bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of molecular markers in livestock improvement
Authors: Teneva A. , Petrovic M.P.
Published: July 2010

With recent developments in DNA technologies, a large number of genetic polymorphisms at DNA sequence level has been introduced over the last decades as named DNA-based markers. The discovery of new class of DNA profiling markers has facilitated the development of marker-based gene tags, mapbased cloning of livestock important genes, variability studies, phylogenetic analysis, synteny mapping, marker-assisted selection of favourable genotypes, etc. The most commonly used DNA-based markers have advantages over the traditional phenotypic and biochemical markers since they provide data that can be analyzed objectively. In this article the main applications of molecular markers in present-day breeding strategies for livestock improvement - parentage determination, genetic distance estimation, genetic diversity, gene mapping and marker-assisted selection have been reviewed.
Goat cryptosporidiosis and its importance at goat production pathology
Authors: Pavlovic I. , Ivanovic S. , Zujovic M. , Tomic Z.
Published: July 2010

Goat cryptosporidiosis is parasitic disease with clinical signs at kids at 4-10 days old. Presence of great number of cryptosporidial oocyst is usually in goats without clinical signs of disease. At goats were established Cryptosporidium parvum. Kid cryptosporidiosis had high morbidity and mortality rate. Symptoms of acute cryptosporidiosis include lack of appetite, and weight loss. Clinical signs are yellow diarrhea with odor smell, and some time are present a blood. Animals had abdominal pain, anemia, lost of appetite, dehydration, tenisms, weakens and lost of weight. Occurrence depressive and inactivity. Pathological changes are present in small intestine. In acute cases were thickens gut wall, edema, hyperemia at cecal and colon mucus. There are present numerous hemorrhage, and present of mucofibrinal seam dark brown colored. Those pathological changes drawl resorption and induced clinical signs of disease. Consequence are significant increase of kid accrescense, its weakens and less develop.
Farming of rabbit local breed as an alternative activity on small scale farms in Albania
Authors: Llambiri A. , Papa L. , Kume K.
Published: July 2010

Rabbit breeding on small scale family farms is carried on as an alternative production activity, in Albania. Extensive production system and breeding of local rabbit breed are most frequent. Albanian local rabbit can be classified in middle size breed group. It is a population with high morphological and biological variability, with variation in coat colour. Rabbit farming is a useful production activity on small scale family farms. Breeding 2-3 couples of reproducing rabbits could increase the gross annually income of family farm up to 22-28 percent.
The effect of dietary supplementation with different forms and levels of organic chromium on broilers meat quality
Authors: Kevresan S. , Keleman S. , Peric L. , Strugar V.
Published: July 2010

This paper deals with the effect of supplementation with three different preparations of organic chromium complex: the ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid complex with chromium, chromium (III)-lysine and chromium (III) - picolinate on three different levels of chromium in broiler food: 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6mg/kg with respect to the mass of particular body parts and the level of triglycerides in blood. Statistically significant breast enlargement in broilers was obtained by feeding them with supplementation of chromium (III) - picolinate with chromium content of 0.4mg/kg. Supplementation of 0.6mg/kg of chromium (III) - picolinate resulted in the significantly lower amount of abdominal fat in the carcass. Lower level of serum triglycerides was also noticed with the use of 0.4mg/kg chromium in broiler food in all three examined preparations but it was not statistically significant.
Leukocyte profile in sows during lactation period
Authors: Joksimovic-Todorovic M. , Davidovic V. , Bokan Lj.
Published: July 2010

During prepartum and postpartum period, there occurs in sows a significant change in the values of haematologic and biochemical parameters. The objective of this research paper was to examine the change in the count of the cells of white blood line in the course of lactation period. The trial was conducted on ten Swedish Landrace breed sows, having the blood taken on the first day postpartum (1-6h), and in the third and fourth week of lactation. The results obtained for haemotologic analyses have suggested the increase in total number of leukocytes and neutrophilic granulocytes, and the decrease in the number of lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils on the first day postpartum. In the third and fourth week of lactation a statistically significant fall in the number of leukocytes and granulocytes in relation to the first day was observed, along with a significant increase in limphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils. In examined time intervals the number of basophils did not change significantly. The neutrophil-limphocyte index was highest on the first day postpartum, while in the third and fourth week it was significantly lower.
The possibilities of the utilization of the polymetallic concentrate Coka Marin
Authors: Gomidzelovic Lidija , Pozega Emina , Trujic Vlastimir
Published: July 2010

This paper presents the results of a calculation the content of composite concentrates, used as the charge in the Copper Smelter in Bor, from the aspect of the behavior of zinc, lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. These elements show an extremely harmful effect on the environment and human health; hence it is crucial to comply with legal values of their emission into the environment.
Chelate-assisted phytoextraction: Effect of EDTA and EDDS on copper uptake by Brassica napus L.
Authors: Zeremski-Skoric Tijana , Sekulic Petar , Maksimovic Ivana , Seremesic Srdjan , Ninkov Jordana , Milic Stanko , Vasin Jovica
Published: July 2010

