Re-imagining Collectivities: The Mexican Japanese during World War II

Abstract: The removal from the United States/Mexico borderlands of persons of Japanese descent during World War II resulted in great losses which, until now, have not been acknowledged by the Mexican or the United States government. Although their forced relocation is an event of great significance in the relations of the two countries involved in their displacement, the official narratives deny any deep impact suffered by Japanese Mexicans. However, the question of their uprooting is inextricably linked to the loss of civil rights and the Mexican government’s compliance with the United States’ requirement to neutralize internal enemies. This paper explores the experience of the Japanese Mexican community during World War II through the poetry of Martin Otsuka as well as through my literary intervention in the narrative of the Japanese diaspora. Inspection of the research and creative writing process involved in narrating the Mexican Japanese relocation throws light on the reconfiguration of identities that diasporic communities forge horizontally. My research and perspective as a Chinese Mexican writer allows me to argue that geographical displacement made possible the creation of new identities and solidarities during World War II that superseded, at times, nationalist affiliations

Effect of Quality of Wheat and Maize Flour in Tempura Batter

**This is a metadata-only record** Due to a technical issue the file(s) associated with this record are no longer available. We apologise for the inconvenience. Record updated on 26.04.2016 by EMA (TIS).Tempura batters are stand-alone systems that are not further breaded. They provide a protective coating which can range in texture from crispy/crunchy to cake-like. Recipes for batter systems are adjusted empirically, and the choice of ingredients, especially flour, will determine the quality and acceptability of coating. This study aims to characterise wheat and maize flours that would optimise fried tempura quality, and to study their effect on behaviour of batters, and quality of fried products. In aqueous ethanol, results showed RVA to be useful to characterise wheat flours for batter applications. There is a close relationship between flour attributes and flour starch pasting behaviour. Positive correlation was found between 1st peak viscosity (starch) and 2nd peak viscosity (protein) (r = 0.768). Farinograph and Extensograph data were correlated to RVA, but of minimum use for flour batter functionality due to the absence of a gluten network. Maize plays a strong role in batter viscosity control, and various viscosity measuring methods were applied. Empirical methods were easy and rapid, but arbitrary, subjective and not precise. Imitative tests were an improvement, but less precise than rheometry. The BS cup method was more accurate at 50ml than at 70ml, and they were positively correlated (r2 = 0.99). Back extrusion (BE) data showed a strong correlation with CFS and BS cups measurement. Using Pearson correlation analyses, positive correlations were found between viscosity from BS Cup and firmness (r = 0.851), BS cup and consistency (r = 0.891), CFS cup and firmness (r = 0.74), and CFS cup and consistency (r = 0.768). Therefore, BE is recommended as an alternative to the above. Maize flour pasting properties varied with the flour particle size. Peak viscosity correlates negatively with particle size (r = -0.959), and positively with starch damage (r = 0.83). Rheology of different flour combinations in tempura batter was studied, and links between texture parameters in relation of flour type and concentration were established, and can be used to guide development/selection of wheat and maize flour for batters. An electron microscopy low vacuum low temperature SEM method was used successfully to visualise the microstructure of a range of deep-fried battered chicken samples linked to specific formulations which established links between structure and function, and eating qualities. Sensory evaluation of texture discriminated between coatings on chicken pieces, and was consistent to instrumental analysis, i.e. extended Kraft knife on crust and core while simultaneously measuring the sound pressure level of the emitted sound. Acoustic parameters extracted from the compression curves were useful. Positive correlations were found between breading crispness with No. force peaks and No. sound peaks, i.e. r = 0.749 and r = 0.693 respectively. Moisture and fat contents of the core and crust were related to the texture, but exceptions were linked to very dissimilar crispness; which would depend on water distribution within the crust. Ease of breakdown on the mouth contributes to preferences of texture. More work on the interaction between wheat and maize flours, and batter rheological, thermal, and textural properties, will further this project’s significant contribution to the knowledge of the effects of flours selection and formulation on batter technology and coated product quality.Kerry Ingredient

