bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Markets and pro‐poor agricultural growth: insights from livelihood and informal rural economy models in Malawi
Authors: Dorward Andrew 
Published: January 2007

AbstractThis article presents the development of a set of programming models describing the major features of different rural livelihoods and of the informal rural economy they together make up in Malawi. The models allow for differentiated responses by different household types to change and for the partial equilibrium effects of consequent supply, demand, and price adjustments in labor and grain markets. The models provide insights into the relations between own‐farm and nonown‐farm activities in different households' livelihoods and in the informal rural economy as a whole, and are used to investigate possible impacts of increasing cash crop prices and of a more open rural economy. Impacts of these changes on the poor are found to be critically dependent upon supply and demand elasticities in labor and grain markets, but the poor could potentially suffer significant losses from increased openness of the local economy leading to increased expenditure by less poor households on imported goods and services.
Economic versus environmental improvement potentials of Danish pig farms
Authors: Asmild Mette , Hougaard Jens Leth 
Published: January 2007

AbstractThis article demonstrates how economic and environmental improvement potentials of Danish pig farms can be estimated using Data envelopment analysis (DEA). To avoid some of the problems associated with the definition of undesirable outputs, environmental variables are included as nutrients applied with manure and nutrients removed with the crops. These environmental variables are combined with a series of economic variables, including the costs of fertilizer. Furthermore, subvector efficiency and a two‐step analysis are used in order to consider economic and environmental (technical) efficiency separately. The empirical results show considerable improvement potentials, especially on the environmental variables. Sensitivity studies validate that these results are robust to possible uncertainties in the measurement of the environmental variables.
Farmer‐to‐farmer technology diffusion and yield variation among adopters: the case of improved cowpea in northern Nigeria
Authors: Alene Arega D. , Manyong V. M. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractThis article examines the magnitude and sources of yield variation among adopters of improved cowpea varieties in northern Nigeria promoted through farmer‐to‐farmer diffusion. The results reveal important efficiency differences between the lead farmers who have contacts with breeders and the follower farmers who get technology and information from the lead farmers. Differential adoption of the package of seed, insecticide, fertilizer, and recommended cereal‐cowpea cropping pattern provides much of the explanation for yield variation among adopters. The component often missing, and hence accounting for much of the yield variation, is the crop management technology relating to the cereal‐cowpea cropping pattern. No efficiency variation is attributed to the source of technology and information, such as whether improved cowpea was obtained from breeders or lead farmers. Technology source has a rather indirect influence on efficiency through its effect on package adoption where breeders promote greater package adoption among the lead farmers than the lead farmers do among the follower farmers. Possible ways of disseminating crop management technological information through the farmer‐to‐farmer technology diffusion are recommended to better exploit the yield and profitability potentials of improved cowpea varieties in northern Nigeria.
Outsourcing and efficiency: the case of Spanish citrus farming
Authors: Picazo‐Tadeo Andrés J. , Reig‐Martínez Ernest 
Published: January 2007

AbstractOutsourcing in agriculture has traditionally been seen as a managerial strategy of smaller farms to achieve higher levels of efficiency. In this article, we provide empirical evidence supporting the existence of a positive relationship between outsourcing and efficiency in Spanish citrus farming. Outsourcing is measured by the proportion of outsourced labor and capital in farms' total use of these production factors, i.e., the higher the proportion of outsourced inputs, the higher the degree of outsourcing. Making use of data envelopment analysis techniques, we compute input‐specific reductions required to achieve technical efficiency at the farm level. Our results show that attainment of technical efficiency leads to a reduction in the use of both farms' own and outsourced production factors. Furthermore, the degree of outsourcing increases as farms move to their technically efficient productive plans. In addition, outsourcing labor and capital allows farms to achieve efficiency regardless of their size. In our view, this result has a clear implication for policy makers. Instead of trying to improve Spanish citrus farms' competitiveness by pursuing an increase of their average size, policy measures should be adopted to enhance farmers' managerial skills and the efficiency of those external service firms and co‐operatives that are effectively performing basic cultivation tasks.
Ranking efficiency units in DEA using bootstrapping an applied analysis for Slovenian farm data
Authors: Gocht Alexander , Balcombe Kelvin 
Published: January 2007

