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Slow Rate (slow + rate)
Kinds of Slow Rate Selected AbstractsReaction pathways and reaction progress for the smectite-to-chlorite transformation: evidence from hydrothermally altered metabasitesJOURNAL OF METAMORPHIC GEOLOGY, Issue 1 2002D. Robinson Abstract The transformation from smectite to chlorite has been interpreted as involving either a disequilibrium chlorite/smectite mixed-layering sequence, or an equilibrated discontinuous sequence involving smectite,corrensite,chlorite. Here, analysis of the smectite to chlorite transition in different geothermal systems leads us to propose that the transformation proceeds via three contrasting reaction pathways involving (i) a continuous mixed-layer chlorite/smectite series; (ii) a discontinuous smectite,corrensite,chlorite series and (iii) a direct smectite to chlorite transition. Such contrasting pathways are not in accord with an equilibrium mineral reaction series, suggesting that these pathways record kinetically controlled reaction progress. In the geothermal systems reviewed the style of reaction pathway and degree of reaction progress is closely correlated with intensity of recrystallization, and not to differences in thermal gradients or clay grain size. This suggests a kinetic effect linked to variation in fluid/rock ratios and/or a contrast between advective or diffusive fluid transport. The mode of fluid transport provides a means by which the rates of dissolution/nucleation/growth can control the reaction style and the reaction progress of the smectite to chlorite transition. Slow rates of growth are linked to the first reaction pathway involving mixed-layering, while increasing rates of growth, relative to nucleation, promote the generation of more ordered structures and ultimately lead to the direct smectite to chlorite transition, representative of the third pathway. [source] Molecular detection of marine bacterial populations on beaches contaminated by the Nakhodka tanker oil-spill accidentENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2001Yuki Kasai In January 1997, the tanker Nakhodka sank in the Japan Sea, and more than 5000 tons of heavy oil leaked. The released oil contaminated more than 500 km of the coastline, and some still remained even by June 1999. To investigate the long-term influence of the Nakhodka oil spill on marine bacterial populations, sea water and residual oil were sampled from the oil-contaminated zones 10, 18, 22 and 29 months after the accident, and the bacterial populations in these samples were analysed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA fragments. The dominant DGGE bands were sequenced, and the sequences were compared with those in DNA sequence libraries. Most of the bacteria in the sea water samples were classified as the Cytophaga,Flavobacterium,Bacteroides phylum, ,- Proteobacteria or cyanobacteria. The bacteria detected in the oil paste samples were different from those detected in the sea water samples; they were types related to hydrocarbon degraders, exemplified by strains closely related to Sphingomonas subarctica and Alcanivorax borkumensis. The sizes of the major bacterial populations in the oil paste samples ranged from 3.4 × 105 to 1.6 × 106 bacteria per gram of oil paste, these low numbers explaining the slow rate of natural attenuation. [source] Responses of zooplankton in lufenuron-stressed experimental ditches in the presence or absence of uncontaminated refuges,ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 6 2008Patricia López-Mancisidor Abstract Outdoor experimental ditches were used to evaluate the influence of untreated refuges on the recovery of zooplankton communities following treatment with the fast-dissipating insecticide lufenuron. Each experimental ditch was divided into three sections of the same surface area. The treatments differed in the proportion of ditch (0, 33, 67, and 100% of the surface area) to which the insecticide was applied at the same nominal treatment (3 ,g/L). During the first week postapplication, a barrier was placed between treated and untreated ditch sections. The untreated sections were included to provide a source of organisms for recovery of affected zooplankton populations in the treated sections of the ditch after the removal of the barrier. Cyclopoida were the most affected by lufenuron treatment, followed by Daphnia gr. galeata. These and other direct effects of treatment on larvae of the phantom midge Chaoborus spp. resulted in clear indirect effects on populations of Calanoida, Ceriodaphnia, and Rotifera. Overall, faster recovery of the zooplankton community was observed in the treated sections of ditches that were sprayed for a smaller proportion of their surface area. Nevertheless, individual zooplankton populations showed considerable differences in rate of recovery. Cyclopoida showed a relatively slow rate of recovery even in the partially treated ditches. Daphnia gr. galeata recovered more rapidly in treated ditch sections in the presence of unsprayed ditch sections, illustrating the potential influence of unexposed refuges. Furthermore, the presence of refuges most likely dampened the magnitude and duration of indirect effects in the ditches treated with lufenuron. [source] Kinetics of toluene sorption and desorption in Ca- and Cu-montmorillonites investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy under two different levels of humidityENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 9 2004Yang-Hsin Shih Abstract Clays in soils or groundwater aquifer materials play roles in the sorption of organic pollutants. The intrinsic sorption kinetics of toluene in dry and humid clay films was investigated by tracking the change of infrared absorbance. Under the humid condition, similar toluene-sorbed intensities were found in Ca- and Cu-montmorillonites. However, a higher intensity of sorbed toluene was found in the Cu-form than in the Ca-form under the dry condition, which indicates a stronger interaction occurring in dry Cu-montmorillonite. The general time scale of sorption of toluene on clays is around 100 s. In both forms of montmorillonite, some portion of toluene was desorbed at an extremely slow rate under the dry condition. Some newly identified peaks were persistent against desorption from montmorillonites, suggesting