Mohair fibre quality and production as related to animal size

Mohair is a luxury fibre produced by Angora goats. Mohair has special textile properties and is famed for its lustre. There are many reports of the relationships between mohair attributes and processing. While mohair production can be profitable to farmers there are severe price discounts for faults and poor quality. While genetics is known to affect mohair quality, fundamental relationships between body size and mohair quality have not been determined. We conducted a series of investigations to quantify the relationships between important mohair quality attributes and live weight and other lifetime factors associated with Angora goats.

Optimal sensor placement and measurement of wind for water quality studies in urban reservoirs

We collaborate with environmental scientists to study the hydrodynamics and water quality in an urban district, where the surface wind distribution is an essential input but undergoes high spatial and temporal variations due to the complex urban landform created by surrounding buildings. In this work, we study an optimal sensor placement scheme to measure the wind distribution over a large urban reservoir with a limited number of wind sensors. Unlike existing sensor placement solutions that assume Gaussian process of target phenomena, this study measures the wind which inherently exhibits strong non-Gaussian yearly distribution. By leveraging the local monsoon characteristics of wind, we segment a year into different monsoon seasons which follow a unique distribution respectively. We also use computational fluid dynamics to learn the spatial correlation of wind in the presence of surrounding buildings. The output of sensor placement is a set of the most informative locations to deploy the wind sensors, based on the readings of which we can accurately predict the wind over the entire reservoir surface in real time. 10 wind sensors are finally deployed around or on the water surface of an urban reservoir. The in-field measurement results of more than 3 months suggest that the proposed sensor placement and spatial prediction approach provides accurate wind measurement which outperforms the state-of-the-art Gaussian model based or interpolation based approaches.

The development of a medication calculation competency and quality use of renal medicine e-learning program.

Medication calculation and administration are commonly performed nursing tasks. A consequence of this frequency is thepotential for a higher incidence of medication-related errors. One strategy to assess proficiency in medication calculation is an annual medication calculation competency quiz. Traditionally, these quizzes are done in paper form at an institutional level and require educators or managers to administer and mark the quiz manually by hand. This paper discusses the rationale, challenges and peer-review process associated with the development of an e-learning programme designed to assess proficiency in medication calculation and the quality use of renal medicines.

Dietary sources, current intakes, and nutritional role of omega-3 docosapentaenoic acid

Fish oils and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids are well recognized for their critical role in human diets. Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5n-3) has always been a part of healthy nutrition, since infants obtain almost as much DPA as DHA from human milk. Fish oil supplements and ingredients, oily fish, and grass-fed beef can serve as the primary DPA sources for the general population. Although the DPA levels in fish oils are substantially lower than those of EPA and DHA, concentrated DPA products are now becoming commercially available, and DPA-based drugs are under development. Epidemiological studies show that similar to eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic (DHA, 22:6n-3) acids, DPA is linked to various improvements in human health, perhaps owing to its structural similarity to the other two molecules. Studies in mammals, platelets, and cell cultures have demonstrated that DPA reduces platelet aggregation, and improves lipid metabolism, endothelial cell migration, and resolution of chronic inflammation. Further, other in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that DPA can improve neural health. A human supplementation trial with 99.8% pure DPA suggested that it serves as a storage depot for EPA and DHA in the human body. Future randomized controlled human trials with purified DPA will help clarify its effects on human health. They may confirm the available evidence pointing to its nutritional and biological functions, unique or overlapping with those of EPA and DHA.

