Maturity

This research aims at providing empirical evidance on factors that affect obligation rating prediction. This study examines the role of accounting data and non accounting data in predicting the accurance of obligation rating in the context of Jakarta Stock Exchange. The accounting data consist of growth, firm size, profitability and liquidity. The non accounting data consist of secure, maturity and auditor reputation

IT governance is one of these concepts that suddenly emerged and became an important issue in the information technology area. Many organisations started with the implementation of IT governance to achieve a better alignment between business and IT. This paper carries interpretations regarding important existing theories, models, and practices in the IT governance domain and presents research questions derived from it. Next, multiple research strategies are triangulated in order to explore how organisations are implementing IT governance and to analyse the relationship between these implementations and business/IT alignment. The major finding is that business/IT alignment maturity is higher when organisations are applying a mix of mature IT governance practices.

Does repeated borrowing from the same lender affect loan contract terms? We find that such borrowing translates into a 10 to 17 bps lowering of loan spreads. These results hold using multiple approaches (Propensity Score Matching, Instrumental Variables, and Treatment Effects Model) that control for the endogeneity of relationships. We find that relationships are especially valuable when borrower transparency is low and the moral hazard among lending syndicate members is high. We also provide a demarcation line between relationship and transactional lending. We find that spreads charged for relationship loans and non-relationship loans become indistinguishable if the borrower is in the top 30% when ranked by asset size. Similar dissipation of relationship benefits occurs if the borrower has public rated debt or is part of the S&P 500 index. We find that past relationships reduce collateral requirements. Relationships are also associated with shorter debt maturity especially for the lowest quality borrowers. Our results are robust to an estimation methodology which allows loan spread, collateral requirements, and loan maturity to be determined jointly using an instrumental variables approach. We also find relationship borrowers obtain larger loans (scaled by the borrower's asset size) compared to non-relationship borrowers. Our results imply that, even for firms that have multiple sources of outside financing, borrowing from a prior lender obtains better loan terms.

The Maastrichtian Mamu and Nsukka Formations in the Anambra Basin (SE Nigeria) consists of a cyclic succession of coals, carbonaceous shales, silty shales and siltstones interpreted as deltaic deposits. Subbituminous coals within these formations are distributed in a north-south trending belt from Enugu-Onyeama to Okaba in the north of the basin. Coals from these formations have been characterized by petrological and geochemical techniques. The aims of this study were to assess the quality of its organic matter, evaluate its thermal evolution and highlight its potential as a source rock. The total organic carbon (TOC) (67.21wt%) of the coal constitutes that of a good source rock with gas-prone kerogen indicated by Rock-Eval S 2 /S 3 (21.0). The high oxygen index (OI) (15.72 mgCO 2 g -1 TOC) and pr/ph (7.93) suggest deposition in a shallow marine environment. Maceral analyses showed that the coals are dominated by huminite with lesser amounts of liptinite and inertinite. Despite high liptinite contents in parts of the coals, the n-alkane distribution dominated by n-C 24 -n-C 31, an HI versus T max diagram and atomic H/C ratios of 0.80-0.90 and O/C ratios of 0.11-0.17 classify the organic matter in the coals as Type III kerogen. Vitrinite reflectance values (%Rr ) of 0.44 to 0.59% and T max values between 414 and 432 o C indicate that the coals are thermally immature to marginally mature with respect to petroleum generation. Hydrogen Index (HI) values for the studied samples range from 183.09 to 344.53 mg HC/g TOC and S 1 +S 2 yields range from 120.5 to 242.04 mg HC/g rock, suggesting that the coals have gas and oil-generating potential. This thermal evolution is thought to account for its current hydrogen index (250.24 mgHCg -1 TOC). Generated petroleum may not have reached the threshold for hydrocarbon expulsion but a review of petroleum system elements in the basin will stimulate high prospects in the Anambra basin.

