bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
System automation for measuring coal combustion efficiency
Authors: Ouazzane K , Benhadj R 
Published: February 2006

Monitoring the combustion process for electricity generation using coal as a primary resource is of a major concern to the pertinent industries, power generation companies in particular. The carbon content of fly ash is indicative of the combustion efficiency. The determination of this parameter is useful to characterize the efficiency of coal burning furnaces. Traditional methods such as thermo-gravimetric analysis and loss on ignition, which are based on ash collection and subsequent analysis, proved to be tediously difficult, time consuming, and costly. Thus, a new technology was inevitable and needed to monitor the process in a more efficient method, yielding a better exploitation of the resources at a lower cost. The main aim of this work is to introduce a new automated system, which can be bolted onto a furnace and work online. The system consists of three main components, namely, a laser instrument for signal acquisition, a neural network tool for training, learning and simulation, and a database system for storage and retrieval. The components have been designed, adapted and tuned for knowledge acquisition of this multi-dimensional problem. When the particles are dispersed across the test space, the instrument observed single particle counts simultaneously on the two photomultipliers. The output voltages displayed represent the intensity of horizontally and vertically polarized light, and the polarization ratio is calculated from the ratio of these voltages. It was found that the carbon-in-ash is related to the polarization ratio and the carbon mass fraction could be determined to within ± 1 per cent of the carbon content. However, if a proximate analysis is performed on the coal, the prediction could be improved to within ± 0.05 per cent using neural network simulation. The system has been tested for a range of coal ashes and proved to be efficient.
Surgical training - can we learn from aviation?
Authors: Hirst Guy , Wilkins Denis 
Published: February 2006

The following two articles identify similarities between professional air crew and surgeons, both being leaders of multidisciplinary teams and holding ultimate legal responsibility. In the first article, British Airways training captain Guy Hirst illustrates the non-adversarial teamwork inherent in effective crew resource management with confidential reporting of adverse incidents and the care with which flight instructors are selected and nurtured. Denis Wilkins, a senior surgeon, demonstrates in the second article that nobody takes responsibility for the 'signing off' of trainees for any particular surgical procedure. There are, of course, differences in the training environments of the professions. Advance flying training requires a student pilot to put an aircraft into critical situations and to demonstrate the ability to recover. Mostly, this can be performed repetitively either at sufficient altitude or in the safety of a simulator. In surgery, one cannot purposely put a patient 'at risk' to enable trainees to demonstrate their skills at 'recovery' and surgical simulators are in their infancy and do not achieve priority in a cash-strapped NHS. The authors recognise the need for properly selected trainers who are remunerated accordingly. Having been both a flying instructor and a surgical trainer, I can testify that both professions require patience, rapid reactions and the ability to remain calm. These papers are fascinating and timely in the era of introduction of new surgical curricula. Surgical training requires considerable funding at grass-roots level to catch up with the standards of aviation.
Pharmaceutical Care in Community Pharmacies: Practice and Research in Switzerland
Authors: Guignard Emmanuèle , Bugnon Olivier 
Published: February 2006

Objective: To describe the current situation and prospects for community pharmacy practice in Switzerland, a confederation of 26 cantons with a population of approximately 7 million, located in the center of Europe. Findings: For the past 10 years, the Swiss Association of Pharmacists has directed an in-depth reform of the profession, with measures such as a system of remuneration based on pharmaceutical cognitive services, a quality care program named QMS–Pharmacy, a postgraduate education program (including specific titles and certificates) and obligatory continuous education, programs of public relations and health promotion, innovative services of managed care, generics substitution, and others. Discussion: The implemented changes in management represent a pharmaceutical care solution for Swiss community pharmacies, which face intense competition and a very liberal policy regarding healthcare organization, relating in particular to the important cantonal autonomy, free establishment of ownership of pharmacies, pharmacy chains, dispensing physicians, chemist shops, mail order, and others. Conclusions: Community pharmacy in Switzerland is making modernization of its role in public health policy a clear orientation. Priorities for the future include reinforcement of education and academic research in pharmacy practice, demonstration of the added value of pharmacists, integration of new information technologies with pharmacies, and development of new pharmaceutical services for managed care network in collaboration with physicians and other healthcare professionals.
Model Evaluation of Linear Gut Evacuation in the Larval Radiated Shanny Using a Combination of Laboratory and Field Data
Authors: Bochdansky Alexander B. , Brunemeyer Naomi D. , Leggett William C. 
Published: February 2006

