bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Environmental Solution to Help Reduce Freshwater Demands and Minimize Chemical Use
Authors: Bryant Jason E. , Haggstrom Johanna
Published: March 2012

New technologies to reduce chemical exposure to personnel and the environment during fracturing operations are at the forefront of research and development efforts. Unconventional reservoir developments require large amounts of fresh water, sometimes up to 5 million gal to complete a well, leading to difficulty in water sourcing in remote locations or regions where droughts are persistent. Several new areas currently under consideration for shale exploration are in environmentally sensitive locations, making the water sourcing for fracturing operations even more critical. Freshwater use needs to be minimized, and a careful examination of current practices should be undertaken to reduce, eliminate, and recycle chemicals wherever possible. Furthermore, fracturing fluids essential for successful stimulation treatment should be comprised of chemicals adhering to environmentally acceptable standards.

Recent developments have allowed one operator to minimize freshwater usage through recycling of their flowback and produced water using electrocoagulation (EC) technology. EC is a water-treatment process that removes colloidal solids through methods of coagulation, electroflotation, and settling. Unlike conventional water-treatment practices, such as reverse osmosis or distillation, EC generates relatively small quantities of waste, while leaving dissolved solids in the water. To ensure enough water was available for fracturing stimulation treatment, fresh make-up water was also used. This freshwater source was treated for bacteria using an ultraviolet (UV) trailer, which minimized the need for biocide on location. In addition, dry-blending technology was used to hydrate the gel without the aid of mineral oils. All of these processes were used to reduce the environmental impact on location.

With increasing public scrutiny and concern over the practice of hydraulic fracturing in environmentally sensitive locations, fluid systems need to follow strict environmental guidelines. A new fluid system was developed with components from the US Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 (CFR 21), or the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) affirmation process. While setting a high precedence by adhering to this environmental benchmark, the fluid performance was not compromised.
Water Management-An Increasing Trend in the Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Hill Freeman , Monroe Steve , Mohanan Reshmy
Published: March 2012

Water plays an essential role in the recovery of oil and gas. Managing subsurface water conformance can maximize hydrocarbon production and reduce operating costs. However, unchecked water can decrease hydrocarbon production, reduce oil and gas recovery, increase costs substantially, and lead to possible well abandonment.

In the life of a well it is natural that water will eventually enter into the production stream. It is important to identify the water’s source and reason for the intrusion, and how it is interacting with the wellbore. This knowledge can be used to create an integrated customized solution that fits the needs of the well. An indepth understanding of the reservoir can avoid water problem areas in new infield drilling by the use of advanced navigation and directional systems.

Water management is essential to maximizing returns on investment and in controlling costs. There are a variety of technologies available for near-wellbore control and reservoir water conformance. Understanding of the water mechanism followed by proper application is key to reducing excess water production.
Successful Implementations of Tophole Managed Pressure Cementing and Managed Pressure Drilling in the Caspian Sea
Authors: Rajabi M. Mir , Rohde B. , Maguire N. , Stave R. S. , Tapper R.
Published: March 2012

Top-hole drilling in the Caspian Sea has historically been very problematic: severe drilling problems are normal when drilling the 26" top-hole sections conventionally – an unconsolidated, over-pressurized sand stratum in the Shah Deniz Field has been one source of these problems. A narrow pore/fracture pressure window, shallow water flow, dissolved gas percolation and mud losses have resulted in extensive non-productive times and an inability to set casing at the desired depth.

Rate of Penetration (ROP) was excessively limited due to cuttings build-up in the hole as the result of low annular velocity. The pressure increase in the wellbore due to the cuttings loading was sufficient to cause losses to the formation.

A new managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) system, developed for drilling subsea wells, uses proven subsea mud pumps from the Riserless Mud Recovery (RMR) system to adjust fluid level inside the riser to maintain a constant Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP)/constant Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD). This compensates for changes in the wellbore pressure profile that may occur due to standard drilling practices and problems such as cuttings loading and annular frictional pressure loss. This technology, called EC-Drill, is also integrated with a reliable early kick/loss detection system which allows the driller to respond quickly before a situation escalates should influxes or fluid losses occur.

Top-hole cement jobs also have been reportedly unsuccessful under such challenging conditions. Losing cement to the formation, plus the added problems of shallow gas and water influx, have been common elements in such failures. To slove the problem, a closed-loop circulation system was established to provide an excellent level of control over the return at the wellhead, so that wellbore pressure could fall inside the pressure window during placement of cement slurry. This cementing technique, called Managed Pressure Cemeneting (MPC), was successfully used in the Caspian Sea.

This paper covers the principle of EC-Drill and MPC methods as well as field data for successful top-hole drilling and cementing operations.
Evaluation of Results From One Company’s Global Use of Underbalanced Drilling for Tight Gas Exploration and Appraisal Reservoir Characterization
Authors: Elliott Dave
Published: March 2012

Tight gas reservoirs are often characterized by complex geological and petrophysical systems as well as heterogeneities at all scales. In addition, the operating environment is very challenging and that affects the decisions for data acquisition. The use of salt-saturated or oil based mud systems creates a contrast and uncertainty in the data. Hence, the quality of static log and core data acquired is compromised.

