bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methods for Demonstrating Dermal Irritation and Sensitization due to Pesticides
Authors: O'Malley Michael
Published: November 2003

To avoid unnecessary human contact with compounds that are corrosive or severely irritating, chemicals may be screened using a number of different animal assays. Most of the available dermal assays readily predict the effects of the most severe irritants that produce a clear reaction after brief skin contact. The assays vary in ability to predict weak and intermediate irritants that produce reactions only after more prolonged or repeated contact. The gradations between irritant compounds can be best determined from use experience. Nevertheless, it is sometimes difficult to draw definite conclusions from the limited data available for particular compounds.
Industrial Hygiene and Biomonitoring in the Agricultural Workplace
Authors: O'Malley Michael
Published: November 2003

In agricultural hygiene, unique issues develop because of the dispersed work environment, the low prevalence of unionization and medical benefits, and the high prevalence of seasonal employment. Mechanical safety hazards and chemical exposures occur only intermittently and in widely dispersed locations. Therefore, agricultural hygiene often requires measurements of dermal exposure and measurements of environmental residues of pesticide applications. Plasma and RBC cholinesterase measurements are also routinely made on workers exposed to specific classes of pesticides. Biomonitoring can complement hygiene measurements in field investigations. As in industrial hygiene, failure to adequately monitor hazardous airborne contaminants can have catastrophic consequences.
Mycotoxins and Mycotoxicoses
Authors: Shurtleff Malcolm C.
Published: November 2003

Mycotoxins are compounds (metabolites) formed by fungi and are highly toxic when consumed by animals, including humans. A large number of mycotoxins have been identified and new ones are described periodically. Mycotoxins can accumulate in seeds (kernels) of corn (maize), small grains, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and peanuts, as well as in hay and other feed crops. Commercially processed foods and feeds, including meats, cheeses, and species, and the like, may also contain mycotoxins.
Fumonisins
Authors: Shurtleff Malcolm C.
Published: November 2003

Fumonisins are a group of toxic metabolites (mycotoxins) produced primarily by the fungi
Fusarium moniliforme
and
F. proliferatum
. Other
Fusarium
species that produce fumonisins include
F. napiforme
and
F. nygamai
. Fumonisin B1, the most common toxin, is generally considered to be produced on moldy corn and silage by certain strains of
F. moniliforme
. Fumisins cause neurotic diseases of horses, donkeys, and mules called “blind staggers.” The Food and Drug Administration has yet to establish action guidelines for fumonisin contamination.
Vomitoxin
Authors: Shurtleff Malcolm
Published: November 2003

Vomitoxin or deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the tricothecenes (mycotoxins) which comprise a large group of protein synthesis inhibitors. These mycotoxins are also powerful immunosuppressants which may predispose animals to other disease. Vomitoxin is the most commonly found trichothecene in moldy corn, but a number of other biologically active trichothecenes are produced by the species of the fungus
Fusarium
. The prognosis for recovery from vomitoxin mycotoxicosis is excellent once an animal is removed from the contaminated food source.
Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Sundin George W.
Published: November 2003

The antibiotic streptomycin is an important and effective chemical for the management of bacterial diseases of fruit trees, woody ornamentals, and vegetables. Streptomycin was initially discovered in 1944 and was one of the first antibiotics to be utilized in clinical medicine to control human diseases, and is still important as a feed amendment for growth promotion in agricultural animals. The widespread and diverse usage of streptomycin has contributed to the currently observed global streptomycin resistance problem. This problem is especially critical in plant disease management, as there are few alternatives to streptomycin.
Tetracycline
Authors: Sundin George W.
Published: November 2003

The tetracyclines are a group of compounds with broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activity against a diverse range of gram‐negative and gram‐positive bacteria. Most of the important tetracyclines are bacteriostatic in vitro, inhibiting cell growth by reversibly binding ribosomes and inhibiting protein synthesis. The first tetracycline, aureomycin, was discovered by a plant pathologist, B.M. Duggar, in the late 1940s. The use of oxytetracycline for plant disease control began in the early 1950s with the introduction of Agrimycin.
Preexisting Defense Chemicals
Authors: Hammerschmidt Raymond
Published: November 2003

Plant defense against bacterial and fungal pathogens is thought to be based, in part, on the presence of preexisting and postinfection induced antimicrobial compounds. Most plants contain compounds that are toxic to bacterial and fungal pathogens at some concentrations, and in a few cases there is good evidence to support the role of preformed compounds in resistance. Preexisting defensive chemicals are also known as phytoanticipins.
Juglone
Authors: Hammerschmidt Raymond
Published: November 2003

Juglone (5‐hydroxynapthoquinone) is found in the leaves and other parts of walnut, hickory, and pecan. It is synthesized from isochorismic acid and 2‐oxo‐glutaric acid. Juglone is probably best known as the allelochemical produced by black walnut. Juglone is also antifungal and attempts to correlate its presence with disease resistance in pecan, black walnut, and hickory to several fungal pathogens have been reported.
Disinfestation
Authors: Maloy Otis C.
Published: November 2003