the existence of irreversibly sorbed species and the possibility of toluene transformation occurring in clay systems. [source] Is the Cell Death in Mesial Temporal Sclerosis Apoptotic?EPILEPSIA, Issue 6 2003Hilmi Uysal Summary: Purpose: Mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) is characterized by neuronal loss in the hippocampus. Studies on experimental models and patients with intractable epilepsy suggest that apoptosis may be involved in neuronal death induced by recurrent seizures. Methods: We searched evidence for apoptotic cell death in temporal lobes resected from drug-resistant epilepsy patients with MTS by using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) and digoxigenin-11-dUTP (TUNEL) method and immunohistochemistry for Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-cleaved actin fragment, fractin. The temporal lobe specimens were obtained from 15 patients (six women and nine men; mean age, 29 ± 8 years). Results: Unlike that in normal adult brain, we observed Bcl-2 immunoreactivity in some of the remaining neurons dispersed throughout the hippocampus proper as well as in most of the reactive astroglia. Bax immunopositivity was increased in almost all neurons. Fractin immunostaining, an indicator of caspase activity, was detected in ,10% of these neurons. Des pite increased Bax expression and activation of caspases, we could not find evidence for DNA fragmentation by TUNEL staining. We also could not detect typical apoptotic changes in nuclear morphology by Hoechst-33258 or hematoxylin counterstaining. Conclusions: These data suggest that either apoptosis is not involved in cell loss in MTS, or a very slow rate of cell demise may have precluded detecting TUNEL-positive neurons dying through apoptosis. Increased Bax expression and activation of caspases support the latter possibility. [source] First evidence of catalytic mediation by phenolic compounds in the laccase-induced oxidation of lignin modelsFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 17 2003Francesca D'Acunzo The sulfonephthalein indicator, phenol red, exhibits an unusually slow rate of oxidation by laccase from Poliporus pinsitus, in spite of the fact that it is a phenol and therefore a natural substrate for this phenoloxidase enzyme. Nevertheless, after prolonged exposure to laccase (24 h) phenol red is oxidized by more than 90%. We found that phenol red, which can be oxidatively converted into a resonance-stabilized phenoxy radical, performs as a mediator in the laccase-catalyzed oxidation of a nonphenolic substrate (4-methoxybenzyl alcohol) and also of a hindered phenol (2,4,6-tri- tert -butylphenol). In particular, phenol red was found to be at least 10 times more efficient than 3-hydroxyanthranilate (a reported natural phenolic mediator of laccase) in the oxidation of 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol. Other phenols, which do not bear structural analogies to phenol red, underwent rapid degradation and did not perform as laccase mediators. On the other hand, several variously substituted sulfonephthaleins, of different pK2 values, mediated the laccase catalysis, the most efficient being dichlorophenol red, which has the lowest pK2 of the series. The mediating efficiency of phenol red and dichlorophenol red was found to be pH dependent, as was their oxidation Ep value (determined by cyclic voltammetry). We argue that the relative abundance of the phenoxy anion, which is easier to oxidize than the protonated phenol, may be one of the factors determining the efficiency of a phenolic mediator, together with its ability to form relatively stable oxidized intermediates that react with the desired substrate before being depleted in undesired routes. [source] Irreversible Phosphorus Sorption in Septic System Plumes?GROUND WATER, Issue 1 2008W. D. Robertson The mobility of phosphorus (P) in septic system plumes remains a topic of debate because of the considerable reactivity of this constituent. In this study, a septic system plume in Ontario was monitored over a 16-year period with detail that clearly shows the advancing frontal portion of the P plume. This monitoring record provides insight into the extent of secondary P attenuation in the ground water zone beyond that available from previous studies. A P plume 16 m in length developed over the monitoring period with PO4 -P concentrations (3 to 6 mg/L) that approached the concentrations present under the tile bed. Simulations using an analytical model showed that when first-order solute decay was considered to account for the possibility of secondary P attenuation in the ground water zone, field values could only be matched when decay was absent or occurred at an exceedingly slow rate (half-life greater than 30 years). Thus, hypothesized secondary P attenuation mechanisms such as slow recystallization of sorbed P into insoluble metal phosphate minerals, diffusion into microsites, or kinetically slow direct precipitation of P minerals such as hydroxyapatite were inactive in the ground water zone at this site or occurred at rates that were too slow to be observed in the context of the current 16-year study. Desorption tests on sediment samples from below the tile bed indicated a PO4 distribution coefficient (Kd) of 4.8, which implies a P retardation factor of 25, similar to the field apparent value of 37 determined from model calibrations. This example of inactive secondary P attenuation in the ground water zone shows that phosphorus in some ground water plumes can remain mobile and conservative for decades. This has important implications for septic systems located in lakeshore environments when long-term usage scenarios are considered. [source] Improvement of stone comminution by slow delivery rate of shock waves in extracorporeal lithotripsyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 12 2006YUJI KATO Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of delivery rate of shockwaves (SW) on stone comminution and treatment outcomes in patients with renal and ureteral stones. Methods: Patients with radio-opaque stones in the upper urinary tract that were treated by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) were divided into two groups according to delivery rate (120 or 60 SW/min). The effective fragmentation after one ESWL session and treatment success at 3 months after