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Mix
Kinds of Mix Selected AbstractsLarval fish assemblages along the south-eastern Australian shelf: linking mesoscale non-depth-discriminate structure and water massesFISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2008JOHN P. KEANE Abstract We present findings of the first mesoscale study linking larval fish assemblages and water masses along shelf waters off south-eastern Australia (southern Queensland-New South Wales), based on vertical, non-depth discriminate data from surveys in October 2002 and 2003 (spring) and July 2004 (winter). Clustering and ordination were employed to discriminate between larval assemblages and, for the first time, to define water masses from water column temperature frequencies. Surveys yielded 18 128 larval fishes comprising 143 taxa from 96 identifiable families, with small pelagics accounting for 53% of the total. Three major recurrent larval assemblages were identified during the study, each of which matched one of three water masses, namely East Australian Current to the north (EAC; 20.5,23.4°C), Tasman Sea to the south (TAS; 14.8,17.5°C), and mixed EAC,TAS water in between (MIX; 18.3,19.9°C). All three assemblages were present in spring, whereas only EAC and MIX occurred in the more northerly constrained winter survey. Furthermore, boundaries between the EAC, MIX and TAS assemblages were found to be dynamic, with locations shifting temporally and spatially depending on EAC extent. Assemblage composition differed significantly between water masses across surveys, with EAC,TAS being most dissimilar. Such contrast was due to the presence of tropical/temperate taxa in EAC, primarily temperate-associated taxa in TAS, and a combination of EAC,TAS taxa within MIX consistent with the convergence of both waters. Results highlight the strength of employing larval assemblages as indicators of water masses, particularly in view of the potential effect of climate change on spawning habitats of shelf fishes. [source] Ichthyoplankton-based spawning dynamics of blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) in south-eastern Australia: links to the East Australian CurrentFISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2008FRANCISCO J. NEIRA Abstract We describe findings of three ichthyoplankton surveys undertaken along south-eastern Australia during spring (October 2002, 2003) and winter (July 2004) to examine spawning habitat and dynamics of blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus). Surveys covered ,860 nautical miles between southern Queensland (Qld; 24.6°S) and southern New South Wales (NSW; 41.7°S), and were mainly centred on the outer shelf including the shelf break. Egg identifications were verified applying mtDNA barcoding techniques. Eggs (n = 2971) and larvae (n = 727; 94% preflexion) occurred both in spring and winter, and were confined to 25.0,34.6°S. Greatest abundances (numbers per 10 m2) of eggs (1214,7390) and larvae (437,1172) occurred within 10 nm shoreward from the break in northern NSW. Quotient analyses on egg abundances revealed that spawning is closely linked to a combination of bathymetric and hydrographic factors, with the outer shelf as preferred spawning area, in waters 100,125 m deep with mean temperatures of 19,20°C. Eggs and larvae in spring occurred in waters of the East Australian Current (EAC; 20.6,22.3°C) and mixed (MIX; 18.5,19.8°C) waters, with none occurring further south in the Tasman Sea (TAS; 16.0,17.0°C). Results indicate that at least some of the south-eastern Australian blue mackerel stock spawns during winter-spring between southern Qld and northern NSW, and that no spawning takes place south of 34.6°S due to low temperatures (<17°C). Spawning is linked to the EAC intrusion, which also facilitates the southward transport of eggs and larvae. Since spring peak egg abundances came from where the EAC deflects offshore, eggs and larvae are possibly being advected eastwards along this deflection front. This proposition is discussed based on recent data on blue mackerel larvae found apparently entrained along the Tasman Front. [source] Combined exposure to anti-androgens causes markedly increased frequencies of hypospadias in the ratINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 2 2008S. Christiansen Summary The incidence of hypospadias is increasing in young boys, but it remains unclear whether human exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals plays a role. Risk assessment is based on estimation of no-observed-adverse-effect levels for single compounds, although humans are exposed to combinations of several anti-androgenic chemicals. In a mixture (MIX) study with three androgen receptor antagonists, vinclozolin, flutamide and procymidone, rats were gavaged during gestation and lactation with several doses of a MIX of the three chemicals or the chemicals alone. External malformations of the male reproductive organs were assessed on PND 47 using a score from 0 to 3 (normal to marked) for hypospadias. Markedly increased frequencies were observed after exposure to a MIX of the three chemicals compared to administration of the three chemicals alone. Anogenital distance at PND 1, nipple retention at PND 13, and dysgenesis score at PND 16 were highly correlated with the occurrence of hypospadias, and MIX effects were seen at doses where each of the individual chemicals caused no observable effects. Therefore, the results indicate that doses of anti-androgens, which appear to induce no hypospadias when judged on their own, may induce a very high frequency of hypospadias when they interact in concert with other anti-androgens. [source] Practical diet evaluation with hatchlings of soft-shell turtle, Trionyx sinensis Wiegmann, in the tropicsJOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 1 2003C.R. Saad Summary An 8-week feeding trial