Cal Method Research Articles

Comparison of the Machigin and CAL Methods for Extraction of Plant Available P in Soils

ABSTRACT Fertilizer recommendations for phosphorus (P) are generally based on the soil content of plant available P and the amount of P exported by the harvested crop. In countries of the former Soviet Union (SU), a widespread method is the Machigin extraction. The relationships between soil P contents extracted with this and other European methods are not well established. Here, we compare the Machigin soil P extraction method with the Calcium Ammonium Lactate P(CAL) procedure that is commonly used in Central Europe. Both methods were tested with 94 soil samples originating from Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, and Germany. Overall, the P amount extracted with the CAL method was 2.8 times higher than that extracted with the Machigin method. However, using results from all analyzed individual soil samples, the relation between P(CAL) and P(Machigin) showed large scatter and an R2 of only 0.364. Differing relations between P(CAL) and P(Machigin) were observed for soils with pH >7 and <7. However, these are overshadowed by differences between the three geographic groups of the soil samples. The estimated soil P fertility classes for the Machigin extraction were mostly higher than for the German (CAL) procedure, resulting in lower fertilizer recommendations for the Machigin method. To improve the accuracy of conversion between both methods, evaluation of laboratory proficiency tests (i.e. analysis of the same soil samples in different laboratories with the same methods) of the Machigin method should be useful.

Estimation of plant availability of different phosphates by the CaCl2/DTPA and CAL method

Estimation of plant availability of different phosphates by the CaCl₂/DTPA and CAL method

Comparison of soil phosphorus extraction methods regarding their suitability for organic farming systems

AbstractBackgroundOrganic farmers frequently report sufficient yield levels despite low or even very low soil phosphorous (P) contents questioning the applicability of widely used laboratory methods for soil P testing for organic farming.AimsThe aim of this study was to compare the validity of a broad range of different soil extraction methods on soils under organic management from South West Germany and to test the correlation of the measured soil P concentration with plant offtake.MethodsTwenty‐two soil samples of eight different organic farms were extracted with different solutions: (1) water, (2) CAL, (3) Olsen, (4) Mehlich 3, (5) Bray P1, (6) Bray P2, (7) NaOH+Na2EDTA, and (8) total P. The results were then correlated with above ground plant P.ResultsSpearman's rank correlation coefficient (rs) of correlations between above ground plant P and extractable soil P (Water‐P, CAL‐P, and Olsen‐P [+active charcoal {+AC}]) determined with ICP‐OES were strong (0.94, 0.90, and 0.93, respectively). Among the tested methods, above ground plant P showed a strong correlation with CAL‐P as detected by ICP‐OES (rs = 0.90) and colorimetry (rs = 0.91). The comparison of CAL‐P data provided by farmers and CAL‐P analyzed during this research showed discrepancies between the results.ConclusionsThe results of this study indicate that the CAL method can be used in organic farming despite a low extraction of organic P (Porg). Furthermore, it is recommended for farmers to take soil samples for analyses regularly and interpret changes in P in the long‐term instead of interpreting individual samples.

Flipped classroom in chemistry classes

“Flipped classroom” is when students and teachers swap their roles (teaching methods and focus of teaching changes) and students become the driving mechanism in the lesson. Recently, this pedagogi- cal method has become increasingly popular as it promotes deeper understanding of more complex concepts. Flipped classroom allows students to learn at their own pace and in any environment and, as a result, become more confident in what they have learned. Meanwhile, teachers can follow students’ progress and adapt their teaching in regard to students’ individual needs. Flipped classroom is one of the effective approaches in chemistry as it introduces and integrates technologies in learning. Furthermore, lots of time can be allocated for group discussion, homework guidance, and critical thinking in class. Flipped classroom method could be preceded for guiding slow learners.