In May of 2008 Shell’s Global Wells and Exploration Management made a strategic commitment for the use of Underbalanced Drilling (UBD) for reservoir characterization on all tight gas exploration and appraisal wells. UBD is unique in that, when properly applied, it completely eliminates any uncertainty of drilling or completion fluid damage from the dynamic gas mobility understanding. Specifically the technology has been used in the exploratory and appraisal campaigns to obtain the direct benefits of characterizing the reservoir while drilling, obtaining the real net productive pay zones of the reservoirs and establish whether open fractures were crossed. UBD has also been used to determine reservoir volumes connectivity and obtaining other important reservoir properties in real time, which helps in calibrating the reservoir models. Gas flowing during UBD has been used to optimize the testing, logging and completion plans that were conducted after drilling each of the exploratory wells.

Since 2008 Shell has successfully deployed UBD for tight gas exploration and appraisal on 10 projects in North America, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. This paper will evaluate the strategic learning’s from this deployment of UBD. Evaluation scope will include HSE, project delivery issues, reservoir learning’s and changes to sub-surface team’s work flows to exploit the information. Selected project results will be presented to support the evaluation conclusions. Discussions will include a view to the future including how Shell is changing overall tight gas project development with UBD de-risking.
Onshore US MPD Use by an Operator
Authors: Montilva J. , Mota J. , Billa R.
Published: March 2012

In the development of onshore gas fields SWEPI LP (Shell) has encountered margins in which the difference between dynamic ECD and static BHP is the difference between lost circulation and influx. The limits imposed by those conflicting conditions create narrow mud weight windows.

The reasons for the tight pore pressure and fracture gradient windows in these vertical and horizontal onshore HPHT tight gas environments vary. Some are old fields challenged by depletion. In the case of South Texas, the main problem is losses in the production hole due to depletion. The pressure in different zones is often difficult to predict due to complex geology further complicated by years of commingled production without knowing what each zone has contributed. In some of the new shale plays, like the Haynesville, slim hole well plans are used which have problems with low kick tolerance design and unexpected kicks through fractured intervals. These pose unique well control challenges to minimize non productive time. In all of these wells, there is the high cost associated with losing mud and/or constantly changing mud weights to prevent losses or influxes.

To mitigate these potential problems, Shell has recognized the use of the Managed Pressured Drilling (MPD) concept which enables the use of the lowest possible mud weight to drill these challenging wells. By lowering the mud weight and manipulating the annular pressure during drilling, the risk of mud losses and/or quick sudden transitions into over-pressured zones is reduced. There are some direct benefits of drilling with lower mud weight such as higher ROP's, lower stand pipe pressures and lower circulating temperatures. In addition, there are lower ECD's and higher pump rates that improve the hole cleaning.

Field trials using a fully-automated MPD solution were performed by Shell in South Texas and North Louisiana Haynesville from late 2010 to mid 2011. This paper describes implementation of a fully automated MPD, small rig foot print system which incorporates a Rig Pump Diverter (RPD) that allows smooth transition from circulating to non-circulating down hole during connection while maintaining continuous rig pump circulation.

Results from the field trials will be documented in the paper. We will show the impact of drilling with lower mud weights on well performance. Additionally, a comparison of vertical and horizontal HPHT wells that were drilled conventionally and wells drilled using MPD will be made showing the effects of drilling with lower mud weights on ROP, down hole circulating temperature, ECD, stand pipe pressure and pump rate.
The Effect of Exercise on Pulpal and Gingival Blood Flow in Physically Active and Inactive Subjects as Assessed by Laser Doppler
Authors: Lobo EC , Nguyen SMT , Pogrel MA
Published: March 2012

The effects of exercise on pulpal and gingival blood flow are undefined. The autonomic nervous system response suggests that they could increase or decrease with exercise, and they may be independent of each other. This study attempts to answer these questions.

Materials and Methods:

15 “physically active” subjects and 15 “physically inactive” subjects exercised on a treadmill. Laser Doppler recordings of pulpal and gingival blood flow were taken before and after exercise.

Results:

There was a mean increase of approximately 50% in both pulpal (range -66%-+509%) and gingival (-72%- +1022%) blood flow after exercise, with wide variations, with no significant differences between the two groups of subjects.

Conclusion:

Exercise could increase pulpal and/or gingival blood flow as part of the overall increase in cardiac output with exercise, or could decrease pulpal and/or gingival blood flow due to diversion of blood to the somatic muscles during exercise. This study suggests that the former physiological phenomenon usually takes place at both sites,though there were some contradictory results.
Glycemic Control Over 5 Years in 4,900 People With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Best James D. , Drury Paul L. , Davis Timothy M.E. , Taskinen Marja-Riitta , Kesäniemi Y. Antero , Scott Russell , Pardy Christopher , Voysey Merryn , Keech Anthony C. ,   on behalf of the Fenofibrate Intervention and Event Lowering in Diabetes (FIELD) Study Investigators
Published: March 2012

OBJECTIVE

Glycemic control in type 2 diabetes generally worsens over time, requiring intensification of therapy. The Fenofibrate Intervention and Event Lowering in Diabetes (FIELD) trial provided the opportunity to observe glycemic control in a real-world setting. We assessed the adequacy of metformin, sulfonylureas, and insulin to maintain glycemic control and their effects on weight.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Diabetes control was measured at baseline and yearly for a median of 5 years in the 4,900 patients from the nonintervention arm of this study allocated to placebo.

