Accumulation of metals and selected nutritional parameters in the field-grown chamomile anthodia

Accumulation of metals and selected nutritional parameters of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) anthodia cultured under natural condition on an experimental field in Košice (Slovak Republic) were studied. Two official cultivars (diploid ‘Novbona’ and tetraploid ‘Lutea’) and two ontogenetic phases of anthodia (‘bud’ and ‘flower’) were compared. K, Ca, Mg, Al, Cu, Cr, Hg and Cd were more accumulated in both bud and flower of diploid plants while accumulation of Fe, Zn, Ni and Pb was ploidy-independent. Bioaccumulation factor was lower than one for toxic metals, indicating that chamomile is an excluder. Tetraploid plants contained lower concentrations of amino acids but higher concentrations of phenolic acids compared to diploid plants. Among phenolic acids, caffeic and vanillic acids were mainly present in the glycosidic form. Reducing sugars (glucose equivalents), total soluble phenols, sum of flavonols, individual flavonols (quercetin and kaempferol), apigenin and herniarin were more accumulated in anthodia of tetraploid plants. Our data indicate that increase in ploidy level reduces accumulation of toxic metals and amino acids but enhances accumulation of phenolic metabolites. Thus polyploidisation is a good tool to achieve safer chamomile cultivars for pharmaceutical purposes.     

Applications of fuzzy‐based linguistic patterns for the assessment of computer screen design quality

The main objective of this study was to develop a modeling framework which would unify different aspects of computer screen design and result in a quantitative criterion for an optimized computer screen format. The fuzzy set‐based linguistic design patterns were utilized as a tool to build this model. The linguistic patterns are based on categories of expressions related closely to natural language and truth values, which are close to a human designer's intuition. The proposed framework is capable of assessing the quality of computer screen design based on existing knowledge in human‐computer interface domain using the fuzzy‐based linguistic pattern approach. Exemplary patterns for an optimal screen density, information grouping, and some aspects of screen layout are presented, along with a sequence of calculations based on the exemplary screen format. This study showed that it is possible to achieve a rational and relatively easy to interpret assessment of different screen designs in the form of the degrees of truth. Such an evaluation criterion reflects the compatibility of a given screen design with the optimal one based on the current knowledge in the field. It is believed that the proposed methodological framework for computer screen design should significantly augment the efforts of human designers.     

Classifying the risk of work related low back disorders due to manual material handling tasks

Work related low back disorders (LBDs) due to manual lifting tasks (MLTs) have long been recognized as one of the main occupational disabling injury that affects the quality of life of the industrial working population in the U.S. There have been a number of intensive research efforts devoted to understanding the phenomena of LBDs and building classification models that could effectively distinguish between high risk and low risk MLTs that contribute to LBDs. As of today, however, such models and the occupational exposure limits of different risk factors causing LBDs as well as the guidelines preventing them have not yet been fully proposed. One of the first efforts to comprehend the nature and phenomenon of LBDs was undertaken by Marras et al. (1993). They created a seminal data set and used it to build logistic regression (LR) models to identify significant variables and classify MLTs into high risk and low risk with respect to LBDs. Since then a number of studies have used the same data set to build and test various classifiers to detect the likelihood of LBDs due to manual material handling jobs. This paper summarizes and critiques the previous studies. It also employs this data set to build and test seven classification models, two of which have not been applied in this context yet. The parameters of the models have been calibrated for the best performance, and the models were constructed and validated on the full set and the reduced set of features. Though the performances of our best models are better than those reported in National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOHS) Guides and two of our previous studies, they are generally less optimistic than those reported in several other studies; this paper proposes a systematic and more reliable approach to creating and validating classifiers to distinguish between low and high risk MLTs that contribute to LBDs.     

Chemiluminescence and thermo-oxidation stability of poly(2,6-dimethyl-p-phenylene ether) in blends with polystyrene and polybutadiene

It has been ascertained that chemiluminescence-time curves for samples of poly(2,6-dimethyl-p-phenylene ether) blended with high-impact polystyrene containing polybutadiene yield a very reproducible pattern even at a temperature of 190°C. The chemiluminescence light emission has been associated with consumption of double bonds in polybutadiene, and a corresponding rate constant and activation energies of chemiluminescence decay from both the isothermal and nonisothermal parts of chemiluminescence-time curves have been determined. As demonstrated by these curves, an attempt, to stabilize the blends toward thermooxidation by the peroxide decomposer and stabilizer led to retardation of the oxidation process only and further investigation searching for an optimum stabilizing system is required. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Incidence of leukemia in Krakow in the period 1980-1990]

