bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proficiency test of non-target screening with gas chromatography mass spectrometry to confirm a detected contamination of raw and drinking water
Authors: Petri Michael , Jiang Jia-Qian , Maier Matthias
Published: January 2011

Much of the water supply industry has implemented online monitoring and warning systems for chemical or biological contaminations. When a contamination is detected, further investigations are necessary to confirm or to cancel the initial alarm. The proficiency of a non-target screening approach with solid phase extraction and GCMS in full-scan mode was examined. A selection of pesticides and industry chemicals was used for proficiency testing in extracts of raw and drinking water from Lake Constance. All total ion chromatograms (TIC) of extracted water samples showed a significant chemical background that have an adverse effect on compound identification. The TIC was evaluated with a two-dimensional search algorithm considering mass spectra similarity and retention index for identification, which was used an additional identification criteria to increase the confidence in identification. At a spiking level of 0.50 μg/l, up to 70% of the pollutants were unambiguously assignable. The sample pre-treatment was kept as simple as possible to reduce analysing time. A solid-phase extraction with extraction disks at flow rates up to 100 ml/min without any precedent filtration step reduces the sample pre-treatment time for a 1 l-sample below one hour. The recovery rates for most of the examined pollutants were above 60%.
Investigation of the use of TiO2 doped with metal ions in water disinfection
Authors: Khraisheh M. A. , Wu L. , Antizar-Ladislao B.
Published: January 2011

This research was conducted to improve titanium dioxide by transition metal doping using cooper. Sol gel method was used to prepare metal doped TiO2. Titanium isopropoxide and commercial TiO2 P25 were employed as catalyst precursor. The role played by the varied preparation parameters such as doping level and pH of solution discussed with respect to the final photoreactivity. Photoreactivity was carried out in a solar box with two UVA lamps. The photodisinfection of E. coli in aquatic solution were selected as probe to measure the photoreactivity. It is found that Cu doped TiO2 exhibited enhanced results from E. coli photodisinfection.
Multivariate consumption profiling (MCP) for intelligent meter systems: a methodology to define categories and levels
Authors: Solanas J. L. , Cussó M. R.
Published: January 2011

Multivariate Consumption Profiling (MCP) is a methodology to analyse the readings made by Intelligent Meter (IM) systems. Even in advanced water companies with well supported IM, full statistical analyses are not performed, since no efficient methods are available to deal with all the data items. Multivariate Analysis has been proposed as a convenient way to synthesise all IM information. MCP uses Factor Analysis, Cluster Analysis and Discriminant Analysis to analyse data variability by categories and levels, in a cyclical improvement process. MCP obtains a conceptual schema of a reference population on a set of classifying tables, one for each category. These tables are quantitative concepts to evaluate consumption, meter sizing, leakage and undermetering for populations and groupings and individual cases. They give structuring items to enhance “traditional” statistics. All the relevant data from each new meter reading can be matched to the classifying tables. A set of indexes is computed and thresholds are used to select those cases with the desired profiles. The paper gives an example of a MCP conceptual schema for five categories, three variables, and five levels, and obtains its classifying tables. It shows the use of case profiles to implement actions in accordance with the operative objectives.
Microbiological quality of bottled water brands sold in retail outlets in New Zealand
Authors: Svagzdiene R. , Lau R. , Page R. A.
Published: January 2011

The microbiological quality of bottled water has been studied over the past 30 years as bottled water can contain pathogens. The aim of this study was to determine if retailed bottled water in New Zealand complied with the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards (ANZFS) Code (2002) and the New Zealand Microbiological Reference Criteria (1995). Thirty-eight domestic and imported bottled water brands were tested for Total Coliforms, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococci, HPC, Yeasts and Moulds. Three brands did not comply with both of the above criteria for Total Coliforms. Seventeen brands did not comply with HPC criteria and 21 brands displayed mould growth. A questionnaire was used to assess the impact of manufacturing procedures on bottled water quality. Four responding manufacturers, which represented 11 bottled water brands, bottled at least one brand that did not comply with the ANZFS Code for HPC. Our study demonstrated that even 10 years after the initial study in New Zealand microbiological contamination in bottled waters was still being detected. We further demonstrated that monitoring of bottled water microbiological quality was essential and that the presence of manufacturers' procedures for ensuring satisfactory bottled water microbiological quality did not always guarantee it.
Effect of advanced water treatment on behaviour of residual chlorine and development of chlorine control method in distribution systems
Authors: Fuchigami T. , Takeda M. , Terashima K.
Published: January 2011

