Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring What It Means To Be A Catholic In Ireland Today, Eamon Maher

Articles

No abstract provided.

“We Are Going To Rape You And Taste Tutsi Women”: Rape During The 1994 Rwandan Genocide, Christopher W. Mullins

Articles

Over the past decades, scholars have paid greater attention to sexual violence, in both theorization and empirical analysis. One area which has been largely ignored, however, is the sexual violence during times of armed conflict. This paper examines the nature and dynamics of sexual violence as it occurred during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Drawing upon testimonies given to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), descriptions of rapes--both singular and mass—were qualitatively analyzed. In general, three broad types of assaults were identified: opportunistic, assaults which seemed to be a product of the disorder inherent within the conflict; episodes of sexual …

Relationship Of Paroxysmal Atrial Tachyarrhythmias To Volume Overload, Rajat Jhanjee Md, Grant A. Templeton Md, Srinivasan Sattiraju Md, John Nguyen Md, Simon Milstein Md, Laura Van Heel, Keith G. Lurie Md, David Benditt Md

Articles

BACKGROUND:

Clinical experience suggests that atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATs) are a frequent comorbidity in heart failure patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and that volume overload may increase AT susceptibility. However, substantiating this apparent relationship in free-living patients is difficult. Recently, certain implantable cardioverter-defibrillators provide, by measuring transpulmonary electric bioimpedance, an index of intrathoracic fluid status (OptiVol index [OI]). The goal of this study was to determine whether periods of greater intrathoracic fluid congestion (as detected by OI) correspond with increased AT event frequency.

METHODS AND RESULTS:

This analysis retrospectively assessed the relation between AT events and OI estimate of volume …

Photopolymers: Beyond The Standard Approach To Photosensitisation, Izabela Naydenova, Suzanne Martin, Vincent Toal

Articles

A photopolymerizable material for use in the visible normally consists of a dye sensitizer, a free radical generator, monomer/monomers and, optionally, a binder, and is prepared usually as a dry or liquid film. Upon illumination with light of appropriate wavelength, a photopolymerisation reaction is triggered, leading to a change in the film’s refractive index. Because the presence of the dye is essential, the film is usually made sensitive to light during its preparation. Here we separate the film preparation and the sensitisation processes. In this way the photopolymerisation process can be used to detect dye labelled analytes, providing an alternative …

Copper(Ii) Complexes Of Coumarin-Derived Schiff Bases And Their Anti-Candida Activity, Bernadette S. Creaven, Michael Devereux, Dariusz Karcz, Andrew Kellett, Malachy Mccann, Andy Noble, Maureen Walsh

Articles

The condensation of 7-amino-4-methyl-coumarin (1) with a number of substituted salicylaldehydes yielded a series of Schiff bases (2a–2k) in good yields. Subsequent reaction of these ligands with copper( II) acetate yielded Cu(II) complexes (3a–3k) and some were characterised using X-ray crystallography. All of the free ligands and their metal complexes were tested for their anti-Candida activity.

Two Notions Of Privacy Online, Avner Levin, Patricia S. Abril

Articles

Users of social networking websites tend to disclose much personal information online yet seem to retain some form of an expectation of privacy. Is this expectation of privacy always unreasonable? How do users of online social networks define their expectations of privacy online?

These questions were the impetus behind an empirical study, the findings of which are presented in this Article. The project, simultaneously conducted in Canada, at Ryerson University, and in the United States, at the University of Miami, consisted of a survey regarding personal information protection and expectations of privacy on online social networks (OSNs). Approximately 2,500 young …

Orange Juices Enriched With Chitosan: Optimisation For Extending The Shelf-Life, Catherine Barry-Ryan, Ana Belen Martin-Diana, Daniel Rico, J. Barat