The expediency of using the registry method for patients with epilepsy who were operated on due to pharmacoresistance

The number of epilepsy patients in Ukraine and in the world is increas- ing every year. And a large part of these patients are patients who need a surgi- cal method of treatment. However, there is no method of re- gistration such patients, which would provide an opportunity to adequately evaluate the results of surgical treat- ment of epilepsy, preparation for surgi- cal intervention, step-by-step examina- tion of the patient and, subsequently, the appointment of adequate АED therapy. From 2014 to 2020, information was collected from 3 leading neuro- surgical centers of Ukraine, which are engaged in surgery for drug-resistant epilepsy. 359 patients who had a drug- resistant form of epilepsy were operated on during this period. However, there was and is not any information about the effectiveness of treatment, the fur- ther course of the disease in such pa- tients and information about the treat- ment of attacks after surgery. Our team decided to develop a register of patients who were oper- ated on due to drug-resistant epilepsy. Firstly, a questionnaire was created, which includes detailed information on the onset of the disease, its course, treatment, and information on diagno- sis. This questionnaire became the basis for the creation of an electronic regis- ter of operated patients with epilepsy, which allows you to conveniently and quickly enter all patient data into an electronic database. The created register is extremely important and expedient at a time when the number of patients with epi- lepsy who are operated on due to drug resistance is constantly increasing.

Learning to be a social worker: students experiencing dilemmas during actions taken within critical action learning

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to discuss qualitative findings based on the actions of students whose education employs the transformative approach and CAL method. The results presented in the text will concentrate on the description of dilemmas faced by students, which are of key importance for the professionalization process from the theoretical-approaches which were adopted in the study. The study material was gathered between 2016 and 2020 and included group discussions (GD) with students working together on a project. In total, 29 social pedagogy students took part in the study, who formed a total of 8 working groups (each year 2 groups took part in the study). During the analysis of the empirical material, it was possible to generate four main dilemmas that students experienced while working with the CAL method. (1) A Double Bind dilemma; (2) A Dilemma Connected with a Blurred Role; (3) The Necessity to Anticipate Action Effects; (4) Who Do I Act for? Between Graduation and a Client. The knowledge of dilemmas that strengthen professional development can be used to organise the learning process for social work students, e.g. by creating situations in which the student in the ‘incubator’ conditions experiences a problematic situation that triggers a specific dilemma.

A Maximum Caliber analysis of the Foldon Hypothesis

Different models of protein folding favor different mechanisms. Some models rely on a defined pathway, while other models rely on a more heterogeneous set of pathways. The Foldon Hypothesis is based on the concept of a defined pathway. According to the Foldon Hypothesis, protein folding is characterized by the stepwise assembly of small, cooperative units called foldons. The Maximum Caliber (Max Cal) method provides an opportunity to test this model. The Max Cal method gives the probabilities for dynamical trajectories, in much the same way that the maximum entropy principle gives the probabilities for equilibrium states. In this study, the Max Cal method was applied to folding data for the protein cytochrome c (cyt c; Hu W, Kan ZY, Mayne L, Englander SW. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016;113:3809-3814). The overall picture to emerge from this analysis is that the data do not require a dominant, defined pathway. The folding of cytochrome c is likely a heterogeneous process that includes multiple pathways.

Constraints on the inner edge of neutron star crusts from relativistic nuclear energy density functionals

The transition density nt and pressure Pt at the inner edge between the liquid core and the solid crust of a neutron star are analyzed using the thermodynami- cal method and the framework of relativistic nuclear energy density functionals. Starting from a functional that has been carefully adjusted to experimental binding energies of finite nuclei, and varying the density dependence of the cor- responding symmetry energy within the limits determined by isovector prop- erties of finite nuclei, we estimate the constraints on the core-crust transition density and pressure of neutron stars: 0.086 fm−3 ≤ nt &lt; 0.090 fm−3 and 0.3 MeV fm−3 &lt; Pt ≤ 0.76 MeV fm−3 [1].

Multi-model seasonal forecasts for the wind energy sector

An assessment of the forecast quality of 10 m wind speed by deterministic and probabilistic verification measures has been carried out using the original raw and two statistical bias-adjusted forecasts in global coupled seasonal climate prediction systems (ECMWF-S4, METFR-S3, METFR-S4 and METFR-S5) for boreal winter (December–February) season over a 22-year period 1991–2012. We follow the standard leave-one-out cross-validation method throughout the work while evaluating the hindcast skills. To minimize the systematic error and obtain more reliable and accurate predictions, the simple bias correction (SBC) which adjusts the systematic errors of model and calibration (Cal), known as the variance inflation technique, methods as the statistical post-processing techniques have been applied. We have also built a multi-model ensemble (MME) forecast assigning equal weights to datasets of each prediction system to further enhance the predictability of the seasonal forecasts. Two MME have been created, the MME4 with all the four prediction systems and MME2 with two better performing systems. Generally, the ECMWF-S4 shows better performance than other individual prediction systems and the MME predictions indicate consistently higher temporal correlation coefficient (TCC) and fair ranked probability skill score (FRPSS) than the individual models. The spatial distribution of significant skill in MME2 prediction is almost similar to that in MME4 prediction. In the aspect of reliability, it is found that the Cal method has more effective improvement than the SBC method. The MME4_Cal predictions are placed in close proximity to the perfect reliability line for both above and below normal categorical events over globe, as compared to the MME2_Cal predictions, due to the increase in ensemble size. To further compare the forecast performance for seasonal variation of wind speed, we have evaluated the skill of the only raw MME2 predictions for all seasons. As a result, we also find that winter season shows better performance than other seasons.

