bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strengthening Social Support: Health Professionals' Views of the Health Care Needs of Adolescent Mothers
Authors: Breheny Mary , Stephens Christine
Published: September 2007

Health care and health outcomes for adolescent mothers and their children may be a result of a complex interaction between socioeconomic, psychological, and familial factors. To examine a health professional perspective on the important issues in providing health care for adolescent mothers, transcripts of seventeen interviews with health professionals were analysed. Social support was considered an important aspect influencing the health of adolescent mothers and their children. This included family support, peer support and organisational support. Opportunities for health professionals to promote good social support for young mothers include role modelling supportive care and supporting adolescents' decision making, providing referrals to peer support groups, and understanding barriers to accessing organisational support. The best outcome for adolescent mothers is when their role as mother is supported by the family and wider support network.
The Nollywood Rising Conference
Authors: Larkin Brian
Published: September 2007

(N.B. Nollywood refers to feature films that are shot and distributed on video and VCD. The word itself was coined by western journalists but has since become a standard term used by Nigerians to refer to English-language Nigerian video films (NVF)).
Takarazuka is burning: music theatre and the performance of sexual and gender identities in modern Japan
Authors: Karantonis Pamela
Published: September 2007

The Takarazuka Revue, an all-female music theatre troupe founded in 1913 as the flagship of an elite performance academy, with its ultimate interest in Broadway musicals and western music, theatre and dance influences, is an unlikely foil for its male antecedent,kabuki. Like the ongoing revival ofkabuki, there had been an ideological as well as entrepreneurial impetus behind the Revue's creation, which reflected changes in the nature of popular entertainment in Japan. Kobayashi Ichiz, the founder of the Takarazuka Revue, claimed that Japan needed a new form of national theatre that was based in popular culture orkokumingeki, an entertainment for the masses in the style ofkabukiin that it was to feature dance and music. What Kobayashi could not foresee was that the Takarazuka Revue would grow into quite the opposite a cult-status entertainment for its enduring fandom of housewives and fanatical teenage girls.
Kinetics and mechanism of the plutonium catalysed nitric acid oxidation of U(IV) ions in 30% tributyl phosphate solution
Authors: Koltunov V. S. , Zhuravleva G.I. , Marchenko V. I. , Dvoeglazov K. N. , Savilova O. A. , Koltunov G. V. , Taylor Robin J. , Bankhead M.
Published: September 2007

The oxidation of U(IV) ions in the diluted solvent phase, 30% TBP/n-dodecane, has been investigated in the presence of plutonium ions, which can act as catalysts for U(IV) oxidation. The reaction was shown to follow the cycle below, with the first and third stages being rate determining.

U4++ 2Pu4++ 2H2O → UO22++ 2Pu3++4H+

2Pu3++ HNO3+ 2H+→ 2Pu4++ HNO2+ H2O

Pu3++ HNO2+ H+→ Pu4++ NO + H2O

2NO + HNO3+ H2O ⇔ 3HNO2

The overall reaction stoichiometry is the same as for the oxidation of U(IV) by HNO3in TBP:

U(NO3)4·2TBP + HNO3·TBP + H2O·TBP + TBP ⇔ UO2(NO3)2·2TBP + HNO2·TBP + 2HNO3·TBP

The rate equations of both these rate limiting steps have been determined, with that for the U(IV)-Pu(IV) reaction (5) being given by the equation below, wherek1=74.4±6 M-1.2min-1at 25.2 °C and the activation energy is 72±11 kJ mol-1(in 0.5 M HNO3).

The rate of the second slow stage, the Pu(III)-HNO2reaction, is given by the equation below, where the rate constant isk2=627±28 M-1min-1at 25.2 °C and the activation energy is 87.2±1.4 kJmol-1(in 0.5 M HNO3).

Mechanistically, it was shown that the U(IV)-Pu(IV) reaction may proceedviathe interaction of the hydrolysed actinide ions U(OH)22+and PuOH3+and the Pu(III)-HNO2reaction was found to most probably involve oxidation of Pu(III) ions by nitrinium nitrate (NONO3) ions in its rate determining step.
Sorption of tetravalent plutonium and humic substances onto kaolinite
Authors: Banik N. L. , Buda R. A. , Bürger S. , Kratz Jens Volker , Trautmann N.
Published: September 2007

The sorption of tetravalent plutonium onto kaolinite, a clay mineral, has been studied as a function of pH. The sorption studies have been performed by batch experiments under aerobic and anaerobic conditions (glove box). A pH range of 0–11 has been investigated with plutonium concentrations of 3.5 × 10-7−6.9 × 10-9M and a solid phase concentration of 4 g/L. A sorption edge at about pH=1 and maximum sorption around pH=8.5 has been found under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In the presence of CO2at pH > 8.5, the sorption of plutonium is decreased due to the formation of soluble carbonate complexes. This is supported by speciation calculations for Pu(IV)-hydroxo-carbonate species in aqueous solution. Depending on the pH, 1%−10% of the sorbed plutonium is desorbed from the kaolinite and released into the fresh solution. For comparison with the behavior of Pu(IV), the sorption of the redox-stable Th(IV) onto kaolinite has also been investigated. Furthermore, the sorption of humic substances (HS) onto kaolinite has been studied as a function of pH and for varying concentrations of HS as a prerequisite to understand the more complex ternary system: plutonium, humic substances, and clay. It has been found that the sorption of Aldrich humic acid onto kaolinite is generally higher than that for Gorleben fulvic acid.
Removal of plutonium and americium from waste matrices by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction
Authors: Kumar R. , Sivaraman N. , Sujatha K. , Srinivasan T. G. , Vasudeva Rao P. R.
Published: September 2007