Disinfestation destroys or inactivates organisms that are in nonvital associations with host plants such as pathogens on seed surfaces; in plant debris mixed with seed; on senescent plant material; on nonhost surfaces such as soil, machinery, implements, containers, and buildings; and in irrigation water. Disinfestation of plant parts or packing material is often prescribed as a condition for plant quarantines. Disinfestation may be accomplished with chemicals or heat. Disinfestation eliminates pathogens from plant surfaces before infection.
Bacteriocin
Authors: Vidaver Anne K.
Published: November 2003

Bacteriocins, or “bacteria‐killers,” are nonreplicating substances distinguished principally by their relatively narrow range of specificity against strains of the same or related species. They are thus specialized antibiotics, principally protein in nature. Bacteriocins are secreted by producing bacteria under different conditions, often physical depending on the growth stage of the producer. Detection of bacteriocins is usually done in vitro, with agar‐grown or liquid‐grown potential producers assayed against potential susceptible strains on agar plates.
Agrocin 84
Authors: Kerr Allen , Tate Max E.
Published: November 2003

Agrocin 84 is an antibiotic produced by the nonpathogenic strain K84 of
Rhizobium rhizogenes
, its derivates, and other closely related bacteria. It inhibits the growth of many pathogenic agrobacteria, and strong evidence indicates that it is the major, but not the only, factor in the commercially successful biological control of crown gall. It has marked specificity and may be considered as the first nonprotein bacteriocin.
Biological Control of Weeds
Authors: Rosskopf Erin N.
Published: November 2003

Weeds are one of the most costly and limiting factors in crop production, causing losses in yield by competing with crop plants for light, water, nutrients, heat energy, carbon dioxide, and space. In the United States, chemical herbicides account for 60% of the agricultural pesticides applied. Chemical herbicides, although effective, have problems associated with their use. As a result, avenues have been opened for use of plant pathogens as biological control agents for weeds. This process involves the use of a pathogen to suppress or control a weed population through the intentional creation of a plant disease epidemic.
Genetic Engineering
Authors: Mitra Amitava
Published: November 2003

Genetic engineering provides methods for isolating, selectively amplifying, and expressing genes encoding desirable traits. Because the majority of currently used plant‐transformation techniques introduce genes into individual totipotent plant cells, it is important that an established tissue culture system, a working regeneration protocol, and an effective method for introducing genes must exist for successful deployment of plant genetic engineering. Therefore, genetic engineering of plants encompasses plant tissue culture, techniques of plant gene transfer, and plant molecular biology.
Jasmonic Acid
Authors: Staswick Paul
Published: November 2003

Jasmonic acid (JA) is an important hormonelike signaling molecule that is apparently distributed throughout the plant kingdom. It functions as an intermediate in defense response pathways against both pathogens and insects. JA was first identified as the methyl ester form (MeJA), which is a volatile fragrance component of jasmine and other flowers and fruits. As a naturally occurring plant chemical, JA might provide as more ecologically acceptable method of controlling microbial growth on plant food products, both before and after their harvest.
Groundwater Monitoring
Authors: Miller Carol J.
Published: November 2003

Groundwater monitoring is used to analyze the impact of a variety of surface and subsurface activities, including seawater intrusion, application of agricultural products such as herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, residential septic systems, and industrial waste ponds. Another focus of groundwater monitoring has been contamination associated with waste landfills and ruptured underground petroleum storage tanks. Groundwater monitoring is a necessary component in any investigation of subsurface contamination. A wide variety of information can be gleaned from the data, including groundwater velocity and direction, and contaminant identification and concentration. These data can be combined with other observations to infer various characteristics of the contamination.
Growth Regulators, Animal
Authors: Beermann Donald H.
Published: November 2003

The growth of animals can be described as an increase in mass of whole body, tissue(s), organ(s), or cell(s) with time. This type of growth can be characterized by morphometric measurements. Growth also includes developmental aspects of function and metabolism of cells and tissues from conception to maturity. Both types of growth are influenced by genotype, nutritional status, and gender of the animal.
Nitrogen Fixation
Authors: Newton William E.
Published: November 2003

Nitrogen fixation, also called dinitrogen fixation, is a pivotal process in the global cycling of nitrogen. Nitrogen fixation is involved with the atmosphere‐to‐terrestrial direction of the cycling. Nitrification and denitrification convert ammonia to nitrate and then, via nitrogen oxides, to dinitrogen, which is lost to the atmosphere. Leaching and erosion of soils result in the movement of fixed nitrogen between land and sea. The biological world stay just ahead of a nitrogen deficiency because the fixation rate slightly exceeds the denitrification rate.
Phosphine and its Derivatives
Authors: Rickelton William A.
Published: November 2003

