bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of Pediatric Vaccine Formulary Selection Problems
Authors: Hall Shane N. , Jacobson Sheldon H. , Sewell Edward C.
Published: January 2009

Vaccination against infectious disease is hailed as one of the great achievements in public health. However, the United States Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule is becoming increasingly complex as it is expanded to cover additional diseases. Moreover, biotechnology advances have allowed vaccine manufacturers to create combination vaccines that immunize against several diseases in a single injection. All these factors are creating a combinatorial explosion of alternatives and choices (each with a different cost) for public health policy makers, pediatricians, and parents/guardians (each with a different perspective). The General Vaccine Formulary Selection Problem (GVFSP) is introduced to model general childhood immunization schedules that can be used to illuminate these alternatives and choices by selecting a vaccine formulary that minimizes the cost of fully immunizing a child and the amount of extraimmunization. Both exact algorithms and heuristics for GVFSP are presented. A computational comparison of these algorithms and heuristics is presented for the 2006 Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule, as well as several randomly generated childhood immunization schedules that are likely to be representative of future childhood immunization schedules. The results reported here provide both fundamental insights into the structure of the GVFSP models and algorithms and practical value for the public health community.
Optimal Initiation and Management of Dialysis Therapy
Authors: Lee Chris P. , Chertow Glenn M. , Zenios Stefanos A.
Published: January 2009

Dialysis is the most common therapy for patients afflicted with chronic kidney failure. Currently, little is known about the relationship between the timing of dialysis initiation and the therapy's cost and effectiveness. This paper examines the cost-effective initiation of dialysis and compares standard initiation criteria from the clinical literature to computationally derived strategies. Comparisons make use of a simulation model that integrates submodels of disease progression, hospitalization, transplantation, cost, and quality of life. The simulation model is also used by an approximate dynamic programming (ADP) algorithm to derive approximately optimal strategies that maximize patient welfare. Patient welfare is measured from the society's perspective and is defined as the product of the expected discounted quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and a “value-of-life” parameter, minus the expected total discounted medical expenditures. Also considered is an alternative formulation in which the goal is to minimize the expected total discounted medical expenditures without affecting patient QALYs relative to current medical practice. Numerical results show that: (i) standard early initiation strategies, where once started on dialysis patients are kept on a fixed weekly program, have a limited potential, and (ii) early dialysis at an incrementally increasing dose customized to each patient can yield a significant cost advantage. These findings demonstrate computationally intensive models of disease progression, and therapy effectiveness can identify novel strategies for managing expensive medical therapies and a more efficient use of scarce health-care resources.
Assessing Dynamic Breast Cancer Screening Policies
Authors: Maillart Lisa M. , Ivy Julie Simmons , Ransom Scott , Diehl Kathleen
Published: January 2009

Questions regarding the relative value and frequency of mammography screening for premenopausal women versus postmenopausal women remain open due to the conflicting age-based dynamics of both the disease (increasing incidence, decreasing aggression) and the accuracy of the test results (increasing sensitivity and specificity). To investigate these questions, we formulate a partially observed Markov chain model that captures several of these age-based dynamics not previously considered simultaneously. Using sample-path enumeration, we evaluate a broad range of policies to generate the set of “efficient” policies, as measured by a lifetime breast cancer mortality risk metric and an expected mammogram count, from which a patient may select a policy based on individual circumstance. We demonstrate robustness with respect to small changes in the input data and conclude that, in general, to efficiently achieve a lifetime risk comparable to the current risk among U.S. women, screening should start relatively early in life and continue relatively late in life regardless of the screening interval(s) adopted. The frontier also exhibits interesting patterns with respect to policy type, where policy type is defined by the relationship between the screening interval prescribed in younger years and that prescribed later in life.
A Dynamic Simulator for the Management of Disorders of the Body Water Homeostasis
Authors: Karanfil Özge , Barlas Yaman
Published: January 2009

A dynamic model is built to study the water regulation of human body and related disorders, focusing on the fundamental feedback mechanisms involved in their normal and abnormal physiology. The simulation model is extended to include therapeutic interventions related to the most common body fluid disorder, namely, water intoxication/hyponatremia. The modeling approach is based on system dynamics methodology. Comparisons with experimental and field data show that the model adequately reproduces typical dynamics of the body fluid variables in their normal and diseased states. Finally, an interactive game version is developed to test the possible effects of alternative treatment options on a simulated patient. Simulation and game results reveal the subtleties involved during and after administration of various pharmacological interventions. For example, hypertonic saline should be administered concurrently and in delicate balance with drugs that increase urine flow. The simulator offers a virtual laboratory for experimental research and education on diagnosis and alternative therapies of body water disorders in general and hyponatremia in particular.
Analysis of laser light migration in apple tissue by Monte Carlo simulation
Authors: Baranyai László , Zude Manuela
Published: January 2009