Chelate-assisted phytoextraction has been proposed as an effective approach to removing heavy metals from contaminated soil through use of high biomass plants. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficiency of the two chelators: EDTA and biodegradable EDDS in enhancing Cu uptake and translocation by Brassica napus L. grown on moderately contaminated soil and treated with increasing concentrations of EDTA or EDDS. Increasing amounts of EDDS caused a serious growth depression of Brassica napus and an increase in shoot metal concentrations. Growth depression limited the actual amount of phytoextracted Cu at high concentrations of EDDS. The maximum amount of extracted Cu was achieved by the application of 8.0 and 4.0+4.0 mmol/kg EDDS. The shoot Cu concentrations after EDTA application were much lower than with EDDS at the same doses. According to this experiment, EDTA does not appear to be an efficient amendment if Cu phytoextraction with Brassica napus is considered but EDDS is.
The XPS study of physical and chemical forms of neptunium group on the surface of minerals
Authors: Teterin Anton , Mikhailina Alevtina , Maslakov Konstantin , Zaharova Elena , Teterin Yury
Published: July 2010

The sorption behavior and the physical and chemical forms of neptunium on the surface of minerals of the two chlorate samples, biotite and kaolin, with different contents of Fe(II) was studied. The liquid-liquid extraction and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to identify the valence forms of neptunium. On the basis of the obtained data the quantitative elemental composition of the surface of the studied minerals, as well as the ionic composition of the formed neptunium complexes was determined. It was shown that the Np(IV) and Np(VI) containing compounds did not form, while the complexes Np(V)O+ -hydroxyl did form on the surface. The oxygen ions bonded with iron and oxygen belonging to water and/or of carboxyl were suggested to be present in the equatorial plane of the neptunyl group NpO+.
Soil gas mapping in the vicinity of Nikola Tesla thermo power plant disposal field
Authors: Nikolic Jugoslav , Veselinovic Nenad , Tollefsen Tore , Celikovic Igor , Kisic Dragica , Cuknic Olivera , Zunic Zora
Published: July 2010

This paper presents the results of identification of natural ionizing irradiation in the vicinity of Nikola Tesla B power plant ash disposal field. The investigations have comprised the determination of natural gas (radon and thoron) activities with a passive discriminative nuclear track detector (CR 39) in the air column of the depth of 80 cm in the soil. The determination of gamma dose rate has been given as well, including the corresponding GPS coordinates of 28 measuring points.
Assessment of the ambient dose rate around research reactors by thermoluminescence dosimeters
Authors: Memon Tanveer , Khan Khalid , Jabbar Abdul , Akhter Perveen
Published: July 2010

Monitoring of radiation levels in and around the nuclear research reactors is essential to safe-guarding life and the environment. Background radiation monitoring at the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology (PINSTECH) has been carried out since the early sixties, before the criticality of the 5 MW Pakistan Research Reactor, so as to confirm the safe operation of PINSTECH nuclear facilities. In the present study, ambient dose rate levels were measured around PINSTECH by using TLD-200 (G-2 cards) installed at 15 different locations over a five year period (1998-2002). The mean dose rates for individual locations in the said period ranged from 0.14 ? 0.01 to 0.19 ? 0.03 ?Sv/h, with a mean value of 0.16 ? 0.03 ?Sv/h. The cu- mulative average annual effective dose equivalent spread over 5 years was 204.4 ? 17 ?Sv. The data were compared with the world and averages in other countries. It was concluded that, from the health hazard point of view, the operation of research reactors and other nuclear facilities at PINSTECH presents no risk to public health.
Measurement of competitiveness degree in Tunisian deposit banks: An application of the Panzar and Rosse model
Authors: Mensi Sami
Published: July 2010

This paper explores the use of the Panzar-Rosse statistic as a basis for empirical assessment of competitive conditions among Tunisian deposit banks. The elaborated model has been tested with an interest revenues equation and a total revenues equation. Proceeding by means of an Ordinary Least Square analysis, the H-statistics is respectively estimated at 0.87 and 0.91. The computations undertaken using bank fixed effects and bank random effects General Least Square methods yield similar results. With reference to the reviewed literature, we are inclined to believe that Tunisian banks implement neither a joint monopoly nor a collusive competition context, and that they evolve within an oligopolistic competition context in a contestable market. Thus, it confirms the presence of a competitive environment.
Researching measurement equivalence in cross-cultural studies
Authors: Kankaras Milos , Moors Guy
Published: July 2010

In cross-cultural comparative studies it is essential to establish equivalent measurement of relevant constructs across cultures. If this equivalence is not confirmed it is difficult if not impossible to make meaningful comparison of results across countries. This work presents concept of measurement equivalence, its relationship with other related concepts, different equivalence levels and causes of inequivalence in cross-cultural research. It also reviews three main approaches to the analysis of measurement equivalence - multigroup confirmatory factor analysis, differential item functioning, and multigroup latent class analysis - with special emphasis on their similarities and differences, as well as comparative advantages.
Reference values of capillary blood saturation in neonates and its difference from pulse oximetry
Authors: Jesic Milos , Jesic Maja , Krstajic Tamara , Vujnovic Zoran , Cutura Nedjo , Maglajlic Svjetlana
Published: July 2010