The extraction of plutonium from tissue paper matrix was carried out using supercritical carbon dioxide (Sc-CO2). The removal of plutonium was also studied from other matrices such as teflon, glass and stainless steel. Initial experiments were carried out under subcritical conditions. Supercritical extraction conditions were also employed in some experiments for the recovery of plutonium from tissue paper matrix. Complete extraction of Pu(III) as well as Pu(IV) in their nitrate form from tissue paper was achieved for the first time using supercritical carbon dioxide modified with n-octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutyl carbamoylmethyl phosphine oxide (φCMPO) in methanol. Pu(IV) was also completely removed from other matrices such as teflon, stainless steel and glass. Studies on the extraction of Am(III) using supercritical carbon dioxide modified with CMPO in methanol resulted in its complete recovery from tissue paper.
Fluoride determination in various matrices relevant to nuclear industry: A review
Authors: Sawant R. M. , Mahajan M. A. , Verma Poonam , Shah Dipti , Thakur U. K. , Ramakumar K. L. , Venugopal V.
Published: September 2007

The determination of fluoride from diverse matrices at front and back end of nuclear technology and some studies from this laboratory on optimizations of different experimental parameters differing with multiple fuels and reactor materials, have been reviewed. The most useful techniques such as fluoride ion selective electrode (F-ISE) and ion-chromatography (IC) widely adopted as routine methods for fluoride determination in nuclear industry have been discussed. The effect of various buffer strengths on the response of the fluoride ion selective electrode has been examined. The ion chromatographic studies on mobile phase concentration, medium of sample, sample injection volume etc. to get distinct fluoride peak within optimum time in presence of other anionic species in diverse concentrations have been reported. The results of various sample matrices such as UO2, PuO2, (U,Pu)O2, Pu-alloy, thoria, zircaloy, slag, HLLW, LLLW etc., analyzed after matrix separation using pyrohydrolysis setup, for both solid and liquid samples and without matrix separation by masking potentially interfering ions of liquid samples, have been presented.
Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule Polysialylation Enhances the Sensitivity of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Neural Precursors to Migration Guidance Cues
Authors: Glaser Tamara , Brose Claudia , Franceschini Isabelle , Hamann Katja , Smorodchenko Alina , Zipp Frauke , Dubois-Dalcq Monique , Brüstle Oliver
Published: September 2007

The development of stem cell-based neural repair strategies requires detailed knowledge on the interaction of migrating donor cells with the host brain environment. Here we report that overexpression of polysialic acid (PSA), a carbohydrate polymer attached to the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), in embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived glial precursors (ESGPs) strikingly modifies their migration behavior in response to guidance cues. ESGPs transduced with a retrovirus encoding the polysialyltransferase STX exhibit enhanced migration in monolayer cultures and an increased penetration of organotypic slice cultures. Chemotaxis assays show that overexpression of PSA results in an enhanced chemotactic migration toward gradients of a variety of chemoattractants, including fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), platelet-derived growth factor, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and that this effect is mediated via the phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K) pathway. Moreover, PSA-overexpressing ESGPs also exhibit an enhanced chemotactic response to tissue explants derived from different brain regions. The effect of polysialylation on directional migration is preserved in vivo. Upon transplantation into the adult striatum, PSA-overexpressing but not control cells display a targeted migration toward the subventricular zone. On the basis of these data, we propose that PSA plays a crucial role in modulating the ability of migrating precursor cells to respond to regional guidance cues within the brain tissue.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Educating Elites in Democratic Societies: A Dialogue
Authors: Agassi Joseph , Swartz Ronald
Published: September 2007

This essay is a dialogue that centers in the following questions: (1) How can schools help a society select or identify new elites who are hopefully as good as and perhaps even better than those individuals who belong to the existing elite system?, and (2) How can we create learning situations that provide the most general learner with a broad basic education? The first question is rejected as highly inadequate and unsatisfactory partly because it makes a number of mistaken assumptions about how schools can best meet the educational needs in modern countries (such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada). The second question is deemed extremely worthwhile; it should be at the heart of educational dialogues in liberal democratic societies. The discussion is mainly about the desirability of replacing the first problem (of selecting new elites) with the second problem (of a broad basic education) by the way of commentary on the development of Western educational thought from Plato to Popper and beyond. A major aim of this dialogue is to upgrade the way elites in liberal democratic societies attempt to reform and improve our educational institutions.
Governmentality, European Politics and the Neo-Liberal Reconstruction of German Universities
Authors: Liesner Andrea
Published: September 2007