Testing Single-Parameter Classical Standpoint Cosmology

Experimental tests of homogeneous-universe classical standpoint cosmology are proposed after presentation of conceptual considerations that encourage this radical departure from the standard model. Among predictions of the new model are standpoint age equal to Hubble time, energy-density parameter $\Omega_0 = 2 - \sqrt{2} =.586$, and relations between redshift, Hubble-scale distribution of matter and galaxy luminosity and angular diameter. These latter relations coincide with those of the standard model for zero deceleration. With eye to further tests, geodesics of the non-Riemannian standpoint metric are explicitly given. Although a detailed thermodynamic ``youthful-standpoint'' approximation remains to be developed (for particle mean free path small on standpoint scale), standpoint temperature depending only on standpoint age is a natural concept, paralleling energy density and redshift that perpetuates thermal spectrum for cosmic background radiation. Prospects for primordial nucleosynthesis are promising.Comment: 27 pages, latexed, math_macros.tex used, full postscript available from: http://theor1.lbl.gov/www/theorgroup/papers/37162.p

Anticholinergic Medications and Cognition in Older Adults

A significant portion of the cognitive decline seen in older adults may be due to anticholinergic medications (i.e., muscarinic receptor antagonists) which are known to cause memory loss, confusion, and delirium. A competitive radioligand binding assay has been used in the research setting to measure the cumulative level of muscarinic receptor binding present in an individual's serum, referred to as serum anticholinergic activity (AA). Serum AA is the measure of binding of all compounds present in a person's serum (e.g., medications, metabolites, and possibly endogenous substances) to muscarinic receptors. Multiples studies have shown that even low serum AA levels are associated with impaired cognitive performance, impaired self-care capacity, and the presence of delirium in nondemented or mildly demented elderly. Serum AA has the potential to be a useful tool for clinicians. However, there are multiple items which first need to be addressed to enhance the reliability and clinical applicability of this assay. One concern is that the muscarinic receptor binding profiles of most medications and their metabolites have never been examined. Thus, even if a clinician decides that a patient is suffering from anticholinergic-induced toxicity, he/she has little guidance on which medication(s) to adjust. To address this issue, we investigated the in vitro AA of 106 commonly used medications and estimated the relationship between dose and AA in older adults. The change in serum AA over time in the absence of medication adjustments is not known. Another limitation is that serum AA is a peripheral measure, while the central anticholinergic effects of a medication are dependent on its distribution into the CNS. An optimal tool to predict medication-induced cognitive impairment would be one which better estimates drug distribution into the CNS. To address these issues, we conducted a pilot study investigating the utility of using centrally mediated pupillary oscillationsin conjunction with serum AA as a possible predictor of cognitive performance. Serum AA levels and ocular response were measured in a double-blind, cross-over study across an 8 hour time period following administration of placebo or the anticholinergic medication, oxybutynin

The effectiveness of the creativity trigger module in achieving higher levels of creative thinking among prospective teachers

The unoptimised level of creative thinking is seen as an issue among Semester 8 prospective teachers in Malaysian Teacher-Education Institutes (IPG). This could impede their teaching of creative thinking as one of the four components of 21st century skills in schools. In relation to this, this study sets out to investigate prior creativity levels of IPG prospective teachers and develop the Creativity Trigger Module (CTM) as a training module for enhancing their creativity. The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) was used to compare the prior creativity levels of four respondent groups and test the effectiveness of the CTM on five dimensions of figural creativity, namely fluency, originality, elaboration, resistance to premature closure, abstractness of titles, and their overall creativity. A two-stage cluster sampling technique identified two IPGs with 68 respondents in the state of Johor namely, IPG-Kampus Tun Hussein Onn, Batu Pahat (IPGKTHO) as the control group site (34 respondents), and IPG- Kampus Temenggong Ibrahim, Johor Bahru (IPGKTI) as the treatment group site (34 respondents). Mathematics (MT) and Design and Technology (RBT) are the only two specialist subject combinations that provided enough sample size at both test sites. A quasi-experimental research design was used and this involved intact classes. Data analysis was carried out as follows: ANOVA, ANCOVA, and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test analysis for TTCT scores while data analysis based on the NVivo software was used for the focus group interviews. Findings on prior creativity levels showed average or low creativity levels among all 4 test groups with IPGKTHO and RBT options having significantly higher posttest marks as compared to IPGKTI and MT option respectively. The CTM was found to improve significantly respondents’ posttest marks for the treatment group in all the five dimensions of figural creativity and, their overall creativity. Feedback from respondents revealed positive support for the CTM. In conclusion, the prior creativity of IPG prospective teachers was at an unoptimised level before treatment but the CTM has been successfully developed as an effective resource for enhancing the creative thinking levels among IPG prospective teachers