Core Reference Research Articles

Estimation of sediment accumulation rates using naturally occuring 210Pb models in Gülbahçe Bay, Aegean Sea, Turkey

The sediment chronology was determined using Lead-210 (210Pb) dating method in Gülbahçe Bay. Sediment cores were obtained using gravity core sampler from hydrothermal area and also from reference point and surfical distribution of Polonium-210 (210Po) was investigated in the study area. The average of surfical concentration of 210Po was found as 175.25 ± 3.80 Bq kg−1 in the hydrothermal area which was higher than the reference point value of 133.20 ± 3.30 Bq kg−1. Sedimentation rates in Core reference point (RN) displayed an increase till the year 1942 and a decrease afterwards, sedimentation rates in any core from hydrothermal area have not exhibited any continuous increase or decrease. The 210Pb fluxes measured from core inventories are close to each other. Average enrichment factors for Cu, Cd, Sr, Zn, Cr vary between 20.35 and 12.18 indicating that the sediments have been contaminated with these metals in the reference point. Maximum enrichment factor values for Cr, Cu, Zn, Ba, Sr, Ni, Co vary between 22.91 and 11.42, implying that the sediments in hydrothermal area have been contaminated with these metals.

Reference transaction assessment

PurposeThis paper aims to survey the published journal literature on reference transaction assessment. Its purpose is to highlight the need for a multiple perspectives approach due to the complexity of reference transactions. Satisfaction indicators, behavioral aspects, accuracy rates, success measures, and other desired transaction outcomes contribute to the need for a broader assessment picture.Design/methodology/approachThis is a review from the first decade of the twenty‐first century. Selected were papers from 2001 through 2010, filtered from search results from library literature databases. Primary inclusion criteria identified refereed papers, studies of academic library populations, evaluation or assessment of reference transactions, and methods contributing to systematic practices versus unique assessment events.FindingsBy viewing reference transactions as complex interactions, librarians are recognizing that simple counts and narrow views of assessment are not adequate. Missing in the assessment literature is a universally accepted set of standard approaches, study methodologies, and reporting formats for comparison and analysis. Improvements may contribute to efforts that go beyond local studies to more meaningful peer comparisons.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough not an exhaustive representation of all reference services assessment literature, the paper profiles the heart of reference, i.e. the interaction between users and library service providers. This focus fosters a concentration on a core reference activity: addressing library users' information needs.Originality/valueThis review highlights assessment challenges, unresolved problems, and topics addressed from 2001 to 2010. It also provides a look at tools that can enhance assessment programs.

The transition of Chinese dietary guidelines and food guide pagoda.

China promulgated her first food based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) in 1989. It was proposed by the standing board of Chinese Nutrition Society. The guidelines consisted of 8 items, each followed by a paragraph of explanation words. The second FBDGs came out in 1997, was expanded to include 3 parts i.e. guide lines for general population, for 7 particular population groups (infants, toddlers and preschool children, school-age children, adolescents, pregnant women, lactating mothers and the aged) and a newly formed food guide pagoda (FGP). The last version of the Chinese FBDGs was compelled by Chinese Nutrition Society in 2007, and proclaimed by the Ministry of Health in early 2008. The new guidelines kept the skeleton of three parts, but expanded remarkably in volume and coverage. The guidelines for the general population consisted of 10 items, each containing: core information, a discussion and reference materials. The guidelines for particular groups contained more subgroups, and more detailed recommendations. The revised pagoda kept the previous food grouping and placement but altered the amount of some food groups. An image of a walker and a cup of water were added to the side of the pagoda. Guidelines-2007 called for more coarse grains and less cooking oil consumption. Physical activity is also strongly recommended.