The behaviour of residual chlorine concentration in drinking water treated by the mid-chlorination or the advanced water treatment (AWT) was investigated. The AWT removes dissolved organic matter more than the mid-chlorination, thus the rate of residual chlorine reduction is decreased. The analysis of chlorine concentration data measured by automated continuous monitoring devices revealed that the introduction of AWT reduced the maximum and mean chlorine concentration by 0.33 mg L−1 and 0.21 mg L−1 compared to the mid-chlorination respectively, while the minimum concentration was maintained at around 0.3 mg L−1 in the whole city. The overall chlorine reduction rate coefficient in the AWT was reduced to approximately half of that in the mid-chlorination. Volatilization of chlorine from a water surface could be expressed by the zero-order rate of reaction from laboratory experiments. The rate of volatilization increases with increasing water temperature and shallower water depth. The residual chlorine prediction models were developed based on the results of data monitoring and laboratory experiments. The accuracy of simulated values is good and almost all of the predicted concentrations are in the range of±0.1 mg L−1 of measured concentrations. The models are very effective to control residual chlorine concentration at predetermined target value.
Study on migration modes and correlative factors of Tubifex tubifex (Oligochaeta, Tubificidae) in source water
Authors: Ting-lin Huang , Xiao-bao Nie , Jin-song Zhang , Wei Li , Xiao-yu Li , Shuang Zhang , Bao-shan Wang
Published: January 2011

Excessive propagation of tubificid in eutrophic source water can result in its emergence in the drinking water plant, which has been a troublesome problem in recent years. The migration of tubificid, especially drift migration in the source water is the main cause of worm pollution in drinking water plant. Migration modes and correlative factors of Tubifex tubifex, dominating the tubificid frequently, were investigated to help drinking water plant to solve worm pollution. Migration modes were divided into superficial, deep and drift migrations, representing migrations occurring in surface sediment (0–2 cm), deep sediment (deeper than 2 cm) and from sediment to overlying water, respectively. The results showed that both temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) affect the worm migration modes. The maximum drift efficiency occurred at 22°C while DO was controlled around 8 mg O2 l−1. When the temperature was fixed at 20°C, maximum drift efficiency was observed at 2 mg O2 l−1. Distinct increase of superficial migration and decrease of deep migration were observed at 28°C compared to 16 and 22°C. Low DO appeared to be the main reason for the increase of worm’s deep migration. The results confirmed that worm drift from sediment to overlying water, which was influenced by the temperature and DO content, was the main cause of worm pollution in the drinking water plant.
Analysis of flushing-path effects in water-distribution networks
Authors: Hyun I. H. , Khishigjargal S. , Chang Y. W. , Kim D. H. , Dockko S.
Published: January 2011

The unidirectional and conventional flushing methods are compared in this study and the water amount and flow velocity at junctions within an EPANET water distribution network are compared. In the unidirectional method, the necessary flow and water pressure for the minimum flow velocity for flushing become greater when pipe diameter exceeds a certain value. Therefore, the maximum length of flushable pipeline decreases. The velocity in a pipeline is not highly dependent on the number of open hydrants; in contrast, the velocity in a pipeline after conventional flushing increases with the number of open hydrants. The hydrant discharge flow is smaller in unidirectional flushing than in conventional flushing. However, the percentage of velocities above 1.0 m/s or 1.5 m/s in a flow is relatively higher in conventional flushing when multiple hydrants are open concurrently. Moreover, preplanning or choice of an exact target area is more necessary for unidirectional flushing than for conventional flushing. In this research, a flushing path that can generate optimum effects with less hydrant discharge flow can be observed when conventional and unidirectional flushing processes are applied to specific components in advance.
Greywater treatment with biological aerated filter (BAF) for urban water reuse
Authors: Meda A. , Cornel P.
Published: January 2011

Greywater is an excellent resource for service water in intra-urban reuse. By substituting fresh water with appropriately treated greywater, it is possible to save 30–50% of fresh water. In this paper, an up-flow pilot biological aerated filter (BAF) is tested for the treatment of synthetic greywater and the design parameters are determined. An organic load of 8 kg COD/(m3 d) allows to achieving a good effluent quality with regard to COD, suspended solids, and anionic surfactants. By reducing the organic load to 5 kg COD/(m3 d) full nitrification is achieved as well. A process set-up for a full-scale BAF greywater treatment plant is proposed and dimensioned using the parameters from the pilot plant tests. Here, the required specific volume is approx. 3 L/C for the reactor and 16 L/C for the storage tanks. This feature make the BAF a compact process which can be successfully integrated in intra-urban water reuse schemes.
Adsorption of humic and fulvic acid on copper surfaces
Authors: Reyes Arturo , Letelier María Victoria , Lagos Gustavo
Published: January 2011

The presence of natural organic matter (NOM) in drinking water can increase the levels of copper released from copper pipes to water and inhibit the formation of protective deposits such as malachite. Since adsorption of NOM on copper pipes surfaces is believed to be one of mechanisms that explains this phenomenom, the objective of this study was to determine kinetics and the adsorption equilibrium of main components of NOM, humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA), onto copper surfaces. The kinetics and equilibrium adsorption of HA and FA on copper foils were examined using batch experiments at 22°C. HA and FA followed pseudo second-order kinetics adsorption. Rate constants measured were 2.59 × 10−1 (mgTOC cm−2 h−1) for HA and 3.13 × 10−1 (mgTOC cm−2 h−1) for FA. The adsorption behavior of HA and FA on the copper surface is in accordance with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Langmuir adsorption constants measured were 5.98 × 10−2 L mg−1 for HA and 4.78 × 10−2 L mg−1 for FA. The copper foils exposed during five months to FA formed malachite deposits, whereas those exposed to HA did not and just cuprite was found. The results of this study showed that both HA as well as FA adsorption on copper surfaces is favored and no significant differences were found in the adsorption parameters calculated for both compounds. However, the inhibition of the malachite precipitation could be attributed to the HA adsorption.
Photoelectrocatalytic activity for water treatment of TiO2/Ti electrodes prepared by anodization
Authors: Attyaoui A. , Ben Youssef A. , Bousselmi L.
Published: January 2011