AbstractThis article explores how data envelopment analysis (DEA), along with a smoothed bootstrap method, can be used in applied analysis to obtain more reliable efficiency rankings for farms. The main focus is the smoothed homogeneous bootstrap procedure introduced by Simar and Wilson (1998) to implement statistical inference for the original efficiency point estimates. Two main model specifications, constant and variable returns to scale, are investigated along with various choices regarding data aggregation. The coefficient of separation (CoS), a statistic that indicates the degree of statistical differentiation within the sample, is used to demonstrate the findings. The CoS suggests a substantive dependency of the results on the methodology and assumptions employed. Accordingly, some observations are made on how to conduct DEA in order to get more reliable efficiency rankings, depending on the purpose for which they are to be used. In addition, attention is drawn to the ability of the SLICE MODEL, implemented in GAMS, to enable researchers to overcome the computational burdens of conducting DEA (with bootstrapping).
Cash crop liberalization and poverty alleviation in Africa: evidence from Malawi
Authors: Masanjala Winford H. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractThis article uses the case of burley tobacco liberalization in Malawi to investigate the efficacy of cash crop liberalization as an instrument for poverty alleviation in sub‐Saharan Africa. The principal justification for cash crop liberalization is that markets allow farm households to increase their incomes by producing that which provides the highest return to their productive resources and use the cash to buy consumption goods. Using a latent welfare model, we find that households that selected to grow cash crops had higher incomes than those that did not grow cash crops. However, we also find that due to the lumpiness and seasonality of cash crop incomes, higher household incomes, while increasing food purchases did not significantly affect per capita food intake. Irrespective of participation in cash crops, for much of the cropping season rural households seem to rely more on nonfarm income for expenditure and consumption smoothing.
Polymorphisms of TLR4 but not CD14 are associated with a decreased risk of aggressive periodontitis
Authors: James Jacqueline A. , Poulton Kay V. , Haworth Simone E. , Payne Debbie , McKay Ian J. , Clarke Fiona M. , Hughes Francis J. , Linden Gerard J. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractObjective: To study whether there is an association between the frequency of functional polymorphisms in the toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) and cluster differentiation 14 (CD14) genes and periodontitis.Methodology: Genotyping for the TLR4 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) Asp299Gly, Thr399Ile and the CD14 SNPs −159 and −1359 was completed for subjects with periodontal disease compared with control subjects. Two disease populations were investigated: 73 subjects with aggressive periodontitis (AgP; 28 males, 45 females) and 95 males with chronic periodontitis (CP). The TLR4 and CD14 polymorphisms were determined using SNaPshot primer extension with capillary electrophoresis. Comparison of allele and genotype frequencies for each polymorphism was by Fisher's exact test or χ2 analysis.Results: The TLR4 Asp299Gly genotype was present in a significantly (p=0.026) lower proportion of AgP subjects (5.5%) compared with control subjects (16.3%). The unadjusted odds ratio for the Asp299Gly genotype to be associated with AgP was 0.30, 95% confidence interval 0.10–0.91. No differences were found in the prevalence of the TLR4 Asp299Gly genotype in men with CP (18.9%) compared with an age‐matched control group with no evidence of periodontitis (17%). In addition, there was no difference in the distribution of the CD14 polymorphisms in either the AgP or CP populations studied compared with controls.Conclusion: It is concluded that in West European Caucasians, the Asp299Gly TLR4 gene polymorphism is associated with a decreased risk of AgP but not CP. Promoter polymorphisms of the CD14 gene, however, did not influence susceptibility to inflammatory periodontitis in the population cohorts studied.
Effect of local antimicrobial agents on excisional palatal wound healing: a clinical and histomorphometric study in rats
Authors: Kozlovsky Avital , Artzi Zvi , Hirshberg Avraham , Israeli‐Tobias Chen , Reich Liat 
Published: January 2007