O2-4.1 Long term cardiovascular risk in women with pre-eclampsia: systematic review and meta-analysis

<h3>Introduction</h3> There is increasing evidence that pre-eclampsia, a principal cause of maternal morbidity, may also be a risk factor for future cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. This review aimed to assess the current evidence and quantify the risks of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events that may follow a diagnosis of pre-eclampsia. <h3>Methods</h3> MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched with no language restrictions, as were core journals and reference lists from reviews. Case control and cohort studies which reported cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases diagnosed more than 6 weeks postpartum, in women who had history of pre-eclampsia relative to women who had unaffected pregnancies, were included. <h3>Results</h3> 24 articles were included in the systematic review and 19 in the meta-analysis. Women with a history of pre-eclampsia or eclampsia were at significantly increased odds of fatal or non-fatal cardiovascular disease (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.83 to 2.82) and cerebrovascular disease (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.57 to 3.85). Among pre-eclamptic women, pre-term delivery was not associated with an increased risk of a future cardiovascular event (RR 1.28, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.99). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Women diagnosed with pre-eclampsia are at increased risk of future cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events, with an estimated doubling of risk compared to unaffected women. This has implications for the follow-up of all women who experience pre-eclampsia, not just those who deliver pre-term. This association may reflect shared common risk factors for both pre-eclampsia and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.

Long term cardiovascular risk in women with pre-eclampsia: systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionThere is increasing evidence that pre-eclampsia, a principal cause of maternal morbidity, may also be a risk factor for future cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. This review aimed to assess the...

Genomic tools and germplasm diversity for chickpea improvement

Chickpea is the third most important grain legume grown in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. In spite of vast germplasm accessions available in different genebanks, there has been very limited use of these accessions in genetic enhancement of chickpea. However, in recent years, specialized germplasm subsets such as global composite collection, core collection, mini core collection and reference set have been developed. In parallel, significant genomic resources such as molecular markers including simple sequence repeats (SSRs), single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), diversity arrays technology (DArT) and transcript sequences, e.g. expressed sequence tags, short transcript reads, have been developed. By using SSR, SNP and DArT markers, integrated genetic maps have been developed. It is anticipated that the use of genomic resources and specialized germplasm subsets such as mini core collection and reference set will facilitate identification of trait-specific germplasm, trait mapping and allele mining for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and for agronomic traits. Advent of the next generation sequencing technologies coupled with advances in bioinformatics offers the possibility of undertaking large-scale sequencing of germplasm accessions so that modern breeding approaches such as genomic selection and breeding by design can be realized in near future for chickpea improvement.

Absolute deformation potentials and robust ab initio model for band shifts induced by (001) biaxial strain in group IIIA-VA semiconductors

A model for the evolution of conduction and valence bands of IIIA-VA (InAs, GaAs, and InP) semiconductors under (001) biaxial strain is developed. The model is based on the ab initio calculations which take into account finite strain dependent relaxation of the reference levels. The results of ab initio full potential calculations of absolute deformation potentials (ADPs) and (001) biaxial strain-modified band edges are reported. It is shown that in type I heterostructures subjected to (001) compressive biaxial strain, the corrections due to nonzero ADP of the core reference levels reduce the strained band offset for holes.

More genomic resources for less-studied crops

Many of the crop species considered to be minor on a global scale, yet are important locally for food security in the developing world, have remained less-studied crops. Recent years have witnessed the development of large-scale genomic and genetic resources, including simple sequence repeat, single nucleotide polymorphism and diversity array technology markers, expressed sequence tags or transcript reads, bacterial artificial chromosome libraries, genetic and physical maps, and genetic stocks with rich genetic diversity, such as core reference sets and introgression lines in these crops. These resources have the potential to accelerate gene discovery and initiate molecular breeding in these crops, thereby enhancing crop productivity to ensure food security in developing countries.

Perinatal Periods of Risk: A Community Approach for Using Data to Improve Women and Infants’ Health

This paper provides an overview of the origins, purpose, and methods of the Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR) approach to community-based planning for action to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. PPOR includes a new analytic framework that enables urban communities to better understand and address fetal and infant mortality. This article serves as the core reference for accompanying specific PPOR methods and practice articles. PPOR is based on core principles of full community engagement and equity and follows a six stage community-based planning process. In Stage 1, communities are mobilized and engaged, related planning efforts aligned, and community and analytic readiness assessed. In Stage 2, feto-infant mortality is mapped, excess mortality is estimated, likely causes of feto-infant mortality are determined, and appropriate actions are suggested. Stage 3 produces action plans for targeted prevention strategies. Stages 4 and 5 include implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Stage 6 fosters political will to sustain efforts. PPOR can be used in local maternal child health (MCH) practice for improving perinatal outcomes. MCH programs can use PPOR to integrate health assessments, initiate planning, identify significant gaps, target more in-depth inquiry, and suggest clear interventions for lowering feto-infant mortality. PPOR enables greater cooperation in improving MCH through more effective data use, strengthened data capacity, and greater shared understanding of complex infant mortality issues. PPOR offers local health departments and their community partners a comprehensive approach to address the health of women and infants in their jurisdictions.