TiO2 electrodes are made by anodization of Ti at various applied voltages. The increase of voltage facilitates the generation of anatase and rutile at high potential (superior to 140 V). Photoelectrochemical properties of prepared electrodes are investigated with and without methanol. TiO2/Ti electrode obtained at 140 V presents high photoelectrochemical properties. The electrode presents better separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, high photocurrent and easy charge transfer. The reaction of adsorbed methanol with generated holes increases the photocurrent. When the electrode is anodically biased (application of 1 to 2 V), the photocurrent increases with increased methanol concentration and at alkaline pH.
“Ozone” and “GAC filtration” synergy for removal of emerging micropollutants in a drinking water treatment plant?
Authors: Boucherie C. , Lecarpentier C. , Fauchon N. , Djafer M. , Heim V.
Published: January 2011

Ozonation plays an essential role in water disinfection to inactivate viruses, bacteria and some parasites (Giardia). Ozone treatment rates to attain disinfection goals also result in oxidation reactions of emerging pollutants. Pharmaceuticals–except Ciprofloxacin–are very reactive to ozone: they are removed as early as the transfer compartment outlet even at an ozone treatment rate of less than 1 g/m3. Glyphosate, AMPA, Amitrole and Diuron–the four major pesticides in the Seine, Marne and Oise rivers–are reactive to ozone. Twenty-one pesticides are only partially reactive to ozone and an additional “GAC filtration” is needed to remove them. Further investigations have been planned to study the removal of Phthalates, Nonylphenols and Hormones by combining the “Ozone” and “GAC filtration” process units.
The Influence of Firms on Government
Authors: Macher Jeffrey T , Mayo John W , Schiffer Mirjam
Published: January 2011

While interest group explanations have considerably advanced our understanding of governmental outcomes, much remains to be understood about the specific country-level, industry-level and firm-level characteristics that underlie the influence firms have on the establishment of governmental rules, laws and regulations. In this study, we draw upon a unique database of roughly 6000 international firms to investigate the abilities of firms to affect governmental policies. We find that country-level institutional characteristics, such as the legal origin and political diversity of the firm’s home country, significantly affect the ability to influence government. We also find that industry-level characteristics, such as the number of industry competitors, and firm-level characteristics, such as size and age, are determinants of firm influence on governments.
Darbepoetin Alfa Impact on Health Status in Diabetes Patients with Kidney Disease
Authors: Lewis Eldrin F. , Pfeffer Marc A. , Feng Amy , Uno Hajime , McMurray John J. V. , Toto Robert , Gandra Shravanthi R. , Solomon Scott D. , Moustafa Moustafa , Macdougall Iain C. , Locatelli Francesco , Parfrey Patrick S.
Published: January 2011

Background and objectives

Quality of life (QOL) is markedly impaired in patients with anemia, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. Limited data exist regarding the effect of anemia treatment on patient perceptions. The objectives were to determine the longitudinal impact of anemia treatment on quality of life in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease and to determine the predictors of baseline and change in QOL.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

In a large, double blind study, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, nondialysis chronic kidney disease (estimated GFR, 20 to 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2), and anemia (hemoglobin 10.4 g/dl) were randomized to darbepoetin alfa or placebo. QOL was measured with Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue, Short Form-36, and EuroQol scores over 97 weeks.

Results

Patients randomized to darbepoetin alfa reported significant improvements compared with placebo patients in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue, and EuroQol scores visual analog scores, persisting through 97 weeks. No consistent differences in Short Form-36 were noted. Consistent predictors of worse change scores include lower activity level, older age, pulmonary disease, and duration of diabetes. Interim stroke had a substantial negative impact on fatigue and physical function.

Conclusion

Darbepoetin alfa confers a consistent, but small, improvement in fatigue and overall quality of life but not in other domains. These modest QOL benefits must be considered in the context of neutral overall effect and increased risk of stroke in a small proportion of patients. Patient's QOL and potential treatment risk should be considered in any treatment decision.
Effect of an In-Hospital Chronic Kidney Disease Education Program among Patients with Unplanned Urgent-Start Dialysis
Authors: Rioux Jean-Philippe , Cheema Harpaul , Bargman Joanne M. , Watson Diane , Chan Christopher T.
Published: January 2011

Background and objectives

The effect of in-hospital education on the adoption of home dialysis (peritoneal dialysis [PD] and home hemodialysis [HHD]) after an unplanned dialysis start is unknown.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Clinical demographics of consecutive patients acutely initiating hemodialysis (HD) from January 2005 to December 2009 were abstracted using institutional electronic records. All patients received multimedia chronic kidney disease education by the same advanced care nurse practitioner before discharge from the hospital. Clinical characteristics of patients choosing home dialysis or staying on in-center HD were compared.