AbstractThe combination of gut contents and evacuation rate is an important tool with which to determine the in situ feeding rates of many organisms. Traditionally used equations of gut evacuation models, however, have made comparisons among models difficult. For consistency, we changed the notation of the linear gut evacuation model to provide a rate‐constant parameter (r) similar to the one commonly used in the exponential model. In a previous analysis using examples from the literature, we demonstrated that prolonged retention of food after a true linear pattern of gut evacuation may be mistakenly identified as an exponential pattern. We explored the linear gut evacuation rate model empirically and in more detail using the radiated shanny Ulvaria subbifurcata as the model species. Rate constants based on field data were similar to those determined in the laboratory. The basic assumption of nonfeeding during darkness was met, indicating that foraging was primarily based on visual cues. As predicted by our model, both laboratory and field data confirmed that gut evacuation was linear and characterized by a rate constant (i.e., instantaneous rate of gut evacuation) that was independent of initial gut fullness. Rate constants were, however, influenced by fish size and in some cases by the size of food particles. Analysis of triplicate time courses of gut evacuation in the field showed that larger larvae evacuated food at a relatively higher rate than did smaller larvae.
Assemblage Structure of Eastern Pacific Groundfishes on the U.S. Continental Slope in Relation to Physical and Environmental Variables
Authors: Tolimieri Nick , Levin Phillip S. 
Published: February 2006

AbstractWe analyzed data from the National Marine Fisheries Service continental slope trawl surveys (1999–2002) to examine patterns in eastern Pacific groundfish assemblage structure in relation to longitude, latitude, depth, temperature, and interannual variation. The slope surveys spanned approximately 32–48°N and 200–1,200‐m depths. We focused on the 26 most abundant species, which made up more than 95% of the catch in terms of biomass. Assemblage structure was strongly correlated with depth and latitude. For the most part, changes in assemblage structure appeared to be fairly continuous, although there were more‐abrupt changes at approximately 500–600 m and in the vicinity of Point Conception and Cape Mendocino, California, and Cape Blanco, Oregon. There was also an interaction between depth and latitude; more northerly sites had deeper scores on the canonical axes than did more southerly sites of comparable depth. Shallower sites also showed more variation in assemblage structure with latitude than did deeper sites. We were able to identify five assemblages on the continental slope. Pacific grenadiers Coryphaenoides acrolepis, giant grenadiers Albatrossia pectoralis, deepsea soles Embassichthys bathybius, longspine thornyheads Sebastolobus altivelis, California slickheads Alepocephalus tenebrosus, and roughtail skate Bathyraja trachura formed a deepwater assemblage with a broad latitudinal range. Southern species that inhabited very shallow waters included splitnose rockfish Sebastes diploproa, spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei, English soles Parophrys vetulus, stripetail rockfish Sebastes saxicola, chilipeppers Sebastes goodei, and shortbelly rockfish Sebastes jordani. Shallow‐water, midlatitude species included spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias, longnose skate Raja rhina, Pacific hakes Merluccius productus, rex soles Glyptocephalus zachirus, bigfin eelpout Lycodes cortezianus, and sandpaper skate Bathyraja interrupta. Darkblotched rockfish Sebastes crameri, arrowtooth flounder Atheresthes stomias, and Pacific Ocean perch Sebastes alutus were identified as a shallow, northerly assemblage. The final group—sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria, brown cat sharks Apristurus brunneus, aurora rockfish Sebastes aurora, Dover soles Microstomus pacificus, and shortspine thornyheads Sebastolobus alascanus—occurred at different depths over a range of latitudes and might be best described as a shallow–middepth and midlatitude–southern grouping.
Short‐term prediction of mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Classification of outcomes using random forests
Authors: Ward Michael M. , Pajevic Sinisa , Dreyfuss Jonathan , Malley James D. 
Published: February 2006