This article deals with the governmental strategies basic to the construction of the European Higher Education Area within the Bologna Process. With regard to the actual reconstruction of German universities, these strategies are verified on a structural level, in individual and collective subject relations and also in the subject matter which is to be taught and learned. The introduction of standardized quality assurance procedures, the promotion of entrepreneurial forms of subjectivation and the dividing of knowledge into functional modules are powerful instruments which combine to form a reduced understanding of what is supposed to be economic with a universal claim. Now, after the first half of the Bologna Process, some possible effects of these strategies are visible. From an educational perspective, there are two corresponding tendencies in particular which are noteworthy: while the knowledge of educational experts outside the university is devalued by a common prudentialism, educational sciences within the German universities are trivialized by structures and curricula which tend to obstruct the production of new dimensions of knowledge and to curtail the possibilities of scientific scepticism and critique.
Development and Change in Swedish Municipal Adult Education: Occupational Life History Studies and Four Genealogies of Context
Authors: Loeb Ingrid Henning
Published: September 2007

This article is based on the author's dissertation work on development and change in Swedish municipal adult education (MAE), investigated through occupational life history studies of four teachers in different municipalities who have worked in MAE since the mid 1970s. Three periods of development – three ‘eras’ – in MAE have been identified in terms of its relationship to the state, comprising two restructuring shifts: (1) from centralization to decentralization in the early 1990s, and (2) the establishment of quasi-marketization of adult education in the late 1990s, with a variety of adult education providers, municipal boards and procurement processes. Comprehensive analysis of the four teacher trajectories and their genealogies of context has been carried out relating to the three eras, and concepts on mechanisms for institutional isomorphism have been used for analysis on why and how the different MAE organizations that the four teachers work in have developed in similar or homogenous ways. In the article, tensions and contestation in development and change in the local context are made explicit, and are analysed and provide the basis for problematizing late national reformation and restructuring efforts.
Inequity in the Australian Education System
Authors: Gorey Aybek
Published: September 2007

This article deals with the current situation of the Australian education system-particularly the public schools in disadvantaged areas. Research undertaken in the last decade show that while Australia has developed intensively in economic terms in the last ten years, inequality has spread nonetheless. Furthermore, there are legal barriers for public schools in obtaining funds unlike private schools. The article aims to assure the policymakers that pumping more funds into the system would not be as effective as investing in to create a caring community through motivated and well-resourced teachers.
Towards Equity in the Futures Market: Curriculum as a Condition of Access
Authors: Graham Linda J.
Published: September 2007

This article provides a consideration of the problem of equity in education. In the first part of the discussion, the author draws on philosophical and sociological literature to consider what equity means and its implications for education. Drawing on work by Burbules, Lord and Sherman, she looks to curriculum as a condition of access and the importance of learning support structures in bringing about equitable educational outcomes, conceived in terms of Amy Gutmann's democratic threshold. The article offers a conceptual-theoretical model for thinking about the resourcing and curricular requirements for equity in contemporary liberal democratic societies, contrasting the social and economic policy mixes employed by governments situated at different points along a liberty/equality continuum.
Neoconservatism English-Style: Back to the Future with Remoralizing Voices for Education?
Authors: Green Anthony
Published: September 2007

This articles addresses the conservative dynamics of ‘neoconservatism’ in the field of education with particular reference to possible complementarities between the ‘voices’ of two, seemingly alternative public intellectuals. These dynamics are conceptualized as part of what is, in social realist mode, enmoralization, a term coined to specify part of the structures and processes of realizing morale, by which remoralization works in this context to ‘neo’ conservative effects. Here, the post-postmodernist rediscovery of the moral and the ethical, the remoralization agenda, works to TINA by supporting the morale of the fatalism of capitalism. In the context of Blairite New Labour education policy, this ideology critique suggests ways in which neoconservatism articulates neoliberalism where agendas are set to prioritize authority over equity and social justice and to foreshorten the search for radical alternatives for policy futures.
Study on Foetal Outcome in Pre-eclamptic Mother
Authors: Rahman Sharmin , Sultana Nargis , Rahman AKM Mujibur , Aljtar Saueeda , Begum Nasima , Rahman Md. Mizanur
Published: September 2007

Pre-eclampsia or pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) re-named as gestational hypertension is one of the important causes of maternal death in developing countries like Bangladesh. The foetal outcome is also very unsatisfactory and disappointing in pre-eclamptic mothers. Considering this view, the objective of this study was to assess the foetal outcome in pre-eclamptic mothers and also to identify the factors influencing the outcome. This was a cross sectional study conducted among the pregnant mothers admitted into Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department of Shaheed Suhrawardi Hospital, Dhaka, with specific signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia during the period from January 2002 to December 2003. A total of 100 pre-eclamptic mothers were studied. Bivariate analysis revealed that a statistically significant association was present between complicated preeclampsia (p<0.05) and previous positive medical history with abnormal foetal outcome (p<0.05), but no statistically significant association was found between foetal outcome and age, occupation of the mother and the husband, socioeconomic status, parity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, previous surgical and bad obstetrical history, body built, maternal oedema (p>0.05). Analysis also found that poor foetal outcome was significantly associated with haemoglobin level less than 10 gm%, gestational age and mode of delivery (p<0.01). Analysis of relative risk indicated that the abnormal foetal outcome was 7.1 times higher in complicated pre-eclamptic mothers than only pre-eclamptic mothers (p<0.001, 95% CI=2.598-19.957).