Although phosphine was discovered over 200 years ago in 1783 by the French chemist Gingembre, derivatives of this toxic and pyrophoric gas were not manufactured on an industrial scale until the mid‐ to late 1970s. Commercial production was only possible after the development of practical, economic processes for phosphine manufacture, which were patented in 1961 and 1962. This article describes both of these processes briefly, but more focus is given to the preparation of a number of novel phosphine derivatives used in a wide variety of important commercial applications.
Soil Chemistry of Pesticides
Authors: Kearney Philip C. , Shelton Daniel R. , Koskinen William C.
Published: November 2003

Pesticide residues in foods have been a matter of public interest since the publication of Rachel Carson'sSilent Springin 1962. The detection of trace amounts of organic pesticides in surface and groundwater has been a significant environmental issue since the early 1980s. Public debate about the safety of agricultural chemicals in drinking water has involved nitrates from fertilizers and other sources. The scope of the pesticide issue in water is so large and complex that this article can only address the more important classes of organic pest control chemicals. Soils play a significant role in modifying the amounts and kinds of pesticides ultimately detected in water.
Genetic Control
Authors: Metcalf Robert L. , Müller Franz
Published: November 2003

Genetic control refers to a variety of methods for suppressing insect pests through manipulation of the inheritance mechanisms of the population. The mass release of sterilized males, sterile male release, has proved most successful, but other techniques have been evaluated, including the use of chemosterilants and the mass introduction of deleterious mutations.
Plant Nutrition
Authors: Scherer Heinrich W. , Mengel Konrad , Dittmar Heinrich , Drach Manfred , Vosskamp Ralf , Trenkel Martin E. , Gutser Reinhold , Steffens Günter , Czikkely Vilmos , Niedermaier Titus , Hähndel Reinhardt , Prün Hans , Ullrich Karl‐Heinz , Mühlfeld Hermann , Werner Wilfried , Kluge Günter , Kuhlmann Friedrich , Steinhauser Hugo , Brändlein Walter , Kummer Karl‐Friedrich
Published: November 2003

Fertilizers in the broadest sense are products that improve the levels of available plant nutrients and/or the chemical and physical properties of soil, thereby directly or indirectly enhancing plant growth, yield, and quality. Fertilizers are classified in terms of their chemical compounds. Straight fertilizers generally contain only one primary nutrient. Compound fertilizers contain several primary nutrients and sometimes micronutrients as well. Micronutrient fertilizers contain nutrients required in small quantities by plants, as opposed to macronutrients. They are also classified as solid or liquid fertilizers and as soil or foliar fertilizers, the latter being applied exclusively by spraying on an existing plant population.
Biological Control
Authors: Lewis Leslie C.
Published: November 2003

Biological control is the action of natural enemies in maintaining another organism's population density at a lower level than would otherwise occur. In this article, however, the traditional definition has been expanded to include chemicals that duplicate or mimic natural ones. The major effort in biological control has been focused on the suppression of populations of pest insects. However, biological control of weeds and plant pathogens is a very active area of research.
Biodegradability: Methods for Assessing Biodegradability Under Laboratory and Field Conditions
Authors: Madsen Eugene L.
Published: November 2003

“Biodegradation” of organic compounds is the partial simplification or complete destruction of their molecular structure by physiological reactions catalyzed by microorganisms. Understanding and proving biodegradation processes under laboratory and field conditions is a science of ongoing discovery. This discovery requires a close dialog among many disciplines. It must be recognized that only under relatively rare circumstances is a proof of field bioremediation unequivocal when a single piece of evidence is relied on. In the majority of cases, the complexities of contaminant mixtures, their hydrogeochemical settings, and accounting for competing abiotic mechanisms of contaminant loss make it a challenge to document biodegradation processes.
Subsurface Microbial Communities: Diversity Of Culturable Microorganisms
Authors: Balkwill David L.
Published: November 2003

Interest in the microbiology of the terrestrial subsurface has increased steadily since the early 1980s, when it was discovered that several comparatively shallow aquifers contained sizable populations of culturable microorganisms. During the past two decades, culturable microorganisms, especially bacteria, have been detected in saturated and vadose‐zone subsurface environments that ranged in depth from near‐surface to 2.7 km below land surface, and in ambient temperature from 8°C to 65°C. Moreover, bacteria have been cultured from a geologically diverse range of unconsolidated and consolidated subsurface materials. The objective of this article is to review and summarize the characterization studies that provide much information on the diversity and composition of the culturable microbial communities in certain types of subsurface, focusing primarily on the phylogenetic characterization of culturable subsurface bacteria by analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence.
Flooded Soils
Authors: Conrad Ralf , Frenzel Peter
Published: November 2003