ESWL was compared between the two groups. Results: Of 134 patients (84 men and 50 women), 68 patients were treated at a fast rate and 66 were treated at a slow rate. Thirty and 38 patients in the fast rate group and 28 and 38 in the slow rate group had renal and ureteral stones, respectively. After one ESWL session, effective fragmentation was noted more often in the slow group (65.2%) than the fast group (47.1%) (P = 0.035), particularly for smaller stones (stone area <100 mm2) (P = 0.005) and renal stones (p = 0.005). However, there was no significant difference in treatment success at 3 months after ESWL between the two groups. In univariate logistic regression analysis, slow SW rate and smaller stones were significant factors for effective fragmentation after one ESWL session. In multivariate analysis, slow SW rate and smaller stones were also independent factors. Conclusions: Slow SW rate contributed to better stone comminution than fast rate, particularly for small stones and renal stones. ESWL treatment at a slow SW rate is recommended to obtain efficient stone fragmentation. [source] Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes in chicken cold cuts by addition of sakacin P and sakacin P-producing Lactobacillus sakeiJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2002T. Katla Aims: To evaluate the potential of sakacin P and sakacin P-producing Lactobacillus sakei for the inhibition of growth of Listeria monocytogenes in chicken cold cuts, by answering the following questions. (i) Is sakacin P actually produced in food? (ii) Is sakacin P produced in situ responsible for the inhibiting effect? (iii) How stable is sakacin P in food? Methods and Results:Listeria monocytogenes, a Lact. sakei strain and/or the bacteriocin sakacin P were added to chicken cold cuts, vacuum packed and incubated at 4 or 10°C for 4 weeks. Each of two isogenic Lact. sakei strains, one producing sakacin P and the other not, had an inhibiting effect on the growth of L. monocytogenes. The effect of these two isogenic strains on the growth of L. monocytogenes was indistinguishable, even though sakacin P was produced in the product by one of the two Lact. sakei strains. The addition of purified sakacin P had an inhibiting effect on the growth of L. monocytogenes. A high dosage of sakacin P (3·5 ,g g,1) had a bacteriostatic effect throughout the storage period of 4 weeks, while a low dosage (12 ng g,1) permitted initial growth, but at a slow rate. After 4 weeks of storage, the number of L. monocytogenes in the samples with a low dosage of sakacin P was 2 logs below that in the untreated control. When using a high dosage of sakacin P, the bacteriocin was detected in samples stored for up to 6 weeks. Conclusions: (i) Sakacin P is produced by a Lact. sakei strain when growing on vacuum-packed chicken cold cuts. (ii) Inhibiting effects of Lact. sakei, other than sakacin P, are active in inhibiting the growth of L. monocytogenes growing on chicken cold cuts. (iii) Sakacin P is stable on chicken cold cuts over a period of 4 weeks. Significance and Impact of the Study: Both sakacin P and Lact. sakei were found to have potential for use in the control of L. monocytogenes in chicken cold cuts. [source] ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Towards an understanding of the Holocene distribution of Fagus sylvatica L.JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2007Thomas Giesecke Abstract Aim, Understanding the driving forces and mechanisms of changes in past plant distribution and abundance will help assess the biological consequences of future climate change scenarios. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether modelled patterns of climate parameters 6000 years ago can account for the European distribution of Fagus sylvatica at that time. Consideration is also given to the role of non-climatic parameters as driving forces of the Holocene spread and population expansion of F. sylvatica. Location, Europe. Methods, European distributions were simulated using a physiologically-based bioclimatic model (STASH) driven by three different atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) outputs for 6000 years ago. Results, The three simulations generally showed F. sylvatica to have potentially been as widespread 6000 years ago as it is today, which gives a profound mismatch with pollen-based reconstructions of the F. sylvatica distribution at that time. The results indicate that drier conditions during the growing season 6000 years ago could have caused a restriction of the range in the south. Poorer growth conditions with consequently reduced competitive ability were modelled for large parts of France. Main conclusions, Consideration of the entire European range of F. sylvatica showed that no single driving force could account for the observed distributional limits 6000 years ago, or the pattern of spread during the Holocene. Climatic factors, particularly drought during the growing season, are the likely major determinants of the potential range. Climatic factors are regionally moderated by competition, disturbance effects and the intrinsically slow rate of population increase of F. sylvatica. Dynamic vegetation modelling is needed to account for potentially important competitive interactions and their relationship with changing climate. We identify uncertainties in the climate and pollen data, as well as the bioclimatic model, which suggest that the current study does not identify whether or not climate determined the distribution of F. sylvatica 6000 years ago. Pollen data are better suited for comparison with relative abundance gradients rather than absolute distributional limits. These uncertainties from a study of the past, where we have information about plant distribution and abundance, argue for extreme caution in making forecasts for the future using equilibrium models. [source] Pubertal Maturation Characteristics and the Rate of Bone Mass Development Longitudinally Toward MenarcheJOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2001Silvia C. C. M. Van Coeverden Abstract To assess risks for osteoporosis and to compare bone mass in different groups of healthy children or children with diseases, it is important to have knowledge of their sexual maturation status during puberty. The aim of our study was to evaluate bone mass formation longitudinally