was undertaken to evaluate the growth and survival of soft-shell turtle, Trionyx sinensis, hatchlings fed with trash fish (TF), fish meal (FM), poultry by-product meal (PM) and a 1:1 mixture of FM and PM (MIX). No significant difference (P>0.05) was observed for survival; however, the weight gain and carapace length among different dietary treatments were significantly different (P<0.05). The weight gain and carapace length for hatchlings fed with MIX and PM were highest and lowest (P<0.05), respectively. It is concluded that the inexpensive and readily available poultry by-product can be substituted in part for FM in feed formulation for soft-shell turtle culture. [source] RHEOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR AND TIME-DEPENDENT CHARACTERIZATION OF ICE CREAM MIX WITH DIFFERENT SALEP CONTENTJOURNAL OF TEXTURE STUDIES, Issue 3 2005S. KU ABSTRACT The effect of salep concentration on the rheological characteristics of ice cream mixes (0.5,1.5% salep content), prepared from nonfat cow's milk and sugar, was studied using a controlled stress rheometer. The flow curves and time-dependent flow properties of the ice cream mixes were assessed at different temperatures. The ice cream mixes' samples showed slightly thixotropic behavior, which was reduced as the salep content decreased. The forward and backward measurements of the flow curves of ice cream mixes were modeled with the power law model. The ice cream mixes showed pseudoplastic flow behavior after destruction of the thixotropic structure. In mixes that were first presheared at a high shear rate flow properties could also be described by the power law model. The second-order structural kinetic, first-order stress decay and Weltman models were applied to model the time-dependent flow properties of the ice cream mixes. Among these, the first-order stress decay model was found to fit well the experimental data. [source] Probiotic effects on faecal inflammatory markers and on faecal IgA in food allergic atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome infantsPEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 1 2005Mirva Viljanen Probiotic bacteria are proposed to alleviate intestinal inflammation in infants with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS) and food allergy. In such infants we investigated effects of probiotic bacteria on faecal IgA, and on the intestinal inflammation markers tumour necrosis factor- , (TNF- ,), ,1 -antitrypsin (AT), and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP). A total of 230 infants with AEDS and suspected cow's milk allergy (CMA) received in a randomized double-blinded manner, concomitant with elimination diet, Lactobacillus GG (LGG), a mixture of four probiotic strains (MIX), or placebo for 4 wk. Four weeks after treatment, CMA was diagnosed with a double-blind placebo-controlled milk challenge. Faecal samples of 102 infants, randomly chosen for analysis, were collected before treatment, after 4-wk treatment, and on the first day of milk challenge. After treatment, IgA levels tended to be higher in probiotic groups than in the placebo group (LGG vs. placebo, p = 0.064; MIX vs. placebo, p = 0.064), and AT decreased in the LGG group, but not in other treatment groups. After challenge in IgE-associated CMA infants, faecal IgA was higher for LGG than for placebo (p = 0.014), and TNF- , was lower for LGG than for placebo, but non-significantly (p = 0.111). In conclusion, 4-wk treatment with LGG may alleviate intestinal inflammation in infants with AEDS and CMA. [source] The Association Between Accruals Quality and the Characteristics of Accounting Experts and Mix of Expertise on Audit Committees,CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNTING RESEARCH, Issue 3 2010DAN DHALIWAL First page of article [source] Number sense in human infantsDEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2005Fei Xu Four experiments used a preferential looking method to investigate 6-month-old infants' capacity to represent numerosity in visual-spatial displays. Building on previous findings that such infants discriminate between arrays of eight versus 16 discs, but not eight versus 12 discs (Xu & Spelke, 2000), Experiments 1 and 2 investigated whether infants' numerosity discrimination depends on the ratio of the two set sizes with even larger numerosities. Infants successfully discriminated between arrays of 16 versus 32 discs, but not 16 versus 24 discs, providing evidence that their discrimination shows the set-size ratio signature of numerosity discrimination in human adults, children and many non-human animals. Experiments 3 and 4 addressed a controversy concerning infants' ability to discriminate large numerosities (observed under conditions that control for total filled area, array size and density, item size and correlated properties such as brightness: Brannon, 2002; Xu, 2003b; Xu & Spelke, 2000) versus small numerosities (not observed under conditions that control for total contour length: Clearfield & Mix, 1999). To investigate the sources of these differing findings, Experiment 3 tested infants' large-number discrimination with controls for contour length, and Experiment 4 tested small-number discrimination with controls for total filled area. Infants successfully discriminated the large-number displays but showed no evidence of discriminating the small-number displays. These findings provide evidence that infants have robust abilities to represent large numerosities. In contrast, infants may fail to represent small numerosities in visual-spatial arrays with continuous quantity controls, consistent with the thesis that separate systems serve to represent large versus small numerosities. [source] Premixed insulin treatment for type 2 diabetes: analogue or human?DIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 5 2007Alan J. Garber The progressive nature of