AbstractObjectiveTo identify demographic and clinical characteristics that classify patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at risk for in‐hospital mortality.MethodsPatients hospitalized in California from 1996 to 2000 with a principal diagnosis of SLE (N = 3,839) were identified from a state hospitalization database. As candidate predictors of mortality, we used patient demographic characteristics; the presence or absence of 40 different clinical conditions listed among the discharge diagnoses; and 2 summary indexes derived from the discharge diagnoses, the Charlson Index and the SLE Comorbidity Index. Predictors of patients at increased risk of mortality were identified and validated using random forests, a statistical procedure that is a generalization of single classification trees. Random forests use bootstrapped samples of patients and randomly selected subsets of predictors to create individual classification trees, and this process is repeated to generate multiple trees (a forest). Classification is then done by majority vote across all trees.ResultsOf the 3,839 patients, 109 died during hospitalization. Selecting from all available predictors, the random forests had excellent predictive accuracy for classification of death. The mean classification error rate, averaged over 10 forests of 500 trees each, was 11.9%. The most important predictors were the Charlson Index, respiratory failure, SLE Comorbidity Index, age, sepsis, nephritis, and thrombocytopenia.ConclusionInformation on clinical diagnoses can be used to accurately predict mortality among hospitalized patients with SLE. Random forests represent a useful technique to identify the most important predictors from a larger (often much larger) number and to validate the classification.
Chronic periaortitis and HLA–DRB1*03: Another clue to an autoimmune origin
Authors: Martorana Davide , Vaglio Augusto , Greco Paolo , Zanetti Adele , Moroni Gabriella , Salvarani Carlo , Savi Mario , Buzio Carlo , Neri Tauro M. 
Published: February 2006

AbstractObjectivePatients with chronic periaortitis (CP) often show clinical and laboratory findings of a systemic autoimmune disorder. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of the HLA system in CP.MethodsLow‐resolution genotyping for HLA–A, HLA–B, and HLA–DRB1 loci and genotyping of TNFA(‐238)A/G and TNFA(‐308)A/G single nucleotide polymorphisms were performed in 35 consecutive patients with CP and 350 healthy controls.ResultsThe HLA–DRB1*03 allele frequency was strikingly higher in patients with CP than in controls (24.28% versus 9.14%; χ2 = 15.50, P = 0.000084, corrected P [Pcorr] = 0.0012, odds ratio [OR] 3.187, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.74–5.83); the HLA–B*08 allele frequency was also higher in patients than in controls (17.14% versus 6.28%; χ2=11.12, P = 0.0008, Pcorr = 0.0269, OR 3.085, 95% CI 1.54–6.16). The A*01 allele frequency was significantly different (P = 0.0463), but the statistical significance was lost after correction for multiple testing (Pcorr = 0.5088). TNFA(‐238)A allele and TNFA(‐308)A allele frequencies were not significantly different (P = 0.512 and P = 0.445, respectively). Comparison of the main clinical and laboratory findings suggestive of a systemic autoimmune disease (e.g., acute‐phase reactants, constitutional symptoms, other autoimmune diseases associated with CP) between the HLA–DRB1*03–positive and the HLA–DRB1*03–negative patients showed that the former group had significantly higher levels of C‐reactive protein (P = 0.045) at disease onset, although this difference was not statistically significant after correction for multiple tests (Pcorr = 0.369).ConclusionThe HLA system plays a role in susceptibility to CP. The strong association between CP and HLA–DRB1*03, an allele linked to a wide range of autoimmune conditions, further supports the view that CP may represent a clinical manifestation of an autoimmune disease.
Repetitive 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in giant cell arteritis: A prospective study of 35 patients
Authors: Blockmans Daniël , Ceuninck Liesbet de , Vanderschueren Steven , Knockaert Daniël , Mortelmans Luc , Bobbaers Herman 
Published: February 2006