n Abstract Life history theory offers evolutionary explanations for the timing of life events, with a particular focus on age-schedules of fertility and mortality and growth. Traditional models examine trade-offs between current and future reproduction and quality versus quantity of offspring. These models can be used to understand questions concerning time of gestation, age of weaning, juvenile mortality profiles, age at maturation, adult body size, fertility rates, senescence, menopause, and the length of the life span. The trajectory of energy acquisition and its allocations is also an important part of life history theory. Modifications of these models have been developed to examine the period of learning, postweaning parental investment, and patterns of development. In this article, we combine energetic and demographic approaches in order to examine the human life course from an optimality perspective. The evolved life history solves related problems across two generations. The first set of decisions concerns how to maximize own lifetime net energy production that can be used for reproduction. The second set of decisions concerns how to maximize total offspring energy production (summed over all offspring).

Composition, physicochemical properties and enzyme inactivation kinetics of coconut water were compared between immature (IMC), mature (MC) and overly-mature coconuts (OMC). Among the samples studied, pH, turbidity and mineral contents for OMC water was the highest, whereas water volume, titratable acidity, total soluble solids and total phenolics content for OMC water were the lowest. Maturity was found to affect sugar contents. Sucrose content was found to increase with maturity, and the reverse trend was observed for fructose and glucose. Enzyme activity assessment showed that polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in all samples was more heat resistant than peroxidase (POD). Compared to IMC and MC, PPO and POD from OMC water showed the lowest thermal resistance, with D 83.3°C = 243.9 s (z = 27.9°C), and D 83.3°C = 129.9 s (z = 19.5°C), respectively.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the progress of sprint running velocity (SRV) during the initial and secondary acceleration phases in prepubescent (PPS), adolescent (ADS) and adult (AS) sprinters by comparing the progress of the magnitude of the stride length (SL) and stride frequency (SF). SRV, SL and SF progress for each 10-m interval of a 40-m sprinting test were examined with a video-analysis method for a total of thirty-one athletes. A 2 X 4 (age group X 10-m interval) ANOVA with repeated measures on the second factor revealed that SRV was developed similarly in ADS and AS (p > .05) and it was differentiated (p < .05) in PPS due to the limited in distance acceleration phase. Pearson's correlation analysis indicated that SRV and SL were highly correlated (r > .73, p < .05) for the entire distance of the sprinting test for AS and PPS. On the contrary, SF was the main contributor for SRV development in the 10-30m segment for ADS. In conclusion, SRV improvement seemed to be attributed to the increment of SL and SF, which were differently developed in prepubertal, adolescent and adult sprinters in the 40-m sprint.

The offshore part of the Nile delta is an emerging gas and condensate province and one of the most promising areas for future petroleum exploration and supply in northern Africa. While the Nile delta’s hydrocarbon potential and its geological and stratigraphic pattern has been the focus of numerous studies, the origin of its gas has been poorly studied. In order

In the context of present global changes, interest in understanding how systems respond to anthropogenic environmental pressures and stress has increased. Indices that characterize ecosystem state are helpful tools for the interpretation of ecosystem responses. The central question is how to link these responses to ecosystem structure and functioning and to quantify ecosystem persistence, resistance or resilience. Quantification and characterization of trophic networks by ecological network analysis (ENA) indices is proceeding rapidly, especially in the field of coastal ecology. In this contribution, we review several theories that relate ecosystem structure and function to stability. The structure and functioning of ecosystems change during the maturation of ecosystems. In the first section, the maturation of ecosystems is described using thermodynamics. In the second and third parts of this paper, we define some concepts for analysing structure and functioning of food webs and discuss their relation to stability. In the last section, we describe three ENA indices and their link to stability. We demonstrate that ENA provides powerful tools for describing local stability, combining quantitative and qualitative concepts. However, it remains incomplete for describing real conservation cases that combine local and global stability.