Cases of the staff unaccounted exposure during the construction of the protective shell for a new confinement at the ChNPP site

cytogenetic control of the staff radiation exposure level during the construction of the protective shell for a new confinement at the ChNPP site. A cytogenetic examination was carried out for 32 staff persons from the contracting organ izations involved into construction of the protective shell for a new confinement. Additionally, for the goal of com parison, 28 persons who did not have professional contacts with the radiation factors were inspected. The analyti cal method of the aberrations on preparations of uniformly stained chromosomes of the peripheral blood lympho cytes has been used. The frequency has been determined for the dicentrics and centric rings with an accompanying pair fragment for 100 analyzed metaphases. The staff chronic exposure absorbed doses are estimated by means of the linear part of the linear quadratic equations, which describe the calibration dose dependence of the unstable chromosomal exchanges yield in the acute irradiated blood samples in vitro. Six staff persons from 32 investigated ones have the individual frequency of the recent exposure specific markers (unstable chromosomal exchanges with accompanying pair fragments) significantly higher than those for the comparison group and the population average spontaneous level. It indicates on the possibility of their exces sive irradiation during the work execution in the ChNPP zone. Single cells with two chromosomal exchanges were registered for three persons, while such cells were absent in the comparison group. This is the result of the incorpo ration of radionuclides, which are available in the air at the workplaces. The calculated averaged individual absorbed doses caused by the recent exposure of six staff persons lies in the range from 102.5 to 371.0 mGy. The doses calculated from the frequency of unstable chromosomal exchanges with the accompanying pair fragment caused by the recent exposure of six staff persons are exceeding significantly the doses determined by the methods of physical dosimetry and the occupational exposure dose limits.

DESIGN AND TIME-DOMAIN ANALYSIS OF A HIGH-VOLTAGE IMPULSED TEST-BED FOR NEAR-FIELD THERMOACOUSTIC TOMOGRAPHY

We present numerical time-domain modeling and valida- tion framework for impulse-driven near-fleld thermoacoustics imaging. It has been recently demonstrated that this new imaging approach comprises a viable alternative for high performance and low-cost imag- ing using the thermoacoustic phenomenon. Placement of the imaged object in a close vicinity (near fleld) of an antenna elements along with generation of ultrashort (nanosecond) duration high-voltage ex- citation impulses further provide high imaging resolution and ensure that su-cient level of electromagnetic energy reaches the object under investigation. In order to analyze the measured results and also provide a design and optimization framework, this work presents a full-wave computational electromagnetic framework which couples the near-fleld electromagnetic fleld to the acoustic signal generation. The numeri- cal method comprises a flnite integral time domain method (FITD) based on the industry standard CST 2010 software package. The re- sults can be further utilized for normalization and quantiflcation of the generated images.

Properties of the Test Statistic under Null Hypothesis and the Calculation of LOD Threshold in Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) Mapping