The microbiology of flooded soils is characterized by a large functional diversity that is seen in the numerous microbial phenotypes that occur in this ecosystem. This functional diversity is mainly due to the many different ecological niches created by gradients between oxic‐anoxic and substrate‐rich—substrate‐poor zones in the soil. These gradients are created by the limitation of the O2transport from the atmosphere into the soil because of slow diffusion and microbial respiration and by the deposition of organic matter into the soil by root exudation and decay of plant debris.
Genetically Engineered Microorganisms for Biodegradation of Recalcitrant Compounds
Authors: Duque Estrella , Esteve‐núñez Abraham , Michán Carmen , Abril María Angeles , Ronchel M. Carmen , Segura Ana , Ramos‐González María‐Isabel , Ramos Jua. L.
Published: November 2003

The mineralization of organic molecules by microbes is essential for the carbone cycle to operate. The massive mobilization of compounds stored in natural resources or the introduction of xenobiotics into the biosphere produces unidirectional fluxes that result in the persistence of many chemicals in the biosphere, where they are a source of pollution. Molecular biology offers the tools to optimize the biodegradative capacities of microorganisms, accelerate the evolution of new metabolic activities, and construct totally new pathways through the assemblage of catabolic segments from different microbes.
Kinetics of Microbial Processes and Population Growth in Soil
Authors: Lipson David A. , Schmidt Steven K.
Published: November 2003

The kinetics of microbial growth and substrate utilization in liquid culture have been worked out in great detail. However, it has become acknowledged that kinetics in soil are greatly affected by the complex physical environment of soils. Much progress has been made toward incorporating soil physical effects into the current understanding of the kinetics of microbial processes in soil. The review synthesizes new and classic work on the physical and biological factors that affect kinetics in soil.
Metabolism of Mixtures of Organic Pollutants
Authors: Egli Thomas
Published: November 2003

Recently, considerable information has been collected as to how microorganisms handle the biodegradation of mixtures of organic compounds, including pollutants. In this article, the most important phenomena and emerging principles with respect to utilization patterns growth (degradation) kinetics reported for growth of microbial cultures in the presence of mixtures of carbon substrates will be presented. There is now much evidence that especially under conditions as they pertain in most ecosystems, that is, at low concentrations, microbes utilize mixtures of substrates of natural origin simultaneously with pollutants. Cells benefit from mixed substrate utilization in several ways, such as from improved growth rates, competitive advantage at low nutrient concentrations, and a better dynamic metabolic flexibility to temporary fluctuations in the spectrum of available nutrients.
Quantification of Microbial Biomass
Authors: Sutton Susan D.
Published: November 2003

During the last two decades, there has been a rapid development of new techniques for in situ detection of microorganisms. Our increased ability to detect and identify these organisms has led to a new understanding of the vital role they play in the biosphere. This discussion focuses on evaluating the appropriateness of current detection methods for determining the quantitative importance of microorganisms in the environment. Several of the techniques described here may be useful for detecting organisms that are of quantitative significance.
Regulation of The Commercial Uses of Microorganisms
Authors: Glass David J.
Published: November 2003

A large variety of microorganisms, including many genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs), are used commercially because of advances in modern biology. However, many of these commercial applications, particularly those intended for use in the environment, are subject to governmental health and safety regulations. These regulations have largely been established in response to the scientific debate that followed the first proposals to use engineered microorganisms in open field‐testing.
Biodegradation: Reductive Dehalogenation And Metabolism Of Chlorinated Organics By Anaerobes
Authors: Zinder Stephen H.
Published: November 2003

Of the enormous number of different halogenated organic compounds that have been chemically synthesized, several have found widespread use, particularly as solvents and biocides. This use has led to their being accidentally or intentionally released into the environment, mainly to groundwater. Although there is good evidence for natural production of chlorinated organic compounds, many of the anthropogenic organic halogen compounds appear to be resistant to chemical and biological degradation and therefore persist in the environment. This chapter discusses the roels of anaerobic microorganism in the biodegradation of these compounds and focuses mainly on chlorinated compounds.
Soil Bacteria
Authors: Alexander David B.
Published: November 2003

Bacteria are among the most numerous and ubiquitous of all soil organisms. They are single‐celled, prokaryotic microbes whose small size and simple cell structure enable them to grow and adapt rapidly to changing environmental conditions. Bacterial cells consist of a cytoplasmic membrane, nucleoid, ribosomes, and a cell envelope that usually includes a cell wall composed of peptidoglycan. No other group of soil organisms has a greater impact on soil fertility, water and air quality, and on the quality of plant, animal, and human life.
Soil Distribution Of Microorganisms
Authors: Moorman Thomas B.
Published: November 2003

Microorganisms have significant roles in the processes of biodegradation and nutrient transformation in terrestrial ecosystems. Microorganisms are abundant in soil and sediments, and active populations are even found in geologic materials far below the earth's surface. In general, population distributions are controlled by substrate inputs. Thus, substrate‐rich environments such as the plant rhizosphere or the forest‐litter layer have higher population densities than do root‐free surface soil. Surface soil have far larger populations of microorganisms than deeper sediments, which receive organic substrates only through leaching of materials from the surface.
Soil Enzymes
Authors: Tabatabai M. Ali
Published: November 2003