in relation to pubertal maturation characteristics in healthy white girls. We investigated the bone mineral content (BMC) and the bone mineral density (BMD) at different skeletal sites in 151 girls with increasing pubertal stages in relation with their chronological age and with an early or late onset of puberty or menarche and with a slow or fast maturation. Bone mass was measured at the onset of puberty, during puberty, and at menarche. We conclude the following: (1) from midpuberty to menarche, the increase in bone mass formation is highest at all skeletal sites in white girls; (2) early mature girls at the onset of puberty have slightly but definitely lower bone masses at all skeletal sites and at all pubertal stages than late mature girls, whereas the average bone mass formation from the onset of puberty to menarche is similar in both groups; (3) girls with a slow rate of pubertal maturation have lower bone mass values 2 years after the onset of puberty, but at menarche bone mass is similar compared with fast maturers; and (4) it cannot be confirmed that there is an effect of menarcheal age on bone mass values at menarche. [source] Modeling an electrochemical process to remove Cr(VI) from rinse-water in a stirred reactorJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Miriam G Rodríguez Abstract Experimental studies were developed in a batch reactor (16,dm3), to obtain the kinetic model of Cr(VI) removal by means of an electrochemical process. An overall kinetic model was obtained and experimentally validated in a continuous stirred electrochemical reactor (16,dm3) with synthetic and industrial wastewater. To develop the mathematical model of the continuous reactor in relation to the Cr(VI) and Fe(II) concentration in the solution, a classical mass balance procedure was performed. The Cr(VI) concentration in the electrochemically-treated waters was less than 0.5,mg,dm,3. In the electrochemical process the Cr(VI) reduction is caused by the Fe(II) released from the anode due to the electric current applied, by the Fe(II) released for the dissolution (corrosion) of the electrodes due to the acidic media, and by reduction at the cathode. During the process, reduction from Fe(III) to Fe(II) occurs. All of these different reactions cause a diminution in the quantity of sludge generated. Finally, it was found that due to the slow rate of reduction of Cr(VI) during the first part of the process it is necessary to develop a method of control to apply the process in a continuous industrial system. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry [source] The potential role of plant oxygen and sulphide dynamics in die-off events of the tropical seagrass, Thalassia testudinumJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2005J. BORUM Summary 1Oxygen and sulphide dynamics were examined, using microelectrode techniques, in meristems and rhizomes of the seagrass Thalassia testudinum at three different sites in Florida Bay, and in the laboratory, to evaluate the potential role of internal oxygen variability and sulphide invasion in episodes of sudden die-off. The sites differed with respect to shoot density and sediment composition, with an active die-off occurring at only one of the sites. 2Meristematic oxygen content followed similar diel patterns at all sites with high oxygen content during the day and hyposaturation relative to the water column during the night. Minimum meristematic oxygen content was recorded around sunrise and varied among sites, with values close to zero at the die-off site. 3Gaseous sulphide was detected within the sediment at all sites but at different concentrations among sites and within the die-off site. Spontaneous invasion of sulphide into Thalassia rhizomes was recorded at low internal oxygen partial pressure during darkness at the die-off site. 4A laboratory experiment showed that the internal oxygen dynamics depended on light availability, and hence plant photosynthesis, and on the oxygen content of the water column controlling passive oxygen diffusion from water column to leaves and below-ground tissues in the dark. 5Sulphide invasion only occurred at low internal oxygen content, and the rate of invasion was highly dependent on the oxygen supply to roots and rhizomes. Sulphide was slowly depleted from the tissues when high oxygen partial pressures were re-established through leaf photosynthesis. Coexistence of sulphide and oxygen in the tissues and the slow rate of sulphide depletion suggest that sulphide reoxidation is not biologically mediated within the tissues of Thalassia. 6Our results support the hypothesis that internal oxygen stress, caused by low water column oxygen content or poor plant performance governed by other environmental factors, allows invasion of sulphide and that the internal plant oxygen and sulphide dynamics potentially are key factors in the episodes of sudden die-off in beds of Thalassia testudinum. Root anoxia followed by sulphide invasion may be a more general mechanism determining the growth and survival of other rooted plants in sulphate-rich aquatic environments. [source] PHYSICO-CHEMICAL ANALYSES, SENSORY EVALUATION AND POTENTIAL OF MINIMAL PROCESSING OF PEJIBAYE (BACTRIS GASIPAES) COMPARED TO MASCARENES PALMSJOURNAL OF FOOD QUALITY, Issue 2010J. JOAS ABSTRACT A palm species native of South America, pejibaye (Bactris gasipaes), was recently introduced in Reunion Island in an attempt to diversify its agriculture. Morphological analyses highlighted the agronomic advantages of pejibaye including a high weight-to-harvest-date ratio compared to three mascarenes palm species. Sensory analyses by a trained panel allowed the elaboration of sensory profiles of the four palms tested. Ranking test done by 120 consumers revealed that pejibaye was preferred to the Mascarenes palms at the 5% level of significance and triangle test showed that Acanthophoenix rubra (red palm), the most cultivated species for the local market, was significantly different from pejibaje at the 1% level. Phenolic profiles revealed that pejibaye differed from the other species by a peak absorbing at 272 nm and weak polyphenol oxidase activities. As no browning reaction was observed in fresh cut pejibaye, this palm could be used for minimal processing (local and export market). PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Sensorial