AbstractAim: To assess the effect of topically applied antimicrobial agents on palatal excisional wound in rats.Materials and Methods: Excisional wounds, 5 mm in diameter, were made in the centre of the palate of 125 Wistar male rats. In four experimental groups, chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) 0.12% solution, 1% CHX gel, phenolic compounds solution (Listerine®), amine/stannous fluoride solution (Meridol®) and saline solution as a control group were applied daily for 1 min. The wound area was measured photographically and the epithelialization rate was determined histologically at 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post‐surgery.Results: The mean wound area and mean distance between the epithelial margins decreased significantly with time (p<0.001) in experimental and control groups, with the greatest wound area reduction and rate of epithelialization on day 14. A significantly superior rate of wound epithelialization (p=0.03) was presented following use of 1% CHX gel and Listerine® and a comparatively inferior one when the Meridol® solution was applied.Conclusions: Each tested antimicrobial agent when applied on an excisional wound with epithelial and connective tissue deficiency did not have a negative effect on the rate of wound closure. The best results were achieved with 1%CHX gel and Listerine®.
Occupational allergic contact dermatitis from azithromycin in pharmaceutical workers: a case series
Authors: Milković‐Kraus Sanja , Macan Jelena , Kanceljak‐Macan Božica 
Published: January 2007

Background:  Reports on hypersensitivity reactions to azithromycin associated with therapy or occupational exposure have been rare.Objectives:  A case series describing clinical characteristics, diagnostic pathways and risk factors in occupational allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) caused by azithromycin in pharmaceutical workers is presented.Patients/Methods:  7 out of 21 pharmaceutical workers exposed to powdered intermediate and final substances in azithromycin synthesis were referred with workplace‐related skin and respiratory symptoms. They all underwent diagnostic procedure involving medical history and examination, patch testing with standard allergens and azithromycin, prick testing with inhalatory allergens and total immunoglobulin E measurement.Results:  Airborne ACD caused by azithromycin was established in 4 examined workers with positive patch test to azithromycin. 2 workers additionally had positive patch test to intermediate substances. Occupation‐related symptoms of urticaria, rhinoconjunctivitis, laryngitis and/or dyspnoea were described in additional 2 workers without clearly positive patch test to azithromycin. 2 atopic workers had a shorter asymptomatic period between the beginning of the exposure to azithromycin and occurrence of skin symptoms than non‐atopics (2–3 months versus 1–3 years, respectively).Conclusions:  Our results suggest that daily manipulation with powdered azithromycin and intermediates is a main route of sensitization. Besides contact sensitization, other possible workplace‐related azithromycin hypersensitivity reactions are indicated.
Role of novel targeted agents in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer
Authors: DAMIANOVICH Dragan , TEBBUTT Niall C 
Published: January 2007