Soil may be looked upon as a biological entity. Soils contain free enzymes; immobilized extracellular enzymes stabilized by a three‐dimensional network of macromolecules and enzyme proteins within microbial cells. Each of the organic and mineral fractions in both bulk soil and rhizosphere has a special influence on the total enzymatic activity of that soil. The study of enzymes, in general, is a subject of interest to many disciplines in science ranging from biology to physical sciences.
Soil Quality: The Role of Microorganisms
Authors: Smith Jeffrey L.
Published: November 2003

Soil quality is important because of the unique role soil plays in the human environment. From foundations for buildings to contamination buffers and a water regulator to a medium for the production of food and fiber; soils are important in everyday life. Soil quality of the capacity of the soil to function is dependent on its intended use, its inherent properties, and its current condition. Society should equate soil quality with air and water quality for sustainability. Thus, the concern is not only the state or conditions of soil quality but also its direction and rate of change as measured by sensitive soil indicators with quantifiable limits and interpretations.
Toxicity Testing in Soil, Use of Microbial and Enzymatic Tests
Authors: Pell Mikael , Torstensson Lennart
Published: November 2003

The vast number of chemicals used in society today urge for simple and rapid tests to assess toxic effects on the soil ecosystem. Several microbial methods for soil toxicity testing and soil quality testing exist today. Surprisingly, few of these tests have, though, reached the level of becoming international standards. By using such tests for screening purposes and dose‐response testing, it is possible to identify chemicals, and concentrations of these chemicals, that could be allowed without seriously threatening the productivity and sustainable use of soils.
Dibenzo‐p‐Dioxins: 2,3,7,8‐Tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐Dioxin
Authors: Reid Jon B.
Published: November 2003

Dibenzo‐p‐dioxins are a class of compounds of which there are 75 possible isomers as shown. A recent IARC Monograph summarizes much of the information on these compounds. By far, the majority of the information is for 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD), the most toxic of the isomers. Most of the material in this chapter relates to this compound.
Soil Nitrogen Cycle
Authors: Myrold David D.
Published: November 2003

Nitrogen is an essential element for life. Microorganisms and their activities are crucial to supplying biologically available nitrogen; in fact, only certain prokaryotes can produce such nitrogen. In general, microorganisms play a key role in the transformation of nitrogen into its many available forms and thereby influence primary productivity in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. An understanding of nitrogen cycling in soils is critical to sustain the productivity of natural and managed ecosystems without environmental degradation.
Insect Pheromones
Authors: Plimmer Jack R. , Gammon Derek
Published: November 2003

Insect pheromones are classified as “semiochemicals” and affect the behavior of other insects. Semiochemicals include pheromones, kairomones, feeding stimulants, synthetic attractants, and so on, and they are useful components of pest management systems. Sex attractant pheromones released by femaleLepidopterato attract the male for mating purposes have been identified from several hundred insect species. A major practical application is the use of attractant pheromones in traps as baits to monitor and detect the presence of a pest species or to reduce its population. Also, to reduce insect population, mating may be disrupted by permeating the air with pheromones during infestations. Lepidopteran sex attractant pheromones are mainly mono‐ or di‐unsaturated esters, aldehydes, or alcohols derived from unbranched long chain alkanes ranging from C8to C16. Although the amount of pheromone present in the female moths is only a few nanograms per insect, the structures of pheromones of more than 1600 species have now been identified.

Major forest pests, including the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), the eastern spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana), the western pine shoot borer moth (Eucosma sonomana), and the Douglas‐fir tussock moth (Orygia pseudotsugata), have been the target of large‐scale pest management programs involving pheromones. Pheromone formulations have been registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a number of agriculturally important pests, including the boll weevil (Anthonomus grandisBoheman), the pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiellaSaunders), the artichoke plume moth (Platypilia carduidactyla), the tomato pinworm (Keiferia lycopersicellaWalsingham), and the tobacco budworm (Helicoverpa virescens). Pheromone blends are produced by species of bark beetles, and these complex aggregation pheromones have been used extensively in mass trapping programs, capturing millions of bark beetles and protecting valuable forest resources.

Experience showed that successful application depends on understanding insect behavior, particularly in the field, where competing stimuli exist. Formulation and deployment of pheromones are critical factors. Release rates of pheromones from controlled‐release formulations should correspond to biologically effective rates.
Insecticides: Overview and Introduction
Authors: Plimmer Jack R. , Gammon Derek W.
Published: November 2003