Population and individual-scale responses to patch size, isolation and quality in the hazel dormouse

Patch size, isolation and quality are key factors influencing species persistence in fragmented landscapes. However, we still lack a detailed understanding of how these variables exert their effects on populations inhabiting fragmented landscapes. At which ecological scale do they have an effect (e.g., individuals versus populations) and, on which demographic parameters? Answering these questions will identify the mechanisms that underlie population turnover rather than solely predicting it based on proxies (e.g., presence/absence data). We report the results of a large-scale, three-year study focused on the relative effects of patch size, isolation and quality on individuals and populations of an arboreal rodent, the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius). We examined 30 sites nested within three landscapes characterized by contrasting levels of habitat amount and habitat quality (food resources). We quantified the effects of patch size and quality on the response of individuals (survival and litter size) and populations (density and colonization/extinction dynamics). We identified demographic mechanisms which led to population turnover. Habitat quality positively affected survival (not litter size) and population density (measured through an index). We infer that the decline in survival due to patch quality reduced patch recolonization rather than increasing extinction, while extinction was mainly affected by patch size. Our findings suggest that the effect of patch quality on individual and population parameters was constrained by the physical structure of the surrounding landscapes. At the same time, our results highlight the importance of preserving habitat quality to help the persistence of entire systems of patches.

Busy auditors, ethical behavior, and ciscretionary accruals quality in Malaysia

The required professional and ethical pronouncements of accountants mean that auditors need to be competent and exercise due care and skill in the performance of their audits. In this study, we examine what happens when auditors take on more clients than they should, thus raising doubts about their ability to maintain competence and audit quality. Using 2803 observations of Malaysian companies from 2010 to 2013, we find that auditors with multiple clients are associated with lower earnings quality, proxied by total accruals and discretionary accruals. Our results demonstrate that associating client firms’ reported discretionary accruals with individual auditors, rather than their firms or offices, is important in determining audit quality. Moreover, we demonstrate that the disclosure of auditors’ signatures on their reports is useful for assessing auditor quality at the individual level, thus contributing to the debate on the usefulness of having auditor identities on reports.

Physicochemical characteristics, nutritional properties, and health benefits of argan oil: a review

The argan tree (Argania spinosa L. Skeels), an endemic tree in Morocco, is the most remarkable species in North Africa, due to its botanical and bioecologic interest as well as its social value. Argan oil is traditionally well known for its cardioprotective properties and it is also used in the treatment of skin infections. This paper gives an overview of scientific literature available on nutritional and pharmacologic properties of argan oil. Owing to its unique organoleptic properties associated with its cardioprotective properties, argan oil has found, recently, its place in the highly competitive international edible oil market. This success is a very positive sign for the preservation of the argan tree, the argan forests and, therefore, in general, the biodiversity.

Meal frequency but not snack frequency is associated with micronutrient intakes and overall diet quality in Australian men and women.

BACKGROUND: Skipping breakfast is associated with poorer diet quality among adults, but evidence of associations for other eating patterns [e.g., eating occasion (EO), meal, or snack frequency] is equivocal. An understanding of how eating patterns are associated with diet quality is needed to inform population-level dietary recommendations. OBJECTIVE: We aimed in this cross-sectional study to determine the relation between frequency of meals, snacks, and all EOs with nutrient intakes and diet quality in a representative sample of Australian adults. METHODS: Dietary data for 5242 adults aged ≥19 y collected via two 24-h recalls during the 2011-2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey were analyzed. EO, meal, and snack frequency was calculated. Adherence to recommendations for healthy eating was assessed with the use of the 2013 Dietary Guidelines Index (DGI) and its subcomponents. Linear regression, adjusted for covariates and energy misreporting, was used to examine associations between eating patterns, energy-adjusted nutrient intakes, and the DGI-2013. RESULTS: The frequency of meals, but not of snacks, was positively associated with micronutrient intakes, overall diet quality [men: β = 5.6 (95% CI: 3.9, 7.3); women: β = 4.1 (95% CI: 2.2, 5.9); P < 0.001], and DGI-2013 component scores for cereals, lean meat and alternatives, and alcohol intake (P < 0.05). A higher frequency of all EOs, meals, and snacks was positively associated with DGI-2013 scores for food variety, fruits, and dairy foods (P < 0.05). Conversely, a higher snack frequency was associated with a lower compliance with guidelines for discretionary foods and added sugars among men (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that meal frequency is an important determinant of nutrient intakes and diet quality in Australian adults. Inconsistent associations for snack frequency suggest that the quality of snack choices is variable. More research examining the dietary profiles of eating patterns and their relations with diet quality is needed to inform the development of meal-based guidelines and messages that encourage healthy eating.