Reference and Information Services in the 21st Century: An Introduction. 2nd ed

The second edition of Reference and Information Services in the 21st Century: An Introduction updates and expands on the excellent foundation provided in the first edition and continues to ground the reader in real-world practices. In this new edition, editors Kay Ann Cassell and Uma Hiremath account for the changing nature of reference services by including an entirely new chapter on Reference 2.0 tools. They have also thoroughly updated the book's chapters, weeding some sources and including new ones. Guided by an editorial advisory board of university educators and practitioners, this text expertly combines both practical elements and guiding principles, and it is sure to be useful to students and novice and experienced reference professionals seeking a core reference text, as well as educators in the field of library and information studies. The book is arranged into four major parts: fundamental concepts, an introduction to major reference sources, special topics in reference and information work, and development and management of reference collections and services. Part I includes chapters that introduce the reader to the basics of reference and information services, the reference interview, and basic search techniques to find the answer. Part II includes chapters on answering a variety of questions—from questions that require handy facts to questions about events and issues—and pairs that with the sources that would best accommodate the question at hand. Part III includes chapters on when and how to use the Internet as a reference tool, reader's advisory work, reference work with children and young adults, and information literacy in the reference department. Part IV includes chapters on selection and evaluation of reference materials, management of reference departments, assessment and improvement of reference services, Reference 2.0, and the future of information services. This edition has also added an appendix that includes the Reference and User Services Association's Outstanding Reference Resources from 2005 to 2009. Additionally, efforts will be made to keep the book up-to-date, as the authors will supply information to a companion website, hosted by the publisher. This web page will feature new readings for each chapter and information about changes in the reference tools described as well as important new tools that may come along post publication. One of the strengths of this book is that it is grounded in real-world practices. The newest chapter on Reference 2.0 is no exception as it introduces the reader to Web 2.0 tools and their practical application in libraries. While the goal of reference is timeless (“namely, the satisfaction of the user”), the authors explain that Web 2.0 tools have added a new dimension to reference services. In particular, the reference professional must acknowledge a change in users' expectations: chiefly, that users have come to expect that the information they receive has been individually tailored, “so that the uniqueness of the users' needs are both acknowledged and satisfied.” The chapter explains what is meant by “Reference 2.0,” namely, collaboration (e.g., cooperative content creation via wikis, blogs, folksonomies, etc.), social networking (e.g., reference outreach via Facebook), customization (e.g. really simple syndication [RSS] feeds), and seamlessness (e.g., multi-format reference via instant messaging). Most importantly, the Reference 2.0 chapter proceeds to delve into specific, real-world examples of collaborative content creation, such as reference wikis and blogs; reference folksonomies, such as libraries' use of Delicious; social networking; customization, such as search widgets, reference RSS feeds, and mashups; and seamlessness, such as mobile reference. The authors recognize that some of this technology may not last and that it is easy to get caught up in the glitter of “shiny new toys.” However, they emphasize that it is not possible to pretend that it is not happening and that it is good behavior for the reference professional to get “intimate with the arsenal of tools available.” This book is highly recommended for all individuals seeking a core reference services text. It will be useful not only for students and new reference librarians, but also for seasoned reference librarians to be aware of the latest tools and resources.

Consumer Protection on Food and Environmental Safety Based on Statutory Implied Terms in Malaysian Sale of Goods Law: Focusing on Urban Sustainability

Consumers take part in essential role in contributing to the development of the country’s economy which include urban region as the result there are many conferences, symposiums and seminars which have been organised for the purpose to enhance the awareness on their rights. Therefore, this study will discuss on how the Malaysian statutory implied terms in the sale of goods law provide protection to consumer protection on food and environmental safety focusing on urban sustainability. The core reference of this study is based on Malaysian Sale of Goods Act, 1957.