type 2 diabetes makes insulin initiation a necessary therapeutic step for many patients. Premixed insulin formulations containing both basal and prandial insulin (so called biphasic insulin) are often prescribed because they are superior to long- or intermediate-acting insulin in obtaining good metabolic control. In addition, they are considered as an attractive alternative to classical basal-bolus therapy as fewer daily injections are required. Premixed insulin formulations include conventional (e.g. biphasic human insulin 70/30, or 30/70 in European countries, BHI 30) and newer premixed human analogues (e.g. biphasic insulin aspart 70/30, or 30/70 in Europe, BIAsp 30; insulin lispro mix 75/25,Mix 75/25, or Mix 25/75 in Europe). Like conventional premixed human insulin, premixed insulin analogues contain a fixed proportion of soluble, rapid-acting insulin analogue, with protaminated analogue comprising the remainder. Unlike conventional premixes, analogue premixes have more physiological pharmacokinetic and therapeutically more desirable pharmacodynamic profiles than premixed human insulin. Consequently, postprandial glycaemic control is better with premixed insulin analogues than with premixed human insulin. In nontreat-to-target registration trials, the lowering of haemoglobin A1c with premixed insulin analogues was not inferior to that seen with premixed human insulin. Minor hypoglycaemia was similar for premixed analogue and premixed human insulins, while major hypoglycaemia appears to be rare with either formulation. The occurrence of adverse events, other than hypoglycaemia, was also similar between various premix insulins. The premixed insulin analogues, BIAsp 30 and Mix 75/25, like the fast-acting analogues from which they are derived, also allow flexible injection timing, relative to meal timing, thus improving adherence, compliance and quality of life compared with premixed human insulin. Overall, the evidence suggests that premixed insulin analogues are cost effective and have useful advantages over premixed human insulin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. [source] Effect of amino acid and glucose administration following exercise on the turnover of muscle protein in the hindlimb femoral region of ThoroughbredsEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue S36 2006A. MATSUI Summary Reasons for performing study: In man, muscle protein synthesis is accelerated by administering amino acids (AA) and glucose (Glu), because increased availability of amino acids and increased insulin secretion, is known to have a protein anabolic effect. However, in the horse, the effect on muscle hypertrophy of such nutrition management following exercise is unknown. Objectives: To determine the effect of AA and Glu administration following exercise on muscle protein turnover in horses. We hypothesise that administration of AA and Glu after exercise effects muscle hypertrophy in horses, as already shown in man and other animals. Methods: Measurements of the rate of synthesis (Rs) and rate of degradation (Rd) of muscle protein in the hindlimb femoral region of thoroughbred horses were conducted using the isotope dilution method to assess the differences between the artery and iliac vein. Six adult Thoroughbreds received a continuous infusion of L-[ring- 2H5]-phenylalanine during the study, the stable period for plasma isotope concentrations (60 min), resting periods (60 min), treadmill exercise (15 min) and recovery period (240 min). All horses were given 4 solutions (saline [Cont], 10% AA [10-AA], 10% Glu [10-Glu] and a mixture with 10% AA and 10% Glu [10-Mix]) over 120 min after exercise, and the Rs and Rd of muscle protein in the hindlimb measured. Results: The average Rs during the 75,120 min following administration of 10-Mix was significantly greater than for the other solutions (P<0.05). The second most effective solution was 10-AA, and there was no change in Rs after 10-Glu. Conclusions: Administration of AA following exercise accelerated Rs in the hindlimb femoral region, and this effect was enhanced when combined with glucose, because of increasing insulin secretion or a decreased requirement for AA for energy. Potential relevance: Further studies are required regarding the effect on muscle hypertrophy of supplementing amino acids and glucose in the feed of exercising horses. [source] Firm Size, Industry Mix and the Regional Transmission of Monetary Policy in GermanyGERMAN ECONOMIC REVIEW, Issue 1 2004Ivo J. M. Arnold Monetary transmission; regional effects; industry effects; firm size Abstract. This paper estimates the impact of interest rate shocks on regional output in Germany over the period from 1970 to 2000. We use a vector autoregression (VAR) model to obtain impulse responses, which reveal differences in the output responses to monetary policy shocks across ten German provinces. Next, we investigate whether these differences can be related to structural features of the regional economies, such as industry mix, firm size, bank size and openness. An additional analysis of the volatility of real GDP growth for the period 1992,2000 includes the Eastern provinces. We also present evidence on the interrelationship between firm size and industry, and compare our measure of firm size with those used in previous studies. We conclude that the differential regional effects of monetary policy are related to industrial composition, but not to firm size or bank size. [source] Changes in Regional Variation of Medicare Home Health Care Utilization and Service Mix for Patients Undergoing Major Orthopedic Procedures in Response to Changes in Reimbursement PolicyHEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 4 2009John D. FitzGerald Background. Significant variation in regional utilization of home health (HH) services has been documented. Under Medicare's Home Health Interim and