Introduction Haemoglobin saturation is an obligatory oxygen parameter in the assessment of neonatal oxygenation. Although, pulse oximetry is currently one of the major methods in the determination of haemoglobin saturation, capillary blood saturation is still present in the diagnostic process. As well known, haemoglobin saturation value of capillary blood is insufficiently accurate, but not as much as the difference in relation to the values determined by pulse oximetry. Until now published studies have reported that capillary samples are obtained according to a protocol by the principle of free blood outflow, which is practically almost unachievable in the neonate. Objective Determination of the reference values of oxygen saturation (ScO2) and partial pressure (pcO2) of capillary blood by squeezing of the foot. The determination of difference between ScO2 and pulse oximetry (SpO2). Methods In 134 term newborns, we determined SpO2 . Subsequently, we measured the values of ScO2 and pcO2 from the same extremity. While withdrawing a capillary sample, we exerted multiple squeezing of the foot. The mean value of ScO2, pcO2, SpO2 and the difference between ScO2 and SpO2 were determined. Results Mean ScO2 value was 80.5?}8.5%, pcO2 was 48.2?}11.4 mm Hg and SpO2 was 98?}1.9%. The difference between ScO2 and SpO2 values was 17.5?}8.6% (t=23.568; p=0.000). Conclusion There is a statistically highly significant difference between the values of ScO2 and SpO2. Having the knowledge of this difference can increase the accuracy of clinical evaluation and further diagnostics. Comparison in up-to-now conducted studies suggests that the squeezing of the foot for obtaining a capillary sample in relation to free blood outflow does not bear any significant influence on the resultant values of haemoglobin saturation. .
Presence of different forms of compensatory behaviours among eating disordered patients
Authors: Kontic Olga , Vasiljevic Nadja , Jorga Jagoda , Jasovic-Gasic Miroslava , Lakic Aneta , Arsic Aleksandra
Published: July 2010

Introduction Eating disorders indicate unhealthy habits in nutrition and/or behaviour in the feeding and maintaining of body weight. The main characteristic of these diseases is changed behaviour in nutrition, either as an intentional restriction of food, namely extreme dieting or overeating, i.e. binge eating. Extreme dieting, skipping meals, self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, and misuse of laxatives and diuretics for the purpose of maintaining or reducing body weight are the forms of compensatory behaviour. Objective The purpose of the present research was to determine the presence of different inappropriate compensatory behaviours among eating disordered patients. Methods The experimental group included 35 female eating disordered patients of 23.02?}3.46 years on average, with anorexia or bulimia nervosa. The control group consisted of 70 girls aged 23.1?}3.0 years on average. Each participant completed a '24-hour Recall Questionnaire' and the 'Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale'. Results A high statistically significant difference existed in the presence of all compensatory behaviours in the experimental and control group, regarding vomiting (?2=40.6; p<0.001), misuse of laxatives and diuretics (?2=33.7; p<0.001), extreme dieting (?2=23.4; p<0.001) and excessive exercising (?2=27.1; p<0.001). Conclusion Eating disordered patients showed a significantly higher incidence of all evaluated forms of compensatory behaviour in comparison with the control group. This report confirms the presence of specific symptomatology of anorexia and bulimia patients. .
Numerical study of mixed convection and entropy generation in the Poiseulle-Benard channel in different angles
Authors: Nourollahi Mostafa , Farhadi Mousa , Sedighi Kurosh
Published: July 2010

The issue of entropy generation and Nusselt number in Poiseuille-Benard channel flow are analyzed by solving numerically Navier-Stokes and energy equations with the use of the classic Boussinesq incompressible approximation. The Nusselt number is studied as a function of q. In addition variations of entropy generation and the Bejan number as a function of q and j are studied. The channel angle (q) and irreversibility (j) were changed from -25 to 30 and from 10-5 to 1, respectively, whereas Reynolds, Peclet, and Rayleigh numbers were fixed at Re = 10, Pe = 20/3, and Ra = 104. More over the positive and negative effect of buoyancy force on flow field, Nusselt number and entropy generation are discussed. Optimum angle for dif- ferent irreversibilities are specified by definition h as the rate of the Nusselt number to the entropy generation, the optimum angle was distinguished for different irreversibility. Results show that the Nusselt number changes very slightly and is almost constant when q changes from -10 to 10 and the Nusselt number decreases sharply when q increases from 20 to 30 or decreases from -15 to -25. Moreover it has been found that the entropy generation due to heat transfer is localized at areas where heat exchanged between the walls and the flow is maximum, while the entropy generation due to fluid friction is maximum at areas where the velocity gradients are maximum such as vortex centers. Consequently when q is decreased from -15 to -25 or is increased from 20 to 30 entropy generation for small irreversibilities decreases and increases sharply for large irreversibilities.
Prediction of nucleate pool boiling heat transfer coefficient
Authors: Sathyabhama Alangar , Hegde Ramakrishna
Published: July 2010