SscMap: An extensible Java application for connecting small-molecule drugs using gene-expression signatures

BackgroundConnectivity mapping is a process to recognize novel pharmacological and toxicological properties in small molecules by comparing their gene expression signatures with others in a database. A simple and robust method for connectivity mapping with increased specificity and sensitivity was recently developed, and its utility demonstrated using experimentally derived gene signatures.ResultsThis paper introduces sscMap (statistically significant connections' map), a Java application designed to undertake connectivity mapping tasks using the recently published method. The software is bundled with a default collection of reference gene-expression profiles based on the publicly available dataset from the Broad Institute Connectivity Map 02, which includes data from over 7000 Affymetrix microarrays, for over 1000 small-molecule compounds, and 6100 treatment instances in 5 human cell lines. In addition, the application allows users to add their custom collections of reference profiles and is applicable to a wide range of other 'omics technologies.ConclusionThe utility of sscMap is two fold. First, it serves to make statistically significant connections between a user-supplied gene signature and the 6100 core reference profiles based on the Broad Institute expanded dataset. Second, it allows users to apply the same improved method to custom-built reference profiles which can be added to the database for future referencing. The software can be freely downloaded from .

Theorising Corporate Social Responsibility as an Essentially Contested Concept: Is a Definition Necessary?

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become indispensable in modern business discourse; yet identifying and defining what CSR means is open to contest. Although such contestation is not uncommon with concepts found in the social sciences, for CSR it presents some difficulty for theoretical and empirical analysis, especially with regards to verifying that diverse application of the concept is consistent or concomitant. On the other hand, it seems unfeasible that the diversity of issues addressed under the CSR umbrella would yield to a singular universal definition. Gallie, an eminent philosophical scholar, proposed the essentially contested concepts (ECC) theory in 1956 to address concepts that by their very nature engender perpetual disputes. He pointed out that there are certain concepts which by their very nature are inevitably contested and prescribed seven criteria for evaluating such concepts. This article examines these criteria to discover if CSR is an essentially contested concept and in that case, to construe if such a change in perception will resolve the definitional crisis. The analysis suggests that CSR is an ECC and this explains the potential for several conceptions of CSR, however, it does not totally obviate the need for a definition of its core or common reference point, if only to ensure that the contestants are dealing with an identical subject matter.

Toward sustaining professional development: Identifying essential competencies for chat reference service

This study identifies the essential chat reference competencies to enhance the professional preparation of reference personnel. A survey was conducted to examine practitioners' perceptions of chat reference competencies reported in the literature. A prioritized competency list was produced based on the survey results. The investigated competencies could be divided into four categories: media-independent core reference competencies, reference competencies highlighted in the context of chat reference, reference competencies specific to chat reference, and reference competencies not as important in chat reference. Competencies in the first three categories received ratings higher than 5.5 (out of 7) and can be defined as the essential competencies requisite for chat reference practice. Findings from this study can be used as the basis to design and implement training and education programs to enhance the professional preparation of chat reference librarians.

Bibliometric analysis to identify core reference sources of virtual reference transactions

As the use of electronic reference sources becomes commonplace, virtual reference services are expanding in scope, modes, and popularity. Simultaneously, reference practices are evolving as well. One concept that may be challenged by these trends is the notion of the core reference collection. What are the sources that form this core collection, and what are its characteristics? Are similar sources used to answer users' questions in virtual and traditional reference? How do core collections of public and academic libraries differ? An analysis of 1851 e-mail and chat reference transactions from public and academic libraries reveals that the notion of a core reference collection persists in the world of virtual reference services. In both types of libraries, responses to patrons showed a skewed bibliographic distribution; librarians used a small group of sources to answer most of the questions. Almost all sources used were electronic. Academic libraries tended to make greater use of fee-based sources, but public libraries more often used sources freely-available on the Web.

