgens and to estrogens (and their mimics). Less experience of full life cycle testing exists with mollusks, but the freshwater pulmonate gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis at present offers the best possibility for a practical procedure. In both cases, there is a need for substantial test optimization and validation before these procedures could form the basis of international guidelines. [source] Memory effects description by neural networks with delayed feedback connectionsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS, Issue 4 2004Petia D. Koprinkova For the purpose of dynamic systems modeling, it was proposed to include feedback connections or delay elements in the classical feed-forward neural network structure so that the present output of the neural network depends on its previous values. These delay elements can be connected to the hidden and/or output neurons of the main neural network. Each delay element gets a value of a state variable at a past time instant and keeps this value during a single sampling period. The groups of delay elements record the values of the state variables for a given time period in the past. Changing the number of the delay elements, which belongs to one group, a shorter or a longer time period in the past can be accounted for. Thus, the connection weights determine the influence of the past process states on the present state in a similar way as it is in the time delay kernel or cause-effect relation membership function (CER-MF) models. Specific feed-forward neural networks with time delay connections are used to solve the problem of neural network chemostat modeling as well as specific kinetic rates modeling. The weights of the feedback connections obtained during model training are discussed as the points of a time delay kernel or as the strength levels in a CER model (the points in the CER-MF). The corresponding changes in these weights with the changing time period in the past are shown. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Reporting practices of dropouts in psychological research using a wait-list control: current state and suggestions for improvementINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 1 2007Josh M. Cisler M.A. Abstract Reporting practices regarding dropouts in wait-list control studies hold great importance for the ability to replicate, generalize, and draw conclusions from research. This concern is applicable to all psychological research utilizing wait-list controls, regardless of purpose of research (e.g., treatment outcome). The current study assessed the present state of reporting practices in this type of experimental design and discussed the limitations and implications of the insufficient reporting found. 171 articles from psychology journals utilizing wait-list control design were surveyed regarding the reporting of the number of dropouts from the wait-list control and experimental conditions, characteristics and assessment scores of the dropouts, and total dropouts. Variables that are crucial to interpreting research findings are not consistently reported. Additionally, journal impact factor and year of publication were positively correlated with the adequacy of reporting. Consistencies with previous findings were noted, and suggestions for remedying the reporting inadequacies were discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Czech Social Reform after 1989: Concepts and RealityINTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY REVIEW, Issue 2-3 2001Martin Pot The goal of this paper is twofold: to present a description of the most important institutional changes taking place in Czech social policy after 1989, and to offer the explanation of these changes in a broader cultural, economic and political framework. The significant economic, social and cultural conditions of the country, in which social policy operates, comprise the disposable economic resources, the concept and realization of economic reform including changes in ownership rights, the capacity of public administration, the way political democratization is designed and implemented, and political priorities and concepts of the political elite actually in power. Recent developments in the labour market and the new patterns of employment policy are discussed in more detail. After that, the incidence of poverty and the ongoing social and economic stratification are associated with the new approaches to the construction of a social security system which has been composed of three main tiers (or "pillars"): social insurance, state social support, and social assistance. As a conclusion, the sensitive points of the present state of Czech social policy, along with crucial decisions to be taken in the future, are identified. [source] Ploidy manipulation using diploid sperm in the loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus: a reviewJOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 4 2008H. Yoshikawa Summary This paper assesses the present state of the art of ploidy manipulation in the loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (Teleoste: Cobitidae). Diploid sperm can be obtained from natural tetraploid individuals with four sets of homologous chromosomes. Using diploid sperm, various polyploids and androgenetic diploids have been produced. Cryptic clonal lineages are also recognized in wild populations of the loach. They produce unreduced diploid eggs genetically identical to somatic cells of the mother fish and most diploid eggs develop gynogenetically as a member of the clone. However, some eggs develop to triploid and/or diploid-triploid mosaic individuals by incorporation of sperm nucleus. Diploid-triploid mosaic males exclusively generate fertile diploid sperm with clonal genotypes. Such diploid sperm can also be obtained from artificially sex-reversed clonal individuals. Recent population studies suggested that Japanese M. anguillicaudatus might not be a single species, but a complex involving cryptic species, because wild populations exhibited genetic differentiation at interspecific level. This implies possible relationship between atypical reproduction and natural hybridization in the loach. [source] Neopterin measurement in clinical diagnosisJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 5 2001A. Berdowska Neopterin is a marker associated with cell-mediated immunity. It is produced in monocytes/macrophages primarily upon stimulation with interferon-,. Due to its chemical structure, neopterin belongs to the class of pteridines. It is excreted in an unchanged form via the kidneys. Serum levels above 10 nmol/L are regarded as elevated. The levels of neopterin in body fluids are elevated in infections, autoimmune diseases, malignancies, allograft rejection, cardiac and renal failure, coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction. Neopterin measurements not only provide an insight into the present state of cell-mediated immune response but also allow monitoring and prognosis of disease progression. [source] The emancipatory character of action research, its history and the present state