AbstractModern chemotherapy regimens, combining bolus or infused schedules of 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) with irinotecan or oxaliplatin, have significantly improved the treatment outcomes of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). The addition of novel targeted agents to chemotherapy has the potential to increase the median survival of patients with metastatic CRC beyond 2 years. Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) to vascular endothelial growth factor, has an established role in first‐line treatment in combination with either 5‐FU/leucovorin or irinotecan/5‐FU/leucovorin regimens, while cetuximab, a mAb to epidermal growth factor receptor, in combination with irinotecan is more suitable for the treatment of refractory metastatic CRC. The use of bevacizumab in later stages of the disease and cetuximab in chemotherapy‐naive patients as well as concurrent treatment with both agents is still under investigation. The landmark studies leading to the approval of these agents in the treatment of metastatic CRC as well as associated toxicity profiles and detailed treatment recommendations are discussed in this review.
Phenology of Plumeria alba and its Herbivores in a Tropical Dry Forest
Authors: Sloan Steven A. , Zimmerman Jess K. , Sabat Alberto M. 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTUnderstanding phenology in plant populations requires distinction between proximate mechanisms and ultimate (evolutionary) causation. Leaf production and abscission, flower production, and herbivory were monitored for 2 yr in a population of the stem succulent tree, Plumeria alba L. in the Guánica State Forest in southwest Puerto Rico. Dependence of phenological events on abiotic (rainfall and day length) and biotic factors (herbivore abundance/damage) was quantified to discern potential relationships. Leaf flush and flowering were not associated with periods of highest rainfall as might be expected in a dry tropical forest. Rather, these events were highly correlated with day length. We observed that most leaf flush began in March and April, which was several months before the wettest period of the year (August to November). This result is consistent with other studies that show that leaf flush in Plumeria is under photoperiodic control and that the plants initiate growth and reproduction when cloudiness is low and seasonal light availability is greatest. Herbivore damage by caterpillars of the sphinx moth Pseudosphinx tetrio is restricted primarily to the wettest season, consistent with the hypothesis that early leaf flush and reproduction has been selected to avoid herbivory. It is not clear whether photoperiodic control of leaf flush and reproduction serves to maximize seasonal light availability, minimize the impact of herbivores, or both. However, it is clear that peak rainfall is not likely to have been the sole selective factor determining leaf flush and flowering in P. alba.
ISOLATION AND PARTIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF A NOVEL BACTERIOCIN PRODUCED BY LACTOCOCCUS LACTIS SSP. LACTIS MC38
Authors: TÜKEL ÇAĞLA , AVŞAROĞLU M. DILEK , ŞİMŞEK ÖMER , AKÇELİK MUSTAFA 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACT This work presents the isolation and partial characterization of a new lactococcal bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis MC38. The bacteriocin demonstrated broad spectrum of inhibition activity against both pathogenic and food spoilage organisms, and various lactic acid bacteria. This antimicrobial substance appeared to be proteinaceous because its activity was completely inactivated by proteinase K and α‐chymotrypsin. It was heat and pH stable. The apparent molecular mass of the purified bacteriocin, determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was 8.0 kDa. The amino acid composition of the studied bacteriocin was found to be quite different from known lactococcal bacteriocins. The calculation of the number of amino acid residues in the bacteriocin molecule revealed that it contained 62 amino acids.
VIRULENCE LEVELS OF BIOFILM‐GROWN LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES LO28 ARE LOWER THAN THOSE OF PLANKTONIC CELLS IN AN ORAL INOCULATION TEST ON MICE
Authors: ZUNDEL ETIENNE , GALLOIS YVES , CONSTANTY EMMANUEL , ROCHE SYLVIE M. , MOMPART FLORENCE , MEYLHEUC THIERRY , PARDON PIERRE 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to produce Listeria monocytogenes biofilms suitable for virulence assays and to determine whether the released bacteria had the same virulence potential as their planktonic counterparts. Biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes LO28 strain, with or without Sphingomonas paucimobilis CCL10 strain, containing up to 7 log10 cfu/cm2 were produced in polypropylene syringes. The virulence of strain LO28 was analyzed in mice after intravenous, subcutaneous and oral inoculation. Its virulence level in binary cultures was not significantly different from that of monocultures. L. monocytogenes LO28 virulence in biofilms was lower than that of their planktonic counterparts after oral inoculation. Our results suggest that biofilms pose no greater health risk to the consumer than planktonic bacteria.
Calibration of Base Flow Separation Methods with Streamflow Conductivity
Authors: Stewart Mark , Cimino Joseph , Ross Mark 
Published: January 2007

AbstractThe conductivity mass‐balance (CMB) method can be used to calibrate analytical base flow separation methods. The principal CMB assumptions are base flow conductivity is equal to streamflow conductivity at lowest flows, runoff conductivity is equal to streamflow conductivity at highest flows, and base flow and runoff conductivities are assumed to be constants over the period of record. To test the CMB assumptions, fluid conductivities of ground water, surface runoff, and streamflow were measured during wet and dry conditions in a 12‐km2 stream basin. Ground water conductivities at wells varied an average of 6% from dry to wet conditions, while stream conductivities varied 58%. Shallow ground water conductivity varied significantly with distance from the stream, with lowest conductivities of 87 μS/cm near the divide, a maximum of 520 μS/cm 59 m from the stream, and 215 μS/cm 22 m from the stream. Runoff conductivities measured in three rain events remained nearly constant, with lower conductivities of 35 μS/cm near the divide and 50 μS/cm near the stream. The CMB method was applied to the records from 10 USGS stream‐gauging stations in Texas, Kentucky, Georgia, and Florida to calibrate the USGS base flow separation technique, HYSEP, by varying the time parameter 2N*. There is a statistically significant relationship between basin areas and calibrated values of 2N*, expressed as N = 0.46A0.44, with N in days and A in km2. The widely accepted relationship N = 0.83A0.2 is not valid for these basins. Other analytic methods can also be calibrated with the CMB method.
Radiative Properties
of Patterned Wafers With Nanoscale Linewidth
Authors: Chen Y.-B. , Zhang Z.
M. , Timans P.
J. 
Published: January 2007