Insects constitute an immense drain on food resources worldwide, as well as being serious disease vectors. Insecticide applications are made directly to raw agricultural commodities to protect plants and animals from insect attacks. Official national and international bodies regulate pesticide use and set permitted maximum residue levels or MRLs/tolerances for residues of insecticides and degradation products. Insect vectors spread many human and animal diseases. It was estimated in 2000 by the World Health Organization (WHO) that malaria caused close to 3 milllion deaths annually. Major health and economic benefits are associated with the continued use of insecticides, and the combination of newly introduced chemical classes with improved understanding of pest management has done much to reduce both the amounts used and the risks to nontarget species and the environment. Historically, many insecticidal preparations were derived from plant species. Synthetic organic chemicals were introduced in the 1930s, but the scale of their use increased during the immediate postwar years, with the introduction of the chlorinated insecticides, the carbamates and the organophosphates. Chlorinated organic insecticides were used in quantity, particularly for control of disease vectors, but they became recognized as ubiquitous environmental pollutants. Their effectiveness fell as insect resistance became widespread. Newer insecticides based on substantially different modes of action and of greater environmental acceptability are replacing older compounds. Newer types include growth regulators, juvenile hormone analogs, compounds affecting other metabolic pathways, such as chitin synthesis, and compounds affecting insect behavior. Investigations of insect physiology revealed more details of the insect nervous system and identified new targets. Newer screening and synthesis techniques aided developmental work and resulted in newer insecticides effective at extremely low application rates. These include the synthetic pyrethroids, fermentation products such as the spinosads, that act at the nicotinic acetycholine receptor, as do the nitromethylenes compounds acting on the GABA receptor/chloride ionophore complex, voltage‐gated sodium channel effectors, and compounds acting on mitochondrial respiration, among others. Regulatory policy favors the development of new compounds that are compatible with integrated pest management (IPM) systems. Major considerations in selection of the proper insecticide for the IPM program include mode of action, timing, dosage of application, and problems of resistance and resurgence, possible effects of insecticide residues on food crops, and in the environment, and the impact of these on humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.
Diffusion in Liquid Associating Systems
Authors: Bosse D. , Bart H.‐J.
Published: November 2003

A recently developed model for the prediction of pseudo‐binary Maxwell‐Stefan diffusion coefficients on the basis of a multicomponent approach applicable to binary associating and/or solvating systems is further examined. For this purpose two example calculations are added to illustrate and to answer the following questions: What are the capabilities and limits of the new model? How does the model actually compute binary diffusivities from a multicomponent approach? What information must be supplied by the user? How does the model perform on example calculations?
Nanofiltration for the Separation of Nonvolatile Products from Solutions Containing Ionic Liquids
Authors: Kröckel J. , Kragl U.
Published: November 2003

Nanofiltration (NF) can be used to isolate nonvolatile compounds from solutions containing ionic liquids (IL). This was shown for the mixtures bromophenol blue/IL and lactose/IL. In both cases the product was rejected while the ionic liquid permeated. Alternatively, the rejection of the ionic liquid is possible as well. Such separations are possible because nanofiltration membranes are selective towards size and charge of the components.
Multimode Microwave Reactor for Heterogeneous Gas‐Phase Catalysis
Authors: Will H. , Scholz P. , Ondruschka B. , Burckhardt W.
Published: November 2003

In order to investigate heterogeneously catalyzed gas‐phase reactions, e.g. the oxidation of propane, on heterogeneous catalysts in the multimode microwave field, a microwave device was modified to achieve an adequate field homogeneity and a continuous power control. To date, no similar apparatus has been described in the literature. The presented microwave apparatus is suitable for carrying out reproducible catalytic investigations in the multimode microwave field.
The influence of climatic change and human activity on erosion processes in sub‐arid watersheds in southern East Siberia
Authors: Korytny Leonid M. , Bazhenova Olga I. , Martianova Galina N. , Ilyicheva Elena A.
Published: November 2003

A LUCIFS model variant is presented that represents the influence of climate and land use change on fluvial systems. The study considers trends of climatic characteristics (air temperature, annual precipitation totals, rainfall erosion index, aridity and continentality coefficients) for the steppe and partially wooded steppe watersheds of the south of East Siberia (the Yenisey River macro‐watershed). It also describes the influence of these characteristics on erosion processes, one indicator of which is the suspended sediment yield. Changes in the river network structure (the order of rivers, lengths, etc.) as a result of agricultural activity during the 20th century are investigated by means of analysis of maps of different dates for one of the watersheds, that of the Selenga River, the biggest tributary of Lake Baikal. The study reveals an increase of erosion process intensity in the first two‐thirds of the century in the Selenga River watershed and a reduction of this intensity in the last third of the century, both in the Selenga River watershed and in most of the other watersheds of the study area. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The impact of changes in climate and land use on soil erosion, transport and deposition of suspended sediment in the River Rhine
Authors: Asselman Nathalie E. M. , Middelkoop Hans , van Dijk Paul M.
Published: November 2003