AbstractObjectiveTo study fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the different vascular beds and in the large joints of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) at diagnosis, during steroid treatment, and at relapse.MethodsAll consecutive patients admitted to our department with a diagnosis of GCA underwent FDG–positron emission tomography (PET) scan before treatment with methylprednisolone was started. PET scans were repeated at 3 and 6 months, if the initial PET scans showed vascular FDG uptake. PET scans were scored at 7 different vascular areas and a total vascular score (TVS) was calculated, ranging from 0 to 21.ResultsA total of 35 patients entered the study. At diagnosis, vascular FDG uptake was noted in 29 patients (83%), especially in the subclavian arteries (74%), but also in the aorta (>50%) and up to the femoral arteries (37%). TVS decreased from a mean ± SD score of 7.9 ± 5.5 at baseline to 2.4 ± 3.5 on repeat PET scan at 3 months (P < 0.0005), but did not further decrease at 6 months. The patients who relapsed had similar earlier decreases of TVS compared with those who did not relapse. FDG uptake in the shoulders at diagnosis correlated significantly with the presence of polymyalgia rheumatica (P = 0.005).ConclusionFDG uptake in the large vessels is a sensitive marker for GCA, which can involve the larger thoracic, abdominal, and peripheral arteries. Polymyalgia rheumatica symptoms in patients with GCA correlate with (peri)synovitis of the shoulders. Relapses of GCA cannot be predicted by results of former PET scintigraphies.
Functional index‐2: Validity and reliability of a disease‐specific measure of impairment in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis
Authors: Alexanderson Helene , Broman Lisbet , TollbÄck Anna , Josefson Annika , Lundberg Ingrid E. , StenstrÖm Christina H. 
Published: February 2006

AbstractObjectiveTo revise the content of the Functional Index in myositis (FI) and to evaluate measurement properties of a revised FI.MethodsPreviously performed FI (n = 287) were analyzed for internal redundancy and consistency, and ceiling and floor effects. Content was evaluated and a preliminary revised FI was developed. To evaluate the construct validity of the preliminary revised FI, it was compared with isokinetic measurements of muscular strength and endurance, the Myositis Activities Profile, disease impact on general wellbeing, and creatine phosphokinase levels. Minor adjustments were made and the revised FI was investigated for interrater reliability and intrarater reliability over a 1‐week period. After this, some minor, additional adjustments were made leading to the final version, FI‐2.ResultsFive tasks were removed from the original FI due to ceiling effects. Performance pace and number of repetitions were modified for the remaining tasks. A moderate correlation (rs = 0.58) was found between the shoulder flexion task of the preliminary revised FI and isokinetic measurements of shoulder flexion endurance. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for interrater reliability of the revised FI varied from 0.86–0.99 with no systematic differences. ICC for intrarater reliability varied from 0.56–0.99 with systematic differences (P < 0.05) between test and retest in 3 of the tasks. The sit‐up task was excluded due to low intrarater reliability resulting in the final 7‐item FI‐2. There was a good correlation between tasks on the right and left side suggesting that the FI‐2 could be performed unilaterally.ConclusionThe FI‐2 is a valid and reliable outcome measure of impairment for patients with polymyositis or dermatomyositis. It is well tolerated and the unilateral FI‐2 requires a maximum of 20 minutes to perform. Further evaluation of sensitivity to change and testing in healthy individuals needs to be conducted.
Exercise in waist‐high warm water decreases pain and improves health‐related quality of life and strength in the lower extremities in women with fibromyalgia
Authors: Gusi N. , Tomas‐Carus P. , Häkkinen A. , Häkkinen K. , Ortega‐Alonso A. 
Published: February 2006