The correct prediction of the heat transfer performance of the boiling liquid within the evaporator of a refrigeration unit is one of the essential features for the successful operation of the whole unit. There are many correlations available in the literature for the prediction of boiling heat transfer coefficient of pure components. Eight heat transfer pool-boiling correlations that are well known in the literature have been selected and their prediction accuracy has been assessed against experimental data of ammonia available in the literature. The analysis concludes that within the investigated ranges of boiling conditions, the Kruzhilin, Kutateladze, Labuntsov, Mostinski nucleate pool-boiling correlations are the most accurate among those assessed.
Analytical solution of stagnation flow of a micropolar fluid towards a vertical permeable surface
Authors: Asgharian Ataollah , Ganji Davood , Soleimani Soheil , Asgharian Sina
Published: July 2010

In this paper, stagnation flow of a micropolar fluid towards a vertical permeable surface with two cases, Newtonian fluid (K = 0) and non-Newtonian fluid (K = 1) are studied in presence of suction and injection. The transformed non-linear equations are solved analytically by homotopy analysis method and some results are compared with numerical solutions for validity. Analytical results for the velocity profiles, the temperature profiles, the skin friction coefficient and the local Nusselt number are presented for various values of the flow parameters and also these results demonstrate obvious effect of suction and injection on temperature profiles on investigation of such flows, particularly for non-Newtonian fluid.
Multicriteria optimization in a fuzzy environment: The fuzzy analytic hierarchy process
Authors: Gardasevic-Filipovic Milanka , Saletic Dragan
Published: July 2010

In the paper the fuzzy extension of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) based on fuzzy numbers, and its application in solving a practical problem, are considered. The paper advocates the use of contradictory test to check the fuzzy user preferences during fuzzy AHP decision-making process. We also propose consistency check and deriving priorities from inconsistent fuzzy judgment matrices to be included in the process, in order to check if the fuzzy approach can be applied in the AHP for the problem considered. An aggregation of local priorities obtained at different levels into composite global priorities for the alternatives based on weighted-sum method is also discussed. The contradictory fuzzy judgment matrix is analyzed. Our theoretical consideration has been verified by an application of commercially available Super Decisions program (developed for solving multi-criteria optimization problems using AHP approach) on the problem previously treated in the literature. The obtained results are compared with those from the literature. The conclusions are given and the possibilities for further work in the field are pointed out.
An EOQ model for deteriorating items under supplier credits when demand is stock dependent
Authors: Shah Nita , Mishra Poonam
Published: July 2010

In many circumstances retailer is not able to settle the account as soon as items are received. In that scenario supplier can offer two promotional schemes namely cash discount and /or a permissible delay to the customer. In this study, an EOQ model is developed when units in inventory deteriorate at a constant rate and demand is stock dependent. The salvage value is associated to deteriorated units. An algorithm is given to find the optimal solution. The sensitivity analysis is carried out to analyze the effect of critical parameters on optimal solution.
A genetic algorithm for composing music
Authors: Matic Dragan
Published: July 2010

In this paper, a genetic algorithm for making music compositions is presented. Position based representation of rhythm and relative representation of pitches, based on measuring relation from starting pitch, allow for a flexible and robust way for encoding music compositions. This approach includes a pre-defined rhythm applied to initial population, giving good starting solutions. Modified genetic operators enable significantly changing scheduling of pitches and breaks, which can restore good genetic material and prevent from premature convergence in bad suboptimal solutions. Beside main principles of the algorithm and methodology of development, in this paper the analysis of solutions in general is also presented, as well as the analysis of the obtained solutions in relation to the key parameters. Some solutions are presented in the musical score.
Modern analogues for Miocene to Pleistocene alkali basaltic phreatomagmatic fields in the Pannonian Basin: “soft-substrate” to “combined” aquifer controlled phreatomagmatism in intraplate volcanic fields Research Article
Authors: Németh Károly , Cronin Shane , Haller Miguel , Brenna Marco , Csillag Gabor
Published: July 2010

The Pannonian Basin (Central Europe) hosts numerous alkali basaltic volcanic fields in an area similar to 200 000 km2. These volcanic fields were formed in an approximate time span of 8 million years producing smallvolume volcanoes typically considered to be monogenetic. Polycyclic monogenetic volcanic complexes are also common in each field however. The original morphology of volcanic landforms, especially phreatomagmatic volcanoes, is commonly modified. by erosion, commonly aided by tectonic uplift. The phreatomagmatic volcanoes eroded to the level of their sub-surface architecture expose crater to conduit filling as well as diatreme facies of pyroclastic rock assemblages. Uncertainties due to the strong erosion influenced by tectonic uplifts, fast and broad climatic changes, vegetation cover variations, and rapidly changing fluvio-lacustrine events in the past 8 million years in the Pannonian Basin have created a need to reconstruct and visualise the paleoenvironment into which the monogenetic volcanoes erupted. Here phreatomagmatic volcanic fields of the Miocene to Pleistocene western Hungarian alkali basaltic province have been selected and compared with modern phreatomagmatic fields. It has been concluded that the Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF) in New Zealand could be viewed as a prime modern analogue for the western Hungarian phreatomagmatic fields by sharing similarities in their pyroclastic successions textures such as pyroclast morphology, type, juvenile particle ratio to accidental lithics. Beside the AVF two other, morphologically more modified volcanic fields (Pali Aike, Argentina and Jeju, Korea) show similar features to the western Hungarian examples, highlighting issues such as preservation potential of pyroclastic successions of phreatomagmatic volcanoes.
Early postpartum hysterectomy: incidence and risk factors
Authors: ROETHLISBERGER MARIA , WOMASTEK IRENE , POSCH MARTIN , HUSSLEIN PETER , PATEISKY NORBERT , LEHNER RAINER
Published: July 2010

