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The study of the sum of two independent phase-type (PH)-distributed variables, each of them being associated with a Markovian process with one absorbing state, is considered in this paper. The distribution function of the variable sum is computed, obtaining a new PH-distributed function of higher order. As the order increases in the new function, the exponential function of a block upper triangular matrix is calculated in terms of its respective blocks to reduce the dimension of the problem. The obtained results are applied to bladder carcinoma data. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cattle producers were surveyed to evaluate the use and potential of trees and shrubs in 60 livestock farms from the municipalities of Tlapacoyan, Misantla and Martínez de la Torre, Veracruz, Mexico. The study identified, located, and described the use of promising woody species as fodder in three animal production systems. Surveys recorded information about: animal production systems, pasture management, main agricultural products of the farm, identification, management and use of trees and shrubs in the farm. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Three animal production systems were characterized: dual-purpose (57%), cow-calf operation (30%), and pasture-based finishing (13%); where 145 tree species were identified, with Bursera simaruba, Gliricidia sepium and Cedrela odorata as the most common. The main use of trees species were, fuelwood and charcoal, lumber, and live fence posts. Also, the first two, from the 12 species were the most eaten by cattle as fodder material, mainly as branching (38.80%) or cut-and-carry use (3.50%). The study showed a high diversity of woody species, with multiple functions in within the farms, highlighting some woody species as fodder, which adds value to the animal production systems when are used at critical times of the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some selected physical characteristics of turkey meat (weight loss, texture, colour, volume shrinkage and cook value) were evaluated after oven cooking at 100° and 110°C. For each cooking temperature, dry air (only air convection, RH = 5%) and three predetermined relative humidity values (RH = 24, 43 and 62%) were obtained inside the oven cavity by means of a steam generator. Significant cooking time decrement of about 70-90% (compared to air convection condition) was achieved by using steam, both at 100° and 110°C with the exception of the treatment at 100°C and RH= 24%. Moreover, the steam presence during cooking increased the cooking yield when steam treatments were shorter than the dry air convection treatment. About 10% cooking yield increase (as compared to air convection condition) was found at 100°C (at RH = 43 and 62%) and at 110°C (at RH = 62%). An additional cooking yield increase up to +15% was measured at RH = 24% and 43% at 110°C. steam cooking led to a noticeable decreases of shrinkage, shear force and hardness of meat samples both at 100° and 110°C. the best cooking conditions, in terms of short cooking time, high cooking yield, high tenderness and low chewiness were obtained at 100°C with RH = 62% and 110°C with RH = 43%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Model-driven Engineering (MDE) has attained great importance in both the Software Engineering industry and the research community, where it is now widely used to provide a suitable approach with which to improve productivity when developing software artefacts. In this scenario, measurement models (software artefacts) have become a fundamental point in improvement of productivity, where MDE and Software Measurement can reap mutual benefits. MDE principles and techniques can be used in software measurement to build more automatic and generic solutions, and to achieve this, it is fundamental to be able to develop software measurement models. To facilitate this task, a domain-specific language named 'Software Measurement Modelling Language' (SMML) has been developed. This paper tackles the question of whether the use of SMML can assist in the definition of software measurement models. An empirical study was conducted, with the aim of verifying whether SMML makes it easier to construct measurement models which are more usable and maintainable as regards textual notation. The results show that models which do not use the language are more difficult-in terms of effort, correctness and efficiency-to understand and modify than those represented with SMML. Additional feedback was also obtained, to verify the suitability of the graphical representation of each symbol (element or relationship) of SMML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this study is to analyze survival until extirpation in bladder carcinoma. For this it is necessary to study the different stages of this chronic disease: multiple recurrences and progression. The sum of two random independent variables is considered, each of them being associated with a homogeneous time-continuous Markovian process of multiple absorbing states. The distribution function of the variable sum is modeled by means of a new associated Markov process. In order to maintain manageable problem dimension we have applied the Fréchet derivate and the Kronecker matrix representation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The