The objective of this study was to estimate the potential effects of changes in climate and land use on the mobilization of fine sediment and the net transport of wash load from the upstream basin to the lower Rhine delta. For this purpose, a suite of geographical information system‐embedded models was developed that simulates the production, and transport of wash load through the drainage network and deposition on floodplains along the lower river reaches. The model results indicate that if climate changes in accordance with the UKHI climate‐change scenario, in combination with land use changes, erosion rates will increase in the Alps and decrease in the German part of the basin. Averaged over the entire basin, erosion will increase by about 12%. However, due to inefficient sediment delivery, increasing erosion in the Alps will have little effect on the sediment load further downstream. In the delta area, sediment loads are expected to decrease by 13%. When changes in river discharge are accounted for, it appears that, although very high discharges are expected to occur more frequently, sedimentation on floodplains tends to decrease. This is caused mainly by reduced sediment loads at discharges during which the floodplains are just inundated and trapping efficiencies are high. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Changes in the flux of sediment in the Upper Murrumbidgee catchment, Southeastern Australia, since European settlement
Authors: Olley Jon M. , Wasson Robert J.
Published: November 2003

Since European settlement began 180 years ago, the sediment flux in the upper Murrumbidgee River, NSW, Australia, has changed as a result of grazing, historical climate variations, and dam closures. Of these, the introduction of grazing stock, which triggered widespread gully erosion, has had the largest effect, increasing the sediment flux by a factor of more than 150. In comparison, multi‐decadal variations in rainfall cause less than a twofold increase in the sediment transport capacity of the river, and the effects of dam closures are significant only in some reaches. At the time of settlement, vegetated shallow valley floor depressions were common and many of the creeks, and streams consisted of deep pools linked by shallow vegetated zones. Much of the main channel of the river was cobble and gravel bedded. The sediment flux out of this 10 500 km2 catchment prior to settlement is estimated to have been very low, ∼2400 t year−1. Degradation of the vegetated valley bottoms by introduced stock in the 1840s and 1850s triggered a massive phase of gully erosion. Over the next 40 to 50 years the erosion rates in the headwater areas increased by a factor of nearly 245, and ∼43 000 000 t of sediment was generated. We estimate that, during this period, gully erosion increased the sediment flux out of the catchment by a factor of about 200 to ∼480 000 t year−1. As the gully networks reached maximum extension, sediment yield from the headwater areas declined by a factor of ∼40 and are now estimated to be about six times the pre‐European rates. Interestingly, sediment yield from the whole catchment declined only by a factor of two to ∼100 times the pre‐European rates (250 000 t year−1). We attribute this difference to an increase in the efficiency of sediment delivery through the stream network. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Changes in sediment flux and storage within a fluvial system: some examples from the Rhine catchment
Authors: Lang Andreas , Bork Hans‐Rudolf , Mäckel Rüdiger , Preston Nicholas , Wunderlich Jürgen , Dikau Richard
Published: November 2003

The Rhine river system can look back on a long history of human impact. Whereas significant anthropogenic changes to the river channel started only 200 years ago, the impacts of land use have been felt for more than 7500 years. Here, we review results from several case studies and show how land‐use change and climate impacts have transformed the fluvial system. We focus on changes in sediment delivery pathways and slope–channel coupling, and show that these vary in time and depend on the magnitude of a rainfall event. These changes must be accounted for when trying to use sediments as archives of land‐use change and climatic impacts on fluvial systems. For example, human impact is recorded in slope deposits only as long as rainfall intensity and runoff generation do not exceed the threshold for gullying. Similarly, climatic impacts are only recorded in alluvium when both the landscape is rendered sensitive by human activities (e.g. deforestation) and rainfall thresholds for gullying are exceeded. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Erosion and sedimentation on the Russian Plain, part 1: contemporary processes
Authors: Litvin L. F. , Zorina Ye. F. , Sidorchuk A. Yu. , Chernov A. V. , Golosov V. N.
Published: November 2003

During the 1970s and 1980s the techniques of tillage and the area of cultivation on the Russian Plain remained virtually unchanged. Therefore, it is possible to assess both the rate and forms of erosion and sedimentation over almost all of the plain for this period of several decades. Using the SHI model and USLE, with coefficients derived for Russian conditions, observed gully density, area and volume, and a morphogenetic classification of streams, it has been possible to produce an assessment of the current state of erosion and sedimentation. The geographic patterns of both the rates and types of erosion and sedimentation are presented and partially explained. This assessment will be of considerable value as a ‘baseline’ against which to assess future changes as the area of cultivation and the methods of farming change, as well as to assess historical erosion and deposition. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A challenging intervention with maternal anxiety: Babies requiring surgical correction of a congenital anomaly after missed prenatal diagnosis
Authors: Aite Lucia , Trucchi Alessandro , Nahom Antonella , Zaccara Antonio , Casaccia Germana , Bagolan Pietro
Published: November 2003