Objective. To determine the incidence and risk factors of early postpartum hysterectomy at the University Hospital in Vienna. Design. Retrospective case–control study. Setting. General Hospital Vienna, a tertiary referral center. Population. All 15,858 women who gave birth between 1st January 2003 and 31st December 2008. Methods. Analysis of all cases of early postpartum hysterectomy using data from the clinical documentation system. Main outcome measure. Postpartum hysterectomy done during or within 24 hours of birth. Results. The incidence of early postpartum hysterectomy was 1.39/1,000. Abnormally adherent placenta was the most common cause for hysterectomy followed by uterine atony and uterine rupture. There were no maternal deaths. Abnormal placentation, increased blood loss and lower gestational age were significant risk factors in women undergoing hysterectomy. The newborns of these women had a lower birthweight, significantly lower Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes and were more often transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). An additional analysis in a sample of women with uterine atony identified age as risk factor for hysterectomy. Conclusion. Abnormal placentation, increased blood loss, low gestational age and maternal age are risk factors for early postpartum hysterectomy.
Gideon Mantell and the ‘Xanthidia’
Authors: SARJEANT WILLIAM A.S.
Published: July 2010

Gideon Mantell's renown stems from his studies of the dinosaurs and large invertebrate fossils of southeastern England. However, his researches were not limited to macroscopic fossils of moderate to large size, but also comprised studies under the microscope of some of the very smallest fossils. On these also, he made fundamental contributions to scientific knowledge, though inadvertently leaving later workers a legacy of taxonomic problems.

His work is summarized, and the story of its rediscovery told, by a person privileged not only to bring Mantell's researches to the attention of modern micropalaeontologists, but also to participate in the fluke rediscovery of one of Mantell's lost type specimens.
J.J.N.A. Spalowsky (1752–1797) and theProdromus in Systema Historicum Testaceorum(1795)
Authors: KABAT ALAN R.
Published: July 2010

This paper catalogues the publications of J.J.N.A. Spalowsky (1752–1797) and discusses the new species described in his conchological treatise, the Prodromus in Systerna Historicum Testaceorum (1795).
Patrick Browne's The civil and natural history of Jamaica (1756, 1789)
Authors: NELSON E. CHARLES
Published: July 2010

The history of the publication of Patrick Browne's The civil and natural history of Jamaica is outlined. The original issue of 1756 sold about 200 copies. Sheets from the 1756 printing survived in London until 1789, and using these Benjamin White and Son reissued the book with a new title page, edited and reset pages (1–12), and re-engraved illustrations, also adding Linnaean indexes. The name of the editor of the 1789 issue is not known; evidently Patrick Browne himself did not revise the text, and was not aware that his work was reissued.
Museums on paper in Emilia-Romagna from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries: from Aldrovandi to Count Sanvitale
Authors: OLMI GIUSEPPE
Published: July 2010

Ever since the Middle Ages, the art of Emilia Romagna (a region of Italy), and more generally of the Po Valley, has been characterised by great attention to aspects of daily life. This particular situation has undoubtedly encouraged the relations and links between the world of art and that of science. And, indeed, in Emilia Romagna throughout the modern age a large number of painters worked on commission for naturalists and an equally large number of scientists and ‘amateurs’ themselves undertook the illustration of nature, or were interested in the problems and techniques of the figurative arts, or collected objets d'art.
Three early medieval accounts of agricultural damage by wild geese
Authors: KEAR JANET
Published: July 2010

Three early Christian saints of England and Flanders were said to demonstrate a miraculous ability to remove wild geese from crops. An attempt is made to disentangle the religious significance of these accounts from the possibility of a real upsurge in goose visits to farmland between AD 690 and 760. The Medieval Warm Period, which started about 550, together with improved farming systems, may have increased the numbers of migratory geese in western Europe, and subsequent reports of agricultural conflict.
Cancer, Infant Mortality and Birth Sex-Ratio in Fallujah, Iraq 2005–2009
Authors: Busby Chris , Hamdan Malak , Ariabi Entesar
Published: July 2010