acquisition of adequate vaccine-induced humoral immunity is especially important in HIV-infected individuals, who are at increased risk of infections. The aim of the study was to assess the safety of administering a complete vaccination programme to successfully treated HIV-infected adults and to evaluate specific humoral responses and the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) interruption on these responses. Methods A placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial was designed and 26 HIV-infected adults enrolled. Study participants were randomized to receive either a complete immunization schedule with commercial vaccines or placebo for 12 months. HAART was then discontinued for 6 months. Specific humoral responses were evaluated at baseline, at month 12 and after HAART interruption and compared between groups. Results There were neither local nor systemic secondary effects related to vaccination. Specific humoral responses to vaccines were adequate, but a loss of immunoglobulin G titres was observed after HAART interruption in 12 study participants. Conclusions HAART interruption may cause impairment of previously acquired vaccine-induced immunity in HIV-infected adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Trials with healthy volunteers have shown that emergency ambulance transportation induces stress, which becomes evident by an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and plasma levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol and prolactin. A study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that emergency ambulance transportation may also lead to stress in patients with acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: Venous plasma levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine and lactate as well as visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for pain and anxiety were measured in 32 patients with defined clinical signs of acute coronary syndrome before and after transportation. Heart rate, blood pressure and transcutaneous oxygen saturation levels were recorded every 3 min. RESULTS: Mean (SD) plasma levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine increased significantly (p<0.01) during transportation (159.29 (55.34) ng/l and 632.53 (156.32) ng/l before transportation vs 211.03 (70.12) ng/l and 782.93 (173.95) ng/l after transportation), while lactate levels, heart rate and mean blood pressure remained almost stable. There was no significant change in mean (SD) VAS scores for pain and anxiety (3.79 (3.70) and 2.89 (3.01) vs 2.13 (3.30) and 1.57 (2.78)). CONCLUSION: Emergency ambulance transportation induces a rise in plasma catecholamine levels and therefore stress in patients with acute coronary syndrome, but does not result in cardiac shock as lactate levels and haemodynamic parameters remain normal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three land preparation management experiments were conducted in a hot and humid climate, in order to evaluate the establishment of Arachis pintoi CIAT 17434: 1) reduced and zero tillage, with fertilisation (P, K, Mg, Ca, Zn, Cu and B) or without fertilisation; 2) control of native pasture growth with herbicide or slashing, burned or not, with or without P fertiliser; and 3) planting of three Arachis pintoi CIAT accessions: 17434, 18744 and 18748, using seed pods. Soils at the experimental sites are acid Ultisols (Durustults), with a range in pH from 4.1 to 5.2, and an impermeable hardpan between 0 and 25 cm deep. The following variables were measured: Plant number, plant height and soil covered by the legume at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after planting. Experiment I was an unreplicated trial with treatments applied over an area larger than usual in agronomic experiments. Several fixed quadrants were sampled within each treatment plot. In experiments 2 and 3 the design was a randomised complete block design with 3 blocks as replicates. Analyses of variance were done with linear additive models in accordance to the experimental design. In experiment I, the main effect of treatment on plant number was highly significant in winter, rainy and dry seasons. The time taken to reach 50% cover was 21 weeks for T2 (reduced tillage, no fertilisation) in winter; 21 weeks for T4 (zero tillage, no fertilisation) in dry season; and 20 weeks for T1 (reduced tillage) with fertilisation) and T4 in rainy season. In experiment 2, the main effect of time after planting was highly significant on all response variables. The treatment herbicide + burning produced taller plants (21.0±1.6 cm) than herbicide-no burning (14.5 ±1.1 cm). P fertilisation did not increase legume cover. The treatment including slashing without burning and without fertiliser had significantly less legume cover than the herbicide+burning+fertilisation treatment. In experiment 3, legume cover increased linearly with time (4, 8 and 12 weeks), although without differences in slope among accessions. August planting took 45, 46 and 56 days to cover 5% of the soil to accessions CIAT 17434, CIAT 18744 and CIAT 18748, respectively, The results offer a range of practices to cattle producers from which they could select the best one according to their specific conditions. However, the best practice was the use of herbicides, which