Acne resolution rates: Results of a single-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel phase III trial with EE/CMA (Belara (R)) and EE/LNG (Microgynon (R))

Background and Objective: Acne in women can often be successfully treated by the intake of oral contraceptives containing gestagens with anti-androgenic properties. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the monophasic oral contraceptive ethinylestradiol/chlormadinone acetate (EE/CMA; Belara (R)) for the treatment of mild to moderate papulopustular acne of the face and acne-related disorders in comparison to EE/levonorgestrel (LNG; Microgynon (R)). Methods: 199 female acne patients were enrolled in a single-blind, randomized, multicentre phase III study and divided into two groups who received either EE/CMA or EE/LNG. The primary end point was fulfilled if the number of papules/pustules per half of the face present on admission had decreased by at least 50% in the 12th medication cycle. Results: 59.4% of the women under EE/CMA and 45.9% under EE/LNG were responders. The relative frequency of women with complete resolution was 16.5% under EE/CMA and 4.3% under EE/LNG at cycle 12. Conclusion: EE/CMA is an efficient treatment for women with mild and moderate papulopustular acne of the face and related disorders, reflecting the well-known anti-androgenic properties of the progestogen CMA. Copyright (C) 2001 S, Karger AG, Basel

On qq- Component Models on Cayley Tree: The General Case

In the paper we generalize results of paper [12] for a $q$- component models on a Cayley tree of order $k\geq 2$. We generalize them in two directions: (1) from $k=2$ to any $k\geq 2;$ (2) from concrete examples (Potts and SOS models) of $q-$ component models to any $q$- component models (with nearest neighbor interactions). We give a set of periodic ground states for the model. Using the contour argument which was developed in [12] we show existence of $q$ different Gibbs measures for $q$-component models on Cayley tree of order $k\geq 2$.Comment: 8 page

Hydrodynamic model for three-phase internal- and external-loop airlift reactors

A mathematical model predicting the hydrodynamic behaviour of three-phase airlift reactors, working with low-density solids and with high solids loading, was developed. The model allows for the prediction of local gas holdup and liquid velocity in airlift bioreactors. Model was validated for an external-loop airlift reactor and an internal-loop airlift reactor with an enlarged degassing zone, being a good agreement obtained between calculated and experimental data.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) Junta Nacional de Investigação Científica e Tecnológica (JNICT) - PRAXIS 2/2.1/BIO/1061/95 Instituto de Biotecnologia e Química Fina (IBQF) - GGP XXI/BD/2937/9

Modelling design of multiphase bubble-bed reactors for advanced food-industry technologies

Project Copernicu

Modelling design of multiphase bubble-bed reactors for advanced food-industry applications

An EC project (IC15-CT98-0904 / PL979021) under this title commenced November 1998 courtesy of Dr Jindrich Zahradnik, sadly since deceased. In dedication to his memory overviewed here are contributions from the four partners whose lead investigators appear as authors (plus coordinator as corresponding author) with principals and researchers recognised in cited literature. A website (www.copernicus.aston.ac.uk) has been launched to disseminate major individual components and collaborations facilitated by study exchanges, also envisaged exploitation by industries. Drawing on this material we outline partners' established expertise and its unification under EC umbrella funding. To avoid confusion on due credit for contributions, references are designated by first letters of the above-named authors. At risk of appearing to favour ones' own wares, we humbly refer readers to our cited papers for contextual commentaries

Problematic non-double-couple mechanism of the 2002 Amfilochia M w 5 earthquake, Western Greece

Abstract Two seismic agencies reported a very low double-couple percentage (DC%) of the Amfilochia earthquake, of about 30% and 60%, by Schweizerischer Erdbebendienst and Mediterranean Very Broadband Seismographic Network, respectively. Near-regional waveforms, carefully analyzed in this paper for the DC%, suggested a higher DC%, ranging from 75 to 100, dependent on the uncertainty of the source position (optimum value DC% = 93). Using a statistical F test, forward modeling of the near-regional data with a single-event low-DC% source yields a significantly worse waveform match. near-regional data can be further improved (although at the 90% significance level only) when considering a speculative two-event model. The same model, when viewed at the very-low frequency range, reaches the very low DC% values. However, two features make the two-event model unlikely: The two subevents strongly differ in their focal mechanism, and their mutual separation (3.5 s) is larger than the expected duration of this earthquake. Therefore, the two-source model appears to be nothing but an interesting equivalent representation of the non-DC model, providing some insight into the possible origin of the apparently low DC%. Preference is given to the simple interpretation, most clearly supported by the near-regional data, that the Amfilochia earthquake was an almost pure-shear event

Development of a Sandwich ELISA to Measure Exposure to Occupational Cow Hair Allergens

Background: Cow hair and dander are important inducers of occupational allergies in cattle-exposed farmers. To estimate allergen exposure in farming environments, a sensitive enzyme immunoassay was developed to measure cow hair allergens. Methods: A sandwich ELISA was developed using polyclonal rabbit antibodies against a mixture of hair extracts from different cattle breeds. To assess the specificity of the assay, extracts from other mammalian epithelia, mites, molds and grains were tested. To validate the new assay, cow hair allergens were measured in passive airborne dust samples from the stables and homes of farmers. Dust was collected with electrostatic dust fall collectors (EDCs). Results: The sandwich ELISA was found to be very sensitive (detection limit: 0.1 ng/ml) and highly reproducible, demonstrating intra-and interassay coefficients of variation of 4 and 10%, respectively. The assay showed no reactivity with mites, molds and grains, but some cross-reactivity with other mammalian epithelia, with the strongest reaction with goat. Using EDCs for dust sampling, high concentrations of bovine allergens were measured in cow stables (4,760-559,400 mu g/m(2)). In addition, bovine allergens were detected in all areas of cattle farmer dwellings. A large variation was found between individual samples (0.3-900 mu g/m(2)) and significantly higher values were discovered in changing rooms. Conclusion: The ELISA developed for the detection of cow hair proteins is a useful tool for allergen quantification in occupational and home environments. Based on its low detection limit, this test is sensitive enough to detect allergens in passive airborne dust. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Base

Characterization of bubbles in a bubble column by image analysis

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT); EC

Ordering and Demixing Transitions in Multicomponent Widom-Rowlinson Models

We use Monte Carlo techniques and analytical methods to study the phase diagram of multicomponent Widom-Rowlinson models on a square lattice: there are M species all with the same fugacity z and a nearest neighbor hard core exclusion between unlike particles. Simulations show that for M between two and six there is a direct transition from the gas phase at z < z_d (M) to a demixed phase consisting mostly of one species at z > z_d (M) while for M \geq 7 there is an intermediate ``crystal phase'' for z lying between z_c(M) and z_d(M). In this phase, which is driven by entropy, particles, independent of species, preferentially occupy one of the sublattices, i.e. spatial symmetry but not particle symmetry is broken. The transition at z_d(M) appears to be first order for M \geq 5 putting it in the Potts model universality class. For large M the transition between the crystalline and demixed phase at z_d(M) can be proven to be first order with z_d(M) \sim M-2 + 1/M + ..., while z_c(M) is argued to behave as \mu_{cr}/M, with \mu_{cr} the value of the fugacity at which the one component hard square lattice gas has a transition, and to be always of the Ising type. Explicit calculations for the Bethe lattice with the coordination number q=4 give results similar to those for the square lattice except that the transition at z_d(M) becomes first order at M>2. This happens for all q, consistent with the model being in the Potts universality class.Comment: 26 pages, 15 postscript figure