Prospective Payment Systems, reimbursement policies designed to curb expenditure growth and reduce regional variation were instituted. Objective. To examine the impact of Medicare reimbursement policy on regional variation in HH care utilization and type of HH services delivered. Research Design. We postulated that the reimbursement changes would reduce regional variation in HH services and that HH agencies would respond by reducing less skilled HH aide visits disproportionately compared with physical therapy or nursing visits. An interrupted time-series analysis was conducted to examine regional variation in the month-to-month probability of HH selection, and the number of and type of visits among HH users. Subjects. A 100 percent sample of all Medicare recipients undergoing either elective joint replacement (1.6 million hospital discharges) or surgical management of hip fracture (1.2 million hospital discharges) between January 1996 and December 2001 was selected. Results. Before the reimbursement changes, there was great variability in the probability of HH selection and the number of HH visits provided across regions. In response to the reimbursement changes, though there was little change in the variation of probability of HH utilization, there were marked reductions in the number and variation of HH visits, with greatest reductions in regions with highest baseline utilization. HH aide visits were the source of the baseline variation and accounted for the majority of the reductions in utilization after implementation. Conclusions. The HH interim and prospective payment policies were effective in reducing regional variation in HH utilization. [source] Discrimination of Large and Small Numerosities by Human InfantsINFANCY, Issue 3 2004Jennifer S. Lipton Six experiments investigated infants' sensitivity to numerosity in auditory sequences. In prior studies (Lipton & Spelke, 2003), 6-month-old infants discriminated sequences of 8 versus 16 but not 8 versus 12 sounds, and 9-month-old infants discriminated 8 versus 12 but not 8 versus 10 sounds, when the continuous variables of rate, sound duration, and sequence duration were controlled. The current studies investigated whether infants' numerical discrimination is subject to the signature ratio limit of adults' numerosity discrimination. Four experiments at 6 and 9 months provided evidence for this signature limit, suggesting that common mechanisms underlie numerosity discrimination in infants and adults. In further experiments, infants failed to discriminate 2 versus 4 or 2 versus 3 sounds when tested under the same conditions as with large numbers. These findings accord with studies using visual-spatial arrays (e.g., Clearfield & Mix, 1999) and suggest that separate systems underlie infants' representation of small and large numerosities. [source] Scheduling Part-Families Under FMS: To Mix or Not to Mix?INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONS IN OPERATIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2001Henry C. Co This paper considers the issue of whether to mix part-types in one or several of the families to be produced in a flexible manufacturing system (FMS). For this input control problem in an FMS, we have derived conditions that support the mixing of a part-type, which can share the setup of other part-types, in deterministic environment. The problem is identified as a special economic lot scheduling problem (ELSP), and is formulated as a linear programming problem. Analytical insights are derived by considering the special case with three part-families. The results are illustrated with a numerical example. [source] TNF receptor type 1 regulates RANK ligand expression by stromal cells and modulates osteoclastogenesisJOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2004Yousef Abu-Amer Abstract TNF, is a major osteoclastogenic cytokine and a primary mediator of inflammatory osteoclastogenesis. We have previously shown that this cytokine directly targets osteoclasts and their precursors and that deletion of its type-1 receptor (TNFr1) lessens osteoclastogenesis and impacts RANK signaling molecules. Osteoclastogenesis is primarily a RANK/RANKL-dependent event and occurs in an environment governed by both hematopoietic and mesenchymal compartments. Thus, we reasoned that TNF/TNFr1 may regulate RANKL and possibly RANK expression by stromal cells and osteoclast precursors (OCPs), respectively. RT-PCR experiments reveal that levels of RANKL mRNA in WT stromal cells are increased following treatment with 1,25-VD3 compared to low levels in TNFr1-null cells. Expression levels of OPG, the RANKL decoy protein, were largely unchanged, thus supporting a RANKL/OPG positive ratio favoring WT cells. RANK protein expression by OCPs was lower in TNFr1-null cells despite only subtle differences in mRNA expression in both cell types. Mix and match experiments of different cell populations from the two mice phenotypes show that WT stromal cells significantly, but not entirely, restore osteoclastogenesis by TNFr1-null OCPs. Similar results were obtained when the latter cells were cultured in the presence of exogenous RANKL. Altogether, these findings indicate that in the absence of TNFr1 both cell compartments are impaired. This was further confirmed by gain of function experiments using TNFr1- null cultures of both cell types at which exogenous TNFr1 cDNA was virally expressed. Thus, restoration of TNFr1 expression in OCPs and stromal cells was sufficient to reinstate osteoclastogenesis and provides direct evidence that TNFr1 integrity is required for optimal RANK-mediated osteoclastogenesis. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] INDIVIDUAL AND COMBINED CYTOTOXIC EFFECTS OF THE MAJOR FOUR AFLATOXINS IN DIFFERENT IN VITRO STABILIZED SYSTEMSJOURNAL OF FOOD BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2010CORNELIA BRAICU ABSTRACT The present study aims to investigate the cytotoxic effect of the major aflatoxins (B1, B2, G2 and G2) and also aflatoxin combination, using a simple, rapid and cheap cytotoxicity test like MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay in three in vitro models (human umbilical vein endothelial cells [HUVEC], human lung fibroblasts [HFL] and A2780 cell line) and to extrapolate the data to in vivo situation using a prediction model. A difference in cell sensitivity has been observed for B1 and B1 + B2, in the following order A2789 > HFL > HUVEC, while for B2, G1, G2, Mix (B1 + B2 + G1 + G2) the order was HFL > A2789 > HUVEC when comparing the IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) values. We confirm that in vitro cytotoxicity test MTT assay is able to predict in vivo toxicity, at least for aflatoxins using the prediction model. The values of LD50 (lethal dose 50%) calculated from experiments are different for each cell line. This fact may indicate that some species are more resistant than other and target organs are not necessarily those predicted, because the A2780 ovarian cancer cells seem to be more sensitive to B1 than cells of endothelial or fibroblasts origin. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This study is in concordance with the international tendency that refined the current techniques to lessen pain or distress, to reduce the number of animals necessary for a particular test or to replace animals with non-whole-animal models, such as in vitro cell cultures. The practical application of such methodologies may help solve the economic problem related to very expensive in vivo toxicology studies and implement preventive methods based on the calculated data and known mechanism of action of individual or combined toxins easily studied in vitro. The nature of coexistence of many types of mycotoxins in complex environmental samples, such as food and water, has been reported worldwide. How these mycotoxins might affect human health in combination is largely unknown. This study had, as a goal, to test the toxicity of the four aflatoxins and aflatoxin combination on human cells. Due to the lack of aflatoxins mixture data regarding the human cytotoxicity, the aim of this study was to specify, evaluate and predict the combined effects of mycotoxin mixtures. [source] Characterization of natural wax esters by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometryJOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY (INCORP BIOLOGICAL MASS SPECTROMETRY), Issue 1 2009Vladimír Vrkoslav Abstract The applicability of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to the analysis of wax esters (WEs) was investigated. A series of metal salts of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) was synthesized and tested as possible matrices. Alkali metal (Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) and transition metal (Cu, Ag) salts were studied. The matrix properties were evaluated, including solubility in organic solvents, threshold laser power that should be applied for successful desorption/ionization of WEs, the nature of the matrix ions and the mass range occupied by them, and the complexity of the isotope clusters for individual metals. Lithium salt of dihydroxybenzoic acid (LiDHB) performed the best and matrices with purified lithium isotopes (6LiDHB or 7LiDHB) were recommended for WEs. Three sample preparation procedures were compared: (1) mixing the sample and matrix in a glass vial and deposition of the mixture on a MALDI plate (Mix), (2) deposition of sample followed by deposition of matrix (Sa/Ma), and (3) deposition of matrix followed by deposition of sample (Ma/Sa). Morphology of the samples was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The best sample preparation technique was Ma/Sa with the optimum sample to matrix molar ratio 1 : 100. Detection limit was in the low picomolar range. The relative response of WEs decreased with their molecular weight, and minor differences between signals of saturated and monounsaturated WEs were observed. MALDI spectra of WEs showed molecular adducts with lithium [M + Li]+. Fragments observed in postsource decay (PSD) spectra were related to the acidic part of WEs [RCOOH + Li]+ and they were used for structure assignment. MALDI with LiDHB was used for several samples of natural origin, including insect and plant WEs. A good agreement with GC/MS data was achieved. Moreover, MALDI allowed higher WEs to be analyzed, up to 64 carbon atoms in Ginkgo biloba leaves extract. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Laboratory strength of glass ionomer and zinc phosphate cementsJOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 3 2001Andree Piwowarczyk Dr med dent Purpose The present in vitro study examined 3 mechanical properties, namely compressive, flexural, and diametral tensile strength, of various commercially available cements and core materials as a function of time after mixing. Materials and Methods The examined materials were 2 cermet cements (Ketac Silver [ESPE, Seefeld, Germany] and Chelon Silver [ESPE]), 1 metal-reinforced glass ionomer cement (Miracle Mix [GC Dental Industrial Corp, Tokyo, Japan]), 2 conventional glass ionomer cements (Ketac Bond [ESPE] and Ketac Cem [ESPE]), 1 standard cure zinc phosphate cement (Harvard Cement [Richter and Hoffmann, Berlin, Germany]), and 1 zinc phosphate cement with the addition of 30% silver amalgam alloy powder (Harvard Cement 70% with Dispersalloy 30% [Richter and Hoffmann/Johnson and Johnson, East Windsor, NJ]). Properties were measured using a universal testing machine at 15 minutes, 1 hour, and 24 hours after first mixing. Results Compressive strengths varied widely between the 3 times of measurement from 5.8 ± 6.6 MPa for Ketac Cem to 144.3 ± 10.2 MPa for Ketac Silver. Twenty-four hours after mixing, the Bonferroni