was more effective in improving establishment than the slashing technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, in order to obtain high quality software products it is necessary to carry out a good software processes management in which measurement is a fundamental factor. Due to the great diversity of entities involved in software measurement, a consistent framework to integrate the different entities in the measurement process is required. In this paper the software measurement framework (SMF) is presented, which supports the measurement of any type of software entity through the metamodels which depict them. In this framework, any software entity in any domain could be measured with a common software Measurement metamodel and by means of QVT transformations. This work explains the three fundamental elements of the software measurement framework (conceptual architecture, technological aspects and method). These elements have all been adapted to the MDE paradigm and to MDA technology, taking advantage of their benefits within the field of software measurement. Furthermore an example which illustrates the framework's application to a concrete domain is furthermore shown. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: In order to better constrain the factors controlling the calcification rate in planktonic foraminifera, and to assess shell weight reliability as an atmospheric CO2 proxy, changes in shell weight in Globigerina bulloides, Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (right coiling) and Globigerinoides ruber (white) have been studied in core samples from the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean) between 250 and 160ka (Marine Isotopic stages 6 and 7). These results suggest that G. bulloides and G. ruber (white) calcification rate is mainly controlled by atmospheric CO2 and water temperature, whereas N. pachyderma (right coiling) shell weight is directly related to optimum growth conditions, since heavier shell weights coincide with more relative abundance of this species due to optimum temperature conditions. Therefore, foraminifer shell weight should be used carefully as an atmospheric CO2 proxy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

AbstractOn the basis of data collected during the 12th International Histocompatibility Workshop, we postulated a possible linkage disequilibrium between the TAP1C allele and the DRB1*1104-DQA1*0103-DQB1*0603 haplotype characteristic of Ashkenazi Jews. In order to confirm and extend this preliminary observation, a group of 34 subjects carrying this haplotype was analysed for TAP1 and TAP2 polymorphisms and compared with two control groups sharing either the DRB1 or the DQA1 and DQB1 alleles with the test group. The TAP1*0301 and TAP2D alleles were found to be strongly associated with the entire haplotype, but not with the DRB1*1104 or the DQA1*0103-DQB1*0603 alleles when carried separately. These data show a strong linkage disequilibrium of TAP1*0301 and TAP2D alleles with the DRB1*1104-DQA1*0103-DQB1*0603 haplotype of Ashkenazi Jews, extended on the centromeric and telomeric side to the DPB1*0201 and A1-B35 alleles, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Nomifensine, an inhibitor of endogenous catecholamine re-uptake, did not affect the growth hormone (GH) or prolactin levels in patients with acromegaly or hyperprolactinaemia. It does not, therefore, have any therapeutic role in these conditions at the dosage used in this study. 2. It had no effect on thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH)-induced thyrotrophin (TSH) or prolactin release in males, yet caused marked suppression of monoiodotyrosine (MIT)-induced prolactin release in males but not in females. 3. The significant suppression of MIT-induced prolactin release in males is likely to reflect the dopamine (DA) agonist activity of the drug and its lack of effect in the other situations tested could be dose related. 4. It is proposed that the difference in male and female patterns of prolactin response to MIT after nomifensine, could be due to a 'damping' effect of oestrogen on the hypothalamic dopaminergic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report describes a 34-year-old woman with an anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery. The angiographic pattern was clearly demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed before surgery. This case suggests thst MRI could play an important role in the pre-operative assessment of coronary anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Detection of silent myocardial ischaemia must be accurate and reliable. With the new digitized Holter monitoring systems these qualities are feasible. We tested one of these devices (Monitor One, Q Med) by comparison with a digitized and averaged ECG signal provided by the Marquette Case system during exercise tests in 30 patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease. Detection and quantitation of ST segment depression episodes by the Holter system were excellent. Furthermore, indirect ECG criteria of ischaemia as R-wave amplitude variations were easily recognized. Thus digital monitors may be used to detect ischaemic events in prospective and multicentre studies for the diagnosis and prognosis of silent myocardial ischaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]