(J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2007; 25 : 57-61)
Phyllodes Tumour of Breast: BSMMU Experience
Authors: Ahmed Saif Uddin , Rahman Md. Atiar , Murshed Khandker Manzoor , Shirin Laila
Published: September 2007

This study was done is Banghabandu sheik mujib medical university, Dhaka. Bangladesh from January 2000 to December 2003 to see the presentation different options of management - & out come of treatment. Total 11 Patients of Phylloides Tumour were included in the study. Most Patients (55%) were above the age of 51 Years & well circumscribed non-tender firm mobile breast lump was the commonst (55%) presentation 73% Patients were treated by wide local excision & 18% needed mastectomy. About 18% cases had recurrence after 15 months followup. Any large painless mobile breast tumour of rapid onset should ra se the suspicion of phyllodes tumour. Benign tumour can be tracked by wide local excisions simple mastectomy is the standard treatment for malignant lesion.

(J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2007; 25 : 70-72)
Misoprostol Versus Oxytocin in the Active Management of the Third Stage of Labour
Authors: Sultana Nilufar , Khatun Mahmuda
Published: September 2007

Objective: A randomised controlled trial was performed in Sir Solimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital, a tertiary hospital in Dhaka City for one year to compare oral misoprostol with intramascular oxytocin in the prevention of post partum haemorrhage (PPH).

Method: A total of 400 women were randomised to received either 400mg misoprostol orally or 10 I.U oxytocin intramascularly. The incidence of post partum haemorrhage and side effects were examined.

Result: The demographic and labour characteristic were comparable. PPH occured in 3.80% of women given misoprostol and in 2.63% of those given oxytocin (P>0.50). Measured blood loss of more than 1000 ml occured 2.38% of the misoprostol group compared with 1.58% in the oxytocin group (P>0.50). There was no significant difference in the need for additional oxytocin drugs or blood transfusion in women of both groups. Significant side effect of misoprostol were shivering (P<0.01).

Conclusion: Oral misoprostol is as effective as intramascular oxytocin in the prevention of PPH. Shivering and transient pyrexia were special side effects of misoprostol. Misoprostol has potential in reducing the high incidence of PPH in developing countries.

(J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2007; 25 : 73-76)
Acute Gastric Volvulus - A Case Reportag
Authors: Baqui Mohammad Abdul , Rahman Md. Mizanur
Published: September 2007

A case of acute gastric volvulus (GV) in a young girl is reported. The patient reported with acute severe upper abdominal pain and distension but no hematemesis, melena and vomiting. Clinically, the condition was diagnosed as acute abdomen and per-operatively the condition was found to be an acute gastric volvulus without any other surrounding pathology. Total gastrectomy with roux-en-y esophago-jejunostomy was done. After resuscitative management immediate laparotomy or laparoscopy is the mainstay of management of acute GV. Its diagnostic difficulties, surgical management and outcome are discussed.

(J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2007; 25 : 95-97)
Eco-ethology of the common langur Semnopithecus entellus (Dufresne) in Bangladesh
Authors: Ahsan M Farid , Khan MA Reza
Published: September 2007

Eco-ethological aspects of the common langur (Hanuman) Semnopithecus entellus (Dufresne) were studied between July and September 1981 in the rural areas of Keshabpur Police Station, Jessore, Bangladesh. Three bisexual troops were monitored for 355 hrs for determining group-size and composition, age-sex relationship, and other ecological and behavioural features. The average group-size was 13.67±0.00 in July and 14.67±1.33 in September. Of the major diurnal activities viz., rest, move, sit, social groom, self groom, play and feed, the Hanumans spent maximum time in sitting (44.32%). Dyad behaviour of the Hanumans and their relationships with other animals including man has been described. Hanumans used more than 60 species as food plants of which 43 were identified. They mostly ate vegetative plant parts (74.88%), thus indicating their folivorous nature. The welfare of the Hanumans has also been dealt with.

Key words: Common langur (Hanuman), Semnopithecus entellus, ecology, ethology, Bangladesh

Univ. j. zool. Rajshahi Univ. Vol.25 2006 p.3-10
Effects of gamma radiation on the reproductive organs in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst)
Authors: Banu PA , Ali IA , Salam MA
Published: September 2007

Gamma radiation effects on the gonads of Tribolium castaneum were assessed by cytological techniques. Pupal treatments of 15 Gy resulted in the significant reduction of testes and ovaries leading to sterility in males and infecundity in females, respectively. The present findings thus provide an important information for designing a sterile male technique for this storage pest species.

Key words: Gamma radiation, Tribolium castaneum, reproductive organs

Univ. j. zool. Rajshahi Univ. Vol.25 2006 p.11-14
Effects of native plants and IGRs on the development of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae)
Authors: Naher N , Islam T , Haque MM , Parween S
Published: September 2007

Effect of the seed dust of yellow karavi (Nerium oleander L.), flower juice of akanda (Calotropis procera L.) and two IGRs (diflubenzuron and triflumeron) were observed on the development of two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch. The seed dust of yellow karavi and akanda juice delayed the development of T. urticae resulting the elongation of duration of different developmental periods. But, the last stage of development was not affected with these treatments. Similarly, the two IGRs also significantly extended the duration of different developmental stages except deutonymph to adult. The different doses of two plant materials and two IGRs produced different effects on the development of two-spotted spider mite.

