Exploring consumer's preferences for farmed sea bream

Sea bream (Sparus aurata) production plays a significant part in Italian aquaculture, contributing to almost 18% of national pisciculture sales revenue. In recent years, Italian firms faced higher competition from countries with lower production costs. This prompted responses toward both cost reduction and product differentiation. The objective of this study was to investigate the preferences of Italian consumers for sea bream from fish farms, with a focus on aspects of product differentiation as gleaned from the analysis of the market situation: price, product origin, type and place of fish farming, and, in particular, type of feed. Data were collected with a consumers’ survey using personal interviews conducted on a questionnaire that included a choice experiment. Consumer preferences were analyzed with choice models based on stated preference data. The models made it possible to evaluate the potential of products with different combinations of attributes for which there is currently no market information available. In particular, the country of origin emerged as an important element of consumer choice, and to a lesser degree, organic certification and fish farming in marine cages also play a relevant role and may command a price premium.

Vitamin D receptor gene variants and esophageal adenocarcinoma risk:A population-based case-control study

Purpose: Polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene may be of etiological importance in determining cancer risk. The aim of this study was to assess the association between common VDR gene polymorphisms and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) risk in an all-Ireland population-based case-control study. Methods: EAC cases and frequency-matched controls by age and gender recruited between March 2002 and December 2004 throughout Ireland were included. Participants were interviewed, and a blood sample collected for DNA extraction. Twenty-seven single nucleotide polymorphisms in the VDR gene were genotyped using Sequenom or TaqMan assays while the poly(A) microsatellite was genotyped by fluorescent fragment analysis. Unconditional logistic regression was applied to assess the association between VDR polymorphisms and EAC risk. Results: A total of 224 cases of EAC and 256 controls were involved in analyses. After adjustment for potential confounders, TT homozygotes at rs2238139 and rs2107301 had significantly reduced risks of EAC compared with CC homozygotes. In contrast, SS alleles of the poly(A) microsatellite had significantly elevated risks of EAC compared with SL/LL alleles. However, following permutation analyses to adjust for multiple comparisons, no significant associations were observed between any VDR gene polymorphism and EAC risk. Conclusions: VDR gene polymorphisms were not significantly associated with EAC development in this Irish population. Confirmation is required from larger studies. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011.

Comparison of progenitor mass estimates for the type IIP SN 2012A

We present the one-year long observing campaign of SN 2012A which exploded in the nearby (9.8 Mpc) irregular galaxy NGC 3239. The photometric evolution is that of a normal type IIP supernova. The absolute maximum magnitude, with MB = -16.23 +- 0.16 mag. SN2012A reached a peak luminosity of about 2X10**42 erg/s, which is brighter than those of other SNe with a similar 56Ni mass. The latter was estimated from the luminosity in the exponential tail of the light curve and found to be M(56Ni) = 0.011 +-0.004 Msun. The spectral evolution of SN 2012A is also typical of SN IIP, from the early spectra dominated by a blue continuum and very broad (~10**4 km/s) Balmer lines, to the late-photospheric spectra characterized by prominent P-Cygni features of metal lines (Fe II, Sc II, Ba II, Ti II, Ca II, Na ID). The photospheric velocity is moderately low, ~3X10**3 km/s at 50 days, for the low optical depth metal lines. The nebular spectrum obtained 394 days after the shock breakout shows the typical features of SNe IIP and the strength of the [O I] doublet suggests a progenitor of intermediate mass, similar to SN 2004et (~15 Msun). A candidate progenitor for SN 2012A has been identified in deep, pre-explosion K'-band Gemini North (NIRI) images, and found to be consistent with a star with a bolometric magnitude -7.08+-0.36 (log L/Lsun = 4.73 +- 0.14$ dex). The magnitude of the recovered progenitor in archival images points toward a moderate-mass 10.5 (-2/+4.5) Msun star as the precursor of SN 2012A. The explosion parameters and progenitor mass were also estimated by means of a hydrodynamical model, fitting the bolometric light curve, the velocity and the temperature evolution. We found a best fit for a kinetic energy of 0.48 foe, an initial radius of 1.8X10**13 cm and ejecta mass of 12.5 Msun.

Multi-epoch high-resolution spectroscopy of SN2011fe - Linking the progenitor to its environment

This study attempts to establish a link between the reasonably well known nature of the progenitor of SN2011fe and its surrounding environment. This is done with the aim of enabling the identification of similar systems in the vast majority of the cases, when distance and epoch of discovery do not allow a direct approach. To study the circumstellar environment of SN2011fe we have obtained high-resolution spectroscopy of SN2011fe on 12 epochs, from 8 to 86 days after the estimated date of explosion, targeting in particular at the time evolution of CaII and NaI. Three main absorption systems are identified from CaII and NaI, one associated to the Milky Way, one probably arising within a high-velocity cloud, and one most likely associated to the halo of M101. The Galactic and host galaxy reddening, deduced from the integrated equivalent widths (EW) of the NaI lines are E(B-V)=0.011+/-0.002 and E(B-V)=0.014+/-0.002 mag, respectively. The host galaxy absorption is dominated by a component detected at the same velocity measured from the 21-cm HI line at the projected SN position (~180 km/s). During the ~3 months covered by our observations, its EW changed by 15.6+/-6.5 mA. This small variation is shown to be compatible with the geometric effects produced by therapid SN photosphere expansion coupled to the patchy fractal structure of the ISM. The observed behavior is fully consistent with ISM properties similar to those derived for our own Galaxy, with evidences for structures on scales

