Analysis of cadmium, lead and zinc in macrobenthic algae (Enteromorpha intestinals), water and sediments of San Fabian Bay, San Fabian, Pangasinan

Macrobenthic aglae, Enteromorpha intestinals, water and sediments collected from San Fabian Bay, Pangasinan from July to September 1995 were analyzed for cadmium, lead and zinc concentrations using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Based on the data gathered, zinc had the highest concentrations recorded (from 0.000 mg/L to 3.049 mg/L), followed by lead (from 0.012 mg/L to 0.529 mg/L) and lastly by cadmium (from 0.000 mg/L to 0.060 mg/L). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a = 0.05 level showed insignificant differences between means in the concentrations of cadmium, lead and zinc per station and per collection. The results gathered also indicated that the amount of cadmium and lead exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u27s (EPA) recommended limit of 0.005 mg/L and 0.015 mg/L, respectively, in all three samples (algae, water and sediments) and could be a possible threat in the near future. Zinc concentrations, on the other hand, was below the limit set by the EPA of 5.00 mg/L and therefore does not present any immediate danger to the citizens of San Fabian, Pangasinan

Application of Taguchi technique in the optimization of spin casting process parameters

The objective of the spin casting optimization was to achieve “the lower dimensional error, the better” while minimizing the effects of uncontrollable parameters. Spin casting process parameters that may affect the dimensional accuracy of the casting product were identified with the aid of Ishikawa diagram. The disk closing pressure, rotational speed and runner dimensions were selected as the most significant parameters that can cause variations of the quality characteristic. Runner dimensions include the runner length which is the distance between the disk center and the location of the master imprint, and the diameter of the runner cross-section. The orthogonal array was designed using the selected significant process parameters with the respective ranges of values. Each parameter was analyzed at three levels, the loss function of the “lower-the-better” as defined by Taguchi was used in the analysis of the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. The optimum spin casting process parameter combination was obtained using the analysis of the S/N ratio. The level of importance of the process parameters on the dimensional accuracy of the spin casting product was determined using the analysis of variance. The relative importance of the spin casting parameters with respect to the dimensional accuracy was investigated to determine more accurately the optimum combinations of the spin casting process parameters

Rivaroxaban with or without aspirin in stable cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND: We evaluated whether rivaroxaban alone or in combination with aspirin would be more effective than aspirin alone for secondary cardiovascular prevention. METHODS: In this double-blind trial, we randomly assigned 27,395 participants with stable atherosclerotic vascular disease to receive rivaroxaban (2.5 mg twice daily) plus aspirin (100 mg once daily), rivaroxaban (5 mg twice daily), or aspirin (100 mg once daily). The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, stroke, or myocardial infarction. The study was stopped for superiority of the rivaroxaban-plus-aspirin group after a mean follow-up of 23 months. RESULTS: The primary outcome occurred in fewer patients in the rivaroxaban-plus-aspirin group than in the aspirin-alone group (379 patients [4.1%] vs. 496 patients [5.4%]; hazard ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66 to 0.86; P<0.001; z=−4.126), but major bleeding events occurred in more patients in the rivaroxaban-plus-aspirin group (288 patients [3.1%] vs. 170 patients [1.9%]; hazard ratio, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.40 to 2.05; P<0.001). There was no significant difference in intracranial or fatal bleeding between these two groups. There were 313 deaths (3.4%) in the rivaroxaban-plus-aspirin group as compared with 378 (4.1%) in the aspirin-alone group (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.96; P=0.01; threshold P value for significance, 0.0025). The primary outcome did not occur in significantly fewer patients in the rivaroxaban-alone group than in the aspirin-alone group, but major bleeding events occurred in more patients in the rivaroxaban-alone group. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with stable atherosclerotic vascular disease, those assigned to rivaroxaban (2.5 mg twice daily) plus aspirin had better cardiovascular outcomes and more major bleeding events than those assigned to aspirin alone. Rivaroxaban (5 mg twice daily) alone did not result in better cardiovascular outcomes than aspirin alone and resulted in more major bleeding events