Key words: Tetranychus urticae, Calotropis procera, Nerium oleander, diflubenzuron, triflumuron, developmental period

Univ. j. zool. Rajshahi Univ. Vol.25 2006 p.18-22
Infestation of ectoparasites in Gudusia chapra (Hamilton)
Authors: Khanum Hamida , Khan Haroon Or Rashid , Farhana Rimi
Published: September 2007

One hundred Gudusia chapra ranging from 6 to 17 cm were examined on monthly basis. Of 100 fishes, 32 were male and 68 were female, sex ratio being 1:2.1. A total of 163 parasites were recovered from the host, which 70% were trematodes and 16% copepods. The overall prevalence of infection was 86% and the mean±SD intensity was 1.89±0.91. Heavy infestations (100%) were recorded in males of the largest (14.25-17.0 cm) and the smallest (6.0-8.75 cm) length groups. Total infection rate was also higher in males (87.72%) than in females (83.82%). Intensity of infestation in males and females was 1.62 and 2.03, respectively.

Key words: Gudusia chapra, ectoparasites, trematode, copepod, infestation intensity

Univ. j. zool. Rajshahi Univ. Vol.25 2006 p.23-25
Effect of the traditional parched rice husk incubation techniques on the hatchability of duck eggs
Authors: Khalequzzaman M , Mahdi Shah Hussain Ahmad , Rahman M Mahbur
Published: September 2007

The present study was carried out to know the seasonal effect on the hatchability of duck eggs in five private poultry farms at Gaibandha, Bangladesh. Eggs were set in artificial hatching bamboo made cylinders from different number of ducklings. Present observation revealed that the hatchability of duck eggs is highest in March (88.966 ± 2.11) and in June it is lowest (66.398 ± 0.63). In June the highest unfertilized eggs (25.532 ± 1.22) have been recorded followed by March (4.822 ± 0.68), January (10.164 ± 0.12), April (10.408 ± 0.31) and May (13.250 ± 1.37). The loss eggs were recorded highest in January (21.244 ± 1.36) and the lowest in March (4.874 ± 2.05). Least-square analysis of variance showed that individual months had significant effects on the hatchability of duck eggs.

Key words: Duck egg, artificial incubation, hatching

Univ. j. zool. Rajshahi Univ. Vol.25 2006 p.37-40
Physio-chemical conditions and plankton population of two fishponds in Khulna
Authors: Chowdhury Abdullah Harun , Mamun Abdullah Al
Published: September 2007

Sixteen physico-chemical variables, and the diversity and abundance of phyto- and zooplankton of two fishponds in Khulna University Campus have been studied during October 2003 and September 2004. A total of 25 phytoplankton genera, 7 belonging to Cyanophyceae, 7 to Chlorophyceae, 8 to Bacillario-phyceae and 3 to Euglenophyceae, and 18 zooplankton genera, 4 belonging to Copepoda, 7 to Cladocera and 7 to Rotifera, were recorded. Both ponds were permanently alkaline in nature. The values of TDS, BOD and phosphate, and the current status of plankton population imply that the study ponds were eutrophic in nature.

Key words: Fishponds, physico-chemical conditions, plankton population, Khulna

Univ. j. zool. Rajshahi Univ. Vol.25 2006 p.41-44
Efficacy of commercial neem-based insecticide, Nimbicidine® against eggs of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst)
Authors: Das Dipali Rani , Parween Selina , Faruki Saiful Islam
Published: September 2007

The efficacy of different concentrations of the commercial neem-based insecticide, Nimbicidine® was evaluated against the eggs of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). The insecticide significantly inhibited the hatching, pupation and adult emergence of the beetle. The latent effects of Nimbicidine® on the next generation progenies were expressed by significant reductions in the growth of larvae, pupation and adult emergence coupled with lengthened developmental period, but the sex ratio was unaffected.

Key words: Tribolium castaneum, Azadirachtin, hatching, pupation, adult emergence, growth and development, sex ratio

Univ. j. zool. Rajshahi Univ. Vol.25 2006 p.51-55
Effects of methionine and tryptophan on some economic characters in the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori L
Authors: Laz Rezina , Gani Ataul , Reza AM Saleh
Published: September 2007

Methionine and tryptophan were supplemented with food at four concentrations viz. 250, 500, 750 and 1000 ppm to evaluate the effects of these amino acids on the larval and pupal weight and different cocoon characters in the mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori L. Treatments significantly enhanced the performance of all the parameters in both parental and F1 generations except the filament denier. Significant differences were also observed between the generations of all the parameters except the filament length. However, the highest concentration (1000 ppm) of both the compounds decreased the growth parameters in comparison to control.

