May the Bun Be With You: An Annotated Bibliography of Librarians and Their Image

A very real tension exists between librarians’ attempts to alter their image(s) and the popular press’ and the public’s lingering preference for Marian the Librarian similes. As the Hot Picks @ Your Library calendar indicates, librarians take creative opportunities to dissuade the public of the “image of a dourfaced matron behind a forbidding desk” (Gillespie 2003, A01). But how do librarians attempt to frame their own discussion of the classic caricature? The authors wanted to know how librarians themselves have considered and researched the impact of the stereotype on the profession. What follows is a literature review of materials published over the past 20 years. These materials span the gamut of libraries and librarians, from the real to the imagined, including materials such as students’ perceptions of academic librarians, the public’s misconceptions of librarians in Canadian public libraries, and portrayals of librarians in fiction. By reviewing materials published over a 20-year time period, the authors have captured a microcosmic glimpse of the changing image(s) of librarians

Bioactive compounds and biological properties of oils from three camelia species

The concentration of polyphenols and antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of oils obtained from seeds of Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua and Camellia grijsii, grown in Pontevedra (NW Spain), were studied. Oils were obtained by cold-pressed extraction. Standard methods for moisture, density and acid and iodine values were used to analyse the stability of the fresh oils. Strains of Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus epidermidis and Cryptococcus neoformans, all infectious pathogens in humans, were used to assess the antimicrobial properties of the oils. The concentration of polyphenols ranged from 0.02± 0.006 to 0.04 ± 0.001 mg of gallic acid per g in oils from C. japonica and C. grijsii, respectively. Concerning the antioxidant activity, determined using the DPPH• scavenging activity and the β-carotene bleaching assay. The highest value was found in C. grijsii and the lowest in C. japonica. All the oils showed antimicrobial activity, and exhibited different selectivity and Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) for each microorganism under study. The most sensitive was K. pneumonia, followed by Salmonella sp., S. epidermidis and C. neoformans, the highest MIC value being found for C. neoformans. For all the microorganisms, the higher antimicrobial activity was obtained from the oil of C. grijsii, followed by C. sasanqua and C. japonica. Since the highest biological properties were found in the oil containing the highest concentration of polyphenols, it can be hypothesised that these bioactive compounds might play a role in those properties.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Relative age effect in spanish professional football

El objetivo de este trabajo es valorar si se produce el efecto de la edad relativa en el fútbol profesional en España, donde el corte de edad actual para la formación de las diferentes categorías es el del año natural y su análisis por demarcación en el terreno de juego. El análisis ha incluido a todos los futbolistas de la primera división española de las temporadas 1999/2000, 2008/09, 2009/10 y 2010/11. El resultado de nuestro estudio confirma un efecto de la edad relativa en el fútbol profesional en España en la actualidad, no así en el año 2000. Diferenciando por posición de juego, se muestra la incidencia de RAE solamente en las posiciones de defensa y centrocampista en los tres últimos años.The purpose of this study is to assess if there is a relative age effect in Spanish professional football, where the current cut off age for training in the different categories is based on the calendar year; and its analysis by position on the playing field. The analysis has included all the footballers playing in the first division on league championships in Spain. The results of our study confirm a relative age effect in professional football in Spain at present, but not in 2000. When differentiating by playing position there is a RAE incidence in defender and midfield players in the last three year

The alternative heart: impact of alternative splicing in heart disease

Alternative splicing is the main driver of protein diversity and allows the production of different proteins from each gene in the genome. Changes in exon exclusion, intron retention or the use of alternative splice sites can alter protein structure, localisation, regulation and function. In the heart, alternative splicing of sarcomeric genes, ion channels and cell signalling proteins can lead to cardiomyopathies, arrhythmias and other pathologies. Also, a number of inherited conditions and heart-related diseases develop as a result of mutations affecting splicing. Here, we review the impact that changes in alternative splicing have on individual genes and on whole biological processes associated with heart disease. We also discuss promising therapeutic tools based on the manipulation of alternative splicing.European Union [ITN-289600]; Spanish Ministry of Economy [SAF2012-31451]; Madrid Regional Government [S2010/BMD-2321]; Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Red Enfermedades Cardiovasculares) [RD12/0042/0002]S

