MOBILE ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS

This paper presents the foundations for building mobile environmental information systems (MEISs) requiring an interdisciplinary approach. MEISs require expertise from the disciplines of environmental biology, geography, and mobile technology. MEISs show great promise for the acquisition of environmental information using different mobile devices. Automatic mobile acquisition enables the forwarding of the information to central databases for storage, further processing, and transmission to the mobile devices in a form that is useful to the users. Furthermore, these systems have the potential to be used both in the protection of nature, as well as in recreational use in a way that takes the constraints of nature into account. In this paper we describe the preliminary results of the MINNE project and the prototypes currently under research in the project.     

FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS: HOMEOWNERSHIP AND SOCIAL CAPITAL AMONG LOW‐ TO MODERATE‐INCOME FAMILIES

ABSTRACT: This research explores whether homeownership leads to increased individual social capital among low‐ to moderate‐income families. Social capital refers to social resources a person can access through contacts with others in his or her social networks. We theorize that homeownership can motivate interactions with others in one's neighborhood and therefore build social capital. Using a sample of low‐ and moderate‐income homeowners and a matched sample of renters, we collect data on overall social resources and neighborhood‐specific social resources. We find that homeowners have more total social capital resources and more neighborhood social capital resources than renters. Neighborhood group involvement has an indirect effect on social capital, but explains only a small amount of the influence of homeownership. These findings hold when controlling for household‐level and neighborhood‐level sociodemographic variables, as well as when using statistical models that account for endogeneity. Based on this evidence, we conclude that homeownership gives people access to social capital via increased social ties to others. We discuss the implications of this finding for housing policy and suggest new directions for research on social capital.     

STATE ANTIPREDATORY LENDING LAWS AND NEIGHBORHOOD FORECLOSURE RATES

ABSTRACT: In this study, we examine the impact of state antipredatory lending laws (APLs) on neighborhood foreclosure and delinquency rates using a set of panel data regression models. We find strong evidence that neighborhoods have lower default rates in states with laws that extended federal coverage and/or restricted more mortgage contract terms, in states with broader coverage of subprime loans with high points and fees, and in states with more restrictive regulations on prepayment penalties. A typical APL lowers neighborhood default rates by between 3.8% and 18%, depending on the default risk measure considered. The findings remain consistent when we restrict the analysis to cross‐border neighborhoods, suggesting that they are not due solely to unobservable market variation.     

Calculation of the variation of the heat of desorption with moisture content on the basis of the BET theory

Data of water desorption on different food products were analysed from the point of view of the BET theory. A plot of log C against 1/T as used for the independent evaluation of E₁-E_L and the pre-exponential a₁b₂/b₁a₂, in the expression for the constant C of the BET theory. It was found that a₁b₂/b₁a₂, may range from 10⁻³ to 10⁻⁶ and the E₁ - E_L values are correspondingly much higher than usual. An equation has been obtained within the framework of the BET theory for the dependence of the net heat of desorption on moisture content. In the present analysis the variation of the monolayer value with temperature is considered by means of a simple empirical equation. The results are compared with the heats of desorption calculated directly by the Clausius-Clapeyron equation.     

STARCH MOBILIZATION AND SUCROSE ACCUMULATION IN THE PULP OF KEITT MANGOES DURING POSTHARVEST RIPENING

Sugar is a determinant for the quality of mangoes, but information about its accumulation is scarce. Although starch can contribute to sugar production during ripening, not much is known about the enzymes involved. This work presents the changes in carbohydrate and enzymes during the development and ripening of Keitt mangoes. Starch disappearance was concomitant to a fivefold increase of sucrose, the most abundant sugar of the ripe fruits. The activities of α-amylase, β-amylase, phosphorylase and isoamylase were detected in the pulp, and while α-amylase increased parallel to the starch content, β-amylase presented a 20-fold increase during ripening. On the other hand, high phosphorylase activity was observed when fruits were still accumulating starch, and lowered during ripening. Isoamylase was detected during development and increased slightly during ripening, which would be in agreement to the expected role for isoamylases as acting on both subproduct of starch synthesis and degradation.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The present work reinforces our previous works that Keitt mangoes do not ripen when attached to the tree. This fact allowed us to study all the starch degradation after mango harvesting which does not occur with the other cultivars. Data obtained in this work reinforce the role of α-amylase, β-amylase and isoamylase rather than the starch phosphorylases on starch granule degradation in mangoes, and the subsequent soluble sugar accumulation.     

Effect of Adjusting the Water Activity to 0.95 with Different Solutes on the Kinetics of Thiamin Loss in a Model System

The kinetics of thiamin degradation in a model system of pH 6.0 and water activity (a_w) 0.95 controlled with NaCl, KC1, glycerol or Na₂SO₄, was studied. The type of solute used to adjust a_w, had a dramatic influence on the rate of degradation of thiamin. The loss of vitamin increased in the following order: NaCl > KCl > glycerol > Na₂SO₄. Activation energies, however, were independent of the type of solute and ranged between24–28 kcallmole.     

Determination of Individual Simple Sugars in Aqueous Solution by Near Infrared Spectrophotometry

An approach is presented for using near infrared region (NIR) spectrophotometry to determine the individual simple sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) in aqueous solutions ranging from 3 - 52% (w/w). The 95% confidence limits of the method for glucose, fructose, and sucrose were ≦ 1.3, 1.0, 0.9%, respectively.     

Solute Effects at High Water Activity on Nonenzymatic Browning of Glucose-Lysine Solutions

The effect of different polyols (glycerol, propylene glycol, sorbitol, 1,3-butylene glycol, polyethylene glycol200, and polyethylene glycol 400) and various alkali metal chlorides (KCl, NaCl, LiCl, and CsCl) on the kinetics of nonenzymatic browning in glucose-lysine solutions, of high water activity (a_w) was studied. No particular inhibitory or promoting effect on browning of glucose-lysine solutions, when adjusting a, with the various polyols, was found. The alkali metal chlorides had a significant influence on the rate of browning and the relative effect of cations (Li > Na > K, Cs) paralleled the hydrated ionicradii in solutions.