Taxonomic and functional diversity of farmland bird communities across Europe:Effects of biogeography and agricultural intensification

In eight European study sites (in Spain, Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Estonia and Sweden), abundance of breeding farmland bird territories was obtained from 500 × 500 m survey plots (30 per area, N = 240) using the mapping method. Two analyses were performed: (I) a Canonical Correspondence Analysis of species abundance in relation to geographical location and variables measuring agricultural intensification at field and farm level to identify significant intensification variables and to estimate the fractions of total variance in bird abundance explained by geography and agricultural intensification; (II) several taxonomic and functional community indices were built and analysed using GLM in relation to the intensification variables found significant in the CCA. The geographical location of study sites alone explains nearly one fifth (19. 5%) of total variation in species abundance. The fraction of variance explained by agricultural intensification alone is much smaller (4. 3%), although significant. The intersection explains nearly two fifths (37. 8%) of variance in species abundance. Community indices are negatively affected by correlates of intensification like farm size and yield, whereas correlates of habitat availability and quality have positive effects on taxonomic and functional diversity of assemblages. Most of the purely geographical variation in farmland bird assemblage composition is associated to Mediterranean steppe species, reflecting the bio-geographical singularity of that assemblage and reinforcing the need to preserve this community. Taxonomic and functional diversity of farmland bird communities are negatively affected by agricultural intensification and positively affected by increasing farmland habitat availability and quality. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Laboratory tests to study the influence of rock stress confinement on the performances of TBM discs in tunnels

To clarify some aspects of rock destruction with a disc acting on a high confined tunnel face, a series of tests were carried out to examine fracture mechanisms under an indenter that simulates the tunnel boring machine (TBM) tool action, in the presence of an adjacent groove, when a state of stress (lateral confinement) is imposed on a rock sample. These tests proved the importance of carefully establishing the optimal distance of grooves produced by discs acting on a confined surface, and the value (as a mere order of magnitude) of the increase of the thrust to produce the initiation of chip formation, as long as the confinement pressure becomes greater. © University of Science and Technology Beijing and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.

Beowulf Hondbona: the Literary Context for Emending Line 1520b

In this article I consider the debate over whether line 1520b ought to be read as the emended “hond sweng” or the scribal “hord swenge.” It is a small point philologically but it raises interesting cultural and literary questions about the attitude of the Beowulf poet to arms and armour, to aggressive and defensive war gear, and to swords in particular. It has widely been assumed that swords are important in Beowulf and yet, the question of what their significance might be has received very little attention. Throughout the poem the hero is plagued by breaking, melting, and failing swords. He borrows, finds, and is given swords but unlike other English and Germanic heroes he is never identified with a single, great sword. I suggest that this is because, ultimately, Beowulf is conceived as a hondbana, a designation which has implications for what kind of a hero he proves to be.

Glial and neuronal dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Neuronal dysfunction has been noted very soon after the induction of diabetes by streptozotocin injection in rats. It is not clear from anatomical evidence whether glial cell dysfunction accompanies the well-documented neuronal deficit. Here, we isolate the Müller cell driven slow-P3 component of the full-field electroretinogram and show that it is attenuated at 4 weeks following the onset of streptozotocin-hyperglycaemia. We also found a concurrent reduction in the sensitivity of the phototransduction cascade, as well as in the components of the electroretinogram known to indicate retinal ganglion cell and amacrine cell integrity. Our data support the idea that neuronal and Müller cell dysfunction occurs at the same time in streptozotocin-induced hyperglycaemia.

Atomistic investigation on the structure-property relationship during thermal spray nanoparticle impact

During thermal spraying, hot particles impact on a colder substrate. This interaction of crystalline copper nanoparticles and copper substrate is modelled, using MD simulation. The quantitative results of the impacts at different velocities and temperatures are evaluated using a newly defined flattening aspect ratio. This ratio between the maximum diameter after the impact and the height of the splat increases with increasing Reynolds numbers until a critical value is reached. At higher Reynolds numbers the flattening aspect ratio decreases again, as the kinetic energy of the particle leads to increasing substrate temperature and, therefore, decreases the substrate resistance. Thus, the particle penetrates into the substrate and deforms less.