The distribution of laser light in the tissue of Golden Delicious and Idared apples was measured with backscattering imaging and simulated with Monte Carlo (MC) method. The settings of the vision system (sensitivity and resolution) and the parameters of the laser modules (wavelength, power and beam diameter) were used in a time resolved MC model to optimize the computation. The 1 ns pulse containing 1.42 × 10
7
(at 670 nm) and 2.49 × 10
8
(at 785 nm) photons was selected for the simulation of backscattering on the fruit surface. The statistical effect of the scattering coefficient (µ
s
), absorption coefficient (μ
a
), and anisotropy factor (
g
) on photon flux and shape of the backscattering profile was evaluated within ±20 % range relative to expected mean values for apple tissue (µ
a
= 0.63 cm
−1
, µ
s
= 30.0 cm
−1
and
g
= 0.8). The multi-factor ANOVA test pointed out the highest importance (p<0.001) of the anisotropy factor compared to the scattering and absorption coefficients. Decreasing value of anisotropy factor enhanced the maximum intensity and increased the decline of the gradient resulting in a rotation of the intensity profiles. The measured backscattering profiles for Golden Delicious apples responded to bruising (p<0.05) already after one day storage.
Caring for an Underserved Population: Helping Pediatric Patients with Disabilities Transition to Adulthood
Authors: Milbrath Christine
Published: January 2009

Improving the processes to assist adolescent patients in their transition into the adult health care community reveals the challenges encountered by adults with disabilities. A service gap between pediatric care providers and adult care providers is bridged by a program providing direct care, education, and advocacy.
Phenanthrene metabolites bound to soil organic matter by birnessite following partial biodegradation
Authors: Lee Seunghwan , Ryu Hyerim , Nam Kyoungphile
Published: January 2009

The hypothesis that phenanthrene, an aromatic compound without a hydroxyl group, can form nonextractable residues in soil with the aid of phenanthrene-biodegrading bacteria and birnessite was tested. The mutant strain Sphingobium yanoikuyae B8/36 successfully accumulated cis-phenanthrene dihydrodiol, and the intermediate was readily radicalized and coupled into soil organic matter in the presence of birnessite. Phenanthrene and the intermediate disappeared from the soil in 96 h in the presence of birnessite, but the intermediate accumulation occurred without birnessite. By determining the total organic carbon contents before and after birnessite treatment, it could be seen that birnessite did not mineralize cis-phenanthrene dihydrodiol. Fourier transform infrared and ultraviolet analyses suggest instead that the intermediate was incorporated into the soil organic matter, forming nonextractable, bound residues. Increases in the aromaticity and pH in birnessite-treated soil also present more evidence for bound residue formation. The soil in which bound residue formed did not exhibit an acute toxicity of phenanthrene, but evidence indicated that such toxicity existed in the freshly spiked soil. In addition, a long-term column test revealed that the bound residues could not be eluted by the combination of water, 80% methanol, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure solution (pH 2.88) for four months, implying stability of the nonextractable residues in the soil.
GA-optimized model predicts dispersion coefficient in natural channels
Authors: Tayfur Gokmen
Published: January 2009

Models whose parameters were optimized by genetic algorithm (GA) were developed to predict the longitudinal dispersion coefficient in natural channels. Following the existing equations in the literature, ten different linear and nonlinear models were first constructed. The models relate the dispersion coefficient to flow and channel characteristics. The GA model was then employed to find the optimal values of the constructed model parameters by minimizing the mean absolute error function (objective function). The GA model utilized an 80% cross-over rate and 4% mutation rate. It started each computation with a population of 100 chromosomes in the gene pool. For each model, while minimizing the objective function, the values of the model parameters were constrained between [−10, +10] at each iteration. The optimal values of the model parameters were obtained using a calibration set of 54 out of 80 sets of measured data. The minimum error was obtained for the case where the model was a linear equation relating dispersion coefficient to flow discharge. The model performance was then satisfactorily tested against the remaining 26 measured validation datasets. It performed better than the existing equations. It yielded minimum errors of MAE = 21.4 m2/s (mean absolute error) and RMSE = 28.5 m2/s (root mean-squares error) and a maximum accuracy rate of 81%.
Geochemical and isotopic evolution of high-pH groundwater in a carbonate-bearing glacigenic aquifer, SW Finland
Authors: Kortelainen Nina M. , Karhu Juha A.
Published: January 2009

The glacigenic Virttaankangas aquifer in SW Finland is characterized by groundwaters with high pH values of up to 9.5. High pH values exceeding 9 are uncommon for shallow groundwaters from unconsolidated glacigenic formations on crystalline bedrock. To evaluate the geochemical evolution of groundwater, water samples were collected from 17 sites. The samples were analysed for the isotopic composition of oxygen, hydrogen, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and strontium, the activities of radiocarbon and tritium, and for the basic chemical composition. Groundwaters in the Virttaankangas aquifer system show a considerable range in water pH from 6.4 to 9.5. The isotopic and chemical characteristics of the groundwater in the aquifer units were observed to vary depending on the aquifer mineralogy, groundwater residence time and the openness of the system to CO2 exchange. The pH values were noted to increase in parallel with the contents of Ca and DIC and δ13CDIC. In higher pH values, the groundwaters had attained saturation with respect to calcite. These chemical changes were interpreted to result from dissolution of calcite, present in trace amounts in the Virttaankangas sediments. Specifically, the highest pH values were attributed to calcite dissolution under closed system conditions at a low partial pressure of CO2.
Water auditing: the case for statutory requirements
Authors: Schlafrig J. , Sturman J. , Ho G. , Mathew K.
Published: January 2009