RESULTS

Median HbA1c was 6.9% at baseline and increased by an average of 0.22% over 5 years (P < 0.001). Median weight was 86.3 kg at baseline and decreased by 0.4 kg over 5 years (P = 0.002). Baseline therapy was lifestyle measures only in 27%, oral agents without insulin in 59%, and insulin in 14% (7% also taking oral agents). Over 5 years, insulin use increased to 32% (21% also taking oral agents). Use of oral agents remained similar at 56%. Only 2% of patients at baseline and 4% after 5 years were taking oral agents other than metformin or sulfonylureas. Initiation of insulin therapy in 855 patients produced a sustained reduction of HbA1c from a median of 8.2 to 7.7%, with a weight gain of 4.6 kg over 5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

With intensification of traditional therapies, glycemic control deteriorated very little over 5 years in a large cohort of type 2 diabetes. However, the requirement for insulin therapy doubled, at the expense of significant weight gain and risk of hypoglycemia.
Baseline Factors Associated With Glycemic Control and Weight Loss When Exenatide Twice Daily Is Added to Optimized Insulin Glargine in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Rosenstock Julio , Shenouda Sylvia K. , Bergenstal Richard M. , Buse John B. , Glass Leonard C. , Heilmann Cory R. , Kwan Anita Y.M. , MacConell Leigh A. , Hoogwerf Byron James
Published: March 2012

OBJECTIVE

To determine variables associated with glycemic and body weight responses when adding exenatide to basal insulin–treated type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Exploratory subgroup analyses based on baseline A1C, disease duration, and BMI of a 30-week study comparing exenatide twice daily to placebo, added to optimized insulin glargine (intent-to-treat analysis: 137 exenatide; 122 placebo).

RESULTS

Exenatide participants had greater A1C reductions compared with optimized insulin glargine alone, irrespective of baseline A1C (P < 0.001). Exenatide participants with longer diabetes duration and those with lower BMI had greater A1C reductions (P < 0.01). Exenatide participants lost more weight, regardless of baseline A1C or BMI (P < 0.05). Exenatide participants with longer diabetes duration lost the most weight (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Exenatide added to optimized basal insulin was associated with improved glycemic control and weight loss, irrespective of baseline A1C, diabetes duration, and BMI. Changes were evident in modestly obese patients and in those with longer diabetes duration.
Efficacy and Safety of the Once-Daily GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Lixisenatide in Monotherapy
Authors: Fonseca Vivian A. , Alvarado-Ruiz Ricardo , Raccah Denis , Boka Gabor , Miossec Patrick , Gerich John E. ,   on behalf of the EFC6018 GetGoal-Mono Study Investigators
Published: March 2012

OBJECTIVE

To assess efficacy and safety of lixisenatide monotherapy in type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Randomized, double-blind, 12-week study of 361 patients not on glucose-lowering therapy (HbA1c 7–10%) allocated to one of four once-daily subcutaneous dose increase regimens: lixisenatide 2-step (10 μg for 1 week, 15 μg for 1 week, and then 20 μg; n = 120), lixisenatide 1-step (10 μg for 2 weeks and then 20 μg; n = 119), placebo 2-step (n = 61), or placebo 1-step (n = 61) (placebo groups were combined for analyses). Primary end point was HbA1c change from baseline to week 12.

RESULTS

Once-daily lixisenatide significantly improved HbA1c (mean baseline 8.0%) in both groups (least squares mean change vs. placebo: −0.54% for 2-step, −0.66% for 1-step; P < 0.0001). Significantly more lixisenatide patients achieved HbA1c <7.0% (52.2% 2-step, 46.5% 1-step) and ≤6.5% (31.9% 2-step, 25.4% 1-step) versus placebo (26.8% and 12.5%, respectively; P < 0.01). Lixisenatide led to marked significant improvements of 2-h postprandial glucose levels and blood glucose excursions measured during a standardized breakfast test. A significant decrease in fasting plasma glucose was observed in both lixisenatide groups versus placebo. Mean decreases in body weight (∼2 kg) were observed in all groups. The most common adverse events were gastrointestinal—nausea was the most frequent (lixisenatide 23% overall, placebo 4.1%). Symptomatic hypoglycemia occurred in 1.7% of lixisenatide and 1.6% of placebo patients, with no severe episodes. Safety/tolerability was similar for the two dose regimens.