The objective of this study is to assess the impact on maternal anxiety of a short‐term intervention in a particularly stressful situation, such as a surgical anomaly diagnosed only at birth after repeated negative prenatal ultrasounds. The patients were 30 mothers of babies requiring surgical correction of a congenital anomaly who were randomly assigned to an intervention (N = 16) or control (N = 14) group. The intervention group received standard care plus short‐term intervention that included weekly meetings with the psychologist and weekly team meetings. The control group received only standard care available on the Neonatal Surgery Unit. The main outcome measure was maternal anxiety levels, assessed at birth and on discharge with the Spielberger State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI–S). Statistical comparisons were made, and no significant differences were found at birth in the STAI–S scores of the two groups. At discharge, the intervention group exhibited a much lower STAI–S score than the group without short‐term intervention. The authors concluded that psychological counseling for parents of newborn babies has been shown to be helpful. However, the impact of such assistance was shown to be particularly beneficial for parents facing the emotional stress of their children requiring unexpected surgical corrections of congenital anomalies at birth. Therefore, the presence of a psychologist, as part of the standard care of newborns requiring surgical correction, is recommended. ©2003 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.
Alterations of liver function test in patients treated with antipsychotics
Authors: Garcia‐Unzueta M. Teresa , Herran Andres , Sierra‐Biddle Deirdre , Amado J. Antonio , Vázquez‐Barquero J. Luis , Álvarez Concepción
Published: November 2003

The prevalence of alterations of liver function tests in patients treated with a wide range of antypsychotics is unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of antipsychotics on liver function tests in a population of schizophrenic outpatients. Concentrations of AST, ALT, GGT, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, and bilirubin were determined in 54 patients fitting DSM‐IV criteria of schizophrenia, and the same number of sex‐ and age‐matched healthy subjects. Assessments included the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in addition to treatment related variables. Transaminases concentrations were slightly elevated in study patients compared to healthy controls, but without statistical significance. Alkaline phosphatase showed higher values in schizophrenic patients. Albumin and bilirubin were lower in study patients. Liver function tests abnormalities were found in about 10% of schizophrenic patients treated with antipsychotics. Treatment with depot phenotiazines induces alteration in these tests more frequently than treatment with other antipsychotics. PANSS negative subscale scores directly correlated with alkaline phosphatase and inversely correlated with albumin. A substantial number of patients in treatment with antipsychotic drugs present alterations of liver function tests. Both pharmacological and clinical factors could be related with these alterations. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 17:216–218, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Development of a dipstick dye immunoassay for diagnosing hydatidosis
Authors: Sbihi Younes , Gil José R. , Alvarez Pedro A. , Orduña Antonio , Rodríguez‐Torres Antonio , Osuna Antonio
Published: November 2003

We have developed a kit to diagnose hydatidosis, based on the detection of specific antibodies. This disease, caused by larvae of the cestode Echinococcus granulosus, is a zoonosis commonly found throughout the world. The diagnostic kit discriminates between positive and negative cases in a way that is easily interpreted, i.e., positive cases form a colored band on an inert substrate. The results show test sensitivity to be some 94.87% and specificity 85.71%, which is comparable to those of the ELISA technique. The high sensitivity and specificity of this test affords the great advantage of speed in diagnosing this parasitosis. No other equipment or procedure is required. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 17:219–222, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
New homogeneous HDL‐cholesterol assay without the influence of high TG sample using the selective detergent to lipoproteins
Authors: Ueda Yasuki , Matsui Masahiko , Hayashi Sadao , Yamaguchi Yoshihisa , Kanakura Yuzuru
Published: November 2003

Homogeneous HDL‐cholesterol assays have been developed and used widely in routine analysis, but they have been reported to give inaccurate results in patients with hypertriglyceridemia. Recently, a new assay based on a new principle without the influence of triglycerides has also been developed and commercialized. We evaluated the basic performance of this new homogeneous HDL‐cholesterol assay and compared it with the conventional polyethylene glycol/cyclodextrin‐modified enzyme (PEGME) method using high‐triglyceride (TG) samples (TG>8,000 mg/L). For samples showing a discrepancy with the conventional method, other precipitation and ultracentrifugation (UC) methods were also used to confirm the values. This new homogeneous assay is based on the selective solubilizing effect of detergent on the different lipoproteins. First, non‐HDL free cholesterol is consumed by enzyme and is cleared as a colorless reactant. Then. HDL‐cholesterol is selectively solubilized by lipoprotein‐specific detergent and reacted with the enzyme. As a result, the precision of this new homogeneous assay was good (CV<2%) over the wide range, and the measurement range was 0 to 2,000 mg/L. This method correlated well with the PEGME method, which is a conventional method for normolipidemic samples (y=0.97x‐3.1, r=0.994, n=424). It also correlated well with the UC method (y=0.99x+0.3, r=0.989, n=53). Fourteen high‐TG samples showed different results from those obtained by the PEGME method. Among these samples, one contained abnormal lipoproteins (probably due to the influence of drug therapy) and gave a significantly different result from that obtained by the PEGME method. However, the values obtained by other methods (precipitation and ultracentrifugation) agreed well with those obtained by this new method. In conclusion, this method shows a good basic performance and is useful for high‐TG samples without any interference. Therefore, it is considered to be very practical for a routine test. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 17:201–208, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.