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the short‐ and long‐term efficacy of exercise therapy in a warm, waist‐high pool in women with fibromyalgia.MethodsThirty‐four women (mean ± SD tender points 17 ± 1) were randomly assigned to either an exercise group (n = 17) to perform 3 weekly sessions of training including aerobic, proprioceptive, and strengthening exercises during 12 weeks, or to a control group (n = 17). Maximal unilateral isokinetic strength was measured in the knee extensors and flexors in concentric and eccentric actions at 60°/second and 210°/second, and in the shoulder abductors and adductors in concentric contractions. Health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) was assessed using the EQ‐5D questionnaire; pain was assessed on a visual analog scale. All were measured at baseline, posttreatment, and after 6 months.ResultsThe strength of the knee extensors in concentric actions increased by 20% in both limbs after the training period, and these improvements were maintained after the de‐training period in the exercise group. The strength of other muscle actions measured did not change. HRQOL improved by 93% (P= 0.007) and pain was reduced by 29% (P= 0.012) in the exercise group during the training, but pain returned close to the pretraining level during the subsequent de‐training. However, there were no changes in the control group during the entire period.ConclusionThe therapy relieved pain and improved HRQOL and muscle strength in the lower limbs at low velocity in patients with initial low muscle strength and high number of tender points. Most of these improvements were maintained long term.
Zuverlässigkeitsorientierte Bewertung von Maßnahmen gegen die frühe Trennrißbildung für wasserundurchlässige, massige Betonbauwerke
Authors: Krauß Matias , Rostásy Ferdinand S. , Budelmann Harald 
Published: February 2006

AbstractDie Nutzungstauglichkeit von Bauwerken, gegen die drückendes Wasser ansteht, kann durch Trennrisse in Frage gestellt werden. Zu deren Vermeidung wendet die Praxis zahlreiche Maßnahmen an. Zur Bewertung der Wirksamkeit solcher Maßnahmen haben die Verfasser ein Ingenieurmodell entwickelt. Letzteres ist bislang deterministisch, kann also der streuenden Natur der Rißbildung nicht gerecht werden. Es ist daher notwendig, das deterministische Modell in ein probabilistisches zu überführen. Die zahlreichen Unsicherheiten erzwingen die Anwendung der Monte‐Carlo‐Methode. Die Zuverlässigkeitsanalysen erfolgen an einem zentrisch gezwängten Stab, der als Ausschnitt aus dem rißkritischen Bereich eines beliebigen Bauteils zu deuten ist. Damit konnte der Zusammenhang zwischen der Rißwahrscheinlichkeit und dem Rißindex (Zugfestigkeit/Zugspannung) abgeleitet und anschließend durch die FORM angenähert werden.Mit Zielgrößen der Rißwahrscheinlichkeit und Grenzwerten des Rißindex kann der Nachweis einer angestrebten Wasserundurchlässigkeit (Nutzungstauglichkeit) geführt werden. Unternehmerische Entscheidungen können zuverlässiger als bisher gefällt werden. Die Anwendung für Nachweise nach WU‐Richtlinie wird erläutert.
Purification of intravenous immunoglobulin G from human plasma – aspects of yield and virus safety
Authors: Buchacher Andrea , Iberer Günter 
Published: February 2006

AbstractPlasma‐derived intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) preparations have been successfully applied for the prophylactic prevention of infectious diseases in immunodeficient patients. In addition to its replacement therapy of primary and secondary antibody deficiencies, IVIG has found increased use in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. IVIG has become the major plasma product on the global blood product market. The world wide consumption nearly tripled between 1992 and 2003, from 19.4 to 52.6 tons.Classical manufacturing processes of IVIG, but also new strategies for purification are discussed with respect to practicability and yield. Ethanol fractionation is still the basis for most IVIG processes, although isolation and purification of immunoglobulin G (IgG) by chromatography has gained ground. The efficiency of virus inactivation methods and virus removal techniques in terms of logarithmic reduction factors are analyzed, but also the IgG losses are taken into consideration. Some of these methods also have the ability to separate prions. High pathogen safety and high yields have become the dominant goals of the plasma fractionation industry.