Drought across swathes of Australia, highlights our need for water conservation in addition to seeking new sources of water (demand and supply-side resource options). Water conservation or efficiency improvement is currently a non-systematic process along the lines of ‘if we do such and such then we will save so much water’. Such an approach is ad-hoc and only has the appearance of being ‘quantitative’. We would class it as qualitative, or maybe advanced qualitative water conservation. True quantitative or structured water auditing of non-domestic water consumption is an iterative, systematic and documented process of obtaining reliable use data, validated by a closure approach. Opportunities are identified for water use reduction, water reuse, recycling and for water resource substitution. Financial assessment of savings in cost against cost of measures will provide a payback period. A water management strategy or Water Management Plan (WMP) as it is known in Victoria, Australia, is devised which is consistent with legal requirements, the enterprise's environmental policy and its movement towards sustainable development. Regulators have legislated for mandatory WMPs and audits in Victoria, but this is the only state so far to do this. Mandatory water auditing should be an uncontested choice as it can only provide a win:win situation regulation to the private sector.

We argue that only the systematic process provided by structural water auditing constitutes quantitative water conservation. Further, statutory obligation for water users to engage in the water auditing process will give the broad, systematic quantitative information, and based upon which optimal water management strategies or WMPs can be devised. This will ensure a rational approach to our future water needs and the needs of our environment. It is anticipated that voluntary auditing in the arenas not mandated will increase in the long term if this is done.
Evaluation of Anabaena flos-aquae as a precursor for trihalomethane and haloacetic acid formation
Authors: Huang J. , Graham N. , Templeton M. R. , Zhang Y. , Collins C. , Nieuwenhuijsen M.
Published: January 2009

This paper summarizes an investigation of a common blue–green algae species, Anabaena flos-aquae, as a precursor substrate in the formation of trihalomethane (THM) and haloacetic acid (HAA) compounds during chlorination. The algae were cultured under controlled and axenic conditions throughout all four growth phases and samples taken during these phases were subjected to chlorination to determine disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation potentials. Algal cells and extracted extracellular organic matter (EOM) of Anabaena showed a comparable ability to form THM and HAA compounds as humic and fulvic acids. Overall yields of total THM (4) and HAA (9) compounds were closely related to the growth phase, with peak formation in the late exponential-stationary phases. Specific (normalized) DBP yields (yield/unit C) were in the range of 2–11 μmol/mmol C for TTHM and 2–17 μmol/mmol C for THAA. The presence of bromide appeared to increase TTHM formation and decrease THAA formation, thereby leading to a shift in the DBP species from HAA to THM compounds. The distribution of HAA species varied with growth phase. Monochloroacetic acid was found to be the dominant HAA species during the lag and early exponential phases, and a prominent compound in the later growth phases.
Futility and Free-Riding: Corporate Political Participation and Taxation Rates in the United States
Authors: Drope Jeffrey M. , Hansen Wendy L.
Published: January 2009

While there is a strong theoretical foundation for the relationship between business sectors' political spending and the policy benefits that they receive, the empirical support for it is mixed. We use the logic of this exchange to examine a policy area that directly and significantly affects all businesses, and is thus a most likely case, taxation. Using principally firm-level tax rates of a large random sample of U.S. corporations for the 1998–2005 time period, we determine whether lobbying has measurable effects on firm-level tax rates. Contrary perhaps to popular belief, or at least anecdotal illustration, we find after controlling for firm size and industry-level tax rates, among other controls, that there is no discernible effect of political spending on firm-level taxation: firms that spend more in an effort to affect policy generally or tax policy specifically are no more likely to benefit from lower tax rates. We also examine the possibility that firms in the same industry coordinate efforts to affect tax rates. While we find limited evidence that firms occasionally coordinate within industries – or at least lobby simultaneously – to affect tax rates, perhaps more importantly, we determine that free-riding by smaller firms at the expense of the largest firms is rampant.
Degree of Conversion and Contraction Stress Development of a Resin Composite Irradiated Using Halogen and LED at Two C-factor Levels
Authors: Cunha L. G. , Alonso R. C. B. , Neves A. C. C. , de Goes M. F. , Ferracane J. L. , Sinhoreti M. A. C.
Published: January 2009

Clinical Relevance

Curing methods using lower irradiance levels were shown to be effective in reducing the rate of stress generation without compromising the conversion of the restorative composite. Higher C-factor was shown to enhance the stress rate and amount of stress generated.
Ceramic Inlays and Partial Ceramic Crowns: Influence of Remaining Cusp Wall Thickness on the Marginal Integrity and Enamel Crack Formation In Vitro
Authors: Krifka S. , Anthofer T. , Fritzsch M. , Hiller K-A. , Schmalz G. , Federlin M.
Published: January 2009

Clinical Relevance

The minimum effective thickness of cusp walls with adhesively bonded ceramic restorations is not yet defined. According to this in vitro study, a cusp wall thickness of at least 2.0 mm at the base is recommended.
Impact of Adhesive Application and Moisture on the Mechanical Properties of the Adhesive Interface Determined by the Nano-indentation Technique
Authors: Higashi C. , Michel M. D. , Reis A. , Loguercio A. D. , Gomes O. M. M. , Gomes J. C.
Published: January 2009