Results

Between 2005 and 2009, 228 patients acutely started renal replacement therapy (RRT) at the center. Seventy-one patients chose home dialysis (49 patients adopted PD and 22 adopted HHD), 132 chose to remain on in-center HD, and 25 died before discharge from the hospital. Patients adopting home dialysis tended to be younger than in-center HD patients (55 ± 18 [home dialysis] versus 59 ± 16 [in center] years; P = 0.09) and were similar in gender distribution (49% [home dialysis] versus 56% [in center] male; P = 0.2). Patients adopting home dialysis were more likely to have a failed kidney transplant (24% [home dialysis] versus 12% [in center]; P = 0.045) and less likely to have ischemic nephropathy (9% [home dialysis] versus 21% [in center]; P = 0.03). The distribution of comorbid conditions was different between patients adopting home dialysis and in-center HD.

Conclusions

Home dialysis is feasible after urgent dialysis start. Education should be promoted among patient experiencing acute-start dialysis.
Examination of the Passive Facial Feedback Hypothesis Using an Implicit Measure: With a Furrowed Brow, Neutral Objects with Pleasant Primes Look Less Appealing
Authors: Mori Kazuo , Mori Hideko
Published: January 2011

98 undergraduates (54 men, 44 women) participated in an experiment to examine whether having an artificially furrowed brow would have an effect on participants' subjective impression of perceived targets. An elastic adhesive bandage was either stretched to create furrows on the brow when it retracted, or not stretched so as to avoid creating wrinkles. While wearing the bandages, the participants rated their impressions of neutral targets preceded by agreeable, disagreeable, or neutral primes in a modified Affect Misattribution Procedure. The results showed that participants with artificially furrowed brows tended to rate the neutral targets preceded by agreeable primes less favorably than did the control participants, while both groups rated similarly the targets preceded by disagreeable primes.
Grip Strength Impairments among Older Adults Receiving Physical Therapy in a Home-Care Setting
Authors: Bohannon Richard W.
Published: January 2011

A hand-grip dynamometer was used to assess the magnitude and prevalence of grip strength impairments among 41 home-care patients with diverse diagnoses (e.g., stroke, cancer, fracture, osteoarthritis). Based on published reference values, patients (as a whole) were weaker than normal for age and sex. The prevalence of weakness was 85.4% on one or the other side and 70.7% on both sides. Considering the prognostic importance of grip strength, this study emphasized the potential value of its measurement in a home-care population.
Semiclassical fully differential ionization cross sections of helium with negatively charged fast projectiles
Authors: Járai-Szabó Ferenc , Nagy Ladislau
Published: January 2011

Fully differential cross sections are calculated for the ionization of helium by negatively charged fast projectiles using a semiclassical model developed previously for the ionization of atoms by positive projectiles. The method is tested in the case of 1 keV electron and 500 keV antiproton projectiles. The semiclassical results show reasonable agreement with the experiments and other theories. The origin of the obtained structures has been investigated by a partial wave analysis.
Bioorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry
Authors: Constable Edwin C. , Housecroft Catherine E. , Creus Marc , Gademann Karl , Giese Bernd , Ward Thomas R. , Woggon Wolf-D. , Chougnet Antoinette
Published: January 2011

The interdisciplinary projects in bioinorganic and bioorganic chemistry of the Department of Chemistry, University of Basel led to the preparation of new systems that mimic biologically important processes and to the discovery of compounds from natural sources which are very promising
with respect to medical applications. The advances in these areas are reported here.
Synthesis and Catalysis
Authors: Gademann Karl , Pfaltz Andreas , Wegner Hermann A. , Wennemers Helma , Woggon Wolf-D. , Chougnet Antoinette
Published: January 2011

Research projects of the Department of Chemistry, University of Basel are reviewed ranging from the synthesis of complex natural products to the development of metalorganic catalysts and organocatalysts
Supramolecular and Nanochemistry
Authors: Constable Edwin C. , Housecroft Catherine E. , Mayor Marcel , Meier Wolfgang P. , Palivan Cornelia G. , Wegner Hermann A. , Wennemers Helma
Published: January 2011

The following contributions describe various research activities of the Department of Chemistry, University of Basel in the area of nanochemistry and supramolecular chemistry.
Ecophysiological observations on Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur (India)
Authors: Singh R P , Agarwal R M , Tiwari Avinash
Published: January 2011

Keoladeo National Park is a 'Ramsar site' which is flooded by Ajan bandh and is reserved for its high level of biodiversity. Owing to its global ecological, faunal and floral significance, it was declared a world heritage site in 1985. The total area i.e. 28.7 square km presents a variety of habitats i.e. marshy/wetlands, woodlands and grasslands etc. Wetlands support a variety of flora and fauna and have maximum biodiversity because of plenty of nutrients. However, wetlands may exhibit salinity due to upwelling of salts and that makes it a different site from the routine one. In order to evaluate the salinity status of the soil and its reflection on the vegetation, an analysis of soil and plants was carried out. For analysis three dominant plants of the Park viz. Acacia nilotica, Prosopis juliflora, and Mitragyna parvifolia were selected. Along with inorganic constituents, organic constituents of osmotica were also determined to evaluate their contribution under such conditions in plants. Key Words: Keoladeo National Park; Bharatpur; wetlands; Ramsar site; ecophysiological; salinity DOI: 10.3126/jowe.v4i0.2588Journal of Wetlands Ecology, (2010) Vol. 4, pp. 43-68
Assessment and monitoring of spatio-temporal changes in Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Rajasthan, India using geoinformatics
Authors: Reddy C Sudhakar , Krishna P Hari , Swetha V , Shivakala T , Charan Prabhu D
Published: January 2011