test showed significant (p, .01) differences between Ketac Silver and all other materials tested. Diametral tensile strengths ranged widely from 4.4 ± 0.9 MPa for Ketac Cem to 11.5 ± 2.2 MPa for Chelon Silver. At 15 minutes, 1 hour, and 24 hours after first mixing, the analysis of variance did not show any significant differences between Ketac Silver, Chelon Silver, and Miracle Mix. The 3-point flexural strength of Ketac Silver showed, at 15 minutes with 13.5 ± 3.9 MPa and at 24 hours with 27.2 ± 7.4 MPa, the highest values. Conclusions Setting time influences the mechanical properties of the materials tested in this study. Ketac Silver, a glass ionomer cement reinforced with sintered glass-silver particles, showed the highest mechanical properties of the examined materials. [source] Mix and match , hybridization reveals hidden complexity in seal breeding behaviourMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 15 2007WILLIAM AMOS Not so long ago, mammalian breeding systems were seen as dominated by males fighting each other for the right to mate with passive females. Genetic parentage analysis has been instrumental in changing this view and exposing the key role of female choice. Some of the most interesting discoveries have emerged from work on seals, where extreme polygyny is common but females often seem to have a bigger say than was previously thought. A remarkable case in question involves Macquarie Island, where three species of fur seal recently formed a mixed breeding colony (Goldsworthy et al. 1999). Here, the true colours of both sexes lie unusually exposed, because classical models predict that males of the biggest species will dominate the beach and force females of smaller species to conceive mainly hybrid pups. In a fascinating paper in this issue of Molecular Ecology, Lancaster and colleagues (Lancaster et al. 2007) show that females are not this naïve. Although happy to gain protection for most of the season by sitting in the territory of one of the largest males, regardless of whether he is the same species, females almost always conceive to one of their own kind. The females do this, not because any hybrid male offspring they conceive will be sickly and fail to hold good territories, but because females who pup in their hybrid son's territories will be disproportionately likely to mate elsewhere. Hybrid males seem physically fit but sexually unattractive! [source] In the Nutritional Mix: the work of the Food Additives and Ingredients AssociationNUTRITION BULLETIN, Issue 3 2003Peter Forbes First page of article [source] Case Mix, Quality and High-Cost Kidney Transplant PatientsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 5 2009M. J. Englesbe A better understanding of high-cost kidney transplant patients would be useful for informing value-based purchasing strategies by payers. This retrospective cohort study was based on the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) files from 2003 to 2006. The focus of this analysis was high-cost kidney transplant patients (patients that qualified for Medicare outlier payments and 30-day readmission payments). Using regression techniques, we explored relationships between high-cost kidney transplant patients, center-specific case mix, and center quality. Among 43 393 kidney transplants in Medicare recipients, 35.2% were categorized as high-cost patients. These payments represented 20% of total Medicare payments for kidney transplantation and exceeded $200 million over the study period. Case mix was associated with these payments and was an important factor underlying variation in hospital payments high-cost patients. Hospital quality was also a strong determinant of future Medicare payments for high-cost patients. Compared to high-quality centers, low-quality centers cost Medicare an additional $1185 per kidney transplant. Payments for high-cost patients represent a significant proportion of the total costs of kidney transplant surgical care. Quality improvement may be an important strategy for reducing the costs of kidney transplantation. [source] ,Adorned with the Mix of Faith and Profanity that Intoxicates the People': The Festival of the Senhor do Bonfim in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, 1930,19541BULLETIN OF LATIN AMERICAN RESEARCH, Issue 2 2005Scott Ickes This essay looks at a formative period in the history of the festival of the Senhor do Bonfim, one of Salvador's most important religious festivals. The essay focuses on the public ritual washing of the Church of Bonfim and the tensions between the Catholic Church, who periodically banned the washing from the larger festival, and a variety of historical actors including politicians, journalists, authors and working-class Salvadorans whose efforts eventually contributed to the lifting of the prohibition once and for all in 1953. The author suggests that the defence of the washing both reflected and contributed to a larger hegemonic process taking place in Salvador after 1930, as actors within Salvador's dominant class accepted and even praised Afro-Bahian cultural practices, including them as integral parts of a larger Bahian identity. [source] Remembering White Detroit:Whiteness in the Mix of History and MemoryCITY & SOCIETY, Issue 2 2000John Hartigan Jr. Detroit provides a unique perspective on issues of whiteness because it grounds many situations where whites are racially objectified,in settings where the nor-motive status of their racial position cannot be assumed, and where whiteness is not often an unmarked identity. The distinct class texture of their objectifications are evident in comments by white Detroiters grappling with the city's history, either through their personal memories or their current experiences. The heterogeneity of their versions of Detroit's history suggests that whites contend with die continuing cultural significance