of the artJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 6 2003Ben W. M. Boog Abstract Right from the start, action research was intended to be emancipatory research, and it still is. This article will underpin this by outlining its history and the present state of the art. Though a variety of action research approaches have developed along divergent theoretical pathways, it will be stressed that these approaches share the most important characteristics of action research and are basically different applications of different action theories. They are all supported by a participatory worldview and are meant to be a double-sided process of research, self research and education directed at individual empowerment and collective empowerment and/or emancipation. Since the relationship between the researcher and the subjects being researched is crucial for the success of action research as an emancipatory or empowering activity, this article will maintain that the most important task of action researchers is to develop refined heuristics concerning this communication. The article will end by making some recommendations for the improvement of action research as an emancipatory practice. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Quality of life and masticatory function in denture wearersJOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 5 2006H. KOSHINO summary, Successful prosthodontic treatments for a patient with removable partial dentures including maxillofacial prostheses hopefully brings about psychological wellbeing as well as improved health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between quality of life (QOL) and the various aspects of denture function. At first, a questionnaire with a visual analog scale with 16 question items concerning denture and/or eating problems, the present state of health, psychological and physical wellbeing, life satisfaction, and QOL was developed. To discuss the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, 48 outpatients who wore a denture were asked to fill it out. Next, to discuss the difference in QOL of the patient with various kinds of dentures and conditions, 103 outpatients were asked to complete the newly developed questionnaire. The questionnaire which contained four factor areas with eight questions for denture patients was developed by factor analysis with Varimax rotation. The reliability of the QOL scale was confirmed by reliability analysis (Cronbach's ,=0·784). The QOL score of edentulous patients with a complete denture having some trouble chewing was significantly lower than that of other denture patients. It was suggested that the wearing of a denture significantly affected the QOL of elderly persons. [source] Role of thermodynamic, molecular, and kinetic factors in crystallization from the amorphous stateJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 4 2008Chandan Bhugra Abstract Though there is an advantage in using the higher solubility amorphous state in cases where low solubility limits absorption, physical instability poses a significant barrier limiting its use in solid oral dosage forms. Unlike chemical instability, where useful accelerated stability testing protocols are common, no methodology has been established to predict physical instability. Therefore, an understanding of the factors affecting crystallization from the amorphous state is not only important from a scientific perspective but also has practical applications. Crystallization from the amorphous matrix has been linked to the molecular mobility in the amorphous matrix and recent research has focused on developing the link between these two fundamental properties of glass forming materials. Although researchers have been actively working in this area for some time, there is no current review describing the present state of understanding of crystallization from the amorphous state. The purpose of this review therefore is to examine the roles of different factors such as molecular mobility, thermodynamic factors, and the implication of different processing condition, in crystallization from the amorphous state. We believe an increased understanding of the relative contributions of molecular mobility and processing conditions are vital to increased usage of the amorphous state in solid oral dosage forms. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 97:1329,1349, 2008 [source] Digital soil mapping in Germany,a reviewJOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2006Thorsten Behrens Abstract Digital soil mapping as a tool to generate spatial soil information provides solutions for the growing demand for high-resolution soil maps worldwide. Even in highly developed countries like Germany, digital soil mapping becomes essential due to the decreasing, time-consuming, and expensive field surveys which are no longer affordable by the soil surveys of the individual federal states. This article summarizes the present state of soil survey in Germany in terms of digitally available soil data, applied digital soil mapping, and research in the broader field of pedometrics and discusses future perspectives. Based on the geomorphologic conditions in Germany, relief is a major driving force in soil genesis. This is expressed by the digital,soil mapping research which highlights the great importance of digital terrain attributes in combination with information on parent material in soil prediction. An example of digital soil mapping using classification trees in Thuringia is given as an introduction in digital soil-class mapping based on correlations to environmental covariates within the scope of the German classification system. [source] The discovery of metallocene catalysts and their present state of the artJOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE (IN TWO SECTIONS), Issue 16 2004Walter Kaminsky Abstract Metallocene and other transition metal complexes activated by methylaluminoxane are highly active catalysts for the polymerization of olefins, diolefins, and styrene, which was discovered at the University of Hamburg about 25 years ago. These catalysts allow the synthesis of polymers with a highly defined microstructure, tacticity, and stereoregularity, as well as new copolymers with superior properties such as film clarity, tensile strength, and lower extractables. A better understanding of the mechanism of olefin polymerization leads to findings of other new single site catalysts. The development of the metallocene/MAO-catalysts from their discovery to their present state of the art is presented. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3911,3921, 2004 [source] Economic interest groups and the consolidation of democracy in the Czech RepublicJOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, Issue 1-2 2008Robert K. Evanson This paper discusses organized economic interest groups in the Czech Republic placed in the context of the development of interest group activity in the post communist era and how this bodes for the consolidation of Czech democracy. After a brief overview of Czech political and economic developments since the end of communist rule, the origins, evolution and present state of interest groups are outlined. There has been a proliferation of economic interest groups, particularly in the business arena. However, there are some concerns about interest groups activity, which are examined next. The paper then moves to its main focus,the examination of economic interests. It does this by explaining the interaction among business, labour and government in the policy-making arena and explaining apparent contradictions in the perceived influence of business. This is followed by a similar look at Czech agriculture. The paper concludes with some speculation about the likely future development of interest groups and what this might mean for the nature of Czech democracy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effects of environmental factors and agricultural techniques on antioxidantcontent of tomatoesJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 5 2003Yvon Dumas Abstract Antioxidants are believed to be important in the prevention of diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Lycopene is one of the main antioxidants to be found in fresh tomatoes and processed tomato products. The lycopene content also accounts for the redness of the fruit, which is one of the main qualities for which industry and consumers now look. Other carotenes (such as ,-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E and various phenolic compounds are also thought to be health-promoting factors with antioxidant properties. Since the antioxidant content of tomatoes may depend on genetic factors, the choice of variety cultivated may affect the results at harvest. To be able to control the antioxidant content of tomatoes at the field level when growing a given variety, it is necessary to know the effects of both environmental factors and the agricultural techniques used. Temperatures below 12 °C strongly inhibit lycopene biosynthesis and temperatures above 32 °C stop this process altogether. The effects of the temperature on the synthesis of other antioxidants have not yet been properly assessed. The effects of light have been studied more thoroughly, apart from those on vitamin E. The effects of water availability, mineral nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium) and plant growth regulators have been studied, but results are sometimes contradictory and the data often incomplete. During the ripening period, lycopene content of tomatoes increases sharply from the pink stage onwards, but no sufficient attempts have been made so far to assess the changes in the other antioxidants present in the fruit. This paper reviews the present state of the art. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Elements Which Delimitate Technical Efficiency of Fish Farms in GhanaJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 4 2010Edward E. Onumah The study aims to examine the technical efficiency and its determinants of fish farms in Ghana. The stochastic frontier function is employed using a cross-sectional data of 150 farmers. The results show that elasticities of mean output for all inputs are positive, whereas the computed return to scale reveals that, on average, fish farms exhibit increasing return to scale. The combined effect of operational and farm-specific factors influence technical efficiency although individual effects of some variables may not be significant. Mean technical efficiency is estimated to be 84%, indicating that the possibility of enhancing production given the present state of technology and input level can be achieved in the short run by increasing technical efficiency by 16% through adoption of practices of the best fish farm. [source] Character merchandising: aspects of legal protectionLEGAL STUDIES, Issue 2 2001Andrew McGee The article considers the present state of the law of character merchandising. It questions whether the law relating to character merchandising should be further developed and extended so as to give an individual a comprehensive right to prevent the unauthorised use of aspects of his personality by third parties in connection with the promotion or sale of goods or services. In this context the article rejects the creation of new comprehensive remedies such as a tort of appropriation of personality as being undesirable and impractical. The article maintains that unauthorised acts of personality appropriation or use are already subject to adequate legal control through the law of trade marks and passing 08In this regard the article further suggests that tortious remedies such as defamation, malicious falsehood, and, in restricted circumstances copyright, provide effective sanctions against the unauthorised use of an individual's persona in commercial enterprises in particular and special circumstances. These remedies supplement and complement the principal remedies provided by trade mark protection and passing off. [source] Training trauma teams in the Nordic countries: An overview and present statusACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 7 2005T. Wisborg Background:, During the last decade there has been an increased interest in the organisation and quality of trauma care in the Nordic countries. Still, most patients are initially cared for at hospitals with low caseloads of severe trauma. More than 200 hospitals offer initial care to trauma patients. Training of trauma teams using simulators or simulated patients has evolved in the same period, as one important factor to overcome lack of practical training. This overview describes the present state of trauma team training in the Nordic countries. Methods:, Members of a Nordic working group on the use of simulation in medicine reviewed present literature on training with simulation and described the present use of team training in their own countries during winter 2004. Results:, There is an increasing amount of evidence indicating that training of teams with simulation reduces treatment errors and improves performance. The training activities do not need to be complex, but skilled debriefing seems necessary. Few Nordic hospitals train their trauma teams. The training activities vary considerably between and within countries. Conclusion:, There is considerable evidence supporting an increased use of experience gained in other high-risk domains where training in communication, leadership and decision-making is the focus for safety and improvement efforts. There is a need for more widespread training of trauma teams. The different training activities actually undertaken should be scientifically evaluated. [source] Some recent contributions to routing and location problemsNETWORKS: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 2 2003A. Corberán Abstract This report is more than just a summary of some results of the present state of the art in routing and location problems. It summarizes theoretical insights, modeling approaches, and heuristic and exact algorithms for routing and location presented at the CORAL 2003 Workshop held in Tenerife (Spain). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||