Clinical Relevance

The vigorous rubbing action of acetone and ethanol/water-based adhesives into dry demineralized dentin resulted in high nanohardness and Young's modulus in the hybrid layer, and moisture increased the nanohardness and Young's modulus of Adper Single Bond Plus in the adhesive layer.
Fault Detection and Isolation with Robust Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Tharrault Yvon , Mourot Gilles , Ragot José , Maquin Didier
Published: January 2009

Fault Detection and Isolation with Robust Principal Component Analysis

Principal component analysis (PCA) is a powerful fault detection and isolation method. However, the classical PCA, which is based on the estimation of the sample mean and covariance matrix of the data, is very sensitive to outliers in the training data set. Usually robust principal component analysis is applied to remove the effect of outliers on the PCA model. In this paper, a fast two-step algorithm is proposed. First, the objective was to find an accurate estimate of the covariance matrix of the data so that a PCA model might be developed that could then be used for fault detection and isolation. A very simple estimate derived from a one-step weighted variance-covariance estimate is used (Ruiz-Gazen, 1996). This is a "local" matrix of variance which tends to emphasize the contribution of close observations in comparison with distant observations (outliers). Second, structured residuals are used for multiple fault detection and isolation. These structured residuals are based on the reconstruction principle, and the existence condition of such residuals is used to determine the detectable faults and the isolable faults. The proposed scheme avoids the combinatorial explosion of faulty scenarios related to multiple faults to be considered. Then, this procedure for outliers detection and isolation is successfully applied to an example with multiple faults.
Mechanical Analogy of Statement Networks
Authors: Cholewa Wojciech
Published: January 2009

Mechanical Analogy of Statement Networks

The paper demonstrates briefly the reasoning capabilities in condition monitoring offered by systems based on statement networks. The usefulness of the networks considered results among others from possibilities of their optimization related to the minimization of contradictions between rules acquired from different knowledge sources. A mechanical analogy of such networks introduces an interpretation of statements as material points that are able to move. Dependencies between statements are considered as approximate necessary and approximate sufficient conditions, which are represented by unilateral constraints imposed on the introduced material points. A model of a dynamic statement network can be obtained out of the network consisting of statements represented by material points with assigned masses, where the inertia of statements may be taken into account. The paper introduces a measure of conditional contradictions of statements, which can be used for monitoring knowledge bases in running expert systems.
Configuring A Sensor Network for Fault Detection in Distributed Parameter Systems
Authors: Patan Maciej , Uciński Dariusz
Published: January 2009

Configuring A Sensor Network for Fault Detection in Distributed Parameter Systems

The problem of fault detection in distributed parameter systems (DPSs) is formulated as that of maximizing the power of a parametric hypothesis test which checks whether or not system parameters have nominal values. A computational scheme is provided for the design of a network of observation locations in a spatial domain that are supposed to be used while detecting changes in the underlying parameters of a distributed parameter system. The setting considered relates to a situation where from among a finite set of potential sensor locations only a subset can be selected because of the cost constraints. As a suitable performance measure, theDs-optimality criterion defined on the Fisher information matrix for the estimated parameters is applied. Then, the solution of a resulting combinatorial problem is determined based on the branch-and-bound method. As its essential part, a relaxed problem is discussed in which the sensor locations are givena prioriand the aim is to determine the associated weights, which quantify the contributions of individual gauged sites. The concavity and differentiability properties of the criterion are established and a gradient projection algorithm is proposed to perform the search for the optimal solution. The delineated approach is illustrated by a numerical example on a sensor network design for a two-dimensional convective diffusion process.
Fault Diagnosis of Networked Control Systems
Authors: Aubrun Christophe , Sauter Dominique , Yamé Joseph
Published: January 2009

Fault Diagnosis of Networked Control Systems

Networked Control Systems (NCSs) deal with feedback control systems with loops closed via data communication networks. Control over a network has many advantages compared with traditionally controlled systems, such as a lower implementation cost, reduced wiring, simpler installation and maintenance and higher reliability. Nevertheless, the network-induced delay, packet dropout, asynchronous behavior and other specificities of networks will degrade the performance of closed-loop systems. In this context, it is necessary to develop a new theory for systems that operate in a distributed and asynchronous environment. Research on Fault Detection and Isolation (FDI) for NCSs has received increasing attention in recent years. This paper reviews the state of the art in this topic.
Actuator Fault Tolerant Control Design Based on a Reconfigurable Reference Input
Authors: Theilliol Didier , Join Cédric , Zhang Youmin
Published: January 2009