A series of isothermal hydrous pyrolysis experiments was performed on immature sedimentary rocks and peats of different lithology and organic source input to explore the generation of diamondoids during the thermal maturation of sediments. Oil generation curves indicate that peak oil yields occur between 340 and 360°C, followed by intense oil cracking in different samples. The biomarker maturity parameters appear to be insensitive to thermal maturation as most of the isomerization ratios of molecular biomarkers in the pyrolysates have reached their equilibrium values. Diamondoids are absent from immature peat extracts, but exist in immature sedimentary rocks in various amounts. This implies that they are not products of biosynthesis and that they may be generated during diagenesis, not just catagenesis and cracking. Most importantly, the concentrations of diamondoids are observed to increase with thermal stress, suggesting that they can be used as a molecular proxy for thermal maturity of source rocks and crude oils. Their abundance is most sensitive to thermal exposure above temperatures of 360-370°C (R 0 = 1.3-1.5%) for the studied samples, which corresponds to the onset of intense cracking of other less stable components. Below these temperatures, diamondoids increase gradually due to competing processes of generation and dilution. Calibrations were developed between their concentrations and measured vitrinite reflectance through hydrous pyrolysis maturation of different types of rocks and peats. The geochemical models obtained from these methods may provide an alterative approach for determining thermal maturity of source rocks and crude oils, particularly in mature to highly mature Paleozoic carbonates. In addition, the extent of oil cracking was quantified using the concentrations of diamondoids in hydrous pyrolysates of rocks and peats, verifying that these hydrocarbons are valuable indicators of oil cracking in nature.

The Masila Basin is an important hydrocarbon province in Yemen, but the origin of hydrocarbons and their generation history are not fully understood. In this regard, 10 crude oils from different petroleum reservoir sections in the Masila Basin were characterized by a variety of biomarker and non-biomarker parameters using GC, GC-MS and stable carbon isotope techniques. Oils from the Masila Basin display pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratios ranging from 1.7 to 2.0, low sulfur content, high C 35 homohopane index, relatively high C 27 sterane concentrations and relatively high tricyclic terpanes suggesting a marine clay source rock that was deposited in mildly anoxic to suboxic conditions with dominantly algal organic matter. C 29 20S/(20S + 20R) steranes and bb/(bb + aa) sterane ratios indicate that the Masila oils have reached peak oil window maturity. Another related feature of these oils is the absence of 18a (H)-oleanane, which suggests a source age older than Cretaceous. The carbon isotope compositions are similar to those of the potential source rocks, which range from À25.4‰ to À28.3‰, indicating a marine environment. The new data presented in this paper suggest that the Masila oils constitute one oil family and that the oil originated from the Upper Jurassic Madbi source rock in the basin.

Pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.) production and consumption has increased recently due to increasing scientific evidence on its high content of health beneficial compounds. This study was conducted to investigate the phytochemical contents and antioxidant activity of pomegranates (cv. Wonderful) as affected by fruit maturation and growing location. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry (LC-MS) and liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry electroscopy (LC-MSE) were used to analyse phenolic composition at different maturity stages. Catechin, epicatechin and naringin were the most dominant flavonoids irrespective of maturity and altitude, while gallic acid was the dominant phenolic acid. The concentrations of total phenolics and total tannins as well as radical scavenging activity (RSA) in DPPH assay declined as maturity advanced while ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total anthocyanin, total flavonoid and vitamin C increased significantly (P < 0.01). There was a significant and negative correlation (r = −0.64) between total phenolic content and antioxidant activity in the FRAP assay. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that fruit grown in area with lower altitude were associated with higher bioactive compounds at full ripe stage. Furthermore, PCA plot also revealed that fruit growing location had a significant and prominent impact on the bioactive compounds than maturity status.

Accumulating research suggests that rates of child sexual abuse are comparatively low in China. This commentary is an effort to evaluate whether it reflects a true lower prevalence or alternatively the effect of inhibited disclosure by victims. We conclude that while some estimates have almost certainly been affected by inhibited disclosure, the overall magnitude of the contrast between Chinese and international rates, particularly for girls, and its consistency with other indicators do suggest a true lower prevalence, although the evidence is equivocal. We discuss some factors that could account for such lower rates including Confucian family values, definitions of masculinity and a collectivist culture that may be protective.