Influence of a Single Grain Boundary on Domain Wall Motion in Ferroelectrics

Epitaxial tetragonal 425 and 611 nm thick Pb(ZrTi)O (PZT) films are deposited by pulsed laser deposition on SrRuO-coated (100) SrTiO 24° tilt angle bicrystal substrates to create a single PZT grain boundary with a well-defined orientation. On either side of the bicrystal boundary, the films show square hysteresis loops and have dielectric permittivities of 456 and 576, with loss tangents of 0.010 and 0.015, respectively. Using piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM), a decrease in the nonlinear piezoelectric response is observed in the vicinity (720-820 nm) of the grain boundary. This region represents the width over which the extrinsic contributions to the piezoelectric response (e.g., those associated with the domain density/configuration and/or the domain wall mobility) are influenced by the presence of the grain boundary. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images collected near and far from the grain boundary indicate a strong preference for (101)/(1-01) type domain walls at the grain boundary, whereas (011)/(01-1) and (101)/(1-01) are observed away from this region. It is proposed that the elastic strain field at the grain boundary interacts with the ferro-electric/elastic domain structure, stabilizing (101)/(1-01) rather than (011)/(01-1) type domain walls, which inhibits domain wall motion under applied field and decreases non-linearity. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Promoting multicultural education in the primary classroom:Broadband videoconferencing facilities and digital video

The aim of this study was to explore the impact of interaction (through gathering local field data and engaging in remote reciprocal presentations) on aspects of multicultural awareness. Sixty-six 11-12-year-old Scottish primary school pupils collected data in the field from their local community through questionnaires, interviews, direct observation, digital images and video. From this they distilled a multimedia presentation, delivered by videoconference to a partner school in the USA, who reciprocated. There was some evidence of pre-post project gains in the complexity of the children's perceptions of their community environment, the ethnicity of their community, their own ethnicity, and news images. The children's use of language to define ethnicity also became more complex and their attitudes toward ethnic minorities became more inclusive. The implications for practice, policy and future research were explored. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age related differences in mental health scale scores and depression diagnosis: Adult responses to the CIDI-SF and MHI-5.

Inconsistencies surrounding the prevalence levels of depression in later life suggest that the measurement of depression in older people may be problematic. The current study aimed to map responses to a depressive symptom scale, the Mental Health Index-5 (MHI-5) which is part of the Short form 36 (SF-36, Ware et al., 1993) against the diagnostic screening items of the Composite International Diagnostic Instrument-Short Form (CIDI-SF, Kessler et al., 1998) to examine disagreement rates across age groups. The study examined data from a national random sample of 10,641 participants living in Ireland, 58.8% were female and 19% were over 65 (SLÁN, 2007). CIDI-SF depression screening endorsement was lower in older groups, whereas mean MHI-5 depressive symptoms showed less change across age groups. Results showed that the odds of MHI-5 endorsers aged 18–44 endorsing CIDI-SF screening questions were 5 times and 4.5 times (dysphoria and anhedonia, respectively) greater than the odds of people aged 75 or more endorsing these items. Findings suggest that although the risk of depressive disorder may decrease with age, complex diagnostic screening questions may exaggerate lower rates of depression among older people.

Novel GlyT1 inhibitor chemotypes by scaffold hopping. Part 2: Development of a [3.3.0]-based series and other piperidine bioisosteres

This Letter describes the development and SAR of a novel series of GlyT1 inhibitors derived from a scaffold hopping approach, in lieu of an HTS campaign, which provided intellectual property position. Members within this new [3.3.0]​-​based series, e.g. I, displayed excellent GlyT1 potency, selectivity, free fraction, and modest CNS penetration. Moreover, enantioselective GlyT1 inhibition was obsd., within this novel series and a no. of other piperidine bioisosteric cores.

Childhood trauma and the risk of violence in adulthood in a population with a psychotic illness.

There are strong links between childhood trauma and the risk of violence (Ford et al., 2007). Despite evidence that people with psychotic disorders are at a higher risk of violence than the general population (Witt et al., 2013) there have been few studies that have examined the trauma-violence link in this population (Spidel et al., 2010). This study explored the association between a history of childhood trauma (abuse, neglect and conflict-related trauma) and the risk of violence in adults with psychotic disorders. The strongest associations with the risk of violence were found for sexual abuse (r = .32, p < .05) and the impact of community conflict (r = .32, p < .05). An accumulative effect of trauma was found using a hierarchical regression (adjusted R2 = .14, F(2,37) = 4.23, p < .05). There are implications for applying models of violence to psychosis, risk assessment and treatment of people with psychotic disorders as well as informing trauma models and protective factors for children in conflict-affected regions.

Integrating allowable design strains in composites with whole life value

Fibre-Reinforced Plastics (FRPs) have been used in civil aerospace vehicles for decades. The current state-of-the-art in airframe design and manufacture results in approximately half the airframe mass attributable to FRP materials. The continual increase in the use of FRP materials over metallic alloys is attributable to the material's superior specific strength and stiffness, fatigue performance and corrosion resistance. However, the full potential of these materials has yet to be exploited as analysis methods to predict physical failure with equal accuracy and robustness are not yet available. The result is a conservative approach to design, but one that can bring benefit via increased inspection intervals and reduced cost over the vehicle life. The challenge is that the methods used in practice are based on empirical tests and real relationships and drivers are difficult to see in this complex process and so the trade-off decision is challenging and uncertain. The aim of this feasibility study was to scope a viable process which could help develop some rules and relationships based on the fundamental mechanics of composite material and the economics of production and operation, which would enhance understanding of the role and impact of design allowables across the life of a composite structure.