of race and of whiteness from a range of uneven social positions. [Whiteness, urban underclass, social memory, race, Detroit] [source] Concepts for computer center power managementCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 2 2010A. DiRienzo Abstract Electrical power usage contributes significantly to the operational costs of large computer systems. At the Hypersonic Missile Technology Research and Operations Center (HMT-ROC) our system usage patterns provide a significant opportunity to reduce operating costs since there are a small number of dedicated users. The relatively predictable nature of our usage patterns allows for the scheduling of computational resource availability. We take advantage of this predictability to shut down systems during periods of low usage to reduce power consumption. With interconnected computer cluster systems, reducing the number of online nodes is more than a simple matter of throwing the power switch on a portion of the cluster. The paper discusses these issues and an approach for power reduction strategies for a computational system with a heterogeneous system mix that includes a large (1560-node) Apple Xserve PowerPC supercluster. In practice, the average load on computer systems may be much less than the peak load although the infrastructure supporting the operation of large computer systems in a computer or data center must still be designed with the peak loads in mind. Given that a significant portion of the time, systems loads can be less than full peak, an opportunity exists for cost savings if idle systems can be dynamically throttled back, slept, or shut off entirely. The paper describes two separate strategies that meet the requirements for both power conservation and system availability at HMT-ROC. The first approach, for legacy systems, is not much more than a brute force approach to power management which we call Time-Driven System Management (TDSM). The second approach, which we call Dynamic-Loading System Management (DLSM), is applicable to more current systems with ,Wake-on-LAN' capability and takes a more granular approach to the management of system resources. The paper details the rule sets that we have developed and implemented in the two approaches to system power management and discusses some results with these approaches. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Auctioning resources in Grids: model and protocolsCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 15 2006D. Grosu Abstract In this paper, we propose and study an auction model for resource management in Grids. We propose and investigate by simulation three types of auction-based resource-allocation protocols: (i) first-price auction protocol; (ii) Vickrey auction protocol; and (iii) double auction protocol. The goal is to find which of these is best suited to the Grid environment from the users' perspective as well as from the resources' perspective. The results showed that when we consider a mix of risk-averse and risk-neutral users, the first-price auction protocol favors resources while the Vickrey auction protocol favors users. On the other hand, the double auction protocol favors both users and resources. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A Risk Adjusted Method for Comparing Adverse Outcomes among Practitioners in Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac CatheterizationCONGENITAL HEART DISEASE, Issue 4 2008Lisa Bergersen MD ABSTRACT Objective., We sought to develop a method to adjust for case mix diversity and allow comparison of adverse outcome rates among practitioners in pediatric and congenital cardiac catheterization. Patients and Methods., A single institutional database that captured demographic and procedural data was used to identify patient and procedural characteristics associated with adverse events (AE) and any high severity event classified as preventable or possibly preventable (P/PP). Diagnostic and procedural risk groups were created and indicators of hemodynamic vulnerability were defined. Expected event rates by the practitioners adjusting for case mix were calculated. Standardized adverse event ratios (SAER), defined as the observed rate divided by the expected rate for each practitioner were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. Results., The database included 1727 hemodynamic (30%) and interventional (70%) cases performed by seven practitioners in 18 months. During 147 cases, at least one P/PP AE occurred; among the seven practitioners observed, event rates ranged from 3.2 to 14.2%. In multivariable analysis, risk factors for all P/PP events included highest procedure risk group (odds ratio [OR] 2.1 for group 2, and 2.8 for group 3, relative to group 1, P = .001 and P < .001, respectively) and weight less than 4 kg (OR 2.8, P < .001). High severity P/PP events occurred in 67 cases with rates ranging from 2.0 to 6.6% by the practitioners. For these events, risk factors included: highest procedure risk group (OR 4.5 for group 2, and 4.9 for group 3, both P < .001) and an indicator of hemodynamic vulnerability (OR 1.8, P = .026). For the seven practitioners, the SAER ranged from 0.41 to 1.32 for any P/PP AE and from 0.69 to 1.44 for P/PP high severity events. In this cohort, we did not identify any statistically significant performance differences. Conclusion., Despite wide variations in case mix complexity in pediatric and congenital cardiac catheterization, this study demonstrates a method for risk adjustment which allows equitable comparisons among practitioners at a single institution. [source] Sesquiterpene lactone dermatitis in the young: is atopy a risk factor?CONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 1 2008Evy Paulsen Screening for Compositae contact allergy has documented fairly high prevalence in adults, and recent studies indicate that the allergy may be more