Davila and colleagues ) developed the Romantic Competence Interview to capture the potential for romantic competence during early adolescence. Considering that at later stages of adolescence the majority are likely to be involved in some kind of romantic relationship, the current paper adapts, extends, and examines the concept of romantic competence among older adolescents. Seventy two Israeli adolescent girls (mean age 17.17 years) were given a revised version of the RCI along with measures of quality of relationship with romantic partners and parents, and quality of parental marital satisfaction. Mothers were also interviewed and were asked to talk about their attitudes toward daughters' romantic behavior. Results showed that RCI scales were reliably coded and exhibited good construct validity. The meaning and expression of romantic competence among older adolescents is conceptualized and discussed within the framework of developmental and agency perspectives. Ó

The present paper is focused on organic petrology applied to unconventional and multidisciplinary investigations and is the second part of a two part review that describes the geological applications and uses of this branch of earth sciences. Therefore, this paper reviews the use of organic petrology in investigations of: (i) ore genesis when organic matter occurs associated with mineralization; (ii) the behavior of organic matter in coal fires (self-heating and self-combustion); (iii) environmental and anthropogenic impacts associated with the management and industrial utilization of coal; (iv) archeology and the nature and geographical provenance of objects of organic nature such as jet, amber, other artifacts and coal from archeological sites; and (v) forensic science connected with criminal behavior or disasters. This second part of the review outlines the most recent research and applications of organic petrology in those fields.

This research aims to investigate the relationship between performance measurement system (PMS) and management information system (MIS) adopting a company life-cycle approach. The scope is to show if and how MIS influences PMS and vice versa. The investigation is carried out using the case study methodology in Italian and Scottish small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The empirical results are synthesized in two theoretical propositions.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the changes in chemical attributes of pomegranate fruit such as total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), TSS/TA ratio, pH, individual compounds (organic acids and sugars) and volatile composition as affected by fruit maturity status and growing location (Kakamas, Koedoeshoek and Worcester in South Africa). Headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used for volatile analysis.

Increasingly small water and sanitation service providers, such as community-based organizations and private sector suppliers, are being acknowledged as important suppliers within the African water and sanitation sector. One of the important constraints faced by these providers is finance and access to credit. This paper discusses the development of the microfinance sector and services in sub-Saharan Africa and the potential demand for financial services by small water and sanitation service providers. The role of governments and development partners in facilitating the finance and credit for small providers is also dis discussed. Exploring the Microfinance Option in Sub-Saharan Africa FINANCING SMALL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SERVICE PROVIDERS Two main constraints face the microfinance sector in Sub-Saharan Africa: limited outreach and lack of market-linked product development, though there are some variations between countries, especially when viewed within the wider financial systems approach. What is the nature of latent demand for finance from small WSS service providers? The nature of demand varies across the three market segments of small WSS service provision: CBOs as providers, small private providers, and households as self-providers. What role can governments and development partners play? Such roles may include developing or revising WSS policies, supporting communities and other stakeholders, action research, and knowledge management.