There have been anecdotal reports of increases in birth defects and cancer in Fallujah, Iraq blamed on the use of novel weapons (possibly including depleted uranium) in heavy fighting which occurred in that town between US led forces and local elements in 2004. In Jan/Feb 2010 the authors organised a team of researchers who visited 711 houses in Fallujah, Iraq and obtained responses to a questionnaire in Arabic on cancer, birth defects and infant mortality. The total population in the resulting sample was 4,843 persons with and overall response rate was better than 60%. Relative Risks for cancer were age-standardised and compared to rates in the Middle East Cancer Registry (MECC, Garbiah Egypt) for 1999 and rates in Jordan 1996–2001. Between Jan 2005 and the survey end date there were 62 cases of cancer malignancy reported (RR = 4.22; CI: 2.8, 6.6; p < 0.00000001) including 16 cases of childhood cancer 0-14 (RR = 12.6; CI: 4.9, 32; p < 0.00000001). Highest risks were found in all-leukaemia in the age groups 0-34 (20 cases RR = 38.5; CI: 19.2, 77; p < 0.00000001), all lymphoma 0–34 (8 cases, RR = 9.24;CI: 4.12, 20.8; p < 0.00000001), female breast cancer 0–44 (12 cases RR = 9.7;CI: 3.6, 25.6; p < 0.00000001) and brain tumours all ages (4 cases, RR = 7.4;CI: 2.4, 23.1; P < 0.004). Infant mortality was based on the mean birth rate over the 4 year period 2006–2009 with 1/6th added for cases reported in January and February 2010. There were 34 deaths in the age group 0–1 in this period giving a rate of 80 deaths per 1,000 births. This may be compared with a rate of 19.8 in Egypt (RR = 4.2 p < 0.00001) 17 in Jordan in 2008 and 9.7 in Kuwait in 2008. The mean birth sex-ratio in the recent 5-year cohort was anomalous. Normally the sex ratio in human populations is a constant with 1,050 boys born to 1,000 girls. This is disturbed if there is a genetic damage stress. The ratio of boys to 1,000 girls in the 0–4, 5–9, 10–14 and 15–19 age cohorts in the Fallujah sample were 860, 1,182, 1,108 and 1,010 respectively suggesting genetic damage to the 0–4 group (p < 0.01). Whilst the results seem to qualitatively support the existence of serious mutation-related health effects in Fallujah, owing to the structural problems associated with surveys of this kind, care should be exercised in interpreting the findings quantitatively.
Synthesis of Some New Pyridine-2,6-carboxamide-derived Schiff Bases as Potential Antimicrobial Agents
Authors: Al-Omar Mohamed A. , Amr Abd El-Galil E.
Published: July 2010

A series of pyridine-bridged 2,6-bis-carboxamide Schiff's bases has been prepared starting from 2,6-pyridinedicarbonyl dichloride (1) and L-alanine or 2-methyl-alanine methyl ester.The coupling of acid chloride 1 with L-alanine methyl ester hydrochloride -or 2-methylalanine methyl ester hydrochloride gave the corresponding 2,6-bis-carboxamide pyridine methyl esters 2a,b.Hydrazonolysis of 2 with hydrazine hydrate afforded the corresponding bis-hydrazides 3a,b. Treatment of 3a,b with appropriate aromatic or heterocyclic aldehydes afforded the corresponding pyridine- bridged 2,6-bis-carboxamide Schiff's bases 4a-f and 5a-f, respectively. The newly synthesized compounds 2-5 were screened for their bactericidal and fungicidal activities. Many of the obtained compounds exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, comparable to streptomycin and fusidic acid, which were used as reference antibiotic drugs.
Regioselective O-Derivatization of Quercetin via Ester Intermediates. An Improved Synthesis of Rhamnetin and Development of a New Mitochondriotropic Derivative
Authors: Mattarei Andrea , Biasutto Lucia , Rastrelli Federico , Garbisa Spiridione , Marotta Ester , Zoratti Mario , Paradisi Cristina
Published: July 2010

The regioselective synthesis of several quercetin (3,3’,4’,5,7-pentahydroxy flavone) tetraesters bearing a single free OH on 5-C was achieved in good yield by proper choice of reaction conditions using common esterification procedures. Tetracetylated quercetin with the free OH on 7-C was selectively obtained instead via imidazole-promoted deacylation of the corresponding pentaester. Unambiguous structural characterization of the two isomeric tetraacetyl quercetin derivatives was obtained by combined HSQC and HMBC 2D-NMR analysis. These molecules can be used as starting materials for the regioselective synthesis of other derivatives. High yield syntheses of the natural polyphenol rhamnetin (7-O-methylquercetin) and of the new mitochondriotropic compound 7-(4-triphenylphosphoniumbutyl) quercetin iodide are reported as examples.
Attribution of Precipitation Changes on a Regional Scale by Neural Network Modeling: A Case Study
Authors: Pasini Antonello , Langone Rocco
Published: July 2010

On a regional scale, climate variability masks any direct link between external forcings and precipitation values. Thus, the problem of attribution of precipitation changes splits into two distinct steps: understanding how forcings influence circulation patterns and finding relationships between these patterns and the behavior of precipitation. Here, we deal with this second step, by analyzing data about eight circulation indices and their influence on precipitation anomalies in an extended Italian Alpine region. The methods used are bivariate nonlinear analysis and neural network modeling. We identify the most influential circulation patterns in each season and work out neural network models that are able to substantially describe the climate variability of precipitation at this regional scale.
A rapid and inexpensive method for the direct PCR amplification of DNA from plants
Authors: Bellstedt Dirk U. , Pirie Michael D. , Visser J. Christiaan , de Villiers Margaret J. , Gehrke Berit
Published: July 2010

• Premise of the study: We present a rapid and inexpensive alternative to DNA isolation for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification from plants.