Triacylglyceride, antioxidant and antimicrobial features of virgin camellia oleifera, C. reticulata and C. sasanqua oils

Virgin oils obtained from seeds of Camellia oleifera (CO), Camellia reticulata (CR) and Camellia sasanqua (CS) were studied for their triacylglyceride composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Levels of fatty acids determined by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance analysis were similar to those reported for olive oils (82.30%–84.47%; 5.69%–7.78%; 0.26%–0.41% and 8.04%–11.2%, for oleic, linoleic, linolenic and saturated acids, respectively). The CR oil showed the best antioxidant potential in the three in vitro models tested. With regard to EC50 values (μg/mL), the order in DPPH radical-scavenging was CR (33.48) < CO (35.20) < CS (54.87). Effectiveness in reducing power was CR (2.81) < CO (3.09) < CS (5.32). IC50 for LPO inhibition were 0.37, 0.52 and 0.75 μg/mL for CR, CO and CS, respectively. All the oils showed antimicrobial activity, and exhibited different selectivity and MICs for each microorganism tested (E. coli, B. cereus and C. albicans). B. cereus was the less sensitive species (MIC: 52.083 ± 18.042 for CO; 41.667 ± 18.042 for CR; 104.167 ± 36.084 for CS mg/mL) and the E. coli was the most sensitive to camellia oil’s effect. The standard gentamicin presented higher MIC for E. coli (4.2) than the CR (MIC= 2.6) and CO (MIC = 3.9) oils

Fear of non-employability and of economic crisis increaseworkplace harassment through lower organizational welfare orientation

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that economic crisis is a preeminent stressor (i.e., economic stress) that may worsen working conditions and expose individuals to negative acts at work (i.e., workplace bullying). Following an occupational health perspective that considers contextual factors as risk factors for workplace bullying, this study aims to examine the mediation effects of organizational orientation to employee welfare in the economic stress-workplace bullying relationship. A cross-sectional study with the participation of 1004 Italian workers from several organizations was conducted. Our results indicate that economic stress (composed of two dimensions: fear of the economic crisis and perceived non-employability) is associated with workplace bullying through the total mediation of organizational orientation to employee welfare. These results have relevant implications for psychosocial risk assessment in turbulent times

Antimicrobial properties of Camellia oleifera oil

Camellias have been used in oriental ethnomedicine and appear very promising for pharmaceutical exploitation since modern science has made it possible to specify their potential medical significance with antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiallergic, antiviral and skin healing properties. In the present study oil obtained from seeds of Camellia oleifera was studied for its antimicrobial activity using clinically isolated bacterial and yeast strains. The oil evidenced antimicrobial activity, and showed different selectivity and MICs for each microorganism tested. Obtained results indicate that the tested oil acted best in relation to Gram (-) bacteria than Gram (+). The data obtained in the in vitro models clearly establish its antimicrobial potency.XUNTA DE GALICIA for financial support: Grants INCITE09 262346PR and PGIDIT06RAG26103PR. X.F. would also like to thank the Xunta de Galicia (Isidro Parga Pondal Program for young researchers, Grant No. IPP-020

La incidencia de los incendios forestales en España

La incidencia de incendios forestales en nuestro país constituye un problema ambiental de primera magnitud. En el presente articulo se realiza un análisis del fenómeno a través del estudio de las estadísticas más recientes. Se evalúan igualmente los principales factores de incidencia y la situación de España en el contexto europeo. Se hace especial hincapié en los grandes incendios, que son los más catastróficos, tanto desde el punto de vista ambiental como económico.Forest fire incidence is a severe environmental problem in Spain. This paper analyses the problem through the study of the available fire statistics. Most relevant factors affecting fire incidence in Spain are also reviewed. The main factors of fire occurrence are analysed as well as the situation of Spain in the European context. Special emphasis is provided on large fires (above 500 hectares), which are the most destructive from both an environmental and economical point of view