Extensive bulk chemical and petrographic characterization of 37 coals and vitrinite concentrates of the Lower Kittanning seam (Carboniferous) from western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio shows that the coals are compositionally similar and represent a uniform organic facies. Geochemical differences among the samples are due to rank, with vitrinite reflectances ranging from 0.53 to 1.76%. The sample suite affords an excellent opportunity to evaluate the effects of coal rank on a range of commonly used molecular indicators of thermal maturity. Absolute concentrations of molecular constituents, rather than peak ratios, were determined based on addition of internal standards (5fl cholane and dl0-anthracene) to the extractable organic matter prior to separation by liquid chromatography. Absolute concentrations of C_,9 actor 20R and 20S sterane isomers provide clues to the processes involved in the apparent "sterane epimerization" reaction. The 20R isomer is initially present in the free state in much higher concentrations than the 20S isomer. With increasing thermal evolution of the kerogen, both isomers are liberated from the kerogen with increasing proportionality of 20S, resulting in a net increase in 20S/(20R + 20S) ratio. There appears to be little evidence for epimerization of molecules in the free state. Kinetic modeling of sterane epimer evolution therefore requires a more elaborate reaction scheme involving both formative and degradative reactions, as opposed to a simple A-to-B conversion. The amount of 1-MDBT remains constant over a wide maturity range, signifying equal rates of formation and destruction of this compound relative to the total EOM. The amount of 4-MDBT shows a general increase with maturity, the most pronounced change occurring at maturities above about 1.3%Rm. The ratio of 4/1 MDBT ("MDR parameter") therefore appears to be particularly useful for maturity assessment at elevated levels (e.g. light oil/condensate range). Some source-dependent molecular parameters, such as pristane/phytane, C27/C29 sterane, 4fl(H)-eudesmane/ 8fl(H)-drimane and C30 hopane/C23 cheilanthane, were found to change as a function of coal rank. The most pronounced changes occur at higher levels of maturity (R,, > 1.1%), where these molecular source indicators take on a more "marine" or "deep-water lacustrine" signature, even though there is no change in depositional environment of the coaly facies. At lower levels of maturity corresponding to the typical oil window, the changes are less pronounced, but may still affect attempts to correlate a crude oil with an immature sample of its suspected coaly source rock. The maturity dependence of these "source" parameters should be taken into account in petroleum geochemical studies involving non-marine coaly systems.

The source rock potential of Maastrichtian Dark Shale in the South Eastern flank of the Anambra Basin has been extensively studied, with very little or no research carried out in the South Western flank (Benin flank). To this end, outcrop samples of the Maastrichtian Dark Shale obtained from Auchi, Uzebba, Sobe, Agbanikaka and Ikabigbo, SW flank, were assessed using Rock-Eval Pyrolysis and Palynofacies analysis techniques. Results of this preliminary assessment show that organic richness ranges from good to excellent; plot of HI against Tmax shows that its source quality is predominantly of Type III (gas prone Kerogen). Kerogen analysis reveals Phytoclast palynofacies (vitrinite) as the most abundant palynofacies (over 75%), about 20% miospore and less than 5% dinocysts recorded. This also depicts dominant Type III (gas prone) kerogen and a Terrestrial -Transitional depositional environment for the shales. Thermal maturity based on Tmax and Spore colour index suggests largely immature to early mature kerogens. Although a low thermal maturity exists at the surface, this study reveals that the Maastrichtian Dark Shale in the SW Anambra Basin/Benin flank has good source potential (sufficient organic richness, mainly of gas prone type III kerogen) and compares favourably with published data from the SE. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the right thermal maturity required for hydrocarbon generation may be attained at depths or close to regional fractures, which is the case in the SE Anambra Basin.

In the context of present global changes, interest in understanding how systems respond to anthropogenic environmental pressures and stress has increased. Indices that characterize ecosystem state are helpful tools for the interpretation of ecosystem responses. The central question is how to link these responses to ecosystem structure and functioning and to quantify ecosystem persistence, resistance or resilience. Quantification and characterization of trophic networks by ecological network analysis (ENA) indices is proceeding rapidly, especially in the field of coastal ecology. In this contribution, we review several theories that relate ecosystem structure and function to stability. The structure and functioning of ecosystems change during the maturation of ecosystems. In the first section, the maturation of ecosystems is described using thermodynamics. In the second and third parts of this paper, we define some concepts for analysing structure and functioning of food webs and discuss their relation to stability. In the last section, we describe three ENA indices and their link to stability. We demonstrate that ENA provides powerful tools for describing local stability, combining quantitative and qualitative concepts. However, it remains incomplete for describing real conservation cases that combine local and global stability.

