bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Workload balance of cells in designing of multiple cellular manufacturing systems
Authors: Al Kattan Ibrahim 
Published: February 2005

PurposeThis paper presents a new method of resource optimization through workload balance in designing of multiple cellular manufacturing (MCM) systems for flow‐shop environments. The application of a step‐by‐step structured approach to design MCM cells more efficiently and generate smooth flow shop type with better resource utilization.Design/methodology/approachAn industrial application case with 31 products carried on 12 workstations is presented to explore the step‐by‐step of designing and analyzing the results of alternative cellular manufacturing and balancing the workload.FindingsMCM designs have become an important approach for batch production in the last decade, and their layout provides a dominant flow structure for the production scheduling. The flow shop nature of MCM adds a simplifying structure to the complexity of planning and scheduling. This method will generate many alternative designs and configurations of MCM in the form of highly flexible manufacturing systems. These alternatives could be better a choice for resource optimization in the industrial application.Originality/valueTogether with the associated costs, each proposed solution for the MCM could help to design and build efficient and highly flexible systems. Special emphasis will be devoted to the workload balance of workstations, machines, material‐handling equipment and WIP with the utilization of the resources in the production system. This method is practical, experiential and participates. A program using C language will be written to test the proposed algorithm for randomly generated input data.
Combining optimisation and simulation for steel production scheduling
Authors: Appelqvist Patrik , Lehtonen Juha‐Matti 
Published: February 2005

PurposeScheduling problems in steel plants tend to be difficult and require complex algorithms due to many constraints. An approach is presented where only the main constraints are included in the scheduling algorithm. The schedule is validated using a discrete‐event simulation model that includes additional detail.Design/methodology/approachThe combined approach is utilised for production scheduling in a steel mill in Finland. Operational performance of the steel mill is measured before and after software installation. The paper presents the scheduling environment, the software application and the resulting increase of production.FindingsCase experiences indicate that combining optimisation techniques with simulation is beneficial. The optimisation can be kept simpler as validation with a simulation model increases the credibility and accuracy of the resulting schedule. During software development and testing, the simulation model offered a testing environment for the optimisation algorithm.Practical implicationsThe case implementation was a success that increased production without making trade‐offs with other production goals. Company management estimate the productivity increase directly caused by the project to be worth €2,500,000 annually.Originality/valueThe paper presents a successful application of simulation for schedule validation in a complex and demanding environment.
Evaluation of tolerance to Pierce's disease and Botrytis in transgenic plants of Vitis vinifera L. expressing the pear PGIP gene
Authors: AGÜERO CECILIA B. , URATSU SANDRA L. , GREVE CARL , POWELL ANN L. T. , LABAVITCH JOHN M. , MEREDITH CAROLE P. , DANDEKAR ABHAYA M. 
Published: February 2005

SUMMARYPolygalacturonase‐inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) are plant cell‐wall proteins that specifically inhibit fungal endo‐polygalacturonases (PGs) that contribute to the aggressive decomposition of susceptible plant tissues. The inhibition of fungal PGs by PGIPs suggests that PGIPs have a role in plant tolerance to fungal infections and this has been observed in transgenic plants expressing PGIPs. Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of Pierce's disease (PD) in grapevines, has genes that encode cell‐wall‐degrading enzymes, including a putative PG. Therefore, we hypothesized that PGIP expression could confer tolerance against this bacterium as well as against the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. To test this hypothesis, Vitis vinifera cvs. ‘Thompson Seedless’ and ‘Chardonnay’ were transformed to express pear fruit PGIP‐encoding gene (pPGIP) under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter. Substantial pear PGIP (pPGIP) activity was found in crude extracts from leaves and in xylem exudate of transgenic lines obtained from independent transformation events, but not in untransformed controls. pPGIP activity was detected in xylem exudate of untransformed scions grafted on to transgenic rootstocks expressing pPGIP. Leaves of transgenic plants infected with B. cinerea had reduced rates of lesion expansion. The development of PD was delayed in some transgenic lines with increased pPGIP activity. PD‐tolerant transgenic lines had reduced leaf scorching, lower Xylella titres and better re‐growth after pruning than the untransformed controls.
Lineage‐specific regions in Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000
Authors: JOARDAR VINITA , LINDEBERG MAGDALEN , SCHNEIDER DAVID J. , COLLMER ALAN , BUELL C. ROBIN 
Published: February 2005