OBJECTIVE: This study was done to compare costs, operating and recovery times, safety, and patient acceptance between (a) minimally invasive laparoscopic tubal ligation under sedation and local anesthesia and (b) conventional laparoscopic operating-room-based tubal ligations under general anesthesia. METHODS: Fourteen women desiring sterilization were randomized between tubal ligation under sedation/local analgesia versus general anesthesia. Procedures were performed by supervised residents previously unfamiliar with the minimally invasive technique. Hospital charges were used as a surrogate for cost. Operating or procedure room times, surgical complications, and recovery times were recorded. Patient acceptance was assessed using satisfaction surveys administered in the recovery room and again 1 week postoperatively. RESULTS: The cost of minimally invasive tubal ligation was significantly lower than for the conventional technique ($1,615+/-$134 vs $2,820+/-$110, p < 0.001). Surgical times were not different between the two procedures: 40.4+/-15 min for the conventional technique versus 32.9+/-10 min for minimally invasive surgery. However, the total in-room time required in the operating room significantly exceeded that for the procedure room technique (84+/-10 min vs 60+/-2 min, p < 0.05). Likewise, recovery time for the general anesthesia technique was longer (48+/-6 min vs 14+/-7 min, p < 0.03). No complications were encountered with either surgical method. Patient satisfaction for pain, fatigue, and days of missed work was similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The use of minimally invasive surgery to perform tubal ligation is advantageous over conventional laparoscopic tubal ligation under general anesthesia with regard to cost and time utilization. The minimally invasive technique appears to be easy to learn, safe, and well tolerated.     

Analysis of triazine herbicides residues in butter and pasteurized milk

Summary A method has been developed for the determination of atrazine, cyanazine, prometryn, simazine, and terbutryn residues in butter. The residues were extracted from the matrix with a mixture of petroleum ether/methanol (3 + 1), and from the separated water-methanol phase extraction was carried out with chloroform. The extract was cleaned up on an alumina column. Capillary glass liquid chromatography using a 15 m × 0.32 mm glass capillary column coated with OV-1 and an alcali flame ionization detector were employed for the analysis of the residues. The analyses were evaluated by the internal standard method, using metribuzin as the internal standard. The recovery of the method was 68.7%–79.8% for the individual herbicides under study at the fortification level of 0.1 mg · kg^–1 and 79.2%–91.9% at the fortification level of 0.02 mg · kg^–1. The determination limit of the method was 0.005 mg · kg^–1.When centrifuging full milk, residues of triazines were partitioned between the water and fat phases, whereby 17%–82% of the residues were transferred to the milk fat. Samples of commercial butter were analysed and found to contain 0.005–0.023 mg · kg^–1 atrazine.

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Analyse der Rückstände der Triazin-Herbicide in Butter und Milch

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine Methode für die Bestimmung der Rückstände von Atrazin, Cyanazin, Prometryn, Simazin und Terbutryn in Butter beschrieben. Die Rückstände werden aus der Butter mit einem Petrolether/Methanol-Gemisch (3 + 1) und weiter aus der geschiedenen Wasser-Methanol-Phase mittels Chloroform ausgezogen. Der Extrakt wird auf einer Aluminiumoxid-Säule gereinigt. Für die End-Analyse wird Capillargaschromatographie auf einer Glasscapillar-Säule (15 m × 0,32 mm) mit der OV-1-Stationärphase und einem thermoionischen Alkaliflammenlonisations-Detektor (N/P-FID) verwendet. Die Auswertung der Analyse geschieht mit der Standardmethode, wobei Metribuzin als innerer Standard dient. Die Wiederfmdungsraten der Methode sind 68,7 bis 79,8% für die einzelnen Herbicide in Modellversuchen bei Zugabe von 0,1 mg · kg^–1 und 79,2 bis 91,9% bei Zugabe von 0,02 mg · kg^–1. Die Empfindlichkeit der Methode ist 0,005 mg · kg^–1.Bei der Zentrifugierung von Milch wurde die Verteilung der Triazin-Herbicidrückstände zwischen der Wasser- und Fett-Phase festgestellt, wobei der Anteil der Herbicide in Milchfett 17 bis 82% betrug. In den analysierten Proben von Butter des Handels wurden medrigere Konzentrationen (0,005–0,023 mg · kg^–1) von Atrazin gefunden.

     

Annealing of intrinsic stresses in sputtered TiN films: The role of thickness-dependent gradients of point defect density

Morphology, structure and thermal behavior of magnetron sputtered TiN thin films with the thickness in the range 100-2900 nm are characterized. The films are thermally cycled and the relationship between film thickness, defect density and the intrinsic stress relaxation is analyzed. The results indicate that the residual stresses in the as-deposited films and the amount of stress relaxation depend decisively on the specific depth gradient of point defects originating from film evolution during growth. The compressive stresses, representing different driving forces and the amount of stress relaxation decrease, while the onset temperature of stress relaxation increases with increasing film thickness.