characteristics of fresh hearts of palm are different of those of canned heart of palm, and fresh heart palms are generally preferred by consumers. However, the marketing of fresh palm is limited by the high level of oxidation of most of palm species. The high stability of pejibaye after cutting and its slow rate of oxidation offer the possibility of minimal processing, without special additives. So the packaging in wrapped trays of this palm, cut and stored at low temperature opens up new perspectives, ensuring sensorial quality of a "fresh" product with a shelf life allowing a controlled management of market supply. [source] Giant abdominal tumor of the ovaryJOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY RESEARCH (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2008Sachiyo Ueda Abstract A giant abdominal tumor can exert a mass effect on surrounding structures. We report here a 34-year-old single female who presented with an increased abdominal girth and was subsequently found to have a giant abdominal mass. Large volume aspiration (85 L) at a slow rate (1 L/min) was initially performed before surgical resection to prevent the development of severe clinical hypotension after large volume aspiration. The patient underwent left salpingo-oophorectomy. Histology revealed a serous cystadenoma of the ovary. Systemic hemodynamics were sequentially measured during the perioperative period. The patient is now well. [source] Novel biopolymers as implant matrix for the delivery of ciprofloxacin: Biocompatibility, degradation, and in vitro antibiotic releaseJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2007Suniket V. Fulzele Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro,in vivo degradation and tissue compatibility of three novel biopolymers viz. polymerized rosin (PR), glycerol ester of polymerized rosin (GPR) and pentaerythritol ester of polymerized rosin (PPR) and study their potential as implant matrix for the delivery of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride. Free films of polymers were used for in vitro degradation in PBS (pH 7.4) and in vivo in rat subcutaneous model. Sample weight loss, molecular weight decline, and morphological changes were analyzed after periodic intervals (30, 60, and 90 days) to monitor the degradation profile. Biocompatibility was evaluated by examination of the inflammatory tissue response to the implanted films on postoperative days 7, 14, 21, and 28. Furthermore, direct compression of dry blends of various polymer matrices with 20%, 30%, and 40% w/w drug loading was performed to investigate their potential for implant systems. The implants were characterized in terms of porosity and ciprofloxacin release. Biopolymer films showed slow rate of degradation, in vivo rate being faster on comparative basis. Heterogeneous bulk degradation was evident with the esterified products showing faster rates than PR. Morphologically all the films were stiff and intact with no significant difference in their appearance. The percent weight remaining in vivo was 90.70,±,6.2, 85.59,±,5.8, and 75.56,±,4.8 for PR, GPR, and PPR films respectively. Initial rapid drop in Mw was demonstrated with nearly 20.0% and 30.0% decline within 30 days followed by a steady decline to nearly 40.0% and 50.0% within 90 days following in vitro and in vivo degradation respectively. Biocompatibility demonstrated by acute and subacute tissue reactions showed minimal inflammatory reactions with prominent fibrous encapsulation and absence of necrosis demonstrating good tissue compatibility to the extent evaluated. All implants showed erosion and increase in porosity that affected the drug release. Increase in drug loading significantly altered the ciprofloxacin release in extended dissolution studies. PPR produced drug release >90% over a period of 90 days promising its utility in implant systems. The results demonstrated the utility of novel film forming biopolymers as implant matrix for controlled/sustained drug delivery with excellent biocompatibility characteristics. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 96:132,144, 2007 [source] Mechanism of lidocaine release from carbomer,lidocaine hydrogelsJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2002Alvaro Jimenez-Kairuz Abstract Rheology, acid-base behavior, and kinetics of lidocaine release of carbomer,lidocaine (CL) hydrogels are reported. A series of (CL)x (x,=,mol% of L,=,25, 50, 75, 100) that covers a pH range between 5.33 and 7.96 was used. Concentrations of ion pair ([R-COO,LH+]) and free species (L) and (LH+) were determined by the selective extraction of (L) with cyclohexane (CH) together with pH measurements, i.e., CH in a ratio CH/hydrogel 2:1 extracted 48% of the whole concentration of lidocaine [LT] of a (CL)100, {[LT],=,([R-COO,LH+]),+,(L),+,(LH+)}. The remaining species in the aqueous phase were distributed as: (L) 3.82%, (LH+) 14.5%, and [R-COO, LH+] 81.7%. Rheology and pH as a function of (CL) concentration are also reported. Delivery rates of free base L were measured in a Franz-type bicompartmental device using water and NaCl 0.9% solution as receptor media. (CL) hydrogels behave as a reservoir that releases the drug at a slow rate. pH effects on rate suggest that, under the main conditions assayed, dissociation of [R-COO,LH+] is the slow step that controls releasing rates. Accordingly, release rate was increased upon addition of a second counterion (i.e., Na+), or through the diffusion of neutral salts such as NaCl, into the matrix of the gel. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association J Pharm Sci 91:267,272, 2002 [source] A record of Late Pleistocene and Holocene carbon accumulation and climate change from an equatorial peat bog (Kalimantan, Indonesia): implications for past, present and future carbon dynamicsJOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE, Issue 7 2004S. E. Page Abstract A 9.5,m core from an inland peatland in Kalimantan, Indonesia, reveals organic matter accumulation started around 26,000,cal.,yr,BP, providing the oldest reported initiation date for lowland ombrotrophic peat formation in SE Asia. The core shows clear evidence for differential rates of peat formation and carbon storage. A short period of initial accumulation is followed by a slow rate during the LGM, with fastest accumulation during the Holocene. Between ,13,000 and 8000,cal.,yr,BP, >,450,cm of peat were deposited, with highest rates of peat (>,2,mm,yr,1) and carbon (>,90,g,C,m,2,yr,1) accumulation between 9530 and 8590,cal.,yr,BP. These data suggest that Kalimantan peatlands acted as a large sink of atmospheric CO2 at this time. Slower rates of peat (0.15,0.38,mm,yr,1) and carbon (7.4,24.0,g,C,m,2,yr,1) accumulation between ,8000 and 500,cal.,yr,BP coincide with rapid peat formation in coastal locations elsewhere in SE Asia. The average LORCA (long-term apparent carbon accumulation rate) for the 9.5,m core is 56,g,C,m,2,yr,1. These data suggest that studies of global carbon sources, sinks and their dynamics need to include information on the past and present sizeable peat deposits of the tropics. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A Note on the Spatial Correlation Structure of County-Level Growth in the U.S.JOURNAL OF REGIONAL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2001Christopher H. Wheeler This paper examines the spatial correlation structure of county-level growth across the contiguous United States. Estimated spatial correlograms using data on four different measures of aggregate economic activity,population, employment, income, and earnings,over the period 1984,1994 indicate that cross-county interdependence is limited to relatively short ranges of distance. For each of the measures, the average correlation between the growth rates of two counties approaches zero within a range of approximately 200 miles. Moreover, the rate at which correlations decline with distance is not uniform. Inside of roughly 40 miles correlations show only a very slow rate of decline whereas beyond this range they drop off at a substantially higher rate. [source] Flow Kinetics in Porous Ceramics: Understanding with Non-Uniform Capillary ModelsJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 10 2007Debdutt Patro The present work describes the development of a two-parameter non-uniform capillary model to describe kinetics of flow in porous solids with complex tortuous varying paths. Experimentally, the rate of fluid flow in such a non-uniform capillary is found to be orders of magnitude slower compared with a corresponding average uniform capillary. This slow rate is explained in terms of an extremely small ,effective' hydrodynamic radius. The origin of such an ,unphysical' radius is rationalized based on geometrical considerations and effective driving forces for flow through a stepped capillary. Infiltration rate parameters are derived from the geometry of the porous medium for both wetting and non-wetting conditions. [source] Oscillating vegetation dynamics in a wet heathlandJOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 1 2005Katharina E. Urban Abstract. Question: The significance of disturbances caused by periodical inundation was investigated with respect to its effects on vegetation dynamics, species richness and fluctuations, and to the relevance of certain plant properties. Location and Method: At a sod-cut stand within nutrient-poor inland sand dunes, permanent plots along a transect were surveyed over a period of up to nine years after sod cutting. Results: In contrast to never inundated plots, periodically inundated plots were characterized by low vegetation cover and by high numbers of species belonging to many different communities, each of them with a low cover. Periodical inundations favoured the presence of pioneers, species tolerant of disturbances, species adapted to wet conditions and stoloni-ferous species. Furthermore, annual fluctuations of species within each plot were higher and most species occurred only sporadically. Discussion: A comprehensive model is presented describing the relevant processes identified in the littoral zone. Changing water tables result in the creation of gaps. The re-colonization of these gaps follows mainly from vegetative regeneration and less to the dispersion of diaspores. Highest species numbers in the zone of moderate disturbances result from a high rate of re-colonization in spite of local extinctions following each disturbance event. It is suggested that colonization abilities are among the most important features for species occurrence at a site rich in disturbances (more important than competitive abilities and more important than a slow rate of displacement). For nature conservation such sites are very important, because they allow (rare) pioneer species to survive for longer periods of time. [source] Nigrostriatal dysfunction in homozygous and heterozygous parkin gene carriers: An 18F-dopa PET progression study,MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 15 2009Nicola Pavese MD Abstract Little is known about the rate of progression of striatal dysfunction in subjects with parkin -linked parkinsonism. Being a heterozygous parkin gene carrier may confer susceptibility to Parkinson's disease (PD). In a previous 18F-dopa PET study, we reported that 69% of carriers of a single parkin mutation showed subclinical loss of putamen dopaminergic function. Using serial 18F-dopa PET, the present longitudinal study addresses rates of progression of nigrostriatal dysfunction in both compound heterozygous (parkin -linked parkinsonism) and single heterozygous parkin gene carriers. Three symptomatic patients who were compound heterozygotes for parkin gene mutations and six asymptomatic heterozygous carriers were clinically assessed and had 18F-dopa PET at baseline and again after 5 years. The patients with symptomatic parkin showed a mean 0.5% annual reduction in putamen 18F-dopa uptake over 5 years while caudate 18F-dopa uptake declined by a mean annual rate of 2 %. The asymptomatic heterozygote gene carriers showed a mean 0.56% annual reduction in putamen and 0.62 % annual reduction in caudate 18F-dopa uptake. Neurological examination at both baseline and follow-up showed no evidence of parkinsonism. Loss of nigrostriatal dysfunction in parkin -linked parkinsonism occurs at a very slow rate compared to the 9,12% annual loss of putamen 18F-dopa uptake reported for idiopathic PD. Although subclinical reductions of striatal 18F-dopa uptake are common in carriers of a single parkin mutation their slow rate of progression suggests that few if any of these will develop clinical parkinsonism. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society [source] Tomato spotted wilt virus in peanut tissue types and physiological effects related to disease incidence and severity,PLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2005D. Rowland Three peanut cultivars, Georgia Green, NC-V11, and ANorden, were grown using production practices that encouraged the development of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). The progression of TSWV infection was examined through the season using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests on different tissue types [roots, leaves, pegs (pod attachment stem structures) and pods] and the effect of TSWV infection on physiological functions was examined at three harvest dates. Plants were classed into three severity categories: (i) no TSWV symptoms or previous positive ELISA tests; (ii) less than 50% of leaf tissue exhibiting TSWV symptoms; and (iii) greater than 50% of leaf tissue affected. TSWV showed a slow rate of infection at the beginning of the season and a greater percentage of infection of the roots than in the leaves. Photosynthesis was reduced in virus-affected infected plants by an average of 30% at the mid-season harvest and 51% at the late season harvest compared with virus-free plants across all three cultivars. Leaf tissue with symptoms had lower photosynthetic rates than healthy leaves. There were small differences among cultivars, with cv. ANorden maintaining higher average photosynthetic levels than cv. Georgia Green and higher transpirational levels than cv. NC-V11. The ability to maintain high assimilation physiology in the presence of the virus may help cultivars withstand TSWV infection and maintain final yields. [source] The Stochastic Structure of the Time,Varying Beta: Evidence from UK CompaniesTHE MANCHESTER SCHOOL, Issue 6 2002Taufiq Choudhry The stochastic structure of time,varying betas from 15 companies in the UK is investigated. Time,varying betas are estimated by means of the bivariate MA,GARCH model. The stochastic structure is investigated by means of two fractional integration tests, the Geweke and Porter,Hudak and the Robinson tests, and a structural,break,oriented unit root test. Results show that time,varying betas are mean,reverting but only few have a long memory and thus are mean,reverting at a slow rate. This result is further backed by the structural break unit root test. These results contradict earlier studies, which fail to find a stationary beta. Stationary betas may imply that stock returns may be forecast in the long run. [source] Harbour swimming nets: a novel habitat for seahorsesAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 5 2008B. G. Clynick Abstract 1.Artificial structures are becoming increasingly important in conserving biodiversity in urban ecosystems, by providing habitat for endangered or rare species. Their role in providing habitat for such species has, however, been largely unexplored. 2.In Sydney Harbour, Australia, seahorses were observed among the netting used to keep sharks out of swimming enclosures. Over a 2-year period, the relative densities of two species of seahorses observed on netting was measured at swimming enclosures with permanent netting and at swimming areas that were only enclosed with netting during the summer months. 3.The rate of colonization by seahorses to new netting was also examined over a period of 10 months. 4.Numbers of seahorses on permanent swimming enclosures were 10 to 100 times greater than numbers present on swimming enclosures that were only set up during the summer months. 5.This large difference may have been attributed to the slow rate of colonization of seahorses to new habitat. Seahorses were not observed at experimental nets that were deployed in two areas in the harbour until at least 4 months after the netting was deployed. 6.Swimming pool nets are a habitat for species of seahorses in Sydney Harbour and, consequently, the removal or disturbance of swimming nets may impact the survival of these fish. Management of these artificial habitats may therefore best be focused on providing a permanent habitat that may help to compensate for the loss of netting during winter months. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Robotic total station for microtopographic mapping: an example from the Northern Great PlainsARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 2 2006Kenneth L. Kvamme Abstract Past human activities in cultural landscapes are often expressed by subtle variations in surface topography that reflect buried archaeological features. When seen from the air under low sunlight angles, resultant ,shadow marks' form a cornerstone of site detection in aerial archaeology. Past attempts to quantify and map such variations across large archaeological landscapes have resorted to aerial photogrammetry, electronic total stations, air- and ground-based lidar, and kinematic global positioning systems. The most commonly used surveying instrument is the total station, but its slow rate of data acquisition makes it poorly suited for collecting vast amounts of elevation data over large areas, although it is often used for that task. A robotic total station, examined here, is a relatively new technology that provides a rapid survey solution. It requires only a single person to operate the total station by radio linkage from a control pad affixed to a wheeled reflector rod. As the rod is rolled over the landscape it is automatically tracked, and measurements of surface topography may be acquired to subcentimetre accuracy continuously, at a rate of one measurement per second. A case study from the Double Ditch State Historic Site in the Great Plains of North Dakota, a fortified earthlodge village with culturally significant surface expressions, exemplifies this potential. The loci of prehistoric houses, borrow pits, fortification ditches, middens and defensive mounds are clearly revealed in the topographic mapping. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Key considerations in the treatment of complicated staphylococcal infectionsCLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 2008R. N. Jones Abstract Substantial increases in antimicrobial resistance among Gram-positive pathogens, particularly Staphylococcus aureus, are compromising traditional therapies for serious bacterial infections. There has been an alarming increase in the rates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) over the past two decades, and the more recent emergence of heterogenous vancomycin-intermediate (hVISA), vancomycin-intermediate (VISA) and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) strains limits the use of vancomycin, the current standard of care for MRSA infections. Tolerance to vancomycin, which represents a lack of bactericidal activity of vancomycin, is another troublesome property of some S. aureus strains that can adversely affect the outcome of antimicrobial therapy. Increasing MICs of vancomycin for staphylococci, poor tissue penetration by the drug and a slow rate of bactericidal action of the drug have also raised concerns about its efficacy in the contemporary treatment of MRSA infections. There is an increasingly apparent need for new agents for the treatment of staphylococcal infections, ideally with potent bactericidal activity against MRSA, hVISA, VISA and VRSA and with superior susceptibility profiles as compared with glycopeptides. [source] Sorption of male hormones by soils and sedimentsENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2007Il Kim Abstract ,This paper reports the sorption of two male hormones, testosterone and androstenedione, by four soil and sediment samples at both equilibrium and rate-limiting conditions. Unlike prior studies, androstenedione was studied independently of testosterone. Apparent sorption equilibrium is achieved in one to two weeks when the initial aqueous hormone concentrations (C0) at 10,000 ,g/L (,30% of their solubility limits [Sw]) and two to three weeks when the C0 is 300 ,g/L (less than 1% of Sw). The Freundlich model parameter n ranged from 0.698 to 0.899 for all soil,solute systems indicating nonlinear sorption isotherms. Isotherm nonlinearity leads to an inverse correlation between single-point organic carbon,normalized sorption distribution coefficients (KOC) and equilibrium androgen concentration (Ce). When Ce/Sw = 0.012, the log KOC values for testosterone and androstenedione on the various sorbents ranged from 6.18 to 6.75 and 6.83 to 6.04, respectively, compared to 6.30 to 6.80 and 6.16 to 6.92 when Ce/Sw = 0.004. This study suggests that male hormones may exhibit slow rates of sorption over 14 d or longer and that soils and sediments may have greater sorption distribution coefficients when concentrations fall into the ng/L range. [source] PHYLOGEOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE AND CRYPTIC SPECIATION IN THE TRANS-ANTARCTIC MOSS PYRRHOBRYUM MNIOIDESEVOLUTION, Issue 2 2003Stuart F. McDaniel Abstract Many bryophyte species have distributions that span multiple continents. The hypotheses historically advanced to explain such distributions rely on either long-distance spore dispersal or slow rates of morphological evolution following ancient continental vicariance events. We use phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence variation at three chloroplast loci (atpB-rbcL spacer, rps4 gene, and trnL intron and 3,spacer) to examine these two hypotheses in the trans-Antarctic moss Pyrrhobryum mnioides. We find: (1) reciprocal monophyly of Australasian and South American populations, indicating a lack of intercontinental dispersal; (2) shared haplotypes between Australia and New Zealand, suggesting recent or ongoing migration across the Tasman Sea; and (3) reciprocal monophyly among Patagonian and neotropical populations, suggesting no recent migration along the Andes. These results corroborate experimental work suggesting that spore features may be critical determinants of species range. We use the mid-Miocene development of the Atacama Desert, 14 million years ago, to calibrate a molecular clock for the tree. The age of the trans-Antarctic disjunction is estimated to be 80 million years ago, consistent with Gondwanan vicariance, making it among the most ancient documented cases of cryptic speciation. These data are in accord with niche conservatism, but whether the morphological stasis is a product of stabilizing selection or phylogenetic constraint is unknown. [source] Seasonal variation in enzyme activities and temperature sensitivities in Arctic tundra soilsGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 7 2009MATTHEW D. WALLENSTEIN Abstract Arctic soils contain large amounts of organic matter due to very slow rates of detritus decomposition. The first step in decomposition results from the activity of extracellular enzymes produced by soil microbes. We hypothesized that potential enzyme activities are low relative to the large stocks of organic matter in Arctic tundra soils, and that enzyme activity is low at in situ temperatures. We measured the potential activity of six hydrolytic enzymes at 4 and 20 °C on four sampling dates in tussock, intertussock, shrub organic, and shrub mineral soils at Toolik Lake, Alaska. Potential activities of N -acetyl glucosaminidase, ,-glucosidase, and peptidase tended to be greatest at the end of winter, suggesting that microbes produced enzymes while soils were frozen. In general, enzyme activities did not increase during the Arctic summer, suggesting that enzyme production is N-limited during the period when temperatures would otherwise drive higher enzyme activity in situ. We also detected seasonal variations in the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil enzymes. In general, soil enzyme pools were more sensitive to temperature at the end of the winter than during the summer. We modeled potential in situ,-glucosidase activities for tussock and shrub organic soils based on measured enzyme activities, temperature sensitivities, and daily soil temperature data. Modeled in situ enzyme activity in tussock soils increased briefly during the spring, then declined through the summer. In shrub soils, modeled enzyme activities increased through the spring thaw into early August, and then declined through the late summer and into winter. Overall, temperature is the strongest factor driving low in situ enzyme activities in the Arctic. However, enzyme activity was low during the summer, possibly due to N-limitation of enzyme production, which would constrain enzyme activity during the brief period when temperatures would otherwise drive higher rates of decomposition. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||