SUMMARYComparative analyses of the chromosome of Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000 with the finished, complete genomes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, an animal pathogen, and the non‐pathogenic soil inhabitant Pseudomonas putida KT2440 revealed a high degree of sequence conservation in genes involved in ‘housekeeping functions’. However, divergence is present among these three fluorescent pseudomonads, yielding ‘suites’ of species‐specific genes that may provide the genetic basis for adaptation to an ecological niche and lifestyle. For DC3000, 1053 genes located on the chromosome were specific to DC3000 and not present in PAO1 or KT2440. The majority of these DC3000‐specific genes either lack a known function or are mobile genetic elements. However, these genes do share features among themselves such as association with regions of atypical trinucleotides, unusual G+C content and localization within large tracts of DC3000‐specific sequence, suggestive of lateral gene transfer events. Indeed, a comparison of syntenic blocks among these three complete Pseudomonas genomes revealed that a substantial portion (533) of the DC3000‐specific chromosomal genes (1053) were located in lineage‐specific regions (defined as being larger than 2 kb and enriched in mobile genetic elements and/or genes specific to DC3000 in this three‐way comparison). A large proportion of mobile genetic elements (199 of 318 genes; 63%), which are highly enriched in DC3000, were present within such regions. Similarly, most of the genes encoding type III secretion system virulence effectors were located in lineage‐specific regions. Consistent with the plasticity of the DC3000 genome, a putative chromosomal inversion mediated by identical copies of ISPsy6 involving 2838 kb (44%) of the DC3000 genome was detected. These data suggest that a substantial portion of the differentiation of DC3000, a plant pathogen, from an animal pathogen and a soil inhabitant has involved transfer of a large number of novel genes coupled with amplification of mobile genetic elements.
Analysis of outcome following allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantation for myeloma using myeloablative conditioning – evidence for a superior outcome using melphalan combined with total body irradiation
Authors: Hunter H. M. , Peggs K. , Powles R. , Rahemtulla A. , Mahendra P. , Cavenagh J. , Littlewood T. , Potter M. , Hunter A. , Pagliuca A. , Williams C. D. , Cook G. , Towlson K. , Marks David I. , Russell N. H. ,   on behalf of the Clinical Trials Committee of the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (BSBMT)
Published: February 2005

SummaryWe have undertaken a retrospective multicentre analysis of 139 patients (median age 44·4 years) undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for multiple myeloma using myeloablative conditioning. The majority of patients received total body irradiation (TBI) combined with either melphalan (56·9%) or cyclophosphamide (28·5%). Overall, transplant‐related mortality (TRM) was 37·9% at 1 year and was not significantly different for patients receiving melphalan/TBI compared with cyclophosphamide/TBI. The overall complete remission (CR) rate, including patients in CR at the time of transplant, was greater for patients receiving melphalan/TBI (64·7%) compared with cyclophosphamide/TBI (47·2%)(P = 0·085). A significantly higher proportion of patients with continuing disease at the time of transplant achieved CR post‐transplant following melphalan/TBI conditioning compared with cyclophosphamide/TBI (52·9% and 33·4% respectively, P = 0·009). Relapse/progression rates at 5 years were significantly lower for melphalan/TBI (36·7%) compared with cyclophosphamide/TBI (80·8%, P < 0·0001) and remained significant in multivariate analysis. This resulted in an overall survival at 5 years of 44·1% and 28·1% for melphalan/TBI and cyclophosphamide/TBI, respectively (P = 0·059). These results demonstrate that the type of conditioning for sibling allogeneic HSCT for myeloma has a major effect on transplant outcome.
Detection of adenovirus‐specific T cells in children with adenovirus infection after allogeneic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Feuchtinger Tobias , Lücke Julia , Hamprecht Klaus , Richard Celine , Handgretinger Rupert , Schumm Michael , Greil Johann , Bock Thomas , Niethammer Dietrich , Lang Peter 
Published: February 2005

