bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reproductive and developmental effects of transovarian exposure to o,p′-DDT in Japanese quails
Authors: Kamata Ryo , Shiraishi Fujio , Takahashi Shinji , Shimizu Akira , Shiraishi Hiroaki 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
Avian species have the possible risk of embryonic exposure to persistent, lipophilic environmental contaminants, such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), by transfer of chemicals accumulated in mother birds to eggs. To model developmental and reproductive disorders of wild birds living in contaminated areas, we exposed Japanese quails in ovo to o,p′-DDT prior to incubation. A positive estrogenic substance diethylstilbestrol (DES; 1 and 10 ng/g of egg) and o,p′-DDT (1-100 μg/g of egg) were injected into the yolk before incubation. Treatment with o,p′-DDT (10 or 100 μg/g) but not with DES significantly reduced the hatchability of eggs. After sexual maturation, o,p′-DDT affected eggshell formation in female quails but had little influence on laying; high doses of o,p′-DDT significantly reduced eggshell strength, shell weight, and shell thickness, and several females treated with 100 μg o,p′-DDT/g laid eggs lacking shells. Diethylstilbestrol decreased egg production itself but had little effect on the eggshell. Both o,p′-DDT and DES caused dose-dependent shortening of the left oviduct and abnormal development of the right oviduct in females, while testis asymmetry was observed in males treated with a high dose of DES. In the uterus of the oviduct, the mRNAs for calcium-regulating factors osteopontin and calbindin D28K were reduced by both treatments, particularly that with o,p′-DDT. The results indicated that transovarian exposure to o,p′-DDT could bring about population declines in avian species through loss of fecundity caused by depression of hatchability and dysfunction of the reproductive tract.
Seasonal changes of macroinvertebrate communities in a Western Cape river, South Africa, receiving nonpoint-source insecticide pollution
Authors: Bollmohr Silke , Schulz Ralf 
Published: March 2009

AbstractA field study was conducted at three different sites along the Lourens River (South Africa) to assess aquatic macroinvertebrate abundances and community structures in relation to seasonal changes in rainfall and particle-associated organophosphorous (OP) insecticide contamination. Redundancy analysis indicated OP insecticide contamination (azinphos-methyl and chlorpyrifos) as the only significant variable determining the community composition. Principal response curves indicated that the invertebrate community dynamics of the Lourens River at the most-contaminated site, Lourens River 3 (38 ± 23.0 μg total OP/kg suspended particles), differed significantly from the less-contaminated site, Lourens River 2 (8.0 ± 4.9 μg total OP/kg in suspended particles) during the dry season (October–December; pesticide application period), whereas no difference was found during the wet season (July–September). Ephemeroptera abundances increased significantly (p = 0.0021) at the control site, Lourens River 1, from the wet to dry season, whereas abundances significantly decreased (p = 0.0011) at Lourens River 3. Two-by-three factorial analysis of variance demonstrated a significant interaction of site and season for the three most abundant mayfly taxa, Baetis sp., Demoreptus sp., and Castanophlebia sp., confirming a possible OP effect. Lourens River 3, however, differed significantly from the other two sites in flow, ortho-phosphate, and algae growth, which may partly explain the lower abundance of sensitive species. Apart from the OP contamination, only flow velocities showed significant differences between the wet and dry season at some sites. In conclusion, the present study suggests that particle-associated OPs affected community structure in the Lourens River at levels greater than 30 μg total OP/kg, whereas levels less then 10 μg total OP/kg yielded no significant effects.
Application of ecosystem-scale fate and bioaccumulation models to predict fish mercury response times to changes in atmospheric deposition
Authors: Knightes Christopher D. , Sunderland Elsie M. , Barber M. Craig , Johnston John M. , Ambrose Robert B. 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
Management strategies for controlling anthropogenic mercury emissions require understanding how ecosystems will respond to changes in atmospheric mercury deposition. Process-based mathematical models are valuable tools for informing such decisions, because measurement data often are sparse and cannot be extrapolated to investigate the environmental impacts of different policy options. Here, we bring together previously developed and evaluated modeling frameworks for watersheds, water bodies, and food web bioaccumulation of mercury. We use these models to investigate the timescales required for mercury levels in predatory fish to change in response to altered mercury inputs. We model declines in water, sediment, and fish mercury concentrations across five ecosystems spanning a range of physical and biological conditions, including a farm pond, a seepage lake, a stratified lake, a drainage lake, and a coastal plain river. Results illustrate that temporal lags are longest for watershed-dominated systems (like the coastal plain river) and shortest for shallow water bodies (like the seepage lake) that receive most of their mercury from deposition directly to the water surface. All ecosystems showed responses in two phases: A relatively rapid initial decline in mercury concentrations (20–60% of steady-state values) over one to three decades, followed by a slower descent lasting for decades to centuries. Response times are variable across ecosystem types and are highly affected by sediment burial rates and active layer depths in systems not dominated by watershed inputs. Additional research concerning watershed processes driving mercury dynamics and empirical data regarding sediment dynamics in freshwater bodies are critical for improving the predictive capability of process-based mercury models used to inform regulatory decisions.