Abstrak-PT. Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk. (Telkom) adalah perusahaan milik negara yang bergerak dalam bidang penyedia layanan komunikasi di Indonesia. Saat ini Telkom berpusat di kota Bandung. Banyaknya jaringan yang terhubung dengan kantor pusat Telkom tersebut, akan berdampak pada munculnya risiko keamanan informasi yang dapat mengancam Telkom dalam operasionalnya, sehingga perlu diadakan evaluasi atas keamanan informasi pada Divisi Network of Broadband kantor pusat Telkom untuk mengetahui kondisi keamanan informasi pada Divisi Network of Broadband Telkom.

Forest trees are exposed to a myriad of single and combined stresses with varying strength and duration throughout their lifetime, and many of the simultaneous and successive stress factors strongly interact. While much progress has been achieved in understanding the effects of single stresses on tree performance, multiple interacting stress effects cannot be adequately assessed from combination of single factor analyses. In particular, global change brings about novel combinations of severity and timing of different stresses, the effects of which on tree performance are currently hard to predict. Furthermore, the combinations of stresses commonly sustained by trees change during tree ontogeny. In addition, tree photosynthesis and growth rates decline with increasing tree age and size, while support biomass in roots, stem and branches accumulates and the concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates increase, collectively resulting in an enhancement of non-structural carbon pools. In this review, tree physiological responses to key environmental stress factors and their combinations are analyzed from seedlings to mature trees. The key conclusions of this analysis are that combined stresses can influence survival of large trees even more than chronic exposure to a single predictable stress such as drought. In addition, tree tolerance to many environmental stresses increases throughout the ontogeny as the result of accumulation of non-structural carbon pools, implying major change in sensing, response and acclimation to single and multiple stresses in trees of different size and age.

To accurately estimate the temperature effects on autogenous shrinkage of concrete, a new prediction model based on time-temperature dependent activation energy is proposed in this study. For this purpose, a series of autogenous shrinkage tests are performed considering different water to cementitious materials ratios and curing temperatures. Results revealed that the temperature dependency of autogenous shrinkage cannot be described solely by the simple time shift of the existing maturity method. In particular, maturity cannot incorporate the cross-over effect of autogenous shrinkage by which later age autogenous shrinkage of concrete, subjected to low curing temperature, usually exceeds the autogenous shrinkage of concrete subjected to relatively high curing temperature. Therefore, to overcome the shortcomings of the maturity method, a new prediction model based on time-temperature dependent activation energy is proposed. Reasonably good agreement is observed between experimental and predicted autogenous shrinkage, thus indicating that the proposed prediction model can be successfully used to estimate the time-temperature effects in the development of autogenous shrinkage. However, the absolute value of autogenous shrinkage strain still cannot be obtained from the proposed model, because the model gives only the development of autogenous shrinkage. Therefore, a prediction model for the absolute value of autogenous shrinkage is needed in order to obtain predicted autogenous shrinkage strain.

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum L.) is being increasingly grown in many areas of the world, but there is a lack of information about the physiological processes limiting grain yield. In this study, different rates of N and P fertilization were applied and the source:sink ratio was manipulated to examine the factor(s) limiting grain filling under rainfed conditions. Plants exposed to four fertilization treatments (control, 80 kg N ha −1 (N), 50 kg P ha −1 (P) and 80 kg N ha −1 and 50 kg P ha −1 (N-P)) and were artificially modified to obtain a range of different source:sink ratios. The treatments were (I) control; (II) half of the spike was removed; (III) all the spike was removed. The cultivar Cosmodur was used, which is widely grown in Greece and other Mediterranean countries and is quite productive especially under rainfed conditions. The distribution of dry matter, N and P among grains, stems and leaves was analyzed at anthesis and harvesting. Dry matter accumulation and partitioning into different plant parts was different between the fertilization treatments and the control. At anthesis, leaf + culm dry matter was higher than the chaff dry matter. Total aboveground biomass increased after anthesis in both years and at all fertilization treatments. N fertilization affected N concentration at the whole plant level at anthesis and at maturity. There was an average increase of 20% in N concentration with N application at anthesis in both years relative to the control. N content was affected by the fertilization treatments and it was increased by 33% over the 2 years of the study compared with the control. In addition, P fertilization affected P concentration both at anthesis and maturity in every plant organ, and there was also a significant effect of the change of P concentration at the two different growth stages. P accumulation was also affected by the fertilization regime and by the spike halving treatment. Dry matter translocation was an average of 22% higher at the fertilized treatments compared with the control, which indicates that fertilization led plants to translocate higher amount of dry matter. N and P translocation were affected by the fertilization treatment and in some treatments by the sink reduction. The spike reduction treatment increased the pre-anthesis contribution to seed indicating that the N and P remobilization from vegetative tissues were very important for grain development. The present study indicates that N and P fertilization and sink size can affect dry matter, N, and P accumulation, partitioning, and retranslocation of durum wheat which can affect seed yield.