Knowledge of changes in wetlands is becoming a very important issue for sustainable management of natural resources. The present work has been carried out: in Keoladeo Ghana National Park (KNP), a RAMSAR site to study the dynamics of wetlands with reference to long-term and seasonal changes in extent of water spread, vegetation types and to build a spatial database on wetlands. Multi-temporal satellite data of Landsat MSS (1977), Landsat TM data (1989), IRS P6 AWIFS (2005) and IRS P6 LISS III data (2005-2006) was used for mapping and spatial analysis. Comparisons between 1977 and 2005 indicated that changes in overall wetland areas were significant. The total area of wetland in March 1977 was 186 hectares and in March 2005 it was found to be 7.5 ha. There is a drastic reduction in spatial extent of water spread from October to May and results indicated that the total area ranged from 528 ha (October 2005) to 7.5 ha (March-May 2005). The study clearly points that Geoinformatics have become very effective tool for wetlands mapping and monitoring. Key words: wetlands; geoinformatics; satellite data; Keoladeo; RajasthanDOI: 10.3126/jowe.v4i0.3115Journal of Wetlands Ecology, (2010) Vol. 4, pp 33-42
Evaluation of Sponge Gourd Landraces in Line with the Reliability of Names Given by Farmers
Authors: Joshi Bal K , Upadhyay Madhusudan P , Baniya Bimal K , Dongol Durga MS , Tiwari Radha K , Shrestha Pitamber
Published: January 2011

Reliability study on the names of landraces given by farmers is useful for on-farm management of agro-biodiversity. This paper evaluated whether the names given by farmers to sponge gourd [Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem.] are reliable. Information on sponge gourd landraces based on the local names was collected through household survey from Kaski and Bara districts of Nepal. Important landraces of these two sites were collected and grown in on-station in Kaski. A total of 25 qualitative data were studied in three individual plants of each landrace. Simple matching coefficients, cluster and principal components analyses were applied. Reliability analyses, number of farmers handling the landraces by same name, simple matching coefficients between all possible pairs, clustering and principal components plotting showed that the names of sponge gourd landraces given by farmers of Kaski and Bara districts were reliable or consistent in naming their varieties. Therefore, landraces richness based on the names of sponge gourd could reflect the genetic diversity and can be considered accordingly for conservation, either on-farm or ex-situ.Key words: reliable names; sponge gourd; reliability analysis; qualitative traits; multivariate analysis DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4083Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 1-8
Impact of Soil Infestation of Rice Root-Knot Nematode and Flooding on its Development and Rice Yield
Authors: Dangal NK , Sharma-Poudyal D , Shrestha SM , Adhikari C
Published: January 2011

A pot experiment was conducted during July-November 2006 in a glass house at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Rampur, Chitwan to find out the impact of soil infestation of rice root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne graminicola Golden and Birchfield) and flooding on its development and rice yield. The experiment was conducted in a 4 factorial randomized complete block design with 5 replications. Rice cv. 'Sabitri' was sown in M. graminicola infested soil and infestation free (healthy) soil. Both beds were further divided to give wet bed (flooded) and dry bed condition. Twenty-one days old seedlings from each seedbed were transplanted into plastic pots containing 5 kg of M. graminicola infested and healthy soil each treated with lowland (continuously flooded) and upland condition. Simulated field conditions were created throughout the experiment period. Results revealed that rootknot index (RKI) and population of second stage juveniles of M. graminicola (J2) in soil and roots were significantly lower and grain yield was higher in pots containing seedlings transplanted from wet seedbed than dry bed. Lower RKI, root lesion index (RLI) and J2 population in soil and roots and higher grain yield were observed in pots containing seedlings transplanted from healthy seedbed than the nematode infested seedbed. Similarly, RKI, RLI and J2 population in soil and roots were significantly lower in simulated lowland as compared to upland condition. Transplanting on healthy soil also resulted in lower RKI, RLI and J2 population in soil and roots and higher grain yield than in the nematode infested soil. Interactions revealed that highest grain yield was obtained from seedlings grown under healthy seedbed transplanted in healthy soil under simulated lowland condition. Thus, M. graminicola infestation may be minimized by growing seedlings in healthy and wet seedbed. Seedling transplanting into M. graminicola free soil and lowland condition may be another important control measure for it. Key words: dry bed; lowland; upland; wet bed; rice root-knot nematode; Meloidogyne graminicola DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4086Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 31-36
Herbage Mass Productivity and Carrying Capacity Estimation of Some of the Selected Rangelands of Taplejung District
Authors: Devkota NR , Kolachhapati MR
Published: January 2011