• Methods and Results: The method involves direct PCR amplification from material macerated in one buffer, followed by dilution and incubation in a second buffer. We describe the procedure and demonstrate its application for nuclear and plastid DNA amplification across a broad range of vascular plants.

• Conclusions: The method is fast, easy to perform, cost‐effective, and consequently ideal for large sample numbers. It represents a considerable simplification of present approaches requiring DNA isolation prior to PCR amplification and will be useful in plant systematics and biotechnology, including applications such as DNA barcoding.
Revisión del género Phaeostigma Navás, 1909 de la Península Ibérica (Insecta, Raphidioptera)
Authors: Monserrat V. J. , Papenberg D.
Published: July 2010

Se revisa el género Phaeostigma Navás, 1909 de la Península Ibérica, lugar donde, hasta la fecha, solo estaba representado por la especie Phaeostigma (Ph.) notata (Fabricius, 1781). Ahora se cita por primera vez la especie Phaeostigma (Phaeostigma) italogallica (H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck, 1976) en España. Se anotan todas las referencias bibliográficas del género Phaeostigma s.l., de Phaeostigma s.str., de Phaeostigma (Ph.) notata y de Phaeostigma (Ph.) italogallica, así como los datos conocidos sobre su morfología externa, genital, biología, estadios juveniles, fenología y distribución. Se incluye una clave de identificación de las dos especies citadas en la Península Ibérica. Para concluir se realiza un somero análisis biogeográfico sobre la distribución de estas dos especies en base a un presunto flujo unidireccional de elementos desde Europa a la Península Ibérica a través de los Pirineos.
Introduction to Recommender Systems
Authors: Fouss François
Published: July 2010

Recommender systems try to provide people with recommendations of items they will appreciate, based on their past preferences, history of purchase, and demographic information. This chapter (1) introduces recommender systems, classifying them along four dimensions (i.e. the way the preferences are gathered, the used approach, the type of algorithm, and the way the results are provided) and describing recent work done in the area, and (2) provides more details about one such type of recommender systems, namely collaborative-recommendation systems. Such systems work by analyzing the items previously rated by all the users and are not based on the content of the items, as content-based systems.
People Company
Authors: Prinz Wolfgang , Kolvenbach Sabine
Published: July 2010

In this chapter we present results of our research on a collaborative platform that enables employees of a global company to present themselves, their business and company site in a company-wide autograph book. For the content generation the employees received an innovative technology, an application running on an Ultra-Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC) that enables users to generate video, sound, simple text, drawings, and photos. Main goal of this applied research is to bridge the gap between the various company sites, to foster working relationships and to strengthen the common understanding that each employee is part of a people company. This chapter describes the application, it presents an analysis of the generated content, the evaluation of the users’ acceptance of the UMPC application and the autograph book and finally an outlook on further research activities informed by these results.
Techniques for Decomposition of EMG Signals
Authors: Wadhwani Arun Kumar , Wadhwani Sulochana
Published: July 2010

The information extracted from the EMG recordings is of great clinical importance and is used for the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular disorders and to study muscle fatigue and neuromuscular control mechanism. Thus there is a necessity of efficient and effective techniques, which can clearly separate individual MUAPs from the complex EMG without loss of diagnostic information. This chapter deals with the techniques of decomposition based on statistical pattern recognition, cross-correlation, Kohonen self-organizing map and wavelet transform.
How Bacteria-Induced Apoptosis of Intestinal Epithelial Cells Contributes to Mucosal Inflammation
Authors: Hausmann Martin
Published: July 2010

The life cycle of an intestinal epithelial cell is terminated by apoptosis and/or cell shedding. Apoptotic deletion of epithelial cells from the intact intestinal mucosa is not accompanied by detectable inflammatory response or loss of barrier function. But increased permeability of the epithelial barrier and increased apoptotic rates of epithelial cells have been reported for patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. Microbiota can both induce or inhibit apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells thus contribute to mucosal inflammation or support epithelial integrity respectively. Bacteria-mediated cytokine secretion and altered cell signalling are central to epithelial injury. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) secreted after exposure to invasive bacteria induces both apoptosis and cell shedding. TNF is the major target gene of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B with both pro- and anti-apoptotic effects. Autophagy promotes both cell survival and “autophagic” cell death. If autophagy is directed against microbes it is termed xenophagy. Inhibition of xenophagy has been shown to decrease cell survival. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress causes misfolded proteins to accumulate in the ER lumen. It was suggested that ER stress and autophagy may interact within intestinal epithelial cells. Apoptosis in response to infection may be well proposed by the host to delete infected epithelial cells or could be a strategy of microbial pathogens to escape from exhausted cells to invade deeper mucosal layers for a prolonged bacterial colonization.
Revisiting Tietze–Nakajima: Local and Global Convexity for Maps
Authors: Bjorndahl Christina , Karshon Yael
Published: July 2010