Articles

Optimisation of the incorporation of chitosan in orange juice was accomplished by the evaluation of quality and nutritional markers. Response surface methodology was applied to obtain quadratic and second degree response surface model equations. The analyses showed that increases in chitosan concentration extended the quality of the orange juice significantly (p < 0.05), reducing enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning and controlling the spoilage during the storage time; however, concentrations N 1 g L− 1 produced a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the concentrations of ascorbic acid and carotenoids associated with the positive charge of chitosan and its ability to flocculate and coagulate negatively charged substances. Also, concentrations N 1 g L− 1 were scored as unacceptable for the sensory panel due to an increase in bitterness. The study recommends the use of chitosan at concentrations up to 1 g L− 1 to extend quality and preserve ascorbic acid and carotenoids during storage time of fresh orange juice, thus avoiding the use of standard thermal treatments which produces a negative impact on the nutritional value. Industrial relevance: One of the major problems of fresh orange juice is its limited shelf-life. Spoilage and quick degradation of vitamins are two of the most important causes of quality loss during the shelf-life of this product. Moreover, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to consumers against drinking unpasteurised orange juice products because of the potential contamination with Salmonella typhimurium and its association with an outbreak of human disease caused by this organism [FDA issues nationwide health alert on Orchid Island unpasteurised orange juice. Products Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts.]. The main objective of this study was the study of chitosan as a natural preservative for extending the shelf-life of orange juice and as an alternative to pasteurisation.

Identification Of Volatile Quality Markers Of Ready-To-Use Lettuce And Cabbage, Catherine Barry-Ryan, Michael Devereux, Julien Lonchamp

Articles

Volatile emission changes of ready-to-use vegetables directly result from minimal processing and can reflect the sensory changes occurring in the product. Based on the detection of key volatile compounds, novel on-line and consumer quality-monitoring methods can be developed. The aim of this study was to identify volatile biomarkers for a range of leafy green ready-to-use vegetables (Butterhead and Iceberg lettuce and Irish York cabbage). Headspace volatile compounds were monitored using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The sensory quality of the products was evaluated at days 1, 7 and 14 using sensory and analytical measurements. Changes of volatile concentrations and sensory attributes …

Modelling Browning And Brown Spotting Of Mushrooms (Agaricus Bisporus) Stored In Controlled Environmental Conditions Using Image Analysis, Catherine Barry-Ryan, Jesus Maria Frias, Leixuri Aguirre, Helen Grogan

Articles

Mushrooms have a short postharvest shelf life compared to most vegetables, due to a very high metabolic activity and high water content, making them prone to microbial spoilage and to exhibit enzymatic browning. Storage conditions and natural product variability are both important factors that affect the management of mushrooms, and both of them can be managed using monitoring systems. In order to study the effect of the temperature and relative humidity on the whiteness decrease and appearance of brown spotting, an image analysis system was employed. Twenty five batches of mushrooms were subjected to combinations of three storage temperatures (T) …

Preparation, Characterization And Ecotoxicological Evaluation Of Four Environmentally Relevant Species Of N-Isopropylacrylamide And N-Isopropylacrylamide-Co-N-Tert-Butylacrylamide Copolymer Nanoparticles, Pratap Naha, Alan Casey, Tiziana Tenuta, Iseult Lynch, Kenneth Dawson, Hugh Byrne, Maria Davoren

Articles

Poly N-isopropylacrylamide and N-isopropylacrylamide / N-tert-butylacrylamide copolymer nanoparticles of 50 to 70 nm were prepared by free radical polymerisation. The particle sizes of the copolymer nanoparticles were measured in the test media Milli-Q water, Algae Media, Daphnia Media and Microtox Diluent as a function of temperature. Whereas in Milli-Q water the particle size was seen to decrease above the lower critical solution temperature of the thermoresponsive polymer, in the test media it was seen to increase significantly, indicative of aggregation. At the temperatures employed for the ecotoxicological studies all particles, with the exception of the 50:50 copolymer existed as nanoparticles, …

Reflection Contributions To The Dispersion Artefact In Ftir Spectra Of Single Biological Cells, Paul Bassan, Hugh Byrne, Joe Lee, Franck Bonnier, Colin Clarke, Paul Dumas, Ehsan Gazi, Michael Brown, Noel Clarke, Peter Gardner

Articles

Fourier transform infrared spectra of a single cell in transflection geometry are seen to vary significantly with position on the cell, showing a distorted derivative-like lineshape in the region of the optically dense nucleus. A similar behaviour is observable in a model system of the protein albumin doped in a potassium bromide disk. It is demonstrated that the spectrum at any point is a weighted sum of the sample reflection and transmission and that the dominance of the reflection spectrum in optically dense regions can account for some of the spectral distortions previously attributed to dispersion artefacts. Rather than being …

Identification Of An Rsh Gene From A Novosphingobium Sp. Necessary For Quorum-Sensing Signal Accumulation, Han Ming Gan, Larry Buckley, Ernő Szegedi, André O. Hudson, Michael A. Savka