A study of the representing rangelands of Taplejung district was carried out during summer of 2009 to estimate the herbage mass yield of different slope categories, and to calculate the carrying capacity (CC) of the representing rangelands based on 60 days re-growth period so that optimum number of livestock unit (LU) per unit area would be possible to allow for grazing. The findings revealed that plain slope had higher herbage mass produced, but was comparatively over-grazed as revealed by higher stocking rate. Existing carrying capacity reasonably supports the grazers, but irrespective of the quality herbage. In deed there was a lower CC for higher slope area with higher CC for plain slope. Nevertheless, the CC values for different slope categories indicated that rangelands in Taplejung district has wider scope of improvement, both for herbage mass productivity, and grazing management through precise stocking rates to match with the prevailing carrying capacity. A major challenge, however, lies to convince herders about the benefits of reducing stocking rates and improving production efficiencies, with the increased income and less degradation of the present available rangelands. Detail study on herbage mass production based on total herbage mass harvest days of a year along with stocking rate for the respective period would be important to consider in generating concrete and site specific information. Key words: herbage mass; carrying capacity; stocking rate; rangelands; herders; Taplejung district DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4125Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 63-70
Vegetation Composition and Biomass Production in Community Forest in Sikre VDC adjoining Shivapuri National Park, Kathmandu
Authors: Pandey Sudip , Bajracharya Siddhartha Bajra
Published: January 2011

The present study describes the structural and floral composition of the vegetation of Sikre Village Development Committee (VDC) at Shivapuri National Park. Systematic sampling technique was used to analyze the vegetation of the forest. A quadrat size of 10mx10m was plotted at respective point for tree study and within 5mx5m plots for shrubs and 1mx1m for herbs analysis. The study recorded a total of 18 tree species from 13 families in the forest area. Among the trees, Uttis (Alnus nepalensis D. Don) and Chilaune [Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth.] were the most dominant species. The major shrubs of the forest areas comprised of Yurilo (Hypericum uralum Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don), Chutro (Berberis aristata DC.) and Angeri (Melastoma melabathricum L.). Among the herbs Bhui Amala (Phyllanthus freternus Webster), Unyu [Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) Schott.] and Banmara (Eupatorium adenophorum Spreng.) were dominant ones in forest ground. The aboveground biomass of tree species was found to be 4021.41kg/ha in which Dhalne katus [Castanopsis indica (Roxb.) Miq.] constituted the large percent of biomass of the forest. The estimated resources demand and supply showed the annual deficit of 112.038t/yr and the carbon stock was calculated to be 2.01t/ha. The Shannon Index of diversity was highest for tree (2.33) followed by shrub (2.22) and herb (2.17) respectively. The density of cut stumps and the density of lopping were 184/ha and 216/ha respectively, which showed that the anthropogenic pressure on community forest was prominent. Key words: basal area; biomass; species diversity; systematic sampling DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4135Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 133-138
Biogas Production from Anaerobic Digestion of Biodegradable Household Wastes
Authors: Lungkhimba Harka Man , Karki Amrit Bahadur , Shrestha Jagan Nath
Published: January 2011

This study focuses on production of biogas as an alternative energy by using biodegradable wastes (BWs) in view of solving waste management at household level. The research was conducted on ARTI model compact biogas plant of 1 m3 digester and 0.75 m3 gasholder in focusing the management of daily collected biodegradable wastes (1-2 kg) produced from households. Both laboratory and field analyses were carried out. Methane content in biogas was determined by Biogas Analyzer Gas Board-3200P. Average maximum of about 235 l gas was recorded per day with corresponding to 65 min/day burning hour with the gas flame of energy value 1.55 MJ/h. According to the plant owners, the burning period of the gas was approximately 2 h/day during the spring and pre-monsoon seasons. The average gas production (per kg) from fresh waste materials was approximately 60 l. The use of high moisture containing cellulosic waste materials and incomplete digestion due to lower digester temperature were the major causes of lower gas yield. The proportion of methane exceeded by carbondioxide in the beginning but then after gradually methane exceeded carbondioxide and reached 56.43% on an average. Although fertilizer value in terms of NPK increased gradually but it remained below 1% except K, which was found to be 1.22%. Simple payback periods of 4.81, 7.57 and 7.20 years were found in kerosene, firewood, and LPG substitutions respectively. Key words: alternative energy; biogas analyzer; compact biogas plant; methane; simple payback period DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4140Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 167-172
A Map Based Inventory of Lakes in Nepal
Authors: Bhuju Ukesh Raj , Khadka Madhukar , Neupane Pawan Kumar , Adhikari Radium
Published: January 2011

