Manchester Metropolitan University

About: Manchester Metropolitan University is a education organization based out in Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 5435 authors who have published 16202 publications receiving 442561 citations. The organization is also known as: Manchester Polytechnic & MMU.

Small business awareness and adoption of state-of-the-art technologies in emerging and developing markets, and lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract: Many challenges continue to hinder digital technologies' adoption by small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in developing economies. Comparatively, there are more success stories by SMEs in emer...

Effect of inclusion of soluble and insoluble fibres into extruded breakfast cereal products made with reverse screw configuration

Abstract: Summary Five dietary fibre rich ingredients were used at 5%, 10% and 15% replacement levels in a white flour cereal base to produce an extruded cereal product. The inclusion of the dietary fibres into the flour bases had no significant effect on the expansion ratio of the products. However, the bulk density of the extruded products increased with inulin addition. The pasting properties of the raw flour and fibre base as well as the extruded products were altered with the incorporation of dietary fibre, with guar gum enriched products showing elevated peak and final viscosity readings. This appeared to be related to moisture manipulation and hence the regulation of gelatinisation. In vitro starch hydrolysis of the raw bases and the extruded samples illustrated that the extrusion process significantly increased the availability of carbohydrates for digestion. Additionally, the inclusion of dietary fibres in the raw bases significantly reduced the rate and extent of carbohydrate hydrolysis of the extruded products. As such the addition of dietary fibres to extruded products reduced the amount of readily digestible starch components of breakfast products, and increased the amount of slowly digestible carbohydrates.

Bird diversity and abundance in forest fragments and Eucalyptus plantations around an Atlantic forest reserve, Brazil

Abstract: Little of Brazil's remaining Atlantic forest is protected, so it is important to assess how well the region's wildlife can persist in areas/habitats outside reserves. We studied bird diversity and abundance during 546 point counts in the Sooretama/Linhares reserve, 200 point counts in 31 forest fragments (10- 150 h), and 50 point counts in <30-year-old Eucalyptus plantations, within 7 km of the reserve. Only eight bird species were recorded in Eucalyptus, and this impoverishment, as compared to some Eucalyptus plantations elsewhere in Brazil may be a result of intensive clearance of understory vegetation. Species diversity in forest fragments was significantly lower than in the reserve. Twelve, mostly non-forest or edge species, were significantly commoner in the fragments, but nineteen species were frequent in the reserve but rare or absent in forest fragments. These included two Pyrrhura parakeets, a Brotogeris parakeet, a trogon Trogon, a jacamar Galbula, woodpeckers Piculus and Campephilus, Myrmotherula antwrens, and Hemithraupus and Tachyphonus tanagers. Bird species richness at points in forest fragments did not decline with fragment size, distance from the reserve, or forest quality. However, forest in fragments was more heavily degraded than forest within the reserve and poor forest quality may be the cause of declines in some species. Whilst protection of forest within reserves is a priority, management of forest fragments may aid conservation of some threatened species.

Reflections on the integration of paid work and the rest of life

Abstract: Despite a wealth of research and policy initiatives on “work‐family”, “work‐life balance” or what we prefer to call work‐personal life integration, societies seem stuck about how to make equitable, satisfactory and sustainable changes in the ways in which paid work can be combined with the rest of life. So what is holding back satisfactory change? And how can people move beyond this apparent deadlock in workplaces and other institutions and really go forward? This paper looks at some of the reasons why issues about work‐personal life integration have become so pressing and then reflects on implications for working towards more fundamental changes at many different levels. It highlights sticking points holding back change and argues that these could be developed into new levers for change by emphasising the need to rethink and question many deeply held – but outdated – assumptions about working practices, families, culture and personal lives.