Quality concerns in large-scale and complex software-intensive systems

Software quality management (SQM) is the collection of all processes that ensure that software products, services, and life cycle process implementations meet organizational software quality objectives and achieve stakeholder satisfaction. SQM comprises three basic subcategories: software quality planning, software quality assurance (SQA), and software quality control and software process improvement. This chapter provides a general overview of the SQA domain and discuss the related concept. A conceptual model for software quality framework is provided together with the current approaches for SQA. The chapter concludes with some of the identified challenges and future challenges regarding SQA.

Earnings quality : some evidence on the role of auditor tenure and auditors' industry expertise

Prior studies suggest that auditors with short tenure are associated with lower earnings quality because of the lack of client-specific knowledge and/or low balling. In this study, we examine whether industry specialization of auditors and low balling affect the association between auditor tenure and earnings quality. We find that the association between shorter auditor tenure and lower earnings quality is weaker for firms audited by industry specialists compared to non-specialists. In addition, we do not find results consistent with the low balling explanation.

Ownership concentration, foreign shareholding, audit quality, and stock price synchronicity : evidence from China

This paper investigates the effects of largest-shareholder ownership concentration, foreign ownership, and audit quality on the amount of firm-specific information incorporated into share prices, as measured by stock price synchronicity, of Chinese-listed firms over the 1996–2003 period. We show that synchronicity is a concave function of ownership by the largest shareholder with its maximum at an approximate 50% level. Further, we find that synchronicity is higher when the largest shareholder is government related. We also find that foreign ownership and auditor quality are inversely associated with synchronicity. Finally, we show that the amount of earnings information reflected in stock returns is lower for firms with high synchronicity.

Protecting skeletal muscle with protein and amino acid during periods of disuse

Habitual sedentary behavior increases risk of chronic disease, hospitalization and poor quality of life. Short-term bed rest or disuse accelerates the loss of muscle mass, function, and glucose tolerance. Optimizing nutritional practices and protein intake may reduce the consequences of disuse by preserving metabolic homeostasis and muscle mass and function. Most modes of physical inactivity have the potential to negatively impact the health of older adults more than their younger counterparts. Mechanistically, mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling and muscle protein synthesis are negatively affected by disuse. This contributes to reduced muscle quality and is accompanied by impaired glucose regulation. Simply encouraging increased protein and/or energy consumption is a well-intentioned, but often impractical strategy to protect muscle health. Emerging evidence suggests that leucine supplemented meals may partially and temporarily protect skeletal muscle during disuse by preserving anabolism and mitigating reductions in mass, function and metabolic homeostasis.

Wine prices and quality eatings: a meta-regression analysis

This article examines the empirical support for the hypothesized hedonic theoretical relation between the price of wine and its quality. The examination considers over 180 hedonic wine price models developed over 20 years, covering many countries. The research identifies that the relation between the price of wine and its sensory quality rating is a moderate partial correlation of +0.30. This correlation exists despite the lack of information held by consumers about a wine’s quality and the inconsistency of expert tasters when evaluating wines. The results identify a moderate price-quality correlation, which suggests the existence of strategic buying opportunities for better informed consumers. Strategic price setting possibilities may also exist for wine producers given the incomplete quality information held by consumers. The results from the meta-regression analysis point to the absence of any publication bias, and attribute the observed asymmetry in estimates to study heterogeneity. The analysis suggests the observed heterogeneity is explained by the importance of a wine’s reputation, the use of the 100-point quality rating scale, the analysis of a single wine variety/style, and the employed functional form. The most important implication from the analysis is the relative importance of a wine’s reputation over its sensory quality, inferring that producers need to sustain the sensory quality of a wine over time to extract appropriate returns. The reputation of the wine producer is found not to influence the strength of the price quality relationship. This finding does not contradict the importance of wine producer reputation in directly influencing prices.