A theorem of Tietze and Nakajima, from 1928, asserts that if a subset X of ℝn is closed, connected, and locally convex, then it is convex. We give an analogous “local to global convexity” theorem when the inclusion map of X to ℝn is replaced by a map from a topological space X toℝRn that satisfies certain local properties. Our motivation comes from the Condevaux–Dazord–Molino proof of the Atiyah–Guillemin–Sternberg convexity theorem in symplectic geometry.
Functoriality of the Canonical Fractional Galois Ideal
Authors: Buckingham Paul , Snaith Victor
Published: July 2010

The fractional Galois ideal is a conjectural improvement on the higher Stickelberger ideals defined at negative integers, and is expected to provide non-trivial annihilators for higherK-groups of rings of integers of number fields. In this article, we extend the definition of the fractional Galois ideal to arbitrary (possibly infinite and non-abelian) Galois extensions of number fields under the assumption of Stark's conjectures and prove naturality properties under canonical changes of extension. We discuss applications of this to the construction of ideals in non-commutative Iwasawa algebras.
Homotopy Self-Equivalences of 4-manifolds with Free Fundamental
Group
Authors: Pamuk Mehmetcik
Published: July 2010

We calculate the group of homotopy classes of homotopy self-equivalences of
4-manifolds with free fundamental group and obtain a classification of such
4-manifolds up to s-cobordism.
Aerosols indirectly warm the Arctic
Authors: Mauritsen T. , Sedlar J. , Tjernström M. , Leck C. , Martin M. , Shupe M. , Sjogren S. , Sierau B. , Persson P. O. G. , Brooks I. M. , Swietlicki E.
Published: July 2010

Abstract. On average, airborne aerosol particles cool the Earth's surface directly by absorbing and scattering sunlight and indirectly by influencing cloud reflectivity, life time, thickness or extent. Here we show that over the central Arctic Ocean, where there is frequently a lack of aerosol particles upon which clouds may form, a small increase in aerosol loading may enhance cloudiness thereby likely causing a climatologically significant warming at the ice-covered Arctic surface. Under these low concentration conditions cloud droplets grow to drizzle sizes and fall, even in the absence of collisions and coalescence, thereby diminishing cloud water. Evidence from a case study suggests that interactions between aerosol, clouds and precipitation could be responsible for attaining the observed low aerosol concentrations.
Characterization of merged AIRS and MLS water vapor sensitivity through integration of averaging kernels and retrievals
Authors: Liang C. K. , Eldering A. , Irion F. W. , Read W. G. , Fetzer E. J. , Kahn B. H. , Liou K.-N.
Published: July 2010

Abstract. In this paper, we analyze averaging kernels to assess the sensitivity of the Aqua Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) to water vapor. The averaging kernels, in the tropical and extra-tropical upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric region of the atmosphere, indicate that AIRS is primarily sensitive to water vapor concentrations typical of tropospheric values up to a level around 260 hPa. At lower pressures AIRS retrievals lose sensitivity to water vapor, though not completely as indicated by the non-zero verticalities at pressures less than 260 hPa. The MLS is able to provide high quality retrievals, with verticalities ~1 for all pressure levels, down to the same level for where AIRS begins to lose sensitivity. Previous analyses have estimated both instruments to have overlapping sensitivity to water vapor over a half temperature scale height layer, within the upper troposphere, for concentrations between ~30–400 ppmv. Thus, we implement a method using the averaging kernel information to join the AIRS and MLS profiles into an merged set of water vapor profiles. The final combined profiles are not only smooth functions with height but preserve the atmospheric state as interpreted by both the AIRS and MLS instruments.
Regional and temporal variability of sinking organic matter in the subtropical northeast Atlantic Ocean: a biomarker diagnosis
Authors: Alonso-González I. J. , Arístegui J. , Lee C. , Calafat A.
Published: July 2010

Abstract. Sinking particles through the pelagic ocean have been traditionally considered the most important vehicle by which the biological pump sequesters carbon in the ocean interior. Nevertheless, regional scale variability in particle flux is a major outstanding issue in oceanography. Here, we have studied the regional and temporal variability of total particulate organic matter fluxes, as well as chloropigment and total hydrolyzed amino acid (THAA) compositions and fluxes in the Canary Current region, between 20–30° N, during two contrasting periods: August 2006, characterized by warm and stratified waters, but also intense winds which enhanced eddy development south of the Canary Islands, and February 2007, characterized by colder waters, less stratification and higher productivity. We found that the eddy-field generated south of the Canary Islands enhanced by >2 times particulate organic carbon (POC) export with respect to stations (FF; far-field) outside the eddy-field influence. We also observed flux increases of one order of magnitude in chloropigment and 2 times in THAA in the eddy-field relative to FF stations. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was performed to assess changes in particulate organic matter composition between stations. At eddy-field stations, higher chlorophyll enrichment reflected "fresher" material, while at FF stations a higher proportion of pheophytin indicated greater degradation due to microbes and microzooplankton. PCA also suggests that phytoplankton community structure, particularly the dominance of diatoms versus carbonate-rich plankton, is the major factor influencing the POC export within the eddy field. In February, POC export fluxes were the highest ever reported for this area, reaching values of ~15 mmol C m−2 d−1 at 200 m depth. Compositional changes in pigments and THAA indicate that the source of sinking particles varies zonally and meridionally and suggest that sinking particles were more degraded at near-coastal stations relative to open ocean stations.