An inventory of lakes in Nepal based on desktop study of topographic maps published between 1992 and 2001 was produced, as a part of the National Lake Strategic Plan for Nepal. As all earlier studies reported only partially the number of lakes in the Terai and the high mountains, the scope of this study was to produce a complete list of lakes useful in planning for lakes conservation and management. Closed water bodies indicated in the topographical sheets were considered as lakes. The inventory included name, location, altitude, grids X and Y, and sheet number. An alpha-numerical code was generated to identify lakes by districts. The study also included surveillance with 121 researchers in the team representing Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, National Trust for Nature Conservation and Tribhuvan University - Central Department of Environmental Science. They gathered photographic evidences and some geographical information of 229 lakes in 49 districts from August through October 2009. They also consulted with over 1,700 stakeholders through focus group discussions and consultation meetings in the districts for the strategic plan. A list of 5,358 lakes has been prepared. Of the 75 districts, 74 contain lakes. There are 21 districts containing less than nine lakes in each, and 16 districts containing over 100 lakes in each. Among the rest of the districts, 16 contain 10 to 29 lakes, and 22 contain 30 to 99 lakes. The eight districts containing high number of lakes are Humla (381), Taplejung (380), Kapilbastu (351), Solukhumbu (339), Rupandehi (289), Banke (243), Dhanusa (230), and Dolpa (210). Altitudewise, 2,712 lakes (51%) are distributed below 500m, and 2,227 (42%) above 3,000m. Only 419 lakes (<8%) are in the mid hills of altitudinal range between 500m and 2,999m. Names are available only for 472 lakes in the topographical sheets. The lists of lakes are maintained at the National Lake Conservation Development Committee and its key partner institutions. The significant lakes included the largest Rara lake (800ha), and the longest Phoksundo lake (5.15km), and the highest placed Dhau Dhundhun Tal (5,905m). Key words: lake; inventory; topographical sheet DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4141Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 173-180
Lake Water Quality and Surrounding Vegetation in Dry Churiya Hills, Far-Western Nepal
Authors: Neupane Pawan K , Khadka Madhukar , Adhikari Radium , Bhuju Dinesh R
Published: January 2011

Mudka, Bedkot and Jhilmila are natural lakes in dry sub-tropic Churiya hills of Kanchanpur in far-western Nepal. A study was carried out on these lakes to prepare baseline information on water quality, floristic and structural features of adjoining forest vegetation, socio-cultural importance and threats to help support their sustainable use. The study was conducted in March (pre-monsoon) and November 2008 (post-monsoon). A significant seasonal variation (p≤0.05) in the physico-chemical properties of the lake waters was recorded. Adjoining forests of Mudka contained 23 species at canopy, 13 species at shrub and 27 species at herb strata, while that of Bedkot had 31 species of plants at canopy, 9 species at shrub and 37 species at herb strata, and Jhilmila had 23 species at canopy, no species at shrub and 47 species at herb strata. The most frequently seen trees were Mallotus philippensis and Shorea robusta in the forests surrounding Mudka and Bedkot whereas Jhilmila's surrounding forests contained S. robusta, Semicarpus anacardium, Syzygium cumini and Anogeisus latifolius. At shrub stratum, in the forest surrounding Mudka, M. philippensis had the highest density (633.3 no./ha) whereas in case of Bedkot, Solanum erianthum had the highest density (144.0no./ha). At herb stratum, the species with highest coverage at the respective forest were Ageratum conyzoides (7.14%), Viburnum contifolium (8.5%) and Themeda triandra (16.09%). All three lakes possessed cultural values as the people visited the sites as pilgrimage and observed religious festivals mostly on full moon. However, unsustainable consumption of the resources from the surrounding forests is adding pressure on the condition of the lakes. Further, the area and depth of the lakes are diminishing due to the massive amount of sediments from fragile Churiya hills. This calls for the urgent conservation and good management of the lakes. Key words: conservation; forest characteristics; seasonal variation; socio culture DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4142Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 181-188
Cyclosporiasis Among School Going Children of Kathmandu Valley
Authors: Sherchand Shardulendra Prasad , Joshi Dev Raj , Adhikari Nabaraj , Pant Krishna Prasad , Pun Ramesh
Published: January 2011

Intestinal parasitic infections among children possess a critical public health issue in Nepal. This study was conducted to determine cyclosporiasis among school going children of Kathmandu valley. A total of 187 collected stool samples were subjected to direct microscopy, formal-ether concentration technique, Sheather’s sucrose floatation technique and modified acid fast staining technique. The incidence of cyclosporiasis, cryptosporidiosis and other intestinal parasitosis was 24.1%, 29.4% and 51.9% respectively. The cyclosporiasis was higher in female (28.4%) without any significance (p=0.190). The cyclosporiasis was found highest in age group 5-8 (25.2%) but statistically insignificant (p=0.895). Cyclosporiasis was higher in symptomatic case (25.6%) but found statistically insignificant (p=0.469). Similarly, cyclosporiasis was higher in school children without following hygienic practice (28.0%) but without any significance (p=0.103). There was significant difference between detection of cyclospora before and after sporulation by modified acid fast staining technique (p<0.001) and highest association was seen between Cyclospora cayetanensis and Cryptosporidium parvum. The outcome of this study revealed that cyclosporiasis remain highly endemic in school children of Kathmandu valley. This suggests proper diagnosis and specific treatment is required to lower the parasitic burden. Key words: Cyclospora cayetanensis; Cryptosporidium parvum; modified acid fast staining technique DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4145Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 193-198
Alternative Technique for the Construction of Menarcheal Life-table
Authors: Aryal Tika Ram
Published: January 2011