CONCLUSIONS

Once-daily lixisenatide monotherapy significantly improved glycemic control with a pronounced postprandial effect (75% reduction in glucose excursion) and was safe and well tolerated in type 2 diabetes.
Glycated Hemoglobin and Risk of Hypertension in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
Authors: Bower Julie K. , Appel Lawrence J. , Matsushita Kunihiro , Young J. Hunter , Alonso Alvaro , Brancati Frederick L. , Selvin Elizabeth
Published: March 2012

OBJECTIVE

Diabetes and hypertension often co-occur and share risk factors. Hypertension is known to predict diabetes. However, hyperglycemia also may be independently associated with future development of hypertension. We investigated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) as a predictor of incident hypertension.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a prospective analysis of 9,603 middle-aged participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study without hypertension at baseline. Using Cox proportional hazards models, we estimated the association between HbA1c at baseline and incident hypertension by two definitions 1) self-reported hypertension during a maximum of 18 years of follow-up and 2) measured blood pressure or hypertension medication use at clinic visits for a maximum of 9 years of follow-up.

RESULTS

We observed 4,800 self-reported and 1,670 visit-based hypertension cases among those without diagnosed diabetes at baseline. Among those with diagnosed diabetes at baseline, we observed 377 self-reported and 119 visit-based hypertension cases. Higher baseline HbA1c was associated with an increased risk of hypertension in subjects with and without diabetes. Compared with nondiabetic adults with HbA1c <5.7%, HbA1c in the prediabetic range (5.7–6.4%) was independently associated with incident self-reported hypertension (hazard ratio 1.14 [95% CI 1.06–1.23]) and visit-detected hypertension (1.17 [1.03–1.33]).

CONCLUSIONS

We observed that individuals with elevated HbA1c, even without a prior diabetes diagnosis, are at increased risk of hypertension. HbA1c is a known predictor of incident heart disease and stroke. Our results suggest that the association of HbA1c with cardiovascular risk may be partially mediated by the development of hypertension.
Predictors of Mortality Over 8 Years in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: McEwen Laura N. , Karter Andrew J. , Waitzfelder Beth E. , Crosson Jesse C. , Marrero David G. , Mangione Carol M. , Herman William H.
Published: March 2012

OBJECTIVE

To examine demographic, socioeconomic, and biological risk factors for all-cause, cardiovascular, and noncardiovascular mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes over 8 years and to construct mortality prediction equations.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Beginning in 2000, survey and medical record information was obtained from 8,334 participants in Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD), a multicenter prospective observational study of diabetes care in managed care. The National Death Index was searched annually to obtain data on deaths over an 8-year follow-up period (2000–2007). Predictors examined included age, sex, race, education, income, smoking, age at diagnosis of diabetes, duration and treatment of diabetes, BMI, complications, comorbidities, and medication use.

RESULTS

There were 1,616 (19%) deaths over the 8-year period. In the most parsimonious equation, the predictors of all-cause mortality included older age, male sex, white race, lower income, smoking, insulin treatment, nephropathy, history of dyslipidemia, higher LDL cholesterol, angina/myocardial infarction/other coronary disease/coronary angioplasty/bypass, congestive heart failure, aspirin, β-blocker, and diuretic use, and higher Charlson Index.

CONCLUSIONS

Risk of death can be predicted in people with type 2 diabetes using simple demographic, socioeconomic, and biological risk factors with fair reliability. Such prediction equations are essential for computer simulation models of diabetes progression and may, with further validation, be useful for patient management.
High Burden of Kidney Disease in Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Dart Allison B. , Sellers Elizabeth A. , Martens Patricia J. , Rigatto Claudio , Brownell Marni D. , Dean Heather J.
Published: March 2012

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate renal outcomes and survival in youth with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) versus type 1 diabetes (T1DM) versus nondiabetic control subjects.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

In total, 342 prevalent youth (aged 1–18 years) with T2DM, 1,011 youth with T1DM, and 1,710 control subjects identified from 1986 to 2007 were anonymously linked to health care records housed at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy to assess long-term outcomes using ICD codes.

RESULTS

Youth with T2DM were found to have a fourfold increased risk of renal failure versus youth with T1DM. Risk factors associated with renal failure were renin angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitor use and albuminuria in adolescence. Compared with control subjects (age, sex, and postal code matched), youth with T2DM had a 23-fold increased risk of renal failure and a 39-fold increased risk of dialysis. Kaplan-Meier survival at 10 years was 91.4% in the type 2 diabetic group versus 99.5% in the type 1 diabetic group (P < 0.0001). Renal survival was 100% at 10 years in both groups. It decreased to 92.0% at 15 years and 55.0% at 20 years in the type 2 diabetic group but remained stable in the type 1 diabetic group (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Youth with T2DM are at high risk of adverse renal outcomes and death. Albuminuria and angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitor use, which may be a marker of severity of disease, are associated with poor outcomes in early adulthood.
Business Intelligence for Insurance Companies
Authors: Rostek Katarzyna
Published: March 2012

Business Intelligence for Insurance Companies

The article presents current status of IT implementation in Polish insurance companies. Afterwards the man issues connected with information management and proposal of dealing with these issues, due to the implementation of Business Intelligence system, is presented. Definition, structure and scope of application as well as the Business Intelligence system implementation methodology, with a particular consideration for the insurance market character, are presented. Article is summed up with examples of effective Business Intelligence systems implementations in selected insurance companies.
Optimization of Workplace Design for People with Alternative Abilities
Authors: Górska Ewa
Published: March 2012