Actuator Fault Tolerant Control Design Based on a Reconfigurable Reference Input

The prospective work reported in this paper explores a new approach to enhance the performance of an active fault tolerant control system. The proposed technique is based on a modified recovery/trajectory control system in which a reconfigurable reference input is considered when performance degradation occurs in the system due to faults in actuator dynamics. An added value of this work is to reduce the energy spent to achieve the desired closed-loop performance. This work is justified by the need of maintaining a reliable system in a dynamical way in order to achieve a mission by an autonomous system, e.g., a launcher, a satellite, a submarine, etc. The effectiveness is illustrated using a three-tank system for slowly varying reference inputs corrupted by actuators faults.
Fault Diagnosis Of A Water For Injection System Using Enhanced Structural Isolation
Authors: Laursen Morten , Blanke Mogens , Düştegör Dilek
Published: January 2009

Fault Diagnosis Of A Water For Injection System Using Enhanced Structural Isolation

A water for injection system supplies chilled sterile water as a solvent for pharmaceutical products. There are ultimate requirements for the quality of the sterile water, and the consequence of a fault in temperature or in flow control within the process may cause a loss of one or more batches of the production. Early diagnosis of faults is hence of considerable interest for this process. This study investigates the properties of multiple matchings with respect to isolability, and it suggests to explore the topologies of multiple use-modes for the process and to employ active techniques for fault isolation to enhance structural isolability of faults. The suggested methods are validated on a high-fidelity simulation of the process.
Replacement of chroococcales and nostocales by oscillatoriales caused a significant increase in microcystin concentrations in a dam reservoir
Authors: Grabowska Magdalena , Pawlik-Skowrońska Barbara
Published: January 2009

A two-year study on cyanobacterial development and the dynamics of intracellular microcystins was carried out in a shallow dam reservoir. Potentially toxic cyanobacteria (Microcystis wesenbergii, M. aeruginosa, Woronichinia naegeliana, Anabaena spp., Planktothrix agardhii) were observed to be the main component (70-94% total biomass) of the phytoplankton community, in which species composition was unstable and was very different between the 2005 and 2006 summer seasons. Generally, total phytoplankton, cyanobacterial biomass and total microcystin (MC) concentrations in the reservoir were much higher in 2006 than in 2005. The highest MC concentration (173.8 μg MC-LR equivalent dm-3) was seen in 2006 during P. agardhii (Oscillatoriales) domination (max. fresh biomass 50.3 mg dm-3; above 91% of phytoplankton biomass). Positive correlations between microcystin concentrations and cyanobacterial biomass suggest that populations of Nostocales and Oscillatoriales in 2005 and Oscillatoriales (P. agardhii) in 2006 may have been the main producers of MCs in the reservoir. The strong increase in P. agardhii biomass concomitant with a decrease in the total biomass of Chroococcales and Nostocales was responsible for the increase in MC concentration in the Siemianówka dam reservoir.
Successful Ageing A Survey of the Most Important Theories
Authors: Tavel Peter
Published: January 2009

Successful Ageing A Survey of the Most Important Theories

The issues of good and successful ageing are the subject of scientific research. Successful ageing is the attempt to achieve a state of inner satisfaction and happiness in spite of the negative effects associated with old age: loss, external and internal destabilization, etc. Successful development in old age has many forms. It can generally be defined as an attempt to achieve the greatest profit with the smallest loss. The problem is establishing the universal criteria of successful ageing. It is possible to restrict the study to the observation of individual factors which are either objective or subjective, long-term or short-term, specific or universal or static versus dynamic. The problem is creating a theory that will explain all the processes and consequences of old age—none of the theories has so far succeeded in doing this. Life satisfaction as a subjective criterion of successful ageing has been most emphasized in two contradictory theories: activity theory and disengagement theory. Other theories are: growth theories, cognitive theories, dynamic theories, SOC model, cultural anthropological theories, the interaction model of longevity, etc.
Enhanced Selenium Content in Sweet Basil (Ocimum Basilicum L.) by Foliar Fertilization
Authors: Hawrylak-Nowak Barbara
Published: January 2009

Enhanced Selenium Content in Sweet Basil (Ocimum Basilicum L.) by Foliar Fertilization

Selenium has been recognized as an essential trace element for animals and humans. Although it has not been confirmed to be an essential micronutrient in plant tissues, plants play a unique role in recycling and delivering selenium from the soil to food chain. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of foliar application of different selenium concentrations (1-50 mg Se·dm-3) on the growth, content of chloroplast pigments, anthocyanins, total phenolic compounds and selenium, as well as lipid peroxidation in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seedlings. The total selenium concentration in the shoots increased with increasing selenium supplementation. It has been found that the level of selenium fertilization had no significant effect on the content of chloroplast pigments, but it increased the synthesis of anthocyanin and phenolic compounds. MDA (malonodialdehyde) content in sweet basil leaves decreased with increasing selenium treatments. The obtained results suggest that it is possible to enhance selenium content in sweet basil plants by foliar fertilization, making it a rich source of dietary selenium and useful as a raw material for enriched food products.
Pathogenicity of Selected Soil-Borne Fungi for Seedlings of Root Chicory (Cichorium intybus L. var. sativum Bisch.)
Authors: Patkowska Elżbieta , Konopiński Mirosław
Published: January 2009

Pathogenicity of Selected Soil-Borne Fungi for Seedlings of Root Chicory (Cichorium intybus L. var. sativum Bisch.)