Selecting an appropriate LOD threshold is of great interest in QTL mapping studies. Many approaches can be consid- ered to calculate the critical value throughout a genome, such as simulation-based method, analytical approximation, and empiri- cal method based on permutation test. Many tests are conducted in QTL mapping, which are not mutually independent because the linkage relationship of adjacent markers on chromosomes. In order to declare a significant QTL at a genome-wide significance level, it is necessary to understand the behavior of test statistic under null hypothesis in QTL mapping and to deal with the de- pendent multiple-test problem arising in the genome-wide test. Our objectives in this study were (1) to investigate the properties of LRT (likelihood ratio test) statistic of one-point scanning under null hypothesis in QTL mapping, (2) to determine the factors affecting the cumulative distribution of maximum LOD score, and (3) to identify the relationship between the effective number of independent tests and the length of chromosome by simulation method. Results indicated that the LRT test statistic in one-dimensional scanning of additive-dominant QTL and two-dimensional scanning of epistatic QTL followed chi-square distri- butions, and the degree of freedom (df) was equal to the number of genetic parameters to be estimated. For example, degree of freedom in recombinant inbred lines (RIL) population was equal to 1 in one dimensional or two dimensional scanning. Degree of freedom in F2 populations was equal to 2 in one-dimensional scanning and 4 in two-dimensional scanning. Number of chromo- some, population size and phenotyping error variance did not have any effect on the distribution of LRT under null hypothesis, and therefore will not affect the selection of LOD threshold. On the contrary, population type, genome size and marker density had significant impacts. For BC1, RIL, and F2 populations, the threshold was the smallest in BC1 population and the highest in F2 population. Higher marker density and longer chromosome resulted in higher LOD threshold. It was identified that the effective

Hybrid Empirical Ground-Motion Prediction Equations for Eastern North America Using NGA Models and Updated Seismological Parameters

In the field of earthquake engineering, ground-motion prediction models are frequently used to estimate the peak ground acceleration (PGA) and the pseudos- pectral acceleration (PSA). In regions of the world where ground-motion recordings are plentiful, such as western North America (WNA), the ground-motion prediction equations are obtained using empirical methods. In other regions, such as eastern North America (ENA), with insufficient ground-motion data, alternative methods must be used to develop ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs). The hybrid empiri- cal method is one such method used to develop ground-motion prediction equations in areas with sparse ground motions. This method employs the stochastic simulation method to adjust empirical GMPEs developed for a region with abundant strong- motion recordings in order to estimate strong-motion parameters in a region with a sparse database. The adjustments take into account differences in the earthquake source, wave propagation, and site-response characteristics between the two regions. In this study, a hybrid empirical method is used to develop a new GMPE for ENA, using five new ground-motion prediction models developed by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) for WNA. A new ENA GMPE is derived for a magnitude range of 5 to 8 and closest distances to the fault rupture up to 1000 km. Ground-motion prediction equations are developed for the response spectra (pseudoacceleration, 5% damped) and the PGA for hard-rock sites in ENA. The resulting ground-motion prediction model developed in this study is compared with two ENA ground-motion models used in the 2008 national seismic hazard maps as well as with available observed data for ENA.

Nursery habitat use and foraging ecology of the brown stingray Dasyatis lata determined from stomach contents, bulk and amino acid stable isotopes

Identification of nursery habitats and knowledge of the trophic ecology and habitat use of juvenile fishes within these habitats are fundamental in developing sound management and con- servation strategies. The brown stingray Dasyatis lata is a large benthic predator that inhabits the coastal waters of Hawai'i. Although abundant in these ecosystems, little is known about its basic eco - logy. Stomach content, bulk and amino acid stable isotope analyses were used to assess diet and habitat use of juvenile brown stingrays and to examine the possibility of competitive interactions with juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks Sphyrna lewini that are sympatric with brown stingrays in K¯ ane'ohe Bay, Oahu. Based on stomach contents, brown stingrays fed almost exclusively on crus- taceans. An ontogenetic shift in stingray diet and an increase in relative trophic position (TP) were apparent from stomach content and stable isotope analysis. Stingray bulk δ 13 C and δ 15 N values indi- cated long-term foraging fidelity to subregions of the bay. Use of K¯ ane'ohe Bay as a nursery habitat was supported by nitrogen isotopic analysis of individual amino acids from stingray muscle samples. Our results clearly demonstrated that stingrays foraged within the bay for the majority of their juve- nile lives then shifted to offshore habitats with the onset of sexual maturity. Trophic enrichment fac- tors used to estimate TPs from amino acid analysis in previous studies may underestimate TPs in elas- mobranchs owing to urea retention for osmoregulation. Potential prey resources were partitioned between stingrays and juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks, and TP estimates from each analyti- cal method indicated that juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks forage on higher TP prey than do juvenile brown stingrays. These results show that the study of foraging ecology and habitat use of marine animals can greatly benefit from integrating traditional stomach content and bulk stable isotopic analyses with nitrogen isotopic analyses of individual amino acids.