Optimization of Workplace Design for People with Alternative Abilities

An employer who wants to employ a person with alternative disturbances faces a difficult problem of selecting a workstation and tasks suitable to a given person's disease since even the same case of disease does not guarantee identical organizational solutions of a workstation. However the more complex the movement disfunction, the more difficult the task is. At the same time it is important that work results of a workstation allow achieving complex productivity. The article presents an attempt at elaborating a method aided by a computer system which allows introducing changes or modifications of workstation space, place equipment and facilities or installing additional elements enabling effective and productive work performance by a person with precisely defined abilities. Presented results of piloting researches have proven that the elaborated method of aiding decisions while adapting workstations to needs and abilities of people with movement disfunction will bring social and economic benefits.
Management Information in Administration Systems
Authors: Ostrowska Teresa
Published: March 2012

Management Information in Administration Systems

Management information is the basis for decision making. The essential meaning of the management information is noticed in the administrative systems, through the analysis of the character and usefulness of the management information, as legal information that is published in the form of internal and external legal acts. Specification of the legal acts, connected with the activities of the administrative unit, requires undertaking of certain methodology of the conduct. Process approach, based on the specification of the processes realized in the administrative unit and related legal acts, is suggested. Case study related to a faculty at the University is an example of the use of presented proposal.
Events and Event Processes
Authors: Krupa Tadeusz
Published: March 2012

Events and Event Processes

Presented article describes the issues known from the logical structures characterization theory [2] used in this case to describe the events designed for the needs of proper functioning of organizational structures. Necessary formalization is used strictly for the maintenance of the concept discipline. Event theory [5] is used in the designing of complex structures of organizational systems for which the basic necessity is its compliance with the set functional description. Final organization's characteristics are determined by many factors, such as: a) completeness and non-contradiction of the functional specification b) theoretical correctness of the functional transformation of the organization into the design of its organizational structure c) correctness of the technical project realization.
Effect of light colour on forced hyacinth
Authors: Śmigielska Małgorzata , Jerzy Marek
Published: March 2012

Three cultivars of Hyacinthus orientalis L. were forced under artificial light using fluorescent lamps emitting white, blue, green, yellow and red light. Quantum irradiance was determined as 12.5 and 25 μmol m-2 s-1. Day length was 12 and six hours, respectively. Daily light integral was 0.54 mol m-2. A significant effect of light colour on flowering date and plant quality was observed. Plants forced in blue and red light were the first to flower. Plants exposed to red light formed longer inflorescences. Plants forced under lamps emitting blue light formed shorter, more rigid flower shoots with shorter leaves.

There were no significant differences between plants grown under 25 μmol m-2 s-1 of quantum irradiance for six hours per day and plants grown under light with a quantum irradiance of 12.5 μmol m-2 s-1 for 12 hours per day. This means that the light-dosing variant did not exert any effect on the growth and flowering of hyacinths.
Effect of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) and cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias L.) plant water extracts on the occurrence of pest insects on white cabbage
Authors: Jankowska Beata , Wilk Anna
Published: March 2012

In 2007-2008 the effects of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) and cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias L.) water extracts on the occurrence of pest insects on white cabbage were tested. The numbers of cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae L.) were significantly lower on the treated plants. During the period of the most numerous occurrence of aphids on the unsprayed plants, their number was almost twice as high as on the plants sprayed with spurge extract and almost three times as high as on the plants sprayed with marigold extracts. Spraying plants had an effect on the number of Phyllotreta atra and P. nemorum beetles and Pieris rapae L. eggs. Pot marigold extract proved to be the most effective in this respect. Egg clusters of large white butterfly (P. brassicae L.) and cabbage moth (Mamestra brassicae L.) were observed only in 2008, and only on the control. In the case of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L., only marigold extract had a positive impact on reducing its number. Diamondback moth larvae numbers were even slightly higher on plants treated with cypress spurge extract than on the control plots where plants had not been sprayed.
Biodiversity of fungi colonising aboveground parts of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L. var. giromontina)
Authors: Jamiołkowska Agnieszka , Sawicki Krzysztof
Published: March 2012

Zucchini is a very valuable vegetable, easy to grow both in the field and under covering, but it is affected by pathogenic fungi. The experiment was carried out at a farm near Lublin where three zucchini cultivars, ‘Astra Polka’, ‘Atena Polka F1’ and ‘Soraya’, were cultivated in a plastic tunnel and in the field in 2008-2009. The leaves, petioles and stems of zucchini were collected for laboratory tests. Mycological analysis showed that the predominating fungi were Alternaria alternata, Fusarium spp. and Rhizoctonia solani. Fusarium spp. were isolated in the greatest numbers from zucchini plants cultivated in the field. R. solani was isolated in greater numbers from zucchini cultivated in a plastic tunnel as compared to the field.
Syrphids (Diptera, Syrphidae) and coccinellids (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) occurring in Myzus cerasi (F.) (Hemiptera) colonies on Prunus avium L.
Authors: Wojciechowicz-Żytko Elżbieta
Published: March 2012