The main aim of this paper is to construct menarcheal life-table of Nepal using sample survey data. An alternative technique for the construction such as a life-table based on models has been proposed. The construction of such a life-table describes the distribution of the waiting time for getting menarche at birth as well as some specified age or age group of girls (in years). The average expected number of years to attain menarche at birth was found to be 14.8 years. Likewise, if girls who attain 12th birthday, they most likely to wait another 3.2 years for getting menarche among older birth cohort girls while it was 2.4 years among younger birth cohort girls. Only 11 % girls had attained menarche before their 13th birthday. This finding may help for planners and policy-makers to design effective policy in reproductive health and behaviors of females in a country. Key words: menarche; life-table, recall error; memory lapse; logistic distribution DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4146Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 199-204
Wicked Traders, Deserving Peddlers, and Virtuous Smugglers: The Counter-Economy of Jane Barker's Jacobite Novel
Authors: Lacroix Constance
Published: January 2011

A manuscript-circulated coterie poetess, then a (long-forgotten) pioneer in the rise of the English novel, Jacobite author Jane Barker witnessed with distrust and distaste the rise of businessmen and tradespeople in early eighteenth-century British society. Standing at the crossroads between the two worlds and world-pictures of the Jacobite court at Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Hanoverian Britain, deeply concerned with, and personally affected by, the material difficulties of the daily survival of Jacobite partisans, she simultaneously expressed and fostered the uneasiness of the men and women of the landed gentry faced with the change from a status- to a class-based society in her later novels. To this end, she created a variety of sharply delineated, often contradictory “trading” figures vested with symbolic and political significance. Halfway between observation and allegorization, novelistic characterization provided Barker with a way to negotiate a difficult adaptation to the unsparing historical necessity—the dual political and economic revolution—which had upset both her status as a poet of the elite and the political and religious order to which she still adhered.
The Failure of Trade's Empire in The History of Emily Montague
Authors: Binhammer Katherine
Published: January 2011

The contingencies of applying free trade imperialism to an impoverished Canada in the 1760s force the characters in Frances Brooke's The History of Emily Montague to abandon the sentimental colonial project, retreating to England to establish their domestic Utopia. Other critics have read Emily Montague's relation to the colonial project as ambiguous; I agree but relate these ambiguities not to the novel's gender or colonial practices, but to its economic ideology of global laissez-faire capitalism. Brooke's novel tries to narrate a plot of infinite wealth accumulation, but Canada's particular political and economic problems will not abide. The novel ends up laying bare the contradictions at the heart of this emerging liberal economic theory.
“Une voix Plébéienne” in Eighteenth-Century France: Charlotte Curé, “La Muse Limonadière”
Authors: Young Paul J.
Published: January 2011

Charlotte Curé, also known as “La Muse Limonadière,” occupied a unique position in eighteenth-century French literature. Curé's literary output—although largely forgotten, and at times forgettable—offers a rare look into the life of a working-class female writer in the second half of the eighteenth century. A “maîtresse de café” (or limonadière), she was nevertheless a female writer who occupied a surprising position in the “Republic of Letters,” maintaining a correspondence with some of eighteenth-century France's most influential writers. Her literary career and her successes are all the more exceptional when considered in tandem with her biography: by her own admission, she seems to have had no formal literary training. Moreover, she composed her works (in prose and in verse) and carried on her literary correspondence while also exercising her trade at Le Caffé Allemand on the Rue Croix des Petits Champs, not far from the Palais Royal.
Clothes without Bodies: Objects, Humans, and the Marketplace in Eighteenth-Century It-Narratives and Trade Cards
Authors: Smith Chloe Wigston
Published: January 2011

While recent studies of the things of literature call attention to the narrative and psychological slippage between people and their possessions, this essay argues that rather than representing a loss for human agency, humans and things intermingle to the disadvantage of objects. I show how trade cards and object narratives engage with the same nexus of commercial culture, objects, and humans, and share a mutual resistance to “autonomous garments”—petticoats, shoes, gowns, and other garments depicted independently of the human form. Object narratives, read in tandem with trade cards, suggest that the growth of distance between persons and things, as opposed to their collapse into each other, constitutes a central narrative in the period's commodity culture and fiction. Object narratives, even as they transform coats, waistcoats, petticoats, slippers, and shoes into first-person narrators, actively work against the entanglement of human and material spheres. Together these genres place sartorial commodities under human control, emphasizing the human subject's agency over those items worn closest to the self.
The Hidden Life of Porcelainiers in Eighteenth-Century France
Authors: Jones Christine A.
Published: January 2011

Once porcelain experimentation began on the Continent, from the mid-seventeenth century onward, the new trade venture inspired discussion of the porcelain arts that formulated a relationship between the artisan and the object. In these public discourses—published analyses, treatises, and descriptions of the trade—the purpose of the porcelainier was made to disappear behind the mechanical and chemical demands of the craft. My recuperation of the porcelainier's vision in this article appeals to the only written tradition in which that voice can be heard: patent documents. Correspondence exchanged between artisans and the crown from the early days of experimentation (1670–1700) to the royal regulation of the industry (1750s) offer evidence of the visionary ideas that porcelainiers brought to practising and promoting their craft.