Estimating ecotoxicological effects of pesticide drift on nontarget arthropods in field hedgerows
Authors: Otto Stefan , Lazzaro Luca , Finizio Antonio , Zanin Giuseppe 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
When hedgerows grow in orchards where pesticides are applied, they can play a double role: Providing a barrier for chemical spray drift and as a refuge for beneficial arthropods such as pollinators and predators. Effectiveness of hedgerows as barriers to drift depends mainly on canopy density (that can be estimated through optical porosity) and wind speed. When optical porosity is low, the hedgerow can intercept a significant amount of spray drift and act as an effective barrier, but the intercepted pesticide can negatively affect the beneficial arthropods living there. A drift model was used to simulate drift in a hedgerow–vineyard system, and a deposition distribution model was used to calculate the pesticide spatial pattern distribution on a hedgerow with different optical porosity and wind speed conditions. The possible ecotoxicological effects were estimated for 28 active ingredients with different median lethal rates for two nontarget arthropods, Aphidius rhopalosiphi and Typhlodromus pyri. A spatialized risk assessment for a hedgerow is suggested to improve procedures based on application rate, standard drift, and vegetation distribution values, as in the hazard quotient approach. An alternative method for calculation of the exposure is also proposed, with a step-by-step example of a toxicity/exposure ratio calculation. The results highlighted the importance of the spatial pattern of drift and proved that a hedgerow can be an effective barrier against spray drift. Analysis of the toxicity/exposure ratio values showed that a hedgerow can continue its shelter and feeding function for nontarget arthropods when low-toxicity pesticides are used, there is no significant wind interference, or both.
Combined effect of environmental pollutants (nickel, chlorpyrifos) and temperature on the ground beetle,Pterostichus oblongopunctatus(Coleoptera: Carabidae)
Authors: Bednarska Agnieszka J. , Portka Iwona , Kramarz Paulina E. , Laskowski Ryszard 
Published: March 2009

AbstractTerrestrial organisms in the field often are exposed to a combination of stress factors of various origins, but little is known about interactions between different types of stressors. In the present study, we demonstrate the results of a study on interactions between Ni, chlorpyrifos (CPF), and temperature in the ground beetle, Pterostichus oblongopunctatus. The results revealed that all factors, and their interactions, influenced life-cycle parameters of the beetles (survival and reproduction). Significant three-factor interactions were found for effects on beetle survival, indicating that the combined negative effect of Ni and CPF was temperature dependent. In addition, significant effects of body mass were found: The survival of beetles treated with CPF and the reproduction of beetles exposed to Ni were positively correlated with body mass. All studied endpoints were affected by temperature. The results indicate that understanding interactions between temperature and toxicants, as well as among chemicals themselves, is essential for proper ecological risk assessment.
Multidisciplinary life cycle metrics and tools for green buildings
Authors: Helgeson Jennifer F , Lippiatt Barbara C 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
Building sector stakeholders need compelling metrics, tools, data, and case studies to support major investments in sustainable technologies. Proponents of green building widely claim that buildings integrating sustainable technologies are cost effective, but often these claims are based on incomplete, anecdotal evidence that is difficult to reproduce and defend. The claims suffer from 2 main weaknesses: 1) buildings on which claims are based are not necessarily “green” in a science-based, life cycle assessment (LCA) sense and 2) measures of cost effectiveness often are not based on standard methods for measuring economic worth. Yet, the building industry demands compelling metrics to justify sustainable building designs. The problem is hard to solve because, until now, neither methods nor robust data supporting defensible business cases were available. The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Building and Fire Research Laboratory is beginning to address these needs by developing metrics and tools for assessing the life cycle economic and environmental performance of buildings. Economic performance is measured with the use of standard life cycle costing methods. Environmental performance is measured by LCA methods that assess the “carbon footprint” of buildings, as well as 11 other sustainability metrics, including fossil fuel depletion, smog formation, water use, habitat alteration, indoor air quality, and effects on human health. Carbon efficiency ratios and other eco-efficiency metrics are established to yield science-based measures of the relative worth, or “business cases,” for green buildings. Here, the approach is illustrated through a realistic building case study focused on different heating, ventilation, air conditioning technology energy efficiency. Additionally, the evolution of the Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability multidisciplinary team and future plans in this area are described.