During the sampling period, 243 syrphid larvae belonging to seven species were collected from M. cerasi colonies on P. avium. Episyrphus balteatus Deg. and Epistrophe eligans (Harr.) were the most numerous species amongst the materials gathered, followed by Syrphus ribesii (L.) and S. vitripennis Meig. All of these species play an essential role in reducing M. cerasi populations. Amongst the Coccinellidae occurring in black cherry aphid colonies, Adalia bipunctata L. was the dominant species, while the subdominant was Coccinella septempunctata L. and Propylaea quatuordecimpunctata (L.).
Response of Chinese cabbage grown in the spring season to differentiated forms of nitrogen fertilisation
Authors: Krężel Jan , Kołota Eugeniusz
Published: March 2012

In the experiment carried out in the Experimental Station belonging to the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences in 2004-2006, we estimated the effect of the type of the nitrogen fertiliser (ammonium nitrate, calcium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, urea and ENTEC 26) applied as preplant (150 kg N ha-1) or split dose (100 + 50 kg N ha-1) on the yield and dry matter content, nitrates, vitamin C and P, K, Mg, Ca in ‘Optiko’ Chinese cabbage cultivated during the spring season. The highest total and marketable yield of Chinese cabbage was recorded after the use of urea, which was partly associated with the lowest percentage of diseased heads. Plants fertilised with ammonium sulfate provided the lowest yield. The method of nitrogen application significantly affected the yield and the mean weight of individual heads in the marketable yield, but not the accumulation of nitrates and vitamin C. The lowest accumulation of nitrates was associated with the use of ammonium sulfate and ENTEC 26, whereas the highest with urea. The use of calcium nitrate at a single dose of 150 kg N ha-1 led to the highest accumulation of vitamin C in Chinese cabbage leaves. The levels of P, K, Mg and Ca showed only small changes and were not significantly affected by the type of nitrogen fertiliser or the method of its application.
Mycelium growth and yield of wild strains of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.: Fr.) Quel. cultivated on waste materials from the textile industry
Authors: Sobieralski Krzysztof , Siwulski Marek , Sas-Golak Iwona , Mańkowski Jerzy , Kotlińska Teresa
Published: March 2012

The objective of the experiment was to compare mycelium growth and the yield of wild strains of Pleurotus ostreatus derived from natural sites and of a cultivated HK35 strain. Mycelium growth was investigated on substrates prepared from the sawdust of deciduous trees, wheat and rye straw as well as by-products from the textile industry: flax and hemp shives. Irrespective of the applied substrate, the cultivated HK35 strain was characterised by the fastest growth, whereas amongst the examined wild strains, mycelia designated as U18/5, S12/3 and B17/4 were found to grow best. Substrates prepared from wheat and rye straw and flax shives turned out to be the best for mycelium growth of the tested strains of P. ostreatus. The yield of oyster mushroom depended on the type of applied substrate. Higher yields were recorded on substrates from flax shives and a mixture of wheat straw and hemp shives than on wheat straw. The cultivated HK35 strain and the wild S12/3 strain gave the highest yields irrespective of the kind of substrate.
The effect of temperature treatments during ‘Wielkopolski’ sunflower seed imbibition and storage on plant tolerance to chilling
Authors: Górnik Krzysztof
Published: March 2012

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of short-term high or low temperature treatments applied during seed imbibition on plant tolerance to chilling. Chilling tolerance was also investigated on seedlings obtained from dry seeds stored at low temperatures. Sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus L. ‘Wielkopolski’) were stored at 5°C or 25°C and then subjected to low (2.5°C and 5°C) or high (35°C and 45°C) temperatures for two hours during imbibition. They were subsequently exposed to chilling (2.5°C) for three weeks. Afterwards, the seeds were transferred to 25°C for chilling injury evaluation or sown in pots and grown in the field for further growth investigation.

The obtained results indicate that the sunflower seedlings, obtained from dry seeds stored at 25°C, were chilling sensitive to an exposure of 2.5°C for three weeks, which was manifested by slow root elongation, external root discoloration and a long Mean Emergence Time (MET). The storage of dry seeds at 5°C reduced seedling injuries exhibited by external root discoloration and increased chlorophyll content in leaves. Short-term (two-hour) low (2.5 and 5°C) or high (35 and 40°C) temperature treatments applied to the moistened seeds alleviated chilling effects, stimulating root elongation, limiting external root discoloration and shortening MET, accelerating plant flowering and seed maturation time, increasing the diameter and weight of the anthocarp as well as seed yield and chlorophyll content.