The Patriot Act: a documentary and reference guide

This easy-to-use core reference takes on the biggest issue of our day: freedom of speech in post-9/11 America. No issue is more important to Americans-and especially to librarians-than the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act is one of the longest, broadest, most sweeping pieces of legislation in American history. It introduced a vast edifice of domestic surveillance that has defined the post-9/11 world. But the legislation itself is so massive and technical that both supporters and critics have been free to interpret it loosely and in partisan fashion. Supporters of the Patriot Act believe that 9/11 irreversibly changed American politics and law enforcement, forcing every citizen to cede some traditional civil liberties in order to protect the nation from terrorism. Critics respond that many provisions of the Patriot Act were simply resurrected from old FBI wish lists, having no relevance to the war on terror and providing little security in exchange for precious liberties. This book will not silence the raging debate over the Patriot Act, but by presenting relevant source documents, analyzed and placed in context, it may provide a more reliable basis for the ongoing debate.

Towards a European Model of Social Work

Despite being more intensely involved in European cooperation and exchange activities, social work in Europe still presents a picture of disunity. The present paper outlines the simultaneous processes of standardisation and diversification that have characterised this profession from the beginning. This has produced, for example, the duality of social work and social pedagogy, which has to be understood in the context of the diversity of cultural and social policy across European nation states. Social work's professional development has oscillated periodically between engagement with this diversity and withdrawal to scientific positions of detachment and universality. Rather than rating this as an indicator of the profession's weakness, the paper seeks to explore the positive and paradigmatic meaning of this characteristic, especially in light of the current challenges of economic globalisation and the social politics of neoliberalism. Although there is a discernible tendency of the social professions arranging themselves with organisational and methodological changes demanded by neoliberalism, such as managerialism and methods of client activation, there is also a strong countermovement that recognises the complexity of social and political relationships in societies no longer inspired by the promises of modernity. Facing up to historical contingency and cultural relativity emerges as a paradigmatic stance of a critical form of professionalism to be forged in transnational encounters and as a core reference point for an emergent model of “European social work” that could become of conceptual and methodological significance beyond the specific European context.

Sociomics: CESAGen Multidisciplinary Workshop on the Transformation of Knowledge Production in the Biosciences, and its Consequences 23–24 July, 2007 Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK

On 23 and 24 July, 2007, the Centre for Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics (CESAGen) held its first sociomics workshop at the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK. The topic was transformation of knowledge production. Participants included social scientists together with those working on different elements of the proteomics knowledge production-line, including core facilities, data repositories, large-scale projects, MS, search engines, reference databases, standardisation and public funding. Recurrent motifs included gear-heads, black boxes, uncertainty and getting back to biology.

GALEN based formal representation of ICD10

Objectives The main objective is to create a knowledge-intensive coding support tool for the International Classification of Diseases (ICD10), which is based on formal representation of ICD10 categories. Beyond this task the resulting ontology could be reused in various ways. Decidability is an important issue for computer-assisted coding; consequently the ontology should be represented in description logic. Methods The meaning of the ICD10 categories is represented using the GALEN Core Reference Model. Due to the deficiencies of its representation language (GRAIL) the ontology is transformed to the quasi-standard OWL. A test system which extracts disease concepts and classifies them to ICD10 categories has been implemented in Prolog to verify the feasibility of the approach. Results The formal representation of the first two chapters of ICD10 (infectious diseases and neoplasms) has been almost completed. The constructed ontology has been converted to OWL DL. The test system successfully identified diseases in medical records from gastrointestinal oncology (84% recall, however precision is only 45%). The classifier module is still under development. Due to the experiences gained during the modelling, in the future work FMA is going to be used as anatomical reference ontology.

The new geopolitics of division and the problem of a Kantian Europe

Immanuel Kant is today often invoked as an emblematic figure for Europe. In works by thinkers such as Zygmunt Bauman, Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault and Jürgen Habermas, among others, Kant’s work stands as a core reference for discussions of the European Modern and the legacy of the Enlightenment, even if this appropriation is not uncritical. The spectre of Kant also haunts Europe in more pedestrian understandings of the ideal. Prominent politicians such as Gerhard Schroeder, Joschka Fischer, Dominique de Villepin and Romano Prodi have all paid tribute to his influence, while in a variety of popular-academic texts Kant’s ‘cosmopolitical’ dream has been invoked as a paradigm for Europe – if not a shorthand for the European social model tout court.