Key words: Bombyx mori, methionine, tryptophan, growth, filament length

Univ. j. zool. Rajshahi Univ. Vol.25 2006 p.57-62
Fluorescence quenching of serum albumin by rifamycin antibiotics and their analytical application
Authors: Yang Ji‐Dong , Deng Shi‐Xing , Liu Zhong‐Fang , Kong Ling , Liu Shao‐Pu
Published: September 2007

In neutral medium, rifamycin antibiotics such as rifapentin (RFPT), rifampicin (RFP), rifandin (RFD) and rifamycin SV (RFSV) can bind with human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) to form complexes, resulting in the quenching of the intrinsic fluorescence (λex/λem = 285/355 nm) of the BSA and HSA. The quenching intensity (ΔF) is directly proportional to the concentration of the rifamycin antibiotics. Therefore, a new analytical method was established to determine trace rifamycin antibiotics. The method had fairly high sensitivity and the detecting limits (3σ) for RFPT, RFP, RFD and RFSV were 0.85, 0.98, 1.83, 1.89 ng/mL, respectively, for the HSA system and 0.76, 0.89, 1.55, 1.77 ng/mL, respectively, for the BSA system. All relative standard deviations (RSDs) were <3.8%. In this work, the characteristics of the fluorescence spectra were studied and the optimum reaction conditions and influencing factors were investigated. The influence of coexisting substances was tested and the results showed that the method had good selectivity and could be applied to determine trace rifamycin antibiotics in medicine capsules and urine samples. Taking the RFSV–serum albumin system as an example, the reaction mechanisms, such as binding constants, binding sites, binding distance and the type of fluorescence quenching, were investigated. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of aromatic compounds by high‐performance liquid chromatography with on‐line photoreactor and peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence detection
Authors: Ihara Ayuko , Kishikawa Naoya , Wada Mitsuhiro , Ohba Yoshihito , Nakashima Kenichiro , Kuroda Naotaka
Published: September 2007

This paper describes a novel high‐performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the determination of aromatic compounds with peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence (PO–CL ) detection following on‐line UV irradiation. Aromatic compounds were UV irradiated (254 nm, 15 W) to generate hydrogen peroxide, which was determined via PO–CL detection using a mixture of bis(2,4,6‐trichlorophenyl)oxalate (aryloxalate) and 2,4,6,8‐tetrathiomorpholinopyrimido[5,4‐d]pyrimidine (fluorophore) as a post‐column CL reagent. Generation of hydrogen peroxide from aromatic compounds was confirmed using a flow injection analysis (FIA) system incorporating an enzyme column reactor immobilized with catalase. The conditions for UV irradiation were optimized using benzene and monosubstituted benzenes (phenol, benzaldehyde, nitrobenzene and N,N‐dimethylaniline) by an HPLC system to evaluate the analytical performance of the proposed system. The detection limits for benzene and monosubstituted benzenes were in the range 2.1–124 pmol/injection at signal:noise (S:N) ratio = 3. Monocyclic and polycyclic hydrocarbons were also employed to investigate their CL properties. The possibility of PO–CL detection for a wide variety of aromatic compounds was shown for the first time. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Discrimination of petroleum fluorescence spectra
Authors: Stelmaszewski Adam
Published: September 2007

This paper presents studies of the total spectra (fluorescence–excitation matrix) of petroleum with regard to the utilization of fluorescence for determining petroleum pollutants. Thorough testing of one group, comprising almost forty lubricating oils in the form of their hexane solutions, points out their discrimination. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of trimethylamine in fish by capillary electrophoresis with electrogenerated tris(2,2′‐bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) chemiluminescence detection
Authors: Li Ming , Lee Sang Hak
Published: September 2007

A capillary electrophoresis with electrogenerated chemiluminescence (CE–ECL) method for the determination of trimethylamine (TMA) in fish was studied. In the presence of TMA, ECL from the reaction of analyte and in situ generated tris(2,2′‐bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) [Ru(bpy)33+] at electrode surface could be produced. The ECL detection was performed using a Pt working electrode biased at 1.23 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) potential in a 10 mmol/L sodium borate buffer solution, pH 9.2, containing 3 mmol/L Ru(bpy)32+. A linear calibration curve (correlation coefficient = 0.9996) was obtained in the range 8 × 10−5–4 × 10−8 mol/L for TMA concentration. Recoveries obtained were in the range 98.78–101.46%. The method was successfully applied for the assay of TMA in fish, in combination with solid phase extraction (SPE) disks for sample clean‐up and enrichment. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Performance characteristics according to Commission Decision 2002/657/EC in the fluorimetric determination of tetracycline in the absence and in the presence of magnesium
Authors: Rodríguez Noelia , Ortiz M. Cruz , Herrero Ana , Sarabia Luis A.
Published: September 2007

The fluorimetric determination of tetracycline is usually carried out in the presence of some metals that, through the formation of a complex with this antibiotic, enhance its fluorescence emission, giving more sensitive determination methods. It is well established that magnesium is one of these metals. However, it is possible that higher signals do not mean a real improvement in the quality of the analytical method. In this work, the univariate and multivariate fluorescence determination of tetracycline is performed in the presence and absence of Mg2+, comparing the quality of the analyses through some performance characteristics that, according to Commission Decision 2002/657/EC define the functional qualities of analytical methods. The methods with the best performance characteristics were multivariate determinations carried out in the absence of Mg2+, both when emission or excitation spectra were taken, the decision limits (CCα) being 13.1 and 20.1 µg/L and the detection capabilities (CCβ) 25.3 and 38.5 µg/L, respectively. This study points out through a case study that higher analytical signals do not necessarily mean better performance characteristics of a method of analysis. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of atenolol by the micelle‐stabilized room‐temperature phosphorescence methodology
Authors: Castillo Marcela A. , Gambino Luisina Ongaro , Polizzi Germán , Andreetta Héctor A. , Bruzzone Liliana
Published: September 2007