The positive response of these methods in respect to an increase in sunflower plant tolerance to chilling indicates a possibility of their application in practice.
The assessment of doubled haploid lines obtained in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) anther culture
Authors: Olszewska Dorota , Kisiała Anna , Nowaczyk Paweł
Published: March 2012

The aim of the research was the analysis of 11 DH-R2 pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) lines, obtained in anther cultures of ‘(ATZ1 × PO)’ F1, ‘(ATZ1 × CDT)’ F1 and ‘(ATZ1 × TG)’ F1 hybrids. To determine the genetic homogeneity of anther-derived lines, the biometrical characteristics of fruits, as well as fruit colour and shape inheritance, were analysed. The biometrical analysis determined the highest phenotype uniformity in androgenic lines of ‘(ATZ1 × PO)’ F1. Based on the fruit shape and colour variation, it was possible to determine the microspore origin of androgenic diploids obtained in anther cultures of ‘(ATZ1 × TG)’ F1. Additionally, enzyme analysis of four isozymes (PGM, PGI, IDH and MDH) showed that isocitrate dehydrogenase identified anther-derived diploids of hybrids between ‘ATZ1’ and ‘TG’, as well as those between ‘ATZ1’ and ‘CDT’, lines.
Quality of kohlrabi stems (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes L.) kept in cold storage
Authors: Gawęda Maria , Nizioł-Łukaszewska Zofia
Published: March 2012

Two green kohlrabi cultivars, ‘White Delikates’ and ‘Korist’ F1, were kept in cold storage at a temperature of 2°C and a relative humidity of 95%. Natural mass losses were measured at monthly intervals and dry matter content, soluble sugars, L-ascorbic acid and isothiocyanates were analysed. During five months of storage, very low losses of kohlrabi mass were detected. The decrease in dry matter during that time was between 15 and 18%. After a brief increase, soluble sugar content decreased during storage, and in March, 50% of the initial sugar content was calculated for ‘Delikates’ kohlrabi flesh and 65% for ‘Korist’. L-ascorbic acid was well preserved in the kohlrabi, since 90% remained after storage was completed. The isothiocyanate content changed little and the vegetable remained a good source of these compounds throughout the storage period.
Yield and nutritive value of selected endive cultivars grown for spring and autumn harvest
Authors: Uklańska-Pusz Cecylia , Adamczewska-Sowińska Katarzyna
Published: March 2012

A field experiment was carried out in the years 2007-2009 at the Research Development Station of the Department of Horticulture at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. The experiment involved two botanical varieties of endive: var. latifolium (nine cultivars) and var. crispum (five cultivars). Endive was cultivated from transplants produced in a greenhouse in two terms, for spring and autumn harvesting. The harvest took place 90-100 days after the seeds were sown. In the course of harvesting, the total and marketable yields were determined, while biological value was assessed on the basis of analyses regarding the content of dry matter, vitamin C, chlorophyll and carotenoids, as well as the amounts of such elements as Mg, P, K, Ca and nitrates.
In vitro flowering of Petunia × atkinsiana D. Don
Authors: Kulpa Danuta , Nowak Natalia
Published: March 2012

The aim of this study was an attempt to determine the influence of PGRs - auxins, cytokinins and gibberellic acid - on the flowering and morphogenesis of ‘Flash Red’ Petunia × atkinsiana D. Don in vitro. The best results at the propagation stage were obtained on an MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg dm-3 GA3. The petunia plants propagated under these conditions developed high main shoots and a large number of leaves and adventitious shoots. The plants with the best-developed root system were regenerated on an MS medium supplemented with 0.5 and 1.0 mg dm-3 IAA. Flowering initiation should be performed using an MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg dm-3 KIN.
Growth and earliness of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa var. chinensis) as a function of time and weather conditions
Authors: Kalisz Andrzej
Published: March 2012

The aim of the research, which was carried out in the years 2003-2005, was to assess the possibility of creating regression models for the earliness of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa var. chinensis, pak choy) plants cultivated under field conditions during the summer-autumn months. Four variables were chosen for developing the prediction model: the minimum, mean and maximum air temperatures and sunshine hours. After stepwise regression analysis, it was noted that crop earliness could be described as a function of mean air temperature and sunshine hours. For this model, the coefficient of determination R2 was equal to 0.962. Additional models based on various thermal indices - growing degree days (GDD), heliothermal units (HTU) and photothermal units (PTU) - were also constructed and taken into consideration. The linear regression equation that includes GDD could only simulate the earliness of the plants with a precision below 14%. The model built on the basis of PTU showed a better fit of the predicted data to the observed data (around 49%), while the last model, which incorporated HTU, was the most accurate (R2 was equal to 0.843). Models for the growth of pak choy plants in the field based on a time variable are also presented in this paper.
Isolate pathogenicity recognition of Plasmodiophora brassicae Wor. in different areas of Poland
Authors: Wesołowska Maria
Published: March 2012

The aim of the research conducted in 2007-2009 was the evaluation of the pathogenicity of eight Plasmodiophora brassicae Wor. isolates collected from clubroot-infested white cabbage growing in different areas of Poland. Breeding materials from white cabbage resistant and susceptible to P. brassicae were used for this purpose. Cabbage seeds were infected by submerging them into a spore suspension. The screening of plant clubroot resistance using a nine-degree scale based on root symptoms was carried out at the eight-week-old seedling stage and at harvest time on a field infected by P. brassicae spores - called the ‘death field’. Differences in the pathogenicity of the collected isolates were determined. Isolates from Szczecin, Ostromęczyn, Krojczyn and Maszkienice were defined as the most virulent. Plants of the ‘Kilaxy’ F1 white cabbage cultivar confirmed resistance to all isolates, while plants of the susceptible HTM line from the ‘Hitoma’ F1 white cabbage cultivar were characterised by the highest infestation level. The evaluation of adult plants in the field with high P. brassicae spore contamination confirmed seedling test results. Different susceptibility was observed between sub-lines from the ‘Oregon 123’ and ‘Badger Shipper’ cultivars with resistant genes. ‘Oregon 123’ sub-lines were less susceptible to applied isolates than ‘Badger Shipper’ sub-lines at both the seedling stage and during the field test. A double-stage plant screening to pathogen reaction caused the elimination of the most susceptible plants at the seedling stage. Plants with a certain resistance level were planted in the ‘death field’.
Criterion-Referenced Evaluation of Day One Clinical Competencies of Veterinary Students: VOLES–the VMTH (Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital) Online Evaluation System
Authors: Zeck Steven , Wall Judy A. , Smith Bradford P. , Wilson W. David , Walsh Donal A.
Published: March 2012