SummaryHuman adenovirus (ADV) infection is an important complication post allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT), especially in children, with significant morbidity and mortality despite new antiviral treatment strategies. Although the control of infection seems to require T cells, characterization of ADV‐specific T cells post‐SCT has not been reported to date. Therefore, we prospectively studied the occurrence of ADV‐specific T cells in children with (n = 21) and without (n = 25) ADV‐infection postallogeneic SCT and in healthy donors (n = 53). ADV‐associated mortality occurred in seven of 21 children. After stimulation ex vivo with ADV‐lysate, interferon‐γ‐secreting T cells were analysed by flow cytometry. All the patients with ADV‐associated mortality had no specific T cells, although reconstitution of absolute lymphocyte counts exceeded 0·3 × 109/l within 30 d post‐transplant. Patients who cleared ADV infection had significantly higher frequencies (mean ± standard deviation, 0·56 ± 0·5%) of ADV‐specific T cells until day 200 post‐SCT, than patients without ADV‐infection (0·12 ± 0·1%). These data suggest that ADV‐specific T‐cell reconstitution is protective against life‐threatening ADV‐infections postallogeneic SCT.
5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furfural modifies intracellular sickle haemoglobin and inhibits sickling of red blood cells†,‡
Authors: Abdulmalik Osheiza , Safo Martin K. , Chen Qiukan , Yang Jisheng , Brugnara Carlo , Ohene‐Frempong Kwaku , Abraham Donald J. , Asakura Toshio 
Published: February 2005

SummaryIn an attempt to find new types of anti‐sickling agents that specifically bind to intracellular sickle haemoglobin (HbS) without inhibition by plasma and tissue proteins or other undesirable consequences, we identified 5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furfural (5HMF), a naturally occurring aromatic aldehyde, as an agent that fulfils this criterion. Preliminary studies in vitro showed that 5HMF forms a high‐affinity Schiff‐base adduct with HbS and inhibits red cell sickling by allosterically shifting oxygen equilibrium curves towards the left. Further studies with transgenic (Tg) sickle mice showed that orally administered 5HMF was rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream from the gastrointestinal tract without being destroyed, traversed the red blood cell membrane and specifically bound with, and modified, HbS molecules at levels as high as 90%. Pretreatment of Tg sickle mice with 5HMF inhibited the formation of sickle cells and significantly prolonged survival time under severe hypoxia, compared with untreated mice, which died within 15 min because of sickling‐dependent pulmonary sequestration. These results indicate the feasibility of 5HMF as an attractive potential candidate for therapy of sickle cell disease.
Individual time within target range in patients treated with vitamin K antagonists: main determinant of quality of anticoagulation and predictor of clinical outcome. a retrospective study of 2300 consecutive patients with venous thromboembolism
Authors: Veeger Nic J. G. M. , Piersma‐Wichers Margriet , Tijssen Jan G. P. , Hillege Hans L. , van der Meer Jan 
Published: February 2005

SummaryThe efficacy and safety of vitamin K antagonists (VKA) are related to the actual level of anticoagulation (given as the international normalized ratio, INR). It is often difficult to maintain an optimal INR over time. We assessed the clinical impact of the individual time spent within INR target range (ITTR) in 2304 consecutive patients with venous thromboembolism. Annual incidences of recurrent thromboembolism and major bleeding were 6·2% and 2·8% respectively. The relative risk (RR) of thromboembolism was 4·5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3·1–6·6, P < 0·001] at INR < 2·0, for major bleeding it was 6·4 (2·5–16·1, P < 0·001) at INR > 5·0, compared with INR 2·0–3·0. Patients with ITTR < 45% were at higher risk than those with ITTR > 65% (RR 2·8, 1·9–4·3, P < 0·001), while no difference was demonstrated comparing ITTR 45–65% and ITTR > 65% (RR 1·2, 0·7–1·8, P = 0·54). Annual incidences of recurrent thromboembolism were 16·0%, 4·9% and 4·6% at ITTR < 45%, 45–60% and >65% respectively. For major bleeding these were 8·7%, 2·1% and 1·9% respectively. ITTR < 37% during the first 30 treatment days was highly predictive for the total treatment time ITTR < 45% (RR 24·2, 13·5–43·1, P < 0·001). In conclusion, ITTR can be used to identify patients on VKA at risk of recurrent thromboembolism or major bleeding. Since the 30‐d ITTR is highly predictive for total treatment ITTR, these patients can be identified soon after start of treatment.
Significance of the CC chemokine RANTES in patients with haematological malignancy: results from a prospective observational study
Authors: Ellis Michael , Al‐Ramadi Basel , Hedström Ulla , Frampton Chris , Alizadeh Hussain , Kristensen Jorgen 
Published: February 2005

SummaryRegulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) serum concentrations were explored in a prospective observational study of haematological‐malignancy patients undergoing chemotherapy. During systemic inflammatory response syndrome/sepsis or severe sepsis/septic shock mean concentrations were 3394 or 2939 pg/ml, respectively, significantly lower than those prior to fever (6031 pg/ml) (P < 0·01) or at bone‐marrow recovery (6433 pg/ml, P < 0·001). Levels during febrile‐bacteraemia were lower compared with febrile‐non‐bacteraemia (3022 pg/ml vs. 5111 pg/ml, respectively, P < 0·01). Sixty‐three of 67 infection episodes resolved despite low RANTES concentrations, suggesting RANTES is not a prerequisite for recovering from most infection events. However, in four patients dying from septic shock associated with aspergillosis, candidosis, pneumonia or infectious colitis, RANTES concentrations were persistently and extremely low (1629 pg/ml), compared with four matched patients who recovered (6780 pg/ml). RANTES concentrations were highly correlated to platelet counts [median correlation coefficient 0·82 (inter‐quartile range, 0·72–0·89)]. RANTES concentrations rose 4·5 d before platelet counts (P < 0·001), suggesting an additional extra‐platelet source for RANTES. A nested mixed model regression analysis demonstrated that platelet level was the only independent variable associated with RANTES concentration (P < 0·001) among steroids, haematopoietic‐colony‐stimulating‐factor, recombinant‐human‐interleukin‐11, sepsis status, and neutropenia. A significant ‘hypo‐RANTES’ serum environment occurs following chemotherapy, is driven by thrombocytopenia, but does not affect the ability of most patients to recover from infection.
Patterns of nitrogen and sulfur accumulation and retention in ombrotrophic bogs, eastern Canada
Authors: Moore Tim , Blodau Christian , Turunen Jukka , Roulet Nigel , Richard Pierre J. H. 
Published: February 2005

AbstractNitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) play important roles in peatlands, through their influence on plant production and peat decomposition rates and on redox reactions, respectively, and peatlands contain substantial stores of these two elements. Using peat N and S concentrations and dry bulk density and 210Pb dating, we determined the rates of N and S accumulation over the past 150 years in hummock and hollow profiles from 23 ombrotrophic bogs in eastern Canada. Concentrations of N and S averaged 0.80% and 0.18%, respectively, generally increased with depth in the profile and there was a weak but significant correlation between N and S concentrations. Rates of N and S accumulation over the past 50–150 years ranged from 0.5 to 4.8 g N m−2 yr−1 and from 0.1 to 0.9 g S m−2 yr−1. There were significant but weak correlations between C, N and S accumulation rates over 50‐, 100‐ and 150‐year periods. Over the last 50 years, rates of S accumulation showed little differentiation between hummocks and hollows, whereas the pattern for N accumulation was more variable (hummock minus hollow rate ranged from −1 to +1.5 g N m−2 yr−1), with hummocks generally having a larger N accumulation rate, correlated with the rate of carbon (C) accumulation. There was a modest but significant positive correlation between 50‐year rates of N accumulation and wet atmospheric deposition of N measured between 1990 and 1996, with accumulation rates about four times that of wet deposition. The difference between deposition and accumulation of N is attributed to organic N deposition, dry deposition and N2 fixation. A weaker, but still significant, correlation was observed between 50‐year S accumulation and 1990–1996 wet atmospheric S deposition, with about 75% of the deposited S accumulating in the peat. A laboratory experiment with peat cores exposed to varying water table position and simulated N and S deposition, showed that on average 87% and 98% of the deposited NH4+ and NO3−, respectively, and 58% of the deposited S were retained in the vegetation and unsaturated zone of the cores, supporting the results from the field study.
Increased rainfall variability and reduced rainfall amount decreases soil CO2flux in a grassland ecosystem
Authors: Harper Christopher W. , Blair John M. , Fay Philip A. , Knapp Alan K. , Carlisle Jonathan D. 
Published: February 2005