Distribution of phosphorus in size fractions of sandy soils with different fertilization histories

AbstractA major challenge in sustainable crop management is to ensure adequate P supply for crops, while minimizing losses of P that could negatively impact water quality. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of long‐term applications of different levels of mineral fertilizers and farmyard manure on (1) the availability of P, (2) the relationship between soil C, N, and P, and (3) the distribution of inorganic and organic P in size fractions obtained by wet sieving. Soil samples were taken from the top 20 cm of a long‐term (29 y) fertilization trial on a sandy Cambisol near Darmstadt, SW Germany. Plant‐available P, determined with the CAL method, was little affected by fertilization treatment (p &lt; 0.05) and was low to optimal. The concentration of inorganic and organic P extracted with a NaOH‐EDTA solution (PNaOH‐EDTA) averaged about 350 mg (kg dry soil)–1, with 42% being in the organic form (Po). Manure application tended to increase soil C, N, and Po concentrations by 8%, 9%, and 5.6%, respectively. Across all treatments, the C : N : Po ratio was 100 : 9.5 : 2 and was not significantly affected by the fertilization treatments. Aggregate formation was weak due to the low clay and organic‐matter content of the soil, and the fractions &gt; 53 μm consisted predominantly of sand grains. The different fertilization treatments had little effect on the distribution of size fractions and their C, N, and P contents. In the fractions &gt; 53 μm, PNaOH‐EDTA ranged between 200 and 300 mg kg–1, while it reached 1260 mg kg–1 in the fraction &lt; 53 μm. Less than one third of PNaOH‐EDTA was present as Po in the fractions &gt; 53 μm, while Po accounted for 70% of PNaOH‐EDTA in the smallest fraction (&lt; 53 μm). Therefore, 16% and 28% of PNaOH‐EDTA and Po, respectively, were associated with the smallest fraction, even though this fraction accounted for &lt; 5% of the soil mass. Therefore, runoff may cause higher P losses than the soil P content suggests in this sandy soil with a weak aggregate formation. Overall, the results indicate that manure and mineral fertilizer had similar effects on soil P fractions.

Radiation-inducible promoter mediated PUMA Gene in the the treatment of Tca8113

Objective: The aim of this study is to explore the therapeutic effect of the PUMA gene mediated by ra- diation-inducible promoters in the treatment of ton- gue squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: Recombi- nant pcDNA3.1 (+)/E-PUMA was constructed, in which the PUMA gene was mediated by a synthetic radiation inducible promoter. The recombined plas-mids were transfected into the Tca8113 cell and xeno- grafts of human tongue squamous carcinoma in na- ked mice respectively. After 24 h, the tumors were tr- eated with 3 Gy of irradiation to upregulate the PU- MA gene expression. PUMA mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and apoptosis were detected by immunohistochemi- cal method and in situ end-labeling (ISEL) respecti- vely. The data were analyzed using the SPSS11.0 soft- ware package for chi-square test. RESULTS: Com-pared with the control group, the comparative survi- val rate of Tca8113 cells in the PUMA/IR group was markedly decreased and the xenografts were signify- cantly suppressed. Up-regulation of PUMA gene ex- pression was observed in the Tca8113 cells and in the xenografts after irradiation. The apoptosis indices of the Tca8113 cells and xenograft with irradiation were markedly higher than those without irradiation. At the same time, the proliferation indices of the Tca- 8113 cells and xenografts with irradiation were mark- edly lower than those without irradiation. Conclu- sions: radiation-induc ible promoters can serve as molecular switches to improve the expression of PU- MA gene in tongue squamous cell carcinoma both in vivo and in vitro. Low-dose induction radiation can significantly improve therapeutic efficiency.