The study involved seedlings of Cichorium intybus var. sativum cv. ‘Polanowicka’ and fungi (Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium oxysporum, Pythium irregulare, Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) colonizing the soil environment in the field cultivation of that plant. Pathogenicity tests carried out in a phytotron showed that pre-emergence damping-off of chicory seeds, and thus no germination, was caused mainly by S. sclerotiorum, P. irregulare and A. alternata. The most harmful for the seedlings of root chicory proved to be P. irregulare, A. alternata, R. solani and F. oxysporum, while the least harmful were B. cinerea and F. culmorum. The growth of the affected plants was arrested and well-defined necrotic lesions appeared on their roots.
Invertebrate and fish environmental preferences as the key factor for lowland riverbed biodiversity
Authors: Oglęcki Paweł
Published: January 2009

Invertebrate and fish environmental preferences as the key factor for lowland riverbed biodiversity

Invertebrate and fish environmental preferences as the key factor for lowland riverbed biodiversity. Detailed biological surveys were carried out on four small and medium lowland rivers (regulated and close-to-nature ones). The typical, repeatable types of microhabitats of peculiar parameters were singled out and the relationships between the microhabitat types and animal taxa were studied. The paper presents the results of such analyses and points out the fact that some microhabitats (irrespective of the fact of river regulation or not) are especially important for the riverbed biodiversity and ecological stability.
The Asymptotic Behavior of Singular Solutions of Some Nonlinear Partial Diﬀerential Equations in the Complex Domain
Authors: Ōuchi Sunao
Published: January 2009

Let

u(t, x)

(

(t, x) \in ℂ × ℂ^d

) be a solution of a nonlinear partial differential equation in a neighborhood of the origin, which is not necessarily holomorphic on

\{t = 0\}

. We study the asymptotic behavior of

u(t,x)

as

t → 0

and give its asymptotic terms with remainder estimate of Gevrey type.
On the Proﬁnite Regular Inverse Galois Problem
Authors: Cadoret Anna
Published: January 2009

Given a ﬁeld

k

, a

k

-curve

X

and a

k

-rational divisor

\mathbf t ⊂ X

, we analyze the constraints imposed on

X

and

\mathbf t

by the existence of abelian

G

-covers

f : Y → X

deﬁned over

k

and unramiﬁed outside

\mathbf t

. We show that these constraints produce an obstruction to the weak regular inverse Galois problem for a whole class of proﬁnite groups – we call

p

-obstructed – when

k

is a ﬁnitely generated ﬁeld of characteristic

≠ p

.
Jacquet Modules of Principal Series Generated by the Trivial $K$-Type
Authors: Abe Noriyuki
Published: January 2009

We propose a new approach to the study of the Jacquet module of a HarishChandra module of a real semisimple Lie group. Using this method, we investigate the structure of the Jacquet module of a principal series representation generated by the trivial

K

-type.
Brundan–Kazhdan–Lusztig and Super Duality Conjectures
Authors: Cheng Shun-Jen , Wang Weiqiang
Published: January 2009

We formulate a general super duality conjecture on connections between parabolic categories

\mathcal O

of modules over Lie superalgebras and Lie algebras of type

A

, based on a Fock space formalism of their Kazhdan–Lusztig theories which was initiated by Brundan. We show that the Brundan–Kazhdan–Lusztig (BKL) polynomials for

\mathfrak{gl}(m|n)

in our parabolic setup can be identiﬁed with the usual parabolic Kazhdan–Lusztig polynomials. We establish some special cases of the BKL conjecture on the parabolic category

\mathcal O

of

\mathfrak{gl}(m|n)

-modules and additional results which support the BKL conjecture and super duality conjecture.
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate in Pregnant Women
Authors: Sunyal Dipok Kumar , Amin Md Ruhul , Ahmed Abeda , Begum Shameema , Begum M , Rahman N
Published: January 2009

In the present study peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were estimated in pregnant women during different trimester to observe the alteration in air flow rate during pregnancy. This study was carried out in the department of Physiology of Dhaka Medical College from July 2004 to June 2005. For this purpose, total 100 women with age ranged from 25 years to 35 years without any recent history of respiratory diseases were selected and divided into 25 healthy non-pregnant women as control and 75 normal pregnant women as study group. Study group was further divided into 25 in first trimesters, 25 in second trimester and 25 in third trimesters of pregnancy. All the subjects belonged to lower socioeconomic class. The PEFR was estimated by using an automatic spirometer. The measured values and percentage of predicted values of PEFR were estimated during the 1st, 2nd, 3rd trimesters of pregnant women and non-pregnant women. Statistical analysis of data were done by un paired student's ‘t'test. The PEFR was significantly lower in both 2nd and 3rd trimester pregnant women than that of non-regnant women. Again the PEFR was significantly lower in 3rd trimester than that of 1st trimester of pregnant women. There were no statistically significant difference of PEFR between the non-pregnant and 1st trimester; between the 1st trimester and 2nd trimeste; and between the 2nd trimester and 3rd trimester of pregnant women. It may be concluded that PEFR were progressively decreased throughout the pregnancy, most likely due to mechanical effects of progressively increased size of uterus that progressively decreases lung volumes and capacities. Key Words: Expiratory Flow Rate, Pregnancy, Uterus DOI:10.3329/jbsp.v2i0.979 J Bangladesh Soc Physiol. 2007 Dec;(2): 20-23.
Splenic Mass and its Relation to Age Sex and Height of the Individual in Bangladeshi Peoples
Authors: Khalil Mohsin , Chowdhury Md Ashraful Islam , Rahman Habibur , Mannan Sabina , Sultana Seheli Zannat , Rahman Mahbubur , Ahamed M Shibbir , Sultana Zinat Rezina
Published: January 2009

