Abstract
Performing of pharmacognostic study of "flores de majagua" drug (Hibiscus elatus SW., Malvaceae family), is explained in relation to assesment of efficiency of extractive processes, Flavonoids percentage, menstrum quantity, required to obtain such percentage, and practical limitations of processes were taking in account. Authors propose use of fluid extract in hydroalcoholic menstrum to 50%, obtained by percolation, and as a alternative variant to bimaceration. Maceration is discarded as technological process. Annexes and tables are presented. Which include quality parameters results, determined to dried up drug, and to furnace with air recirculation, to no more than 40 ?C in both tecnological variants (organoleptic, refraction rate (R.R.), pH relative density (R.D.), total solids (T.S.), alcoholic content (A.C.), capilar analysus, and qualitative chemical composition.

Abstract
A signal processing scheme for fiber Bragg grating sensors based on the utilization of adjacent modes of a multimode laser diode light source is demonstrated which allows high sensitivity to be obtained over a large measurement range, For strain measurements, a range of 4800 mu epsilon is achieved with a resolution of 0.08 mu epsilon/root Hz, yielding a dynamic range of 95 dB.

Abstract
Performing of pharmacognostic study of "flores de majagua" drug (Hibiscus elatus SW. Malvacea family) is explained in relation to assessment of quality parameters of crude drug (total ashes, unsolvable acid, water soluble, ethanol soluble substances (50 %), qualitative chemical composition, and flavonoids percentage), as well as relative features to feasible alterations of drug. Tables with results of determined quality parameters are presented.

Abstract
There is a need for reliable lighting design applications because available tools are limited and inappropriate for interactive or creative use. Architects and lighting designers need those applications to define, predict, test and validate lighting solutions for their problems. We present a new approach to the lighting design problem based on a methodology that includes the gelometry of the scene, the properties of materials and the design goals. It is possible to obtain luminaire characteristics or other kind of results that maximise the attainment of the design goals, which may include different types of constraints or objectives (lighting, geometrical or others). The main goal, in our approach, is to improve the lighting design cycle. In this work we discuss the use of optimisation in lighting design, describe the implementation of the methodology, present real-world based examples and analyse in detail some of the complex technical problems associated and speculate on how to overcome them.

Abstract
In this paper a method for automatic detection of microaneurysms in digital angiograms of the eye fundus is described. These lesions of the human retina, a characteristic of the earliest phases of diabetic retinopathy, present themselves in the angiographic images as small, round, hyperfluorescent objects. The proposed method includes initial pre-processing and enhancement steps, followed by object segmentation. In the final phase, microaneurysms are validated using two new criteria based on local intensity, contrast and shape relations. The combination of these local features with global image parameters makes possible a high degree of independence from image intensity characteristics. © 1999 IEEE.

Abstract
The lack of high-level design tools hampers the widespread adoption of adaptive computing systems. Application developers have to master a wide range of functions, from the high-level architecture design, to the timing of actual control and data signals. In this paper we describe DEFACTO, an end-to-end design environment aimed at bridging the gap in tools for adaptive computing by bringing together parallelizing compiler technology and synthesis techniques. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999.