A micellar‐stabilized room‐temperature phosphorescence (MS–RTP) method for the determination of atenolol has been developed in micellar solutions of sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) in the presence of thallium(I) as a heavy atom and sodium sulphite as an oxygen scavenger. The effects of thallium(I) nitrate, SDS and sodium sulphite concentrations on atenolol MS–RTP intensity were studied. Optimized conditions to obtain maximum sensitivity were 0.015 mol/L thallium(I) nitrate, 0.1 mol/L SDS and 0.0075 mol/L sodium sulphite. The maximum phosphorescence signal was completely developed in 10 min and the intensity was measured at λex = 272 nm and λem = 412 nm. The linear range of application obtained was 2.01–16.00 µg/mL. The detection limit estimated from the least‐squares regression analysis was 0.86 µg/mL and the relative standard deviation of 10 replicates was 1.7%. The proposed method was applied to the determination of atenolol in a pharmaceutical formulation. The quantitation was carried out by means of standard calibration, standard‐additions calibration and Youden calibration. These three experiments were necessary to evaluate the presence of constant and proportional errors due to the matrix. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oxidation and chemiluminescence of catechol by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of Co(II) ions and CTAB micelles
Authors: Lasovsky Jan , Hrbac Jan , Sichertova Dana , Bednar Petr
Published: September 2007

The oxidation of catechol in neutral and slightly alkaline aqueous solutions (pH 7–9.6) by excess hydrogen peroxide (0.002–0.09 mol/L) in the presence of Co(II) (2.10−7–2.10−5 mol/L) is accompanied by abrupt formation of red purple colouration, which is subsequently decolourized within 1 h. The electron spectra of the reaction mixture are characterized by a broad band covering the whole visible range (400–700 nm), with maximum at 485 nm. The reaction is initiated by catechol oxidation to its semiquinone radical and further to 1,2‐benzoquinone. By nucleophilic addition of hydrogen peroxide into the p‐position of benzoquinone C=O groups, hydroperoxide intermediates are formed, which decompose to hydroxylated 1,4‐benzoquinones. It was confirmed by MS spectroscopy that monohydroxy‐, dihydroxy‐ and tetrahydroxy‐1,4‐benzoquinone are formed as intermediate products. As final products of catechol decomposition, muconic acid, its hydroxy‐ and dihydroxy‐derivatives and crotonic acid were identified. In the micellar environment of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide the decomposition rate of catechol is three times faster, due to micellar catalysis, and is accompanied by chemiluminescence (CL) emission, with maxima at 500 and 640 nm and a quantum yield of 1 × 10−4. The CL of catechol can be further sensitized by a factor of 8 (maximum) with the aid of intramicellar energy transfer to fluorescein. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ultrasensitive assay of clindamycin in medicine and bio‐fluids with chemiluminescence detection
Authors: Wei Gaili , Dang Gaochao , Li Hua
Published: September 2007

A simple chemiluminescence (CL) method using flow injection has been developed for the determination of clindamycin, based on the inhibitory effect of clindamycin on the CL generated from the luminol–K3Fe(CN)6 system in alkaline medium. It was found that the decrement of CL intensity was linear with the logarithm of clindamycin concentration over the range 0.7–1000 ng/mL. The detection limit was 0.2 ng/mL with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of <5.0% (n = 7). At a flow rate of 3.0 mL/min, a complete analytical process could be performed within 0.5 min, including sampling and washing. The proposed procedure was applied successfully to the determination of clindamycin in pharmaceutical preparations and human urine without pretreatment. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exact transformation of a wide variety of domain integrals into boundary integrals in boundary element method
Authors: Hematiyan M. R.
Published: September 2007

In this paper, a sufficient condition for transforming domain integrals into boundary integral is described. The transformation is accomplished by Green's and Gauss' theorems. It is shown that a wide range of domain integrals including some integrals in boundary element method satisfy this sufficient condition and can be simply transformed into boundary. Although emphasis is made on potential and elastostatic problems, this method can also be used for many other applications. Using the present method, a wide range of 2D and 3D domain integrals over simply or multiply connected regions can be transformed exactly into the boundary. The resultant boundary integrals are numerically evaluated using an adaptive version of the Simpson integration method. Several examples are provided to show the efficiency and accuracy of the present method. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On estimation of bivariate biomarkers with known detection limits
Authors: Chu Haitao , Nie Lei , Zhu Motao
Published: September 2007