Ecosystem impairment evaluation on biodiversity and functional diversity for contaminated soil assessment
Authors: Semenzin Elena , Critto Andrea , Marcomini Antonio 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
A site-specific ecological risk assessment procedure for a qualitative evaluation of impairment occurring at the ecosystem level, as a result of soil contamination, was developed to integrate and visualize impairment in both terrestrial biodiversity and functional diversity and to support the decision maker in the contaminated site assessment. An Ecosystem Impairment Matrix (EcoIM) was proposed to identify the relationships between the applied measurement endpoints and the taxonomic groups living in the terrestrial system and between these taxonomic groups and the fundamental ecological processes. A specific impairment analysis procedure that used expert judgment allowed for the linking of impairment highlighted by the measurement endpoints with the terrestrial ecosystem's structure and functionality. Impairment occurring on each ecological element (i.e., biodiversity aspects and ecological functions and processes) was visualized by colored cells—1 for each relationship among measurement endpoint, taxonomic group, and ecological element—to support the expert in the ecosystem impairment evaluation. These results were then reported by the expert into the Global Ecosystem Impairment Evaluation Matrix (GEM) to summarize the obtained information and formulate a final judgment on ecosystem quality status. EcolM and GEM were implemented in Module 2 of the decision support system DSS-ERAMANIA and are presented in this paper. The tools have been preliminarily applied to the Acna di Cengio (Italy) contaminated site; the results of this application are also presented and discussed.
The Role of Emotional Abuse in Intimate Partner Violence and Health Among Women in Yokohama, Japan
Authors: Yoshihama Mieko , Horrocks Julie , Kamano Saori 
Published: March 2009

Objectives. As part of the World Health Organization's cross-national research effort, we investigated the relationship between various health indicators and the experience of intimate partner violence (IPV), which included emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, among women in Yokohama, Japan. Methods. We used multivariate logistic and negative binomial regression to examine the relationship between health status and IPV in a stratified cluster sample of 1371 women aged 18 to 49 years. Results. In 9 of 11 health indicators examined, the odds of experiencing health-related problems were significantly higher (P < .05) among those that reported emotional abuse plus physical or sexual violence than among those that reported no IPV, after we controlled for sociodemographic factors, childhood sexual abuse, and adulthood sexual violence perpetrated by someone other than an intimate partner. For most health indicators, there were no significant differences between those that reported emotional abuse only and those that reported emotional abuse plus physical or sexual violence. Conclusions. The similarity of outcomes among those that reported emotional abuse only and those that reported emotional abuse plus physical or sexual violence suggests the need for increased training of health care providers about the effects of emotional abuse.
Depolarization of light in microstructured fibers filled with liquid crystals
Authors: Budaszewski D. , Domański A. , Czapla A. , Ertman S. , Woliński T. , Nasilowski T. , Thienpont H. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractIn the paper we analyze microstructured optical fibers filled with typical nematic liquid crystals, i.e., 5CB and 6CHBT under influence of external electric field or temperature. We use the modified Mueller matrix method with an additional depolarization matrix to calculate degree of polarization changes of the light propagating in the liquid-crystal infiltrated microstructured optical fibers. Preliminary experimental results of light depolarization measurements during propagation in these microstructured fibers are also presented.
Numerical investigation of influence of ionic space charge and flexoelectric polarization on measurements of elastic constants in nematic liquid crystals
Authors: Buczkowska M. , Derfel G. , Konowalski M. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractDeformations of nematic layers caused by magnetic field allow determination of the elastic constants of liquid crystal. In this paper, we simulated numerically the deformations of planar and homeotropic nematic layers. The flexoelectric properties of the nematic and presence of ions were taken into account. Our aim was to show the influence of flexoelectricity on the results of the real measurement of the elastic constants k33 and k11. In these simulations, we calculated the optical phase difference ΔΦ between the ordinary and extraordinary rays of light passing through the layer placed between crossed polarizers as a function of the magnetic field induction B. One of the elastic constants can be calculated from the magnetic field threshold for deformation. The ratio k33/k11 can be found by means of fitting theoretical ΔΦ(B) dependence to the experimental results. The calculations reveal that the flexoelectric properties influence the deformations induced by the external magnetic field. In the case of highly pure samples, this may lead to false results of measurement of the elastic constants ratio k33/k11. This influence can be reduced if the nematic material contains ions of sufficiently high concentration. These results show that the flexoelectric properties may play an important role, especially in well purified samples.
Development of Small Business Sector in Slovakia in 1993-2006
Authors: Ubreziová Iveta , Wach Krzysztof , Majorová Martina 
Published: March 2009

Development of Small Business Sector in Slovakia in 1993-2006The main focus of the article is to elaborate on the importance and role of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Slovak economy. The authors show the development tendencies of the SME sector in Slovakia in the years of 1993-2006. Where it was possible the authors enumerated the data for the year 2007. The paper analyses the state of the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises, seeking to understand the causes of its relative strength and weakness. The share of the SME sector in all the registered enterprises in Slovakia is convergent with the whole EU average and it amounts to 99.8%. In Slovakia the share of microenterprises amounts to 79.3% which is the lowest feature in the EU. It means that the situation in Slovakia seems to be better for the economy, as the microenterprises do not have significant impact on the national employment and the GDP. In Slovakia the share of SMEs in total employment is crucial and amounts to 61.2%. A present-day share of the SME sector in both export and import volumes is more than 1/3 of the total volume of foreign trade of Slovakia.