Middle Jurassic coals from Kuhn Ø, North-East Greenland, may contain up to 85 vol.% Ž . liptinite, principally resinite up to 68.6 vol.% . The coals are thus petrographically comparable to the Middle Jurassic Muslingebjerg Formation coals at Hochstetter Forland approximately 40-50 Ž km to the north, and they are inherently excellent petroleum source rocks. Liptinite-poor F 6.0 . vol.% coal samples from both Kuhn Ø and Hochstetter Forland yield mean random huminite reflectance values of 0.49-0.53%R , implying a rank of sub-bituminous A. Above a threshold o value somewhere between 3 and 24 vol.% resinite and 6 and 35 vol.% total liptinite, significant reflectance suppression is induced, and between 24 and 69 vol.% resinite and 35 and 85 vol.% total liptinite, a nearly linear inverse relationship exists between the content of liptiniterresinite and the mean random reflectance values. At the highest liptiniterresinite contents, reflectance suppression may be up to 0.23%R . The reflectance suppression is related to bitumen-adsorption o caused by bitumen-expulsion from resinite, and total reflectance distributions of the huminite fractions suggest that the reflectance of all huminite macerals is lowered with increasing liptiniterresinite content. q 0166-5162r99r$ -see front matter q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Age, growth, maturity and the overfishing of the iconic sciaenid, Argyrosomus japonicus, in south-eastern, Australia a b s t r a c t Mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) occur in estuarine and coastal waters surrounding Australia, Japan, where they are important in fisheries. This study identified that mulloway in south-eastern Australia had similar growth rates, but matured at smaller lengths and younger ages, to those in South Africa and Western Australia. Growth of both sexes was similar to about 5 years, after which females grew faster and attained a greater maximum length than males. Female mulloway matured at 4-5 years of age with a L 50 of 68 cm, whereas males matured at 2-3 years of age with a L 50 of 51 cm. The commercial fishery in New South Wales was characterised by declining catches and a reduction in the proportion of mulloway of mature lengths in landings. During 2002-2005 commercial landings were dominated (83%) by fish within 15 cm of the current minimum legal total length of 45 cm and aged 2 and 3 years (>80%), even though mulloway can attain lengths of 200 cm and live >30 years. Estimates of the rates of instantaneous total mortality ranged between 0.34 and 0.45, whilst the rate of instantaneous natural mortality (M) was estimated to be approximately 0.12. Yield-per-recruit analyses indicated that mulloway in New South Wales are being growth overfished and substantial increases in yield could be achieved by increasing the length at first harvest. Values of the spawning potential ratio were below 0.2 under a range of mortality estimates, suggesting that mulloway are at risk of recruitment overfishing. These results suggest that the spawning stock of mulloway in south-eastern Australia has been depleted and that remedial management action is required to protect this iconic species.