The aim of this study was to establish the standard weight of the normal spleen in Bangladeshi people. One hundred and twenty human cadavers of which eighty seven male and thirty three female were dissected to remove spleen with associated structures. Collected specimens were tagged with specific identification number, and divided into five groups according to age, sex and height of the individual. Gross and fine dissections were carried out after fixing the specimen in 10% formal saline solution. Weight of the spleen was measured by analytical balance and expressed in gram and findings of the study were compared with the findings of national and global studies. This cross sectional descriptive study was carried out in the Department of Anatomy of Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh. In this study maximum mean weight of spleen was 86.35 gram in male and 85.33 gram in female in 31 - 45 years age group. Minimum mean weight of spleen was 47.37 gram in male and 38.83 gram in female up to 15 years age group. The weight of spleen increases with age of the individual. Mean weight of spleen in male was 73.43 gram, which was higher than the mean weight of female spleen (59.17 gram). According to height of individual the mean weight of spleen was maximum 84.32 gram in 165.01 to 180 cm height group and minimum in 54.87 gram in up to 120 cm height group which indicate that weight of the spleen increases with height of the individual. In conclusion, the weight of the spleen depends on the age, sex and body height of the individual. Key Words: Spleen, Weight, Age, Height Â Â Â  doi: 10.3329/jbsp.v3i0.1802 J Bangladesh Soc Physiol.2008 Dec;(3):71-78.
Study on Oxidative Metabolic Changes to Differentiate Exudative from Transudative Pleural Effusions
Authors: Reddy V Narsimha , Kumar V Anil , Srinivas M , Reddy V Narayana
Published: January 2009

The purpose of this present study was to differentiate transudates and exudates in pleural effusions. Oxidative stress has been associated with various respiratory disorders. Ninety patients of pleural effusions of diverse etiologies were participated in this study. Subjects underwent diagnostic thoracentesis and standard biochemical parameters (total protein, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose, MDA levels) were measured in pleural fluid and serum. MDA, total protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose levels in plural fluid were higher in exudates compared to transudates (p < 0.001). Total protein pleural fluid/ total protein serum ratio, LDH pleural fluid/LDH serum ratio and MDA pleural fluid/MDA serum ratio were raised in exudates compared to transudates (p < 0.001). The present study showed that oxidative stress was more in exudates compared to transudates, probably due to the production of reactive oxygen species and it may serve as a marker for differentiation between transudates and exudates in clinical practice. Key Words: Exudates, Melondialdehyde, Oxidative Stress, Pleural Effusion, Transudates Â Â  doi:10.3329/sjps.v1i1.1806 S. J. Pharm. Sci. 1(1&2): 38-43
Analgesic and Neuropharmacological Investigations of the Aerial Part of Achyranthes aspera Linn.
Authors: Alam Md Ashraful , Slahin Nazmuj , Uddin Riaz , Hasan SM Raquibul , Akter Raushanara , Kamaluddin Md , Faroque Abdullah , Ghani Abdul
Published: January 2009

Analgesic and central nervous system depressant activity of the methanol extract of Achyranthes aspera Linn. was assessed by using acetic acid induced writhing test, thiopental sodium induced sleeping time determination, hole cross test and open field test in albino mice. The extract (250 and 500mg/kg) showed a dose dependent inhibition of writhing response generation by acetic acid compared to reference drug diclofenac sodium (50mg/kg). Methanol (70%) extract of Achyranthes aspera (500 mg/kg) also produced rapid onset and maximized the duration of sleeping time when administered with thiopental sodium. The extract also decreased the motor activity and exploratory behavior of mice in hole cross and open field test. The overall experimental results suggest the analgesic and central nervous system depressant activity of the methanolic extract of Achyranthes aspera and justify its use in folkloric remedies. Key Words: Achyranthes aspera, Analgesic activity, Central nervous system depressant activity. doi:10.3329/sjps.v1i1.1807 S. J. Pharm. Sci. 1(1&2): 44-50
Cytotoxicity and Antioxidant Activity of Extractives from Mirabilis jalapa
Authors: Rumzhum Nowshin N , Rahman M Mostafizur , Islam M Shahidul , Chowdhury Sadia A , Sultana Rebeka , Parvin Most. Nazma
Published: January 2009

The petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol crude extracts of the two different plant parts (leaves and bark) of Mirabilis jalapa (Nyctaginaceae) were screened for cytotoxicity by brine shrimp lethality bioassay and the crude methanol extract of the bark was screened for antioxidant activity using the 1, 1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. The petroleum ether extract of the bark showed significant cytotoxic activity with the LC50 value 8.12 Î¼g/ml compared to vincristine sulphate (LC50 0.33 Î¼g/ml). On the other hand, the methanol crude extract of the bark showed mild antioxidant activity with the IC50 value 598.02 Î¼g/ml compared to ascorbic acid (IC50 70.985 Î¼g/ml). Above results suggest moderate cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of the extract. Key Words: Mirabilis jalapa, Nyctaginaceae, Cytotoxicity, DPPH, Antioxidant. Â Â Â Â  doi:10.3329/sjps.v1i1.1814 S. J. Pharm. Sci. 1(1&2): 85-88
Life Lost Due to Premature Deaths in New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Weerasinghe Daminda  P. , Yusuf Farhat , Parr Nicholas  J.
Published: January 2009

This study attempts to measure premature mortality, in addition to overall death rates, in order to provide more information that can be used to develop and monitor health programmes that are aimed at reducing premature (often preventable) mortality in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Premature years of potential life lost (PYPLL) and valued years of potential life lost methods are applied for mortality data in NSW from 1990 to 2002. Variations in these measures for 2001 are studied further in terms of age, sex, urban/rural residence, and socio-economic status. PYPLL rates for all leading causes of death have declined. It is shown that the average male to female ratio of PYPLLs is highest for accidents, injury and poisoning (3.4:1) followed by mental disorders (2.7:1) and cardiovascular diseases (2.6:1). Although fewer women than men die of cardiovascular diseases, there is a greater proportionate importance of cerebrovascular mortality among women. In order to further reduce premature deaths, programs are required to improve the health of people living in lower socio-economic status areas, especially in rural NSW. Targeted regional or community level programs are required to reduce avoidable deaths due to accidents, injury and poisoning occasioned by motor vehicle accidents, poisoning and suicide among young adults.
Trichothecenes in Cereal Grains
Authors: Foroud Nora A. , Eudes François
Published: January 2009

Trichothecenes are sesquiterpenoid mycotoxins associated with fusarium head blight (FHB) of cereals, with worldwide economic and health impacts. While various management strategies have been proposed to reduce the mycotoxin risk, breeding towards FHB-resistance appears to be the most effective means to manage the disease, and reduce trichothecene contamination of cereal-based food products. This review provides a brief summary of the trichothecene synthesis in Fusarium species, their toxicity in plants and humans, followed by the current methods of screening and breeding for resistance to FHB and trichothecene accumulation.
Determination of Aflatoxins in Peanut Products in the Northeast Region of São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Oliveira Carlos  A. F. , Gonçalves Natália B. , Rosim Roice  E. , Fernandes Andrezza  M.
Published: January 2009

The aim of the present study was to determine aflatoxin levels in peanut products traded in the Northeast region of São Paulo, Brazil. To this end, 240 samples of peanut products traded in the cities of Araras, Leme, Pirassununga and Porto Ferreira were collected from June 2006 to May 2007. The samples were analyzed for aflatoxins (AF) B1, B2, G1 and G2 by high performance liquid chromatography. Results showed 44.2% samples positive for AF at levels of 0.5 to 103.8 mg·kg-1. Nine of the positive samples (3.7% of the analysed samples) had total aflatoxin concentrations (B1+B2+G1+G2) higher than the limit established by Brazilian regulations (20 mg·kg-1). Based on the above data, the probable mean daily intake (PDIM) of aflatoxins from peanut products in the Northeast region of São Paulo was estimated to be 0.23 ng kg b.w. day-1. Although this PDIM value was relatively low, results indicate that aflatoxin contamination of peanut products may be a public health concern in Brazil, when considering the potential exposure of highly susceptible consumers. For example, it should be emphasized that children are potentially exposed to aflatoxins, since they consume large quantities of peanut candies, and these products had the highest number of samples positive for AFB1.
The Use of Coumarins as Environmentally-Sensitive Fluorescent Probes of Heterogeneous Inclusion Systems
Authors: Wagner Brian D.
Published: January 2009

Coumarins, as a family of molecules, exhibit a wide range of fluorescence emission properties. In many cases, this fluorescence is extremely sensitive to the local environment of the molecule, especially the local polarity and microviscosity. In addition, coumarins show a wide range of size, shape, and hydrophobicity. These properties make them especially useful as fluorescent probes of heterogeneous environments, such as supramolecular host cavities, micelles, polymers and solids. This article will review the use of coumarins to probe such heterogeneous systems using fluorescence spectroscopy.
Balancing product and process sustainability against business profitability: sustainability as a competitive strategy in the property development process
Authors: Bryson John R. , Lombardi Rachel
Published: January 2009

This paper explores the activities of two UK‐based property development companies that have integrated sustainability into their business models as a source of competitive advantage in response to an evolving public sector sustainability agenda. These companies have combined different individual competencies and developed new routines and business practices that provide them with distinctiveness in the marketplace. These new routines represent entrepreneurial behaviour constructed around the identification of profitable market niches based on values derived from incorporating sustainability into private sector business models. This incorporation requires the development of a framework for balancing sustainability and related value systems against more mainstream concerns with maximizing profitability. This paper identifies this framework and explores the ways in which these firms have developed a discursive formation of profit and value that is used to balance the tensions that exist in a business model formulated around balancing a double bottom line. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.