Considerations Concerning the Impact of Propensities on Basic Macroeconomic Occurrences
Authors: Doszyń Mariusz 
Published: March 2009

Considerations Concerning the Impact of Propensities on Basic Macroeconomic Occurrences
In the article theoretical deliberations relating to impact of propensities on basic macroeconomic phenomena were presented. A general definition of propensity was discussed. The influence of propensity for consumption, propensity for investment and propensity for thesaurization on national income, interest rates, consumption expenditures, investments and money supply was analyzed. Derivatives that make it possible to identify quantitative effects of propensities were introduced. On the basis of the discussed Keynesian model it is possible to say that the propensity to consume increases interest rate and national income, the propensity to invest makes investments, national income and interest rates higher and the propensity for thesaurization could increase interest rates by lowering money supply.
Fatigue Reliability of Old Semisubmersibles
Authors: Sigurdsson G. , Lotsberg I. , Myhre T. , Orbeck-Nilssen K. 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
Many units in the semi-submersible fleet have now reached such an age thattheir documented, minimum design fatigue life is either already exceeded, orwill, in the very near future be exceeded.
It is anticipated that these units will continue in their existing mode ofoperation for some time to come, and further, that some of these units will beconsidered as candidates for production units for benign waters, with theassociated requirement for extended lifetimes. In the case of an existing unitcontinuing in the same mode of operation, the owner may require to document, toa potential client, or national authority, that the fatigue life of the unit issatisfactory. In the case of a unit being converted the requirement for suchdocumentation will additionally be required by the Classification Society andthe method described in this may be one way to document extended fatigue lifefor these units.
In order to document satisfactory fatigue resistance it may therefore benecessary to undertake detailed evaluation of the fatigue reliability of theunits. One, or a combination, of the following detailed evaluations might beconsideredEvaluate the original design utilisation factors.Evaluate the operating history of the unit.Perform detailed fatigue evaluation of specified joints.Reliability analysis
This paper document best estimate levels of reliability of a typical‘old-age’ semi-submersible and demonstrate how the reliability varies whenClassification inspection routines are included in the analysis. In-servicedamage statistics (database) is utilised to identify the location that is mostcritical with respect to fatigue. Overview from the reported in-serviceinspection findings is given.
In addition to detailed spectral analysis, combined with a detailed FEanalysis of a critical joint, a reliability analysis has been undertaken inorder to evaluate if the probability of fatigue failure of the considered jointis at an acceptably level. The reliability evaluation accounts explicitly forprobability updating based upon information obtained from in-serviceinspection.
Legal Protection of Vessel Hull Designs and Related Technology
Authors: Glenn W.P. 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
Those who develop own or license vessel hull designs and related technologyhave a number of options available to protect their technology, research, anddevelopment in the United States. Traditionally protection has been obtainedthrough the cardinal points of intellectual property law - namely, patent, copyright, trade secret, and to some extent trademark law. With the enactmentof the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act ("VHDPA") in 1998, aneffective, quick and inexpensive means of protecting vessel hull designs in the United States has become available to both small and large design firms.

Introduction
Those who develop own or license vessel hull designs and related technologyhave a number of options available to protect their technology, research, anddevelopment in the United States. Traditionally protection has been obtainedthrough the cardinal points of intellectual property law - namely, patent, copyright, trade secret, and to some extent trademark law. With the enactmentof the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act ("VHDPA") in 1998, aneffective, quick and inexpensive means of protecting vessel hull designs in the United States has become available to both small and large design firms.
The Cardinal Points. The present patent laws are directed at protecting newand useful machines, processes, composition of matter (e.g. chemicals), andornamental designs. The copyright laws provide protection for an originalexpression of an idea - but not the idea itself. Federal and state trademarklaws protect any word, name, symbol, device, slogan, nonfunctional design orcombination thereof that identifies and distinguishes a specific product orservice from others in the market place. Trade secret law protects anyconfidential information that provides a competitive advantage to a company orperson. As discussed below, each cardinal point provides, to varying degrees, protection for vessel hull designs and related technology.
VHDPA-New Direction. In contrast to the cardinal points, the VHDPA providesan effective, quick and inexpensive means to protect vessel hull designs, irrespective of whether the shape is a function of creative endeavor and/orutility. The Act further represents a cautious but new direction of protectingindustrial designs in the United States - namely vessel hull designs.