Articles

The stringent response is a mechanism by which bacteria adapt to environmental stresses and nutritional deficiencies through the synthesis and hydrolysis of (p)ppGpp by RelA/SpoT enzymes. Alphaproteobacteria and plants contain a single Rsh enzyme (named for RelA/SpoT homolog) that is bifunctional. Here we report the identification of a new species of bacteria belonging to the genus Novosphingobium and characterization of an rsh mutation in this plant tumor-associated isolate. Isolate Rr 2-17, from a grapevine crown gall tumor, is a member of the Novosphingobium genus that produces the N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) quorum-sensing (QS) signals. A Tn5 mutant, Hx 699, deficient in …

Impact Of Plant Essential Oils On Microbiological, Organoleptic And Quality Markers Of Minimally Processed Vegetables, Jorge Gutierrez, Paula Bourke, Julien Lonchamp, Catherine Barry-Ryan

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The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of plant essential oils (EOs) for control of the natural spoilage microflora on ready-to-eat (RTE) lettuce and carrots whilst also considering their impact on organoleptic properties. Initial decontamination effects achieved using EOs were comparable to that observed with chlorine and solution containing oregano recorded a significantly lower initial TVC level than the water treatment on carrots (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the EO treatments and chlorine considering gas composition, color, texture and water activity of samples. The sensory panel found EO treatments acceptable for carrots throughout storage, while lettuce washed with the EO solutions were rejected for overall appreciation by Day 7. Correlating microbial and sensory changes with volatile emissions identified 12 volatile quality markers. Oregano might be a suitable decontamination alternative to chlorine for RTE carrots, while the identification of volatile quality markers is a useful complement to sensory and microbiological assessments in the monitoring of organoleptic property changes and shelf-life of fresh vegetables. Industrial relevance There is industrial demand for natural alternatives to chlorine, which is commonly used for decontamination of fresh produce but which has limitations with respect to antimicrobial efficacy and possible formation of carcinogenic compounds in water. Plant essential oils have proven antimicrobial and other bioactive properties, however their usefulness in foods can be mitigated by their high sensory impact. This study examined the application of EOs for fresh produce decontamination addressing control of spoilage microflora and improving shelf-life characteristics whilst also considering the impact on organoleptic properties. The effectiveness of oregano as a decontamination treatment was comparable with that of chlorine. Carrot discs treated with the EO regimes were acceptable in terms of sensory quality and appreciation, therefore oregano could offer a natural alternative for the washing and preservation of fresh produce. Combining EOs with other natural preservatives might minimize doses and reduce the impact on organoleptic properties of fresh vegetables.

Extrinsic Control Parameters For Ozone Inactivation Of Escherichia Coli Using A Bubble Column, Sonal Patil, Patrick J. Cullen, Bridget Cullen, Jesus Maria Frias, Paula Bourke

Articles

Aims: To investigate the effect of extrinsic control parameters for ozone inactivation of E. coli in a bubble column. Methods and Results: Ozone inactivation of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 in Tryptic Soya Broth was examined. The parameters studied included temperature (ambient, 20, 25 and 30°C), exposure time (up to 30 min), gas flow rate (0·03, 0·06, 0·12, 0·25, 0·5 and 0·75 l min−1) and concentration level (five different levels). The efficacy of ozone treatment was a function of the parameters investigated and optimum control parameters of flow rate (0·12 l min−1), temperature (ambient) and ozone concentration (75 μg ml−1) resulted …

Swcnt Suppress Inflammatory Mediator Responses In Human Lung Epithelium In Vitro, Eva Herzog, Hugh Byrne, Maria Davoren, Anke-Gabriele Lenz, Albert Duschl, Gertie Janneke Oostingh

Articles

Single walled carbon nanotubes have gained enormous popularity due to a variety of potential applications which will ultimately lead to increased human and environmental exposure to these nanoparticles. This study was carried out in order to evaluate the inflammatory response of immortalised and primary human lung epithelial cells (A549 and NHBE) to single walled carbon nanotube samples (SWCNT). Special focus was placed on the mediating role of lung surfactant on particle toxicity. The toxicity of SWCNT dispersed in cell culture medium was compared to that of nanotubes dispersed in dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC, the main component of lung lining fluid). Exposure was …