This article describes an extensive online criterion-referenced evaluation system for the assessment of veterinary students' achievement during their final year's Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (or equivalent) clinical education. Data are reported for the 2001 to 2009 University of California at Davis veterinary graduates, for a total of more than 1,100 students. These criterion-referenced evaluations extensively document the level of clinical skills attained and demonstrated during the individual clinical rotations that comprise the fourth-year curriculum. On average, in each of the 17,500 clinical rotations undertaken during this time period, student performance was assessed in at least 11 separate areas of skills, knowledge, and professional attributes. This provided more than 200,000 criterion-referenced judgments of the individual clinical attributes of graduates over nine years. The system is based on a previously detailed and validated definition of the skills, knowledge, and professional attributes that students should have demonstrated before graduation. The extensive database that this system has provided has established that this system, termed VOLES (VMTH [Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital] On-Line Evaluation System), is an effective tool to assess the clinical capabilities of veterinary students and their achievement of the “Day One” skills required for entering clinical practice. These expected proficiencies are balanced according to the differing expectations that each area of veterinary clinical practice demands.
Toward Harmonization of the European Food Hygiene/Veterinary Public Health Curriculum
Authors: Smulders Frans J.M. , Buncic Sava , Fehlhaber Karsten , Huey Robert J. , Korkeala Hannu , Prieto Miguel , Steinhauserova Iva
Published: March 2012

Prompted by developments in the agri-food industry and associated recent changes in European legislation, the responsibilities of veterinarians professionally active in veterinary public health (VPH), and particularly in food hygiene (FH), have increasingly shifted from the traditional end-product control toward longitudinally integrated safety assurance. This necessitates the restructuring of university training programs to provide starting competence in this area for veterinary graduates or a sub-population of them. To date, there are substantial differences in Europe in the way in which graduate programs in FH/VPH are structured and in the time allocated to this important curricular group of subjects. Having recognized this, the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE) recently instituted a working group to analyze the current situation, with a view to produce standard operating procedures allowing fair and transparent evaluations of universities/faculties constituting its membership and in concurrence with explicit European legislation on the professional qualifications deemed necessary for this veterinary discipline. This article summarizes the main conclusions and recommendations of the working group and seeks to contribute to the international efforts to optimize veterinary training in FH/VPH.
Simulations of the Greenland ice sheet 100 years into the future with the full Stokes model Elmer/Ice
Authors: Seddik Hakime , Greve Ralf , Zwinger Thomas , Gillet-Chaulet Fabien , Gagliardini Olivier
Published: March 2012

It is likely that climate change will have a significant impact on the mass balance of the Greenland ice sheet, contributing to future sea-level rise. Here we present the implementation of the full Stokes model Elmer/Ice for the Greenland ice sheet, which includes a mesh refinement technique in order to resolve fast-flowing ice streams and outlet glaciers. We discuss simulations 100 years into the future, forced by scenarios defined by the SeaRISE (Sea-level Response to Ice Sheet Evolution) community effort. For comparison, the same experiments are also run with the shallow-ice model SICOPOLIS (SImulation COde for POLythermal Ice Sheets). We find that Elmer/Ice is ~43% more sensitive (exhibits a larger loss of ice-sheet volume relative to the control run) than SICOPOLIS for the ice-dynamic scenario (doubled basal sliding), but ~61 % less sensitive for the direct global warming scenario (based on the A1 B moderate-emission scenario for greenhouse gases). The scenario with combined A1B global warming and doubled basal sliding forcing produces a Greenland contribution to sea-level rise of ~15cm for Elmer/Ice and ~12cm for SICOPOLIS over the next 100 years.
Performing Leadership: Observations from the World of Music
Authors: Bathurst Ralph , Ladkin Donna
Published: March 2012

This paper explores leadership as an emergent social process. We begin by discussing and contesting the tradition privileging linear management processes, and offer as a counterpoint accounts of distributed leadership out of which our focus on leadership as a plural process grows. Our concept of leadership as a plural process is enriched by an inquiry into musical ensembles with formal leaders as well as those which are leaderless that find ways of moving collectively towards shared goals. The specific issues that we explore are: personal preparation, expressing readiness to begin, establishing a way of operating, and dealing with unexpected problems as they arise. We conclude by speculating about how these elements could inform our understanding of how leadership arises from teams beyond the musical world.