common in children than previously believed. However, detailed information on sensitization in this age group is sparse. The objective of this study was to present another 2 cases in children and review the literature. Screening with sesquiterpene lactone (SL) mix has shown prevalence of 0.5% and 1.8% in 2 studies, while screening with 2 different Compositae mixes detected 4.2% and 2.6% positives among children and adolescents. All individual case reports describe sensitization in atopic children, and the largest screening study showed a prevalence of Compositae mix sensitization that was significantly higher in children with atopic dermatitis compared with non-atopics. Compositae sensitization should be considered in children with a family or personal history of atopy, summer-related, or -exacerbated dermatitis of any kind, and a history of plant exposure. Screening with SL mix is recommended but should be supplemented with plant extracts based on exposure history. Compositae weeds, especially dandelions, seem to be important sensitizers in children. [source] The epidemiology of contact allergy in the general population , prevalence and main findingsCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 5 2007Jacob Pontoppidan Thyssen A substantial number of studies have investigated the prevalence of contact allergy in the general population and in unselected subgroups of the general population. The aim of this review was to determine a median prevalence and summarize the main findings from studies on contact allergy in the general population. Published research mainly originates from North America and Western Europe. The median prevalence of contact allergy to at least 1 allergen was 21.2% (range 12.5,40.6%), and the weighted average prevalence was 19.5%, based on data collected on all age groups and all countries between 1966 and 2007. The most prevalent contact allergens were nickel, thimerosal, and fragrance mix. The median nickel allergy prevalence was 8.6% (range 0.7,27.8%) and demonstrates that nickel was an important cause of contact allergy in the general population and that it was widespread in both men and women. Numerous studies demonstrated that pierced ears were a significant risk factor for nickel allergy. Nickel was a risk factor for hand eczema in women. Finally, heavy smoking was associated with contact allergy, mostly in women. Population-based epidemiological studies are considered a prerequisite in the surveillance of national and international contact allergy epidemics. [source] European Standard Series patch test results from a contact dermatitis clinic in Israel during the 7-year period from 1998 to 2004CONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 2 2006Aneta Lazarov The results of a 7-year retrospective study (1998,2004) from patch testing with the European Standard Series (ESS) establishing the frequency of sensitization in a contact dermatitis clinic in Israel are presented. 23 allergens were patch tested on 2156 patients, 1462 females (67.8%) and 694 males (32.2%). Atopy and asthma were present in 21.9% of the patients. One or more allergic reactions were observed in 937 patients (43.5%). The highest yield of patch test positives from the 1076 positive reactions were obtained from nickel sulfate (13.9%), fragrance mix (7.1%), potassium dichromate (3.8%), Balsam of Peru (3.6%), CL + Me-isothiazolinone (3.4%) and cobalt chloride (3.4%). Allergens which produced the least amount of positive results were primin and clioquinol. Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) was established in 32.8%, whereas occupationally related allergic (8.0) and irritant contact dermatitis (5.6%) affected a total of 13.6% of the cases studied. The most common clinical forms of dermatitis were chronic dermatitis (47.7%) followed by acute dermatitis (22.8%), and lichenification and hyperkeratosis (7.9%). The hands (30.7%), face and neck (23.9%) and extremities (11.3%) were the most frequently affected areas. Four allergens in our study differed from the top 10 allergens in Europe namely: Cl + Me-isothiazolinone, formaldehyde, 4-tert-butylphenol formaldehyde resin and sesquiterpene lactone mix reflecting an existing difference in environmental exposure. Our study is the first to provide data on the frequency of sensitization and important allergens in the aetiology of ACD in Israel. In spite of the existing differences with Europe, we conclude that ESS is an appropriate screening system for the diagnosis of ACD in Israel. [source] Contact allergy to textile dyes in southern SwedenCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 6 2006K. Ryberg Contact allergy to disperse dyes in textiles is documented in prevalence studies from southern Europe. To evaluate the prevalence of allergic patch test reactions to different textile dyes in southern Sweden, and to look at the sites of dermatitis in individuals hypersensitive to textile dyes, we retrospectively investigated 3325 consecutively patch-tested patients. They had all been patch tested with the standard test series supplemented with a textile dye mix (TDM) consisting of 8 disperse dyes, i.e. Disperse (D) Blue 35, 106 and 124, D Yellow 3, D Orange 1 and 3 and D Red 1 and 17. All but 3 of the TDM-positive patients were additionally tested with the separate dyes included in the mix. The frequency of contact allergy to TDM was 1.5%, which is comparable with studies from southern Europe. The most common dye allergen was D Orange 1. The high prevalence of allergic reactions to D Orange 1 was unexpected, whereas test reactions to D Blue 106 and 124 were lower than expected from other studies. Compared to all tested patients, the TDM-positive patients more often had dermatitis on their arms, face, neck and axillary folds, and women also had a higher frequency of hand dermatitis. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||