A High-Resolution Melting Approach For Analyzing Allelic Expression Dynamics, Jiazheng Yuan, Muhammad Haroon, David A. Lightfoot, Yvan Pelletier, Qiang Liu, Xiu-Qing Li

Articles

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are single base pair mutations that provide new approaches to studies of allele transcript abundances. High-resolution DNA melting curve (HRM) analysis using a LightScanner (Hi-Res Melting system with Idaho's LC Green) provides post-PCR detection of mutations and SNPs in genomic DNA. This study investigated whether the HRM analysis can distinguish alleles among potato (Solanum tuberosum) transcript abundances. Transcript properties of genes encoding seven carbohydrate metabolism enzymes/proteins in various tissues and cold storage durations were studied. The HRM assay measured differential expression of alleles between different organs, between different storage treatments and stages of tubers from the …

Multigeneic Qtl: The Laccase Encoded Within The Soybean Rfs2/Rhg1 Locus Inferred To Underlie Part Of The Dual Resistance To Cyst Nematode And Sudden Death Syndrome, M Javed Iqbal, R Ahsan, Jawad Afzal, A Jamai, K Meksem, Hany A. El- Shemy, David A. Lightfoot

Articles

Multigeneic QTL present significant problems to analysis. Resistance to soybean (Glycine max (L) Merr.) sudden death syndrome (SDS) caused by Fusarium virguliforme was partly underlain by QRfs2 that was clustered with, or pleiotropic to, the multigeneic rhg1 locus providing resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines ). A group of five genes were found between the two markers that delimited the Rfs2/rhg1 locus. One of the five genes was predicted to encode an unusual diphenol oxidase (laccase; EC 1.10.3.2). The aim of this study was to characterize this member of the soybean laccase gene-family and explore its involvement in …

Locus Interactions Underlie Seed Yield In Soybeans Resistant To Heterodera Glycines, U B. Karangula, M A. Kassem, Lalit Gupta, Hany A. El-Shemy, David A. Lightfoot

Articles

In soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) combining resistance to cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines I.) with high seed yieldremains problematic. Molecular markers linked to quantitative trait loci (QTL) have not provided a solution. Sets of markers describing a collection of favorable alleles (linkats) may assist plant breeders seeking to combine both traits. The objective of this analysis was to identify linkats in genomic regions underlying seed yield and root SCN resistance QTL. Used were groups of cultivars selected from a single recombinant inbred (RIL) population derived from 'Essex' by 'Forrest' (ExF). The yield was measured at four locations. SCN resistance …

Talking Bodies: Sensitivity To Desynchronization Of Conversations, Rachel Mcdonnell, Cathy Ennis, Simon Dobbyn, Carol O'Sullivan

Articles

In this article, we investigate human sensitivity to the coordination and timing of conversational body language for virtual characters. First, we captured the full body motions (excluding faces and hands) of three actors conversing about a range of topics, in either a polite (i.e., one person talking at a time) or debate/argument style. Stimuli were then created by applying the motion-captured conversations from the actors to virtual characters. In a 2AFC experiment, participants viewed paired sequences of synchronized and desynchronized conversations and were asked to guess which was the real one. Detection performance was above chance for both conversation styles …

Rethinking Regulations: Local Laboratories Inventing A Sustainable Idaho, Jerrold A. Long

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No abstract provided.

Keeping (Or Losing) The Faith: Reflections On Spiritual Struggles And Their Resolution By College Seniors., Jodi Fisler, Holly Alexander Agati, Shannon Chance, Amie E. Donahue, Gregory A. Donahue, Eric J. Eickhoff, Sara E. Kolb Gastler, Joseph C. Lowder, John D. Foubert

Articles

In this qualitative study, researchers examined how college seniors experienced and resolved spiritual struggles in college. Results indicated that academic activities provided opportunities to question, learn, and grow spiritually. Although a variety of external factors influenced students' explorations of their spirituality, participants looked inward to resolve their struggles in deeply personal ways. Spiritual struggle was often manifested as a reexamination of students' pre-college values, an ongoing process for many students. Researchers identified four ways of describing students' state of resolution: (1) recommitting to an existing faith, (2) slightly readjusting their spiritual or religious values, (3) blending spiritual traditions, or (4) …

The Marriage Amendments, Equality And Partner Benefits: A Letter To The City Council Of Moscow, Idaho, Elizabeth Brandt

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No abstract provided.