AbstractPredicted climate changes in the US Central Plains include altered precipitation regimes with increased occurrence of growing season droughts and higher frequencies of extreme rainfall events. Changes in the amounts and timing of rainfall events will likely affect ecosystem processes, including those that control C cycling and storage. Soil carbon dioxide (CO2) flux is an important component of C cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, and is strongly influenced by climate. While many studies have assessed the influence of soil water content on soil CO2flux, few have included experimental manipulation of rainfall amounts in intact ecosystems, and we know of no studies that have explicitly addressed the influence of the timing of rainfall events. In order to determine the responses of soil CO2flux to altered rainfall timing and amounts, we manipulated rainfall inputs to plots of native tallgrass prairie (Konza Prairie, Kansas, USA) over four growing seasons (1998–2001). Specifically, we altered the amounts and/or timing of growing season rainfall in a factorial combination that included two levels of rainfall amount (100% or 70% of naturally occurring rainfall quantity) and two temporal patterns of rain events (ambient timing or a 50% increase in length of dry intervals between events). The size of individual rain events in the altered timing treatment was adjusted so that the quantity of total growing season rainfall in the ambient and altered timing treatments was the same (i.e. fewer, but larger rainfall events characterized the altered timing treatment). Seasonal mean soil CO2flux decreased by 8% under reduced rainfall amounts, by 13% under altered rainfall timing, and by 20% when both were combined (P<0.01). These changes in soil CO2flux were consistent with observed changes in plant productivity, which was also reduced by both reduced rainfall quantity and altered rainfall timing. Soil CO2flux was related to both soil temperature and soil water content in regression analyses; together they explained as much as 64% of the variability in CO2flux across dates under ambient rainfall timing, but only 38–48% of the variability under altered rainfall timing, suggesting that other factors (e.g. substrate availability, plant or microbial stress) may limit CO2flux under a climate regime that includes fewer, larger rainfall events. An analysis of the temperature sensitivity of soil CO2flux indicated that temperature had a reduced effect (lower correlation and lowerQ10values) under the reduced quantity and altered timing treatments. Recognition that changes in the timing of rainfall events may be as, or more, important than changes in rainfall amount in affecting soil CO2flux and other components of the carbon cycle highlights the complex nature of ecosystem responses to climate change in North American grasslands.
Fine root dynamics and trace gas fluxes in two lowland tropical forest soils
Authors: Silver Whendee L. , Thompson Andrew W. , McGroddy Megan E. , Varner Ruth K. , Dias Jadson D. , Silva Hudson , Crill Patrick M. , Keller Michael 
Published: February 2005

AbstractFine root dynamics have the potential to contribute significantly to ecosystem‐scale biogeochemical cycling, including the production and emission of greenhouse gases. This is particularly true in tropical forests which are often characterized as having large fine root biomass and rapid rates of root production and decomposition. We examined patterns in fine root dynamics on two soil types in a lowland moist Amazonian forest, and determined the effect of root decay on rates of C and N trace gas fluxes. Root production averaged 229 (±35) and 153 (±27) g m−2 yr−1 for years 1 and 2 of the study, respectively, and did not vary significantly with soil texture. Root decay was sensitive to soil texture with faster rates in the clay soil (k=−0.96 year−1) than in the sandy loam soil (k=−0.61 year−1), leading to greater standing stocks of dead roots in the sandy loam. Rates of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions were significantly greater in the clay soil (13±1 ng N cm−2 h−1) than in the sandy loam (1.4±0.2 ng N cm−2 h−1). Root mortality and decay following trenching doubled rates of N2O emissions in the clay and tripled them in sandy loam over a 1‐year period. Trenching also increased nitric oxide fluxes, which were greater in the sandy loam than in the clay. We used trenching (clay only) and a mass balance approach to estimate the root contribution to soil respiration. In clay soil root respiration was 264–380 g C m−2 yr−1, accounting for 24% to 35% of the total soil CO2 efflux. Estimates were similar using both approaches. In sandy loam, root respiration rates were slightly higher and more variable (521±206 g C m2 yr−1) and contributed 35% of the total soil respiration. Our results show that soil heterotrophs strongly dominate soil respiration in this forest, regardless of soil texture. Our results also suggest that fine root mortality and decomposition associated with disturbance and land‐use change can contribute significantly to increased rates of nitrogen trace gas emissions.