Abstract
Temperature nonuniformity is a critical problem in rapid thermal processing (RTP) of wafers because it leads to uneven diffusion of implanted dopants and introduces thermal stress. One cause of the problem is nonuniform absorption of thermal radiation, especially in patterned wafers, where the optical properties vary across the wafer surface. Recent developments in RTP have led to the use of millisecond-duration heating cycle, which is too short for thermal diffusion to even out the temperature distribution. The feature size is already below 100nm and is smaller than the wavelength (200-1000nm) of the flash-lamp radiation. Little is known to the spectral distribution of the absorbed energy for different patterning structures. This paper presents a parametric study of the radiative properties of patterned wafers with the smallest feature dimension down to 30nm, considering the effects of temperature, wavelength, polarization, and angle of incidence. The rigorous coupled wave analysis is employed to obtain numerical solutions of the Maxwell equations and to assess the applicability of the method of homogenization based on effective medium formulations.
Load Distribution in Spiral Bevel Gears
Authors: Simon Vilmos 
Published: January 2007

Abstract
A new approach for the computerized simulation of load distribution in mismatched spiral bevel gears with point contact is presented. The loaded tooth contact is treated in a special way: it is assumed that the point contact under load spreads over a surface along the “potential” contact line (Simon, 2006, Mech. and Machine Theory, in press), which line is made up of the points of the mating tooth surfaces in which the separations of these surfaces are minimal, instead of assuming the usually applied elliptical contact area. The bending and shearing deflections of gear teeth, the local contact deformations of mating surfaces, gear body bending and torsion, the deflections of supporting shafts, and the manufacturing and alignment errors of mating members are included. The tooth deflections of the pinion and gear teeth are calculated by the finite element method. As the equations governing the load sharing among the engaged tooth pairs and load distribution along the tooth face are nonlinear, an approximate and iterative technique is used to solve this system of equations. The method is implemented by a computer program. By using this program the load and tooth contact pressure distributions, the angular displacements of the driven gear and the stresses in the pinion and gear teeth are calculated. The influence of design data and transmitted torque on load distribution parameters and fillet stresses is investigated and discussed.
Evidence for a Pseudo-Outbreak of
Candida guilliermondii
Fungemia in a University Hospital in Brazil
Authors: Medeiros Eduardo Alexandrino Servolo , Lott Timothy J. , Colombo Arnaldo Lopes , Godoy Patrício , Coutinho Ana Paula , Braga Monica Santos , Nucci Marcio , Brandt Mary E. 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACT

Fungal infections due to
Candida
species represent an important cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections. We report a large pseudo-outbreak of
Candida guilliermondii
fungemia that occurred in a university hospital in Brazil.
C. guilliermondii
was identified in 64 (43%) of the 149 blood samples drawn between June 2003 and July 2004. The samples were from patients in different wards of the hospital but concentrated in pediatric units. None of the patients had clinical signs of fungemia, and observational analysis revealed errors in the collection of blood samples. During the investigation of the pseudo-outbreak,
C. guilliermondii
was isolated from environmental surfaces and from the skin and nails of members of the nursing team. Through a subtyping analysis it was found that some of the nonpatient isolates were highly related to the patient isolates, and all the patient isolates were highly related. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the pseudo-outbreak was from a limited number of common sources. The adoption of intervention measures was effective in resolving the outbreak, supporting the hypothesis that the outbreak was due to poor techniques of drawing blood samples for culture.