The Endangered Species Act: What We Talk About When We Talk About Recovery, Dale Goble

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No abstract provided.

Establishment Of The Regeneration System For Vicia Faba L., Shimaa Bahgat, Omer A. Shabban, Osama El-Shihy, David A. Lightfoot, Hany A. El- Shemy

Articles

A reliable regeneration system for faba bean has been difficult to establish and therefore, the genetic improvement of Vicia faba L. was delayed. The paper describes a method of somatic embryo induction in callus of V. faba . Two Egyptian faba bean cultivars 'Giza 2' and '24 Hyto' were used. Callus was induced from epicotyls and shoot tips cultured on MS or Gamborg medium supplemented with 3% sucrose and 0.025% (w/v) for each of ascorbic and citric acid, 0.8% agar and different concentrations of 10 mg/l BAP, 0.5 mg/l of each NAA and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (M1) and 1 mg/l BAP …

Different Responses Of Two Genes Associated With Disease Resistance Loci In Maize (Zea Mays L.) To 3-Allyloxy-1,2-Benzothiazole 1,1-Dioxide, Jiazheng Yuan, Jennifer Tedman, Liakat Ali, Jie Liu, Jeff Taylor, David A. Lightfoot, Michiaki Iwata, K. Peter Pauls

Articles

Probenazole (3-allyloxy-1,2-benzothiazole 1,1-dioxide, PBZ) is a bactericide and fungicide that acts by inducing plant defense systems. It has been shown to induce the expression of NBS-LRR genes like RPR1 (rice probenazole-response gene) in rice (Oryza sativa L.) and systemic acquired resistance (SAR)-like disease resistance. Two maize (Zea mays L.) genes Zmnbslrr1 (a NBS-LRR gene, cloned from a disease resistance analog PIC11 based) and Zmgc1 , (a putative guanylyl cyclase-like gene) have both been associated with quantitative resistance loci (QTL) for resistance to Fusarium graminearum . PIC11 was associated with Fusarium stalk rot and ZmGC1 showed resistance to Gibberella ear rot …

Antisense Phenotypes Reveal A Functional Expression Of Osarf1, An Auxin Response Factor, In Transgenic Rice, Kotb A. Attia, Amr F. Abdelkhalik, Megahed H. Ammar, Chun Wei, Jinshui Yang, David A. Lightfoot, Wagih M. El-Sayed, Hany A. El-Shemy

Articles

OsARF1 is the first full-length member of auxin response factor (ARF) gene family to be cloned from monocot plant. Using quantitative RT-PCR this study found that, the transcript abundance of OsARF1 was significantly higher in embryonic tissues than in vegetative tissues. To investigate the effect of OsARF1 on the phenotype of rice, a cDNA fragment of OsARF1 was inserted in inverse orientation to the 35S promoter in vector pBin438 to produce an antisense (AS) construction. The AS-OsARF1 construct was transferred into rice (Oryza sativa L. japonica ) calli via Agrobacterium tumefaciens -mediated transformation. Molecular analysis of transgenic plants showed that …

First X-Ray Structural Characterisation Of Host-Guest Interactions In Tetra-Tetrazole Macrocycles, Fintan Kelleher, Andrew Bond, Adrienne Fleming, Jackie Gaire, John Mcginley, Vickie Mckee

Articles

The syntheses of tetra-tetrazole macrocycles, containing two 1,3-bis(tetrazole)benzene units linked by a variety of n-alkyl (n = 3, 5, 7 or 9 carbon atoms) chain lengths, are described. The crystal structures of two 1,3-bis(tetrazole)benzenes containing pendant bromoalkyl chains (n = 3 or 5) are reported. A tetra-tetrazole macrocycle has also been structurally characterised and contains an unexpected “host-guest” interaction through binding of a chloroform solvent molecule. The resulting deviation of the macrocycle from planarity results from a combination of the “host-guest” interaction and strong intermolecular interactions between adjacent tetrazole and phenylene rings.

Irreconcilable Differences? The Troubled Marriage Of Science And Law, Susan Haack

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No abstract provided.

What The Law Should (And Should Not) Learn From Child Development Research, Emily Buss

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No abstract provided.

A Global Architecture For Medical Counter-Measure Preparedness Against Bioviolence, Zachary D. Clopton, Barry Kellman

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No abstract provided.