To estimate the correlation coefficient between two measurements of viral load obtained from HIV‐infected individuals, a Bernoulli/bivariate normal mixture model has been applied to provide a better fit for the high proportions of left censoring due to assay measurements falling below limits of detection (LD). In this paper, we investigate the relationship among several alternative likelihood‐based methods; particularly we derive an explicit relationship between the maximum likelihood estimates based on the Bernoulli/bivariate normal mixture model for all data pairs and a left‐truncated bivariate normal model for data pairs with one or two detectable values. With a case study and a set of Monte Carlo simulations, we demonstrated the potential impact of using an incorrect likelihood on the estimation of correlation coefficient from two random variables with known LD. Furthermore, we investigated the performance of nonparametric methods using Kendall's tau and Spearman's rank correlation with tie correction for left censoring, which have been used in practice. When data are simulated from a left‐censored bivariate normal or a left‐censored Bernoulli/bivariate normal mixture distribution, both Kendall's tau and Spearman's rank correlation tend to give biased estimates. The biases increase as the probability in the lower component and the proportions of left censoring increases. Further research on nonparametric methods is needed to deal with left censoring, especially in the presence of mixture distributions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spline smoothing in Bayesian disease mapping
Authors: MacNab Ying C.
Published: September 2007

Penalty splines such as smoothing spline and P‐spline, as well as unpenalized regression splines, have become increasingly popular methods in contemporary non‐parametric and semiparametric regressions, particularly for data arising from longitudinal, multilevel, and spatiotemporal settings. In the recent decade, the development of the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods has facilitated applications of flexible spline fittings via Bayesian hierarchical formulation. In this paper, we study three spline smoothing methods in the context of spatiotemporal modeling of rates and Bayesian disease mapping. We explore their potentials for fully Bayesian (FB) rate and risk trends ensemble estimation and spatiotemporal relative risks inference. In particular, our study presents and compares Bayesian hierarchical formulations of regression B‐spline, smoothing spline, and P‐spline, explores the connections and distinctions among them, and sheds light on their varying capabilities as ‘data‐driven’ smoothers for risk trends exploration and sequential disease mapping. The methods are motivated and illustrated through a Bayesian analysis of adverse medical events (commonly known as iatrogenic injures) to hospitalized children and youth in British Columbia, Canada. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparing spatial dependence structures using spectral density estimators
Authors: Crujeiras Rosa M. , Fernández‐Casal Rubén , González‐Manteiga Wenceslao
Published: September 2007

The aim of this work is to establish statistical methodology in order to analyze changes in the dependence structure for different spatial processes or for a process observed on a regular grid at different time moments. We propose a test statistic for testing the hypothesis $H_0:f_1=f_2$, where each $f_l$ denotes the spectral density of each process, for $l=1,2$. The test is based on a Cramer‐von‐Mises functional type test introduced in (Vilar‐Fernández and Gonzálex‐Manteiga, 2004) for the regression context. The study is developed for $L=2$, but generalizations to $L>2$ are straightforward. The application of our technique is related to biomonitoring studies which have been carried out in order to determine levels of heavy metal concentrations, taking mosses as biomonitors. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Two‐dimensional finite element thermal modeling of an oil‐immersed transformer
Authors: Faiz Jawad , Sharifian M. B. B. , Fakhri A.
Published: September 2007

Finite element (FE) modeling of a typical transformer indicates that the hot spot position is always on the top most part of the transformer. The hot spot temperature of winding depends on the load and the type of loading and is changed by loading. A number of the generated magnetic flux lines of windings close to their paths perpendicular to the internal channel of the windings and therefore the flux density in the middle of the channel is considerably larger than the beginning and ending of the winding. Two models of windings are employed and different temperature distributions are obtained. The computation results show that the time constant of high voltage (HV) winding is lower than that of the low voltage (LV) winding. A good agreement between the test and computed results has been achieved. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The adaptive unit transverse differential protection based on the fault contributed current
Authors: NengLing Tai , Bo Wang
Published: September 2007

A new adaptive unit transverse differential protection based on the fault contributed zero‐sequence current for the generator is introduced in this paper. The performance of the conventional unit transverse differential protection is usually greatly affected by the unbalanced current. To overcome this disadvantage, the fault contributed zero‐sequence current is applied to remove the influence of the pre‐fault current. At the same time, analysis results show that the unbalanced current always present the linear relationship with the stator current. According to that, the proposed scheme can change the setting value adaptively, which improves the protection sensitivity for the generator light internal fault. For the external fault, the scheme can enhance the protection reliability because it ensures a high restraint current. The new scheme is developed and the practical implementation of the protection equipment is also demonstrated. The test results show that the proposed approach is successful in detecting the generator internal fault, and could have high sensitivity and selectivity. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Informal and formal care among single‐living elderly in Europe
Authors: Bolin K. , Lindgren B. , Lundborg P.
Published: September 2007

The aims of this study were to analyse (1) whether informal care, provided by children or grandchildren to their elderly parents, and formal care are substitutes or complements, and (2) whether this relationship differs across Europe. The analyses were based on cross‐sectional data from the newly developed SHARE (Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe) database. We found (1) that informal and formal home care are substitutes, while informal care is a complement to doctor and hospital visits, and (2) that these relationships in some cases differ according to a European north–south gradient. Instrumental variable methods were used and the results highlight the importance of accounting for the endogeneity of informal care. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.