With the growth of the Internet and individuals using the Internet for person health research, crowdsourcing clinical research has the potential to become a powerful tool in surveilling and monitoring health outcomes. This paper evaluates the maturity of the emerging tool of crowdsourcing clinical research using two carefully selected and adapted evaluation models: Project Management Maturity Model (ProMMM) and National Infrastructure Maturity Model (NIMM). Two models were used in conjunction for the evaluation as ProMMM focuses on a professional's ability to utilise crowdsourcing for clinical research, while NIMM focuses on the maturity of crowdsourcing clinical research itself. To evaluate maturity, the authors reviewed available literature and conducted primary research in the form of interviews at the Melbourne Brain Centre at Royal Melbourne Hospital with Associate Professor Helmut Butzkueven, MS Neurologist and Researcher, and Dr Athina (Tina) Soulis, General Manager of Neuroscience Trials Australia. The tool of crowdsourcing for clinical research and the users and prospective users of the tool were found to be in immaturity. Despite immaturity, the future holds exciting applications for crowdsourcing clinical research with the potential to save costs, time, and recruit wider cohorts into clinical research. .

Petroleum migration patterns in the present-day shelf area of the Columbus basin reflect a complex interaction of structural evolution, stratigraphic architecture, and fault-seal behavior. Thermogenic charge access is ultimately controlled by the geographic distribution of sand-prone carrier beds and how these vertically stacked stratigraphic units relate spatially to one another along their basinal limits. Migration in this system consists of

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) is a subtropical evergreen tree whose fruit is consumed both fresh and processed. Loquat fruit is a good source of minerals and carotenoids, while the kernel is rich in protein and carbohydrates. It has been considered a non-climacteric fruit, but there is evidence that some cultivars have a ripening pattern similar to that of climacteric fruits. The fruit has a short postharvest life at ambient temperatures and is susceptible to physical and mechanical damage, loss of moisture and nutrients, and decay. Low-temperature storage extends the shelf life of loquat fruit, but some cultivars are severely affected by chilling injury and flesh browning during cold storage. Purple spot, browning and leatheriness are major postharvest disorders. The shelf life of loquat can be extended by modified or controlled atmosphere storage as well as by postharvest treatment with 1-methyl cyclopropene or methyl jasmonate.

This study was conducted to investigate the physical and compositional changes as well as antioxidant properties of pomegranate fruit (cv. Ruby) at five distinct maturity stages between 54 and 139 days after full bloom (DAFB). Physico-chemical properties such as fruit mass, size, juiciness, colour, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, titratable acidity (TA), individual organic acids and sugars, and phenolic composition were investigated. Mineral element concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) while total antioxidant capacity was measured by DPPH scavenging activity (DPPH) and ferric ion reducing power (FRAP). Results showed that major compositional changes in fruit are developmentally regulated. Significant increases in total soluble solids (TSS), sugars (glucose and fructose) and anthocyanins composition, coupled with significant decline in titratable acidity (TA), organic acids and total phenolics occurred with advancing maturity. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that fruit at advanced maturity stages (132 and 139 DAFB) were characterized by intense peel and aril pigmentation and better juice quality. PCA results also showed that peel and aril colour attributes and indices of sugar/acid ratio (TSS/TA and BrimA index) could be useful measures of fruit maturity and ripeness for 'Ruby' pomegranate cultivar, and therefore might be suitable for the development of reliable fruit maturity index to assess fruit optimal maturity.

The reproduction of black anglerfish (Lophius budegassa Spinola) and white anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius Linnaeus) has been studied from data collected between July 1996 and June 1997 off the Portuguese and Spanish Atlantic coasts at depths between 50 and 800 m. A total of 1301 black anglerfish (5–89 cm) and 1297 white anglerfish (11–129 cm) were sampled. The sex ratio, the spawning period and the maturity ogives by length and age were studied. The overall sex ratio was close to one for both species and the observed length related differences in sex ratio were explained by the different growth rate between sexes. The spawning period for black anglerfish was between November and February and for white anglerfish between January and June. The lengths and ages at first maturity for black anglerfish were 53.6 cm and 9–10 years for females, 38.6 cm and 7 years for males and 44.7 cm and 8 years for combined sexes. The lengths and ages at first maturity of white anglerfish were 93.9 cm and 14 years for females and 50.3 cm and 6 years for males. In this study no spawning white anglerfish females were sampled and the number of mature females was low for both species, suggesting a reproductive migration to other areas or depths.