Validation of a whole-body cortisol extraction procedure for channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) fry

We validated a whole-body cortisol extraction technique for channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, fry. Three volume enhancement methods were tested: CAL method (zero calibrator A diluent added to lipid extract), PBS method (phosphate buffered saline added to lipid extract), and VO method (food grade vegetable oil added to lipid extract). The volume enhancement extracts were evaluated using a commercial radioimmunoassay kit. Sensitivity, accuracy, precision, reproducibility, and parallelism could not be determined for the PBS method as cortisol levels were not detected in any of the extracted samples. Intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) for the CAL and VO methods were 7.3 and 8.3%, respectively, while inter-assay CV were 9.6 and 10.6%, respectively. Based on the sensitivity, accuracy, precision, reproducibility, and parallelism results, we conclude that the CAL method is the most appropriate method for volume enhancement of catfish fry lipid extract. Using the CAL method to detect cortisol in catfish fry, fish were stressed daily for 2 weeks. Fry weights were similar throughout the study while whole-body cortisol levels were higher (P < 0.01) in stressed fish after 1 day of stress. These data show the CAL method can effectively measure whole-body cortisol in catfish fry.

Cell-Assisted Lipotransfer: Supportive Use of Human Adipose-Derived Cells for Soft Tissue Augmentation with Lipoinjection

Injective transfer of autologous aspirated fat is a popular option for soft tissue augmentation, but several issues require attention, including unpredictability and a low survival rate due to partial necrosis. In this study, histologic features and yield of adipose-derived stromal (stem) cells (ASCs) were compared between human aspirated fat and excised whole fat. Aspirated fat contained fewer large vascular structures, and ASC yield was lower in aspirated fat. Aspirated fat was transplanted subcutaneously into severe combined immunodeficiency mice with (cell-assisted lipotransfer; CAL) or without (non-CAL) vascular stromal fractions containing ASCs isolated from adipose tissue. The CAL fat survived better (35% larger on average) than non-CAL fat, and microvasculature was detected more prominently in CAL fat, especially in the outer layers. DiI-labeled vascular stromal fraction cells were found between adipocytes and in the connective tissue in CAL fat, and some of these cells were immunopositive for von Willebrand factor, suggesting differentiation into vascular endothelial cells. Another experiment that used vascular stromal fractions taken from green fluorescent protein rats also suggested that ASCs differentiated into vascular endothelial cells and contributed to neoangiogenesis in the acute phase of transplantation. These findings may partly explain why transplanted aspirated fat does not survive well and suggest clinical potential of the CAL method for soft tissue augmentation.

Otimização da discretização espaço-temporal do método de elementos finitos aplicado a simulação da difusão multicomponente

The space and time discretization of the finite element method was optimized for following application in multicompon ent diffusion simulation during Prato cheese salting, a traditional and much consumed foodstuff in Brazil originated from the European Gouda cheese. It was ascertained t hat the correct choice of the time intervals and mesh is fundame ntal in applying the method. After optimization the simulated result s were in ag reement with the experimental and calculated results by the analytical method, showing that the method is a promising tool for simulation of diffusive processes when two solutes are considered, and is also a much less restrictive technique than the analyti cal method.

Syndromic Surveillance for Emerging Infections in Office Practice Using Billing Data

PURPOSE We wanted to evaluate the feasibility of conducting syndromic surveil- lance in a primary care offi ce using billing data. METHODS A 1-year study was conducted in a primary care practice; comparison data were obtained from emergency department records of visits by county resi- dents. Within the practice, a computer program converted billing data into de- identifi ed daily summaries of International Classifi cation of Diseases, Ninth Revi- sion (ICD-9) codes by sex and age-group; and a staff member generated daily summaries and e-mailed them to the analysis team. For both the practice and the emergency departments, infection-related syndromes and practice-specifi c thresholds were calculated using the category 1 syndrome codes and an analyiti- cal method based upon the Early Aberration Reporting System of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESULTS A mean of 253 ICD-9 codes per day was reported. The most frequently recorded syndromes were respiratory illness, gastrointestinal illness, and fever. Syndromes most commonly exceeding the threshold of 2 standard deviations for the practice were lymphadenitis, rash, and fever. Generating a daily summary took 1 to 2 minutes; the program was written by the software vendor for a fee of $1,500. During the 2003-2004 infl uenza season, trend line patterns of the emergency department visits refl ected a pattern consistent with that of the state, whereas the trend line in primary case practice cases was less consistent, refl ect- ing the variation expected in data from a single clinic. Still, spikes of activity that occurred in the practice before the emergency department suggest the practice may have seen patients with infl uenza earlier. CONCLUSIONS This preliminary study showed the feasibility of implementing syndromic surveillance in an offi ce setting at a low cost and with minimal staff effort. Although many implementation issues remain, further development of syndromic surveillance systems should include primary care offi ces.